Multipower vs VPP

[JohnnyAppleseed098]

As I am heavily confused on the main differences, can someone explain the difference between a VPP and a Multipower, and, if you could, tell me what each is commonly used to contain?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As Words Die We See A Difference Appear

[DasBroot]

Multipower's power slots are fixed. A VPP is not.

 

ie: Multipower: 60 points.  It can have any number of powers slotted into it, but each are paid for individually and can only use 60 AP at once

 

Often used for full AP attacks like this:

 

Punch Attack Pool (60 points)

slot 1: HTH (60 ap) cost 6 

Slot 2: HTH with Range advantage (60 ap) cost 6

slot 3:  HTH with AoE (60 AP) cost 6

 

In that example he can use one punch at a time but can change which one he wants to use as a zero phase action every phase  - ideal for attack pools that will never change - only be added to.

 

It could also be used for three 20 point powers at once, etc.  Basically if you never care about changing out what the power slots can do, only adding to your repertoire, a multipower is the simpler way to go.

 

VPP slots aren't fixed - you pay for the pool (how many points of powers you can have active at once) and control (the strongest level of power).  If you followed the same example above with a 60 Pool, 60 Control you'd end up with one attack power that could be anything you want - if you change it between adventures.

 

So one day it c ould be the HTH, the next the HTH with range, the next the HTH.  Frankly VPP are terrible for attacks I find - ironically not versatile at all.

 

What they are good at, though, is miscellaneous use. That same 60 / 60 could have every life support slotted into it as well as a 30 point flight.  The next time you play it could have 20 points of PD and 40 meters of teleport.  The time after Dimensional Travel with a few weight multipliers.  Whatever.

 

VPP get more mileage out of disadvantages on the individual powers, however, since the Real Cost is used to determine how many powers you can have in it at any time.  That's more advanced than I can hope to explain with any brevity, though.

Edited January 5, 2016 by DasBroot

[Hyper-Man]

A Multipower with 7-10 Slots and a 60 Active Point Reserve is almost always going to be more effective than a VPP built on the same number of REAL points.

 

However, as a character spends XP to purchase new slots to improve the Multipower there will always be a point at which converting it to a VPP will be more cost efficient.

 

The original Variable Power Pool grew out of the more limited Gadget Pool first introduced back the Champions 2e era.  In its default form it requires a Skill Roll and a Full Phase to change slots. There are VPP Only Advantages that can be used to remove those requirements which then make the VPP effectively function like a Multipower with an Infinite number of slots.  This used to be referred to as the "Cosmic" VPP as it is a great way to model the abilities of characters like The Silver Surfer or a Green Lantern's Power Ring.  There are also some characters with abilities that can be modeled with either method.  I've done a version of Batman's Utility Belt using a Limited VPP that functions like a Multipower that lets him "trade out" some of the otherwise permanent slots for different slots if he can visit the Batcave (it's basically the same concept used by D&D spellcasters that are dependent on memorizing spells each day).

 

Follow the links in my Signature below to see various characters that I've built, many of which feature a very Multipower-like VPP.

[Kuleneko]

Basically, a Multipower is like the starship Enterprise having weapons, Shield, thrusters etcetera, and "diverting power" to one or the other.

 

A Variable Power Pool is like Batman having prepared a gadget "for just such an occasion"...Like shark repellent, or a BAT CREDIT CARD.

[Haerandir]

A Multipower is a pool of points that can be assigned on the fly to a limited selection of pre-defined powers, and usually represents either a set number of frequently-used abilities/gear or a single power that can be used in different ways (often known as "tricks" or "stunts").  Some examples:

 

-an archer with several different types of trick arrow (Green Arrow or Hawkeye)
-a gun with several different firing modes (regular bullets, grenades, flamethrower, etc.)
-a wizard who knows a handful of spells which he uses repeatedly
-someone who can project and control a specific type of energy for varying applications (Human Torch)

 

Essentially, a Multipower is a discount offered to the player for accepting a restriction on how much of his various powers he can use in a single action. The Human Torch is a classic example. He has one basic power (the ability to create and control flames) that can produce a myriad of effects. If he tried to purchase all of those effects as separate Powers, he wouldn't have any points left over to spend on his unstable molecule costume, but the character "should" have them. Worse, if you did manage to squeeze them all onto his character sheet as individual Powers, then he could conceivably activate them all on a single Phase which would make him wildly overpowered compared to, say, Spider-man, and ISN'T something the published character is capable of doing. Multipower allows Johnny to have the ability to do goofy stuff with his flames, like projecting them in different shapes or at different intensities, but he can only use one 'stunt' at a time. It's a bit more useful than a straight 12d6 Fire Blast, and it costs a bit more, so it all balances out.

 

A Variable Power Pool is broadly similar to a Multipower, in that it's a pool of points that can be assigned to different Powers. However, it's far more flexible, in part because the powers in the VPP don't have to be pre-defined. VPP usually represents a character with complete mastery over a broad category of power or ability. Some examples include:

 

- an archmage who knows every spell in the book, and routinely writes his own (Dr. Strange, Dr. Fate)
- an inventor who can whip up a device to defeat an alien invasion out of the stuff in his garage (Reed Richards, MacGuyver)
- a dude who is so well-prepared that he always 'just happens' to have the right tool 'for just such an occasion' (Batman)
- a character who can copy other people's powers (Rogue)
- a shapeshifter who can turn into almost anything (Plastic Man)

 

Essentially, the only limits on a VPP are: the number of points available, the imagination of the player, the special effects of the powers, the character's skill in manipulating the powers, the player's knowledge of the rules, and the GM's patience.  Which means there actually are fairly sharp limits to a VPP. They tend to be more expensive than an equivalent Multipower, at least up to the point where the costs of the individual slots in the Multipower become significant (as Hyper-Man says above).

 

VPPs are far more complex gameplay-wise than Multipowers. Even with experienced players and GMs, a VPP can slow down the game while the player tries to concoct a brand-new power on the fly in combat, and the GM has to determine (again, on the fly) whether or not it fits the character concept, is legal, and is fair/balanced/appropriate to the setting, etc. VPPs also have the potential to derail plots and overshadow other PCs. For all these reasons, they are not recommended for inexperienced players and GMs, and some GMs just disallow them entirely.  Other GMs allow VPPs, but ask players to only write up new powers during down time.

 

Multipowers are much less dangerous, though they do deserve to be reviewed occasionally to make sure they are built around a legitimate special effect and aren't just a fudge to get lots of combat powers for low, low rates. They're also simpler in most ways than VPPs. In most cases, if you're having trouble deciding whether a VPP or a Multipower is appropriate for a given character, my rule of thumb is, "If it CAN be built with Multipower instead of VPP, it probably SHOULD be built with Multipower instead of VPP."

[bigdamnhero]

Massively over-simplified explanation:

 

Both MPs and VPPs allow you to take a central power concept such as "I project energy beams," "I cast spells," or "I have lots of cool gadgets" and create a variety of different Powers off that without having to pay full price for each power individually.

 

If you want a relatively short list of pre-defined powers, which you can use any one at a time, you probably want a Multipower.

 

If you want a significantly longer list of powers, or you want to be able to make up powers on-the-fly, or you want to be able to use more than one power at a time, you probably want a VPP. Note that VPPs are generally more expensive than MPs, and each "or" I mentioned gets progressively more expensive.

 

 

Equally over-simplified example:

 

Gadget MP is "I have these 5-10 gadgets, and I can use any one of them at a time."

 

Gadget VPP is either "I have a huge number of gadgets to choose from" (ie - Batman's utility belt) or "I can make any gadget I want" (ie Reed Richards inventing whatever the plot requires).

[Lucius]

Note that it is quite possible to have more than one "slot" of a Multipower in action at one time. Multipowers are often built in such a way that this can't be done, or if it can the different powers are not at full effect all at once, but it is possible to build a Multipower that can have two or abilities on at full power simultaneously.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Variable Palindromedary Pool

[massey]

A multipower is a pool of points that can be allocated to a pre-defined list of powers.  A VPP is a pool of points that can be allocated into any gosh-darn power you want.  It is a multipower with infinite slots.  It is also much more expensive.  Since it is so versatile, a lot of players will sit and stare at it, paralyzed by indecision.

[Lucius]

I'm fond of saying that the complexity of Hero is all "front loaded" in the character creation process.

 

The major drawback of a Variable Power Pool is that it potentially brings that creation process into the middle of game play.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Variable Power Poolindromedary

[bigdamnhero]

Note that it is quite possible to have more than one "slot" of a Multipower in action at one time. Multipowers are often built in such a way that this can't be done, or if it can the different powers are not at full effect all at once, but it is possible to build a Multipower that can have two or abilities on at full power simultaneously.

True dat. I don't often build them that way myself because it gets expensive fast, but Flexible Slots are a thing.

[Hyper-Man]

Multipowers, VPP's and the Variable Advantage are 3 similar tools that can be used to describe one Meta-Power of Special Effect X.

Example:

• 87 Special Effect X Attack: Energy Blast 10d6, Variable Advantage (+1/2 Advantages; Limited Group of Advantages: +3/4)
  • [87 Total Points]
  • This is the simplest to judge the effectiveness of and functions like a 3-4 ultra slot multipower with the limitation that it can't be used without SOME type of advantage.
  • Optionally, you can remove the "Limited" verbage and increase the cost to 100 Total Points
• 75 Special Effect X: Multipower, 75-point reserve
  • 7u Energy Blast 10d6, Random Advantage #1 (+1/2)
  • 7u Energy Blast 10d6, Random Advantage #2 (+1/2)
  • 7u Energy Blast 15d6
  • [96+ Total Points, or more depending on the number of different slots purchased]
  • Better than Variable Advantage option since it allows for non-advantaged attack.
• 130 Special Effect X: Variable Power Pool, 75 base + 74 control cost, Cosmic(+2) (186 Active Points); all slots Limited Class Of Powers Available Very Limited (Special Effect X: -1)
  • [130 Total Points]
  • This functions as an Unlimited # of slots Multipower.
  • It is more powerfull And Cost Effective than option 2 as soon as you have more than 7 slots.

• Special Effect X can be replaced with anything (fire, cold, electricity, etc..).
• Random Advantage can be replaced with any (+1/2) Advantage or combination of two different (+1/4) Advantages.

All 3 methods are perfectly valid ways to construct an attack that has an effective 75 active point cost and has several different ways it can be used. Each version is a balance of Cost Effectiveness VS. Usefullness.

HM

[Hyper-Man]

Variable Power Pools are far more manageable if they are combined with a Limited Special Effect and a pre-built list of slot constructions. 

 

Both Multipowers and VPP's can be constructed with a Reserve/Pool greater than the maximum Active Point total of any single slot. This allows for combining multiple slots without having to recalculate slot construction on the fly.  This is how I built my rookie versions of Superman and Flash:  my 5e versions both used Multipowers whereas the 6e versions use VPPs instead.  The Limited Special Effect Limitation does NOT affect the Real cost of the VPP slots.

 

From my JLA350 project (includes links to HDC files)

5e Superman

5e Flash

 

6e Superman click Download link for html export example

6e Flash click Download link for html export example

 

HM