Power pools

[colin83]

So I've just picked up Champiins Complete and it's pretty great.

 

I'm not really understanding how the pools work though, it's just not very clear. Is the inability to use multiple powers at once supposed to be a disadvantage, it doesn't seem like much of one.

 

I can't work out the costing either.

 

Or how variable pools work? I can just make powers on the fly as long as they fit the cost and restrictions?

[Steve Long]

This seems more like a topic for discussion and general input than a discrete rules question, so I'm moving it to the Discussion board where anyone can answer.

[steriaca]

So I've just picked up Champiins Complete and it's pretty great.

Welcome to the Hero System.

 

I'm not really understanding how the pools work though, it's just not very clear. Is the inability to use multiple powers at once supposed to be a disadvantage, it doesn't seem like much of one.

You CAN use more than one power in a Multipower pool, as long as the combined power does not exceed the Multipower pool points. For example, assuming you have a 60 point Multipower, you can have one power active up to the 60 point limit, OR two 30 point powers, OR four 15 point powers, or anything like that. The only thing to remember is that fixed slots MUST use the maximum amount of points in the pool it can.

 

Fixed powers in the Multipower pool cost Active Points in the power cost divided by 10. This is called a fixed slots. Variable powers in the Multipower cost Active Points divided by 5. This is called a variable slot. The pool cost is whatever you payed for it, and that is the maximum Active Points you can put into the pool.

 

I can't work out the costing either.

See above.

 

Or how variable pools work? I can just make powers on the fly as long as they fit the cost and restrictions?

Variable Power Pool is much like a Multipower, but with all powers available in the pool. Yes, you could make powers on the fly, but wise GMs and players should make a list of powers, so not to slow down play. VVPs are, in general, "advance powers", and is not recommend for newcomers to the system. It does function much like Multipower. The cost is two fold. The VVP cost (how many total Active Points in the pool) and Control Cost (the maximum Active Points one single power in the Variable Power Pool can have). Only the Control Cost can have advantages and limitations.

[Cantriped]

Welcome to the community!

 

Regarding Multipower Reserves:

The primary reason it offers a discount is indeed because of the disadvantage inherent in not being able to keep every slot active at once.

For example, I had a player who built a Light-Manipulator. The character had a Multipower Reserve with Blast, Flash, Darkness, and Range-Killing Attack. The character also had Flight, Invisibility, and a force field (Resistant Protection) bought outside of the Reserve.

Because they were purchased as Variable Slots (instead of Fixed Slots) the character could make Combined Attacks using a mix of Blast and Flash dice (up to the maximum Active Points of her Reserve). If she had purchased those powers outside of the reserve, she could have instead been making Combined Attacks using the full dice of each power. The character's Darkness power was purchased as a Fixed Slot, and it took up her entire Reserve; so while she maintained one or more Darkness fields she couldn't use any of the other powers in her Reserve.

Because they were purchased outside of her reserve, the character could fly invisibly, and be protected by her force field all at the same time (in addition to whichever power from her Multipower Reserve she was using.

 

The "Standard" Champion model is enhanced Characteristics, one or more Defense Powers, one or more Movement Powers, one or more minor utility Powers (such as Invisibility, or Enhanced Senses), and a Multipower Reserve containing a suite of (usually three to five) Attack Powers which you normally wouldn't want to combine or use simultaneously. This minimizes the disadvantage suffered for having a Power Framework, but still offers you a significant discount over buying your Attack Powers (which you will rarely use more than one of at a time) separately.

One of the most common applications for a Multipower Reserve is for Weapons which have multiple settings (such as Phasers with Stun and Kill setting) or multiple kinds of special ammunition (such as the trick arrows used by superheroic archers).

 

Regarding Variable Power Pools:

Yes, that is precisely their function. Variable Power Pools (or VPPs for short) are effectively a pool of points you set aside and have paid a premium to be able to change at will during play (this is why modifiers on the Control don't affect the cost of the Pool).

Unlike Multipower Reserves (which are most frequently used for Attack Powers), VPPs get used for all sorts of unusual things. Although their most notable function is to make characters who can copy the powers of others possible, VPPs are most commonly used by Gadgeteers and Spellcasters. Gadgeteers use the pool to represent all the gadgets they've built for that adventure, and Spellcasters use it to represent their ability to produce any (typically minor) magical effect they can imagine. In both cases, the VPP is usually a secondary element purchased by otherwise 'standard' champions (see above); but sometimes it is purchased in lieu of a Multipower Reserve (or one or more of the other elements of the 'standard' champion). 'Power Copiers' tend to devote most of their points to their VPP in lieu of purchasing permanent powers.

[colin83]

Great answers, I really appreciate the detailed help. Seems like a good community here.

 

Game seems pretty easy playwise, but I've never run supers before so I'll be scouring the forums for ideas.

[Ninja-Bear]

Greetings! And ask away! You'll get a lot of answers.

[JmOz]

One other thing...on MP you will run into some alternate terminology on the slots.  They use to be called Ultra (Fixed) and Multi (variable) in older editions and a lot of us old timers still call them that