Powers' Activation Time

[slaughterj]

Recently, I posted the questions below on the 5e questions section, but didn't really get an answer from Steve. I've also scoured the FAQ, searching under the relevant page #s, the term "activating", etc. to no avail. So any help on the questions below would be appreciated:

 

On p. 71-72 of 5E, it says all powers are 0 phase unless they say otherwise, but very few powers say anything about taking time to activate/use in their description (e.g., Duplication says 1/2 phase, Force Wall says 1/2 phase to change wall shape). It takes an 1/2 phase to attack someone with a power, so that presumably covers attack powers. Also, it takes a 1/2 phase to move, so that presumably covers movement powers.

 

However, it is not clear whether all powers defined as Attack Powers or Movement Powers take ½ phase to activate/use? For instance, Darkness/Images say Attack Roll to target a hex but not ½ phase (even Force Wall says Attack Roll, but ½ phase only to change size), but then again EB doesn't say anything about taking a 1/2 phase. So presumably Darkness and Images each take a half phase to activate & use?

 

What about Force Wall, it involves an Attack roll but like Darkness and Images, doesn't directly "attack" anyone?

 

What about Healing and Aid? Neither say they take time in their description, but they seem as if they should take 1/2 phase, but they are neither Attack Powers, nor require Attack Rolls, so arguably would fall under the general rule above.

 

It would be good if the summary page at the start of the powers section simply listed the activate/use time for each power, and that each power description were clear. The general rules are good for go-bys, but as noted above, it leaves some unclarity...

 

Additionally, in FH, p. 256, all spells are ½ phase default, but presumably to activate & use Attack Spells still only a total of ½ phase? (I.e., not a 1/2 phase to activate, then an extra 1/2 phase to attack with them?)

[Chris Goodwin]

Most Powers take a 0 Phase action to activate, but if you attack with them the attack itself is a half-Phase attack action. This applies to all of the Powers you mentioned, even the attack ones. (Half move, activate Energy Blast, attack with it.)

 

Activating a Movement Power is 0 Phase. Making a half move with it is a half-Phase and a full move is a full Phase.

 

Does this help?

[slaughterj]

Originally posted by archer

Most Powers take a 0 Phase action to activate, but if you attack with them the attack itself is a half-Phase attack action. This applies to all of the Powers you mentioned, even the attack ones. (Half move, activate Energy Blast, attack with it.)

 

Activating a Movement Power is 0 Phase. Making a half move with it is a half-Phase and a full move is a full Phase.

 

Does this help?

 

Some, but I'm clear on obviously non-attacking powers (e.g., FF) and attack / movement powers (have to spend 1/2 phase to use).

 

But, what about Darkness, Images, and Forcewall - each require an attack roll, but the last one is not listed as an attack power? A Force Wall could surround someone of course...

 

And what about Healing and Aid, they don't require an attack roll at all? Can I do them as much as I want in a phase? Or do they take a 1/2 phase? Or do they require no time, but only can be activated once?

[Chris Goodwin]

But, what about Darkness, Images, and Forcewall - each require an attack roll, but the last one is not listed as an attack power? A Force Wall could surround someone of course...

 

They all take a 0 Phase to activate. Making an attack roll is a half-Phase combat action regardless of whether the Power is considered an Attack Power or not.

 

And what about Healing and Aid, they don't require an attack roll at all? Can I do them as much as I want in a phase? Or do they take a 1/2 phase? Or do they require no time, but only can be activated once?

 

You can do them once in a Phase; I believe it's mentioned elsewhere that you can only do a 0 Phase action once per Phase (in other words you can't Heal yourself 10 times in a Phase). They don't require an attack roll per se, but if you're trying to do them on someone who is in combat or is otherwise trying to resist, then you do need to make an attack roll and therefore take an attack action.

[slaughterj]

Originally posted by archer

You can do them once in a Phase; I believe it's mentioned elsewhere that you can only do a 0 Phase action once per Phase (in other words you can't Heal yourself 10 times in a Phase). They don't require an attack roll per se, but if you're trying to do them on someone who is in combat or is otherwise trying to resist, then you do need to make an attack roll and therefore take an attack action.

 

Hmm, someone in combat is not necessarily the same as trying to resist, not sure where in the book it really explains how to handle these, but for saying all powers are 0 phase and at least in the FAQ that a power can only be activated/deactivated once / phase.

[TrickstaPriest]

Huh?

 

Wait... this is news to me. I thought any power that requires an attack roll uses 1/2 a Phase? I've been sweating on how to figure out how to arrange a power someone was supposed to have that involves a Healing Aid on themselves as a 0 phase action, as well as a few other powers. Where does it say that bit?

[GrimJesta]

They all take a 0 Phase to activate. Making an attack roll is a half-Phase combat action regardless of whether the Power is considered an Attack Power or not.

I think I get it now... youre saying that dropping a Darkness cloud is basically attacking the hex, just w/o a roll? Like, its still 0 phase to activate it, but making it appear it "technically" an attack even though its not a roll? Or am I missing something still?

 

-=Grim=-

[Chris Goodwin]

GrimJesta: Yes, that's what I'm saying.

 

Okay, I seem to be confusing people. Activating a Power is different from actually making use of it. All Powers, except for those specifically noted in the text, take a 0 Phase action to activate. Some Powers are listed as taking a half-Phase to activate.

 

Using a Power to make an attack roll is a half-Phase combat action. So technically the order of using a Power to make an attack roll is this:

 

0 Phase - activate Power

1/2 Phase - ??? (could be half move or other half-Phase not a combat action, or it could be nothing at all)

1/2 Phase combat action - make attack roll with Power

 

Movement Powers work similarly:

 

0 Phase - activate Power

1 Phase - two half moves, one full move, one half move and a half-Phase combat action, etc.

 

Does this clarify things?

[slaughterj]

A forethought: I like to look back at things every once in a while that I take for granted in a game system, which is what I've been doing here - usually do it in connection with making something - presently, it has been spells under 5e.

 

It seems there is a lack of immediate clarity in the activating powers section. There is the general rule - 0 phase to activate unless otherwise stated - which is good, but I think the activating powers section should mention something about the 1/2 phase for attacking, movement, and for non-attack powers that require an attack roll (e.g., Force Wall), to avoid any confusion. And on the initial powers list, it should have a column that says "Activation/Use" time, and list them there for easy reference. This is a very important aspect of the system, and should be crystal clear to the reader, and the powers which have a 1/2 phase use (not derived from being movement/attack) should have that more clearly presented rather than buried in the description text.

 

Thanks for the discussion archer.

[Chris Goodwin]

Perhaps I'm still not being clear.

 

The half-Phase for making an attack roll is not part of activating the Power. It's part of making the attack roll. That part is already mentioned under Combat, and doesn't need to be listed in Powers because it's not part of Powers.

 

There are only a few Powers that take anything other than a 0 Phase to activate, and those are mentioned in the text.

[slaughterj]

Originally posted by archer

Perhaps I'm still not being clear.

 

The half-Phase for making an attack roll is not part of activating the Power. It's part of making the attack roll. That part is already mentioned under Combat, and doesn't need to be listed in Powers because it's not part of Powers.

 

There are only a few Powers that take anything other than a 0 Phase to activate, and those are mentioned in the text.

 

I understand what you are saying, but I still think the initial powers chart should show this information, and it should be in the power summary section for each power if it takes a 1/2 action to use, or a 1/2 action to activate, to provide absolute clarity.