VPP Modifiers Question

[t-bear]

Got a question.

 

Let's say I throw requires a skill roll on my entire VPP, all sub items included. So when I use an item in the VPP, I have to make that skill roll.

 

But I can also put a required skill roll on *just* the VPP itself, not including the sub powers. In this case, do I just have to make the skill roll when reconfig'ing the VPP?

[Southern Cross]

Actually I thought that that was the default for VPPs-that to change them in combat required a VPP skill roll.

[Monolith]

Unless you take the No Skill Roll Advantage you always need to make a skill roll to reconfigure a VPP in combat/short time situations. So I would not allow the Limitation on a VPP, thought I would allow it on the powers purchased in a VPP to simulate that some skill is needed to be able to use the power.

[Lord Liaden]

Southern Cross has it mostly right. A VPP can be changed out of combat without requiring a Skill Roll, but this requires between one Turn and one Minute to accomplish (GM's decision presumably). You can buy and/or define a Skill allowing you to change the Pool in combat as a full-Phase action, but that doesn't give you any cost break on the VPP as it would for a power taking RSR.

 

RSR bought for the entire Variable Power Pool including Control cost, wouldn't make much sense if it didn't apply to all the potential slots in the Pool, unless you wanted it to apply to changing the Pool Powers out of combat. Is that what you were asking about, t-bear?

[Monolith]

Originally posted by Lord Liaden

You can buy and/or define a Skill allowing you to change the Pool in combat as a half-Phase action, but that doesn't give you any cost break on the VPP as it would for a power taking RSR.

Actually the change takes a Full Phase, and there is a +1/2 Advantage to allow for a Half Phase Change.

[Southern Cross]

True enough.If you want to change a VPP as a Zero-Phase Action (like a Multipower) it's a +1 Advantage.

[t-bear]

"unless you wanted it to apply to changing the Pool Powers out of combat. Is that what you were asking about, t-bear?"

 

Yes! What it is, I have a kleptomaniac teleporting dimensional gateway traveling character =) He has a personal/pocket dimension where he keeps all his....items. I'm building a VPP and what I want is 2 restrictions

1.) must be reconfigured in the pocket dimension

2.) must roll a knowledge skill (inventory) to put a power in

 

Essentially to get an item and use it in the VPP he has to *go* to the pocket dimension, and then *find* the item on his inventory sheet.

[Lord Liaden]

Originally posted by Monolith

Actually the change takes a Full Phase, and there is a +1/2 Advantage to allow for a Half Phase Change.

 

Thanks for catching my error, Mon. I've edited my post accordingly.

 

Originally posted by t-bear

"unless you wanted it to apply to changing the Pool Powers out of combat. Is that what you were asking about, t-bear?"

 

Yes! What it is, I have a kleptomaniac teleporting dimensional gateway traveling character =) He has a personal/pocket dimension where he keeps all his....items. I'm building a VPP and what I want is 2 restrictions

1.) must be reconfigured in the pocket dimension

2.) must roll a knowledge skill (inventory) to put a power in

 

Essentially to get an item and use it in the VPP he has to *go* to the pocket dimension, and then *find* the item on his inventory sheet.

 

#1 sounds like a Custom Limitation on the Control Cost of the VPP, rather than any of the slots. I'd probably peg it at -1/2.

[t-bear]

Well, for #1 I figured I'd use the "Under Certain Conditions Only" disadvantage, the condition being that the character must be in his pocket dimension.

[Gary]

I don't think that Requires Skill Roll should be a limitation on the control cost of a VPP, unless the player gets only one roll for the entire session. In noncombat time, a player can basically roll as many times as necessary to change his powers, so RSR wouldn't actually be limiting and shouldn't be worth any points.

 

Only in pocket dimension may or may not be worth a limitation depending on how easy it is for the player to get to the pocket dimension. If the player has the ability to XDM at will, this probably isn't worth a limitation. If the player has to travel back to a Gate at his home or base and it takes noncombat time, then it would probably be worth a limitation.

[t-bear]

The character isn't just a member of end users anonomoys, he's the president =)

 

ALl of his powers cost lots of end, and he has very little of it to pull from. A 1 way trip to his pocket dimension can be performed at any time with a Dimensional Navigation skill roll, but eats up 75% of his end. So, it depends on how you want to define "easy" when talking about getting to the pocket dimension =) In order to get back, he has to take a recovery in the dimension.

[PhilFleischmann]

Gary is right. Having your own private pocket demention to rest up in, is not much of a limitation at all. Is there any drawback to being inside it? Are there hostile monsters in there with you? Environmental dangers? Diseases? Limited air supply?

 

Likewise, having to make a skill roll out of combat is no limitation if you can keep rolling till you make it. Though it would be worth a limitation if you could only make a limited number of reconfigure attempts per time period: (1/day, 3/day, 7/week, 10/month, only at exactly midnite, etc.)

[t-bear]

I didn't think the skill roll would be much, if any of a limitation..just looking at it, thinking about it.

 

As far as the pocket dimension, yeah I can rest up all I want...actually, I have to. If I don't, I can't come back, not enough end =)

[Southern Cross]

So you would have to take Extra Time to change the powers in the VPP.

[Southern Cross]

So you would have to take Extra Time to change the powers in the VPP.

How long does it take you to Recover 75% (I think that's the correct figure) of your END?

Also,if it takes 75% of your END to travel back,that would be represented by a Side Effect that always occurs when you change your VPP.

[Southern Cross]

Oh,and how about posting your character? We might be able to redesign him to be more effective.

(Suggestion: buy more CON & REC!)

[t-bear]

Takes 3 recoveries, character's a speed 4, so about 6 seconds, and then however long it takes to redo the VPP, and then I gate back..but of course then I need to take recoveries when I get back.

 

Not exactly something I'm gonna want to do in combat unless it's necessary.

 

And I had thought to make the RSR with some limtations. Maybe I can only try once a day or something, so if I can't find it on the list, I give up for the rest of the day.

[Bengal]

Yes, please post the character! I think we can help you with a redesign that makes more sense.

[t-bear]

I'll post the character, but keep a few things in mind =)

 

Firstly, the Gm approved him with the comment "the only reason this character doesn't make me cry is the fact that he'll stun himself unconcious in like 2 turns".

 

Also there are a few mistakes I'm sure you'll find in the way he

was built, things I haven't corrected since I've learned the game better because the GM did approve this and..yeah.

 

In combat the character's main job is to act as an AA gun. He can attack via a stretching power any energy blast based flyer with a strong, often surprised in combat, indirect attack that's based on physical defense. I swat the down like flies =)

 

So..uh...be kind =)

 

 

Name: Dervish

Alternate IDs: Jase Richards

 

 

Val Char Roll Notes

13 STR 12- HTH Dmg 2 1/2d6 END [1]

20 DEX 13- OCV 7 DCV 7

13 CON 12-

12 BODY 11-

13 INT 12- PER Roll 12-

13 EGO 12- ECV: 4

10 PRE 11- PRE Attack: 2d6

10 COM 11-

3/18 PD

3/18 ED

4 SPD

8 REC Run: 6"

46 END Swim: 2"

26 STUN Leap: 2 1/2"

 

Disadvantages Pts

 

Hunted: Fat Blunts Brothers 8- (Mo Pow, Harshly Punish) 15

 

Psych. Lim.: Clausterphobic (Uncommon, Total) 15

 

DNPC: Parents 8- (Normal; Unaware of character's adventuring career/Secret ID; Group DNPC: x2 DNPCs) 20

 

Psychological Limitation: Kleptomania (Common, Strong) 15

 

Secret Identity: (Frequently, Major) 15

 

Normal Characteristic Maxima 20

 

XP 25 Base: 150

Disads: 100

XP Spent 20

Total: 270

 

 

76 : Characteristics Cost

135 + Powers Cost

59 + Martial Arts/Skills/Perks/

Talents Cost

270 = Total Cost

 

 

 

Pts. Power/Skill/Perk/Talent

Powers

20 Teleportation Gates: Elemental Control, 60-point powers, (30 Active Points); all slots Gestures (Requires both hands; -1/2)

 

21 1) Personal Teleport: Teleportation 17", No Relative Velocity, Position Shift, Safe Blind Teleport (+1/4)

(61 Active Points); Gestures (Requires both hands; -1/2) End Cost 6

 

22 2) Teleportation Attack: Teleportation 4", No Relative Velocity, Position Shift, Safe Blind Teleport (+1/4), Ranged (+1/2), UAA (+1) (63 Active Points); Gestures (Requires both hands; -1/2) End Cost 6

 

20 3) Stretching: Stretching 8", Does Not Cross Intervening Space (+1/4) (50 Active Points); Gestures (Requires both hands; -1/2), Hands Only (-1/4), No Velocity Damage (-1/4) End Cost 5

Hand-To-Hand Attack: +10d6, (50 Active Points); HTH Attack (-1/2), Linked (-1/2) End Cost 5

 

20 4) Force Field: FF (15 PD/15 ED), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (60 Active Points); Gestures (Requires both hands; -1/2)

 

20 5) Missile Deflection: Missile Deflection (Any Ranged Attack), Missile Reflection, Full Range (+1) (60 Active Points); Gestures (Requires both hands; -1/2) End Cost 6

 

8 6) Pocket Dimension: XDM (Single Dimension), x2 Increased Weight, Requires An Extra Dimensional Navigation Roll (No Active Point penalty to Skill Roll +0), Costs END Only To Activate (+1/4) (31 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost (x5 END; -2), Gestures (Requires both hands; -1/2) End Cost 10

 

4 Team Communicator: Mind Link , Unknown Heroes class of minds, Specific Group of Minds, Custom Adder, Life Support: Radiation (5 Active Points); IIF (-1/4)

 

Martial Arts

5 Defensive Strike: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, +3 DCV, 2 1/2d6 Strike

4 Martial Strike: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +2 DCV, 4 1/2d6 Strike

4 Martial Dodge: 1/2 Phase, -- OCV, +5 DCV, Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort

 

Skills

3 Sleight Of Hand 13-

3 Stealth 13-

3 Streetwise 11-

3 Acrobatics 13-

3 Breakfall 13-

2 AK: Dayton Ohio 11-

10 +2 with DCV

10 +2 with HTH Combat

2 +1 with single Characteristic Roll

3 Teamwork 13-

4 Navigation (Dimensional) 13-