Limitation: Always when

[BoneDaddy]

There are conditional limitations on powers, the Only If and the Never If. An example of an Only If limitation is Only at Night, or Only in High Magnetic Fields. Examples of Never If limitations are Never in Thunderstorms, etc.

 

What about Always When? Consider the Lycanthrope - he ALWAYS turns into a werewolf on the full moon. That can be resolved as an accidental change. Let's try something else.

 

Consider the Bore. The Bore is one of Earth's mightiest heroes, but the sound of his voice is enough to render anyone catatonic. Its a Suppress Intelligence, Always When talking. Not only when, or incantations - there's nothing this guy can say that isn't well nigh paralyzing with boredom. What's it worth as a limitation?

 

How about a guy who's only solid when its light? In the dark, he becomes desolid, whether he wants to or not. It just the nature of the shadowbeast. Nothing else about him changes - it isn't approprate for a multiform.

 

So, what's it worth? I think it should be worth more than the other conditional limitations, since the PC can't necessarily guarantee the existance or nonexistance of the condition.

 

On the other hand, unlike an Only When, the Bore can actually make people stupid without talking if he wants to - Always When isn't the same as Only If. It creates a different circumstance than the other conditional limitations, and I think it could apply to a lot of characters.

[Osprey]

Using the model of "Always On" (Works ALL the Time) I would add the value of "Always On" {which escapes me} to the original frequency value.

 

Lets not forget endurance...

[Guest Kolava]

Yes, the "always power" should certainly be bought to 0 END, unless you want lycanthropes passing out left and right.

[Dust Raven]

At first I though an Always On plus Only When combo would be perfect, but then you mention that he could use it even if the Always When condition wasn't met. In this case, since it can be used any time, I'd do it as either an Always When -1/4 (half the value of Always On) or a Physical Limitation: Must Use Power While X with the value depending upon the frequency of X and the problems it would cause.

[dstarfire]

Have you looked at no conscious control? From what you're describing that pretty much describes what you're looking for. I'd reduce the value of the limitation somewhat due to the the fact that: while the character can't control whether or not the power activates when the conditions are met, he does have some control over whether or not those conditions are met.

[ghost-angel]

I see this as a sort of case by case basis,Always On only works if it is ALWAYS on, Not "When I'm talking", or "When I blink" but All The Time, can't turn it off no matter what.

 

If if were a conditional power that can't be controlled and triggers when the condition is met (the Bore's Drain INT when talking) that sounds like a variation of Always On, or a rather odd limitation.

 

Maybe:

Drain: 1D6 INT, Limited Power: 0END (+1/2) Always On, only when talking (-1/4). [AP: 15, RC: 12]

 

Always On is normally -1/2, I'd let you make it conditional in this instance since to turn off the power you simply don't talk - learn sign language or write notes to communicate. Since there's a way to easily prevent the power from working I wouldn't give you the full Always On limitation. But it is worth something since you end up using against your friends as well as enemies.