Triggers?

[TrickstaPriest]

Alright, now that I got that build I was trying to make, I'm just curious in general. Two trigger questions. One is a general question, the other is on a new Advantage I'm pondering for some other character designs.

 

First, assuming a character sets a "Trigger" ability as a 0 phase action (like it is with most abilities), can they turn it off similarly? Or does it have to be deliberately activated before it can be "off"?

 

Also, if I wanted to make an Advantage for a power that allows it to be activated by the user even when the Trigger is set (so it can activate either when it is Triggered, or when the person activates it (without having to meet the Trigger requirement)), how much do you think that'd be? Another +1/4, +1/2, in addition to the Trigger's cost? I'm curious to see how powerful people think this is... assume that if it is activated by the character, the Trigger would need to be reset again.

[ghost-angel]

Depends entirely on special effects... can be difficult to put the trip wire back on a land mine, but taking down the trip wire with a skill roll once it's found, or by the person who set it, should not require an additional advantage on the power. In other words, depending on what the Trigger is, you should be able to take it down for free, or at worst require a skill roll.

[dstarfire]

you don't need another advantage to use a power with a trigger. Trigger is an advantage, it gives you more options, not less. If a power occurrs ONLY when the trigger is activated, that'd be a limitation.

 

I don't see any reason why a player couldn't turn a trigger off. Again, that'd be a limitation (no conscious control comes to mind).

 

However, there are many effects simulated by a power and trigger combination where it doesn't make sense to disable the trigger, or activate it manually. That's up to the player and GM to work out. Since you sound relatively intelligent, I assume you follow common sense rather than the rules.

[Dust Raven]

Originally posted by dstarfire

you don't need another advantage to use a power with a trigger. Trigger is an advantage, it gives you more options, not less. If a power occurrs ONLY when the trigger is activated, that'd be a limitation.

 

Doesn't this go against the whole "must use all Advantages and Limitations" bit in FREd? I definately agree with you, rules aside, but I'm wondering what the rules for this actually are.

 

As for "unsetting" a Trigger, go for it. You can unprepare a Delayed Effect Power, same with Triggers.

[SleepyDrug]

It also ignores universality as a meta-rule.

 

If a trigger is entirely optional. I.e. power activates at players whim or the trigger. What about armor-piercing, indirect, or penetrating?

[austenandrews]

I agree, it's entirely up to SFX. You can detonate a claymore without a tripwire. But if a magic item Triggers when a zombie touches it, as GM I'm unlikely to allow a character to set it off without a zombie.

 

-AA

[Dust Raven]

Originally posted by austenandrews

I agree, it's entirely up to SFX. You can detonate a claymore without a tripwire. But if a magic item Triggers when a zombie touches it, as GM I'm unlikely to allow a character to set it off without a zombie.

 

-AA

 

Also, once you set that claymore to be set off with a tripwire, you can't very well just set it off without it. (I suppose you could also have a remote detonator, but that's not the same as just turning on the power, but another trigger option.)

[austenandrews]

Originally posted by Dust Raven

Also, once you set that claymore to be set off with a tripwire, you can't very well just set it off without it. (I suppose you could also have a remote detonator, but that's not the same as just turning on the power, but another trigger option.)

 

Right, that's exactly the sort of SFX-based thinking that Trigger asks for.

 

-AA

[dstarfire]

Re: Triggers?

 

It also ignores universality as a meta-rule.

 

If a trigger is entirely optional. I.e. power activates at players whim or the trigger. What about armor-piercing, indirect, or penetrating?

 

The trigger would NOT be optional. Whenever the condition matches the trigger, the power activates (whether the player wants it to or not). Additionally, the player can activate the power at their discretion.

 

If it occurred only when the trigger occurred, that'd be an example of the "no conscious control" limitation which described a power that is only activated when some external event triggers it.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Triggers?

 

Just use the variable trigger upgrade, and make one of the trigger options "At Will" or something similar.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Triggers?

 

you don't need another advantage to use a power with a trigger. Trigger is an advantage, it gives you more options, not less. If a power occurrs ONLY when the trigger is activated, that'd be a limitation.

 

Two words: Damage Shield. There's a limitation that costs you more points if ever there was one...and this may be another.

 

My reading is that the power can only be set off by the trigger: FRED indicates that a character can set off a power by fulfilling the trigger criteria. If the GM didn't handwave it (and for any decent explanation of how, I would) I'd say +1/4 at most to be able to trigger a power without fulfilling the trigger criteria.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Triggers?

 

Just use the variable trigger upgrade' date=' and make one of the trigger options "At Will" or something similar.[/quote']

 

Don't think you can: all the triggers you use at one time have to be the same, even with the variable option, and you can only have one trigger at a time, so you can't make 'at will' one of the triggers - but you could make it THE trigger.

 

I think this advantage was written with specific things in mind - like setting bombs and traps - as a way to change a power rather than simply improve it.