SFX Defense and Invulnerable to Fire

[SkyKnight]

I'm not sure to to correctly attribute the following power to, since I saw it long ago on another hero board.

 

SFX Defense

1 point per 1

 

SFX defense acts as PD, ED, Power Defense or Flash Defense against powers of a narrowly defined special effect. It can be made resistant with the usual damage resistance power.

 

Has anyone ever tried this? Was it at all balanced? Can it be made balanced by increasing the cost?

 

p.s. the Invulnerability to Fire was mostly a teaser, though 60 point of Fire Defense would be pretty effective as long as you stayed clear of blast furnaces.

[Steve Long]

Since this isn't a rules question, I've forwarded it to "HERO System Discussion" for analysis by Herodom Assembled.

 

What do you think, folx?

[Zaratustra]

I once pondered a DC Reduction power, where for 20 points you'd reduce one DC from any effect targeting you. This would then be bought with 'only against SFX' bonuses.

 

Also, check the Damage Reduction charts elsewhere on this forum They're pretty.

[tiger]

Re: SFX Defense and Invulnerable to Fire

 

Originally posted by SkyKnight

SFX Defense

1 point per 1

 

While I can't say the concept is to bad. A 1pt for 1pt seems a bit cheap when you factor in it being used agains all fire, sound , air what have you.

 

For game balance I would think that either a FF that only warks against fire or whatever would be better.

 

You could increase the cost per point as an alternative. But again you have to balance it against the effect it has in the game.

[Aroooo]

I've pondered this point from time to time over the years. If you can take a disad Vulnerable to a particular SFX, then why can't you buy some form of DEF that is immune, or nearly so, to an SFX?

 

Maybe a +1 advantage 1.5x defense vs. special effect. My 10 ED fire suit gets standard 10 def vs. an electrical attack, but 15 vs. a flame thrower.

 

Aroooo

[JohnTaber]

I guess if you used the current rules and wanted that it would cost what...

+1 PD = 1 pt.

+1 ED = 1 pt.

+1 Power Def = 1 pt.

+1 Flash Def = 1 pt. <- We'll be nice and not worry about all senses right now.

Total = 4 points.

Then tack on a limiation only vs given special effect. The frequency of the special effect would drive the value for the limiation.

 

Assuming a uncommon special effect I might give +1 for 2 pts. Maybe for a more common special effect (i.e. fire) I might give +1 for 3 pts.

 

Is this logic roughly ok?

 

Forgot...[added with edit]...personally I would not invent a power for this and just use the existing rules but that is just my take...

 

[Derek Hiemforth]

Originally posted by Aroooo

Maybe a +1 advantage 1.5x defense vs. special effect. My 10 ED fire suit gets standard 10 def vs. an electrical attack, but 15 vs. a flame thrower.

That particular modifier wouldn't work too well, I'm afraid. At a +1 Advantage, your 10 ED fire suit could be a 20 ED fire suit for the same cost, and it would work against all Energy attacks, not just fire.

 

Mathematically, it would make more sense for 1.5x defense vs a special effect to be +1/4, and 2x to be +1/2. Here's why...

 

If you bought 10 ED normally, then another 5 ED, Only Vs. Fire (-1), that would cost you 12 points (10 points for 10 ED, 2.5 points (rounded down to 2) for the extra ED only vs. fire). 10 ED at a +1/4 Advantage is also 12 points.

 

Likewise, if you bought 10 ED normally, then another 10 ED Only vs. Fire (-1), that would cost you 15 points. 10 ED at a +1/2 Advantage is also 15 points.

 

'Course this points out the fact that you could just buy extra DEF with the Limitation...

[Vondy]

I think you should look up the rules for Desolidification as a form of invulnerability in Fred. Its essentially a -1 lim on the deso and it suggests you needn't by Affects Physical World for your other powers because it doesn't allow you to walk through walls or ignore damage from attacks without the correct SFX.

 

Using this method Invulnerability to fire would cost you 20 points.

[Gigakaiju]

Originally posted by D-Man

I think you should look up the rules for Desolidification as a form of invulnerability in Fred. Its essentially a -1 lim on the deso and it suggests you needn't by Affects Physical World for your other powers because it doesn't allow you to walk through walls or ignore damage from attacks without the correct SFX.

 

Using this method Invulnerability to fire would cost you 20 points.

 

i'd imagine that most people would also want to make it 0 END and Persistent.. i'd tend to disallow buying it with Always On, as the circumstances that would make being unable to be affected by fire a limitation would be uncommon at best. OTOH, if the invulnerability is a mystic or psychic ability that you have to focus on, having it cost END makes sense. As would limitations like Concentration or Gestures. (To ward off or part the fire.)

 

-m[arcuS]

[Vondy]

Probably true, which would effectively bring the cost back up to 40 points.

 

Its a power that has EC written all over it, however.

 

I assume flame form!!!