VPPs and Limitations

[Greatwyrm]

I understand you can put limitations on the control cost of a VPP and that if you do, the powers in the pool must have the same limitations. However, if you don't have limitations on the control cost, is there any reason to add them to the powers in the pool?

[Hyper-Man]

Re: VPPs and Limitations

 

You would usually add some limitations to let you do more than one thing at a time with the points in the pool.

 

example:

 

50 point cosmic power pool

75 point control cost (25 base with +2 advantage)

 

character can use any power at 50 active points but can also use the folloing at the same time:

1. 10d6 energyblast with limitations (like increased end) that add up to (+1) which makes the real cost= 25 pts

2. 25pd/25ed force field also with any combination of limitations adding up to (+1) which makes the real cost= 25 pts also

 

The limitations on the powers do not have to be the same either, one could be with an activate roll, not usable underwater etc..

 

The key difference between power pools and multipowers is the way the pools points are divided. power pool divides on REAL cost with each division then governed by the pool max as an active point max. Multipower non-ultra slots split the pool by ACTIVE points and only the slot costs get reduced by any limitations (unless shared by all slots and then the pool too just like PP).

[Hawksmoor]

Re: VPPs and Limitations

 

Yes!

 

Say you have a Truly Cosmic Power Pool.

 

Generate a +10d6 HA with the -1/4 Physical Limitation as a Bat and Swing!

 

Use Increased END or costs END to get MORE powers out of your pool.

 

Using limitations...is a GOOD thing at times.

 

Hawksmoor

-Not your Daddy's Type of Hero

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: VPPs and Limitations

 

One has to consider whether the limitations are limiting. A cosmic pool cannot get a -2 for "only in intense magnetic fields". When there is no such field, the power will be changed. If it requires you to go back to base and get another gadget, then I would allow such limitations.

 

If the pool can be changed in combat, but this has a cost (such as using a phase, or a roll which may fail), limitations such as Gestures, Incantations and Restrainable would be relevant, since these can at least frustrate the character for a period of time before the pool can be changed. Again, if it's cosmic, no way. Linked is similar - if you can just unlink it at a whim, where is the limitation?

 

Some limitations are always limiting, though. I would include Extra Time, Range Limitations, End limitations, activation rolls and side effects in these categories. These have some impact whenever the power is used.

 

Charges and Focus always bug me, especially since the rulings treat one more generously than the other. I'm inclined to reduce VPP points available if you use up Charges on a VPP power. Otherwise, what prevents "Ice Blast - 1 charge", followed by an array of differing special effects for the same power, all "1 charge"?

 

Bottom line: to be a limitation, it has to limit the character. In VPP constructs, many limitations do not, in fact, limit the character.

[ghost-angel]

Re: VPPs and Limitations

 

In agreance with Hugh, you should not be allowed to put a Limitation on a Cosmic VPP that can be "changed away" the next phase... unless there's some dramatic sense to it somehow.

 

There are lots of Limitations that can be used on a Cosmic VPP that are very good and will allow you to weild many powers at once. Incantations and Gestures on powers is one I like for those Uber Mages. Focci are another in some instances.. I just rule that if someone takes the Focus Away you've lost the Real Point cost of that power from the Active Point total of the VPP until you can get the focus back and remove the "energy/power" from it.

 

Except.. if you use a Cosmic VPP to simulate a Mage that can use any spell he knows at any time .. but has only a predefined list of spells, then almost all limitations are available. Cosmic really only means "No Skill Roll and No Time Required" to switch powers around. While that is easily interpreted as "any power in the book, whenever you want" you can always set a House Rule that VPPs MUST have a predefined list of powers. Mr. Cosmic can add new powers the same as any Gadgeteer outside combat, but while in combat needs no rolls or time to change out which power he is using. Which can be very nice indeed when they realize the lightning bolt and zap gun have no effect on the bad guy, the gadgeteer will spend a few phases making a flamethrower while the cosmic mage will simply use his Fireball next phase.

 

On other VPPs such as Gadget VPPs (which, by definition, use Focii) generally have many limitations on them.

 

The lower the Real Cost the more points you have left to add another power to use at the same time.

[Greatwyrm]

Re: VPPs and Limitations

 

power pool divides on REAL cost with each division then governed by the pool max as an active point max. Multipower non-ultra slots split the pool by ACTIVE points and only the slot costs get reduced by any limitations (unless shared by all slots and then the pool too just like PP).

 

I think this was the key concept I was missing. For some reason, I thought VPPs limited total powers by AP, like multipowers do. I understood the AP of a power couldn't be greater than the pool cost. I just didn't realize you "filled up" the pool based on the RP of the powers. This makes a little more sense now.

 

Thanks, everyone.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: VPPs and Limitations

 

I think this was the key concept I was missing. For some reason, I thought VPPs limited total powers by AP, like multipowers do. I understood the AP of a power couldn't be greater than the pool cost. I just didn't realize you "filled up" the pool based on the RP of the powers. This makes a little more sense now.

 

Thanks, everyone.

 

Glad to be of help.

 

And looking back I should have been more careful in my use of appropriate limitation examples as 'not in (certain situation)' probably does 'break' the intent of the rules.

 

Activates rolls, increased end and practically all 'spell like' limitations are appropriate ways to be able to use multiple powers where each power's active cost is equal to the pool total and whose collective real cost also equals the pool total.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: VPPs and Limitations

 

I understand you can put limitations on the control cost of a VPP and that if you do' date=' the powers in the pool must have the same limitations. However, if you don't have limitations on the control cost, is there any reason to add them to the powers in the pool?[/quote']

 

Hold on there.

 

There are three types of Lims you can put on a control cost.

 

There are Lims that affect the mechanics of the Pool itself like 0 Phase Change and No Skill Roll Required. These do not affect the Powers in the Pool.

 

There are Lims that affect the VPP and the Slots, like if you got your VPP thru a Control Ring OIF. You need the Ring to do anything at all, and all the Powers must be from that Focus.

 

Then there are Lims that affect the Slots, but affect ALL of the Slots and thus may be taken on the Control Cost. For example, all the powers in a Gadget pool may have to be in some kind of Focus, but the VPP itself isnt in any particular Focus. Generally its smarter to handle this as a Limited Power availablity on the VPP itself ("Only for Gadgets"; -1/4 IIRC), rather than taking Focus on the VPP Control Cost -- if you do that then if you lose one of the Foci its RC is "locked out" of the VPP until you recover it.

 

 

Finally, yes, there is a very good reason to take Lims on powers in a VPP that are not on the Control Cost. The lower you can get the Real Costs of the Powers taken thru the VPP the more Powers you can squeeze in to the VPP.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: VPPs and Limitations

 

One has to consider whether the limitations are limiting. A cosmic pool cannot get a -2 for "only in intense magnetic fields". When there is no such field, the power will be changed. If it requires you to go back to base and get another gadget, then I would allow such limitations.

 

If the pool can be changed in combat, but this has a cost (such as using a phase, or a roll which may fail), limitations such as Gestures, Incantations and Restrainable would be relevant, since these can at least frustrate the character for a period of time before the pool can be changed. Again, if it's cosmic, no way. Linked is similar - if you can just unlink it at a whim, where is the limitation?

 

Some limitations are always limiting, though. I would include Extra Time, Range Limitations, End limitations, activation rolls and side effects in these categories. These have some impact whenever the power is used.

Agreement w/ above.

 

Charges and Focus always bug me, especially since the rulings treat one more generously than the other. I'm inclined to reduce VPP points available if you use up Charges on a VPP power. Otherwise, what prevents "Ice Blast - 1 charge", followed by an array of differing special effects for the same power, all "1 charge"?

 

Charges and Cosmic Pools just do not mix. They can work for Limited Pools, which I refer to as "Set List" Pools, such as most Gadget pools and some Spell Pools, with a finite list of distinct items/spells/slots. The Charges do not reset when slotting the power out and bringing it back in, and this can be made to work, particularly when the powers cant be slotted in and out at will, powers change only in Lab, or other limited circumstance Pools are usually ok by this method.

 

Bottom line: to be a limitation, it has to limit the character. In VPP constructs, many limitations do not, in fact, limit the character.

Exactly. The more "wide open" the VPP, the more un-limiting most limitations are, particularly "cosmetic" Lims like Incant, Gesture, Restrainable, and Focus (except in non gadget pools where it is required), or situational Limited Powers like "only at night" and so on -- they are never really limiting to such a character.

[Dust Raven]

Re: VPPs and Limitations

 

Incantations and Gestures are very appropriate for Cosmic VPPs and are quite limiting, but have to be taken in genre. Those specifically aren't intented for Superheroic games were such is more of a SFX than a Limitation.

 

I'd agree there are quite a few Limitations that I'd disallow on Cosmic Pools, and most of them are listed under the "Limited Power" heading. Activation, RSE, Increased END, Extra Time, Concentration and Restrainable are all appropriate to most VPPs, assume the SFX would call for them.

[Descant]

VPPs and Limitations... MUCH to ponder!

 

All of this is quite interesting. Not something I ever thought about before. Normally, I'm a "concept" gamer, and most of my characters that would benefit from any type of VPP would have Lims on the pool itself, and maybe on the powers within, all based on concept. I haven't ever had a character that had what you seem to be referring to as a "cosmic" VPP (I don't think).

 

I have seen both a Luck character and a Chaos character, however, that had seemingly endless possibilities in their VPPs, because, even in concept of character, they literally could do almost anything!

 

As a side note along this line of thinking, how much does having a concept for your VPP tend to limit your powers as opposed to how much of it is SFX? I mean, if you had heat powers, what kind of powers would be unavailable for your concept in a VPP, or would they all be possible if you stretch the concept? (Flight... heat rises! TK... explosions and air currents!Teleportation... anybody see "Backdraft"? ...You see where this could go.)And an EB does purchased damage, whatever the SFX is, but some characters are immune/vulnerable to certain SFX, so that could make a difference in combat.

 

I guess what I'm asking it to see how people have used "Cosmic" VPPs with their own games and see how they vary. Some questions are answered well with mechanics, some better with examples. How have you guys found ways to "limit" VPPs in your own characters, and how much have different SFX mattered to the limitations?

[Killer Shrike]

Re: VPPs and Limitations

 

Incantations and Gestures are very appropriate for Cosmic VPPs and are quite limiting' date=' but have to be taken in genre. [/quote'] I disagree. In a 0 Phase Change, No Skill Roll Required "Cosmic" VPP, Incantations and Gestures are not valid Lims because if the character is ever in a situtation where they cant Incant or Gesture they simply change out the Spell for an Identical version without Incantation and Gesture as a 0 Phase Action and no chance of failure.

 

Totally not Limiting.

 

They can be valid Lims on Powers in non-Cosmic VPPs however. If the character cannot just switch to a version of a Power without the Lims when they are inconvenient, then they are Limiting, otherwise not.

[Dust Raven]

Re: VPPs and Limitations

 

I disagree. In a 0 Phase Change, No Skill Roll Required "Cosmic" VPP, Incantations and Gestures are not valid Lims because if the character is ever in a situtation where they cant Incant or Gesture they simply change out the Spell for an Identical version without Incantation and Gesture as a 0 Phase Action and no chance of failure.

 

Totally not Limiting.

 

They can be valid Lims on Powers in non-Cosmic VPPs however. If the character cannot just switch to a version of a Power without the Lims when they are inconvenient, then they are Limiting, otherwise not.

Well, that's true of all Limitations. So by that logic you shouldn't be allowed to put Limitations at all on Powers in a Cosmic VPP. After all, if the Limitation doesn't suit you, you can just do without.

 

But then, you'd be stuck with fewer (zero) points for other Powers...

Seems like it still limits the character to me...

[Dust Raven]

Re: VPPs and Limitations... MUCH to ponder!

 

I guess what I'm asking it to see how people have used "Cosmic" VPPs with their own games and see how they vary. Some questions are answered well with mechanics' date=' some better with examples. How have you guys found ways to "limit" VPPs in your own characters, and how much have different SFX mattered to the limitations?[/quote']

A "cosmic" VPP isn't anything goes. I call it the "Burger King" Pool, because it's you way, right away. But you still need to keep within the SFX of your Pool. If it's a Cosmic Magic VPP, you can't make radios or psionic powers for instance.

 

All this only applies to the SFX, of course. If you buy a Psionics Pool, you couldn't buy a Gravaton Beam: EB 8d6, but you could by a Telekinetic Punch: EB 8d6. All Powers you buy must fit the SFX of the Pool, adhere to any Limitation you have on the Control Cost and be approved by the GM.

[ghost-angel]

Re: VPPs and Limitations

 

We seem to be forgetting something .. you can apply limitations to a Cosmic VPP very easily ... I have this VPP on a Character:

 

75pt Power Pool; VPP Only Modifier: Cosmic; Common Modifier (All Slots): Incantations, Gestures.

 

Every power in the VPP requires it have Incantations and Gestures, no matter how I change out the power, I have them. So if the character is tied up and/or unable to speak then no power I have can be used, not matter what I do to it.

 

Also, Limitations in a VPP are very realistic, especially Cosmic ones where you can change it around any given moment.

 

Let's say you need Armor, an EB, some extra STR and Flight all at the same time, you've got a Cosmic VPP which allows you to do anything you need.

 

You put on a shirt and use it as an IIF Focus for the Armor, place some Extra Time on your EB so it goes off at the end of the phase, buy a small amount of STR strait and then "grow" wings so your Flight is Restrainable .. all so you can fit all these powers into one combat for every phase of that combat. And the Real Cost of all four have now reached your Active Point limit in the VPP.

 

For the length of that combat you have limited those powers to certain functions, and are all perfectly valid. If someone ties up your wings you will either reduce the effectiveness of your Flight by removing the wings or lose one of the other powers (or possibly reduce another power), or you're stuck bound up by your wings.

 

Use of this should be watched for dramatic sense and abuse - but should not be flat out restricted.

 

Also, you can place other limitations on the VPP itself, like a Cosmic Fire VPP .. you can make any power, but it has to have the Fire SFX, as long as you can justify the SFX to the satisfation of your GM it's all cool.

 

And another thing to remember is Cosmic doesn't always mean completely unlimited VPP - you could require all VPPs have a list of powers available to it, Cosmic simply means No Skill Roll is required and it's a 0 Phase Action to change out one power for another, normally VPPs require both a Skill Roll and Time to change powers out. And in this case Limitations may be VERY applicable to a VPP since a character can't add new powers without GM approval and can't add them in combat either way.

 

Mr Mage and Mr Gadget each have a 80pt Pool to work with, Mr Mage bought his VPP Cosmic and Mr Gadget did not. Both are required to have a list of powers to choose from, both have 50 different "spells" and "gadgets" respectively. Both apply limitations so they may use several of them simultaneously. Once they enter combat Mr. Mage can change out his spells as long as the RealCost of all spells used in a phase does not exceed 80pts. Mr Gadget is stuck with the gadgets he has on him for the combat, or he is forced to take several phases (possible a full Turn) and make a skill roll to change out any of his gadgets. Now tell me that limitations aren't appropriate for Mr Mage in this instance, since Mr Mage can't "make a new spell anytime he wants" he can just use any spell he already has as long as he doesn't use more than 80pts worth in one phase.

 

And even for a Cosmic that can be anything, anytime without any kind of restriction on it - you can make it up as you go, you should still be allowed to apply limitations in order to "free up" more of the pool to work with because in the instance of the use of the power it is limited - perhaps it takes extra END to use, the character might start to run out of END after a while, at which point he can remove the Limitation at the cost of per phase versitality.

 

as Dust Raven said .. a Cosmic VPP really isn't "anything goes" it just means you have ultimate control over changing available powers around. You could still be limited of SFX, or even by power types:

 

50pt Pool, Cosmic Control, Limited to Attack Powers .. you can have any attack power in the book whenever you need it. But all other powers are out of bounds .. not very "anything goes" there is it?

[Killer Shrike]

Re: VPPs and Limitations

 

Well' date=' that's true of [i']all[/i] Limitations. So by that logic you shouldn't be allowed to put Limitations at all on Powers in a Cosmic VPP. After all, if the Limitation doesn't suit you, you can just do without.

Yeah, for a true cosmic power pool it is difficult to justify many limitations. Only those that always exact some cost or have an impact, like Increased END, Side Effects (always occurs), Activation, RSR, Extra Time, etc -- that either negatively effect the user in some way or introduce a chance at failure when they are used. The Lims that have an actual impact in other words.

 

On the flip side, there isnt much need for lims either since the character can just switch around to whatever is most advantageous from Phase to Phase.

 

 

But then, you'd be stuck with fewer (zero) points for other Powers...

Seems like it still limits the character to me...

 

Cosmic VPP-Guy: "Hey, Im bound and gagged; no big deal, I switch my VPP around so I can use the same effect I would have otherwise, but without Incant and Gesture!"

 

The limitation of Incant & Gesture is that sometimes you wont be able to Incant or Gesture and thus cant use the power. But the Cosmic VPP guy never suffers that inconvenience, so its not limiting to them.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: VPPs and Limitations... MUCH to ponder!

 

A "cosmic" VPP isn't anything goes. I call it the "Burger King" Pool, because it's you way, right away. But you still need to keep within the SFX of your Pool. If it's a Cosmic Magic VPP, you can't make radios or psionic powers for instance.

 

All this only applies to the SFX, of course. If you buy a Psionics Pool, you couldn't buy a Gravaton Beam: EB 8d6, but you could by a Telekinetic Punch: EB 8d6. All Powers you buy must fit the SFX of the Pool, adhere to any Limitation you have on the Control Cost and be approved by the GM.

A Cosmic VPP is literally 0 Phase Change, No Skill Roll Required. If you dont have any Lims on the VPP, then it literally is anything goes.

 

If you have 0 Phase Change, NSR, but can only use certain types of SFX or Powers, then that restriction on your VPP is worth a Lim on the Control Cost. Such Limitations constitute the second kind of Lims you can take on a Control Cost (FRED p209).

[Southern Cross]

Re: VPPs and Limitations

 

True enough.

[Vorsch]

Re: VPPs and Limitations

 

Magic pools justify any power, and possibly any special effect.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: VPPs and Limitations

 

Killer Shrike said:

 

I disagree. In a 0 Phase Change, No Skill Roll Required "Cosmic" VPP, Incantations and Gestures are not valid Lims because if the character is ever in a situtation where they cant Incant or Gesture they simply change out the Spell for an Identical version without Incantation and Gesture as a 0 Phase Action and no chance of failure.

 

 

Well' date=' that's true of [i']all[/i] Limitations. So by that logic you shouldn't be allowed to put Limitations at all on Powers in a Cosmic VPP. After all, if the Limitation doesn't suit you, you can just do without.

 

But then, you'd be stuck with fewer (zero) points for other Powers...

Seems like it still limits the character to me...

 

Well, why not let Mr. Cosmic VPP have "Only at Night", "Only Underwater" or "Only in Intense Magnetic Fields"? Just like gestures and incantations, he just switches them out (probably by changing "only" to "not").

 

But many limitations remain valid. Activation roll still has a chance of failure every time. Concentrate reduces DCV, and Extra Time takes extra time. These are inconvenient whenever the power is used, so they do limit the power. It's the "situational" limitations that don't really limit a cosmic VPP.

 

If tyhe limitation applied to the VPP as a whole (ie al powers must have Gestures) then I'd see it as a valid limitation. I'd also consider a VPP pool with a variable limitation to have a situational limit in the list (eg. "only in darkness" - if it's dark, his powers are easier to use, otherwise he has to take other disadvantages because the power is harder to operate in the light).

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: VPPs and Limitations

 

Magic pools justify any power' date=' and possibly any special effect.[/quote']

 

I disagree. Magic pools justify magic powers. Now, how limited you get depends on whether you take that "-1/4 Magic Only" limit out of FREd. If you do, then I will resruct SFX to "Magic". Magic Flames will not trigger a Sus or Vuln to fire, for example. If you forego the limit, then you can create magic flames that really burn. However, all your powers are magic (and as such vulnerable to adjustment powers which affect magic), whatever other SFX you choose to apply.

 

Virtually all powers can likely be simulated - I agree on that. I would look sideways at a "magic pool" that creates or alters technology, however. You could certainly make a "TRue" cosmic magic pool - 0 phase, no roll to change and no restriction on powers. Only the "magic" sfx now limit it, and that's a minimal limit at best. But your 60 point pool costs 150 points, so you've paid for that flexibility. And if you want more than one power at 60 AP, you need to limit the powers prety extensively.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: VPPs and Limitations

 

But your 60 point pool costs 150 points' date=' so you've paid for that flexibility. And if you want more than one power at 60 AP, you need to limit the powers prety extensively.[/quote']

 

 

A good measuring stick to judge the usefulness of a power pool is to compare how it could be built with a more traditional Multipower.

 

Give it a 120 point pool and choose to build all slots as 'ultra' with a 60 active point max (not sure if this is worth a limitaion bonus on the pool cost or not). This gives you five 6 point slots in which any two can be used together. If you decide to tack on (1/2) worth of limitations on each you can get seven slots. Seems as though you could choose different limitations on different slots to 'cover' the weakness of the others about as easily as the cosmic pool. Not that I advocate this, I am just pointing out the similarity.

[ghost-angel]

Re: VPPs and Limitations

 

Limitations on a power inside a Cosmic VPP are still prohibitive to the use of the power when the power is used.

 

If you have 60 pts to play with and you need to 60pt powers in one phase you have to limit the powers somehow. No that may be using a focus for one power so it takes less of your pool (defined as using less personal energy) and one can be taken as costing extra END (using less personal mystic energy and more personal physical energy).

 

Sure next phase you only need one power so remove the limitations you had on it before to use only your personal mystic energy (or whatever you want to call it).

 

For the duration of the use of the two powers at once you have limited both of them in some fashion.

 

Otherwise Cosmic VPPs will lose a lot of their utillity - it's not enough to just have any one power whenever you want, it's the combination of powers that will, in the end, make or break a character. And as someone pointed out a 60pt Cosmic costs 150 pts .. you've payed 1.5 times the cost to use any one 60pt power while other character will have fit to 60pt powers and a 30pt power into that same pt cost (without using the Limitations you deny the VPP user).. if the VPP guy isn't allowed to apply limitations to get at least 3 powers simultaneously out of his VPP, despite the fact that it could possibly be whatever he needs just then, he will be at a disadvantage. He will be doubly at a disadvantage if the non-VPP can fit even more powers into that 150pts through the use of limitations, especially since his powers can occupy 150 Real Points while the VPP guy (with or without limitations) can only occupy 60 Real Points of powers - already at a disadvantage since even with limitations he has less to work with.

 

I personally believe that by denying limitations in a VPP you are over constricting a power structure whose only offer is extreme flexibility, which is powerful enough - but still lacks some of the raw power of someone who doesn't have that flexibility. And being able to use only one 60pt power vs a possible 3-5 (assuming limitations) ... one would wonder why a Cosmic VPP would even be appealing at that point.

 

and if you want to talk about coupling a 60pt Cosmic with outside powers, that 150pts eats into a very large chunk of a 350pt character, over half what a good construct would use for powers alone.

[JmOz]

Re: VPPs and Limitations

 

Just to add some food for thought:

 

One common lim I allow on VPP's is a varient of VarLim (Powers Require X lim; Value equal to half lim). The catch is there is a list they must choose from for X. In this situation a few limited powers work.

 

Example character has "Only in darkness" on the list, this is fine, his powers are easier to use in the dark, it would not be okay for him to ALSO have "Only in light". With the first if he is not in the dark he has to switch to another lim that is on the list (Maybe x2 END, ro RSR)

[Zed-F]

Re: VPPs and Limitations

 

I agree that focus and charges can be difficult to work with for a power pool that doesn't have restrictions on how often the items in the pool can be changed. However, I think there can be circumstances under which they are appropriate.

 

Take a MacGuyver pool for instance. This is a focus-based pool where the character opts not to take any lims on the cost of the pool itself (e.g. no focus lim on the pool cost, no lim for how often it can be changed, etc.) Remember that according to FREd/FAQ, if you take a focus lim on the cost of the pool, then any foci you lose from the pool reduces the number of RP you have to work with in the pool by a like amount. A MacGuyver pool doesn't have this problem, you can take foci away all day and the character can always come up a new toy built from whatever's handy. Yet, you *can* still always take away whatever he builds, and force him to build a new one (or something else) so it may still be appropriate that he takes a focus lim on the powers he buys in the pool.

 

Could you make a cosmic MacGuyver pool? Well, if the character always has instant access to whatever focus he needs, then yes... but is it now still appropriate to take a focus lim on his powers? If the focus gets taken away, but he can instantly create another just like it or so similar that it makes no difference, then probably not. But, if it takes him a certain amount of time and/or he needs the appropriate materials at hand, then maybe the focus lim is still appropriate.

 

I have a character with a MacGuyver-style gadget pool who has the ability to replicate (think Star Trek replicator) any item she can design or knows the plans for. However, the pool is not cosmic, and her power skill roll is quite low; most of the time, it would likely take her a turn to change powers or regenerate a focus if one got stolen/broken. In this case, I figured that it would be acceptable to buy the powers in the pool with the appropriate focus lim, since it would be difficult for her to replace a focus in combat. If she does buy powers with charges, I intend to make them Recoverable charges, since given a spare turn, she can regenerate the focus with a new powerpack or whatever. I think this is a reasonable compromise. Does this approach sound reasonable to you guys?