Variable NND

[mattingly]

In the 5th Ed Rules forum, this was asked:

Can you have a NND where the defense varies? For example, a wand of wonder type of weapon where the defense is on a dr:

 

1 Power defense

2 Mental defense

3 Life support

4 Flash defense

5 Lack of Weakness

6 ED force field or force wall

And Steve answered NO.

 

But in my campaign one of the players is using a Variable NND, and it's working out fine. I inherited the campaign and the character from the previous GM, and I did request a few changes. Originally, the attack was an NND with Variable Special Effects. I had the player change it to Variable Special Effects and Variable Advantage (any NND, +1 3/4). I can trust the player in question, but as an example to some of the other players (and for possible eventual publication), I wanted to make sure he was strictly legit by the rules. Besides, the entire gun only has 2 clips of 12 charges.

 

His shtick is an experimental gun with dials for any electromagnetic frequency. The whole gun is a Multipower with an RKA, an EB, and this NND. So, he can fire light beams, magnet beams, electric beams, heat beams, etc. Anything that vaguely fits within the effect is fine with me, since he's fairly underpowered compared to the rest of the team, having spent a lot of points on investigative skills.

 

So, although a variable NND has a huge potential for abuse, in selected cases it works out okay.

[JmOz]

There is another way to build it as well: Variable Advantage, limited group, only NND, a +1 3/4 advantage on the power in question

[misterdeath]

That's pretty much how I wrote my ultimate martial artist type guy.

 

EB, Var Adv (NNDs only +1 3/4), VSE ( martial arts +1/4).

 

Expensive, yes, but not so much when placed in the Multipower, and it doesn't seem to overbalance the game much.

 

D

[Zaratustra]

The same effect can be used for AVLDs. The only problem is that nobody will be protected from the hero's attack, aside from Every Defense In The Game Lad.

[misterdeath]

Truth. But with the Variable Advantage way of doing it, it gets very expensive.

 

In my Example, there's a net of +2 advantage. In a 60 point multipower, you get 4d6 of EB.

 

If you have the AVLD, then you get 2 3/4 (IIRC) limitation on that alone (1 1/2 *2). In a 60 point multi, including the VSE (which I would make mandatory, FWIW) that's a +3. 3d6 EB. Averages 10 stun and 3 body.

 

Basically it's good for nickle and diming the opposition. You can hurt everyone, just not very much.

 

Might make a nice agent killer, or if you have a group of them and coordinate fire.

 

Of cource, in a no point limits game, you can get some serious mojo out of the power, and it can be unbalancing.

 

But so can jacking the same points into a standard RKA.

 

D

[JmOz]

just a note Mister Death, AVLD and NND are both Stun only, so it is 10 stun no body.

 

An interesting aside, my longest run character was an agent stopper who had a few NND's (Gas based in primary MP, gas based in secondary MP, and a MA package) and was never viewed as overpowered

[Talon]

I think Steve the right answer: No, but some GMs may allow it. I'd rather have the default be to discourage it, so that GMs who may have trouble dealing with some players have some backing.