Costs END only to activate

[GhostWing]

I'm creating a character who like a ghost can turn invisible and become desolid.

Before I go through the costs of buying reduced END for these powers, I read in the UNTIL Superpowers Database that the power advantage

"Costs END only to activate" (+ 1/4) could be applied to Desolidification (Easy Intangibility: 50 pts). My questions are:

 

Is this advantage only supposed to be used to affect size-altering powers?

 

and if not...

Can I apply it to both desolidification and invisibility?

Oooh! Already got my answer (GM's discretion)

 

Thanks,

- GW

[Dust Raven]

Re: Costs END only to activate

 

To the best of my knowledge, and without actually looking any of it up, I believe Cost END Only To Activate can be applied to any Constant/Continuous Power, not just Size/Body Powers.

 

If it helps credibility, I just wrote up both Desol and Invisibility in HDv2, and that Advantage was abailable for both of those Powers. Not that HD is law, but I know it's programmers are more anal-retentive about implimenting the rules than Steve Long is in his own Writer's Guidelines.

[JmOz]

Re: Costs END only to activate

 

And don't you dare question him for he talks to steve and what is in the Faq and the book may not be right so just accept his word on everything for he is the apostle of Steve..

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Costs END only to activate

 

IIRC it says pretty clearly GMs discretion in the rule book.

[schir1964]

Re: Costs END only to activate

 

The Rules FAQ has some very specific clarification on what that particular Advantage can be applied to. You may want to check it out.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Costs END only to activate

 

I think the "auick answer" is that it was intended for application to body-affecting powers like Growth, Shrinking and Density Increase. However, many GM's allow it for other powers as well.

 

To me, the test is whether there is some drawback in keeping the power up at all times. If there is no drawback, the character will logically activate it once, then leave it up at all times (at least until he's forced to let it drop due to being Stunned or what not). I'm inclined to allow "costs END to activate" unless the power is one I wouldn't allow a limitation for "always on".

 

I can see where some GM's would reject the advantage, however. It's the same cost as 1/2 END, and you couldn't maintain a 1/2 END power for long before spending the same END that "costs END only to activate" would cost. I could see requiring a -0 limit that puts a time limit on such powers so they can't just be activated and forgotten about, but the impact would likely be "activate in combat and forget about it".

 

The other drawback to any such power, I believe, is that although it costs no END to maintain, it is not persistent so, like a power bought to 0 END, it must be deactivated to take a recovery poutside the usual PS 12 recovery. Of course, the same applies to a power costing half or full END.

 

Thinking on it, I'd probably also let a character make such a power "Persistent" so it would stay on, once activated, even if he were stunned or KO'd, or wanted to take a recovery. That is definitely outside the rules, however.

 

I wouldn't have a problem as a GM if a player wanted to build such a power, and I wouldn't have a problem as a player if the opposition had the power. That's my litmus test (although it helps to discuss with other experienced HERO ites, like this thread will do.

[GhostWing]

Re: Costs END only to activate

 

Thanks for the input everyone!

 

Considering that the Reduced END advantage (1/2 END) is also a +1/4 advantage, I've got to determine that the Costs END only to activate isn't an inappropriate power advantage for most constant powers. The major advantage it has over 1/2 END is in long-term use on high END powers at higher SPDs (a character with a low SPD doesn't get as much of a benefit) and it lets you turn on a power and forget about it. The major drawback is it isn't as good as 1/2 END if you have to activate the power frequently and (as stated in the previous post) the power does have to be turned off to take a recovery.

 

In any event, it's not nearly as good as Zero END Cost which is +1/2, so it seems appropriate to apply it to Invisibility and Desolification.

Besides, if it's in HD2, that's good enough for me (pity I'm using HD1 still).

Using it for other constant powers:

 

It is still a little troublesome for powers like Force Field/Force Wall since a character with a hi defense force field could get a real break on maintaining END cost, but not unreasonable for certain special effects, say a character who can control earth/stone morphs the ground into a protective force wall. Once the wall is created, it stands on its own and doesn't require continuous END. Hmmm... technically such a Force Wall would be permanent unless bought with limitations. The applications of such a power are bizarre...

 

Also, Costs END only to activate applied to movement powers is also a bit troublesome, but I suppose activation in movement would only apply to acceleration (and maybe deceleration) and the advantage could be used to simulate a "flywheel" or a "frictionless" special effect where a character (or vehicle) in motion only spends END to get up to speed, then cruises at that speed and don't spend any more END unless they speed up or slow down. Good for those FTL vehicles.