damage conversion

[Old Man]

How would you go about making an ability that changed Killing Damage to Normal Damage?

 

The sfx would be something like making a sword edge very dull or turning bullets into rubber pellets. The damage classes would be the same, just no longer Killing.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Guest bblackmoor]

Re: damage conversion

 

It used to be called Damage Resistance.

[philnicau]

Re: damage conversion

 

How would you go about making an ability that changed Killing Damage to Normal Damage?

 

The sfx would be something like making a sword edge very dull or turning bullets into rubber pellets. The damage classes would be the same, just no longer Killing.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

 

Use the Transform power with trigger, or maybe a Transform with Damage Field, "From Killing Damage to Normal Damage" the level of the Transform would be dependant on how frequent Killing Attacks and Resistant Defences are in the Campaign.

[Maelstrom]

Re: damage conversion

 

You could always use armor, or combat luck.

[Old Man]

Re: damage conversion

 

I think I'm not making myself clear. How do you do make a power that changes a 2d6 K sword swing into a 6d6 N attack? The damage classes are not affected, just the type of damage dealt.

 

We all agree that the way Killing and Normal damage works is very different in addition to how defenses work against them. A power that turned a killing attack into a normal attack could prevent a tough boxer from being eliminated by a knife in the gut.

[Guest bblackmoor]

Re: damage conversion

 

Maybe I was too vague the first time: it's called Damage Resistance. (Apply Advantages as needed to get whatever effect you want.)

[zebediah]

Re: damage conversion

 

Damage Resistance doesn't protect much against the Stun Lottery, which is the other major difference between 3d6 EB and 1d6 RKA. I don't know what one would use to make up for that...maybe just buy some Damage Reduction, "only against the stun of killing attacks"?

 

I don't think there's generally a way of making one type of attack affect you like another type. I mean, if there was, you could build a character who gets Flashed by Drains, took damage from flashes, and lost Strength every time he got hit with an EB. The concept is intriguing...but screwy.

[Guest bblackmoor]

Re: damage conversion

 

How do you do make a power that changes a 2d6 K sword swing into a 6d6 N attack?

 

Ah, I see now.

 

If you want to re-write someone else's character, changing their powers around, you would use a Transform. Personally, in this case, I think that would be pretty silly. And expensive.

 

What you should do is focus on how your character (or someone else's character) is affected by the attack in question, not on how the attack is built mechanically. For that, in this case, you would use Damage Resistance.

 

(As for the Stun Lottery, "Killing" should have long ago been made a +0 modifier to normal attacks, just like Stun Only is, and "Killing Attacks" as a separate power should have long since been eliminated, along with the absurdly nonstandard way their damage is rolled. But that's a rant for another time.)

[BNakagawa]

Re: damage conversion

 

Ah, I see now.

 

If you want to re-write someone else's character, changing their powers around, you would use a Transform. Personally, in this case, I think that would be pretty silly. And expensive.

 

What you should do is focus on how your character (or someone else's character) is affected by the attack in question, not on how the attack is built mechanically. For that, in this case, you would use Damage Resistance.

 

 

That approach doesn't work as well, because if you have one target with an automatic weapon, you'd have to apply the resistant defenses to everyone within the maximum range of the bullets, which could be over a mile, depending on the weapon. Much easier to just apply one transform to one person, don't you think?

 

$0.02

[Guest bblackmoor]

Re: damage conversion

 

Much easier to just apply one transform to one person' date=' don't you think?[/quote']

 

No, but I can certainly see how one might want to go that route.

[PhilFleischmann]

Re: damage conversion

 

You might also think about doing this with Change Environment, such as "Fast moving objects are slowed down in this area" so that bullets do normal damage instead of killing damage. Of course, this won't cause sharp swords to become blunt sticks.

 

If you use Transform, it should probably be fairly small, a Minor Transform at the most. After all 2d6 RKA is the same price as 6d6 EB, so you aren't really reducing the AP of your target.

 

Aha! How about a Drain vs. Killing Attacks, with a Side Effect that a Normal Attack is left in its place. Yes I think this might be the best way to go. Add whatever advantage to the Drain you want, such as:

 

Affects Any one Killing Attack

Affects All Killing Attacks

Affects RKAs only

Affects Specific SFX of KAs only

Area of Effect

Delayed Return Rate

etc.

 

Or you could use Dispel or Suppress with a Side Effect instead. I would say the SE is a -1 limitation, maybe more.

 

You could even call it a weird form of Transfer - instead of "I take something from you and give something to me," it's "I take something from you and give something different to you." This should be at least a -1 limitation on Transfer.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: damage conversion

 

You might also think about doing this with Change Environment' date=' such as "Fast moving objects are slowed down in this area" so that bullets do normal damage instead of killing damage. [/quote']

 

I like the idea of Change Environment that converts all killing damage to normal damage. As already noted by others, there isn't a point difference between a 2d6 KA and a 6d6 normal attack.

 

I don;t like te idea of this being a freebie, however, as it does impact combat. I'm inclined to say it's a "combat effect" and charge 1 point for each damage class which can be affected (so paying 21 points would enable up to 21DC's of killing damage to be converted to normal damage, per attack).

 

Anyone who's used CE more than me (ie pretty much at all) want to weigh in with their thoughts?

[Old Man]

Re: damage conversion

 

Change Environment was something I had not even considered. Good one.

[zornwil]

Re: damage conversion

 

Let me also suggest Transfer, UAO, if the GM is so willing to let you start the Normal Attack from a "0 power" base for the target. It's not orthodox, but may model correctly some particular circumstances.

[Dust Raven]

Re: damage conversion

 

I'm curious as to how this power is to be used, and what it really is.

 

Is this come kind of "field", or is it a direct attack up a particular weapon (and others are affect unless also targeted sperately). If it targets a particular weapon, does it have to be maintained to remain in effect, or does it have long lasting effects?

 

What's the SFX?

[PhilFleischmann]

Re: damage conversion

 

Let me also suggest Transfer' date=' [b']UAO[/b], if the GM is so willing to let you start the Normal Attack from a "0 power" base for the target. It's not orthodox, but may model correctly some particular circumstances.

About that "starting from 0 power" thing: I always allow this. I know the book says you can't, but I can see no logical reason why not. If a 5d6 Aid to bump someone's Fireball EB by 3d6 is book legal, why is giving someone a 3d6 EB "starting from scratch" not? It certainly isn't abusive - 3d6 EB won't do much. And what about the standard "powers" that everyone has, like normal senses? Why shouldn't you be allowed to buy an Aid to sight? Each 2 points of effect rolled gives +1 Enhanced Sight PER. How is that any different from raising a normal's PD from 2 to 10? Or his STR from 10 to 25?

 

OK, that was off the subject. Sorry. I'll have to post this to the "Polishing 5th Edition" thread.