Delthrien Posted March 9, 2005 Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 I'm working up a Transform power but I don't have FReD here at work (some drek about gaming being a drain on productivity...) and I haven't used the power for a character in many, many moons, so... I want the character to alter the shape of stone to be able to make things ranging from statuettes to a functioning boat. Strictly speaking, it would merely be changing only the form of the material while leaving all of the other characteristics intact -- this suggests a cosmetic (perhaps minor?) Transform. OTOH, the use of the power -- in game terms -- could conceivably add abilities to stone that it doesn't ordinarily possess. For example, if shaped into a boat, it would effectively be given the power of "swimming." Any advice on which way to go with this? Inquiring minds and all that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Obvious Posted March 9, 2005 Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 Re: Crainial Gassss... A multipower would cover all bases. You'd obviously want Transform as a slot (or several), but a Swimming slot for your rock yacht, and a RKA no range triggered slot for the sharp rocks trap, and a Climbing slot for the stairway of stone would all be good. As you come up with brand new powers, buying a new slot shouldn't cost too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitchellS Posted March 9, 2005 Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 Re: Crainial Gassss... That's too much thinking as far as I'm concerned. If you transform a rock into a tree, must you give it swimming because it can float? If you transform a rock into a 50 carat diamond must you give the person you present the diamond to a money perk? A boat floats, that's just what it does. You're not giving a character a power of swimming, you're just making a boat. Don't over-think it. Not everything in the system needs to be written up. It's too time consuming and really gives no benefit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDU Neil Posted March 9, 2005 Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 Re: Crainial Gassss... That's too much thinking as far as I'm concerned. If you transform a rock into a tree' date=' must you give it swimming because it can float? If you transform a rock into a 50 carat diamond must you give the person you present the diamond to a money perk? A boat floats, that's just what it does. You're not giving a character a power of swimming, you're just making a boat. Don't over-think it. Not everything in the system needs to be written up. It's too time consuming and really gives no benefit.[/quote'] You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to MitchellS again. AAARRGGGHHHH!!! Spot on! Don't over think it. Best advice EVER! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted March 9, 2005 Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 Re: Crainial Gassss... In general I agree with MitchellS, but this has the potential to allow Transform to be a cheap VPP, which is wrong. Remember, you should always go with the most expensive option. If a transform costs relatively little, but can function as climb, swim, HKA, HA, ForceWall and Entangle, there's a major risk that you're getting something for nothing. It depends on the nature of the game as well and whether it's a (semi-)permanent change or not. For supers, if it's temporary, I think the multipower (or a VPP) route is the right one, linked to a cosmetic Transform or even just calling it SFX. If its permanent, it's at least a minor transform, and the effective ability you get from it needs to be proportionate to the cost of the transform (and I'd use a VPP as a comparitor). If its heroic, you're more likely to be in hand-wave territory. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austenandrews Posted March 9, 2005 Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 Re: Crainial Gassss... Remember' date=' you should always go with the most expensive option.[/quote'] Silliest rule in the book, IMO. I'd say the required Transform depends on the game effect, when it comes to "adding Powers." In many cases Cosmetic is fine (a log into a canoe, for instance, or a steel rod into a spike). More often Minor Transform is called for, when the in-game effect is more measurable and/or diverse (a copse of trees into a boat, or a wooden hall into a ship, or a steel rod into a sword). I'd probably require Major Transform for something really powerful or very different from the source (a copse of trees into a trebuchet, or a log into a wooden clock, or a steel rod into a laser pistol). As far as buying it, I'd rule one purchase of Major Transform: X into Anything Of Like Material would cover all bases (season to taste as far as expertise about the target shape). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Obvious Posted March 9, 2005 Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 Re: Crainial Gassss... Well, I agree that many people seem to be pathologically afraid of Transform, but at the same time, in my games, I try not to make it so universally applicable that it becomes the only power worth having. Like many creative uses of powers, if a character wants to use Transform once or twice to create things that could be emulated with other powers, that's fine. If it becomes a major facet of their standard operating procedure, then they need to buy the other power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austenandrews Posted March 10, 2005 Report Share Posted March 10, 2005 Re: Crainial Gassss... Like many creative uses of powers' date=' if a character wants to use Transform once or twice to create things that could be emulated with other powers, that's fine. If it becomes a major facet of their standard operating procedure, then they need to buy the other power.[/quote'] Agreed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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