Maintainable Advantage

[prestidigitator]

See what you think of this Advantage:

 

Maintainable (base +1/4)

Any Power that takes this Advantage must already be Uncontrolled, either though the Uncontrolled Advantage, Continuous Charges (which additionally cost End), or by equivalent inherent properties of the Power. For the base Advantage of +1/4, the controlling character may add End to the duration at any time before the fueled Power turns off. In addition, for the End cost of activating the Power, the character may behave as if he were maintaining it without the Uncontrolled Advantage for the current Phase (this can be done as a Free Action, but this End that allows the character to temporarily control the Power does

not

go toward extending the Power's duration). This may allow the character to adjust some effects of the Power; the amount of control is up to the GM. Normally, this Advantage can be excercised any time the character is within Line of Sight of the Power. For 1/4 less, the character must meet all normal conditions for activating the Power at its current location, including any applicable range, Gestures, Incantations, use of a Focus, Extra Time, etc.

 

For an additional +1/4, the length of time that the Power's End Cost extends its duration is moved down one level on the Time Chart. For example, buying Maintainable at the value of +1/2 means the character must fuel the Power with it's End Cost for each Turn (s)he wishes the Power to last; for a value of +3/4, the Power lasts one minute for each expenditure of the Power's End Cost. At the GM's discretion, a fraction of the End Cost may allow the Power to be an extended for a fraction of the time increment (for example, a Power with an End cost of 5 that costs End every 5 minutes might last 2 minutes if it is fueled with 2 End). Note that the value of this Advantage

does

contribute to the Active Points of the Power for determining the End Cost.

I figure that the added benefits of the Advantage may justify it eventually costing more than Reduced End Cost: 0 End (+1/2). It also feels like a little less of a, "stop sign," construct than Uncontrolled with 0 End Cost.

 

I welcome other brainstorms, criticisms, and feedback.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Maintainable Advantage

 

Being dim: not quite sure what this advantage addresses?

[Dust Raven]

Re: Maintainable Advantage

 

The first part of the +1/4 level sound nifty. I like the idea of being able to "feed" an Uncontrolled Power.

 

The rest of it, in my opinion, is unnecessary or to unbalanced. It's my belief that the originating character still has control of the Power, meaning he can continue to manipulate it's effects, but doesn't have to. In other words, he can give it instructions and walk away, or can hang around and give it instructions from Phase to Phase. This is automatic and part of the Uncontrolled/Continuing Charges Modifiers.

 

The part about only needing to spend END per levels of the Time Chart other than per Phase sounds a little off. Granted, you might just as well want to buy Reduced END. I see little difference between flicking on a Power for no END and having it last until the combat is long over, and having to spend a few END for the same effect.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Maintainable Advantage

 

The first part of the +1/4 level sound nifty. I like the idea of being able to "feed" an Uncontrolled Power.

 

The rest of it, in my opinion, is unnecessary or to unbalanced. It's my belief that the originating character still has control of the Power, meaning he can continue to manipulate it's effects, but doesn't have to. In other words, he can give it instructions and walk away, or can hang around and give it instructions from Phase to Phase. This is automatic and part of the Uncontrolled/Continuing Charges Modifiers.

 

The part about only needing to spend END per levels of the Time Chart other than per Phase sounds a little off. Granted, you might just as well want to buy Reduced END. I see little difference between flicking on a Power for no END and having it last until the combat is long over, and having to spend a few END for the same effect.

Actually, the expanded duration was the original purpose of the Advantage; it isn't so much for combat as for effects (such as spells) that you'd like to last a long time, and have some kind of systematic means of adjusting the duration rather than just deciding arbitrarily.

 

The problem is that Reduced End Cost is so cheap that there isn't much point to paying for a +1/2 Advantage that would increase a duration when you can effectively have an, "indefinite," duration for the same cost. We don't have +1/16 Advantages, and they would be unlikely to make any difference with typical Base Costs anyway (I find that even a +1/4 rarely makes a huge Real Cost difference after all the Limitations typically piled onto spells). So I started brainstorming things to tie in with the increased duration. This was the first one that seemed marginally okay.

 

I'm not all that jazzed about it either, or I would have just used it without creating a thread for suggestions. Heh. Should have explained where I was coming from right off the bat, I guess.

[Vondy]

Re: Maintainable Advantage

 

What "problem" is this supposed to address?

[prestidigitator]

Re: Maintainable Advantage

 

What "problem" is this supposed to address?

Mostly the problem of granularity in duration. Either something lasts a few Phases (maybe a minute or two if you use a lot of End), or it lasts indefinitely with only some arbitrary limit placed by whim. There is no such thing as x1/32 End Cost.

 

Maybe the more general problem is that the system is geared greatly toward Powers that are effective immediately in combat, and it doesn't carry over well to Powers that have some effect on the setting, between combats, over a long duration, or whatever. I think the change in Healing reflects this. It used to be cumulative, and for a quick battle it really doesn't matter, but it gave any party with one tiny Aid the ability to bring anyone and everyone up to full health in next to no time at all, which rather kills the feel of heroic games (and makes it pointless for characters to have a natural Recovery for Body at all). That thread on long, expensive, cumbersome activation requirements that make a Power dirt cheap is another indicator; it makes characters gods of their settings even if they remain wimps in direct combat.