Two ways but which do you prefer.

[yamamura]

Let say I have psychic that is only about as fast for movement as a regualr guy but can run circle around the regular guy mentally, which of the following method would you use to represent that? Also which one feels more natural?

 

1. Speed 5 with -3 to Running. This making him only slightly faster then normal but gives him (15" of movement per round as oppose to 12" per round)

 

or

 

2. Speed 2 with the normal 6" of Running and +3 to Speed only for mental powers

 

Thanks in advance.

[Tae Kwon Dan]

Re: Two ways but which do you prefer.

 

I've always seen it done as number 2, but I'm guessing where you're going is that his reflexes are faster because of his heightened mental acuity.

 

If that is the case then just give him greater SPD in general. Or am I not understanding where you are going with this?

[shadow_walker]

Re: Two ways but which do you prefer.

 

From your descriptions you gave us I think the second one is more too what your trying to do.

[Mister E]

Re: Two ways but which do you prefer.

 

The fact that there isn't a standard for figuring out when extra SPD actions go, makes me like the first example better. It's less clunky... more stream-line. Of course, the character will be able to perform any action he wants on his turn, not just mental actions... this, to me, could be a kind of "heads-up" advantage for a guy who can think faster on his feet.

[MitchellS]

Re: Two ways but which do you prefer.

 

I prefer to use Rapid fire for this. Give the character a 3 speed and then +2 CSL to offset rapid fire penalties [along with rapid attack] and the character now mentally attacks like a 6 speed characters. That's how I rebuilt Grond as well. He still has the 4 speed but now he gets 2 attacks per phase [if he wants] due to his extra arms. If you buy the extra speed then you are dealing with dodging issues and many other situations that can come up.

[OddHat]

Re: Two ways but which do you prefer.

 

I prefer to use Rapid fire for this. Give the character a 3 speed and then +2 CSL to offset rapid fire penalties [along with rapid attack] and the character now mentally attacks like a 6 speed characters. That's how I rebuilt Grond as well. He still has the 4 speed but now he gets 2 attacks per phase [if he wants] due to his extra arms. If you buy the extra speed then you are dealing with dodging issues and many other situations that can come up.

 

Very nice solution! Add in a character built for MPAs and three or so overall levels for fast tasks (as per USPDB) and a PER roll boost, and you'll get the in-world effect without needing to add the extra SPD. Repped.

[Onyxclaw]

Re: Two ways but which do you prefer.

 

hmm. I made a character for my high powered game with extra hieghtned sense and mental abilities with a frail form.

 

He had dex 3, and speed 9, and an int of 33

But since he is incapable of running and can only get around using his mental abilities, I thought that made sense. Instead of using DCV to dodge attacks he is forced to abort phases to use things like teleport, and it's more of the feel I wanted from him.

 

He does have rapid fire aswell.

[yamamura]

Re: Two ways but which do you prefer.

 

I prefer to use Rapid fire for this. Give the character a 3 speed and then +2 CSL to offset rapid fire penalties [along with rapid attack] and the character now mentally attacks like a 6 speed characters. That's how I rebuilt Grond as well. He still has the 4 speed but now he gets 2 attacks per phase [if he wants] due to his extra arms. If you buy the extra speed then you are dealing with dodging issues and many other situations that can come up.

 

Of course there is always a thrid way:) At the moment I am looking at either my first idea or MitchellS's. I just never been comfortable with the whole Speed only for mental attack thing.

[MitchellS]

Re: Two ways but which do you prefer.

 

Very nice solution! Add in a character built for MPAs and three or so overall levels for fast tasks (as per USPDB) and a PER roll boost' date=' and you'll get the in-world effect without needing to add the extra SPD. Repped.[/quote']

Yeah, MPAs are always good. Typical Grond tactics for us are grabbing and crushing one foe while pummeling another. Then the next phase continue pummeling the second while bashing a third opponent with the grabbed foe. Most characters in our group have learned to not go up against Grond alone, as that usually results in a grab & squeeze with two arms and a double-handed bash to the head with the other pair.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Two ways but which do you prefer.

 

hmm. I made a character for my high powered game with extra hieghtned sense and mental abilities with a frail form.

 

He had dex 3, and speed 9, and an int of 33

But since he is incapable of running and can only get around using his mental abilities, I thought that made sense. Instead of using DCV to dodge attacks he is forced to abort phases to use things like teleport, and it's more of the feel I wanted from him.

 

He does have rapid fire aswell.

Ouch. I hope he has some Desolidification or some Levels with Dive for Cover, because that Dive for Cover roll is going to suck otherwise. You are aware that use of Teleport or any other Movement Power to avoid an attack simply constitutes a Dive for Cover?

[TheEmerged]

Re: Two ways but which do you prefer.

 

Traditionally I prefer the "pay full price for your real SPD / take a Physical Limitation to restrict what you can do in those phases" method. Quite often the payback for limited SPD is not in line with how often it actually limits the character.

 

That, and my experience from when I allowed it make me back off. It causes all sorts of fun with how Abort actions work, for example...

[Onyxclaw]

Re: Two ways but which do you prefer.

 

Ouch. I hope he has some Desolidification or some Levels with Dive for Cover' date=' because that Dive for Cover roll is going to suck otherwise. You are aware that use of Teleport or any other Movement Power to avoid an attack simply constitutes a Dive for Cover?[/quote']

 

he has desolid on an ego roll, wich is pretty easy for him. It's supposed to represent teleporting out and right back into the same space right after the attack occurs. Like blinking. He also has +6 to DFC with Teleport and flight.

 

so yes

[Kirby]

Re: Two ways but which do you prefer.

 

2. Speed 2 with the normal 6" of Running and +3 to Speed only for mental powers

I would personally go this way, but change the normal Speed to 3, with either +2 or +3 Speed only for mental powers.

 

While MitchellS's idea is feasible, I personally don't like the rapid fire ability; however, I can see its merit with a being like Grond.

[PhilFleischmann]

Re: Two ways but which do you prefer.

 

If you go the limited Speed route, I would recommend having the higher speed be a multiple of the lower speed. Thet way, the actions are "in sync". Like 3 normal SPD, +3 SPD only for Mental stuff. That way, you get:

 

2 4 6 8 10 12

 

The bold phases, you can do anything, and the non-bold phases, you can only do mental stuff.

 

This doesn't solve all the problems that can arise with variable SPD, but it does aleviate some of them.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Two ways but which do you prefer.

 

If you go the limited Speed route, I would recommend having the higher speed be a multiple of the lower speed. Thet way, the actions are "in sync". Like 3 normal SPD, +3 SPD only for Mental stuff. That way, you get:

 

2 4 6 8 10 12

 

The bold phases, you can do anything, and the non-bold phases, you can only do mental stuff.

 

This doesn't solve all the problems that can arise with variable SPD, but it does aleviate some of them.

 

Even if you don't pick multiples for your variable speed, you need to agree up front, with your GM, how this will work. For me, that would always include setting the specific phases in which only limited actions can be performed. So if you had a 2 SPD, +3 for mental powers only, you would normally move on Ph 6 and 12. As a GM, I'd probably want your "normal" phases to be 5 and 12 (as close as we can get to 2 SPD; I might even rule your ph 5 action moves to Ph 6 to match it up perfectly). You would get "mental only" phases for 3, 8 and 10.

[zornwil]

Re: Two ways but which do you prefer.

 

If he is supposed to be able to do anything faster than people aside from actual physical movement, and if it were my own character, I'd probably go with making his movement powers x2 or x4 END (or worse) and making his SPD as much as desired. To me, conceptually, the mentally fast guy, if he can really run rings around people mentally, could probably also find a way to go faster but it'd cost him since his body isn't made for it, and, normally, he wouldn't do it. Or simply have normal movement and a Phys Lim "does not move more than 2 phases in a Turn" or "does not move more than (x) inches in a Turn".

 

That's just the concept I would gravitate to for the description in the first post. I quite like MitchellS' suggestion if that's more to the point of what's desired.

[yamamura]

Re: Two ways but which do you prefer.

 

If he is supposed to be able to do anything faster than people aside from actual physical movement, and if it were my own character, I'd probably go with making his movement powers x2 or x4 END (or worse) and making his SPD as much as desired. To me, conceptually, the mentally fast guy, if he can really run rings around people mentally, could probably also find a way to go faster but it'd cost him since his body isn't made for it, and, normally, he wouldn't do it. Or simply have normal movement and a Phys Lim "does not move more than 2 phases in a Turn" or "does not move more than (x) inches in a Turn".

 

That's just the concept I would gravitate to for the description in the first post. I quite like MitchellS' suggestion if that's more to the point of what's desired.

 

I think I like this one the best. Thanks Zornwill.

[zornwil]

Re: Two ways but which do you prefer.

 

I think I like this one the best. Thanks Zornwill.

Cool, thanks, character design isn't really my forte, so nice to hear! I am curious, though, which of the 2 options did you go for, the phys lim or the increased END?

[Super Squirrel]

Re: Two ways but which do you prefer.

 

I'd have to say, go with #2. I don't like the idea of buying down your Running to compensate for a faster SPD.

[yamamura]

Re: Two ways but which do you prefer.

 

Cool' date=' thanks, character design isn't really my forte, so nice to hear! I am curious, though, which of the 2 options did you go for, the phys lim or the increased END?[/quote']

 

The Physical Limitation because it was nice annd simple.