Activate

[Sean Waters]

Activation, as a limitation, is usually rolled per phase, or per use.

 

Does anyone see any particular problem with it being rolled per day instead?

 

The overall rate of availability will be the same on average, clearly it is far more predicatable for powers (you know you have it or you don't) but if it is not available you have a long wait until it is.

 

The idea is a character whose powers are dependednt on their 9rather eccentric) biorhythms: you build him with a lot of powers, all built with 11- activation, rolled per day, so basically the available powerset will vary on a day to day basis: sometimes there will be a lot of powers, sometimes a few, sometimes powers that work together, sometimes not: each power will be available 62.5% of the time, on average.

 

I know you could probably do something similar with a VPP or even a multiform, but I like this mechanic: you don't have to redesign the character at all, just make a bunch of rolls every morning.

[BoneDaddy]

Re: Activate

 

THere is of course the moderate risk of no-powers day, which is inevitably the day all hell breaks loose.

 

Additionally, you are asking for gambling without risk. The house generally frowns on this.

 

Aside from that, seems OK to me. I'd take it down 1/4 to reflect the diminished detriment that comes with certainty.

[Supreme Serpent]

Re: Activate

 

No real serious problem conceptually. If the player and GM like it, try it and see how it works. And of course be sure the character has to get involved even on "bad biorythm" days so they don't only show up when they're super-powerful.

 

You might also want to decide that the complex and eccentric biorythms don't all "set" at the same time. At beginning of session, have character roll to see where everything's at as of that moment. Then during the day, check some active powers to see if they shut off, and check some failed powers to see if they turn on.

 

 

Much past 1/day and I wouldn't care for it as much.

 

(though someday I'm going to make the 12-form Zodiac character with different powersets each cycle...)

[OddHat]

Re: Activate

 

A big part of the value of Activation is the risk of failing at a key moment in combat. If this character knows "Today I have no Zyklon Ray", he's in a much better position than the poor guy who wastes an action when he blows his Zyklon Ray Activation Roll.

 

If he doesn't know what powers he has until he uses them, I say go for it, maybe at reduced value if he spends every morning testing his powers Croyd Crenson style.

 

Otherwise, I'd use NCC Multiform at -1, with no control over which form he wakes up in each morning but full control over the form's powers.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Activate

 

THere is of course the moderate risk of no-powers day, which is inevitably the day all hell breaks loose.

 

Additionally, you are asking for gambling without risk. The house generally frowns on this.

 

Aside from that, seems OK to me. I'd take it down 1/4 to reflect the diminished detriment that comes with certainty.

 

The certainty works two ways of course: any switched-on villain will be attacking when his powers are weakest

 

We also have the comedy half hour every morning when he tries to work out what powers are switched on that day.....

[Supreme Serpent]

Re: Activate

 

Might be fun to throw a few NCC powers into the mix. Or even a small NCC VPP the GM can have fun with.

[Doc Democracy]

Re: Activate

 

The idea is a character whose powers are dependednt on their 9rather eccentric) biorhythms: you build him with a lot of powers' date=' all built with 11- activation, rolled per day, so basically the available powerset will vary on a day to day basis: sometimes there will be a lot of powers, sometimes a few, sometimes powers that work together, sometimes not: each power will be available 62.5% of the time, on average.[/quote']

 

 

Hmm. I understand why you are doing this with an activation roll but I don't think that it truly reflects biorythms.

 

What you are wanting to do is determine where on the cycle the biorythms are. Most biorythms have three lines (can't remember what they are supposed to mean - body mind and spirit I suppose) that all vary at different times. When one is at maximum the others are not - very rarely they are all at maximum or minimum at the same time.

 

It is not random though - it is predictable (according to the pseudo-science behind it). In one-off scenarios I suppose that a series of random rolls covers this - in a campaign the GM has a pain in having to keep track of days etc to reflect the rythms.

 

I thought I was going to have something constructive to put at the end of this but I don't, everything I've thought of is rubbish and not worth typing out!

 

 

Doc

[Sean Waters]

Re: Activate

 

....but always nice to hear from you, Doc

 

You are quite right about normal biorhythms: these are not really meant to be predictable. Maybe they are not even his biorhythms.

 

Hmm...

[Supreme Serpent]

Re: Activate

 

"Dial 'P' for Powers!"

[austenandrews]

Re: Activate

 

I have no problem with the concept, but it would definitely be worth less. Most players I know would just refrain from "adventuring" on days when their powers didn't work.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Activate

 

This sounds much more like a very reduced No Concious Control to me.

 

Its maybe a little worse than OIHID, so I'd nominally call it a -1/2 tops, and would attack that with some heavy thought to see if it should be knocked down to -1/4.

 

In fact, don't have my books to check the feasibility of this, but I would strongly consider a -0 Limitation on affected Powers, and a Accidental Change (into powered status) Disadvantage defined appropriately to be per day (or whatever) and 14-, then adjust the Limitation value upwards in -1/4 increments for each step of severity of the Accidental Change.

[Supreme Serpent]

Re: Activate

 

I think the idea is not that some days no powers work, but if activation roll made, all powers work.

 

The idea is that each day, each seperate power may or may not be available.

 

So if the guy has:

 

EB

Force field

10" Flight

IR vision

20" Superleap

AE NND

Superstrength

 

He might, for example, on a particular day have IR vision, superleap and a force field. The next day, EB, Flight, IR vision, superstrength. And so on.

 

Like Superman after being exposed to "Plaid Kryptonite" or something.

[OddHat]

Re: Activate

 

I think the idea is not that some days no powers work, but if activation roll made, all powers work.

 

The idea is that each day, each seperate power may or may not be available.

 

The main drawback of Activation is the risk that, in the middle of combat, your power will fail. On an attack power it can cost you an action. On a defensive power it can get you killed.

 

This character avoids that completely by testing out his powers every morning.

 

It's either a NCC Multiform or an activation at reduced value; KS' -1/2 sounds right.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Activate

 

OK; sample build may give you a better idea how it is supposed to work:

 

Value	Cost	Name	Biorhythm Boy				
STR	18	8	Concept	Extremely good question….				
DEX	18	24	Notes	Every day he wakes up with a different set of powers (and sometimes a different appearance…)				
CON	14	8						
BOD	12	4	Disadvantages				Base =	200
INT	13	3	Psych Lim: Heroic (C, S)					15
EGO	11	2	Psych Lim: Code against killing (C, T)					20
PRE	13	3	Psych Lim: Hopeless romantic (C, S)					15
COM	10	0						
		Hunted: Necrode (As, 11-)					15
P D	5	1	Hunted: Caine (As, 11-)					15
E D	5	2	Watched: The Agency (More, 11-, NCI)					15
SPD	4	12						
REC	7	0	DNPC: Girlfriend (N, 11-)					10
END	28	0	DNPC: Investigative journalist (N, 11-, useful)					5
STN	28	0						
Characteristics total		67	Accidental change: (C, F)					15
Powers etc. total		283						
Disadvantages total		350	Distinctive featues: Bright green eyes (C, N)					10

Character total		350	Social Lim: Subject to orders (F, M)					15
Cost	Description of power, skill, perk or talent					Base cost	Advantages	Limitations
36	Strong and tough: +40 STR, +12 CON, +4 BODY					72		1.00
(figured: +8 PD, +2 ED, +10 REC, +24 END, + 30STN)							

20	Fast as a shark: +10 DEX +1 SPD					40		1.00
(figured: +1 SPD)							

17	Smart as it gets: (+10 INT, +12 EGO)					34		1.00

20	Blaster: 8d6 EB					40		1.00
22	Blaster: 6d6 EB 0 END					30	0.50	1.00

20	Mind Mage: 8d6 Mind Control					40		1.00
22	Mind Mage: 6d6 Mind Control 0 END					30	0.50	1.00

12	Running + 12"					24		1.00
20	Flight 20"					40		1.00
15	Teleport 15"					30		1.00

10	Force Field: 10/10					20		1.00
15	Force Field 10/10 0 END					20	0.50	1.00

18	Armour 12/12					36		1.00

5	Power Defence 15					11		1.00

5	Mental Defence 15					11		1.00

5	Flash Defence 10					10		1.00

21	7 Skills					21		

 

....so he is nont built as Mr Efficient; he is subject to orders from 'The Agency' (a siprt of superpowered watchdog) so he may well not have a choice about when he has to use his powers, and although he can be very beefy, even maxed out he's not ridiculous and there will be plenty of poor synergy days. I might put the movement powers (and a few unusuals, like invisibility and desolid) in a multipower, with the activation just on the slots, but I'm not sure: I'll see how it goes.

 

The skills wouldn't fit on the sheet easily but are all non-combat, background types. The copy looks a bit messed up so I've included a zip excel spreasheet rather than try and fix it.

[Lucius]

Re: Activate

 

No real serious problem conceptually. If the player and GM like it, try it and see how it works. And of course be sure the character has to get involved even on "bad biorythm" days so they don't only show up when they're super-powerful.

 

You might also want to decide that the complex and eccentric biorythms don't all "set" at the same time. At beginning of session, have character roll to see where everything's at as of that moment. Then during the day, check some active powers to see if they shut off, and check some failed powers to see if they turn on.

 

 

Much past 1/day and I wouldn't care for it as much.

 

(though someday I'm going to make the 12-form Zodiac character with different powersets each cycle...)

 

Would you take into account the precession of the equinox?

 

Lucius Alexander

 

There he goes again, mutters the palindromedary

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Activate

 

Several issues coming out of this.

 

First off, to me, the fact the power may fail at any given moment is more of a limitation than the fact it may, or may not, be available today. That's why Burnout is one step down the chart from equal Activation - once it fails, I know not to use it again.

 

On a gut feel, I would be inclined to cut the limitation value in half, similar to the many "only to activate" limitation halvings. If your power is available [daily/hourly/etc.] on an 8-, it's a -1 limitation. An 11- is -1/2 and 14- is -1/4.

 

Second, I see "My activation roll failed - I stay home" as a drawback unto itself. As a GM, I would not have the villains wait around for a day or two to see if Biorhythm Bob is going to show up (unless luring BB out was the purpose). Things happen while you just sit at home. As well, consider:

 

- lengthy story arcs, where the plot is in progress over many rolls by BB

 

- "OK, BB stays home. What do the rest of you want to do? Take the team jet to Europe after BB confirms he's not coming? Gee, Bob, not much point you sticking around for tonight's game." After enough of these, the rest of the players will be as powerful as BB even when his powers activate, since they're getting xp on adventures BB doesn't participant in.

 

- "You awake from a sound sleep. You think you hear breathing near you." "Activate my Force Field" "It's past midnight - roll to see if you have that power today."

 

Bottom line: if he takes a point benefit, there WILL be a limitation.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Activate

 

I've always played that the frequency of needing to roll Activation generally balances out whether you do it each time it's used, each Phase, each target, each day, or whatever. The issue of knowing after the first time you try each day whether you'll have that power for the day (to use the example given) might be worth a step down, but that's about the worst.

 

Consider these contrasting examples:

 

- A flak vest that tries its Activation Roll every time the character is hit.

 

- An unreliable ray gun that tries its Activation Roll every Phase (even if it's set to Autofire mode).

 

- A character with an enchantment that allows him to have an extra +20 STR on irregular days, so he tries the Activation Roll every morning.

 

- A drug that only works on a certain percentage of the population; it only tries its Activation Roll the first time it's tried on a given individual, and then either always works or never works on that individual.

 

And a variety of other possibilities.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Activate

 

- A drug that only works on a certain percentage of the population; it only tries its Activation Roll the first time it's tried on a given individual' date=' and then either always works or never works on that individual.[/quote']

 

I'll buy that for Newbie the Magnificant. OOPS! Failed the roll. Newbie retires.

 

Hey, Noobie the Magnioficent ALSO has that drug...

[Zed-F]

Re: Activate

 

The NCC option is not bad.

 

Another way you could do this is with RSR. Constant/Persistent powers that make their RSR roll are on until they are turned off.

[Zeropoint]

Re: Activate

 

A more workable example might be an immunity power that only works on some diseases or poisons. Every time you encounter a new one, you roll, and you either always or never have immunity to it from then on.

[Dust Raven]

Re: Activate

 

Like Superman after being exposed to "Plaid Kryptonite" or something.

 

I would like to steal this line... if I may?

[Dust Raven]

Re: Activate

 

The concept is great, and kudos Sean for yet another idea (likely) based on The Sleeper from the Wild Cards books.

 

But I'm not sure Activation is the way to go with this. Call me weird, but this sounds more like a VPP with Can Only Change While Sleeping (or once per day), No Choice of Powers and Limited Powers Available (from a predefined list). Buy all the powers he's gonna every have and full power, add up the Active Points, then make the VPP 62.5% of that total.

[Supreme Serpent]

Re: Activate

 

I would like to steal this line... if I may?

 

That's what these boards are for.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Activate

 

The concept is great, and kudos Sean for yet another idea (likely) based on The Sleeper from the Wild Cards books.

 

But I'm not sure Activation is the way to go with this. Call me weird, but this sounds more like a VPP with Can Only Change While Sleeping (or once per day), No Choice of Powers and Limited Powers Available (from a predefined list). Buy all the powers he's gonna every have and full power, add up the Active Points, then make the VPP 62.5% of that total.

 

Very much so: big Zelazny fan.

 

I think this concept can easily be abused; I hope the build I've put together isn't abusive: in order to have a reasonable attack, he has to roll both blaster or both mind control slots or the strong and tough one (of course he COULD end up with all 3...or none at all!). I might even seperate out all the individual characteristic bonuses rather than have them in packages.

 

Moreover the disadvantages are packed out with DNPCs, hunteds, appropriate psych lims and that nasty 'subject to orders' social lim: he ften gets no real choice about when he has to put on the tights. Sometimes he is a 450 point character, sometimes he is a 200 point character. He's probably going to have to do a lot of bluffing....