Powers that come into effect only as you're hurt?

[Samaritan]

Hiya-

 

In thinking about certain instances where characters develop new/more powerful abilities as they get injured (numerous video game bosses, Heroclix figures, etc.), what do you think would be the appropriate modifier(s) to give those particular abilties?

 

"Only when at 1/2 BODY, (-1/4)", for example?

 

Any other suggestions (aside from ensuring that the ability isn't abused- that is, they don't go get blasted just so that they can unleash the UltraMegaWhammyBlast of DOOOOM)?

[ghost-angel]

Re: Powers that come into effect only as you're hurt?

 

This could be a good use for Trigger if the Power automatically goes off when they take Damage.

[incrdbil]

Re: Powers that come into effect only as you're hurt?

 

 

In thinking about certain instances where characters develop new/more powerful abilities as they get injured (numerous video game bosses, Heroclix figures, etc.), what do you think would be the appropriate modifier(s) to give those particular abilties?

 

Well, that depends on how hard it is to hurt them. That limitation on a villain with few resistant defenses isn't as much as if the villain is Kevlar Man, the indestructible bad guy. So the range would vary on how often you think the bad guy would take the requisite injury to activate a power.

[Samaritan]

Re: Powers that come into effect only as you're hurt?

 

This could be a good use for Trigger if the Power automatically goes off when they take Damage.

 

Kind of like the old Damage Shield adder in 4e (is that still in 5e? I can't recall)?

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Powers that come into effect only as you're hurt?

 

Triggers are good for this, as are Partial Limitations. You can also rig up Absorption to model this (though that can get clumsy).

 

If you don't mind trying out custom mechanics, for a more stylized way of handling it you might consider my Threshold Scale Framework:

 

http://www.killershrike.com/generalhero/ThresholdFramework.htm

[Robyn]

Re: Powers that come into effect only as you're hurt?

 

Kind of like the old Damage Shield adder in 4e (is that still in 5e? I can't recall)?

 

In 4e, only offensive powers could be taken with Damage Shield, but it might be possible to bypass that with a Linked power (Aid/Succor, only whenever This Attack is used). This would help with stats, and could also be used to enhance existing attacks of a related SFX (all powers in one Elemental Control?), but for new powers I think you'd have to go with a Limitation on the power and buy it up front.

[ghost-angel]

Re: Powers that come into effect only as you're hurt?

 

Kind of like the old Damage Shield adder in 4e (is that still in 5e? I can't recall)?

Damage Shield is still in 5E. It may only be taken for Attack Powers (whether they are inherently Offensive or have UAA on them).

 

If you want other powers to come online, such as Extra Denfenses, you'll need to look into some other mechanic - such as Trigger or a Limitation.

[Guest Schwarzwald]

Re: Powers that come into effect only as you're hurt?

 

Hmmm, as a gamer without any experience in Hero, I'd say that a good example of a power that comes on only when someone is injured is the Alien.

 

 

 

It had the 'acid blood' bit (It wasn't actually blood, just a defense mechanism) that only activated when it's outer skin was breached.

 

 

 

We tried to model this in gurps but never got a good solution.

[incrdbil]

Re: Powers that come into effect only as you're hurt?

 

Hmmm' date=' as a gamer without any experience in Hero, I'd say that a good example of a power that comes on only when someone is injured is the Alien. [/quote']

 

Hmm, RKA, no range, AE 1 hex non selective, Triiggered. Or instead fo the RKA an eb NND, Does body.

 

You could in theorety, give it charges (there's only so much body damage an Alien can take per day).

 

The damage might have delayed effects, or you could call it continuous.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: Powers that come into effect only as you're hurt?

 

Couple of things I would put in here.

 

1. Make sure you put on a lim, "Damage must be inflicted by an opponent" (-1/4) to keep the bad guy from stabbing himself in the hand to build his Rage Meter.

 

2. Susano created an inverse END reserve based on Absorb, I believe, in Ninja HERO, which modeled a character who gets 'pumped up' over the course of a combat by taking/giving damage. Once the Rage Meter is full, he can unleash Ultimate Attack Death Destruction Force Alpha .

 

3. Trigger is a simple way to model it, you just have to make sure you're clear on what the powers you want to have Triggered are. Does he suddenly 'heal' in the manner that he "ignores wounds" but is in actually, healed? Does he gain Damage Resistance? Hit harder? A lot of this involves reasoning from effect. I can model nonsense all day long, but with a clearer idea of what you want BBEG to do, that would be a step in the right direction as well.

 

So those be some thoughts on deh topic. Hope some/any of that helps.

[Guest Schwarzwald]

Re: Powers that come into effect only as you're hurt?

 

Hmm, RKA, no range, AE 1 hex non selective, Triiggered. Or instead fo the RKA an eb NND, Does body.

 

You could in theorety, give it charges (there's only so much body damage an Alien can take per day).

 

The damage might have delayed effects, or you could call it continuous.

 

 

 

Another issue that has to be handled is that the more damage the alien takes, the more acid it would splash.

 

 

 

Like when one alien was shot thru the head at point blank with a pistol, there wasn't that big a splash, but when one was blown to pieces by a smartgun it sprayed the whole area with acid.

 

 

 

So the spalash would have to be dependant on the tyupe of damage and the amount. A clean shot thru with a 30.06 AP round might not make too big a hole even if it went clean thru, whereas a shotgun blast might do less total damage but make a huge acid splash. This woud mostly have to be left up to an intelligent GM's common sense.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: Powers that come into effect only as you're hurt?

 

Another way to model it is as a variation on 'damage shield' and include those lims specifically; it's a little more work to get a clean version of that, but it's doable. Were I not dying of starvation I'd make a stab at it.

[Dust Raven]

Re: Powers that come into effect only as you're hurt?

 

I'm not sure we're talking about acid blood here, but more of a quasi berserker "oh my god I've been hurt BAD! Take this hero!" kind of response to taking damage.

 

My first thought was Absorption (possibly with an increase max) to a relatively small Power the character isn't likely to use because it's not (yet) effective. After taking a pounding, the Absorption would have increased the Power to a threatening level and then the character would use it. The main disadvantage to this is that the character need not take any damage (past DEF) for this Power to become powerful enough to use.

 

Other than that, it would depend greately on the nature of the Power, the character's Defenses and how much damage he has to take before he can use the Power. Just slapping on an Only When At Half BODY would easily Limit the Power exactly how you want it, but the value of that Limitation could vary greatly from character to character.

[Captain Obvious]

Re: Powers that come into effect only as you're hurt?

 

Another issue that has to be handled is that the more damage the alien takes, the more acid it would splash.

 

 

 

Like when one alien was shot thru the head at point blank with a pistol, there wasn't that big a splash, but when one was blown to pieces by a smartgun it sprayed the whole area with acid.

 

 

There might be some way to do this with Boostable Charges. Or just buy a huge number of dice, and limit the damage by the amount of damage the alien takes.

[Erkenfresh]

Re: Powers that come into effect only as you're hurt?

 

Maybe something like this:

 

Berserker Power: Endurance Reserve (12 END, 12 REC) Reserve: (13 Active Points); REC: (12 Active Points); Only up to STUN damage taken by opponents (-1/2)

 

Berserker Power: Aid 4d6, all physical characteristics simultaneously (+2) (120 Active Points); Self Only (-1/2), Costs Endurance (Only Costs END to Activate; -1/4)

 

The total cost is 77 points. If this is a villain, no biggie. But not a very good bargain for a player.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Powers that come into effect only as you're hurt?

 

Umm...Absorbtion?

[Dust Raven]

Re: Powers that come into effect only as you're hurt?

 

Umm...Absorbtion?

 

Yes, Absorption.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Powers that come into effect only as you're hurt?

 

Yes' date=' Absorption. [/quote']

Er...yeah. That's what I meant.

[Dust Raven]

Re: Powers that come into effect only as you're hurt?

 

Er...yeah. That's what I meant.

 

It's what I meant too. Check my post above.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Powers that come into effect only as you're hurt?

 

It's what I meant too. Check my post above.

Well shoot. again, then. I copied and pasted, so my page search didn't turn up your answer due to the misspelling. And I'm usually decent without a spellchecker. Heh.