Usable On Others foolishness

[SuperKlaus]

So just as I was getting cocky, feeling that I was a HERO rules master, I went and tried to design some Usable On Others powers. That is some mighty confusing stuff.

 

Why exactly do I have to pay through the nose using Usable As Attack to give my buddies Powers while paying the END myself? Why isn't the Rules FAQ Limitation Grantor Pays All END Costs (-0) in the book?

 

Kitty Pryde saving her buddies A: Desolid, Usable Simultaneously (8 people, +1), Recipients Must Maintain Physical Contact With Kitty (-something)

 

Saving buddies B: Desolid, UAA (8 people, +1 3/4, ends when recipient stops touching Kitty). Oh, and Kitty really should buy a completely different Desolid for her personal use.

 

The second option is costing me +3/4 more Advantage, the use of a Limitation, and the price of a personal Desolid for what? The strictly by-the-book ability to pay the END myself, and I guess the ability to Desolid a foe so long as he's touching me. Can't say I think that's nearly worthwhile.

 

ALSO

 

Instead of this Differing Modifiers silliness and its accompanying idea that you lose the ability to use your own Power on yourself, why not just suggest that the builder place Limitations he does not want the recipients to suffer on the Usable By Other / Simultaneously Advantage? It's already true that the recipients do not get the UOO part of the Power (I assume because if they do you'd quickly see a pyramid effect of Powers being granted willy-nilly), right?

 

Stoneskin Spell: Armor 4/4, Usable By Other (+1/4), UBO is Limited by Gestures, Incantations, OAF (-1 1/2). Cost 13 points.

 

Does that not create a Power meaning that by Gesturing, Incanting and possessing the Focus a wizard can grant himself or another person Armor 4/4?

 

I tend to try and think these things through privately but I'm feeling burned out and you know what, you guys here are awesome. Please offer your opinions.

 

Last note: So long as I'm talking about Kitty Pryde of the X-Men, can someone please suggest things that affect her while Desolid?

[Rapier]

Re: Usable On Others foolishness

 

Ok. There are really two sets of advantages here.

 

Usable as Attack: You are forcing this power on another. You are extending your natural power to have it affect someone else. You should be paying the END for this type of power.

 

Usable by Others: You are granting your power on another. This person then has that power and they pay the END.

 

If I was Kitty, I would purchase my regular old Desol and then purchase a naked advantage for the UAA. It keeps her regular END cost down and this would allow you to add x2 END or other limitations on the extra effort it takes to Desol other people.

[The Souljourner]

Re: Usable On Others foolishness

 

Why exactly do I have to pay through the nose using Usable As Attack to give my buddies Powers while paying the END myself? Why isn't the Rules FAQ Limitation Grantor Pays All END Costs (-0) in the book?

 

I think you answered the first question with your second. You don't. Use the UBO version, with the FAQ'd Limitation. Hell, I didn't even know that FAQ was there and I just handwaved it in a similar ability I made a couple weeks ago. Me paying END or them paying END is essentially equivalent.

 

As for why that's not in the book. The answer is "because Steve Long is not omniscient". Should it be? Sure. Just didn't think of it or left it out of the revision by accident, or whatever.

 

So umm... I think you answered your own question. As long as it's fixed at power construction time, whoever pays the END of a UBO doesn't really matter, just depends on special effects.

 

One last little thing I'll add here - in Hero there are often times when you have to fudge things just a little bit to get the desired effect. The -0 limitation you suggest is one of them (though probably should be in future versions of the book). The book can't cover every single possible iteration of powers... so for small stuff like that, just fudge it.

 

-Nate

[Dust Raven]

Re: Usable On Others foolishness

 

How about buying the Power you want to share normally as you'd use it yourself, then buying a Naked Advantage of UBO and 0 END, with the Limitations Increased END Cost (because Naked Advantages cost END)? That way when you allow others to make use of the Power, it's a 0 END Power (no one pays END), but the act of allowing other to use it costs the originating character END.