[Mahou Sensei Negima] Pacto- Transform or Multipower?

[pointyman2000]

Checking up on the Anime Aware crowd of the HERO boards,

 

If any of you have watched Mahou Sensei Negima, the basic premise is that a 10 year old child prodigy of a Magic School in Wales is given a single task to become qualified to become a Magister. For poor (or lucky) Negima, he's sent to teach english in a Japanese All-Girl High School.

 

As per the requirements of the traditional "Harem" anime, Negima is surrounded by women, 31 of them, in fact.

 

so on to the How To section:

 

Later in the series Negi is introduced to the "Pacto" (most likely pact) spell, a means by which a mage can link himself with a chosen Partner of the opposite sex, boosting the said Partner in exchange for the Partner's service to protect the mage. This is usually sealed with a kiss.

 

As a child, Negi doesn't have the necessary power to form a permanent pact, so what he does have is the ability to form "probationary" pacts with potentially any number of girls.

 

Do you see where this is going?

 

How would you simulate this ability? Where the character is able to grant a superpowered form to a target? Would this be a Transform or a Multipower?

 

Here are two variants I've come up with, and I'm trying to decide which is right, both have a Real Cost of 33 points (the kiss requirement removed):

 

The Multiform:

Pacto!: Multiform (300 Character Points in the most expensive form), Limited Power Power loses less than a fourth of its effectiveness (Cannot be used on Self; +0), Limited Power Power loses less than a fourth of its effectiveness (Cannot be Used on Unwilling Targets; +0), Usable By Other (+1/4) (75 Active Points); OIF (Magic Circle; -1/2), Arrangement (-1/4), Requires A Skill Roll (Magic Skill; -1/2) END Cost 3

 

The only hitch to the Multiform is that I'm unsure if it will be able to grant different forms for different people. If not, then perhaps this woudl be better:

 

The Transform:

Pacto!: Major Transform 4d6, Limited Power Power loses less than a fourth of its effectiveness (Cannot be used on Unwilling Targets; +0), Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4) (75 Active Points); OIF (Magic Circle; -1/2), Arrangement (-1/4), Requires A Skill Roll (Magic Skill; -1/2) END Cost 3

 

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Oh, if you guys have a hard time visualizing how it looks here's a music video someone put up on youtube showing it in action (on 30 girls)

 

clicky here

[secretID]

Re: [Mahou Sensei Negima] Pacto- Transform or Multipower?

 

Either way, the transform makes more sense to me - I wouldn't be surprised if the rules or FAQs prohibited mutiform on others.

[OzMike]

Re: [Mahou Sensei Negima] Pacto- Transform or Multipower?

 

Don't know the anime, but if it is a set number of abilities why not just buy those usable by others?

 

And if there are a number of different powers/forms why not a VPP?

 

The other question is:

 

Is it just one person at a time or multiple folk?

[SladeThirteen]

Re: [Mahou Sensei Negima] Pacto- Transform or Multipower?

 

i think the way it works in the anime is that it's one at a time... but i'm not that far in it yet (bro dl the whole seaon...), but i have read the manga to the point where asuna and nodoka have made pactos with negi (and they just got back from kyoto, i believe... i think that puts me at about book eight). i think what your looking at is two powers here, because pacto is the making of the contract... while the contract itself is what gives the girls their powers. sadly i'm not too good with the system yet... but from what little i know, i'd say the pacto itself would be some form of 'summon' (with the sfx of 'summons power into the girl', or something like that)... but i think i would agree with the 'transform' the contract itself. though i don't agree about the skill roll. it the pacto that can fail, not the contract, but if the pacto is not done right you still get a 'card' and a contract, it just has a lot

less power then a full contract (the partial pacto has this cute chibi pic of the girl in question, while the full pacto you get a shot of just how awesome the girl could be). so yeah, skill roll with the pacto. as for the contract; perhaps if there where some kind of variable charge, after all, negi could decide the length of time the girl's powers where active.

 

where the cost of point would be concerned, you buy pacto once (it's a power your using on them), and buy each contract under a multipower (i don't think multiform would be appropriate, but then i'm still the n00b.)

 

i just asked my brother if negi used more then one contract at a time, and he thinks he remembers that he did... so either way the multipower works... so i guess you better buy up a decent pool to start with.

 

aside from that, i'm too noob at the moment to help much more... but i'll look some of this stuff up some more i post anything else i come up with...

[pointyman2000]

Re: [Mahou Sensei Negima] Pacto- Transform or Multipower?

 

Don't know the anime, but if it is a set number of abilities why not just buy those usable by others?

 

And if there are a number of different powers/forms why not a VPP?

 

The other question is:

 

Is it just one person at a time or multiple folk?

 

Heya OzMike,

 

From what I've seen each "Partner" is given a different set of abilities depending on her skills and personality. A bookish girl turns into a mage with the power of precognition, while the leading lady of the series receives a whole bunch of buffs found in a traditional HERO brick.

 

I'm considering the possibility of a VPP of Multiforms usable on others, but I'm still going to see if that will give any sort of increase in power level at all or if the sheet number of advantages will cripple any benefits due to Active Point caps

 

In the series Negi has been able to form Pacts with multiple characters simultaneously essentially fielding his own army of normals turned low level supers.

 

----

 

Well, I've tried building the Pacto power again with the use of a VPP, it's slightly more expensive but it looks right:

 

59 Real Points :

Pacto!: Variable Power Pool (Magic Pool), 50 base + 9 control cost, (75 Active Points); Limited Class Of Powers Available Very Limited (Multiforms Only; -1), OIF (Magic Circle; -1/2), Arrangement (-1/4)

 

0 Real Points:

Pacto Form for Character A: Multiform (200 Character Points in the most expensive form), Limited Power Power loses less than a fourth of its effectiveness (Only works on Character A; +0), Usable By Other (+1/4) (50 Active Points)

 

0 Real Points:

Pacto Form for Character B: Multiform (200 Character Points in the most expensive form), Limited Power Power loses less than a fourth of its effectiveness (Only Works on Character B; +0), Usable By Other (+1/4) (50 Active Points)

 

and so on so forth for each character.

 

I've checked the FAQ and it doesn't seem to say anything about having Usable on Others on Multiforms so I'm assuming it's legal.

 

Now all a Negi Build would have to need is 31 75-point followers

[OzMike]

Re: [Mahou Sensei Negima] Pacto- Transform or Multipower?

 

Hmmm... not sure the multiform way is strictly 'legal' in the 5ER way....but it doesn't matter unless the chracter is for publication. If the GM aproves it - cool

 

IMHO - I'd go with a transform rather than Multiform UOO, even if it is practically like a Multiform UOO...

 

It's all rather silly really

[gojira]

Re: [Mahou Sensei Negima] Pacto- Transform or Multipower?

 

I'll throw in with the obvious: it's a plot device.

 

Ol' Negima just exists to give 31 girls an excuse to get all magical. He's like Giles to 31 Buffys. He's like the reason Ravenswood or Sky High exist at all.

 

Yes from the anime/manga point of view, he's probably a central character, but if you were playing a game, would you rather have the magical powers or would you want to stand around while everyone else did the fun stuff?

[pointyman2000]

Re: [Mahou Sensei Negima] Pacto- Transform or Multipower?

 

Well, yes, it is rather silly if you think about it too much (like what I'm doing)

 

Your Transform Variant would be something like this, I guess?

 

37 Real Points:

Pacto!: Major Transform 5d6 (Target to Pacto Enhanced Form, Time) (75 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), OIF (Magic Circle; -1/2)

 

Tell me if I got this right OzMike, so I build this power, then use the Transform to grant a Multiform Ability to the target. So granting a 10 BODY character a 350 point Multiform would require a roll > 25 (or 10 BODY +1/5 of the Ability cost being granted) on 5d6?

 

That actually comes out cheaper.

[pointyman2000]

Re: [Mahou Sensei Negima] Pacto- Transform or Multipower?

 

I'll throw in with the obvious: it's a plot device.

 

Ol' Negima just exists to give 31 girls an excuse to get all magical. He's like Giles to 31 Buffys. He's like the reason Ravenswood or Sky High exist at all.

 

Yes from the anime/manga point of view, he's probably a central character, but if you were playing a game, would you rather have the magical powers or would you want to stand around while everyone else did the fun stuff?

 

Hey Gojira,

 

It's true, technically Negima is a walking, talking plot device in some ways (especially with the Pacto spell) but I'm doing this really as an exercise in power construction.

[Lucius]

Re: [Mahou Sensei Negima] Pacto- Transform or Multipower?

 

I need to watch more anime.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

And the verdict is - innocent! Feed them to the palindromedary!

[gojira]

Re: [Mahou Sensei Negima] Pacto- Transform or Multipower?

 

OK, so I'll toss some other ideas out.

 

 

Your Transform Variant would be something like this, I guess?

 

37 Real Points:

Pacto!: Major Transform 5d6 (Target to Pacto Enhanced Form, Time) (75 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), OIF (Magic Circle; -1/2)

 

Tell me if I got this right OzMike, so I build this power, then use the Transform to grant a Multiform Ability to the target. So granting a 10 BODY character a 350 point Multiform would require a roll > 25 (or 10 BODY +1/5 of the Ability cost being granted) on 5d6?

 

That actually comes out cheaper.

 

I think this is a good point. Is it really ok to grant 350 points of power to a character with only a 37 point power? Something seems off here. I guess a GM is within his rights to require the most expensive build.

 

Remember, anything the GM can do, might be attempted by the players.

 

It seems like Negima should be about a 1000 point character, with big ol' UBO VPP or Multiform that's only useable by others.

 

Or maybe a big old Summon: 31 Magical Girls (350 points each). The Summon would require he kiss a classmate first. And they shouldn't be fanatically loyal, as there is free will involved, but they should be friendly.

 

But 1000 points puts him firmly in plot device territory.

[Marketeer]

Re: [Mahou Sensei Negima] Pacto- Transform or Multipower?

 

I think an Aid would possibly be appropriate as well; you might need a VPP to give each of the girls that first inch of Flight, and first d6 of Energy Blast, but it sounds like he's "buffing" them, which means an Aid might be the best mechanic to do so.

 

So:

 

A small VPP to give each girl their initial powers

 

And an Aid, usable on all powers granted by the VPP simultaneously

[OzMike]

Re: [Mahou Sensei Negima] Pacto- Transform or Multipower?

 

Well, yes, it is rather silly if you think about it too much (like what I'm doing)

 

Your Transform Variant would be something like this, I guess?

 

37 Real Points:

Pacto!: Major Transform 5d6 (Target to Pacto Enhanced Form, Time) (75 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), OIF (Magic Circle; -1/2)

 

Tell me if I got this right OzMike, so I build this power, then use the Transform to grant a Multiform Ability to the target. So granting a 10 BODY character a 350 point Multiform would require a roll > 25 (or 10 BODY +1/5 of the Ability cost being granted) on 5d6?

 

That actually comes out cheaper.

 

Hmmm... here's how I think the base power needs to be done... and it isn't cheap, but I guess you could put limitations on it...

 

Pacto!: Major Transform 40d6 (standard effect: 120 points [for 2x10 BOD and + 2x50 for the extra points) (Character with 10 or less BODY into Superpowered (+250 pts of powers)), Improved Target Group (Any Number of Powers; +1) (1200 Active Points)

 

This assumes the target of the power has 10 or less body, that the target only gains 250 pts of powers (plenty in my book, but it depends on your game), and that it only needs to be done once and works every time (hence the use of standard effect).

 

Here are some possible disads off the top of my head (if you use them all the real cost comes down to 253 pts. Still a lot though).

 

All Or Nothing (-1/2) - like I said, it works or it doesn't, and there's no accumulation of transform

 

No Range (-1/2) - it's a kiss. Show me the man who thinks he can kiss at range and I'll show you a man alone.

 

Limited Target: Only vs Females (-1/2) - like he's going to kiss a boy (although that would be an interesting quandry).

 

Limited Power: Target must be willing (-1) - considering the power, maybe I made this too high. But considering that part of the deal is probably a psych lim: loyal and Psych lim: must protect [dude] I think it's still fair.

 

Concentration (0 DCV; -1/2) - got to focus on that kiss

 

Extra Time (Full Phase, -1/2) - kisses can't be rushed

 

Gestures (A Kiss; -1/4) - sealing the deal

 

 

Or you could just handwave it and make him a DNPC with extremely useful skills/abilities for the PC girls.

 

DNPC: 14- (As powerful as the PC; Useful Noncombat Position or Skills) - 5 pts.