Question on my characters multipower

[SixthofInfinity]

currently what I have is a powered armor suit with three of its as all or nothing abiilities set in a multipower. He has flight, an energy blast, and a forcefield in it set as fixed slots at the full of the multipower reserve.

 

Now this powered armor also has an END reserve. I was wondering if it was legal to buy all the REC for the END reserve as a multipower slot in the multipower with the flight, blast, and forcefield. So that to recharge his battery he has to not use those powers for the whole turn. could this be done.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: Question on my characters multipower

 

You can put a limitation on it, "Must be inactive for X time prior to recovering, -(Time)" If that's what you're asking, then the answer would be a yes from me. I did this on the Star Hero board for Master Chief's armor - in order to recharge, he has to not take damage for one turn, which is built as a Trigger, and then with a couple of lims thrown in for flavor.

 

Regardless. Is that the question you're asking?

[SixthofInfinity]

Re: Question on my characters multipower

 

that was the other way I was thinking about doing it. how big of a limitation do you think that should be considering he would have to not use his force field, beam attack, or flight for a whole turn before it recovered at all.

 

Actually trying to build a sort of weakness so he's not as strong in a really drag out fight.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: Question on my characters multipower

 

It depends on the design, really. By rule, all powers cost END unless assigned Charges or purchased with the appropriate advantage. Since you're specifically discussing the fuel for the armor, I probably wouldn't make it part of the MP (although different DMs have differing takes, I'm a big proponent of concept in my MPs). The build as I understand it looks something like this:

 

Powered Armor (MP, 60 AP, Common Lims (OIF, Real Armor, etc.)

Xu: Forcefield (Advantages)/(Common Lims)

Xu: EB (Adv)/(Lims)

Xu: Flight (Adv)/(Lims)

plus End Reserve, X END, Y REC; OIF, End Reserve only recovers while powers are inactive, (-1/4), Extra Time prior to recovery (see limitation 'Extra Time').

 

Am I close to what you're envisioning? The powers draw END from the battery, which isn't a limitation. And they aren't 'limited' because they consume power, that's assumed. So the limitation actually exists purely on the END Reserve itself.

[ghost-angel]

Re: Question on my characters multipower

 

I don't see any reason it couldn't be put in as a Slot in the Multipower. I would think of it as "If I don't use any power, it slowly trickle charges itself back up."

 

I say yes, perfectly fine.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: Question on my characters multipower

 

I'd have to get my arm twisted to allow that. I just can't mentally picture "fuel" as a power - it's the FUEL. So for me, they're divorced. Although I can equally concede the argument that "it's in the suit, therefore a slot." Yeargh. Nah, in my mind, you aren't activating it - it isn't a Power per se.

 

Does that make sense?

[SixthofInfinity]

Re: Question on my characters multipower

 

I actually didn't see it as fuel, more of a reactor creating power for the suit to run.

[ghost-angel]

Re: Question on my characters multipower

 

I'd have to get my arm twisted to allow that. I just can't mentally picture "fuel" as a power - it's the FUEL. So for me, they're divorced. Although I can equally concede the argument that "it's in the suit, therefore a slot." Yeargh. Nah, in my mind, you aren't activating it - it isn't a Power per se.

 

Does that make sense?

 

It does. But what if it's not "fuel" so much as an energy charge. Like, say, the fusion rifle hooha in Demolition Man. While it's charging up the blast you can't use it.

 

May be the same idea with this. If it's in Charging Up Mode you can't use any of the cool toys. It's not really refueling as recharging the weapons, ff generator and flight pack. Since they aren't available why not go and stick it in the Multipower?

[JackValhalla]

Re: Question on my characters multipower

 

That's an easy one. I'd allow it. It's totally in genre, and it's totally plausible. And, Thia Halmades' fairly elegant build aside, I'd just take the END Reserve's REC and make it a slot in the multipower. Easier and still in genre.

 

Hell, what is more in keeping with pop ficiton than a weapon or device that needs to be shut down to recharge?

 

OTOH, I'd be suspicious if the REC slot in the multipower was full strength. I'd prefer that it took more than a phase or two to recharge the batteries. That's the only way that it'd really represent a flaw in the character.

 

Just to check, your character will have backup weapons, correct? Something that doesn't run on the END reserve?... Because if you go totally useless for more than a couple of phases each combat, your teammates are gonna be super ticked off at you.

[ghost-angel]

Re: Question on my characters multipower

 

That's an easy one. I'd allow it. It's totally in genre' date=' and it's totally plausible. And, Thia Halmades' fairly elegant build aside, I'd just take the END Reserve's REC and make it a slot in the multipower. Easier and still in genre.[/quote']

 

Ah, yeah - I probably wasn't clear in my own posts as JackValhalla. I was talking specifically of just the REC portion of the END Reserve.

[SixthofInfinity]

Re: Question on my characters multipower

 

Yeah the power suit has claws too. And is fairly strong (I mean I wouldn't wait for the thing to hit rock bottom so I could still support the suit str and movement. And the claws are bought with no end so they are great backup weapons

[Talon]

Re: Question on my characters multipower

 

Some GMs might be happier with an Aid to the END Reserve bought as a slot in the MP (plus it will charge faster ).

 

It seems reasonable to me -- there's an intermediate power storage system between the actual power generation and the suit itself. If you are not charging the weapons / propulsion / whatever, the storage system builds up again.

[Zed-F]

Re: Question on my characters multipower

 

Some GMs might balk at the idea of having REC or an Aid to the reserve as an MP slot, especially if the END cost of the powers is supposed to be a meaningful limit on how often the powers can be used. END reserves are quite easy to abuse in some respects and constructs like this only make it easier. Nevertheless, this probably depends on the tone of the campaign and the power level of the suit-based character relative to the power level of the other PCs, so YMMV from game to game.

[Valerious]

Re: Question on my characters multipower

 

As a GM, I'd prefer to see this concept built using the Lockout limitation on the reserve's REC, rather than be in the multipower itself.

[ghost-angel]

Re: Question on my characters multipower

 

As a GM' date=' I'd prefer to see this concept built using the Lockout limitation on the reserve's REC, rather than be in the multipower itself.[/quote']

 

That's a pretty good idea.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Question on my characters multipower

 

Actually, a few things:

 

1) I would strongly suggest that you reconsider making the slots Ultraslots; unless you really want the dynamic tension of having to land and turn off your FF to blast something. It severly cripples a character's utility to put their movement, defense, and attack as ultras in the same MP.

 

2) Endurance Reserve is a special Power and really should not be placed in any framework.

 

3) Even if you allow it, you can't practically put the END portion of the END Reserve in a MP slot, because if you did then when you turned the slot off the END would not be available.

 

You could, theoretically and w/ GM Permission for taking a Characteristic Power in a Framework, take REC only for the Endurance Reserve as a slot, but it wouldnt be very practical as youd need to leave it allocated for a full TURN to take effect. Also, in an aside that is neither good nor bad, if it used the full Reserve of the MP it would actually be a very high REC.

 

 

The best way to build the END Reserve within the rules to get the effect you want is to just take a Limitation on the Reserve of the Endurance Reserve, bought outside of any Frameworks.

 

Endurance Reserve (100 END, 10 REC) Reserve: (20 Active Points); REC: (10 Active Points); Only Recovers While MP Not In Use (-1 1/2); Real Cost: 14 points

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Question on my characters multipower

 

Another vote for limiting the REC rather than making it an MP slot. You could also use Extra Time (possibly Only to Activate) on the REC to indicate the other systems need to be "off" for an extended period before recharging can take place.

 

I also echo KS' comments. If you're reliant on the MP energy blast as a primary attack, the force field as a primary defense and the flight as a primary mode of transport, only being able to activate one at a time will be a huge limitation.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Question on my characters multipower

 

Also...I made a variant Framework called a "Threshold" Framework about a year ago that could be used for this rather than the END Reserve / MP version that you are considering.

 

The write up for it is here:

 

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

 

And the "Threshold" effect for your power suit would be "Not Using Powers In Threshold Framework".

 

Power Armor Energy Pool: Threshold (50 Pool); Condition: When Not Using Powers In Threshold Framework; Common Condition (+1/2); (75 Active Points); Mitigating Condition: Using Powers In Threshold Framework (-1/2) Real Cost: 10

 

a) Blast: Energy Blast - 10d6 (vs. ED); Reduced END (0 END, +1/2) (75 Active Points); OIHID (-1/4), Threshold (Actualized (20)) (-1/2); Real Cost: 42

 

Jetboots: Flight 20"; Reduced END (0 END, +1/2) (60 Active Points); OIHID (-1/4), Threshold (Surge) (-1/4); Real Cost: 40

 

c) Force Screen: Force Field 20 PD / 20 ED; Reduced END (0 END, +1/2) (60 Active Points); OIHID (-1/4), Threshold (Actualized (10)) (-1/4); Real Cost: 40

 

Total Real Cost: 132 Points

[SixthofInfinity]

Re: Question on my characters multipower

 

They are not the main modes of transportation, attack, and defense. Just the most powerful. He has armor for when the force field is off, def won't be as high but works for any fight where they don't have an ultra doom attack. He has a high landspeed so he can move quickly without the flight (Flight was more of a thing for getting to one place to another quickly in a cityscape, or to fight flyers), and his claws near the power of his blast (though without range). It's more of using the right power for that phase. Later I was going to try to build it up where he could perhaps use two at a time.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: Question on my characters multipower

 

Like I said. END reserve outside of the framework.

[ghost-angel]

Re: Question on my characters multipower

 

Like I said. END reserve outside of the framework.

 

but what about the REC?

[JackValhalla]

Re: Question on my characters multipower

 

On a second cogitation, perhaps lockout is the best way to go. I originally favored putting the REC of the END-R in the multipower, but I'm changing my stance.

Special powers in a framework can be done, permission from GM. And I really don't see any harm in it in most cases. Sometimes, though... sometimes special powers really don't belong in frameworks at all.

I usually try to go with the simplest, cleanest build that represents the special effect I'm looking for, just because simple clean builds are typically much harder to munchkin away on. Something complex, with stacked advantages and complementary limitations... well, I review those many many times. REC in a slot looked clean and simple.

And, I'd totally forgotten about lockout. I tend to overlook that one a lot, old reflexes sometimes cause me to refer to it as "Multipower's retarded younger brother". But, perhaps special powers and unusual cases, like this one, are precisely the sort of thing that Lockout is designed for.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Question on my characters multipower

 

On a second cogitation, perhaps lockout is the best way to go. I originally favored putting the REC of the END-R in the multipower, but I'm changing my stance.

Special powers in a framework can be done, permission from GM. And I really don't see any harm in it in most cases. Sometimes, though... sometimes special powers really don't belong in frameworks at all.

I usually try to go with the simplest, cleanest build that represents the special effect I'm looking for, just because simple clean builds are typically much harder to munchkin away on. Something complex, with stacked advantages and complementary limitations... well, I review those many many times. REC in a slot looked clean and simple.

And, I'd totally forgotten about lockout. I tend to overlook that one a lot, old reflexes sometimes cause me to refer to it as "Multipower's retarded younger brother". But, perhaps special powers and unusual cases, like this one, are precisely the sort of thing that Lockout is designed for.

 

Actually, Lockout is usually taken on slots IN a multipower to Lockout the other slots. The classic example is a Spear Multipower built with a HKA (pointy end), HA (butt strike), and an RKA (throw it) for instance -- the RKA slot would take Lockout and 1 Recoverable Charge to indicate you can throw it once, and until you fetch the spear back you can't use the other slots either.

 

However, you wouldnt apply Lockout to the REC of an END reserve outside of a MP; you would just assign a Limited Power Limitation to the REC of the END Reserve based upon how severely it hampers the Power. In this case it is much more limiting than a -1/2 in my opinion, but whatever value seems appropriate to the GM can be used of course.