Just an idea - Activation => Limited Circumstances

[zornwil]

A random thought - it'd be neat to define a Limitation as some sort of Activation, then, the first time it fails, define something that was unique in the environment that time as the circumstance under which it fails and convert it to a Limited Circumstances at the same value.

 

Sort of like a Mystery Limitation, but with that twist of it being defined in-play by chance.

 

Anyone done this?

[CraterMaker]

Re: Just an idea - Activation => Limited Circumstances

 

that is a nifty "random limitation" mechanic - sounds apropro for a Teen Champions campaign..

 

-CraterMaker

[schir1964]

Re: Just an idea - Activation => Limited Circumstances

 

A random thought - it'd be neat to define a Limitation as some sort of Activation, then, the first time it fails, define something that was unique in the environment that time as the circumstance under which it fails and convert it to a Limited Circumstances at the same value.

 

Sort of like a Mystery Limitation, but with that twist of it being defined in-play by chance.

 

Anyone done this?

Sort of like Side Effect that is based on Active Points, but isn't defined until triggered. Interesting...

 

- Christopher Mullins

[Thia Halmades]

Re: Just an idea - Activation => Limited Circumstances

 

I'm not grasping the idea. Can you give me an SFX of how this would look (not the mechanics, i can give you plenty of mechanic concepts, but I don't get what this is supposed to do).

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Just an idea - Activation => Limited Circumstances

 

I'm not grasping the idea. Can you give me an SFX of how this would look (not the mechanics' date=' i can give you plenty of mechanic concepts, but I don't get what this is supposed to do).[/quote']

 

I'll take a stab at this below.

 

Sounds like an interesting concept. It's not a real activation roll, but a placeholder for a circumstantial limitation. It would likely work best for low limitation values (Act 8- weill come up way too quickly). Let's assume this one is a suite of Mental Powers that Acts 14-. The character uses his powers successfully for a number of scenarios, then blows the Activatiomn Roll in one scenario.

 

The GM reviews his notes (which he would have needed to keep if this is going to work) and says hmmm... The power continues to work in a number of other circumstances and, eventually, through trial and error, the character learns that her mental powers are ineffective against women. That was the first time the character had ever used a power on a woman.

 

It's really not an Activation Roll, more of a Mystery Limitation with the twist that its definition will come up in play. If the GM is creative and the player is willing to roll with the results (which he should be if he was willing to take any kind of mystery limitation), it could be a very interesting approach, especially for that character who lacks full details of how his powers work and where they come from..

[zornwil]

Re: Just an idea - Activation => Limited Circumstances

 

As to the example, exactly, thanks, Hugh.

 

One risk is not having something obvious in the environment that's different but then again in super-battles it seems to me there's always some sort of thing in the area that's changed (a Mr. Cold type villain, it's the wee hours, one of the villains has mental powers, there's a dog nearby, etc.).

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Just an idea - Activation => Limited Circumstances

 

One risk is not having something obvious in the environment that's different but then again in super-battles it seems to me there's always some sort of thing in the area that's changed (a Mr. Cold type villain' date=' it's the wee hours, one of the villains has mental powers, there's a dog nearby, etc.).[/quote']

 

Well, if there's nothing obvious, I guess we keep the rolls going and come up with a link between the second and first failure once something does make sense as a unique environmental presence or absence. Maybe something in the first case that the characters could not or did not detect.