Harpoon Man -- Advice Needed

[SableWyvern]

Ok, I'm pretty much at a loss as to how to design this power:

 

SFX: Metal dart with trailing cable, fired from character's body.

 

Effects:

 

1. Winch -- the easy bit, done with Swinging.

2. Basic RKA -- also easy, except when interfacing with #4

3. Establishing a line to a point, which others can crawl along or use as climbing aid.

4. Sticking in an opponent and allowing them to be manipulated to some degree (dragged/restrained/unbalanced). This would need to be tied to a successful use of the RKA element of the ability. Incorporating a grab in some way might nearly do the job, but I'm not sure... Throw in some Stretching, maybe?

5. Piercing suitably robust, inanimate objects and dragging them back to the character. Possibly TK?

 

Any advice greatly appreciated. Oh, and I'm working with a 60AP hard cap.

 

Edit: Actually, rereading the player's concept, and giving it a bit more thought, it looks like Stretching will solve most of my problems. Still, any other opinions appreciated.

[JmOz]

Re: Harpoon Man -- Advice Needed

 

What you need is some stretching

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Harpoon Man -- Advice Needed

 

What you need is some stretching

 

Yep,

 

Here's a version of the ability built for an archer character:

 

2u 13) Suction-Cup Arrow: (Total: 60 Active Cost, 24 Real Cost) Clinging (normal STR) (10 Active Points) (Real Cost: 5) plus Stretching 2", x8 Noncombat, 3 Recoverable Continuing Charges lasting 5 Minutes each (+0), Uncontrolled (+1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (40 Active Points); Limited Body Parts (-1/4), Always Direct (-1/4), Range Modifier Applies (-1/4) (Real Cost: 14) plus Swinging 3", Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (4 Active Points) (Real Cost: 2) plus +2 Skill Levels with Acrobatics, Breakfall, Climbing (6 Active Points) (Real Cost: 3) [3 rc]

 

Plus additional Limitations only listed on the Multipower Reserve:

all slots OAF (-1), Requires Multiple Foci or functions at reduced effectiveness (+1/4), Limited Power : Range Based On Strength (Maximum Range = 150") (Not Applicable to "Club Weapon: Reinforced Long Bow" and "Suction Arrow" Slots; -1/4)

 

Just change the Limitations to fit the sfx concept you have in mind.

[Vondy]

Re: Harpoon Man -- Advice Needed

 

Stretching?

 

Build the attack, and then buy stretching with the relevant limitations?

 

Its not conventional, but it might achieve the effect you want.

[SableWyvern]

Re: Harpoon Man -- Advice Needed

 

Ok, I'm still a little stuck on point 4, the stick-into-someone trait.

 

Clinging: Useable on Others seems to be the solution, but the actual description of Clinging doesn't really explain how this works. Could anyone give me a run-down, or point me to somewhere in the rules with more detail?

[Doc Samson]

Re: Harpoon Man -- Advice Needed

 

Ok, I'm still a little stuck on point 4, the stick-into-someone trait.

 

Clinging: Useable on Others seems to be the solution, but the actual description of Clinging doesn't really explain how this works. Could anyone give me a run-down, or point me to somewhere in the rules with more detail?

 

Stretching will cover this as well. Use a simple Grab to stick it into them and then you can pull them as you wish. Focus or Physcial Manifestation will cover the SFX that it is not your body but a harpoon. Hope that helps. "GET OVER HERE!"

[SableWyvern]

Re: Harpoon Man -- Advice Needed

 

Ok. I've got:

 

Swinging 10" (10 Active)

-Maximum line-length 20"

-One line at a time

 

Not sure whether either or both of those parameters should count as limitations. At 10 points, probably doesn't make much difference anyway.

 

Stretching 10" (50 Active)

Always Direct -1/4

Harpoon Only -1/4

Range Modifier -1/4

(29 Real)

 

To be clear, the Harpoon is effectively an extension of the character's arm. I costed the harpoon only lim the same as arms only because, while there are some things an arm can do that the Harpoon can't, there are things it can do a normal arm can't.

 

 

HKA 2d6

AP +1/2

Continuous (only while target grabbed) +1/2

(60 Active)

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Harpoon Man -- Advice Needed

 

Ok, I'm still a little stuck on point 4, the stick-into-someone trait.

 

Clinging: Useable on Others seems to be the solution, but the actual description of Clinging doesn't really explain how this works. Could anyone give me a run-down, or point me to somewhere in the rules with more detail?

 

Clinging is a Self Only power but even as such covers this situation without the need of UOO or UAA. The sfx could be that it wraps around someone or something instead of piercing it.

 

If you really want the effect to be a piercing one it will require a 2 phase combination and 2 multipower slots. The first slot would be the RKA. The second slot would be the limited swing/stretch line dependent on the the RKA doing a minimum amount of BODY to the target. Yes, it's more accurate but it's also more cumbersome to use due to the 2 phase requirement.

[Zed-F]

Re: Harpoon Man -- Advice Needed

 

Soulbarb uses stretching, swinging, and a reduced penetration hand attack with variable advantage for her 'get-over-here' type barbed/spiked attacks. You could substitute a KA, but in her case she uses swarms of smaller barbs rather than one massive harpoon, so the hand attack seemed to fit better.

[Twintails]

Re: Harpoon Man -- Advice Needed

 

I'd actually do it as two separate powers. First is a RKA, the metal harpoon bit, followed by a linked stretching.

 

The thing about using stretching in this capacity is that you have to be clever. With the limitations Cannot Do Damage, Focus, Always Direct, Range Modifier Applies, Limited Body Parts, No Noncombat Stretching, and Linked to the RKA you can actually manage to fairly successfully simulate any sort of linegun or harpoon. Just for fun I like the give the RKA a single recoverable charge. It isn't really perfect but it's the closest I've been able to figure. As a bonus it's fairly low cost.

[Bodkins Odds]

Re: Harpoon Man -- Advice Needed

 

The only problem with stretching in this instance is that it will trigger all damage shields, but only some kinds of damage shields make sense for this SFX. An electric arc from harpooning a robot makes sense given a reasonably conductive cable, but a body of fire damage shield should only effect the harpoon itself.

[JmOz]

Re: Harpoon Man -- Advice Needed

 

If said stretching is bought with Foci, or physical manifestation, then this is not a problem (Damage goes to the harpoon not the individual)

[Bodkins Odds]

Re: Harpoon Man -- Advice Needed

 

Really? Cool. I wasn't aware of that rule.

 

Carry on then.

[JmOz]

Re: Harpoon Man -- Advice Needed

 

In 100% fairness Physical manifestation is a guess on my part, but that is the rule for foci, and I tend to think of manifestation as a extention of those rules...