The Perfect Power Build

[Nekkidcarpenter]

Every Hero gamer knows what it's like to come up with an idea for a cool power and have no idea how to build it, or worse sometimes, have a bunch of different ideas but no ability to decide which is the best one. We read examples, we talk to other people, we build it a bunch of different ways, and then suddenly there it is: the perfect build.

 

Here's one I'm pretty happy with. It's a power for an Aikido master who dwarf's O-Sensei with her ability to effortlessly throw any number of people to the ground who attack her.

 

27 Aikido Throw (40 AP) Custom Power: As if Defensive Throw was bought with the Advantage 'Trigger: no time to activate, resets automatically, 2 or more conditions apply simultaneously (whenever she's attacked in HTH). Limited Power: Based on Combat Luck Modifiers (-1/2). +1 OCV, +1 DCV Block, Target Falls.

 

An earlier version that I found a little bit munchkinnish--

 

1" Tport, must go through intervening space, usable as attack only, Trigger, Position Shift (From vertical to horizontal only), Aoe radius (surrounding Hexes only)selective target, 0 end, Invisible, Continuous.

 

If you got within 4 meters of this power and you seemed threatening, you automatically got knocked down.

 

Hopefully other people have some 'perfect builds' they'd like to share.

[Outsider]

Re: The Perfect Power Build

 

Missile Immunity

 

(22) Teleportation 2"

(+1) UAA

(+1) AoE Radius (2" Radius (a megahex))

(+1) Continuous

(+1) IPE

(+1/2) 0 END

(-0) Only works on objects moving at (say) 50+ KpH

 

The person posessing this power sets up an undetectable field that teleports any object entering it at a certain speed or higher to the opposite hex in the megahex (2"), keeping its velocity and direction of travel. This means that, effectively, the field prevents anything fast moving from transiting the center of the megahex... presto... missile immunity (so long as the missile masses 100 kg or less)

 

Note : It only works on material things. Non-material energy attacks (lasers, for example) are unaffected.

 

Also Note : The character in the field would be advised not to use projectile weapons him or herself...

[ghost-angel]

Re: The Perfect Power Build

 

An earlier version that I found a little bit munchkinnish--

 

1" Tport, must go through intervening space, usable as attack only, Trigger, Position Shift (From vertical to horizontal only), Aoe radius (surrounding Hexes only)selective target, 0 end, Invisible, Continuous.

 

If you got within 4 meters of this power and you seemed threatening, you automatically got knocked down.

 

Interesting. What's the Defense to this?

[Nekkidcarpenter]

Re: The Perfect Power Build

 

Interesting. What's the Defense to this?

 

That was kind of the problem I had with using it. I thought about making a size or weight cap to it, but it goes against the grain as one of the basic tenets of that type of martial arts style is that its using opponents own size and weight against them. I thought about kb res or clinging being useful also, but I couldn't really decide what was reasonable and still kept the flavor of the power and made it useful. Couldn't come up with what I felt was a balanced build so I went with the advantaged martial arts instead.

[Doc Samson]

Re: The Perfect Power Build

 

Every Hero gamer knows what it's like to come up with an idea for a cool power and have no idea how to build it, or worse sometimes, have a bunch of different ideas but no ability to decide which is the best one. We read examples, we talk to other people, we build it a bunch of different ways, and then suddenly there it is: the perfect build.

 

Here's one I'm pretty happy with. It's a power for an Aikido master who dwarf's O-Sensei with her ability to effortlessly throw any number of people to the ground who attack her.

 

27 Aikido Throw (40 AP) Custom Power: As if Defensive Throw was bought with the Advantage 'Trigger: no time to activate, resets automatically, 2 or more conditions apply simultaneously (whenever she's attacked in HTH). Limited Power: Based on Combat Luck Modifiers (-1/2). +1 OCV, +1 DCV Block, Target Falls.

Cool build. Have you considered a Defensive Throw Damage Shield?

Missile Immunity

 

(22) Teleportation 2"

(+1) UAA

(+1) AoE Radius (2" Radius (a megahex))

(+1) Continuous

(+1) IPE

(+1/2) 0 END

(-0) Only works on objects moving at (say) 50+ KpH

 

The person posessing this power sets up an undetectable field that teleports any object entering it at a certain speed or higher to the opposite hex in the megahex (2"), keeping its velocity and direction of travel. This means that, effectively, the field prevents anything fast moving from transiting the center of the megahex... presto... missile immunity (so long as the missile masses 100 kg or less)

 

Note : It only works on material things. Non-material energy attacks (lasers, for example) are unaffected.

 

Also Note : The character in the field would be advised not to use projectile weapons him or herself...

Very interesting. I am curious what other GMs think about this construct. I was under the impression that an attack couldn't be the target of an attack unless is was bought with a focus (like an arrow) or with physical manifestation. The exception would be Dispel, which attacks the power directly. You could of coarse also achieve a similar effect with Missile Deflection.

[Outsider]

Re: The Perfect Power Build

 

I'd think long and hard about allowing it in a game I was running, actually. If non-material range attacks were fairly common, or if most attacks in the game were melee attacks anyway, it'd be more palatable.

 

Another option (in a Fantasy Game, anyway) would be to not have it work on enchanted/ensorcled/blessed missiles, making it "Protection from Normal Missiles".

[薔薇語]

Re: The Perfect Power Build

 

I had a simular power build that i tried to get working, and if allowed would make the person near untouchable by all types of attacks. But when it comes down to it we have a rule here: "No building a power to do another powers job." IE I can't make a Teleportation field that emmulates Missle Deflection, or Desolidification. Not becuase it isn't possible to simulate it, but becuase it will tend to be overly broken for its cost to effect.

 

La Rose

Sir Teleportation

[Sean Waters]

Re: The Perfect Power Build

 

I simply would not allow the 'teleport missile defence', but missile deflection is a power that allows you to target attacks, so the principle is there, I suppose, that attacks CAN be targetted.

 

To me though it is just not right, legal or otherwise. Why stop at missiles? Why not have the defence skintight and have it avoid all attacks?

 

Thin end of the wedge, Ladies and Gentlemen.

 

I am perhaps overly cautious though, because I'd also be very careful indeed about allowing heavily advantaged matrial art manouvres. Mind you I am a little confused as to the costing (40AP?), but that may be because I have not got the latest version of UMA, or something.

 

To me the position shift teleport field that even the author describes as 'munchkinish' seems to be OK. I'd probably want the 'invisible' but removed, and I might limit the number of targets and have some sort of 'only against targets you can perceive' limitation, and something about certain targets not being effected - havy or large ones, clinging characters, certain types of KBR and such. Other than that it is fine.

[Bluefire]

Re: The Perfect Power Build

 

After some thought on this I have an "other GM" opinion on this one.

 

I would not allow the power as you have built it here. I would say that the "effect" that your going for is nothing more then Missile Deflection with modifiers. You can describe the effect however you want.

 

If you want another way to build it, make a desolid power that is only triggered by incoming physical attack at X kph+

 

There are many ways that I could build the effect that you are describing, now that I think about it, but I still don't think that a custom MA move is the way to go.

[tesuji]

Re: The Perfect Power Build

 

Here's one I'm pretty happy with. It's a power for an Aikido master who dwarf's O-Sensei with her ability to effortlessly throw any number of people to the ground who attack her.

 

27 Aikido Throw (40 AP) Custom Power: As if Defensive Throw was bought with the Advantage 'Trigger: no time to activate, resets automatically, 2 or more conditions apply simultaneously (whenever she's attacked in HTH). Limited Power: Based on Combat Luck Modifiers (-1/2). +1 OCV, +1 DCV Block, Target Falls.

 

to me, anything close to a GOOD BUILD much less a PERFECT BUILD must not stop at this point but much reach one final comparision metric as well.

 

Is the final cost in CP worth the ability gained and no more?

 

you didn't list the math here but am I correct that for somehwere between 5-15 cp you gain the ability to throw to the ground for damage anyone and everyone who strikes you in melee combat?

 

Do you think in practice that cost is appropriate or even close to the 5-15 cp your build shows?

[Ockham's Spoon]

Re: The Perfect Power Build

 

The problem with the perfect build is that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so I am afraid you have opened yourself up to a (hopefully friendly) barrage of contrary views NekkidC.

 

For my friendly contribution, I don't care for the idea of a naked MA manuever, but I would allow a build like this:

 

20 STR Telekinesis with Fine Manip, Damage Shield, 0 END, only to use MA Throw manuever (-1). Real Cost: 40

 

You would probably want to match the TK STR to the character's normal STR, but maybe you only want to put it at casual STR level given the nature of the attack. Granted this build is a 40 point power, but in a martial arts campaign where most combat is HTH, it is a fairly powerful ability, so the cost seems appropriate to me.

 

Now opening myself up to friendly barrage, one of my favorite power builds is for a psychic character:

 

Intuition: +2 Overall levels (more or less depending on power levels)

 

I like this because it is simple, effective, and doesn't risk the game unbalancing problems of Clairsentience with Precognition.

 

___________________________________________________________

It's Olympus this time- Olympus or bust

For we have met the enemy -and he is us

And now the day is come

Soon he will be released

Glory hallelujah!

We're building the Perfect Beast

- Don Henley

[Outsider]

Re: The Perfect Power Build

 

The problem with a desolid/trigger construction is that getting shot at interrupts the user's own attacks, unless they are bought with Affects Solid World.

 

 

The problem with a Missile Deflection contruction is that the user either needs to consciously control it (use a phase) or, if it is uncontrolled, it is too easily overwhelmed, as it makes a block roll (at a cumulative -2 per after the 1st) against every incoming attack, regardless of that attack's actual odds of hitting or potential to actually hurt the user. (MD is rolled before the attack roll, and an uncontrolled power doesnt have the option to ignore low OCV or DC attacks & rely on DCV or Def)

 

Example :

Deflecto activates his Deflecto-field (Uncontrolled MD) and shoots a super-beam at the Bad guy, Tactician, doing 12 STUN.

Tactician opts to act on a lower DEX

Mook 1, 2, & 3 (Tactician's flunkies) shoot their AK-47s on full auto at Deflecto. They're OCV 5 vs Deflecto's DCV 10, do they're unlikely to hit (especially more than once each), and even if they do, they're unlikely to do significant damage with a 2D6 +1 SM attack. BUT... Deflecto's Uncontrolled Missile Deflection field dutifully tries to deflect all 15 attacks.

Tactician, acting at a lower DEX than his flunkies, now fires his 4D6 Big Gun RKA at Deflecto, which Deflecto's deflection field will fail to block, since it is at -30 on its roll after the 15 Mook bullets.

[Jaxom]

Re: The Perfect Power Build

 

This conversation seems to have focussed on the second power example (the missile deflect) but I want to try and drag it back to NekkidC's example because this addresses something that I have been thinking about for a long time for a martial artist.

 

In a prior life, I was part of a group which had a very negative experience with a speedster and so I often think about interesting powers and effects which might be applied to speedsters. This throw is an example that I have tried to come up with many times and with little success.

 

Here's how I view the game effect of this little gem... Correct me if I am wrong... You could take this power for 27 real points and otherwise be normal characteristic maxima and you'd be *invulnerable* to move-by and move-through. You'd be speed 2 and a speedster with speed 12 could move-by, be thrown (segment 1), get up (segment 2), move-by again, be thrown (segment 3), get up (segment 4), move-by a third time and be thrown (segment 5) and get up (segment 6) without spending a single action?

 

I assume that you would at least have to roll a hit roll to throw the incoming attacker? You're not technically using an abort so you are not facing the rule that you cannot abort to an offensive action but the limitation that someone be both close and threatening you is not much of a limitation... It's in fact granting you a benefit since if you'd bought this as some kind of damage shield you'd be tossing your friends around too.

 

Much as I love the elegant simplicity of the build, the more I think about it, the less inclined I would be to allow it in my campaign. As a GM I would find myself asking how a brick, speedster or other "melee-focussed" character would be able to do anything to this character. And I'd also wonder if you, as the player, would be pissed at me if the opposing bricks rapidly figured out that they would much rather stand back and beat you with a car.

[Nekkidcarpenter]

Re: The Perfect Power Build

 

This conversation seems to have focussed on the second power example (the missile deflect) but I want to try and drag it back to NekkidC's example because this addresses something that I have been thinking about for a long time for a martial artist.

 

Here's how I view the game effect of this little gem... Correct me if I am wrong... You could take this power for 27 real points and otherwise be normal characteristic maxima and you'd be *invulnerable* to move-by and move-through. You'd be speed 2 and a speedster with speed 12 could move-by, be thrown (segment 1), get up (segment 2), move-by again, be thrown (segment 3), get up (segment 4), move-by a third time and be thrown (segment 5) and get up (segment 6) without spending a single action?

 

I assume that you would at least have to roll a hit roll to throw the incoming attacker?

 

 

Getting back to the point of the thread.................

 

Actually, I didn't intend it to be a discussion about this power but to encourage others to post power builds they really liked.

 

Anyway, the first power, the Defensive Throw based one. Yes, you have to roll a successful Block each time you're attacked to Throw the attacker. It also get more difficult the more times you're attacked (cumulative -2) which is why IMO this power isn't broken. It was in fact used on a 4 Speed Martial artist when there were multiple 6+ Speed characters attacking her, and they eventually overwhelmed her ability due to that fact. Also note that as a Throw it does Str damage. The ability becomes dramatically more expensive if you buy either Str or Damage Classes (see UMA).

 

The second ability, the Tport to the ground one, doesn't suffer from the same limitations. Note that it is Selective Target, and doesn't do any damage, but it also doesn't matter how many times you try it. As a Damage shield it would only work on people who succeeded in hitting you, but as an AoE Continuous Triggered attack you get to throw people down pretty much at your whim.

 

Still interested in seeing other people's cool Power builds.

[cutsleeve]

Re: The Perfect Power Build

 

Cthulhu = +100 pre you don't need any more powers then that for him. People who are hit by the presence attack will fill in the blanks as to why they went into a catatonic stupore. Maybe cthulhu is just a lil squishy ailien with 120 pre.

[Thaingar]

Re: The Perfect Power Build

 

Here's one that I liked ...

 

The painless blade: HKA with Invisible to Touch and Does no Stun

 

This represents a blade (or other attack) that causes no pain to the target. The target is usually unaware that he has even taken damage unless he takes time to examine his wound. (As such, the GM doesn't tell him that he has taken Body damage.) Can be very lethal in the hands of an invisible character attacking from behind.

[Doc Samson]

Re: The Perfect Power Build

 

Here's one that I liked ...

 

The painless blade: HKA with Invisible to Touch and Does no Stun

 

This represents a blade (or other attack) that causes no pain to the target. The target is usually unaware that he has even taken damage unless he takes time to examine his wound. (As such, the GM doesn't tell him that he has taken Body damage.) Can be very lethal in the hands of an invisible character attacking from behind.

 

Chuck Norris can pull a man's heart out of his chest and show it to him before he dies.

[Ockham's Spoon]

Re: The Perfect Power Build

 

Here's one that I liked ...

 

The painless blade: HKA with Invisible to Touch and Does no Stun

 

This represents a blade (or other attack) that causes no pain to the target. The target is usually unaware that he has even taken damage unless he takes time to examine his wound. (As such, the GM doesn't tell him that he has taken Body damage.) Can be very lethal in the hands of an invisible character attacking from behind.

 

I have built Assassin's Gloves as Invisible HKA, so that the assassin can kill without others noticing, but I love the idea of the victim not realizing he has been hit until it is too late (I would probably give him a PER roll though - "Hey, would ya look at that, my arm just fell off!). Repped.

[Thaingar]

Re: The Perfect Power Build

 

Yeah, depending on the situation he would get a PER roll. "Whats that warm liquid trickling down my back ... blood?" And of course, his allies would see his wounds and might warn him. It requires some arbitration by the GM, but it can be fun.

[Comic]

Re: The Perfect Power Build

 

Well, with a Concealment and complementary Paramedics roll, you could keep the blood flow all internal.

 

A laser beam up the left nostril into the frontal lobe.

 

A cold steel probe under the ribs in that desensitized patch of diaphram.

 

And of course there's the .22 calibre whoopee gun with silencer.. which, as someone pointed out elsethread, if you can think of a weapon, someone's already built it.