How Do Skill Levels and Cumulative OCV Penalties interact?

[CorPse]

I just can't get this straight in my head.

 

If you're using any of the maneuvers that give you cumulative OCV penalties (Sweep, etc.), how do you apply CSLs against the penalty?

 

For example, I'm Sweeping three bad guys. That puts me at -4 OCV per target. So, I've got 4 CSLs to apply to my attack.

 

Do my 4 levels negate the OCV penalty against all the targets, or would I need a total of 12 levels to do that? (I'm guessing it's the latter.)

 

Also, I used to think PSLs could be used in this situation, but now I'm not so sure. (It looks like a strict reading of PSLs would force you to buy levels w/ Sweep instead.) Could you buy PSLs to offset these sorts of cumulative penalties?

[NuSoardGraphite]

Re: How Do Skill Levels and Cumulative OCV Penalties interact?

 

I just can't get this straight in my head.

 

If you're using any of the maneuvers that give you cumulative OCV penalties (Sweep, etc.), how do you apply CSLs against the penalty?

 

For example, I'm Sweeping three bad guys. That puts me at -4 OCV per target. So, I've got 4 CSLs to apply to my attack.

 

Do my 4 levels negate the OCV penalty against all the targets, or would I need a total of 12 levels to do that? (I'm guessing it's the latter.)

 

You were correct the first time. 4CSL's will remove the -4 OCV penalty to Sweet or Rapid Fire.

 

The Usage of CSL's apply to all attacks in a Sweep/Rapidfire/Multiple Power Attack or Autofire Attack. If you use CLS's for OCV, it adds to OCV for all the attacks in a group. The same goes for increasing Damage Class with CSL's.

 

Also, I used to think PSLs could be used in this situation, but now I'm not so sure. (It looks like a strict reading of PSLs would force you to buy levels w/ Sweep instead.) Could you buy PSLs to offset these sorts of cumulative penalties?

 

From what I understand, PSL's aren't compatible with Sweep and Rapid Fire. Use +1 OCV (2pt CSL's) for this (thus it costs 4pts to counteract a -2 Penalty for each "shot" in Sweep or Rapid Fire). However its not too expensive, since Sweep and Rapid Fire count as a Maneuver for these purposes, so you don't have to buy it seperatly for different types of attacks (aside from the Hand to Hand, Ranged and Mental categories) so if you purchase +6 OCV with Sweep for 12pts, it applies to any Hand to Hand/Melee attack used with the Sweep Maneuver (and yes, Two Weapon Combat counts as Sweep)

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: How Do Skill Levels and Cumulative OCV Penalties interact?

 

I just can't get this straight in my head.

 

If you're using any of the maneuvers that give you cumulative OCV penalties (Sweep, etc.), how do you apply CSLs against the penalty?

 

For example, I'm Sweeping three bad guys. That puts me at -4 OCV per target. So, I've got 4 CSLs to apply to my attack.

 

Do my 4 levels negate the OCV penalty against all the targets, or would I need a total of 12 levels to do that? (I'm guessing it's the latter.)

 

Also, I used to think PSLs could be used in this situation, but now I'm not so sure. (It looks like a strict reading of PSLs would force you to buy levels w/ Sweep instead.) Could you buy PSLs to offset these sorts of cumulative penalties?

 

I think you're overthinking the first issue. Let's assume you have an 18 DEX. Your base OCV is 6. 4 CSL's add 4 OCV, making it 10. Sweep subtracts 4, leaving 6.

 

I believe PSL's cannot officially be used to reduce the Sweep penalty. NSG's use of 2 point levels is, I believe, the official approach. I would be inclined to allow the use of PSL's, however, as I think it should be less expensive to have levels that can only counteract penalties than levels which increase OCV. If you had +6 levels with Sweep, your OCV in your example would be +2. If they were PSL's, it would only break even. That's les useful, so I'd be inclined to allow a cost break, which PSL's would do. Mind you, arguably the first two PSL's should get no cost break, since you take -2 every time you Sweep anyway.

[pawsplay]

Re: How Do Skill Levels and Cumulative OCV Penalties interact?

 

Your attacks all use the same OCV. You set your OCV at the beginning of the round when you assign your skill levels.