portional speed

[薔薇語]

Hello everyone,

 

I was wonderng if anyone out there allows someone to buy there speed to anything other than a whole number? By this I mean, could I, assuming my character has 15 Dex, be allowed to buy 10 points of speed so that I would have a 3.5 speed or would it be limited to being bought to 3 Or 4.

 

When it comes to speed I would allow people to buy it up to less than whole numbers. This comes in beneficial if you have powers set up to boost dex by just a little but you want to simulate a fairly major change. An example of this is with a character I have been writting up, that is a metamorph of sorts. In a multipower she has bought various physical stats that she can switch to to fit the mood at the time. One such slot has +5 dex. I don't have enough room in the MP to fit an additional +5 Dex to boost the speed (nor can I given Characteristic / CV maximums for the campaign) or even a +1 Spd. But I do easily have the points to buy a 3.5 Spd that will become a 4 while that slot is active. There are a dozen examples out there were it would be nice to buy Spd fractionaly but it isn't alowed typically and I was wondering if I am the only one who thinks it should.

 

Thanks in advance,

La Rose

[Trebuchet]

Re: portional speed

 

Hello everyone,

 

I was wonderng if anyone out there allows someone to buy there speed to anything other than a whole number? By this I mean, could I, assuming my character has 15 Dex, be allowed to buy 10 points of speed so that I would have a 3.5 speed or would it be limited to being bought to 3 Or 4.

 

When it comes to speed I would allow people to buy it up to less than whole numbers. This comes in beneficial if you have powers set up to boost dex by just a little but you want to simulate a fairly major change. An example of this is with a character I have been writting up, that is a metamorph of sorts. In a multipower she has bought various physical stats that she can switch to to fit the mood at the time. One such slot has +5 dex. I don't have enough room in the MP to fit an additional +5 Dex to boost the speed (nor can I given Characteristic / CV maximums for the campaign) or even a +1 Spd. But I do easily have the points to buy a 3.5 Spd that will become a 4 while that slot is active. There are a dozen examples out there were it would be nice to buy Spd fractionaly but it isn't alowed typically and I was wondering if I am the only one who thinks it should.

 

Thanks in advance,

La Rose

While there are technically no increments to SPD, I can't see any reason not to allow it for purposes of Adjustment Powers. So if a character with a 15 DEX gets an additional 5 DEX, I can't see any reason his SPD wouldn't increase to 3.

[薔薇語]

Re: portional speed

 

While there are technically no increments to SPD' date=' I can't see any reason not to allow it for purposes of Adjustment Powers. So if a character with a 15 DEX gets an additional 5 DEX, I can't see any reason his SPD wouldn't increase to 3.[/quote']

 

 

oops you cuaght a mistake of mine. I didn't clairify my my point. The character in this case has a 3 speed being that I have bought the 5 points worth of speed to raise it up to that limit already. My point is that I want to buy it to 3.5. By the baseline rules you only buy Spd to a whole number, and as such I couldn't technically buy it to 3.5 only 3 or 4. Hope this clairifies my point. Sorry.

 

La Rose

[Trebuchet]

Re: portional speed

 

oops you cuaght a mistake of mine. I didn't clairify my my point. The character in this case has a 3 speed being that I have bought the 5 points worth of speed to raise it up to that limit already. My point is that I want to buy it to 3.5. By the baseline rules you only buy Spd to a whole number' date=' and as such I couldn't technically buy it to 3.5 only 3 or 4. Hope this clairifies my point. Sorry.[/quote']It would be a GM call anyway. What does your GM say?

[薔薇語]

Re: portional speed

 

It would be a GM call anyway. What does your GM say?

 

Oh I know it is GM call on it and I never brought it up, although I imagine it would be okay. I was just thinking about this as being set up a suggestion to Steve for 6th edition. But I wanted to see what others thought about it.

 

La Rose

[Trebuchet]

Re: portional speed

 

Oh I know it is GM call on it and I never brought it up' date=' although I imagine it would be okay. I was just thinking about this as being set up a suggestion to Steve for 6th edition. But I wanted to see what others thought about it.[/quote']What would be the game effect of having a 3.4 SPD vs. a 3.3?

[薔薇語]

Re: portional speed

 

What would be the game effect of having a 3.4 SPD vs. a 3.3?

 

The effect would only be noticed in ajustment powers or buying characteristics as powers. (edit) a 3.4 or 3.9 is still a spd 3 for all accounts (end edit) But as I was saying above It would allow for things like the +5 dex to act upon the fractional spd that you buy intentionaly, to boost spd. While at the same time not requiring you to buy the full +10 dex or the +1 spd. Thus allowing a design to be a tad more flexible in write up so as to fit a more dynamic design for a character.

 

La Rose

[Trebuchet]

Re: portional speed

 

The effect would only be noticed in ajustment powers or buying characteristics as powers. (edit) a 3.4 or 3.9 is still a spd 3 for all accounts (end edit) But as I was saying above It would allow for things like the +5 dex to act upon the fractional spd that you buy intentionaly' date=' to boost spd. While at the same time not requiring you to buy the full +10 dex or the +1 spd. Thus allowing a design to be a tad more flexible in write up so as to fit a more dynamic design for a character.[/quote']That's how it already works. If a character has a 4 SPD, he has to be Drained all the way down to "SPD 3.0" before he slows down. As long as he's got SPD 3.1 from his normal 4, he can act as a SPD 4.

[Gary]

Re: portional speed

 

What would be the game effect of having a 3.4 SPD vs. a 3.3?

 

An interesting idea might be to allow fractional speed for real. If you have a 3.4 SPD, you roll a d10 each Turn. A 1-4 or less means you act on 4 Spd and a 5-10 means you act on a 3 Spd for that Turn.

 

This would allow FAR greater granularity between characters, especially at the lower end of the Spd chart.

[薔薇語]

Re: portional speed

 

That's how it already works. If a character has a 4 SPD' date=' he has to be Drained all the way down to "SPD 3.0" before he slows down. As long as he's got SPD 3.1 from his normal 4, he can act as a SPD 4.[/quote']

 

 

I wasn't in referance to ajustment powers that act to lower spd but rather those that act to increase. If I buy up to a spd 4, and want to have a power increase it I need to do it either buy a standard ajustment power that adds a FULL 10pts of spd or buy +1Spd or +10Dex. What I am suggesing is to allow a character to buy a fraction speed that way if later on he wants to increase his spd in a given situation using a power he doesn't have to do a full 10pts worth of effect but rather do the remainder of it. IE I have been allowed to buy 4.5 spd (for all accounts I am a spd 4), and buy in a multipower +5dex. When ever I switch to that slot in the multipower I will become a Spd 5. Or by absorbtion only has to do 15 active points of effect an not 30pts of effect to get me to the next level.

 

Also when it comes to drains if I was allowed to buy my spd to 4.9, Then the drain would have to do 19points of effect before my character notices it.

 

la Rose

[Alibear]

Re: portional speed

 

I've encountered this before in my fantasy campaign. One player was buying up his speed slowly bit by bit.

 

I decided that him with 15 dex 3.2 speed went before 15 dex 3 speeders.

 

Also if and when if was speed drained he'd have a few points buffer. It never ever came up in play but it was a rule we made just in case.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: portional speed

 

I've encountered this before in my fantasy campaign. One player was buying up his speed slowly bit by bit.

 

I decided that him with 15 dex 3.2 speed went before 15 dex 3 speeders.

 

Also if and when if was speed drained he'd have a few points buffer. It never ever came up in play but it was a rule we made just in case.

 

Rather than have a 3.3 Speed, I'd rather buy +1 SPD, Act 8-. At PS 12, you roll, and on an 8- you have a 4 SPD next turn. I have a character buying his SPD up in this fashion.

[Maur]

Re: portional speed

 

I wasn't aware that you couldn't have a portional speed. Just that it didn't do any good in regards to where you moved on the SPD chart as you truncate off the fraction to determine your real speed. So, if you didn't buy any speed and bought Dex up to 15, then you would have a SPD of 2.5 and act at the same speed as SPD 2 people.

[archermoo]

Re: portional speed

 

I wasn't aware that you couldn't have a portional speed. Just that it didn't do any good in regards to where you moved on the SPD chart as you truncate off the fraction to determine your real speed. So' date=' if you didn't buy any speed and bought Dex up to 15, then you would have a SPD of 2.5 and act at the same speed as SPD 2 people.[/quote']

 

Well, by the rules you cannot have a fractional SPD. In the case of someone with a 10 DEX, buying a 3 SPD would cost them 10 points. If they then buy their DEX up to 15, the 3 SPD now only costs 5 points. The only place that fractional SPD comes into play is in how much it costs to buy that first point of extra SPD from your base. Someone with a 10 DEX who hasn't spent any points on SPD has a 2 SPD. If they wanted to buy a 3 SPD it would cost 10 points. Someone with a 15 DEX who hasn't spent any points on SPD also has a 2 SPD. However it only costs them 5 points to buy a 3 SPD.

[Captain Obvious]

Re: portional speed

 

Well' date=' by the rules you cannot have a fractional SPD. In the case of someone with a 10 DEX, buying a 3 SPD would cost them 10 points. If they then buy their DEX up to 15, the 3 SPD now only costs 5 points. The only place that fractional SPD comes into play is in how much it costs to buy that first point of extra SPD from your base. Someone with a 10 DEX who hasn't spent any points on SPD has a 2 SPD. If they wanted to buy a 3 SPD it would cost 10 points. Someone with a 15 DEX who hasn't spent any points on SPD also has a 2 SPD. However it only costs them 5 points to buy a 3 SPD.[/quote']

 

That's not how I read it. The "no fractional SPD" rule, to me, says that there's no functional difference between 3 and 3.x, except where adjustment powers come in. It also says that you can't spend 5 points on SPD and round it up to the next whole number...IIRC earlier editions let you do that.

 

Looking back, though, we may not be as off as I originally thought. Are you saying that an existing character, after receiving enough XP to buy his DEX to 15, then gets back 5 XP to bring his SPD back down to 2.0? Because that's how I first interpreted this post.

[archermoo]

Re: portional speed

 

That's not how I read it. The "no fractional SPD" rule' date=' to me, says that there's no functional difference between 3 and 3.x, except where adjustment powers come in. It also says that you can't spend 5 points on SPD and round it up to the next whole number...IIRC earlier editions let you do that.[/quote']

 

To the best of my recollection SPD has always rounded down.

 

Looking back' date=' though, we may not be as off as I originally thought. Are you saying that an existing character, after receiving enough XP to buy his DEX to 15, then gets back 5 XP to bring his SPD back down to 2.0? Because that's how I first interpreted this post. [/quote']

 

Well, they don't get 5 XP "back". Their SPD no longer costs as much, so the points of the character rebalance.

[Captain Obvious]

Re: portional speed

 

To the best of my recollection SPD has always rounded down.

 

 

 

Well, they don't get 5 XP "back". Their SPD no longer costs as much, so the points of the character rebalance.

 

I'm still not clear here.

 

Let's say a character starts out his adventuring career with 10 DEX and 3 SPD. He's spent 10 points on SPD. Later, after several adventures, he spends 15 points to raise his DEX to 15. This alters his SPD to (3.5 rounded down =) 3, ie no change.

 

I say those extra 5 points do nothing except make Aiding SPD easier and Draining it harder.

 

Are you saying that those extra 5 points of SPD just get reallocated to make the DEX cheaper or what?

[archermoo]

Re: portional speed

 

I'm still not clear here.

 

Let's say a character starts out his adventuring career with 10 DEX and 3 SPD. He's spent 10 points on SPD. Later, after several adventures, he spends 15 points to raise his DEX to 15. This alters his SPD to (3.5 rounded down =) 3, ie no change.

 

I say those extra 5 points do nothing except make Aiding SPD easier and Draining it harder.

 

Are you saying that those extra 5 points of SPD just get reallocated to make the DEX cheaper or what?

 

I'm saying that they go from their DEX and SPD in total costing 10 points at 10/3 to costing 20 points at 15/3.

[Captain Obvious]

Re: portional speed

 

I'm saying that they go from their DEX and SPD in total costing 10 points at 10/3 to costing 20 points at 15/3.

 

Hmm...I'll take that as a yes, then.

[archermoo]

Re: portional speed

 

Hmm...I'll take that as a yes' date=' then.[/quote']

 

Take it how you will. It means exactly what it says.

 

Having a 10 DEX and 3 SPD costs 10 points. Having a 15 DEX and 3 SPD costs 20 points. It doesn't matter if they were purchased when the character was first created or bought up later via XPs. The fact remains that a 10 DEX with a 3 SPD costs 10 points, and a 15 DEX with a 3 SPD costs 20.

 

Edit: And this is one of the many reasons that I'm really hoping that Figured Characteristics stop being figured in 6e.

[薔薇語]

Re: portional speed

 

Hmm...I'll take that as a yes' date=' then.[/quote']

 

 

The basic idea of buying up your dex later with EXP is that if you also keep your SPD consistant (meaning not letting it increase, even if by a fraction) then your dex equiviantly cost 2pts rather than 3 becuase you skim off a point spent to increase your speed so that it stays even. If you have HD at all try this and it will easily display what Archermoo and I are explaining.

 

Again I was wondering who agrees that you should be able to buy fractional spd values. I personally am not talking about buying a way for your character to possibly act more often or faster than what there spd rounds to. Rather that it becomes possible to have a spd ending with a fraction so that ajustment powers or characteristics, can act upon it later. Be it that it takes longer to drain becuase of the fraction, or becuase that a small aid or absorbtion will boost you up quickly while keeping the Aid/Absorbtion small in there active point cost.

 

La Rose.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: portional speed

 

As you note this is not technically legal, and also HD wont allow it. However you as the GM can allow it as it causes no harm in general. You can track it in HD w/ a 5 point Custom Power or Talent if you prefer.

[SSgt Baloo]

Re: portional speed

 

If I were to allow fractional speed, I might do something like .5 up to .9 extra allows the character to act at the next higher speed on alternate turns.

[Maur]

Re: portional speed

 

HD seems perfectly willing to let me buy up my Dex and it moves the SPD up just fractionally. If I buy SPD it only does whole numbers and pays the difference.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: portional speed

 

HD seems perfectly willing to let me buy up my Dex and it moves the SPD up just fractionally. If I buy SPD it only does whole numbers and pays the difference.

Yes, but it wont let you buy fractional SPD after you round off the original figured, which is what the OP is saying he wants to allow for purposes of benefiting from adjustments later.

 

In other words, he wants a character with say DEX 20 and SPD 3.5

 

Normally, that .5 SPD does nothing (and isn't even legally doable), but if the character had say Absorption to SPD or Aid to SPD or Succor to SPD (or an ally does), that .5 points would help the character hit 4 SPD easier. Incidentally (and relatively unimportantly) it would also act kind of like a ablative Power Defense vs a few points of Transfers and Drains vs their SPD.

 

 

I've seen characters before where it would be convenient from a design perspective to have a couple of fractional points of SPD like this to benefit from an Adjustment synergy; and its well within the GM's purview to allow it if they feel that it isn't unbalancing / unfair.