Charges lasting variable length that cost endurance?

[Demonsong]

Charges lasting variable length that cost endurance?

 

The concept is granted power (Clerical) that can only be activated a few times a day, for simplicity sake we will say 4 times a day. Now this cleric must pay endurance on these powers and but they will last al long as the Cleric does pay the endurance, so they are not continuing charges. See my predicament? How do I would this?

 

-1 Charges 4/Day

-1/2 Uses END

Just doesn’t look right.

 

So how about. -1 Can only activate 4 times per day. This would imply that the power would still have to use END but could run as long as that END was paid?

 

I can’t find any thing in FAQ for this.

 

Input?

 

Thanks

[Blue]

That's pretty much how I built this sort of thing in 4th ed. (Not that it's necessarily right)

 

I'd buy the Charges (which knock it down to 0 END) then buy the Costs END, which makes it even cheaper.

[eepjr24]

Continuing Charges

 

If you want them to last a while, you have to buy them as Continuing charges (per bottom right of pg 182). I would go with something like:

 

4d6 EB, 4 Continuing charges of 5 minutes each (-0), Costs End (-1/2)

 

You will need to set up a reasonable common way to turn it off.

 

- Ernie

[Demonsong]

But that’s not what I want. I want the Character to pay for endurance normally, and be able to keep the power turned on (say a force field) for as long as they pay the end cost. However they can only activate the power a maximum of 4 times a day.

 

Thanks for the input though.

[dbsousa]

How does this feel...

 

Cost	Power	END
27	Fallon's Fatiguing Force Field: Force Field (10 PD/10 ED), 4 Continuing Charges lasting 1 Day each (+1) (40 Active Points); Costs Endurance Costs END Every Phase (-1/2)	4

Powers Cost: 27

 

This modifier you describe turns out to be an advantage rather than a limitation...

[Hugh Neilson]

Originally posted by dbsousa

This modifier you describe turns out to be an advantage rather than a limitation...

 

I'd say this indicates "continuing charges" isn't the way to go. It's working out to a +1 advantage because continuing charges incorporate not only the 0 END advantage but also the Uncontrolled advantage.

 

Uncontrolled says "be wary of 0 END uncontrolled powers" and continuing charges create them. The inherent time limit renders continuing charges less unbalancing, but they are priced higher, IMO, because of the potentially high powered effect of combining "uncontrolled" with "0 END". The construct worked out to a +1 advantage can keep going for a whole day.

 

This would be hugely advantageous for an attack - the target needs to find a way to shut it off or consider himself toast. For a Force Field (ignoring the "costs END" aspect) it would be better to just buy it zero END persisitent, as 4 charges/day, each continuing all day, would have the same effect. This would be the same +1 advantage, and you wouldn't need an easy way to turn it off.

 

The character has a limitation, not an advantage, so a point break should be available. That means looking for something else.

 

"Long Long Ago" [Champs 2e, to be precise], continuing charges automatically cost END, and provided the same bonus as ordinary charges. This would give a +1 advantage, which I think is on the high side. Instinctively, I'd say +1/2.

 

However the real value depends on how often he'd want to turn this on. If the campaign features frequent short battles, he'd likely want to keep it on all the time (a problem unless he can recover the END as fast as he spends it, and even if he can if long term END rules are in effect). If he doesn't, how many combats will he have no field up on a typical day?

 

Even assuming he can maintain the power when not in combat, how often will it be shut down in combat, requiring a charge be spent? Are Dispels fairly common? [eg. in a Fantasy Hero campaign, Dispel Magic might be a common feature] How often will the character run out of END, making him shut the field down or "spend Stun"? Spending 1d6 STUN a phase for your force field is pretty harsh! How often will he be Stunned be KO'd, requiring him to expend another charge to restart the field (and, if KO'd, leaving him little END to manage it)?

 

If he'll be missing the force field for more than 1/3 of the "average day's" battles, I'd say +1 is reasonable. Based on the above, especially "field drops if stunned", I'd say +1 is reasonable, but it depends on the campaign circumstances.

 

This kind of makes me wonder why the original continuing charges, which were exactly the limitation desired here, were dropped. This would have been between 2e and 4e - they aren't in 4e. Assuming it was available only for Constant (and not Persistent) powers that cost END, and reducing the END was prohibited (or maybe cost double), it would seem a reasonable construct. Anyone with some insights into the design process have any comments here?

[Demonsong]

Hummmmm, well that would work. +0 charges 4 lasting up to 20 min each. -1/2 Uses END. Ok, it is not perfect, but I can live with it. Good call dbsousa.

 

Hugh, I agree with a lot of what you say but I think this might be the easiest way to do it. And with the -1/2 Uses END on if a char is stunned or knocked out the power will turn off just like any other power the requires END.

[Talon]

I would look at the power in question and make a decision about how long it's likely to run when activated. I would then use a custom limitation with a value based on the cost of 4 Continuing Charges of that length, plus Costs END and Not Uncontrolled (-1/4).

[Farkling]

I'll be damned. Unlike the BBB, FREd does NOT mention charges as applied to constant powers costing END.

The implication is that the constant power is activated up to x times a day, and can cost END normally, coninuing charges are for those uncontrolled effects we want hanging around at no END cost. (ie, fire 'n' forget smoke bombs). However, implications are open to interpretation by EVERY GM.

 

Guess y'all will have to ask Steve...

 

I see nothing wrong with the first contruct myself, and that's how I use it. It has a kind of inherent Always On limitation as I look at. No need to define it as a continuing charge, because it doesn't have a set operation limit. In my interpretation, charges can be just for turning the power on...and then cost END normally afterwards. I run High level Anti-Mutant and occasional Shadowrun level games, where there is a detriment to being required to keep the powers on full time. Remember, one cannot eat, shower, etc... through the mystic force field protection granted by the gods...

 

Yes...this does not appear as limiting to constant powers, but most constant powers are defensive or noncombative in nature. Defenses are always supposed to be cheaper.

 

As a footnote, I would point out that "continuing charges" is rather like feeding END to a continuos power...except you are feeding a "pool" of charges...this is why it slides on the scale as you change the duration of the charge.