Crypt Posted July 29, 2008 Report Share Posted July 29, 2008 I have to convert several Harp's characters to HERO. One of them has an animal form spell which uses another spell called Study. Study is used to memorize a number of forms. The more levels in study, the more slots in it. For instance if the character can memorize 3 forms and have studied a cat, a howl and a cow he could use animal form to transform himself into one of this animals. The character can empty a study slot at will in order to memorize a new form. (by casting Study) I don't want to build a HERO standalone version of Study (there is no study power). But i'd like to keep its effect. I could build animal form with Multiform and a number of added alternate forms. But those alternate forms should not be fixed. (= the study effect) I've thought about several possibilities, including a quite limited VPP version, but i'd like to know your opinions about this problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddHat Posted July 29, 2008 Report Share Posted July 29, 2008 Re: an emulation of the Harp/RM Study effect Easiest fully legal method would be to buy the Multiform as a Multiform Only VPP. The power skill used to shift the VPP would be "Study". If having the new animal actually there is important, add a -1/2 Changes in Limited Circumstances to the control cost of the VPP. Or you could just do the whole thing with Multiform, the Power Skill and GM's permission. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Hiemforth Posted July 29, 2008 Report Share Posted July 29, 2008 Re: an emulation of the Harp/RM Study effect Agreed. This definitely sounds like a VPP, with Limitations customized to suit the "I make a roll to see how many forms I can memorize at once" effect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crypt Posted July 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2008 Re: an emulation of the Harp/RM Study effect thanks, i will use the VPP version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Waters Posted July 31, 2008 Report Share Posted July 31, 2008 Re: an emulation of the Harp/RM Study effect The VPP is certainly legal but I'm a little concerned about allowing it because it very rapidly works out cheaper than buying the power with additional forms. Here is the VPP version (as an example) Multiform VPP: Variable Power Pool, 30 base + 22 control cost, all slots Cosmic (+2) (75 Active Points); all slots Limited Class Of Powers Available Limited (-1/2), Limited Power Power loses about a third of its effectiveness (Only previously studied animal forms; -1/2) 75 Active / 52 Real I've only allowed a 'limited' powers limitation because although multiform is a single power, and should therefore be VERY limited, the power itself allows you access to a vast array of potential powers, so the limitation is almost meaningless, however you can only access 3 forms at a time without making a study roll. I figured that was about right. Also I've made it cosmic because there was no indication that being in a VPP would or should require a skill roll to change forms or take a particularly long time to change forms. Without the 'cosmic' it becomes very cheap: 45 active, 40 real. An alternative is this: Multiform (150 Character Points in the most expensive form) 30 Active / 30 Real PLUS Multiform (0 Character Points in the most expensive form) (x64 Number Of Forms) (30 Active Points); Limited Power Power loses about a third of its effectiveness (Can only access 3 slots at a time. Can change which slots can be accessed with a 'study' roll.; -1/2), Limited Power Power loses about a third of its effectiveness (Only previously studied animal forms; -1/2) 30 Active / 15 Real Total 60 Active/ 45 Real That allows you access to up to 64 animal forms - technically they should be pre-defined, but I would certainly allow you to leave empty slots to be filled as required - any you can only access 3 at a time without hindrance. Sure there are a lot more than 64 animals in the world, but, realistically, you are unlikely to get through even that many in a campaign, and if you need more, it only costs a couple of points for each doubling of the 'pool' of animals available. I prefer that approach, personally. It may look more complicated but it is not more difficult in play, less so if you do not buy the VPP as 'cosmic'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger3k Posted August 5, 2008 Report Share Posted August 5, 2008 Re: an emulation of the Harp/RM Study effect You can also borrow a mechanic from teleportation - each creature studied fills a slot, and each slot has a fixed cost, say, 5 points each. Maybe they have 3 as part of the power (using the example given), and they can buy more as they desire. Or the limit could be Int/5, or Int/10, with the same restrictions. You could also build the Study as a detect:analyze power, and the VPP can only work for these creatures that have had this power used on them. Just a few thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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