Combining Powers?

[zosodojo777]

Is there a way to combine powers? Say a beam of energy that damaged the opponent, like energy blast, but also blinded them, like flash. Would that be possible?

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: Combining Powers?

 

That's Linked.

 

10d6 EB

2d6 Flash to Sight Group, Linked to Energy Blast

[zosodojo777]

Re: Combining Powers?

 

Thanks, I was looking under advantages, as being able to use two powers at once seems like a good thing to me.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Combining Powers?

 

There is a maneuver called Multiple Power Attack designed specifically for that purpose.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Combining Powers?

 

Right. When you are attacking with both you are actually doing a Multiple Power Attack. The Linked limitation actually says you CAN'T attack with one or the other UNLESS it is in a Multiple Power Attack with the other Power (at least if both are attack powers...). It is thus a common way of building a "compound power".

 

Without the limitation you can still do the MPA (though I suppose it is possible a GM might now allow a certain combination, and the Linked limitation is a clue to the GM to think about it at character creation time rather than when you try to pull it off in the field), so Linked IS acting as a true Limitation, not a disguised Advantage.

[Tech]

Re: Combining Powers?

 

Right. When you are attacking with both you are actually doing a Multiple Power Attack. The Linked limitation actually says you CAN'T attack with one or the other UNLESS it is in a Multiple Power Attack with the other Power (at least if both are attack powers...). It is thus a common way of building a "compound power".

 

Without the limitation you can still do the MPA (though I suppose it is possible a GM might now allow a certain combination, and the Linked limitation is a clue to the GM to think about it at character creation time rather than when you try to pull it off in the field), so Linked IS acting as a true Limitation, not a disguised Advantage.

 

Actually, the Linked Limitation doesn't say you can't attack with one or the other unless in a MPA.

 

The Linked limitation is paraphrased below:

 

-1/2 you can use greater power without lesser power, but can only use lesser power when using greater power

-1/4 you can use lesser power without using greater power, but can only use greater power if he uses lesser power

 

Of course, the Modifiers modify the above.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Combining Powers?

 

Actually' date=' the Linked Limitation doesn't say you can't attack with one or the other unless in a MPA.[/quote']

 

It limits one or the other or both depending on which Power has the limitation. That's what I meant. Using two attack Powers together against a target (Linked or not) is a MPA.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Combining Powers?

 

In 5th Edition its explicitly spelled out that a character can normally activate multiple powers at once, including attack powers as part of an Multiple Power Attack (MPA), unless some activation limitations are in play. There are some restrictions; the intent isnt to just do gobs o damage, the intent is to allow fun genre-appropriate mixing and matching of effects. So the basic rule of thumb is different damage bases can be mixed together to accomplish an effect but the GM is encouraged to put a brake on just stacking a bunch of attacks with the same base. MPA"s also work very well with Martial Arts Maneuvers, FYI. MPA's are always elective; the powers involved are usable individually as well as jointly.

 

Linking is a lim applied to a power that essentially makes the power its associated with unusable by itself; it must be used in conjunction with some other power. Nuances to the lim value apply depending on Instant vs Constant and relative AP of the powers in question.

 

It's also legal, in 5th Edition, to cross-Link both powers to each other, though the lim value on the greater power usually ends up being -0 unless other factors are in play. In 4th it was only legal to link the lesser power to the greater.

 

Its also technically legal to link the greater power to the lesser but not vice versa, but again under normal scenarios it doesn't amount to more than -0.

 

 

Having said all that, it is also common in 5th Edition in example powers and on some published characters to see a kind of ersatz "compound power construct" which takes the form of "Power A (Advs, Lims, AP, RC) plus Power B (Advs, Lims, AP, RC) [etc]", and linked is often not used but the intent is that the combined powers form a composite construct that behaves as a single power. This is simply a design convenience, and the assumption is the relative pros and cons of treating the combined construct as a single power more or less balance out for no point effect.

[zosodojo777]

Re: Combining Powers?

 

Where does it talk about multiple power attacks? I only have sidekick, not Fred, so it might not be in there.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Combining Powers?

 

Where does it talk about multiple power attacks? I only have sidekick' date=' not Fred, so it might not be in there.[/quote']

 

Hmmm....MPA may not be mentioned in Sidekick, as its a more sophisticated area of the rules. I can't answer this; my copy of SK got lent out and never returned.

[pinecone]

Re: Combining Powers?

 

Yeah MPA dosn't get a lot of space...but that's because nothing in the rules ever said you couldn't...it sort got a mention because a great many people mistakinly thought that it was not to be done.

 

I've been useing "MPA" 's since the 80's but most of the games I've played in it was looked at as weird and deviant. I know that when it did get a mention, it sparked off a lot of discussion, and to this day many people "house rule" them out...

 

Basicly if you have two powers and the GM has no problem due to ballence...feel free..

[zosodojo777]

Re: Combining Powers?

 

Alright. I'll probably just allow that.