New Rule: SFX Control

[schir1964]

SFX Control

SFX Control is a system level rule. Basically, it allows the character to use their powers in creative/flexible ways if doing so is in line with the SFX. The rule defines the level of SFX Control a character has.

 

Definition: The character may apply any advantage to any power at double the value of the advantage, but the modified power may not exceed the unmodified power's Active Points. Also, the character may only apply a single advantage at any one time. Furthermore, the character will pay full Endurance Cost of the Active Points regardless of advantages on the original power to the contrary (though the GM may, instead, require other limitations, such as reduced accuracy and/or DCV depending on the SFX involved).

 

Example

A Light Controlling character has a 10d6 Energy Blast (SFX: Beams Of Light) [50 Active Points]. With this rule (Double Cost SFX Control), the character could choose to make this power Armor Piercing (+1/2 Advantage) at double the cost with any use of the power. This means that the character could use their 10d6 Energy Blast (SFX: Beams Of Light) as a 5d6 Energy Blast - Armor Piercing +1 Advantage (SFX: Laser Beams) [50 Active Points]. The value of the Advantage used is doubled (per the SFX Control rule) and applied to the power at the same Active Point Cost to determine the level the power can be used at with Armor Piercing. If the character needs to use a 10d6 Energy Blast - Armor Piercing, then they will need purchase it as Naked Power advantage or have a 20d6 Energy Blast power.

 

This rule only allows for the application of any advantage to a power the character currently possesses and by design the character must trade off raw ability for creative control as described. Certain advantages may be restricted by the GM as needed since they may not make sense via the SFX or due to game balance problems they may present (such as Zero END or No Normal Defense).

 

Genius concept by Doc Democracy.

 

Reposted here for easy reference.

 

- Christopher Mullins

[ghost-angel]

Re: New Rule: SFX Control

 

A variant on Variable Advantage.

 

What's the proposed cost of this beastie?

[schir1964]

Re: New Rule: SFX Control

 

A variant on Variable Advantage.

 

What's the proposed cost of this beastie?

It's a system level rule. There is no cost other than not exceeding the original active points of the power.

 

If one wishes to keep Variable Advantage more beneficial then make the SFX Control a x3 Advantage Value.

 

But there are differences in implementation between this rule and the Variable Advantage rule.

 

I'll let Doc Democracy go into more detail on this since it is his concept. Also know that Doc Democracy presented this idea as a way to simplify the system.

 

- Christopher Mullins

[Derek Hiemforth]

Re: New Rule: SFX Control

 

Clever idea, and doesn't seem unbalancing at first glance. For conservative GMs who think this might be abused somehow, maybe they could require a successful Power Skill roll. Or for another way to tweak the idea, maybe more permissive GMs could allow a successful Power Skill to have the Advantage converted at its normal cost instead of the doubled cost...

[schir1964]

Re: New Rule: SFX Control

 

Clever idea' date=' and doesn't seem unbalancing at first glance. For conservative GMs who think this might be abused somehow, maybe they could require a successful Power Skill roll. Or for another way to tweak the idea, maybe more permissive GMs could allow a successful Power Skill to have the Advantage converted at its normal cost instead of the doubled cost...[/quote']

Yeah, I was thinking about ways to have the Power Skill interact. I might add this as a GM Option or something.

 

Also, the Variable Advantage (not the rule proposed above) doesn't reduce the effect of the dice if applied to an attack, since the Active Points and Dice Effect are figured at purchase and thus won't change from that point on. This is another difference from the rule above. Just rambling... (8^D)

 

- Christopher Mullins

[Doc Democracy]

Re: New Rule: SFX Control

 

Definition: The character may apply any advantage to any power at double the cost of the advantage, but the modified power may not exceed the unmodified power's Active Points. Furthermore, the character may only apply a single advantage at any one time.

 

It's amazing how Chris turns things into a formal presentation. I dont think people appreciate the service sometimes - e should get repped more often simply for the service he provides (and the aggravation he receives) doing this.

 

If I had had the discipline to present this when I mused about it in the 6th edition threads then I think I might have written:

 

Definition: The character may apply any advantage to any power at double the cost of the advantage, but the modified power may not exceed the unmodified power's Active Points. Furthermore, the character may only apply a single advantage at any one time.

 

In addition, the character will pay full END cost for the active points regardless of advantages on the original power to the contrary (though the GM may, instead, require other limitations, such as reduced accuracy and/or DCV depending on SFX involved).

 

My thoughts were that powers that were not at competitive values were often discounted in game and that we could afford to give these away to improve the flexibility of power use in-game. My idea was based on the fact that we give away combat manuoevre benefits if the player accepts CV and effect penalties - we could do the same with powers.

 

 

Doc

[schir1964]

Re: New Rule: SFX Control

 

In addition' date=' the character will pay full END cost for the active points regardless of advantages on the original power to the contrary (though the GM may, instead, require other limitations, such as reduced accuracy and/or DCV depending on SFX involved).[/i']

Original post updated. Added rule above to the definition of SFX Control.

 

- Christopher Mullins

[Sean Waters]

Re: New Rule: SFX Control

 

I agree about Chris being an underappreciated resource

 

Regards 'sfx control'....hmm...

 

First thought is that certain advantages will be pointless - armour piercing that costs +1 will never be useful - NND at +2 will almost always be less useful than the base power (but it may allow you to change the defence, thus bypassing certain builds - nto sure I like that). In fact there are only a few powers that will, and the one that sticks out like a sore thumb is penetrating on killing attacks - it will turn every KA into a focus killer.

 

My feeling is that this will give the illusion of flexibility, but it is a flexibility that you wouldn't actually want to exercise.

 

OTOH it would be nice to have a more formal, but optional rule that does allow the use of powers in novel ways. Perhaps I might suggest that you make a power skill roll (I'm someone who allows power skill rolls at will anyway and, in most cases, pushes too) and for each point you make the roll by you can shift 10 active points of the power, so if you had a 60 AP power and rolled Power Skill by a 2 point margin you could shift 20 points (or, in effect, apply a +1/2 advantage to an 8d6 attack). I'll be drawing a big line through 'penetrating'.

[Doc Democracy]

Re: New Rule: SFX Control

 

First thought is that certain advantages will be pointless - armour piercing that costs +1 will never be useful - NND at +2 will almost always be less useful than the base power (but it may allow you to change the defence' date=' thus bypassing certain builds - nto sure I like that). In fact there are only a few powers that will, and the one that sticks out like a sore thumb is penetrating on killing attacks - it will turn every KA into a focus killer.[/quote']

 

 

My thought is that it will probably be most useful out of combat - using powers in interesting ways.

 

Armour piercing may be useless at +1 - after all halving defences while halving offence dice leaves a stalemate. Big deal - you don't have to do it - though there would be some added variability of BODY in six dice than you'd get in twelve.

 

You get penetrating on killing attack you have to explain why the SFX work that way - if they do then that's fine. If not, then buy your own penetrating attack with multipower - it wont cost that much...

 

NND is unlikely to allow you to change the defence unless the SFX of your power changes through a different use....but then it encourages creative use of powers - something I strive for in game and rarely see as the players simply play the character sheet.

 

Doc

[ghost-angel]

Re: New Rule: SFX Control

 

I would rather a more liberal use of the Power Skill let into the game to do this with.