CE vs Activation rolls

[jaws]

Hopefully this will get to you in time before you get your operation. GL by the way!

 

CE when it gives penalties to skills it normally triggers a roll.

So a CE -5 to DEX rolls could in effect cause somebody to fall unless they make a DEX roll at -5. (IIRC)

 

How about powers or items with a burn out/JAM activation roll.

Can a CE -X to activation roll force a roll with penalties that if failed, jams/burns out the power?

[jaws]

Re: CE vs Activation rolls

 

Maybe a clarification will hep get some answers:

 

Let me rephrase the question. I am not looking for CE to add an Activation roll on a power that doesn't have one. So here goes the question.

 

IF a power does have an activation roll. Could CE potentially trigger the activation roll and/or even apply penalties to it?

 

A more specific example. Weapons with high auto fire rates that overheat and Burnout if too many shots are fired.

 

Banshee Gamma: RKA 3d6 (vs. PD), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1), Autofire (19 shots; +1 1/2); STR Minimum (STR Min. Cannot Add/Subtract Damage; -1 1/4), OAF (-1), Activation 11-, Burnout (-3/4), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2), Beam (-1/4), Real Weapon (-1/4)

 

VS

 

Mine that releases heatwaves causing the weapon to overheat anyway.

 

Overheat: CE 2" radius, -3 to Jam Roll for weapons; Extra Time (1 Turn (Post-Segment 12), -1 1/4), OAF Expendable (Easy to obtain new Focus; Techmine; -1), Instant (-1/2), Requires A Decyption Roll (-1/2), Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4), Range Based On STR (-1/4)

 

Possibly add some temperature raising levels to better represent the over heating but that's just SE.

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[Chris Goodwin]

Re: CE vs Activation rolls

 

As a fellow gamer only giving my opinion, I'd say that it's based on common sense, dramatic necessity, and special effects. If you have a CE based on heating up the environment, and you're trying to use it to jam a weapon whose Activation Roll represents overheating and jamming, I'd say sure, go for it.

 

Likewise if there were a weapon whose Activation Roll represented sand, dirt, and other gunk getting inside, and someone had a CE whose special effect was raising up a dust storm, I'd say yes.

 

Neither of these CEs would have any effect on, for instance, Armor whose Activation Roll represented reduced coverage.

 

It's such an edge case that it's probably not too imbalancing.