Force Field with Various Methods of Activation and SFX?

[bigbywolfe]

I’m creating a character for a very low level Teen Champion game, 50/50 points. The premise is that all the characters are kids with psi-powers at a special government training school, and each one basically has one power or schtick.

 

I want my character to have a force field, as his main, and at least initially, only power.

 

Here’s my problem. He is inexperienced and has trouble using the force field sometimes. I want it to become activated in two ways: 1) it will require an Activation Roll of either 11- or 14-, not sure yet, 2) it will automatically protect him when he does a move through. My first thought was to create the power with one of the Variable Adders, however, the shield that protects him while doing a move through seems like a Trigger, which is an advantage, and the Activation Roll would be a limitation. Is there any way to build this into one power, or do I need to build two, almost identical powers, and apply Lockout to both of them so that they are not stackable (in other words, so he cannot activate his FF and then have the Move Through FF added to it when he does a MT)?

 

My other issue is that I want to add a Damage Class or two that only works when his FF is on, to represent that fact that his shield is harder than his fist. This seems fairly straight forward, +2 DCs, only with HTH attacks, link to the FF power. However, if I have to build 2 versions of the FF, one for when he activates it on purpose, and one for when he does MTs, than can I link those bonus DCs to both powers? Or should I just add a custom limitation, only when FF is active?

 

Next, I don’t want to totally buy off the END cost, but I don’t want him pay for it every phase either. Is there an option, other than halving the END cost? Some way to have to pay END, say, once turn, without having to deactivate and restart it? Maybe this would just be a Custom Adder?

 

Lastly, his FF is somewhat impairing. It blocks all contact between him and anything else. In other words, he can’t eat or change clothes, etc. when the FF is active. I want it to be so impairing that it might actually be hard to carry or pick something up after he has already activated it. I thought about using the “Limited Manipulation” Disadvantage that is used on a lot of creatures in the Bestiary, and setting it to infrequent, to represent that it is only an issue when using the power, but I would prefer to build it into the power itself if possible. Any suggestions?

 

Sorry if any of these are blatantly obvious. It’s late, and I haven’t been able to find answers thus far.

As always, thanks in advance everyone,

 

Micah “Bigbywolfe”

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Force Field with Various Methods of Activation and SFX?

 

Here's some example powers that should solve most of your construction issues:

 

40 Can't Touch This!: Force Field (10 PD/10 ED/10 Power Defense) (Protect Carried Items), Hardened (+1/4), Costs END Only To Activate (+1/4) (60 Active Points); Variable Limitations (requires -1/2 worth of Limitations; examples: Activate Roll (14-), Concentration (0 DCV to activate), Extra Time (Extra Phase to activate), Increased Endurance (x3), Linked to Movement Power; -1/4), Required Hands One-And-A-Half-Handed (To reflect limited manipulation ability once FF is activated; -1/4) 5

 

20 That's Gotta Hurt!: Hand-To-Hand Attack +4d6, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), Double Knockback (+3/4) (40 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2), Linked (Can't Touch This!; -1/2) 1

 

The cost of the FF can be adjusted in many ways including increasing the Variable Limitations that must be taken to (-1) for a final value of (-1/2).

 

Hope that helps.

HM

[Sean Waters]

Re: Force Field with Various Methods of Activation and SFX?

 

Here's how I'd do it. There are more complicated an technically accurate ways, but this works fine IMO. If you want 14- activation, drop the limited power to -1/4. the END use is a customisation of 'END to activate' - again not the most technically accurate version but close enough for government work.

 

12 REAL

Force Field (10 PD/10 ED), Costs END Only To Activate (NB END COST paid every turn PS12; +1/4) (25 Active Points); Limited Power Power loses about a third of its effectiveness (Limited manipulation; -1/2), Limited Power Power loses about a third of its effectiveness (Activates on 11- but ALWAYS activates when doing a move through or move by; -1/2)

 

 

8 REAL

Hand-To-Hand Attack +2d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (15 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2), Linked (Force Field; Greater Power is Constant or in use most or all of the time; -1/4)

[bigbywolfe]

Re: Force Field with Various Methods of Activation and SFX?

 

Here's some example powers that should solve most of your construction issues:

 

40 Can't Touch This!: Force Field (10 PD/10 ED/10 Power Defense) (Protect Carried Items), Hardened (+1/4), Costs END Only To Activate (+1/4) (60 Active Points); Variable Limitations (requires -1/2 worth of Limitations; Activate Roll (14-), Concentration (0 DCV to activate), Extra Time (Extra Phase to activate), Increased Endurance (x3), Linked to Movement Power; -1/4), Required Hands One-And-A-Half-Handed (To reflect limited manipulation ability once FF is activated; -1/4) 5

 

20 That's Gotta Hurt!: Hand-To-Hand Attack +4d6, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), Double Knockback (+3/4) (40 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2), Linked (Can't Touch This!; -1/2) 1

 

The cost of the FF can be adjusted in many ways including increasing the Variable Limitations that must be taken to (-1) for a final value of (-1/2).

 

Hope that helps.

 

HM

 

I like the “One-And-A-Half-Handed” to reflect his limited manipulation. I would never have thought of using that without a Focus. I’m curious about the “Linked to Movement Power” however. Is that to represent the activation when performing a Move Through? And if so, shouldn’t it be an advantage, since it disposes of the activation roll? Overall I like the build, but some clarification would be greatly appreciated.

 

Here's how I'd do it. There are more complicated an technically accurate ways, but this works fine IMO. If you want 14- activation, drop the limited power to -1/4. the END use is a customisation of 'END to activate' - again not the most technically accurate version but close enough for government work.

 

12 REAL

Force Field (10 PD/10 ED), Costs END Only To Activate (NB END COST paid every turn PS12; +1/4) (25 Active Points); Limited Power Power loses about a third of its effectiveness (Limited manipulation; -1/2), Limited Power Power loses about a third of its effectiveness (Activates on 11- but ALWAYS activates when doing a move through or move by; -1/2)

 

 

8 REAL

Hand-To-Hand Attack +2d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (15 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2), Linked (Force Field; Greater Power is Constant or in use most or all of the time; -1/4)

 

I like the simplicity of this build, but I’m not sure if the GM will accept it, since, as you say, there are more technical ways of doing it. Particularly since those more technical ways may very well cost more, and the general rule of thumb is when two or more options are available for the exact same effect, you usually err on the side of paying too much. That and since I may be able to change the power over time, as the teens gain EXP and receive specially training for their powers, I think a more technical approach would be easier to adjust further down the line.

 

Thanks to both of you, both great builds. I might simply drop the whole pay each turn thing and just make it a pay to activate. If nothing else it will make the book keeping easier.

 

Another question I forgot to mention earlier. Can powers be linked to Enraged/Berserk? If so, could that be built into the power, so that when the character goes Enraged his shields automatically rise? I don’t think his Enraged trigger condition or doing a Move Through will happen all that often, but I would like it linked to both if possible.

Also, when protecting him from a Move Through the FF should turn off as soon as the MT is done, unless he had intentionally activated it earlier, in which case it was just on anyway. Can that be done with either of these builds, and if not, how might it be done?

 

Thanks,

 

Micah

[Sean Waters]

Re: Force Field with Various Methods of Activation and SFX?

 

 

I like the simplicity of this build, but I’m not sure if the GM will accept it, since, as you say, there are more technical ways of doing it. Particularly since those more technical ways may very well cost more, and the general rule of thumb is when two or more options are available for the exact same effect, you usually err on the side of paying too much. That and since I may be able to change the power over time, as the teens gain EXP and receive specially training for their powers, I think a more technical approach would be easier to adjust further down the line.

 

Thanks to both of you, both great builds. I might simply drop the whole pay each turn thing and just make it a pay to activate. If nothing else it will make the book keeping easier.

 

Another question I forgot to mention earlier. Can powers be linked to Enraged/Berserk? If so, could that be built into the power, so that when the character goes Enraged his shields automatically rise? I don’t think his Enraged trigger condition or doing a Move Through will happen all that often, but I would like it linked to both if possible.

Also, when protecting him from a Move Through the FF should turn off as soon as the MT is done, unless he had intentionally activated it earlier, in which case it was just on anyway. Can that be done with either of these builds, and if not, how might it be done?

 

Thanks,

 

Micah

 

Ah - the FF automatically turns on if you Move Through? That would require a trigger and more points - I'd be inclined to manually activate as it is a zero phase action to turn on defences and possible add a limitation that the FF turns off at the end of the phase if activated in the asame phase as you pull a move through (-1/4, maybe).

 

HyperMan's approach using variable limitations is a good one, but the problem is you do need additional limitations - like increased END or such to make up for the activation. If your GM allows 'only when doing a move through -1/2', that would balance a 14- activation well enough. That is a little more restrictive than 'linked to movement power' so should be worth more.

 

As for modifiying the build as you go, I'd allow a complete re-build rather than requiring a modification of an existing build if it makes sense to do it that way and so, I suspect, would most GMs.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Force Field with Various Methods of Activation and SFX?

 

Teeny FF Elemental Control

10 Elemental Control, 20-point powers

5 1) FF Fist: HA +2d6, Autofire (2 shots; +1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1) (22 Active Points); Activation 13- (-3/4), HA (-1/2) 0

5 2) FF Move Thru: FF (20 PD) (20 Active Points); Only when doing a Move Thru / Move By (-1) 2

6 3) FF Screen: FF (10 PD/10 ED) (20 Active Points); Activation 13- (-3/4) 2

26 Total Powers Cost

 

or

 

Teeny FF Elemental Control

10 Elemental Control, 20-point powers

5 1) FF Fist: HA +3d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (22 Active Points); Activation 13- (-3/4), HA (-1/2) 0

5 2) FF Move Thru: FF (20 PD) (20 Active Points); Only when doing a Move Thru / Move By (-1) 2

6 3) FF Screen: FF (10 PD/10 ED) (20 Active Points); Activation 13- (-3/4) 2

 

 

etc

[Sean Waters]

Re: Force Field with Various Methods of Activation and SFX?

 

Very nice.

[ghost-angel]

Re: Force Field with Various Methods of Activation and SFX?

 

I like the “One-And-A-Half-Handed” to reflect his limited manipulation. I would never have thought of using that without a Focus. I’m curious about the “Linked to Movement Power” however. Is that to represent the activation when performing a Move Through? And if so' date=' shouldn’t it be an advantage, since it disposes of the activation roll? Overall I like the build, but some clarification would be greatly appreciated. [/quote']

 

All of those Limitations are under a Variable Limitation - he has to perform one of them any given Phase.

 

It's not an Advantage if he can only use it while Moving, basically he switches out "Activation Roll" for "Only While Moving" as a Limitation, amongst the other things listed.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Force Field with Various Methods of Activation and SFX?

 

All of those Limitations are under a Variable Limitation - he has to perform one of them any given Phase.

 

It's not an Advantage if he can only use it while Moving, basically he switches out "Activation Roll" for "Only While Moving" as a Limitation, amongst the other things listed.

 

I highlighted Variable Limitation in the original post to better reflect this.

[braincraft]

Re: Force Field with Various Methods of Activation and SFX?

 

A multipower should work as well as an alternative to Variable Disadvantage, though I happen to like VarDisad/VarAd for constructions like this.