Compound Powers in a MP

[Edsel]

One of my players is trying to design a character that has several multipower slots (mega slots) that are compound powers. Is this even allowed? If it is allowed, do the assorted powers that make up the compound power have to be activated proportionally? For instance here is one of the mega slots:

 

Kentic Shield: (Total: 59 Active Cost, 39 Real Cost) FF (15 PD/15 ED) (30 Active Points); IIF (ESPER focus; -1/4), Activation Roll 15- (-1/4) (Real Cost: 20) plus Change Environment 1" radius, -4 OCV (20 Active Points); IIF (ESPER focus; -1/4), Activation Roll 15- (-1/4) (Real Cost: 13) plus Change Environment 1" radius, -3 to Normal Sight PER Rolls (9 Active Points); IIF (ESPER focus; -1/4), Activation Roll 15- (-1/4) (Real Cost: 6)

 

First of all I doubt I should allow this sort of build anyway, but I am curious if it actually breaks any rules. As usual I could ask Steve this but I usually get quicker answers when I post here.

[ghost-angel]

Re: Compound Powers in a MP

 

"Compound Power" was specifically DESIGNED to put multiple Powers in one slot. i.e. - not only is it Legal, it's the point.

 

Ideally these are Linked or Partially Limited Powers.

 

Multiple Powers occupying one slot are nominally a single Ability that requires multiple Powers to build (a gun with a sight, a spell that both hurts and blinds, a poisoned knife).

 

How that works is up to the Player/GM contract - they could require proportional activation, or not.

 

As for that specific build - I would say the Change Environment part should ideally be built with Multiple Combat Effects and not as two CEs.

[Edsel]

Re: Compound Powers in a MP

 

Yeah, I have pretty much come to the conclusion that it is a legal (though really weird) build. It also turns out the player working with this design was misunderstanding how Multipowers work in the first place. The slot from the example above was within his 60-point MP. The player failed to understand that when this slot was activated (it was an ultra) that he had no point remaining to activate any offensive powers.

 

Another problem with this slot is that when it was activated the character had no personal immunity so their own PER and OCV would be affected. I also wonder if a foe used a ranged attack from several hexes away would the OCV penalty affect their attack?

[JmOz]

Re: Compound Powers in a MP

 

Yeah, I have pretty much come to the conclusion that it is a legal (though really weird) build. It also turns out the player working with this design was misunderstanding how Multipowers work in the first place. The slot from the example above was within his 60-point MP. The player failed to understand that when this slot was activated (it was an ultra) that he had no point remaining to activate any offensive powers.

 

Another problem with this slot is that when it was activated the character had no personal immunity so their own PER and OCV would be affected. I also wonder if a foe used a ranged attack from several hexes away would the OCV penalty affect their attack?

 

OFFICIALY BY RAW: the attack originating outside of the area would not be affected, however, and I will point out that Steve has also said that this is one place to go with common and dramatic sense over RAW, if it makes sense based on the power for it to be effected then go with that.

[bigbywolfe]

Re: Compound Powers in a MP

 

It's not being in a single multipower framework slot that makes the build wierd. The build itself is just wierd. I mean, does he know a 1" radius is just the hex he's standing in? Plus, like you said, no personal immunity. It's just a really strange build. Do you have any idea what effect the player was trying to model?

[ghost-angel]

Re: Compound Powers in a MP

 

I think it's trying to model the Character being both hard to hurt (Defenses) and hard to hit (Sight and OCV penalties).

 

The OCV Penalties really won't apply to others, he should be buying DCV Skill Levels.

[bigbywolfe]

Re: Compound Powers in a MP

 

Well, yeah, that's what those powers do...or at least it's what he was trying to do with them. Put what power (not Power) was he trying to make? A Force Field so bright and shiny it makes it hard to see or aim at him?

[SteveZilla]

Re: Compound Powers in a MP

 

Well' date=' yeah, that's what those powers do...or at least it's what he was trying to do with them. Put what power (not Power) was he trying to make? A Force Field so bright and shiny it makes it hard to see or aim at him?[/quote']

 

Or it could be a Dark Energy Force Field that spreads an aura of Gloomy Darkness immendiately around him.

[Lucius]

Re: Compound Powers in a MP

 

It's a psychokinetic force field that tends to deflect attacks as well as absorb damage.

 

What the perception modifier is about I don't know.

 

Ghost Angel is right - it should be using DCV levels.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Change Environment to an environment with a palindromedary in it