Variable Adjustment Powers II

[Hugh Neilson]

In your response immediately below, I've got a fullowup question. In the "Glitch" example, Glitch tries to drain a power (Force Filed) which is outside the special effects he's actually capable of draining (he drains technological powers, but the force field is actually a mutant power). You note in passing that Glitch has learned something.

 

Does this mean the GM should confirm the drain had no effect? I would have thought the force field is still up, and it's up to Glitch to decide whether that means he's not having any impact or whether he's weakened the field, but that has no visible effect (just as a hit that inflicts a bit of STUN may have no visible effect on the target struck). I suspect the answer is that Glitch should be told his attack had no impact he can perceive, and left at that.

 

Assuming, howver, that the answer to the first question is that Glitch should be told his attack had no effect, how much detail should Glitch get? Just "it didn't work" or "that's not a tech power"? The former leaves it open to Glitch to assume his drain was stopped by, say, power defense. The latter seems to giver Glitch a detect power (which is why I suspect it's not the answer).

 

Let's make it quick to answer since I've given lots to read. The drain has no impact so the GM should:

 

(a) Say "OK", scribble on a sheet of paper and let the player draw his own conclusions.

 

( Say "Your attack hit. There is no visible impact on the target." and let the player figure out whether it had partial effect or not.

 

© Say "Your attack doesn't have any effect on his force field" and let the player decide why that may have been.

 

(d) Say "Oh my! His force field isn't technological in nature, so nothing happens.", esentially giving Glitch a "detect technological powers" linked closely to his Drain.

 

Thanks

Hugh

[Steve Long]

It's up to the GM how he wants to describe it. But at the very least it should be obvious to the character that his attack had no effect. What information the GM provides, and how the player interprets that information (wrong SFX, too much Power Defense, he's secretly Desolidified, whatever), is something the rules have no control over.