Skill roll on linked powers

[Scifi_Toughguy]

If you link powers and want a skill roll to use the power, does one need to add the skill roll limitation on every link of the power?

 

In my fantasy game, gems are required to cast spells. In certain spells, the more gems one uses the more powerful or effective that spell becomes. I have modeled this as linking multiple 2d6 blasts together. I want the spells to have a skill roll penalty of -1 for every 10 AP in the power. In order to use the more powerful versions of the spells, I want the penalty to calculate on the combined AP of the linked powers. Does that have to be a limitation in every linked power or just on the base?

[Daltwisney]

Re: Skill roll on linked powers

 

The RAW frown on using linked this way (Boosting the same power with another instance of itself).

 

I would probably build it as a Partially-Limited power (6E1, p366) something like this:

 

Blast Xd6, Limited Power(Conditional, character must have 1 gem)

+ Blast Xd6, Limited Power(Conditional, character must have 2 gems)

+ Blast Xd6, Limited Power(Conditional, character must have 3 gems)

and so on...

 

I'd apply Requires a Skill Roll to the entire power construct (so it is applied to each 'part' of the power).

Now, as written, the Requires a Skill Roll Penalty and END cost would always be calculated on the

Full power (regardless of how many gems the character actually has or uses). You could lower the value of the

Requires a Skill Roll limitation, and define it as only being affected by the Active Points actually used due to the

number of gems possessed/used. I can't think of a quick fix to reduce the END cost proportionally right now, but

I'm sure someone out there can. (Maybe buy all but the initial dice at 0 END, though that raises the AP).

[ghost-angel]

Re: Skill roll on linked powers

 

Every step of the Partially Limited Power gets the RSR Limitation. Also, these aren't Linked Powers, so that Limitation doesn't apply here. It's the same Power, with varying Limitations.

 

And generally speaking you only get a penalty for the actual level (AP) of Power used.

[Daltwisney]

Re: Skill roll on linked powers

 

Every step of the Partially Limited Power gets the RSR Limitation. Also' date=' these aren't Linked Powers, so that Limitation doesn't apply here. It's the same Power, with varying Limitations.[/quote'] I'm pretty sure that's what I said above, though not as clearly.

 

And generally speaking you only get a penalty for the actual level (AP) of Power used.

Yes, I was in error there, I was thinking of a different scenario, where the entire power is used, but is only partially effective.

[Scifi_Toughguy]

Re: Skill roll on linked powers

 

So to be correct, I need to build each separate instance of the power?

[ghost-angel]

Re: Skill roll on linked powers

 

Is there a maximum to the spells, or can you infinitely stack them?

 

Meaning, you can only ever get (as example only) 6D6 Blast "Fireball" or can you just keep piling gems on?

[Ice9]

Re: Skill roll on linked powers

 

While a stack of partially limited powers is certainly an option, you can often get the same results (in an easier to read format) with a custom limitation of the right amount. Now I'm not sure what limitation having variable numbers of gems is worth (Focus doesn't really differentiate between a focus which is one gem and a focus which is a bag of 10 gems, unless it gets to the point of being Bulky). But let's say hypothetically the first gem is -1/2 and each subsequent gem is another -1/4.

 

So we could do:

Blast 2d6, One Gem (-1/2)

+Blast 2d6, Two Gems (-3/4)

+Blast 2d6, Three Gems (-1)

+Blast 2d6, Four Gems (-1 1/4)

+Blast 2d6, Five Gems (-1 1/2)

 

Or we could collapse it, by taking the average limitation:

Blast 10d6, Needs A Gem Per 2 DCs (-1)

 

The cost comes out quite similar (26 vs 25 points).

[ghost-angel]

Re: Skill roll on linked powers

 

Another way is to just allow stacking in the game without needing to go through anything like full builds.

 

Say "Fireball Gems" provide a 2D6 2m AoE blast. Each gem just adds that amount. So if you have 6 Fireball Gems you can have up to 12D6 12m AoE Blast.

It's not entirely perfect, but it can be a good simple campaign rule for this type of magical structure. It has the advantage of being infinitely scalable, you only need to build the smallest base "gem" level, and nothing else.

[Scifi_Toughguy]

Re: Skill roll on linked powers

 

There is no limit. If you have 10 gems, you can blast with all ten.

[ghost-angel]

Re: Skill roll on linked powers

 

Then I wouldn't worry about Linked, Partially Limited Powers or any of that. Just allow gems of similar spells to add their effects straight up.

 

There's no real Limitation there and it should work decently as a Campaign Ground World.

[Scifi_Toughguy]

Re: Skill roll on linked powers

 

Thank you!