torchwolf Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 Re: What does a Time Elemental do? The thought has popped into my mind that time elementals could be used as a device to explain why butterfly effects don't happen. They instinctively limit the alterations and redirect history into the previous path. Time elementals' nature is to minimize unnatural meddling in the timestream. That's why you have to summon and bind them to get them to do otherwise. Champions Presents #1 defined this as cumulative Unluck, which might be a good way to represent the abilities of an elemental to minimize timestream meddling by simply causing it to fail. Another interesting application I've seen in the concept of assigning historically significant events and people a Significance Rating, abstractly representing how much it would change history if an event was changed or a person was affected or removed (killed or otherwise) from an important position in history. The ideas of flexible time (anything can be changed) and inflexible time (nothing can be changed) have several options in between: Things can be altered, but on a larger scale, someone else will invent dynamite or the radio, or start a world war (if the original person is removed from that role, someone else will fulfill that role). Things can be altered, but on a larger timeframe, changes will even the results out (Spain or France colonized North America instead, but the end results are similar). Things can be altered and have consequences, but on a larger scale, history has it's own momentum (in the year 3000 humanity will have reached the stars but the resulting civilization might be very different depending on historical changes in national power balance). These are just some thoughts on the subject of time, though, and does not apply directly to what function a time elemental might have in these cases, but if you use Unluck or Change Environment (or both, as in the APG) as a mechanism, such decisions would probably affect how powerful time elementals may be. The main source of confusion is that it never occurred to anyone else that elementals should have unlimited power in the first place. Particularly in Hero system' date=' which doesn't accommodate omnipotence gladly.[/quote'] Yes, I've read this thread, and personally I agree with this - that would be closer to an Element than an elemental. I appreciate the fact that in the Hero system, elementals are costed slightly differently depending on the usefulness of the aspects of a Element that they are able to utilize, which is an area where I've seen most systems fail, claiming them to be absolutely equal in usefulness for no particular reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narf the Mouse Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 Re: What does a Time Elemental do? If I understand you both correctly' date=' you are essentially both stating that a Time Elemental should not be too powerful?[/quote'] Yes. That's exactly what I said. And then I got jumped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Holck Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 Re: What does a Time Elemental do? The Mighty Marcus 15 Strength 5 23 Constitution 13 29 Dexterity 25 unified power CV (58-1/4=45-20base=25) 15 Body 5 13 Intelligence 3 18 Ego 4 5 Presence 5 +20 Points Presence Deffence +10 60 17- Perception 15 10 OCV 25 unified power dexterity (50-1/4=40-15base=25) 10 DCV 25 unified power dexterity 0 MOCV -9 6 MDCV 9 65 15(12) Physical Def 13 12 points of combat luck 15(12) Energy Def 13 12 points of combat luck 26 5 Speed 30 94(40) Stun 10 94 present Marcus 40 near future Marcus 45 Endurance 7 30 Recovery 8 55 17 Running 5 4 Leaping 15- Acrobatics 3 15- Breakfall 3 11 19 MOVEMENT MULTIPOWER 15 points 1u +15 Running (15) 18 1u +10 Leaping (5) 1u Clinging (10) 1u +5 Running(5) 32 Martial Block, Strike, Dodge, Throw, Escape,Offensive Strike and +2 DC 6 2 Combat skill levels acrobatics 15 3d6 Luck 4 Small Business 12- 27 Duplication Variance Vicinity Danger Sense for Near Future Duplicate +54 Stun for Present Marcus 3 60 Primary Stats 65 Combat Stats 26 Defense Stats 55 Reserves Stats 30 Movement 38 Martial Arts 19 Luck + Small Business 27 Duplication Variance 320 Duplication (320/5)=64+1/4 variance +1/2 rejoin at range=112 x2 1 minute charges -3/4=64 384 Here is my Character "The Mighty Marcus" who is a time Janitor He is assigned to the present time to delay genetic technology until the people can come to terms with each other. His goals are to help people get along, hunt Cobra and fight crime(disharmony). He owns several restaurants and an ice cream truck where he can bring people together for a good time. Marcus can twice a day open a portal in the present and have his future self from 1 minute in the future step through (duplication). This duplicate "Near Future Marcus" has Danger Sense in that it has already been through the near future though that future is changed by the presence of the "Near Future Marcus" One Minute after duplicating, the "present Marcus" automatically rejoins with the near future Marcus.. The present Marcus has extra-stun instead of danger sense where the lower stun of the future Marcus represents the fight that had occurred before he returned to the past which is the game present when the duplication is activated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbywolfe Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 Re: What does a Time Elemental do? Nice Pratchett reference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Holck Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 Re: What does a Time Elemental do? Author of Disk World what is the reference? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbywolfe Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 Re: What does a Time Elemental do? You're saying the martial artist with a broom and time powers wasn't a reference to the time monks and the most powerful one who is the janitor? Strange coincidence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Holck Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 Re: What does a Time Elemental do? well, considering the power explanations came long after the character was first played, I would have to agree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadowmage87 Posted February 16, 2010 Report Share Posted February 16, 2010 Re: What does a Time Elemental do? That's right, time elemental is not all-powerful. Just like a single water elemental can't control the whole ocean, a single time elemental can't control the whole timestream/space-time continuum. Only the local one. Only "nearby" time just like nearby water. Potential powers of the Time Elemental: sticking characters in a localized time-loop (forcing them to repeat the past round or two) freezing characters (EB + Drain SPD and DEX) slowing characters down heating characters (EB + AID SPD and DEX) speeding characters up turning attacks back on PCs bending attacks around him (deflection) having characters swap places stopping time to gain extra actions or to avoid attacks etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.