Gravity well power - how to write it?

[Mathew]

Okay, there is a character in a comic book I just read with the ability to make localized gravity wells. Basically in a area they can increase gravity's pull by 10 times, usually pinning his opponents to the ground or if they are falling, increasing the falling damage.

 

I was thinking telekinesis with 1 advantage and 2 limitations:

 

A1 - Area effect radius (+1)

 

D1. Only straight down. (-1/2?)

D2. Limited to 10x the weight of the target. (-1/2?)

 

So even though he may have a STR 50 TK, if he used the power on a target weighting 100 lbs, it would only push down with 1000 lbs (or should that be 900 lbs? since they are already being pushed down 100 pounds by the Earth's regular gravity). A target weighting 200 lbs would be pushed down with 2000 lbs of force, etc... up to the limit of the STR of the Telekinesis.

 

What would these limitations be worth?

[Kraven Kor]

Re: Gravity well power - how to write it?

 

I wouldn't use the "10x Weight of Target" rule. As I recall from High School physics, a feather and a bowling ball fall at the same rate in a vacuum. The target would simply be using their own strength to resist the strength of the TK (and thus things like Density Increase or Growth would help, not hinder, the target.)

 

But yeah, TK is definitely the way to go here, and really, a localized gravity field could be less gravity or even reversed gravity if the character has that level of control with it. Your call on that.

[Mathew]

Re: Gravity well power - how to write it?

 

You are not remembering your physics correctly. Yes a feather and a bowling ball fall at the same rate in a vacuum, but they both fall at a higher identical rate in higher gravity. So yes, if you had x10 gravity, you would fall FAST and HARD. I just wanted to limit on the off chance he uses the power against someone with normal weight and super strength. If, for instance, you used the power on someone who weighed 200 lbs, but could life 50 tons, they would be able to move (although it might break the floor). The power would probably ground most fliers, unless they have super strength.

[Beast]

Re: Gravity well power - how to write it?

 

what about just draining around 16 str

3d6+1

[Mathew]

Re: Gravity well power - how to write it?

 

I don't see STR drain making a flyer fall to the ground.

[Beast]

Re: Gravity well power - how to write it?

 

easy enough to add other effects to it

if the character does not have the str to walk why should he still fly,swim,leap or tunnel and direction but down

if the special effect of flight is a suit like Iron Man and had cybernetic controls yeah he could still fly if(might not perceive it if he has to open his eyes)

target flys by the use of wings powered by muscles and cannot get themselves out of bed are not going to be flying much

 

with the loss of negative characteristics once you are down to zero you are helpless

at zero str before 6th or was it 5th ed you still had +30 str to toss a grenade(3 hexes with a prone toss)

[Susano]

Re: Gravity well power - how to write it?

 

Here's a build I used for a character from Wild Cards.

 

83  Control Local Gravity:  Telekinesis (45 STR), Indirect (from below; +1/4), Invisible to 
Sight Group (+1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2); Only To Pull Down, 
Push Up (-1/2), Affects Whole Object (-1/4), No Knockback (-1/4), Loses Effect Over Time (-1/4)
71  Rapid Gravity Increase:  EB 9d6, Indirect (from below; +1/4), Penetrating (+1/2), 
Invisible to Sight Group (+1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2); Linked (Control Local 
Gravity; -1/2), No Knockback (-1/4)
71  Severe Gravity Increase:  RKA 3d6, Indirect (from below; +1/4), Invisible to Sight 
Group (+1/2), Penetrating (+1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2); Linked (Control Local 
Gravity; -1/2), No Knockback (-1/4)
58  Increased Body Mass:  HA +10d6, Invisible to Sight Group, Source Only (+1/4), Reduced 
Endurance (0 END; +1/2); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2)
17  Decreased Gravity I:  Flight 5", Ranged (+1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), 
Persistent (+1/2), Usable As Attack (+1); Levitation (only negates the effect of gravity -- 
character can only go up or down, and can only drift with the wind; -1/2), No Noncombat 
Movement (-1/4), Loses Effect Over Time (-1/4)
17  Decreased Gravity II:  Flight 5", Usable Simultaneously (up to 2 people at once; +1/2), 
Ranged (+1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2); Levitation (only negates the 
effect of gravity -- character can only go up or down, and can only drift with the wind; -1/2), 
No Noncombat Movement (-1/4)
23  Visualize Local Gravity:  Detect Gravity Waves  14- (Unusual Group), Range, Sense, Targeting

[Kraven Kor]

Re: Gravity well power - how to write it?

 

You are not remembering your physics correctly. Yes a feather and a bowling ball fall at the same rate in a vacuum' date=' but they both fall at a higher identical rate in higher gravity. So yes, if you had x10 gravity, you would fall FAST and HARD. I just wanted to limit on the off chance he uses the power against someone with normal weight and super strength. If, for instance, you used the power on someone who weighed 200 lbs, but could life 50 tons, they would be able to move (although it might break the floor). The power would probably ground most fliers, unless they have super strength.[/quote']

 

That all still doesn't mean that you would want that limitation regarding the target's weight. The target's weight is increased by 10x and they, again, use their own Strength to resist.

 

Maybe a 5E Compound / 6E United power using TK + STR Drain?

[Folded]

Re: Gravity well power - how to write it?

 

Seems to me that Density Increase, Usable as Attack, covers the idea nicely. IIRC, when used as an attack, the target doesn't get the STR bonus to help him/her to keep moving. And it would scale with the mass of the target, not its STR.

[Bodkins Odds]

Re: Gravity well power - how to write it?

 

Nope.

 

When used as an attack against another character (i.e. when bought with the +1¼ Usable as Attack advantage), Density Increase doesn't, and cannot be bought to, increase another character's weight without also increasing his STR (and other Characteristics that DI normally improves).

 

A transform that gave him the Complication of having 10x mass would work, but I think the TK might be better.

[Jhamin]

Re: Gravity well power - how to write it?

 

There was a villain named Deadweight in the old 4th ed book "Enemies of San Angelo" who had this exact power. He was bought as a 50 Str TK "only to pull down".

 

You could do it with transforms, Density Increase UAA, and at least 4 other ways (this is hero) but the "it pushes you down" effect of TK gets you 95% of the effect with a lot less messy writeup.

[Bodkins Odds]

Re: Gravity well power - how to write it?

 

No, you can't do it with DI UAA because, as I just pointed, out DI UAA always increases STR. I agree with you on everything else though.

 

I don't think you really need a linked STR drain with this, but a CON drain could make sense. Ten times gravity would probably put a lot of stress on the cardio-vascular system.

[dmjalund]

Re: Gravity well power - how to write it?

 

Seems to me that Density Increase' date=' Usable as Attack, covers the idea nicely. IIRC, when used as an attack, the target doesn't get the STR bonus to help him/her to keep moving. And it would scale with the mass of the target, not its STR.[/quote']If you combine Density Increase UAA with a STR Suppress (standard effect) it might work

[Querysphinx]

Re: Gravity well power - how to write it?

 

I would write this up as a TK attack

 

AOE rds +x, Uncontrolled +1/2, Affects whole object -1/4, Toward center point only -1/4, (You can also throw in affects desolids)

 

If I wanted to get really creative I'd add a change environment to it Change environment "Warped Space"

 

-3 range modifier

-2 Dex rolls

-6 m teleport (all other forms of movement would be effected by the TK itself smashing the mover flat)

[Folded]

Re: Gravity well power - how to write it?

 

Nope.

 

 

 

A transform that gave him the Complication of having 10x mass would work, but I think the TK might be better.

 

OK, serves me right for relying on memory (I was thinking of the No STR Limitation). However, it doesn't seem to me that TK really simulates the effect properly, because it doesn't scale with the target's mass. 30 STR TK applies a fixed amount of force, regardless of the mass of the target. To get a true change in gravity, you'd have to affect a 1kg mass differently than a 100kg mass in absolute (but not relative) terms. I'd suggest a Transform that results in a set of penalties based on the Encumbrance rules and the target's final mass as compared to its STR and/or Movement Power.

[Ranxerox]

Re: Gravity well power - how to write it?

 

I like your original proposed build more than any of the ones that other people have put forward. It seems to get the job done with a minimum of fuss. I would probably give the "only to pull down" limitation a -1 value, since it cuts into the usefulness of the TK a good bit.

[Mathew]

Re: Gravity well power - how to write it?

 

Problem I have with linking Density Increase and STR drain, besides it making the character roll to see if they have enough body to be effected, it allows Power Defense to defy gravity. I could just see hitting a skinny Advanced Generation Mutant with this power and he just stands there... "sorry, I have Power Defense, gravity doesn't pull on me like it does normal people!"

[Folded]

Re: Gravity well power - how to write it?

 

Problem I have with linking Density Increase and STR drain' date=' besides it making the character roll to see if they have enough body to be effected, it allows Power Defense to defy gravity. I could just see hitting a skinny Advanced Generation Mutant with this power and he just stands there... "sorry, I have Power Defense, gravity doesn't pull on me like it does normal people!"[/quote']

 

Given that Power Defense is somewhat nebulously defined, I have always thought of it as disrupting the proper functioning of the power being used. It doesn't give 'resistance to increased gravity', it simply makes the gravity increase power not work as well.

[Mathew]

Re: Gravity well power - how to write it?

 

Since the main effect of TK is to move an object at a distance, I think I'll stick with it to do what I want. I mean I could do all sorta of wacky things, like a Extra Dimensional Movement useable against the target to a parallel world with higher gravity with invisible power effects would work too, but it's sorta missing simplicity. I'll just take the closest power to the effects I want, and limit it to be EXACTLY what I want.

[Bodkins Odds]

Re: Gravity well power - how to write it?

 

Since the main effect of TK is to move an object at a distance' date=' I think i'll stick with it to do what I want. I mean I could do all sorta of wacky things, like a Extra Dimensional Movement useable against the target to a parallel world with higher gravity with invisible power effects would work too, but it's sorta missing simplicity. I'll just take the closest power to the effects I want, and limit it to be EXACTLY what I want.[/quote']

 

Quoted for Truth.

[Mathew]

Re: Gravity well power - how to write it?

 

Thanks. The only other one I was possibly considering at this point, since it would have a similar effect to how it's used in the comics (he basically crushes his opponents into the ground), would be a continuing EB that does no body or stun but has extra KB, and it's indirect, pointing right from on top of the target and going straight down. It would at least push targets into the ground and damage them from hitting it, which is what I want. It would be a simple attack with a gravity special effect.

[Maelstrom]

Re: Gravity well power - how to write it?

 

Any reason not to use an entangle here, in concert with an AOE attack?

[Mathew]

Re: Gravity well power - how to write it?

 

Possibly. It's very open to interpertation, as the character only appeared as a villian in one comic book, and basically used the power 3 or 4 times, all times to crush opponents into the ground. I don't know if he can use gravity in any other way (pin opponents to the ground, make things fly, etc...)

[Susano]

Re: Gravity well power - how to write it?

 

Any reason not to use an entangle here' date=' in concert with an AOE attack?[/quote']

 

Depends on the results you want. An Entangle will lock you in one spot, while an AOR TK would allow really strong characters to move (slowly, but still move.)