Activating Power Sets

[Sketchpad]

Hiya Gang,

I was looking for an Advantage or Limitation that would allow me to activate a power set. Does there exist such a beast?

 

The basic idea I had is that a character has access to a group of powers, but must be in the right "form" to use them. Not so much in the Captain Marvel/Billy Batson way ... more like he has powers, but to use others, he needs to activate the set.

 

Anyone have any ideas?

[Ice9]

Re: Activating Power Sets

 

Depending on the powers, Linked is a possibility. For instance:

 

Energy Field - Resistant Protection (20 PD / 20 ED), Costs END

Energy Pulse - Blast 12d6, Linked (Energy Field, Power is in Use Most of the Time; -1/4)

 

While the Energy Field will probably not actually be on anywhere near 24/7, it will usually be on during any combat situation, which is when you'd be using Energy Pulse. Now if you had another power:

Energy Feelers - Spatial Awareness, Linked (Energy Field; -1/2)

 

I would give it the greater limitation value, because you would often want to use Spatial Awareness in situations where you didn't have the Energy Field on.

With powers that are linked this way, the Unified Power limitation might also be appropriate.

[Sketchpad]

Re: Activating Power Sets

 

Link isn't what I'm looking for really ... all that can do is group them together to work together. What I'm looking for is something like an activation ... Not quite OIHID, but something akin to that ...

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Activating Power Sets

 

Sounds like we need a better idea of what your definition of a "power set" is.

 

Is it X number of abilities that can only be used together? (if yes, then Linked or OIHID)

Is it ability Y that can only be used when X number of other abilities are active? (if yes, then Linked)

[Adventus]

Re: Activating Power Sets

 

I would recommend a framework.

 

with a framework, Each "set" would be one slot and you would put lockout on each slot. you would only be using the powers in that slot. Then put a limitation on the entire multipower requires a skill roll to change slots..

[Sketchpad]

Re: Activating Power Sets

 

Let me define it a bit

 

I have a powerhouse character that normally is a basic brick: High Strength, Good Defenses, Fairly Immune to most things. He has the ability to shift into an energy form that allows him the additional abilities of Flight and a Blast, but only when the form is active. It's not something he usually walks around in ...

[Greywind]

Re: Activating Power Sets

 

Give all his powers lock out. If one is active it locks out all the others.

[Sketchpad]

Re: Activating Power Sets

 

Give all his powers lock out. If one is active it locks out all the others.

 

But wouldn't that make the other set unusable? He still has his brick abilities while using the Flight and Blast ...

[Greywind]

Re: Activating Power Sets

 

SFX/handwavium as not important beyond appearances then.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Activating Power Sets

 

Let me define it a bit

 

... He has the ability to shift into an energy form that allows him the additional abilities of Flight and a Blast, but only when the form is active. It's not something he usually walks around in ...

 

That's practically the definition of OIHID. The fact that he has several powers in his base form doesn't matter.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Activating Power Sets

 

I might go with Linked plus Time Limit on the Flight and Blast. That is, they are activated together, then available for use for a certain period of time after being activated (the 6E version of "Lingering"). Add activation Limitations such as Extra Time, Concentration or whatever if appropriate.

[Doc Democracy]

Re: Activating Power Sets

 

Let me define it a bit

 

I have a powerhouse character that normally is a basic brick: High Strength, Good Defenses, Fairly Immune to most things. He has the ability to shift into an energy form that allows him the additional abilities of Flight and a Blast, but only when the form is active. It's not something he usually walks around in ...

 

The question would be, what is the downside of the energy form? If they are simply additional powers that the character can use by activating the form (0 action) whenever desired, then there is no real justification for them costing less.

 

The downside might be that the activation requires some action (verbal or movement) and so might be denied these powers by knowledgable opponents. As such, this does sound like OIEID (Only in Energy ID) and the switch to that is necesary before accessing those powers. You might buy one or two complications that also have the OIEID limitation.

 

Doc

[Talon]

Re: Activating Power Sets

 

If none of the existing Limitations fit, there's always Limited/Conditional Power ("only when in Energy Form"), assign value based on how often the character is limited. As the Doc said, without a distinct drawback to the energy form I would be inclined to call this a -0 Limitation (especially if he can control when he changes).

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Activating Power Sets

 

Only in Energy ID or no limitation sounds right to me, unless there is some drawback to being in energy form.

 

The only other issue I see, Sketchpad wants to share some further drawbacks, is that that form would be quite visible, so maybe the Visible limitation is what we're looking for, but that limitation on standard perceivable powers normally requires they be visible for a significant distance.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Activating Power Sets

 

Another possibility: might this "energy aura" have some effect? A damage shield? Extra defense? Increased Presence? If so, build it and link the other powers to it. Done.

[Sketchpad]

Re: Activating Power Sets

 

If none of the existing Limitations fit' date=' there's always Limited/Conditional Power ("only when in Energy Form"), assign value based on how often the character is limited. As the Doc said, without a distinct drawback to the energy form I would be inclined to call this a -0 Limitation (especially if he can control when he changes).[/quote']

 

I think we have a winner I wasn't so much looking for a discount, but rather a qualifier for them to simply be some kind of activation. So I think that the Conditional Power (Only While in Energy Form) [-0] works perfectly Thanks for all the suggestions gang ...

[Narf the Mouse]

Re: Activating Power Sets

 

...I dunno, if your Energy Form gives you Distinctive Features, it might be worth a Side Effect.

[JavalTigar]

Re: Activating Power Sets

 

Well based on the title of the thread wouldn't an activation/skill roll on a multipower achieve the desired effect? Heck, no real need for the roll, just having the other powers in a set/multipower already defines that this group of stuff can only be used together.

 

Simplest solutions being the easiest.

 

But I can also see the only in energy form concept as well....to a degree.... sorta...kinda...

 

I don't really care for zero value limits myself. To each their own.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Activating Power Sets

 

...I dunno' date=' if your Energy Form gives you Distinctive Features, it might be worth a Side Effect.[/quote']

 

A -1/4 analogous to "visible" may be reasonable. While not as "visible" as normal for a power that was not invisible to begin with, the visibility is constant, rather than being limited to when the powers are in use.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Activating Power Sets

 

A -1/4 analogous to "visible" may be reasonable. While not as "visible" as normal for a power that was not invisible to begin with' date=' the visibility is constant, rather than being limited to when the powers are in use.[/quote']

 

It puts it in that same tweener/gray area as Colossus's transformation into his Osmium form. It's not quite Oihid since he can change instantly with just a thought, but it is obvious once he changes.

 

Definitely worth no more than -1/4, just not sure what to call it.

[Greywind]

Re: Activating Power Sets

 

Yes, but once Colossus is rendered unconscious, he reverts.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Activating Power Sets

 

It puts it in that same tweener/gray area as Colossus's transformation into his Osmium form. It's not quite Oihid since he can change instantly with just a thought, but it is obvious once he changes.

 

Definitely worth no more than -1/4, just not sure what to call it.

 

Yes' date=' but once Colossus is rendered unconscious, he reverts.[/quote']

 

Which makes the otherwise persistent powers Nonpersistent for -1/4.

[Fireg0lem]

Re: Activating Power Sets

 

You could also purchase a disadvantage of Distinctive Features or something like that that is less frequent, because it only applies in energy form. The real question is, why doesn't he go around all the time in energy form? What's the actual drawback to him? That suggests how to build it. OIAID is an option if it's just behavioral and not a mechanical drawback (takes a half-phase to change into energy form sounds reasonable). If there's actually a drawback, build the drawback.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Activating Power Sets

 

Which makes the otherwise persistent powers Nonpersistent for -1/4.

Yeah, but does he revert when he's, "just Stunned?"