Focii

[d'Jarvish]

Is there a list of Accesible Focii and Inaccesible Focii anywhere? If so where? If not, which would a mask be?

[Blue]

Re: Focii

 

Originally posted by d'Jarvish

Is there a list of Accesible Focii and Inaccesible Focii anywhere? If so where? If not, which would a mask be?

 

I'm aware of no such list.

 

Can your mask be removed with minimal effort? (Shot off, Pulled off in combat)? If so, it's accessible.

 

Can they tell the power comes form the mask?

 

Examples:

• Facegaurd (Armor for the head location), attached by a strap to the head: Obvious, Accessible
  
• Adhesive Mask (Glue Man's Mask actually sticks to his face; it takes a turn or so to remove it; It's a big plate of steel, so it's obvious): Obvious, Inaccessible.
  
• Disguise Mask (Putting it on changes your face to look like someone else's face; you can't tell it's a mask, but it can be pulled off: Inobvious, Accessible
  
• Laminate Mask (A superplastic that protects the face but is invisible and just seems like skin.): Inobvious, Inaccessible focus.

[Dust Raven]

Lots of lists...but none of them say OAF or OIF or IAF or such things though...

 

Basically, it all depends upon how the item functions in combat (as an object) and upon player preferences.

 

I'd normally say a mask, as an object, is Accessible Focus. I've seen them ripped off quite easily in the movies. If it's bolted down in some way, like Darth Vader's helmet....it might be an Inaccessible Focus. The bottom line is how quickly (or how often) it has a chance of being taken away or damaged.

 

Accessible: Easy...can happen in combat by targeting the item (-2 OCV) with an attack or grab.

 

Inaccessible: Difficult...usually happens out of combat, or after the character has been suitably restrained.

[DigitalGolem]

Accessibility can also be decided on the basis of "dramatic license". If your character has a focus which he seldom loses to grabs, etc, then you should just call it Inaccessible, and take the reduced limitation. This is okay, as long as it's in keeping with the appropriate level of "realism" in a given campaign.

 

Another consideration is high strength. Sure, anyone can grab a weapon, but if the wielder has a Strength of 75, it's not likely anyone can take it away, so that also might be called Inaccessible. Unless there are lots of villains with high strength scores.

 

DGv3.0

[Lemur866]

Again, think of the way the item works dramatically.

 

If Thor wields a hammer that can't be grabbed, that returns instantly when thrown or lost, that can't be stolen or used by someone else, is invulnerable to damage, and teleports to his hand on command, then just build the hammer's powers straight, don't take a focus limitation. The fact that his powers come from the hammer is just a special effect, since he never finds himself in a situation where he can't use his hammer.

 

If Thor has the above hammer, but he sometimes is a normal human, and has to change into superhero form to use his super hammer, he could take a (-1/4) "Only in Hero ID" limit on the hammer's powers. This limit would also be appropriate if the super hammer is just like the above hammer, but Thor sometimes can't use it without revealing to his fragile aunt that he is a superhero. Thor can only take this disadvantage if there are circumstances where he is going to be in his normal ID, and sometimes can't use his superpowers without causing a problem. If he never encounters situations where he can't use his powers, then he can't take the limitation.

 

If Thor has a hammer that can't be grabbed or dropped or taken away, but he sometimes might lose it, or if he is captured Loki can take his hammer and put it in the safe and Thor can't use the powers until he gets the hammer back, then Thor can take a (-1/2) Obvious Inaccesable Focus limitation. The hammer can't be taken away easily in combat, but it can be stolen or lost sometimes, or perhaps damaged.

 

If Thor has a hammer that is more like a regular hammer, and you could grab it away from him if you were strong enough, then he has a (-1) Obvious Accesssable Focus. He might drop it if knocked unconscious, a brick might wrestle it away from him, someone could hit the hammer with an energy blast and knock it out of his hand.

 

The choice of what limitation to take depends entirely on your character conception, not on what a "real world" item would be like. Focii are NOT real world items. They are superhero powers that are sometimes limited in some ways, and the choice is up to the person designing the character.

 

Think about the way comic books handle the fantastic array of objects that superheroes carry with them. Some superheroes are constantly dropping or losing or breaking their items. Others might seem to have exactly the same item, but they never lose the item, the villains never are able to take away the item, the item is available all the time. It depends on the kind of character you want to play.