A Newbie's first power

[tcabril]

I know I am all over the place with my questions but I swear to you all that I am getting this.

 

So I decieded to create a power and see if I am getting this - bear in mind this maybe a very simplistic power.

 

I wanted a power that was akin to throwing daggers of light - a mutant power if you like to be able to throw light as either a dagger or throwing star.

 

I stared with 2d6 of RKA (30pts)

Then I applied the Limitation of Beam (it only hits at one point) for - 1/4

 

So active points would be 30pts

and the cost would be 24 [30/1.25]

 

So did I get it right?

 

Thanks

Todd

[Escafarc]

Re: A Newbie's first power

 

Yes you got it.

[tcabril]

Re: A Newbie's first power

 

Coolness!!!

 

This systes is not as complicated as I first thought - I think i was just over thinking everything...

[Mickael]

Re: A Newbie's first power

 

If you want the light to be so strong that it will blind the target, you can link a sight group Flash

[Arc Esu]

Re: A Newbie's first power

 

Keep in mind that the Beam limitation also means you can't reduce the damage of the attack (the classic example being a gun - you can't have a 3d6 RKA assault rifle only do 1d6 RKA). So every light dagger the character throws will be a base 2d6 RKA, barring Drains, Aids, CSLs, and the like.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: A Newbie's first power

 

The system is both straight forward (its mathematical at the baseline) and inherently complex (you can, with enough creativity, build just about anything you like). If it helps, I often explain it this way:

 

A Power is a combination of Advantages (what it can do) and Limitations (what it is).

 

Rather than view limitations as "things you can't do with the power," instead view them as the shape that the power takes. By taking away certain elements, you turn an amorphous concept into a rock solid and comprehensive ability. Using your example:

 

Mutant Light Dagger: 2d6 RKA (30 Active), Beam (-1/4) (24 Real).

 

You have very few limitations on that ability -- it still costs END, it effectively springs from thin air and leaps from your hands towards the target, which is groovy. You could also build it, as, say, a mystical spell.

 

Mystic Light Dagger: 2d6 RKA (30 Active), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Beam (-1/4), Spell (-1/2 -- This is a custom limitation from Fantasy HERO, FYI). (13 Real).

 

Or, you could build an assault rifle.

 

Energy Blaster: 2d6 RKA (30 Active), OAF (Universal Focus, -1), Beam (-1/4), Charges (As Clip, 2x Magazines, 20 Charges, -1/4*), Real Weapon (-1/4), Str Minimum (12, -1/4)* (10 Active).

 

Those are three variations on the concept of "RKA." Probably the three most common (Ability, Spell, Weapon). Now what if you add, say, Autofire to the rifle? Suddenly, you've changed what the power does, without changing any element of what it is.

 

Energy Blaster: 2d6 RKA (30 AP), Autofire 5 (+1/2), (45 Active), OAF (Universal Focus, -1), Beam (-1/4), Charges (As Clip, 2x Magazines, 20 Charges, -1/4*), Real Weapon (-1/4), Str Minimum (12, -1/4)* (16 Active).

 

The bigger you make the ability, with Autofire, AOE, whatnot, the scarier the whole thing becomes and in turn, more expensive. Many campaigns have a cap limit on the powers that can be bought. For example, I use a 3/4ths rule, meaning, you can have a total of n. Active Points (say, 60) but of that, only 3/4s (45) can be counted as the base power in dice, unless I give permission otherwise. So you could purchase 3 dice of KA (3d6 = 45 Active) and then Advantage the power to 60, but you can't buy 4d6 of KA (60 points) because you're over the 45 point cap.

 

Hope that wasn't overly esoteric, and I hope it was helpful.

 

 

* IDHMBIFOM, so I guessed for example purposes, please don't correct my math.

[JusticeZero]

Re: A Newbie's first power

 

I personally think the 'cannot be reduced' part of Beam should be severed from that; it seems like 'single burst that cannot be spread and only cuts small holes' is sufficient for the disadvantage, and adding an inability to be reduced does not necessarily fit many powers with that effect. The 'Beam' as I described works well for thrown or launched projectiles like an arrow say, and I can easily see an archer pulling the bow back only half as far to weaken the hit. In any case, if the attack is in a multipower as they usually will be, 'cannot be reduced' is going to be relatively meaningless in any case. "I cannot reduce the power of my laser - so I will only allocate 10 points to it and then fire it at full power (2d6)."

[Thia Halmades]

Re: A Newbie's first power

 

Arrows are usually not beams, generally speaking. Just a thought for general consideration.

[JusticeZero]

Re: A Newbie's first power

 

Maybe, but they cannot be spread, and they don't punch large holes...

[Hyper-Man]

Re: A Newbie's first power

 

I personally think the 'cannot be reduced' part of Beam should be severed from that; it seems like 'single burst that cannot be spread and only cuts small holes' is sufficient for the disadvantage' date=' and adding an inability to be reduced does not necessarily fit many powers with that effect. The 'Beam' as I described works well for thrown or launched projectiles like an arrow say, and I can easily see an archer pulling the bow back only half as far to weaken the hit. In any case, if the attack is in a multipower as they usually will be, 'cannot be reduced' is going to be relatively meaningless in any case. "I cannot reduce the power of my laser - so I will only allocate 10 points to it and then fire it at full power (2d6)."[/quote']

 

re: arrows & beam

The base HKA cannot be reduced but the amount of STR added to it can.

 

from 6e2 page 206

 

Muscle-Powered Ranged Weapons

This section covers bows, crossbows, throwing knives, and other Ranged weapons powered, in some part, by the user’s muscles (as opposed to by gunpowder).

In Heroic campaigns, these weapons are built with some or all of the following Limitations: Focus (OAF; -1), STR Minimum, Required Hands, Real Weapon, and Charges (indicating the number of rounds of ammunition the average user carries). Most also have Beam. Superheroic campaigns may or may not use any of these Modifiers (see above).

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: A Newbie's first power

 

As long as you're aware that removing the "must do full damage" aspect of Beam is not considered a -1/4 limitation under the rules as written (and, flowing from that, by many GM's), then change the values to suit your game. How limiting it really is depends on how often it is problematic to be unable to knock a large hole in a barrier and/or how often Spreading is typically used in your game.

 

To the Multipower argument, most Attacks multipowers use Fixed, rather than Floating slots. These require the maximum AP be allocated from the pool. If you paid double for your slots for the privilege of circumventing one aspect of a -1/4 limitation, I don't think that would strike a lot of us as abusive.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: A Newbie's first power

 

See, I think of 'beam' and I think 'moves quickly in a non-varying line.' Bullets, energy weapons, what not. I think arrows, spears, slings and similar muscle powered weaponry and I'm thinking things that can be thrown creatively, that have momentum, can go in ballistic arcs. That, with an appropriate applicable of SFX, you can have your arrow be 'indirect.' Because of that, it can't be beam. I'm giving you flexibility but the cost increases.

 

YMMV, etc etc

[Tom Carman]

Re: A Newbie's first power

 

I haven't looked it up, but I seem to recall that 'beam' also includes 'cannot be bounced' in the package.

[IndianaJoe3]

Re: A Newbie's first power

 

I haven't looked it up' date=' but I seem to recall that 'beam' also includes 'cannot be bounced' in the package.[/quote']

 

It doesn't. Beam attacks cannot be Spread, used at reduced power levels, or used to blast through barriers.

[Greywind]

Re: A Newbie's first power

 

That's why you pack a can opener option in the same multipower.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: A Newbie's first power

 

It doesn't. Beam attacks cannot be Spread' date=' used at reduced power levels, or used to blast through barriers.[/quote']

 

Given this, perhaps it would be reasonable to remove one of those restrictions and substitute an equally minimal restriction such as "can't be bounced" for the same -1/4 costing.

[Mickael]

Re: A Newbie's first power

 

Somewhere in 6E2, "Cannot be bounced" is said to be a -0 to -1/4 limitation, depending on the type of the campaign.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: A Newbie's first power

 

Hugh: I think you're recalling what I'm recalling -- Are you pondering what I'm pondering? -- and in 5th they cannot be bounced, I agree that rule exists and I am certain of it. However, it may no longer be in 6th. Which, given the concept of 'bullet' and how many special effects show them bouncing, makes a certain sense.

[Tom Carman]

Re: A Newbie's first power

 

I never got 6th and don't have 5th on hand at work, so I looked it up in my trusty 4th edition PDF:

 

-1/4 • Beam Attack (for EBs only) Cannot

spread or bounce, must attack at

maximum damage