Power activates on less than 8 or less

[Tech]

I'm thinking of a character who's power activates even less frequently than an 8 or less. Since an 8 or less is a 9.7% chance (almost 10%), I want the effect to be very rare. I'm thinking of 7/6 or even 5 or less. What limitations would you give each of these?

[Susano]

Re: Power activates on less than 8 or less

 

I'm thinking of a character who's power activates even less frequently than an 8 or less. Since an 8 or less is a 9.7% chance (almost 10%)' date=' I want the effect to be very rare. I'm thinking of 7/6 or even 5 or less. What limitations would you give each of these?[/quote']

 

8- is a -2 Limitation. 7- would be -2 1/4. 6- would be -2 1/2. 5- would be (IMO) -3.

[Tech]

Re: Power activates on less than 8 or less

 

8- is a -2 Limitation. 7- would be -2 1/4. 6- would be -2 1/2. 5- would be (IMO) -3.

 

Gotta love quick replies. Thanks!

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Power activates on less than 8 or less

 

I noticed a pattern in the Limitation rolls, in that every -3 to the roll doubles the value. That would make:

 

15- = -1/4

14- = -1/2

13- = -3/4

11- = -1

10- = -1 1/2

9- = -1 1/4

8- = -2

7- = -3

6- = -3 1/2

5- = -4

4- = -6

3 only = -7

[dmjalund]

Re: Power activates on less than 8 or less

 

I noticed a pattern in the Limitation rolls, in that every -3 to the roll doubles the value. That would make:

 

15- = -1/4

14- = -1/2

13- = -3/4

11- = -1

10- = -1 1/2

9- = -1 1/4

8- = -2

7- = -3

6- = -3 1/2

5- = -4

4- = -6

3 only = -7

Error! Error!

[Captain Obvious]

Re: Power activates on less than 8 or less

 

You could just add multiple Activation Rolls. For instance, IIRC, 7- is about 5%, so putting together 8- (about 10%) and 10- (about 50%), you get about 5%, for a total value of -3 1/2. This is the way I finally ended up doing it when I worked up Activation Roll values equivalent to the poker mechanics used in the old Deadlands (does the new version still use that?).

[Ice9]

Re: Power activates on less than 8 or less

 

Since an 8 or less is a 9.7% chance (almost 10%)

That's the chance to get exactly an 8. The chance to get 8 or less is ~26%. The closest to 10% odds would be 6- at ~9%.

 

Incidentally, looking at that chart, doesn't 8- seem a little undervalued compared to 11-, or especially 14-? Comparing the points saved from the limitation to the chance of activation, we get:

Roll   Limit   Roll%  Cost%
15-    -1/4    95%    80%
14-    -1/2    91%    67%
13-    -3/4    84%    57%
11-    -1      63%    50%
10-    -1 1/2  50%    40%
9-     -1 3/4  38%    36%
8-     -2      26%    33%

If you wanted to keep the same pricing as the higher numbers, 8- would be a -3 (with 10- bumped to -2).

[Tasha]

Re: Power activates on less than 8 or less

 

I'm thinking of a character who's power activates even less frequently than an 8 or less. Since an 8 or less is a 9.7% chance (almost 10%)' date=' I want the effect to be very rare. I'm thinking of 7/6 or even 5 or less. What limitations would you give each of these?[/quote']

 

That's called No Conscious Control. you might be able to talk a GM into allowing the character a chance to start the activation, but with the idea that the chance is less than nothing that it will activate.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Power activates on less than 8 or less

 

Error! Error!

Guilty as charged -- 9- should have been -1 3/4.

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: Power activates on less than 8 or less

 

That's called No Conscious Control. you might be able to talk a GM into allowing the character a chance to start the activation' date=' but with the idea that the chance is less than nothing that it will activate.[/quote']

 

Not quite, as NCC means the DM could activate the power when he wanted to, even if the PC were not actively trying to do so. You know ... do be do be do, walkin' down the street ENERGYBLASTwhoops.

[Tasha]

Re: Power activates on less than 8 or less

 

Not quite' date=' as NCC means the DM could activate the power when he wanted to, even if the PC were not actively trying to do so. You know ... do be do be do, walkin' down the street [b']ENERGYBLAST[/b]whoops.

 

There used to be a version of it that allowed the PC to try to activate the power and it was up to the GM to decide whether it activated or not. Way to tired from housework to open the book and look for it though.

[Ice9]

Re: Power activates on less than 8 or less

 

NCC has an "Only Effects are Not Controlled" option, at -1, where the player chooses when to activate it, but not what it does or who it targets.

However, that's less of a limitation than Activation Roll 8-, so I'm not sure it's a good fit.

[Fireg0lem]

Re: Power activates on less than 8 or less

 

I'd probably go with another -1/4 for every lowering of the activation roll, as suggested above.

[Tech]

Re: Power activates on less than 8 or less

 

Not quite' date=' as NCC means the DM could activate the power when he wanted to, even if the PC were not actively trying to do so. You know ... do be do be do, walkin' down the street [b']ENERGYBLAST[/b]whoops.

 

Agreed.