Variable Power Pool Skill Roll at different penalties

[Arc Esu]

After looking over the VPP rules last night, I realized there is a slight gap (in my opinion) in the rules for them. By default, if you want to change a VPP in combat, it takes a full phase and a Power skill roll at -1 per 10 Active Points. You can reduce the time to half phase (for +1/2) or 0 phase (for +1). But your only option for modifying the skill roll is No Skill Roll Required (+1). There is no option for making the roll be at, say, -1 per 20 Active Points, or -1 per 5 Active points, like there is for the Requires a Roll Limitation.

 

So I was thinking that you can make the skill roll be -1 per 20 Active Points for a +1/2 Advantage, and make the skill roll -1 per 5 Active points as a -1/4 Limitation on the VPP itself.

 

Has anyone tried something like this as a house rule? Are there any potential balance problems that I'm not seeing?

[Escafarc]

Re: Variable Power Pool Skill Roll at different penalties

 

I do this. Works fine in my games.

[ghost-angel]

Re: Variable Power Pool Skill Roll at different penalties

 

I've seen those, at those values even. No priblems I've ever heard of.

[Christopher]

Re: Variable Power Pool Skill Roll at different penalties

 

I think one reason for this is to discourage high AP Powers in VPP's:

You either have to buy the Control Cost at a 1:1 basis for no roll.

Or you have a -8 Modifier on the Roll for a 80 AP Power.

 

With the -1/20 you get:

-4 Modifier on to Roll for 80 AP, but Control Cost at 1.5:1 basis. Like the entire VPP rules, it depends a lot on your players and their overall concept if this works out.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Variable Power Pool Skill Roll at different penalties

 

Another potential issue (although not strictly a balance one) is that such house rule will be very difficult to implement within Hero Designer (particularly the bit about applying a Limitation to the VPP itself).

[ghost-angel]

Re: Variable Power Pool Skill Roll at different penalties

 

Another potential issue (although not strictly a balance one) is that such house rule will be very difficult to implement within Hero Designer (particularly the bit about applying a Limitation to the VPP itself).

 

VPP Only Modifier, just like normal, Limited Power Modifirer. Easy-peasy.

[Christopher]

Re: Variable Power Pool Skill Roll at different penalties

 

VPP Only Modifier' date=' just like normal, Limited Power Modifirer. Easy-peasy.[/quote']

But shouldn't advnatges and limitations on a VPP only affect the Controll Cost? It think it is so for "cannot change in combat", as well as "no roll" and "0-Phase to change".

 

Appliying any Limitation to both could be easily unbalancing.

 

Edit: It even says so on 6E1 409. And it's a "never do" in the description of a Stop-Sign power. So this would surely wreck havok to the game balance.

[ghost-angel]

Re: Variable Power Pool Skill Roll at different penalties

 

They should, these Modifiers are no different from any others, I don't know why it would be thought otherwise?

 

I'm sorry, I guess I missed the part where someone wanted to change the Pool Cost too. No, when I've seen these used it's just like any other normal Modifier on a VPP - Control Cost changed.

 

edit: going back over the OP, not sure where the impression I - or anyone - said these would apply to the Pool. Why'd it even come up?

[Christopher]

Re: Variable Power Pool Skill Roll at different penalties

 

Another potential issue (although not strictly a balance one) is that such house rule will be very difficult to implement within Hero Designer (particularly the bit about applying a Limitation to the VPP itself).

It sounded like hyper thought, you wanted to apply the Limitation to the overall VPP (Control Cost + Pool).

[ghost-angel]

Re: Variable Power Pool Skill Roll at different penalties

 

I guess I just assumed that meant As Normal - as in Control Cost. Oh well.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Variable Power Pool Skill Roll at different penalties

 

I guess I just assumed that meant As Normal - as in Control Cost. Oh well.

 

Re-reading multiple times now I see that I was miss-reading the OP. You had it right the first time (as usual ).

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Variable Power Pool Skill Roll at different penalties

 

I'd agree this is a valid limitation/advantage to the control cost. It would not impact the pool cost, nor the real point cost of powers within the pool (as it only applies to changing the pool contents, not to the individual powers).