Need a GM ruling

[Pizza Man]

I have a character in a book I'm writing. And now that I've got hero designer, I'm going to write the characters up in the 6e Hero format.

 

He can generate a pair of flat circular shields. They look like slightly luminous glass and can be altered them in size from 6 inches across to 6 feet across (lucky he is only five foot eight).

 

They can move as fast as thought. and combined with his danger sense act almost as a full shield.

He will generally fight with one shield (12D6 vs PD), and defend with the other.

 

What numerical value would you assign the limitation, "Only 1/2 effective vs area affect weapons?"

If he is in full defense mode, I'm thinking of just adding pluses to his DCV.

 

Not sure how I would write up a full offense other than auto-fire (x2), and no defense at all.

 

I am toying with the idea of a 120 point multi-power with a bunch of 60 point powers, so he can run any two at a time. Defense would just be one power.

 

The character is rather powerful, but he's a kid with no experience. The people out to "get him" have brilliant minds at their beck and call. So he ends up captured (and tortured). All the danger sense in the world can't outrun radios, speed and overwhelming force.

[Christopher]

Re: Need a GM ruling

 

It's the question how often he will be targeted by Area of Effects attacks?

-1/4 at least, but it can go up if he has a lot of enemys with AOE powers.

Or how about using the Multipower/VPP aproach and makign it a barrier?

You could just give both an activation Roll vs. AOE.

 

And there is one question: Does it only work limited vs. all AOE, or only limited vs. Explosion AOE's and not at all vs. non-explosion AOE?

[BoloOfEarth]

Re: Need a GM ruling

 

Personally, I would say -1/4. If it didn't protect at all against AOE, I'd give it more of a limitation, but half-effect for a defense is still likely to take the sting off an attack.

 

I assume the defense will have Requires a Roll (Danger Sense) if his subconscious controls where to place the shield.

[whitekeys]

Re: Need a GM ruling

 

Are you assuming, that the pseudo-full shield (as a product of his danger sense) is providing full coverage to his body from AOE attacks? What power are you using to define these shields in the first place? That should tell you your answer: if the power normally provides full protection from AOE attacks, and you want to represent the power being less effective against AOE attacks, then probably something around -1/4; but if the power doesn't provide protection from AOE attacks in the first place, then no limitation should be awarded.

[Escafarc]

Re: Need a GM ruling

 

I'd build it as a compound power with one half no limitation and the other half with Does not work vs AOE. limitation

[Blue]

Re: Need a GM ruling

 

Pretty much what I was going to say. Build two halves of the power seperately, give one the "useless vs..." limitation.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Need a GM ruling

 

Pretty much my interpretation. How common are AoE's? In my game, I would likely allow -1/2 for "not vs AoE's, based on their relative frequency and their typically lower DC output, so I would allow a -1/2 limitation on the portion of the power that is not effective against AoE's.

 

But I'd also consider building the Shield as a force wall/barrier that only covers three hex facings...

[Ockham's Spoon]

Re: Need a GM ruling

 

Since AoE powers generally have fewer DC than a straight up attack, even half defense will likely be pretty effective, so if you don't go with the compound power build I wouldn't give it more than -¼.

 

And not to muddy the waters or anything, but you might also want to consider the nature of the AoE attack. If it is a grenade that blows up in front of him, the shield will offer pretty good protection (probably full defense). If the attack is a neutron rifle bought as an AoE Line (since it is unaffected by barriers it hits everything in its path) the shield isn't going to do him squat. And then there are the inbetween ones like an AoE ice storm that is sort of blocked but not fully. Maybe you can roll that into sfx, but you might want to represent that mechanically by saying "Limited use vs. AoE attacks" and then let common sense or dramatic license determine how much use the shield is on a case by case basis.