Power design question for returning player

[jnormandin]

I've spent a couple years away from the Champs system and seem to have gotten rather rusty with the rules. I'm brushing up on 5th ed. stuff and had a question regarding power design I'm hoping for a little help with.

 

What I'm trying to duplicate is a power which creates a fire-and-forget effect that doesn't use charges. Example would be SuperColdGuy uses his SuperIcy multipower to create a wall of ice (using endurance to activate) and the wall of ice sticks around for awhile while he proceedes to use his SuperIcy multipower to make flavored slushies for the neighborhood kids.

 

I know how to do this with charges, but it wouldn't make sense that he can only do this x number of times a day.

 

I'm probably missing something obvious, any pointers are appreciated.

[Tom McCarthy]

Wouldn't an Entangle be the best power for the wall ? It creates barriers which persist after the multipower points are reallocated. The melting away of the wall would just be SFX.

[Simon]

As always, there are many ways you can do it. The way that comes to mind for me (offhand) would be to simply use a Force Wall.

 

If you don't want to spend END to maintain the wall, then you can make it 0-END. If you want the wall to remain until it melts or you swith the MP slot around, you can make it Uncontrolled (with the condition to stop the power being that you either shift MP slots or simply melt the wall).

[jnormandin]

Hrmm...

 

What I'm looking for is an advantage which will allow it to last for x turns regardless of what else he's doing (unconcious, using mpp for other stuff, driving away in his SuperIcyMobile, etc.). I believe there used to be a 'Duration' advantage which allowed this, without forcing the use of charges. If this advantage was removed because it was overpowering or I'm just remembering incorrectly, then I'll live. If the advantage was reworked or renamed, then I'd appreciate someone pointing me in the right direction.

[Simon]

Uncontrolled is generally used for the "activate the Power and forget about it" effect. Once activated, the Power is completely separate from the character. The character can be knocked out, killed, taken to Canada, or any number of other unpleasant things....the power will continue to function.

 

Part of the Uncontrolled Modifier is defining a "reasonably common" circumstance which will deactivate the Power. In the case of an ice wall, I (personally) would have no problem whatsoever with the statement that it needs to be melted. Characters with Fire SFX Powers could melt the wall very quickly....others would simly wait for it to melt on its own.

 

The only trick in there is the idea that the wall would disappear as soon as you changed MP slots.....this means that it is not entirely separated from the character. I think that it would be easiest to simply take this as part of the "reasonably common" way to turn off the Uncontrolled Power, but that's up to you...

[jnormandin]

For a specific writeup of this power, would this be legal?

 

SuperIcyMultipower

 

Ultraslot #1:

Wall Of Ice - ForceWall

- Costs end only to activate

- Uncontrolled (melts normally)

- Ablative

 

Ultraslot #2:

Make It Snow - Change Environment

 

 

 

Assuming both powers required all active powers in the multipower, would he be able to create an ice wall or two and have them stick around while he started making it snow?

 

Silly power I know, but just for examples sake.

[Simon]

The only thing that I'd raise an eyebrow at would be the Ablative, though that's probably a good way to simulate the wall being chipped away by attacks which don't exceed its DEF....you'd just need to work with your GM to determine how much of the wall is whittled away each time.

 

To answer the question: yes, you could have multiple ice walls up and then make it snow. Because the walls are Uncontrolled, they have no connection to the character once they are created....you can shift MP slots at will and the walls will remain in place.