How would you build - Drunken Touch

[commonsensei]

Hello,

 

I'm recently getting back into the Hero system and I'm not sure how to build a power. Hopefully some guru here can help

 

I'd like a power that would allow my character to cause a living target to become drunk when touched. Any ideas?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Kraven Kor]

Hmmm.

 

That's a tough one.

 

I want to just have it apply negative skill levels, which can only really be accomplished by a Drain.  Drain to DEX, INT, and PRE?

[Hyper-Man]

I'd first have to see what environmental effects of alcohol are in the rules (in 6e2 I think) IF they are defined.  Drain is probably the way to simulate then.

[L. Marcus]

Perhaps Change Environment? Good for compounded effects ...

[Greywind]

Hmmm.

 

That's a tough one.

 

I want to just have it apply negative skill levels, which can only really be accomplished by a Drain.  Drain to DEX, INT, and PRE?

 

But alcohol makes one faster, smarter, and more attractive.

 

[L. Marcus]

PhysLim: Thinks s/he is fast, smart, and handsome.

[IndianaJoe3]

I want to just have it apply negative skill levels, which can only really be accomplished by a Drain.  Drain to DEX, INT, and PRE?

 

In 6e the way to accomplish it would be with Change Environment. Hitting 3 stats and Perception is going to be expensive, even if we ignore alcohol's effect on reflexes (Drain DEX). Of course, a power that has broad effects should be expensive.

[bigbywolfe]

Transform Regular Person into Drunk Person (who then suffers the books listed penalties for being drunk), NND (defense is immunity to Alcohol), Healing Condition is a good night sleep...

[JasonPacker]

Interestingly, 6E2 only gives to penalties for inebriation. -2 OCV, -2 DCV.

[Ninja-Bear]

Drunk has a -2 OCV and -2 DC. So drain OCV and STR (only for dc -1/4) return rate one day perhaps?

[bigbywolfe]

Interestingly, 6E2 only gives to penalties for inebriation. -2 OCV, -2 DCV.

 

I think in 5E it may have affected DEX and thus screwed up your CV as well (not sure about that though).  I am surprised there is no DEX penalty though...

 

Drunk has a -2 OCV and -2 DC. So drain OCV and STR (only for dc -1/4) return rate one day perhaps?

DCV, not DC, so no need to Drain STR.

[Hyper-Man]

What's really weird is that the Adjustment Power rules consider DCV to be a Defensive Power. 

 

This means that the effects of Adjustment Powers vs. it are halved (6e1 page 141).  So building this ability to match the effects of alcohol would require a Compound Power. Example:  1d6 Drain vs. OCV & 2d6 Drain vs. DCV (that is halved to 1d6 because DCV is considered a Defensive Power vs. Adjustment Powers).

[JasonPacker]

What's really weird is that the Adjustment Power rules consider DCV to be a Defensive Power. 

 

This means that the effects of Adjustment Powers vs. it are halved (6e1 page 141).  So building this ability to match the effects of alcohol would require a Compound Power. Example:  1d6 Drain vs. OCV & 2d6 Drain vs. DCV (that is halved to 1d6 because DCV is considered a Defensive Power vs. Adjustment Powers).

 

I suppose 3d6+1 Drain vs OCV (Standard Effect 10) and 6 1/2d6 Drain vs DCV (Standard Effect 20, halved) would work, where that's allowed?

[Ninja-Bear]

Whoops I guess one shouldn't drink BV and trying ro look at CV!

[commonsensei]

Thanks everyone. Great ideas. This was exactly what I was looking for.

 

I had another couple related question to extend the power. How would you alter another characters ability to walk/fly/run/drive when under this effect? So they can still move their max speed but not necessarily in a straight line? And what if the effect made them either a happy drunk or aggressive drunk? Thoughts?

[Kraven Kor]

Now  you've wandered into "make someone do X" territory, which is solidly in the realm of Mind Control

[Greywind]

Or Transform.

[Christopher]

What's really weird is that the Adjustment Power rules consider DCV to be a Defensive Power. 

 

This means that the effects of Adjustment Powers vs. it are halved (6e1 page 141).  So building this ability to match the effects of alcohol would require a Compound Power. Example:  1d6 Drain vs. OCV & 2d6 Drain vs. DCV (that is halved to 1d6 because DCV is considered a Defensive Power vs. Adjustment Powers).

How about: Think of this as a Drain that is evenly Split between OCV, DCV & DCV (so DCV get's "two doses" to counter the defense Characteristic). Or just divide the roll result by 3 to figure out how much either of the two moves. Easier writeup, same effect.

 

The foremost problem seems to be that there is no clear rules definition of "drunk". The -2 OCV/DCV is for merely inebrated. It is still a powerfull -20% Chance to hit, but it does not deal with all the other effects of "being drunk" like limited ability to move or act/think.

Other sugested Transform. If the goal is inebrated, a Minor Transform (5 CP per die) will do. -2 OCV/DCV is explicitly on the list of possible game effects for a Minor Transform. Make the whole thing a "NND: Immunity to Alkohol" and you are good to go.

 

Stronger levels of inebration require stronger transforms, respectively. Major Transform can do -4 OCV/DCV easily.

 

You should avoid going higher - powers that can one-hit-disable every enemy that lacks a specific resistance are very dangerous thing from a game balance perspective.