New power idea

[hypnotica]

In the game that im running i have a pc that is running a gelf (half giant half elf) He is leaning towards making his pc a magic user but specializing in magic magic rings

 

I have 2 problems that im trying to work out first he wants to become a master jeweler (no problem 21- skill roll jeweler) but then he wants to enchant those rings. I would like to make a package (craft magic items) but im not sure how to write that up i was thinking of creating a talent called craft magic rings or craft magic jewelry. To enable him to craft magic items. Now im not sure how to make it so its affordable for him to make magic items, not overpower the game by having him make all these magic items for the players ( he wouldnt do that but i do have some power gamers in my group that might) so i want to make it affordable for him but not make it overpowering. Eventually i would like to make this ability to make enchanted items as a template for other items like craft magic rods/staffs/arms and armor, scribe scroll etc. One thing i dont want to do and im not sure if i should is require experience points to make magic items ( if i do this then theres no incentive for them to instead just save up the experience points themselves) ok thats the first problem im having .

 

We kept coming up with great ideas but they kept fizzling out and i had an idea of requiring a transfer from the person that wants the gelf to create a ring of (whatever say fireballs) but if the gelf doesnt have fireballs as a spell he cant use transfer to make a ring of fireballs, because you cant use the power transfer to transfer powers or skills, etc but you can transfer character points.

 

Then i thought about rogue from x men how she is able to basically transfer a persons thoughts, memories, powers skills etc ( depending on lenght of exposure) So i thought why dont i create a new power call it (for now) power transfer but i can change the name later.

 

TO make it short (sorry but i thought i needed to give an explanation of what is going on ) i need help creating a craft ??? either as a package or a talent, and i need some input on creating a new power or if i can use an existing power ( add advantages etc to make it what i want) to transfer powers, skills, talents, etc etc that you cant do with transfer (cuz thats only character points not transfer powers)

[hypnotica]

im not sure where to post a question on transform but im in need of some help with some clarification on the power. I have a player that has transform as his sole power sure he has 7d6 and he can transform anything to anything but his thinking and mine are not ... basically were not on the same page. he thinks that just cuz he bought transform anything to anything means you can, im telling him you cant use it to simulate other powers, like turning a man into a dead man you would need a killing attack or to make it rain fire that would be a nnd or a eb or to transform say 10 different things into 10 different things you would need to buy 10 different transforms for each of the 10 things or if he made a shelter in the ground but then needed to get us away he was wanting to transform the ground in front of us into air but i ruled that would be tunneling (simulating another power) and he wasnt able to do that . I think you need to say what you are transforming anything into ie transform anything into gold or transform anything into food im thinking that the transform anything is the substance that he wants to change and you should have to buy transform for each thing you want to transform ( i hope im not losing you with too much info) . im also requiring him to buy skills to match what he wants to do ie he wants to make bread from air thats fine then you should buy baking or cooking as a skill or to trasform a pile of wood into a bridge he would need to have carpentry or bridge building etc, and he would need to buy another transform if he wanted to make say transform person into anything then that would be a second transform where the first one was anything to say gold or anything to food ( i think he thinks you can transform a small pile of wood into a forest sized house ( which would require linked to growth ) etc . I hope you can see my delima and offer any help on the power and what exactly transforming anything into anything would detail. Thanks

[badger3k]

Originally posted by hypnotica

im not sure where to post a question on transform but im in need of some help with some clarification on the power. I have a player that has transform as his sole power sure he has 7d6 and he can transform anything to anything but his thinking and mine are not ... basically were not on the same page. he thinks that just cuz he bought transform anything to anything means you can, im telling him you cant use it to simulate other powers, like turning a man into a dead man you would need a killing attack or to make it rain fire that would be a nnd or a eb or to transform say 10 different things into 10 different things you would need to buy 10 different transforms for each of the 10 things or if he made a shelter in the ground but then needed to get us away he was wanting to transform the ground in front of us into air but i ruled that would be tunneling (simulating another power) and he wasnt able to do that . I think you need to say what you are transforming anything into ie transform anything into gold or transform anything into food im thinking that the transform anything is the substance that he wants to change and you should have to buy transform for each thing you want to transform ( i hope im not losing you with too much info) . im also requiring him to buy skills to match what he wants to do ie he wants to make bread from air thats fine then you should buy baking or cooking as a skill or to trasform a pile of wood into a bridge he would need to have carpentry or bridge building etc, and he would need to buy another transform if he wanted to make say transform person into anything then that would be a second transform where the first one was anything to say gold or anything to food ( i think he thinks you can transform a small pile of wood into a forest sized house ( which would require linked to growth ) etc . I hope you can see my delima and offer any help on the power and what exactly transforming anything into anything would detail. Thanks

 

The way transform is written, it CANNOT be used to replace powers (FRED p 153 - "Characters should not use Transform to simulate other Powers...Nor can transforms kill characters by transforming them into "dead people", unliving objects, or creatures which can survive very long (use Killing Atack or similar powers to do that."

 

You must define what you transform the targets into (p 152, bottom right column) but the basic target is anything - that means that the power can transform anything into one thing (which is specified at the powers write-up/purchase). Buying the advantages (improved target group +1/4 to +1) - he'd need the +1 advantage to turn anything into anything else (p 154).

 

There is currently no limit on the size of the transform - you can transform a stick into a 1000 room mansion if its written that way. You (as GM) can always put limitations on the ability, such as limiting what/how much can be transformed or created, or needing skill to transform something (like needing jeweler to make a necklace) by making the Requires Skill Roll limitation required.

 

Working on a wildshape ability, I learned a bit about the transform power, so glad to help out if I can.

[AnotherSkip]

Is this a cosmetic, minor or major transform?

 

if it is a 7d6 Major with +4 minimum in advantages then there is a SEVERE lack of balance IMNSHO (keep in mind i'm prejudiced from a power balance standpoint).

 

Now then if it is aq Cosmetic transform keep n mind you are talking about essentially a permament, object based images.

 

on the point of simulating powers _stick to your guns_ if you have to reread Transforms before every session do it. transforming thin air into swords IS an sfx of HKA. transforming the air into fire is a SFX for HKA AOE(an even bigger issue ) just more of the same. break it down into simple every single time he uses the power. however I might allow turning swords into air (though that could be an sfx of Dispel.)

 

 

one of the things I try to do is encourage subtlies with transforms. for example raining stones out of the sky is a RKA, turning the key pillar in the place into goo so the bad guys die in a cave in is an entirely separate matter.

 

also on Killing things, keep in mind that turning someone into a rock is just as good as killing it. Im not too worried on killing things with a Major Transform.

 

Frankly if it get abusive start having disasterous side effects. "sure you can turn the ground into air, heh heh heh". then just roll dice a few times. Tell him you are rolling every 10 feet. if he doesnt panic have it collaspe in on them. if he panics hope that serves as a warning.

 

contact me if you need more suggestions. on handling abusiveness.

 

if you are going to require some skills then by all means go on ahead.

 

on the Ring magic here is what I do: I would charge him one of the three wealth values. (5, 10, or 15) depending upon how powerful he wants it to be. then i would either allow him to sell enough magic to keep him at that level of wealth OR allow him with enough time to make that many Cp's worth of enchanted rings basically something akin to a VPP. but with mucho extra time and skills and materials required to boot.

[badger3k]

Re: New power idea

 

Originally posted by hypnotica

In the game that im running i have a pc that is running a gelf (half giant half elf) He is leaning towards making his pc a magic user but specializing in magic magic rings

 

I have 2 problems that im trying to work out first he wants to become a master jeweler (no problem 21- skill roll jeweler) but then he wants to enchant those rings. I would like to make a package (craft magic items) but im not sure how to write that up i was thinking of creating a talent called craft magic rings or craft magic jewelry. To enable him to craft magic items. Now im not sure how to make it so its affordable for him to make magic items, not overpower the game by having him make all these magic items for the players ( he wouldnt do that but i do have some power gamers in my group that might) so i want to make it affordable for him but not make it overpowering. Eventually i would like to make this ability to make enchanted items as a template for other items like craft magic rods/staffs/arms and armor, scribe scroll etc. One thing i dont want to do and im not sure if i should is require experience points to make magic items ( if i do this then theres no incentive for them to instead just save up the experience points themselves) ok thats the first problem im having .

 

We kept coming up with great ideas but they kept fizzling out and i had an idea of requiring a transfer from the person that wants the gelf to create a ring of (whatever say fireballs) but if the gelf doesnt have fireballs as a spell he cant use transfer to make a ring of fireballs, because you cant use the power transfer to transfer powers or skills, etc but you can transfer character points.

 

Then i thought about rogue from x men how she is able to basically transfer a persons thoughts, memories, powers skills etc ( depending on lenght of exposure) So i thought why dont i create a new power call it (for now) power transfer but i can change the name later.

 

TO make it short (sorry but i thought i needed to give an explanation of what is going on ) i need help creating a craft ??? either as a package or a talent, and i need some input on creating a new power or if i can use an existing power ( add advantages etc to make it what i want) to transfer powers, skills, talents, etc etc that you cant do with transfer (cuz thats only character points not transfer powers)

 

Fantasy Hero and the Grimoire have rules and options on how to make magic items, but I haven't looked at them too much yet (my players don't do things like that). However, an option I'd heard is to make the power Usable by others - for example, a ring that allows flight, 20". 3x day for 1 hour each time, would be:

 

Flight, 20" [40 active points], 3 continuing charges of 1 hour each (+1/4 advantage), [50 base points]

 

Usable By Other (+1/4) [62 points now] - total all advantages and limitations that the UBO power will have before applying the advantage. Now we add the spellcasting/ring-making disadvantages:

 

Concentration (0 DCV throughout) (-1), Costs END to activate (i.e. to make the ring (-1/4), Increased END x2 (total END 8) (-1/2), Extra time (one hour, but power can be used without extra time, so -3 is halved to -1 1/2), Focus OIF magic ring (-1/2), Gestures throughout (-1/2), Incantations throughout (-1/2), Requires skill roll (enchantment, magic jeweler, magic skill, whatever) (-1/2) [real cost 10 points]

 

Maybe that might help somewhat - maybe not - if not , let me know and I (or others can post more).

 

Thats just one way of doing it.

[Maccabe]

Magic Rings

 

How about something simple;

Variable PowerPool with the limit requires a craft skill.

(only for creating magic items, ie rings)

You craft the item and then try to enchant it.

[ These items are temporary in nature unless you feel

like using Independent or Focus LImits.]

Otherwise it might be too powerful and unbalance the game.

[Farkling]

Crafting input

 

I haven't seen Fantasy Hero yet...so bear with my ideas.

 

KS: Ringcrafting

KS: Enchantment

 

If necesary for your 'packaging' purchase::

4d6 Cumulative Transform (hmm....let's say Major for balance purposes, otherwise everyone will buy a version of it) normal mundane ring into a suitable focus to recieve ring enchantments.

(The ring itself has very little BODY you see, but we are adding active point powers to it, so we have to exceed the BODY by active points, this allows for up to 24 AP).

Requires 2 Skill Rolls, Takes Days, Any Powers placed in ring are Independent.

 

GM Notes::

(Crafter must pay cost of RP change in power points, disadvantages, or character point loss for a permanent enchantment, otherwise the ring enchantment will fail in [RP] days)

Of course, you can change the duration of the object to suit. I would recommend basing it on the AP of the power in some fashion, as that is technically the BODY shift of the transform.

 

 

As to your Transformer...

Take the Transform back and issue hima a VPP defined as "Transformation Magics", which shows him the ACTUAL cost of the power he is wielding. Accompany it with a balancing amount of Unluck Dice, and/or "Hunted by Elemental Lords, (14-)."

A small VPP could do all the things he wants...just slower and with more time...a fair trade for peace between you and he.

 

I've seen the Transform psychosis before. In Mage the Entropy magics have much the same effect on players who think it is a license to do anything since probability will allow it.

 

Points::

Point out that transforming air into fire or swords does not dictate where they will go when they fall. He cannot impart kinetic energy with his transform. He cannot create intelligence without an additional Transform. He cannot create loyal subjects with transform, including sentient attack swords hurling through the air. Transforming earth into mud is acceptable, even lava might be acceptable.

(It's too late to apply the concept of "active point" limitations by now, I'm sure).

 

He is within his rights to create weapons with transfrom, and to use them in combat. He is within his rights to transform OTHER peoples weapons. I think I would have allowed the tunnelling. Transform should be allolwed to destroy ground at the same rate as an EB. It's a SLOW method compared to Tunnelling, but within reason.