Help with Electric based "Entangle"

[Heroic Halfwit]

Ladies and Gents:

 

I am trying to add an effect to one of my electrical energy projectors.  Basically, I'm thinking that large blasts of electricity, particularly DC current should cause the muscles in most organisms to spasm resulting in the target being stuck, unable to move.

 

What I'd really like to do is something along the lines of this:

 

xDef xBody Entangle, take no damage form attacks, only Con to escape; cannot use teleportation to escape, can be dispelled; linked with Electrical Blast; No defense; can be deflected.

 

This idea being that anything with an electrically based control system (like a nervous system for humans, and animals or an electronic one for robots and such) would be stuck quivering until the current was grounded out.

 

Using Con to resist/break the entangle makes more sense to me than Str, because the entangle is based on overloading your nervous system.

 

Thoughts? 

 

 

[dmjalund]

Mental Paralysis based on CON?

[Hyper-Man]

Is Entangle really the right base Power to begin with for such an effect (vs. characters at least) ?

 

The description seems very Taser-like to me.

 

Here are some examples how I've built a Taser:
 

 

for 6e


15 Taser Shotgun: Change Environment (-6 to Characteristic Roll or Skill Roll, Long-Lasting 1 Turn, Stunning), Sticky (+1/2) (75 Active Points); OAF (-1), STR Minimum 9-13 (STR Min. Cannot Add/Subtract Damage; -1), Instant (-1/2), 2 clips of 12 Charges (Increased Reloading Time: 1 Turn; -1/2), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2), Real Weapon (-1/4), Can Be Deflected (-1/4)
[Notes: From APG1 page 83 - The Stunned effect lasts as long as the Change Environment is maintained (1 Turn*). However, when affected the victim gets to make a CON Roll immediately (at -6*), and if the roll succeeds the attack has no effect on him. If the roll fails, he gets to make an additional CON Roll every Phase he's affected at a cumulative +1 (so +1 on his second roll, +2 on his third, and so on). As soon as any roll succeeds, the power immediately stops affecting him and he has his full Phase in which to act.] - END=[12]

 

 

and for 5e

20 Taser Round Loaded Shotgun: Suppress STUN 8d6 (standard effect: 24 points), [DEX & STUN] simultaneously (+1/2), 8 Continuing Charges lasting 1 Turn each (+0) (60 Active Points); OAF (Shotgun; -1), Can Be Missile Deflected (-1/4), Real Weapon (-1/4), Physical Manifestation (Shell sticking to victim; -1/4), Limited Range (Shell must hit target with enough velocity to stick to clothes or skin [There is no damage from impact]; -1/4)
[Notes: from 5er page 36, Negative Dexterity - At DEX 1 or less, a character is CV 0. A character with negative DEX loses control over his reactions, and must succeed with DEX Rolls to perform any Actions requiring physical movement (even just aiming at a target, or making Gestures). If he fails the DEX Roll, he cannot perform the Action that Phase. Characters with a DEX of -30 (or minus their initial DEX value, whichever is better for the character) or less may take no physical actions.] - END=[8 cc]

2-3 hits by this round will bring down most supers (unless they have some Power Defense).

I based it on the shotgun and special shells on this site: http://www.taser.com...ment/taser-xrep

 

Here's a current link to info on the shells:

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/other-gadgets/taser-shotgun-shell.htm

[bigdamnhero]

xDef xBody Entangle, take no damage form attacks, only Con to escape; cannot use teleportation to escape, can be dispelled; linked with Electrical Blast; No defense; can be deflected.

Yeah, I've used that type of build before and I like the way it works! Only additions I'd suggest:

- Based on CON not STR may be worth an Advantage or a Limitation, just like Based on EGO is. In most supers campaigns, STR tends to run higher than CON, so I'd call it a +1/4, but it depends on your campaign.

- Costs END to Maintain may be appropriate assuming the effect would end when the juice stops.

 

I've always thought Entangles based on [Char other than STR] open up a ton of interesting possibilities:

- Some kind of Agility-based puzzle trap? (cage of spinning blades, flames, whatever) => Entangle vs DEX

- Mental puzzle trap? => Entangle vs INT

- Scare the target into immmobility? => Entangle vs PRE

[Heroic Halfwit]

Hat's off to Hyper Man.  A taser effect was precisely what I was thinking, but somehow I missed the "stunning" option in Change Environment. 

 

Thank you for the examples.