Penalty Skill Levels

[Steve]

I don't have my books in front of me right now but wasn't something like this done in Dark Champions with anti-Dodge levels (levels that only applied to negating a Dodge bonus)?

 

Regarding anti-Shrinking levels, I had the notion strike me of an elite unit of Giants trained to fight against Dwarves, or Humans fighting a war of extermination against Pixies.

[ghost-angel]

I think so; A DCV Bonus for the target is mathematically equivalent to an OCV Penalty for the attacker (unless halving is involved on either side)... so, a PSL specific to one is the same as a PSL specific to the other.

[Xavier Onassiss]

Curious, can you use psl to offset the DCV bonus for shrinking?

 

Good question. In most cases, PSL's are applied against Penalties, (Hit Locations, Range, etc.) so I'd rule NO, because a DCV bonus isn't a Penalty as such.

 

However, it's possible to buy Combat Skill Levels with Limitations, such as Only vs. Bonus DCV from Shrinking. I'm not sure what that would cost....

[Steve]

Good question. In most cases, PSL's are applied against Penalties, (Hit Locations, Range, etc.) so I'd rule NO, because a DCV bonus isn't a Penalty as such.

 

However, it's possible to buy Combat Skill Levels with Limitations, such as Only vs. Bonus DCV from Shrinking. I'm not sure what that would cost....

 

I'd guess a -1 Limitation, depending on how common smaller enemies were. The Anti-Dodge levels I mentioned before have a -1/2 Limitation for only being able to counteract Dodge, per Dark Champions, which seems a little light to me.

[NuSoardGraphite]

So I assume that no one plays with random hit locations, since those GMs who are foolish enough to will have all their players spending 8 points to get their killing attacks to do 2x body and either 4x or 5x stun?

I have played with hit locations sinc eht 4th edition. i even used penalty skill levels vs hit location penalties before penalty skill levels existed as a thing. i have never had this problem. I think the most in targeting skill levels any of my players ever bought was +5. i think the usual was +3 to be able to target the chest location reliably to remove the possibility of hitting limbs and getting a lame stun multiplier.

[dmjalund]

I thought shrinking gave panalties to the attackers OCV and that it why it doesn't become zero when the person is knocked out.

[Ninja-Bear]

Well Steve as to as a common, so far it would only be used against one and possibly two shrunk characters. It is for a Champions game.

[Ninja-Bear]

Thanks for everyone else responding too! I had a nagging suspicion that by RAW you can't use PSL to offset shrinking.

[Xavier Onassiss]

I'd guess a -1 Limitation, depending on how common smaller enemies were. The Anti-Dodge levels I mentioned before have a -1/2 Limitation for only being able to counteract Dodge, per Dark Champions, which seems a little light to me.

 

The important factor when figuring the cost of skill levels vs. Dodge is that it's a basic maneuver which anyone can use, and therefore it's a very common DVC bonus. So those skill levels will see a lot of use, and the limitation is valued accordingly. In other words, not very high.