PD/ED Force Field equal to End?

[Sam On Maui]

I was walking the dog, and had an odd idea. Imagine a super-hero who has an innate force field. It protects him, which is great. But he can also use that force field energy to make attacks with (like ranged physical blast type thing). So, that'll cost END, obviously.

 

But what if, to reflect him using that energy in offense instead of defense, his force field's PD/ED went down? In other words, its equal to his END, and fluctuates as it does.

 

I went through my book and I'm not entirely sure if that's possible without using Limited Power and figuring out how much of a disadvantage it really is. Any ideas, suggestions?

[Mister E]

[it would be cool if attacking w/ the force field made you temporarily more vulnerable.]

 

Put both Powers in a Multipower framework w/ Variable Slots (rather than Fixed Slots).

 

Then the two Powers will share reserve points that you can split however you wish & change on the fly.

[Hyper-Man]

Example

 

60 Force Field Powers: Multipower, 60-point reserve
8v 1)  Force Field: Resistant Protection (20 PD/20 ED) (60 Active Points); Costs Endurance (-1/2) - END=6
12v 2)  Force Blast: Blast 12d6 (60 Active Points) - END=6

 

Every 15 points allocated to the Force Field slot will provide 5 PD/5 ED.

[Hyper-Man]

Here's another way.

Force Field Powers (List), all slots Unified Power (-1/4)
48 1) Force Field: Resistant Protection (20 PD/20 ED) (60 Active Points) - END=0
34 2) Force Blast: Blast 12d6 (60 Active Points); Side Effects, Side Effect occurs automatically whenever Power is used (2d6 Drain vs Force Field - 6 points Standard Effect - (-1 PD/ -1 ED) per use - returns 5 points per Minute; -1/2) - END=6

Adjust the Limitation value as desired.

[Christopher R Taylor]

I think he's not referring so much to a multipower as a force field that has defenses equal to his endurance cost, or related to it.  So the force field has full power at full END, and less power as his END reduces.

 

So more like:

 

Force Field: Resistant Protection 30 PD, 30 ED; Costs END Every Phase (-1/2), Reduced by 1 defense per 1 END used (-1/2)

[Sam On Maui]

Lets try this...

 

Say my starting END is 60. So, my current PD/ED is 60.

 

I shoot something, and it costs 10 END, so my END is 50, and my PD/ED is 50.

 

I shoot again, and now my END is 40. My PD/ED is 40.

 

I recover 5 END. My END is now 45, while my PD/ED is 45.

 

I get drained for 20 END. My PD/ED is now 25, and my END is 25.

 

Does this make sense?

[Christopher R Taylor]

Probably best to not have an END Cost on the force field or it just eats its self up.  I'd likely give that kind of design a -1/2 limitation.  The bookkeeping would be simple: defenses equal to endurance.

[Hyper-Man]

Force Field Powers, (list) all slots Unified Power (-1/4)
27    1)  Force Field: Resistant Protection (20 PD/20 ED) (60 Active Points); Limited Power Active Points used can be no higher than current END (-1) - END=0
48    2)  Force Blast: Blast 12d6 (60 Active Points) - END=6

 

*The value of the Limitation is directly related to how the rest of the character's abilities are constructed.  If nearly everything is 1/2 or 0 END then the value should be reduced.

[Cassandra]

Force Field with Missile Reflection linked.

[dsatow]

Lets try this...

 

Say my starting END is 60. So, my current PD/ED is 60.

 

I shoot something, and it costs 10 END, so my END is 50, and my PD/ED is 50.

 

I shoot again, and now my END is 40. My PD/ED is 40.

 

I recover 5 END. My END is now 45, while my PD/ED is 45.

 

I get drained for 20 END. My PD/ED is now 25, and my END is 25.

 

Does this make sense?

 

Not to me, but who cares.  It just needs to make sense to you and your GM. 

 

You should always keep a little PD/ED even if you are out of end.  So we'll keep the base 2/2.

Say you have 60 END which cost you 8 pts.

Buy +60 PD/+60 ED which costs 30 and 30.

Buy a naked advantage for each to make the PD and ED resistant.

 

Now the problematic part is that most GMs will balk putting a linked limitation on the higher cost power.  So the best way to do this is to beef up the END purchase cost with difficult to dispel (bought multiple times for a +2.75 adv on both the base and the bought).  This makes the end cost 33 character points.  Then buy linked on the PD and ED each, dropping those to 20 points a piece.

 

This mechanically will do what you want.  But personally, I think that the multipower idea is a better option.

[rjcurrie]

Not to me, but who cares.  It just needs to make sense to you and your GM. 

 

You should always keep a little PD/ED even if you are out of end.  So we'll keep the base 2/2.

Say you have 60 END which cost you 8 pts.

Buy +60 PD/+60 ED which costs 30 and 30.

Buy a naked advantage for each to make the PD and ED resistant.

 

Now the problematic part is that most GMs will balk putting a linked limitation on the higher cost power.  So the best way to do this is to beef up the END purchase cost with difficult to dispel (bought multiple times for a +2.75 adv on both the base and the bought).  This makes the end cost 33 character points.  Then buy linked on the PD and ED each, dropping those to 20 points a piece.

 

This mechanically will do what you want.  But personally, I think that the multipower idea is a better option.

 

All you need to do is, as Christopher Taylor said above, is put a Limitation on the Force Field that says the actual defenses are equal to the character's current END. There is no Linked limitation needed or any complicated constructs. I think Christopher is in the right area with the value of the Limitation at +1/2.

[Mister E]

If Endurance was bought w/ Unified Power, would spending END affect the other Unified Powers negatively, too?

[Scott Baker]

If Endurance was bought w/ Unified Power, would spending END affect the other Unified Powers negatively, too?

Unified Power replaces the old Elemental Control framework. It would not work the way you are asking about.

[Mister E]

Here's an option:

 

Build Endurance "As A Defense" as per the Absorption Advantage.

 

Then each point of END purchased would count as 1 point of PD or ED (likely ED).

 

(+1/2) for Normal "Defensive Endurance".

 

(+1) for Resistant "Defensive Endurance".

 

If DEF-END was reserved for ED then I would do the same w/ DEF-BODY for PD & save DEF-STUN for Mental Defense.

[Mister E]

Example:

 

Innate Defensive Powers, (list) all slots Defensive Advantage (Resistant, +1)

 

24 1) Endure Elements: Defensive Endurance (+60 Resistant ED based on +60 END)

 

120 2) Bio-Kinetic Force Field: Defensive Body (+60 Resistant PD based on +60 BODY)

 

60 3) Conscious Self-Control: Defensive Stun (+60 Resistant Mental DEF based on +60 STUN)

[Christopher]

Lets try this...

 

Say my starting END is 60. So, my current PD/ED is 60.

 

I shoot something, and it costs 10 END, so my END is 50, and my PD/ED is 50.

 

I shoot again, and now my END is 40. My PD/ED is 40.

 

I recover 5 END. My END is now 45, while my PD/ED is 45.

 

I get drained for 20 END. My PD/ED is now 25, and my END is 25.

 

Does this make sense?

My first guess is you are trying to adapt something from another genre/game. And you might run into the issues that translation of powers rarely works.

See point 1 in this thread:

http://www.herogames.com/forums/topic/87378-translating-characters-from-fiction-and-the-secret-of-having-fun-in-roleplaying/

Maybe this is also a case of group to solo translation (point 2).

 

First, what is the power level this is for?

10 END would only be drained by a 100 AP power (20 DC).

And even 50 PD+ED is a ton of defenses.

 

Second, this could be a "cool in fiction, but not good for a RPG" power.

His force field would drop to 0 the second he is knocked unconcious (as then your Endurance drops to 0 too). So after he was knocked out, he would propably be unable to recover as the enemies could just "slap him around", as he has next to no defense.

At the same time while it is "up", his defense might be too strong. Based on above values it would be 2.5 Defense per Damage Class. That would mean the character would be next ot invicible unless he is forced to spend end. Or the enemy has a proper drain.

 

Third:

One of the base rules of the game is, that Heroes can still take at least Stun damage from average DC blasts. That way they can always be knocked out. It is theoretically possible to put "Takes no STUN" on a hero. But this is highly discouraged, as the GM would have to think of way to defeat that hero.

It sounds like you are trying to circumvent such a base rule/asumption with your build. Instead you want to add another way to knock him out (draining his end first; possibly attacking his vulnerabilities/succeptibilities wich in turn drain his END). I highly doubt many GM's would accept that as it limits the storytelling they can do.

 

4th:

Could it be you are just trying to copy something like "shields at 40%"?

Using End limite shields is not a good idea. Just go for the existing Force Field rules and pick acceptable total defenses. The mentioning of "shield strenght" is only there to create tension that the audience understands. But if you still take Stun damage, that is tension right there.

I need to write something about that someday.

[Sam On Maui]

The idea was for a supers game. Conceptually, the idea that the shield represents his chi that's internalized (and thus protecting him), but in order to have a viable offense he has to use that chi to fuel special techniques. As such he has to maintain some sort of balance between the two. Too high a defense and he's not good in a fight. Too much offense and he becomes a glass cannon.

 

I've got a high defense character, and frankly? He's so damn powerful it sometimes makes him boring. He has one of the most powerful attacks in our group (22d6 electric punch), and 40 PD/34ED. On top of that, I was able to design/negotiate an energy absorption power that fed right into ED.

 

As a result, he's very good in a fight, and I pretty much use his XP for non combat stuff.

 

This seems more risk reward, and I like that.

[Hyper-Man]

I would love to see the final version that you decide on.

[bigbywolfe]

 

First, what is the power level this is for?

10 END would only be drained by a 100 AP power (20 DC).

And even 50 PD+ED is a ton of defenses.

 

I'm super confused.  Why would it take a 100 AP Power to Drain 10 END?  

A 4d6 Drain has an average roll of 14, halved to 7 since it is a Defense Power.  That's 35 END drained with a 40 AP power.  If the target had 10 Power Defense that average roll of 14 would still get 4 points past defense, halved to 2 that's 10 points of END Drained.

[Mister E]

Most Powers cost END to use.