Looking for help building a power

[Basic204]

I'm building an archer and I wanted to build a power that would save people falling from a building by creating a cushion on the ground for them by the archer shooting the ground and the arrow explodes releasing a foam for a soft landing for a one who lands on it.  

[phydaux]

Maybe Flight, Usable on Others, Only to Slow Decent?

[Hyper-Man]

Maybe Flight, Usable on Others, Only to Slow Decent?

 

Yep.  That's how I constructed a similar ability for my rookie version of Spider-Man here:

http://www.herogames.com/forums/topic/90950-beginning-version-of-spider-man-for-6e-on-400-points/?p=2419664

 

 

84    Web Shooters (worn on each wrist): Variable Power Pool, 42 base + 60 control cost, No Skill Roll Required (+1), Powers Can Be Changed As A Zero-Phase Action (+1); all slots Persistent (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (154 Active Points); Limited Power Power loses about half of its effectiveness (-1); all slots Unified Power (Web Shooters; -1/4), 2 clips of 1 Continuing Fuel Charge lasting 20 Minutes (Increased Reloading Time: 2 Full Phases; Web Fluid; -1/4), Gestures (Must be able to squeeze palm trigger to use.; -1/4), IIF (2 Webshooters, 1 on each Arm) (Quantity = 2 (from 6e2 page 181) +5 Real points; -1/4)

[Notes: (x2 number of items)

Each VPP (2 Web Shooters are worn using the Equipment Doubling Rules) Slot has some form of the Range Based on Strength modifier.  This means they effectively still cost the wearer END to use though the exact amount is up to the Player and GM to agree on.  The slots only appear to have 105 Active Points due to the application of Reduced End and Persistent (They are all 60 Active Points if removed from the VPP) These VPP Only Modifiers are only being used to allow the application of the Continuous Charge Modifier to represent the limited amount of Web Fluid carried.  I think this is a much easier method to track than traditional Charges or a separate End Reserve.]

...

0    7) Web Rope & Web Ballooning: Flight 30m, Range Based On STR (+1/4), Usable As Attack (+1 1/2), Grantor pays the END whenever the power is used, Grantor controls the power totally (105 Active Points); Limited Power Only for Swinging or Gliding (-1) Real Cost: 35

[Notes: Not only does this slot represent Swinging and Gliding.  It also covers Stretching by way of Usable As Attack. This was the only way Ranged Based on Strength (as an Advantage in this instance) could be applied to this slot.] - END=0

 

[Doc Democracy]

My only problem with this build is that it requires an attack roll on the falling person. I can accept that as judging where you need the cushion to be, based on their trajectory but it does mean it is easier to save a normal human than a martial artist, no?

 

I was thinking there needs to be some kind of area effect, always on TK, only to counter velocity damage. Or twisting damage negation. Or providing PD, only to prevent damage from velocity damage. I change from falling to velocity damage as the same power should be able to be used to save someone from taking knock back damage.

 

Doc

[Tech]

A couple of my players built Negation 10dc vs PD, only for falling object, only for catching.  You could add Ranged on that, or simply build it as TK only vs falling objects.

[Lucius]

My only problem with this build is that it requires an attack roll on the falling person. I can accept that as judging where you need the cushion to be, based on their trajectory but it does mean it is easier to save a normal human than a martial artist, no?

No.

 

Unless the martial artist can also fly, I can't see them using their DCV in an uncontrolled fall any more than they get their DCV while asleep. I don't know if there's an explicit specific rule about this, but I think it falls under the "common sense" rule.

 

That said, I agree with you that what was described, a trick arrow exploding into a mass of foam for a soft landing, should probably be an Area Effect, maybe Damage Negation or maybe Leaping with a Limitation only to slow down falls. Or if it's a big cushion that can be used as a trampoline, maybe don't use the Limitation.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary sings about Shaving Cream

[dmjalund]

Create a Damage Negation barrier

[Doc Democracy]

No.Unless the martial artist can also fly, I can't see them using their DCV in an uncontrolled fall any more than they get their DCV while asleep.

So everyone should be looking to uppercut martial artists, knock back straight into the air to reduce their DCV for teammates to take advantage of? :-)

[Doc Democracy]

damage negation is the way I would be inclined to use. So, if it is an area effect you cast it on an area of ground but it affects everyone who enters the area? I guess that seems OK, If it requires an attack roll, that the negation ends when targets leave the area of effect and is either time limited or use limited...

[Cassandra]

Gliding Usable On Others.

[Comic]

We used to do that with Force Wall, as running into a Force Wall could do no damage.

[tombrown803]

you could always use the option from Champion Powers: Breakfall, Usable By Other (+1/4), ranged (+1/2), only for falls of 2 segments' duration or longer (-1/2)

[Hyper-Man]

We used to do that with Force Wall, as running into a Force Wall could do no damage.

 

Force Wall couldn't be used offensively to do a Move Through but another character running into IT and not doing enough BODY to break it (and therefore no Knockback) would certainly take damage.

[Comic]

Force Wall couldn't be used offensively to do a Move Through but another character running into IT and not doing enough BODY to break it (and therefore no Knockback) would certainly take damage.

 

In any case, this appears to be where a GM and player need to work out what the power is between themselves. Could it be STR, only to catch, triggered by person falling into target hex?

 

Sure, why not?

 

Entangle? That's another way to catch a person, and when a person is caught by a hero the hero has the option of doing no damage.. no?

 

Swinging, Usable By Other, Only to Land?

 

Leaping, UBO, Only to Land?

 

Change environment? Sure, why not?

 

A lot of options.

 

For what it's worth, I wouldn't even charge for this power, but call it a power stunt if the character had the Power Skill, and let the archer use a charge of the most appropriate arrow type to get the effect.

[Asperion]

You can try TK only to catch falling objects (possibility with AoE).

[BoloOfEarth]

How about Leaping 60m (30m vertical), Usable as Attack, Ranged (+1 3/4), AoE (4m radius; +1/4), Trigger (set: Enters area from above, trigger takes no time, resets automatically; +1); Only to reduce falling damage (-1 1/2), OAF (-1), 4 Continuing Charges of 1 Turn Duration (-1/2).  120 AP, 30 RP

 

I went with Usable as Attack and Trigger instead of UBO, because that way it would work on an unconscious or bound person.  Vertical Leap Only is a -1, so I figure Only to Reduce Falling Damage is at least -1 1/2.

 

This would completely protect someone falling from a 20 story building, and reduce the damage from someone falling 30 stories down to 5d6 (nasty to a normal person but not instantly fatal).

 

All of that said, I agree with Comic about the Power Stunt.  That's a lot of points (Active Points are well outside most Multipowers or VPPs) for something that is very rarely useful.

[Ninja-Bear]

How about the classic super breakfall roll?

[bigdamnhero]

Gliding Usable On Others.

This is how I've always done it in the past, but thinking about it some more I'm not sure it fits the desired effect best. That sounds more like a parachute arrow.

 

I like the idea of Damage Negation vs Velocity Damage in theory, but that's going to get expensive quick. Assume we're trying to fit it in a standard 60-pt Multipower or cap/guideline: with UBO (+1/4), we can get -9 DCs. So someone falling out a a 7th story window (26m distance, 18m velocity, 9d6 damage) will be fine. Someone falling from the 12th floor (44m distance, 24m velocity, 12d6) will take 3d6 and probably be all right. But someone falling from the 25th floor (100m, 40m velocity, 20d6) takes 11d6, which just about can kill a normal. And that's if the cushion is only big enough to catch one person. Make it Usable Simultaneously for 4 people, and you can only get -7DCs for 61 AP - painless up to 4 stories; survivable-by-normals up to around 20 stories. Still not bad, but not going to save people falling out of skyscrapers or airplanes.

 

I'm thinking Change Environment might work better, and be more cost-appropriate?

Cushion Arrow: Change Environment (-48m of Flying), Area Of Effect (4m Radius; +1/4) (60 Active Points); OAF (-1), Only To Reduce Falling Velocity (-1), 4 Continuing Charges lasting 1 Turn each (-1/2), Can Be Deflected (-1/4) [16 RP]

So 35 stories (~140m distance) or less results in zero damage. Worst case, terminal velocity is 60m (50+ stories, 30d6) will be slowed to 12m velocity and take 6d6 - easily survivable for most Normals, but may result in a sprained ankle or a cracked rib or two. (And yes, technically "Falling" is not the same thing as "Flying" but I think it's close enough.)