Power Build - Gravity Inversion Field

[Heroic Halfwit]

Hello Herophiles!

 

I am trying to come up with a power build where the character creates a persistent field of altered gravity that renders those caught in it, or who subsequently enter into it suspended in air unable to reach the ground.  While it is disorienting and makes firing reaction based weapons somewhat problematic, it does not prevent the use of foci, gestures, etc.

 

This is my initial draft, any comments welcome

 

Gravity Inversion Field:  Entangle 1d6, 1DEF, Dismisable, AoE 4m Radius, Sticky, Takes no Damage From Attacks, AVLD Flight

Does not Prevent the Use of Foci, Set Effect Feet Only

 

(Active Cost 56;  Real Cost 19)

 

Still not sure how to do the disorienting part, I would think Change Environment to "Zero G" but not sure how that would work.

 

Thanks for the input.

 

Da Halfwit

 

  

 

 

[DasBroot]

You could add a -3 to Attack Rolls, -3 to DEX rolls as a compound change environment (with the limitation: Can be negated by a skill roll).

 

There's no real way to simulate halving their DCV but since they're entangled and and can't move that's probably close enough.

[Hyper-Man]

Gravity control is essentially TK with NND (which is an illegal combination per the books). A legal way to do so is to combine Flight with UAA Ranged AOE. Powers with UAA require a defense just like NND so define the defense as the ability to fly. Solved.

 

HM

[Christopher R Taylor]

You can use a very low defense, fair body entangle so that most people get only a half phase, having to break out constantly.  Change Environment would work to simulate various movement penalties (negate running and jumping, penalize flying), and just plain area effect TK to lift everything could work.

 

Gravity control is essentially TK with NND

 

 

Why would you want or use NND?

[Beast]

it is not a matter of strength to get out
the target is in freefall
getting out is a matter of delta V(thrust)
any amount of flight is the defense

You can use a very low defense, fair body entangle so that most people get only a half phase, having to break out constantly.  Change Environment would work to simulate various movement penalties (negate running and jumping, penalize flying), and just plain area effect TK to lift everything could work.

 

 

Why would you want or use NND?

[Christopher R Taylor]

Logically almost no use of telekinesis uses strength to get out of.  There are some: Green Lantern's big glowing green fist, but many do not (psychokinesis, wind, etc).  The mechanism is just a way of giving people a way out, not a logical construction for fighting all special effects of the power.

 

That's why NND and Telekinesis aren't a combo: it doesn't make sense.  You can add "can use flight to escape" as a limitation.  Or if you're really insistent it has to be something strength cannot escape, put an advantage on it like "movement to break free, not strength."

[Hyper-Man]

Psychokinesis is a special effect. I was referring to Telekinesis the Power and how the rules for it function (esssentially STR usable at Range). When something is picked up by Telekinesis the Power it is done using a standard Grab that can be resisted by STR. Gravity cannot normally be resisted that way (unless there is an anchored object available to grab a hold of).

 

HM

[Cantriped]

For a player asking for a gravity inversion power I wrote it as a Change Environment (Alter Gravity Vector; Target May Begin Falling). Which I priced at 120 base points; as it can deal up to 30d6 of damage given a long enough fall, but is easily negated by flight, swinging, or anything else a character could use to stop themselves. Indoors it was annoying, outdoors potentially lethal, but then again with power with more than 100 APs isn't?

 

For Zero-Gravity penalties you should definitely go with Change Environment. I would say it should require a DEX roll when performing an action requiring physical movement, and failure indicates you cannot perform the action, as per having 0 DEX

[bigdamnhero]

When I've done this before, I've either done it as TK or Flight UAA, with the "Only to hover" Limitation. Entangle AVAD Flight isn't a bad option either, particularly if you want 1m of Flight to be enough to break out; if you want to have their Flight opposed by the strength of the field, then TK or Flight UAA will probably be easier mechanically.

 

Also, think about what other clever power tricks players might come up with to get out of the field. Can I fire my Big Gun and let the recoil push me backwards out of the field? Can I use my own TK to pull myself out, or throw something that I can grab onto to pull myself out? Again, if you just want to say "That's clever, so it works" then it almost doesn't matter how you build it; if you want to have a mechanism where you compare the AP of whatever they're using to see if it's enough to overcome the field, then TK or Flight might be cleaner.

[Christopher]

Gravity powers and Hero do not mix that well. There is a fundamental problem with any Gravity powers builds in Hero:

Gravity is logically able to do what no balanced hero power should do. As such the most logical builds will always collide with game balacne and pointcost left and right.

 

You are building balanced hero powers for your character, not trying ot model Gravity powers perfectly.

Try to find the game effects actually supported by the system. Build those.

Do not go and try to make a certain power "work out no mater how hard you have to stretch the rules." As a beginner you definitely want to start with something simpler.

[dbcowboy]

Gravitar from Champions Villains vol 1 has a similar power:

Altered Gravity Field: Flight 26m Usable As Attack (does not affect anyone with Desolidification, Power Defense, or gravity-manipulation abilities; +1¼), Ranged (+½), Area Of Effect (16m Radius Selective; +1) 

 

Perhaps to create a field that lingers use something like this; anyone entering floats straight upwards:

Reverse Gravity Field: Flight 2m, Ranged (+1/2), No Gravity Penalty (+1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Uncontrolled (Set effect, straight up; +1/2), Area Of Effect (16m Radius; +3/4), Time Limit (5 Minutes; +3/4), Usable As Attack (Defense is Density Increase, Desolidification, Power Defense, or gravity-manipulation abilities, grabbing something will prevent further upwards movement but not negate unless character can be pulled outside radius of field; +1 1/4) (11 Active Points)

 

Add Increase Mass advantage a few times to boot to lift heavy inanimate objects too.

 

To be honest, I don't really see how Power Defense would resist this so I'd probably skip that one.

 

 

[CptPatriot]

Well, I know writing up gravity and powers that simulate it are a pain in the keister, but is there some way we can be consistent about it?

I previously posted a question about Gravity Control as a power to the Rule Questions forum and Steve Long suggested the following:
 

 

I’d use Change Environment and the table on SH 218 — define 1 G as a combat effect. Given that causing 1 point of damage costs 5 points as a combat effect, and you’re looking at a 1d6 AVAD per 1 G of force, I’d probably charge 25 Character Points per 1 G, maybe more.

 

I think using Change Environment(CE) is an elegant solution to the question of gravity. All that needs doing is defining the direction the gravity is working and remember, falling doesn't do the damage, it's how the body reacts when trying to fight said gravity.

[Ninja-Bear]

I think flight uaa is the best way to go. Perhaps limit only to hover. And for disorientation effect, look linked negative skill rolls.

[Ninja-Bear]

Gravity powers and Hero do not mix that well. There is a fundamental problem with any Gravity powers builds in Hero:

Gravity is logically able to do what no balanced hero power should do. As such the most logical builds will always collide with game balacne and pointcost left and right.

 

You are building balanced hero powers for your character, not trying ot model Gravity powers perfectly.

Try to find the game effects actually supported by the system. Build those.

Do not go and try to make a certain power "work out no mater how hard you have to stretch the rules." As a beginner you definitely want to start with something simpler.

Christopher your reply was well meant but it comes across as:

 

So basically Hero is too complex of a system after all and Hero can't do everything either.

[Logan D. Hurricanes]

I just ran across this picture and thought of this thread.