How would you build this?

[MikeMitchell]

Good day. I have a character whose abilities revolve around creating "warp bubbles" in space-time. The general idea is that such "bubbles" will diminish and collapse over time (since the universe doesn't like its fundamentals messed with). Drain and Aid both have built-in "decay" features, so they work well.

 

Now, let's say you want to expand to Barrier. A normal Barrier sticks around until it's destroyed or dismissed (if you buy that Adder). You want to create a "warp bubble" that decays over time. Making it a Constant power doesn't work; it just collapses immediately when you turn it off. Other than the obvious Limited Power option (say, "Loses 5 AP per turn", -1/4), what options would you consider to build this?

[Doc Democracy]

Give it a side effect, fixed point BODY drain on the barrier...

[dsatow]

Second on the side effect, though I was thinking of just giving it a susceptibility to not being in an intense magnetic field.

[eepjr24]

Why not Time Limit? It specifically mentioned Barrier in the text as something it can be used as a limitation for. You just build the various bits of it with limitations to fade how you want? Or if you want simple, just discount the entire barrier on the max time and describe the fade.

 

Example:

Dimensional Barrier

7m long, 1m tall, 1/2m thick Barrier, 5 Body, 5 PD, 5 ED [30 Active], Time Limit: 1 hour (-3/4), 17 Real Cost

Description: Barrier fades by 1 point of ED, then 1 point of PD, then 1 Body every 5 minutes, until 1 hour is reached when it collapses completely unless it is destroyed before that time.

 

- E

[MikeMitchell]

Hm ... I like the Time Limit idea. Pretty close to what I was looking for. Thanks!

[Doc Democracy]

12 hours ago, eepjr24 said:

Why not Time Limit? It specifically mentioned Barrier in the text as something it can be used as a limitation for. You just build the various bits of it with limitations to fade how you want? Or if you want simple, just discount the entire barrier on the max time and describe the fade.

 

Example:

Dimensional Barrier

7m long, 1m tall, 1/2m thick Barrier, 5 Body, 5 PD, 5 ED [30 Active], Time Limit: 1 hour (-3/4), 17 Real Cost

Description: Barrier fades by 1 point of ED, then 1 point of PD, then 1 Body every 5 minutes, until 1 hour is reached when it collapses completely unless it is destroyed before that time.

 

- E

 

I am not familiar with Time Limit, is it a sixth edition introduction or have I simply been blind to it for years??  ?

 

It does fit the bill, though +3/4 seems a HUGE discount for it, I would imagine that most in-game uses of the power do not need it in existence for 5 minutes, never mind 1 hour...

 

 

Doc

[eepjr24]

2 hours ago, Doc Democracy said:

 

I am not familiar with Time Limit, is it a sixth edition introduction or have I simply been blind to it for years??  ?

 

It does fit the bill, though +3/4 seems a HUGE discount for it, I would imagine that most in-game uses of the power do not need it in existence for 5 minutes, never mind 1 hour...

 

 

Doc

It's a 6e addition, one that I think was referenced in bits and pieces somewhere in the 5e world (maybe Fantasy Hero?). I like it a lot, mostly for use as an Advantage rather than a limitation (it can be both). Given that as a limitation it applies to a relatively narrow set of powers (which either have residual effects like Barrier and Entangle or are 0 END Persistent) and cannot apply to attack powers generally it is useful for modelling effects that are otherwise left to a Limited Power or really stretching some existing rules.

 

It also notes that if the character can easily recreate the effect (I.E. not on limited charges, extra time to create, activation or RAR, etc) the amount of the limitation should be lowered. Without further background on the power above I don't know if I would go with the full value or not. I will say that in some settings (like FH and lower powered games) it is great to implement magic spells fading in power over time. Also nice for items that you summon and only stay in existence for a limited time ("This carriage will disappear at the stroke of midnight").

 

- E

[eepjr24]

I was reading books looking for the delayed reuse limitation and found it in the APG. I also noticed the next limitation might be perfect for what you are doing here, giving you another option. It is called Deterioration and it is applied to Barriers, Entangles and the like. At creation you choose whether the power loses 1 PD and 1 ED or one body every time increment. At the GM's option you can alternate them. You can take the limitation twice to lose both each increment. Losing per turn is -1/4, per phase is -1/2, per segment is -1. Anything slower is a -0, which might apply for some of your stuff, dunno. Seems closer to right limitation wise, although personally I would land somewhere between the two I think.

 

- E