WalkingParadox Posted May 16, 2018 Report Share Posted May 16, 2018 Hi all, I'm working on a new character for a 5E game. His current name is "Conduit" and what i'm envisioning is a walking battery that can set up links with other PCs and then move energy around. Aid, Succor, Transfer, Healing. He'll be an Adjustment power guy, with a big fat END battery I'd like to set up a "conduit" power that works kind of like Mind Link and Mind Scan. Where he can set up a link between characters and then use his power freely. Any thoughts on how that would work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WalkingParadox Posted May 16, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2018 If it were 6E I'd probably build a Mind Link, Usable as Attack with No Mental Awareness and a custom limiter "only for adjustment powers" -0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sveta Posted May 16, 2018 Report Share Posted May 16, 2018 Note: I am drawing my info from Hero System 5th Revised. Firstly, if I am reading this right, you are attempting to determine a method to "Connect" to the other Characters, and Apply your powers. The rest of the post is running off the assumption that this is what you are asking help determining how to do. Looking over what you are aiming to do, two immediate "Check this" flags raise in my head. Firstly and foremost being that all of the listed powers (Aid, Succor, Healing, Transfer, and Endurance Reserve) are listed as No Range. The second being Endurance Reserve requires the user to decide what powers draw energy from it. Not what you mentioned, but my two cents are being thrown in. These can provide potential problems as explained below. No Range Problem As all the listed powers are described as being No range, and Via some yet undetermined manner, you are attempting to have them be Ranged, it causes me to take pause. Not particularly due to applying range to them, but as your suggested method as a blend between Mind Scan and Mind Link. Mind Link requires LOS, but with an easy addition has a low-range of a planet, and a high range of Multi-dimensional. Mind Scan can be as low as one person, or as many as all people everywhere. Thus, requiring the limitation Must be Mind Linked to Activate, provides no functional range limitation, and if that was placed instead of natural range, would be an advantage instead, at least in my eyes. No Range Solutions I see two possible options for you to apply these powers at range. Firstly, place the Adjustment on the Power Framework. Something such as: Multipower: Area of Effect: Radius 1"*2^N +1+(N/4) This places the advantage on each power in the multipower. Handy, and requires no "Conduit" Power as you mentioned. You could place the limitation "Only on current targets of a Mind Link -N," but as also mentioned above, this has no functional range limitation. Not only this, it would prevent it from being used on people whom you don't want to aid. Thus, I'd probably expect a -0, or -1/4 at best from that. Shoot, a picky GM might see it as a Cheap way to apply Selective. As for re-tooling it to fit your Special Effect, that's typically between you and your GM. Given that you'd be aiming for help, I'd probably limit more direct telepathic conversation to more instinctual "Help, Hurt, Heal" sort of conversation. A second option for this for this would be... Stretching actually. You'd want to check with your GM, as always, but provided a touch of a tweak you could wind up with something such as: Stretching: Does not cross Intervening Space +1/4 This could be used to deliver No Range Attacks within your Expanded Reach, without leaving you open and reducing your OCV or DCV. Granted, this would require that you spend End on the power to connect, but that too could be modified, if so chosen. You'd probably want to apply a few limits such as Cannot do Damage -1/2, or Range Modifiers Apply -1/4. Then it is simply up to how you and the GM want to hash out how it Looks and Functions from Special Effects. Endurance Reserve Problem This is either a Non-Issue, or a Problem. Do you plan to let other character's use it? If not, this is a Non-issue, and you may ignore this section! If you do plan to let other character's use it, then it is a problem, and can take or ignore this section as you will regardless! The core problem with an Other User Endurance Reserve is more in part theme, than part mechanics. Granted, the mechanics list a harsh stipulation on Endurance Reserve that this use of it either skirts it, or prevents this from being done at all. When taking the power, one must designate what powers it goes to. Thus, even applying it to others with UOO advantage at best links to their own powers of similar types (You give Endurance Reserve: Your Blast to The Friend. The Friend's Blast can use it.) Or requires a more lengthy exchange. (You give Endurance Reserve: Your Blast to The Friend. The Friend can now Power Your Blast... if They also acquire Your Blast.) Endurance Reserve Solution Now presuming that you can reassign what powers that Endurance Reserve applies to, then you get to the theme question of... Do you want the power to come from you, or from them? If you are Granting them the Endurance Reserve, then they get a "Battery" to use, and thus they are powering it. If you want them to use Your Battery, I'd recommend instead getting UOO Advantage, with the limitation that You must supply the End. (And possibly an Advantage/Limitation to your Endurance Reserve that it is usable only for powers granted to others/by others) However, if you are planning to apply the Battery only to your own powers anyway, you're golden. Mind Link Now, I've been harsh on Mind Link here, so I'm going to put up a version more akin to the conduit you've been expressing. Something that, should it be placed as a limitation on your Multipower, or what have you, I'd feel okay with actually giving a discount for. Mind Link: Any Willing Target +15, Up to four people +10, Costs End to Maintain -1/2 The Reason why it would be to Maintain is that if it were to only be a start cost, one could begin it... hours before it becomes important. Now however... I do continue to mention this as a Limitation, and not a Conduit for a simple reason. This does not grant Range. Unless a GM explicitly denote that it would, having a required Conduit power, no matter how it is written up, does not grant your Aid, Healing, Transfer and such Range. As always, GM word is law, but by how it reads and works... This would be a limit, not an advantage. Long, long story short: A conduit power would be a nice limitation. I'd probably work with Mind Link as the core, and have it be more empathic than conversational. Getting your powers to range can be done by giving them range or stretching. Endurance Reserve better be for you to use, or else it is complicated. But yeah. That's my two cents. Grailknight 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassandra Posted May 16, 2018 Report Share Posted May 16, 2018 What effect does he have on other characters when he connects? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grailknight Posted May 17, 2018 Report Share Posted May 17, 2018 Sveta give a very thorough and well reasoned answer to your question so I'll be short with my add-ons. Stretching would be the best way to add range. Doing it through Mind Link requires you to make it a Mental power. The positive adjustment powers (Aid, Succor, et al) are UOO by default so there is no difficulty your character using them to bolster others. But if I understand you, you want to move powers between characters who are not you' which will require UBO and then actions on the part of the other parties. Or it will require all things to go through you which will take two actions on your part , one for transfer and another for granting to a third party. Doable, but END intensive and necessitating a higher SPD to accomplish things. While Characteristics are easily done(most things have them), you cannot Adjust a power the target does not possess, So while you can modify a target STR or DEX (for example) you can't aid a Blast unless your the target already has the power or you grant it by UBO Transfer first. That's all that comes to mind right away. I'll add more if I think of something new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Democracy Posted May 17, 2018 Report Share Posted May 17, 2018 Cassandra is right - there is a fundamental need to get a better idea of what you are doing. I was thinking though, there may be a way other than what you are thinking - probably not 100% rules legal but the construct tickled my fancy. I was thinking that you need a cosmetic transform - when you use that on someone they are 'linked' to you. Once they are linked then they can tap into the STUN and END that you have bought usable by others at range. That means that anyone linked, rather than subtracting from their own STUN when hit can draw from this secondary source, or when using their powers can draw END from this secondary source. It does not allow you to replenish the END and STUN that they have used but it does allow them not to have to use any more of their dwindling supplies. What you then need is a godly REC to replenish the pools. Of course, to complete the conduit thingy, you might up the transform such that it links someone and, when it does, it adds a limitation of "not versus the Conduit" on any POW Defence the character might have. Can' remember if 5th had transfer - you would transfer STUN and/or END to the pools you have made available to other people. That would allow you to more effectively draw END and STUN from those that have lots and make it available to those that are in most need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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