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AoE Attacks that only affects the targets in the area


CptPatriot

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I want to design a Telekinesis(TK) attack that affects all the targets within a specified area. Now, I am not looking strictly for an Area of Effect(AoE) attack. What I want is to keep those that were in the Area of Effect at the time of the attack to stay affected by the TK even after they leave the AoE until the player dismisses it.

 

Chris Goodwin at the Hero-Champions-RPG(unofficial) Discord Server was suggesting using Differing Modifiers to add AoE to the attack so I can hit all the targets in the AoE with the TK.


Thanks ahead of time for your help and suggestions.

 

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hmmmm...what about making the attack either Constant (slightly modified in that it does not remain up in the area,  but continues to affect every character that was in the area when the original AoE went off), or Uncontrolled (again, continuing to affect each character who was in the AoE when the initial attack went off)?

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1 minute ago, Hugh Neilson said:

hmmmm...what about making the attack either Constant (slightly modified in that it does not remain up in the area,  but continues to affect every character that was in the area when the original AoE went off), or Uncontrolled (again, continuing to affect each character who was in the AoE when the initial attack went off)?

 

TK is Constant, Hugh, and making the attack Uncontrolled prevents the TK from being dismissed and requires me to feed the Power when the attack is made. 

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While TK is Constant, I have never seen anyone allow a "telekinetic punch" or "throw" to repeat that effect each subsequent phase with no new roll to hit.

 

Hmmm...what if we made it "instant" in that it does not simply remain up in the entire area over time, then "constant" to avoid the need need to continue making attack rolls.  It could also be either Selective or Non-Selective (such that the initial attack needs to hit each target in the area independently.

 

It might be easier to assess relevant builds if we knew the nature of the desired power (rather than the mechanics that it should target an area and then follow the targets afterwards).

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4 minutes ago, Hugh Neilson said:

While TK is Constant, I have never seen anyone allow a "telekinetic punch" or "throw" to repeat that effect each subsequent phase with no new roll to hit.

 

Hmmm...what if we made it "instant" in that it does not simply remain up in the entire area over time, then "constant" to avoid the need need to continue making attack rolls.  It could also be either Selective or Non-Selective (such that the initial attack needs to hit each target in the area independently.

 

It might be easier to assess relevant builds if we knew the nature of the desired power (rather than the mechanics that it should target an area and then follow the targets afterwards).

 

Sure, I can try to do that. I'll give a little backstory. I'm rebuilding a gravity controller character that was originally created in V&V 2.1. Gravity Control in that system is a single target attack. While she could only attack with the power within 60 feet in that game, the power would continue to function as long as the Power Points cost was paid. During my RP with her, she gained the ability to affect multiple targets with a single hit in a 25 foot diameter.


How I plan to writeup the gravity is with a TK with an AVAD that compels the STR vs STR roll that people resisting a TK normally does to not include STR from Growth, Density Increase, or simulates being from a larger or heavier person since the STR you gain would be offset by the extra weight you'd be forced to move with the extra STR (I know technically it requires GM permission, but it's not that hard on the characters being targeted and it reflects the way it's handled in Star Hero.)
 

What I'm trying to do is recreate the feel for the Gravity Control by allowing the character to attack a number of people and have each of them subjected to the TK attack.
 

10 minutes ago, tombrown803 said:

I believe usable as attack would work.

 

I was looking into this

Gravity:  Telekinesis (10 STR), Attack Versus Alternate Defense (STR vs STR Roll w/o STR from Growth or Density Increase; +1/2) (22 Active Points); Unified Power (Gravity; -1/4)

Gravity Power Delivery(using Differing Modifiers): Area Of Effect (4m Radius; +1/4*), Usable As Attack (+1 1/4) (45 Active Points) for up to 18 Points of Gravity

 

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Perhaps a Drain: STR (area of effect, standard effects; buy down the recovery period, "dismissable" where dismissing restores all Drained points of STR) might give you what you are looking for? 

 

Character pays END once (and possibly lots of it for an AoE Drain!), no matter where the affected target moves, he will feel the effect of the Drain (your constantly-following gravity field-- assuming you were trying to model the example given). 

 

Just a thought. 

 

Other than that, didn't one of the editions give us a "sticky" advantage? 

 

I've got to get back to work on my compilation of published Advantages and Limitations.... 

 

 

 

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"Sticky" means it moves on to people who come into contact with it.

 

As an alternative to TK, what about Change Environment to force a STR roll which is not modified by extra STR that comes from extra mass?  Same issues as TK for making it an AoE that stays with the people within the area when they move, and does not affect those moving into the area.

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It seems to me that AoE is all you need.  Does the power continue to affect people if they leave the area?  Will it affect any new people if they enter the area?  As long as not both of those answers are yes, I'd just let it be a plain AoE, with no additional advantage needed.  Once you're grabbed, you stay grabbed until you break out of it.  A TK grab doesn't have to end at the end of the phase.

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14 hours ago, Gnome BODY (important!) said:

What is the attack trying to do that requires it to continue to function against all targets in the initial area? 

 

I want the TK to continue to apply pressure against the target. A target could be thrown from the AoE and it is my understanding that a power bought with Area of Effect will only work within that designated area, even if the attack of Continuous in nature. So, if a victim of the attack leaves the designated AoE, they are free of its influence. I want to keep the target affected by the 'gravity'.

 

2 hours ago, Doc Democracy said:

I am struggling just slightly to understand the power, as the characters see it.  Is it simply creating a heavy gravity bubble around everyone in a set area where the bubble follows them regardless of distance and as long as the END is paid? 

 

Doc

 

It doesn't have to be just heavy gravity but the target does remain affected by the gravity field even after leaving the initial area.

 

11 hours ago, Surrealone said:

Arch,

Take a gander at Damage Over Time...

 

Actually, I forgot the Damage Over Time limitation since gravity acts every segment. Thanks.

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You have considered multiple attack?  That is simply a manoeuvre with penalties.  You could buy skill levels with the base attack only for use with TK in a Multiple Attack, and then simply utilise it.  Initial contact must be on targets with a particular range and then will last for as long as END is paid or the target breaks free...

 

Multiple attack allows you to use the same power against multiple foes, you take a cumulative -2OCV for each attack after the first, so to affect 6 foes you would be at -10 OCV against them all.  If you bought OCV, only for TK when using Multiple attack, then that would effectively be the cost of the power.

 

Personally, as a GM, I would allow you to buy the area effect power as is and the skill levels in a two slot multipower.  You would be able to switch between them freely, hitting the area effect as a starter and then, if the number of people did not exceed the skill level offset, switch to a multiple effect power.  If there were more people in the area than your skill levels would cover, I would make you roll to switch to the individual effects (each target to be hit again with the relevant OCV penalty).  That saves points but would be of less utility than having them separately.

 

 

Doc

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20 hours ago, cptpatriot said:

I want to design a Telekinesis(TK) attack that affects all the targets within a specified area. Now, I am not looking strictly for an Area of Effect(AoE) attack. What I want is to keep those that were in the Area of Effect at the time of the attack to stay affected by the TK even after they leave the AoE until the player dismisses it.

 

Chris Goodwin at the Hero-Champions-RPG(unofficial) Discord Server was suggesting using Differing Modifiers to add AoE to the attack so I can hit all the targets in the AoE with the TK.


Thanks ahead of time for your help and suggestions.

 

 

Just use Entangle.

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17 hours ago, tombrown803 said:

just as a side note: when you add UAA to a power it makes it a melee attack. If you wanted to use it a ranged would need to add Ranged 

 

There are quite a number of options that allow you to UAA against someone at range, for instance.  That's part of what I was getting at in the Discord. 

 

17 hours ago, Hugh Neilson said:

"Sticky" means it moves on to people who come into contact with it.

 

By the overall definition of Sticky, yes.  This threw me also, except that there's a small bit buried in the description of Sticky, 6e1 p. 345:  "A character who has a Constant area-affecting attack (see 6E1 127) can apply Sticky at the +½ level so that when a character leaves the affected area, he continues to take damage as if affected by a non-area Constant attack."  

 

I suggest renaming the general "Sticky" Advantage to Viral, and pulling out this smaller part that I quoted as "Sticky".  

 

17 hours ago, Hugh Neilson said:

As an alternative to TK, what about Change Environment to force a STR roll which is not modified by extra STR that comes from extra mass?  Same issues as TK for making it an AoE that stays with the people within the area when they move, and does not affect those moving into the area.

 

I suggested this to @cptpatriot as well.  Change Environment further allows 1 point of Telekinetic STR for 5 points, and per Star Hero, +/- 1 G of gravity is equivalent to +/- 5 STR.  

 

UAA might not be needed at all.  Something like this:  

 

Gravity Field:  Change Environment (10 Telekinetic STR) (Base cost: 50 points)  Area of Effect (4m radius; +1/4), Sticky (continues to affect targets who leave area; +1/2).   

 

87.5 Active Points, 9 END/Phase, add additional Advantages and Limitations to taste.  Archie, I'd say this does exactly what you're looking for.  Change Environment is already Constant.  

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What do you guys think of the following?

Force of Gravity: 
  Telekinesis (10 STR),
    Attack Versus Alternate Defense (STR vs STR not including STR derived from Growth, Density Increase, or Size; +1/2),
    Damage Over Time (3 damage increments, damage occurs every Segment, +3 1/2)
<<<<The following Advantage is Partially Limited>>>>
    Area Of Effect (4m Radius; +1/4) for up to 15 Active Points of Force of Gravity,
      Instant (-1/2 or -0)

The idea the Area of Effect only lasts for the 1st phase as the AoE is made not Constant by it.
Since the rest of the power is still constant, those that were hit are still affected. The only thing that might need adjudication is how much END the owner needs to pay for continuing the power. Do you pay once or for each target currently affected?

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Your AoE needs to affect 75 points of TK (15 x 5 for advantages on the base TK).  EDUT:  OK, it's a partially limited advantage, not a naked advantage.

 

I think the CE is the more viable option.  Chris' build looks fine to me, however it is very expensive for only a STR 10 effect (as CE is not intended to affect TK).

 

What actual impact do you expect the gravity to have?  If the only impact is to pull the target to the ground, a CE which imposes a STR roll to remain standing (much like an ice slide imposes a DEX roll to remain standing) seems like it would work, and be a lot more effective than 10 STR TK.  If it is also expected to damage the target, perhaps a Linked attack would do  the trick.

 

I'd be OK with either using the Sticky variant suggested, or allowing the tradeoff that the power affects everyone in  the AoE when the attack is used, but will neither affect someone new entering the area nor stop affecting someone who leaves the area.  It seems odd that the gravity follows individuals rather than being higher  gravity in an area, but it seems like a standard AoE would increase the gravity in the area (Graviton), while this version increases the specific gravity of each person in the area (Star Boy; that Hellfire Club fellow).

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On December 8, 2019 at 7:40 PM, Hugh Neilson said:

"Sticky" means it moves on to people who come into contact with it.

 

 

7 hours ago, Chris Goodwin said:

By the overall definition of Sticky, yes.  This threw me also, 

 

 

:rofl:

 

 

Sorry, folks.  

 

I don't usually do the hoot-hoot-hoot-hoot fist pump fist pump "Jerry!  Jerry!"   thing....

 

 

but of all the people I could have accidentally tripped up, I never thought it would be either of you two!    :rofl: I mean, my memory _sucks!_   ;)

 

 

 

Okay, I already gave my suggestion, and I can't off the top of my head come up with anything else that someone else hasn't already suggested, so moving on:

 

 

 

7 hours ago, Chris Goodwin said:

 

I suggest renaming the general "Sticky" Advantage to Viral, and pulling out this smaller part that I quoted as "Sticky".  

 

Excellent idea.

 

I like the idea of contagious Entangles.....  :lol:

 

 

 

 

7 hours ago, Chris Goodwin said:

 

 

I suggested this to @cptpatriot as well.  Change Environment further allows 1 point of Telekinetic STR for 5 points, and per Star Hero, +/- 1 G of gravity is equivalent to +/- 5 STR.  

 

UAA might not be needed at all.  Something like this:  

 

Gravity Field:  Change Environment (10 Telekinetic STR) (Base cost: 50 points)  Area of Effect (4m radius; +1/4), Sticky (continues to affect targets who leave area; +1/2).   

 

87.5 Active Points, 9 END/Phase, add additional Advantages and Limitations to taste.  Archie, I'd say this does exactly what you're looking for.  Change Environment is already Constant.  

 

 

That's pretty clean, I think.

 

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