Void

Strictly speaking, if one has a 100 AP multipower pool with an activation roll (13-) to change slots (not on the ability to use the pool).. when one attempts to change slots (zero phase action) do they loose the current slots in use or are the current slots still active, he just can't switch to the new ones he requests. For example: Flight, EB slots are active. We want to change slots to Force Field and Absorption because we are getting our butts handed to us. If the activation roll fails, I imagine that he still has Flight and EB active.. he just can't change the slots because he didn't have enough time this phase to do so.

Re: Has anyone ever done this? A very respectable way to get a game going quickly with a GM possessing some wisdome and some imagination. Kudos.

Aid, If you have 10d6 Aid and choose the standard effect rule, you grant 30 character points to your chosen special effect. If you choose a special effect of 'figured characteristics' taken to be 'one at a time' then you can aid, PD, ED, SPD, REC, END, STUN. 1)However, if you are required to limit the SPD to only a +2 SPD by your Game Master, can you use 7 dice standard effect to SPD and send the 3 dice to some other stat? Essentially, a simplier more general way of asking the question would be, when you use dice of aid do you have to choose to use all dice towards a specific characteristic or can you split your dice of aid to provide 5 dice to one stat and 5 to another. To me, that looks like aiding more than one stat at a time, thus not appropriate for the advantage taken. However, as my Game Master is limiting the aid to SPD, I feel that the power is being limited and, as I get to take no limitation on the power to reflect only one of the figured characteristic aid uses being limited, I am trying to avoid wasting potential. ..... Since I am uncertain of the legality of the above and I'm looking for ways to employ the aid.. I considered another mechanism. I purchased some of the character's basic life support and characteristics as 'usable simultaneously' and thus can share a bit of my attributes with others. I call them 'cosmic auras.' They can go to different people or the same person as the character chooses. I then change the Aid such that it augments Cosmic Powers outside the multipower frameworks. (The auras are purchased outside the power framework.) Then I could use the ultra slot with the aid (cosmic powers) to increase the other auras. However, going by the rules for 'usable by other' it seems that the appropriate way to give someone else an increase in characteristics is through the mechanism of an aid. 2)Therefore, is it strictly legal or not legal to buy characteristics with Usable by Other, vest the other with your Aura and then use Aid to increase the characteristic the Aura boosts? ...... Ok, if the appropriate means of aiding another characteristic is the aid power.. not characteristics usable by other, then the character buys Aid powers outside the power frameworks as individual Aid powers and considers them to be Cosmic Special Effect Augmentations to the stats in question. 3) Then can he take the Aid (Cosmic Powers) to Aid the Aid and then use the Augmented Aid to increase figured characteristics his fellow characters? That seems legal, but also a bit exploitive. I say this because it would be possible to have an Aid (Aid) inside the multipower frame work and an Aid (Cosmic Powers) outside the framework. You could then use the Framework Aid to aid the external power and the external power to aid the Framework again. That doesn't seem right. Thus, any system of Aiding and Aid from within a power framework seems similarly corrupt. ...... When you have a transfer, you basically have an attack. If you have CSLs usable with (Cosmic Powers) that will increase the attack with the transfer, your DCV while using the transfer, or your DCV against transfer attacks. However, you can also use CSLs to increase damage. If you apply 2 CSLs to increase damage by 1 DC, a DC of transfer is 1d6 transfer (costing 15 AP) as opposed to a DC of EB which is 1d6 (costing 5 AP) or a DC of Killing attack costing which is 1 pip costing 5 AP. 4) Should we be using 6 CSLs to increase 1 die of Transfer (like Killing Attacks)? 5)If we increase the damage in this way, do we transfer more points or just drain the points from the target and not transfer them? The answer to this question would also pertain to damage from Haymakers and the like. ....... If you hit someone with an energy HA, all damage from STR is considered energy damage. 6)What happens if you punch someone with a drain? ..... I will stop here, thanks for your time and patience.

Some explaination Nash was an air force pilot, astronaut, and then abducted by aliens. When he was returned, he was a metahuman with space like powers. I originally created the character as a human who multiforms into a superhuman, but he thinks Multiform is a stop power. I can't use OIHID. I tried to build the character as a sort of powered armor made out of living alien biotech components, but my GM seemed to have strange ideas about that. This generation was to remove most all limitations taken on powers. I just want some positive feedback that doesn't involve endless attacks on how I've built the character.

Starting Value: 250 +150 XP Earned: 61 Total Character Points Available: 461/461 Void Val Char Points Total Roll Notes 25 STR 15 (25) 14- HTH Damage 5d6 END [2] 20 DEX 30 (20) 13- OCV 7 DCV 7 15 CON 10 (20) 12- 15 BODY 10 (30) 12- 13 INT 3 (13) 12- PER Roll 12- 11 EGO 2 (17) 11- ECV: 4 10 PRE 0 (10) 11- PRE Attack: 2d6 10 COM 0 (10) 11- 5 PD 0 (5) 15rPD 4 ED 0 (4) 14rED 3 SPD 0 (3) 3) 4, 8, 12 9 REC 0 (10) 40 END 0 (40) 33 STUN 0 (35) {10b+13s+10c} * - see characteristic powers, below 6" Running 0 2" Swimming 0 5" Leaping 0 Total Characteristics Cost: 70 Dark Energy Control, Multipower, 215 pts 137 Dark Energy Control: Multipower 137-point reserve; 8u 1) Form of Night: Desolidification (affected by cosmic powers, dark energy form special effect), 0 END (+ ½) (60 Active Points); Does not protect from damage by attack (-1), (Real Cost: 30) plus Warp Jump: Teleportation 11", No Relative Velocity (+10cp), Position Shift (+5cps), Safe Blind Teleport (+¼), 0 END (+ ½), Linked to Form of Night (- ½) (55 Active Points); (37 Real Points) plus 2d6 Aid BODY, Self Only – ½ (20 AP) (13 RP) [0 END] 14u 5) Embrace of Night, {power surge, dark energy siphon special effect} Aid 11d6, Variable Effect {Aid Any Figured Characteristic, one at a time} (+ ¼) (137 Active Points) {Average +33 points: +3 SPD, +16 PD, +16 ED, +16 REC, +66 END, +33 STUN} [0 END] 1.Tachyon boost (SPD) 2.Neutron Star (PD) 3.Wormhole (ED) 4.Starfire (REC) 5.Cosmic Energy (END) 6.Microwave Shield (STUN) 14u 6) Despair of Night, {power drain, dark energy drain special effect} Drain 11d6, Variable Effect {Drain Any Figured Characteristic, one at a time} (+ ¼) (137 Active Points) {Average less Power Defense: -42 points: -4 SPD, -21 PD, -21 ED, -21 REC, -82 END, -21 STUN} [15 END] 1.Deep Freeze (SPD) 2.Bitter Frost (PD) 3.Penetrating Chill (ED) 4.Pervasive weakness(REC) 5.Undeniable Fatigue (END) 6.System Shock (STUN) 14u 7) Entropic Dissolution {Dark Energy dissolution special effect}, Drain 11d6, Penetrating (+ ½), Variable Effect {Drain: DEF, rPD, rED, or BODY 1 at a time} (+ ¼) (137 Active Points); {Average less Power Defense: -33 points: -5 DEF (3), -11 rPD (1.5), -11 rED(1.5), -17 BODY} [15 END] 14u 8) One with the infinite {Entropic absorption of energy to heal wounds} 7d6 Healing, Variable Effect (+ ¼) (Body, Stun, End, or REC one at a time), 0 END (+ ½), plus +7 CON, (- ½ no figured characteristics) (136 Active Points); [0 END] 14u 9) Void Blast {dark energy disruptor}:{Dark energy special effect} (EB vs ED): 18d6, 0 END + ½, (135 Active Points); [0 END] The point of origin for the void blast is the tip of any tentacle. This blast can be used in conjunction with a strike, if needed. Str damage for the strike is treated as energy damage when added to this power, but also takes the limitation of reduced penetration. Body of Night, 100 pt 25 Body of Night {Dark Energy Form}: Elemental Control, 50 point powers; (50 Active Points); 25 1) Force Manipulation (10 rPD / 10 rED / 10 sight flash defense / 10 power defense / 10 mental defense), (50 Active Points); [5 END] 25 2) Mailable Form: Stretching 10" (50 Active Points); [5 END] 25 3) Energy Control Flight: Flight 17": Usable Underwater (+ ¼), no turn mode (+ ¼), (51 Active Points) [5 END] Non-MP: 39 10 Life Support, Alien Physiology (Self Contained Breathing), (10 Active Points); 9 Life Support, Alien Skin (Safe High Pressure 1, Safe High Radiation 2, Safe Intense Cold 2, Safe in Intense Heat 2, Safe in Low Pressure/Vacuum 2); (9 Active Points); 5 Extra limbs: Cosmic Tentacles (as many tentacles as desired)(5 Active Points) 15 A Feel for Space (touch sense group, Sense): Touch sense, Ranged (5), Targeting (10), (15 Active Points); Skills: 37 pt 3 Acrobatics 13- 3 Breakfall 13- 3 Combat Piloting (Military Air Craft) 13- 3 Concealment 12- 3 Electronics 12- 3 Mechanics 12- 3 Security Systems 12- 3 Sleight of Hand 13- 3 Stealth 13- 3 Systems Operation 12- 3 Teamwork 13- 4 Transport Familiarity (Common ground vehicles and SF vehicles) Character Total: 461 out of 461 Disadvantages(240 of max 150) {Excess disadvantages are ignored, merely for role playing purposes.} 10 Distinctive Features: Alien DNA, Detectable with certain detects or medical examination of tissue (Easily Concealed, Extreme Reaction; Detected by Uncommonly-Used Senses) 15 Hunted: Nasa (or equivalent): 11- (Frequently), More Powerful, NCI, Watching {The men in black know Nash was abducted and are watching him to see if he is a sleeper agent for the Shadowmen.} 10 Hunted: Shelia Armstrong: ("Witchhazel"): 8- (Infrequently) As Powerful, NCI, Mildly Punish {Shelia won't do anything to directly harm Nash, but she doesn't appreciate her brother and is highly judgmental of his alien entanglements. She is an earth-firster, and has little to do with aliens.} 15 Hunted: Denestra (Natasha Starling): 8- (Infrequently) As Powerful, NCI, Harshly Punish {Natasha had been abducted by aliens and is very suspicious of anyone who has had dealings with them or uses alien technology.} 20 Hunted: Ivan Starling (President: Orion Space Technologies): (14-) As Powerful (rich), NCI, Mildly Punish 5 Physical Lim: Treated as both alien and human class of mind. (Infrequently, slightly impairing.) 10 Psych Lim: Respect the law 15 Psych Lim: Protect innocents 20 Psych Lim: Honorable (always keeps word, never takes advantage of a situation) (Common, Total) 15 Psych Lim: Overconfident, (Very common, moderate) (Ego +5) Nash does not feel the emotion of fear, leaving him effectively over confidant. 10 Reputation: Abducted by Aliens, almost always (14-), Known Only to Small Group (Alien enthusiasts) 10 Reputation: Honorable, (Frequently, 11-) 10 Reputation: Cold Hearted (Frequently, 11-) {emotionless} 15 Rivalry: Ivan Starling (Professional and Romantic Rival, superior position, Out do, aware of rivalry) 15 Secret Identity: Nash Armstrong alter Ego 15 Social Limitation (Subject to Orders by Ivan) Very Frequently, Minor inconvenience {Ivan knows Nash's secret and tries to use his powers to make money for the company or solve it's problems.} 5 Social Limitation: Alien moods, Void doesn't really have human emotions and must feign them when appropriate (-2 skill levels with social interactions) 5 Social Limitation: Minority, Abducted (Occasionally, Minor) 20 DNPC (8-), Infrequently, (Useful Positions and Skills) Human Family & Omnicron Corp, Normal, 8 people or more 150 points claimed

Re: Inconsitancies If you believe there is an inconsistancy, then you need to follow the rules and build a brick differently. I think you are comparing apples to oranges. The normal can exert himself to his full potential without tiring.. but that is a great deal below what it means for the super to do so. (This was said by others). If you have a problem, however, simply encourage the bricks to buy more CON and thus have more END or to take recoveries. Bricks will have a great recovery rate, just step back for a phase and recover while you give your buddies a chance to play.

Re: Invisible to Touch Group? The choice of special effect is very important. What you have described is mind control, not invisibility. You can be percieved but you demand that the target ignore you. That is most appropriately built as mind control instead of invisibility. As the book says, invisibility to touch is most appropriately purchased as a form of desolidification, perhaps with limitations. A chracter is always aware of his own body movements, invisibility does not block that. Thus, if he tries to move through an area where you are, and you are physically present, then you stop his motion. He knows something has stopped his motion. To prevent him from 'recognizing' that he can't move through the door.. that is, to ignore you, you have to do something to his mind which interfers with his ability to reason about his environment. Generally, invisibility should be something that happens to you which makes you difficult or impossible to see. If you are doing something to someone else (command: "ignore me!") then you have to use another power. If you were merely trying to use psionics to mimic invisibility, then perhaps you could silently get away with this. However, you have a problem of special effect.. since a person with mental defense would, logically, be less susceptable to your invisibility than a 'normal'. Xavier, from the X-men, for instance should not be subject to your invisibility.. unless your psychic character is supposed to be more powerful that him.

Re: Linked Characteristics Citizen Keen, Well, exactly.. I'm not going to choose a special effect where the GM can take out my powers if I can't take the limitation. That would be known as shooting myself in my own foot. However, using a power that increases your dex happens anytime your dex is raised. If it only took affect when you were doing something dex like (like acrobatics) then you'd get a bigger limitation from linked, -1/2 instead of -1/4, because you could justify that the greater power is not going to be 'in effect' at all times.

Re: Linked Characteristics (thanks for input) Debra Winger, I think my GM would have a problem if my follower was strong enough to provide those kind of Aid boosts. Personally, I don't really like to us Aid to simulate symbiont powers much like I wouldn't use Aid to simulate cybornetic strength. In general, I don't like to use Aid for increasing primary stats. It isn't frugal to buy Aid to increase primary stats when those stats normally add to figured characteristics. It makes perfect sense to use Aid to increase Int, Ego, EB, or anything else that does not normally add to figured characteristics. There are times when special effects require that you buy characteristics through Aid, but cybernetics or an alien symbiot don't seem to be examples of such. (A pill you can swallow to increase your STR, however, would be.) .... Sketchpad, My GM seems to think Multiform is a STOP power. I have ceased to be interested in arguing with him. As it turns out, I am trying to move away from using Multiform. .... Hawksmoor, My GM has the crazy notion that OIHID is only suitable for Heroic campaigns. I tried reading the text of the rulebook to him, but he got upset with me. As I read the OIHID limitation, it is only suitable for SuperHeroic campaigns, but sometimes there is no logic in people and it is best just to give up. .... JmOZ, Thanks for the illusration, I didn't think you could link a power in a multipower slot because of some reference I read to a EB and Flash, where the flash had to be outside the Multipower. I see on page 5ER p 311, that this can be done.

Alien symbiot is a normal person with a symbiot that increases his characteristics. However, as I know a smattering of biology, things are tied together... They symbiont is a 'suit' that covers the host. It is defined as an Obvious Inaccessible Focus. If the Alien Symbiot is rendered unconcious, the suit could be taken away. Like the pituitary gland, the symbiont has a master gland which releases hormones. These hormones result in a hyper mylenation of the nervous system of the host creature dramatically increasing his dexterity and thus his speed. As long as the pituitary gland functions (linked to hyperspeed reflexes) the body of the host also has his metabolism augmented and speeded up tremendously. (Increased CON). This enhancement of his metabolic system allows for the development of super myosin in his muscular system, granting him the physical strength of a gorilla.. and then some. (Increased STR, linked to Increased CON). If the pituitary gland is suppressed, then the coordination of the hyperspeed metabolic processes collapses. With the increased CON failing, the muscle tissues begin starving for oxygen and food. Unable to supply the increased metabolic need, the enhanced strength also fails. However, the hypermylenation of the nervous system (which is maintained and functional while the pituitary gland still secrets its alchemical conglomerate of hormones) also increases the symbiot's INT and EGO with an Alien Psychology and Alien Adaptive Mind. If they pituitary gland was to be neutralized, these enhanced perceptive and sensory abilities would also be decimated. Finally, while the metabolic rate of the body is augmented, the symbiot can make slipshot and haphazard repairs to the host when he is injured. This is manifested by an increased BODY which is linked to the Increased CON. Given all these powers are tied to the alien symbiot, which can be removed, that means a Focus Limitation and then Linked Limitations to everything except Hyperspeed reflexes. .... First, I welcome complaints that I'm being a goober. I believe the linking of characteristic power to characteristic power is sound and balanced because a drain dex will hose my character. (However, he has a very high dex) I expect my GM to be threatened because I am too cleveri in my concept. .... Second, I would like to add a second increment of strength with a limitation that reflects the STR being greater than the BODY can support. Something like a drain 1d6 str, 1d6 body, 2d6 con when applying or using the second increment of strength. However, this makes the character stronger than I had intended. Obviously, the second increment of strength has to be lesser than the first increment. If the minimum side effect for a minor side effect is 15 active points, that would be a 1d6 str, 1d6 body, and 1d6 con drain. 15 being one quarter of 60, that means I'd have to have 60 active points of STR for the second increment of strength and at least 60 points for the first increment. I am not trying for a STR 120 character. So, any other ways to simulate this idea? ........ The goal for the high agility is to look and feel like a spiderman sort of guy that keeps doging out of the way and not getting hit. (Don't really want danger sense, so suprising the character is another good way to hit him.) He is left vulnerable to area of effect attacks, especially since my GM will probably be annoyed that his acrobatics skill is so high he will almost never fail to dive for cover. One thing the GM doesn't like is how high his OCV and DCV get. (This is supposed to be a part of his style of can't-hit-me dancing around.) I figure, after his OCV and DCV get to 20, increasing above that is almost pointless and .. thus, not entirely abusive if he's not flattening everything he hits. I had considered, therefore, taking a limitation on his agility that he 'moves to quick' sometimes and his technique is sloppy when moving fast. (Something like -3 OCV -3 DCV when using his dexterity.) So, third.. does this sort of a thing seem nice to the DM or gomer? I mean, on one hand.. he complains about the high OCV DCV. On the other hand, I'm not really losing anything.. since at that level of OCV and DCV I should be hitting anything reasonable set against me and missed by any reasonable foe as well. (Other characers have OCV/DCV 7!)

When attempting to make a special whip that functions as an extra limb (nearly complete manipulation) I was reading the stretching and extra limbs Powers (and read the FAQ). It seems, if the extra limb can't use your full strength you get to buy a limitation for the STR of -1/4. However, as soon as you put a limitation of 1/4 on your STR you can't apply figured characteristics (which is a -1/2 limitation). Is the intent for characters who buy extra STR without figured characteristics to also get a -1/4 limitation if they buy extra limbs and put a tail on their character?

Limited SPD: The game master is told to be wary of limited SPD, but I was wondering if SPD could be bought with the limitation: extra time so that in segments when the character didn't have a phase due to this base SPD he would have only a half phase action? (half a phase being taken by the extra time for the limitation on the increased SPD). This would be a limitation, but would it be fair? (Technically, it is legal to buy SPD with limitations, I know. I only post the question here because.. sometimes.. you mention that legal things are disapproved because they are bad gaming. Like refusing to give a summoned creature disadvantages.. nothing illegal with it, no game reason to do it, but bad gaming to be unreasonable like that.)

FAQ for adjustment powers does explain how variable effect works for Aid. My question was, for Transfer does the varriable effect work at both ends? Transferring from 4 characteristics to 4 characteristics. Aid can increase multiple powers. Drain can decrease multiple powers. Transfer is the only power of that type that both decreases target powers and increases the user's powers. Second Question: Must you transfer to yourself? Could you transfer to another hero? (Say one that you are touching).

Transfer questions 1) Transfer +1/4 variable effect allows you to switch between related effects. Let's say Transfer STR and Transfer CON related as a group 'primary characteristics'. If you have 6d6 drain, you have a max of 36 points your can drain combined, right? In other words, if you have drained 20 character points of STR and 20 Character Points of CON you'd have to wait until the points fade from transfer. 2) You cannot buy 0 END powers in an EC. A penetrating 6d6 transfer STR to END basically generates 12 END when used unless the target has double hardened power defense. That's like buying a 0 END attack power in an EC, right? 3) Adjusting a Primary Characteristic doesn't affect figured characteristics. So, that means that Drain or Transfer STR doesn't make figured characteristics drop. Drain Dex doesn't lower SPD? Drain STR won't lower PD? This probably seems like a stupid question, but I'm double checking because it means I've been doing something wrong with my character. 4) Transfer with a Variable effect to affect 4 characteristics: STR, DEX, CON, BODY transfers to 1 power all the points drained or to 4 powers according to the points drained from each? If that's unclear, say we drain 5 points of each.. would 20 points go to one power which was the recipient of the transfer or 5 pts to 4 powers that are the recipient of the transfer or 5pts to 1 power as the recipient of the transfer?

Please help me to understand, if Ion-Man were attacked by a lightning bolt, he could use his absorption to channel some of the energy of that attack into his own lightning bolts. Yet, if attacked with an electrical 'taser' which did 'stun only' the absorption has no effect at all. Is that right?