Christopher R Taylor

Has anyone written up a Punt Gun here yet? That thing up there isn't a gun. HIS is a gun.

I still say that the effect should be in the rules, at least as an option, but called something different. Standard Effect is 3 points per die, call it something else when both dice of a linked effect are identical. Banded effect or Affiliated, some synonym that gets the point across but doesn't sound too much like Unified.

Yes, because unless you buy the linked proportionate, then it just makes the powers go off at the same time, it doesn't affect how they act. Unified Power doesn't affect how the powers behave either, it simply makes them all linked so if one is reduced, all of them are. So if you have one of your unified powers drained all of them are

Doesn't Hero Designer 6 have that option? I lost my hard drive and copy of the program so I can't check. Hopefully I'll be able to afford to replace it soon. Could have sworn I saved it off somewhere but I cannot find the copy.

Paladins in my world are knights with additional power granted them by their temple. They are very expensive and powerful as a result; they not only have knight training (mounted martial arts, weapon and courtier skills) but have special powers they can call upon. At the same time, however, they must follow an extremely rigid code of behavior or they lose their special powers and are marked for other paladins to discipline. Also, they cannot heal themselves, but heal rapidly in "holy" places. You can find a preview rough draft of paladins on my website, a pdf of the write up.

This is, to me at least, a reasonable idea and I have no problem with the application, it just isn't mentioned in the 6th edition rules anywhere I can find, only in an example. Probably for clarity, it ought to have a different name than "Standard Effect" at least in my opinion. Maybe "United Power" or something like that. That makes life easier and I wouldn't have any problem with people doing that with their power builds as a GM.

I can't find that in the rules, do you have a reference? The only description of Standard Effect I'm aware of is that it makes a d6 do 3, and a ½d6 do 1. There's nothing about it in the linked rules of my pdf. That's what the big rulebook says on linked; the GM may do so, if they wish and I'd assume if there's some particular reason to. I would strenuously encourage people to not do so because its a cheap way to get around triggered powers. I don't want to restart the Great Linked Debate here but GMs have to be super careful about linked powers. Almost all the time its not limiting at all to fire off two powers carefully built to work together at the same time.

I actually consider that a strength; the rules are a structure, then you can change things as you will as a GM based on situations and your campaign. We have very early issues of The Dragon Magazine where E. Gary Gygax went into great lengths lecturing everyone that if they changed anything about AD&D's rules, then they weren't playing AD&D any longer and should admit it.

I remember them talking about it being cursed as well but I think maybe that's just a reference to war, death, and fighting and how awful it is. I didn't ever see anyone doing anything with the sword besides shredding things that they weren't demonstrated to be able to do on their own with any other weapon; that is, they had immense skill and the sword was a useful tool. But like I said, its very hard to figure out exactly what its powers were.

The drain doesn't have standard effect. The Aid does, which makes its d6 do 3 points every time. The drain is 1-6. Unless there's some feature to Standard Effect in linked powers I'm unfamiliar with.

Could jack the Aid up to 2d6 so its never going to give less than the Drain. That would put it very close to 15 active points per d6 and around 10 real cost.

That's one nasty itch

Its not you can't but that you don't need to: if they're linked, they both go off. The trigger is redundant

Well I see where you are coming from, but a power which has an absolute limit which can be smaller than its total is worth a limitation to me. And there's nothing about transfer which is sequential, it goes off at the same time (thus, linked) and so you can assign the linked however you want.

Two thoughts: why not a limitation for "can only give as much as the drain rolls" and why is the greater power linked to the lesser? Why not build it the other way around?

No, FRED has Transfer in it, 1d6 per 15 points etc as before. I understand why Steve split it out in to two powers for 6th (so you can vary the fade rate between the two effects etc) but it just is a headache and creates a wall of text for a basic concept. Gliding being folded into flight? Sure. This one was a "simplification" too far.

I did it with change environment, using a penalty to some rolls like dex and magic skill; stuff that takes focus and precision. Its basically a distraction and a mild one, you could put a limitation on it that if someone takes a half phase to scratch it goes away.

I added armor to the sword based on Massey's suggestion of combat luck. Coinspinner will protect the wielder from serious harm even when they aren't aware of it, when drawn, but it doesn't require attention or awareness of the attacks. The gargantuan luck will provide a great deal of luck (that crossbowman's string breaks, that swordsman trips over a rock, etc) but its probably not enough on its own to completely protect the bearer of Coinspinner.

In the spirit of the post, a very Christmas Star Wars. Because I'm giving

GREEN DESTINY This sword from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is not very well detailed in terms of its powers. It clearly is incredibly sharp and flexible, and it is described as being made of an alternate metal ("the handle is heavy. And the blade is no ordinary metal" -- this could just mean metallurgy unknown at the time like "damask" steel) and that it makes the wielder "invincible" in books about it. The problem is, a great deal of its power may be simply psychological; that it is so intimidating because of the sword's reputation that it gives the wielder a great advantage. There is a line in the movie "it comes alive only through skillful manipulation," but I suspect that just means someone who's really skilled can get more out of any blade, in the context. I couldn't find anything in research or from watching the movie which suggested extra powers available to someone who is skilled beyond their base skill. The Sword its self is a very ornate Jian, with a crossguard that looks like jade and a dark wooden haft. Two yellow cloth tassels are attached to the pommel, and the blade its self is decorated with a line of green serpentine figures down its length on both sides. Sword base: +1 OCV; 2d6 HKA; Strength Minimum: 10; Body --; PD: --; ED --; Weight 1.20kg; Size: Medium; Concealment Mod: -3 Powers 10 pts "Sharp" Armor Piercing on up to 4d6 damage; (17 Active Points), OAF Sword (Unbreakable) (-¾) 6 pts "Famous and instills confidence" Presence +10; (10 Active Points), OAF Sword (Unbreakable) (-¾) 16 pts "Destroys other weapons" RKA 2d6 vs PD; Armor Piercing (+¼), Area Effect Surface 1m (+¼), 0 END Cost (+½), Constant (+½) (67 Active Points), Only against other weapons (-1), Only when blocking or blocked, or directly attacking weapons (-1), No Range (-½), OAF Sword (Unbreakable) (-¾) Total Cost: 45 (including base Jien); Active Cost total 132 COMPLICATIONS 15 pts Distinctive Looks (Famous sword); Concealable, Reaction 15 pts Hunted by other Martial Artists; major, non combat influence, frequently, less powerful) The Green Destiny's primary power in the films is to obliterate other weapons and inanimate objects. Its never used against armor, but given what it does to everything else, I gave it armor piercing. Every single other weapon the sword faced, it shredded and hacked to pieces, almost without trying, so I gave it an odd damage shield construction so that blocking with the sword causes it to annihilate the other weapons unless it is something very special. Because the damage shield is not always on or persistent, it has to be deliberately used (blocking/blocked/attacking weapon). I gave the armor piercing a large range so that a martial artist can use their full skill and strength and get armor piercing without having to prorate their strength. Green Destiny is less powerful than the other swords so far, but in its context its the only magical sword in existence, so it would be overpowering and would pretty well make the user invincible. Tearing through everything it faces, a skilled martial artist could take on armies (as was shown in the movie). Even against many other magical swords it would be pretty terrible since the damage shield alone would tend to destroy them.

They aren't exactly serious threats, it just saves the players and characters some time. And it only would work if the GM allows it, its a role playing thing.

Star Wars MMOG is doing their "life day" event, snowballs and a holo trainer and some other stuff. You aren't required to go to Kashyyk and watch the incredibly stoned cast of A New Hope do a skit. Winter Veil hasn't quite started up for World of Warcraft yet, no word on any new presents yet that I've seen this year.

OK 2nd edition book says for Power Drain (the original name): recover 1 point per segment, starting the segment after effect. For each 2 (x cost of characteristic drained) it can be delayed 1 segment. Destroy recovered at the same rate as your body did (REC per month).

I'm gonna have to dig up my old books and look now

I have no problem with billionaire boy offering mooks to stop fighting or join him. Its not just funny, it makes sense. And its up to the GM, maybe these guys have honor, or don't like heroes and would never work for him, or are afraid of what would happen to them if they quit, etc. They aren't somehow compelled to swap sides even if they are mercenaries. After all, if word gets around they won't stay bought, their jobs all go away.