Digest Archives Vol 1 Issue 101
From: owner-champ-l-digest@sysabend.org
Sent: Sunday, December 20, 1998 1:13 AM
To: champ-l-digest@sysabend.org
Subject: champ-l-digest V1 #101
champ-l-digest Sunday, December 20 1998 Volume 01 : Number 101
In this issue:
Re: Time Stop
Power set question
Re: Power set question
Re: Power set question
Re: Power Set Question
Re: Power set question
Viper Campaign
Re: range of success
Re: range of success
Re: Power set question
Snuffalarian Horn
Re: Snuffalarian Horn
Re: Viper Campaign
Re: Time Stop
Re: Time Stop
Teleporting Others
Re: Teleporting Others
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1998 20:33:14 -0800 (PST)
From: "Steven J. Owens" <puff@netcom.com>
Subject: Re: Time Stop
Scott Nolan writes:
> I'd like to create a FH spell that allows a character to stop time
> for himself, freezing the rest of the world in it's tracks while he
> performs several actions.
> One way to do this would be to buy the spell as:
> +5 SPD, only to perform non-combat actions
> Now, I've heard all the cautions about multiple Speeds, and that's
> not what worries me. What worries me is that this really describes
> a slowing down of time, since the others will still be acting during
> some of these phases. And what if I want to buy the time-stopped
> character a whole minute?
If he can interact with other characters, other things, etc,
while time is stopped, this should be obscenely expensive, because
it's obscenely powerful.
> Is there a better way?
>
> I'm considering Extra-Dimensional Travel, through time. This would
> represent the character's inability to interact with other
> characters in the normal time-stream and would allow the character
> whatever time I as GM see fit to place as a limit on the spell. The
> effect would be to return him to the same point in normal time after
> the spell had expired, but with the added benefit of whatever
> healing or recovery the character was able to take in the interim.
That's one way; if he just uses it for healing & recovery, just
build it as an AID. Or, I'm not familiar with FH spell structures, in
hero terms I'd maybe define that as a highly limited VPP so the GM
could build it as whatever sort of AID or etc he thinks is
appropriate. X-dim travel with lots of GM oversight is just as good,
probably.
Steven J. Owens
puff@netcom.com
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1998 23:17:56 -0600
From: Tim Statler <tstatler@igateway.net>
Subject: Power set question
I'm introducing a small group to the hero system. One of my players
created a "living shadow" (more like the AD$D shadow that is). While I
don't have a problem with his power set per-se, I beleive I'm missing
something that could either make him more effective or maybe cheaper.
Here is his power set, please take a look and advise.
Also how do you figure Advantages on an EC?
10 (15) EC: Shadowform powers, always on (-1/4)
10 (15) "Pall of the Grave" 2"r CE (Area seems darker and colder), 0
end,Persistant (+1)
43 "Wraithform" Desolid (not vs. Light based), 0 end, Persistant
(+1)
57 "Withering Touch" 2d6 Body Drain, rec 5points/5hours(+1), Affect
real world (+2), 0 end, persistant
10 5" flight, x2ncm
5 LS:Need not Eat,excret, or sleep
3 LS:IMMUNE to aging
10 LS:Need not breathe
- -12 -6" runnning
- -2 -2" swimming
Major Disads:
Phys Lim: Noncorporeal all time, fully
Any suggestion on making a more efficent power set? For a first time
character, this is really good, and I don't want to discourage him.
Tim Statler
tstatler@igateway.net
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1998 01:00:57 -0500
From: Scott Nolan <nolan@erols.com>
Subject: Re: Power set question
At 11:17 PM 12/18/98 -0600, Tim Statler wrote:
>I'm introducing a small group to the hero system. One of my players
>created a "living shadow" (more like the AD$D shadow that is). While I
>don't have a problem with his power set per-se, I beleive I'm missing
>something that could either make him more effective or maybe cheaper.
>
>Here is his power set, please take a look and advise.
>
>Also how do you figure Advantages on an EC?
>
>10 (15) EC: Shadowform powers, always on (-1/4)
>10 (15) "Pall of the Grave" 2"r CE (Area seems darker and colder), 0
>end,Persistant (+1)
>43 "Wraithform" Desolid (not vs. Light based), 0 end, Persistant
>(+1)
>57 "Withering Touch" 2d6 Body Drain, rec 5points/5hours(+1), Affect
>real world (+2), 0 end, persistant
>
>10 5" flight, x2ncm
> 5 LS:Need not Eat,excret, or sleep
> 3 LS:IMMUNE to aging
>10 LS:Need not breathe
>
>-12 -6" runnning
>-2 -2" swimming
>
>
>Major Disads:
>Phys Lim: Noncorporeal all time, fully
>
>
>Any suggestion on making a more efficent power set? For a first time
>character, this is really good, and I don't want to discourage him.
I'd suggest some more disadvantages, such as:
Phys Lim: Cannot enter holy ground
Susceptibility: Sunlight
I'd also suggest Invisibility to normal sight, not in direct light, or at
least
one heck of a Stealth roll, not in direct light.
Finally, why is his "Withering Touch" bought as 0 END, persistent?
It should be just 0 END, I think.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hold it the greatest wrong to prefer life to honor
and for the sake of life to lose the reason for living."
Juvenal, Satires
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scott C. Nolan
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1998 15:02:03 -0800 (PST)
From: shaw@caprica.com (Wayne Shaw)
Subject: Re: Power set question
>I'm introducing a small group to the hero system. One of my players
>created a "living shadow" (more like the AD$D shadow that is). While I
>don't have a problem with his power set per-se, I beleive I'm missing
>something that could either make him more effective or maybe cheaper.
>
>Here is his power set, please take a look and advise.
>
>Also how do you figure Advantages on an EC?
Pretty much as if the power was that much larger. What's the difficulty?
>
>10 (15) EC: Shadowform powers, always on (-1/4)
>10 (15) "Pall of the Grave" 2"r CE (Area seems darker and colder), 0
>end,Persistant (+1)
>43 "Wraithform" Desolid (not vs. Light based), 0 end, Persistant
>(+1)
>57 "Withering Touch" 2d6 Body Drain, rec 5points/5hours(+1), Affect
>real world (+2), 0 end, persistant
Ah. The problem is, this is a very expensive operating procedure in Champs,
for good reason. If an oppoent doesn't have an Effects Desolid attack or a
light based weapon, he's effectively invulnerable. The vast majority of
opponents won't.
>Any suggestion on making a more efficent power set? For a first time
>character, this is really good, and I don't want to discourage him.
Depends on what you mean by efficient. Also, you realize this character has
no attack form but a lethal one?
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1998 00:00:39 -0800 (PST)
From: "Steven J. Owens" <puff@netcom.com>
Subject: Re: Power Set Question
> >created a "living shadow" (more like the AD$D shadow that is). While I
> > [...]
> >10 (15) EC: Shadowform powers, always on (-1/4)
> >10 (15) "Pall of the Grave" 2"r CE (Area seems darker and colder), 0 end
> > Persistant (+1)
> >43 "Wraithform" Desolid (not vs. Light based), 0 end, Persistant (+1)
> >57 "Withering Touch" 2d6 Body Drain, rec 5points/5hours(+1), Affect
> > real world (+2), 0 end, persistant
Wayne Shaw writes:
> Ah. The problem is, this is a very expensive operating procedure in Champs,
> for good reason. If an oppoent doesn't have an Effects Desolid attack or a
> light based weapon, he's effectively invulnerable. The vast majority of
> opponents won't.
Yup, the key issue is why he wants the wraithform desolid; one
thing I don't like about desolid is that it's a combination of two
very different game mechanics; effective invulnerability and the
ability to walk through walls.
If he just wants it for walking through walls, look at possibly
giving him tunneling for this. Ugly, but simple and effective. Or,
give him desolid with the limitation that it doesn't protect him from
attacks (-1).
Then make sure you give him some more conventional defense with
the SFX defined as "attacks go through him". Maybe with some amount
of limitation, like half of the def doesn't work against light-based
attacks.
Of course, his withering touch still needs Affects Solid (unless
you bought his walk-through-walls as tunneling), unless you rule as GM
that since he's affected by attacks he can attack others.
> >Any suggestion on making a more efficent power set? For a first time
> >character, this is really good, and I don't want to discourage him.
>
> Depends on what you mean by efficient. Also, you realize this character has
> no attack form but a lethal one?
Very important point. Try to look at the character in terms of
what will make it interesting to play and to GM. If your idea of
"interesting" is that he skulks around the sidelines invisible and
invulnerable, killing his opponents with glee, or is discovered by
somebody with an appropriate power to nail him and he gets toasted,
well, that's your idea of fun, it isn't mine :-). Otherwise he probably
needs some basic defenses and something he can do besides body-draining,
and some movement (maybe a teleport from shadow to shadow?).
Of course, a lot of this depends on the nature of the campaign.
General note: some form of life support might be a good idea.
Also, don't make him *too* shadow-dependent, otherwise he's going to
have very limited application other than in dark/underground places...
Steven J. Owens
puff@netcom.com
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1998 09:07:40 -0600
From: "Michael (Damon) & Peni Griffin" <griffin@txdirect.net>
Subject: Re: Power set question
At 11:17 PM 12/18/1998 -0600, Tim Statler wrote:
>I'm introducing a small group to the hero system. One of my players
>created a "living shadow" (more like the AD$D shadow that is). While I
>don't have a problem with his power set per-se, I beleive I'm missing
>something that could either make him more effective or maybe cheaper.
>Here is his power set, please take a look and advise.
>
>57 "Withering Touch" 2d6 Body Drain, rec 5points/5hours(+1), Affect
>real world (+2), 0 end, persistant
You as the GM could opt to make this more effective by using the Optional
Time Intervals on p140; the +1 Advantage would then yield a recovery rate
of 5points/10hours, twice as long as the current rate, for the same number
of points.
You could cut the cost a bit by not making the Withering Touch a Persistent
Power. The character will not be in constant, uninterrupted contact with
living things, so why make him pay as if he might be? You might also
consider using 1/2 END instead of 0 END if you drop Persistent; that would
reduce that overall Advantage from +1 to +1/4.
Another thing that *may* be legitimate: put a Limitation on the Drain so
that it only affects living organisms. Can't have him Drain the BODY from
a wall or vehicle. The basic description of Drain doesn't make this clear,
but it says it drains a Characteristic or Power; Vehicles and Computers
have Characteristics, and all objects have BODY.
Another possible application of shadow powers:
Transform Living Creature to Shadow (2d6 Major), Cumulative +1/2, No Range
- -1/2, Linked to Withering Touch -1/2. Active Points=45, Cost=22.
Given that it's Linked, I think the way this should work is that you
actually roll no dice for the Transform per se; just apply the effects of
the Transform to the Drain roll. Perhaps with a slightly different setup
(separate, unLinked Powers) the character could have the option of a
potentially lethal attack (Withering Touch, a straight BODY Drain with no
Transform) or the Transform (which would not kill the target, merely
convert his to a living shadow state).
>10 5" flight, x2ncm
> 5 LS:Need not Eat,excret, or sleep
> 3 LS:IMMUNE to aging
>10 LS:Need not breathe
I think he should spend the extra 12 points and get total Life Support; he
should be immune to disease as well as aging, and won't usually be affected
by heat/cold, pressure or high radiation. Remember, Desolid makes him
immune to all physical and energy attacks, including the NND "attacks" used
to simulate hostile environments.
Damon
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1998 10:42:20 -0500
From: TokyoMark <bastet@iquest.net>
Subject: Viper Campaign
Well, one thing I would not mind seeing in a new Viper Book. A small
section on running a Viper campaign that doesn't involve the PC's being
either deep cover for a good guy organization or in some weird future.
The Viper book has a small section on a 'Top Snake' program to make
competant agents even better. Any suggestions on what point level a 'Top
Snake might be at in a Super Agents type game? I have been thinking 75+75.
Thanks.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 98 15:57:18
From: "qts" <qts@nildram.co.uk>
Subject: Re: range of success
On Fri, 18 Dec 1998 16:10:57 -0600 (CST), Curt Hicks wrote:
>
>
>In my opinion, one thing that Hero doesn't handle well without GM
>intervention is attempts to do something that have a variable
>range of success (or failure) rather than a simple "you did it" or
>"you failed".
>
>Has anybody else encountered this ? Does anybody have a solution ?
I disagree, at least in part, and give four counter-examples: Critical
Rolls, Rolls made by 10 or more, the dice rolled for damage, and Side
Effects.
qts
Home: qts@nildram.co.uk.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 98 15:58:45
From: "qts" <qts@nildram.co.uk>
Subject: Re: range of success
On Fri, 18 Dec 1998 19:19:16 -0500, Scott Nolan wrote:
>At 05:48 PM 12/18/98 -0500, Mike Christodoulou wrote:
>>At 04:10 PM 12/18/98 -0600, Curt Hicks wrote:
>>>In my opinion, one thing that Hero doesn't handle well without GM
>>>intervention is attempts to do something that have a variable
>>>range of success (or failure) rather than a simple "you did it" or
>>>"you failed".
>>>
>>>Has anybody else encountered this ? Does anybody have a solution ?
>>
>>
>>Examples??
>
>Mind Control is a good example. You either are or aren't. Ditto for
>Transform.
Make Transform Visible and it ceases to apply.
qts
Home: qts@nildram.co.uk.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 98 16:05:59
From: "qts" <qts@nildram.co.uk>
Subject: Re: Power set question
On Fri, 18 Dec 1998 23:17:56 -0600, Tim Statler wrote:
>
>Major Disads:
>Phys Lim: Noncorporeal all time, fully
Sorry, you can't have this - it's part of the 'Always On' Limitation.
qts
Home: qts@nildram.co.uk.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1998 12:15:25 -0500
From: Indiana Joe <jrc@mail1.nai.net>
Subject: Snuffalarian Horn
I'm trying to create a weird artifact for a Fantasy Hero game. The
Snuffalarian Horn appears to be a normal, slightly worn musical instrument.
When someone tries to sound it, it makes a rather discordant note and
summons another Snuffalarian Horn. It is, while easy to damage
cosmetically, nearly impossible to destroy (you must play it backwards).
Right now, it looks like this:
1d6 Major Transform (Air into Snuffalarian Horn), OAF (universal
indestructable focus), Independant, Gestures, Incantation. 15 active
points, 3 real.
I am also ruling (somewhat arbitrarily) that the Transform always rolls
enough BODY to create one horn, but never more than one.
Thoughts, comments, etc?
Joe Claffey | "In the end, everything is a gag."
jrc@ct1.nai.net | - Charlie Chaplin
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1998 12:57:25 -0600
From: "Michael (Damon) & Peni Griffin" <griffin@txdirect.net>
Subject: Re: Snuffalarian Horn
At 12:15 PM 12/19/1998 -0500, Indiana Joe wrote:
> I'm trying to create a weird artifact for a Fantasy Hero game. The
>Snuffalarian Horn appears to be a normal, slightly worn musical instrument.
>When someone tries to sound it, it makes a rather discordant note and
>summons another Snuffalarian Horn. It is, while easy to damage
>cosmetically, nearly impossible to destroy (you must play it backwards).
>
> Right now, it looks like this:
>
> 1d6 Major Transform (Air into Snuffalarian Horn), OAF (universal
>indestructable focus), Independant, Gestures, Incantation. 15 active
>points, 3 real.
>
> I am also ruling (somewhat arbitrarily) that the Transform always rolls
>enough BODY to create one horn, but never more than one.
At first glance, this just seems *too* weird, but taking it apart and
looking at each piece, I can't see anything wrong with it. If you assume a
volume of air sufficient for the purpose has a BODY total of either 0 or
1/2 a point, a minimum Transform roll of 1 pip is at least twice the BODY
total, so that part works. Doesn't even seem especially arbitrary.
On the other hand, this may set an uncomfortable precedent in making it
both easy and cheap to create all kinds of stuff out of thin air. Here's
the current Power, in the guise of an artifact:
1d6 Major all-or-nothing Transform (Air into Snuffalarian Horn), OAF
(universal indestructable focus), Independant, Gestures, Incantation. 15
active points, 3 real. Transform always rolls enough BODY to create one
horn, but never more than one.
The same power, in the form of a spell:
1d6 Major all-or-nothing Transform (Air into Snuffalarian Horn), Gestures,
Incantation. 15 active points, 10 real. Transform always rolls enough BODY
to create one horn, but never more than one.
An improved version of the same spell:
1d6 Major all-or-nothing Transform (Air into anything), Gestures,
Incantation. 30 active points, 20 real. Transform always rolls enough BODY
to create one item, but never more than one.
And that improved spell, back in artifact form:
1d6 Major all-or-nothing Transform (Air into anything), OAF (universal
indestructable focus), Independant, Gestures, Incantation. Transform
always rolls enough BODY to create one item, but never more than one. 30
active points, 7 real.
Frankly, I find the idea of that last item scary as hell: an artifact,
usable by anyone, which can be used to create anything out of thin air,
including another identical artifact. So, you quickly have thousands of
these things around, replicating themselves and other, more mundane items.
The description of Transform does say it shouldn't be used to create
"useful things like weapons or gold" (it does allow the creation of food,
though, which I've always found to be pretty useful) so I guess the GM
could use that note alone to rule against the replication of more
replicators. Even so, it seems like a power construct just screaming to be
abused. Was Transform expected to be revised at all for 5th Ed. ?
But I digress...a lot. Seems like more of a nuisance item than anything,
but I saw nothing wrong with the Snuffalarian Horn as written.
Damon
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1998 13:39:21 -0800
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: Viper Campaign
At 10:42 AM 12/19/98 -0500, TokyoMark wrote:
>
>Well, one thing I would not mind seeing in a new Viper Book. A small
>section on running a Viper campaign that doesn't involve the PC's being
>either deep cover for a good guy organization or in some weird future.
For those who don't demand a good-guy POV in their games, this is a
possibility that should be considered.
It would certainly allow for an interesting variant on the "Snake Wars"
scenario from my website. :-]
>The Viper book has a small section on a 'Top Snake' program to make
>competant agents even better. Any suggestions on what point level a 'Top
>Snake might be at in a Super Agents type game? I have been thinking 75+75.
I think 75+75 would be about right. Possibly 75+100.
(On a side note, on my sadly failed FH PBEM, and allowed anything in the
range of 75 to 125 points in Disadvantages "depending on how complicated
you want your character's life to become." I got submissions in the whole
range.)
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1998 13:34:47 -0800
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: Time Stop
At 07:29 PM 12/18/98 -0500, Scott Nolan wrote:
>I'd like to create a FH spell that allows a character to stop time
>for himself, freezing the rest of the world in it's tracks while
>he performs several actions.
>
>One way to do this would be to buy the spell as:
>
>+5 SPD, only to perform non-combat actions
>
>Now, I've heard all the cautions about multiple
>Speeds, and that's not what worries me. What
>worries me is that this really describes a slowing
>down of time, since the others will still be acting
>during some of these phases. And what if I
>want to buy the time-stopped character a whole
>minute?
>
>Is there a better way?
>
>I'm considering Extra-Dimensional Travel, through time.
>This would represent the character's inability to interact
>with other characters in the normal time-stream and would
>allow the character whatever time I as GM see fit to place
>as a limit on the spell. The effect would be to return him
>to the same point in normal time after the spell had expired,
>but with the added benefit of whatever healing or recovery
>the character was able to take in the interim.
>
>Comments?
The XDM route is what I've done in the past. I refer to the target
dimension as StillTime.
At first glance, it seems overly powerful, since the character can see
anything that's out in the open and go virtually anywhere in the world.
There are some limitations, though, some of depending on how much license
the GM is willing to grant.
For one thing, without Transdimensional STR he can't open doors, and of
course he'll be unable to operate vehicles. Yes, I know that this is FH
spell; I'm referring to carts, wheelbarrows, magic carpets, or anything
else that he doesn't take with him into StillTime.
It's also highly probable that, unless he has Life Support as a part of
the Spell, he'll be unable to eat or drink anything he doesn't bring with
him. (It could also be argued that he wouldn't be able to breathe the air
in StillTime, but enough literature where this effect appears gives this
license that I think it could also be granted in a game.)
Also, unlike many other dimensions to which a dimension-hopper could go
to, there are no opportunities to make Contacts, learn new things,
replenish supplies (including many typical cases of Charges), or do many of
the other things that going to a populated world would allow.
So, to my mind at least, it's close enough to balanced to work.
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1998 18:10:38 -0500
From: Scott Nolan <nolan@erols.com>
Subject: Re: Time Stop
At 01:34 PM 12/19/98 -0800, Bob Greenwade wrote:
>At 07:29 PM 12/18/98 -0500, Scott Nolan wrote:
>>I'd like to create a FH spell that allows a character to stop time
>>for himself, freezing the rest of the world in it's tracks while
>>he performs several actions.
>>
>>One way to do this would be to buy the spell as:
>>
>>+5 SPD, only to perform non-combat actions
>>
>>Now, I've heard all the cautions about multiple
>>Speeds, and that's not what worries me. What
>>worries me is that this really describes a slowing
>>down of time, since the others will still be acting
>>during some of these phases. And what if I
>>want to buy the time-stopped character a whole
>>minute?
>>
>>Is there a better way?
>>
>>I'm considering Extra-Dimensional Travel, through time.
>>This would represent the character's inability to interact
>>with other characters in the normal time-stream and would
>>allow the character whatever time I as GM see fit to place
>>as a limit on the spell. The effect would be to return him
>>to the same point in normal time after the spell had expired,
>>but with the added benefit of whatever healing or recovery
>>the character was able to take in the interim.
>>
>>Comments?
>
> The XDM route is what I've done in the past. I refer to the target
>dimension as StillTime.
> At first glance, it seems overly powerful, since the character can see
>anything that's out in the open and go virtually anywhere in the world.
>There are some limitations, though, some of depending on how much license
>the GM is willing to grant.
> For one thing, without Transdimensional STR he can't open doors, and of
>course he'll be unable to operate vehicles. Yes, I know that this is FH
>spell; I'm referring to carts, wheelbarrows, magic carpets, or anything
>else that he doesn't take with him into StillTime.
> It's also highly probable that, unless he has Life Support as a part of
>the Spell, he'll be unable to eat or drink anything he doesn't bring with
>him. (It could also be argued that he wouldn't be able to breathe the air
>in StillTime, but enough literature where this effect appears gives this
>license that I think it could also be granted in a game.)
> Also, unlike many other dimensions to which a dimension-hopper could go
>to, there are no opportunities to make Contacts, learn new things,
>replenish supplies (including many typical cases of Charges), or do many of
>the other things that going to a populated world would allow.
> So, to my mind at least, it's close enough to balanced to work.
I solve this with by defining "Still Time" as an infinitely-bounded area of
space-time (or similar "Star Trek" style nonsense) that means the character
is in a little, featureless bubble about ten hexes across for the subjective
duration of the spell. At the end, he is dumped back into the same point
in normal space-time from which he left, but with the benefits of whatever
he's done to himself in the meantime.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hold it the greatest wrong to prefer life to honor
and for the sake of life to lose the reason for living."
Juvenal, Satires
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scott C. Nolan
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1998 21:32:03 -0500
From: Mike Christodoulou <Cypriot@concentric.net>
Subject: Teleporting Others
... Not to be confused with "Usable Against Others".
Let's say that a character has the Teleport power. And let's
say that he also threw in the extra points to be able to teleport
up to 200 kg. This guy can then take himself and 2 other people
to some other point as defined by his teleport. (As opposed to
the UAO advantage, in which the character stays behind and the
4 other people take the trip.)
How does one define what gets teleported? Can the person
teleport 200 kg of brick wall, and leave the rest of the wall
intact? What if he only wants to take 100 kg?
What if he tries this on a 100 kg person who is carrying 200 kg
worth of stuff? Does the person vanish while the stuff stays
behind? Can he teleport a 100 kg person out of his armor? What
if the target is grabbing or has been grabbed? Would the grabbee
(or grabber) also come along with the teleport? Could he separate
the hostage from the terrorist?
How are the boundaries determined? I have similar questions about
desolidification, by the way.
====================== =================================================
Mike Christodoulou "Never doubt that a small group of committed
Cypriot@Concentric.Net citizens can change the world. In fact, it is
(770) 662-5605 the only thing that ever has." -- Margaret Mead
====================== =================================================
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1998 00:01:30 -0600
From: "Michael (Damon) & Peni Griffin" <griffin@txdirect.net>
Subject: Re: Teleporting Others
At 09:32 PM 12/19/1998 -0500, Mike Christodoulou wrote:
>... Not to be confused with "Usable Against Others".
>
>Can the person teleport 200 kg of brick wall, and leave the rest of the wall
>intact?
No. Teleport shouldn't be used as a way of doing direct damage to an
object (or person..."Can I just teleport his head?")
>What if he only wants to take 100 kg?
No problem. Nothing says Teleport always has to function at "full power".
Just don't try using this to justify teleporting part of an object or
person. ("C'mon, you said I don't have to 'port the whole 100 kg...I
should be able to just take the head.")
>What if he tries this on a 100 kg person who is carrying 200 kg
>worth of stuff? Does the person vanish while the stuff stays
>behind? Can he teleport a 100 kg person out of his armor? What
>if the target is grabbing or has been grabbed? Would the grabbee
>(or grabber) also come along with the teleport? Could he separate
>the hostage from the terrorist?
Although this is non-standard, my thought would be to allow most of these
sorts of things by letting the character buy Fine Manipulation for +10
points (borrowed from Telekinesis). Note that, perhaps ironically,
Teleportation has no range in the usual sense; you have to be touching
whatever you want to Teleport with you. With Fine Manipulation, I'd let
you teleport a guy naked out of his armor *if* you could make skin-to-skin
contact with him while he was wearing the armor. If you couldn't manage
that contact (and your Teleportation didn't have offsetting Advantages like
Range plus Indirect), the Fine Manipulation wouldn't allow you to teleport
away with him...but it *would* allow you to leave him behind while you
teleported away with his armor. :) Again, that's just a house rule.
Some of the things you brought up (target engaged in a Grab, or separating
hostage from terrorist) should be no problem, though. Teleportation is
not, by default, Sticky, so there's no presumption that everyone touching
your target must also count in your teleportation attempt (thus making you
fail if the chain of people exceeds your mass limit). If the persons or
objects are physically separate entities -- note I didn't say "separated",
they can be touching -- and teleporting one away from the other will not
result in damage to either one (at least, not as a direct result of the
separation) it should be perfectly legal.
Damon
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