What power would I use to represent this?

[Guest Major Tom]

For some weeks now, a friend of mine has been running a campaign based in

Vibora Bay, and he recently made it known that he was going to have to

come up with some new villains to throw at our group. I came up with some

ideas for him (just concepts, no actual stats) that I ran by him today. One

of them was for a power-armor villain that I called Longhorn (the helmet

resembles a high-tech steer's head), and one of the attacks that I came up

with for him was what I'm calling the "Stampede" attack for right now.

 

Basically, the way the attack works is that Longhorn starts running toward

his target (usually a wall or other solid obstacle that he wants to break thr-

ough), picking up speed as he does so (given the size limitations of most

hex maps, the majority of the run will take place off-map). At a pre-set

distance from his target, his armor's onboard computer takes control of the

charge, lowering his head and upper body into ramming position. At the same

time, a weapons system of the armor begins to generate an energy field that

is projected through the horns of the helmet, which is projected ahead of

him at the wall or other obstacle he intends to break through.

 

This field weakens the "strong force" that holds matter together, weakening

it and making it more vulnerable to damage. The idea is that, by the time

Longhorn hits his target, the field will have had enough time to weaken it en-

ough that, when he breaks through, he takes no move-through damage what-

soever.

 

Now, what I need help with is trying to decide which power would best rep-

resent the weakening field, along with a value for the Limitation "Can only

affect inorganic materials".

 

Any ideas?

 

 

Major Tom

[cutsleeve]

Re: What power would I use to represent this?

 

Make it a Hand Attack or a Hand KIlling Attack with armor piercing but can only be used when doing a move through.

 

Edit: to add power example.

 

Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 2d6 (2d6+1 w/STR), Armor Piercing (+1/2) (45 Active Points); Limited Power Only when doing a Move Through Maneuver Power loses about a fourth of its effectiveness (-1/4)

[Mike W]

Re: What power would I use to represent this?

 

Agreed.

 

Don't forget to buy enough PD force field linked to the attack to make the character immune to at least an average damage roll.

[levi]

Re: What power would I use to represent this?

 

Buy it as Tunneling since you only want to use it against inanimate objects anyway. Maybe with a Full Move Lim on it.

[Rapier]

Re: What power would I use to represent this?

 

Move Thru.

 

The base power you described is a MoveThru.

 

Simply purchase +xd6 HA (or EB) Only for Move Thrus.

 

I have a further breakdown in my campaigns than Brick.

 

Inside of the Brick main archetype or Damage Sponges and MoveThru Artists.

 

CannonBall from the New Mutants is a Move Thru Artist. His main damage construst is designed to allow him to run into another character and do damage. This is what I think you are getting at. He just needs to buy a couple of extra dice in Move Thru to represent the added computer bonus.

[Weldun]

Re: What power would I use to represent this?

 

Actually, Armor Piercing as a naked advantage on the DCs of the move-through with the -¼ limitation will do the trick, as well. But don't forget Mike W's suggestion of the linked PD forcefield.

 

Does anyone know where to find the "Only With X Maneuver" limitation? I'm having trouble finding it.

[Rapier]

Re: What power would I use to represent this?

 

Actually as I've seen some of the other posts now, I would allow a Naked Advantage (if Naked Advantages are allowed) for AP bought on the MAX movethru for the character (including pushing).

[Weldun]

Re: What power would I use to represent this?

 

Actually as I've seen some of the other posts now' date=' I would allow a Naked Advantage (if Naked Advantages are allowed) for AP bought on the MAX movethru for the character (including pushing).[/quote']If you want to, but I wouldn't allow them to cover what they could get from pushing. But as I said, if you want to, do it. It's your game, after all is said and done.

[David Johnston]

Re: What power would I use to represent this?

 

The goal is apparently to reduce the BODY of a barrier in order to ensure that he can break through it and additionally to ensure that he himself takes no damage from the move through.

 

Is it too obvious just to Drain Body and a Forcefield that only works versus Move Through Damage?

[Weldun]

Re: What power would I use to represent this?

 

The goal is apparently to reduce the BODY of a barrier in order to ensure that he can break through it and additionally to ensure that he himself takes no damage from the move through.

 

Is it too obvious just to Drain Body and a Forcefield that only works versus Move Through Damage?

Clearly it is too obvious, seeing as we all missed it.

[Rapier]

Re: What power would I use to represent this?

 

If you want to' date=' but I wouldn't allow them to cover what they could get from pushing. But as I said, if you want to, do it. It's your game, after all is said and done.[/quote']

 

Yeah, I can TOTALLY see where you are coming from. But just for my mind, with this being the characters main/only attack power I'd like to have it built into the build if for no other reason than it makes the math easier.

 

14d6 Move Thru, 4d6 AP Move Thru, or

18d6 AP Move Thru?

 

I know which one I'd rather adjudicate!

 

Of course, I would also tack on a number of Increased END, Extra Time type lims to make it a little more non-overwhelming.

 

If a standard attack in the campain is 12 DCs, having a standard attack be a Move Thru with a 12 DC base (before movement) can be unbalancing. But you already knew all that, so I don't know why I'm mentioning it other than I'm STILL pissed at my boyfriend.

 

Don't mean to take it out on you.

[GoldenAge]

Re: What power would I use to represent this?

 

What about a Body Suppress (usable only on non living objects) that is linked with Move Through...

 

The Suppress would temporarily reduce the Body of the obstacle, perfectly representing the field's affect on the Strong Force of the walls subatomic structure. If the Move Through is interrupted then the wall's atomic structure would then realign and it's body return leaving no long-term affect on the unharmed target.

 

Is this option the cheapest way to do this power? Probably not... But it is a good fit for the cosmetics of the power.

[Weldun]

Re: What power would I use to represent this?

 

He's right, you know.

[Rapier]

Re: What power would I use to represent this?

 

What about a Body Suppress (usable only on non living objects) that is linked with Move Through...

 

The Suppress would temporarily reduce the Body of the obstacle, perfectly representing the field's affect on the Strong Force of the walls subatomic structure. If the Move Through is interrupted then the wall's atomic structure would then realign and it's body return leaving no long-term affect on the unharmed target.

 

Is this option the cheapest way to do this power? Probably not... But it is a good fit for the cosmetics of the power.

 

That is definately one way to go. My only concern would be that you are, effectively, using 2 attacks which would slow down the game somewhat. Throw on an AP and its a lot faster.

 

Your build would also run into the problem of:

 

Target has 27 BODY.

You Suppress 8 BODY.

MoveThru Attack does 18 BODY and 47 STUN.

Target has 20 rDEF.

Target takes 27 STUN.

 

In my mind, that isn't what the attack is going for. The attack is intended to break down the molecular bond of DEF and break through...which is almost perfectly the definiton of AP.

 

Suppress DEF? That may be closer, but again, it takes more time. I'm a simplist kind of guy.

[GoldenAge]

Re: What power would I use to represent this?

 

Well, you ARE attacking the object twice, you know...

 

If you want it all in one attack... just buy up your attack DCs usable only with Move Through - Maybe add a System Ops roll or a a Comp roll - and you're done.

[GoldenAge]

Re: What power would I use to represent this?

 

 

Suppress DEF? That may be closer, but again, it takes more time. I'm a simplist kind of guy.

Heck, Suppress DEF & Body! Add that to your Move Through and get your GM's approval to use them as a Multiple Attack!

[Rapier]

Re: What power would I use to represent this?

 

Well, you ARE attacking the object twice, you know...

 

If you want it all in one attack... just buy up your attack DCs usable only with Move Through - Maybe add a System Ops roll or a a Comp roll - and you're done.

 

True, very true.

 

My only concern was keeping combat moving.

 

However, there is one thing Steve has been pretty vocal about is that any attack which lowers a DEF within the attack (eg linked attack) happens after the attack hits.

 

I could very easily see saying that the MoveThru hits and THEN the BODY (which is a kind of DEF? Maybe? Heck, I Don't Know.) is Suppressed (which, since BODY is continuous) does Nothing.

 

It's a tough call. In the end I would ask my player to go with the AP just to keep things moving. Its a lot easier to do DEF/2 then figure count more dice.

[GoldenAge]

Re: What power would I use to represent this?

 

True, very true.

 

My only concern was keeping combat moving.

You just need to work the Speed Chart better. If your Speed is 5 then hold an 8 until 9 and go on 9 and 10, or a 5 until 7 and go on 7 & 8 (and so on). Holding an action will speed up combat and allow you to change your mind if something comes up.

 

It's a powerful attack, you should have to work for the awesome result.

[Rapier]

Re: What power would I use to represent this?

 

You just need to work the Speed Chart better. Hold an 8 until 9 and go on 9 and 10 (and so on). It's a powerful attack' date=' you should have to work for the awesome result.[/quote']

 

Then we get into MetaGaming. You are working the system. I hate that even more. You should not throw a HayMaker on 12 because noone has an action on 1. Your character has no idea what Phase 12 (or any phases are for that matter) is. Your character should only throw a Haymaker because he wants to wind up and open up a can on some villain.

[GoldenAge]

Re: What power would I use to represent this?

 

Then we get into MetaGaming. You are working the system. I hate that even more. You should not throw a HayMaker on 12 because noone has an action on 1. Your character has no idea what Phase 12 (or any phases are for that matter) is. Your character should only throw a Haymaker because he wants to wind up and open up a can on some villain.

True, my character doesn't know what Phase 12 is... But I assume he's smart enough to know that his Quantum Move Through takes more time than simply hitting someone... The computer needs time to target, the field needs time to coalesce and I have to run my hardest and strike with all my might... So, when I want to use that power I might stop, take a look around to make sure I'm not forgetting anything and, when the time is right, take off running!!!

 

Sounds like a "Hold one action until it abuts the next, then use them consecutively" to me.

 

Or does everyone in your world only act as soon as they can regardless of personal and public safety?

[David Johnston]

Re: What power would I use to represent this?

 

 

Target has 27 BODY.

You Suppress 8 BODY.

MoveThru Attack does 18 BODY and 47 STUN.

Target has 20 rDEF.

Target takes 27 STUN.

 

 

Inanimate objects don't have Stun.

[Rapier]

Re: What power would I use to represent this?

 

Inanimate objects don't have Stun.

 

I got the feeling this was the characters main attack and would probably be used in combat against other people also. Shrug.

[Rapier]

Re: What power would I use to represent this?

 

Or does everyone in your world only act as soon as they can regardless of personal and public safety?

 

No. None of my players would ever phrase it or intend an action set like that. Even if they said "I'm going to hold until everyone has acted" I would want to know what they mean. Phases are an artificial metagame concept that have no correlation inside the setting of the game. Phases and the entire time chart are concepts that exist outside of the characters. The characters know nothing about them (any more than they would understand a 12d6 EB, Effects Desol).

 

A character knows that people act. Some people act faster than others. Some people get more discrete actions inside a minute. Much like you or me right now, have never or would never try to break down actual events into "how many discrete actions did LavaLad take in the last minute" and try to plot that over time to determine when the best time to attack LavaLad might be.

[ghost-angel]

Re: What power would I use to represent this?

 

The trick is..

 

If you use Supress DEF you will almost always lower the DEF of the target wall (almost no one buys Power DEF for walls)

If you use Armor Piercing a single level of Hardended negates your attack. Lots of people buy Hardened for walls.

 

Of course, this may be what you're after, a Hardened Wall may be virtually impossible to break the structure down that way it's envisioned.

[Arkham]

Re: What power would I use to represent this?

 

Sounds like a clear case of Tunnelling, 25 Def ( or more ), extra time, etc...