How do I build this power?

[Ilari]

One of my players came up with the following power:

 

When touching any weapon, the character immediately acquires the knowledge of how to use it. (The knowledge goes away once the weapon is released, not that this really matters.)

 

Assuming she wants an OCV of +3 with the weapon, just for ease of calculations -- how do I build this power?

 

The only idea that comes to mind is to define a "Weapon Expert" power: 3 +5 Combat Skill levels with the appropriate type of combat, and a Weapon Familiarity with the particular weapon. Then give her character a VPP with the limitation "Only Weapon Expert-class powers".

 

Technically this violates the "no skills in VPPs" rule. Can anyone think of a better and/or more elegant way to do this?

[The Monster]

Re: How do I build this power?

 

My knee-jerk thought is just to make her buy regular combat levels - to have levels which don't work when you're not touching the weapon is not much of a limitation, at least for OCV. You might have an argument for DCV, depending on the weapon. The only real limitation is that you can't "talk" someone through rmeotely, which you pretty much never do anyway, and it might be harder or near-impossible to train someone else with the weapon.

 

As far as familiarities, I might be persuaded as GM to offer a sort of "Universal Translator" variant, where for 20 points and an INT roll, you can have the appropriate WF. With a +1 to the roll per 1 point, it would still be a lot cheaper than buying dozens of WFs.

[ghost-angel]

Re: How do I build this power?

 

+3 with All Combat (24 Active Points) [these are 8pt CSLs]; OAF(weapon of opportunity) (12 Real Points)

WF (Small Arms, etc. . . basically anything they could 'know'); Only While Touching Weapon (-0).

 

The "Only While Touching Weapon" is a -0 Limitation unless you feel that the ability to talk about weapons, or trying to show someone else how to use it, is worth a larger Limitation.

 

No VPP needed as nothing is actually "changed out" and the Limitations basically state they have to have the weapon In Hand to be able to use the abilities (for instance with no weapon the Combat Skill Levels are not usable).

[Comic]

Re: How do I build this power?

 

30 pts, for 6 group levels with weapons (a "related group of attacks", 3 to offset familiarity penalty, 3 for +3 OCV).

Your choice of what is most fitting of Detect, Analyze, "Function of Weapon", or Clairsentience, only to sense function of weapon. Appropriate level of perception roll.

[JmOz]

Re: How do I build this power?

 

IN MY GAME, where a house rule is in effect

 

3 broad catagory Penalty Skill Levels, total cost 9 points, the rest is F/x

[ghost-angel]

Re: How do I build this power?

 

Basically... as you can see from the few suggestions so far ...this is done with some form of well defined Skill Level and doesn't need much more than that Mechanically.

[Ilari]

Re: How do I build this power?

 

+3 with All Combat (24 Active Points) [these are 8pt CSLs]; OAF(weapon of opportunity) (12 Real Points)

WF (Small Arms, etc. . . basically anything they could 'know'); Only While Touching Weapon (-0).

 

The "Only While Touching Weapon" is a -0 Limitation unless you feel that the ability to talk about weapons, or trying to show someone else how to use it, is worth a larger Limitation.

 

Okay. (Bear with me, I'm a clueless newbie.)

 

The +3 with all combat and OAF I understand. The second line, however, is confusing me. Are you suggesting she buy every single WF out there as a skill? That's what I'm hoping to avoid...

[ghost-angel]

Re: How do I build this power?

 

I pretty much am really.

 

You could buy it as a VPP:

 

Pool 2pts, Control Cost: 1pt, Cosmic; Weapon Familiarity Only (-1); Total Cost 3pts

 

is an awfully cheap way of buying pretty much all the Weapon Familiarities: 59pts (not including an vehicle weapons as it seems to not fit concept).

 

You're paying 1/20th of the cost, and need GM Permission.

 

On the other hand, the majority of Weapons may never come into play thus causing the issue that 59pts may be too much for the actual utility gained.

 

Switching the "Weapon Familiarity Only" Limitation to a -0 Value yields a total cost of 5pts for the VPP, which is still a very low cost, but quite possibly still more than many characters will pay for the WF Skill (who normally only get the most common weapons they will used: Firearms in modern games; Common Melee in Fantasy, etc...)

[Alibear]

Re: How do I build this power?

 

IN MY GAME, where a house rule is in effect

 

3 broad catagory Penalty Skill Levels, total cost 9 points, the rest is F/x

 

Same here.

 

 

For 9 points my game you can buy:

 

Weapon Master: Familiarity with all known weapons.

With a little time to study an unknown weapon a Weapon Master could work out how to best use it. (Which is 3 PSL only to offset Wpn Fam negatives.)

 

Natural Driver: Familiarity with all known modes of transport. (I didn't think this talent was worth any more than the weapon master)

With a little time to study an unknown vehicle a Natural Driver could work out how to handle it.

 

 

 

Btw. This is not a book legal build as Steve has officially vetoed these builds.

[pinecone]

Re: How do I build this power?

 

I'd likely do this as a Universal form of WF...or just buy enough levels to cancel all penaltys and hand wave the KS.......If you buy a "Weapon master" skill enhancer you can buy every broad group for 1 pt each, and that should not cost too much...Melee weapons, Firearms, Heavy weapons...you can buy Exotic weapons at 2 per point as well. I think all of that is "Book legal"

[JmOz]

Re: How do I build this power?

 

Legal but requires a GM Approval

 

2 pt VPP, Cosmic (+2) OIF weapns of oppertunity (-1/2), total cost 4 points...

[JmOz]

Re: How do I build this power?

 

this thread may be relevent

 

http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1327774#post1327774