Adding a special effect

[CTaylor]

Re: Adding a special effect

 

Ghost Angel's option is pretty expensive for the effect. And the way hero games gets around campaign variability is to assign cost based on frequency in the campaign, so you can choose what fits your game based on that.

 

Well, changing the special effect and changing which defence an attack works against are completely different things.

 

I don't think it's quite that distinct a difference. If I buy an attack against PD and define it as fire, everyone is going to be scratching their heads. If I buy a D6 that hits creatures only harmed by magic and you only let that D6 through, then you've just split up the defenses of the creature: they work on these dice and not on the others.

 

In your fire sword example you've just defined fire as a PD attack and split up the damage between two different defenses on the creature: it ignores the creature's special defenses (which will be energy defense if its vulnerable to fire) with part of the damage and the rest goes against their PD.

 

I'm not arguing this ought to be free, I'm arguing it ought to be fairly cheap because of the very minor effect it typically will have on the game.

[Doc Democracy]

Re: Adding a special effect

 

I'm not arguing this ought to be free' date=' I'm arguing it ought to be fairly cheap because of the very minor effect it typically will have on the game.[/quote']

 

And the game provides a mechanic for changing special effects - it is an advantage to the power being used. There are enough powers in the game that have SFX holes that being able to manipulate the SFX is worth points. Possibly not as cheap as you want, but not really that expensive.

 

 

Doc

[CTaylor]

Re: Adding a special effect

 

And I'm not looking to change special effects.

[Doc Democracy]

Re: Adding a special effect

 

And I'm not looking to change special effects.

 

Of course you are, whether it is adding to existing or simply switching one for another you are changing the special effects of the attack.

 

The advantage comes in being able to manipulate the special effect to take advantage of a specific weakness of an opponent.

 

 

Doc

[Utech]

Re: Adding a special effect

 

I'm not arguing this ought to be free' date=' I'm arguing it ought to be fairly cheap because of the very minor effect it typically will have on the game.[/quote']

 

I'm afraid this is a case in which you asked for opinions and don't like the results. It happens. If you think it should be fairly cheap, by all means call it a 5 point Adder and be done with it. Play test it and find out if you were right. I'll be interested in reading how things turned out for you.

[CTaylor]

Re: Adding a special effect

 

OK I think there's a substantive difference between going from one special effect to another ... and adding a special effect to an attack that already has one. Physical attack plus magic, for instance. Maybe that's just nitpicking. In any case, variable special effect lets you tailor the special effect to the situation as you noted.

 

I'm looking for a mechanic to add a special effect, one single one to an attack. Here's an example of what I had in mind:

 

DRAGON FIST

This martial arts ability channels the warrior's ki into his attacks, making them able to hit and harm creatures immune to non-magical attacks

POWERS: [insert missing effect here]

MODIFIERS: Concentrate 1/2 DCV, Extra Time Delayed Phase, x2 END Cost, Requires EGO roll

 

See the concept here? I don't want him to have the wonder fists that can burst into flames then have lightning on them. One effect, for himself, so he can hit stuff that's magical.

 

That's one example, I'm sure people can think of dozens easily. Transformation attack can't work. Variable special effect doesn't apply.

[ghost-angel]

Re: Adding a special effect

 

Ok, there are exactly two approaches:

 

Variable Special Effect where the "Variable SFX" is defined as "Whatever it was before PLUS Magic" as one SFX: Magic Fist, Magic Metal Sharp Object, Ice Fire, etc...

 

Multiple Special Effect where you are literally adding a second SFX onto the first.

 

The first is in 5ER, the second UEP. Both are going to be moderately costly additives.

Variable SFX does have a small version that allows for a limited set of options (down to 1 Alternate Option).

 

Hero does no differentiate Mechanically between Fire and Magic Fire or Ice Fire. Each are a possible Special Effect - some may fall into two categories Magic Fire is both Magical (tripping that Vulnerability/Susceptibility) AND Fire (tripping that Vulnerability/Susceptibility). Woe to him who has both.

 

If you think doubling up SFX like that is a problem then you MUST implement the Multiple Special Effects Advantage for those people who want to do so.

If you don't have issues doubling up SFX in that way then Variable Special Effect fits the bill, allowing the person to change from Fist to Ch'i Fist.

 

It is exactly that simple.

[Doc Democracy]

Re: Adding a special effect

 

What he said...

 

 

 

Doc

[CTaylor]

Re: Adding a special effect

 

Multiple Special Effect where you are literally adding a second SFX onto the first.

 

And this rule or mechanic would be what, exactly? It's what I've been asking about for three pages now, wanting to see it, and know what it is. What would this be, precisely?

[Doc Democracy]

Re: Adding a special effect

 

Multiple Special Effect where you are literally adding a second SFX onto the first.

 

And this rule or mechanic would be what, exactly? It's what I've been asking about for three pages now, wanting to see it, and know what it is. What would this be, precisely?

 

Ghost Angel told you

 

If you don't have issues doubling up SFX in that way then Variable Special Effect fits the bill' date=' allowing the person to change from Fist to Ch'i Fist.[/quote']

 

The alteration in special effect here could be physical attack to magical physical attack where someone vulnerable to either physical or magical damage would suffer.

 

Simple variable special effect as a naked advantage - or tied to a particular power/characteristic.

 

Doc

[ghost-angel]

Re: Adding a special effect

 

Multiple Special Effect where you are literally adding a second SFX onto the first.

 

And this rule or mechanic would be what, exactly? It's what I've been asking about for three pages now, wanting to see it, and know what it is. What would this be, precisely?

 

As I said, it's an Advantage from Ultimate Energy Projector. It's not in 5ER because it hadn't been thought of.

 

It allows for multiple Special Effects to be on a Power (such as a Fire and Earth energy blast). It makes the assumption Special Effects go beyond the default state of "maybe useful, maybe not, no real measurable effect" in the Base Rules.

 

Value varies.

[CTaylor]

Re: Adding a special effect

 

OK I guess I'll go look in the book in the local store and see what they say. I can't afford a new book nor am I inclined to buy one just to see what the text of one advantage is. Thanks for all the help.

 

:/

[ghost-angel]

Re: Adding a special effect

 

Sorry. I'm not in the habit of reprinting large chunks of detailed information from a book.

you want to read p32.