Multiform, OIHID or just sfx?

[Dr Divago]

Hi all

a silly question

 

i was thinking about a superheroine named Silva; she can instalty turn into a silver form (she retain her feature but seems like covered in quicksilver)

in silver form she has a LS almost total, flying, megascale flying, ftl and a good armor. plus maybe an HA or two and a wall/ff/entangle-only-to-make-wall to create shield

 

now, how to build silver form?

based on description, it could be seems a multiform: silver form has all the power while normal form not.

btw, because all the powers are on silver form and she's supposed to be in silver form everytime she need to combat, fly, ftltravel etc it seems to me more like OIHID; on the other hand she can instantly turn on silver form and she can always use silver form (save maybe in social situation or whenever she whanna be "a normal girl") and OIHID is only if/when there are something who could limit you to not use the HID

 

so my guess is: it's just special effect; maybe armor are with "visible" limitation and she can "turn off" the power (resembling a normal girl). Linking all other powers to armor would be something to explain why she can't fly in "normal form"; but i don't like it: armor will be amost always on, and other power too can use the special effect "she turn into a silver chick"

 

is this correct, or i'm missing something?

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: Multiform, OIHID or just sfx?

 

Multiform and OIHID are both good ways to do it. I would use OIHID personally.

 

Wish I could answer more, but I still prefer Athena to Boomer.

 

QM

[Kdansky]

Re: Multiform, OIHID or just sfx?

 

You can do both. Or a third (least point-efficient way):

 

Silver as main form, buy Normal Person as Multiform (will probably not be very expensive). I don't think it's very sensible, since you basically pay points for a disadvantaged form.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Multiform, OIHID or just sfx?

 

If the normal form can do things that Silva cannot (as wall as the other way around), then I'd go with multiform. That is a personal preference though, not a hard and fast rule.

 

You could go with OIHID but that is often problematic. Worth considering though. Bear in mind

 

My preference would be, as all the powers CAN be turned off, to simply make them visible - they can be seen when turned on. Obviously the flying can't be made visible as it already is.

 

Personally I would link everything (or have a custom lim like 'Mutual Power Source - when one drained all drained equally, or even proportionally), for this reason: if your ability to 'Silva' is drained it makes sense that all the associated abilities are drained equally. You might not see the character that way though. Plus, of course, you have the 'have to use all powers or none' thing going, if I've read it right.

[Alibear]

Re: Multiform, OIHID or just sfx?

 

That sounds exactly what I'd use OIHID for.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Multiform, OIHID or just sfx?

 

OIHID has the advantage here that it can 'force' the powers to all be used simultaneously - you have to be Silva'd for it to work. I'm definitely warming tot hat idea, but that doesn't mean you can't use the 'visible' limitation too - that sounds entirely appropriate.

[Doc Samson]

Re: Multiform, OIHID or just sfx?

 

If the normal form can do things that Silva cannot (as wall as the other way around)' date=' then I'd go with multiform.[/quote']

This is our long standing criteria as well. For most other builds we use OIHID.

[Edsel]

Re: Multiform, OIHID or just sfx?

 

If the character can instantly change, and it is rare for the character to be caught in a position where they cannot change their form, then I would not allow OIHID since it isn't really a limitation. If there are ways that the character can be forced to remain in normal ID or can be forced to change into normal ID and this happens often enough, then OIHID might be acceptable.

 

Our group uses OIHID for things like powered armor. The sort of armor that can't be taken away from a character in a single turn out of combat. Something like Iron Man's armor is a good example, even if he is unconscious it could take hours to cut him out of his armor so it isn't really a focus. But he has no powers unless he is in the armor and it takes some time to put it on, thus OIHID works great for something like that.

[Alibear]

Re: Multiform, OIHID or just sfx?

 

A Secret ID is the classic way to stop you just changing. I really like the roleplaying of the 'normal' character having to stop the bank robbers knowing he can't use any powers. I saw a character take a bullet for a woman once in just such a situation.

 

8 body to his tender yeilding 12 body flesh. Wasn't he was really pleased when I gave him an extra xp for doing something truly heroic.

[Bloodstone]

Re: Multiform, OIHID or just sfx?

 

Based on the description, I would do it one of two ways:

 

Multiform, Instant change. This version potentially runs into the problems based on how you run Multiform. I don't like the idea of having pay points to de-power themselves, so unless the human form can do something that the heroic form can't I don't really favor this method.

 

Or, since she can instantly turn her powers on and off at will, you could simply build her super form as if it were her base form. Then note somewhere what her stats are like in normal form. She gets no limitations or disadvantage for walking around in normal form, since she can instantly power up when ever she wants. The only times this really matters is in surprise encounters, in which case she's not much worse off than you average Force Field using energy projector.

[boomer]

Re: Multiform, OIHID or just sfx?

 

How about buying the form as a Multipower? The instant change wouldn't have the limitation of OIHID, but the Multipower would. Yes she can instant change, but until she does that's the only power she can wield without being slivered.

[Derek Hiemforth]

Re: Multiform, OIHID or just sfx?

 

Personally, I'd just chalk it up to SFX. Take Visible on the Life Support and Armor. Then if she turns any powers on, being silvery is just part of the SFX.

[Kenn]

Re: Multiform, OIHID or just sfx?

 

I only think multi-form is right if the character has multiple forms with which they can adventure. If it's a "puny" human with a single super powered form I tend to favour the Only in Hero ID approach.

 

Between "Hero ID Only" or the "Visible"/"Linked" options... The costs are probably fairly comparable (Visible is uslaly 1/4, and so is OIHID; linked starts at a 1/2 but gets reduced if the base power is usually on.

 

Visible/Linked is probably a shade more accurate to the SFX.

Hero ID Only makes it more obvious that there's a powered form and a normal form without having to read the whole sheet.

 

I'd use OIHID.

[JmOz]

Re: Multiform, OIHID or just sfx?

 

OIHID

 

Until 5th edition this would not even have been a question. This assumes a few things like there is a reason to be in human form sometimes, like a secret ID.

[Dr Divago]

Re: Multiform, OIHID or just sfx?

 

Summon Multi Quoted Reply!

 

Question Man:

Multiform and OIHID are both good ways to do it. I would use OIHID personally.

Me too i'd like more OIHID but still cannot be catch "without silver form" 'cause are instant change

Wish I could answer more, but I still prefer Athena to Boomer.

Lolz. in the end of the show, i agree. it's second season's sharon i don't like >_<

 

Edsel:

Our group uses OIHID for things like powered armor. The sort of armor that can't be taken away from a character in a single turn out of combat. Something like Iron Man's armor is a good example, even if he is unconscious it could take hours to cut him out of his armor so it isn't really a focus. But he has no powers unless he is in the armor and it takes some time to put it on, thus OIHID works great for something like that.

Yes me too use OIHID for powered armor (unbrokeable, replaceable, and like BUT you need time to wear it and it's not instant change...)

 

Sean Waters

If the normal form can do things that Silva cannot (as wall as the other way around), then I'd go with multiform. That is a personal preference though, not a hard and fast rule.

mmmhhhh nope...

thinking about "everytime she need to do something different than human, she change form and do it".

 

Personally I would link everything (or have a custom lim like 'Mutual Power Source - when one drained all drained equally, or even proportionally), for this reason: if your ability to 'Silva' is drained it makes sense that all the associated abilities are drained equally. You might not see the character that way though. Plus, of course, you have the 'have to use all powers or none' thing going, if I've read it right.

Yes this is a way: all powers "tied" to silver form, so if she cannot silver form she cannot use powers (flying, armor etc)

 

I'd like OHID beacause of the "if you are not in HID, you can use no powers". So stopping one, all stopped.

 

JmOz

OIHID

Until 5th edition this would not even have been a question. This assumes a few things like there is a reason to be in human form sometimes, like a secret ID.

Or like adventuring in a normal world where a silver shiny tan is not wellcome?

 

Derek Hiemforth:

Personally, I'd just chalk it up to SFX. Take Visible on the Life Support and Armor. Then if she turns any powers on, being silvery is just part of the SFX.

Yeah this what i was thinking on.

Silver form cannot be "suppressed" because if you suppress armor, she can turn on fly and *puff* go silver again.

 

ok, reading all of you i think OIHID is what i'm looking for, then.

Btw if HID is "instant change", i'd go for a -0 limitations

[ghost-angel]

Re: Multiform, OIHID or just sfx?

 

OIHID requires a Phase to change, and has to have a "Can Be Stopped" condition. If neither of those are true - this is simply the SFX of activating your Powers.

 

Nothing fancy, or complex. You just turn into a Silver Person and have access to all your Powers. Pure Role Playing goodness.

[pawsplay]

Re: Multiform, OIHID or just sfx?

 

Of course she can be stopped. Mind Control, "Simon says... don't turn into your silver form."

 

Still, if you have a philosophical objection, just build the powers as Visible. I think OIHID works better, though, because you can't automatically tell that just because someone is silver, they can fly.

 

It also means you can't use your powers in disguise very well. This is a perfect situation for OIHID... the powers have only one major limitation, she can only use them in her hero ID. Tada! If she doesn't have to take a Half Phase to change, then just apply Nonpersistent and Visibile to the various powers so they have to be turned on. Apply Linked to the powers that aren't based on her physical transformation.

[Dr Divago]

Re: Multiform, OIHID or just sfx?

 

If she doesn't have to take a Half Phase to change' date=' then just apply Nonpersistent and Visibile to the various powers so they have to be turned on. Apply Linked to the powers that aren't based on her physical transformation.[/quote']mmmhhhhh

non persistent? so if she goes knocked-out/stunned/like, she lose the powers?

nah...

better with oihid then...

[Sean Waters]

Re: Multiform, OIHID or just sfx?

 

Or just 'visible' - you don't need to make them non-persistent.

 

As I said before, there is nothing TECHNICALLY wrong with taking OIHID AND visble.

[pawsplay]

Re: Multiform, OIHID or just sfx?

 

True. But while Armor, Lack of Weakness, and Life Support might be the Visible signs of having silver skin, Flight, for instance, wouldn't (and is already Visible in its own right). Likewise, Mental Defense; looking silver doesn't imply mental defenses.

[Opal]

Re: Multiform, OIHID or just sfx?

 

; she can instalty turn into a silver form (she retain her feature but seems like covered in quicksilver)

in silver form she has a LS almost total, flying, megascale flying, ftl and a good armor.

 

based on description, it could be seems a multiform: silver form has all the power while normal form not.

 

it seems to me more like OIHID; on the other hand OIHID is only if/when there are something who could limit you to not use the HID

 

so my guess is: it's just special effect; maybe armor are with "visible" limitation and she can "turn off" the power (resembling a normal girl).

 

is this correct, or i'm missing something?

 

If a character has a sepparate hero ID, then almost any power that couldn't be used without revealing that ID is a candidate for OIHID. In this case, to use /any/ power, the character has to assume this unique, humaniod silver apearance. That seems to me to amount to assuming hero ID. Of course, if the character has no particular secret ID - and would never hesitate to assume the form for any reason, then it's not really an issue, and not really OIHID (maybe 'visible' on certain not-normally-visible powers, like the armor).

 

However, another consideration is whether disadvantages and attributes change. If the silvery form can do anything the normal form can, and the normal form can't do anything the sivler form can't, then you're looking at OIHID. If the silvery form faces some limitations that the normal form doesn't, if the normal form has some stats higher, as well as lower, than the the silvery form, then Multiform starts to make more sense.

[Kenn]

Re: Multiform, OIHID or just sfx?

 

So, if you're powers are bought Only in Hero ID, but you have Instant Change bought with Incantations, and then you buy Contortionist, only usable against gags over the mouth, cam you still claim only in Hero ID?

[ghost-angel]

Re: Multiform, OIHID or just sfx?

 

Of course she can be stopped. Mind Control, "Simon says... don't turn into your silver form."

 

Still, if you have a philosophical objection, just build the powers as Visible. I think OIHID works better, though, because you can't automatically tell that just because someone is silver, they can fly.

 

It also means you can't use your powers in disguise very well. This is a perfect situation for OIHID... the powers have only one major limitation, she can only use them in her hero ID. Tada! If she doesn't have to take a Half Phase to change, then just apply Nonpersistent and Visibile to the various powers so they have to be turned on. Apply Linked to the powers that aren't based on her physical transformation.

 

OIHID requires an easily identifiable method to be stopped. Like taking your Power Ring or being prevented from uttering your Magic Transformation Word.

 

Anyone can be Mind Controlled to not use their powers. That's not a valid OIHID Stop condition.

[JmOz]

Re: Multiform, OIHID or just sfx?

 

OIHID requires an easily identifiable method to be stopped. Like taking your Power Ring or being prevented from uttering your Magic Transformation Word.

 

Anyone can be Mind Controlled to not use their powers. That's not a valid OIHID Stop condition.

 

Does it say "easily Identifiable" I thought it could be kept fairly secret...

 

I still like the 4th edition version

[ghost-angel]

Re: Multiform, OIHID or just sfx?

 

Nope, doesn't I guess.

 

but it does say "Must be difficult to change taking at least a Full Phase" which does not meet the OPs original statement of "can access instantly." It's a bad Limitation for use in this example no matter how you slice it.