Steve Posted March 25, 2011 Report Share Posted March 25, 2011 I'm thinking this is some sort of Life Support Immunity, but I'm a little puzzled by how to do it. It seems to me it would be a 2-3 point power. What puzzles me from a game logic perspective is that cancer is a disease so would seem to fall under the disease category, but it can be caused by carcinogens which seem more like a poison category. If you are immune to cancer, are you immune to the disease itself or the carcinogenic causes of it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ockham's Spoon Posted March 25, 2011 Report Share Posted March 25, 2011 Re: Immunity to cancer The problem is that cancer is a generic term for a broad class of ailments with various causes, but those causes are not always known. Once manifested, I would classify it as a disease though, so for purposes of Life Support if you were immune to all diseases (5 pts) that would cover cancer. If the character is only immune to cancer but not the flu or other diseases, I would peg it at 3 points, which is what you would pay to be immune to all bacterial infections or all viral infections, but slightly less that it would cost be be immune to all zootoxins or phytoxins (4 pts). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobGreenwade Posted March 25, 2011 Report Share Posted March 25, 2011 Re: Immunity to cancer Cancer can be triggered by chemicals, by radiation (UV, X-Ray, Gamma, et al), and other sources. If you want a character to be immune to cancer itself, it should be to the disease. I agree with OS that it would probably be around 3 points, though it could also be 2 points if you don't expect it to come up that often. (Remember too, if only for context, that cancer can appear many years after the triggering event -- the original cancerous cell can lay dormant for that long before it becomes a hazardous growth.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndianaJoe3 Posted March 25, 2011 Report Share Posted March 25, 2011 Re: Immunity to cancer I think that 2 points is on the high side, myself. I don't see it coming up very often in most games, so 1 point might be more appropriate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xavier Onassiss Posted March 25, 2011 Report Share Posted March 25, 2011 Re: Immunity to cancer I'm with IndianaJoe3 on this; it won't come up very often -- so 1pt is probably okay. However, it might make sense to change up based on the character's age: the risk of many types of cancer increases as one gets older. If most of the main characters in the campaign are younger (under 40?) or if you feel this is just going into too much detail for a minor power, ignore it and go with 1 or 2 points. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrosshairCollie Posted March 25, 2011 Report Share Posted March 25, 2011 Re: Immunity to cancer I think that 2 points is on the high side' date=' myself. I don't see it coming up very often in most games, so 1 point might be more appropriate.[/quote'] Ditto. For that matter, Cancer doesn't strike me has a disease in the HERO way ... I can't imagine a character like Plague inflicting it, or how one would stat it. I would think having Cancer would be a Disadvantage/Complication, so 'immunity to cancer' just means 'don't take the disad'. Cancer's also one of those touchy subjects that I would be hesitant to use in a game in any event. If anybody in my group had lost a loved one to cancer, I would feel like an absolute heel if I inflicted it on their character. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naanomi Posted March 25, 2011 Report Share Posted March 25, 2011 Re: Immunity to cancer While real cancer is multi-causal... fiction cancer is usually from radiation, or an old-age thing (or to create heartbreaking bald children characters.... which are rarely superheros) LS: Radiation and some level of LS: Reduced Aging probably cover the practical fictional manifestations of cancer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rei Malebario Posted March 26, 2011 Report Share Posted March 26, 2011 Re: Immunity to cancer In most games, I'd probably let it fall under the "What not to spend points on" rule and let it cost 0 points if it makes sense for the character to be immune to cancer, since it would probably never become an issue anyway for characters who aren't immune. But it's a touchy subject and I don't think I know a single person who hasn't lost at least one loved one to cancer. I've more or less lost track, myself. But both I and one other person in my group have lost a girlfriend to cancer at a fairly young age and I don't think either of us would think that "Today our heroes fight cancer!" would sound like the start of a great session. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmjalund Posted March 26, 2011 Report Share Posted March 26, 2011 Re: Immunity to cancer although it might make a racial package for an advanced human "subrace" in a SF campaign Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ockham's Spoon Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 Re: Immunity to cancer I agree that if cancer is not going to come up often in your campaign, then 3pts might be more than is reasonable to spend on it. But I have had campaigns with supervillains or monsters that inflict cancerous diseases, and I assumed if the question was being asked that cancer might be in the pipeline for Steve's campaign, even if immunity to cancer was just protection from some NND attack. Of course from a roleplaying standpoint, these cancers are usually curable with super-science, magic, or a side adventure of some sort, so it isn't a grim as cancer in real life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragitsu Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 Re: Immunity to cancer Cancer's also one of those touchy subjects that I would be hesitant to use in a game in any event. If anybody in my group had lost a loved one to cancer' date=' I would feel like an absolute heel if I inflicted it on their character.[/quote'] Well, a lot of things in RPGs can be touchy subjects, and cancer is not unique in that regard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cancer Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 Re: Immunity to cancer For that matter' date=' Cancer doesn't strike me has a disease in the HERO way ... I can't imagine a character like Plague inflicting it, or how one would stat it. I would think having Cancer would be a Disadvantage/Complication, so 'immunity to cancer' just means 'don't take the disad'.[/quote'] Yeah, he's more of an annoyance. To be immune to Cancer, just put him on ignore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrosshairCollie Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 Re: Immunity to cancer Well' date=' a lot of things in RPGs can be touchy subjects, and cancer is not unique in that regard.[/quote'] I agree. I avoid all of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragitsu Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 Re: Immunity to cancer I agree. I avoid all of them. All? Isn't it possible something's a touchy subject, and a player, or players, hasn't shared them with it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrosshairCollie Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 Re: Immunity to cancer All? Isn't it possible something's a touchy subject' date=' and a player, or players, hasn't shared them with it?[/quote'] Possible, but I simply avoid everything that I think might be a touchy subject. It's worked so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted March 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 Re: Immunity to cancer My original desire in posting was to see what people thought would be a reasonable number of points. I was looking to add it to a racial package for a post-apocalypse setting. Just as an FYI, I'm well aware of how sensitive an issue cancer can be. My wife is a cancer survivor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragitsu Posted March 29, 2011 Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 Re: Immunity to cancer Possible' date=' but I simply avoid everything that I think might be a touchy subject. It's worked so far.[/quote'] Fair enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starcloud Posted March 30, 2011 Report Share Posted March 30, 2011 Re: Immunity to cancer Cancer, at its core, is the uncontrolled multiplication of cells. So, it doesn't matter what the cause is. The effect is buying Immunity to Cancer means that uncontrolled cell division will not occur. Life Support: Immunity to Cancer (all causes). 1 real point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted March 31, 2011 Report Share Posted March 31, 2011 Re: Immunity to cancer If this is about the imunity to an nnd and this is the only way to defend against that nnd: 2 Pionts If it is one of the ways (i.e. Imunity to Cancer or Imunity to Radiation), both of the defenses should cost 1 Point at least. I had some thoughts about the nature of NNDs and how expensive their defenses should be and these guidelines seem just about right for any nnd in "official" NND's I have seen so far (wich are not many). Btw, a "post-apocalypse setting" right now? Any chance you got inspired by Fukushima? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted March 31, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2011 Re: Immunity to cancer If this is about the imunity to an nnd and this is the only way to defend against that nnd: 2 Pionts If it is one of the ways (i.e. Imunity to Cancer or Imunity to Radiation), both of the defenses should cost 1 Point at least. I had some thoughts about the nature of NNDs and how expensive their defenses should be and these guidelines seem just about right for any nnd in "official" NND's I have seen so far (wich are not many). Btw, a "post-apocalypse setting" right now? Any chance you got inspired by Fukushima? No, I've had one brewing in the back of my mind for months. Thank you for the points suggestions, everyone who contributed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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