Only while asleep

[Christopher]

Re: Only while asleep

 

Okay, now I'm kinda irritated about the entire time limit. So far I understood this works like this:

PC goes to sleep, NPC pops up. NPC does NPC stuff that may not affect PC at all.

PC wakes up, NPC vanishes on the spot.

 

But now there is the time limit, so perhaps it works more like this:

PC goes to sleep, NPC pops up and does NPC stuff.

No matter what happens to the PC from then on, the duplicate will exist for 24 hours striaght. So they could meet once the PC wakes up, team up or do whatever else to humans or man and women can do...

The NPC can only return the next time the PC falls asleep.

[Steve]

Re: Only while asleep

 

OK, I understand how this is confusing, and this is why I post questions like this on power builds. Perhaps I have an error in the power construction. The "Only While Asleep" Limitation is meant to show that the initial appearance of the duplicate can only take place after the character is asleep. The clock then begins running. The PC wakes up later, but the duplicate remains until the time limit expires. She will then re-appear the next time he falls asleep.

 

Some of her powers will be things like Regeneration, Only To Resurrect that can only be stopped by killing the PC she is tied to. While the PC is alive, she keeps coming back each night like a phoenix.

[Christopher]

Re: Only while asleep

 

Okay, that explains a lot.

 

But there is still one question: How does the player benefit from that power? Will they meet and, if they meet, will they be on friendly terms? Or even team up?

[Doc Democracy]

Re: Only while asleep

 

Does sound like a DNPC to me. Not worth a huge amount of points probably but it does complicate the hero's life.

 

 

Doc

[Christopher]

Re: Only while asleep

 

Does sound like a DNPC to me. Not worth a huge amount of points probably but it does complicate the hero's life.

When they will team up and are equal in power, perhaps rather a follower or Duplication that either has "Delayed Effect" (the time he needs to sleep out) or a Side Effect representing being woken right after she pops up?

We could even make this one an or - so either he has to sleep out or he has a bad hangover for being awoken to early.

[Steve]

Re: Only while asleep

 

Okay, that explains a lot.

 

But there is still one question: How does the player benefit from that power? Will they meet and, if they meet, will they be on friendly terms? Or even team up?

 

The player benefits by having a partner to assist his fighting ability. Initially, they both have a fighting array ability similar to what is in the HSMA book for 6th edition and a psychic bond (Mind Link with +5 adder), and other abilities will develop as the PC spends xps.

 

There is also a romantic subplot involved. Since this is an ability that costs the character points instead of a DNPC, convincing her to work with him will not be very difficult. Anything further will be advanced through roleplaying.

[Steve]

Re: Only while asleep

 

We could have built her strictly as a Follower or zero value DNPC Complication, but this had a more magical feel to the relationship.

 

I suppose xps could be saved to transform the points spent on the Duplication power build and convert her to an ordinary follower over time. Buying off the Limitations gradually will also show things developing.

[Doc Democracy]

Re: Only while asleep

 

I would be tempted to begin the character with the DNPC - he will have some feelings toward the DNPC and feel a need to protect but nothing else. I would also have the charcter have a bunch of points held back as a surprise - all ready to spend on the woman as she moves from being a DNPC to something more solid and more constant in his life.

 

I have this idea in my head of them getting romantic and her disappearing at the stroke of midnight only to appear in his bed the following morning... nice scene for a movie!

 

 

Doc

[Christopher]

Re: Only while asleep

 

That changes everything. This is much closer to a follower with a limitation.

 

Duplication gives you full controll of the duplicate: 6E1 201

Folowers on the other hand are NPC's and the GM can dicide what they can and will do. You just have to switch the XP-gaining so it matches duplication (he invests points at 1:5). Since she already has Regeneration, duplication refresh in not nessesary.

 

Possible ways to limit it:

Give the Follower a Burnout Roll/required Roll. This simulates that she may be currently active, but her timelimit is running out (maybe 1 hour + 1 for every point the throw is made is left). And she can't be called again, unless he find a way to insta sleep (wich would lower the value extremely).

 

When she will never be active at the start of an adventure, it's just about determining how to call her:

I think the power has eihter long time (up to 8 hours - the time for him to sleep out) or, if he is waked prematurely, a fitting Side Effect for Sleep Deprevation/being waked early. It could even be a chooseable effect: Either the long time he is out long, or he is groggy like hell.

 

When you want to go for absolute flexibility, use Variable Limitation (he can choose between her being there for some time but being unable to call her that day again, or between calling her ingame. And if he calls her ingame, he can choose between long time to sleep out or being Groggy).

[Zedwimer]

Re: Only while asleep

 

A bit more background. The character is part of a martial arts duo' date=' but one of the pair died before the campaign began. The pair also has additional abilities related to having a psychic bond (like Mind Link). The Duplication has a 24 hour Time Limit and only occurs when the character is asleep. Other modifiers would be things like Ranged Recombination and that the duplicate does not average characteristics with the player character. It is a separate entity returned to life but remains tied to the player character.[/quote']

By the way, if this power (or complication) has a 24-hour time limit, the NPC will be around almost all of the time. For example, if the PC usually goes to sleep around 9 PM each night, and the NPC appears at that point, she'll be around until 9 PM the next night... and if he goes to sleep again at 9 PM, she appears almost immediately after she disappears. Seems to me it might be better to peg the time limit to something shorter, like 12 hours or 16 hours... or even more interesting, make it random, like 2d6+12 hours or 3d6+6 hours...

 

Also, what happens if he goes to sleep before her time limit expires? Does the time limit simply get reset while she's there (thus extending her current stay)? Does she suddenly disappear and reappear X segments or X rounds later? (That could be inconvenient during a battle if he's knocked unconscious.) Or does she miss the opportunity to reappear this particular night after she disappears?

 

And FWIW, I'd create this as a Summon rather than a Duplication or Follower. If you use Summon, I'd recommend the following modifiers: Trigger (When PC Falls Asleep; +1/4), Specific Being (+1), Amicable (+1/4), Time Limit (3d6+6 hours {or whatever you choose}, -1/4), Summoner Cannot Exert Control (-1/2) and Summoned Being Cannot Leave Willingly (+1/2). [Those last two are custom modifiers; adjust to your personal tastes.]

[Steve]

Re: Only while asleep

 

Zedwimer raises some interesting points.

 

Yes, by the way the power is constructed, she pretty much will be around all the time. As she does have her own secret ID, part of her time will be spent off screen doing things for herself. I did consider Summon, but performing a limited number of tasks and then vanishing was not quite the feel we wanted for her.

 

While a 24 Hour time limit is not very limiting, she will vanish if she is killed as well. If the PC is asleep when the limit kicks in, she vanishes from wherever she is (at her apartment, in the middle of a fight, etc) and appears where the character is sleeping. There is a delay before she appears which may require some jiggering on the power build.

 

The power is currently built with an activation time of an hour. The trigger goes off when the PC falls asleep and then an hour later she appears, presumably while he is in deep sleep. If he gets his full sleep and is awake when her time limit kicks in, she vanishes until his next sleep happens. The power also drains a lot of energy from him to enable her appearance (a side effect using an END and STUN drain). One of the more interesting aspects of the build is that it gives her a sort of succubus feel, but she will not take such a comment well.

[Zedwimer]

Re: Only while asleep

 

Zedwimer raises some interesting points.

 

Yes, by the way the power is constructed, she pretty much will be around all the time. As she does have her own secret ID, part of her time will be spent off screen doing things for herself. I did consider Summon, but performing a limited number of tasks and then vanishing was not quite the feel we wanted for her.

That's why I recommended those two custom modifiers for Summon, which really aren't a big stretch based on how it's written up, and turn it into what you're trying to achieve.

 

While a 24 Hour time limit is not very limiting' date=' she will vanish if she is killed as well.[/quote']

Interesting... if she vanishes when she's killed, does she reappear the next time he falls asleep at full health? (I assume so since she's called Phoenix...)

[Christopher]

Re: Only while asleep

 

Interesting... if she vanishes when she's killed' date=' does she reappear the next time he falls asleep at full health? (I assume so since she's called Phoenix...)[/quote']

She has resurrecting Regeneration (not when he is killed), so this shouldn't be a problem. How long term drains interact is more intersting, but that can just ruled to be ignored based on the special effect.

And why do I suddenly remember the southpark episode while they had to kill jesus (so he could revive), in order for him to break out of a cell. "I only killed you to heal you of that nasty cough"

[Christopher]

Re: Only while asleep

 

Yes' date=' by the way the power is constructed, she pretty much will be around all the time. As she does have her own secret ID, part of her time will be spent off screen doing things for herself. I did consider Summon, but performing a limited number of tasks and then vanishing was not quite the feel we wanted for her.[/quote']

Than in either chase, it is not much of a Limitation. Perhaps a -1/4 at most on follower. I mean, he has controll over her returning and she will be there to beginn with and that for a decent time. It is the question if he even want's her vanishing to be a factor in game/a liability. If not, then he shouldn't take a limitation for it.

About the vanishing after death: Maybe a limitation on her Regeneration but nothing else (since she regenerates, but is unable to act despite that).

 

While a 24 Hour time limit is not very limiting' date=' she will vanish if she is killed as well. If the PC is asleep when the limit kicks in, she vanishes from wherever she is (at her apartment, in the middle of a fight, etc) and appears where the character is sleeping. There is a delay before she appears which may require some jiggering on the power build.[/quote']

That is why summon is so fitting. It gives you a "replaceable" extra sheet. Duplicates are irreplaceable, Followers are replaceable with GM-Aproval, Summons are totally replaceable.

Of course there are differences: There is no Services System, unique Summon can't be replaced normally. But she paid for Regeneration and you use NPC rules for the interaction. Overal, I think those even out.

 

The power is currently built with an activation time of an hour. The trigger goes off when the PC falls asleep and then an hour later she appears' date=' presumably while he is in deep sleep. If he gets his full sleep and is awake when her time limit kicks in, she vanishes until his next sleep happens. The power also drains a lot of energy from him to enable her appearance (a side effect using an END and STUN drain). One of the more interesting aspects of the build is that it gives her a sort of succubus feel, but she will not take such a comment well. [/quote']

How about making in a Triggered Power with long "time to set up the trigger" (Extra Time + Concentration, 0 DCV)? It's not that different than needing one hour to set up a bomb, just the trigger conditions and result are a little bit different.

 

One mayer difference between Follower and Summon (and the reason it's only a -1/4 for Follower):

It is easier to banish her when summon is used. The rules allow Dispel/Drain Summon on her or him to affect her existance and she has a very long reactivation time.

 

How I picture the Limitations:

Summon or Duplication (with what ever Advantages you take from Zedwimer), Trigger ("She is currently not alive"; Does not Reset automtically; Expires when he wakes up +0*)

Limitations:

Time Limit (on Instant power with lasting effect or Persistant Power, One Day; -1/4), Concentration (to set up Trigger, 0 DCV**; Power needs 1 Turn or more of extra Time; -1), Extra Time (1 Hour, -3), Minor Side Effect (Always Occurs; "Character is Asleep when Trigger is set"** -1/2), Side Effect (Whatever you want the Drain to be; does not get "always occurs"/only happen when Trigger is used), Uncontrolled (-0***)

 

That is already a total of -4 3/4 Limitations. With even a Minor Drain Effect (-1/4) it already a total divisor of 6 (bigger than a flexible Multipower Slot).

 

*Technically that is not allowed for Trigger to be +0, but in that chase it's not an advanatge. It's just a technical descritpion of the power mechanic.

**I asume he is not as helpless as sleeping, when he tries to sleep. But the trigger only set when he is in Dream Land. Using "Light Sleep" Talent or "Deep Sleep" Complication may change the value of that.

*** like Trigger, hardly a real factor. He can't prevent her form showing up, but it will hardly be an inconveniance as having an ally is always worth the Drain (that already has a seperate Limitation Value)