New Action - Sequester

[Ziegander]

SEQUESTER
Cost Level = AN+4

You have the ability to shunt yourself and/or others into a pocket dimension where you can do no harm, and cannot be harmed in return. Functionally, this is similar to invisibility and phase shift, however you can't move or pass through objects. Sequestered creatures are outside the normal realm of existence, and have no knowledge of events occurring in the normal realm of existence.

Sequestering yourself, along with any willing creatures touching you, costs 3 energy to initiate, and 1 energy to maintain (plus 1 for any others you take with you) per panel. Each panel you choose to maintain the effect beyond the first costs an extra red stone for each creature effected.

You may Sequester unwilling targets (and do not need to go yourself with them), but only by first succeeding with an attack vs their Durability. Maintaining the effect costs the same as described above.

You may effect targets at range by spending stones against the range table, or you may effect an area by spending stones against the area table. By effecting an area, unless you also spend adequate stones for range, you are at the center, and therefore are yourself Sequestered as part of the effect.

OPTIONS
Terror (+1 Cost Level) - Creatures you Sequester may be tormented during their time inside by horrific images and perhaps very real demons. When they emerge, if their Mental Defense + Intelligence is lower than your AN they immediately lose red stones of energy equal to the number of panels they were Sequestered up to your AN.

Soothe (+1 Cost Level) - Creatures you Sequester may be calmed, body and soul, during their time inside by sweet smells and serene sensations. When they emerge, if their Mental Defense + Intelligence is lower than your AN they lose the will to fight all but their most hated enemies for a number of panels equal to the difference between your AN and their Mental Defense + Intelligence. Any attack against the creature (by you or anyone else) will break the effect entirely.

Frenzy (+2 Cost Level) - Creatures you Sequester may become confused and enraged during their time inside by a cacophony of noise and dissonant, distorted imagery. When they emerge, if their Mental Defense + Intelligence is lower than your AN they are compelled to attack the nearest creatures to them, whether friend, foe, or bystander, for a number of panels equal to the difference between your AN and their Mental Defense + Intelligence.

Stun (+2 Cost Level) - Creatures you Sequester may become so overwhelmed during their time inside experiencing such profoundness that when they emerge, if their Mental Defense + Intelligence is lower than your AN, they become Stunned for 1 panel, unable to take any actions.

Only Usable on Willing Targets (-1 Cost Level)

Only Touch Range (-1 Cost Level)

[Shadowbane]

The only thing I see wrong off the top is that you say at ranged you don't have to go but if in an area and you are within that area you have to go.

I would make it an option that you don't have to go. +1 is more then fair.

Under Terror, by energy do you mean health or usable red energy.

[Ziegander]

Jul 8, 2010 2:09:46 GMT -5 Shadowbane said:

I would make it an option that you don't have to go. +1 is more then fair.

May be a good idea.

Under Terror, by energy do you mean health or usable red energy.

Red stones of energy, yeah, I'll clarify that.

[Brainstem]

I think it's a little cheap, really. AN + 3 to take anybody out of the fight for no more than 6 stones, but usually for only around 4, is way cheap. Basically, we have this:

Teleportation: CL = AN + 6
Base Cost (+2)
Send others without yourself (+2 CL)
Must spend 1r/guest (-1 CL)
May be used as Ranged/Area Effect (+3)

I'd say you can probably bring it down to AN + 5 because you can reason a few things enough to make it reasonable at AN + 5, but I wouldn't really say any less than that. Also, I think the Soothe Option should probably be +2. You're basically giving the opponent more panels where they're useless, but throwing in the fun catch that they're now a viable target and are sitting ducks for whatever kind of attack anybody wants to throw at them.

[Ziegander]

Well, it's definitely not Teleportation in that it's not permanent and it doesn't send them "away." It's expensive to maintain, and when they come back they're right where the were before.

Though you do make a good point about the Soothe option, at least in the "sitting duck" part of your argument. I should add a caveat that if you attack them it breaks the effect.

[bikermatt]

How about their mental defense is doubled or recieves a +3 (if under 3)... I'd suggest that for Telepathy and other similar effects...

Alternately, a person could fight it, putting stones in Intelligence to try to throw it off... (Get out of my HEAD!)

[takewithfood]

I think its worth trying at AN+4. In general, though, I'm wary of powers that simply take a person out of a fight, even if only temporarily. It gets boring, and it can steal a lot of the drama from a fight scene - especially if this is your usual combat routine.

~TWF

[Ziegander]

I do see where you're coming from TWF, and you're probably right that AN+4 seems more fair. That was my original cost for it anyway, I was just pushing the envelope.

[takewithfood]

Well, when I test rules I tend to try to aim high. I guess I try to find the spot between "I can't afford that" and "why would I not buy this?". ^__^ It's hard to do, eh?

~TWF

[Ziegander]

The only thing that worries me is that it isn't hard to just do this to someone every round without having to maintain it and without losing any energy. Which... is baaaad. Any suggestions?

[takewithfood]

What do you mean, "without losing any energy"? You still have to pay upkeep to keep people sequestered, no?

It might be good to change the upkeep to 2 stones each panel to maintain the effect; that would more severely limit your ability to sequester a second target (or set of targets), as you wouldn't be able to use your full AN.

~TWF

[Ziegander]

No, I mean, don't maintain it, and simply activate it, with an attack vs Durability, every panel.

If you have more Agility than them, and as much energy regeneration as their Durability or more, you can keep them sequestered indefinitely without losing energy.

[takewithfood]

Oh, yes, I suppose so, assuming you have higher initiative. But that's actually more expensive than just maintaining it, isn't it?

~TWF

[Ziegander]

Initially yes, but the maintenance cost gets more expensive the longer you wish to maintain (panel 1 it costs 1r, panel 2 it costs 2r, panel 3 it costs 3r, etc). I see two solutions, and neither work perfectly well.

1) Phase Shift has the rule that after you come back from being phased out you can't use the power for 1 panel. We could institute the same rule here.

2) I could make Sequester much more nerfed by saying that creatures/objects other than yourself can only be Sequestered once per day, but I don't like that.

EDIT: Actually, I have a third idea.

3) After Sequester wears off, you can't use it on a previously effected creature (other than yourself) for 1 full page, unless you spend double the energy to activate and maintain it. So, that's 6 energy for a willing target and an attack vs 2xDurability for an unwilling target.

Two prong attack: Energy Defense applies against Sequester.