Post by wayne on Mar 5, 2005 1:55:37 GMT -5
Hi all,
Yes, after quite an absence I show myself again. This time, to introduce a new power to round out the "mental skills" set that I keep wanting to give my characters. I have plans to incorporate this into the actual ruleset of a variation of MURPG I'm working on... but for now, this should suffice.
CREATIVITY
Cost = Action Number + 5
Description
This is an ability to look at and use your skills with a fresh perspective, trying new tactics and pushing the utility of said skills. The in-game result is that you are able to combine Creativity with most other Actions, to give them the Advantage(s) of your choice on the fly!
The stones you put into Creativity, however, don't affect the strength of an attack... but depending on the Advantage(s) you choose, it can DEFINITELY affect the outcome.
You must put in enough stones to match the cost-level-increase of the Advantage(s) you want. For example, if you want to use this power to give your Light Blast double damage, you would have to put 2 stones into Creativity since double damage is a +2 Advantage. (You might explain to the GM that you're focusing your blast through a transparent crystal structure between you and the target.) If you want to use your Close Combat to spin-kick a group of foes who have surrounded you, striking their heads and thus avoiding their body armor (IOW, give Close Combat the Area Effect and Armor Penetration), you'd need to drop 6 stones into Creativity.
The GM may help describe how Creativity is generating the Advantage, although on some occasions (hopefully few), the GM may have to disallow a specific Action/Advantage combo--say, granting triple damage to a Close Combat attack using a block of styrofoam (or something equally bizarre.)
Note that while you can create the Advantage(s) you want, you CANNOT give your Actions Disadvantages. This prevents players from loading up the Action with Disadvantages that are completely irrelevant to the current situation, just so they can balance out the cost of inducing Attack vs. Ability down to 1 stone.
And, just to be clear, any Advantages are only gained for the panel in which the stones are spent. To continually make use of an Advantage, you must spend stones for it each panel of use.
Creativity comes with a free Intelligence Bonus, but no additional Ability Bonuses are allowed.
Options
Comments
Let's face it, there are some characters whose powers are weak enough that they should be 40 stones, yet are versatile enough that they should be able to pull off almost any simple trick on occasion without buying every Advantage in the book. This Action lets such a character finally get a fighting chance.
Rule for Action Box:
Example(s)
Kurama is not exactly a planet-demolishing powerhouse in his human form. In fact, his Mastery of Plants probably isn't that strong, and actually has few built-in Advantages or Options. But he can use his high Intelligence to put it to absolutely devastating use, thanks to his Creativity (with Innovation, of course.)
While facing an old foe, he's finding it difficult to use his level-5 power to take him down--his opponent starts every panel with 6 stones of defense just from Reflexive Dodge! So Kurama takes a deep breath, and puts 3 extra stones toward the situation, into Creativity, to grow a new plant wildly, giving his normal attack an Area Effect. The plant goes every direction, negating the foe's Reflexive Dodge, and landing a harsh blow. Kurama is spent, but puts up a good bluff acting as if ready to continue. The now-skittish foe, wounded badly, rethinks the situation and runs off.
Yes, after quite an absence I show myself again. This time, to introduce a new power to round out the "mental skills" set that I keep wanting to give my characters. I have plans to incorporate this into the actual ruleset of a variation of MURPG I'm working on... but for now, this should suffice.
CREATIVITY
Cost = Action Number + 5
Description
This is an ability to look at and use your skills with a fresh perspective, trying new tactics and pushing the utility of said skills. The in-game result is that you are able to combine Creativity with most other Actions, to give them the Advantage(s) of your choice on the fly!
The stones you put into Creativity, however, don't affect the strength of an attack... but depending on the Advantage(s) you choose, it can DEFINITELY affect the outcome.
You must put in enough stones to match the cost-level-increase of the Advantage(s) you want. For example, if you want to use this power to give your Light Blast double damage, you would have to put 2 stones into Creativity since double damage is a +2 Advantage. (You might explain to the GM that you're focusing your blast through a transparent crystal structure between you and the target.) If you want to use your Close Combat to spin-kick a group of foes who have surrounded you, striking their heads and thus avoiding their body armor (IOW, give Close Combat the Area Effect and Armor Penetration), you'd need to drop 6 stones into Creativity.
The GM may help describe how Creativity is generating the Advantage, although on some occasions (hopefully few), the GM may have to disallow a specific Action/Advantage combo--say, granting triple damage to a Close Combat attack using a block of styrofoam (or something equally bizarre.)
Note that while you can create the Advantage(s) you want, you CANNOT give your Actions Disadvantages. This prevents players from loading up the Action with Disadvantages that are completely irrelevant to the current situation, just so they can balance out the cost of inducing Attack vs. Ability down to 1 stone.
And, just to be clear, any Advantages are only gained for the panel in which the stones are spent. To continually make use of an Advantage, you must spend stones for it each panel of use.
Creativity comes with a free Intelligence Bonus, but no additional Ability Bonuses are allowed.
Options
- +2 to Cost Level for Innovation - within GM discretion, you can create new Options for your other Actions on the fly, along with the usual Advantages. (The Options must cost +1 or more each.)
Comments
Let's face it, there are some characters whose powers are weak enough that they should be 40 stones, yet are versatile enough that they should be able to pull off almost any simple trick on occasion without buying every Advantage in the book. This Action lets such a character finally get a fighting chance.
Rule for Action Box:
- Combine with other Actions
- Spent stones only give other Action one or more Advantages
- Advantage(s) only last for the panel the stones are spent
- Stones must equal the total cost of the Advantages
- Intelligence Bonus
- Innovation: Stones may be spent to give Options too (optional)
Example(s)
Kurama is not exactly a planet-demolishing powerhouse in his human form. In fact, his Mastery of Plants probably isn't that strong, and actually has few built-in Advantages or Options. But he can use his high Intelligence to put it to absolutely devastating use, thanks to his Creativity (with Innovation, of course.)
While facing an old foe, he's finding it difficult to use his level-5 power to take him down--his opponent starts every panel with 6 stones of defense just from Reflexive Dodge! So Kurama takes a deep breath, and puts 3 extra stones toward the situation, into Creativity, to grow a new plant wildly, giving his normal attack an Area Effect. The plant goes every direction, negating the foe's Reflexive Dodge, and landing a harsh blow. Kurama is spent, but puts up a good bluff acting as if ready to continue. The now-skittish foe, wounded badly, rethinks the situation and runs off.
