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Post by dorkknight23 on Apr 15, 2006 19:03:38 GMT -5
There’s a problem with the correlation between Health and Energy, as some characters have disproportionate energy needs and durability. For example, Cyclops requires more than 9 energy and a regeneration rate of 3/panel to accomplish the feats he normally does, whereas Quicksilver’s 15 energy reflects his reserve, but not necessarily the 5 durability.
Some ways to rebalance this: 1) Intelligence-based energy. Not for everyone. 2) Healing Factors. Again, not for everyone (Cyclops for example,) and still doesn’t help fully reflect the need for energy that a character like he would need. 3) Free modifier stones. Targeting, Claws, Psycho-Centric Power Template, Radar Senses, Animal Senses, etc., or other modifiers that give energy towards actions are all good to this end for low energy characters.
But what about a character for whom all these examples don’t quite fit?
I was skimming the book, and I remembered this option from Mastery of Magic: “Accumulate Energy Modifier: you can regenerate extra stones into your energy reserve, up to your Mastery of Magic Action Number.” (+1) to cost level.
What’s to say we can adapt this advantage to any action? By simply removing the words “Mastery of Magic,” and saying “This may only be used on one action per character,” any character can suddenly have the energy he needs to use his trademark action.
For example, consider a character that has ordinary abilities (Int 2 Str 1 Agi 1 Spd 1 Dur 1), but is able to call on an extraordinary amount of energy for an action. If he bought this action at a high AN with the Accumulate Energy Modifier option, he would be able to call on the energy he’d need to use that one particular action every panel, and have some energy leftover for other actions.
Another idea might be to use the “Options Taken as Actions” idea from the Guide to the X-Men. Buy Accumulate Energy Modifier as an action on its own and let you regenerate additional energy based on that.
In order to balance this, we can also make note of what Energy Absorption/Reflection says, and have energy in excess of 3x your durability (or 2x your intelligence) drain away at a rate of 1/panel.
Thoughts?
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Post by stevie on Apr 15, 2006 19:44:22 GMT -5
Limiting it to 1 action dosnt quite solve the problem for all the characters, Banshee springs to mind instantly. I do think Accumulate as an action is a winner though. This would more accurately reflect people like Legion, very powerful but very physically frail.
People here have mentioned a previous Marvel RPG that I havnt played, saying that it had like a "casual strength" rule, actions that would be a doddle for that character are free. Could that be applied to MURPG?
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Post by dorkknight23 on Apr 15, 2006 19:51:47 GMT -5
I thought about that too, but if you apply it to too many actions, then suddenly there's a real energy surplus problem. And I don't want to solve a drought by flooding the valley. I think Banshee could be accurately represented by just adding that to his Mastery of Sonics, those extra 6 stones would also help him with those other actions he has.
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Post by math on Apr 15, 2006 22:14:13 GMT -5
Wow, you managed "A Modest Proposal" without any reference to eating babies. I'm both relieved and slightly dissapointed. . .
Anyway, I like the accumulate energy idea, but it seems to me it wouldn't really work for some actions, such as Close Combat, acrobatics, ranged combat etc.
On the subject of Cyclops, I think one of the rules under Pheonix Force - "2x Action number in freered stones/Panel" - to simulate his near inexhaustable supply of eye juice. Possibly as a modifier, with the stipulation that the stones could only be used with his eyeblast. *shrugs* then again I don't really read many X-books.
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Post by dorkknight23 on Apr 16, 2006 2:24:18 GMT -5
I might not have made the reference. But that doesn't mean I didn't think about it really hard...
I agree. I think it needs a GM and player perrogative to limit the action to more "power" actions and less "skill" actions.
I think Cyke's power is simply solved by giving him some targeting. However, some examples (Legion for one, others will come to me) who are low-intellgence, low-durability, and that have few modifiers that could conceivably work in their favor could benefit from this option.
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Post by stevie on Apr 16, 2006 9:43:15 GMT -5
There are some skills it would suit though. Spy like characters, that usually have low durability scores, would surely find following their training, and breaking into acomplex with, lets say, a constant attack vs. resistance to detection of 4. Imagine cameras,guards and the like.
Now, with a durability of 3, this character would only beable to survive undedected for six panels or so. The book, while being a bit coy on the issue, states that panels are 30 seconds long. Thats 3 minutes before any Wisdoms,Sables, Fortunes, Le Beaus or Castles become far to tired to do anything else.
For these characters, accumulate energy dosnt seem to add up.
I will say though, that this option will do alot to boost the likes of Legion, Scarlet Witch, the Invisible Woman, et al.
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Post by Ricochet on Apr 17, 2006 8:15:13 GMT -5
On the subject of Cyclops, I think one of the rules under Phoenix Force - "2x Action number in free red stones/Panel" - to simulate his near inexhaustible supply of eye juice. Possibly as a modifier, with the stipulation that the stones could only be used with his eye blast. *shrugs* then again I don't really read many X-books. That option can add to any action and exceed it's action number... You can't find a cost to this, this is the sole reason Phoenix force costs AN+13. My best guess right now is that this option on it's own would be +9! (Give me some time to look things up and I can probably explain why.) Dude are you out of your mind? Don't give this to Cyclops, it would be a total waste. This option should only be available to the cosmic players.
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Post by rennyn on Apr 17, 2006 12:57:04 GMT -5
Well, I like the whole concept. Although the particular advantage you're talking about.. I think you've read it incorrectly. It does not say you accumulate those stones 'each panel'. It simply says you can regenerate them. It doesn't say you do it any faster, or it provides any sort of bonus.
That advantage, in my opinion, is simply to give Mastery of Magic users a larger energy reserve. They can regenerate (at normal rate) energy over their normal amount equal to their MoM level. So Dur 3 with MoM 6 can have an energy reserve of up to 15 stones. But they do not regenerate any differently than any other Dur 3 character.
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Post by math on Apr 17, 2006 17:34:40 GMT -5
On the subject of Cyclops, I think one of the rules under Phoenix Force - "2x Action number in free red stones/Panel" - to simulate his near inexhaustible supply of eye juice. Possibly as a modifier, with the stipulation that the stones could only be used with his eye blast. *shrugs* then again I don't really read many X-books. That option can add to any action and exceed it's action number... You can't find a cost to this, this is the sole reason Phoenix force costs AN+13. My best guess right now is that this option on it's own would be +9! (Give me some time to look things up and I can probably explain why.) Dude are you out of your mind? Don't give this to Cyclops, it would be a total waste. This option should only be available to the cosmic players. You misunderstand, I believe. It doesn't add to the action number, it simply gives you a few extra energy stones to use on actions. Therefore, if you have Pheonix at AN 2, you would get four free energy stones to help power your actions, You still have to follow action numbers. At least that's my understanding. I'd give it a +3 or +4.
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Post by Rushlock on Apr 17, 2006 19:25:07 GMT -5
Not really contesting anything said thus far, just submitting another idea...
What about an option like...?
"Regen 1/2 Energy put into this Action at end of panel (Rounded up or down)"
Cyclops, or any energy wielder that shouldn't be getting so tired so easy would be getting some stones back each time they use those powers. The fraction ratio and the rounding are arbitrary numbers at this point, some testing would have to be done to find a balance.
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Post by Ricochet on Apr 18, 2006 6:49:30 GMT -5
You misunderstand, I believe. It doesn't add to the action number, it simply gives you a few extra energy stones to use on actions. Therefore, if you have Phoenix at AN 2, you would get four free energy stones to help power your actions, You still have to follow action numbers. At least that's my understanding. I'd give it a +3 or +4. Of course I misunderstood. On top of that, even the creators misunderstood Phoenix force judging by the example that says she puts 9 stones from her free stones into her flight of 9, 5 stones from her free stones and 3 stones from her energy reserve into her Phoenix Force of 7 to destroy a nuclear missile. +3 or 4? Are you criminally insane? I don't know if you have the Avengers guide, but if you do just look through the orange pages at the back. There are some nice rules on modifiers in there. LIKE THESE: Adds to an action or ability, +3 Free stones, +3 or fixed cost for MN=5 or lower Phoenix force gets 2x free stones, so that's +6. It also adds to any action, so that's +3... At least...
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Post by dorkknight23 on Apr 18, 2006 12:10:53 GMT -5
Well, I like the whole concept. Although the particular advantage you're talking about.. I think you've read it incorrectly. It does not say you accumulate those stones 'each panel'. It simply says you can regenerate them. It doesn't say you do it any faster, or it provides any sort of bonus. That advantage, in my opinion, is simply to give Mastery of Magic users a larger energy reserve. They can regenerate (at normal rate) energy over their normal amount equal to their MoM level. So Dur 3 with MoM 6 can have an energy reserve of up to 15 stones. But they do not regenerate any differently than any other Dur 3 character. I'm rereading the description, and I agree with you. However, having more energy at your disposal is still pretty damn awesome. So, Doctor Strange's CAD should give him an energy reserve of 16 instead or 12 ([2x6 Int]+4 MoM.) I think I looked at the CAD at that the accumulate energy somehow affected his regeneration rate (as his energy reserve was unaffected.) That makes sense, and it wouldn't be the first time I made an error based on a typo. Still, upping the amount of energy you can utilize will allow those people with 3 or less durability/5 or less intelligence/energy hungry actions more energy in their reserves to perform their actions. However, they can still get tired out pretty quickly if they use that action at full power. I really like that, even more than what I was originally proposing.
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Post by Ricochet on Apr 19, 2006 0:43:47 GMT -5
I just took a peek at Cyclops's profile on the Marvel site. It says he can absorb ambient energy such as sunlight to control his optic blasts. Havok can absorb ambient cosmic radiation or something. So how about giving them the option to regenerate extra in sunlight.
I know it's only one stone per panel, but it would help a bit.
Now, as for the Accumulate Energy Modifier. If you'd want to give this to Cyclops's optic blast, his energy reserve would increase to 18. Just watch out for powergamers... Maybe Jean-Walter would like to have those options for his Mastery of Energy...
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Post by Kaimontfendo on Apr 20, 2006 15:01:05 GMT -5
Hmm... An interesting thought. In the past when I've had such characters, I've usually solved this problem by adding a modifier to their main action. The result of that: an elderly martial arts master with an 8-stone modifier of Ninja. Just trying to think about that should hurt.
Accumulate Energy for all (or at least, those who need it) might be a decently good idea. Not quite sure about what cost it should have, but that's easy enough to tinker around with. (I know I shouldn't end a sentence with a preposition, but any proper wording would be so much harder to understand.)
Overall, a solid idea, and one I look forward to reading various people's thoughts on. Very nice work.
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Post by quixoteles on Apr 24, 2006 15:54:02 GMT -5
Personally I think there is noting wrong with Quicksilver or Cyclops, or at least in the case of One-eye nothing that couldn't be cured with targeting, which he's got--if the comic say anything--buckets of. If that's an oversight by the MU*, add it to the long list. But The general idea, that there are people out there that don't get a fair shake namely DUR-2/INL-4 characters effort pool (anybody under the clowns nose can just lie down and die, they're not superheroes, they're cannon fodder) I conceed to you my confederates, the game is a little on the broke side. The Magnificent Queriel, Fabulous Elise White, and countless others deserve better.
I believe long ago or far away there was a home brew mod called EFFICIENT. It gave you one red back for every two used with a cap of the action number the mod was attached to. This is I believe is a really good idea. you've got a AN+8 force blast and even if you but out max output you end up with 4 stones in that particular action and no matter what 1 extra free stone in the action you but the mod in. Gorgeous modifier I believe, and I am tottally sure someone besides me came up with it. A no-prize to the true believer that comes forward to claim this invention.
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