Post by takewithfood on Jul 17, 2009 17:24:13 GMT -5
Hey gang,
So, I've had this idea for combining Corrosive Touch and Drain Energy into a catch-all Action for touch attacks, and this is basically what I've come up with.
For starters, this Action uses the following rule for making touch attacks:
The Action itself would look like this (please forgive the point form and lack of an example):
[/b]
- must succeed in a Close Combat attack or touch attack
- spend stones of effect; they are refunded if your touch is unsuccessful
- must buy an option: Harmful Touch has no basic effect. Even if you have multiple options, you may only cause one effect at a time.
options
+1 CL = Drain Energy. drain stones of effect from opponent's reserve and place them directly into your own. You can exceed your normal energy reserve by an amount equal to your AN; excess stones bleed off at a rate of 1 per panel. For an additional 3 cost levels, stones of effect are also refunded.
+6 CL = Paralyzing Touch. attack vs durability; victim is disabled for 1 panel per white stone of damage
+2 CL = Lethal Touch. attack vs durability causes damage
+1 CL = Corrosive touch. attack vs hardness to corrode materials
-1 CL = Requires Skin-to-Skin Contact. Your initial touch attack does not ignore armor, and even heavy clothing may pose a problem.
-2 CL = Must Pierce Skin. Similar to Requires Skin-To-Skin Contact, but your initial touch attack does not ignore armor or Toughness. The touch attack does not necessarily have to deal damage to break the skin - even a simple scratch will do.[/quote]
As a basic example, let's say someone has a toxic touch that can make people feel sick (drain energy) or even kill them. It might look like this:
Toxic Touch 5 (CL 7 = 9 white)
- drain energy +1 CL
- lethal touch +2 CL
To use it, they would have to make a touch attack or a close combat attack with their first action, and spend stones in Toxic Touch for effect. A panel might look like:
Action One: 5 stones of Close Combat to touch opponent
Action Two: 5 stones of Toxic Touch vs durability to cause damage
First, the touch attack happens. Let's say their opponent has Reflexive Dodge 2, Toughness 5, a kevlar vest worth +1 armor, and they've put in 1 stone of defense. Ordinarily they'd have 9 stones of defense, but the touch attack ignores Toughness and armor, leaving them with only 3 stones of defense. The touch attack would hit, and 2 of the 5 stones would be refunded to the player.
Because the touch attack was successful, the Toxic Touch would take effect. All 5 stones would be compared to the opponent's durability. Let's say they have a Durability of 3; they would suffer 1 white of damage.
If the touch attack was a miss, they player would be refunded all 5 stones that he had placed in Toxic Touch.
Make sense? It's potentially too weak as-is since it effectively uses up both of your Actions. Perhaps it can be a "free action" by default, allowing you to use it as a third action in a panel. EDIT: Being a free action is a terrible idea, actually. lol
There is also the problem of players adding Range. I've always hated Drain Energy at range.. it's icky.
~TWF
So, I've had this idea for combining Corrosive Touch and Drain Energy into a catch-all Action for touch attacks, and this is basically what I've come up with.
For starters, this Action uses the following rule for making touch attacks:
Touching
You can declare that a Close Combat attack is only to touch, rather than to damage. If you do so, compare stones of attack, ignoring Toughness - but instead of dealing damage, any stones in excess of your opponent's defenses (if any) are refunded to you at the end of the Page. Depending on whether you need to make contact with skin, you might also be able to ignore your opponent's armor.
Example: While defending himself against Sabretooth, Elixir rationalizes that his potentially deadly Mastery of Biological Structure (call it what you want) probably won't kill the ferocious mutant, but it might just slow him down long enough to make an escape. He is hopelessly outclassed in Close Combat, but all he has to do is make a touch. He puts 5 stones into Close Combat - the most he can manage, knowing that he'll be refunded anything in excess. With his second Action, he allocates several stones in his Mastery for a deadly attack.
The arrogant Sabretooth wants to torment his victim and hasn't bothered to shift stones to defense. His Toughness 2 is ignored and his Reflexive Dodge 3 isn't enough to protect him on its own! Elixir's touch is successful and he is refunded 2 stones of energy at the end of the panel. Now the important question becomes: will his Mastery be enough to put the monster down?
You can declare that a Close Combat attack is only to touch, rather than to damage. If you do so, compare stones of attack, ignoring Toughness - but instead of dealing damage, any stones in excess of your opponent's defenses (if any) are refunded to you at the end of the Page. Depending on whether you need to make contact with skin, you might also be able to ignore your opponent's armor.
Example: While defending himself against Sabretooth, Elixir rationalizes that his potentially deadly Mastery of Biological Structure (call it what you want) probably won't kill the ferocious mutant, but it might just slow him down long enough to make an escape. He is hopelessly outclassed in Close Combat, but all he has to do is make a touch. He puts 5 stones into Close Combat - the most he can manage, knowing that he'll be refunded anything in excess. With his second Action, he allocates several stones in his Mastery for a deadly attack.
The arrogant Sabretooth wants to torment his victim and hasn't bothered to shift stones to defense. His Toughness 2 is ignored and his Reflexive Dodge 3 isn't enough to protect him on its own! Elixir's touch is successful and he is refunded 2 stones of energy at the end of the panel. Now the important question becomes: will his Mastery be enough to put the monster down?
The Action itself would look like this (please forgive the point form and lack of an example):
Harmful Touch AN +0
- must succeed in a Close Combat attack or touch attack
- spend stones of effect; they are refunded if your touch is unsuccessful
- must buy an option: Harmful Touch has no basic effect. Even if you have multiple options, you may only cause one effect at a time.
options
+1 CL = Drain Energy. drain stones of effect from opponent's reserve and place them directly into your own. You can exceed your normal energy reserve by an amount equal to your AN; excess stones bleed off at a rate of 1 per panel. For an additional 3 cost levels, stones of effect are also refunded.
+6 CL = Paralyzing Touch. attack vs durability; victim is disabled for 1 panel per white stone of damage
+2 CL = Lethal Touch. attack vs durability causes damage
+1 CL = Corrosive touch. attack vs hardness to corrode materials
-1 CL = Requires Skin-to-Skin Contact. Your initial touch attack does not ignore armor, and even heavy clothing may pose a problem.
-2 CL = Must Pierce Skin. Similar to Requires Skin-To-Skin Contact, but your initial touch attack does not ignore armor or Toughness. The touch attack does not necessarily have to deal damage to break the skin - even a simple scratch will do.[/quote]
As a basic example, let's say someone has a toxic touch that can make people feel sick (drain energy) or even kill them. It might look like this:
Toxic Touch 5 (CL 7 = 9 white)
- drain energy +1 CL
- lethal touch +2 CL
To use it, they would have to make a touch attack or a close combat attack with their first action, and spend stones in Toxic Touch for effect. A panel might look like:
Action One: 5 stones of Close Combat to touch opponent
Action Two: 5 stones of Toxic Touch vs durability to cause damage
First, the touch attack happens. Let's say their opponent has Reflexive Dodge 2, Toughness 5, a kevlar vest worth +1 armor, and they've put in 1 stone of defense. Ordinarily they'd have 9 stones of defense, but the touch attack ignores Toughness and armor, leaving them with only 3 stones of defense. The touch attack would hit, and 2 of the 5 stones would be refunded to the player.
Because the touch attack was successful, the Toxic Touch would take effect. All 5 stones would be compared to the opponent's durability. Let's say they have a Durability of 3; they would suffer 1 white of damage.
If the touch attack was a miss, they player would be refunded all 5 stones that he had placed in Toxic Touch.
Make sense? It's potentially too weak as-is since it effectively uses up both of your Actions.
There is also the problem of players adding Range. I've always hated Drain Energy at range.. it's icky.
~TWF