Post by dorkknight23 on Jan 16, 2006 22:58:14 GMT -5
Building Blue Lightning 8
Masters of Elements
Or ”The Elements of Style/The Style of Elements”
Alternate Subtitle: “Mastering One’s Domain”
Mastery of Elements is one of the most versatile powers in the game. This power, in one form or another, is present in characters as disparate as Iceman, the Human Torch, Storm, Magneto, Avalanche, Banshee, and Xorn all possess the same power.
Elements: It’s half of the name
The very thing that gives Mastery of Elements some of its broadness is the literally limitless range of elements one can choose to manipulate, sometimes going as powerful as mastering matter, space, or time itself. However, the more powerful masteries have one of three costs: 1) +1 for “element of unusual power” (ex. Magnetism,) 2) +3 for “unusually broad” (ex. Mastery of Four Elements, Photon’s Mastery of Energy [although it’s more accurately Mastery of the Light Spectrum,]) or 3) +8 for “element of extreme power” (ex. Matter, Cosmic Energy.)
This kind of pricing (how powerful is powerful) is left up to the GM, but I generally like something like this.
Other +1’s: Gravity…or any power that you feel is a little too specific for a +3 cost but stronger than Mastery of Fire, for example. I personally give Mastery of Weather one of these.
Other +3’s: Most cases that cover a broader scope of more than one element
Other +8’s: Energy (as in all energy forms,) Time, Space, Reality
This is my own opinion, and thus not written in stone, but it could be a start for forming your own guideline for what qualifies for a +1, a +3, or a +8. Take a look at page 47 in the Guide to Hulk and the Avengers or page 56 in the Guide to the X-Men for more info on this topic.
But the limit of these elements is limited only by your imagination. The Core rulebooks set the priority for making almost any element. So, this is very much out for you to decide what for your character, and, 9 times out of 10, those increased costs are very much worth it.
Mastery: it’s the other half
What makes Mastery of Elements different from other actions is the immensely wide range of options available to it. These options can give you a practically limitless range of possible options and ways to tweak your character. Oftentimes, you will find yourself balancing between a high action number and a broad range of masteries.
Here are some options that can be particularly handy or tricky:
* Immunity to Element: extremely handy option
* Create/Manipulate Element: includes barrier and object creation, and very handy for a +1
* Substitute Mastery for Ability: for a +1 action, this can be immensely worth it. Especially because it can soon give you multiple abilities at the Action Number.
* Force Blast: very handy, almost every master has this option.
* Accumulate Energy: the rules for this have been the subject of speculation. You accomplish a “major effect” then are stunned for a panel. This is described as the Torch’s “Nova Blast” effect. There are a few ways to treat it, here’s what I think: you aren’t restricted by your usual action number limit for energy. You can keep putting stones into your mastery as desires. For example, Human Torch has 9 Energy and Mastery of Fire 7 with the accumulate energy option. He accumulates 7 stones the first panel, then the next panel puts his remaining 5 stones (his 2 from the previous panel + the 3 he regenerated) into the Mastery, to create a 12 stone burst of fire. Or, he could continue to accumulate energy in this fashion, but would have to worry about being attacked. It’s interpretation depends on the indivdual GM, so I’d talk to them before selecting this option.
* Free Force Field at Full Action Number When Using Mastery: again a sticky wicket. My interpretation: you get free stones up to your action number into defense (but not doubled, like a force field normally is) when putting your mastery. Talk to your GM before going ahead.
* Absorb stones of attack as same element of mastery: handy, if you have a broad of commonly used element (absorbing fire, cold, or electricity, might be handy, but few people have magnetic-based attacks, for example [except for the obvious exceptions.])
* +1/stone to panel in appropriate location: again, depends on how commonly you can use it and planning ahead (absorbing +1/stone a panel underwater might be handy, but you’d definitely need to be able to breathe underwater to use it.)
* Combine with Close or Ranged Combat: +2 for one, +3 for both, can be very handy, especially if you have a low AN with either (or both.)
* Unlimited create/manipulate: not so cool with Mastery of Cold, but for Mastery of Matter…
* Increase actions already had to action number: again, if your action number is high, it can be very handy.
* Communicate with your element: usually for elements with a living component (plants, animals, etc.)
There’s also some lessons taken from the Collector: he buys shapeshifting as a +3 option. Shapeshifting has a +3 cost to it normally. So, thus, you can buy pre-existing powers as options for masteries, with a bare minimum of +1 (thus, creating illusions is normally worth AN [or +0,] but Photon spends +1 on the action.) So, thus, the doors fly open, and you really have no limit to the kinds of options you can take.
Concluding Statements
So, what did we learn? Basically, Masteries can be extremely powerful and versatile actions. Just be creative, and you can make whatever kind of character you want to make.
Sample Character: Radio Man
For the sake of argument, since making a master really does involve a bit of involvement with the GM, I’ll be having a conversation with myself, building a character that the PC and the GM can agree on.
GM: “So, DorkKnight23, what kind of character do you want to make?”
Player: “Well, DK, this is going to sound silly…”
GM: “Sillier than that giant squad? Or the guy powered by coffee? You’ve done worse.“
Player: “Okay, okay. I want to make a guy who has powers based on radio waves.”
GM: “Um…ok. What do you envision?”
Player: “I’d want him to be able to control radio waves.”
GM: “Sounds like a mastery for me. They even list radio as an element as ‘Communications,’ so I think it sounds good.”
Player: “Mastery of Elements, awesome! So I want to make a guy who’s a Master of Communications. Didn’t you major in that in college?”
GM: “(Sarcastic laugh) Ha. Okay, look at some of the options.”
Player: “Wow, there’s quite a lot…”
GM: “Take your time.”
Player: “Immunity seems kind of stupid. Maybe create/manipulate radio waves. Ooh, and a force blast, like loud sound or something. Maybe it’ll only stun people. Like an attack of durability that can only stun someone.“
GM: “Okay, that’s +2 in options so far. Anything else catch your eye?”
Player: “Ooh, could I get an extra +1 stone a panel in any place where radio waves are being transmitted?”
GM: “Hmm…I don’t know. It makes sense, you’re absorbing ambient radio waves, but those are awfully common. But so is sunlight... Okay, just be prepared to be in for a rude awakening if you fight somewhere without radio waves.”
Player: “Awesome. I think that’s all the options I want. That’s +3, right?”
GM: “Yep. So, what AN do you want?”
Player: “How many stones do I get?”
GM: “40, silly.”
Player: “Okay, if I buy it at AN 7, that’s AN 10, or 15 white.”
GM: “Good. You have 25 white left.”
Player: “Okay. I’ll buy some straightforward abilities: Intelligence 2, Strength 2, Agility 3, Speed 2, Durability 3. That’s…6 more. That gives me 19 left. I’ll buy some flight…flight’s decreased by one when bought with Masteries, right?”
GM: “You bet.”
Player: “So that’s AN+1, so I’ll buy it at 5, for AN 6, or 4 white. I have 15 left. Hmmm…I’ll buy Close Combat, Ranged Combat, and Social Skills at 2, and I want to buy Black Ops at 3.”
GM: “So he’s a government man, like the FCC?”
Player: “Hahaha! I like that. He works for the FCC. So I’ll give him a wealth of 3 [where do those FCC fines go, anyway?] and then…how much do I have left.”
GM: “10 stones.”
Player: “10 stones, geez! Can I save ‘em?”
GM: “Sure, if you want. Maybe…you want a little toughness and reflexive dodge at 1, maybe some enhanced vision?”
Player: “Sure! I’ll buy both of those at 1, and buy Enhanced Vision (Radio Waves) 6. How many do I have left now?”
GM: “4 stones.”
Player: “I’ll save them.”
GM: “Wait, you need to pick a challenge.”
Player: “What about ‘vulnerable loved ones unaware he’s a super’ at 1? I don’t even need the stones, really.
GM: “Who is keeping unaware?”
Player: “Y’know, his friends, the people he works with, his wife…”
GM: “His wife? I wonder what kind of marriage he has…”
Player: “Ha. Wait I have 5 stones left, I could get another +1 option for my mastery, couldn’t I?”
GM: “Sure. Anything you want?”
Player: “Could I substitute my mastery for Strength?”
GM: “I’m not sure. I mean, I can see Magneto or Xorn getting it, but how good are Radio Waves at lifting things?”
Player: “Ok. What about substituting for Speed?”
GM: “Okay. Sound does travel fast.”
Player: “Can I use my speed for initiative.“
GM: “Of course you can, but you’re a stone short.”
Player: “Can I increase my challenge from 1 to 2?”
GM: “Sure. Anything else?”
Player: “Nah, I think I’ll go fill in my CAD now.”
Name: Radio Man
Identity: Randall Martin
Height: 5’10
Weight: 120 lbs.
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Color: Brown
Species: Mutagenic
Abilities:
Int: 2
Str: 2
Agi: 3
Spd: 2[7]
Dur: 3
White: 3
Red: 9
Actions:
Mastery of Communications 7
(Create/manipulate radio waves, force blast [attack vs. durability to stun,] +1 stone/panel in places with radio waves present, substitute mastery for speed)
Close Combat 2
(Speed bonus or Weapon modifier; Hand-to-Hand, Government Training)
Ranged Combat 2
(Weapon modifier; Personal sidearms)
Social Skills 2
(Parenting, FCC Protocol)
Black Ops 3
(Covert Ops, Infiltration, Escape)
Modifiers:
Toughness (+1)
Reflexive Dodge (+1)
Enhanced Vision 6 (Radio Waves)
Wealth (3)
Challenge:
Friends/Loved Ones Unaware Character is a Super 2
Next Time
Next Time on Building Blue Lightning, I’ll look at Mastery of Magic, the action so controversial and powerful it gets its own article called “Cast a Deadly Spell.” See you then.
Masters of Elements
Or ”The Elements of Style/The Style of Elements”
Alternate Subtitle: “Mastering One’s Domain”
Mastery of Elements is one of the most versatile powers in the game. This power, in one form or another, is present in characters as disparate as Iceman, the Human Torch, Storm, Magneto, Avalanche, Banshee, and Xorn all possess the same power.
Elements: It’s half of the name
The very thing that gives Mastery of Elements some of its broadness is the literally limitless range of elements one can choose to manipulate, sometimes going as powerful as mastering matter, space, or time itself. However, the more powerful masteries have one of three costs: 1) +1 for “element of unusual power” (ex. Magnetism,) 2) +3 for “unusually broad” (ex. Mastery of Four Elements, Photon’s Mastery of Energy [although it’s more accurately Mastery of the Light Spectrum,]) or 3) +8 for “element of extreme power” (ex. Matter, Cosmic Energy.)
This kind of pricing (how powerful is powerful) is left up to the GM, but I generally like something like this.
Other +1’s: Gravity…or any power that you feel is a little too specific for a +3 cost but stronger than Mastery of Fire, for example. I personally give Mastery of Weather one of these.
Other +3’s: Most cases that cover a broader scope of more than one element
Other +8’s: Energy (as in all energy forms,) Time, Space, Reality
This is my own opinion, and thus not written in stone, but it could be a start for forming your own guideline for what qualifies for a +1, a +3, or a +8. Take a look at page 47 in the Guide to Hulk and the Avengers or page 56 in the Guide to the X-Men for more info on this topic.
But the limit of these elements is limited only by your imagination. The Core rulebooks set the priority for making almost any element. So, this is very much out for you to decide what for your character, and, 9 times out of 10, those increased costs are very much worth it.
Mastery: it’s the other half
What makes Mastery of Elements different from other actions is the immensely wide range of options available to it. These options can give you a practically limitless range of possible options and ways to tweak your character. Oftentimes, you will find yourself balancing between a high action number and a broad range of masteries.
Here are some options that can be particularly handy or tricky:
* Immunity to Element: extremely handy option
* Create/Manipulate Element: includes barrier and object creation, and very handy for a +1
* Substitute Mastery for Ability: for a +1 action, this can be immensely worth it. Especially because it can soon give you multiple abilities at the Action Number.
* Force Blast: very handy, almost every master has this option.
* Accumulate Energy: the rules for this have been the subject of speculation. You accomplish a “major effect” then are stunned for a panel. This is described as the Torch’s “Nova Blast” effect. There are a few ways to treat it, here’s what I think: you aren’t restricted by your usual action number limit for energy. You can keep putting stones into your mastery as desires. For example, Human Torch has 9 Energy and Mastery of Fire 7 with the accumulate energy option. He accumulates 7 stones the first panel, then the next panel puts his remaining 5 stones (his 2 from the previous panel + the 3 he regenerated) into the Mastery, to create a 12 stone burst of fire. Or, he could continue to accumulate energy in this fashion, but would have to worry about being attacked. It’s interpretation depends on the indivdual GM, so I’d talk to them before selecting this option.
* Free Force Field at Full Action Number When Using Mastery: again a sticky wicket. My interpretation: you get free stones up to your action number into defense (but not doubled, like a force field normally is) when putting your mastery. Talk to your GM before going ahead.
* Absorb stones of attack as same element of mastery: handy, if you have a broad of commonly used element (absorbing fire, cold, or electricity, might be handy, but few people have magnetic-based attacks, for example [except for the obvious exceptions.])
* +1/stone to panel in appropriate location: again, depends on how commonly you can use it and planning ahead (absorbing +1/stone a panel underwater might be handy, but you’d definitely need to be able to breathe underwater to use it.)
* Combine with Close or Ranged Combat: +2 for one, +3 for both, can be very handy, especially if you have a low AN with either (or both.)
* Unlimited create/manipulate: not so cool with Mastery of Cold, but for Mastery of Matter…
* Increase actions already had to action number: again, if your action number is high, it can be very handy.
* Communicate with your element: usually for elements with a living component (plants, animals, etc.)
There’s also some lessons taken from the Collector: he buys shapeshifting as a +3 option. Shapeshifting has a +3 cost to it normally. So, thus, you can buy pre-existing powers as options for masteries, with a bare minimum of +1 (thus, creating illusions is normally worth AN [or +0,] but Photon spends +1 on the action.) So, thus, the doors fly open, and you really have no limit to the kinds of options you can take.
Concluding Statements
So, what did we learn? Basically, Masteries can be extremely powerful and versatile actions. Just be creative, and you can make whatever kind of character you want to make.
Sample Character: Radio Man
For the sake of argument, since making a master really does involve a bit of involvement with the GM, I’ll be having a conversation with myself, building a character that the PC and the GM can agree on.
GM: “So, DorkKnight23, what kind of character do you want to make?”
Player: “Well, DK, this is going to sound silly…”
GM: “Sillier than that giant squad? Or the guy powered by coffee? You’ve done worse.“
Player: “Okay, okay. I want to make a guy who has powers based on radio waves.”
GM: “Um…ok. What do you envision?”
Player: “I’d want him to be able to control radio waves.”
GM: “Sounds like a mastery for me. They even list radio as an element as ‘Communications,’ so I think it sounds good.”
Player: “Mastery of Elements, awesome! So I want to make a guy who’s a Master of Communications. Didn’t you major in that in college?”
GM: “(Sarcastic laugh) Ha. Okay, look at some of the options.”
Player: “Wow, there’s quite a lot…”
GM: “Take your time.”
Player: “Immunity seems kind of stupid. Maybe create/manipulate radio waves. Ooh, and a force blast, like loud sound or something. Maybe it’ll only stun people. Like an attack of durability that can only stun someone.“
GM: “Okay, that’s +2 in options so far. Anything else catch your eye?”
Player: “Ooh, could I get an extra +1 stone a panel in any place where radio waves are being transmitted?”
GM: “Hmm…I don’t know. It makes sense, you’re absorbing ambient radio waves, but those are awfully common. But so is sunlight... Okay, just be prepared to be in for a rude awakening if you fight somewhere without radio waves.”
Player: “Awesome. I think that’s all the options I want. That’s +3, right?”
GM: “Yep. So, what AN do you want?”
Player: “How many stones do I get?”
GM: “40, silly.”
Player: “Okay, if I buy it at AN 7, that’s AN 10, or 15 white.”
GM: “Good. You have 25 white left.”
Player: “Okay. I’ll buy some straightforward abilities: Intelligence 2, Strength 2, Agility 3, Speed 2, Durability 3. That’s…6 more. That gives me 19 left. I’ll buy some flight…flight’s decreased by one when bought with Masteries, right?”
GM: “You bet.”
Player: “So that’s AN+1, so I’ll buy it at 5, for AN 6, or 4 white. I have 15 left. Hmmm…I’ll buy Close Combat, Ranged Combat, and Social Skills at 2, and I want to buy Black Ops at 3.”
GM: “So he’s a government man, like the FCC?”
Player: “Hahaha! I like that. He works for the FCC. So I’ll give him a wealth of 3 [where do those FCC fines go, anyway?] and then…how much do I have left.”
GM: “10 stones.”
Player: “10 stones, geez! Can I save ‘em?”
GM: “Sure, if you want. Maybe…you want a little toughness and reflexive dodge at 1, maybe some enhanced vision?”
Player: “Sure! I’ll buy both of those at 1, and buy Enhanced Vision (Radio Waves) 6. How many do I have left now?”
GM: “4 stones.”
Player: “I’ll save them.”
GM: “Wait, you need to pick a challenge.”
Player: “What about ‘vulnerable loved ones unaware he’s a super’ at 1? I don’t even need the stones, really.
GM: “Who is keeping unaware?”
Player: “Y’know, his friends, the people he works with, his wife…”
GM: “His wife? I wonder what kind of marriage he has…”
Player: “Ha. Wait I have 5 stones left, I could get another +1 option for my mastery, couldn’t I?”
GM: “Sure. Anything you want?”
Player: “Could I substitute my mastery for Strength?”
GM: “I’m not sure. I mean, I can see Magneto or Xorn getting it, but how good are Radio Waves at lifting things?”
Player: “Ok. What about substituting for Speed?”
GM: “Okay. Sound does travel fast.”
Player: “Can I use my speed for initiative.“
GM: “Of course you can, but you’re a stone short.”
Player: “Can I increase my challenge from 1 to 2?”
GM: “Sure. Anything else?”
Player: “Nah, I think I’ll go fill in my CAD now.”
Name: Radio Man
Identity: Randall Martin
Height: 5’10
Weight: 120 lbs.
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Color: Brown
Species: Mutagenic
Abilities:
Int: 2
Str: 2
Agi: 3
Spd: 2[7]
Dur: 3
White: 3
Red: 9
Actions:
Mastery of Communications 7
(Create/manipulate radio waves, force blast [attack vs. durability to stun,] +1 stone/panel in places with radio waves present, substitute mastery for speed)
Close Combat 2
(Speed bonus or Weapon modifier; Hand-to-Hand, Government Training)
Ranged Combat 2
(Weapon modifier; Personal sidearms)
Social Skills 2
(Parenting, FCC Protocol)
Black Ops 3
(Covert Ops, Infiltration, Escape)
Modifiers:
Toughness (+1)
Reflexive Dodge (+1)
Enhanced Vision 6 (Radio Waves)
Wealth (3)
Challenge:
Friends/Loved Ones Unaware Character is a Super 2
Next Time
Next Time on Building Blue Lightning, I’ll look at Mastery of Magic, the action so controversial and powerful it gets its own article called “Cast a Deadly Spell.” See you then.