I think im ready.
That's great!
I think I will put up the gameplay thread tonight already, or tomorrow - the first few exchanges should be void of dice rolls, so Zanto and everyone else can finish up their sheet.
Here's how I do posts:
Third person, present tense, "dialogue in bold" and thoughts in italics, then add an OOC part for dice rolls if needed.
---SAMPLE POST---
Looking around himeself, Zuko sees the prison guards approaching. They're just doing their job he doens't wish to hurt them, and won't use his firebending. Broadswords held strongly in his hands, he runs up to the captian "Let us go and I will not hurt you!". Without waiting for an answer, he feints with his right, then strikes the guard's stomach with the left sword's hilt.
_______________
---END POST---
For the most complicated fights, I will use maps hosted on Google Docs.
Perhaps I'll even post in the Gameplay section the defensive stats for the opponents, so you can resolve your own actions (like rolling enemies' saves against your attacks, etc...). I don't know it yet, I've been GMed either way, I'll decide later.
The Gameplay section will have links on the maps, and a "NPCs met" section, and other kinds of useful tools.
Cool, that's how I already do my posts!
It sounds like you run a tight ship Airon, I'm looking forward to it!
Ok, so if I understand what you're saying, this would be a 'power stunt' version of the array...
Plantbending array PowerStunt A Plant explosion
[plant, bending]; Flaws: Requires plantlife
A) Damage 10 (AE: Damage 10 (Extras: area [RADIUS])) 20 pp
B) Environment (Impede Movement) 10 ranks 20 PP
C) Communication Talk/Listen 2 (Area, Selective, Subtle) 7pp/Comprehend Plants 4 PP (11 PP)
D) Move Object 19 (Precise +1 PP, Flaws: Concentration) 20 pp
Plantbending array PowerStunt B Plant Spike
[plant, bending]; Flaws: Requires plantlife
A) Damage 20 (AE: Damage 20) 20 pp
B) Environment (Impede Movement) 10 ranks 20 PP
C) Communication Talk/Listen 2 (Area, Selective, Subtle) 7pp/Comprehend Plants 4 PP (11 PP)
D) Move Object 19 (Precise +1 PP, Flaws: Concentration) 20 pp
So I'm working on the crunch right now, and am again being stuck on powers. The "variable descriptor" extra seems like a lot of bull to me since you pay extra power points just to have different flavor. Also I can't find the concussive extra anywhere.
I'm sorry, I thought I had explained myself better, my bad.
Zanto:
an extra descriptor isn't just for extra flavor, the same way the Admixture Evocation subschool in Pathfinder isn't.
In your adventures you encounter things resistant or outright immune to something. A creature may be immune to fire, but even just a thick stone wall is.
By having the Variable descriptor extra you can circumvent such immunities. I suggested Concussive or Bludgeoning as another descriptor (in addition to fire) for Combustion-bending - to represent the force of the explosion in addition to the heat. A fireball won't damage a stone wall, an explosion will.
Darvin:
I'm afraid I complicated things with my last comment.
You Power-stunt from a single Power. Looking at your sheet, there's 2 powers (since the Knife is Equipment): Plant-senses and Plantbending array. It does not matter how they are built, if they are arrays or not, whatever: they are thematic groupings of effects with the same descriptor.
When you Power-stunt, you take the pp in one Power and re-arrange them in a new Effect. When you Power-stunt from an array, think about it as an extra AE: you don't need to stunt from a single pre-existant effect, you stunt from all the points in the array (20 in your case).
Is the difference between Power and Effect clear?
Ah, that makes much more sense. Thanks!
I'm sorry GM, but you seem to be saying the exact opposite thing in your posts.
Let me try to clarify :
If I want to be able to power stunt and do an area of effect radius on my attack instead of a cone, do I list that as :
Plantbending array PowerStunt A Plant explosion
[plant, bending]; Flaws: Requires plantlife
A) Damage 10 (AE: Damage 10 (Extras: area [RADIUS])) 20 pp
B) Environment (Impede Movement) 10 ranks 20 PP
C) Communication Talk/Listen 2 (Area, Selective, Subtle) 7pp/Comprehend Plants 4 PP (11 PP)
D) Move Object 19 (Precise +1 PP, Flaws: Concentration) 20 pp
Or do I list it as :
Plant Explosion : Damage 10 (AE: Damage 10 (Extras: area [RADIUS])) 20 pp
Or am I being stupid and I don't power stunt at all to change the damage and I have no idea what you're referring to at all?
I don't have the chance to now, but I'm going to make the cylinder and cone blasts power stunts and use the points left over from those two and the point saved from combining leaping and speed into the same AE towards advantage Luck 3 if you'll allow it. I figured a scoundrel usually is a bit lucky and it was something I overlooked the first time through.
I'm sorry, I realize I might have confused things. I tired to clarify the terminology and actually confused your ideas.
You do it like this
Or do I list it as :
Plant Explosion : Damage 10 (AE: Damage 10 (Extras: area [RADIUS])) 20 pp
Ok, no problem. That's what I'd originally thought I had to do. I'll put up some power stunts then.
Ok, so, if I wanted to use, say, plant roots to take down a wall, you know, growing into the cracks, expanding, more growing in, etc, what would be the power stunt? A Damage? Or a Transformation (wall to rubble)? Or a Weakening (removing con from the wall)?
If I wanted to be able to make plants grow up in spikes at a distance (right now, all my attacks have to originate from me, and are either area of effect originating from me or are melee), that would be a Ranged attack? And would that be a valid power stunt, or would I need to work up a ranged attack in the array first?
Ok, no problem. That's what I'd originally thought I had to do. I'll put up some power stunts then.
Ok, so, if I wanted to use, say, plant roots to take down a wall, you know, growing into the cracks, expanding, more growing in, etc, what would be the power stunt? A Damage? Or a Transformation (wall to rubble)? Or a Weakening (removing con from the wall)?
If I wanted to be able to make plants grow up in spikes at a distance (right now, all my attacks have to originate from me, and are either area of effect originating from me or are melee), that would be a Ranged attack? And would that be a valid power stunt, or would I need to work up a ranged attack in the array first?
Power Stunts are largely a product of imagination and ingenuity. If you can describe it convincingly, and it fits your descriptor, then it can happen. I see no problem in any of the power stunts you proposed. The spikes would probably only work in a place with thick vegetation, but other than that, no limits. No need for a “intermediate power” before you stunt crazy stuff.
The “roots breaking down walls” thing can be done by either Damage or Weaken (Toughness). Traditionally, the Corrosion power in M&M was built by having Damage LINKED Weaken (Toughness); but nothing stops you from going a different route.
Personally I think a Ranged Weaken (Toughness) would work great. You crack and break and cripple the wall until its Toughness is negligible, then a single blow from a teammate takes it down. Teamwork!
Ok, I'll add a few more power stunts then.
Kept powers pretty simple. Rapid firebolts for single target, combustion explosion for area damage. I have 15 points left to spend (which I should probably put into defense). However I can't find the page for how to buy points in defense.
DEFENSE RANK
Your base defense ranks are equal to your ranks in their associated abilities. You can increase your defenses above the values granted by your ability ranks by spending character points: 1 character point grants you an additional rank in a defense, up to the limits imposed by power level (see Power Level).
Defense Cost = 1 character point per +1 rank
With the Enhanced Trait effect (see Powers) you can also improve your defenses with powers at the same cost, 1 point per rank.
TOUGHNESS RANK
The exception is Toughness, which can only be increased above your base Stamina rank using advantages and powers, not by direct spending of character points. This reflects that greater-than-normal Toughness is virtually always some sort of special ability. See Advantages and Powers for various options for improving Toughness, notably the defensive Roll advantage and the Protection effect.
ACTIVE DEFENSES
Dodge and Parry defenses require a measure of action to be fully effective. Limits on your mobility, focus, and reaction time adversely affect them. If you are vulnerable, your Dodge and Parry defense ranks are halved (divide their normal values by 2 and round up), and if you are defenseless, they are both reduced to 0!
So, Buying up Dodge & Parry is 1 pt per.
To buy up Toughness, you have to buy up Stamina, or you have to buy a power that gives you toughness.
So, Buying up Dodge & Parry is 1 pt per.
To buy up Toughness, you have to buy up Stamina, or you have to buy a power that gives you toughness.
I love the tl;dr version at the end haha. Thanks a bunch mdt!
No problem. :)
Ok, so I am (tentatively) ready to say that Zanto is done being built. Sorry if I made any amateur mistakes or have something unbalanced (like spending way too much on one thing or not enough on another).
Darvin how did you get 20 damage on your plant spike ability? I thought the maximum damage was twice our power level, and that's only if we completely dropped the accuracy.
Mainly by forgetting I had to limit it to 18. :)
Although you can up it to 19 with extra effort.
Forgive me if I'm being ignorant to the system, but is it wise to throw the entirety of an ability into damage? I feel like that's trying to kill a fly with a bazooka.
It's a power stunt, not something I use every time. Most of the time I walk around using the ability to talk and hear at range, or being able to entangle people or do a cone attack to get multiple people or move things with plants.
It's only when he is in a bad situation that he pulls out the big hammer, as it tires him to do it.
Interesting. I feel like that's super cool flavor wise, but in game is just going to miss haha.
Well I'm all ready to go! Do we have any idea of when gameplay is going to get fired up?
You will be pleased to know that the Gameplay thread is up! Happy gaming!
Darvin, even Power Stunts are limited by Power Level. Since you have a Fighting score of 6, this means that every melee attack has a +6 attack modifier. So your highest Damage rank can be 12 (12+6=18).
Oh wow, Zanto!
1) you don't have to pay for every AE in an array. You pay for the first power (30 pp) and then spend 1 pp for each Alternate Effect you wish to add. Talikriktug, Darvin and Kalden all have arrays on your sheets, check them out. You can add a couple more AE (do not exagerate).
2) Since you just discovered to have almost 30 pp more, you should invest in your defenses. Either raise Parry and Dodge (the 10 already in the sheet is the default, like the 10 in the AC in Pathfinder. It doens't count against Power level), or raise your Stamina to get a somewhat decent Toughness and Fortitude... +1 Toughness is abismally low, it's like having 15 hp at level 9.
3) your combustion-bending power still has the side-effect Flaw, which I think you removed (since we never decided upon the actual side-effect). The Affliction should list the Limited Effect flaw. Distracting should apply to both the Damage and the Affliction.
4) if you wish to be able to use fire control for utility, you need to spend one point on the Precise extra for your fire-bending array.
There may be some other issues, but since 30 pp just popped out of your sheet, I'll wait for you to choose how to spend them before sifting through it.
Oh wow, Zanto!
That's always a good start.
1) you don't have to pay for every AE in an array. You pay for the first power (30 pp) and then spend 1 pp for each Alternate Effect you wish to add. Talikriktug, Darvin and Kalden all have arrays on your sheets, check them out. You can add a couple more AE (do not exaggerate).
Sweetness. I'll get that filled out and redistribute the points elsewhere.
2) Since you just discovered to have almost 30 pp more, you should invest in your defenses. Either raise Parry and Dodge (the 10 already in the sheet is the default, like the 10 in the AC in Pathfinder. It doens't count against Power level), or raise your Stamina to get a somewhat decent Toughness and Fortitude... +1 Toughness is abismally low, it's like having 15 hp at level 9.
Oh lordy. I wanted him to be a glass cannon, but not that much. I'll bump it up, thanks.
3) your combustion-bending power still has the side-effect Flaw, which I think you removed (since we never decided upon the actual side-effect). The Affliction should list the Limited Effect flaw. Distracting should apply to both the Damage and the Affliction.
I thought distracting was the flaw? How should I list it than?
4) if you wish to be able to use fire control for utility, you need to spend one point on the Precise extra for your fire-bending array.
Can do.
Haha I knew there was going to be errors, but man did I mess that one up. Thanks!
I thought distracting was the flaw? How should I list it than?
I think the best way is as follows:
Ranged Area [burst] Damage 10 (Extra: variable descriptor (fire/concussion); Flaw: distracting) LINKED TO Ranged Area [burst] Affliction 10 (dazed, stunned; Flaw: limited effect, distracting) [20+10=30 pp] combustion bending attack
Both powers need to be Distracting for them to be linked (it doesn't change much, it's just for the sake of being clear). I think you confused Side-effect with Limited effect (side-effect means that if someone resists your powers you get damaged, like a feedback thing some mind-controller have; while Limited effect means that your Affliction can't inflict a third-degree condition, Stunned is the worst).
Distracting on both means that when you Combustion-bend, you lose half your Dodge and Parry bonus for the next round (another reason to boost that Stamina a bit).
Ok, sense the make more. Thanks!
Ok, once more I believe Zanto is ready to go haha.
Can we just assume all the power stunts are just 18 total, regardless of how we get there? :) 12+6?
Come on guys, gameplay is up! Get posting!
I did, giving the other players time to respond. Only 3 of us posted so far.
Sorry it took me so long. Had a bit of writer's block. Also trying to figure out how Zanto and Kalden differ personality-wise. I figure Kal would be a bit more laid back
@GM, Darvin's sense is both Acute and Distance, so he should have at the very least, a pretty good idea of how far away this is from them. If it's too close to avoid, he'd do something else other than look for high ground. Can he get a sense for what it is he's sensing?
He's at -1 per hundred feet on his perception. So the initial 25 would have given him a DC 10 at 1500 feet. Plus any bonuses for how big/loud/etc it is.
Alright, what check would one make for handle animal? Jin does have animal empathy(nothing for vehicle), but I'm not sure what check I'm making.
My bad, got mixed up with 2ed.
Animal Empathy allows you to use interaction skills on animals, so to make the ostich-horses cooperate I'd say Persuasion or Intimidate.
Sorry guys, a bit of traffic this week. Give me a couple of days.
Oh my god, did you guys see how they killed P'Li? That was brutal! Awesome, but freaking brutal. I hope it doesn't give Airon any ideas >.>
I do apologize for my absence. I took a two-day vacation where I thought I had internet but I didn’t, and then decided to extend it to a four-day vacation. Now I’m back, and I’m sad, but at least I can catch up with the game. Expect a post in the next 24 hours.
Don't worry about it Airon, we understand, happy to get back to it!
Ok Darvin, I understand what you are trying to say, but I'm afraid I didn't explain clearly how powers work in M&M.
Each power is EFFECT based. This means you have to buy each effect separately. If you buy Environment [hamper movement] you can't use it to create barriers: you'll just make a patch of difficult terrain. If you are working with a few bushes, you can move them with Move Object, but you can't make them grow into barriers - you have to work with volume of vegetables present.
The system assumes that, because of control issues or limitations, you can't use the power to achieve that effect even if you logically should; it's the foundation of the effect-based system.
This is usually adressed with power stunts. When you wish to do something that you didn't buy the effect for, then Stunt it.
In this case, you are looking at a Create Object effect.
I thought I was using Move Object to move Zanto, and the special affect of that move option was making plants grow to perform the movement?
As to the hamper movement, I see what you're saying. I apologize for misunderstanding, I thought once you made an area difficult, it stayed that way. Ok, so, I'd need to power stunt 'create object' to make the walls I'm looking for?
Im still here. Just at a loss for what to do.
No water = no ice = no objects to block access :(
This sucks, just as we started, but work right off the summer vacations has already picked up a crazy pace, a few days have already destroyed what relax I achieved during summer. Bleagh.
I hope things will stabilize in the next weeks, then I'll be able to keep my posting rate about 3-4 posts/week. For now, I apologize.
Just checking in to say I'm still here and patiently waiting for the reboot of the game.
So, it's October now...
Assume this is dead?
Yep, Dead.
Pretty...pretty...prrretty dead
Our DM is still on the boards. His alias Telemakos Ogeo Krostumolis posted yesterday. I am going to PM him.