From: [g--u--t] at [uclink4.berkeley.edu] (Alexander Shearer)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.super-heroes,rec.games.frp.gurps
Subject: [GURPS] Supers addenda - better table formatting! (I hope)
Date: Fri, 17 Nov 1995 03:33:29 GMT
Well, here is my attempt to put this into ASCii for better
readability. Hopefully, the table won't be quite so screwed this time
(my newsreader makes it hard to tell if I've done things right, as it
will show the proper formatting, regardless of what it looks like in
straight ASCii. Note that if the defense table /is/ still off kilter,
there are three columns, in order, from left to right: DR,
Reflection, Absorption. Read this section carefully, it's a pretty
drastic change (with fairness in mind - the old Absorption/Reflection
rules were really messed up).
Again, these are all my ideas, so don't you go nickin' 'em. Please
comment, though (and note, again, that this is crossposted to
r.g.f.super-heroes and r.g.f.gurps).
Alexander Shearer
[g--u--t] at [uclink4.berkeley.edu]
Super Advantages Changed/Removed:
Absorption: This is now bought by point, instead of die. Now, you
can absorb 1 point/level of Absorption (note that costs have changed,
as per the general Defense Table included below). Once your "battery"
is full, Absorption acts as normal DR (w/same restrictions) at a rate
of 1 point DR per full three levels of Absorption. Other rules for
Absorption are the same.
Defense Table (see DR and Reflection elsewhere)
Frequency DR Reflection Absorption
Against Everything 3 5 5
Common 2 4 4
Occasional 1 3 3
Rare 1/2 2 2
Very Rare 1/4 1 1
Body of Earth: Removed.
Body of Fire: Removed.
Body of Ice: Removed.
Body of Metal: Removed.
Body of Stone: Removed.
Bouncing: Bouncing is (almost) no longer a separate advantage - see
Super Jump. If, however, you want Bouncing without any Super Jump
abilities, the generic “bounce” response can be bought at 2
points/level, with each level giving a 10% bounce (up to a maximum of
90% bounce, which was the Bouncing default previously).
Doesn’t Breathe: Add in the +25% advantage “Really Doesn’t Breathe,”
which will let you survive with no oxygen in the environment at all.
Extra Hit Points: Costs are now based on the relationship between
current Hit Points and the original HT of the super. The remaining
rules for extra hit points are as written.
For each point over HT to 2xHT: 3 points
For each point over 2xHT to 3xHT: 4 points
For each point over 3XHT: 5 points
Reflection: This is now bought a point at a time, as per Absorption,
and the correct cost/point is listed on the Defense Table.
Super Jump: As normal, but with the added Advantage “Bouncing +50%.”
This confers full 90% bounce, as per the old Bouncing advantage,
regardless of number of levels of Super Jump purchased (yes, this
makes it more efficient than Bouncing alone, but that’s not the point
anyway).
Some notes on the "Body of..." deletia:
Basically, these were removed because they can be constructed in a
custom fashion with PD, DR, etc, without bowing to a game designer's
sense of what stats are appropriate for a body of metal, or earth, or
whatever. This does, however, allow for the creation of one new super
disadvantage:
Ferrous: You are “ferrous” with respect to magnetic powers, and for
conventional magnetic purposes as well. -10 points.
Note that if you think your "Body of..." is particularly ugly, this
may be taken as an appearance disadvantage (and if you're stuck in it,
take it as a permanent disadvantage, as opposed to a Transformation one).
In the specific case of Body of Fire, the contact damage should really
be a generic flame attack with zero range anyway, so it can be created
this way, with a bit of messin’ w/limitations (“Always on” sounds
good).
Changes to Limitations:
Reduced Range: The maximum modifier for this disadvantage is -40%.
Touch Only: This is now worth -50%.
Super Powers Changed/Removed:
Buzzsaw: Removed.
Disintegrate: Removed.
Fireball: Removed.
Flame Jet: Removed.
Frost Jet: Removed.
Ice Spear: Removed.
Ice Sphere: Removed.
Laser: Removed.
Lightning Bolt: Removed.
Shockwave: Removed.
Sonic Blast: Removed.
Stone Missile: Removed.
Vibratory Blast: Removed.
Water Cannon: Removed.
Water Jet: Removed.
Wave of Earth: Removed.
Wind Blast: Removed.
Wind Jet: Removed.
(Notice the trend? Don’t worry, the next bit addresses that...)
Constructing Attack Powers:
Attack powers are all based of the 6 pts/die rule - for a basic LC of
6 points, the attack power does 1d of damage per level. To quote the
Supers book, if "a power has some significant effect besides 1d per
Power level, make it LC 7. Extremely powerful attack powers
(Disintegrate, for instance) have LC 8+."
Based on the sample powers, the following effects can be used in
creating combat powers:
Electrical: An attack may, at no cost, be electrical, meaning it
can not be directed through metal grids, but metal armor has no real
effect (PD 0, DR 1). Also note that the -60% Thunderstorms only
limitation may still be used, at GM's discretion.
Jet: To have an attack with a range of 1 hex/point of damage
instead of 10x(Power) which does damage along the length of the jet,
simply declare it this way. To have this effect available for a
normal combat power, it is a +50% enhancement.
A note on some things which can and can’t be done. The power
Shockwave is simply an underpriced Area Effect (+50%) attack, and
should be created that way. Sonic Blast can be created as an attack
with Armor Piercing (crystalline substances only). The easiest way
to work that one out is to apply a Differential Effect limitation to
the Armor Piercing enhancement. Judging from the power, the
limitation is worth -65%, making the Armor Piercing about 17% per
level (up to the maximum, of course). On a similar note, "extra
effects" should probably be dealt with as enhancements as well.
Thus, the disintegration effect is a +35% enhancement. Also, to be
consistent with cost/effect, the fire effect (being able to light
combustible objects in addition to straight damage) should be a +15%
enhancement (note that it’s actually 17%, but 15% is easier to deal
with - on the other hand, Crystalline Armor Piercing should probably
be modified upward to 20%/level).
Finally, here's a new attack power limitation:
Can be parried: The attack can be parried normally, not just with a
super-parry. This is worth -10%, or -20% for an attack power with the
limitation touch only, or with a range of 5 or less hexes (this may
result from character concept - it is best represented with the
maximum level of Reduced Range).
Augmenting Close Assault:
There are a couple of things which can be added to close combat, all
as advantages. Note that damage bonuses apply to all the limbs you
want them too (as fits the concept).
Cutting Damage: Damage in combat can be changed from crushing to
cutting at a cost of 25 points.
Damage Bonus: Additional damage done with weaponless attacks can be
purchased at a cost of 5 points per point of added damage, up to a
maximum of 5 points (this maximum can, of course, be increased by the
GM - just make sure you want to). This damage is added to the value
of the attack prior to adjustments for damage type (cutting, impaling,
whatever).
Impaling Damage: Damage in combat can be changed to impaling at
a cost of 40 points.
Slippery: You are harder to grab - attempts to grab/grapple you
are at -1 per level of this advantage purchased, up to -5. This
advantage costs 15 points/level. This advantage may also be taken so
that the minus applies to your attempts to grapple, as well. In that
case, it costs 5 points per level, with the same limit of five levels.
Variable Type Damage: Damage in combat may be either cutting or
impaling, chosen during each attack. This costs 55 points.