Kyros Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 I have been given a test by some of my gaming group - to build a nova off of three pre-chosen powers.The powers I was given were: Hypermovement (Running), Mental Blast, and Node Spark. I have 30 NP to spend on top of that.So my question is, what would you do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metaphysician Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 Just three powers? No other powers, no mega-atts? No purchases of attributes, abilities, and backgrounds? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkyLion Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 I have been given a test by some of my gaming group - to build a nova off of three pre-chosen powers.The powers I was given were: Hypermovement (Running), Mental Blast, and Node Spark. I have 30 NP to spend on top of that.So my question is, what would you do? Whats the point? Seems silly to me...fi they have picked the powers they have already picked the build really...and those are sort of random powers...still if you come up with an interesting way to have them all fit together Id be open to hearing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 I get it. It's like a challenge to "write a short story that involves 1) a white rose, 2) infidelity and 3) a late night pizza date," right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkyLion Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Oh! Well in that case...,, Dr. Greymatter,, A scientist who erupted when he thought to hard about an equation and his brain erupted. He has the huge head aberration with a massive node bulge on the front of his hairless noggin. He also has aberrant eyes..which bulge and protrude from his head when he uses his powers...which are mainly to run around screaming in a fit of perpetual manic rage (His single dot of hypermovement is defined as mentally propeling himself along the ground in a given direction.). He has an uncontrollable persistent mental blast (2 dots) and the rest is 5 dots of Node Spark which activates a random power everytime he runs into something solid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Green Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 I think they mean a useable nova. ::laugh Hypermovement (Running), Mental Blast, and Node Spark.Well, the first thing I'd note is NS gives extras, so at will you could have HM:Other Medium (Swimming, Digging), or MB(AGG, Area, MIRV). So you have an attack and a movement ability... it'd be useful to have a defense but I take it we're limited to those three?Things we need to make this character useful:1) Mega-Int (for MB) and Mega-Wits (Quick).2) A solid theme. NS can whip up other powers, but it doesn't ignore theme.OK, his general attack is going to be NS (2 succ, probably should spend a willpower roll here) for Area on MB. He runs into a group, he unleashes his MB, he runs away (with Quick).Without knowing how many nova points we have to work with it's really hard to move from this point. So far we've spent 11 (or 16 or 21 if we also have to pay for Quantum). Buying things tainted might reduce that but as a general rule I don't do that until the final step of the character creation process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyros Posted April 13, 2007 Author Share Posted April 13, 2007 Hi guys. First of all I want to thank everyone for responding.Now onto the nitty-gritty. The test is - using the three aforementioned powers, build a nova utilizing 30 NP. I did mention that in the first post, but no worries. The rules are: Any and all Mega-Attributes are available, but any extra powers must be justifiably based off of either the three powers given or any Mega-Attributes purchased (i.e. M-Sta easily leads to Armor).I am still working on my build - and I appreciate the ideas given so far. I'd love to see what you come up with now that I have clarified the rules. I'll post my finished build here shortly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Thunder Posted April 13, 2007 Share Posted April 13, 2007 Heh, I've run games like this before. It's actually a lot of fun! You give the characters certain powers/whatever, and then slap on some restrictions, and they build the rest, and you play. Since we all trust each other (as a roleplaying group) it all works out fine, and we have fun with it.In the last camaign, the characters actually had restrictions put onto their powers that severely weakened them.For example, here was the build for one of the PCs in a recent game: He has Hypermovement, but his Perception and Wits were limited to 1 dot, and he couldn't take the Megas of either Attribute. Basically...he can run faster than a bullet...but his mental reflexes can't match. So while he could easily run from Point A to Point B if it were a straight line, he couldn't run through a maze with Hypermovement, because his mind wouldn't keep up with his speed, and he'd go slamming into walls at every turn. So he uses his Hypermovement in short bursts, and only if he can see his destination. Otherwise he'll go flying into walls, and his teammates will have to peel him off later.Another character: he was restricted to only taking Mega-Stamina and it's enhancements. The only powers he was allowed to take? Body Mod: Extra Health Levels and Armor. His character concept was "almost can't die" As his major restriction, his Mega-Stamina didn't help reduce his Health Level penalties. So while he could easily takes a hail of machine-gun fire to the face...he would still feel the pain.That was a cool campaign idea, overall. The PCs were the total losers of the super hero world. It was like the Tick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Green Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 Actually you said you had the powers and 30 nova points on top of that.Bonus: +2QNova: (Acc Cost/Marginal Cost/Item)6 6 +2Q(5) Taint 3.11 5 +1 NS14 3 +1 HM:Run17 3 +1 MBThat's the base character and we have 13 points left. HM and MB don't really gain all that much per dot, NS does but is extremely expensive.Call it +1 M-Wits(Quick), +2 M-Int(?), and 4 nova points in stats. If we're willing to deal with aberrations then we could have 2 more nova points for taint 4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metaphysician Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 My build? I'd drop Node Spark entirely, as you'd have to be insane to use it, and then I'd build a really fast, really smart guy who runs around and thinks deep thoughts at people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Green Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 I'd drop Node Spark entirely, as you'd have to be insane to use it...Or a Terat. Not that those have to be different things. ::ohmy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metaphysician Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 If they use Node Spark regularly, nope, not much difference for long. The chance of botch is just too high, and the consequences catastrophic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Green Posted April 14, 2007 Share Posted April 14, 2007 So spend a willpower point whenever you roll. And since you're rolling at least 6 dice the odds aren't that bad.The killer is even if you succeed, every other roll gives you a temp point of taint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metaphysician Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 Statistically, its more like every other roll, unless you have near 10 dice. OTOH, same difference long term. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Green Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 Statistically, its more like every other roll, unless you have near 10 dice. OTOH, same difference long term.I don't understand your point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Thunder Posted April 15, 2007 Share Posted April 15, 2007 Terats can convert temp Taint to temp Chrysalis. Node Spark itself is a mini-Chrysalis. If a Terat is using Node Spark to expand upon his current power set-up (as the power is meant to do) then almost all of that temp Taint can become temp Chrysalis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metaphysician Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 I don't understand your point.You gain temp taint for using Node Spark at a rate of 1 point for every 1 rolled on the activation roll. So, every ten dice rolled on average, you get 1 temp taint. If you have around a 6-7 dice pool, that means every other activation.The "same difference" is because you still end up gaining taint at a rate vastly faster than normal.Re: Teragen and Chrysalis, thats true, as long as your willing to spend a WP with every single activation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkyLion Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 You gain temp taint for using Node Spark at a rate of 1 point for every 1 rolled on the activation roll. So, every ten dice rolled on average, you get 1 temp taint. If you have around a 6-7 dice pool, that means every other activation.The "same difference" is because you still end up gaining taint at a rate vastly faster than normal.Re: Teragen and Chrysalis, thats true, as long as your willing to spend a WP with every single activation. ,, ...thats essentially what Envy does. ::ultracool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metaphysician Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 I wouldn't do it, but thats because I've actually seen multiple botches on dice pools of 12 and higher. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Green Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 I wouldn't do it, but thats because I've actually seen multiple botches on dice pools of 12 and higher. . .With 10 dice the chance of failure is 0.6 percent.With 12 dice the chance of failure is 0.22 percent.Call it once out of 460 rolls. So if you do it a while, it will happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metaphysician Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 See, the thing is, I'm not sure we've *rolled* 460 times, even with as long as the campaign has been going. And yet. . . several botches, including a couple of multibotches.Maybe its a quirk of the AIM diceroller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkyLion Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 I actually dont trust automated dice rollers...,, theres something about holding dice in ones hand...perhaps ones intentions affecting the probability fields or something but I have seen dice do some amazingly improbable things in my gaming career. There is more to it than just the mathematical percentages a computer uses...there is the air pressure, the torque induced by the throwing hand, the rolling surface etc.,,,, And anyway...there is a 0% chance of botvhing if you spend a Willpower... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckg Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 See, the thing is, I'm not sure we've *rolled* 460 times, even with as long as the campaign has been going. And yet. . . several botches, including a couple of multibotches.At 120+ sessions, making 460 rolls would merely require an average of 4 rolls/session, and we easily exceed that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Green Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 I think most of the random number generators are pretty random nowdays... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metaphysician Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 At 120+ sessions, making 460 rolls would merely require an average of 4 rolls/session, and we easily exceed that.You sure? There's quite a few sessions where we never rolled anything at all, I thought. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkyLion Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 I think most of the random number generators are pretty random nowdays... ,, I still dont trust it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckg Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 You sure? There's quite a few sessions where we never rolled anything at all, I thought...And there's other sessions where we've made more than four rolls /each/, let alone four rolls total. It averages out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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