Aberrant RPG - RQC

[Matthew]

Can someone give me a refresher on RQC, I was rereading the rules on adding extras to powers. Currently the rule is that when you add an extra it raises the experience point and quantum point cost of a power.

If it raises the quantum cost, what use is it to reduce the qantum cost. Same goes for adding Mastery to a power, but it also can reduce the quantum point cost.

I am assuming this is a rules error.

[Alex Green]

The only way it makes any sense is too calculate the q cost *before* raising the level of the power. Fortunately we have enough examples that we can pretty much state this is what was intended.

For example, (Level One Power + RQC) would be zero (and this is an example in the book in RQC's section).

Level Two Power + RQC would be one quantum to active (this works even if you call it a level 3 power).

And all Q6 things are deep into ST negotation that we shouldn't have any problems after this.

Something else to point out this that RQC works *extremely* well in combo with pulling your punch. Use half or less of your power to save some quantum, dropping it's cost to one, then RQC cuts that in half, rounded in the PC's favor to nothing.

Example: 2 dots of Claws+AP+RQC costs 1q if you want to use 2 dice of the power or zero if you just want to use 1 die.

[metaphysician]

Part of me thinks that extras should not modify the base cost of the power, unless they specifically add an additional cost ( like Supercharge ). Thoughts?

[Matthew]

Most of the time character will only have 1 extra on a power. To basically say that RQC only works when you add more extras is a little much. I mean experience point cost is more of a limiting factor than Quantum point cost.

While Claws + AP +RQC is cool. It also a level 3 power, which cost x7. That huge as the game grows.

Thought Chrysalis brakes that, a little. ::devil

[Alex Green]

Part of me thinks that extras should not modify the base cost of the power, unless they specifically add an additional cost ( like Supercharge ). Thoughts?

Rules say otherwise for a reason. Q-Bolt + Area isn't really something you want thrown around a lot, and Q-Bolt + Agg should cost the same as Disin because it's effectively the same thing at Q5.

[Finbar]

The only way it makes any sense is too calculate the q cost *before* raising the level of the power. Fortunately we have enough examples that we can pretty much state this is what was intended.

This works fine, as long as you don't have to deal with Q+ situations...

FR

[Alex Green]

I think you mean Q6+... and even that's pretty good (although Q6+ has extreme issues for multiple reasons, one being a big lack of examples). I have Q10, I can put an extra on a level 3 power without raising it, I choose RQC, it's still a level 3 power but now it costs 1 to throw rather than 3.

Problem is we have multiple questions on what to do with extras that don't raise the level of the power and very unclear rules for that.

[metaphysician]

I always figured you just calculate the level of the power sans RQC and Mastery, and then apply the cost modifiers to that level. So, a Quantum Bolt ( Area, RQC, Mastery ) would be effectively still level 2 for cost purposes ( only one extra, not enough to boost the level ). RQC cuts cost in half from 2 to 1, and Mastery cuts it in half again from 1 to 0.