Aberrant RPG - Building a power

[Waiting]

Hi. I am trying to figure out how to make a Boost(other) power. I would like to use Boost, but have it only work on others, not on my character.

What kind of weakness would that be, or would this be a new power?

[Hugin]

That would be a Mutants and Masterminds Power.

I could see it as point difference destroying Extra/Weaknesses though.

[Alex Craft]

You could mess with the different point values for Weaknesses and Extras, but I'd probably just say:

Power: Boost

works on others (range: probably touch)

does not work on user of power

Slap a new name on it (like 'Empower,' maybe) and you've got yourself a new power. The Weakness system in the APG is pretty iffy, so I doubt anyone would care if you just fudged it.

[Gentle Giant]

Well, as long as 'new' powers are being discussed here, what should a Body Mod:Grow (similar to sizemorph:grow) cost in nova points?

[Preston]

GG, what would be the difference between the two powers?

Bodymorph is usually for using a series of powers all at once, like flight, Immolate, and Density Control to simulate turning into living lightning.

What combination of powers would you be looking at, and what effect would it simulate?

[Alex Craft]

Body Modification, not Bodymorph.

I gather that you want to be big all the time?

Not sure how I'd price it - maybe half as much Sizemorph (Grow). So, if you wanted to be as big as two dots of Grow would allow, the price for the Body Mod would be 2 points.

It should probably be cheaper than the power because while never having to spend the quantum is nice, being huge all the time would be mighty inconvenient.

[Kirby1024]

The other option is that you get Sizemorph (Grow), pay for it with Taint, then have an Aberration "Permanent Power: Sizemorph (Grow)". Either Sizemorph is definitely a candidate for a Permanent Power Aberration, and it's certainly cause social issues to be permanently 30 feet tall, or constantly the size of a hornet.

But then, I've always used the houserule that if the player chooses, they can always have a High-level Aberration, regardless of their actual Taint-level. The level of Taint you have indicates the lowest Aberration type you can choose (so a nova with Taint 4-5 can choose from Low-level to High-level, Taint 6-7 Medium to High, Taint 8-9 High only.

It's useful when you have a character concept that has the nova have one really debilitating Aberration, but not much underneath that one.

[Gentle Giant]

I think that I will take Kirby's suggestion. Alex, I think you might have underpriced the power a little. While being 2 to 60 times your normal height is inconvenient, you get up to 3 dots in mega-attributes per dot of sizemorph:grow. (+2 strength,+1 stamina,+1 health level per dot) I think that's too much for a body modification, now that I reconsidder.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[Guest]

In the Aberrant Player's Guide, you can buy flaws that mimic Aberrations (such as Permanent Power). Since you don't want your aberration to effect you when/if you dorm, it earns you only half as many points. Trust me, you don't want to be a twenty foot tall human being. Your heart would burst from the strain, for starters.

Buy the power normally, then get the flaw (which gets you extra bonus points to play with, as well).

[Kirby1024]

Depending on the Taint Level, and depending on the Dormancy level, this is not an issue. Dormancy will mask a number of points of Taint equal to the Dormancy rating, so someone with Taint 5 and Dormancy 3 will, after Dorm'ing, have an effective Taint 2, thus will not manifest any Aberrations.

Nice, Simple, and avoiding Merits and Flaws, which I find somewhat... Ill-fitting for an Aberrant game...

[Mortriden]

Strengths and Weaknesses have their uses, but they are very, very, few. So far I have only used them for a character that wanted to restrict himself to only being able to shapeshift into two distinct forms and nothing else. Works out fairly well for that. He gets more dice to use on the power, but it is still restricted by the number of dots in the power.