Aberrant RPG - Blocking Powers

[Rathe]

Quick question, is it possible to block a powers use against you, like a 'counterspell'?

Say a nova is using disrupt, normally you would resist with willpower. Could you instead block the power with your own disrupt and use that dice pool instead?

Seems to me that you can get a max of 10 dice from willpower, but your attacker could get effectively 20 dice (5 stat + 10 m-stat + 5 power) anyone else find that to be a bit much?

[Courier]

I think powerblock is for the dodge-able attacks. But you could certainly Disrupt his Disrupt, if you win Init you'd even do it first.

[Rathe]

Say it was not disrupt but instead something like Quantum Leech or Time Dilation. There is no way to block those powers then, even if you have them in your own arsenal?

[Courier]

With Leech the answer is "no". You could try to Leech him back however.

Temporal Manipulation is a different story since it's a suite power and there are two general suite techniques that might counter (i.e. Elemental Shield and Enhance/Diminish). ST might allow a "block" via EShield, or (like Disrupt) you might be able to turn off his powers with Diminish (rules for that are special but defined).

[Rathe]

Thanks Courier, going to have to look up those rules about Diminish.

So to recap, you can't "counter" the ability with the ability itself (except disrupt) but you might be able to use another ability to somehow nullify or counter it instead. Hope that's right...

[Courier]

Pretty much. Then we have really off the wall cases.

Example: Someone's Growth is defined as "summonning insects and adding them to himself". Someone else has "Animal Mastery" and wants to tell all the insects to flee.

[Summer Solstice]

Diminish only works against the particular Element that you're player controls. If you have EM: Fire you cannot 'Diminish' and Ice bolt, you have no control over cold.

It may sound dumb, but Aberrant does not take into effect opposite properties (like a Fire Bodymorph being vulnerable to water/cold) when you have EM you can only effect the element you control. Keep that in mind when deciding other powers that you would like to use for a block.

I've always been rather fond of "Power Locks" a lil thing we did when the attack and the block both come out breaking even (attack successes equal block successes). When this happens the player and the attacker are stalemated in a contests to see who has more raw power and it becomes a contested roll with the threshold being the other persons Quantum + <relevant power rating>. If the attacker wins they get to apply damage and knock down on the target is automatic. If the defender wins he blocks the power completely and immediately causes knock down on the attacker from the backlash (even if they are flying or swimming or what ever). In addition the victory boosts the confidence of the winner and the regain either a WP point or 3 quantum points, their choice.

Loser gets nothing.

Example: Shin-Akuma decide to blaze Shin-Ryu with a devastating quantum bolt (Haduken). Seeing he's completely fucked, and already having a bad day, he taps his inner Black Mage and Shin-Ryu power blocks with Quantum Bolt (Fighterduken).

Shin-Akuma scores 5 successes. Shin-Ryu scores with Chin-Li, and 5 successes as well.

They TIE!

OMGWTFBBQLOLZ!

The Storyteller decides that they 'power lock', since the moment seems dramatically appropriate. Shin-Akuma has Quantum 4 and Quantum Bolt 5 for a total of nine. Shin-Ryu has Quantum 4 and Quanum Bolt 5 as well. (That’s a total of 9 also, incase you haven't been paying attention).

Now they are locked and blazing bolts of blue and purple energy have locked into place, with each nova pushing as hard as possible stressing their node to its limit. The first to reach 9 successes over the other (read contested actions if you don't know how they work) wins the lock and gets to sleep with Chun-Li.

It's just a silly little drama thing we tossed in for better action, it was a hoot.