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Old 07-21-2019, 06:58 PM   #12
whswhs
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lawrence, KS
Default Re: An interesting quandary

Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony View Post
This is a demonstration of why 'cosmic' is a absolutely terrible choice of a name for a modifier, because Cosmic is not intended to be a power source, cosmic is just "this power breaks a rule that normally applies to powers of this type", but because it sounds like a power source, everyone wants to treat it as if it is one.
That is not really accurate. I've discussed this a lot with Kromm. The actual problem is that "Cosmic" has at least two meanings (ignoring its specialized meaning with Modular Abilities). One is the one you specify: It ignores some standard rule in some major way. But the other is a power modifier: there are no countermeasures—not mundane countermeasures, not specialized high-tech countermeasures, not anti-powers, not even the countermeasures that normally affect the wild version of an ability. See GURPS Powers 20-21. As it says a bit later, "nothing can neutralize your power or cut off its energy source" (p. 26). A handy summary is that if you are granted your powers BY a deity you have Divine (-10%), but if you ARE a deity you have Cosmic (+50%).
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