Steve Jackson Games Forums - View Single Post - about aura, emanation, and reality bending

Anaraxes · 07-29-2016, 05:30 AM

GURPS Supers originally, I think.

It's one of two options for an ability that costs CP for each use -- hence the discount. There's a rule for a permanent ability that costs CP as "fuel" for each use, as well as the option to have a burnout ability that's prepaid, but has one use ever.

I don't think the 1/5 cost is appropriate for this case. The target of the Affliction isn't spending CP -- and it would be a heck of an ability to use against a PC that cost them 20 CP to Warp every time they got hit, even if it didn't actually send them anywhere. Nor can the Affliction give them a pile of CP to use on a one-shot Warp so that their point total doesn't change. In addition, nothing prevents the ability from being used against the same character again. It's not like you get a lifetime immunity after the first time you meet a Porta-Field Demon. None of the drawbacks that limit a one-use ability apply, so it doesn't rate the 1/5th multiplier.

(As long as we're on the topic, note that it's one of the few 1/5 multipliers which are explicitly not the same as a -80% Limitation. It doesn't combine with other Limitations in the usual calculation, but is a separate step after you determine the CP cost of the ability.)

07-29-2016, 05:30 AM	#10
Anaraxes Join Date: Sep 2007	Re: about aura, emanation, and reality bending GURPS Supers originally, I think. It's one of two options for an ability that costs CP for each use -- hence the discount. There's a rule for a permanent ability that costs CP as "fuel" for each use, as well as the option to have a burnout ability that's prepaid, but has one use ever. I don't think the 1/5 cost is appropriate for this case. The target of the Affliction isn't spending CP -- and it would be a heck of an ability to use against a PC that cost them 20 CP to Warp every time they got hit, even if it didn't actually send them anywhere. Nor can the Affliction give them a pile of CP to use on a one-shot Warp so that their point total doesn't change. In addition, nothing prevents the ability from being used against the same character again. It's not like you get a lifetime immunity after the first time you meet a Porta-Field Demon. None of the drawbacks that limit a one-use ability apply, so it doesn't rate the 1/5th multiplier. (As long as we're on the topic, note that it's one of the few 1/5 multipliers which are explicitly not the same as a -80% Limitation. It doesn't combine with other Limitations in the usual calculation, but is a separate step after you determine the CP cost of the ability.)