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Old 09-22-2014, 02:20 AM   #1
Dragondog
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Default Compartmentalized Mind only to switch Alternate Abilities

How much of a limitation would "Only to switch Alternate Ability" be to Compartmentalized Mind?
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Old 09-22-2014, 02:32 AM   #2
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Default Re: Compartmentalized Mind only to switch Alternate Abilities

Compartmentalized Mind allows an additional Mental (Concentrate) Maneuver.
Switching an Alternative Ability takes a Ready Maneuver. So, limiting CM in that way really doesn't make any sense, as switching your Alternative Abilities isn't a mental action.

I have seen the suggestion that it's fair as a -80% limitation for Altered Time Rate, which would allow an extra Ready Maneuver.

PK also suggests paying 2/5 for instant switch Alternative Abilities would be fair.
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Old 09-22-2014, 06:53 AM   #3
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Default Re: Compartmentalized Mind only to switch Alternate Abilities

Quote:
Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker View Post
Compartmentalized Mind allows an additional Mental (Concentrate) Maneuver.
Switching an Alternative Ability takes a Ready Maneuver. So, limiting CM in that way really doesn't make any sense, as switching your Alternative Abilities isn't a mental action.

I have seen the suggestion that it's fair as a -80% limitation for Altered Time Rate, which would allow an extra Ready Maneuver.

PK also suggests paying 2/5 for instant switch Alternative Abilities would be fair.
PK's suggestion is sensible to apply to this case.

If you're interested in an Extra Ready maneuver, it has come up quite a few times over the years. I've seen estimates from 10 points (which seems a bit low to me) up to 25 (same as Extra Attack). Searching on those keywords should find the pertinent threads.
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Old 09-22-2014, 10:44 AM   #4
Dragondog
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Default Re: Compartmentalized Mind only to switch Alternate Abilities

Quote:
Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker View Post
Compartmentalized Mind allows an additional Mental (Concentrate) Maneuver.
Switching an Alternative Ability takes a Ready Maneuver. So, limiting CM in that way really doesn't make any sense, as switching your Alternative Abilities isn't a mental action.

I have seen the suggestion that it's fair as a -80% limitation for Altered Time Rate, which would allow an extra Ready Maneuver.

PK also suggests paying 2/5 for instant switch Alternative Abilities would be fair.
I probably should have checked the corresponded maneuvers before asking the question, instead of going with my gut feeling. At least my gut feeling -80% was spot on.

Thanks for the ATR info.
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Old 09-22-2014, 10:45 AM   #5
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Default Re: Compartmentalized Mind only to switch Alternate Abilities

I think that was before he became a line editor. In GURPS Psionic Powers he uses Reduced Time, +20% to make alternative abilities instantaneous (for example, changing Rapid Launch from -4 for a regular ability to -6 as applied to an alternative ability set).
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Old 09-22-2014, 12:05 PM   #6
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Default Re: Compartmentalized Mind only to switch Alternate Abilities

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I think that was before he became a line editor. In GURPS Psionic Powers he uses Reduced Time, +20% to make alternative abilities instantaneous (for example, changing Rapid Launch from -4 for a regular ability to -6 as applied to an alternative ability set).
Which was also before I became a line editor. :)

And actually, it's worth noting that the extra -2 is in no way explicitly stated to come from Reduced Time. In my mind, it was a much fuzzier "well, by comparison to Reduced Time and to my thoughts on taking Alternative Abilities from 1/5 to 2/5, another -2 seems right."
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Old 09-22-2014, 02:01 PM   #7
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Default Re: Compartmentalized Mind only to switch Alternate Abilities

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Which was also before I became a line editor. :)

And actually, it's worth noting that the extra -2 is in no way explicitly stated to come from Reduced Time. In my mind, it was a much fuzzier "well, by comparison to Reduced Time and to my thoughts on taking Alternative Abilities from 1/5 to 2/5, another -2 seems right."
More important than the actual timeline, do you still endorse either solution (2/5 or [20] Insta-switch).
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Old 09-22-2014, 03:28 PM   #8
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Default Re: Compartmentalized Mind only to switch Alternate Abilities

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Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker View Post
More important than the actual timeline, do you still endorse either solution (2/5 or [20] Insta-switch).
Speaking solely as a GM, I'd lean toward the 2/5 solution. The "requires a second to switch" is an important limiter to noncombat AAs, and I think going to 2/5 will usually give a fair value for bypassing that. However, that said, I don't think this should be something that ever makes it past "optional rule" even within the contest of a given GM's campaign; getting around the one-second drawback is the kind of thing that should be uncommon at best. Because of that, I don't want to officially endorse any specific answer as RAW (and have not raised the issue with Kromm).
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Old 09-23-2014, 07:09 AM   #9
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Default Re: Compartmentalized Mind only to switch Alternate Abilities

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Speaking solely as a GM, I'd lean toward the 2/5 solution. The "requires a second to switch" is an important limiter to noncombat AAs, and I think going to 2/5 will usually give a fair value for bypassing that. However, that said, I don't think this should be something that ever makes it past "optional rule" even within the contest of a given GM's campaign; getting around the one-second drawback is the kind of thing that should be uncommon at best. Because of that, I don't want to officially endorse any specific answer as RAW (and have not raised the issue with Kromm).
The voice of judicious restraint :)
'Course, just having said it years ago lends some legal weight to it, so I appreciate the caveat.

GMs, just figure out if it makes sense for your games rather than relying on "canonicity".
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Old 09-23-2014, 08:56 AM   #10
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Default Re: Compartmentalized Mind only to switch Alternate Abilities

One thing towards the Ops request,
Switching between purely mental abilitries can use Concentrate instead of Ready.
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