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Old 12-01-2017, 10:37 AM   #1
oneofmanynameless
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: New Hampshire, USA
Default Fair Pricing for Advantage: Impulse Regen

I'm running a powers game in which I use a lot of impulse buys. In the game there is something basically like Raw Magic except it's use is as expendable character points. You can use these points for permanent or semi-permanent power growth, but within carefully controlled limits which mostly render that cosmetic (when you earn real character points your character has to use this resource to "spend" them.)

However, I've run into a hitch. I'd like the players to be able to gather these from the environment somehow. But I'd like it to require a specific advantage which can be turned into an ability within their meta-power power to do. I'm thinking something like Regeneration (impulse buy points) or Leech (impulse buy points.) But I have no idea how such a thing should be balanced point wise and I'd like to hear peoples analyses and thoughts.
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Old 12-01-2017, 11:02 AM   #2
Kelly Pedersen
 
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Default Re: Fair Pricing for Advantage: Impulse Regen

Ok, just so we're on the same page, here's my understanding of what you've got: characters have Impulse Points, as per Power-Ups 5: Impulse Buys. To spend character points, they have to spend an equal number of Impulse Points. The Impulse Points "regenerate" at some number of points per session, again as per Impulse Buys. What you want is the option of some characters to fill up their Impulse Points faster than others, if they have access to a resource in the environment.

Assuming that's all correct, what I would do is use the suggested point value for an improved IP regeneration rate suggested in Impulse Buys (10/IP regenerated per session), and just limit it with something like Trigger or Environmental. So, for example, if they can get extra IP points when in a "source area", which is fairly rare (about as rare as a dense forest or the desert in a typical campaign), then they'd take whatever level of Improved Refresh Rate they want with Environmental: Impulse point sources, -40%, so it would only cost them 6/level instead of 10/level.
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Old 12-01-2017, 11:31 AM   #3
trechriron
 
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Default Re: Fair Pricing for Advantage: Impulse Regen

I would just use Unusual Background with the descriptor "can acquire or improve raw magical abilities".

Also, this is a cool idea! It has a sort of "video game" feel where can go on an adventure, find some raw magical power, and then "power up" with it.

Is there any way to transfer it after you find it? This could serve as a very interesting magical currency. Especially in a guild or school of magic.
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Old 12-01-2017, 12:47 PM   #4
sir_pudding
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Default Re: Fair Pricing for Advantage: Impulse Regen

Isn't this just Detect (Development Goo)? If it is in the environment, and anybody who finds it could use it, then the key ability is finding it, yes?
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Old 12-01-2017, 02:48 PM   #5
oneofmanynameless
 
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Default Re: Fair Pricing for Advantage: Impulse Regen

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kelly Pedersen View Post
Ok, just so we're on the same page, here's my understanding of what you've got: characters have Impulse Points, as per Power-Ups 5: Impulse Buys. To spend character points, they have to spend an equal number of Impulse Points. The Impulse Points "regenerate" at some number of points per session, again as per Impulse Buys. What you want is the option of some characters to fill up their Impulse Points faster than others, if they have access to a resource in the environment.
Mostly yes, except I removed the part where it regenerates per session. It can only be acquired by finding (as Sir_Pudding labeled it) "Development Goo". BUT, I feel like that fact isn't particularly important because what I want, as you said, is for a way for a character to fill up their impulse points faster if they have access to a resource in the environment.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kelly Pedersen View Post
Assuming that's all correct, what I would do is use the suggested point value for an improved IP regeneration rate suggested in Impulse Buys (10/IP regenerated per session), and just limit it with something like Trigger or Environmental. So, for example, if they can get extra IP points when in a "source area", which is fairly rare (about as rare as a dense forest or the desert in a typical campaign), then they'd take whatever level of Improved Refresh Rate they want with Environmental: Impulse point sources, -40%, so it would only cost them 6/level instead of 10/level.
Do you know what page it talks about that on in impulse buys?

Quote:
Originally Posted by sir_pudding View Post
Isn't this just Detect (Development Goo)? If it is in the environment, and anybody who finds it could use it, then the key ability is finding it, yes?
It is not usable to anyone who can find it. It requires specialized abilities to store and use. Also to find. I have given all characters who are able to find it detect. I've also given them a 5/lvl storage advantage (modeled off of Destiny and raw magic storage, btoh of which are 5/lvl.) I assumed that once it's stored in you you can do the impulse buys with it. The more unusual uses for "Development Goo" that aren't things which impulse points could normally be spent on are advantages (namely a couple permanent afflictions.)

However, all of that seemed balanced under the assumption that they'd get about 1 cp worth of development goo per session. And after some thought I decided I wanted to be able to give them more than that and I wanted them to be able to gain a theoretically infinite quantity as long as they have access to a sufficiently large source, but have absorbing it have some... strategic cost to it. If anything, I'd like it to function for the characters kind of how Leech functions.

However, leech has problems with it: it can't be used to acquire character points for one. Also, it takes something from the target being leeched. And what this takes from the target is not something that is measured on the targets character sheet. The target gains no benefit from having development goo floating about it's person or on it's person.

I hope that all makes sense.
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Old 12-01-2017, 07:06 PM   #6
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Default Re: Fair Pricing for Advantage: Impulse Regen

Quote:
Originally Posted by oneofmanynameless View Post
Do you know what page it talks about that on in impulse buys?
Page 18. Note that there's two payment schemes involved, one for usage limits and another for recharging extra points, and the text somewhat confusingly uses the term Impulse Points for both of them.
If I understood right, the one you want is the one described under "Other Kinds of Points", an expanded version of Destiny Points which gives you IPs you can use for stuff instead of cp. The cost given there depends on both default refresh rate and the maximum size to your IP "pool". Default cost for the pool is 5/level, same as for raw magic storage, and increased per-session recharge rate is +10 to cost per point regenerated. On a second reading, I'm not entirely sure if it means +10 per level of pool, or just +10 independent of the size of the pool. If it's the former, cost would ramp up pretty quickly.

Last edited by Bicorn; 12-01-2017 at 07:23 PM.
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Old 12-05-2017, 06:14 AM   #7
The Benj
 
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Default Re: Fair Pricing for Advantage: Impulse Regen

Are you anticipating these abilities to be the same for each PC, or different? Because if it's the former, then it's not worth charging for them.
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Old 12-05-2017, 09:43 AM   #8
oneofmanynameless
 
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Default Re: Fair Pricing for Advantage: Impulse Regen

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Originally Posted by The Benj View Post
Are you anticipating these abilities to be the same for each PC, or different? Because if it's the former, then it's not worth charging for them.
Technically true. However I always build everything, make sure it has a point cost, and that that cost is influencing the characters point value. I give extra points to cover "free campaign features" that all PCs have. The reason I do this is two fold: first, because it means that neither I nor the PCs forget about any advantages their characters have because they're all on the character sheet; and second, because it tells me how much everything the players have is worth and where that puts them on the points power scale relative to other things in the game and in other games. It's one of a number of things I do that keep everything balanced.

However, in this specific instance, while the base stuff is something every PC will have I may decide to use the same mechanics in other places where PCs may not all have it (such as acquirable inhuman templates, spiritual alternate forms, or learnable powers, etc.)
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