G-Increments, Free Fall, Space Sickness and Magnetized Plates

[Ivanowicz]

I'm preparing to run a sci-fi campaign and I've been reading up on gravity related rules (B350 and various forum threads), but there are still some things about 0G that aren't very clear to me:

1) Do G-increments (B350) and Free Fall (B197) rules in 0G overlap? As in, do I add the -5 DX for average Human when he is in zero gravity? The gravity rules on B350 don't seem to answer that explicitly, but I've seen people assume that they don't overlap.

2) How do Magnetized Plates (UT187) interact with Free Fall rules? Would they remove the need for any Free Fall rolls as long as the character is attached?

3) How do Magnetized Plates interact with Space Sickness (B156) disadvantage? Would they be a complete mitigator when attached?

[DemiBenson]

Originally Posted by Ivanowicz

I'm preparing to run a sci-fi campaign and I've been reading up on gravity related rules (B350 and various forum threads), but there are still some things about 0G that aren't very clear to me:

3) How do Magnetized Plates interact with Space Sickness (B156) disadvantage? Would they be a complete mitigator when attached?

No. Space sickness is caused by your inner ear having no sense of up or down. Magnetized plates have no effect on that. Only gravity, pseudo-gravity, or artificial gravity would negate that.

[Anthony]

Magnetic plates would require skill to use; probably easiest to call it an equipment bonus to free fall skill.

[Mr_Sandman]

My interpretation would be that the DX penalties based on G-gradient difference should apply in free fall/0-G. There's nothing in the rules that indicate they don't, and it doesn't make sense that a person who is at -4 to a task in .2 G because they are used to operating in 1 G would be back at their normal DX once the gravity is reduced to nothing. To represent an experienced Spacer, take the advantage G-Experience (0 G), to reduce the penalty to -2.

I don't think Free Fall skill would be affected by this though, so someone with Judo 16 and Free Fall 12 could grapple and throw an opponent with an effective skill of 11 (Judo 16 at -5) rather than 7 (Free Fall 12 at -5).

I like the idea of magnetized plates as an equipment bonus to Free Fall skill, perhaps they would also mitigate some of the potential consequences of a critical failure.

[Ivanowicz]

Thanks for the great ideas!

Originally Posted by Mr_Sandman

My interpretation would be that the DX penalties based on G-gradient difference should apply in free fall/0-G. There's nothing in the rules that indicate they don't, and it doesn't make sense that a person who is at -4 to a task in .2 G because they are used to operating in 1 G would be back at their normal DX once the gravity is reduced to nothing. To represent an experienced Spacer, take the advantage G-Experience (0 G), to reduce the penalty to -2.

I don't think Free Fall skill would be affected by this though, so someone with Judo 16 and Free Fall 12 could grapple and throw an opponent with an effective skill of 11 (Judo 16 at -5) rather than 7 (Free Fall 12 at -5).

I like the idea of magnetized plates as an equipment bonus to Free Fall skill, perhaps they would also mitigate some of the potential consequences of a critical failure.

I'm gonna use those rules exactly as written. It makes sense that the penalties are still there, and the Free Fall exemption is a brilliant idea - it was weird that it seemed like the rules were punishing players for the same thing twice.
And I'll give magnetized boots a +2 eq bonus to Free Fall - of course, only when they can actually be used.