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Old 05-17-2017, 08:16 PM   #21
hal
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Buffalo, New York
Default Re: Channeling Energy in GURPS POWERS

For those who wonder - and may have experience with other game systems (what, no one collects other game systems?!!!)

Eden Studios had a game system that was produced by CJ Carella that went by the title of "WITCHCRAFT" - a modern fantasy style campaign in which magic works. Then they came out with the expansions to the system, where "something was coming" - but the gifted didn't know what it was. Then came ARMAGEDDON, which took the beginnings from WITCHCRAFT, and expanded it into a parallel universe in which the Elder Gods (not exactly Cthulhu, but not too alien to that concept!) are trying to barge into the universe and take over. (For those interested in SEEING the rules, WITCHCRAFT is freely available as a PDF at RPNOW.COM).

In any event, the way it works is this:

Each character gets an energy reserve known as Essence Pool. This powers their spells, or psionics if they have it, or any other special powers (religious and Death powers). If a spell requires 25 Essence, and four people get together to cast the spell, they can pool their essence channeling together and take the free ambient Essence that is available, and if they have enough energy, they can cast the spell within one turn. If not, they have to wait until they can gather the requisite energy.

Once the energy is spent, they recover it at a rate of 1 Essence per hour. Vampires and other nasties like to HUNT the gifted because they tend to have extra energy reserves that the monsters can feast upon.

If they have a psionic power they want to utilize, they, the gifted ones with psionics, had to spend - you guessed it, Essence points.

That's the bulk of the advantage. I would suggest taking a peek at the game system if you want a more detailed explanation. Or, you can always privately email me, and I'll respond as quickly as I can...
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Old 05-17-2017, 10:23 PM   #22
sir_pudding
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Default Re: Channeling Energy in GURPS POWERS

Quote:
Originally Posted by hal View Post
If a spell requires 25 Essence, and four people get together to cast the spell, they can pool their essence channeling together and take the free ambient Essence that is available, and if they have enough energy, they can cast the spell within one turn. If not, they have to wait until they can gather the requisite energy.
This definitely seems like it falls under Beneficial and Limiting Options of the power. Note the existing rules in GURPS Powers for combining abilities.
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Old 05-17-2017, 11:19 PM   #23
hal
 
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Default Re: Channeling Energy in GURPS POWERS

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Originally Posted by sir_pudding View Post
This definitely seems like it falls under Beneficial and Limiting Options of the power. Note the existing rules in GURPS Powers for combining abilities.
You probably have enough on your plate in life to want to even try this, but what might prove to be interesting, is for you to pick up a free copy of WITCHCRAFT by CJ Carella, look at the rules, and see just how much fun you could have translating things into GURPS POWERS terms. Something as simple as Essence Channeling is hard enough, but wait until you see what else Essence Energy pools (reserve) can do for characters.

To the best of my knowledge, GURPS doesn't have rules for variable aging or how to price it no? Can it handle what "slower aging" as an advantage would look like? Where aging is 1 day in 3? Or 1 day in 5, or 1 day in 10, or 1 day in 20, or even 1 day in 50? It wouldn't count as "unaging" per se, but it would mean that GM's who look to a long view in their campaigns, might have the slow aging "gifted ones" be a central theme to their campaign.

Ah well. Let me know if you do pick up a copy of Witchcraft - you can always click on my name and send me an email if you want. Or anyone else for that matter. :)
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Old 05-20-2017, 06:30 AM   #24
whswhs
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
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Default Re: Channeling Energy in GURPS POWERS

One fairly simple way to do this is to take the other character as an Ally, and buy an Energy Reserve with the limitation Granted by Ally (which I think is -40%). If you are paying points for the Ally, they will have a higher cost for having the special ability to grant you energy, but of course other PC Allies don't cost points.
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Old 05-20-2017, 03:09 PM   #25
Donny Brook
 
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Default Re: Channeling Energy in GURPS POWERS

I'd suggest:

1. Your setting cosmology establishes Essence.
2. Build a Power Modifier according to Powers to define it.
3. Give appropriate characters an ER with whatever recharging features it needs.
4. Use Control: Essence (suitably modified) for the power transfer aspects.
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