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Old 12-14-2019, 07:19 AM   #1
khorboth
 
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Denver, CO
Default Control (weather) questions

I'm working with weather control for the first time, and I have a couple of questions.

1) I have a memory that the "natural phenomena" modifier makes the controlling take extra time, but I can't seem to find a reference now. Do I need to slap some "takes extra time" on it? Otherwise, do we go from calm day from hurricane in one second?

2) Does this come with lightning strikes, or do we buy that separately? It seems like if it takes extra time, aiming wouldn't work against anything that is moving, but... wouldn't lightning be weather? Certainly a linked overhead burning attack could be built, but... does it come with Control at no extra cost? Is there a canonical answer? or opinions?
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Old 12-14-2019, 07:36 AM   #2
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Default Re: Control (weather) questions

Quote:
Originally Posted by khorboth View Post
I'm working with weather control for the first time, and I have a couple of questions.

1) I have a memory that the "natural phenomena" modifier makes the controlling take extra time, but I can't seem to find a reference now.
Powers p.92
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Old 12-14-2019, 07:43 AM   #3
Pomphis
 
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Default Re: Control (weather) questions

Quote:
Originally Posted by khorboth View Post
2) Does this come with lightning strikes, or do we buy that separately? It seems like if it takes extra time, aiming wouldn't work against anything that is moving, but... wouldn't lightning be weather? Certainly a linked overhead burning attack could be built, but... does it come with Control at no extra cost? Is there a canonical answer? or opinions?
Powers p.90: The most important limit on
Control is that you can only use it if
your element is present. Control does
nothing without your element, and
doesn’t let you call your element into
existence (for that, buy Create).

So IMHO in an already occuring natural thunderstorm you might be able to Control (aim) the naturally occuring lightning strikes, but no more. If you argue that "lightnings" are part of "weather", you could make the same argument abour Warmth and Cold, Rain, Snow and Hail, and IMHO that would be too much.
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Old 12-14-2019, 07:44 AM   #4
Varyon
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Default Re: Control (weather) questions

Can't speak to the first, but for the second, if you create a storm that generates lightning, there's lightning, but you wouldn't have any control over it. For that, you'd either need an Innate Attack (to summon a lightning bolt from the storm) or a separate Control ability that lets you direct lightning. If you can only do this with a storm of your own creation, that's something like Only While Using Control Weather -10%, and probably Environmental (Outdoors) -20%. If you can do it with storms you had no hand in, During Storms Only would be -5% (it's basically an Either/Or Limitation of Only While Using Control Weather -10% or Environmental (Storms) -40%; RAW would put that at -4%, but rounding up should be fine).
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Old 12-14-2019, 07:54 AM   #5
whswhs
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lawrence, KS
Default Re: Control (weather) questions

The specification for Control says 1 second to establish control, and the specification for Natural Phenomena says nothing to change this, so 1 second is correct. Of course you can always add Extra Time or Preparation Required.

While lightning IS an aspect of weather, there are limits to what you can do with it. Natural Phenomena says that for each three full levels, you get ±1 to rolls your element could help or hinder. That's weaker than the ±1 per level for standard Control, and thus presumably takes its place. And the ability to inflict damage is part of the standard Control, and isn't specified for Natural Phenomena.

I'd also point out that it takes you a second to establish control, and the duration of a lightning bolt is less than a second. By the time you could direct lightning at a target, the lightning would be gone.

I would allow a more diffuse control of lightning, along the lines of increasing or decreasing its frequency over the entire area of a storm, or having it flash just as you say something, to overawe the audience, for +1 or more to Intimidation. But I wouldn't allow use as a weapon.

If you want a lightning attack, I would say you should buy it as a Burning Attack with Surge and other modifiers. To tie it to Control, take Accessibility, Only during controlled storms, for -10%, I think (comparable to "Only when intangible" or the like).
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Old 12-14-2019, 10:48 AM   #6
naloth
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Default Re: Control (weather) questions

What you need is Alternate Abilities that allows you to use "storm" effects in a variety of ways. You could buy a variety of direct attacks (Lighting IA, Windy knockback IA, Hailstorm IA) and supplemental abilities (Fog based obscure, TK based wind, Wind flight).
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Old 12-14-2019, 11:11 AM   #7
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Default Re: Control (weather) questions

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Originally Posted by naloth View Post
What you need is Alternate Abilities that allows you to use "storm" effects in a variety of ways. You could buy a variety of direct attacks (Lighting IA, Windy knockback IA, Hailstorm IA) and supplemental abilities (Fog based obscure, TK based wind, Wind flight).
This. Especially if you buy your Control with Persistent and then other abilities as alternates.
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Old 12-14-2019, 10:17 PM   #8
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Default Re: Control (weather) questions

Thank you all for your clarification. I am years in and yet players always lead me down a new little facet. Always fun.
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Old 12-15-2019, 08:13 PM   #9
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Default Re: Control (weather) questions

Ok, let me tack on another question. I still find no reference in natural phenomena to taking extra time. This leads me to believe that with control (weather) 21, one could instantly produce a raging thunderstorm. How would you build something where the person takes control instantly, but it takes minutes for the storm to build?

It seems like the modifier Takes Extra Time would affect the establishment of control, not the control itself. Or would it do both? This is (obviously) not one I have experience with.
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Old 12-15-2019, 08:28 PM   #10
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Default Re: Control (weather) questions

Quote:
Originally Posted by khorboth View Post
Ok, let me tack on another question. I still find no reference in natural phenomena to taking extra time. This leads me to believe that with control (weather) 21, one could instantly produce a raging thunderstorm. How would you build something where the person takes control instantly, but it takes minutes for the storm to build?

It seems like the modifier Takes Extra Time would affect the establishment of control, not the control itself. Or would it do both? This is (obviously) not one I have experience with.
Takes Extra Time, Immediate Preparation required both work, the weather buid up is a special effect. As long as its not a gradual increase n the storm that does anything. If you want a storm or effect tht gets worse over time up to your limit buy increasing levels of the limitation on higher power levels.
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My GURPS Wiki entries
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