02-01-2020, 09:19 AM | #1 |
Join Date: Feb 2016
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Exceptional Defenses [Powers]
As everyone is aware, GURPS defenses are exceptionally expensive, but I have found that there are a number of creative methods one can use to make characters more resilient. One of my favorite examples is limited Insubstantiality. For example, imagine a male super with the following ability:
Insubstantiality (Limited, Piercing Metal Only, -60%) [32] The character, though none of his possessions, are immune to damage from piercing metal (if shot, his clothing will suffer damage, but he will not, as the shot will pierce cloth long before the cloth can translate damage to the character). While no one can use the character for defensive cover, bullets do not bounce off him, he is capable of walking through a firefight without any concern. He is no more immune to any other damage though (he would only need Affects Substantial though if he wanted to wield piercing metal). What other tricks do you use or allow in your games? Are there any tricks that you have banned? Are there any that you like to use for your PCs or NPCs? |
02-01-2020, 11:19 AM | #2 | |
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lawrence, KS
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Re: Exceptional Defenses [Powers]
Quote:
The whole thing just seems like power gaming to me—the sort of thing that turns up in Champions. And there's a reason I run GURPS a lot and haven't run Champions in twenty years or so.
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Bill Stoddard I don't think we're in Oz any more. |
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02-01-2020, 11:22 AM | #3 | |
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
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Re: Exceptional Defenses [Powers]
Quote:
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02-01-2020, 11:26 AM | #4 | |
Join Date: Sep 2004
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Re: Exceptional Defenses [Powers]
Quote:
You might bought "Insubstantial to mook gun users that don't know how to exploit my weaknesses." |
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02-01-2020, 12:28 PM | #5 |
Hero of Democracy
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: far from the ocean
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Re: Exceptional Defenses [Powers]
Insubstantial (piercing, metal -60%) is really clunky, if only because it doesn't work against metal shrapnel or ceramic bullets.
I've played around with using insubstantial to represent projectiles curving around an individual or actual invulnerability. My conclusion is you pretty much need "Effects Substantial" for either case. Projectiles curving around you I usually represent as Insubstantial(Affects Substantial +100%, projectiles from 10 yards away or more -60%) [112] Or I use multiplicative modifers because its appropriate for most games I use this in: Insubstantial(Affects Substantial +100%, projectiles from 10 yards away or more -60%) [64] I've also used insubstantial as the base for indestructible, which I'm pretty sure is not RAW, but point-wise I'm happy with it for most cases (and this ability featured strongly in the game God-Slayers): Insubstantial (Affects Substantial +100%, no Permeation -50%, Achilles heel -10%, Relexive +40%, Partial Change +50%) [184]
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02-01-2020, 12:45 PM | #6 |
Join Date: Feb 2016
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Re: Exceptional Defenses [Powers]
I do not think it would require Affects Substantial if we consider it logically. For example, let us say you have Insubstantiality (Limited, Cheese, -80%) [16]. It would not make any logical sense for a character to have to add Affects Substantial and have to pay 96 CP for the privilege of only being insubstantial to cheese.
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02-01-2020, 12:53 PM | #7 |
Join Date: Nov 2015
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Re: Exceptional Defenses [Powers]
Hey, look, this is not piercing metal, it's impaling metal :D
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02-01-2020, 12:55 PM | #8 | |
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lawrence, KS
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Re: Exceptional Defenses [Powers]
Quote:
__________________
Bill Stoddard I don't think we're in Oz any more. |
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02-01-2020, 02:50 PM | #9 | |
Join Date: Mar 2013
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Re: Exceptional Defenses [Powers]
Quote:
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A little learning is a dangerous thing. Warning: Invertebrate Punnster - Spinelessly Unable to Resist a Pun Dangerous Thoughts, my blog about GURPS and life. |
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02-02-2020, 12:13 AM | #10 |
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: New Orleans, LA
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Re: Exceptional Defenses [Powers]
As long as there have been game master's I've never considered Gurps to be a series of "if then" statements or bunch of ruling precedents upon which to run a game.
Most of us are trying to figure out if we change something will there be unforeseen consequences that ruin the verisimilitude of our narrative but if you want to walk through a gun fight, you run through that gun fight. |
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