03-18-2019, 01:12 PM | #1 |
Join Date: Oct 2018
|
Cosmic/Reality altering abilities
So I bring another topic to the SJ family. This one is about handling cosmic powers. So I am aware that we get something called modular abilities, which is a pool point system that allows someone to reallocate their points, a very flexible system of abilities. The varying definition leading all the way up to cosmic modular which you essentially wish another ability into existence. Now in my campaign world, cosmic abilities are rare and saved for the god Tier. A good example is Angel's, in my campaign I planned on them being powerful, all the old testament ways of the word. They could essentially do anything, but not everything at once, and also they basically perform miracles for the word. Putting aside the technicalities for a moment, I would give Angel's god-like abilities since they are in fact godly. Divine as well. They are in a sense lester deities serving the omnipotent God. I an a little confused on the cosmic modular ability. So I thought about it. Would Control and Create (reality) be a plausible way of going about this? They are not active in the campaign often, but I do allow my players to potentially play an angel for instance, given them a strict guideline of what I would allow. And it's a pact that they won't attempt something game-breaking. What do you think?
Side note. I offer an additional character point for holding back and allowing the more common characters have their chance to shine. |
03-18-2019, 04:07 PM | #2 |
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Saskatoon, SK, Canada
|
Re: Cosmic/Reality altering abilities
The thing to remember about most supernatural powersets in GURPS is that they are rarely doing to be encompassed by just a single advantage. This is what the whole structure of Powers is really for: modelling the fact that a character has some ability that encompasses multiple advantages in GURPS terms.
So, "reality altering" is almost certainly not going to be just a single advantage. Instead, you'll have to decide what exactly "reality alerting" can do, and pick appropriate advantages to model that. Reality altering is quite a broad power, so you can probably justify putting more advantages into it than most. Control Reality would fit, for sure, yes. Cosmic Modular Abilities would fit if you think the "control reality" power would include the ability to modify the user's own mind, body, or personal history. |
03-18-2019, 07:39 PM | #4 |
Join Date: Dec 2005
|
Re: Cosmic/Reality altering abilities
I'm a huge fan of using Wildcard powers for truly amazing powers. In GURPS Supers, but basically multiply the power cost by 4 and you can effectively allocate the base point cost to do anything you could reasonably argue as within the scope of your power. If you base it on an already broad power like create or control (or the two linked if you get really saucy) it opens the doors to limitless possibilities that fit cosmic powers quite well.
|
03-18-2019, 10:13 PM | #5 |
Join Date: Feb 2016
|
Re: Cosmic/Reality altering abilities
It is honestly just cheaper and easier to do Alternate Abilities rather than Wild Abilities, as the 4× price tag pays for 15 Alternate Abilities. If you want to talk about Cosmic powers though, you should use the combination of Godlike Extra Effort, Temporary Enhancements, and Using Abilities at a Default, and have a suitable base ability with the Cosmic power modifier (as you can literally use it to default any other ability). I would also include a few dozen points of ER (Cosmic) to allow you to go absolutely wild.
|
03-19-2019, 10:13 AM | #6 | |
Join Date: Oct 2018
|
Re: Cosmic/Reality altering abilities
Quote:
|
|
03-19-2019, 10:14 AM | #7 | |
Join Date: Oct 2018
|
Re: Cosmic/Reality altering abilities
Quote:
|
|
03-19-2019, 10:17 AM | #8 |
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lawrence, KS
|
Re: Cosmic/Reality altering abilities
For a quite different approach, see the Demiurgy ability in GURPS Powers: The Weird. This only lets you make small changes in reality, but you can make more or less any kind of changes you can envision.
__________________
Bill Stoddard I don't think we're in Oz any more. |
03-19-2019, 10:25 AM | #9 | |
Join Date: Oct 2007
|
Re: Cosmic/Reality altering abilities
Quote:
If your total pool of points is large enough, but you've already allocated so many points there's not enough left for whatever you're trying to do, you will have to "forget" something first. It would be prudent to make a list of common abilities/skills a given character would want to access and their point values ahead of time to speed up gameplay. |
|
03-19-2019, 10:40 AM | #10 | |
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Snoopy's basement
|
Re: Cosmic/Reality altering abilities
Quote:
-Infravision [10], or -Ambidexterity [5] and Absolute Direction [5], or -Damage Resistance 2 (Flexible -10%) [8] and Hard to Kill [2]. Basically, the ability you are buying with your pool has to be something that could be bought on its own with Character Points. I don't think Create (Reality) or Control (Reality) are available to buy with Character Points, so on that basis I don't think they could be bought with a Modular Abilities pool. As Kelly Pedersen noted, you have to decide what is actually going to be happpening and choose a GURPS ability that creates that effect. Then you build it as if you were buying it with Character Points, and if you have enough Modular points in your pool you use that to get that effect for as long as you want the effect. Then when you want to do something different, you do the same thing for that. |
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|