Cosmic Modular Abilities - need help with limitations

[robkelk]

It's amazing how many concepts come up when designing supers... In this case, the concept (and it's not original to me) is "powers from music:" play the song and get the power set suggested by the lyrics, as long as the song is playing. (Thus, The Kinks' "(I Wanna Fly Like) Superman" would grant Flight and Vacuum Support, Simon and Garfunkle's "I Am a Rock" would grant Body of Stone and Callous, The Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive" would grant Unkillable, The Beatles "I Am the Walrus" would grant Morph: Walrus, and so on. The suggestion can be tenuous - that last one certainly is - but once it's set for a given song, it can't be changed.) Obviously, this is Modular Abilities: Cosmic, with plenty of enhancements and limitations.

I'm having trouble with two limitations, though.

First, the power set lasts as long as the song does. Some punk-rock songs are less than a minute long, while some progressive-rock songs go for more than twenty minutes... What value of "Limited Duration" should be used, or is that even the right limitation? And where would it be applied - the Modular Ability or the power set?

Second, each song can only be used once in 24 hours, but the "Modular Abilities" power is always available. (For example, this super could play "(I Wanna Fly Like) Superman" at 12:00 and fly under his own power for a few minutes, but couldn't play "(I Wanna Fly Like) Superman" and get the power again until 12:00 the next day. He could, however, play Steve Miller Band's "Fly Like an Eagle" at 12:10 and get a slower Flight power for a few minutes. This means the player has to find a large variety of songs, and convince the GM that they grant the power sets that he wants.) As I understand it, "Limited Use" would apply to the entire Modular Abilities power, which isn't what I want. What am I looking for here?

[DangerousThing]

I would suggest using 3 minutes as a song duration as that's what DJs like, at least in the US.

This might work as long as he doesn't go out of bounds too often and sing opera.

Now, if this hero only used songs he heard on a broadcast, he could be called "Radio Head". -) -)

[robkelk]

Originally Posted by DangerousThing

I would suggest using 3 minutes as a song duration as that's what DJs like, at least in the US.

This might work as long as he doesn't go out of bounds too often and sing opera.

Now, if this hero only used songs he heard on a broadcast, he could be called "Radio Head". -) -)

It's to his advantage to go for the longer songs, though.

As for broadcast, that's too random. Better to carry around his music collection (maybe call him Walk-Man! <g>)

[DangerousThing]

Originally Posted by robkelk

It's to his advantage to go for the longer songs, though.

As for broadcast, that's too random. Better to carry around his music collection (maybe call him Walk-Man! <g>)

I misread. I though that he had to sing the song!

And yes, it's to his advantage to go for longer songs, but longer songs don't have as tight as theme as shorter songs. Imagine if he's going for flight and he forgets that half-way through the song shifts into crash and burn... Ooopsie. :)

I'd go for an MP3 player with a *lot* of memory.

I know that I could never play nor GM such a character, because I don't know enough about music.

[Not]

This feels like a drinking game.

Thriller-IT Unliving
You dropped a bomb on me-Innate attack, explosive enhancement bombard
King of Pain-hpt
Blinded me with science-affliction blindness


Here's a challenge. Find a song for:

Reduced consumption
Mind Control
Clinging
Zeroed

[DangerousThing]

Originally Posted by Not

This feels like a drinking game.

Thriller-IT Unliving
You dropped a bomb on me-Innate attack, explosive enhancement bombard
King of Pain-hpt
Blinded me with science-affliction blindness


Here's a challenge. Find a song for:

Reduced consumption
Mind Control
Clinging
Zeroed

For zeroed I'd have to go with "I am a Rock" by Simon and Garfunkel. Clinging, well any of hundreds of teen love songs. ;)

I said I wasn't good with music.

[robkelk]

Originally Posted by DangerousThing

For zeroed I'd have to go with "I am a Rock" by Simon and Garfunkel. Clinging, well any of hundreds of teen love songs. ;)

I said I wasn't good with music.

I've already said this wasn't my idea... Here's an incomplete list of songs. And, yes, coming up with song effects is The Game Everybody Loves To Play, but it's a game best played in its own forum, not here.

From the stated effects, it's obvious the Modular Abilities power will need almost all of the enhancements... it's the two limitations I mentioned in the original post that are giving me trouble.