Granting and Curing Afflictions

bonafidenubbin · 01-17-2018, 08:13 AM

Hi fellow GURPSers!

For am upcoming high-power campaign, I am building a demon-like character with the ability to grant 'wishes' through her ability to shapeshift others.

The way I want the powerset to work, she makes a pact with some hapless but willing target. That pact lends her an ability to grant the target's wish, so long as it falls within the purview of possible via physical flesh-molding, but also leaves a brand on the target's soul. As the target makes more and more pacts, they fall under her control.

My design right now is this, simplifying down to the core modifiers:

Affliction (Enthrall):
Accessibility: Only on willing;
Cumulative;
Permanent (With Dispelling Conditions: Dispelled by Cure Affliction);
Disadvantage(Enthrall: a new disadvantage that, at maximum level, adds a version of Reprogrammable subject only to the Enthraller).

Modular Abilities:
Slotted Cosmic Power, 40 points;
Trigger (Only accessible in response to Enthrall);
Physical Only (required to make Affliction an option);
Trait-Limited (can only be used for Afflictions).

So, her willing target agrees to take a level of Enthrall, which then unlocks her Modular Ability; she designs a beneficial Affliction that gives them the ability they contracted for, as much as she can within a 40-point window.

All well and good, I think - though if I've missed something crucial in that above setup, please let me know!

But here's my problem.

I want Enthrall to be something that's difficult to remove. As written, it's as simple as a IQ roll with Healing (Cure Affliction) - so there's no downside to taking her deals at all. All you have to do is sign up for a deal, then get Enthrall removed by a heal, and it's like it never happened... plus, the positive effects stay!

I'd like Enthrall to still be POSSIBLE to cure, but to at least be more difficult to remove. Is there something, anything I can add to Affliction(Enthrall) short of a Cosmic modifier to make that happen?

Alternatively, is there a nice, easy way to make it so that if Enthrall gets cured, the positive benefits disappear as well? That'd be an acceptable workaround, I think.

Thanks for reading!

Nereidalbel · 01-17-2018, 08:44 AM

Well, since it's packaged as a single Affliction, curing the Enthrall also removes the beneficial effect. So, as easy as it is to cure, they'll also lose whatever they wished for.

bonafidenubbin · 01-17-2018, 08:50 AM

Sorry, I might not have made this clear - it's actually packaged as two things. The Enthrall affliction slaps the Enthralled disadvantage on, permanently, then serves as a trigger to enable Modular Abilities. The wish-granting Affliction is then designed via the Modular Abilities slot. Is that clearer?

Nereidalbel · 01-17-2018, 08:51 AM

Affliction can do more than one thing in a single roll. Unless you're rolling twice, it's all one effect as far as Cure Affliction is concerned.

bonafidenubbin · 01-17-2018, 08:53 AM

You are in essence rolling twice - it's once to slap on the Enthrall, once to receive the benefit.

I guess I could combine them, but I had envisioned making the pact as a separate action to actually receiving its benefits... and the problem is that Enthrall is ABSURDLY expensive, given that the effect needs to be cumulative and permanent.

If I have to roll the cost of Enthrall in to the same Affliction, it's going to be a huge mess of modifiers, I think?

Nereidalbel · 01-17-2018, 08:55 AM

The more expensive, the better. Cure Affliction is at -1 for each full +50% the effect is worth as a modifier to Affliction. Ignore the Cumulative and Permanent parts; only use the costs of Modular Ability and Enthrall for this.

bonafidenubbin · 01-17-2018, 09:00 AM

I know, but here's the issue:

If the Affliction needs to both deliver Enthrall AND a benefit, it's got to have...
Cumulative (only for Enthrall), Permanent with dispelling (for Enthrall, only SOMETIMES for the benefit), Disadvantage, Advantage, plus the extra limitations the power has (several Accessibilities, Power Modifier, etc.) and THEN extra limitations solely for the Advantage.

Am I missing something obvious about how you'd slap limitations onto one effect of an Advantage but NOT the other given that neither is secondary?

Kelly Pedersen · 01-17-2018, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bonafidenubbin

Am I missing something obvious about how you'd slap limitations onto one effect of an Advantage but NOT the other given that neither is secondary?

I'd suggest building them as two separate Afflictions, then attaching them together with Link. That will cover them being used together all the time, and let you put different modifiers on the separate afflictions. I'd even allow the target a single resistance roll against both, rather than two separate rolls.

To make the Enthrall bit more difficult to remove, I'd suggest a new "Hard to Cure" enhancement. I'd price this at -1 to the roll to heal the Affliction per +25% (that is, every +25% of this enhancement would act like +50% when considering the penalty to heal it).

bonafidenubbin · 01-17-2018, 09:13 AM

Right, the way I have them built is that they're two separate things.

I could use link, but it's cheaper if I don't, and I don't mind having to take two actions. That said, if my GM ruled that Link allowed them to be yoked together for the sake of a roll, that'd be a nice way to streamline the process.

I was totally looking for something like Hard to Cure, but couldn't find it - it amazes me it doesn't exist already! But thank you for the confirmation.

bonafidenubbin · 01-17-2018, 09:38 AM

Ooof, so. I like the Link solution, assuming my GM's cool with it, but now I've run into a terrible expense problem.

Removing Trigger (-30%) from Modular Abilities and adding Link (+10%) to it and Affliction (Enthrall) both... Enthrall costs 57 points and Modular Abilities costs a whopping 145! It's definitely more expensive than I was hoping.

Here's a thought, though: ideally, a single use of Enthrall gets you a single use of the Modular Ability. That is, it doesn't just turn on the Ability for now until forever, it enables the Ability for a single shot. Then the Ability's gone til the next contract.

I don't actually think I have that represented right now. It's more limiting than Maximum Duration or Limited Use. Would that be something like a -80% limitation?

01-17-2018, 08:13 AM	#1
bonafidenubbin Join Date: Jan 2018	Granting and Curing Afflictions Hi fellow GURPSers! For am upcoming high-power campaign, I am building a demon-like character with the ability to grant 'wishes' through her ability to shapeshift others. The way I want the powerset to work, she makes a pact with some hapless but willing target. That pact lends her an ability to grant the target's wish, so long as it falls within the purview of possible via physical flesh-molding, but also leaves a brand on the target's soul. As the target makes more and more pacts, they fall under her control. My design right now is this, simplifying down to the core modifiers: Affliction (Enthrall): Accessibility: Only on willing; Cumulative; Permanent (With Dispelling Conditions: Dispelled by Cure Affliction); Disadvantage(Enthrall: a new disadvantage that, at maximum level, adds a version of Reprogrammable subject only to the Enthraller). Modular Abilities: Slotted Cosmic Power, 40 points; Trigger (Only accessible in response to Enthrall); Physical Only (required to make Affliction an option); Trait-Limited (can only be used for Afflictions). So, her willing target agrees to take a level of Enthrall, which then unlocks her Modular Ability; she designs a beneficial Affliction that gives them the ability they contracted for, as much as she can within a 40-point window. All well and good, I think - though if I've missed something crucial in that above setup, please let me know! But here's my problem. I want Enthrall to be something that's difficult to remove. As written, it's as simple as a IQ roll with Healing (Cure Affliction) - so there's no downside to taking her deals at all. All you have to do is sign up for a deal, then get Enthrall removed by a heal, and it's like it never happened... plus, the positive effects stay! I'd like Enthrall to still be POSSIBLE to cure, but to at least be more difficult to remove. Is there something, anything I can add to Affliction(Enthrall) short of a Cosmic modifier to make that happen? Alternatively, is there a nice, easy way to make it so that if Enthrall gets cured, the positive benefits disappear as well? That'd be an acceptable workaround, I think. Thanks for reading!

01-17-2018, 08:44 AM	#2
Nereidalbel Join Date: May 2013 Location: Ellicott City, MD	Re: Granting and Curing Afflictions Well, since it's packaged as a single Affliction, curing the Enthrall also removes the beneficial effect. So, as easy as it is to cure, they'll also lose whatever they wished for.

01-17-2018, 08:50 AM	#3
bonafidenubbin Join Date: Jan 2018	Re: Granting and Curing Afflictions Sorry, I might not have made this clear - it's actually packaged as two things. The Enthrall affliction slaps the Enthralled disadvantage on, permanently, then serves as a trigger to enable Modular Abilities. The wish-granting Affliction is then designed via the Modular Abilities slot. Is that clearer?

01-17-2018, 08:51 AM	#4
Nereidalbel Join Date: May 2013 Location: Ellicott City, MD	Re: Granting and Curing Afflictions Affliction can do more than one thing in a single roll. Unless you're rolling twice, it's all one effect as far as Cure Affliction is concerned.

01-17-2018, 08:53 AM	#5
bonafidenubbin Join Date: Jan 2018	Re: Granting and Curing Afflictions You are in essence rolling twice - it's once to slap on the Enthrall, once to receive the benefit. I guess I could combine them, but I had envisioned making the pact as a separate action to actually receiving its benefits... and the problem is that Enthrall is ABSURDLY expensive, given that the effect needs to be cumulative and permanent. If I have to roll the cost of Enthrall in to the same Affliction, it's going to be a huge mess of modifiers, I think?

01-17-2018, 08:55 AM	#6
Nereidalbel Join Date: May 2013 Location: Ellicott City, MD	Re: Granting and Curing Afflictions The more expensive, the better. Cure Affliction is at -1 for each full +50% the effect is worth as a modifier to Affliction. Ignore the Cumulative and Permanent parts; only use the costs of Modular Ability and Enthrall for this.

01-17-2018, 09:00 AM	#7
bonafidenubbin Join Date: Jan 2018	Re: Granting and Curing Afflictions I know, but here's the issue: If the Affliction needs to both deliver Enthrall AND a benefit, it's got to have... Cumulative (only for Enthrall), Permanent with dispelling (for Enthrall, only SOMETIMES for the benefit), Disadvantage, Advantage, plus the extra limitations the power has (several Accessibilities, Power Modifier, etc.) and THEN extra limitations solely for the Advantage. Am I missing something obvious about how you'd slap limitations onto one effect of an Advantage but NOT the other given that neither is secondary?

01-17-2018, 09:13 AM	#9
bonafidenubbin Join Date: Jan 2018	Re: Granting and Curing Afflictions Right, the way I have them built is that they're two separate things. I could use link, but it's cheaper if I don't, and I don't mind having to take two actions. That said, if my GM ruled that Link allowed them to be yoked together for the sake of a roll, that'd be a nice way to streamline the process. I was totally looking for something like Hard to Cure, but couldn't find it - it amazes me it doesn't exist already! But thank you for the confirmation.

01-17-2018, 09:38 AM	#10
bonafidenubbin Join Date: Jan 2018	Re: Granting and Curing Afflictions Ooof, so. I like the Link solution, assuming my GM's cool with it, but now I've run into a terrible expense problem. Removing Trigger (-30%) from Modular Abilities and adding Link (+10%) to it and Affliction (Enthrall) both... Enthrall costs 57 points and Modular Abilities costs a whopping 145! It's definitely more expensive than I was hoping. Here's a thought, though: ideally, a single use of Enthrall gets you a single use of the Modular Ability. That is, it doesn't just turn on the Ability for now until forever, it enables the Ability for a single shot. Then the Ability's gone til the next contract. I don't actually think I have that represented right now. It's more limiting than Maximum Duration or Limited Use. Would that be something like a -80% limitation?