When Modular Abilities Cost Less

[AlexanderHowl]

So, I was playing around with Modular Abilities yesterday and realized that Modular Abilities like Super-Memorization could cost less than the traits that their points are being allocated for. For example, let us say that a character possesses five Super-Memorization slots with a capacity of 40 CP each, and each with the limitations of Preparation Required, 1 hour, -50%, Takes Extra Time 2, -20%, and Trait-Limited, Skills Only, -10%. While they can only memorize skills, while it takes them four second per CP to memorize, and while they have to spend an hour preparing for their allocation of points, they are only spending 25 CP for 40 CP worth of skills that they can use without restriction after allocation.

So, I have a few questions. First, is my understanding of the phenomena correct? Second, is it necessarily wrong for traits gaining from Modular Abilities to be cheaper than traits whose points cannot be allocated? Third, how would you deal with a player who made a legal character that exploited this phenomena?

[hal]

So that you don't think this is disappearing into the void without comment...

;)

There is a fair bit of stuff from GURPS CHARACTERS that I largely don't bother with.

Why? In part, because it is intended by design - to be a tool box affair rather than a "off the shelf" kind of RPG. In other words, there are those who want to use this for SUPERS, or for some kind of "HEROES" (the TV series) kind of gaming rather than more "realistic" style gaming. That isn't to say that the genre is bad in my eyes, or what have you, it just means that I don't bother with it any more than you could get me to eat Sushi. Hell, I don't even like Lobster ;)

So, while the point costs for some of these abilities are cheaper when built up using the structure in GURPS CHARACTERS or GURPS POWERS - the point is in theory, that the disadvantages are supposed to be felt in some way shape or form in game play. If a player were to decide he's going to take a fear of cats, you know as GM, I have to hit him with a few "Cat" incidents. If I were going to run a campaign with Modular Abilities - it would behoove me to study up on what the "Disadvantages" are that lowered the cost on the actual advantages so that I can make certain those issues raise their head from time to time.

I know I'm not much help here, but that's my line of thinking at least.

[ericbsmith]

Originally Posted by hal

If I were going to run a campaign with Modular Abilities - it would behoove me to study up on what the "Disadvantages" are that lowered the cost on the actual advantages so that I can make certain those issues raise their head from time to time.

The biggest limitation of Super-Memorization is that it requires reference materials in order to memorize a new ability from.

The problem that AlexanderHowl is noticing is that Modular Abilities have no limit on how long you can leave points in an ability, so by the RAW you could memorize the Broadsword skill on Friday and use it at the Christmas party.

The simple cure for this problem is to make the ability require a reset periodically. The most obvious time to do that is to reset the ability when the character sleeps, so he would need to redistribute the points every morning. For basic, unmodified Modular Abilities this is basically a very minor nuisance, but with Preparation Required this would require brand new preparation at the beginning of each day.

Or require an Unusual Background. Or just ban it altogether.

[kirbwarrior]

Modular Abilities really shouldn't allow skills to be honest. When I made Hedgewitchery*, I knew that spending 17pts per point was perfectly fair with skill allocation, but the big thing is that Modular Abilities is basically 'infinite' alternate abilities of a certain scope. If players are allowed to buy Skills as alternate abilities, then MA is far more fair.

*Cosmic Slots (Cosmic +50% Physical +100%, Social +50%, Reflexive +40%)

[TGLS]

Just cap limitations such that the limitations never reduce the cost beyond 1 modular abilities point to 2 points cost or whatever seems fair.

[kirbwarrior]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

Third, how would you deal with a player who made a legal character that exploited this phenomena?

I'll answer this more general question; I can make an Corrosion Innate Attack that does 1d-4 damage. That has a base cost of [-2], and with RoF 300 and Selective Effect, I can absolutely get some damage out of it. It's technically legal, but I know better than to actually allow that as a GM. That's just oversight.

Unless the character was made under the eyes of a different GM and was in my campaign (say, Avengers-style), I'll just catch things like this. Especially with Innate Attack, Modular Abilities, and any other trait that intentionally can have wildly different builds, I'll ask the player what they want and work with them to build it. For instance, in this situation, it sounds like what they want is access to any skill and at a good value. I was on the boards awhile back asking about an omniskill and came up with Boom! skill (wildcard skill for all skills). I'd ask they take that instead.

[scc]

For Super-Memorization just introduce the threat of very minor memory removal things, at the very least being knocked unconscious should cause the character to wake up without any Super-Memorization abilities.

[Daigoro]

Originally Posted by kirbwarrior

Modular Abilities really shouldn't allow skills to be honest.

But it's a cyberpunk staple- skill chips and "I know kung fu" downloading. What would you do for them?

[Celjabba]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

So, I have a few questions. First, is my understanding of the phenomena correct? Second, is it necessarily wrong for traits gaining from Modular Abilities to be cheaper than traits whose points cannot be allocated? Third, how would you deal with a player who made a legal character that exploited this phenomena?

Regarding the first : I think it is correct, as far as being legal rules-wise (I don't have my books with me, however).

Regarding the second : It should probably not be allowed, unless there are significant disadvantages for the character involved. A disadvantage that doesn't disadvantage is not a disadvantage :). In this case, I would probably either reduce the value of the limitations, or require a (daily ?) reset.

[hal]

Originally Posted by Daigoro

But it's a cyberpunk staple- skill chips and "I know kung fu" downloading. What would you do for them?

Looking at page 71 of GURPS BASIC: CHARACTERS, it appears that Chip slot modular abilities is different than the Super Memorization Ability. With the Chips version, the item in question that permits the modular skills is a chip that can be affected by electricity, can be stolen, etc. In a Cyberpunk campaign, the user also has to worry about plugging in a chip that although they believe it is a skill chip, is a mental disadvantage chip instead (effectively a Trojan).

The ability to download a program version of this into one's head, would be computer brain.