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Old 10-13-2013, 09:33 PM   #1
Peter Knutsen
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Default Power-Ups for RPM?

Where are they? I know RPM is meant to be used at a wide variety of power levels, from 100 to at least 400 CP, but it was born at the high end of that power span, in GURPS Monster Hunters, so it's quite puzzling that there aren't any power-up abilities for RPM users. As if the only intended way forward is to increase Path skills (and Thaumatology) and buy a larger and larger Energy Reserve.

I have seen posts on here, for MH or RPM, suggesting a way to speed up rituals even further, with an extra sub-trait of the Ritual Adept advantage, but IIRC that was only 30 CP or so. That doesn't amount to much on the Monster Hunter CP scale.

Rather than blame the RPM PDF (which may have been written under page count constraints), I think it might be more constructive (and interesting) to challenge the community, ask for suggestions, from vague sketches to detailed write-ups, for power-ups for RPM, in the 20 to 200 CP cost range, amenable to Limitations or not.

What can you guys think up?
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Old 10-13-2013, 09:43 PM   #2
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Default Re: Power-Ups for RPM?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Knutsen View Post
Rather than blame the RPM PDF (which may have been written under page count constraints), I think it might be more constructive (and interesting) to challenge the community, ask for suggestions, from vague sketches to detailed write-ups, for power-ups for RPM, in the 20 to 200 CP cost range, amenable to Limitations or not.

What can you guys think up?
Powers, powers of many sorts, whether magic so practised it becomes second-nature (like the Telekinesis on the Witch template), or Gadget-limitation magic items. Telekinesis, fireballs, the classic philosopher's stone to prevent aging... there's loads of room for power-ups beyond "I cast magic better."
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Old 10-13-2013, 10:20 PM   #3
Peter Knutsen
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Default Re: Power-Ups for RPM?

To clarify: I'm interested in Power-Ups that interact with the RPM system.
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Old 10-13-2013, 11:13 PM   #4
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Default Re: Power-Ups for RPM?

The only unmentioned power that comes to mind is Compartmentalized Mind. Combined with the faster casting advantage, you could potentially complete an entire ritual - or, heck, rituals - in a single second, without dipping into ER.

One potential advantage that I think would be interesting would be one which delays the penalties for multiple Energy Gathering attempts. So instead of having -1 every three rolls, it might only be every four, five, or more. No clue how to price that though.
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Old 10-14-2013, 01:25 AM   #5
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Default Re: Power-Ups for RPM?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Knutsen View Post
To clarify: I'm interested in Power-Ups that interact with the RPM system.
Like these?

Gathering Mastery -- Improved Path Caps 4 (Only for faster energy gathering*) [4] + Natural Caster 4 (Only for faster energy gathering, -50%) [30] + Rules Exemption (The Natural Caster in this ability can stack with normal Natural Caster) [1]. Your attempts to gather ambient energy take only one second (or one minute for non-adepts), at no extra penalty. 35 points.

* This is a feature because perks cannot have limitations.

Mana Sponge -- Regeneration (Very Fast or Extreme; Energy Reserve Only, +0%; Magical, -10%) [90 or 135]. Your mana reserve refills automatically, even when you're in combat. The size of your mana reserve has no effect on your refill rate. 90 points for 1 MR/second, 135 points for 10 MR/second.

Unerring Missiles: -- Energy Reserve 60 (Mana Reserve; Only to enhance missile rituals, -50%; Only adds one of two types of Cosmic, -10%; Only rechargeable out of combat, -10%) [54]. Once per combat, you may declare that an external damage (i.e., "missile") spell has one of the following two effects: Either it ignores all DR or the target gets no active defense against it.

There is a limit to how large a missile you can empower in this way, depending on the damage type. For pi-, the limit is 33d; for cut or pi+, 12d+3; for cor, fat, imp, or pi++, 9d+6; and for everything else, 18d.

Technically, this power-up burdens the caster with another 60 mana reserve to refill, but since refills are assumed to happen during downtime, the GM should consider this usable once per combat unless two combats happen within a very short time of each other (in which case, play out the refill rolls). 54 points.
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Old 10-14-2013, 03:30 AM   #6
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Default Re: Power-Ups for RPM?

Unering Missiles is good for all sorts of ideas!

I was thinking Compartmentalized Mind as a major Power up.
Leech could be another one, esecially for Vampires and Necromancers though its probably not worth the cost in most situations.
Some of the enhancements and advantages from Thaumatology are good too.
Variable Energy Access [50] to tap Threshold magic as well.
That can represent Spirit Assisted or other Supernatural sources.
Mana Enhancer or Damper and Static (with immunity).
Stable Casting (+40%) and Subtle Aura (+20% or +40%) Thaumatology p 28 might need tweaking but are worth a look at.
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Old 10-14-2013, 08:23 AM   #7
Christopher R. Rice
 
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Default Re: Power-Ups for RPM?

Steadfast Magic: Whenever botch or quirk a spell, you may opt to instead turn it into a critical success! You may do this once per hour of game play at level one, once per 30 minutes at level two, and once per ten minutes at level three. At level four you may affect other casters instead of yourself. 20/40/60/72 points.

Statistics: Super Luck (Accessibility, Only for turning ritual path magic gathering rolls into critical failures or failures into critical successes, -70%; Magic, -10%) [20/level]. At level four add the following as a alternate ability of Super Luck (Accessibility, Only for turning ritual path magic gathering rolls into critical failures or failures into critical successes, -70%; Magic, -10%; Wishing, +0%) [12/level].
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Old 10-14-2013, 08:40 AM   #8
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Default Re: Power-Ups for RPM?

Magical Knack: You aren't a full-fledged mage, but you have a 'knack' with a specific effect as used in Ritual Path Magic, allowing you to cast spells based upon that effect. Use all of the normal rules for RPM, but your 'knack' only applies to a single, specific path and effect! At level one, you act as if you had the relevant path skill at IQ; add one for every level thereafter. 10 + 5/level.

Statistics: This is built as Thaumatology (Specific Path and Effect Only) [4] + Path Skill (Specific Effect Only) [4] + Magery 0 (Specific Path and Effect Only, -60%) [2]. Further levels are built as Higher Purpose (Specific Path and Effect) [5/level].
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Old 10-14-2013, 08:45 AM   #9
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Default Re: Power-Ups for RPM?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Langy View Post
Magical Knack: You aren't a full-fledged mage, but you have a 'knack' with a specific effect as used in Ritual Path Magic, allowing you to cast spells based upon that effect. Use all of the normal rules for RPM, but your 'knack' only applies to a single, specific path and effect! At level one, you act as if you had the relevant path skill at IQ; add one for every level thereafter. 10 + 5/level.

Statistics: This is built as Thaumatology (Specific Path and Effect Only) [4] + Path Skill (Specific Effect Only) [4] + Magery 0 (Specific Path and Effect Only, -60%) [2]. Further levels are built as Higher Purpose (Specific Path and Effect) [5/level].
Nice! I'd toss in a mana reserve specific to the ritual as well. I'd say a ER for one specific ritual would be something like: Energy Reserve (Mana Reserve; One Ritual Only, -80%) [0.6/level] so a standard Fireball ritual would cost a extra 11 points to have a reserve that will let you fire off one near instantly.
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Last edited by Christopher R. Rice; 10-14-2013 at 09:11 AM.
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Old 10-14-2013, 09:12 AM   #10
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Default Re: Power-Ups for RPM?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ghostdancer View Post
Nice! I'd toss in a mana reserve specific to the ritual as well.
Yeah, that'd be a possibility, though I'm unsure how to price it. You don't usually get a price reduction for energy reserve if it's restricted to only one power. It'd probably have to be the normal 3 cp/point.

I did forget to mention that you can also act as if you were a Ritual Adept with your Knack if you spend another 16 points.
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