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Old 03-19-2020, 03:24 PM   #11
RyanW
 
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Southeast NC
Default Re: Powers that scale with unorthodox things

Quote:
Originally Posted by NineDaysDead View Post
Maybe a Beneficial affliction:

Strength of a Serial Killer [108]

Affliction (Accessibility: Only on self -60?%; Advantage: ST +1, +100%; Cosmic: No roll +100%; Cumulative +400%; Maladiction+100%; Permanent +300%; Reflexive +40%; Trigger: Very Common, Illegal {Only after killing 20 people} -15*%) [105]

*Seems low.
I'd be very hesitant to allow it, because it implies Infinite ST (Usable on others) [110].
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Old 03-19-2020, 03:34 PM   #12
AlexanderHowl
 
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Default Re: Powers that scale with unorthodox things

I would not allow it because it ends up breaking the system within the first session. Players need very little incentive to have their PCs engage in killing in the first place. With that sort of reward, their PCs will be torching orphanages and nursing homes before the end of the first hour of play. Heck, if they are smart, they go after sport stadiums and poison the beer (I imagine that they could kill a thousand people or so, resulting in +50 ST pretty quickly).
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Old 03-19-2020, 04:01 PM   #13
AlexanderHowl
 
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Default Re: Powers that scale with unorthodox things

I would instead suggest the alternative build:

The Way of the Serial Killer: Affliction 1 (HT; Advantage, DR 1 (Tough Skin, -40%), Hard to Kill 1, Hard to Subdue 1, Lifting ST+1, Silence 1 (Dynamic, +40%), Striking ST+1, +220%; Contact Agent, -30%; Cumulative, +400%; Extended Duration, 1000x, +120%; Melee, C, No Parry, -35%; No Signature, +20%; Trigger, Murdering a human, Occasional, Illegal, -45%) [75]. Notes: The most successful serial killers gain temporary boosts to their capabilities when they are able to chain their kills, becoming stronger, tougher, and quieter. In the case of serial killers who work with partners, they are capable of giving their partners temporary boosts to their capabilities as well, burning one of their uses.

While the above ability does not cause permanent enhancements, it is a bit more reasonable. A serial killer could potentially reach superhuman levels of the six advantages, but it would eventually wear off. Since every murder allows for a use, a serial killer that chained one use after another could reach truly horrific levels of capabilities, as the duration of the ability would be a minimum of 16 hours.
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Old 03-19-2020, 05:25 PM   #14
Anaraxes
 
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Default Re: Powers that scale with unorthodox things

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kronos328 View Post
i wouldn't be able to make him gain the ST bonuses directly, and would have to, instead, gain Character Points that can only be spent on increasing ST
Yes. CP is the meta-currency for character building, so one way or another, any system for adding new abilities to characters is going to be measured in CP.

Another popular source for too many CP is the character that can steal other character's abilities; the brain-in-a-jar with Possession designed to immediately swap bodies with some athlete is another attempt to abuse CP pricing, though at least it's not an infinite point generator. Permanent Cumulative Afflictions are also broken in this way. (You might consider requiring "Costs CP" to use such an ability, just to make it net out to 0. If the player loses interest, it shows they weren't interested in the concept so much as just the loophole.)

As others have pointed out, an infinite supply of easily-obtained CP is going to have a substantial effect on the game. This might be the entire point of the game -- Highlander would be a classic example. But you should consider how accessible that point growth is to all of the PCs. It will be unfair if only one character has such an ability.

All that said, the simplest way is simply to hand out XP as you desire with the stipulation "can only be spent on ST". You don't really need a game ability mechanic for it, as the ability is built on that meta-notion of buying abilities with CP, rather than anything entirely in setting. Stipulate that it's a campaign feature, and all PCs get it for free, and you don't even really need to calculate a point value.

If you do want to make up an Advantage to have a line item on the character sheet, Leech and DR with Absorption would be other touchstones for price comparison when you make up your own Advantage. Both of them decay rapidly, so the price will really be dictated by whatever sort of "Permanent" you invent to go with the Advantage. (The +300% Cosmic would be a minimum, but there won't be a fair price. Whatever price you charge, the ambitious munchkin will just use it often enough to get more CP than the cost.)
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Old 03-19-2020, 07:08 PM   #15
Donny Brook
 
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Default Re: Powers that scale with unorthodox things

Here's a thread about body counts to get a sense of scale:
http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=167380
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Old 03-20-2020, 09:12 PM   #16
aesir23
 
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Default Re: Powers that scale with unorthodox things

Honestly, the only way I'd allow this permanently is as a meta-Vow.

Vow (Cannot spend earned points or training time on anything except improving strength until has earned +1 for each 20 people he's killed.) (-10)

Even though this is an OOC, meta vow, it does significantly limit the character, if he needs to learn a useful skill or improve in any other way, he can't until he's improved his strength appropriately.

Then, if you want him to lose his ST if he stops killing, he can buy that Strength with Pact -10%.
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