Can you have Insubstantiality with "Partial Change" and "Always On"?

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Hellboy

This sounds right for all-or-nothing insubstantiality but what about partial?

Generally no as well, though I could see allowing it with appropriate penalties (it looks like about -9 for size and -6 for not being able to see the target, so total -15, or -9 if you have a way to see through armor).

[starslayer]

Originally Posted by Hellboy

This sounds right for all-or-nothing insubstantiality but what about partial?

I assume it takes a ready maneuver to shift body parts between solid and in sub and forget which enhancement if any would make it take less time. Could it be done instantly as a free action like QuickDraw ?

So your dealing with:
1. Removing the 'takes a ready manuvure'
2. Doing so while moving
3. With enough accuracy to do so while it is inside armour

Now your hand is stuck inside the target's armour until your next turn- which probably means its going to be broken in several uncomfortable ways.

Even if you were to work that whole mess out into a 'roll this many times at this much penalty' sequence its probably going to be more difficulty/expensive then the already listed multiple times options of either power stunting it or if this is something that your going to do more than once just buying the innate attack.

Gave what this might look like if a player of mine INSISTED it should not be done as a power stunt some thought and I was being a forgiving enough GM to let that fly (most likely because they are trying some sort of system run around to avoid using a power stunt for whatever reason)

1. This sounds a bit like multi-strike (but not able to benifit from TBAM/WM) so your attack roll and intangibility control roll both at -6.
2. Speed/range for the speed of your fist; so lets go with -5
3. The gap inside armour will be conditional, but most times its going to be harder than targeting chinks, so -15.

Any failure and you phase your limb into a solid object destroying it and not ignoring armour.

Ultimately: Use a power stunt if you are doing this as a one off, buy an innate attack if not; that's what these are for.

[vitruvian]

For Innate Attack, it's perfectly simple, you need to pay for the Affects Substantial/Affects Insubstantial/bypasses DR (Armor Divisor or Cosmic:Irresistible) enhancements, or for any additional damage you do from solidifying inside things. For unarmed attacks, you can price out your punches or kicks as Melee Innate Attacks and apply the enhancement percentage to that cost.

Where it gets more complicated is when you have Can Carry Objects... objects you pick up become insubstantial like you, but when they leave your grasp, they become substantial again. So, would that let you extend a stick inside a person, then let go and see what happens when two objects try to occupy the same space? Can you pick up a rock, then throw it while insubstantial and have it be solid by the time it intersects your foe's head? Can you fire a gun (equipment, not Innate Attack) and have now-substantial bullets hit your foes? Drop things from substantial heights? Pull the pin and toss or just drop a grenade? All fun tricks to try to run by your GM...