Infomercial Integrity

[TroyGuffey]

How would you build an ability that the character can buy from infomercials, and the product they are shipped works exactly as the infomercial shows/claims? Both just for the character, and for everyone?

[Nereidalbel]

Use Metatronic Generators to make a product with a set value.

[johndallman]

Afflicting a Delusion will be the easiest way.

[Not]

Snatcher with some limitations including Extra Time.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Not

Snatcher with some limitations including Extra Time.

That works if the advertised product, or something equivalent, exists somewhere. If in fact the advertised product doesn't exist snatcher can't get it.

[Miles]

For informercials specifically? That's basically a perk. The products are almost all basically mundane. Now, if it works on certain pumps and pills, that justifies Extreme Sexual Dimorphism and maybe a few levels of Multimillionaire if you can just pass them onto to anyone you want.

If we're talking about being able to buy any impossible item from the back of a magazine, that's probably some variation on Snatcher.

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by Miles

If we're talking about being able to buy any impossible item from the back of a magazine, that's probably some variation on Snatcher.

In the most extreme case, it's omnipotence, with a fairly trivial limitation that someone (you for example, or somebody you pay to do it) must make an infomercial advertising an "Ascend to Godhood" product before you can have it.

It sounds minor, but is actually a game breaking do anything power with a bit of preparation.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by Anthony

That works if the advertised product, or something equivalent, exists somewhere. If in fact the advertised product doesn't exist snatcher can't get it.

But that somewhere doesn't have to be the reality in which the character exists. It's only problematic for products that violate local physical laws.
Such as homeopathy.
But most inomercials tend to avoid outtright saying what magic their products perform, only so heavy handedly imply it that anyone with three brain cells knows what they mean.
Head-On (Apply directly to the head) never said it cured headaches, for example.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by malloyd

In the most extreme case, it's omnipotence, with a fairly trivial limitation that someone (you for example, or somebody you pay to do it) must make an infomercial advertising an "Ascend to Godhood" product before you can have it.

It sounds minor, but is actually a game breaking do anything power with a bit of preparation.

That sounds like a "hit the player with a newspaper" level of rules lawyering to me. It seems obvious how limited the spirit of the ability is supposed to be.

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

That sounds like a "hit the player with a newspaper" level of rules lawyering to me. It seems obvious how limited the spirit of the ability is supposed to be.

I'm not so confident you can't turn up an "actual" infomercials for stuff at least that overpowered. I'm certain by now there are some utterly ridiculous ones somebody has made and posted online somewhere. And trying to draw a line by defining "serious" infomercials is going to be challenging.