[DF] Ablative DR, Emergencies Only

[lvalero]

For a new class ("Frontier Hero") in my DF campaign I am going to allow the following advantage.

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New advantage: I will not surrender! [10]

Ablative DR -80%; Emergencies only -30%
(-80% because of maximum limitations or it is -80% and then -30%?)

Quote: "How can you survive after this attack? You should have died!"

If one of your friends is unconscious, disabled or dead, or if you have less than half HP, as a free action shout "I will not surrender!" (If you can't shout then you only have to think it!)

During the scene you have the equivalent of 10 points of ablative DR. Call it luck, call it desire to survive, call it inner reserves of life or chi, the truth is that you can soak damage before it became injury!

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This advantage is loosely inspired by Saint Seiya. When everything seems lost he seems to have much more hit points than he should!

The question are.

1) Would you allow "Emergencies only" applied over "Ablative DR"? It seems very, very cheap (-80%)

2) When it is not active, can be regenerated? Let's say that the hero uses his ablative DR and he losses 8 points. Then the bad boy dies, ending the "emergency" and suppressing the advantage. If the hero recives a healing spell, is the DR also healed although it is not "active"?

3) Less than half HP qualifies enough for "Emergency only" or should I be harsher as "0 HP or less"?

Thanks!

Luis

[Nereidalbel]

If you're going over the 80% limitation mark, you might as well find something to spend those enhancements on. One level of Hardened is a good start!

[lvalero]

Originally Posted by Nereidalbel

If you're going over the 80% limitation mark, you might as well find something to spend those enhancements on. One level of Hardened is a good start!

That is an excellent idea! I may as well add "Tough skin" (-40%) because it has sense in this context.

So I would end with

Ablative DR -80%; Emergencies only -30%; Tough skin -40%; Hardened 3 +60%

[dfinlay]

As a GM, I would not give a limitation beyond maybe -5% for the emergencies only here. Unless you are using very harsh infection rules and the like that make losing any HP a big deal (which I really doubt you are in DF), ablative DR that kicks in at 1/2 HP is really no worse than ablative DR that always works. In both cases, it means it takes another 10 pts of damage to drop you to 0. The one thing it does is protect you less against really big hits that drop you immediately, so I could be talked into giving a small limitation for that, but definitely not -30%.

[johndallman]

I'm extremely sceptical about Emergencies Only as a limitation, since adventurers tend to bring emergencies on themselves rather regularly. Making it worth -30% demands a level of control over the narrative from the GM that doesn't accord with the multi-participant nature of RPGs as I see them.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Ablative DR is pretty much the right way to go for "HP that don't cause shock" (or you could use a Vitality Reserve). Were I designing such a ability I'd probably do something like...

DR (Ablative, -80%; Accessibility, Disabled allies or 1/2 HP or less, -5%) [1/level].

Since DR heals at the same rate as HP, lost DR would regenerate at the same rate you regain HP.

Build Notes/Comments

"Accessibility, Disabled allies or 1/2 HP or less" is probably worth about -5%. The modifier "Trigger, Injury" is worth -15% and having to be at 1/2 HP or less would tack on another -5%, so -20%. Accessibility, Disabled allies I'd eyeball at -20% also. Then using the Either/Or rules (found in GURPS Power-Ups 8: Limitations) you get a limitation worth -4%, which I'd round up to -5% and call it a day.

Add Requires Ready (-10%) if your shouting/thinking a phrase takes at least some time or Requires Will Roll (-5%) if you have to make a Will roll to get it to work.

[the_matrix_walker]

Any time you are taking damage, it's an emergency... I wouldn't allow Emergencies only.

[McAllister]

I'm not just a contrarian, I swear, but I'd allow Emergencies Only on DR. I can think of a lot of situations in which it wouldn't help. An unexpected fall, a sneak attack, being dismembered by the first attack of a fight, any attack in a bar fight, low-damage attacks that apply poison... besides, underpricing "I don't die" advantages is classic GURPS. HT would cost 15 or 20 points a level, except it's so darn useful for keeping PCs alive.

EDIT: Yes, I am a contrarian, I am also other things.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by McAllister

I can think of a lot of situations in which it wouldn't help. An unexpected fall, a sneak attack, being dismembered by the first attack of a fight, any attack in a bar fight, low-damage attacks that apply poison...

Can you explain what makes something an emergency or not? Your reasoning is not obvious to me.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

Any time you are taking damage, it's an emergency... I wouldn't allow Emergencies only.

This is my thought as well, Emergencies Only seems like it shouldn't benefit a ability that is only useful in an emergency. DR is no real use outside of taking damage which is always going to be in battle or in a similiar situation where you'd take damage (falls, house fires, etc.). Rereading the limitation it does not strictly say that you can't add it to an ability that is by definition one that can only be used during a crisis. That said as a GM I don't think I'd allow it used like this - it feels too much like crockery. Perhaps someone should ask Kromm for a clearer interpretation and share the results?