Rebuilding Affliction

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by Kelly Pedersen

Cases like Doesn't Breathe (Gills, suffocates in air) are a bit different - obviously, 10 points is still far too cheap for the ability to inflict gasping death in most locations. I think I'd rule that Afflictions that inflict transformations can't inflict deadly transformations - you have to either use it in a place the person could get to water before suffocating, or it doesn't work, basically. Getting around this would require a hefty enhancement. Probably +300%. That would make the Affliction: Doesn't Breathe (Gills, suffocates in air) trick cost 40 points if you could use it on someone with no water around. That sounds better, since it's comparable to the current price of Affliction (Heart Attack).

I deal with this by relying on GM Fiat, if I think its abusive I dont allow it.
As a guideline I handle things like giving someone gills as either Affliction: Alternate Form (including that 10 second change unless further modified) or the value as an Incapacitating Condition.

[Kelly Pedersen]

Originally Posted by Brandy

is a secondary effect only triggered if resistance is failed by -5? Do I remember that right?

That's correct, yeah.

Originally Posted by Brandy

If so, secondary effects could be added for half their base cost if each -1 to resist was a +20% enhancement instead of +10%. I think that value might be better anyway. Thoughts?

It's a good idea, I think - if I'm following the math right, it means a secondary effect would cost the same as a full effect once you added -5 to the roll to resist. Which sounds pretty much exactly right. That would be a change from standard Affliction, where Secondary effects are 1/5th cost, but that's all right - I was actually thinking about that and decided it was probably too cheap in this paradigm.

Originally Posted by Refplace

As a guideline I handle things like giving someone gills as either Affliction: Alternate Form (including that 10 second change unless further modified) or the value as an Incapacitating Condition.

The Alternate Form idea is a good one. The only question I have is, what would fall into it? Saying that Afflicting all advantages and disadvantages had to go into Alternate Form seems a little restrictive. I suppose you could say that just physical transformations need to go into an Alternate Form, but even that could be a bit narrow - does that mean shrinking or growth would just be Alternate Forms with different SMs?

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by Kelly Pedersen

The Alternate Form idea is a good one. The only question I have is, what would fall into it? Saying that Afflicting all advantages and disadvantages had to go into Alternate Form seems a little restrictive. I suppose you could say that just physical transformations need to go into an Alternate Form, but even that could be a bit narrow - does that mean shrinking or growth would just be Alternate Forms with different SMs?

Its a guideline, I dont require AF on everything to be added. Its based on special effect and balance and must meet both criteria before I allow it.
And I may offer counter proposals.
For your Shrinking example AF would leave them really small but full ST unless you lowered that too. If you went Shrinking that would lower their ST, Move, etc. But I would measure that against Incapacitating Conditions and use the most expensive choice (Say between Coma and X levels of Shrinking).
Goes back to the Hero Transformation Attack and the rationale for Petrification and other things in Powers. If you could kill them outright then anything less effective or permanent is probably ok.
I realize its a GM call not a perfect no brain type solution but Im ok with that.

[Edges]

I would handle the Gills/Suffocates in Air issue by requiring the affliction to be two afflictions in one (they pay for the gills buff and they pay for the suffocates in air debuff).