Cost of 'element' changing?

[kirbwarrior]

How much would it be to change a feature of an attack without it being a mechanical change? Some examples;

A hunter buys his bow as an Impaling Attack. This attack is built however, but a noteworthy thing the archer can do is convert arrows with this bow into silver (however, it being a choice is important because werewolves are vulnerable but 'vampires' have protection against precious metals).

A half-demon cleric follows a 'holy' religion but has one 'dark' ability that exactly mimics the 'Smite' Burning Attack (Inspired by Final Fantasy Tactics' Holy and Dark Holy being intentional mirrors).

A weapon master has an Cutting Attack that can be defined as throwing a sword, axe, knife, cd, etc. While these weapons as statted normally do different damage, she basically pulls random weapons from nowhere to fling at will (she can choose which, but usually picks at random)

My gut reaction is each additional option is a perk with it being 5pts to have access to as many as the GM allows.

Any thoughts? Is this actually detailed somewhere? Thank you ahead of time.

[Nereidalbel]

Sounds like a good use of Alternative Abilities, with one level of Reduced Time applied to the entire set. That'll let you swap abilities once per turn as a free action, instead of having to use a Ready action.

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by Nereidalbel

Sounds like a good use of Alternative Abilities, with one level of Reduced Time applied to the entire set. That'll let you swap abilities once per turn as a free action, instead of having to use a Ready action.

If the AA is an attack set, it's automatically swappable without a Ready action.

[kirbwarrior]

Is it worth an entire extra 1/5, though? I'd understand if the attacks were different (for instance, the dark attack could easily do half as much Corrosion damage, or the weapons could have various enhancements), but the point is that the attacks are basically the same, except it lets the user take advantage of things (that might not be in their control) in certain circumstances.

Related question; The weapon master could have that same attack use Selectivity to have each weapon be different mechanically. Would it cost extra if it's still capable of being defined as different weapons?

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by kirbwarrior

Is it worth an entire extra 1/5, though? I'd understand if the attacks were different (for instance, the dark attack could easily do half as much Corrosion damage, or the weapons could have various enhancements), but the point is that the attacks are basically the same, except it lets the user take advantage of things (that might not be in their control) in certain circumstances.

Related question; The weapon master could have that same attack use Selectivity to have each weapon be different mechanically. Would it cost extra if it's still capable of being defined as different weapons?

Your basically taking advantage of whatever weakness a foe has and that is a pretty big plot device.
My first thought was it should at least be a level of Armor Piercing to account for increased damage. However I think Cosmic, +100% is appropriate.

[kirbwarrior]

Originally Posted by Refplace

Your basically taking advantage of whatever weakness a foe has and that is a pretty big plot device.
My first thought was it should at least be a level of Armor Piercing to account for increased damage. However I think Cosmic, +100% is appropriate.

Well, I'm not sure if it's that big of a plot device, it's only really powerful if both that enemies very commonly have vulnerabilities and you can easily change to those vulnerabilities (and presumably figure them out). If that is true, then it would almost be easier to make the attack twice as strong with the limitation "Half as effective if target has no vulnerability", or as you said a simple Cosmic +100%.

[starslayer]

Originally Posted by Refplace

Your basically taking advantage of whatever weakness a foe has and that is a pretty big plot device.
My first thought was it should at least be a level of Armor Piercing to account for increased damage. However I think Cosmic, +100% is appropriate.

Cosmic +100% for 'triggers ALL vulnerabilities and weaknesses'? That does sound fair, but it takes away a bit of the mystique from it.

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by starslayer

Cosmic +100% for 'triggers ALL vulnerabilities and weaknesses'? That does sound fair, but it takes away a bit of the mystique from it.

Mystique should IMO be flavor more than arcane and complicated mechanics anyhow.

[RedMattis]

I'd probably make it a 10% enhancement for another similar element (steel to silver), 20% enhancement for different elements (steel to water), 30% for dramatically different (steel to radiation). +10% for each extra element beyond the first. As a guideline anyway; if I somehow couldn't predict how useful the element would be in general.

If "holy" is an extremely common vulnerability I might charge extra; as a kind of enhancement version of Unusual Background; just for the privilege of the attack being tagged as such. If water is an extremely common resistance/immunity I'd do the opposite.

Basically, if an attack is likely to do [x2] the usual damage in 50% of the encounters, then it is about 50% more valuable than a second one which would average at [x1]. Just slap a +50% or [x1.5] to the price of the first one.


Slayer's arrows (+65% / x1.66)
Can be either Blessed Steel, Blessed Silver, or Cold Iron, at the user's choice.
About 2/3 of all encounters will likely be vulnerable to one of the arrow types ([x2] damage probably), this makes the ability 2/3 more powerful (+65%)

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by RedMattis

I'd probably make it a 10% enhancement for another similar element (steel to silver), 20% enhancement for different elements (steel to water), 30% for dramatically different (steel to radiation). +10% for each extra element beyond the first. As a guideline anyway; if I somehow couldn't predict how useful the element would be in general.




Slayer's arrows (+65% / x1.66)
Can be either Blessed Steel, Blessed Silver, or Cold Iron, at the user's choice.
About 2/3 of all encounters will likely be vulnerable to one of the arrow types ([x2] damage probably), this makes the ability 2/3 more powerful (+65%)

Hmm, inspired this idea, take a Alternative Enhancements approach.
+50% for each type but its only +10% for each additional type, switch between type as a free action.