Fast, Graceful, and Vicious Attacks [Powers]

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

As a GM, I object to allowing Rapier Wit to being more effective than Affliction for stunning people, so I would not allow any form of Cosmic that would negate the group penalty (nor would I allow it to work by sight instead of sound).

I’m really just using Rapier Wit as a baseline to figure out an approximate fair price, as mechanically it’s very close to what would work, but if you’re that strongly opposed, a Linked Area Effect Affliction is probably the way to go. Terror simply has too many add-on effects (Rule of 14, basically every result other than Stun, etc) that I feel are inappropriate for the effect as-described.

It may be useful to ask exactly what direction you’re coming to this from. Your initial post implies you want to mimic the “attack is so fast/awesome/scary it shocks everyone into nonaction” effect in GURPS. Your apparently strong desire to use Terror implies you actually want an attack with a Terror side effect, and want an in-game explanation for it. Either approach is perfectly valid, but any attempts to answer the first are going to fall on deaf ears (or I suppose blind eyes, given this is written) if you’re actually looking for the second.

[AlexanderHowl]

I am not opposed to using Rapier Wit, it is a relatively cheap and clever build, it is just that I am opposed to attempting to use Cosmic to circumvent its primary limitation (as well as changing it from sound to vision). It is a good effect for the sound that the attack makes, perhaps a mace that screams blasphemies or a sword so sharp that the air itself cries in pain.

[Plane]

Maybe even without abilities there should be some basic idea of inducing will checks in relation to any kind of attack in relation to the power of the victim and observer?

[awesomenessofme1]

Follow-Through, a perk from Power-Ups 2, allows you to potentially make an Intimidate roll on any turn you knock down or kill an enemy.

[Plane]

Hm... perhaps "Using Perks at Default" ? You'd need to make a roll to see whether or not you'd even get to make the roll... but the basic FP cost of Using Abilities at Default (much like Temporary Enhancements or Extra Effort) would need to be dealt with somehow.

[naloth]

Originally Posted by awesomenessofme1

Follow-Through, a perk from Power-Ups 2, allows you to potentially make an Intimidate roll on any turn you knock down or kill an enemy.

... and with a high enough skill (17+), you could also take the No Nuisance Rolls perk for an automatic success by 0. Anyone that witnesses your knockdown/kill shot would automatically check to see if they are intimidated if you want to try for intimidation.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Plane

Maybe even without abilities there should be some basic idea of inducing will checks in relation to any kind of attack in relation to the power of the victim and observer?

Well, per B360, "When you are faced with a stressful situation or a distraction, the GM may require you to roll against your Will to stay focused". In general, an unexpected display of competence might result in partial surprise, require a will roll, or even require a fright check, depending on the incident.

[Aldric]

On a second thought, what you need is just attacking people without Combat Reflexes by surprise.

[Plane]

Originally Posted by naloth

... and with a high enough skill (17+), you could also take the No Nuisance Rolls perk for an automatic success by 0. Anyone that witnesses your knockdown/kill shot would automatically check to see if they are intimidated if you want to try for intimidation.

In that case you wouldn't need to roll if they fail, but if they succeed then you would roll to see if you succeeded by more, I think?

What about people who can't help being intimidating and can't choose to avoid doing it?

Originally Posted by Anthony

Well, per B360, "When you are faced with a stressful situation or a distraction, the GM may require you to roll against your Will to stay focused". In general, an unexpected display of competence might result in partial surprise, require a will roll, or even require a fright check, depending on the incident.

It's kind of hard to know where to draw the line on what is considered stressful and what is considered unexpected though, and both would have degrees that might match up with ease/difficulty bonuses/penalties.

[naloth]

Originally Posted by Plane

In that case you wouldn't need to roll if they fail, but if they succeed then you would roll to see if you succeeded by more, I think?

I'll have to check, but I thought the ruling on "No Roll Required" either via cosmic or a perk was that your success was treated as a success by 0. If you don't use the perk you still have the option of actually rolling, but if you do you have to take the result even if it's a failure.

What about people who can't help being intimidating and can't choose to avoid doing it?

It's what separates the mooks from the men ;)

The ability to break morale and cause the rest of a group to be intimidated is a pretty nice ability.

You could take this to extremes... Terror (Awe 0%?; Only after a knockdown / kill -X%).

"Surprise" is probably a better way to handle pre-fight stun. If you aren't expecting a fight, you should have to roll to realize and act before joining the fight.