Variable Preparation Required

[Adelus]

I was wondering, while working on a Modular Abilities write up of a freeform-ish magic system...

What if you want prep time to be variable or dependent on some other actions?

Some examples:

1) Preparation time reliant on a number of successful steps, determined by die rolls and meeting a certain threshold for some value. I.E. the Energy Accumulation system from Thaumatology. You need to hit X amount based on the margin of success on a series of rolls against an attribute or skill.

1a) Preparation time based on reaction rolls, for those that like the idea of Divine/Spirit magic. Maybe you need to make a series of reaction rolls, and the reaction you get either speeds up the ritual or sets the time. I.E. good reactions may count for several preparation steps, or you might roll once and it will simply set the ritual's running time to a lower value.

2) Preparation time being determined at the moment the ability is used. I.E. some of the Effect Shaping effects from Thaumatology, with ritual prep times defined as something like "1dx10 minutes."

3) Specifically for modular abilities, prep time based on the value of the underlying ability. I know this is already sorta built into some, but how would you do this on Cosmic (which just grants the ability wholesale with one activation period)?

EDIT:

As a bit of a related aside, what about variable skill penalties for something like Modular Abilities? I.E., when using one of the above, or having to make a skill roll to set an ability, the price of that ability dictates a modifier on the skill roll?

[mhd]

Regarding your aside (which sounds like standard HERO magic rules): Can't you just make a general rule of thumb about that and then put the according limit in the abilities themselves, e.g. say -1 per 20 (or 10) CP? Skill use itself is a 0% feature, and judging from "Unreliable", a -1 penalty would be worth -5%. Requiring that limitation on all modular abilities would make that advantage itself a bit cheaper, but I don't think it's worth more than 5%-10%, depending on other limitations.

About accumulating energy, I can see two versions right away: Have an Energy Reserve and a skill to fill it up (cf. magic). As the ER doesn't fill up by itself and will reset to zero after a certain time (maybe a harsh second or 1 min), by itself it should be pretty cheap.

Of course this still doesn't get you a real variable effect. A simple solution would be a "wager" type casting, i.e. you don't automatically get a margin but have to set your own penalty an per -1 you get 1 or 2 "FP" – basically a Power Technique, which seems to follow a -1 for 10% equation (of course, such a rule doesn't really need the ER system, the same would be valid for direct "casting").

For truly margin-based solutions, you could work out something that comes out the same statistically (important pricing factor: does a failure stall or reset?). There also was some margin-based mechanic in a recent Pyramid, but I bet the author will chime in about that soon…

[Adelus]

Sorry, late response!

Originally Posted by mhd

Regarding your aside (which sounds like standard HERO magic rules): Can't you just make a general rule of thumb about that and then put the according limit in the abilities themselves, e.g. say -1 per 20 (or 10) CP? Skill use itself is a 0% feature, and judging from "Unreliable", a -1 penalty would be worth -5%. Requiring that limitation on all modular abilities would make that advantage itself a bit cheaper, but I don't think it's worth more than 5%-10%, depending on other limitations.

So, about -10% to require a -1 per 10 or 20 CP?

My general idea is that these penalties would represent the difficulty of allocating higher point values, and can be bought off as techniques - I.E., as "Spells" or rituals to be learned off the core skill used to make these rolls.

Sounds appropriate.

Originally Posted by mhd

About accumulating energy, I can see two versions right away: Have an Energy Reserve and a skill to fill it up (cf. magic). As the ER doesn't fill up by itself and will reset to zero after a certain time (maybe a harsh second or 1 min), by itself it should be pretty cheap.

ER was the idea I had. I was wondering what the limitation would be to have it empty completely if more ritual steps aren't conducted, the ritual is interrupted, there is a critical failure, or the spell is not immediately cast when the steps stop. It sounds harsher than the -70% version of special recharge, maybe even the -80%, but -80% seems like a proper fit for it.

I'm figuring if someone wants to do some "extra effort" beyond their normal means, they could take some kind of skill penalty or other to extend the ER - though this will also make the spellcasting more difficult and the threat of catastrophic failure even greater.

Originally Posted by mhd

Of course this still doesn't get you a real variable effect. A simple solution would be a "wager" type casting, i.e. you don't automatically get a margin but have to set your own penalty an per -1 you get 1 or 2 "FP" – basically a Power Technique, which seems to follow a -1 for 10% equation (of course, such a rule doesn't really need the ER system, the same would be valid for direct "casting").

Not entirely sure what you mean by this. Elaborate?

Originally Posted by mhd

For truly margin-based solutions, you could work out something that comes out the same statistically (important pricing factor: does a failure stall or reset?). There also was some margin-based mechanic in a recent Pyramid, but I bet the author will chime in about that soon…

Which Pyramid was that?