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Old 05-23-2019, 10:37 AM   #1
CarrionPeacock
 
Join Date: May 2018
Default [Basic] Icarus Landing System

What kind of advantage should I use to make a cybernetic like Icarus Landing System from Deus Ex?
Catfall doesn't slow you down nor give immunity to falling damage.

While we're at it, is this alternative pricing scheme for Catfall appropriate? I could use it with a "slowfall" special effect.
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Old 05-23-2019, 10:42 AM   #2
Brandy
 
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Default Re: [Basic] Icarus Landing System

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Originally Posted by CarrionPeacock View Post
What kind of advantage should I use to make a cybernetic like Icarus Landing System from Deus Ex?
Catfall doesn't slow you down nor give immunity to falling damage.
Off the top of my head, I'd figure the max distance I wanted to be able to fall safely, figure out what the 80th or 90th percentile of the damage roll for that kind of fall, and buy that much DR with the limitation "Only for falling damage."

Once I had that number, I'd see if that felt right or if I wanted to kludge something together using a more rococo build.
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Old 05-23-2019, 10:45 AM   #3
johndallman
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Default Re: [Basic] Icarus Landing System

Immunity to Falling damage for [15] seems about right. Not so sure about the [10] level suggested in the link for Catfall.
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Old 05-23-2019, 10:50 AM   #4
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Default Re: [Basic] Icarus Landing System

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Originally Posted by johndallman View Post
Immunity to Falling damage for [15] seems about right. Not so sure about the [10] level suggested in the link for Catfall.
RAW, Resistant only applies to HT or IQ/Will roll, never direct damage.
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Old 05-23-2019, 10:51 AM   #5
awesomenessofme1
 
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Default Re: [Basic] Icarus Landing System

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Originally Posted by Brandy View Post
Off the top of my head, I'd figure the max distance I wanted to be able to fall safely, figure out what the 80th or 90th percentile of the damage roll for that kind of fall, and buy that much DR with the limitation "Only for falling damage."

Once I had that number, I'd see if that felt right or if I wanted to kludge something together using a more rococo build.
Terminal velocity is around Move 100 for human-shaped objects, so that would be a good starting point if you wanted to do it this way.
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Old 05-23-2019, 11:07 AM   #6
CarrionPeacock
 
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Default Re: [Basic] Icarus Landing System

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brandy View Post
Off the top of my head, I'd figure the max distance I wanted to be able to fall safely, figure out what the 80th or 90th percentile of the damage roll for that kind of fall, and buy that much DR with the limitation "Only for falling damage."

Once I had that number, I'd see if that felt right or if I wanted to kludge something together using a more rococo build.
Quote:
Originally Posted by awesomenessofme1 View Post
Terminal velocity is around Move 100 for human-shaped objects, so that would be a good starting point if you wanted to do it this way.
According to wiki, terminal velocity for a human skydiver is around 122 mph = 61 yards per second. Bill from B431 would suffer 2*10*61*0.01=12.2d=13d-3 for a maximum damage of 75. DR 75 (Fall damage only, -80%) costs 75 points, almost double the cost of Flight!
Regardless, I feel this solution is kludgy and not very appropriate for such a common trait in fictions.


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Originally Posted by johndallman View Post
Immunity to Falling damage for [15] seems about right. Not so sure about the [10] level suggested in the link for Catfall.
I feel like that too, given Flight with Gliding costs [20] and is more useful than just not dying due to a fall.
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Old 05-23-2019, 11:30 AM   #7
Varyon
 
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Default Re: [Basic] Icarus Landing System

Walk On Air has a built-in immunity to falling damage, so long as you make a DX roll (allowed once per second) to catch yourself. I feel a version of Walk On Air that only had this would be around -80%. Not requiring the roll is Cosmic: No Roll Required +50%, but that should only really apply to the 20% of the Advantage that needs a roll. Away from my books, but I think Walk On Air is around [20], making this [6]. I’d be tempted to round up to [10] to account for if the above underpriced things too much. You may also want to look at something like Flight (Gliding), particularly as the Icarus is basically a superscience parachute.

Note both of the above prevent you from dealing damage when falling. If you want to deal, but not take, damage from a fall (like the Alex Mercer in Prototype), you need DR or IT:DR of some sort.
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Old 05-23-2019, 11:44 AM   #8
awesomenessofme1
 
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Default Re: [Basic] Icarus Landing System

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Originally Posted by Varyon View Post
Walk On Air has a built-in immunity to falling damage, so long as you make a DX roll (allowed once per second) to catch yourself. I feel a version of Walk On Air that only had this would be around -80%. Not requiring the roll is Cosmic: No Roll Required +50%, but that should only really apply to the 20% of the Advantage that needs a roll. Away from my books, but I think Walk On Air is around [20], making this [6]. I’d be tempted to round up to [10] to account for if the above underpriced things too much. You may also want to look at something like Flight (Gliding), particularly as the Icarus is basically a superscience parachute.

Note both of the above prevent you from dealing damage when falling. If you want to deal, but not take, damage from a fall (like the Alex Mercer in Prototype), you need DR or IT:DR of some sort.
All Catfall does is subtract five yards automatically and halve falling damage *if* you can make a roll, and it costs 10 points. Something strictly better should be more expensive. I think even 15 points is too cheap. 20 seems at least in the right ballpark.
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Old 05-23-2019, 11:50 AM   #9
Brandy
 
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Default Re: [Basic] Icarus Landing System

Quote:
Originally Posted by CarrionPeacock View Post
According to wiki, terminal velocity for a human skydiver is around 122 mph = 61 yards per second. Bill from B431 would suffer 2*10*61*0.01=12.2d=13d-3 for a maximum damage of 75. DR 75 (Fall damage only, -80%) costs 75 points, almost double the cost of Flight!
Like I said, I'd use it as a starting point, not an ending point. FWIW, the 80th percentile of 13d6-3 is a little less than 50, according to the back of my envelope.

Quote:
Regardless, I feel this solution is kludgy and not very appropriate for such a common trait in fictions.
I don't really see how buying DR to mitigate damage from a specific source is a kludge. Also, I don't think this is a common trait in fictions so much as it is a common trait in videogames.
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Old 05-23-2019, 01:01 PM   #10
CarrionPeacock
 
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Default Re: [Basic] Icarus Landing System

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Originally Posted by awesomenessofme1 View Post
All Catfall does is subtract five yards automatically and halve falling damage *if* you can make a roll, and it costs 10 points. Something strictly better should be more expensive. I think even 15 points is too cheap. 20 seems at least in the right ballpark.
Maybe Catfall is overpriced? You can get the ability Walk on Air for 20 points and free flight for 40 points. 20 points to avoid fall damage seems high.
For example, Gliding is worth -50% on Flight, so "Only to break fall" should be higher than that. Using -60%, Flight will cost 16 points.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brandy View Post
Like I said, I'd use it as a starting point, not an ending point. FWIW, the 80th percentile of 13d6-3 is a little less than 50, according to the back of my envelope.
Even if you only get enough to be immune to average damage, it would end up costing 43 points. Still more expensive than Flight.
Besides, this protects againt falling at full velocity. Icarus Landing System slows the character down before hitting ground, so it's not protecting against fall damage but preventing it from happening.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Brandy View Post
I don't really see how buying DR to mitigate damage from a specific source is a kludge. Also, I don't think this is a common trait in fictions so much as it is a common trait in videogames.
It's as if Flight did not exist and you built it as a modified Super Jump.
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