Cyclops' Power

McAllister · 10-11-2014, 10:02 PM

I'll make this brief: in the X-Men, Cyclops has this problem where, whenever his eyes are open, death laser beams stream out of them. I want to make a character with an attack similar to that. There is an Innate Attack, but how do you represent the drawback? It's not quite Blindness (I can open my eyes at any time), it's not quite Always On (I can also close my eyes at any time). It's almost like Uncontrollable, but what would Uncontrollable be worth if, instead of being Uncontrollable sometimes, it were Uncontrollable always? It's almost like being Linked, but it's Linked to having my eyes open.

Yes, Cyclops has superfancy red stuff he can look through that lets him see without lasering everything. I want to play someone less fortunate, someone who can only open their eyes as a last resort.

Not · 10-11-2014, 10:40 PM

You can't have the beam as a nuisance effect. Therefore you have to pay for the beam and take uncontrollable as a limitation. Not sure what to do about blindness...

McAllister · 10-11-2014, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Not

You can't have the beam as a nuisance effect. Therefore you have to pay for the beam and take uncontrollable as a limitation. Not sure what to do about blindness...

I already realized Nuisance Effect doesn't apply here. My problem with Uncontrollable is that "in times of stress, roll vs. Will or 14, whichever is lower; if you roll higher, your power activates" is very different from "if your eyes are open, there is no roll; your power activates." Both the condition and the probability are different. Stress is unpredictable, but a power that can't be turned off without closing my eyes leaves me with the choice of being effectively blind, or looking at the charred wreck of whatever was there before I opened my stupid eyes.

For the record, I'm looking at dumping ~350 points into a 10d Burning IA with Cone and some other modifiers, and a Linked [+10%] 10dx5 Toxic IA with Radiation and some other modifiers, so everyone I look at, even for a second, burns fast or dies slow (or is over 100 yards away).

David Johnston2 · 10-11-2014, 10:51 PM

"Keeping your eyes closed" is the Mitigator for the Always On limitation.

Langy · 10-11-2014, 10:52 PM

It's Blindness with Mitigator (Firing Death Rays). This Mitigator limitation should probably only be worth -10% or so if he doesn't have Cyclops's typical ruby sunglass-based mitigator, or -70% or so if he can also wear the ruby lenses.

Not · 10-11-2014, 10:59 PM

But that's after also paying for the beam, right?

the_matrix_walker · 10-11-2014, 11:22 PM

I would buy Optic Blasts as Always on, as that is how it is for the character.

I would then calculate the points saved by the Always on limitation and list it on the character sheet as the advantage "Ruby Quartz Visor or glasses" and buy that as an advantage with appropriate Gadget Limitations.

It's a fudge, but seems fair enough to me.

jeff_wilson · 10-11-2014, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McAllister

For the record, I'm looking at dumping ~350 points into a 10d Burning IA with Cone and some other modifiers, and a Linked [+10%] 10dx5 Toxic IA with Radiation and some other modifiers, so everyone I look at, even for a second, burns fast or dies slow (or is over 100 yards away).

If you want to Cyclops's actual power, it is traditionally more of a kinetic attack.

10-11-2014, 10:02 PM	#1
McAllister Join Date: Jun 2013	Cyclops' Power I'll make this brief: in the X-Men, Cyclops has this problem where, whenever his eyes are open, death laser beams stream out of them. I want to make a character with an attack similar to that. There is an Innate Attack, but how do you represent the drawback? It's not quite Blindness (I can open my eyes at any time), it's not quite Always On (I can also close my eyes at any time). It's almost like Uncontrollable, but what would Uncontrollable be worth if, instead of being Uncontrollable sometimes, it were Uncontrollable always? It's almost like being Linked, but it's Linked to having my eyes open. Yes, Cyclops has superfancy red stuff he can look through that lets him see without lasering everything. I want to play someone less fortunate, someone who can only open their eyes as a last resort.

10-11-2014, 10:40 PM	#2
Not Join Date: Feb 2013	Re: Cyclops' Power You can't have the beam as a nuisance effect. Therefore you have to pay for the beam and take uncontrollable as a limitation. Not sure what to do about blindness... __________________ Leave this space blank.

10-11-2014, 10:51 PM	#4
David Johnston2 Join Date: Dec 2007	Re: Cyclops' Power "Keeping your eyes closed" is the Mitigator for the Always On limitation.

10-11-2014, 10:52 PM	#5
Langy Join Date: May 2008 Location: CA	Re: Cyclops' Power It's Blindness with Mitigator (Firing Death Rays). This Mitigator limitation should probably only be worth -10% or so if he doesn't have Cyclops's typical ruby sunglass-based mitigator, or -70% or so if he can also wear the ruby lenses. Last edited by Langy; 10-12-2014 at 02:21 AM.

10-11-2014, 10:59 PM	#6
Not Join Date: Feb 2013	Re: Cyclops' Power But that's after also paying for the beam, right? __________________ Leave this space blank.

10-11-2014, 11:22 PM	#7
the_matrix_walker Join Date: May 2005 Location: Lynn, MA	Re: Cyclops' Power I would buy Optic Blasts as Always on, as that is how it is for the character. I would then calculate the points saved by the Always on limitation and list it on the character sheet as the advantage "Ruby Quartz Visor or glasses" and buy that as an advantage with appropriate Gadget Limitations. It's a fudge, but seems fair enough to me.