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Old 01-15-2018, 10:12 PM   #1
Otaku
 
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Default [Basic] Advantage of the Week (#48): Enhanced Move

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If you're new to this series or just want to leave feedback about it, check out the Introduction Thread. If you need help finding something we've already discussed, johndallman is maintaining an index of which traits we've discussed.

Basic

Enhanced Move (p. B52) is a Physical, Exotic Advantage priced at 20 CP/level; surprisingly, you are also allowed to take a half-level for 10 CP. You must select the environment in which you enjoy your Enhanced Move, all of which require you already have a move in that Environment: Air, Ground, Space, and Water are the default four presented in [Basic]. Yes, Ground technically has a prerequisite; there are traits that can remove your Ground Move, after all. Each full level of Enhanced Move doubles your top speed in that medium when running in a fairly straight, smooth line; the conditions are the same as for Sprinting (p. B354). A half level provides a 50% increase. Enhanced Move does not affect Basic Speed, Basic Move, or Dodge; the only added protection it may provide is through affecting the speed/range penalty suffered by those targeting you, or possibly running away from your problems.

If you are trying to match the real-world performance of a creature, machine, etc. you can accept a lower top speed than you've paid for; this provides no discount for purchasing Enhanced Move. Enhanced Move has four Modifiers listed with it in [Basic] - Handling Bonus (+5% per +1), Handling Penalty (-5% per -1), Newtonian (-50%), and Road-Bound (-50%) - that are also useful for modeling real-world or even fantastic creatures or vehicles; please refer to p. B52 if you need the specifics, though the names are fairly suggestive.

Other Supplements
  • GURPS Powers explains how Enhanced Move may tie into movement related powers, provides ideas for how to implement it in a variety of situations (biological, super, etc.), lists a few new (or new to Enhanced Move) Modifiers, suggests alternatives to Enhanced Move, suggests complimentary traits to Enhanced Move, mentions where another trait is complemented by Enhanced Move, presents some example abilities built using Enhanced Move, and provides some clarification on using Enhanced Move in the "Powers in Action" section.
  • GURPS Supers provides two new Enhancements for Enhanced Move, a new Technique that requires it, some new Powers that include it, uses it as an example in the "Wildcard Powers" section, mentions a new Talent that works with it, includes it in some of the new templates, and gives you a better idea (including multiple examples) of how Enhanced Move interacts with mundane gear like bicycles, affects long-distance travel rates, etc.
  • GURPS Update explains the differences between the Third Edition and Fourth Edition versions of Enhanced Move; the short version is the concept is the same but the exact numbers are different; we'll look at it in detail in the next section.
  • Since I have Pyramid 3/83, I'll mention that the section on Pointless Monster Hunting does include Enhanced Move (Ground)... as Enhanced Ground Move, just to make a quick search of the document a little trickier. ;)

Past Editions

I will be referring to Enhanced Move at it appears on Compendium I p. 54. Under the Third Edition rules, it was priced at 10 CP per level (or 5 CP for a half-level), was restricted to being a racial advantage, it still increased a character's top speed under the same circumstances, but instead of doubling top speed, it just increased it by the original Move score (or half of the original Move score for a half-level). I was curious how the two actually stacked up; it is a bit hard to word because buying the same level costs different amounts of CP and provides different top speeds. Before Modifiers, until you reach 50 CP, which is five levels of Third Edition Enhanced Move or two-and-a-half levels of Fourth Edition Enhanced Move, Third Edition provides a better deal. At that point, they provide an equal increase to top speed for the same CP cost. After that point, Fourth Edition provides better and better returns for the same CP cost.

Mundane humans (and similar beings) had to purchase Increased Speed (it was treated as an Advantage prior to Fourth Edition). Superhumans had to take Super Flight, Super Running, or Super Swimming. Pages 67 and 68 give us the rules for those three traits; Super Flight and Super Running Cost 20 CP/level, while Super Swimming only costs 10 CP/level. There is no mention of half-levels being available here. Other than that, all three operate the same as their respective Enhanced Move counterpart from Fourth Edition.

Useful Links

As always, feel free to suggest additions to this section. :)
Discussion Starters

This is (usually) a generic list of questions for those who want to participate in the discussion but need a little help. If you already know what you want to say, feel free to skip these. ;)
  • Have you ever taken this trait for one of your PCs or NPCs? How did it work out?
  • Is there anything this trait does really well?
  • Is there anything you think this trait could or should do differently?
  • Any related traits you believe are necessary for full discussion? Go ahead and bring them up, but remember that this is a thread for Elastic Skin.
  • Any thoughts on how the 4e version of these traits compares to them in earlier editions?
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Last edited by Otaku; 01-21-2018 at 05:39 PM.
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Old 01-15-2018, 10:52 PM   #2
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Default Re: [Basic] Advantage of the Week (#48): Enhanced Move

In what became the playtest campaign for GURPS Supers, my character, Maria Rosa Vargas Sandoval ("La Gata Encantada"), had this. To be specific, she had DX 17, Basic Speed 12, Basic Move 12, and Enhanced Move (Ground) 1, giving her an all-out run of Move 24 or 48 mph. So she couldn't quite make freeway speeds (although on a sufficiently durable bicycle she might have).

In practice, she didn't do much running. In combat she went in more for jumping. Her high jump was 62" from a standing start, and her broad jump 21' horizontally. From a running start, though, I figure she could use her Enhanced Move to get an effective Basic Move of 48, allowing 278" straight up or 93', limited respectively to 248" and 84'.
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Old 01-16-2018, 02:04 AM   #3
Not another shrubbery
 
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Default Re: [Basic] Advantage of the Week (#48): Enhanced Move

I always use EM for speedy super characters, and my flyers almost always have more than one level. That's been true of other's characters in games I've participated in as well. It seems few people want to tool around the campaign world at just Basic Speed x 2 *shrug*
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Old 01-16-2018, 03:59 AM   #4
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Default Re: [Basic] Advantage of the Week (#48): Enhanced Move

My experience is the EM never makes sense if target move is 12 or less, and is usually only a good choice if target move is 20+.
  1. +4 move[12] adds +0.4 step, +2 all-out attack, +4 move, +4.8 sprint.
  2. +2 move[10] and EM 0.5 [10] adds +0.2 step, +1 AoA, +2 Move, +3 + (base move * 0.3) sprint.
  3. EM 1 [20] adds (base move * 0.8) sprint.
These result in the same sprint speed if base move is 6 (all three result in a sprint of 12). At above 12, enhanced move 1 might be better, depending on how much value you assign to the bonuses to other movement modes (I would usually not take EM until base move is at least 11, +1 Step is too valuable to pass up).
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Old 01-16-2018, 04:02 AM   #5
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Default Re: [Basic] Advantage of the Week (#48): Enhanced Move

Enhanced move frequently shows up as a trait for animals. A large number should have at least a half level and some have a full level.

when I use this trait I tend to use half levels extensively.
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Old 01-16-2018, 08:44 AM   #6
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Default Re: [Basic] Advantage of the Week (#48): Enhanced Move

A discussion we had a while back was which form of Enhanced Move to use for Insubstantial movement (air, ground, etc.). Insubstantial movement uses the same "propulsion" whether you're in air, water, space, or just skimming along the ground so we eventually decided it was its own Enhanced Move type -- good for whatever medium you're traveling through, but only while insubstantial.
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Old 01-16-2018, 01:42 PM   #7
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Default Re: [Basic] Advantage of the Week (#48): Enhanced Move

Quote:
Originally Posted by ericthered View Post
Enhanced move frequently shows up as a trait for animals. A large number should have at least a half level and some have a full level.

when I use this trait I tend to use half levels extensively.
So many real animals just plain leave human sprinters in the dust.
Though if they can do that through uneven or weaving terrain, they should have basic Move rather than Enhanced, I think.
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Old 01-16-2018, 02:28 PM   #8
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Default Re: [Basic] Advantage of the Week (#48): Enhanced Move

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flyndaran View Post
So many real animals just plain leave human sprinters in the dust.
Though if they can do that through uneven or weaving terrain, they should have basic Move rather than Enhanced, I think.
It's more a question of how fast they can accelerate; if they take about as long accelerating to top speed as a human, they have basic Move, if they take considerably longer they have Enhanced Move (using seconds as a reference runs into the problem that GURPS gives superhuman acceleration to ordinary humans. From a standing start to a standing stop in one second the physical limit for a biped is 2-3 yards).
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Old 01-16-2018, 06:00 PM   #9
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Default Re: [Basic] Advantage of the Week (#48): Enhanced Move

Doesn't that invoke the sprinting rules and therefore mean they can only use Enhance Movement when running in a straight line?
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Old 01-16-2018, 06:14 PM   #10
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Default Re: [Basic] Advantage of the Week (#48): Enhanced Move

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flyndaran View Post
Doesn't that invoke the sprinting rules and therefore mean they can only use Enhance Movement when running in a straight line?
It's not actually limited to straight line movement, it just follows the rules on B394-395.
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