[Powers] Using TK to boost another's ST

JCurwen3 · 09-11-2013, 01:17 PM

What does it take to use one's TK to boost an ally's apparent ST? The idea is to make the ally look genuinely stronger as long as the TK support is being provided, as opposed to being supported by external power-support.

If both of you are timing it, it should be easier, but there still is a timing issue. If only one is boosting an another ally's ST, perhaps even to trick them into believing they are stronger sometimes than they really are, it should be harder.

Are there any rules for this? Any penalties suggested? Thoughts?

Nereidalbel · 09-11-2013, 01:26 PM

Is this ST boost only being used for lifting, or is it being used for every action involving ST?

PK · 09-11-2013, 01:41 PM

As a quick-and-simple approach to this, I'd adapt the rules for coordinated attacks (GURPS Powers, p. 165), just replacing "attack" with "action." Instead of choosing to Overwhelm or Wound, you're choosing a new option: Boost. However, remember that the net effect should be that you combine BL, not ST! If you need to derive new ST, back-figure it from their combined BL.

For one TK and one normal person, this boils down to the following:

1. Whichever of the two acts first must Wait until the slower one acts.

2. The teke must roll against IQ or TK Grab skill (depending on what rules you're using) at -3.

3. The norm must roll against whatever skill is appropriate for the action he wants to take, also at -3.

4. If both are successful, sum their BLs and treat the norm as having the effective ST for that new BL (rounded down) for this one action.

(For each participant, the -3 becomes -2 if he has Enhanced Time Sense.)

So if the norm wants to punch someone in the snout to establish dominance, he'd do so at a net -8 (-3 for having to coordinate this action down to the second, plus -5 to hit the face), but would have improved ST thanks to the teke guiding his hand.

For lifting heavy loads only, I'd skip all of this -- the teke makes the load lighter while the norm lifts as much as he can. You don't really have to "coordinate" that kind of thing.

09-11-2013, 01:17 PM	#1
JCurwen3 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY	[Powers] Using TK to boost another's ST What does it take to use one's TK to boost an ally's apparent ST? The idea is to make the ally look genuinely stronger as long as the TK support is being provided, as opposed to being supported by external power-support. If both of you are timing it, it should be easier, but there still is a timing issue. If only one is boosting an another ally's ST, perhaps even to trick them into believing they are stronger sometimes than they really are, it should be harder. Are there any rules for this? Any penalties suggested? Thoughts? __________________ -JC

09-11-2013, 01:26 PM	#2
Nereidalbel Join Date: May 2013 Location: Ellicott City, MD	Re: [Powers] Using TK to boost another's ST Is this ST boost only being used for lifting, or is it being used for every action involving ST?

09-11-2013, 01:41 PM	#3
PK Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Dobbstown Sane Asylum	Re: [Powers] Using TK to boost another's ST As a quick-and-simple approach to this, I'd adapt the rules for coordinated attacks (GURPS Powers, p. 165), just replacing "attack" with "action." Instead of choosing to Overwhelm or Wound, you're choosing a new option: Boost. However, remember that the net effect should be that you combine BL, not ST! If you need to derive new ST, back-figure it from their combined BL. For one TK and one normal person, this boils down to the following: 1. Whichever of the two acts first must Wait until the slower one acts. 2. The teke must roll against IQ or TK Grab skill (depending on what rules you're using) at -3. 3. The norm must roll against whatever skill is appropriate for the action he wants to take, also at -3. 4. If both are successful, sum their BLs and treat the norm as having the effective ST for that new BL (rounded down) for this one action. (For each participant, the -3 becomes -2 if he has Enhanced Time Sense.) So if the norm wants to punch someone in the snout to establish dominance, he'd do so at a net -8 (-3 for having to coordinate this action down to the second, plus -5 to hit the face), but would have improved ST thanks to the teke guiding his hand. For lifting heavy loads only, I'd skip all of this -- the teke makes the load lighter while the norm lifts as much as he can. You don't really have to "coordinate" that kind of thing. __________________ Reverend Pee Kitty of the Order Malkavian-Dobbsian (Twitter) (LJ) MyGURPS: My house rules and *GURPS* resources. #SJGamesLive: I answered questions about *GURPS After the End* and more! {Watch Video} - {Read Transcript}