Custom Modular Abilities

GreatWyrmGold · 05-06-2017, 02:00 PM

GURPS: Powers lets you create new types of modular abilities, or to restrict them in various ways. This is a powerful little tool, letting you create a wide variety of flexible powers. Recently, I decided to try and put together a GURPS version of a magic system that I eventually decided would be best built with modular abilities, but got hung up on one little detail.

The per-slot cost for a custom Modular Ability is based on the breadth of available module abilities. There is also a limitation, Limited, which reduces the breadth of available module abilities. Both the slot cost and trait-limited limitations (herein referred to as trait-limitations, because it doesn't sound as stupid) restrict the variety of traits which can be taken.
I have two questions about how to use slot costs and trait-limitations when designing custom modular abilities. My first question is how these two differ. They seem to do the same thing, just in different ways. My second question is about the slot costs themselves. Trait-limitations make it fairly clear how narrow a limitation the limitation represents, but the slot costs only specify for "nearly anything" and "literally everything". How short is "a short list," how lengthy a "lengthy catalog"?

05-06-2017, 02:00 PM	#1
GreatWyrmGold Join Date: Oct 2011	Custom Modular Abilities GURPS: Powers lets you create new types of modular abilities, or to restrict them in various ways. This is a powerful little tool, letting you create a wide variety of flexible powers. Recently, I decided to try and put together a GURPS version of a magic system that I eventually decided would be best built with modular abilities, but got hung up on one little detail. The per-slot cost for a custom Modular Ability is based on the breadth of available module abilities. There is also a limitation, Limited, which reduces the breadth of available module abilities. Both the slot cost and trait-limited limitations (herein referred to as trait-limitations, because it doesn't sound as stupid) restrict the variety of traits which can be taken. I have two questions about how to use slot costs and trait-limitations when designing custom modular abilities. My first question is how these two differ. They seem to do the same thing, just in different ways. My second question is about the slot costs themselves. Trait-limitations make it fairly clear how narrow a limitation the limitation represents, but the slot costs only specify for "nearly anything" and "literally everything". How short is "a short list," how lengthy a "lengthy catalog"?