Linked abilities and limitations

[Shavrendil]

I was trying to create a type of "Battle Rage" ability and got confused about how to apply limitations to linked advantages (at the +10%, permanent, level).

The ability I am working on now would have the following effects:

• gives the user +7 ST, +3 HT and +3 DR
• causes Berserk
• consumes 1 fatigue per 10 seconds (6 per minute)
• requires activation roll vs. HT
• can only be used when under half HP

It seems to me that to activate it all at once I must use Link on all three advantages. I think I can apply the Accessibility (whatever its value is) to all three without problem. Berserk is also not a problem, just need to make sure that total point break is less than 80% of Berserk's value.

But I have problems with activation roll and fatigue costs.

Can I apply the HT roll requirement to all three advantages as well, and would it mean I only make a single roll? Or in that case I would need to make 3 rolls? And if I apply it to only e.g. ST, and the roll fails, does the whole ability fail or just the ST bonus is not present?

Similar problem with fatigue costs. Do I apply it to all three or to only one?

Any help is appreciated.

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by Shavrendil

Similar problem with fatigue costs. Do I apply it to all three or to only one?

There are usually several approaches that make sense. Applying the limitations to each trait in a link is perfectly reasonable in some cases.

In this one though, given that you don't go Berserk separately (I'm guessing anyway) the way I'd probably do it is take all the advantages, add link to each of them, add up their costs, call that a meta-trait, and apply the limitations to that, one of the limitations being Temporary Disadvantage (Berserk).

[CattyNebulart]

I think you would apply the HT roll limitation to all 3 advantages and that link will consolidate it all into one roll.

With fatigue I am less sure but it would make sense to apply it to all the advantages.

What I would do is construct a meta trait of all the desired advantages and then apply any desired modifiers to the meta-trait as a whole. However that requires GM vigilance since it's not RAW and easily abused.

[Not another shrubbery]

Simplest solution will involve an Alternate Form, I think. Give the AF Berserk (and maybe Bad Temper also) and the trait pluses. Attach the activation and Accessibility to the base cost. The fatigue cost limiter is a little trickier. The usual assumption is that putting it on the base cost will require the fatigue to be spent only when changing form, so if you want a 'per time period' charge, it should go on the entire package.

[vicky_molokh]

Meta-Traits are not the way to do it.

Originally Posted by uFAQ

I want an ability that costs FP or HP to use, but the ability consists of several Advantages; how do I allocate the FP/HP cost limitation?
For those familiar with the problem, here's a solution from Kromm:
First, do not buy a Link unless the ability really needs it (see below).
Second, chose an Advantage that gets the best discount for FP/HP Cost Limitation. Now, add Accessibility (Only while that main Advantage is active) -10% to all other Advantages in the ability. Unlike switchability (of any sort), Accessibility doesn't require separate Ready manoeuvres to turn on the Advantage, so it just flips on once it is accessible.

Exceptions (Switchable): Static, Mana Damper, and other Advantages with a non-10% Switchable price still need to take the Switchable enhancement to benefit from this build; this makes them have a net cost of 190%. Otherwise, either the Accessibility or the FP/HP/ER cost have a free Switchability included.

Exceptions (Link): links are needed for transient abilities, like Shapeshifting, Attacks (incl. Binding and Afflictions) or other 'special' cases. In fact, Linking them at +10% level actually prevents you from using them unlinked (and thus negates the right to buy the -10% Accessibility).

[Kuroshima]

Take a look at GURPS Thaumatology, under Spirit Vessels (p 211). It's how I would do it. In fact the day I go and convert the Oath of Swords (and followups) to GURPS [they would make an excellent setting for fantasy gaming] I'll use something of this sort

Edit: Oath of Swords by David Weber is available for free at the Baen Free Library

[Shavrendil]

Thanks for all proposed solutions (though I do not have access to Thaumatology so I couldn't check the latest). I like the one posted by Molokh the best, but I think it still isn't perfect.

As to why I like it the best, I thought a bit more and made this comparison:

• if I have 3 advantages, each with Costs Fatigue: 6 per minute, -30% and no other modifiers, I can activate them all in 3 turns by spending 18 FP;
• if I have the same 3 advantages, add Link, +10% to each, and add Costs Fatigue: 6 per minute, -30% to the resulting meta-trait, I will be able to activate them all by taking 1 turn and spending 6 FP.

The point cost increase (1/7, from 70% to 80% of unmodified advantage cost) doesn't seem to justify 2/3 reduction in fatigue cost.

And why I'm still not convinced this is the way to do it - there seems to be no way to justify any other limitations for activation on the advantages which do not have FP cost attached. Even if the main advantage is only usable at night and requires 1 hour preparation and a HT activation roll (-80% total), all others only get the -10% Accessibility (and can't get e.g. the activation roll, as this would make them switchable and prevent the method from working).

I will probably do as Molokh said, but modify the Accessibility on other advantages to something different than -10% - e.g. if the main advantage is usable only 50% of the time, I think it should be worth about -25%.

[Kuroshima]

Originally Posted by Shavrendil

Thanks for all proposed solutions (though I do not have access to Thaumatology so I couldn't check the latest). I like the one posted by Molokh the best, but I think it still isn't perfect.

It's basically an alternate form that, instead of changing your race, transforms you into a "your race, plus extras". One of those extras is a dependency (being in your native form) (Fatigue -50%)

Let's assume something similar to what you ask in the first post:

Battle Rage:

• Alternate Form (requires HT roll -10%; Trigger <being under 50% HP> -30% (1); Reduced Time 4 +80% (2)) [21]
• Alternate form template: 73*0.9= [66]
  • +7 ST [70]
  • +3 HT [30]
  • +3 DR [15]
  • Dependency (Assuming Natural Form; Constantly; Fatigue Only -50%) [-12] <1 FP/Minute>
  • Berserk (6) (Battle Rage +50%) [-30]
  • Total: 73
• Total: 66+21= [87]

(1) one category worse than Requires Injury, since it's worse. Requires Injury just requires 1 HP damage from whatever source. I don't recall if this has a standard modifier value though.
(2) This makes the transformation take 1 second, and that's what I assumed that you wished

[Gurps Fan]

Here's my take:

Battle Rage

44 points

You can activate this ability only when you are injured to 1/2 HP or less. To use this ability, take one turn of Ready maneuver and roll on your HT; if successful, you get ST +7, HT +3 and DR 3. While this ability is "on", you must spend 1 FP of fatigue per 10 seconds and suffer the effect of Berserk disdvantage (see p. B124).

Statistics: ST +7 (Accessibility, Only while 1/2 HP or less, -10%; Costs FP, 6 FP/min, -30%; Temporary Disadvantage, Berserk, N/A, -25%; Requires HT Roll, -10%) [18]

plus

HT +3 (Accessibility, Only while 1/2 HP or less, -10%; Accessibility, Only while the ST boost is "on", -10%; Temporary Disadvantage, Berserk, N/A, -25%) [17]

plus

DR 3 (Accessibility, Only while 1/2 HP or less, -10%; Accessibility, Only while the ST boost is "on", -10%; Temporary Disadvantage, Berserk, N/A, -25%) [9].

"Accessibility (Only while 1/2 HP or less, -10%)" is non-canon, but I think this is reasonable because Trigger (Injury, -15%) requires one new injury for each and every use of the ability.

[vicky_molokh]

Double FP cost, or halve the limitation value without changing the level - because in essence it has Variable FP Cost, being useable for 10-second increments.