[Plane]

Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice

I knew I'd seen this answer from Kromm somewhere before.
It was a email Bruno sent out and got an answer from here.

In short, Uncontrollable does its own thing and does not occupy the character who has it.

Originally Posted by Kromm

..can't do anything that's beyond the scope of a conscious use of that ability
.. if a limitation imposes a dependency on a conscious act by the user -- e.g., conducting a magic ritual, spending FP, taking a Ready maneuver, or flying at full Move -- then this need not apply to uncontrolled uses

Although this supports the idea that the advantage's owner doesn't spend the FP or the actions/maneuvers it still implies that SOMETHING out there does...

Otherwise compare:

Uncontrollable -20%
Costs 6 HP per use -60%

vs

Uncontrollable -20%
Unconscious Only -30%

The 2nd one is more expensive even though it's less useful, unless of course you are charging that 6 HP per use to whatever malign entity is acting through you.

If you aren't paying the operations costs then something out there ought to be, otherwise there's bounds for abuse. Which is why I'm thinking defining either an Ally/Dependent/Enemy with finite resources could keep it in check.

In the case where it's not Unconscious Only you could probably take a "Granted by Familiar" instead, except perhaps it's an untargetable familiar, sort of like an absentee Patron?

Originally Posted by Donny Brook

There are no 'maneuver costs'. That notion is an interpolation without any basis in the rules.

Using abilities without their standard activation costs is "beyond the scope of a conscious use".

Having someone else pay the cost of your abilities, on the other hand, has precedent in that 'healing pill' thing in GURPS Powers, so that's fine.

Basically if it's actually an external entity paying FP/maneuvers instead of you then it should actually be defined with stats or else what stops some 1pt innate attack from drawing on millions un inexhaustible FP for Godlike Extra Effort to nuke things around you?

Originally Posted by Donny Brook

The character is not using any sort of extra maneuver. Characters don't use a maneuver to keep their heart beating, to digest food, etc. And likewise they don't use a maneuver when an Uncontrollable power goes off. It is up to the GM to ensure that such activations are suitably disadvantageous to match the point discount.

Powers attacking enemies first is basically just disadvantageous if you're trying to avoid a fight (or at least avoid initiating one) but it's actually advantageous in the case of battle being started against you, which is one of those situations which tends to cause stress and cause Uncontrollable to go off.

Uncontrollable is even given a -10% for Insubstantial in powers because under stress you could go insubstantial in situations you didn't choose to: but that could actually be a good thing in a stressful situation since you save yourself a ready maneuver, if Uncontrollable means by passing ready maneuvers.

In the case of the ability which has it, the savings aren't as obvious/large since the ready is dropped to a free action via Reflexive's built-in Reduced time.

If I had "Takes Extra Time 3" on my insubstantiality and was unable to turn insubstantial in the middle of getting beaten up (keep getting stunned to Do Nothing ... can't do consecutive Readies) then Uncontrollable would be a godsend to help me escape danger.