[PU4, Powers] What does Cosmic power modifier actually do?

[Gurps Fan]

Power-Ups 4: Enhancements is an impressive book: it newly classifies and greatly clarifies the effects of various Cosmic enhancements. It's now clear that the term "Cosmic" doesn't mean that the ability originates from primordial energy of the cosmos or whatever, but a mere catch-all label for "instantaneous acceleration", "no active defense", and other rule-breaking effects. For instance, by combining three instances of +50% Cosmic and renaming it as "Second Nature, +150%" (PU4, p. 9), we now can even pretend that the term "Cosmic" doesn't exist.

Then, a new question arises: What does Cosmic as a power modifier actually do?

PU4 doesn't say anything and leaves it all to Powers.

Originally Posted by Power-Ups 4: Enhancements, p. 7

All "flavors" of Cosmic can be found below, with the exception of Cosmic as a power modifier. Power modifiers are beyond the scope of this book; see Powers for details.

However, Cosmic power modifier itself does nothing -- it just means that the modified ability belongs to the power Cosmic (here the terms "ability" and "power" are used in Powers sense) and just gives it an in-game explanation like "originates from primordial energy of somesuch". Adding a power modifier is sometimes advantageous (gets +1 skill bonus per level of Cosmic Power Talent), but sometimes disadvantageous: e.g., abilities that belong to Cosmic power can be targeted by Neutralize, while "raw" advantages can't.

Cosmic power modifier is a +50% enhancement. It must enhance the underlying advantage in some way to such an extent that +50% seems to be a reasonable price. Does Cosmic power modifier do anything useful that deserves +50%?

[the_matrix_walker]

PU4 specifically does not deal with Power Modifiers. You should look for that information in the Powers book. It explains there that Cosmic as a Power modifier counts as the first 50% toward any other Cosmic Modifier you may wish to add. There are a great number of specifics on an ability basis, and if one doesn't fit to your liking, you can use it to remove an inherent limitation, or whatever you and your GM agree on.

It also makes it immune to mundane power-dampers, makes sure your power works if your on another planet, or in another body... Read Powers Page 21, it has all the goodies on it, and it is WELL worth the 50%

[Gurps Fan]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

It explains there that Cosmic as a Power modifier counts as the first 50% toward any other Cosmic Modifier you may wish to add.

Yes, Powers says that the first +50% portion of any Cosmic modifier is counts as a power modifier, but that's strange. That means that if I buy any of instances of Cosmic listed on pp. 6-9 in PU4 for any of my ability, it automatically becomes one that "originates from primordial energy of cosmic somesuch" because it's now part of Cosmic power. It's not always appropriate if my character concept is a speedster with Enhanced Move (Second Nature) but not "a spawn of Cosmic Elder One" or something like this.

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

It also makes it immune to mundane power-dampers, makes sure your power works if your on another planet, or in another body... Read Powers Page 21, it has all the goodies on it, and it is WELL worth the 50%

"Raw" advantages are already immune to any power dampers or equivalent Neutralize (including Neutralize (Cosmic)). Levitating psis and beam-shooting supers will be deprived of their abilities (Flight (Psi) and Innate Attack (Super)) in appropriate power dampers, while flying birds and stinging insects won't lose their Flight (Winged) and Innate Attack.

Making an ability usable on any other dimensions, and/or in any body the user occupies is indeed useful, but it's meaningless if dimension travel doesn't exist in the campaign and the same user doesn't have Possesion advantage. To me, charging +50% seems excessive.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Gurps Fan

Yes, Powers says that the first +50% portion of any Cosmic modifier is counts as a power modifier, but that's strange. That means that if I buy any of instances of Cosmic listed on pp. 6-9 in PU4 for any of my ability, it automatically becomes one that "originates from primordial energy of cosmic somesuch" because it's now part of Cosmic power.

No it isn't. Either you have the cosmic power source or you don't. Having the cosmic power source means that every single advantage you have has some kind of cosmic modifier, but not vice versa.

[Lamech]

You get all the advantages in powers, which are in fact pretty nice.

Suppose you have from your cosmic power the following: Talent: gardening, flight, regeneration and DR.

Now due to a string of bad luck you end up in a different body, get lobotomized, all of your opponents somehow get cosmic on their damage, and you get hit with something that prevents healing. Ending up in a different body does nothing. Getting lobotomized would strip a normal person's talent, but not yours. Normally those cosmic attacks would go right through you're DR, but your DR works just fine. Also your regeneration keeps on ticking.

Also in general normal powers face things like crippling or what not to balance out the cool options. The suggestions for cosmic powers include nothing of the sort. The suggestion is you just get cool tricks.

[Gurps Fan]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

No it isn't. Either you have the cosmic power source or you don't. Having the cosmic power source means that every single advantage you have has some kind of cosmic modifier, but not vice versa.

I see. Confirmed in the description:

Originally Posted by Powers, p. 21

This power modifier counts as the first +50% of all Cosmic enhancements added to the power’s individual abilities. For instance, if the ability includes an irresistible attack, it costs +250% over and above the +50% in the power modifier, for a total of +300%.

I.e., If your IA is an ability that belongs to Cosmic power (= modified with Cosmic power modifier, +50%), making it an irresistible attack costs extra +250%. If your advantage is "raw", not part of any power, making it irresistible costs extra +300%. In effect, if the advantage includes any one of instances of Cosmic enhancement listed on PU4, pp. 6-9, the character can choose to declare "this advantage is part of Cosmic power" for free.

[Refplace]

Basically its like saying Cosmic as a Power modifier is 0% IF you take one of the enhancement modifiers (Like Irresistible attack) then you can declare it as a modifier as well. This from Supers p101
Then the Modifer is explained on p26 as a PM.
If you had a Cosmic enhancement on a power and did not want it as a power modifier then most GMs would let you have a wild power or another PM.
However the things Cosmic does is pretty extreme and likely only to be a Cosmic type power. Because they essentially break even Supers Physics and do stuff most cant do.

And this was not really gone over in PU4 Enhancements since after all it is about enhancements not powers.
This is actually kinda cool.
Cosmic is +50% as a Power modifier but you can instead take one or more of the Cosmic enhancement types then your really getting a discount as its rolling up the PM into the entrancement.
However if you do not want to take one then you need the +50% to cover the Tier and other possible functions of this kind of power.

[Gurps Fan]

Originally Posted by Lamech

You get all the advantages in powers, which are in fact pretty nice.

Suppose you have from your cosmic power the following: Talent: gardening, flight, regeneration and DR.

Now due to a string of bad luck you end up in a different body, get lobotomized, all of your opponents somehow get cosmic on their damage, and you get hit with something that prevents healing. Ending up in a different body does nothing. Getting lobotomized would strip a normal person's talent, but not yours. Normally those cosmic attacks would go right through you're DR, but your DR works just fine. Also your regeneration keeps on ticking.

Also in general normal powers face things like crippling or what not to balance out the cool options. The suggestions for cosmic powers include nothing of the sort. The suggestion is you just get cool tricks.

Sorry, but does that statement mean that if I want my advantage to belong Cosmic power, then I must pay another +50% for Cosmic power modifier (as the price for exemption from any mundane means of neutralization) in addition to any other enhancements including Cosmic ones (like "irresistible, +300%")? If so, it sounds incompatible with Powers, p. 21.

[Gurps Fan]

Originally Posted by Refplace

Basically its like saying Cosmic as a Power modifier is 0%

I see. So far, that sounds like the most likely answer.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Refplace

However the things Cosmic does is pretty extreme and likely only to be a Cosmic type power. r.

I can think of a fair number of exceptions to that rule where someone has some kind of 50% cosmic combined with the Super/Mutant or Magic modifier. Comic book speedsters for example.