Making a Weird Affliction

Pbuckley · 08-24-2022, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice

I created a Blessed version based on Sympathy from Allies to do this in my games.

Can I find this published anywhere? If not would could you teach me this power?

Christopher R. Rice · 08-24-2022, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pbuckley

Can I find this published anywhere? If not would could you teach me this power?

It's not. But I can pull it from my campaign files. Can I get back to you tomorrow? I'm about to get some sleep and it's my mellow down time at the moment.

Pbuckley · 08-24-2022, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice

It's not. But I can pull it from my campaign files. Can I get back to you tomorrow? I'm about to get some sleep and it's my mellow down time at the moment.

No problem. Thanks for the swift reply, look foreword to it.

Christopher R. Rice · 08-25-2022, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pbuckley

No problem. Thanks for the swift reply, look foreword to it.

Cursory look has not revealed it for some reason. I remember the mechanics of it as it was often used. Cost was 50 for anyone, 40 for a specific group, 30 for specific person. You spent a turn Concentrating to activate it and as long as you were within 10 yards of the subject you took half the damage of your subject. It could then be further modified with Increased Range for longer ranges. I called it "My Brother's Keeper"

Poke me by Monday if I haven't gotten back to you. I know I wrote down the guts of this *somewhere.*

Pbuckley · 08-25-2022, 08:12 PM

Will do, I'd still very much like to see it. Even if I did end up making something, that I am pretty proud of in the meantime, which I need feedback on. I used the Drains Familiar modifier as a basis for a "Damages Caster" modifier, which I applied to DR.

Flesh of my Flesh

Keywords: Buff, Minor Ritual (10 Minutes).
Full Cost: 16 points/level.
Casting Roll: Ritual Magic (Edonic), Augmented by Subjects HT.
Components: V, S, M (2 Sacred Seeds).
Range: Touch
Duration: 30 Minutes, +30 Minutes per Subjects Margin of Success.

The caster performs a ritual to link his life force with that of a willing subject. During the ritual both the caster and the subject consume a sacred seed and sit or stand back-to-back for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes the Caster will roll against his Ritual Magic (Edonic). Provided the caster did not flub the ritual, the subject will then make an HT save, on a success the ritual worked, and the subject will receive its benefits for a period of 30 minutes, multiplied by the subject’s margin of success. However, either the caster, or subject may choose to terminate the link with a command word at any time.

While the subject remains under the effects of the ritual, the caster receives a portion of any damage the subject receives in their stead. The portion of damage that the caster may absorb in this manner can range between 1 to 5 points, as determined by the caster upon completion of the ritual. Notably, the absorbed damage is converted to “raw damage”, therefore it ignores the casters DR, but does not apply damage modifiers, nor does it pay any respect to hit locations. However, this protection does not extend to any effect that requires a scratch (e.g., poison) or skin contact (e.g., electrical shock or Pressure Points skill) if the attack carrying it penetrates the DR of any armor the subject is wearing – even if it does exactly 0 damage. Furthermore, this effect counts as flexible DR for the purposes of calculating blunt force trauma.

Statistics: Affliction (Advantage; Damage Resistance 5 [DR: 5, Internal, Tough Skin, Damages Caster, Magical], +80%; Cancelation, +10%; Extended Duration [x30], +60%; Preparation Required [10 Minutes], -30%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Requires Skill Roll [Ritual Magic], -10%; Trigger [2 Sacred Seeds], -20%; Magical, -10%; Pact, -10%) [16 per Level]

A big reason I made the spell this way, is because I have been wanting to add “Ritual Spells” into my games. I typically use Sorcery, or Powers in general because I and my players generally hate pretty much every other power system. So, the idea behind Rituals is that they require a ritual to be performed in exchange for allowing the players to gain access to more potent, or long-term effects which I would not normally allow otherwise.

Pbuckley · 08-29-2022, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice

Cursory look has not revealed it for some reason. I remember the mechanics of it as it was often used. Cost was 50 for anyone, 40 for a specific group, 30 for specific person. You spent a turn Concentrating to activate it and as long as you were within 10 yards of the subject you took half the damage of your subject. It could then be further modified with Increased Range for longer ranges. I called it "My Brother's Keeper"

Poke me by Monday if I haven't gotten back to you. I know I wrote down the guts of this *somewhere.*

Said to poke you if you hadn't gotten back by Monday, so... poke?

Christopher R. Rice · 08-29-2022, 11:43 PM

So the way to do this is a bit...odd so follow with me. First, the modifier we're looking at is basically Sympathy from Allies (p. B38). There are two levels to that: if the death of one party reduces you to 0 HP it's -25%, if you just DIE if the other dies that's -50%. If your wounds affect your ally, but your Ally's wounds don't affect you this becomes -5% and -10%. Swapping it from instant death or drop to 0 HP is probably a feature. So "Sympathy, Shared Damage" is worth about -25% - but I feel it's probably just a bit more since you can still be taking more damage even if you drop below 0 HP so it's closer to "instant death" so between -30% and -40%. I'm going to go with -40% as that feels about right. Now this ability doesn't assume 1 HP on one is 1 HP on the other, instead if the subject takes 2 HP they share it between them. This is probably valued at halving the limitation down to -20%.

Next, we take the modifier from the first step and turn it into a Regulateable Limitation (this is from #3/46: Weird Science, p. 18). This allows you to switch it on or off as a free action on your turn. So the value of "Shared Damage Effects" is thus worth 40% + -20% = +20%. (If it were to take a Ready maneuver, this would add -5% and thus be worth +15%.)

Next, what we are doing is applying this as a modifier to anyone. Now that's a tad tricky, but the best method is assuming an ally of 200% or less can cover most anyone you know (that is from Pyramid #3/75: Hero's Jackpot, p. 19). That's 20 points as a base. It needs to have Constant appearance or things get weird. Finally, since it's anyone we make it a Wildcard Power (this is from GURPS Supers, p. 41). Normally, with that modification it lets you use the modified trait as any number of traits, but it can also be used to give the trait it is modifying an "unlimited" specialization for traits that require that. So 20 (base) x 4 (Frequency of Appearance) x 4 (Wildcard) = 320 points.

Next, we apply that limitation from the second step to this cost: 320 x 1.2 = 384 points. But! We're not summoning random allies. We're just sharing damage so we don't pay the base cost, just the cost we modified. So cost becomes 64 points as we ignore the base cost of the modified Ally. We then add a Divine power modifier of -10% and "Willing only" (-10%) for a cost of 51.2 points. Making it an even 50 points seems more on target.

Given that Injury Tolerance (Damage Reduction 2) costs 50 points as a base and would need Affects Others, Only (+0%), Area Effect, 1 yard (+25%) Ranged (+40%), and Nuisance Effect, Shared Damage (-20%) costs 70 points I think we're in the right ballpark.

So, to sum up the power would look like this:

Blessed (Martyr): On your turn you can declare one ally within 100 yards of you to benefit from this ability. Make an IQ roll in areas of less than normal Sanctity, otherwise no roll is required. When your ally takes any damage, but before any wounding multiplier is apply halve it and split the damage equally. Apply extra damage from any fractions to the martyr; if only 1 HP is dealt, then that too goes to the martyr. This lasts until the blessed character rescinds it and as long as the ally is within 100 yards (add increased Range to increase this range). If the martyr goes unconscious they can attempt a Will roll to cut the blessing off, otherwise they continue to take damage. This is worth 50 points if you can affect anyone; 40 points for a specific race or culture; 30 points for a specific creed, nation, or everyone you personally know; 20 points for close friends, adventuring companions, etc.; or 10 points for one person. If you can affect multiple people at once add a +20% modifier per person after the first (up to IQ/3 discrete subjects). If this requires a Ready maneuver on your turn to activate, add a -5% limitation. If you can affect inanimate objects as well add +100% (or +0% if you can only affect inanimate objects).

Christopher R. Rice · 08-29-2022, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pbuckley

Said to poke you if you hadn't gotten back by Monday, so... poke?

I have been poked!. :-)

Pbuckley · 08-30-2022, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice

I have been poked!. :-)

I can see that, me and my scientists are analyzing the data now... Thanks for this.

08-25-2022, 08:12 PM	#5
Pbuckley Join Date: Jul 2020	Re: Making a Weird Affliction Will do, I'd still very much like to see it. Even if I did end up making something, that I am pretty proud of in the meantime, which I need feedback on. I used the Drains Familiar modifier as a basis for a "Damages Caster" modifier, which I applied to DR. Flesh of my Flesh Keywords: Buff, Minor Ritual (10 Minutes). Full Cost: 16 points/level. Casting Roll: Ritual Magic (Edonic), Augmented by Subjects HT. Components: V, S, M (2 Sacred Seeds). Range: Touch Duration: 30 Minutes, +30 Minutes per Subjects Margin of Success. The caster performs a ritual to link his life force with that of a willing subject. During the ritual both the caster and the subject consume a sacred seed and sit or stand back-to-back for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes the Caster will roll against his Ritual Magic (Edonic). Provided the caster did not flub the ritual, the subject will then make an HT save, on a success the ritual worked, and the subject will receive its benefits for a period of 30 minutes, multiplied by the subject’s margin of success. However, either the caster, or subject may choose to terminate the link with a command word at any time. While the subject remains under the effects of the ritual, the caster receives a portion of any damage the subject receives in their stead. The portion of damage that the caster may absorb in this manner can range between 1 to 5 points, as determined by the caster upon completion of the ritual. Notably, the absorbed damage is converted to “raw damage”, therefore it ignores the casters DR, but does not apply damage modifiers, nor does it pay any respect to hit locations. However, this protection does not extend to any effect that requires a scratch (e.g., poison) or skin contact (e.g., electrical shock or Pressure Points skill) if the attack carrying it penetrates the DR of any armor the subject is wearing – even if it does exactly 0 damage. Furthermore, this effect counts as flexible DR for the purposes of calculating blunt force trauma. Statistics: Affliction (Advantage; Damage Resistance 5 [DR: 5, Internal, Tough Skin, Damages Caster, Magical], +80%; Cancelation, +10%; Extended Duration [x30], +60%; Preparation Required [10 Minutes], -30%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Requires Skill Roll [Ritual Magic], -10%; Trigger [2 Sacred Seeds], -20%; Magical, -10%; Pact, -10%) [16 per Level] A big reason I made the spell this way, is because I have been wanting to add “Ritual Spells” into my games. I typically use Sorcery, or Powers in general because I and my players generally hate pretty much every other power system. So, the idea behind Rituals is that they require a ritual to be performed in exchange for allowing the players to gain access to more potent, or long-term effects which I would not normally allow otherwise. Last edited by Pbuckley; 08-25-2022 at 08:19 PM.

08-29-2022, 11:43 PM	#7
Christopher R. Rice Raven and a Writing Desk Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Portsmouth, VA, USA	Re: Making a Weird Affliction So the way to do this is a bit...odd so follow with me. First, the modifier we're looking at is basically Sympathy from Allies (p. B38). There are two levels to that: if the death of one party reduces you to 0 HP it's -25%, if you just DIE if the other dies that's -50%. If your wounds affect your ally, but your Ally's wounds don't affect you this becomes -5% and -10%. Swapping it from instant death or drop to 0 HP is probably a feature. So "Sympathy, Shared Damage" is worth about -25% - but I feel it's probably just a bit more since you can still be taking more damage even if you drop below 0 HP so it's closer to "instant death" so between -30% and -40%. I'm going to go with -40% as that feels about right. Now this ability doesn't assume 1 HP on one is 1 HP on the other, instead if the subject takes 2 HP they share it between them. This is probably valued at halving the limitation down to -20%. Next, we take the modifier from the first step and turn it into a Regulateable Limitation (this is from #3/46: Weird Science, p. 18). This allows you to switch it on or off as a free action on your turn. So the value of "Shared Damage Effects" is thus worth 40% + -20% = +20%. (If it were to take a Ready maneuver, this would add -5% and thus be worth +15%.) Next, what we are doing is applying this as a modifier to anyone. Now that's a tad tricky, but the best method is assuming an ally of 200% or less can cover most anyone you know (that is from Pyramid #3/75: Hero's Jackpot, p. 19). That's 20 points as a base. It needs to have Constant appearance or things get weird. Finally, since it's anyone we make it a Wildcard Power (this is from GURPS Supers, p. 41). Normally, with that modification it lets you use the modified trait as any number of traits, but it can also be used to give the trait it is modifying an "unlimited" specialization for traits that require that. So 20 (base) x 4 (Frequency of Appearance) x 4 (Wildcard) = 320 points. Next, we apply that limitation from the second step to this cost: 320 x 1.2 = 384 points. But! We're not summoning random allies. We're just sharing damage so we don't pay the base cost, just the cost we modified. So cost becomes 64 points as we ignore the base cost of the modified Ally. We then add a Divine power modifier of -10% and "Willing only" (-10%) for a cost of 51.2 points. Making it an even 50 points seems more on target. Given that Injury Tolerance (Damage Reduction 2) costs 50 points as a base and would need Affects Others, Only (+0%), Area Effect, 1 yard (+25%) Ranged (+40%), and Nuisance Effect, Shared Damage (-20%) costs 70 points I think we're in the right ballpark. So, to sum up the power would look like this: Blessed (Martyr): On your turn you can declare one ally within 100 yards of you to benefit from this ability. Make an IQ roll in areas of less than normal Sanctity, otherwise no roll is required. When your ally takes any damage, but before any wounding multiplier is apply halve it and split the damage equally. Apply extra damage from any fractions to the martyr; if only 1 HP is dealt, then that too goes to the martyr. This lasts until the blessed character rescinds it and as long as the ally is within 100 yards (add increased Range to increase this range). If the martyr goes unconscious they can attempt a Will roll to cut the blessing off, otherwise they continue to take damage. This is worth 50 points if you can affect anyone; 40 points for a specific race or culture; 30 points for a specific creed, nation, or everyone you personally know; 20 points for close friends, adventuring companions, etc.; or 10 points for one person. If you can affect multiple people at once add a +20% modifier per person after the first (up to IQ/3 discrete subjects). If this requires a Ready maneuver on your turn to activate, add a -5% limitation. If you can affect inanimate objects as well add +100% (or +0% if you can only affect inanimate objects). __________________ My w23 Stuff My Blog GURPS Discord My Discord Latest GURPS Book: Meta-Tech Latest TFT: Vile Vines Become a Patron!