Floating - Advantage, Perk, or 0-point feature?

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by nick012000

Lighter-than-air means that it can't control its movement, which doesn't seem to be the case. Also, if it's flying all the time, it should take Soaring (+10%) so it could float all the time (like, for instance, when it's asleep), as normally flying's as fatiguing as hiking.

Lighter Than Air means that air currents effect your movement, but you still have full use of your air move. Any remotely realistic flier should be almost 2.5 times more subject to wind than Lighter Than Air requires, since they move relative to the air, and 2 mph ~= 1 yard/s. Of course, this thing isn't a remotely realistic flier, so that may not be a factor.

[Xilodel]

It may also be worth noting that it has a variation of Body of Fire (it can turn off its burning aura at will). My apologies for not mentioning this before

Since it's got a strength of 0, I'm assuming this also means it's massless, and would normally not leave a trace or activate trip wires.

Also, it's probably worth noting that the elemental isn't very worldly wise and sticks close to the caster at all times - so traps, tripwires, and tidal waves that threaten the wizard also hit the elemental.

[Dinadon]

Originally Posted by Xilodel

Since it's got a strength of 0, I'm assuming this also means it's massless, and would normally not leave a trace or activate trip wires.

That isn't necessarily true. A plank of wood and a gold bar both have ST 0.

[nick012000]

Originally Posted by Dinadon

That isn't necessarily true. A plank of wood and a gold bar both have ST 0.

But they both buy their HP up instead.

[Xilodel]

So what exactly does body of fire look like anyway, then? I was always under the impression you were made of wisps of living flame... which would actually leave a trail by searing the ground beneath you, I suppose. But if you have to buy your strength down to zero, you can't meaningfully interact with the environment (with the exception of burning it).

Or maybe I'm reading into it wrong. Would a being with body of fire be more like the Human Torch - made of flame, but still dense enough to exert pressure?

[PK]

Originally Posted by nick012000

But they both buy their HP up instead.

Presumably, so would a ST 0 familiar. Otherwise the first time someone bumps into it too hard or a piece of tree branch falls on it as they walk through a forest, it's going to die. Having permanent HP 0 means you're literally one scratch away from death.

[8th Orbital Army]

Originally Posted by Xilodel

Since it's got a strength of 0, I'm assuming this also means it's massless, and would normally not leave a trace or activate trip wires.

That would be Insubstantial (Always On) a 40 pt advantage, not a feature of a -100 pt disadvantage.

Originally Posted by Xilodel

Also, it's probably worth noting that the elemental isn't very worldly wise and sticks close to the caster at all times - so traps, tripwires, and tidal waves that threaten the wizard also hit the elemental.

That has nothing to do with the familiar's ability to fly, I would model it as a Delusion: "It's dangerous out there" (remains within 1 yard of the wizard at all times), and price it at -10 to -15.

If the player just wants magical fireball thingies floating around the character, because it would look cool, I'd allow it as feature (if they're just for show) or perk (if they gave off dim light and a little heat). If the wizard couldn't turn it off it would count as an Unnatural Feature at the least

[naloth]

A would assess it as Flight w/multiple limitations (ceiling if it can't float high -25%, lighter than air if it gets blown by winds -10%, permanent if it can't touch the ground -10%, others like nuisance: can't cross water, etc.) and buy flight move down (usually that's worth about -10 points too) for a net advantage cost of about 5-15 points.

[RyanW]

Originally Posted by naloth

A would assess it as Flight w/multiple limitations (ceiling if it can't float high -25%, lighter than air if it gets blown by winds -10%, permanent if it can't touch the ground -10%, others like nuisance: can't cross water, etc.) and buy flight move down (usually that's worth about -10 points too) for a net advantage cost of about 5-15 points.

If you just want to defray the point cost, perhaps Vulnerability (Contact with ground) ? It might completely clash with the concept, it might not.

Perhaps the cold, static earth is hostile to hot, dynamic fire.

[Kuroshima]

I would model it with Walk on air (Magical, -10%; Lighter than air, -10%;, Maximum Height 5 feet, -25%; Always On -10%) [9] and Legless (Aerial)[0] myself. Well, I already have, in fact. I give it to many elementals in my games.