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Old 10-26-2019, 09:12 AM   #11
AlexanderHowl
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Default Re: Magical Gadgets versus Magical Gear

The solution to people abusing the gadget limitations is to target the gadgets as well as the gear, and thieves will go after valuable looking gadgets as well as valuable looking gear. Area effect attacks will hit an external gadget as well as external gear (something that a lot of GMs and players tend to forgot). For example, a 4d burning cone attack deals an average of 14 points of burning damage to everything in the cone, meaning your DR 2, HP 2 magical gadget amulet is actually more slagged than your DR 0, HP 8 clothing (your clothing only provides cover DR 0).

Last edited by AlexanderHowl; 10-26-2019 at 09:24 AM.
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Old 10-26-2019, 12:17 PM   #12
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Default Re: Magical Gadgets versus Magical Gear

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Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl View Post
The solution to people abusing the gadget limitations is to target the gadgets as well as the gear, and thieves will go after valuable looking gadgets as well as valuable looking gear.
This violates the implicit principle that point-bought gadgets have implicit plot protection, and worse still, often it would seem that a GM is deliberately targeting a character's gadgets when they probably wouldn't bother doing so for mundane equipment, just to prove the point that gadgets are also vulnerable.
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Old 10-26-2019, 01:28 PM   #13
AlexanderHowl
 
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Default Re: Magical Gadgets versus Magical Gear

There is no implicit plot protection when you take limitations designed to explicitly remove plot protection. If you have a magical hat with Breakable, DR 2, Unrepairable, SM-6, -45%, Can be Stolen, DX roll, -40%, and Unique, -25%, for a total of -110%, it is up to you, not the GM, to protect it. If a dragon's breathe or an explosion destroys it, that is your problem and not the GM's problem.

That is generally why I warn players away from the combination of Unrepairable and Unique, as I will not protect their gadgets if they take those limitations. Now, I have plenty of NPC gadgets that have those limitations, they make for very good glass cannons and destroying/stealing the enemy's source of power is an established trope. It is also a good way to make disposable rewards for the PCs that you can destroy without too much whining from the players.
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Old 10-26-2019, 02:05 PM   #14
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Default Re: Magical Gadgets versus Magical Gear

In that case it should be an option for the player to buy a magical "gadget" without Gadget limitation. The magic item is an item just in fluff, but because the player got not point break for the relevant limitation, it has full plot protection.
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Old 10-26-2019, 02:17 PM   #15
naloth
 
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Default Re: Magical Gadgets versus Magical Gear

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In that case it should be an option for the player to buy a magical "gadget" without Gadget limitation. The magic item is an item just in fluff, but because the player got not point break for the relevant limitation, it has full plot protection.
This has been a convention. I remember it being used all the way back in Super Scum for Corsair's swords.

Otherwise, if a gadget has a limitation it should come up periodically. Of course, I also make inborn powers more relevant by imposing consequences for regular gear too. There are some places you can't take your gun collection and full military gear tends to be inappropriate to carry around 24/7.
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Old 10-26-2019, 02:35 PM   #16
AlexanderHowl
 
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Default Re: Magical Gadgets versus Magical Gear

Yes, I agree. Area effects, cones, explosions, and fragmentation effect gear as well. Even armor is not immune to damage if the attack is large enough in my games. A 6d explosion should damage or destroy most gear, even if it does not kill the character that equipped them.
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Old 10-26-2019, 07:47 PM   #17
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Default Re: Magical Gadgets versus Magical Gear

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Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl View Post
For example, 'powerstones' are merely Energy Reserve (Magic; Can Be Stolen, Stealth or Trickery, -20%; Slow Recharge, One point per day, -60%) [0.6/level], meaning that a 100 point powerstone costs 60 CP, which is 20 CP less than the Signature Gear cost of a magical item equivalent.
Gadgets (traits with gadget limitations) are only available if the item is "not for sale at any price in the game world." If a powerstone has a cash cost, then you can't have one as a gadget. If it doesn't have a cash cost, then it could only be Signature Gear by building it as a character. There is no price break doing it one way over the other, because the properties of the game world only allow one method.
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Old 10-26-2019, 08:54 PM   #18
ericthered
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Default Re: Magical Gadgets versus Magical Gear

To be both fair and clear, the use of the gadget limitation is usually a symptom and early warning sign of the problem rather than the core manifestation.

I confess to having an extreme dislike of taking points away from players through play. This extends to impulse buys (though other mechanisms for spending "points" alleviates that), and the extra life trait. I generally won't accept the unique limitation on gadgets, and my misgivings about other gadget limitations are not entirely unrelated.
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Old 10-26-2019, 10:04 PM   #19
AlexanderHowl
 
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Default Re: Magical Gadgets versus Magical Gear

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Originally Posted by Stormcrow View Post
Gadgets (traits with gadget limitations) are only available if the item is "not for sale at any price in the game world." If a powerstone has a cash cost, then you can't have one as a gadget. If it doesn't have a cash cost, then it could only be Signature Gear by building it as a character. There is no price break doing it one way over the other, because the properties of the game world only allow one method.
Yes, I replace magical items with magical gadgets in my games, and they are usually not for sale. In general, magical gadgets cost less CP than the equivalent magical item as Signature Gear, though that is just an added bonus. I just loathe the mechanics behind magical items because they are needlessly complex and costly.

For example, a staff of Teleport costs 3,000 energy (7,000 with Power 4), with translates to 120 CP worth of Signature Gear (280 CP worth of Signature Gear with Power 4). Alternatively, you could just take Warp (Can Carry Objects, Heavy, +30%; Magical, -10%; Reliable, +10, +50%; Staff, Protected, -50%) [120], and you get better functionality. Since magical gadgets have better functionality than magical gear for the same CP, I ban magical gear and just have characters purchase magical gadgets.
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Old 10-26-2019, 10:39 PM   #20
David Johnston2
 
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Default Re: Magical Gadgets versus Magical Gear

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Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl View Post
Yes, I replace magical items with magical gadgets in my games, and they are usually not for sale. In general, magical gadgets cost less CP than the equivalent magical item as Signature Gear, though that is just an added bonus. I just loathe the mechanics behind magical items because they are needlessly complex and costly.

For example, a staff of Teleport costs 3,000 energy (7,000 with Power 4), with translates to 120 CP worth of Signature Gear (280 CP worth of Signature Gear with Power 4). Alternatively, you could just take Warp (Can Carry Objects, Heavy, +30%; Magical, -10%; Reliable, +10, +50%; Staff, Protected, -50%) [120], and you get better functionality. Since magical gadgets have better functionality than magical gear for the same CP, I ban magical gear and just have characters purchase magical gadgets.
Uh-hunh. Or you could just not make your characters get everything they own or find as Signature Gear. That's an option.
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