Is Striking ST "Always On" or "Transient"

[Strabo]

For the purpose of Turning Abilities Off and On (p. P153) does Striking ST count as an Always On ability or as a Transient one? If I apply, for example, Requires IQ Roll, -10%, would each attack be a single use or one minute?

[Varyon]

I would treat it as Always On, particularly considering it's also (I believe) what you use for determining if you meet MinST requirements for wielding weapons. We also know that both HP and Lifting ST are Always On, so it would be odd if the last component of ST wasn't as well.

[Strabo]

Fair point. I think I'll go that way as well, thank you.

[Donny Brook]

I couldn't find any reference to "transient" abilities anywhere in Basic Set.

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by Donny Brook

I couldn't find any reference to "transient" abilities anywhere in Basic Set.

They aren't given a formal label to my knowledge. Costs Fatigue (B111) is at least one location where the distinction is made (and I believe the one where it's spelled out the most clearly) - you pay 1 FP per use for abilities with instantaneous effects (what OP is calling transient abilities), but 1 FP per minute for those with ongoing effects (what OP is calling Always On). Well, for abilities that cost more than 1 FP, the latter gets a discount for extending the use (it costs half as much, round up, to renew it for another minute), but regardless, that's where what a "use" means is largely codified - it's a single instance for transient abilities, a full minute for Always On abilities, to use the terms from the first post.

[Stormcrow]

If the Striking ST is part of your racial template, then it is "always on" (p. B34).

The opposite of always on is "switchable," requiring a Ready maneuver to turn it on. Someone with Striking ST that isn't part of a power doesn't usually have to take a Ready maneuver to turn it on, so it's not switchable, which means it's always on.

[Michael Thayne]

Originally Posted by Varyon

I would treat it as Always On, particularly considering it's also (I believe) what you use for determining if you meet MinST requirements for wielding weapons. We also know that both HP and Lifting ST are Always On, so it would be odd if the last component of ST wasn't as well.

Seconding this, especially given the existence of canonical "temporary ST boost" that wouldn't really make any sense if Striking ST was treated like Innate Attack or something. See e.g.Adrenal-Muscular Trigger from Monster Hunters.

[Anthony]

I would, however, note that "Limited Power: requires an IQ roll on every attack" is perfectly valid.

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by Michael Thayne

Seconding this, especially given the existence of canonical "temporary ST boost" that wouldn't really make any sense if Striking ST was treated like Innate Attack or something. See e.g.Adrenal-Muscular Trigger from Monster Hunters.

This caused me to remember something from Bio-Tech, so I went and checked for it. Part of the Bio-Booster (which pumps you full of adrenaline and similar when activated) is Striking ST (Cardiac Stress, every minute -30%). The way Cardiac Stress is designed would make it a poor fit for something that were per-attack (although I could see using the "every second" pricing for that, which might fit something like Tien's Kikoho/Tri-Beam attack). So the fact you can put the per-minute version of it on Striking ST implies it's normally an Always On ability.

Originally Posted by Anthony

I would, however, note that "Limited Power: requires an IQ roll on every attack" is perfectly valid.

Considering going from "1 FP a minute" to "1 FP a second" with Costs Fatigue doubles the value of the Limitation, I could see a similar doubling for "Requires IQ Roll" if it's per attack.