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Old 08-24-2021, 10:43 AM   #1
Yako
 
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Default Ability to Shield Allies (Active Defense limitation)

Hello Everyone,

I wanted to copy an ability from another system to let a character shield allies from damage (baseline allies and himself, optional only allies).
Basically, something similar to sacrificial parry / block / shieldwall training but based on modified Damage Resistance.

Affects others seemed like the right start, though I definitely do not want the affects others + forcefield + area variant, which would after all not really work well for something like a chaotic combat with allies and enemies all over the place (and thus both inside any big forcefield a character could make).

My idea was combing Active Defense (-40%) with affect others (+50%), but by default, this would leave me still with the issue that affects others has a range of touch.
Thus, I was thinking of adding ranged (+40%) and likely reduced range for the maximum -30% (potentially with the -5% nuisance effect from psionic powers that actual range is just 5 yards).

This would give an end result of +20%, so 6 points per level of this DR that helps your allies.

I think given that it is still often cheaper to just have an affliction to grant your allies DR (You pay 10 points for the base of affliction, whatever modifiers you put int for range, area, malediction, duration, etc. and 5 points for every level of DR your affliction grants, since with it being beneficial, you likely will not need higher levels of the underlying affliction advantage), this should be okay in terms of cost, but I wanted to hear some opinions on the build.

Especially, if you know any way to do this in the basic advantage framework differently, I would of course be interested to hear it!^^
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Old 08-24-2021, 11:47 AM   #2
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Default Re: Ability to Shield Allies (Active Defense limitation)

Ranged would make it so you can protect only one ally at a time - so if one of your friends is about to be clobbered, you raise that ally's resilience, reducing or eliminating the wound he/she would have received otherwise. If you instead want to be able to protect everyone at once, Area Effect is an option - you just want to combine it with Selective Area so you can leave out anyone you'd rather not protect (like your enemies).
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Old 08-24-2021, 01:25 PM   #3
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Default Re: Ability to Shield Allies (Active Defense limitation)

That would be the idea, yes.

as it is written, the ability should be using this DR, with active defense, for any ally within range, with one target at a time and the active defense penalties accumulating (first unmodified, second -4, third -8, etc.).

An alternative by the way would be to build this like an Aura of Power from GURPS Power Ups Enhancements, just with a slightly bigger area than the default and give every ally within range his OWN active defense DR.
...though this would of course be objectively better unless you have a really low Dexterity ally you would rather shield with your own active defense roll. ^^ ;

I am considering using that model instead and just adding a limitation to make all the DR share the same cumulative penalty, though that seems messy.
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Old 08-24-2021, 02:12 PM   #4
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Default Re: Ability to Shield Allies (Active Defense limitation)

Use an Area Effect with Selective so it only helps friends.
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Old 08-24-2021, 02:57 PM   #5
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Default Re: Ability to Shield Allies (Active Defense limitation)

Other option could be

Afliction + DR + power defense optional rules + Sacrificial parry perk
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Old 08-24-2021, 04:29 PM   #6
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Default Re: Ability to Shield Allies (Active Defense limitation)

I'd probably do it as an affliction myself. Affects others is really not an optimal way to do it.
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Old 08-24-2021, 06:32 PM   #7
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Default Re: Ability to Shield Allies (Active Defense limitation)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Yako View Post
Hello Everyone, I wanted to copy an ability from another system to let a character shield allies from damage (baseline allies and himself, optional only allies)(...)
I guess you want to make a shield ability akin to the ones we find in JRPG games? The shield-hero raises his shield and blocks attacks against the rest of the team? I have worked on something similar; it actually is a projected weapon that can parry substantial attacks. If you have parry missile weapons, you can also parry projectiles.

This works as a “natural weapon” that projects from your body, it "blocks" attacks against you or your friends (mechanically, it parries, so you can use it as many times as penalties allow you):

Natural Weapon (Projected: Shield)*

Crushing [5]
Requires shield (-10%), bring your shield or this won’t work.
Hidden (-20%), it shows when you need it.
Single, (-20%), only one natural weapon.
No Wounding (-50%), you cannot attack with this ability.
Projected (50%), the shield spawns where you need it.
Ranged (100%), x.5/x1, acc 3, bulk -2, works normally in melee range.
Increased Range x 10 (30%), effective range is 50 yards.
Resilient (40%), indestructible (parry anything).
Weapon adaptation PERK [1] (it works with the shield skill).
Sacrificial parry PERK [1] (natural weapon).

Final cost 15 CP.

*It may be subject to range penalties.

Powering up: The skill is also compatible with weapon master, trained by a master, enhanced parry, you may also buy “good defense” as part of the natural weapon, and you could add the “no range penalties” enhancement if range penalties bother you (although “good defense” buys -2 and is cheaper).
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Last edited by Hide; 08-28-2021 at 02:18 PM. Reason: Typo in increased range.
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Old 08-24-2021, 07:18 PM   #8
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Default Re: Ability to Shield Allies (Active Defense limitation)

Question: Is this literally "I can do a Block defense for allies far away" or is it "I give allies DR"?
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Old 08-24-2021, 08:20 PM   #9
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Default Re: Ability to Shield Allies (Active Defense limitation)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hide View Post
I guess you want to make a shield ability akin to the ones we find in JRPG games? The shield-hero raises his shield and blocks attacks against the rest of the team? I have worked on something similar; it actually is a projected weapon that can parry substantial attacks. If you have parry missile weapons, you can also parry projectiles.

This works as a “natural weapon” that projects from your body, it "blocks" attacks against you or your friends (mechanically, it parries, so you can use it as many times as penalties allow you):

Natural Weapon (Projected: Shield)*

Crushing [5]
Requires shield (-10%), bring your shield or this won’t work.
Hidden (-20%), it shows when you need it.
Single, (-20%), only one natural weapon.
No Wounding (-50%), you cannot attack with this ability.
Projected (50%), the shield spawns where you need it.
Ranged (100%), x.5/x1, acc 3, bulk -2, works normally in melee range.
Increased Range x 10 (30%), effective range is 5 yards.
Resilient (40%), indestructible (parry anything).
Weapon adaptation PERK [1] (it works with the shield skill).
Sacrificial parry PERK [1] (natural weapon).

Final cost 15 CP.

*It may be subject to range penalties.

Powering up: The skill is also compatible with weapon master, trained by a master, enhanced parry, you may also buy “good defense” as part of the natural weapon, and you could add the “no range penalties” enhancement if range penalties bother you (although “good defense” buys -2 and is cheaper).
This is really interesting. Does the "shield" have a DB to add to the shield skill, or is that forgone because it's mechanically a parry and just using the shield skill, or is it intended to flow from the DB of the real shield?

Is your take on this that you don't need a hand to use it - it's just projected and works so long as you have a defence available (so long as you have a shield on you)? Does it benefit from all-out-defence options?
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Old 08-24-2021, 09:36 PM   #10
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Default Re: Ability to Shield Allies (Active Defense limitation)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Farmer View Post
This is really interesting. Does the "shield" have a DB to add to the shield skill, or is that forgone because it's mechanically a parry and just using the shield skill, or is it intended to flow from the DB of the real shield?
Thanks, I hope it helps the OP as an alternative. I took this approach because the rest of the members already presented useful ideas. DR sponges partial damage, but a successful parry has the potential of negating the whole attack (thus preventing all injury).

The visual effects depend on you. It could be that you project your shield in front of your ally (e.g. a shield of light), or that you parry with the shield ala Captain America (if you remove “no wounding” you can also attack with it!).

Regarding your questions:

Since this is a parry, it does not provide a defense bonus (DB).
But it bypasses the limitation of "one block per turn".

The ability requires a shield, it projects the shield, so the user enjoys the shield's defense bonus which often helps a parry (smaller shield: smaller DB, bigger shield: larger DB); this is a fantastic explanation, BTW. Just in case, enhanced block won't aid this ability, enhanced parry may.

You need a hand for two reasons: (1) The ability has the "single" limitation, the "shield" is bound to your "shield hand". (2) You must wear the shield you will project, or the skill won't work.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Farmer View Post
Is your take on this that you don't need a hand to use it - it's just projected and works so long as you have a defence available (so long as you have a shield on you)? Does it benefit from all-out-defence options?
Yes, you can use the ability as long as you can defend. Projected is a special variant of cosmic that adds utility, it helps you project the shield anywhere you need it: If the attack is within the 5-yard range, you can "block" it.

Yes, you can use it with all-out-defense, it is a weapon after all. Of course, this requires a fine knowledge of the rules, for example:

"Retreat parry" would normally apply to yourself only. Still, stretching things a bit, a retreat could work if both the shield hero and the ally had the teamwork perk and if the ally could do a retreat.

An all-out-defense: determined could work for an ally at range, but only if the shield-hero discarded the bonus to protect himself. If the shield-hero had enhanced tracking, then he could enjoy the bonus to protect and ally and himself (or two allies).
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