10-26-2019, 09:12 AM | #11 |
Join Date: Feb 2016
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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. |
10-26-2019, 12:17 PM | #12 |
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Meifumado
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Re: Magical Gadgets versus Magical 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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10-26-2019, 01:28 PM | #13 |
Join Date: Feb 2016
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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. |
10-26-2019, 02:05 PM | #14 |
Join Date: Jan 2015
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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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10-26-2019, 02:17 PM | #15 | |
Join Date: Sep 2004
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Re: Magical Gadgets versus Magical Gear
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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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10-26-2019, 02:35 PM | #16 |
Join Date: Feb 2016
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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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10-26-2019, 07:47 PM | #17 | |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ronkonkoma, NY
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Re: Magical Gadgets versus Magical Gear
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10-26-2019, 08:54 PM | #18 |
Hero of Democracy
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: far from the ocean
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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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10-26-2019, 10:04 PM | #19 | |
Join Date: Feb 2016
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Re: Magical Gadgets versus Magical Gear
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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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10-26-2019, 10:39 PM | #20 | |
Join Date: Dec 2007
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Re: Magical Gadgets versus Magical Gear
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