My Mage

[lexington]

Originally Posted by Snaps

I do see what you guys are saying about special recharge, but I kind of think the staff still qualifies. The staff is an outside source after all. Its powerful because I put a lot of points into it, its like buying 30 levels of dr with absorption.

This Kromm Quote seems to say you're right:
http://forums.sjgames.com/showpost.p...7&postcount=60

Building the staff as a Gadget probably does count as external since it can be taken away.

[Lamech]

Originally Posted by Snaps

How about use my Modular Abilities to just buy:

Snatcher (Cosmic, +50%; Recall, -25%; Staff Only, -80%; Useless Under Stress, -60%) [16] etc. and I could add Detect (Long-Range 2, +100%; Precise, +100%; Staff Only, -80%; Useless Under Stress, -60%) [8]

Hmm... the GM would need to let cosmic allow for snatching things from your own world. (I wouldn't since it allows for "I snatch the brain of my enemy"), but otherwise the snatcher will get you a new staff. Also that is one seriously clever use of a MA.

It's funny. I actually hate Can Be Stolen, when bought without Unique. Because then my players don't really care if it gets stolen, they just replace whatever was taken.

Also, this can lead to the player giving points to other players. There is no reason that a player couldn't make a Wand with 10d Innate attack with Can be Stolen, -30%, then give it to another player and later on make another wand!

It would make no logical sense if a player couldn't. If an enemy can steal it and get its benefits, then a co-player can just take it and use it too.

But they still can't use it until it can be replaced. And if a player stole one they would need to be charged points for it, just like if they went and bought a pile of biomods, or swapped into a better body or the like.

[Snaps]

Originally Posted by Lamech

Hmm... the GM would need to let cosmic allow for snatching things from your own world. (I wouldn't since it allows for "I snatch the brain of my enemy"), but otherwise the snatcher will get you a new staff. Also that is one seriously clever use of a MA.

Actually, Recall, 25% is from Powers. It's specifically for reclaiming your own personal items. I only added cosmic because I had plenty of points left over from all the limitations. I was thinking that Cosmic would allow him to take it right out of someone's hand, etc.

[chris1982]

I think that the character is actually taking a workaround to get very expensive cool powers at a cheaper cost.

What would be the (pseudo-) logical explanation of these powers? Abilities that drain all his Fatigue but a staff that immediately recharges the fatigue again? This is mostly for the sake of getting free points imho. The idea of fatigue drain is to restrict multiple uses of this ability.

Charging -70% for recharging the fatigue points via an item that is basically always there is also quite hefty.

Also, if the char is able to conduct a snatch on the staff basically all the time, the gadget can in reality not be stolen.

Unsing modular abilities very heavily with modifiers is also something I would watch very carefully as GM - e.g. if that char loses his staff it definitely qualifies as a "Stress" situation...

The not munchkin way of building this char would involve buying the modular abilities at nearly the full cost of 250 points...

[Lamech]

Originally Posted by chris1982

The not munchkin way of building this char would involve buying the modular abilities at nearly the full cost of 250 points...

Don't be silly, there is no reason not to use some limitations. And there is no reason not to use slotted cosmic modular abilities. (7 points for the slot and +5 per point of abilities.)

[Snaps]

Hmm. Slotted Modular Abilities would be even better.

With the same limitations I could get two slots with 25 points each for nearly the same points. He could do one spell with one hand, and another with the other.

He'd be a little more limited by the energy he had at hand, but I think I and my GM would both like it better than that way anyway. (That was how I first envisioned it, him casting spells then having his mana recharge but the points didn't work out that way).

[chris1982]

Originally Posted by Lamech

Don't be silly, there is no reason not to use some limitations. And there is no reason not to use slotted cosmic modular abilities. (7 points for the slot and +5 per point of abilities.)

Yes, some limitations that are really limitations. Designed this way it is a 150 point char tweaked to have powers suitable for a 300-400 point char. If not all chars in the game are tweaked like that it will have crazy results.

It is basically the same area as these destroy earth powers at 50 point cost and from my old munchkin days at D&D the halfling paladin doing 10x damage with a lance charge on a wardog...

[Snaps]

I wouldn't consider a 25 point modular ability to be earth shattering. Hell, if anything I think this character is a lot more balanced than say a standard 150 point mage.

My Modular mage has to stick to the standard rules for creating abilities and powers. At best I could manage 25 DR. A standard mage can cast spells that would protect himself from things like tanks, nukes and other nasty hazards I couldn't hope to resist. (Force Dome has 10 prereqs and only costs 3/2).

Innate Attack is always cheap and needs to be regulated by the GM. I don't know what my GM will allow yet, I'll find out this week. (I'm thinking he'll cap damage at 10d for this game for now, which I should be able to swing pretty easily).

If you think my mage is sick, think of the same thing with a standard mage.


Energy Reserve (Magic) 30 (Gadget/Breakable: DR 15, -10%; Gadget/Breakable: Size -2, -20%; Gadget/Can Be Stolen: Thief must win a Quick Contest of DX or ST (Does not work for the Thief), -15%; Gadget/Unique, -25%; PM: Magic, -10%) [18] + Regeneration (Extreme: 10 HP/Sec) (Energy Reserve Only, +0%; Gadget/Breakable: DR 15, -10%; Gadget/Breakable: Size -2, -20%; Gadget/Can Be Stolen: Thief must win a Quick Contest of DX or ST (Does not work for the Thief), -15%; Gadget/Unique, -25%; PM: Magic, -10%) [30].

That's enough energy to pretty much cast Enslave at will, not to mention all of the other nasty stuff. Reflexed Utter Dome's, massive fires, area spells, etc. Hopefully giant animals don't exist in the game world. With 30 ER and that regeneration the mage can pretty much create a SM +14 (500 yrd) animal as often as he wants.

[Lamech]

Yeah a standard mage can do some silly things if they try hard enough with only 100 points of magical abilities.


If I wanted to make a mage that was not totally useless without his staff, I was on a 150 point budget and one that used a staff to be more powerful I would go

Cosmic Slotted Modular abilities 4 (Physical and Mental +100%, magic -10%, must make arcane motions -20% Stealth is impossible -5% -3 reaction penalty** -15% No skills -10%) [38]
Cosmic Modular Abilities (no slots just more points to the base slot above) 21: Same as above +40% in addition Gadget: Staff 6' -25% Breakable -10% Only takeable by stealth (not instantly usable) -10% Difficult to Replace -15% [84]

Finally add temporary disadvantage cannot speak to get 20 points back since you cannot use your voice for other purposes while shouting arcane words of power.

** People should be wary of someone who is slinging unknown spells around. This gives that a mechanical effect. Otherwise normal people won't have there reactions change at all. (For example they would not be able to tell the difference between spell slinging and normal gestures and whispering.)

Now for a total of 102 points we have your 25 point slots. In addition we do not have the problem of unique or any limitations that are not really limitations. I think that any sort of "costs HP/FP" when you can regenerate HP/FP is suspicious.

Also another cool thing to consider adding is
Affliction: Fixed Duration, Enhanced Duration *1000 +120% Blood agent -40% Melee Range -30% Same gadget Limitations -60% [9]
Then you can use the modular abilities to enhance this. You could afflict DR, extra strength, a bunch of HP, whatever the party needs. Now not only do you have modular abilities your entire party does too, effectively! (And you have it twice)
This may be considered munchkiny.