Electrogenesis in Supers

[TheOneTrueClockWorK]

The Blaster (pg. 43-44) in Supers has an ability named electrogenesis. Can someone explain how it's supposed to work? I thought Aura needed Melee, and could only apply to attacks. As well, the table on pg. 58 names some damage and range numbers for it which don't seem to make sense.

[Nereidalbel]

Electrogenesis doesn't include Melee because it's based on Create, not Innate Attack. This is why it uses different damage and area scaling than most other powers in the book.

[TheOneTrueClockWorK]

Electrogenesis doesn't include Melee because it's based on Create, not Innate Attack. This is why it uses different damage and area scaling than most other powers in the book.

I'm a little confused on how it works then. How does Aura work with Create? And the damage number listed seems to be different from what it should be for Create 6. And where does area 8 come in?

[Kelly Pedersen]

Originally Posted by TheOneTrueClockWorK

How does Aura work with Create?

Aura normally turns an attack that you have to take an action to activate and target someone specific with into an effect that just comes from your location all the time, and affects anyone touching you. I think Aura is supposed to be doing something similar here. Instead of having, every second, to make a Concentrate maneuver and "zap" someone with electricity, it lets you turn it on and leave it on, zapping anyone who comes close.

Originally Posted by TheOneTrueClockWorK

And the damage number listed seems to be different from what it should be for Create 6. And where does area 8 come in?

I'm not entirely sure on this one. What I suspect might have happened is that Create was accidentally confused with Control (every level of Control does give you a level of Area Effect, essentially), and that the level was originally intended to be level 8, not level 6. Level 8 would make the damage line up, at least - 8 points of damage converts, using the Modifying Dice + Adds rule (p. B269), into 2d+1.

Here's how I'd rule this works. Buying the basic Electrogenesis ability lets you Concentrate for one turn to activate it. Once you do, it's on until you turn it off (it drains 2 FP per 10 seconds of activation). Anyone who attacks you with a Reach C weapon, or who you touch, is affected with 1d+2 points of burning damage, with the surge modifier, and similarly, anything object you touch also gets "zapped". If you don't attack someone, you effectively release about 36,000 kJ of useful energy, which can be used to charge batteries or power cells (determining how to convert kJ to charged energy storage devices is left as an exercise for someone else).

You can add extra levels of Area Effect to the base ability. At level 1, the electricity you generate fills a 2-yard radius around you, affecting everyone and everything as above, and every level of Area Affect past that doubles this radius.

[TheOneTrueClockWorK]

Originally Posted by Kelly Pedersen

Aura normally turns an attack that you have to take an action to activate and target someone specific with into an effect that just comes from your location all the time, and affects anyone touching you. I think Aura is supposed to be doing something similar here. Instead of having, every second, to make a Concentrate maneuver and "zap" someone with electricity, it lets you turn it on and leave it on, zapping anyone who comes close.



I'm not entirely sure on this one. What I suspect might have happened is that Create was accidentally confused with Control (every level of Control does give you a level of Area Effect, essentially), and that the level was originally intended to be level 8, not level 6. Level 8 would make the damage line up, at least - 8 points of damage converts, using the Modifying Dice + Adds rule (p. B269), into 2d+1.

Here's how I'd rule this works. Buying the basic Electrogenesis ability lets you Concentrate for one turn to activate it. Once you do, it's on until you turn it off (it drains 2 FP per 10 seconds of activation). Anyone who attacks you with a Reach C weapon, or who you touch, is affected with 1d+2 points of burning damage, with the surge modifier, and similarly, anything object you touch also gets "zapped". If you don't attack someone, you effectively release about 36,000 kJ of useful energy, which can be used to charge batteries or power cells (determining how to convert kJ to charged energy storage devices is left as an exercise for someone else).

You can add extra levels of Area Effect to the base ability. At level 1, the electricity you generate fills a 2-yard radius around you, affecting everyone and everything as above, and every level of Area Affect past that doubles this radius.

Awesome, that makes a lot more sense. Thanks so much.