Margin-Based Preparation Required?

[Proteus]

How would you build an ability whose Preparation Required was Margin-Based, related to the MoS on the activating IQ roll?

("I don’t know how long it'll take me to find those memories in the Akashic Records, but I'll try….")

[Donny Brook]

Build the ability with Preparation Required set at the maximum time possible, then add a made up Mitigator (Die Roll Margin) as a modifier-on-the-modifier. You'd have to eyeball the value of the discount though.

[Varyon]

Honestly, the balanced way to do it is to set the price based on the average result (that is, what you'd get if you rolled a 10.5). If you want characters with higher IQ to be able to do it faster, I'd say either set the average assuming the character had IQ 12 (anyone who goes for this trait is going to build a character with above-average IQ), or simply have higher IQ characters get less of a discount.

And, again, it just depends on the average result - it doesn't matter if it shifts by 1 second or 10 minutes per point of MoS/MoF so long as the average is constant. Although I'd suggest requiring at least MoS 5 - MoS 10 is probably more appropriate - to make it near-instant.

[RyanW]

"Non-variable" (for Affliction) is a zero point feature that makes any success effectively a margin of three. So I think I'd give it a zero point feature "Variable (Margin based preparation)" which turns the base time into what a margin of three gets you. For example, if it takes 10-Margin minutes, give it Preparation Required (7 minutes).

That's just off the top of my head, so it might need scrutiny.

[sir_pudding]

Yeah it's a zero percent modifier. Using a skill with an ability that calls for an attribute roll is a zero percent modifier. Skills can take time spent modifiers when appropriate. Skills can also used margin-based time spent modifiers retroactively if appropriate. All of these are rule switches and not worth any points.