Hurting Yourself: Lack of Required Secondary Powers for Super ST

Dusqune · 10-22-2012, 07:52 PM

Extremely high strength scores seem to imply that you have the structure to handle it in GURPS. If you can punch that guy across the room, fine, and it doesn't hurt you at all.

Now, the Hurting Yourself rules do come in and give damage if you hurt yourself from hitting someone. This has nothing to do with what I'm talking about. A better example than punching someone would be lifting--there's no damage involved in that (usually), but in real life you can totally hurt yourself.

Have you ever heard about those extremely interesting situations where a mother will lift a car or a rock climber will deflect a boulder? In those situations, the muscles tend to pull to the point that (in GURPS terms, IIUC) the limbs would be crippled! This is even a problem for bodybuilders where they will buff up to the point where their muscles can lift more than their frame can support.

Now, for supers, a required secondary power for super strength is usually durability, and this is why! They have to be able to take the damage done to their bodies from those incredible lifts. But, as you might imagine, not all characters conform to the norm. And a character might even temporarily gain a vast amount of strength from a magical potion or somesuch that does not provide for the required durability.

So, how would we model this? Just to be honest, I'm not so much wanting to create a character limited like this as much as I'm just plain curious.

munin · 10-22-2012, 08:03 PM

The easiest way would be to simply use the Extra Effort rules. A critical failure with extra effort costs HP and risks temporary or crippling injuries/disadvantages.

Abilities can also be built with the Temporary Disadvantage, Backlash (p. P104) or Aftermath (GURPS Bio-Tech, p. 215) limitations for disadvantages or conditions that might hit for using your abilities..

RyanW · 10-22-2012, 08:05 PM

There is an Unsupported limitation for ST in Bio Tech that seems to do exactly what you want.

Flyndaran · 10-22-2012, 08:07 PM

Lifting skill replacing Ht in all over the top exertions should be a rule if it isn't already.

As to hysterical strength, I would call them story based rather than rules based once in a lifetime situations.

kirbwarrior · 05-01-2013, 01:56 PM

PCP seems to make people upwards of ten times stronger, when in reality it is just removing your bodies limits to protect yourself. That might be covered well enough with Extra Effort to do something like lift a car to save your child.

DouglasCole · 05-01-2013, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Lifting skill replacing Ht in all over the top exertions should be a rule if it isn't already.

As to hysterical strength, I would call them story based rather than rules based once in a lifetime situations.

If you'll forgive a blog link, I made some suggestions a while back.

10-22-2012, 07:52 PM	#1
Dusqune Join Date: Jul 2012	Hurting Yourself: Lack of Required Secondary Powers for Super ST Extremely high strength scores seem to imply that you have the structure to handle it in GURPS. If you can punch that guy across the room, fine, and it doesn't hurt you at all. Now, the Hurting Yourself rules do come in and give damage if you hurt yourself from hitting someone. This has nothing to do with what I'm talking about. A better example than punching someone would be lifting--there's no damage involved in that (usually), but in real life you can totally hurt yourself. Have you ever heard about those extremely interesting situations where a mother will lift a car or a rock climber will deflect a boulder? In those situations, the muscles tend to pull to the point that (in GURPS terms, IIUC) the limbs would be crippled! This is even a problem for bodybuilders where they will buff up to the point where their muscles can lift more than their frame can support. Now, for supers, a required secondary power for super strength is usually durability, and this is why! They have to be able to take the damage done to their bodies from those incredible lifts. But, as you might imagine, not all characters conform to the norm. And a character might even temporarily gain a vast amount of strength from a magical potion or somesuch that does not provide for the required durability. So, how would we model this? Just to be honest, I'm not so much wanting to create a character limited like this as much as I'm just plain curious. __________________ Addiction to Creating New GURPS Characters: Cheap, Legal [-1] Indecisive (Self Control: <=6) [-20] Laziness [-10] Dreamer [-1] Secret: {REDACTED} [-30] Delusion: Has a Quirk-Level Delusion [-1]

10-22-2012, 08:03 PM	#2
munin Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Vermont, USA	Re: Hurting Yourself: Lack of Required Secondary Powers for Super ST The easiest way would be to simply use the Extra Effort rules. A critical failure with extra effort costs HP and risks temporary or crippling injuries/disadvantages. Abilities can also be built with the Temporary Disadvantage, Backlash (p. P104) or Aftermath (GURPS Bio-Tech, p. 215) limitations for disadvantages or conditions that might hit for using your abilities..

10-22-2012, 08:05 PM	#3
RyanW ☣ Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Southeast NC	Re: Hurting Yourself: Lack of Required Secondary Powers for Super ST There is an Unsupported limitation for ST in Bio Tech that seems to do exactly what you want. __________________ RyanW - Actually one normal sized guy in three tiny trenchcoats.

10-22-2012, 08:07 PM	#4
Flyndaran Untagged Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Forest Grove, Beaverton, Oregon	Re: Hurting Yourself: Lack of Required Secondary Powers for Super ST Lifting skill replacing Ht in all over the top exertions should be a rule if it isn't already. As to hysterical strength, I would call them story based rather than rules based once in a lifetime situations. __________________ Beware, poor communication skills. No offense intended. If offended, it just means that I failed my writing skill check.