Flip side of "Pact"

[Lord Fitz]

I was writing up some significant NPCs in a supers campaign and was wondering how you would write up someone on the granting side of a pact. I can see if you are someone's Patron you could probably take them as a Dependant. However I don't see an easy way of Modifying a beneficial Affliction giving it permanence unless they broke certain rules. Has anyone dealt with this?

-Fitz

[David Johnston]

Originally Posted by Lord Fitz

I was writing up some significant NPCs in a supers campaign and was wondering how you would write up someone on the granting side of a pact. I can see if you are someone's Patron you could probably take them as a Dependant. However I don't see an easy way of Modifying a beneficial Affliction giving it permanence unless they broke certain rules. Has anyone dealt with this?

-Fitz

You get them as an Ally with a Pact.

[Lord Fitz]

Originally Posted by David Johnston

You get them as an Ally with a Pact.

Okay, I can see that, but it doesn't answer how you would modify the Affliction.

-Fitz

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Lord Fitz

Okay, I can see that, but it doesn't answer how you would modify the Affliction.

It's not actually the affliction that's granting them the powers. However, I'd just go with an Affliction that grants both powers and a Vow, with its duration extended to Permanent.

[crazycaleb]

I think it would be an Affliction with Malediction and Extended Duration (Permanent) for anywhere from +250% to +350% (depending on what range modifiers you're using for the malediction). If you look at the note on Extended Duration (Permanent) (pg 105), it says that you have to specify conditions that will dispel the effect (which would be the conditions of the pact).

I would also probably have the Patron take the person on as both a dependent and an ally (pg 131), if the Patron is going to be calling on him/her for services beyond the usual stuff that's part of the pact.

[Kromm]

I'd argue that the way to do it would be to take Dominance (p. B50) at a flat 20 points and start buying Allies at the usual price. My reasoning for this is straightforward. The ability to give Allies powers is worth nothing to you per se. Two things are worth points, though:

1. Having Allies with powers. You pay for this when you buy Allies. If the Allies have enough powers, they cost more points as Allies. It's really quite irrelevant whether they had their powers originally or got them from you. What matters is their final point level after considering their powers.

2. Making new Allies whenever you have the points. You pay for this when you buy Dominance. The fact that you create willing Allies who lose their powers if they break a Pact, and not slave Allies per se, is a +0% special effect; the important thing is that they're in some way beholden to you. Likewise, the fact that your Allies' powers are something other than the ability to create new Allies for you is a +0% special effect; the important thing is that the Allies have some power that benefits you.

Only use Affliction when you can give anybody, Ally or not, powers. The game has rules for permanent Afflictions, and note that Extended Duration, Permanent costs +300% instead of +150% unless it has a built-in terminal condition . . . so certainly, if you can go about granting advantages to people who aren't Allies, it's easy enough to rig. "Doesn't obey a Pact" is an entirely valid terminal condition -- and it can screw you, since unless you have infallible subjects, they'll inevitably violate their Pact in some small way and suddenly end up powerless even when you would have forgiven them their indiscretion. More important, your enemies can tempt your empowered pals to stray, thereby disempowering your bodyguards and followers.

[David Johnston]

Originally Posted by Lord Fitz

Okay, I can see that, but it doesn't answer how you would modify the Affliction.

-Fitz

You don't have an Affliction. You just have an Ally with a pact. Your explanation for how you have Allies with powers is to say "I have the power to give my Allies powers". You know, like your explanation for summonable Allies is "I have the power to summon demons" without worrying about getting some kind of interdimensional Jumper Affliction.

[nerdvana]

Yesterday I started a new thread unaware of this one. Thankfully The Matrix Walker was aware of this thread and pointed me to it as the fundamental answer to my question (quoted below) but I have some follow up questions I'll ask below the quote...

Originally Posted by nerdvana

In my efforts to put together my group's Scion game with GURPS I find I need to convert the Aesir purview Jotunblut. For those familiar with the power I am not using the one from Scion RAW but a fan written revision of it (which can be found here). Below, I'm quoting the pertinent power I am trying to convert also to make it easier to discuss.

So, obviously there is blood-agent and trigger (injury) going on here. But more fundamentally, I am thinking this is an Affliction (to increase ST or HT or other related traits) with a follow-up Affliction of Berserk and loyalty traits.

Does anyone see a better way to build this than a set of Afflictions?

So, here are my follow up questions how would the "timed expiration" of the dominance work? Would it be a 0-point feature to change it from an attack to simply sharing blood or would that be an innate attack/affliction attack that has no other affect but triggering the Dominance?

[Nereidalbel]

Just slap either Terminal Condition or Maximum Duration on your Dominance. And I'd call getting somebody to drink your blood instead of having to attack them a +0% special effect.

[nerdvana]

Originally Posted by Nereidalbel

Just slap either Terminal Condition or Maximum Duration on your Dominance. And I'd call getting somebody to drink your blood instead of having to attack them a +0% special effect.

So I see both Maximum Duration: one month (-0%) and Terminal Condition: skill roll can discover but difficult to arrange (-5%) applying. Trigger: injury (-15%) also is required...

However, since there is no damage amount now (with the feature described in the quote above) how is the threshold for the check handled? (perhaps make it cosmic to ignore the 3d vs HP and then Requires Will or HT check? or would Required Attribute check override the normal means?) Finally, if I want the change to go into effect immediately (instead of 2d days like Dominate normally does) would this be reduced time, and if so would I buy down the average result? (which would be buying it down from 7 days)