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Old 10-25-2018, 05:13 PM   #1
Prince Charon
 
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Default [Psi Powers] Power Source as a leveled perk (or Advantage)?

One of the Ergokinesis Perks in the text box of that name in Psionic Powers p35 is called Power Source. In short, it allows the user to substitute for batteries and power cells, up to Medium batteries and B power cells, though anything above Extra Small batteries or AA cells will cost fatigue, and you can't power an energy weapon that way, because it's a perk. Reading it, I wondered whether it would make sense for higher levels of the perk to exist, allowing the user to both substitute for more powerful batteries/cells, and to have an easier time powering devices that the first level could power with difficulty. It also occurred to me that an advantage variant of the perk, perhaps around 5 points per level (same cost as Burning Attack), might be used to power energy weapons, or EK attacks like Lightning (pp33-34), or a hypothetical 'Laser' attack.

So, if a leveled perk, how many levels seem reasonable?

For the advantage, does 5 points per level seem reasonable, or perhaps 4pts/lvl due to the fact that a separate advantage or weapon is required?

My current thinking is that these should be combined, so that once you get to the fourth or fifth level of the perk, it becomes an advantage and you can start powering energy weapons (at 1d/level, of course). Does this seem workable?
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Old 10-25-2018, 05:28 PM   #2
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Default Re: [Psi Powers] Power Source as a leveled perk (or Advantage)?

I think that's really too complicated. I think it's likely that this originated in my definition of a comparable perk it GURPS Supers, which was effectively an accessory perk; and I don't think stacking accessory perks that way is really well justified. If you want to be able to output higher levels of power, I'd say buy Create Electrical Energy as an advantage/ability.
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Old 10-25-2018, 06:04 PM   #3
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Default Re: [Psi Powers] Power Source as a leveled perk (or Advantage)?

Quote:
Originally Posted by whswhs View Post
I think that's really too complicated. I think it's likely that this originated in my definition of a comparable perk it GURPS Supers, which was effectively an accessory perk; and I don't think stacking accessory perks that way is really well justified. If you want to be able to output higher levels of power, I'd say buy Create Electrical Energy as an advantage/ability.
This. and its in GURPS Powers if you haven't seen it.
Your idea would be too cheap compared to similar already written options.
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Old 10-29-2018, 10:13 PM   #4
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Default Re: [Psi Powers] Power Source as a leveled perk (or Advantage)?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Refplace View Post
This. and its in GURPS Powers if you haven't seen it.
Your idea would be too cheap compared to similar already written options.
Price isn't (to me) as important as having an advantage written that does it, and works within the rules.

Create Electricity is 20 points per level (specifically mentioned in Power p92), so the question is what enhancements and limitations should be applied. 'Ergokinesis, -10%' is fairly obvious in context, and 'Based on HT, +20%' and Requires HT Roll, -10%' seem to fit fairly well (though that could be replaced by Will or IQ, of course, depending on how the setting works, or how the individual psi's powers do). On p93, it says that the energy you get is '1,000 x (level squared) kJ,' which sounds like a fair bit, but it's released too slowly to do damage, which sounds like an enhancement would be needed to power an energy weapon that does not have its own battery or power cell; for that matter, it may be too slow to power some devices that are not weapons, but still use power fast.

Also, not entirely sure how many kiloJoules different sizes of power cell store, nor how many kiloWatts the battery sizes output (looked at High-Tech p13 and Ultra-Tech p19 didn't help, though the former at least mentioned RL batteries I could compare them to to check), so I'm not clear on how levels of Create Electricity relate to specific items without doing more research than I feel up to right now (tired and have a headache, but want to get this done sooner rather than later). Depending on that, it might also make sense to apply some limitations on the first few levels of a psi ability based on Create Electricity, much like you need for levels of Sleep (Psionic Powers p49) before you start leveling up the Affliction advantage, rather than reducing limitations or increasing an enhancement.

OK, if there's anything else I needed to say or ask, I can't think of it. Any suggestions on appropriate enhancements, limitations, et cetra?
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Old 11-03-2018, 11:36 AM   #5
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Default Re: [Psi Powers] Power Source as a leveled perk (or Advantage)?

Should I start a new thread for the Create Electricity version?
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-- Tacitus

Five Earths, All in a Row. Updated 12/17/2022: Apocrypha: Bridges out of Time, Part I has been posted.
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