GURPS Power-Ups 4: Enhancements

[johndallman]

Compendia made sense for 3e, because books went out of print. PDFs don't do that, and are searchable. An index would be good, though, and a way of getting that clickable to jump to pages, rather than just files would be good.

[johndallman]

A separate issue with PU4: adding enhancements to attacks not bought as powers seems a bit too cheap, sometimes. A notable case is Affects Insubstantial, +20%, or its new improved version, Affects Insubstantial, Selective, +30%.

If you're in a campaign where the attacks going around are fairly restrained - knives, pistols, martial arts with DX and ST in the 10-15 range - buying one of those enhancements is pretty cheap, in the 4-8 points range. Yet it lets you attack ghosts and spirits, who were previously thoroughly protected from harm by their Insubstantial advantage, which cost them 40 points (80, -50% for Always On).

This is not a major problem, since enhancements should always be approved by the GM. But it is a case where charging an Unusual Background, or higher cost some other way, seems indicated.

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by johndallman

Compendia made sense for 3e, because books went out of print. PDFs don't do that, and are searchable. An index would be good, though, and a way of getting that clickable to jump to pages, rather than just files would be good.

I had forgot about that but this is another real good point.

[PK]

Originally Posted by Bruno

I'd have to guess "probably not" by parallel with Alternative Ability/Alternative Attack. You can't put two metatraits or racial templates templates in an Alternate Ability; you need Shapeshifting to do that. That seems to suggest that metamodifiers should also not be kosher in an Alternative Enhancement array.

For the record, the real problem with meta-traits is that they often have disadvantages, and that's a real problem. You cannot put a disadvantage into an Alternative Ability or make it Switchable, period.

So by comparison, it's definitely broken to allow a meta-enhancement that contains limitations to be part of an Alternative Enhancement (for the same reason it's expressly forbidden from being part of a Variable Enhancement) -- but a meta-enhancement that was nothing but enhancements would be fine.

Originally Posted by the_seeker

The Merlin pull-quote on p10; did that come from a novelization or work-in-progress script of Boorman's Excalibur?<laugh>

It's from the original script. Because subtitles and "But I heard him say this" can confuse the issue, we try to always use quotes from the script, not from listening to the movie.

Originally Posted by Kuroshima

Minor nitpick: I would have LOVED to have all general enhancements from all published books in there (Aura, for example, is missing). As it is now, I still need to check many books when building abilities.

Many books? PU4 has every single general enhancement in GURPS except the ones in the Basic Set. You only need the Basic Set and PU4 to have them all. (Aura is from the Basic Set, for example.)

We thought about including the Basic Set ones as well, but felt that since (unlike with Perks and Talents) there were so many, people might deride it as filler.

Second nitpick: Damn, I also need Limitations.

A few people have said this, so I wouldn't be surprised (assuming sales of PU4 remain strong) to see such a thing pop up in the future. To nitpick your nitpick, though, that's not a "nitpick." It's just something you want. :)

Third nitpick: And I also want the specific enhancements and limitations!

Did the math on that and it* would've literally inflated the page count by almost 1000x. I hear people asking for this, too, but I don't think they realize that they'd be paying $25-30 for such a book. And I'm pretty sure people would balk once they saw the price tag, and we'd end up losing money on it.

* Assuming you mean full entries for them, not just adding them to the table in the back.

[Kuroshima]

Originally Posted by Rev. Pee Kitty

Did the math on that and it* would've literally inflated the page count by almost 1000x. I hear people asking for this, too, but I don't think they realize that they'd be paying $25-30 for such a book. And I'm pretty sure people would balk once they saw the price tag, and we'd end up losing money on it.

* Assuming you mean full entries for them, not just adding them to the table in the back.

I would have no issues paying the regular cost for a 4th ed hardback for what is basically the size of a 4th ed hardback. Now, I expect this would repeat large parts of both Powers and characters. Still, you take the basic set's advantages and disadvantages chapters, Powers section on new general and specific modifiers, plus all the mods from other books, and you can easily get into the 240 page order of magnitude. Still, having all the info together would make itworth the cost.

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by Kuroshima

I would have no issues paying the regular cost for a 4th ed hardback for what is basically the size of a 4th ed hardback. Now, I expect this would repeat large parts of both Powers and characters. Still, you take the basic set's advantages and disadvantages chapters, Powers section on new general and specific modifiers, plus all the mods from other books, and you can easily get into the 240 page order of magnitude. Still, having all the info together would make itworth the cost.

Yeah and I would probably buy it as well. However I feel that RPK is right and it would not sell well.
Which is why each time I mentioned this I have specified just an index. I see that as a valuable free thing like a few items already in play or a minor cost item.

[dataweaver]

OK; I'll be buying this as soon as I resolve my bank payment issues (probably tomorrow).

So: from what I'm reading here, meta-enhancements are to enhancements as meta-traits are to attributes and advantages: pre-built packages that are applied as if they're a single thing. So what's the premise behind alternative and declining enhancements? Just to sate my curiosity.

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by dataweaver

OK; I'll be buying this as soon as I resolve my bank payment issues (probably tomorrow).

So: from what I'm reading here, meta-enhancements are to enhancements as meta-traits are to attributes and advantages: pre-built packages that are applied as if they're a single thing. So what's the premise behind alternative and declining enhancements? Just to sate my curiosity.

Alternative enhancements are like predesigned settings or slots.
Think Alternative attacks.
Variable enhancements are more flexible. Think Modular abilities.
Declining enhancements are more like staggered enhancements so they are only on part of the power.
Combined these options give you a lot more flexibility in design. And there is a lot more to this book.

[Bruno]

Variable enhancements are most like Cosmic Modular Abilities. I'd make a comparison to Wildcard powers too but I'd then have to go reread wildcard powers and my brain's shutting down for the night.

Declining enhancements are perfect for the "Well, I can keep the power down and be very precise, or I can go all out and the precision can go hang" (which is the example!); also good for a cone or area becoming smaller as you turn up the heat, and so forth.

[munin]

Originally Posted by Rev. Pee Kitty

... So by comparison, it's definitely broken to allow a meta-enhancement that contains limitations to be part of an Alternative Enhancement ...

So if you can switch between, say, a Cone and an Aura, the Aura would have to be part of a meta-enhancement with Melee Capable, C, +10% because Melee Attack, C, -30% isn't allowed.