Steve Jackson Games - Site Navigation
Home General Info Follow Us Search Illuminator Store Forums What's New Other Games Ogre GURPS Munchkin Our Games: Home

Go Back   Steve Jackson Games Forums > Roleplaying > GURPS

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 08-11-2020, 12:07 PM   #1
AlexanderHowl
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Default Useful Low-Powered Abilities [Powers/Supers]

I was wondering if people were willing to share their most useful low-powered abilities? In this case, low powered means 10- CP. I will get started with one:

Blessing of Consumption (+446%): 1 point Toxic Attack (Blood Agent, -40%; Melee, C, No Parry, -35%; No Signature, Mundane, +25%; Symptoms, -1/3 HP, Invisibility (Accessibility, Only while Insubstantial, -10%; Affects Machines, +50; Can Carry Objects, No Encumbrace, +10%; Substantial Only, -10%), 168%; Symptoms, -1/3 HP, Insubstantiality (Can Carry Objects, No Encumbrance, +10%; Ghost Air, +10%), +288%) [6]. Notes: Usually applied through a prolonged kiss or during intimacy, the Blessing of Consumption temporarily grants its victims invisibility and insubstantiality under their control until they heal above 2/3 HP.
AlexanderHowl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-11-2020, 06:45 PM   #2
kirbwarrior
 
kirbwarrior's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Dreamland
Default Re: Useful Low-Powered Abilities [Powers/Supers]

Night Vision 9 [9] is technically allowed even though it is unrealistic for humans. There's also the obvious unmodified powers like Infravision, Photographic Memory, Mimicry, Doesn't Eat/Drink, etc.

Shocking Touch [9] - Affliction 1 (Aura +80%, Contact Agent -30%, Emergencies Only -30%, Melee Attack -30%) [9]
This gives you a powerful and cheap aura for martial artists to use, especially with grapples to stun lock an opponent. Even high HT isn't enough in longer fights. There's room to add Low Signature to make it harder to notice.

Vengeance 1 [5] - DR1 (Reflection +100%, Doesn't actually provide DR -100%) You could also think of it as Reflection Only +0%
Instead of DR that protects you, your DR immediately strikes back at anyone who attacks you. One or two levels can scare low level opponents.

Alternate Form with Emergencies Only and Uncontrollable Trigger: Emergencies is somewhere around those points. Take some scary animal that doesn't cost more than 0pts and you are effectively a were that changes with adrenaline instead of the moon and must change back when it goes away.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by cosmicfish View Post
While I do not think that GURPS is perfect I do think that it is more balanced than what I am likely to create by GM fiat.
kirbwarrior is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-11-2020, 07:35 PM   #3
Gumby Bush
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: FL
Default Re: Useful Low-Powered Abilities [Powers/Supers]

Cosmic Wishing 1 (Physical Only +50%; Electrical -20%; Accessory Perks Only -30%; Temporary Disadvantage, One Hand, -15%) [9];

Even better if you buy a plasma welder or similar tool as an Alternate Ability.

Enhanced Tracking 1 (Multiple Lock-Ons +20%; Weapon Mount Only -20%; Cosmic, Aim is not disrupted by defending or getting injured +50%; Electrical -20%) [7]; Weapon Mount [2];

Payload 6 (Extradimensional +50%) [9]; Exo-Draw [1];

Duplication 1 (Super -10%; No Sympathetic Injury +20%; Maximum Duration, 30 seconds, -75%; Backlash, Confused, 6 or less, -10%) [9];
__________________
Formerly known as fighting_gumby.
Gumby Bush is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-11-2020, 08:08 PM   #4
kirbwarrior
 
kirbwarrior's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Dreamland
Default Re: Useful Low-Powered Abilities [Powers/Supers]

Rapier Wit (Words of Power +100%) [10] is often forgotten for being a superior affliction that uses a free action.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by cosmicfish View Post
While I do not think that GURPS is perfect I do think that it is more balanced than what I am likely to create by GM fiat.
kirbwarrior is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2020, 04:05 PM   #5
Varyon
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Default Re: Useful Low-Powered Abilities [Powers/Supers]

Dim Mak: Innate Attack 2 cr (Follow-Up, Punch +0%; No Signature, Mundane +20%; Side Effect: Coma +300%; No Blunt Trauma -20%; No Knockback -10%) [10]. On any punch that penetrates the target's DR, the character can opt to immediately deal an additional 2 points of crushing damage, and the foe must make a roll against HT-1 or fall into a Coma (B429). If the target only had DR 1 vs crushing but the initial hit failed to penetrate, the target takes 1 point of crushing damage and must make an unmodified HT roll or fall into a Coma. The ability can stay within [10] with up to another +10% Enhancement - Cyclic, 1 day and Delay, Variable (up to 10 seconds) are both decent. Note if the GM feels this would modify all of your punches, Switchable +10% is a good option. You can save more points by making it toxic, but then the carrier attack must wound the target for it to work.

Note this isn't quite RAW - for whatever reason, Coma and Heart Attack aren't available for Side Effect. You can replace Coma with Unconsciousness (reducing cost to [9] or allowing for a +50% Enhancement), Paralysis (reducing cost to [8] or allowing for a +100% Enhancement), or any +100% Incapacitating Condition (Agony, Choking, and Seizure would all be appropriate; this would reduce cost to [6] or allow for a +150% Enhancement). In any case, the effect lasts 1 minute per MoF (note for Choking, without assistance, this will likely kill the character on any failure, as even MoF 1 results in taking 60 FP damage).

Note here that No Signature simply means the strike looks no different from an ordinary punch, even though it deals more damage.


Distant Grip: TK 4 (Cannot Affect Self -10%; Cannot Punch -20%; No Movement -20%) [10]. This allows you to manipulate objects or even grapple foes up to 10 yards away with an effective ST of 4 (BL 3.2), but you cannot appreciably move the target. This is useful for pulling distant levers, pushing distant buttons, distracting foes, holding light objects/animals in place, etc.
__________________
GURPS Overhaul
Varyon is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2020, 04:50 PM   #6
AlexanderHowl
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Default Re: Useful Low-Powered Abilities [Powers/Supers]

I do not think that you can combine Follow-up with Side Effect, so the ability would be illegal from the rules concerning both modifiers. Follow-up is a penetration modifier and cannot be combined with any other penetration modifiers (Basic, p. 105). Side Effect is a penetration modifier and cannot be combined with any other penetration modifiers other than Armor Divisor (Basic, p. 109). In addition, as noted, mortal conditions are not legal for Side Effect. A legal version could be the following:

Dim Mak (-80%): Affliction 5 (HT-4; All-Out Attack, -25%; Backlash, Coma, Resisted by HT, -125%; Costs FP, -10 FP, -50%; Costs HP, 10 HP, -100%; Coma, +250%; Corruption, -20%; Delay, +20%; Melee Attack, Reach C-1, No Parry, -25%; No Signature, Mundane, +25%; Takes Recharge, 1 hour, -30%) [10]. Notes: The use of this forbidden technique is nearly as dangerous to its user as it is to its victim, as its fell energy seeks to destroy its user as much as it seeks to destroy its victim. Even when successful, repeated use within the same month may result in the death of the user, which is why those who have learned it are loathe to use it accept under the most dire of circumstances.

Last edited by AlexanderHowl; 08-12-2020 at 04:54 PM.
AlexanderHowl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2020, 04:57 PM   #7
CeeDub
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: UK
Default Re: Useful Low-Powered Abilities [Powers/Supers]

There are a few good suggestions in this thread.
CeeDub is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2020, 05:05 PM   #8
AlexanderHowl
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Default Re: Useful Low-Powered Abilities [Powers/Supers]

Slightly different reasons for the two threads. The earlier one was for cheap abilities whose utility exceeded their cost while the current one is just in general cheap abilities. Of course, anything from the earlier one would apply to the current one, but the reverse would not necessarily be true. For example, while the legal version of Dim Mak is marginally useful and certainly low-powered, its massive amount of limitations reduce its overall utility (any ability that will kill you if you use it daily for a week has greatly reduced utility).
AlexanderHowl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2020, 06:16 PM   #9
kirbwarrior
 
kirbwarrior's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Dreamland
Default Re: Useful Low-Powered Abilities [Powers/Supers]

Detect: Rare (Long Range 1 +50%, Reflexive +40%, Reliable 4, Only to remove Reflexive penalty +10%) [10] can be super useful depending on character and substance chosen. 'Legendary Artifacts' is perfect for a delver. 'People in lethal danger' is great for a super. 'Every character and item in my traits' is likely too meta for some GMs but can be very useful for many types of characters.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by cosmicfish View Post
While I do not think that GURPS is perfect I do think that it is more balanced than what I am likely to create by GM fiat.
kirbwarrior is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2020, 06:30 PM   #10
Varyon
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Default Re: Useful Low-Powered Abilities [Powers/Supers]

Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl View Post
I do not think that you can combine Follow-up with Side Effect, so the ability would be illegal from the rules concerning both modifiers. Follow-up is a penetration modifier and cannot be combined with any other penetration modifiers (Basic, p. 105). Side Effect is a penetration modifier and cannot be combined with any other penetration modifiers other than Armor Divisor (Basic, p. 109). In addition, as noted, mortal conditions are not legal for Side Effect.
Guess I missed those bits (I also missed that Cyclic isn't available for Crushing). A better option for the Side Effect is to simply make it its own attack, rather than a Follow-Up. If the GM doesn't allow for Side Effect with Mortal Conditions (as per RAW), I can think of two related builds. Note both use Choking, as this is the only really potentially-fatal-by-itself condition available to Side Effect.

Dim Mak, Revised: Innate Attack 1d tox (Cyclic, +3 hourly cycles +60%; No Signature, Mundane +20%; Side Effect: Choking +100%; Variable +5%; Melee, C, Cannot Parry -35%) [10]. With a touch, the character can cause the foe's airways to begin to constrict in an allergic reaction, dealing up to 1d toxic damage. If any damage penetrates DR (note without other modifiers, tox penetrates DR normally), the target must make an immediate HT roll, at a penalty of -1 per full 2 points of penetrating damage, or suffer Choking for minutes equal to MoF. Those who survive will be affected again up to 3 more times, once per hour, unless an EpiPen or similar is applied (for simplicity, have the same penetrating damage apply each cycle, even if the target takes off their armor).

Lesser Force Choke: Innate Attack 2 tox (Armor Divisor (10) +200%; Cyclic, +3 hourly cycles +60%; Increased Range 15/30 +20%; Jet +0%; No Signature, Mundane +20%; Side Effect: Choking +100%) [10]. With a gesture, the character can cause the foe's airways to begin to constrict in an allergic reaction, dealing 2 points of toxic damage. This can affect foes normally up to 15 yards away, or at half damage up to 30 yards away; the attacker suffers no range penalties in either case. DR only defends against this at 1/10th its normal value, and if any damage penetrates the target must make an immediate HT roll, at -1 if both points penetrated, or suffer Choking for minutes equal to MoF. Those who survive will be affected again up to 3 more times, once per hour, unless an EpiPen or similar is applied (for simplicity, have the same penetrating damage apply each cycle, even if the target takes off their armor).
__________________
GURPS Overhaul
Varyon is online now   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
powers, supers

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Fnords are Off
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:46 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.