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Old 09-08-2014, 11:09 PM   #1
RainbowFactory
 
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Default Absorbing lifeforce into character points?

Looking for some kinda demon spawn of Absorptive DR, Leech and Neutralize.

I don't know if it exists rules as written because I am not ignorant of how powerful this ability would be.

I am looking for a way to force opponents into submission similar to leech only instead of leech healing HP the life force I drain from my target would go into an energy reserve to be spent as character points similar to absorptive DR.

The closest thing I could find RAW was Neutralize with power theft and possibly cosmic to allow for any power source to be drained, but that would mean that the power couldn't be used against normal people with no powers and its not permanent, as it says you cannot use neutralize again until the points come back.

Got the idea from a TV show. Anybody have any input on this?
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Old 09-09-2014, 01:18 AM   #2
Sunrunners_Fire
 
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Default Re: Absorbing lifeforce into character points?

Quote:
Originally Posted by RainbowFactory View Post
Looking for some kinda demon spawn of Absorptive DR, Leech and Neutralize.

I don't know if it exists rules as written because I am not ignorant of how powerful this ability would be.

I am looking for a way to force opponents into submission similar to leech only instead of leech healing HP the life force I drain from my target would go into an energy reserve to be spent as character points similar to absorptive DR.

The closest thing I could find RAW was Neutralize with power theft and possibly cosmic to allow for any power source to be drained, but that would mean that the power couldn't be used against normal people with no powers and its not permanent, as it says you cannot use neutralize again until the points come back.

Got the idea from a TV show. Anybody have any input on this?
Only Heals ER is officially a -20% limitation on the Leech advantage. Cosmic ("Cheating"; Can Purchase Absorption), +100% and Absorption (Any Trait), +100% seems fair; treating the Absorption as an ER is a wash and so shouldn't have an additional cost. Thereby: Leech (Absorption (Any Trait), +100%; Can Purchase Absorption, +100%, Only Heals ER (Absorption), -20%) looks to be viable for someone who can drain a target's life force and then use it creatively. I'd also suggest looking at PK's MyGURPS article Absorption Revised to see if your GM would be interested in using it. Its' much better than the default Absorption rules.

If you really want the ability to neuter the target's powers as well, you'd want to buy Neutralize (Unrestricted Powers, +300%; Link ("Leech"; Must use together), +10%) and add Link ("Neutralize"; Must use together) to the above suggested Leech power.
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Old 09-09-2014, 03:35 AM   #3
vierasmarius
 
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Default Re: Absorbing lifeforce into character points?

Quote:
Originally Posted by RainbowFactory View Post
The closest thing I could find RAW was Neutralize with power theft and possibly cosmic to allow for any power source to be drained, but that would mean that the power couldn't be used against normal people with no powers and its not permanent, as it says you cannot use neutralize again until the points come back.
When you're talking about Permanent effects here, are you referring to the removal of the target's powers, or the character's acquisition of the drained points? The former would be an application of Extended Duration: Permanent (which unless further modified by Cosmic can still be potentially cured). The latter would be completely unbalancing, since it would allow the PC to easily gain extra character points.

The concept could work, but it would need to be something like a Modular Ability with a "memory bank" of captured powers or traits that can be cycled through. The captured powers would thus be limited by earned character points (ie, the levels of Modular Ability), instead of directly adding to them.

Quote:
Got the idea from a TV show. Anybody have any input on this?
EDIT: Just realized that this sounds a lot like Tirek. If that's the case, going back to your point about draining normal people with no powers, remember that everyone Tirek drained had magic of some sort - some of it was just the "magic of the Earth", so was less flashy than other powers. This means Neutralize could be a good fit (suitably modified, of course). As for duration, it seems to be effectively permanent, until the heroes pull a Deus Ex Machina out of a box. This could fit Extended Duration: Permanent, or the Cosmic version which can only be fixed by a similarly Cosmic cure.

Last edited by vierasmarius; 09-09-2014 at 04:45 AM.
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Old 09-09-2014, 08:41 AM   #4
Christopher R. Rice
 
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Location: Portsmouth, VA, USA
Default Re: Absorbing lifeforce into character points?

Quote:
Originally Posted by RainbowFactory View Post
Looking for some kinda demon spawn of Absorptive DR, Leech and Neutralize.

I don't know if it exists rules as written because I am not ignorant of how powerful this ability would be.

I am looking for a way to force opponents into submission similar to leech only instead of leech healing HP the life force I drain from my target would go into an energy reserve to be spent as character points similar to absorptive DR.

The closest thing I could find RAW was Neutralize with power theft and possibly cosmic to allow for any power source to be drained, but that would mean that the power couldn't be used against normal people with no powers and its not permanent, as it says you cannot use neutralize again until the points come back.

Got the idea from a TV show. Anybody have any input on this?
The Pyramid Designer's Notes for GURPS Powers has this (which I've used before and it works just fine):

Quote:
Boosts Abilities: Each HP you steal gives you a character point you can use to heal yourself or temporarily boost abilities. You store these points in a "battery" with a capacity of two points per level of Leech. Once this is full, you can still drain HP but gain no points. On your turn, you can take a Ready maneuver to drain this battery to heal yourself permanently: 1 point repairs 1 point of crippled abilities, 2 points heal 1 HP, and 3 points restore 1 FP. You can also spend stored points to improve abilities (anything but skills) temporarily. You can't reallocate points once used. Points drain away at the rate of one per second, unused ones first. You lose enhanced abilities as the points drain away. This modifier is incompatible with all other special modifiers. +100% if you can only heal or enhance one power, set at character creation; +200% if you can use the points freely.
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Old 09-09-2014, 10:09 AM   #5
RainbowFactory
 
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Default Re: Absorbing lifeforce into character points?

Quote:
Originally Posted by vierasmarius View Post
When you're talking about Permanent effects here, are you referring to the removal of the target's powers, or the character's acquisition of the drained points? The former would be an application of Extended Duration: Permanent (which unless further modified by Cosmic can still be potentially cured). The latter would be completely unbalancing, since it would allow the PC to easily gain extra character points.

The concept could work, but it would need to be something like a Modular Ability with a "memory bank" of captured powers or traits that can be cycled through. The captured powers would thus be limited by earned character points (ie, the levels of Modular Ability), instead of directly adding to them.



EDIT: Just realized that this sounds a lot like Tirek. If that's the case, going back to your point about draining normal people with no powers, remember that everyone Tirek drained had magic of some sort - some of it was just the "magic of the Earth", so was less flashy than other powers. This means Neutralize could be a good fit (suitably modified, of course). As for duration, it seems to be effectively permanent, until the heroes pull a Deus Ex Machina out of a box. This could fit Extended Duration: Permanent, or the Cosmic version which can only be fixed by a similarly Cosmic cure.
First of all props on the My Little Pony reference. The actual inspiration was the character Nox from Wakfu who absorbs the lifeforce of living things (or something I dont know the whole show is in french) and stores it for later expenditure. The permanent was meant for the points absorbed by the character because the way i envisioned this, draining the points would kill the victim. (so permanently neutralizing his/her powers would be a moot point)

Unbalancing though this may be my GM has already let me take 75 levels of permanent absorbative DR provided I only take the 150% version that requires some reasonable method for dispelling the extra points. He would not allow actual permanence because he knows me too well.
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Old 09-09-2014, 12:45 PM   #6
McAllister
 
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Default Re: Absorbing lifeforce into character points?

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Originally Posted by vierasmarius View Post
...are you referring to... the character's acquisition of the drained points? [That] would be completely unbalancing, since it would allow the PC to easily gain extra character points.
Alright, I agree with you that there are 99 ways that characters with abilities that allow them to gain CP will break a game... but is there any possibility for designing an ability that allows a PC to draw permanent power from draining/killing/eating/absorbing stuff? If that's the only power that can't be modeled in GURPS, I'd understand, but I can't help but try to blaze a trail through the final frontier.
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Old 09-09-2014, 01:09 PM   #7
Terwin
 
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Default Re: Absorbing lifeforce into character points?

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Originally Posted by McAllister View Post
Alright, I agree with you that there are 99 ways that characters with abilities that allow them to gain CP will break a game... but is there any possibility for designing an ability that allows a PC to draw permanent power from draining/killing/eating/absorbing stuff? If that's the only power that can't be modeled in GURPS, I'd understand, but I can't help but try to blaze a trail through the final frontier.
I believe in Dungeon Fantasy this is called going on an adventure.
Although the number of XP per kill can vary quite a lot.
As a side-bonus there also tends to be lots of loot to sell when you get back to town.

In other campaigns you may need to do other things than just kill monsters to get XP though...
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Old 09-09-2014, 06:54 PM   #8
vierasmarius
 
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Default Re: Absorbing lifeforce into character points?

Quote:
Originally Posted by McAllister View Post
Alright, I agree with you that there are 99 ways that characters with abilities that allow them to gain CP will break a game... but is there any possibility for designing an ability that allows a PC to draw permanent power from draining/killing/eating/absorbing stuff? If that's the only power that can't be modeled in GURPS, I'd understand, but I can't help but try to blaze a trail through the final frontier.
Well, it sounds like his GM is allowing it, with in-universe countermeasures that can shut the power down and remove all of the captured points. That might be enough of a limiting factor, but seems pretty binary - you have this incredible power, until one enemy action succeeds in dropping you back to square one.

Personally I'd set a cap on how many points can be kept around indefinitely - as high as x5 the Absorption level (though that still might be too high). Any points in excess of that drain away on their own. To raise your point cap, you have to improve your Absorption power with character points earned through play.
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