50-point Abilities

[Atreyu_Hibiki]

Following the apparent interest in the Historical Folk 4e thread, I am considering creating a collected PDF 'book' of easy-grab abilities. The idea here is to make a list that any GM would feel comfortable using in a Supers or Anything-Goes campaign (I've been in two GURPS campaigns so far, each was an Anything-Goes campaign...)

For ease of use in a generic game I'm placing some rules:

-All abilities must follow 'standard' GURPS rules, so no homebrew base advantages allowed.

-All abilities should cost as near to 50 points as possible, and must cost between 47 and 53 points. This allows for a GM to say 'each player may have one ability from this list'...

-All abilities should come with a description of what it does, how it functions in game terms, and any important 'special effects'.

-I'd also like suggested Powers the ability could fall under, but this isn't necessary.

-If you would like an ability that was previously posted on the board, either in a thread on a subject or in a character post to be included, please re-post it here.

-If you post your ability here, it is assumed that you would like it included in the eventual collection. You will recieve credit by your online name, unless you PM me otherwise.

Here's a template based on the abilities offered in Powers:

Ability Name (+total modifiers of advantage 1% / +total modifiers of advantage 2%): Advantage 1 (Modifier 1, +x%; Modifier 2, +x%; Modifier 3, +x%) [point cost of advantage 1] + Advantage 2 (Modifier 1, +x%; Modifier 2, +x%; Modifier 3, +x%) [point cost of advantage 2]
Notes: Description of Ability, including special effects. X points.

File graciously hosted at Ericbsmith's GurpsLand page:
http://gurpsland.no-ip.org/#GURPSAdvantages

[Atreyu_Hibiki]

To start things off, I offer an ability inspired by Pyro from the X-Men (but he uses flamethrowers to create his flame...)

Pyro's Flame (+30%/-50%):
Control Fire 2 (Ranged, +50%; Requires Will Roll, -5%; Costs 3 FP per use, -15%) [48] + Burning Attack 1d (No Wounding, -50%) [3]
Notes: Allows user to create just enough fire to ignite a blaze, and then control it from a distance. Costs 3 FP. 51 points.

[Gurps Fan]

I find the intention of this thread quite interesting.

Aura of Vengeance (+400%): Affliction 1 (Advantage, DR 3 with Force Field
and Reflection, +330%; Malediction 1, +100%; Melee Attack, Reach C, -30%)
[50]. Notes: Gives the subject a gleaming aura that rebounds any incoming
damage up to 3 against his foe. The caster must touch the subject. This
ability is considered a "beneficial Affliction". 50 points.

[Gurps Fan]

I wonder that there, unexpectedly, seems not to be much demand for this
thread . . . I think this can be of great use if provided with a good collection
of abilities.

Now, two combat abilities:

Plasma Claws (+145%): Burning Attack 4d (Armor Divisor 5, +150%; Melee
Attack, Destructive Parry, +10%; Melee Attack, Dual, +10%; Melee Attack,
Reach C, -30%; Variable, +5%) [49]. Notes: Generates claws of high-
temperature plasma from fingertips of both hands. The plasma composing
claws is superhot and compressed enough to easily burn through armor.
Damages weapons it parries or that parry it like a force sword. Can adjust
output. 49 points.

Supersonic Strike (+40%/+10%): Crushing Attack 6d (Costs Fatigue 3, -15%;
Linked, +10%; Melee Attack, Reach C, Cannot Parry, -35%; Melee Attack,
ST-Based, +100%; Takes Recharge, 15 seconds, -20%) [42] + Crushing
Attack 2d (Accessibility, Not in a vacuum, -10%; Emanation, -20%;
Explosion, +50%; Linked, +10%; Takes Recharge, 15 seconds, -20%) [11].
Notes: Electromagnetically accelerates the fist to a supersonic speed and
throws it against a foe. Damage is thrust plus 6d of crushing. Also causes a
sonic shockwave which expands in every direction in the presence of an
atmosphere (of any kind). Once used, requires 15 seconds to charge the
capacitor again. 53 points.

Anyone who knows Battle Angel Alita: Last Order also knows that these are
cheap imitations of the protagonist Alita's special moves (though these 50-
point versions will be far too weak to match hers).

[Almafeta]

Just to give you both support... I love the idea, and these boards are great for collaborations like this (such as the supers thread), but the times when I have my GURPS book handy and the times when I have computer access are not often one and the same.

EDIT: Could this also apply to 50-points "minitemplates" -- e.g., Space Experience, a template that a pilot, merchant, mechanic, or marine might have?

[Bruno]

Here's one I cooked up for my paladinoid for my friend's game, leveled up for 50 points :D

Divine Retribution (+305%): Burning Attack 2d+1 (Accessability: Only affects truely Evil beings, -10%; Accessibility: Must prominantly display Holy Symbol, -10%; Area Effect: 4 yards, +100%; Cosmic: Irresistible attack, +300%; Emanation, -20%; Pact: with patron deity, -10%) [50]

NOTE: Character should also take a 10 point self-imposed disadvantage, as per the Pact rules. Point cost of disad not included in ability cost as it will probably be involved in various other abilities with Pacts

This is likely to be part of a Divine or Good power; in a game where undead are 'powered' by 'anti-life-energy', this is also a good candidate for Life power. Note that in most cases you should replace the Pact with the appropriate power modifier.

The character displays a holy symbol of his deity aggresively, concentrates for one second, and all creatures of supernatural evil within 4 yards are smote with 2d+1 of holy fire that bypasses non-cosmic DR. In this case, "creatures of supernatural evil" are those affected by True Faith. Note that, as per the Pact rules, if the character ever acts against the strictures of his faith, he will be deserted by his god and loose access to this power.

Possible modifications: add a fatigue cost, limited uses/day or Takes Extra Time, increase damage to "instazap" evil creatures. I suggest a minimum of 4 dice if you want to fry vile creatures in one incredible bolt of divine flame.

This ability, at the current level or lower, also goes well when Linked with True Faith ;)

[Atreyu_Hibiki]

Originally Posted by Almafeta

EDIT: Could this also apply to 50-points "minitemplates" -- e.g., Space Experience, a template that a pilot, merchant, mechanic, or marine might have?

Sure, why not? 50 point Metatraits (i.e., a bear-person or somesuch) would work as well. The idea is for players to make characters that can be 'low-powered' to 'medium-powered' Supers (one or two 50-point Abilities) without a lot of hassle. By pre-making point-balanced 'off-the-shelf' abilities, we can aid future players, especially newbies who don't know how to create abilities themselves.

Also, I'm really appreciative of all the support that's popped up in this thread in such a short period of time! Here's to a long life!

[Libertine]

Originally Posted by Atreyu_Hibiki

To start things off, I offer an ability inspired by Pyro from the X-Men (but he uses flamethrowers to create his flame...)

Pyro's Flame (+30%/-50%):
Control Fire 2 (Ranged, +50%; Requires Will Roll, -5%; Costs 3 FP per use, -15%) [48] + Burning Attack 1d (No Wounding, -50%) [3]
Notes: Allows user to create just enough fire to ignite a blaze, and then control it from a distance. Costs 3 FP. 51 points.

give the fire a gadget limitation of -20 & you have a flat 50.

[Gurps Fan]

Poor Man's Resurrection (-40%):

Snatcher (Costs Fatigue, FP 3, -15%; Costs Hit Points, HP 5, -50%; Creation,
+100%; Large Items, +50%; Limited Use, 1/day, -40%; More Weight, Up to
200 lbs., +50%; Preparation Required, 8 hours, -60%; Specialized, Only the
living copy of a person who has died within the last 24 hours, -40% (just
guesstimated); Stunning, -10%; Unpredictable, -25%) [48]. 48 points.

Notes: Conjures up the clone of a dead person with his full memory while
alive, to effectively bring him back to life! The patient's weight must not
exceed 200 lbs.

Each casting requires 8 hours for the ritual in advance and 10 seconds for
Concentration. You must make an IQ roll; a roll of 14 or more always fails
regardless of your actual IQ. If successful, the patient's fully-functional clone
appears at your arm's reach.

Success or failure, you lose 5 FP and 5 HP for each attempt; if successful,
you're also mentally stunned. Note that this ability permits you only one
attempt for any one patient (due to the combination of "Limited Use, 1/day"
and "Only the living copy of a person who has died within the last 24 hours").

This ability has both benefits and drawbacks:

• Benefit 1. The greatest benefit is cost-effectiveness. Resurrection for
  mere 48 points!
  
  
• Benefit 2. This Snatcher with Creation creates a living person out
  of nothing, as opposed to actually reviving an already dead one. This
  makes it irrelevant whether the patient's body is available -- even
  patients reduced to -10*HP (cut into dice, burned to ashes, or
  disintegrated into subatomic particles) are all welcomed.
  
  
• Drawback 1. Because of the Unpredictable limitation, any failure
  always summons something unintended. The GM determines actual
  effects according to the margin of failure: failure by 1 might make a
  physically functional but mindless clone, failure by 2 a life-sized
  anatomy model. Critical failure might create a mutant monster barely
  based on the patient, which immediately starts attacking you, and
  you're mentally stunned . . .
  
  
• Drawback 2. This Snatcher with Creation creates a living person out
  of nothing, as opposed to actually reviving an already dead one. The
  patient's corpse (if any) stays untouched, and another healer could
  cast Resurrection spell on him. As a result, it's possible that two "he"s
  exist in one world. "Which one is 'the true him'" is a philosophical
  problem.
  
  
• Drawback 3. Worse, this Snatcher can create only one person due
  to lack of the Permanent enhancement. If you successfully reconstruct
  someone else dead, the previous patient's clone will be instantly brought
  back to nothingness. To overcome this drawback, you must pay extra
  240 points (!) for Permanent, +300%.
  
  Drawback 3 has some side benefits, however: you can always
  voluntarily dismiss what you snatch/create. This works as a great,
  constant threat of death to the patient . . . you can make the best use
  of this favorable position. "Obey me or else."

Suggested Powers: Healing or Life; possibly Matter Control.

[Hitako47]

Bullet-Time (-50%) Altered Time Rate 1 ( Costs Fatigue, FP 4, 2 to maintain(-20%); Takes Recharge 1/hour (-30%)) Notes: Once an hour a character can react twice as fast for 4 FP a minute to start and 2 FP for each subsequent minute. Very useful for combat but lasts long enough for other operations. 50 points.

Unlimited Assets (-60%) Multimillionaire 3 (PDA (or something of that kind, DR 3-5 SM -7): Breakable (-15%); Can Be Stolen (-20%); Unique (-25%)) Notes: You own either a group of codes or uncopyable encryption keys on a small device which allows you to access accounts of bank accounts with money equal to 100,000x the starting wealth of you campaign setting. Keep it well guarded. 50 points.