[Powers] Alternate Afflictions

[KingStrongbeard]

So, I have a player that is making a character with multiple different afflictions, mostly beneficial ones. DR, Extra ST, Extra DX, etc. I'm fine with it in theory, but in order to save points he took them as Alternate Abilities to each other, but now he wants to know if the effects continue when he switches powers.

I'm not sure what the RAW answer to that is. I've tried looking in the books, and searching these forum, but I'm obviously just missing it.

His argument is, that since his ongoing affliction requires no upkeep, or concentration from him, he should be able to use his other powers to do other things without it ending, that it is no different then causing HP damage with an innate attack power then switching to something else, but I'm concerned that allowing him to do this gives him too much ability to buff himself or others in different ways for too few points, with just the one Ready action to switch powers as his drawback.

Is what he is doing a rules legal move, or is there something I can point to that says clearly that his affliction ends when his Ability is Altered?

Thanks in advance.

[Nereidalbel]

What he's doing is RAW legal, and his Afflictions would continue their effect whenever he switches. However, I would say he should buy his beneficial ones as alternates of each other, and pay full price for one harmful Affliction, with all other harmful ones as alternates.

Remember, by saving those points, anything that can shut down 1 of those Afflictions shuts them ALL down.

[the_matrix_walker]

He may wish to check out PU4: Enhancements as well.... he may be able to take one Affliction with a Modular Enhancement or his buffs as Alternative Enhancements!

[KingStrongbeard]

But since the beneficial powers all have the same power source, Magic, and he has no serious limiting factors on the powers like, Takes Recharge or a Gadget. The fact that if one goes, they all go doesn't feel very limiting to me.

If something comes about to mess up his Magic, he enters a No Mana zone or something, then he would lose all the powers whether they are paid for as alternate or not, since they are all Magic.

So, how am I supposed to make use of that limitation specifically?

I feel like he's effectively just gotten a 1/5 to cost for Takes a Ready Action, on all but his most expensive powers, and that feels like too much of a cost break to me, for not enough drawback that I can see. Please tell me I'm missing something.

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by KingStrongbeard

I feel like he's effectively just gotten a 1/5 to cost for Takes a Ready Action, on all but his most expensive powers, and that feels like too much of a cost break to me, for not enough drawback that I can see. Please tell me I'm missing something.

The main reason for that discount is that you can only use one at a time, where as most powers are useable several at a time. Flight, DR and an attack for example. It was set up specifically for attacks since you can only do one of those at a time. Later it was applied to most any set of powers.
As long as its not a power that requires ongoing concentration it is legal.
Afflictions have a duration and are basically attack powers so (even beneficial ones) fit in line with the reasoning for that discount. It just makes certain concepts viable.
Power Ups 4: Enhancements offers a way to use flexable enhancements that is another way that might work, especially with Affliction.
I would allow either or both in a campaign and have the player take the cheaper one.

[Nereidalbel]

Originally Posted by KingStrongbeard

But since the beneficial powers all have the same power source, Magic, and he has no serious limiting factors on the powers like, Takes Recharge or a Gadget. The fact that if one goes, they all go doesn't feel very limiting to me.

If something comes about to mess up his Magic, he enters a No Mana zone or something, then he would lose all the powers whether they are paid for as alternate or not, since they are all Magic.

So, how am I supposed to make use of that limitation specifically?

I feel like he's effectively just gotten a 1/5 to cost for Takes a Ready Action, on all but his most expensive powers, and that feels like too much of a cost break to me, for not enough drawback that I can see. Please tell me I'm missing something.

Even a Neutralize with the One Power Only limitation will shut down ALL of his Afflictions. Keep this in mind.

[Gnome]

Powers may not make this entirely clear, but you are free as GM to say that only one of those AAs works at a time in any sense, and Afflictions end when he activates an AA. For example, in DF 11, the rules for Bard songs (which are Afflictions) say:
"A bard can use only one Song at a time. He may stop playing and coast on the results he has achieved, but if he switches Songs, the effects of the previous one end instantly."

[Yako]

Alternative Abilities / Attacks are usually designed on the assumption that they are different modes of one ability, so, for beneficial aflfictions, I think it is very simple:

If they have cumulative, they should be able to stack as an alternative ability (they are paying for stackability after all), but if they do not, one beneficial affliction ends the previous one and applies a new effect.

If it is too expensive, do not take them as alternative abilities, being able to afflict friends with advantages tends to be very much worth every point in general

Harmful afflictions should not need this though.

[Nereidalbel]

Originally Posted by Gnome

Powers may not make this entirely clear, but you are free as GM to say that only one of those AAs works at a time in any sense, and Afflictions end when he activates an AA. For example, in DF 11, the rules for Bard songs (which are Afflictions) say:
"A bard can use only one Song at a time. He may stop playing and coast on the results he has achieved, but if he switches Songs, the effects of the previous one end instantly."

Even though DF changes the functionality of a few things, this could easily be applied as "One beneficial Affliction per person, unless you buy Cumulative on ALL of them."

[Varyon]

I seem to remember Powers having a rule about a given power being crippled by various events (notably, I think it's a possibility on a critical failure). A character with 10 Afflictions who screws up and gets one crippled still has 9. A character with 1 Affliction and 9 alternates loses all 10 if a single one gets crippled.

Of course, Powers is another of those "Awesome books not currently in my library," so I can't confirm the above.