GURPS Power-Ups 4: Enhancements

[Kromm]

The basics can work
But some powers just have to
Go to eleven

— Some hack

After a bit of a pause in the GURPS release schedule and the GURPS Power-Ups series, e23 is proud to present GURPS Power-Ups 4: Enhancements. Jason "PK" Levine brings you the first volume in the series by an author other than Yours Truly – and he really powers things up! Inside is an expanded treatment of enhancements that rivals even GURPS Powers. You get scads of new general and attack enhancements, of course . . . but that's not all. Other contents include:

• extensive detail on the Cosmic enhancement, including many new versions
• alternative and declining enhancements that allow abilities to change dynamically
• meta-enhancements
• rules for enhancing "innate" scores such as active defenses and ST-based damage
• new special enhancements for Affliction

And since we would never sell something this powerful without suitable instructions, there's also plenty of advice to accompany all this stuff. Whether you're a player looking for a new trick to defeat your PC's old nemesis, or a GM trying trying to keep the lid on a high-powered game, Power-Ups 4: Enhancements is sure to enhance your gaming experience.

[Refplace]

It is a very good book.

[Mark Skarr]

Why does the cool stuff that I want always come out when I'm broke. Oh well, I had a little bit to grab it. I'll have time to read it, tonight, at work, when it goes dead.

[Refplace]

152 downloads already.
Most of the talk about this was started in other threads, see Cosmic defenses and Alternative Enhancements for example.
I have a message for this one and a question.
The question is "Will you use or do you see the ST and Melee based enhancements replacing Imbuements?"
The message is there was a lot of cool stuff in this issue but one that I noted and was especially happy to see was the Density Increase and Slower Move enhancements for Afflictions and side effects.
Finally there is a way to build density increasing powers in GURPS!
Now do I need to repeat the question?


PS:Yes that was a silly reference, feeling that way today.

[zoncxs]

Originally Posted by Refplace

152 downloads already.
...
The question is "Will you use or do you see the ST and Melee based enhancements replacing Imbuements?"
...

I don't think so,sure you can now add enhancements to your unarmed strikes and stuff but it cost anywhere from 3pts to 40pts+, the upside is not needing to pay FP for it, the down side is that if you want to add another effect you need to build it as such. if you want to use it like imbuements then each effect must also have link +20% so you can use them together if you want to. also note that adding ranged to your unarmed attack is not allowed by the book normally. though I would allow it with the follow-up +50% (making it +90% enhancement to allow it). Not only that but you don't have to recalculate imbuements when your ST goes up. using the enhancment versions require you to buy them at a certain lvl, if your thrust damage is 3d then you buy enhancements for a 3d crushing attack and do the math, but if your ST goes up and your thrust turns to 3d+2 your old enhancement is only good for up to 3d.

for example, adding ranged (with the cosmic follow up to allow it) cost 11pts on a person who's thrusting ST is 3d.

if his dmg was 3d+2 it would cost 17pts!

so, even though enhancements are a great tool now its not as flexible and doesn't have that "variable" like imbuements (which I love).

[vitruvian]

Originally Posted by zoncxs

If you want to use it like imbuements then each effect must also have link +20% so you can use them together if you want to. also note that adding ranged to your unarmed attack is not allowed by the book normally.

No, you don't. That's mentioned nowhere in the book, and doesn't really make sense for enhancements. At worst, you might have to pay for Selectivity +10% (on the assumed cost of your ST-based damage or whatever) so that you can always decide which enhancements are in effect and which are not.

[cmdicely]

Originally Posted by zoncxs

also note that adding ranged to your unarmed attack is not allowed by the book normally. though I would allow it with the follow-up +50% (making it +90% enhancement to allow it).

Follow-Up makes an attack a follow-up to another attack, so you have to have a different attack. (Also, Follow-Up is on the list of prohibited enhancements for unarmed attacks.) +50% Cosmic (of the "avoiding drawbacks" type) might be appropriate to allow this though, which is the same price.

[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.