Last week was all about character ideas based on our current group. This week I would like to address the possibility of Stats, and how to use them for your own advantage, in far more creative ways than simply adding Booster (Or, “No Upward Limit”) to them. Today, we start with the Body stat.
Body can let you do some really Anime type actions, stuff far more than just hitting hard. Here are some of my favorite adaptions to the power (note, most of these add +0 to the cost of the Body stat, but remember that they always cost at least +1 even if they add up to less than 1. The only exception on this is if the entire Stat is affected).
How about an ability that let’s you flex SO hard, it creates a shockwave outwards from yourself, knocking over objects and people? Obviously, this is an “Area” effect (+3). Plus, it’s quite likely to “Daze” (+1) some people in the process. That’s all there is to it… now you use your body to create an area effect. Reduce the cost down to 0 with the Exhausted (-3) flaw, since this isn’t something you should be seeing regularly for it to stay ‘cool’, and a -1 to Limited Damage (Let’s only do shock damage here). That last flaw only works if you have at least a pool of 6 in Body. 5 or lower, not only is this power not thematic, but you can’t take a Flaw that has no effect on you.
** Note: when you take Limited Damage and Exhausted, by-the-book, all your damage becomes Shock, and you can only use Hyper Body abilities (such as the greater Jump Distance) once; other uses would use only your Base Body… However, extras and flaws are meant to be homebrewed as well, the existing ones are examples. It’s GM’s decision if they offset the cost. Personally, I hold that any new ability incurs at -least- a +1, so even though I show you how to get it down to +0, I wouldn’t allow it.
Resistance seem too expensive with the Variable Effect requirement? Try using Endurance instead. For +0 to your cost, you can take the Endurance skill, add 2 levels of booster (-1 if/then that it only effects Environmental threats), and -1 for Willpower Investment (This should thus affect all Hyper Endurance use, but since it’s thematic, we allow it to only affect the Resistance aspect of Endurance). So basically, if you are in a situation that you need to use this Resistance, then you are going to lock up your Willpower pool for the duration of it (Makes sense thematically, as when you’re in a vacuum, you’re going to be focused on surviving). What does the Booster do? Multiplies how long you can hold your breath (for example) by 100 minutes times your body stat, multiplies sub-zero effects to 100 minutes instead of 1 minute. Poison effect happen every hour instead of every 10 rounds, etc.
Talked earlier about adding Power Capacity (Range) to have a Telekinetic effect. You would of course have to look the part, bend down, making a grabbing motion, standing up to lift, etc… crouch down 10m from the car, grab as if your fingers are under the car, lift up, and the car 10m away lifts up. Add a High Capacity to that Range and you don’t have to reduce your lifting capacity to accommodate splitting the pool. Add an If/Then (your Range isn’t going to affect other Body rolls, just lifting/throwing), and you have a Telekinetic Effect at +2, +1, -1 = +2. Reduce that with a Willpower Bid, and a Go Last, and your telekinetic effect doesn’t add to your Body cost.
Similar idea, a Chi Punch. Power Capacity (Range), and your unarmed attacks are hitting across the yard. -1 If/Then for only applying to Attacks. -1 for Reduced Capacity (only a few meters instead of hundreds of meters), and again, a “free” addendum to your Body costs.
Or a personal favorite… Strange Steps. Take the No Physics (+1) addition to your Body, with an If/Then (-1) that it only applies if you are moving at full speed. You now get to run on walls, across ceilings, make impossibly sharp turns, and never leave any footprints while you’re running!
Now comes the calculation part… I give you +0 costs, because you can add all of them together. You should still pay at least a +1, but that can include all those options (per GM’s discretion of course).
This is also where I warn of a common mistake in calculations. A lot of these can drop down to -1, say we just add Obvious (Bulging Muscles) to it, or Depleted, or any number of other flaws… That would drop the base cost of your Hyper Body from 4/8/16 to 3/6/12 (or lower, to a minimum of 1/2/4). Just remember that it does NOT lower the cost of your base Body. Your base body costs 5/10/20 plus any extras. Also, unless a flaw effects the entirety of the Body stat, it should not reduce the base cost of Body below the default 4/8/16 (or 5/10/20 if you’re in my game).
One last comment. This post is to give ideas and examples, not to create cafeteria powers. Much like some of the actual cafeteria powers, they may not do what you’d expect of them, based on your GM. 😉