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Dodging bullets!

Started by Jason Sartin, June 06, 2002, 03:46:06 AM

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Jason Sartin

Hello, everyone.  I'm delighted to see the official forum moved to somewhere less epically annoying than Yahoo Groups.  ;)

To help kick things off some more, I'll ask about constructing SAs that help you evade Ranged Attacks.  

(Sure, Cynthia told me that 80's cartoon heroes were rarely as good at dodging those as with close-up attacks - or something along that line - but even if I fully agreed with her, I don't think a character who can is too outrageous an idea.)

Here are some ideas.  

Approach 1: "Equality In Aggression" (MiSA)
This SA simply lets you roll your Athletics trait against Ranged Attacks as well as its normal use in Close Combat.  This ability can be explained by super martial arts, superhuman speed, an overly cinematic universe, a goofy reverse magnetic reaction on your part to any material currently in flight (after one of your series' writers lost a drunken dare over a bottle of Jack Daniels), or whatever.
Power Level: Med (8)
No components
Total Cost: 8 CP

Approach 2: "The Secret Forbidden Dodging Technique!" (MiSA)
This SA gives you a special trait for opposing Ranged Attacks!  Its rating is rolled against your opponent's Ranged Combat roll.
Power Level: Med (4)
Rating: 4 (9) (or whatever you want/need it to be)
Limitations: Restriction, Minor (you must be able to move) (-1); Restriction, Minor (rating cannot exceed your Athletics trait) (-1)
Total Cost: 11 CP

Approach 3: "Bam!  You suck!" (MiSA)
This SA makes it a hell of a lot harder for bullets, ninja death stars, thrown lava, and other flying nuisances to be aimed properly at your agile, sugar-powered self.
Power Level: Med (4)
Trait Modification B: Ranged Combat -4 (8)
Range: Visual (6)
Limitations: Restriction, Minor (you must be able to move) (-1); Restriction, Major (the modifier only applies to attacking *you*) (-3)
Total Cost: 14 CP

(The problem with that last one is that I'm not sure if an Area of Effect bonus would be needed.  I'd lean towards "yes", but the cost to even cover Short range would be so much that you might as well buy an area attack SA and just BLOW UP all the people shooting you.)

Approach 4: "The Matrix DISKCOPY" (MSA)
This SA represents superhuman reactions and movement, incidentally allowing you to dodge any projectile.
Power Level: Med (4)
Rating: 0 (5)
Mode of Travel: Running, Wall Walking (4)
Trait Modification A: Athletics (Evading) +3 (3), Unarmed Combat (Martial arts) +3 (3)
Bonuses: Super-Scale Movement (3); Miscellaneous Major Effect (Athletics trait can be used against Ranged Combat) (3)
Total Cost: 25 CP

Hmmm...
I think of "science" as the rule system for the most mind-numbingly awful RPG ever. And don't even mention all the "religion" sourcebooks and their damn metaplots and how they all contradict the basic rules and each other.

Cynthia Celeste Miller

Those SAs are very cool, very balanced and very functional.  I'm particularly fond of #1 and #4.  

Just as a side-note, as a GM, I wouldn't require you to buy the Area of Effect bonus.  I think the SA works fine without it.
Cynthia Celeste Miller
President, Spectrum Games
www.spectrum-games.com