Custom Powers Master List (Work In Progress)

[Sanctaphrax]

Alright, you make a good argument. I guess we should probably change the teleporting grapple rules.

Incidentally, it occurs to me that teleporting people against their will could be limited to the normal forced movement allowed with grapples. You can already move people around as a supplemental action if you grapple them, and moving someone with Teleportation is no more abusable than moving them with Wings.

But...

Falling damage is covered in Raw.  It's 5 stress for every 10 feet of falling.  Your athletics result gives you armour against the damage.

Those rules are bad. Way too lethal. I'd rather not use them.

Falling damage is a non-issue in most games, but in games where someone is playing a flying or teleporting grappler it could become quite important.

EDIT: I should mention, I'm a little reluctant to change Teleportation without consulting ways and means. The power was his idea originally, after all. But he hasn't been around for a while, so...I dunno what we should do about that.

[Taran]

Alright, you make a good argument. I guess we should probably change the teleporting grapple rules.

Incidentally, it occurs to me that teleporting people against their will could be limited to the normal forced movement allowed with grapples. You can already move people around as a supplemental action if you grapple them, and moving someone with Teleportation is no more abusable than moving them with Wings.

But...

Those rules are bad. Way too lethal. I'd rather not use them.

Falling damage is a non-issue in most games, but in games where someone is playing a flying or teleporting grappler it could become quite important.

EDIT: I should mention, I'm a little reluctant to change Teleportation without consulting ways and means. The power was his idea originally, after all. But he hasn't been around for a while, so...I dunno what we should do about that.

Maybe just attach an addendum to the power until he's approved it?

#falling damage
I propose using athletics as an attack instead of using falling damage.  The teleporters athletics vs the defenders athletics to resist.  Weapon 0 to represent the falling damage.

I don't know how that would affect a teleporter who isn't immune to falling damage.  Maybe just make them defend against their own attack?

Maybe an additional upgrade: weaponized teleportation.  It can represent falling damage or it could represent having the person appear half-way through an object etc...

It requires you to be in  a grapple or to have instigated a grapple.

[bobjob]

Maybe just attach an addendum to the power until he's approved it?

#falling damage
I propose using athletics as an attack instead of using falling damage.  The teleporters athletics vs the defenders athletics to resist.  Weapon 0 to represent the falling damage.

I don't know how that would affect a teleporter who isn't immune to falling damage.  Maybe just make them defend against their own attack?

Maybe an additional upgrade: weaponized teleportation.  It can represent falling damage or it could represent having the person appear half-way through an object etc...

It requires you to be in  a grapple or to have instigated a grapple.

So, kind of like a grapple in which you'd use might to deal damage, but reworded as athletics? That's something I could get behind.

[Sanctaphrax]

Maybe just attach an addendum to the power until he's approved it?

Sounds like a plan.

I propose using athletics as an attack instead of using falling damage.  The teleporters athletics vs the defenders athletics to resist.  Weapon 0 to represent the falling damage.

Something like that could work, but you'd have to be more specific.

Anyway, Taran, would you like to write up your own take on the Teleportation Power? It sounds like you have a good idea of what you want out of it.

[Taran]

O.k, I'll try.  I'm going to write it so that you can teleport a willing subject with the base power.  You guys both seemed to think that that was o.k and probably not worth a refresh on its own:

(click to show/hide)

TELEPORTATION [-2]
Description: You can teleport from one space to another. Very convenient.
Skills Affected: Athletics.
Effects:
Unfettered Movement.
- You may ignore all zone borders and all penalties or blocks that would normally impede your movement, unless those blocks are specifically designed to block teleportation. You may also move freely in three dimensions, though this Power does not prevent you from falling to the ground.
- If you are being grappled or otherwise grabbed you may make a supplemental move or Sprint action even though a grapple does not normally allow it. The character holding onto you must roll Might against your movement roll. If they succeed they can choose to come with you or to disrupt the teleport attempt; if they fail, their grasp is broken and you may perform your move action as if there was no block or borders, as normal.
- You may teleport with another willing subject but if the result of the teleport would cause injury(stress or consequences, drowning, falling) to the passenger, the teleport fails completely and your action is lost.
Rapid Teleportation [-1].
Add four to your Athletics when using it to move with this Power. In addition, you may move an additional zone when taking a supplemental action to move with this Power.
Long-Distance Teleportation [-1].
(Requires Rapid Teleportation) You may teleport to any place in the world given a few minutes. At the GM's discretion, this effect may be limited by the speed of light.
Sight-Affirmed Teleportation [+1].
Your movement is impeded by anything that blocks your vision. Apply blocks and penalties that apply to your vision to your movement, and do not ignore them with the base effect of this Power.
Weaponized Teleportation:[-1]  Range: touch
You may use your teleportation ability to damage and/or transport unwilling targets.  Narratively, this can be teleporting high and dropping them, teleporting them half-way through an object or teleporting them into another person.  Mechanically, this is an attack using your Athletics as an attack.
This is a Weapon 0 attack  and is defended against using Athletics.  If you succeed, you may choose how many shifts go towards damage and how many go towards movement.  For instance, if you succeed by 5 shifts, you may transport someone 2 zones and do 3 stress.  You may choose whether or not you teleport with the victim.  You may make spray attacks with this ability to represent teleporting people into others.  Narratively, you may have to dodge your own attack (ex: if you choose to teleport yourself and a victim into the air but you, yourself, cannot fly.) Note: Teleporting someone could have side-effects, beyond the attack, in subsequent rounds (teleporting them into a zone that has no air, or under water or into a burning building).
Mass Teleport [-1]
You may teleport a number of willing targets up to your Athletics skill plus bonuses (Including the +4 bonus from Rapid Teleportaion)

So have a look. 
Weaponized teleportation:
- I'm not sure if it's too powerful to let it stack with the +4 from Rapid Teleport.  But it is a weapon 0 attack, so maybe it's o.k
- I'm not sure if it's balanced to let the teleporter choose whether or not he teleports with the defender.

[Sanctaphrax]

TELEPORTATION [-2]
Description: You can teleport from one space to another. Very convenient.
Skills Affected: Athletics.
Effects:
Unfettered Movement.
- You may ignore all zone borders and all penalties or blocks that would normally impede your movement, unless those blocks are specifically designed to block teleportation. You may also move freely in three dimensions, though this Power does not prevent you from falling to the ground.
- If you are being grappled or otherwise grabbed you may make a supplemental move or Sprint action even though a grapple does not normally allow it. The character holding onto you must roll Might against your movement roll. If they succeed they can choose to come with you or to disrupt the teleport attempt; if they fail, their grasp is broken and you may perform your move action as if there was no block or borders, as normal.

Looks good apart from the odd formatting.

- You may teleport with another willing subject but if the result of the teleport would cause injury(stress or consequences, drowning, falling) to the passenger, the teleport fails completely and your action is lost.

I'm not such a fan of this. Since the passenger already has to be willing, the no-damage clause seems unnecessary. Anyone who agrees to teleport with you can just deal with the risks.

Besides, it feels arbitrary. The Power is not by default intelligent, how can it tell if you're gonna do damage?

Long-Distance Teleportation [-1].
(Requires Rapid Teleportation) You may teleport to any place in the world given a few minutes. At the GM's discretion, this effect may be limited by the speed of light.

This has nothing to do with you, but in retrospect...a few minutes feels too long. Maybe just make it a moment to concentrate?

IIRC the intention was to prevent this from being used to escape combat, but I'm not really sure that's necessary any more. Someone with Rapid Teleportation is probably so fast that they can leave whenever they feel like it anyway.

And a full few minutes is kind of long even if we're trying to prevent combat escapes.

On a semi-related note, an upgrade like this for Mythic Speed might be cool.

Weaponized Teleportation:[-1]  Range: touch
You may use your teleportation ability to damage and/or transport unwilling targets.  Narratively, this can be teleporting high and dropping them, teleporting them half-way through an object or teleporting them into another person.  Mechanically, this is an attack using your Athletics as an attack.
This is a Weapon 0 attack  and is defended against using Athletics.  If you succeed, you may choose how many shifts go towards damage and how many go towards movement.  For instance, if you succeed by 5 shifts, you may transport someone 2 zones and do 3 stress.  You may choose whether or not you teleport with the victim.  You may make spray attacks with this ability to represent teleporting people into others.  Narratively, you may have to dodge your own attack (ex: if you choose to teleport yourself and a victim into the air but you, yourself, cannot fly.) Note: Teleporting someone could have side-effects, beyond the attack, in subsequent rounds (teleporting them into a zone that has no air, or under water or into a burning building).

I think this is probably too good. First of all, it switches your unarmed attack skill. Second, it lets you use Speed bonuses to attack. Third, it lets you add forced movement to your attacks. Fourth, it lets you "double-dip" on attacks by putting someone in a hazardous place like the sky or deep underground.

Also, that spray attack thing seems hinky. If you're within arm's reach and bobjob is a zone away, can I make a spray attack against both of you? What if I miss you, then do I automatically miss bobjob? Do I have to move you into bobjob's zone to hit him?

Mass Teleport [-1]
You may teleport a number of willing targets up to your Athletics skill plus bonuses (Including the +4 bonus from Rapid Teleportaion)

Seems weak. This might let me take 6 people at once, but how often am I going to need to move 6 people in a situation where I can't just make 6 trips? I wouldn't buy this.

Weaponized teleportation:
- I'm not sure if it's too powerful to let it stack with the +4 from Rapid Teleport.  But it is a weapon 0 attack, so maybe it's o.k
- I'm not sure if it's balanced to let the teleporter choose whether or not he teleports with the defender.

Don't think it's a good idea to let people use the Rapid bonus. A +4 bonus to attack for 1 Refresh is a no-brainer.

Not sure about whether the teleporter should have to follow either.

You've given me some ideas. Mind if I post my version of what you've got there?

[Taran]

Go for it.  I agree with your comments for the most part. I think the teleporter should aways go with the person they're teleporting, now that ive considered it.

The only thing i don't really agree is the spray attack.  How else would you model teleporting someone onto someone else?

Regarding the willing passenger, im fine if you want to get rid of that last part.  I just didn't want people abusing it somehow to avoid taking the weaponized version.

[ways and means]

Well back when it was 3 refresh I thought teleport should just allow you to ignore grapple but I suppose for 1 more refresh than flying ignoring grapples is a bit too much.

As for carrying other people I always thought it should be limited by how many people you could physically carry (might/strength powers). 

Also we should have included some proviso that the movement ends early if you attempt to teleport into something solid.

As for using the ability as a weapon I always assumed the only way to do it was via grappling an opponent, moving them, then dropping them from above which you can already do with wings (the should get a might roll to hang on). So I didn't see much of a problem.

[Taran]

Limiting it to carrying capacity is a smooth way of doing it.  Limits how far and how fast you can move

Keep in mind that each level represents
what a character can lift by expending all
of his effort; he isn’t really going to be able to
move much more than a zone carrying something
that’s equal to his base Might. A character
can carry something two levels below his Might
for a short distance (allowing him to make a
sprint roll restricted by Might, with the item’s
difficulty as a border value). He can carry something
four levels below his Might with no real
penalty or can toss it a distance of one zone.
Something six levels below his Might could be
used as a thrown weapon

So you could only go one zone if you teleport someone who's weight is equal to your might.
You can only make a sprint roll if you want to move someone 2 level lower - restricted by might -(and I'd say the block should apply in this instance)
4 levels lower, you'd have no issues...
6 levels lower you could teleport other people without having to teleport with them maybe??? (the equivalent of throwing them)

It makes the power less useful for teleporting the party everywhere unless you're strong and it makes the Mass Teleport Upgrade much more useful.

As for ignoring a grapple, the power allows you to make a Sprint or supplemental move while grappled, which wings wouldn't allow, so I think that's a good upside.

[Sanctaphrax]

Hey, ways. Long time no see.

I'm inclined to leave spray attacks out, because do you really need to be able to teleport people into each other?

Anyway, here's my take. I meddled with a bunch of stuff. If this meets with your approval (and Taran's) then I'll add it to the list, if not then we can revise it further.

(click to show/hide)

TELEPORTATION [-2]
Description: You can teleport from one place to another. Very convenient.
Skills Affected: Athletics.
Effects:
Unfettered Movement. You may ignore all zone borders and all penalties or blocks that would normally impede your movement, unless those blocks are specifically designed to block teleportation. You may also move freely in three dimensions, though this Power does not prevent you from falling to the ground.
Hard To Hold. If you are being grappled you may make a supplemental move or Sprint action even though a grapple does not normally allow it. Compare your movement roll (assume you rolled -4 when moving supplementally) to the grapple strength. If it's lower your opponent can choose to come with you or to disrupt the teleport attempt; otherwise their grasp is broken and you may move as if there was no block or borders, as normal.
Carrier. When you teleport, everything you're carrying teleports with you. This can include other willing characters. Moving unwilling characters is more difficult; you can only do so when grappling them. When you take a supplemental action to move an opponent in a grapple you may teleport with them. Furthermore, you may teleport your opponent around in damaging ways when you do so. This allows you to combine the movement and stress-infliction supplemental actions in a grapple into a single supplemental action.
Rapid Teleportation [-1]. Add four to your Athletics when using it to move with this Power. You may also move an additional zone when taking a supplemental action to move with this Power, whether normally or in a grapple.
Long-Distance Teleportation [-1]. (Requires Rapid Teleportation) You may teleport to any place in the universe given a moment to concentrate in peace. At the GM's discretion, this effect may be limited by the speed of light.
Sight-Affirmed Teleportation [+1]. Your movement is impeded by anything that blocks your vision. Apply blocks and penalties that apply to your vision to your movement, and do not ignore them with the base effect of this Power.

I decided to leave out Mass Teleportation, since it's pretty niche and you can always take Strength with a Limitation to get the same effect.

Dunno whether that was the right decision. Taran, ways, I'll put in back in if you think I should.

[Taran]

Yeah, I like it.  It's smooth the way you have it tied in to grappling.

Hard To Hold. If you are being grappled you may make a supplemental move or Sprint action even though a grapple does not normally allow it. Compare your movement roll (assume you rolled -4 when moving supplementally) to the grapple strength. If it's lower your opponent can choose to come with you or to disrupt the teleport attempt; otherwise their grasp is broken and you may move as if there was no block or borders, as normal.

Why a -4 instead of the normal -1 for the supplemental movement when grappled?

[Sanctaphrax]

Well, in theory supplemental actions are for things you can do no matter what you roll. So using a -4 as their effective roll seems appropriate.

And escaping with a supplemental move is really powerful. I'm not inclined to make it any easier than it already is. And it's already pretty easy if you have Rapid Teleportation or Speed Powers...someone with peak Athletics and Inhuman Speed and Rapid Teleportation can escape an Epic grapple as a supplemental action. That's brutal if grappling is the other guy's main combat strategy.

[Taran]

-4 could be higher than the actual block, at a low refresh game.  It just seems arbitrary.  I'd almost prefer to have the penalty equal the block...but that makes a weird exception for the power...dunno...

[Sanctaphrax]

Yeah, it could be higher than the actual block.

Dunno why it would seem arbitrary, though. It's in line with YS's "if it would require a roll, it's not supplemental" guideline. And it's what I would use if a player wanted to move supplementally over a zone border.

(I'm not sure if it's possible to move supplementally over a zone border at all by RAW, but if someone with Fantastic Athletics wants to jump a feeble 1-shift border it probably shouldn't take an action.)

PS: I'm curious, which version of Teleportation are you going to use in Weird War II?

[Taran]

You can't use a supplemental action to cross a zone border because it requires a roll (or that's how I interpret RAW).  That being said, if you have a Fantastic Athletics, you don't really need to roll to go over a 1 shift border (since even rolling a -4 would be a success). 

In any case, the power allows you to make a supplemental while grappled even though you rolled...it's a perk, so the regular rules wouldn't apply.

Part of the problem is that the penalty usually applies to the main action.  So if you do a supplemental move, you get a -1 on your attack.  Would the person get a -4 on their attack or a -1?
Or, in the case of the teleporting guy, would it be -4 to escape, then -1 to attack? or -4 to both actions?  I'm wondering if breaking a grapple as a supplemental is too strong and we just limit it to sprinting.


So far, For Weird War, I'm using the Original version until we hammer out one that bobjob and I are happy with.