Custom Powers Master List (Work In Progress)

[Centarion]

Hi, I don't know if this is the place to post this, but I have a question about one of the custom powers.

SPIRIT FORM [-3]
Description: You are an incorporeal spirit form, able to pass through walls and other barriers in the mortal world. Thresholds still have an almost physical reality to you, however.
Skills Affected: Many, especially Conviction.
Note: This power may not normally be attached to Human Form, Feeding Dependency, an Item Of Power, Magical Self-Enhancement, or any other power that can "turn off" the powers it is attached to.. The Astral Projection and Manifestation upgrades, if taken, entirely remove this restriction except with regards to Human Form.
Effects:
Insubstantial. You are invisible, inaudible, and incorporeal. This means that you can neither affect nor be affected by physical things, except as dictated under Vulnerabilities and Manifestation. Any magic that you cast is also incorporeal, and useless against anything physical. However, you can perceive the physical world normally, and under some circumstances it may be possible for physical characters to perceive and communicate with you. Characters with this power may affect each other freely.
Shaped By Belief. Your very existence is defined by belief. As a result, you are not closely bound by physical reality. You may make Maneuvers and Declarations with Conviction to define your physical form and the nature of your interactions with the world.
Vulnerabilities. Certain physical things can harm you despite your intangibility. These things include ghost dust, fire, and sunlight. What's more, you cannot cross thresholds at all.
Manifestation [-2]. Once per scene, you may force yourself to manifest physically. This negates this power until the scene ends, you choose to become immaterial, or you get taken out in a physical conflict. Using this trapping is an insane act for a ghost, and as such this trapping may not be possessed by sane ghosts. (Other forms of spirit might not have this limitation.)
Poltergeist [-1]. You can exert a tiny amount of force on the material world. Normally this does nothing of importance, but when machinery is around you can often interfere with it. You may use Conviction to make maneuvers disrupting physical machinery.
Spiritual Physics Abuse [-1]. The laws of physics only affect you if you think they should. Teleportation is possible for you. You may substitute your Conviction skill for your Might skill when exerting force, your Athletics skill when moving, or for any other physical skill as the GM feels is appropriate.
Mind = Matter [-0]. Your body and your mind are the same thing. You have one stress track that is used for both mental and physical stress. Its length is determined by your Conviction skill. Toughness powers apply to this track, but mental stress automatically satisfies catches. Consequences taken on this track do not recover naturally unless you provide some form of special justification, generally involving the absorption of memories. More severe consequences require more elaborate justifications.
Astral Projection [-1]. You are a physical creature, but you can leave your body when you feel inclined. You normally do not have access to this power, but you may gain access to it any time by taking a supplemental action. When you do so, your physical body is unconscious and immobile. You may return to your physical body at any time by physically entering it with a supplemental action.
Involuntary Projection/Manifestation [+1]. (Requires Astral Projection or Manifestation) You have no control over whether or not you are corporeal at any given time. Choose a condition in collaboration with the GM. This condition determines whether or not this power is active at any given time.
Possession [-1]. You may enter the bodies of others, combining your power with theirs. Given a willing host, you may enter that host's body as a supplemental action. This allows you to control their body, using your own skills for all rolls. While you possess a host, you have access to all of your own powers and those of your host's powers that your GM deems appropriate. The host's skills may modify yours, at the GM's discretion. Physical stress is inflicted on the host, not on you, and the host's physical stress track is not affected. If you cast spells while in another characters body, you must pay for those spells with your own mental stress. However, your host suffers backlash for you. A character who is being possessed may not act, but they may force the possessor out of their body at any time.

I think this is a great power rewrite, and makes tons of sense when applied to a ghost themed character. As far as I know, the original Spirit Form power (for the same -3 cost) allowed you to move objects with conviction, talk to/interact with people (or be invisible, depending on how manifested you were), and gave a bonus to social skills depending on your form. It also almost certainly allowed you to cast spells that worked in the physical world. On the other hand it did not give you any immunity to physical effects. With this version, in order to get a similar effect I have to spend 5 refresh and still don't get the social skill bonus (which was kinda lame anyway). This cost makes sense since you also have the option of being physically immune.

My question is how you would apply this rewrite (which upgrades etc.) to a Bob like spirit with variable levels of manifestation. Clearly Bob can cast spells in the mortal world (at least Evil Bob can, I don't remember if normal Bob ever does), he also goes through walls/is invisible, or talks to people. It seems that he either has this power with an upgraded Manifestation that allows you to change state at will (expensive version), or he has this power but without the "Physical Immunity" clause of Insubstantial and and then is always in some level of manifestation, sort of part way between corporeal and not, and is thus effected by attacks, but still not effected by walls, and is maybe invisible when he is mostly incorporeal and thus cannot perceive/effect people in the mortal world (this would be the cheaper option, similar to Spirit Form from RAW).

[Sanctaphrax]

I think this is a great power rewrite, and makes tons of sense when applied to a ghost themed character. As far as I know, the original Spirit Form power (for the same -3 cost) allowed you to move objects with conviction, talk to/interact with people (or be invisible, depending on how manifested you were), and gave a bonus to social skills depending on your form. It also almost certainly allowed you to cast spells that worked in the physical world. On the other hand it did not give you any immunity to physical effects. With this version, in order to get a similar effect I have to spend 5 refresh and still don't get the social skill bonus (which was kinda lame anyway). This cost makes sense since you also have the option of being physically immune.

My question is how you would apply this rewrite (which upgrades etc.) to a Bob like spirit with variable levels of manifestation. Clearly Bob can cast spells in the mortal world (at least Evil Bob can, I don't remember if normal Bob ever does), he also goes through walls/is invisible, or talks to people. It seems that he either has this power with an upgraded Manifestation that allows you to change state at will (expensive version), or he has this power but without the "Physical Immunity" clause of Insubstantial and and then is always in some level of manifestation, sort of part way between corporeal and not, and is thus effected by attacks, but still not effected by walls, and is maybe invisible when he is mostly incorporeal and thus cannot perceive/effect people in the mortal world (this would be the cheaper option, similar to Spirit Form from RAW).

I don't think Bob is capable of any kind of manifestation. So far as I can tell, he's 100% incorporeal. Then again, it's been a while since I last read the novels.

I'm not sure exactly how to model the sort of manifestation you speak of because I'm not sure exactly what effect you're after. Could you explain further?

PS: Here's how I wrote up Bob.

[Centarion]

Ok, first, i have to note i was wrong about the power form the RAW, you cannot in fact manifest physically without spending 2 refresh on an upgrade, so the cost is about the same in both this re-write and the book. You are also right that Bob is 100% incorporeal, but he is visible/able to speak to/able to cast magic on normal physical people.

To clarify what I am after, basically I am wondering if this power is capable of emulating the power as written in the book and if not how you would do that. The power in the book (as far a i can tell), lets you walk through walls and all that other incorporeal stuff, be either invisible and unable to perceive "anything useful," or visible and able to perceive everything, and seemingly change this level of interactivity at will. It also appears that you can be affected by physical attacks and can use magic (it notes that to be also immune to physical attack you also need Immunity).

Basically, I think this power perfectly models ghosts (as seen in ghost story), but the base level seems very under-powered to me since you cannot do anything to affect the normal world (which again is very true to ghost story). Yes it gives you immunity, but in return you give up any useful interaction (including talking if i am reading it correctly) and in order to affect the physical world (and do anything in a combat) you have to give up the immunity anyway. On the other hand if I wanted to make a spirit from the nevernever (something similar to Bob) I would want it to be able to talk and use magic in the real world, but probably not have immunity (as that would be broken), and potentially also be able to disconnect somewhat from the world (gaining immunity? and loosing the ability to act in the normal world in any way, this may just be swift transition).

Again I may be misreading you power or the books version.

Thanks for your help.

[ways and means]

It does seem a bit harsh you PI with an easy catch (sunlight so -4 value) and for that extra refresh you lose the ability to meaningfully interact with the world as well as a weakness to thresholds etc.  I see it as a 0 refresh power personally a ghost with this power is no more powerful than a mortal without it.

[Sanctaphrax]

To clarify what I am after, basically I am wondering if this power is capable of emulating the power as written in the book and if not how you would do that.

I'm actually not sure what the Power in the book does. Can you touch stuff if you have it? Can your fireballs hit people? Do you need Poltergeist for that?

If I wanted to model a ghost that needed to manifest visibly to see, I'd probably handle it through Compels. If I wanted to remove the whole "can't touch or be touched" thing, I'd write a completely different Power.

Basically, I think this power perfectly models ghosts (as seen in ghost story), but the base level seems very under-powered to me since you cannot do anything to affect the normal world (which again is very true to ghost story). Yes it gives you immunity, but in return you give up any useful interaction (including talking if i am reading it correctly) and in order to affect the physical world (and do anything in a combat) you have to give up the immunity anyway. On the other hand if I wanted to make a spirit from the nevernever (something similar to Bob) I would want it to be able to talk and use magic in the real world, but probably not have immunity (as that would be broken), and potentially also be able to disconnect somewhat from the world (gaining immunity? and loosing the ability to act in the normal world in any way, this may just be swift transition).

My version is supposed to let you talk as long as you can rustle up a cheap justification. Like, say, a magic skull.

Which basically makes you the ultimate spy. Especially since you can fly, do without air, shapeshift, and so on.

It's also supposed to let you engage enemies who have Spirit Form, which your allies are likely to be helpless against. That rather relies on said enemies existing, though.

Being a solid being that can disconnect from the world is mechanically the same as being an incorporeal being that can Manifest. Manifestation ought to cover what you're after.

In retrospect, sunlight vulnerability probably should have been left to Compels.

PS: PI is in no way a good guide to costing. It's too cheap and you know it.

[Centarion]

As far as my interpretation of the power in YS goes (which is largely colored by what Bob does in the books), you can touch stuff, but only barely, enough to read a book, not enough to move the book a significant distance. To do more you need the Poltergeist upgrade (a 2 cost upgrade allowing you to use conviction to replace might, and for you to attack with weapons etc, mostly equivalent to your Manifestation upgrade).

Your magic can almost certainly hit normal people, Bob, when outside his skull, puts the whammy on Harry when he goes evil in Dead Beat (?). This may just be because Bob is an incredibly powerful spirit, so doing this may require an upgrade if it presents a balance problem.

The book specifically states that you have variable manifestation, that in order to see/hear/talk to people you have to manifest such that you are visible, this cuts down on the perfect spy, but still allows you to disconnect further to get past the guard (when you see him while visible) and then pop back up after sneaking by. It also says that (at least when in any state such that you can see the normal world), you are effected normally by attacks (unless you take immunity powers). In Bob's case this is the orange (or purple for Evil Bob) cloud thing.

It is unclear weather you can fly in the power, but it would make sense that you could.

For some reason I am not a fan of the book power, but I like the fact that you can almost certainly see/talk in the real world and that your magic can affect it (when you are a nevernever spirit and not a ghost). I also like all of the upgrades you have on your power, I just don't see any way to imitate the parts I like form the book power (especially not in any cost effective/not under powered way, or a not overpowered/immune to everyone but still blowing them up way). Maybe this needs to be a separate power?  Or just more add-ons?

[Sanctaphrax]

Bob's abilities are not a good guide to the effects of Spirit Form. Partly because novels are not rulebooks, and partly because going by the books Bob probably doesn't have Spirit Form. The books say somewhere that they wouldn't represent him as a character at all.

Anyway, I'm still not really sure what you want. Variable manifestation? The ability to hit people? Vulnerability to attacks?

[Centarion]

What I want:

• Be able to be either visible or invisible at will (while invisible, you would be unable to perceive "anything useful")
• Be able to pass through walls. Potentially also be able to fly (I don't know if this is built in, or should require an upgrade, like physics abuse, for balance reasons)
• Be able to cast spells (or pretty much do any non-physical thing) that affect normal people
• For balance purposes, you would likely have to be vulnerable (at least when manifested an able to affect people with spells)

This would also come with the vulnerabilities you listed, and would require upgrades (like you have) to make physical effects beyond maybe opening a book/flipping through pages (moving the book is a no-go without an upgrade).

[Sanctaphrax]

I suggest you forget all about Spirit Form, then.

Fortunately, there are other custom Powers that can help.

My recommendation:

Displacement with the Invisibility upgrade, Wings, Teleportation, and a whole pile of Compels.

(If you want to be able to punch other spirits, add Ghost Speaker and Dual Nature.)

[Silverblaze]

What I want:

• Be able to be either visible or invisible at will (while invisible, you would be unable to perceive "anything useful")
• Be able to pass through walls. Potentially also be able to fly (I don't know if this is built in, or should require an upgrade, like physics abuse, for balance reasons)
• Be able to cast spells (or pretty much do any non-physical thing) that affect normal people
• For balance purposes, you would likely have to be vulnerable (at least when manifested an able to affect people with spells)

This would also come with the vulnerabilities you listed, and would require upgrades (like you have) to make physical effects beyond maybe opening a book/flipping through pages (moving the book is a no-go without an upgrade).

Could play a variety of Fae.

Glamours, gaseous form ( with an upgrade allowing a once per round free action to shift into and out of the form) wings (or an upgrade to gaseous form that allows faster movement), spell casting ability (could be sponsored or otherwise).

Sanctaphrax's idea works fine too.

[Sanctaphrax]

A little while back, Tedronai said that he figured Limitation could be tweaked to replace pretty much any rebate Power.

I said I didn't think it would work for Item Of Power, since it doesn't allow lending.

Later, it occurred to be that I could write a "lendable" custom Power that could combine with Limitation to cover lendability. But I couldn't come up with a good cost.

Then I realized that stealability was a perfect cost for lendability. Of course, for Powers to be stealable you need something like Limitation.

So now lendable is an upgrade for Limitation. In retrospect, this is a pretty obvious idea. But I had to struggle with it for some reason.

Actually, this was a bugger to word. I probably screwed it up, tell me if you notice a problem.

While I was adding an upgrade to Limitation, I stipulated that you can't use Limitation to sneak around the drawbacks of a Power. Because seriously, it's supposed to be a limitation.

LIMITATION [+varies]
Description: Your abilities are limited in some way.
Note: Suffering from the negative consequences of taking this Power will often, but not always, be a Compel. If the importance of this Power changes during play, it might be necessary to change its cost or compensate with Compels.
Skills Affected: None.
Effects:
Limited Powers. Attach this Power to at least one other Power that you possess. Then, select a circumstance. Whenever that circumstance applies, you are treated as though you did not possess the attached abilities. You may not select Powers with drawbacks unless the GM approves, and even if the GM does approve they may rule that you do not receive any rebate for the cost of the Powers in question.
Rebate. This Power reduces the Refresh cost of the attached Powers. The percentage that the cost is reduced by depends upon how commonly the limitation on your Powers will cause problems for you.

• If it will matter rarely (perhaps once every 6 sessions or so), reduce the cost by one-sixth.
• If it will cause problems from time to time (in some, but not all, sessions), reduce the cost by one fourth.
• If it will be a frequent impediment (once a session on average), reduce the cost by half.
• If it will prevent you from using your Powers except in unusual situations (no more than once a session on average), reduce the cost by three fourths.

At the GM's discretion, difficult-to-classify limitations might grant a rebate in between two of the suggested ones. Decimal costs should be rounded to the nearest integer, with GMs rounding halves based on what cost seems more appropriate.
Item Limitation [-0]. You may transfer Limitation and the Powers attached to it to another character, causing you to lose them and causing the other character to gain them. They may then transfer them freely, but if another character has your Powers when a Milestone occurs, they must pay for them. Note that though the Limitation will be the same, it might be valued differently owing to the other character's differing circumstances. Similarly, if you do not have your Powers when a Milestone occurs the Refresh invested in them is refunded. Whenever the Limited Powers trapping causes you to lose access to your Powers it is possible that another character will steal them. If they do so, it is as though you had voluntarily transferred the Powers to them. You may choose the process by which your Powers are transferred or stolen, but both processes should be roughly equal in difficulty. This upgrade is usually used to represent items that grant Powers, and the process for acquiring Powers through it is generally just picking up the item in question.

[Tedronai]

Item Limitation [-0]. You may transfer Limitation and the Powers attached to it to another character, causing you to lose them and causing the other character to gain them. They may then transfer them freely, but if another character has your Powers when a Milestone occurs, they must pay for them. Similarly, if you do not have your Powers when a Milestone occurs the Refresh invested in them becomes free. Whenever the Limited Powers trapping causes you to lose access to your Powers it is possible that another character will steal them. If they do so, it is as though you had voluntarily transferred the Powers to them. You may choose the process by which your Powers are transferred or stolen, but both processes should be roughly equal in difficulty. This upgrade is usually used to represent items that grant Powers, and the process for acquiring Powers through it is generally just picking up the item in question.

Replace 'Refresh invested in them becomes free' with 'Refresh you have invested in them is refunded'
Specify (/remind) somewhere that the transferred Limitation may or may not be of the same value, even though it will be the same circumstance.

Beyond that, and a nebulous feeling that the 'process' clause should be fleshed out more, it looks more-or-less good to me.

[Sanctaphrax]

Good suggestions, thanks.

Editing...

[KOFFEYKID]

I dig the Supernatural Martial Arts. In fact I've been wanting to make a martial artist and it fits nicely with what I was looking for.

[zeromig]

I have an idea for a power that I'd like to input into my game, but I'm not sure how I want to word it, price it, or whether I should introduce it.

Basically it's a power where a divine/semidivine/caster character can tag the potency of an object-- not just tagging aspects on it, but tagging the sheer power of it to derive fate points, or other large-scale bonuses on items (I'm thinking relics, ancient and modern). Let's say, for convenience's sake, the PCs are fighting it out in the Smithsonian Museum. Half the PCs -are- gods already, and the other half are sons of gods. How would they tag the potency of, say, the Wright Brother's airplane (for its legendary, historical status) to get more power for their evocation? I was thinking of making an Lore or Presence roll to ascertain its assigned potency, where some items are simply more legendary or powerful than others.