Modular Abilities Expanded

[Lavecki121]

The limitations to RAW are that you can only take creature features, some minor abilities, speed, strength and toughness powers. There also is something to consider in the fact that Modular abilities power is called "Function Follows Form" and it is a shapeshifting power, this implies that you have to have a visual reason why you get that power, in that your physical form actually changes. Maybe I'm wrong but it would seem to me that the guy who buys inhuman recovery would look normal but the guy who has modular points put towards inhuman recovery at all times, would look as though he was not human, maybe close but somehow, off.

Thats my read on it at least.

[Sanctaphrax]

Are you basically setting this up so nothing is off limits via modular abilities though?

Yes, though the surcharges could get arbitrarily large.

This involves more accounting than is ideal, but that's unavoidable. If somebody wants to have a character with a new Power they'll need to do some accounting when they design that Power. And yes, each type of Modular Abilities is a new Power.

There's no need to make that accounting any harder than it has to be, though.

The limitations to RAW are that you can only take creature features, some minor abilities, speed, strength and toughness powers.

Pretty much.

There also is something to consider in the fact that Modular abilities power is called "Function Follows Form" and it is a shapeshifting power, this implies that you have to have a visual reason why you get that power, in that your physical form actually changes. Maybe I'm wrong but it would seem to me that the guy who buys inhuman recovery would look normal but the guy who has modular points put towards inhuman recovery at all times, would look as though he was not human, maybe close but somehow, off.

That's not good. Powers should not dictate aesthetics, because it shuts off character concepts and because looking like a freak is not a bad thing mechanically.

You wanna be blue? Sure, but you don't get extra points or extra power in exchange for being blue. If it's a problem, you get a Compel.

[Lavecki121]

That's not good. Powers should not dictate aesthetics, because it shuts off character concepts and because looking like a freak is not a bad thing mechanically.

Yes but as it stands, Modular Abilities is a shapeshifter power. Which implies that some shapeshifting should be occurring. This is why True Shapeshifting suggests modular abilities as an add on.

[Sanctaphrax]

It's a shapeshifting Power because it's usually used for shapeshifters. But it can totally be used for other characters too.

Powers can be reflavoured, after all.

[Mrmdubois]

Yes, though the surcharges could get arbitrarily large.

This involves more accounting than is ideal, but that's unavoidable. If somebody wants to have a character with a new Power they'll need to do some accounting when they design that Power. And yes, each type of Modular Abilities is a new Power.

There's no need to make that accounting any harder than it has to be, though.

True, but by making a system whereby any power can be represented via modular abilities, why would I take anything else?  I imagine, that's the whole point of the arbitrarily large surcharge so I might be answering my own question there, but its going to be interesting to see how the balance works out.  Too low and it just makes sense to get modular abilities, too high and you might as well just pony up the Refresh for separate powers.

[Tedronai]

The limitations to RAW are that you can only take creature features, some minor abilities, speed, strength and toughness powers.

Pretty much.

Well, except for the part about it being Rules-As-Written, rather than Rules-As-Suggested which would be more accurate.

[Addicted2aa]

Well, except for the part about it being Rules-As-Written, rather than Rules-As-Suggested which would be more accurate.

Why differentiate? Those two terms are the same thing. Every RPG is subject to Rule 0, ignore rules as you see fit. If it's mentioned specifically in the book makes no difference.

[Tedronai]

It being mentioned explicitly in the text does have an impact on how it should be interpreted.  It should rightly be given less 'weight' than should other 'rules'.

[Lavecki121]

True, but by making a system whereby any power can be represented via modular abilities, why would I take anything else?  I imagine, that's the whole point of the arbitrarily large surcharge so I might be answering my own question there, but its going to be interesting to see how the balance works out.  Too low and it just makes sense to get modular abilities, too high and you might as well just pony up the Refresh for separate powers.

I am inclined to agree

[atavistic]

The stark truth of it is simple: the most sound tactical decision for a character design which features modular abilities is to put as many points into it as possible for the largest advantage.  Unless a rebate power (IOP, human form, Catch, feeding dependency) creates a need to take a separate power then the tactical choice should always be more modular abilities refresh.

Why doesn't this happen is a much more complicated question but it boils down to this: Not every template should permit such a design.

Players shouldn't be picking their powers ad hoc, they should fit a template, even a custom template and that template should spell out what powers they can, should, must and may have, both during creation and during advancement.  Said template is meant to be a cooperative effort between player and GM.  Even something like a changeling should have its power path planned out based on its parent hood.
Just don't let your player put everything into Modular abilities unless there is a very super strong reason it should be like that.

[Mrmdubois]

So in the end it comes down to case by case judgement rather than an unbiased rule set?  Well heck, I think Modular Abilities as is already does that, nothing stopping the GM from saying that it can cover a character's Glamours or whatever.

[Sanctaphrax]

@Tedronai: True. Doesn't change much, though.

@Mrmdubois: Indeed, if it's wrongly costed than it'll be overwhelmingly optimal or useless. But that's the case with most Powers. Just part of the job.

Modular Abilities as written does not accommodate changes to the option list very well. You can mess with the list, but you can't bundle Powers together into single options and the Power provides no guidelines to help you keep lists fair.

Plus it doesn't allow you to alter the cost for unusually powerful or weak option lists.

Which is why it ought to be expanded. It works fine, but it doesn't do as much as it could.

@atavistic: Ugh, no. Abandon that line of thinking immediately.

Templates should not be used as a balancing factor. Because if Power combo X is too good on a Wizard it's too good on a Were-form too. Template-based restrictions serve only to unbalance the game in the favour of people who chose the "right" character concepts.

Especially since the most basic Modular Abilities-using concepts actually make sense when you put a bunch of points in Modular Abilities.

Putting as many points as possible in Modular Abilities is often optimal, but not always. If you want/need Powers not on your list of options, you've gotta buy them separately. And with the expansion, even buying Powers on your list might be optimal since it'll allow you to expand your list.

[Mrmdubois]

Sanctaphrax, I think part of the problem I'm having here is that I don't really get what you're working toward with this Options thing.  Could you elaborate or clarify?  I'd be more specific, but I'm pretty much drawing a blank on all of it.

If you're going to change surcharges I think it makes sense to simply change suboptimal surcharge costs to (-1), and very optimal to (-3) or more.

Very optimal I think would be anything that allows switching around spellcasting powers, and maybe Glamours, but I think most other powers fall pretty neatly under the (-2), do you agree?  Or are there other very optimal Powers I might not be thinking of?

Or maybe leave Modular Abilities as is, and throw in an additional surcharge cost for every Power a character wants to add to the list.

[Sanctaphrax]

The main point of Options is to let people bundle Powers together.

Suppose I'm playing a wizard who can set aside her spellcasting for Speed and Strength and Toughness by channelling her magic inwards.

Representing this as Modular Abilities is quite sensible, but by canon Modular Abilities I'd be able to mix and match Powers. So I could go all Speed + Evocation for super-fast kills, which is not how the character is meant to work.

By using Options, I can combine all my Powers into two Options. So I can either be a caster or a tank, but not some kind of mix.

Mixing Psychometry and Guide My Hand into the default shapeshifter mix would be powerful, since in the situations where I need physical Powers I won't need Psychometry or Guide My Hand. So having to choose would not be painful.

The key thing to remember is that non-overlapping Options are more powerful.

PS: It was probably a mistake to put this up before I was done with the actual Power writeup. In the absence of a proper writeup, these discussions are always a bit less effective. Lesson learned, I guess.
PPS: I'll be including stunts and upgrades in the final Power, along with Options that require other Options. Because why not.

[Lavecki121]

With that last post, I think I finnally understand what you are saying. And I do agree with you. Having to sacrifice some of the more powerful options in favor of other powerful options makes you have to choose what you are going to be doing, especially if you dont have quick shifting.

I feel like you should get a refresh back if you had "restricted" modular abilities. Basically you define what you can do at a certain time. You cant combine any powers from different sets.

So if I wanted  say Speed, strength, evocation and glamours (lets say)

I would make some different options:
1. speed and strength
2 evocation
3 glamours

I would make it so that none of the powers that you are using can be combined unless previously stated that you can. Basically chart it out before hand (kind of like I was trying to do before with my other power).

But maybe thats not what you are intending