Power sharing power

[narphoenix]

Aka time for Sanctaphrax to cuss me out.

Has anyone seen/had a satisfactory temporary power granting power? If so, what does it look like?

[Taran]

I've only ever used sponsored debt and thaumaturgy.  (Separately, not combined)

It worked fine because there was plenty of justification.  Ironically, the sponsored debt was adjudicated by Sanctaphrax. 

I had an appropriate aspect set up in advance which I tagged and I spent a FP on an character aspect related to my demonic sponsor.  I took a speed power for one scene. 

He said he didn't really like to do that kind of thing but would 'let it go' this time.  Maybe he's getting soft.... 

But I guess that doesn't really a newer your question.  I've done it on occasion with thaumaturgy.  Once where the group did a ritual which gave us all pack instincts.  It lasted for an entire story arch.   (Which took place over several hours).

Modular abilities seems the way to go if you are going to do it often, though. 

[Haru]

A temporary power granting power seems more like a group concept than a single character concept.

To do so, have each character take modular abilities. Maybe at a discount of +1, since they are dependent on the last character. Or give them a discount because using the powers turns them visibly inhuman while they last (human form).

The last character has a power that allows him to grant powers. Alchemy, a sponsor, anything like that. The rest is fluff.

Instead of modular abilities, you could also just give them the "Bag of Tricks" power from the Wiki. That allows them to take potion effects rather than full powers.

[Sanctaphrax]

Probably won't surprise you to hear that I've never seen a Power-sharing Power that I'd let a player take.

If you want to write one, my recommendation is not to make it fully general. A Power's Refresh cost doesn't necessarily tell you how good the ability to share it is; Inhuman Recovery isn't necessarily better than 2 Refresh worth of Supernatural Senses, but the ability to share your Inhuman Recovery is much better than your ability to share your 2 Refresh worth of Supernatural Senses.

[Taran]

You know what would be cool.

Take a version of modular abilities but limit it to a theme.   A winter Fae might have different powers than a demon than a djinn.

You can grant other players refresh worth of powers based on your modular abilities.  But with a catch.  If the powers would throw them over their allotted refresh, they need to make a conviction or discipline roll against the amount of power they used.  Stress is mental as it is affecting them on a spiritual/emotional/mental level.  Consequences revolve around a desire to gain those powers again - or gain more. 

It kind of pushes them over the threshold of Free Choice and represents an addiction to the Power.

You could push it a bit further and say they must take a temporary aspect for the scene following the scene they borrowed the power.  Similar to narcotic saliva.

If it doesn't push you over your refresh threshold, I see no reason for there to be a side-effect.  Instead, it's just borrowed power - or even an excuse to spend FP to buy temporary powers.

Just an idea...

[Quantus]

What about a Power Swapping instead of a Power Sharing ability?  So in order to share a Power the target and caster have to trade each other for a power of equivalent refresh.  Limiting the traded abilities to having some similarity (or just similar theme) could be a good way to limit the ability if it gets over-powered.  I also like the idea of getting a temporary aspect to go along with the new ability. 

[Sanctaphrax]

You know what would be cool.

Take a version of modular abilities but limit it to a theme.   A winter Fae might have different powers than a demon than a djinn.

You can grant other players refresh worth of powers based on your modular abilities.  But with a catch.  If the powers would throw them over their allotted refresh, they need to make a conviction or discipline roll against the amount of power they used.  Stress is mental as it is affecting them on a spiritual/emotional/mental level.  Consequences revolve around a desire to gain those powers again - or gain more. 

It kind of pushes them over the threshold of Free Choice and represents an addiction to the Power.

You could push it a bit further and say they must take a temporary aspect for the scene following the scene they borrowed the power.  Similar to narcotic saliva.

If it doesn't push you over your refresh threshold, I see no reason for there to be a side-effect.  Instead, it's just borrowed power - or even an excuse to spend FP to buy temporary powers.

Just an idea...

Something like that could work but there are serious challenge involved. Like I said before, the Refresh cost of an ability isn't always a reliable indication of its sharing value.

Also, defense skills very greatly and stress is pretty harmless until and unless it turns into consequences. So the damage-based limitation might be quite abusable.

[Taran]

The thing is the refresh is already reserved.  So, while any boosted PCs are more powerful, the Power-granting PC doesn't have that refresh to play with.

As far as "over-powered power combinations" goes, that's why you have a general theme or a pre-set amount of powers that can be shared.  I suppose you could also have a limitation.  I can grant toughness, but not immunity.  I can upgrade your toughness from Inhuman to Superhuman but never to Mythic.

All this could be written into a power but it's probably better dealt with on a case-per-case situation with the GM where the Player and the GM discuss the limitations of the power.
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I could see it being a boon with a Pure Mortal in the party.

[Quantus]

Are you limited to abilities you yourself have, or simply to reasonable upgrades within the theme?

[Taran]

I don't think it matters.  Depends on the character concept.  A djinn could grant 'wishes' for powers it doesn't have, while another concept might revolve around 'sharing' powers.

Since it functions exactly like modular abilities, you'd probably adjudicate it in the same way.

[Sanctaphrax]

Thing is, passing around Recovery is a fair bit better than just having Recovery. It's the kind of power everyone wants some of the time.

Passing around Strength, though, doesn't seem very useful. Many/most characters don't have the Skills to make especially good use of it.

So calculating appropriate Refresh costs seems difficult.

[narphoenix]

Thing is, passing around Recovery is a fair bit better than just having Recovery. It's the kind of power everyone wants some of the time.

Passing around Strength, though, doesn't seem very useful. Many/most characters don't have the Skills to make especially good use of it.

So calculating appropriate Refresh costs seems difficult.

Could you base on refresh and then scale it to the power? E.G. lending recovery just costs more than lending senses?

[Quantus]

Could you base on refresh and then scale it to the power? E.G. lending recovery just costs more than lending senses?

gahhh.   If this were DnD Id scale it by spell duration and just make Instantaneous/Permanent effects cost more than truly temporary things. 

[Taran]

Or you could say recovery is only apicable to injuries inflicted while the power was on.  It's the same issue you have when you stick recovery under human form.  Or the same challenges one deals with with any character that has modular abilities.

Powers like wings and toughness and senses could all work.

[Quantus]

Or you could say recovery is only apicable to injuries inflicted while the power was on.  It's the same issue you have when you stick recovery under human form.  Or the same challenges one deals with with any character that has modular abilities.

Powers like wings and toughness and senses could all work.

That's probably the easiest way to keep it from becoming a party healing reset on all damage.  I like it