Teleport 5 affect others at mid range

[Saker]

I'm concerned that this 9 point power could start moving submarines to the moon.

I've ruled that the ranged teleport can only affect up what he can carry, ie. Brawn.

Am I over-reacting? How would you rule?

cheers

[kevperrine]

#1. Ask what the player had in mind for this *neat* idea.

#2. If it's not something that breaks the fun of the other players, allow it 100% of the time.


If it meets the "that's COOL" factor and doesn't infringe on the fun of the other players. Then ... it's a SUPER HERO game. Supers can do anything.
If you're worried about dealing with it as a Narrator..... think bigger and broader. What would the opposition the hero is using this against do/think? What ramifications would it have removing that much "space"?

Long story short ... they're SUPERheroes!! At the very least say, "Yes, but..." and require them to take "Tiring" or charges or something with it.

If the concept is cool.... go with it. If it's just a stupid tactics plan. Veto it until they come up with a reason it's cool.


I have a potential villain I'm considering for a published adventure. His entire power is to teleport himself and the thing he's touching. The bigger the thing the more taxing... But it was neat/shocking for the heroes to rush to foil a bank robbery when the crooks rushed into the back, soon a massive air blast followed by cracking of the lobby floor, etc... and the entire huge bank vault has been teleported up and out of the secure basement!! While the villain rolls (dice) then passes out from the strain while his cronies try and figure out how to bust in the vault or get it away now that it was OUT of the bank bottom!

that's a fun setup to deal with

[Saker]

Thanks Kev for the pep talk. I'll use this "What ramifications would it have removing that much "space"?" to provide consequences to the power.

The player purely selected this power for the tactics plan. I've asked him to come up with a concept, which he is stalling on. He's creative. He'll eventually come up with something to explain it.

I've personally played in a campaign many years ago that had a character like this and a great GM. This single power hurt a lot of the fun of the other players, because it made us feel useless more often than not. The GM had to significantly increase the challenge rating for all of us ("What would the opposition the hero is using this against do/think?") to challenge that teleporter which exacerbated the problem.

I thought that by limiting it to Brawn the character would have to sacrifice even more points to move really big things without pushing the power. It seems to me that it should cost more to teleport an apple than an aircraft carrier. That's what I wanted comments on.

cheers

[Dustland]

I think using Brawn as the deciding factor is an elegant way to handle the problem.

You could require the player to purchase Burst along with the power to represent how large of an object they could teleport too. Purchase Teleport with Variable, and you could teleport small objects long distances, or a large object a short distance.

If the distance is the only factor, just don't allow the Concentration Distances column.

Regarding the first two options, they could lead to the same problem as long as the player is willing to pay the price. Unfortunately you just have to say no sometimes. The good thing is you have Hero Points/Hero Dice to reward players if their plan gets squashed for the betterment (is that a word?) of the game!

Hope that helps.

[BASHMAN]

I agree- being able to carry it is a good way to do it. If he wants to move a submarine, he needs to add area (1pt), 5 points worth of it for a really big sub (5pts), with teleport 5 [usable on others] is a 13 point power.

Also, it is up to your interpretation who gets to roll to avoid being teleported against their will.

[kevperrine]

I agree- being able to carry it is a good way to do it. If he wants to move a submarine, he needs to add area (1pt), 5 points worth of it for a really big sub (5pts), with teleport 5 [usable on others] is a 13 point power.

Also, it is up to your interpretation who gets to roll to avoid being teleported against their will.

All of this. Yes. Definitely.
There's no way you (should) be able to avoid NEEDING to have a Burst on something so large.

I (personally) don't know if I'd change the rules on the base power (changing it to Brawn) just to * with the player and their *neat* idea. Changing the rules out from under a player because you think they've found a loop-hole is... not fun or fair in my experience.

I'd re-read the rules as is.... see if they match all you need. Here's the KEY bits I got that will be important for the Narrator and player to keep in mind:

teleportation
Concentration*
The distance you can travel is based on your level in Teleportation, and how long you spend concentrating before teleporting. Short jumps can be made when using teleportation as regular movement- or much longer jaunts when teleportation is used with Concentration.
Usable on others is a necessary enhancement if you wish to be able to teleport anything other than yourself and your equipment.

Teleportation Level 5 [5 pts]

As a normal Per Panel action = 200 sq (1000 ft = One mile every 5 Panels)

With Concentration = To the moon (hundreds of thousands of miles)
Concentration requires extra focus or a little extra time. When you use a power with Concentration:
- Cannot attack
- Cannot activate any other powers that panel.
- Can move, only at half your normal speed.
- Panel is delayed until the end of the page.

To teleport more than just yourself/gear... you'll need the Enhancement: Usable on Others [1pt]
I am assuming that "Usable on Others" can encompass what a "Burst" without range means: A Burst power with no range means that the character is in the middle of the area (a square closest to the center, and is unaffected by the power if desired).

So.... Teleporting with Usable on Others, with more than just the squares around the character would NEED:
Enhancement: Area [1-4 pts]


Area SMALL BURST 2x2 sq [1pt]

Area MEDIUM BURST 5x5 sq (25'x25') [2pt]
Size 3 = 50'/10 tons, 3x3 sq (15'x15'). Example: Submarine
Size 4 = 100'/50 tons, 4x4 sq (20'x20'). Example: Bus/Big Rig
Size 5 = 200'/150 tons, 5x5 sq (25'x25'). Example: Battleship

Area LARGE BURST 10x10 sq (50'x50') [3pt]

Area HUGE BURST 15x15 sq (75'x75') [4pt]

So........... with all of that, the actual rules as written. You have alot to consider for reprecussion that seems to be able to "balance" things (in my mind) even with BIG area effect usable on others teleport.
As BASHMAN hinted at... if anything is "alive/aware", you could consider if it deserves some sort of defense against being teleported. I *think* by the rules it would be subject to the Burst Attack rules, for a Defense Roll. You might rule that's a Mind check...
Also...
If you're teleporting a truck, the people on it could jump free. Because in technicality the teleporter MUST contact the thing to be teleported (unless the player buys RANGE as another Enhancement).

But a big limitation is the Concentration that it takes to go more than 1000' teleport distance. That STILL could seem to "break" things if you're worried about the Hero grabbing a dump truck and teleporting it 1000' ABOVE a villain to drop on them!! But as noted, it's an Area attack - so technically that'd need a "Power Stunt" as an attack Area most likely. Even then the villain would still get the Burst attack Defenses. Which are either to Acrobatics a 19+ for the area or if you rule it a non-"Special Attack" since it IS technically a Teleport power (not an attack power) it falls under the Burst Attack rule that the PC-Hero must roll to hit as normal.

Lots to contsider here before just ruling it out, in my humble opinion.


In the end...
As I said - I'd GO FOR IT!! Congratulate the Player for thinking it up (after they give me a cool description/idea) then PLAY with it. Enjoy it. If it means a quick win (this time) AWESOME for the player! That's a big part of being a big-*-hero!
Buuuuuuuuuuuuuut...
Consider this power use then becoming KNOWN, being on the news, reporters asking questions, the city asking/expecting the hero to help them move/do things .... think of just teleporting collateral damage, or any public services the City would "ask" of the hero after knowing the ability of the power!!! The demand would be crazy.
THEN...
Then....
Think of how the villains think about all this.... They now have a detailed idea of how the PC-Hero can use the power. THEN they'll be planning for THAT action in battles!!! It will suck for the Hero to go in all confident with a stupid small-time thug with a simple concussion grenade (or anything like that) to pop it down at the PC-Hero's feet first thing... No more concentration!

Or.... think about the SMART super villain with extra sensory ability. Remember that scene in X-Men Origins - Wolverine when Sabertooth thinks about how the teleporter will move.... Teleports his claws/arm into him as he appears? Think about sweeping an I-Beam into the spot where PC-Hero will appear.... or where the Submarine will appear? Big big problems... if that's the PC-Hero's shown tactics.

And also...
HEY.... super villains will make out in a good way if they get teleported to the MOON!! They'll come back 3 issues later with MOON-MINIONS!!!

heheh
hope that helps!
-kev-

[BASHMAN]

In the new printing, btw- it explicitly states that an unwilling target for a teleportation or similar effect is a called shot- so you not only have to roll to hit, you have to hit by 10.