Energy cost and multipowers

WaylanderPK · Post by **WaylanderPK** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 3:05 am

I was playing around with a character, and I have given him some attack powers in a multi-power. Each of the powers cost energy.

For Example
Fire Attacks (6pts)
Fire Bolt
- Special Attack 5 (x2 Dam, x1 hit, Mid) Costs Energy
Fire Ball
- Special Attack 5 (x1 Dam, x1 hit, Smll Burst, Mid) Costs Energy
Fire Wall
- Damage Shield 5 (Arc 2, Damage 2, Close) Costs Energy

I'm wondering if each counts as a power i.e. 12 Energy Pool
or one power i.e. 10 Energy Pool.

I'm leaning towards 10 - but just want to make sure

And if I had some linked powers, say

Density Increase 3 (4pts)
- Boost Brawn 3 linked to Density increase, Energy Cost

Ghost Form 3 (4pts)
- Boost Mind 3 linked to Ghost Form, Energy Cost

They would count as 2 powers , 11 Energy pool, and not 4 powers for a 13 Energy Pool.

And if Stuck them into a Multi-power
Phase Control (5pts)
Density Increase 3
- Boost Brawn 3 linked to Density increase, Energy Cost
Ghost Form 3
- Boost Mind 3 linked to Ghost Form, Energy Cost

I'd only have an Energy Pool of 10.

Thanks - I hope its clear enough

Post by **BASHMAN** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 1:48 pm

I don't have an official ruling for you on the multi-power. I would lean towards 12 myself (a character with that many Energy dependent powers needs all the help they can get).

As for LINKED, yes I agree that they should count as only 1 power per pair- since the Energy Cost is on the whole thing, not just those individual powers. Otherewise, you'd have to pay the energy cost twice!

WaylanderPK · Post by **WaylanderPK** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 8:02 pm

Cool, i'll go with your interpretation

Just a quick follow up question.

If I have a Defense 3 - Costs Energy - that uses 2 Energy to activate.

Could I decide to only use 1 defense and only pay 1 - would I need to use a 'variable' advantage, or can you not alter the amount of the power you activate.

MrJupiter · Post by **MrJupiter** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 3:47 pm

That's a good question WaylanderPK. I'm not sure what the official ruling would be on that one. It kind of depends on whether (or not) a particular power that is available at different levels (like Super Speed, Ghost From, Duplication or Flight) can be assumed to be able to activate at any of those lower ranks.

Using lower levels of Super Speed or Ghost Form seem to be against the implied spirit of the power's description; while other powers like the Flight and Duplication, practically assume that lower ranks can be used. It seems natural that lower levels of flight usage would consume lower Energy; allowing the hero/villain to employ more powers simultaneously.

I’m thinking that it would have to be a judgment call on the part of a Narrator, but those powers deemed biased to alternative degrees of application should probably require the Variable enhancement before being allowed to use reduced Energy costs.

Post by **BASHMAN** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 10:42 pm

You need to have Variable to choose to use a lower energy cost variant of the power.

MrJupiter · Post by **MrJupiter** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 8:15 pm

Thanks for the ruling on that one BASHMAN. I was just making a character build with this very application and was wondering what the official ruling on this would be. I willl now be applying Variable to the Boost power in question.

WaylanderPK · Post by **WaylanderPK** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 11:23 pm

Thanks BASHMAN, I'm just trying to keep ahead of my players, who have an uncanny knack for trying to break any systems we play.