Linked Powers Rules clarification

[Paragon]

I'm a new player and I'm trying to wrap my head around some concepts that seem easy on the surface, but come up with some interesting hiccups when applied in certain ways. The one that has gotten me the most is a particular Linked Power Combination Flight 5 + Super Speed 5. Theoretically, a person that does this must be flying while using Super Speed to perform other tasks super fast, like reading, etc... How does this work? They don't have the limitation Movement only, like Jet planes do, but the powers are linked. Sure, if one is taken away with Nullify the other does too, but how else would this effect the character to make up for the point cost savings one would get for doing things this way?

[BASHMAN]

Having to be flying to use your Super Speed would be a serious inconvenience sometimes; like if you were piloting a vehicle. The aswer to that is "I just won't go in a vehicle since I can fly" at which point your downside becomes "cannot go in vehicles/hide behind cover/ have feet in contact with the ground ever". That last one is a serious problem sometimes.

[Paragon]

Thanks BASHMAN, that clarifies that! How about linking more than two powers? Is that allowed, or is linking 3 or 4 powers in a single set breaking the rule? The wording leads me to be that it is. For example, if someone wanted to link Stretching, Deflect (to simulate attacks literally bouncing off due to their rubbery quality), and Super Leap (Bouncing) could they do that?

[BASHMAN]

Linking more than 2 powers is specifically NOT allowed.

There is an easier and cheaper way to do what you are trying to do here:

Just buy each power with a situational limitation of [Only Works when X Power is being used].

For instance: Stretching 3, Bouncing 3 [Limit: Only while Stretching], Deflect 2 [Limit: Only While Stretching]. This comes to 6 points.

The scenario you proposed earlier not only isn't allowed, it isn't really possible to work; because the character would have to stretch, bounce, and deflect attacks all at once. It makes more sense if they can use the powers seperately if they want to.

If you want them to _only_ use 1 of the powers at a time, use a Multi-Power instead.

Based on what I'm reading here, I'm guessing you have the first printing of the book. If you got a PDF version of the book, you should be able to re-download an updated version. The second printing specifically clarifies the issue of Linked being allowed only on 2 powers, and also includes Bouncing as its very own power seperate from Super Jump. It also revises Super Jump to be only 1 point.

There are quite a few other changes between the printings which you can see here:
http://www.bashrpg.com/SecondPrintingUpdatestoBASH.pdf

[Paragon]

Ah, it seems you are right. I'll have to grab a newer printing. Thanks for the link and the help!

[Supertodd]

How does Linking work if you want to link a power to an item (i.e., the item has the power; it doesn't confer the power to the item holder). I have a character that uses a staff in combat that can fire energy blasts or be used to clonk people on the head. However, the staff is telescopic so it can extend to 10' and strike foes some distance away. If the character has Weapon Technique/Staff, do I add on 2pts for a Link to Stretching 1 so he can strike at range? Thanks!

[BASHMAN]

SuperTodd, powers that come from items don't necessarily need to be linked even if they come from the same item. You can have multiple powers with a limitation that they come from an item.

Your staff for example would likely have a power with a Limitation of Easily Taken Gadget. All other powers the staff confers would simply have the "Same Source" Limitation as the other power. So if someone takes the staff away, he cannot use any of the powers the staff confers.

Linked simply makes 2 powers that work simultaneously and ALWAYS have to be used simultaneously. Your staff doesn't qualify there because he isn't using it as a reach weapon to beat people when he's using it to blast people; he's specifically using those abilities seperately from one another. In fact, this sounds more like a Multi-Power than Linked qualifies here.

So you could have it built like this:

Super Staff Multi-Power
Staff Blast: Special Attack 5 (Variable) Limitation: Easily Taken Gadget 5pts
Staff Stretch: Stretching 1 (10 Feet) Limitation: Same Source as Staff Blast. +1 Pt

As a SEPARATE power, you also take Weapon Technique 2 (Staff). When he is just using the staff to whack people, he can apply this. If he's using Stretching, there is no reason he cannot also use Weapon Technique (Weapon Technique doesn't let you use the staff's Special Attack power in conjunction with it, but stretching is just giving you more reach with regular attacks).

I would point out though if the staff blast was Level 5 with Variable (and yours may not be) You could easily have a very effective melee attack with that without needing to add Stretching or Weapon Technique as a seperate power, as you could just do a Small Cone / Short Line / Med Burst attack with the staff as you whirl it around for some big damage. But there are advantages to having Weapon Technique instead (since you could pick up ANY staff and use it that way).

[Profetadelpesar]

It may be Special Attack, Variable, Gadget. One attack is the fireblast, another close range (if used at mid range and beyond he throws the staff and it bounce back to him). This also alows for special movements, something like a spin and hit all nearby enemies (burst), and the like.

Edit: And Bashman already give an answer

[Supertodd]

Thanks for the answer, Bashman!

I built his staff as a Multi-Power since he can only use the following powers one at a time:
• Energy Blast: Special Attack 3
• Staff Stretch 2: Stretching 2 (4 squares)
• Staff Parry: Deflect 3

The energy blast isn't Variable or of varying type or anything like that, sometimes an energy blast is just an energy blast.