Shapeshifting Pool

[DeaconAbyss]

Is it possible to make a shapeshifting pool using "boost". Say Boost 3 agility and boost 3 brawn (only for stat pool used to shift powers not stats)?

[Lindharin]

I think that is valid, and I've used it on a character (to a lesser level - I only needed Boost 2 or so).

It would be up to your Narrator, but personally, I think you'd still be limited by the Boost limit of 5 in a stat, so I don't think you could do Brawn 3 plus Boost Brawn 3 (even if the boost points were limited to being converted into powers). That would keep an upper limit of 10 points to distribute between Brawn, Agility and powers when using Shapeshifting, which I think is fair. For more extreme characters that need more points of powers for some reason, maybe Omnipotence with a limitation of Only While Shapeshifted would be appropriate.

[DeaconAbyss]

yeah the idea was to take brawn and agility of 2 and having a seperate point pool i had a solid 6...or rather 3 pts for powers and still be able to draw off brawn and agility stats if i needed 2.

[gryfn]

ive played around with that build the problem i had with it is its too good

2 brawn 2 agility mind whatever
4 shape change
3 boost 3 brawn for ss
3 boost 3 agility for ss
the powers cost 10 points and you get 12 points of almost whatever you want
it seems like an exploit to me , i don't know like the use of the boost isn't limited enough to qualify

[BeardedDork]

ive played around with that build the problem i had with it is its too good

That is my initial reaction as well. That is an awful lot of points. I really like the level of granularity this game has it's actually one of my favorite things about it. But I think it's also one of the biggest things people have a hard time wrapping their heads around. For example brawn 3 is super strength with it you can lift several tons. What in the world could you possibly be shifting into with all those points? This is on top of whatever other points you have spent as well. I would consider instead of bulking up on boost taking maybe one instance of boost 3 with the limitation of only while shapeshifting along with perhaps growth 1 and shrinking 1 also each with the only while shapeshifting limitations. I would think that would allow you to do anything you really wanted without being so over the top, also it's cheaper.

[DeaconAbyss]

the boost only works for the pool they can only switch whatever the stat has between stats the boost only matters towards pool so that 2 for one being armor lets say....and thats it for 10 pts? really 3 pts of armor for 10...but i guess we all have our own perspectives. I was going to be for a guy that can change into different elements and state of matter (being some elements states) change due to many factors...and thanks for noticing my "powergaming" lol

[BASHMAN]

It is a bit of a "munchkin" thing to do - it would depend on the Narrator. Remember though, if the players can do it, the Villains certainly can too...

[BASHMAN]

A better way to do this is to take the "Normal" Disad and have your stats be higher and say that is your stats in your "go to" form. So my "beast boy" type build would have Brawn 3 Agility 3 (his favorite form is "Gorilla") This would also give him stat pool to play with.

[Lindharin]

Okay, so I wasn't following why the concern with this approach, so I just re-read the power, and realize what I was glossing over. So each point of stat that is traded in for powers provides 2 pts of powers. And by using Boost While Shapeshifting, you are paying 1 point to gain 2 points of any appropriate powers.

When I've done this in my game, I didn't do that. The 2 levels of Boost were converted into 2 points of powers, so I wasn't getting something-for-nothing. Point-wise, I could have just bought more Brawn or Agility and it would be identical, a 1-for-1 character point ratio, but I would have the option to use those points for stats too. That didn't really fit the character, I didn't want the option of having high stats, just some extra points for powers. So the rules-as-written are more versatile than what I was looking for, where I just wanted extra powers but without the possibility of super-high stats.

Although even that might not be entirely kosher, depending on how you interpret the text in Shapeshifting. By the rules as written, are you able to trade more than one stat rank for power points, or are you limited to trading in a maximum of one stat rank? I initially thought you could trade 2 brawn for 4 pts of powers, for example, but you could interpret the phrasing to limit it to 1 brawn only.

Anyway, assuming you allow multiple stat points to be traded in, then the following house rule for a new Shapeshifting enhancement should be balanced:

Extra Powers
Each point invested in this enhancement provides 1 point that can be used on appropriate powers when shapeshifting. The total number of character points you spend on Brawn, Agility, and this enhancement still cannot exceed 20. This is equivalent to just buying Brawn 5 and Agility 5, and effectively reduces your flexibility (since you no longer have the option of using stats that high) in favor of character concept.

[Lindharin]

And of course, points spent on this hypothetical Extra Powers enhancement are "wasted" when you aren't shape shifted. If you spent the same points on stats, then you'd also have those stats when NOT shapeshifted, so using this "enhancement" is all around less efficient and the opposite of min-maxing (given the assumption you can legally trade in more than one rank of Brawn).

In that sense, even if the rules only allow you to trade a maximum of one rank of a stat, it might be reasonable to use Extra Powers but limit it to a 1 or 2 point enhancement maximum. It is giving you something you couldn't get before (1 or 2 extra power points beyond what you could trade one stat rank for) in exchange for not having those points in your stats all the time.

[BillionSix]

I always wondered why Boost was limited to 3 points. I kind of like the idea of a guy with a Mind of 0, but with a Boost of 5 for purely intellectual stuff, like knowledge, science and technology. Basically, a genius with absolutely no common sense, or social skills.

[DeaconAbyss]

lol yeah...the boost was just to give 6 points of stats that are only important in the exchange for powers, which are echanged for power at the cost of 2 pts in the stat* to one point of power. Basically the max...as per boost raising stats is still 5 if you drop both stats to 0 . (brawn 5 + agility 5)/2=5 pts of powers for 10 points in the actual power. yes 5 points you can use and assigne as you want...except in powers you already have...ie boosts ect. It may seem a little chunky, i will use it in my games and allow it given special effects and whatnot. yes long term champions play has made me very familiar with "any rule you rape will also get you raped" as a player.

[BeardedDork]

Shape-Shifting p.57

...You can reduce the pool of stats by 1 point to instead receive 2 pts of powers in this new form...

You keep saying it exactly backwards.

That works out to, if as in your example you drop your brawn and agility both to 0, 5+5=10*2=20 points in powers. Not 5

[DeaconAbyss]

Yes you are correct BD I guess I was under a prolonged brain fart. yea I guess that would be a big differance. Ok now embarassed and ending this thread....lmao