Power Stunt

[Boost]

When you use a Hero Dice to use one power as though it were another what level is this new power? Is it the lowest cost, or equal to your level in the original power?

[Lindharin]

It appears to be up to the Narrator. In many cases, it is defined by the power being gained. If the Flash uses a power stunt to vibrate through a wall, he gets Ghost Form 3. To some extent, it doesn't really matter what rank the base power that justified it was.

However, some times the number of points is relevant, like if he's going to vibrate a bad guy's powered armor into junk (maybe stunting a Nullify, or just Special Attack if the armor is a gadget that can be attacked, etc.) In those cases, the number of points matters because it determines how effective the roll will be.

In my games to date, I've basically made it the same cost as the power it is based on, so if the speedster only has Super Speed 3, he gets 3 points of Special Attack, while another speedster with Super Speed 5 would get 5. I often fall into the M&M mentality of thinking about power stunts as being like an on-the-fly multipower that you add on to one of your existing powers for the rest of the scene, and therefore is capped by the points in the base power

I'm not convinced that is correct though, and there is no mention of that in the power stunt paragraph on spending hero dice. It certainly doesn't say that you lose access to the base power while using the new one, for example. And although many characters will have at least one high-point power to use for stunts, there are some characters, often ones who are basically normals with a bunch of Intense Training powers, who might not have any powers over 2 pts each. Because of that, it might be better to let a stunt always have up to 5 points, for example, even if you don't have a 5 point power it is based on.

I'm interested to see how Bashman handles it, but he's in the middle of a move right now so he might not be available for a bit.

[kevperrine]

I'm interested to see how Bashman handles it, .

HEY!
This is a great question that came up in my very first game today like 2-3 times.

I also ruled (as Narrator) like Lindharin suggested as a hold-over from my play of M&M.... That when getting a Power Stunt the PC could then "spend" the number of points that the "base power" was purchased at.
So...
This even allowed a PC to Power Stunt a power from a Base Power to take a lower level of the power WITH an Enhancement (like adding area).


Like we said... that's a hold-over from M&M, and BASH! is not M&M in many ways. So I'm curious if it COULD be all the way up to Level 5 ... or just depending on the situation, the PC's cool idea/description, and Narrator call.

In a way I LIKE having it be based on the cool idea factor. Allowing it to be up to Level 5 (or above into cosmic for REALLY epic cool things?).
That would fit the mold of comics that sometimes show a lower level character doing the unbelievable.
(for some reason the image of that classic Steve Ditko cover/issue of Spidey trapped under tons of machinery that he could NEVER lift, but because he needs to get to save Aunt May he "power stunts" above and beyond and power lifts it off of himself to escape!)


I am interested to hear what others do, or if I've just missed this in the book.


BASHMAN? How would you handle it?
Anyone?

thanks!
-kev-

[BASHMAN]

BASHMAN? How would you handle it?

On a case by case basis. If the speedster wants to vibrate through walls, he clearly needs 3 levels of Ghost Form. If he only had super running 2, that doesn't mean I wouldn't allow him to do it.

Usually if it is a straight up attack power, then I'll limit it to being the same level as what they are stunting off of, including range, limits, enhancements, etc.

[kevperrine]

BASHMAN? How would you handle it?

On a case by case basis. If the speedster wants to vibrate through walls, he clearly needs 3 levels of Ghost Form. If he only had super running 2, that doesn't mean I wouldn't allow him to do it.

Usually if it is a straight up attack power, then I'll limit it to being the same level as what they are stunting off of, including range, limits, enhancements, etc.

So, a question. Is this the sort of thing that should then be posted in the eratta notes section of the Forum?

Clarifications (that happen well on Forums) are, to me, just as important as a change in spelling or something. If/when a new edition of BASH! comes, I'd like to see clarifications like this included.

-kev-