AP's off abilities.?

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Poodle
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AP's off abilities.?

Post by Poodle »

I had an idea for a character with very high dex who had an AP of deflection (slow ranged weapons) from his dexterity to represent his phenomenal hand speed and catching missiles like Ozymandious in watchmen. Is this possible? Would a character with a high strength be able to AP a blast power (limited: requires ammunition to throw) to represent throwing cars and dumpsters at people?

Just wondering
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Doctor Malsyn
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Re: AP's off abilities.?

Post by Doctor Malsyn »

You could do something like this by first making an enhanced trait power, instead of buying your attribute directly. Then use an alternate effect and create what you're going for.

One of my latest characters is someone with a hypermind, with most of their mental skills being purchased via an enhancement. As an alternate effect, he can focus all his mental energy outward in a psychic wave of energy which could melt brains.
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Poodle
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Re: AP's off abilities.?

Post by Poodle »

Yeah I was thinking something like that. Cool character idea though.
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catsi563
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Re: AP's off abilities.?

Post by catsi563 »

You can do it easily that's what the thunderclap and Shockwave and Earthquake powers are. they are APS bought directly off Super strength. just need to keep in mind PL limits.
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squirrelly-sama
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Re: AP's off abilities.?

Post by squirrelly-sama »

RAW allows you to AE directly off strength's damaging portion without lowing strength ranks itself. Doing things like remain lifting or grabbing something with your full strength ranks while AE with a pp pool equal to your ranks of strength (not 2x your rank of strength like it's normal pp cost). By RAW Strength is the only effect that can actually do this, other effects cannot be used for AEs unless they are Enhanced Abilities purchased as powers, though in those cases it completely removes the enhanced stat to give the AE rather than just the active portions and leaving the passive portions for a limited amount of PP.

It's a weird, and somewhat unfair, ruling but it's the RAW. I'd recommend checking with GMs to see if they'd allow some abilities, especially those that are much less valuable, to be used similar to Strength, where you can use their ranks as AE fodder.
Flynnarrel
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Re: AP's off abilities.?

Post by Flynnarrel »

Poodle wrote: Tue Aug 13, 2019 7:28 am Would a character with a high strength be able to AP a blast power (limited: requires ammunition to throw) to represent throwing cars and dumpsters at people?

I'd say that was more a Quirk than a Limit.
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Shock
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Re: AP's off abilities.?

Post by Shock »

Would a character with a high strength be able to AP a blast power (limited: requires ammunition to throw) to represent throwing cars and dumpsters at people?
There are already rules for picking stuff up and throwing it. You don't need a blast power for that
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Re: AP's off abilities.?

Post by catsi563 »

You don't need it but I have seen some Paragons AP heat vision or the like off of strength

also some so called brick tricks could be aped in such a way such as the finger flick or the like
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Poodle
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Re: AP's off abilities.?

Post by Poodle »

catsi563 wrote: Wed Aug 21, 2019 8:01 pm You don't need it but I have seen some Paragons AP heat vision or the like off of strength

also some so called brick tricks could be aped in such a way such as the finger flick or the like
Weird. It is hard to imagine how that works. My eyes are so strong ....!!! Guess it depends on the descriptor but I still struggle with it a little.
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catsi563
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Re: AP's off abilities.?

Post by catsi563 »

the usual default explanation is they channel their energies into different feats

So Superman as example channels his solar energy into tremendous strength or speed or into heat vision etc etc
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Re: AP's off abilities.?

Post by FuzzyBoots »

Poodle wrote: Wed Aug 21, 2019 10:50 pm Weird. It is hard to imagine how that works. My eyes are so strong ....!!! Guess it depends on the descriptor but I still struggle with it a little.
It's less "it's the same thing" and more "they share the same power source". Superman is working with that pool of solar energy, and either he's lifting heavy things with it, or he's zapping stuff with it.

The two chief concerns when APing an ability are a) people trying to only have to invest in one ability side by making it their lynchpin and b) deciding what it looks like when a player has no bonus in that ability. Does someone who alts on Charisma get tongue-tied? Uglier? Prone to saying the first thing that comes to mind?
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Poodle
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Re: AP's off abilities.?

Post by Poodle »

catsi563 wrote: Wed Aug 21, 2019 11:08 pm the usual default explanation is they channel their energies into different feats

So Superman as example channels his solar energy into tremendous strength or speed or into heat vision etc etc
Supposedly...always seemed like he could do everything at once,,Flying heat vision invulnerable superfast guy. "There he goes Flying, carrying a building that he got to as fast as the fastest man alive."
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FuzzyBoots
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Re: AP's off abilities.?

Post by FuzzyBoots »

Poodle wrote: Wed Aug 21, 2019 11:15 pm Supposedly...always seemed like he could do everything at once,,Flying heat vision invulnerable superfast guy. "There he goes Flying, carrying a building that he got to as fast as the fastest man alive."
^_^ Well, game and media separation... or whoever built his comics version didn't skimp on points.
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