Which Area extra should I pick?

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Red Ryder
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Joined: Tue Oct 06, 2020 1:09 am

Which Area extra should I pick?

Post by Red Ryder »

Hello,

I wanted to make a powerful telekinetic and have taken the Move Object power and given it extended range so that I can move some objects far away.
So that I can move more than one object at range at a time, I wanted to take an Area extra.

I wasn't sure how they work specifically because Area shapeable is extremely small with only 30 cubic feet. Essentially a 5'x6' square.
Area Burst starts at a 30' radius, but says it is distance rank 0.
If Move Object is already a range power, then does that mean a burst area is at range also, or do I have to extend range on that separately?
I wasn't sure the difference between the two.

I also thought about area perception, but didn't know how that would work as objects wouldn't "perceive" me to be affected.

As always the feedback is most appreciated.
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Davies
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Re: Which Area extra should I pick?

Post by Davies »

Red Ryder wrote: Sat Jul 24, 2021 4:14 pm If Move Object is already a range power, then does that mean a burst area is at range also, or do I have to extend range on that separately?
The former. How Area effect works with the various ranges is explained on the same page that describes the various area types.
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FuzzyBoots
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Re: Which Area extra should I pick?

Post by FuzzyBoots »

As I was commenting to a recent Reddit post, Area (Shapeable) indeed is either ludicrously small (not even enough to cover the 5x5x5 block that a single character is assumed to occupy) or way too large (if it just has to touch people, you can essentially argue something close to infinite area by wending a 1 nm by 1 nm tube of area around to everyone you want to hit.

The Deluxe Heroes Handbook added an addendum that affecting the average human being with a power is essentially 4 cubic feet (I think the argument being that you only really need to encompass a head, a heart, etc, for most powers to work), which means you can hit a handful of people in a very selective manner pretty readily.
Red Ryder
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Joined: Tue Oct 06, 2020 1:09 am

Re: Which Area extra should I pick?

Post by Red Ryder »

Thanks for the explanation Davies,
If I used the burst area extra for a nice 30' radius, I assume I would also have to take the selective extra to be able to pick specific objects to move at range within that area, otherwise I would have to move everything in that 30' radius indiscriminately, correct?

FuzzyBoots,
I had not thought of using area shapeable to that extreme. I promise not to try abuse that with my GM as I am not looking to break our game. :)
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Davies
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Re: Which Area extra should I pick?

Post by Davies »

Red Ryder wrote: Sun Jul 25, 2021 12:44 am If I used the burst area extra for a nice 30' radius, I assume I would also have to take the selective extra to be able to pick specific objects to move at range within that area, otherwise I would have to move everything in that 30' radius indiscriminately, correct?
Correct!
"I'm sorry. I love you. I'm not sorry I love you."
Red Ryder
Posts: 31
Joined: Tue Oct 06, 2020 1:09 am

Re: Which Area extra should I pick?

Post by Red Ryder »

Awesome.
Thanks again.
I ended up doing that even though it was a bit pricey for points, but I think it provides the most flexibility.

Thanks for the quick response.
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squirrelly-sama
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Re: Which Area extra should I pick?

Post by squirrelly-sama »

FuzzyBoots wrote: Sat Jul 24, 2021 8:27 pm As I was commenting to a recent Reddit post, Area (Shapeable) indeed is either ludicrously small (not even enough to cover the 5x5x5 block that a single character is assumed to occupy) or way too large (if it just has to touch people, you can essentially argue something close to infinite area by wending a 1 nm by 1 nm tube of area around to everyone you want to hit.

The Deluxe Heroes Handbook added an addendum that affecting the average human being with a power is essentially 4 cubic feet (I think the argument being that you only really need to encompass a head, a heart, etc, for most powers to work), which means you can hit a handful of people in a very selective manner pretty readily.
Honestly I don't get that addendum. From the looks of it the problem stemmed from them using the "Cubic Feet" instead of "Foot Cube" which would have fit the scaling chart, been more in line the other AoE sizes, and is much easier grasp the size of instead of having the cube-root a number that doesn't evenly break down like that.

Instead of 15 cubic feet it's a 15 foot cube, basically going down 1 rank in the measurement scale in length/distance.
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