What If's and Why Not's...

[Siroh]

2 for 1 is only more powerful without a cap which was my suggestion. If you can only have 2 x rank +5 points you can only get 15 positive ranks of abilities. If you don't have a cap, then even at 1 for 1 they are more like a PC under the towards zero guidelines. They can have +25 positive points of abilities, if they have enough weaknesses. It's obviously quirky because min-maxers will just go for the most points in 2 for 1 they can get and not care about balance etc, cause their servants don't need Smart +1 or Wealthy or anything like that . But min-maxers are meant to be controlled by the GM in OVA, not the system, right?

[TheBouncyPherret]

You actually have it backwards. 2 for 1 is more powerful than 1 for 1. Essentially, you are getting two points for every one level you have in Servant, but only one for one in Animal Companion.

I may just leave Animal Companion alone. As it stands, it's a completely useless and redundant Ability. I might as well make it slightly different, if less useful, than its counterpart.

I was actually thinking about this, and I might have an answer.

Servant/Animal Companion sould be 1 for 1, and Mecha/Transfermation should be 2 for 1.

My reasoning for this is that S/AC give you an additional "character" that can do things while you are doing something else, while M/T just increase your ability to do something.

I think that these differences need to be taken into account when looking at the points return for these Abilities. Granted, I'm an accountant, so I like to get a bit into the cost/benefit analysis...so sue me ^_^

Just my 2 cents worth,

TBP

[BM15]

I do have one thing to point out (and I am sorry if someone did and I am doing so again), but from the examples provided one CAN use a Weapon's Endurance to boost damage.

Miho's Missile Launcher does exactly that... twice.

Granted, I see why one shouldn't be able to... I have players who will run around with 8 Damage Rank 2 weapons that can only be used once per combat after a round of setup with incredible accuracy and armor peircing abilities under the name Javalin Anti-Tank Missile (we know our military-grade weapons... look this one up, it's a beast).

But at the same time, it can make sense that a weapon of a certain rank does hit a little harder. Hand grenades, rockets and missiles all are great candidates for a small damage boost.

Like others and Clay have said, RPGs train you to Min/Max so life is easy and your character can take on anything. I like how OVA is all about the character description, not the point totals. I'm still having trouble with that myself, being so used to getting everything I can out of my points, but I'm learning.

Of course, when making a Hanzo sword, it must have nothing but and as much Armor Peircing as possible. After all, it will cut God...

Oh, and I say Extra Damage can only be applied to a weapon no more than Twice, following Miho's example. Any more than that is overkill.

[Clay]

Ouch. I've committed the ultimate RPG no-no...examples that blatantly contradict the rules. Miho should not be accepted as canon for this usage, and is simply a leftover from before the "no damage increasing perks" limitation was added to the rules.

Any suggestion on how to give Miho's Missile Launcher punch if I ditch this? -.o

[TheBouncyPherret]

Ouch. I've committed the ultimate RPG no-no...examples that blatantly contradict the rules. Miho should not be accepted as canon for this usage, and is simply a leftover from before the "no damage increasing perks" limitation was added to the rules.

It's ok, many first editions--and quite a few second editions--have small errors in it. It's not like you rolled d12s in the examples on the rules, and expect us to use d6s!! Heck, even BESM--R.I.P.--had to do a second edition revision, so you're fine.

Any suggestion on how to give Miho's Missile Launcher punch if I ditch this? -.o

As for this, I would suggest letting Extra Damage be taken twice, as Miho has done, and let it lie. I mean, what's the difference between Weapon(Club) +2 and Weapon (Club, Extra Damage) +1? A club is nothing more than a heavy branch used for smackin' gobbos, right? Since they are easily found in nature, why have it cost 2 and not 1? Supply and demand, Clay.

Or:

"It is recommended that Weapon not be allowed to take Extra Damage more than X, and even so should be up to GMs approval." Because it does make sense sometimes to take it.

Or:

"Extra Damage should be taken only in conjunction with Inaccurate, Activaton, or Charge." This represents those BIG BANGS that are inaccurate, or take a while to use again. Sort of a built-in limitation.

Just a few thoughts,
TBP

[BM15]

Any suggestion on how to give Miho's Missile Launcher punch if I ditch this? -.o

Any of Pherret's suggestions work fine in my humble opinion.

I would also suggest removing both Inaccurates and both Extra Damages. This would 'take advantage' of the fact that accuracy translates into more damage. More damage means more punch.

Or

Remove both Extra Damages in favor of Area Affect. This will up the accuracy / damage a bit thanks to the defense penalty Area Affect applies, but also mirror that fact that a missile does have a small collateral explosion. Now you have a High Explosive anti-infantry weapon that can also put the hurt on anything but an actual tank (or battle mech of similar capabilities).

Pardon my thinking patern, I think in 'how to mirror X-weapon from the real world' most of the time.