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

[TheBouncyPherret]

Hey Clay, since you asked, here I am again....blabbing incoherently (sp??).

I just have a few questions about OVA, so I'm gonna post 'em here. Not all at once, so as to not swamp ya.

Ok, first question: On page 56, Weapon says that "You may not use Perks to increase the damage of your weapon."

Why not? What if there is nothing else that I want to spend my shadow Endurance on?

Question 2: For the Offensive Barrier, if kept "up," can you move around, or preform any other action? Or is it still limited like the non-offensive kind?

Thanks in advance for your replies!!

TBP

[Clay]

Ok, first question: On page 56, Weapon says that "You may not use Perks to increase the damage of your weapon."

Why not? What if there is nothing else that I want to spend my shadow Endurance on?

If you want your Weapon to be more powerful, raise your Ability in Weapon. Without this limitation, people could run around with Weapon +2 with the damage capabilities of Weapon +4. OVA isn't terribly balanced to start with; it'd be quite a mess if something like this were allowed.

As for what to do with your extra points: don't. The point isn't to maximize every square inch of ability real estate but to properly describe and represent your weapons and characters. If you have a magical baton that has no special abilities (one might ask what makes it magical...but for the sake of argument...), you shouldn't give it Rapid Strikes and Continued Damage just because you have Endurance to spend.

Question 2: For the Offensive Barrier, if kept "up," can you move around, or preform any other action? Or is it still limited like the non-offensive kind?

Still limited in the same ways. If you wanna move around and "attack" with your barrier, you should make it a Power Move with Requirement "must be attacked to deal damage."

[TheBouncyPherret]

Ok, first question: On page 56, Weapon says that "You may not use Perks to increase the damage of your weapon."

Why not? What if there is nothing else that I want to spend my shadow Endurance on?

If you want your Weapon to be more powerful, raise your Ability in Weapon. Without this limitation, people could run around with Weapon +2 with the damage capabilities of Weapon +4. OVA isn't terribly balanced to start with; it'd be quite a mess if something like this were allowed.

As for what to do with your extra points: don't. The point isn't to maximize every square inch of ability real estate but to properly describe and represent your weapons and characters. If you have a magical baton that has no special abilities (one might ask what makes it magical...but for the sake of argument...), you shouldn't give it Rapid Strikes and Continued Damage just because you have Endurance to spend.

Hmm...that makes a bit too much sense. I see your point. My usual RPG is BESM, so I'm used to squeezing everything I can get out of my points.

Question 2: For the Offensive Barrier, if kept "up," can you move around, or preform any other action? Or is it still limited like the non-offensive kind?

Still limited in the same ways. If you wanna move around and "attack" with your barrier, you should make it a Power Move with Requirement "must be attacked to deal damage."

Or give it a Power Perk that allows movement while "up":
Special Perk: Can move while in use (+10).

How's that look?

Also, to continue in the line of questioning, here's another one: Shouldn't Heightened Sense be considered "half" a level, like Hobby, since it's limited like Hobby is?? I only ask because Perceptive is the same thing, but works for ALL senses. For that matter, Martial Arts should be "half" too, since it's a more limited form of Strong.

Or is this another form of "take what's appropriate to your character"?

Thanks again!!

TBP

[DreadSpoon]

Hmm...that makes a bit too much sense. I see your point. My usual RPG is BESM, so I'm used to squeezing everything I can get out of my points.

Good to see my OVA overview/preview I posted on the BESM boards grabbed a potential convert or two.

[Clay]

Hmm...that makes a bit too much sense. I see your point. My usual RPG is BESM, so I'm used to squeezing everything I can get out of my points.

RPGs have trained us that way for as long as they've existed. I remember creating superheroes in Champions that had a list of pyschologal ailments so long that it was surprising they weren't confined to nuthouses, all to squeeze the last character point I could muster.

Or give it a Power Perk that allows movement while "up":

Special Perk: Can move while in use (+10).

How's that look?

Sounds plausible to me. ^_^

Also, to continue in the line of questioning, here's another one: Shouldn't Heightened Sense be considered "half" a level, like Hobby, since it's limited like Hobby is?? I only ask because Perceptive is the same thing, but works for ALL senses. For that matter, Martial Arts should be "half" too, since it's a more limited form of Strong.

Or is this another form of "take what's appropriate to your character"?

Thanks again!!

TBP

At first blush, both of these are substantially less useful than their broader counterparts.

But imagine if the party is given a contract with nigh-microscopic fine print. No amount of Perceptive will help you discern a single letter. Heightened Sense: Sight is an entirely different story.

By the same token, a muscle man cursed into the body of an 8 year old girl loses all the advantages of his Strength. Take a martial artist and do the same, and his training remains intact.

The usefulness of any Ability depends on circumstance. And to answer your question: yes, it's mostly a descriptive decision.

Good to see my OVA overview/preview I posted on the BESM boards grabbed a potential convert or two. Wink

That's awesome, DS. ^^ Do you have a link to the post?

[ComicJam]

That's awesome, DS. ^^ Do you have a link to the post?

I go to the GoO forum regularly to read the posts etc... Anyway, here's the linky:
http://www.guardiansorder.com/boards/sh ... php?t=1164

(P.S. I found out about OVA before this was written! *^_^* )

Cheers!

[TheBouncyPherret]

Hmm...that makes a bit too much sense. I see your point. My usual RPG is BESM, so I'm used to squeezing everything I can get out of my points.

Good to see my OVA overview/preview I posted on the BESM boards grabbed a potential convert or two.

Potential?? I read your post, came here, and bought it straight away!! No "potential" about it. But, I can't say I'm a convert, since I'm still gonna play BESM....but it's nice to have another Open RPG to use. I really like what has been done with OVA, and can't say I have any real gripes with it...except the mecha ability is not too flushed out--Sci Fi is my favorite genre to play.

But, with OVA Mecha coming, I'm sure I'm not going to be disappointed. Speaking of OVA Mecha...Clay, are you still looking for playtesters/etc for it? I know I'm new to the game and all....but mecha....*wipes drool off chin*

TBP

[Clay]

But, with OVA Mecha coming, I'm sure I'm not going to be disappointed. Speaking of OVA Mecha...Clay, are you still looking for playtesters/etc for it? I know I'm new to the game and all....but mecha....*wipes drool off chin*

Sure! Just post in the OVA mecha playtest thread. It's been so long, I'm not sure how many people there are even still interested, but it's where I'm deriving my contact list for the playtest, just the same.

[TheBouncyPherret]

I have a question about personal gear. If I wanted my character to have an item, do I just give them the appropriate ability, or is it just understood that my char has X item?

In BESM, there is an item attribute that you can take that allows you to make items using the rules for characters, but can be lost/stolen/misplaced/etc. Since it's an item and not a part of the character, it isn't available all the time.

Just wondering if, in OVA, my character had, say, a suit of armor. Would I just take the armor ability, and enough weaknesses to clarify its status as gear, and not part of my char?? I only ask because the Soldier in the Grunts, Bystanders, and Others page has both the Armor and Weapon abilities. In my mind, if taken directly, it assumes them being a part of the char, not just gear...but it just might be my BESM bias ^_^;;

TBP

[DreadSpoon]

What exactly *is* the difference between being an item and being a part of the char, rules-wise? There really isn't one. So you don't need any special rules for it. If the character wears armor, give him the Armor ability. If for some reason he loses the armor, he loses the ability. Simple as that.

[ComicJam]

If you really want to be pedantic about it, you could give your character the "Armour" Ability with the "Focus (Must Wear Armour)" Weakness.

Actually, that's quite a cool way to make for equipment my group as they love equipment lists...

Cheers!

[TheBouncyPherret]

What exactly *is* the difference between being an item and being a part of the char, rules-wise? There really isn't one. So you don't need any special rules for it. If the character wears armor, give him the Armor ability. If for some reason he loses the armor, he loses the ability. Simple as that.

True, but mecha are nothing more than items, right? So why have an ability for them and not for other things? Granted, I'm not talking about somthing like Personal Gear from BESM....never did like that...but more along the lines of the mecha ability. I don't know...maybe just having it be an item ability instead kinda lets everyone know that it's an item, and there is no reason that it can't go everywhere with the character.

I dunno...maybe I'm just trying to be to "crunchy" or what-have-you....

TBP

[TheBouncyPherret]

If you really want to be pedantic about it, you could give your character the "Armour" Ability with the "Focus (Must Wear Armour)" Weakness.

Actually, that's quite a cool way to make for equipment my group as they love equipment lists...

Cheers!

That's actually a good idea!! Focus -2 would cover most items, and give a character a little points break.

I guess I like the idea of something that isn't "always on" or whatnot costing the same as something that is always on.

TBP

[Clay]

I guess I like the idea of something that isn't "always on" or whatnot costing the same as something that is always on.

That's why it's there. ^_^

[TheBouncyPherret]

...
I guess I like the idea of something that isn't "always on" or whatnot costing the same as something that is always on.

TBP

Oops...that was a typo. I meant to say:

I don't like the idea of something that isn't "always on" or whatnot costing the same as something that is always on.

Oops.. >.<

TBP