Wise Turtle Publishing

I like being creative, so here's what my spare time has created:

Quick Recovery: When performing a Recover action in combat, you regain additional Endurence equal to your bonus.

Super-Powered [Ability]: You are better proficient in channeling one specific ability than most. Choose one ability, you may ignore up to 5 Endurance, per level, of Power Perks with that ability.

Questions, comments, criticism, and cookies welcome!!

TBP

What do this ability actually represent? Sure, one can easily see the rules advantage, but is there some type of actual character archetype that you feel requires these abilities to properly represent?

When you start designing new abilities, the problem you need to think first is not, "Is this balanced between cost and utility," but instead, "without this ability is there a character concept that can't be expressed in the system without this ability?"

Unlike BESM or D20, OVA isn't about balancing numbers. Games like OVA rely on the players' desire for cooperative play and sense of good gaming, and do not rely on rules to enforce equality and control (or merely guide) powergaming.

So, to answer your question, I don't think these abilities are needed at all. They serve no purpose at all other than letting players trade some numbers in order to power game.

DreadSpoon wrote:What do this ability actually represent? Sure, one can easily see the rules advantage, but is there some type of actual character archetype that you feel requires these abilities to properly represent?

When you start designing new abilities, the problem you need to think first is not, "Is this balanced between cost and utility," but instead, "without this ability is there a character concept that can't be expressed in the system without this ability?"

Unlike BESM or D20, OVA isn't about balancing numbers. Games like OVA rely on the players' desire for cooperative play and sense of good gaming, and do not rely on rules to enforce equality and control (or merely guide) powergaming.

So, to answer your question, I don't think these abilities are needed at all. They serve no purpose at all other than letting players trade some numbers in order to power game.

Well, for Quick Recovery, I was thinking along the lines of DBZ, Bleach, or even Yu Yu Hakasho where the main characters/NPCs took a breather and come back ready to go at it again. I thought it up because it seemed that they drew upon more of their 'inner reserves' than other characters did, since they were able to fight longer and use more powerful moves.

Look at Ichigo, from Bleach. Everytime he was backed into a corner, and a loved one was at risk, he gave himself a little pep-talk (recovery action), and came back almost as strong as before.

I don't know, maybe it could be done differently with the rules as-is...but I'm still kinda new to OVA, so I'm not sure.

As for Super-Powered [Ability], I guess I was just thinking how to get around using Endurence. I'm used to thinking in terms of EP, from BESM, so having the ability to recover them mid-battle is something I'm still getting used to.

Thanks for your quick reply. I hope, through a mix of my various posts and everyones responses, to get a better handle on the game.

TBP

Look at Ichigo, from Bleach. Everytime he was backed into a corner, and a loved one was at risk, he gave himself a little pep-talk (recovery action), and came back almost as strong as before.

Making an ability actually specialized to some criterion like that would be a better path to trod. You might call it Dedication, and it could go something like:

With dedication, the character is devoted to a person, organization, or general cause. Whenever the character runs out of Endurance and his dedication is threatened by a foe, the character gains a temporary amount of Endurance equal to 10 times the number of levels in Dedication. Temporary Endurance can only be gained once per combat in this manner. At the end of combat, all temporary Endurance is lost.

Good players (and a vigilent GM) will ensure that there are no Dedications to overly broad or unispired causes, like "the party," "my personal safety," etc.

The new rules do seem to be more math than character attribute, but let me give them a fair shake.

Quick Recovery isn't a bad idea at all. Might be appropriate for the characters you mentioned. And since you've kept the bonus small, it won't become munchkiny at all. ^_^

Super-Powered on the other hand serves no real purpose I can see. Just give the character more Endurance instead.

As for Dedicated, all you have to do is take Endurance Reserve with the Trigger "Requires [dedication] to be threatened"

Clay wrote:The new rules do seem to be more math than character attribute, but let me give them a fair shake.

Quick Recovery isn't a bad idea at all. Might be appropriate for the characters you mentioned. And since you've kept the bonus small, it won't become munchkiny at all. ^_^

Super-Powered on the other hand serves no real purpose I can see. Just give the character more Endurance instead.

As for Dedicated, all you have to do is take Endurance Reserve with the Trigger "Requires [dedication] to be threatened"

Well, I'm glad that at least I'm on the right track with some of my ideas ^_^

The main reason I thought of Quick Recovery is the understanding that the Recovery action can only be taken once in a round, even if you take multiple actions. It's not actually stated in the book, but it's an assumption I'm making. But, the Endurance Reserve + Trigger would work well, too, in some cases.

TBP

TheBouncyPherret wrote:The main reason I thought of Quick Recovery is the understanding that the Recovery action can only be taken once in a round, even if you take multiple actions.

That's how I planned it, yes. Keep in mind, however, than Endurance can be completely regained between dramatic situations. As such, it's feasable for two opponents to rest (ala Dragon Ball Z) before continuing a fight.

Also, the game does have Drama Dice, which can be used in RP-intensive combat situations to represent instantaneous "power ups" for RP reasons, like an energy/adrenaline rush when someone/thing dear is threatened.

Hey what would do you guys think the rules for a regeneration ability look like?

TheGreyReversed wrote:Hey what would do you guys think the rules for a regeneration ability look like?

I'll take a crack at it:

Regeneration: You have the amazing ability to heal yourself quickly. Each round in combat, you regain a number of health points equal to your Regeneration bonus.

Short and simple

TBP

I woudl suggest comparing that Regeneration against Heal. Seems to me you might take Healing and maybe a Special Weakness (can only use Heal on self), which is probably just a -1.

I've been trying to figure out how to achieve a kind of vampiric effect where a character can steal health or vitality. This is a point at which tying together multiple abilities and weaknesses (power move with endurance draing plus healing with a trigger or whatever) seems like more unnecessary complication than just making a new perk or ability. So my thinking is: a perk for power move that lets the character heal (or recover, for Endurance Drain attacks) half of whatever damage he deals. Taking it a second time might allow an amount equal. This is probably worth a +10 perk. What's anybody else think?

On a related note, Nazo has Special Ability: Illusions. I'm wondering if Clay (or anybody) had any special guidelines figured for that (like complexity of the image or something), or if it should just be a straight-out opposed roll against anybody perceiving the illusion to see if they're fooled.

Bhikku wrote:I woudl suggest comparing that Regeneration against Heal. Seems to me you might take Healing and maybe a Special Weakness (can only use Heal on self), which is probably just a -1.

I did compare it to Heal. It's the same healing points, but it doesn't cost any Endurace, nor does it take an action to use. I figured that these changes, plus the fact that it is self-only, worked out pretty good. Did you have another idea? I'd love to see it if you do!! New ideas are the staple of good games!!

Bhikku wrote:I've been trying to figure out how to achieve a kind of vampiric effect where a character can steal health or vitality. This is a point at which tying together multiple abilities and weaknesses (power move with endurance draing plus healing with a trigger or whatever) seems like more unnecessary complication than just making a new perk or ability. So my thinking is: a perk for power move that lets the character heal (or recover, for Endurance Drain attacks) half of whatever damage he deals. Taking it a second time might allow an amount equal. This is probably worth a +10 perk. What's anybody else think?

Sounds good to me. Maybe just a +5, since it's only half. But Power Moves do a nice bit of damage at higher levels...so it's really a tough call.

Bhikku wrote:On a related note, Nazo has Special Ability: Illusions. I'm wondering if Clay (or anybody) had any special guidelines figured for that (like complexity of the image or something), or if it should just be a straight-out opposed roll against anybody perceiving the illusion to see if they're fooled.

I would go with a straight roll-off. A higher Illusion bonus means a better illusion, right? So someone with Perceptive +1 would be fooled more than someone with Perceptive +3, for example.

That's what I love about OVA..."When in doubt...roll it out!!"

TBP

I was outside brainstorming today and I think I struck a maelstrom! I've been trying to think of ways to spice up the perks and flaws for power moves as well as increase the importance of martial arts beyond increasing your bare fisted attack like combat skill (which applies to virtually all combat situations). I want it to work like this :

Martial Arts +3 [insert randomly devised style here] Whenever an attack roll you make against an opponent is double or more than the defending roll you my choose a portion of that players body, it becomes disabled for the duration of the [period of time probably till next day or end of battle]

We could also tailor the length and severity of the disable as well as the comparative AD [attack dice] of the attacker needed to for the effect to take place.
I have some other style templates I thought of as well

Disarm: Whenever you roll twice or more of the amount of a defending roll your character automtically disarms them [either for until they retrieve there weapon with a certain roll or for a specified number of rounds like 2d6]

Ward Off: Whenever you roll twice or more of the amount of a defending roll the defending player cannot attempt to attack you next turn due to the intimidating nature of this attack [such as pure initmidation or plumes of DBZ-esque energy]. [this can also be applied defensively to a defend roll]

It can also be applied defensively [at the risk of offsetting marital arts as a purely offensive ability in OVA]

Graceful: Whenever a player makes aranged attack against you may add +X to your dfense roll or +>X when attampting to counter. [Or maybe you could just take unnatural resistance]

I've also been thinking about the perks and flaws for power moves and weapons. Some of the above abilities can be applied to this list and vice versa:

Defeaning: Whenever you roll twice or more of the amount of a defending roll the defending character becomes deaf and must act as though there charcter cannot here there teamates or nearby threats.

Cancel Transformation: Whenever you roll twice or more of the amount of a defending roll the defending player if transformed reverts back to there normal state and cannot transform again for X amount of time [this goes for shape change as well].

Addle: Whenever you roll twice or more of the amount of a defending roll that player takes a negative X penalty to rolls that involve the use of concetration such as telekinesis or magic.

Paralysis: Whenever you roll twice or more of the amount of a defending roll the defending player loses all bonuses granted by movement abilities such as agile, quick and acrobatic for X amount of time.

Heal Prevention: Whenever you roll twice or more of the amount of a defending roll the defending player cannot heal [ HP or END or both] for X amount of time.

Heal depletion: Whenever you roll twice or more of the amount of a defending roll that player recieves a -X on the amount they would heal for X amount of time whenever trying to heal [HP or END or Both]

Max Cap: Whenever you roll twice or more of the amount of a defending roll the defending player's Max [HP or End or both] is lowered by amount X for X amount of time.

Special advantage: Whenever you attack an opponent that utilizes a certain kind of affinity [earth, wind, supernatural etc. etc.] or weapon type [ranged, melee, slashing, bashing, piercing etc. etc.] you get a +X bonus

Ghost attack: Can be used to strike incorpreal enemies

Advanced knockback: Whenever you roll twice or more of the amount of a defending roll and your attack would incur a knockback you may choose to direct the flung character in the direction of another charcter, essentially adding another target to the attack.

Sly: Your opponent applies only bonuses that involve their senses to defending against this kind of attack.

Specialty: Certain circumstances double or [or increase 1.5x] the power of this attack. Circumstances such as being unnoticed when attacking or attacking while falling from a certain height.

Easily concealed: Weapon only, this weapon is small or otherwise inconspicuos in apperance so it does not draw unwanted attention

Faithful: Weapon only, instead of attacking if you are disarmed you may choose to have your weapon return to you instead of having to retrieve it, it returns to you during your next turn.

Enviroment wrecker: This attack is so powerful it alters the enviroment considerably your opponents [plural] lose all movement bonuses except acrobat when attacking.

Stealthy: similar to attention getter but does not draw any attention at all when this weapon/PM is used.

Flaws

Ability limiter: When you use this weapon/PM you cannot use another specific ability for X amount of time

Power move limiter: When you use this weapon/PM you cannot use your power moves for X amount of time.

Diminishing returns: You take a -X on your next power mov or defense roll, etc etc. [this stacks of you ise this multiple times.]

Requirments: While not exactly new I have certain restrictions on weapons like quick +1 and strong +2. I also usually require combat skill for for firearms. Or I still allow them to use it but in the case of weapons with high recoil or exposed large blades it deals a certain amount of damage to that player.

No Threshold: This weapon/PM is completely ineffective against characters using the Barrier and Barrier, Offensive abilities.

All or nothing: If an attack with this weapon/PM fails your initiative automatically becomes the lowest.

Out of control: You do not select the target when using this weapon/PM instead all the opposing players or NPCs roll defense dice and the lowest roller becomes the target.

Maliciousness: This is for weapons only, this weapon draws life Xd6 from it's user for every day it is in there possesion.


Cumbersome: This is for weapon only, as long as you wield this weapon and your strength is not equal to +X your get cannot use any movement bonuses such as quick, agility, acrobat, super speed etc.

Slow to boil: This attack starts with 2D6 but increases by 2D6 everytime you use it up to the maximum amount of damage it is suppose to deal. This flaw resets after each battle.

Endurance Required: Your charcter cannot burn HP to use this PM. [or alternatively must have a certain amount of End. or even HP to use it]

Dangerous Looking: This weapon/PM when not concealed or sheathed draws lots of attention, nor can you use any abilities that require stealth.


Attention getter: This weapon is so loud or its attack so ominous it draws the attention of all nearby enemies.

Oh and I also established some rules of my own to limit charcter power that you guys can use if you wish. I usually limit abilities like flight and shape change that don't normally have limits on usage to a certain amount of rounds per level [specifically stated, like twice per day at +1 or rolled with dice a la 2d6 rounds]. I hope you guys like it and that these serve as inspiration [make sure you post if you can think of more!] .

TheGreyReversed wrote:I was outside brainstorming today and I think I struck a maelstrom! I've been trying to think of ways to spice up the perks and flaws for power moves as well as increase the importance of martial arts beyond increasing your bare fisted attack like combat skill (which applies to virtually all combat situations). I want it to work like this :

Wow, these are a lot of new rules. Most could be represented by a Perk for a Power Move. This seems like a bit too much crunch for OVA. I'll try to put them into simplier terms.

TheGreyReversed wrote:Martial Arts +3 [insert randomly devised style here] Whenever an attack roll you make against an opponent is double or more than the defending roll you my choose a portion of that players body, it becomes disabled for the duration of the [period of time probably till next day or end of battle]

We could also tailor the length and severity of the disable as well as the comparative AD [attack dice] of the attacker needed to for the effect to take place.

Just add a Special Perk: Disabling(+10): Whenever this attack hits, the target suffers a disabling injury to their body, temporairily giving them Clumsy or Slow--choose when assigned--at -1. This penalty lasts for a number of rounds equal to twice the Ability level, in rounds. You may take this Perk multiple times, each time, it increases the penalty by 1.
I have some other style templates I thought of as well

Or use Magic, Witchcraft. The opposed roll would be Attack vs. Defense, and it would represent a touch attack that hits a specific chakra point.

TheGreyReversed wrote:Disarm: Whenever you roll twice or more of the amount of a defending roll your character automtically disarms them [either for until they retrieve there weapon with a certain roll or for a specified number of rounds like 2d6]

This is already done with the Mark rule on page 82. Perhaps just add in an opposed roll to see if you can hold on to the weapon.

TheGreyReversed wrote:Ward Off: Whenever you roll twice or more of the amount of a defending roll the defending player cannot attempt to attack you next turn. [this can also be applied defensively to a defend roll]
It can also be applied defensively [at the risk of offsetting marital arts as a purely offensive ability in OVA]

This seems to be odd...how exactly do you prevent them from attacking next round? Just give your Power Move the Stun Perk...now they can't attack anyone next round! ^_^

TheGreyReversed wrote:Graceful: Whenever a player makes aranged attack against you may add +X to your dfense roll or +>X when attampting to counter. [Or maybe you could just take unnatural resistance]

Defense Ability, with the Supressed Power Weakness(Ranged attacks). This way, you can only use your full Defense Ability against ranged attacks.

TheGreyReversed wrote:I've also been thinking about the perks and flaws for power moves and weapons. Some of the above abilities can be applied to this list and vice versa:

Defeaning: Whenever you roll twice or more of the amount of a defending roll the defending character becomes deaf and must act as though there charcter cannot here there teamates or nearby threats.

There needs not be a roll diferential here, just take a look at the Blinding Perk. If it hits, they're deaf. -3 penalty to all listening-related rolls.

TheGreyReversed wrote:Cancel Transformation: Whenever you roll twice or more of the amount of a defending roll the defending player if transformed reverts back to there normal state and cannot transform again for X amount of time.

This is an interesting one. Why have the roll differential? Just have a roll-off of your Weapon/Power Move vs. their Transformation. If you roll higher, they become un-transformed. I would say that's either a +15 or +20.

TheGreyReversed wrote:Addle: Whenever you roll twice or more of the amount of a defending roll that player takes a negative X penalty to rolls that involve the use of concetration such as telekinesis or shape change.

See above. Just roll your Weapon/Power Move vs. their Ability.

TheGreyReversed wrote:Paralysis: Whenever you roll twice or more of the amount of a defending roll the defending player loses all bonuses granted by movement abilities such as agile, quick and acrobatic for X amount of time.

See above about Magic, Witchcraft.

TheGreyReversed wrote:Heal Prevention: Whenever you roll twice or more of the amount of a defending roll the defending player cannot heal [ HP or END or both] for X amount of time.

Special Perk: Slow Metabolism(+15[+20?]): When it hits, your opponent cannot use the Heal Ability or perform a Recovery action for a number of rounds equal to twice your Ability level.

TheGreyReversed wrote:Heal depletion: Whenever you roll twice or more of the amount of a defending roll that player recieves a -X for X amount of time whenever trying to heal [HP or END or Both]

This just seems odd to me. How exactly does this work?? A penalty to the rolls made to heal, or the number of HP/End healed??

TheGreyReversed wrote:Max Cap: Whenever you roll twice or more of the amount of a defending roll the defending player's Max [HP or End or both] is lowered by amount X for X amount of time.

Why lower max HP/End? Just do damage. That lowers them both pretty good!

TheGreyReversed wrote:Special advantage: Whenever you attack an opponent that utilizes a certain kind of affinity [earth, wind, supernatural etc. etc.] or weapon type [ranged, melee, slashing, bashing, piercing etc. etc.] you get a +X bonus

This one seems pretty good...extra damage against certain targets. But maybe instead of a bonus to your roll, how about +2DT vs. specific targets? This is along the same lines as the Extra Damage Perk, but it's doubled since it works against specific targets only. +5 End cost.

TheGreyReversed wrote:Ghost attack: Can be used to strike incorpreal enemies

I would give this a +10. Other than that, it works well. I'm actually suprised something like this wasn't in the book already...many anime has "ghost-busting" ray guns...^_^

TheGreyReversed wrote:Advanced knockback: Whenever you roll twice or more of the amount of a defending roll and your attack would incur a knockback you may choose to direct the flung character in the direction of another charcter, essentially adding another target to the attack.

Again, you don't need to have the roll differential...just give it an End cost of +10 and call it a day ^_^

TheGreyReversed wrote:Sly: Your opponent applies only bomuses that involve their senses to defending against this kind of attack.

Very similar to Will Attack. Subtle and cleaver....Sonic attacks, maybe??

TheGreyReversed wrote:Specialty: Certain circumenstances double or [or increase 1.5x] the power of this attack. Circumstances such as being unnoticed when attacking or attacking while falling from a certain height.

Go with the Extra Damage in certain circumstances, above.

TheGreyReversed wrote:Flaws
Ability limiter: When you use this weapon/PM you cannot use another ability for X amount of time

You realize this makes it so that you only get your default dice--minus any Weaknesses--for ALL rolls for X amount of time? Wording needs work.

TheGreyReversed wrote:Power move limiter: When you use this weapon/PM you cannot use your power moves for X amount of time.

This seems better than the one above. 1 round per -5 End, maybe?

TheGreyReversed wrote:Diminishing returns: You take a -X on your next power mov or defense roll, etc etc. [this stacks of you ise this multiple times.]

Very interesting Flaw. The Power Move drains you for a while...very interesting...talk about giving it your all! I would think -5 End for each -1, and it lasts for a number of rounds equal to 2x the ability level. This keep it inline with other Perks/Flaws.

TheGreyReversed wrote:Requirments: While not exactly new I have certain restrictions on weapons and power moves like quick +1 and strong +2. I also usually require combat skill for for firearms.

This makes some sense, but why would a character write up a Power Move for themselves that they cannot use? Remember, players write up their own Power Moves, so unless you have a ruling that says otherwise, this Requirement is redundant...you're just giving them back End costs for them to have Abilities they already have!!

Now, if there was a witch nearby that took away from those Abilities, and rendered the Power Move useless....THAT would be cool to see!!

TheGreyReversed wrote:Oh and I also established some rules of my own to limit charcter power that you guys can use if you wish. I usually limit abilities like flight and shape change that don't normally have limits on usage to a certain amount of rounds per level [specifically stated or rolled with dice a la 2d6].I hope you guys like it and that these serve as inspiration [make sure you post if you can think of more!] .

Over all, I think that you need to keep with the spirit of OVA a little bit more, but most of your ideas have merit. Remember to give appropriate End modifiers for your Perks and Flaws, and keep in mind that you just need to roll higher than they do, no need to roll double their roll--and, with the OVA rolling system, that's gonna be pretty hard to do!!

Hope I've been helpful!!

TBP

I chose the +10 for the 'vampiric' perk because it seems to me that healing yourself for free with the same action that damages a foe is a significant benefit, even if you're only getting half what you deal out. A villain with this power (especially taking two levels to get 1:1 vampirism) could be very very very tough indeed, so having extra flaws or else a major limiting factor (high endurance cost) will keep the villain within reason, i think. And same goes for PCs, when you get down to it.

Now, another new ability that came to mind when I was building characters this morning:

Animal Friend
Animals like you! You find it easy to befriend and train animals, and can even soothe an angry grizzly bear when you have to! In general, an animal must be calm before it can be befriended (so if it's scared or hostile, you'll have to calm it first). . This Ability takes time - quickly making friends with a guard dog won't usually be long-lasting, but it can get you in and out of the villain's compound. Taking several days to build a trusting relationship can allow you to teach it tricks, as well, at the same difficulty as befriending it. ("tricks" can cover all kinds of commands and actions, like allowing you to saddle a formerly-wild horse, or persuading a bear to pull a plow...)

DN - You can...
2 - Get a domesticated animal to perform its tricks
4 - Calm or befriend a domesticated animal
6 - Calm or befriend a stray, or an animal trained for hostility (like a guard dog)
8 - Calm a wild animal
10 - Befriend a wild animal
12 - Befriend or join a pack/herd/flock of wild animals
15 - Become the leader of a pack/herd/flock of wild animals

the difficulty levels are sort of off the top of my head, so if anyone has suggestions for tweaking them, i'm all ears (or 'all eyes,' i guess). OFten enough, an animal being encountered will have been statted by the GM as an adversary, or is already someone's Animal Companion; in either case, an opposed roll can supercede this difficulty guideline. The guide is just a tool for the GM to use or discard as desired.