MelonHead

(Discussion) A different type of MB for us.

I... think, it might be best to discard the term 'multiverse' and instead focus on the persistent world element. If that means certain characters are excluded, so be it. The characters should mould to the setting, rather than stretching the setting to accommodate every type of character.

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

<Snipped quote by MelonHead>

Rather than doing any of that, Sarah simply ascribes it properties that she understands how to deal with, and then manipulates those properties.

@LegionPothIX

It doesn't really matter if the object is physically changed or not, if for all intents and purposes while it is interacting with her it takes on the exact qualities she dictates. It's semantics at that point. The end result is the same.

No. I didn't say that. I've said it over and over and over again: she doesn't change the object into another object. She merely treats the object as if it were another object. That fireball is still a fireball, and still has all the properties of being a burning ball of fire unless she explicitly disassociates a property from it. In which case it still has the property but its a property that she is not interacting with. These are not permanant changes. These are changes for the purpose of her interacting with the object, and I was very explicit about that.

@LegionPothIX

Here we go then, this is the ability I was most concerned with, and I believe my concerns were warranted. At will, your character can make herself immune to a property of an object, perhaps multiple properties, you haven't really stated the limitations in that regard. For example, she could presumably dissociate herself from the solidity of an object, allowing it to pass through her harmlessly as if it were gaseous. With this ability, she can pretty much make herself immune to all harm with ease.

Your choosing not to read the specificity in which this power affects the objects Sarah is actively interacting with is something I cannot address. I have, in fact, taken steps far greater than you have to ensure that my ability is balanced, and explicitly stated both how it works, and how that falls within the established conventions and rules. If you have a concern about rules, please read all I have stated more carefuly, rather than just assuming things that are both blatantly untrue, and things I explicitly explained why they were untrue.

@LegionPothIX

You're going to have to define interacting for this to have any meaning as a limitation. Is she interacting with an object because she intends to hit it?

If you want to talk about breaking the rules, and bring up a question of fairness, I can only compare my character to your own, as your perception of the rules, and of fairness are assumed to be demonstrated in the character you've created. Let's compare not the fact that your character is physically stronger than mine all across the board, let's instead compare the powers as they are the thing you have the most trouble understandin or accepting (which one it is you're struggling with, I don't presume to know).

@LegionPothIX

Okay.

Compare Abstraction to Debilitating Aura:

• Abstraction is active, it is always active. Debilitation Aura is passive. To Silence's detriment, often. If he actually kept the aura at an extended range at all time he would cause mass disturbance to the area around him, sabotage all his attempts to use technology even further than he already does, and in general fail at maintaining any degree of secrecy. The fact that his aura isn't active is, and always will be, a major flaw of his power.
• Debilitating aura can be made active for greatly improved effect. The nature of Abstraction neither improves nor weakens. It is not something the character can just will to be stronger to escape some situation or to dismiss another character's abilities. The nature of abstraction allows it a huge range of versatility. If by greatly improved effect you mean the debilitating aura can be extended to an awe inspiring forty feet, and cause mild discombobulation, you are right. Of course, the debilitating aura has absolutely no effect on abilities, only the ability to use them, so in your fireball example Silence's power would be useless and he would likely die. This is a bad example, unfortunately.
• Debilitating aura is never stated the manner by which it weakens others, nor does it say how much it weakens them. It only states the manner in which the player should roleplay being debilitated. Conversely, in order for abstraction to change the properties of an object I must state exactly the manner in which the properties are being altered. What it is ascribed or has disassociated. Your own character's ability is literally some vague form of reality warping, so I'm unaware of how you've provided some greater incite into how she creates the effects she does. I can tell you Silence's power works by sending out waves which destabilise electrical currents, but that is basically meaningless. It was far more poignant to explain the effect that would have on an ordinary person, which I did, because I'm aware of my audience. It's in the other person's hands how they choose to write out the effect Silence has on them, and in that way, I completely void any ability to dictate a situation.
• Debilitating aura causes a direct affect on player characters specifying how a player must role play being within the field. Abstraction alters the properties of the environment for which players may choose how they react to the power. It has an effect to things in range, the same way that sounding a loud horn might deafen someone. I'm not controlling their character, so its within the rules. Reality warping however, is not.
• Debilitating Aura functions on technology that is radically different than people, indicating the aura has no defined mechanics. What constitutes technology is also never defined, and could be said to be literally any object of your choosing. Abstraction, by comparison, functions exactly the same on all types of objects and the manner in which it is manipulated must, again, be specified. Look into synapses and electrical signals.
• Debilitating Aura's lack of described mechanics indicate it can work differently on every use. While, Abstraction's listing of mechanics, means it mechanically works exactly the same every single time, even if it is applied differently. Its mechanics are actually quite clearly defined, as, more importantly are its limitations. It has a radius of effect, its effects on human beings are described, its effects on certain forms of technology are described. It is not expected to do the same thing to everyone, because I allow people to RP it however they want.

@LegionPothIX

Reading your character for the first time, it could be easy to see how you as a player have created a character whom nothing within (or that even enters into) the imitate vicinity presents any threat what-so-ever, because your character's powers are such that literally everything could be weakened to the point of insignificance. Actually weakened. With real consequence. Not just treated as if it were weak for the purpose of the interaction.

@LegionPothIX

Can you weaken an arrow with an aura that directly effects electrical signals, even if you couldn't infer that was its capacity from me directly referencing the effect it has on listed examples of tech, and human beings? The only way the debilitating aura could be interpreted in such a way is if you just ignored my description of it. Where-as the main issue with your power is that it is not appropriately described so as to alleviate these concerns.

I could see a bad roleplayer using this power--this field of magical awesome--to justify effectively removing themselves from the world and making themselves perfectly invulnerable, and immune to all forms of interaction beyond being talked at. The fact that your character was approved with such a power means nobody, least of all you, had a problem with any of these points.

@LegionPothIX

Now you insult the GM's, who interrogated me before accepting my character so as to ensure it couldn't completely debilitate even an ordinary human. Which it cannot, nor is it described as being able to do that.

Anyway, I look forward to your replies, though I must say the pause between them grows lengthier and lengthier. I worry you are committing far more energy to this than you should. Save your concerns for the GMs, I am but a bystander.

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

Though, what I think is perhaps the most likely cause for concern, that you have, is that I am untested in your environment (your experience says you don't know anything about me) and that such an indirect, or abstract power, may be outside my capabilities to RP effectively and fairly. But, I can't address that concern without actually roleplaying with you.

@LegionPothIX

Not exactly, what I'm saying is that your character can (by your own definition) bend reality. She's changing the physical properties of objects at whim with her mind, apparently this not only affects her, but also affects objects around her. For example, you described turning a fireball into something more akin to a baseball, so you're taking away heat and you're turning a gas into a solid. How much more can she do? Could she turn someone's armour into gas at whim and have it float away? What's stopping her from your definition? Could she cause someone's clothes to collapse upon them, too heavy to move?

The difference with your power and anything else, is that the justification for other powers and actions are grounded in real world physics. Powers allow people to bend these rules in ultra specific ways, but they don't allow people to outright break them. If a person has the ability to fly, they can resist the force of gravity. They can't make bullets suddenly weigh so much they fall to the ground, or have them become so malleable they no longer have the capacity to harm someone. Your character only has to justify something in her mind, using an ultra vague skill-set, to change almost anything into anything else.

In other words, you've really given no indication of the scope of your ability, until now with your examples. Without that information, I'm entitled to my scepticism.

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

It's fancily worded, but my concern is her dissociation can be activated on herself. In other words, she can separate herself from reality at will and make herself completely untouchable. Even if I've misunderstood that, the ability allows her to basically make any object do anything as long as she can rationalise it, which is pretty much completely in the writer's control.

Dunno, it's almost too odd to work without proper restriction. Just my take on it though, the GM's will do as they will.

(Discussion) A different type of MB for us.

I think whatever we do has to be more complex than just 'factions fightin.' That strays too closely to the old iterations of the multiverse.

The big question, in my mind, is what setting do you choose? Do you try to create something that allows every type of character in, and deal with the absolute shit storm that will eventually unfold due to inherent mismatches? Personally, I've always been inclined to create something a little more contained. A medieval fantasy world where the characters all start at a reasonable level, human peak with spells or abilities limited in scope but with the potential for growth. Its a world where the most variety of characters can exist, at the cost of anything more technologically advanced than black powder weaponry.

Then, if desired, you start weaving in other settings for different character types to engage in the story. There is no reason whatever overarching theme can't be carried over to a world more advanced in technology. But to start with, keep it simple.

Just my feels on things.

(Discussion) A different type of MB for us.

Hmm, I think if we do something like this it need a proper planning phase. No half-assing it, proper story boarding and an idea of the sort of events that could be run, with points of divergence to account for what happens in them.

It needs to be designed like a series of DnD campaigns with way more PVP and a clear background to influence with character actions. The only problem with this approach is that it limits people who want to enter the world just to be whimsical and mess around, but honestly, we need more direction. Sandboxing it right up hasn't worked.

No Rilla, I did not. ;d

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

So, Sarah Roh is a post structuralist?

She's too young to be reading Derrida's deconstruction.

(Discussion) A different type of MB for us.

Malaria, is, Allaria's cyberpunk esque cousin.

@Rilla

You are... incredibly lazy when it comes to thinking up names.

(Discussion) A different type of MB for us.

Essentially, yeah. Like how Malaria as meant to run and all.

@Rilla

Malaria does run pretty well.

I assume you mean Allaria, and yeah, it would be very similar.

I might actually start thinking about this, this is something I could probably run.

(Discussion) A different type of MB for us.

So in a sense you're talking about running a series of campaigns or 'events' that are all interconnected? Over at Gaia they do events like that and I must admit the idea is appealing