Gaining a new powerset

[Gorion1928]

I need some advice on a character wanting to gain a new powerset wholecloth. I'm running a Civil War game, and the player of Hercules has decided that Herc wants some sweet Stark made armor of his own. Recently I ran a scene that was essentially an amalgamation of Titanium Man Attacks Washington and Crusader Hijacks an Airplane (It makes more sense in play) as a sweeping action scene with a player and a Watcher Iron Man rushing to stop Crusader's hijacking and Herc stalling the Titanium Man on the ground. Thing is, the air mission ended a bit poorly while Herc on the ground kicked a ton of rear end. The plane was physically crashed into the National Mall, one of the captured cultists died. After this Herc has decided that this 'not being able to fly' bull should end sooner rather than later, to help his companions in such times of need.

In the rules on spending exp, you can spend 15 exp to swap one powerset for another. In Civil War and the Thor 'What If?', you have the option of paying 15 exp to take Mjolnir as your own, which I assume is an added powerset and not a swap.

Still, seeing this idea of his, I'm unsure if I should make him build the Iron Olympian armor powerset from scratch with exp since it is something he wants rather than a sort of random goodie in the road with complete story hooks in it like Mjolnir or a symbiote or something. But at the same time it feels kind of punitive. The Operations Manual isn't really much help to me at the moment, I'd really rather like some Watcher input. And maybe writer if I can somehow lure Cam into this thread.

Hypothetical Iron Olympian Powerset that we're bandying around- Flight d10 or d8 (debating still), Weapon d10 (the Golden Mace incorporated into the armor rather than an optional SFX), Durability d12, Strength d10 (less than Herc's own, but it would make sense for powered armor to have it's own might), Energy Blast d8. SFX are in debate, obvious limit would be Gear.

[Doc Hydrogen]

My inclination would be to simply have noter character grab him and fly wherever they need to go.

But if a new power is the only way for your player, I'd go with getting a loaner of winged sandals from Hermes, and just add that as a Flying trait to his power set instead of a second set.

[Gorion1928]

Part of it is that in character he's kind of just wanting some sweet bling for himself too. Dunno. I like the idea of him tooling around in sweet armor which I can essentially use the Stark Override from Spider-Man on when these people inevitably go anti-reg, but adding new powersets and all is such a thumb twiddling nervous mess for me.

[Doc Hydrogen]

The only thing I would be concerned about is balance. Look back at how well the character has done in your sessions. If he's on par with the others, I would be less inclined to hand him an extra die for most rolls. If he's weaker, I'd be more inclined to allow it. But if Herc is constantly tearing the ass outta things like I've seen him do in play, there's no way he's getting another power set.

[Dunlaing]

I think that, if your player thinks that what's cool about Hercules is his deciding to wear power armor, then you're headed for bad gaming if you try to deny him or push him too hard toward winged sandals. No matter how objectively wrong he obviously is.

I'd suggest either doing the swap a powerset thing to swap his natural powerset out for an Iron Olympian powerset, or let him write up a mutually exclusive powerset for 10xp.

[chaosnet]

I would simply use Herc's Mystic Expert to create a resource called "Apollo's Other Sandals" which would grant him D6 Flight. This would be in keeping with his characters as well as allowing the player the desired trait. Of course he would eventually have to give the sandals up, but if you are using the XP rules then it is possible that they could be added to his Olympian God trait set.

I'm not looking at the datafile, but im sure that this would make a lot more sense thematically than to become Iron God.

If your player is adamant on becoming Iron God, have him pay Hephaestus a call and get some Spartan or Greek style armor that would give the Iron God armor benefits, but would actually match his background.

Of course, people may wonder why Herc decided to armor up after several millenia...is he getting weak?

[Spatula]

20 XP sounds good to me, since you're not swapping out an existing power set.

I wouldn't give the suit any extra strength - for one thing, Herc can already double his strength die at will. It also doesn't make sense to me that some piddling man-made armor is able to boost the strength of a god. I also wouldn't give it D12 durability (it's as tough as Cap's shield? Really? Why doesn't Iron Man do that for his own armor?). Or a D10 weapon (I would go with d6 or d8 myself). That's all IMO.

It really just sounds like the player wants to win the game or something by having the most badass character ever. If that's what's fun for everyone, then cool, run with it. If the player truly just wants to be able to fly, I would have Stark hand him a flying belt (like Wonder Man used to have) and be done with it.

[Supplanter]

I like the Hephaestus's Other Sandals idea a lot, and best of all, it's what resources created mid-action scene by activating a Watcher opportunity were made for. "Oh yeah? Good thing I have Hephaestus's Other Sandals on my belt!" That's just an awesome option.

That said, it doesn't necessarily sound like what the player wants. (IOW, I agree with Bill. Surprise!) However:

* Hercules in powered armor is not inherently more ridiculous than Spider-Man in powered armor
* Hercules in powered armor is not inherently more ridiculous than Colossus wearing a Juggernaut hat
* I would not, in fact, bet you money that Hercules won't end up in powered armor in the comics sometime in the next five years because, seriously, you never know what those folks are going to try
* It sounds like Hercules has a strong in-character reason to want to improve his mobility
* We probably shouldn't assume the worst about our brother hobbyist whom only one of us has met

So, 15 xp for whatever powered armor entails in this case (presumably Flight, Blast, some SFX and a limit). It's hard to imagine any suit of powered armor that would be cooler than Mjolnir. Like all by-the-book upgrades, it lasts at most for the rest of the current event - in this case Civil War.

Suggested Limit: Fault Tolerance. Shut down Boundless Strength when including a DEMIGODS WITH FRICKIN' LASERS ON THEIR HEADS power trait in your pool. Take an action without a DEMIGODS WITH FRICKIN' LASERS ON THEIR HEADS power trait in your pool

On the assumption that the player isn't just looking to outclass everyone else at the table, suggest a new personal milestone, related to the armor, where the 10-pointer is choosing to keep it or renounce it. Watcher and player can have a lot of fun with the incongruity. That's more entertaining for everybody than the Watcher trying to teach the player a Valuable Lesson.


Jim

[Doc Hydrogen]

It may not be more ridiculous, but that's not the best measure though is it? "Not dumber than Colossus as Juggernaut" doesn't make it a smart idea.

[MidnightBlue]

For me...after I pulled myself off the floor at the player request and censored my first 3, maybe 10, responses, I'd ask myself a couple of things:

1. Will it make the player happy?

2. Will it make other players unhappy?

3. Will it make me unhappy or break my game?


If I can answer Yes, No, NO (in that order), then sure...why not find a way to let the player have what he wants. That IS the inherent beauty of this game, right? That we can play whatever character we want to play?

Don't get me wrong...it would grate on every fiber of my being to give the player the affirmative response...player enjoyment really should be my first concern as Watcher, right?

As for the cost?

I could see a lot of answers but a lot of them would be dependent on the amount of balance you feel the need for.

Most of these have already been covered, but here are ways to pull it off and possible restrictions:

1. XP purchase wholesale - Replace an existing power set with the new one per the rule book - 15 xp.

2. XP purchase of a brand new power set in addition to those already possessed...probably needs to step up the 15 XP cost...there's a suggestion above for 20 xp.

3. XP purchase of powers ala cart that could be added into an existing power set. Cost per normal per the book. Just rename the power set to something fitting...God BY Nature; Stylin' By Choice...or something less cheesy.

4. If balance between other power sets is a concern, use the mutually exclusive limit...Restrained By This Tin Can or something. When he's in the armor, he can only use the armor power set and not his natural olympian traits. To unleash his godhood would be to destroy the mortal creation clothing him. (If only he could get Hephaestus to make him a TRULY worthy set of mystical armor.) He could always eject the armor (activate the limit) to face his enemy in all of his godly glory.

5. Another skinning of the Gear limit could be something like - A Worthy Opponent. It works the same as the Gear limit, but the flavoring fits with Herc's fairplay style and honor-bound challenges that I remember from what little I read him in the Marvel comics. I could see the Watcher getting a bit of use out of this limit. If Herc is facing a single, worthy challenger, he drops the armor to face him god-to-opponent.


Here's an option too. If the player wants to get that power armor...throw some roleplaying in there in the form of Milestones.

Maybe you offer him an event milestone in your next event...Of Olympus or of Earth? The crux of the milestone is Herc balancing his heritage as a son of a God or a son of a mortal woman. The 10 XP closer could be either being more accepting of mortal trappings and technology or eschewing these things in honor of his godly traditions.

If he accepts his mortal half and tries to adapt to technology, then you can unlock the armor power set that you all have decided on...probably having a builder of that armor being one of the factors that helped Herc accept technology.


Just some brainstorming.

Hope it helps.