Topic: Power Point/Spell Boosters

[rboleyn]

I've never really liked Spell Adders, and Power Point Multipliers are, IME, often over-powered if you use any PP scheme other than the original RM2 one (in which case they tended to become necessary).

New, having read RMC and RMX, I've decided I rather like the option of granting PP = 10 + realm bonus/5 + PP/level. However, this clearly will make multipliers very powerful, so I've been looking for a way of reining them in a bit. I believe I have found a way.

I noticed that multipliers cost the same as an adder such that [multiple] = [add -1] (ie a x2 multiplier costs the same as a +3 adder), implying that these devices (were intended to) have similar utility. However, if we look at a 10th level spell user with 10PP, a x2 multiplier gives them +10PP, so each spell from a +3 adder would be worth about 3.33 PP, but I very seldom saw a spell user 'wasting' an adder slot on a spell that many levels below their own level, so that doesn't make a lot of sense. However, if the caster has 20PP, each adder slot is worth 6.67PP, which seems more like it (and as the caster's base PP/level goes up the multiplier gets better and better, likewise as the size of the device goes up).

From this I concluded that multipliers, especially large ones, were too good for their price compared to adders, unless the device was low powered and wielded by a character with few PP/level. As it's probably effectively impossible to make adders and multipliers universally balanced one with the other, and considering my dislike of adders, it seemed sensible to ditch adders, and then find some way of making multipliers lower powered, and to include some low-end multipliers to replace the lost +1 and +2 adders. In the end I came up with:

Power Point Adders

The power point adder is a device that increases the number of power points a character gains each level. Thus a +2 PP adder increases the PP/level that a stat of 90 grants from 1/level to 3/level. When calculating value, treat them as a spell adder one size bigger (so a +1/level PP adder costs the same as a +2 adder). There is also a +0.5/level adder that costs the same as a +1 adder. When converting adders and multipliers in published material, use the PP adder of equivalent price:

Code: [Select]

PP Adder  Spell Adder  PP Multiplier
+0.5      +1           --
+1        +2           x1
+2        +3           x2
+3        +4           x3
+4        +5           x4
+5        +6           x5
+6        +7           x6

Thoughts?

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

New, having read RMC and RMX, I've decided I rather like the option of granting PP = 10 + realm bonus/5 + PP/level. However, this clearly will make multipliers very powerful, so I've been looking for a way of reining them in a bit. I believe I have found a way.

That option was added to RMX to reduce the need to depend on multipliers and adders altogether.

I would suggest that you check out Express Additions #2 and the Fast PP Recovery option - with that option, you basically remove the need for multipliers altogether.

[rboleyn]

I like the option because it boosts low-level caster's resources without massively boosting those of high level casters. However, at levels 10+ it doesn't really remove the need to multipliers or adders.

As for the fast recovery option, I still want need to not blow through all your power points in each encounter - I'm looking for a happy medium, not for a way of doing away with resource management entirely. Maybe I'm just being old-fashioned. 

[yammahoper]

Make mine x9. 

And Happy Thanks Giving to all.

lynn

[Dark Schneider]

How about a change for multipliers?, this can be (1 + 0,25/I), so you can make a PPx1,25 with 'general I', PPx1,50 with II, PPx1,75 with III, PPx2 with IV, etc.

See that a spell adder can give you many PPs depending of use, but it can give you a maximum of (lvl x adder), so for a level 15 character with a spell adder III, this can be 45 PPs. I think the main advantage of multipliers is that you can use the PPs as you need, not trying always to use the maximum spell level.

In addition to this, is a good idea to require special material to make multipliers, and/or doubling the time creation, this can be translated to trade side with double/triple price (depending if using one or two options before) for multipliers in market. This affects to player alchemists too (material/time).

[rboleyn]

How about a change for multipliers?, this can be (1 + 0,25/I), so you can make a PPx1,25 with 'general I', PPx1,50 with II, PPx1,75 with III, PPx2 with IV, etc.

This strikes me as fiddly. Otherwise it's a good idea, though it does make multipliers quite weak at high levels.

In addition to this, is a good idea to require special material to make multipliers, and/or doubling the time creation, this can be translated to trade side with double/triple price (depending if using one or two options before) for multipliers in market. This affects to player alchemists too (material/time).

I've yet to have a PC alchemist, and don't anticipate any in the next game I run, so the main impact of this will be about the same as just making multipliers weaker. Besides, my RM games seldom involve characters with the money to actually buy items, so the going rate for items really only determines how much loot they sell gets them. I think the most powerful item ever bought was a 'staff of firebolts', and that was for the magician in a (then) 8th level party.

[Dark Schneider]

I think the most powerful item ever bought was a 'staff of firebolts', and that was for the magician in a (then) 8th level party.

For us, that is more like a level 20 item , we have characters at level 11 and the maximum item appeared are weapons +10 (non-magical), a level 7 rune, a rod +4 to directed spells with a level 1 spell, and other items like those.
We are not precisely very generous with items , players should use the money part of treasures for buying items, but if they have good items directly by treasures, they don't need to buy them.
I must to say that those items are obtaioned using totally the random roll method, don't force the items, use random generator, it is funny to find a fantastic lance when nobody manage lance property .
The rod is +4 for directed spells because it was "stolen" (from his cold hands ) to a magician.