Alter physical structure electricity and Body Armor.

[say652]

Normally I house ruled that a costume that does not offer additional sdc or an armor rating just transforms with the character when using an aps power.
But as with all things a question I didn't have the answer for came up.
Can a character wear body armor or environmental armor and use their aps powers?
Is the armor damaged?
Does it transform with the character thus not offering additional protection??

Your thoughts and input would be most welcome.

[eliakon]

Normally I house ruled that a costume that does not offer additional sdc or an armor rating just transforms with the character when using an aps power.
But as with all things a question I didn't have the answer for came up.
Can a character wear body armor or environmental armor and use their aps powers?
Is the armor damaged?
Does it transform with the character thus not offering additional protection??

Your thoughts and input would be most welcome.

My current house rule is you can transform ME/pounds of non-living matter into your alter form with you.
This lets people bring clothing (and neatly explains why supers wear such flimsy, tight, skimpy costumes )
If you want to transform more you need special costumes (Quantum Fibers, Magically Attuned, Hyperdimensionally Rotated or what ever plot driving buzz word fits....but you cant just go pick it up at the local S-Mart)

[say652]

So if in eba and then using an aps if below the weight it still works if over it becomes damaged?

[eliakon]

So if in eba and then using an aps if below the weight it still works if over it becomes damaged?

If under it becomes energy (or what ever) with me. if over then it falls through me to the ground (I do damage as per 'contact with')

[say652]

Ok, so um...trying to wear a heavy deadboy suit. 25lbs. Use aps electricity and the suit takes 4D6md four times a melee AND I am inside of it.

With say a Crusader 11lbs it transforms with me. What of the additional sdc? Or in this example the 40mdc of the armor??

[eliakon]

Ok, so um...trying to wear a heavy deadboy suit. 25lbs. Use aps electricity and the suit takes 4D6md four times a melee AND I am inside of it.

With say a Crusader 11lbs it transforms with me. What of the additional sdc? Or in this example the 40mdc of the armor??

SO your wearing a Deadboy suit. You transform
The Deadboy suit takes 4d6 damage <zap> and falls to the ground your now flying there as a living lightning bolt (hopefully you had on something under that armor or your going to have a modesty problem when you change back)

That Crusader would change with you. As a rule I don't allow things to 'work' when altered. So the Crusader armor, while transformed doesn't protect you (though in a high power game I might make an exception), just like the radio wont work, nor will your wand or your laser rifle.

[say652]

So if my costume had optic built into it, they wouldn't function in aps form.

[Razorwing]

It would also depend on what the suit is made of and the type of energy you transform into.

Insulator materials and conductive materials are not likely to take much if any damage from Electricity for example... as one more or less resists/absorbs the energy while the other channels it without harm. This means that modern armors that are made with plastic and ceramics (insulating materials) wouldn't take much damage, while ancient armors made of metal (chain mail or plate) would merely conduct the energy harmlessly. Armors made out of less resistant materials, such as cloth or leather however could take considerable damage.

Additionally, there is the minor power of Bio-Aura in PU3 that allows one to transform roughly 100 pounds of possessions worn or carried with the character (or not be harmed by the various powers a character may have). This doesn't just apply to the APS powers, but also to powers like growth, shrinking, shape shifting and the like.

To be honest though, I have always allowed players to have a version of this power automatically to affect/protect their clothes (including armor they might wear as their costume). Said armor doesn't improve with any powers... and in many cases is rendered moot (especially with APS powers), so I usually don't bother with such details. Now if a player tried to do something like this with a suit of Power Armor or a Robotic Exoskeleton/Vehicle... then it wouldn't work and they are likely to end up damaging the Armor/Suit. A standard EBA suit like those used in Rifts (armor that provides environmental protection) would be the heaviest clothing that could be changed with a character.

[say652]

In game today Memnocs character Hal quickly caught on to the fact Powersurge is effectively blind and suggested building a multi optics visor into his costume.

"What color is this?"
"What's that say?"
"Here read this message on my palmtop for me?"

Damn bounty hunters. Stupid successful interrogation rolls. Lol

[eliakon]

So if my costume had optic built into it, they wouldn't function in aps form.

I would not allow it to work...of the shelf
A hardware character could make a gizmo that could do it with some rolls
And if you have Bio-Aura then sure optics away
but with my vanilla "ME in Pounds transform?" Nope no optics as a lightning bolt

[say652]

Kinda what I said. No.

[SpiritInterface]

The power Bio-Aura(PU3, page8) was written specifically for this situation.

[say652]

My character has more than enough powers. I would have to banhammer myself if I give him anything else. Lol

[Reagren Wright]

Sounds like people want this power to have an AR since its one of the few that doesn't and
when compared to the new APS powers in PU 1 and PU 3, APS-Electricity is kind of weak. I'd say
use the old NAR of 14 that this power use to come with back in first edition (prior to the HU
Revised edition).

[Razorwing]

Personally... I treat APS: Electricity very much the same as APS: Fire and most other energy forms in terms of AR and limited Invulnerability... in that the character generates a damaging electrical aura that will damage most physical objects that try to hit the individual (attacking with a metal sword isn't a great idea as the sword will conduct the electricity back at the person holding it).

For ranged weapons, damage is only done if the attack is greater than the AR of the character (in this case, the same as APS: Fire). Melee attacks (with fists or weapons) however are a different matter, for unless the attacker is insulated, they will take damage when they attack the character... regardless of whether they do damage. The still do damage when they strike above the character's AR, but the electrical aura the character is generating will still do damage to the attacker (who is intentionally entering it when coming within melee range). Even if the attacker is using a weapon (especially a metal one), the electricity can be conducted through it to hurt the attacker (again... I use the same damage APS: Fire does... 4D6).

While this overall doesn't add a lot of power to APS: Electricity, I think it does bring it up to at least be comparable to other energy APS forms.

[say652]

The write up of Electric Flight. Spend to attacks tp simo-Strike and become impervious to all damage more than makes up for the aps not having an AR.

[Tor]

One nice trick for an APS fire or plasma would be the Impervious to Fire spell, since it protects your armor, unlike Impervious to Energy.

[say652]

Aps Fire I feel is a more useful power.
Aps Plasma, eh, some cool tricks but not useful for anything but destruction.

[Adventus]

If it is power and you have APE: Electricity and transform, why, just "possess" the power armor using the cyberjack rules.

[say652]

I try to play a power by the abilities listed in the description.
I have in the past, as a player not a Gm used the "But it makes sense" argument and Intangibility became way WAY overpowered.
With a reasonable argument and some convincing anyway. Lol.

[Nightmask]

If it is power and you have APE: Electricity and transform, why, just "possess" the power armor using the cyberjack rules.

I think there's some mention of using that power for something like that, not sure which book it's in though.

[say652]

And technically I could travel through powerlines. ...

[flatline]

And technically I could travel through powerlines. ...

Up until the first transformer...

--flatline

[say652]

Don't ruin my PowerSurge is captured adventure. Lol