Custom Powers Master List (Work In Progress)

[Oblyss]

There is a Sponsor Power on the list already, for what it's worth. It's not very nicely formatted though.

I think Unlimited Blade Works needs something extra. Any ideas? I'm not familiar with the source material, so I don't know what's appropriate.

As for Reality Marble, how about this:

REALITY MARBLE [-1]
Description: You can travel to a magical sub-universe of your own creation and drag other people with you.
Skills affected: Conviction, others.
Effects:
Reality Marble. As an action, you may spend a Fate Point to enter your Reality Marble. If you wish to bring other people with you, you may roll your Conviction skill. Then every other character within a zone is forced to enter your Reality Marble with you unless they beat your roll with a defense roll using Conviction or Athletics. People drawn into the Marble remain there until you decide to send everyone back or get knocked unconscious. However, you can't keep people longer than the time indicated by adding your Conviction roll to "half a minute" on the time chart.
Different Rules [-varies]. The laws of physics are somehow different in your Marble. Negotiate the effects and costs of this upgrade with your GM. Examples to come.

That looks pretty good. As for other things with Unlimited Blade Works I don't know, I'm about to watch the Unlimited Blade Works movie in a couple days so I may have something then. Maybe with Unlimited Blade Works it gets a duration boost automatically? That would fit in line with the power, it's meant to be fired for extended durations in rapid fire. 

As for reality marble itself, that looks like a good write up. It's also an ability that is supposed to be different for each person using it. So it might cost differently based on the abilities it goes with in it, which I think is what you have in different rules and would work perfectly.

One other reality marble I remember off the top of my head,(wasn't technically an RM I think but it more or less is one) is a giant Roman theater where the user's attacks bypass all armor. So I guess it'd be a -4 cost in line with Mystic Eyes of Death Perception for that one.

Would Reality Marble be adujudicated similarly to Reality Warper, but only while you're inside the marble? I could see it as just Reality Warper or Demesne with a bunch of upgrades, and a Cassandra's Tears-esque ability to place world aspects, like THE NAZIS WON, DINOSAURS EVERYWHERE, or OLD WORLD OF DARKNESS.

I'm not familiar with reality warper but yeah, it's only in effect while inside the Reality Marble. They are really fun 'worlds'. They tend to look more like a giant stage than actual planets or such, good for dramatic fights.

The Unlimited Blade Works reality marble is just a barren wasteland with and endless amount of swords stabbed into the ground in crooked angles, with massive metal gears turning in the sky. Here's the two picture examples of UBW and the other one I mentioned a second ago.

Unlimited Blade Works:
http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120508175621/typemoon/images/b/bf/UBW.jpg

Aestus Domus Aurea:
http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110325200829/typemoon/images/thumb/e/e9/Aestus.jpg/1000px-Aestus.jpg

The way they tend to work, is like a Demesne except they have one specific thing they do normally. So the World Aspects would have to be set up ahead of time when you first take the ability. Though you could possibly change the Reality marble later, it would have to be a certain amount of sessions later and maybe after one of your aspects had changed. The marbles are supposed to be physical constructs of your inner self or something. I am speaking fairly loosely on them but I believe it's correct.

So someone's reality marble might be a case of them having ton of speed, toughness, and recovery, and flight abilities in in a world without light.

[Lavecki121]

Limitation mattering once per 6 sessions does not mean it matters 1/6th of the time.

That's....not what I said.

Additionally I would alter the wording so that it says, instead of •If it will matter rarely (perhaps once every 6 sessions or so), reduce the cost by one-sixth.
Maybe have it say, If you will be able to use it 5/6 sessions the cost is 1/6 less, rounding up or down as GM wishes.

The first part is taken directly from the power. The second post is me saying the same thing but backwards.

[Tedronai]

Not quite.  There are some subtle differences in the language that produce quite substantial implications.
The second wording, for instance, implies that the affected powers would be unavailable for the whole duration of the 6th session, while the first leaves the powers unavailable only for some amount of time during that session.

[Sanctaphrax]

Yeah, that.

Maybe with Unlimited Blade Works it gets a duration boost automatically? That would fit in line with the power, it's meant to be fired for extended durations in rapid fire.

Maybe +2 shifts of duration to all spells, with attack evocations leaving behind mundane swords that last two exchanges.

That sound good to you?

As for reality marble itself, that looks like a good write up. It's also an ability that is supposed to be different for each person using it. So it might cost differently based on the abilities it goes with in it, which I think is what you have in different rules and would work perfectly.

Thanks.

But honestly, I think I left some important stuff out. Like what it's like inside a Marble. I'll fix that in the next draft.

Any ideas for what different rules a Reality Marble could have?

My ideas:

-All technology below X on the hexing chart fails to function in the Reality Marble.
-Everyone suffers some kind of attack each exchange. Maybe the area is super hot or something.
-There's a persistent Block up against some kind of action. Maybe it's so dark nobody can see, maybe the local physics don't allow violence, etc.
-Everybody heals faster.
-The zones that the Marble is made up of are moving.

One other reality marble I remember off the top of my head,(wasn't technically an RM I think but it more or less is one) is a giant Roman theater where the user's attacks bypass all armor. So I guess it'd be a -4 cost in line with Mystic Eyes of Death Perception for that one.

Stuff like that is probably best represented by buying whatever other Power you want and adding an "only in the Marble" Limitation.

Incidentally, 4 Refresh just to ignore armour ratings? That's pretty pricey.

The way they tend to work, is like a Demesne except they have one specific thing they do normally. So the World Aspects would have to be set up ahead of time when you first take the ability. Though you could possibly change the Reality marble later, it would have to be a certain amount of sessions later and maybe after one of your aspects had changed. The marbles are supposed to be physical constructs of your inner self or something. I am speaking fairly loosely on them but I believe it's correct.

So someone's reality marble might be a case of them having ton of speed, toughness, and recovery, and flight abilities in in a world without light.

Okay, sounds neat. I'll try to cover that in the next draft.

[Oblyss]

Yeah, that.

Maybe +2 shifts of duration to all spells, with attack evocations leaving behind mundane swords that last two exchanges.

That sound good to you?

Yeah that sounds great. I can't think of any other abilities to tag onto it, extended duration just seems to fit best and would be really nice I think.

Thanks.

But honestly, I think I left some important stuff out. Like what it's like inside a Marble. I'll fix that in the next draft.

Any ideas for what different rules a Reality Marble could have?

My ideas:

-All technology below X on the hexing chart fails to function in the Reality Marble.
-Everyone suffers some kind of attack each exchange. Maybe the area is super hot or something.
-There's a persistent Block up against some kind of action. Maybe it's so dark nobody can see, maybe the local physics don't allow violence, etc.
-Everybody heals faster.
-The zones that the Marble is made up of are moving.

Stuff like that is probably best represented by buying whatever other Power you want and adding an "only in the Marble" Limitation.

I would have to go look up other examples but yeah, that all sounds like stuff that would go on in a Reality Marble. I'd say set up Reality marble with a low cost of some kind, then add on extra abilities/declarations that go with it at extra cost when you first make it. Maybe give a rebate to them that they only apply in the reality marble.

Incidentally, 4 Refresh just to ignore armour ratings? That's pretty pricey.

Okay, sounds neat. I'll try to cover that in the next draft.

Hey I just copied the example on the custom power sheet for that ability hah.

[Sanctaphrax]

The Mystic Eyes ignore Toughness as well as armour. That's why they cost 4.

[Lavecki121]

Not quite.  There are some subtle differences in the language that produce quite substantial implications.
The second wording, for instance, implies that the affected powers would be unavailable for the whole duration of the 6th session, while the first leaves the powers unavailable only for some amount of time during that session.

Ok.I get that. I dunno what it is that is confusing me so much. Once you explained it I got it right away so idk

[Sanctaphrax]

Clearly there's something wrong with the wording if it causes this much confusion.

How does this plan for making it clearer sound?

-Make Item Limitation into a separate Power that requires (and modifies) Limitation. Then split it up into multiple trappings, to make it easier to understand.

-Split the clarifying text from Limitation into a separate trapping so that it doesn't interfere with comprehension of the main effect.

-Rewrite the entries of the rebate value list so that just reading them provides a decent summary of the Power.

-Add examples.

My theory is that people are just getting overwhelmed by the text-block. They see a big chunk of text and their eyes glaze over a bit. They then glance over it quickly instead of reading closely, leading to confusion.

These changes are intended to make the amount of text less overwhelming and to make it easier to understand the Power without reading it carefully.

So, do you think that'll work?

[Oblyss]

The Mystic Eyes ignore Toughness as well as armour. That's why they cost 4.

Oh I see, that is a very good point. That example would definitely lower the cost then. Maybe a -1 or -2.

I need to go take a look at the limitation ability people are discussing once I am finished with this week's finals work, or on a break.

Edit: I'd also like to take a stab at statting out Noble Phantasms as a power later, which might be of interest to others on the board who mentioned doing games involving servants. These are sorta similar to Reality Marbles in that they are abilities that aren't the same, though they appear in some kind of attack form, weapon form, or beneficial buff abilities and the like.

Some examples of these are
Gae Bulg: A spear that causes wounds that can't be healed.
Exaclibur: A huge light based attack that I'd say is something like 8-14 shifts.
Unlimited blade works as mentioned in above posts. A reality marble attack.
Gates of Babylon: Gates to the user's Treasury Vault containing their vast array of Items of Power. This ability is useless if they have no Items of Power. They can shoot the Items of Power from the gate as projectiles with tremendous force, or take them out and wield them. Unlimited Blade Works is a "cheap imitation" of this ability.

[Sanctaphrax]

Okay, here's Reality Marble 2.

REALITY MARBLE [-1]
Description: You can travel to a magical sub-universe of your own creation and drag other people with you.
Note: Many characters are more powerful inside their Reality Marble than they are outside of it. Such characters should attach an appropriate version of the Limitation Power to whatever Powers they have while inside the Marble.
Skills affected: Conviction, others.
Effects:
Personal Universe. You have a personal universe called a Reality Marble. Design it when you take this Power. You may give it an Aspect of your choice, and as long as it has at least one zone you may give it any number of zones you want and arrange them as you please. You must designate one zone as the "entry zone" which characters arrive in when you use this Power. Your Reality Marble cannot be inhabited, and its design cannot include anything that gives you a significant advantage.
Reality Marble. As an action, you may spend a Fate Point to enter your Reality Marble. If you wish to bring other people with you, you may roll your Conviction skill. Then every other character in your zone is forced to enter your Reality Marble with you unless they beat your roll with a defense roll using Conviction or Athletics. People drawn into the Marble remain there until you decide to send everyone back or lose consciousness. You can't send people back one by one; it's all or nothing. And you can't keep people longer than the time indicated by adding your Conviction roll to "half a minute" on the time chart.
Different Rules [-varies]. Your Reality Marble has a special rule. Negotiate the effects and costs of this upgrade with your GM. You can only purchase this upgrade once. Here are some examples of possible special rules, with appropriate costs:

[-1] Peaceful World. Inside your Marble, all attempts at physical violence face a block with strength equal to your Conviction. In addition, all characters in your Marble have armour 4 against all physical attacks.
[-1] Random Entry. Instead of entering the Marble through the entry zone, characters are randomly scattered among the zones of the Marble. If the Marble is large enough, this may prevent them from seeing each other when they enter.
[-1] Clinging Marsh. The soft and sticky ground of the Marble imposes a border value of 1 on every zone.
[-1] Heavy Gravity. Might restricts all physical skills inside the Marble.
[-2] Anti-Technology Field. Anything rated 8 or lower on the hexing table fails to function inside the Marble.
[-2] Killing Heat. Everyone faces an accuracy 6 weapon 2 attack against their Endurance each exchange from the extreme heat of the Marble.
[-2] King Of The Hill. You enter your Marble in a different zone than everyone else. A zone border equal to your Conviction blocks entry to your zone, and its fortifications add 3 to whatever armour value its occupants have against attacks coming from outside of it.
[-3] Ocean Depths. The entire Marble is underwater.

PS: Not totally confident in the balance of those rules. Most of the costs are guesses.

[Sanctaphrax]

Edit: I'd also like to take a stab at statting out Noble Phantasms as a power later, which might be of interest to others on the board who mentioned doing games involving servants. These are sorta similar to Reality Marbles in that they are abilities that aren't the same, though they appear in some kind of attack form, weapon form, or beneficial buff abilities and the like.

Some examples of these are
Gae Bulg: A spear that causes wounds that can't be healed.
Exaclibur: A huge light based attack that I'd say is something like 8-14 shifts.
Unlimited blade works as mentioned in above posts. A reality marble attack.
Gates of Babylon: Gates to the user's Treasury Vault containing their vast array of Items of Power. This ability is useless if they have no Items of Power. They can shoot the Items of Power from the gate as projectiles with tremendous force, or take them out and wield them. Unlimited Blade Works is a "cheap imitation" of this ability.

I think Gae Bulg is on the IoP list.

There used to be an Item Of Power Collection Power on the Power list, but it's been subsumed into Variable Abilities. So Variable Abilities might be worth looking at for the Gates.

[Oblyss]

Okay, here's Reality Marble 2.

REALITY MARBLE [-1]
Description: You can travel to a magical sub-universe of your own creation and drag other people with you.
Note: Many characters are more powerful inside their Reality Marble than they are outside of it. Such characters should attach an appropriate version of the Limitation Power to whatever Powers they have while inside the Marble.
Skills affected: Conviction, others.
Effects:
Personal Universe. You have a personal universe called a Reality Marble. Design it when you take this Power. You may give it an Aspect of your choice, and as long as it has at least one zone you may give it any number of zones you want and arrange them as you please. You must designate one zone as the "entry zone" which characters arrive in when you use this Power. Your Reality Marble cannot be inhabited, and its design cannot include anything that gives you a significant advantage.
Reality Marble. As an action, you may spend a Fate Point to enter your Reality Marble. If you wish to bring other people with you, you may roll your Conviction skill. Then every other character in your zone is forced to enter your Reality Marble with you unless they beat your roll with a defense roll using Conviction or Athletics. People drawn into the Marble remain there until you decide to send everyone back or lose consciousness. You can't send people back one by one; it's all or nothing. And you can't keep people longer than the time indicated by adding your Conviction roll to "half a minute" on the time chart.
Different Rules [-varies]. Your Reality Marble has a special rule. Negotiate the effects and costs of this upgrade with your GM. You can only purchase this upgrade once. Here are some examples of possible special rules, with appropriate costs:

[-1] Peaceful World. Inside your Marble, all attempts at physical violence face a block with strength equal to your Conviction. In addition, all characters in your Marble have armour 4 against all physical attacks.
[-1] Random Entry. Instead of entering the Marble through the entry zone, characters are randomly scattered among the zones of the Marble. If the Marble is large enough, this may prevent them from seeing each other when they enter.
[-1] Clinging Marsh. The soft and sticky ground of the Marble imposes a border value of 1 on every zone.
[-1] Heavy Gravity. Might restricts all physical skills inside the Marble.
[-2] Anti-Technology Field. Anything rated 8 or lower on the hexing table fails to function inside the Marble.
[-2] Killing Heat. Everyone faces an accuracy 6 weapon 2 attack against their Endurance each exchange from the extreme heat of the Marble.
[-2] King Of The Hill. You enter your Marble in a different zone than everyone else. A zone border equal to your Conviction blocks entry to your zone, and its fortifications add 3 to whatever armour value its occupants have against attacks coming from outside of it.
[-3] Ocean Depths. The entire Marble is underwater.

PS: Not totally confident in the balance of those rules. Most of the costs are guesses.

Hah nice. It's getting really shaped up but yeah, I'm not sure about those costs. They seem a bit expensive but I'm definitely no expert on the rules. Though the format and rules otherwise look great on it so far.

Just talked to my GM and Unlimited Blade Works can replicate item of power weapons temporarily at a fate point cost, with each IoP having its own difficulty level, and some items being unable to be perfectly copied ever. And it must be 'Earthly' items in origin. Nothing from the NeverNever or Outsiders. So at some point replicating a weapon may be possible but not practical.

[Sanctaphrax]

On a related note:

UNLIMITED BLADE WORKS [-4]
Description: You can call up weapons from a magical realm inside your soul.
Sponsor: This magic is self-sponsored.
Agenda: As self-sponsored magic, this power lacks an agenda. Compels from its debt generally involve brutal headaches or one's magic going haywire.
Evocation: Unlimited Blade Works Evocations take the the form of spectral swords that appear from nowhere.
Thaumaturgy: Unlimited Blade Works rituals can be used to conjure weapons, including Item of Power weapons. The complexity required to create an Item of Power is determined by the GM.
Evothaum: Unlimited Blade Works allows its user to conjure weapons with Evocation's speed and methods.
Extra Benefits: All Unlimited Blade Works spells get two free shifts of duration. Spells with no duration, like Evocation attacks, leave behind conjured weapons that last for two exchanges. (The number of weapons left behind is up to the caster.)

[Oblyss]

On a related note:

UNLIMITED BLADE WORKS [-4]
Description: You can call up weapons from a magical realm inside your soul.
Sponsor: This magic is self-sponsored.
Agenda: As self-sponsored magic, this power lacks an agenda. Compels from its debt generally involve brutal headaches or one's magic going haywire.
Evocation: Unlimited Blade Works Evocations take the the form of spectral swords that appear from nowhere.
Thaumaturgy: Unlimited Blade Works rituals can be used to conjure weapons, including Item of Power weapons. The complexity required to create an Item of Power is determined by the GM.
Evothaum: Unlimited Blade Works allows its user to conjure weapons with Evocation's speed and methods.
Extra Benefits: All Unlimited Blade Works spells get two free shifts of duration. Spells with no duration, like Evocation attacks, leave behind conjured weapons that last for two exchanges. (The number of weapons left behind is up to the caster.)

That looks perfect, though any reason you took out the +2 rebate for Evo/Thaum?

Edit: Oh wait, you can't have duration on attacks? Oh well. That still works well with summoned spell blocks.

[Sanctaphrax]

You mean the Refresh rebate for having other casting Powers?

It should still be there. I just didn't bother to mention it because I kinda take it for granted. Maybe not wise on my part, I dunno.