Chapter 4 FAQ
FAQ questions relating to Chapter 4 will be found here.
Control Powers
Earth Control, Ice Control, and Water Control all allow you to Run at Power SPs minus weight. Since they are based on the Power Set rules, which would give Running a Base Score of zero, I’m not sure why weight is subtracted from the Running speed. It seems you are being penalized twice, the Base Score is already zero, why subtract your weight on top of that?
When simulating the physics, a character who has X SPs of some Control-kinesis can pick up and move a target of Weight Y SPs at a Speed of X - Y SPs. With 12 SPs of Earth Control, you can pick up 4 SPs of earth and move it at a Speed of 8 SPs. Since you are using the same power to move yourself, that same math ought physically to apply. Your Speed is therefore purposefully set to (Power - Weight). All sorts of strange results occur if you ignore this! E.g. a character with Telekinesis becomes able to fly himself carrying an ally faster than he can move the ally using his Telekinesis, even though he is using Telekinesis to move himself and his ally in both cases.
But what about CP Cost? In terms of CP cost, the base cost of a Movement Power is determined by the character who purchases it, partially based on the utility of the movement and partially based on the character’s Weight. This, too, is essential – otherwise the Titanic and a minnow pay the same cost for Swimming! However the Control powers are generic - we do not know the character’s Weights. Therefore to handle this, from a CP cost perspective, when building those Control Powers, the various Movement Powers usually do not have a Base Cost for Weight applied, often resulting in a Base Cost of 0. All of these Base Costs then feed into the total cost of the Control Power as it is built out.
This has several benefits. It makes the Control Power work sensibly. If Bob weighs 3 SPs, and I weigh 3 SPs, we can both get moved by my Power at the same Speed. It avoids ultra-heavy characters finding a workaround wherein they purchase a Control Power and get cheap, affordable Movement Power that ignores their Speed.
However, two caveats must be added. The first is that this does result in Running being slightly more expensive when purchase via a Control Power. The difference is, however, quite small since Running is so inexpensive and Power Sets are paying only a fraction of that. In general, some Powers are more expensive when purchased via Control Powers (e.g. as noted on p. 177, you always use the higher Variable Cost for a Power in a Power Set even if the character would normally pay a lower one.) and that’s the case here.
The second caveat is that when Cosmic Control was set up, it was built with a cost of 15 CP for Flight at Weight 3 because it is supposed to “defy the laws of physics.” That means Cosmic Control is a bargain for an entity of vast Weight. Given how incredibly expensive Cosmic Control is, I deemed this acceptable. (If we wanted to be very strict about it, Cosmic Control lets you fly at a Speed equal to your Power in SPs up to Weight 3, -1 SP per SP of Weight thereafter.)
There’s many decisions like this hidden behind many aspects of the game, and it would have doubled the size of the book to explain them all. It’s why Ascendant shouldn’t be described as an effects-based point build system. A whole layer of decisions functions in between the CP cost and the rules-as-physics. That said, if you want a generic rule to apply for custom power building, try this:
“When building a Power Set that allows the character to emulate Burrowing, Flight, Gliding, Jumping, Running, Swimming, or Wall Crawling, the character may choose to treat the Base Cost of that Movement Power as 0 CPs. He gains the ability to emulate that Power at SPs equal to his SPs of Power - his Weight.”
What effect is used in the various Control powers (“move a volume of air,” “move masses of earth,” “extinguish an electrical current,” “modify the magnitude of an electrical current,” “extinguish a fire,” “move a fire,” and so on)?
These effects are modeled with some combination of the following.
- Create Fire (Base Cost 65, Variable Cost 14) is used for creating fires from thin air (first bullet in Fire Control).
- Ranged Concentration Noncombatant Superstrength [substance] (Base Cost 10, Variable Cost 2) is used for picking up and moving masses of the substance.
- Ranged Superstrength [substance] (Base Cost 15, Variable Cost 5) is used for hurling objects of the substance.
We do not recommend that you make those effects available as powers separately from the Control Powers (and hence do not list them as such). In the context of the physics-based gameplay of Ascendant, being able to e.g. create fire should necessarily include the other effects listed. However, it can be useful for GMs who want to reverse-engineer those Powers to devise alternatives.
Movement Powers
How do Powers that permanently affect your Weight interact with the Base Cost of Movement Powers?
Movement Powers which have a Base Cost modified by your Weight do not have their Speed reduced by permanent effects that increase the character’s Weight, such as Permanent Growth or Permanent Hyper-Density. However, their Base Cost must be calculated based on their Weight after these Powers are applied.
Absorption Field
If I use Absorption Field for a Power Stunt, do I have to expend points from my Current Capacitance to fuel SPs of the Power I’m stunting?
It depends. If the Power Stunt is based on and modifying the Absorption Field itself – for instance, projecting it to protect another character, forming the Absorption Field into a shape, or so on – then you would not have to expend Current Capacitance. If the Power Stunt is based on or emulating an Absorption-Fueled Power, then you would have to expend Current Capacitance.
Can I use an Absorption Field to exceed my Power Limit?
Your Absorption-Fueled still have to obey your Absolute and Combinatorial Power Limits, except when performing Power Stunts.
How can I use a Power Stunt from Absorption Field to exceed my Power Limit?
A Power Stunt can exceed a character’s Power Limit, but the Hero Point cost of the Power Stunt is increased by 1 Hero Point per SP over the character’s Power Limit.
Imagine a PL20 character that has Combat Sense 7, Marksmanship 10, Absorption Field 13 (Blast). The character can use his Absorption Field at full SPs defensively (7+13 = 20) but when charging Blasts from his Absorption Field, he can only use 10 SPs.
If the character declares a Power Stunt to emulate 13 SPs Blast from his 13 SPs of Absorption Field, he would first expend 5 Hero Points (for emulating an Offensive Power from a Defensive Power) and then expend an additional 3 Hero Points for exceeding his Power Limit by 3. Thus, for 8 Hero Points, the character could attack with AV 10, EV 13.
Continuous Blast
*Imagine a PL18 character built with AGI 6 and Continuous Blast 12. Could that character aim at a point in space or other easy-to-hit target in order to therefore strike harder-to-hit targets in the path of the beam using Blast as the EV, thus getting an AV 12 / EV 12 attack, at PL24?"
No. The AV and EV cannot exceed the character’s PL. The SPs of Blast against targets in the Continuous beam would be reduced as necessary (for both AV and EV) until their sum is below the character’s PL.
In the example above, the primary target would be attacked with AV 6. If the attack hits, the target would be dealt damage at EV 12. If the attack misses, it would scatter. Any targets in the beam would then be attacked at AV 9 and EV 9. It’s harder to score a direct hit with the beam, but it does more damage.
Emotion Adjustment
Why do the Moderately and Extremely Agreeable conditions have the same description?
They don’t! Moderately Agreeable characters will agree to “unusual or dangerous requests”, while “Extremely Agreeable characters will agree to unusual, dangerous requests.”
A Moderately Agreeable soldier might agree to put on a chicken costume (an unusual request) or attack the enemy (a dangerous request), while an Extremely Agreeable soldier will agree to wear a chicken costume while attacking the enemy (unusual, dangerous request).
As a lawyer, this seemed like perfectly common sense rules writing to me. But this is why everyone hates lawyers.
Explosion
*Can a Targeted Intense Explosion be used to circumvent PL by ‘targeting’ a point in space and then affecting all characters in the blast radius with AV and EV equal to the SPs of Explosion?"
No. The AV and EV cannot exceed the character’s PL. Anytime the Explosion power carries both the Intense and Targeted modifiers, the AV and EV used to attack any characters in the blast radius is always the same (before modifiers). The AV is the character’s SPs of AGI or AGI-substitute and the EV is the character’s SPs of Explosion. Obviously, it would make no sense for an Intense explosion to massively increase in accuracy by missing.
Force Control
When a Force Controller makes a construct with Aura, Blast, or Strike, what damage types can it deal?
A Force Construct will deal either Bludgeon, Lacerating, or Penetrating, depending on the shape of the Construct. A Power Stunt (1 Hero Point) will permit other damage types.
Glue
If my character is Stuck by Glue such that my Speed is reduced to 0 SPs, is my DV reduced to 0 if I am defending myself with Deflection?
No, Deflection is not affected by Glue. As noted in the rules, “The foregoing notwithstanding, Glue does not affect Deflection.”
Hazard
Can a Hazard be moved?
Yes, provided it is not an Instant Hazard. Moving a Hazard functions exactly like moving a Fog: As a subsequent Challenge Action, you can move the Hazard you created to another point within Range and LOS.
Invention
Imagine a character that has the Invention Power and Singular Invention Perk. Could the character invent his own Singular Inventions, changing them over time? For instance, assume he has 200 CP of Invention and 500 CP worth of Singular Inventions. Could he invent a 200-CP Invention, move it “out” of his Invention pool and into his Singular Invention pool, and then Invent something else, repeating until he has a total of 700 CP of Inventions?
Yes, he can. Invention + Singular Invention is an excellent combination for such characters. Don’t forget, however, that the character’s Power Level limits will be reduced by having Singular Inventions, so what he gains in breadth he will lose in depth of power.
Invisibility
Does Invisibility affect the Devices, Inventions, or Objects a character carries or picks up?
A character’s Devices are always affected by his Invisibility. Other Objects worn or carried by a character when he becomes Invisible, or picked up while Invisible, will be or become Invisible if the following criteria apply:
- The Object has a Weight at least 3 SPs less than the character’s Weight
- The Object has a Height no greater than the character’s Height
- The Object does not have the Cumbersome or Long Reach modifiers and carrying it does not encumber the character.
For instance, an Invisible character with Height 0 and Weight 3 could wear a ballistic armor suit (Height 0, Weight 0) or a spy catsuit (Height 0, Weight -2) without compromising his stealth, but if he wore a Hazmat Suit (Height 0, Weight 1) the Hazmat Suit would be visible. He could carry a Submachinegun (Height -2, Weight -2) undetected, but a Flamethrower (Height 1, Weight 1) would be visible.
Mind Domination
If you use Mind Domination and succeed with a particular color (e.g. Yellow), can you try again later in order to get a better color result? If so, would the Dominated character still get to use its RES as the DV? What happens if you get a worse color result? Does the Dominated character have to break free of the original or later color result?"
Yes, you can try again. The Dominated character can still use its RES as the DV, and can still spend Hero Points to decrease the RV. If you get a worse color result, you still retain your original (better) result. The Dominated character has to break free against the best color result you achieved.
“If a Mind Dominator has Dominated a target, and orders the target to walk into traffic, or otherwise commit self-harm, does the target get an opportunity to break free before it carry out the order, or only at the end of its Panel?”
Normally, a target attempts to break free from Mind Domination at the end of its Panel. If the target is ordered to take an action that will irrevocably harm itself or a loved one, the Gamemaster could permit the target to make its Challenge Check to break free just prior to the action. If the target succeeds, he breaks free and his panel immediately ends. If the target fails, he carries out the action(s) and his panel ends. He would not get another attempt to break free at the end of that panel.
Mind Reading
Is the target of Mind Reading aware of the attempt?
By default, the target is not aware of the attempt. (The target may still ‘subconsciously’ spend Hero Points, however.) A Mind Reader might possess a Power Flaw that makes their Mind Reading obvious to the target, however.
Portal
Can you attack through a Portal with Blast, Cone, or Explosion?
Yes. “Powers can used through the Portal, subject to the limitations of Spotting.” However, the distinct geometry of a Portal would have interesting implications for the area of effect on the far side, depending on where the attacker is standing when he uses his Power.
In general, an Explosion used point-blank at a Portal would manifest as a Cone on the far side of the Portal; the explosive sphere on this side of the Portal would be missing the “pie slice” created by the Portal’s obstruction.
Power Dampening
If you Power Stunt with a Power that has been Dampened, can you still use the Power’s full CP cost to calculate the Power Stunt?
Yes. However, the Power Stunt is limited to the SPs of the Power after Dampening is applied. For instance, if you use a Power with 15 SPs that costs 200 CP, which has been Dampened to 5 SPs, you still have 200 CP to build your Power Stunt but your maximum SPs for the Stunt will only be 5 SPs.
Super-Speed
Since Superspeed has a Permanent Duration, does that mean that a character with Superspeed can never communicate with other characters?
No! The rule does state that “the character using Superspeed cannot communicate with other characters.” The key word is “using.” A power with a Permanent duration is always activated (p. 73) but that does not mean the power is always being used. Using a power occurs when an Action is taken with a Power, when it is used or modifies AV, DV, EV, Protection, or other Attributes, or with each Movement Action (p. 73). Superspeed is only being used when those conditions apply. The power’s description is clear that this is voluntary on the part of the character - the character “can add” Superspeed to his various Attributes. Anytime the rules use “can” it means the choice is voluntary.
Super-Speed/Time Control
Can a character with Super-Speed or Time Control undertake several Automatic Actions on his Panel?
A character with these Powers can add his SPs of Power to his Time spent performing Extended Actions. But, by virtue of the logarithmic math of Ascendant, an Extended Action is nothing more than an Instant Action performed repeatedly. For instance, a character with 5 SPs of INS can read 5 SPs of Information (a paragraph) as an Automatic Action in 0 SPs of Time. This can be understood as reading INS SPs of Information per Page, or as reading SPs of Information as an Extended Action equal to INS + Time spent.
Therefore, under the canon that “Physics Fills the Gaps,” it makes sense to allow the character to use his Automatic Action to undertake several sequential Instant Automatic Actions instead of one Extended Automatic Action of 0 SPs, provided the sequential Automatic Actions could be understood as part of a larger Extended Auction. For instance, if it takes one Automatic Action to stack a box in front of a door, a character with 4 SPs of Super-Speed or Time Control might stack 16 boxes in front of a door with his Automatic Action. That’s essentially just saying “stack boxes” is an Extended Action with SPs of boxes stacked equal to Time spent.
Sometimes Automatic Actions are linked to specific game mechanics that relate to the character’s interaction with his own Powers or with other game mechanics. Such examples include (a) concentrating on a Power, (b) changing allocation of SPs in a Power Battery, (c) activating and deactivating a Power, and so on. In these cases, Super-Speed or Time Control cannot be used to undertake multiple Actions. It is never permitted to break the action economy for such purposes.
My speedster wants to drop a line of grenades as he zooms across the battlefield. How would that be handled?
This would be handled as a Multi-Attack with no EV, meaning you double the Multi-Attack Penalty to the AV. The DV would be based on the average Range from the character to the grenade’s drop-off points; that will always be the character’s Speed -1. The AV will be the character’s AGI or Marksmanship, increased by his SPs of Super-Speed or Time Control. The AV and EV of the grenades, when they detonate, will not be affected – each will go off individually.
For instance, imagine the hero has AGI 5, Super-Speed 7, and Running Speed 12. He wants to drop 8 grenades, one every 20 feet (2 SPs), over a total Distance of 8 x 20 = 160 feet (5 SPs). His AV is 5+7 = 12. Since he’s dropping off 8 grenades, his Multi-Attack penalty is -3, doubled since the EV isn’t effected, to -6, for a final AV of 6. His DV is the average Distance to his grenade drop-offs, which would be 5 - 1 = 4 SPs. His RV is +2, meaning he’ll have little problem dropping the grenades off accurately. When they go off, the grenades’ SPs of Explosion will determine the AV/EV, without being affected by his prior Multi-Attack.
If the hero wanted to drop off 32 grenades (-5 Multi-Attack Penalty) over 640 feet (7 SP Distance), his AV would have been 12 - 10 = 2, and his DV would have been 6. With an RV of -4, he’d have likely had many of his grenades scatter as he threw them.
Technology Control
What is the difference between a hacker using a computer with Deep Networked Tech Control and a hacker using Science (Computers)?
The intent of the rules was that the hacker has to have SPs of Science (Computers) at least equal to the SPs of Deep Networked Tech Control on his computer or other object, similar to how a doctor using a Methodical Biochemical Lab needs X SPs of Science to use X SPs of the Power. This has been addressed in the errata.