Great White Games/Pinnacle Entertainment Group

[The Dread Polack]

First off, I'm thinking of making a couple powers slightly less useful for a PC, partly to reflect the concept, partly to keep them a little more balanced for his rank.

Specifically, he's a "Ki User" who can perform some Wuxia-style feats, like running up walls and "flying" through the air. He's seasoned, but I was thinking of giving him Fly, a veteran power, but making it affect only him, and only up to his base pace. When he reaches a higher rank, I might give back the double-pace option, but probably never the additional targets option. Also, I was looking at Wall Walker with only the user-only limitation.

Secondly, for a special defensive power, I was thinking of combining the effects of two powers together. It's basically the Body Replacement Technique. It's Deflection, and if an attack misses him, he can teleport, leaving a random object from the scene in his place. Due to this teleport happening out-of-turn, maybe I should have the character lose his next available movement.

My thought is to limit both of these powers as well to user-only and eliminating the effects from raises, charging a total of 5 PP to activate the combo, with a 3 (1/round) duration. Basically, the teleport is pre-paid and only works following the successful missed attack, which is pretty limiting.

So, I don't think it's over-powered, but it's getting about as complicated I like to get.

My questions for people are:

1) How bad of an idea is it to mess with the powers this much?
2) Do the limitations seem reasonable?
3) Should the player get something in return for the limits?
4) Maybe he should get 4 powers with this home-brew AB?

[seanwalsh]

Every one of your proposed changes pretty much sound like trappings to me.

To answer your questions:
1. It is fine to "mess with the powers".
2. The limitations seem reasonable, but I would go with Wall Walker with the option to switch it to Fly at Veteran.
3. I'd say no. Trappings are supposed to limit/modify powers.
4. I don't see how changing two powers makes a home-brew AB.

[The Dread Polack]

Well, I am making the powers significantly less versitile, if not actually weaker. I know trappings are supposed to limit powers, but they also grant minor benefits as well. If I am only limiting the powers, then they might not be very balanced trappings.

I'm limiting the character's versatility, so I'm thinking about giving back a little of the versatility in the form of one more power. Since the actual "power output" of the character, IMO, is limited more by the number of PP you have, granting him one more power doesn't "overpower" him very much, it just adds another option.

[seanwalsh]

You are permitting two powers to be cast simultaneously without Multi-Action penalty and maintained as one power.

Also, I suspect that teleportation feature, which is a freebie, will get a lot of use.

But, that is just my opinion. If you feel another power is warranted, it's your call, your table and your players. You know much better than I what could become overpowered.

[The Dread Polack]