SPC Follow-up Poll: Knockback

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Should Knockback be an automatic feature of the SPC character rules?

Poll ended at Fri Oct 19, 2018 11:18 am

1: Yes, of course!
0
No votes
2: Hell, no!
5
83%
3: Knockback for everyone! (Site-wide House Rule for all characters/games.)
1
17%
 
Total votes: 6

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Freemage
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SPC Follow-up Poll: Knockback

Post by Freemage »

So, following the original discussion, this seemed to be the most in-contention. Should SPC characters make use of the Knockback Setting Rule from SPC?

The full text:
Knockback
Any super powered attack causing 20
points of damage or more to a normal-sized
foe causes the target to fly backwards 2d6”.
The damage threshold is 10 for Small and
Tiny targets, 30 for Large, 40 for Huge, and
50 for Gargantuan. This occurs whether the
attack is Soaked or not.
Targets fly in a direct line unless the
attacker makes a Called Shot at –2 to choose
the direction of the knockback. If the victim
hits an object, he takes 1d6 damage for
every 2” of knockback generated. Inanimate
objects along the path, such as walls, trees, or
vehicles, are automatically hit, but characters
get an Agility roll at –2 to avoid flying heroes
unless they’re caught unaware. Those who
don’t get out of the way suffer a d6 damage
for every 2” of knockback as well.
As a note, I've not included an abstention option. This is deliberate; if you really want us to know that you don't care, don't vote and then post that in this thread. Since at least a few folks voiced the opinion that this should be a site-wide rule, I did add that option.
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Freemage
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Re: SPC Follow-up Poll: Knockback

Post by Freemage »

Tried to keep my initial post neutral; here's my take on it:

Especially given that we've got two different SPC builds in the works, AND Super-Tech, that makes a lot of potential confusion about when Knockback would apply and when it wouldn't. And even if we limited it to just the two IFs, that still creates the issue of having physics work one way for one person and a different way for the other.

This also heavily favors direct-damage Powers over others, simply because they get this cool feature that no other Powers get.

If we MUST have it, I'd rather it be a site-wide rule, rather than having to parcel out why my GB's punches don't have Knockback, but your SPC Brick's do.

And that leaves the next issue: It's a tactical complication in a game that's already challenging enough to run on a battlemap in PbP. Speaking as a GM, one of the few mercies in full-on tactical combat comes at the point when everyone has finally gotten into melee, and so they pretty much stop moving around constantly. Given the damage totals typical in Rifts, though, this is going to be happening ALL THE DAMN TIME. Which means, among other things, you're going to have to constantly be back-checking to see if someone got thrown before you had a chance to hit them in your post.

So, yeah, I'm agin' it.
GM Bennies (7th SET, Joker's Jokers): 8/8
OOC Comments
GMC Bennies:
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PCs, 8 Active Slots, 3 Signature Items
*Gaspard Gillead, 12th AAT/Dirty Dozen
Serival Drumm, 24th COT
*Ophelia Monk, Mercy Team 6
Jaenelle, Beyond the Wall
Mille Visage, Northern Gun Mercs
*Charon, Black Company
*Hero, Lost Jungle/TL

Inactive/Retired/Deceased
Gorgeous George, 4th COT/Murder Hobos(Frozen)
Nomel Sagia, Nameless (Frozen)
Libertas Magicorum, 13th SET/Silent Ones(Retired)
Savant, 3rd SET/Losers(Frozen)
Other Mother, Ravenloft (Frozen)
Lance, 24th COT/Kingsdale (Retired)
Ramson Gourdaine, Phase World (Blazed)
Hexx, Rising Stars SPC (Frozen)
Sir Blurre, 18th COT/New West (Retired)
Yeitso & Alicia Forsythe, Prestige Unlimited (Frozen)
Malaetheryan, Phase World/Relentless (Frozen?)
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Ndreare
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Re: SPC Follow-up Poll: Knockback

Post by Ndreare »

I voted no, but really I am semi-ambivalent to it.

Knock back can make sense in some situations and not in others. But the rules can get forgotten and muddled at times.

As it is now a lot of combats get too complicated and maps need updated so often it can drag play down. I would rather not have to deal with the headache.
  • 2D6 EFFECT
    2 Catastrophe: Something goes terribly wrong. The GM must decide what, but some ideas are a new and permanent Minor Hindrance, the inability to use powers for several days, or an explosion of some sort. The backlash should be thematic if possible. If the hero tampers with dark forces for his abilities, for example, he might become corrupted or summon something sinister into the world. If he’s a weird scientist the device might explode for 3d6 damage in a Medium Blast Template, or he might develop a Quirk, Phobia, or other “madness.”

    3 Backfire: The power succeeds as with a raise but affects a different target with the worst possible results. A bolt hits a random friend, boost Trait increases an enemy’s skill or attribute, etc. If there’s no likely target, he’s Stunned instead. If the power has a Duration other than Instant, it lasts its full term and can only be negated by dispel (the caster can’t voluntarily end it herself).

    4–5 Short Circuit: The power fails but the Power Points allocated to it are spent, along with an additional 1d6 Power Points.

    6–8 Stunned: The caster is Stunned (see page 106). She subtracts 2 from arcane skill rolls for the rest of the encounter (the penalty remains –2 even if she gets this result again).

    9–10 Overload: The character’s synapses crackle and overload with power. He takes 2d6 damage plus the cost of the power in Power Points, including any Power Modifiers the player declared.

    11 Fatigue: The character suffers Fatigue.

    12 Overcharge: The power draws ambient energy from the air, automatically succeeding against the target with a raise and costing the caster no Power Points!

,
1 = 2 of Clubs
2 = 2 of Diamonds
3 = 2 of Hearts
4 = 2 of Spades
5 = 3 of Clubs
6 = 3 of Diamonds
7 = 3 of Hearts
8 = 3 of Spades
9 = 4 of Clubs
10 = 4 of Diamonds
11 = 4 of Hearts
12 = 4 of Spades
13 = 5 of Clubs
14 = 5 of Diamonds
15 = 5 of Hearts
16 = 5 of Spades
- reroll line for quickness & activation for Calculating -
17 = 6 of Clubs
18 = 6 of Diamonds
19 = 6 of Hearts
20 = 6 of Spades
21 = 7 of Clubs
22 = 7 of Diamonds
23 = 7 of Hearts
24 = 7 of Spades
25 = 8 of Clubs
26 = 8 of Diamonds
27 = 8 of Hearts
28 = 8 of Spades
- reroll line for Hyperion Juicer -
29 = 9 of Clubs
30 = 9 of Diamonds
31 = 9 of Hearts
32 = 9 of Spades
33 = 10 of Clubs
34 = 10 of Diamonds
35 = 10 of Hearts
36 = 10 of Spades
37 = J of Clubs
38 = J of Diamonds
39 = J of Hearts
40 = J of Spades
41 = Q of Clubs
42 = Q of Diamonds
43 = Q of Hearts
44 = Q of Spades
45 = K of Clubs
46 = K of Diamonds
47 = K of Hearts
48 = K of Spades
49 = A of Clubs
50 = A of Diamonds
51 = A of Hearts
52 = A of Spades
53 = Jokers = They are equal
54 = Jokers = They are equal
- If no reroll is being used then there are 2 extra jokers -
55 = Jokers = They are equal
56 = Jokers = They are equal
and of course update your signatures!
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Tribe of One
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Re: SPC Follow-up Poll: Knockback

Post by Tribe of One »

Too fiddly. If the GM wants to do it, do it.
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KahlessNestor
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Re: SPC Follow-up Poll: Knockback

Post by KahlessNestor »

I decided to vote no, for the reasons given that nearly every damage in Rifts is reaching that threshold.

I might support a homebrew Edge or as an option for item creation to add on as a major mod, but not likely as a general rule.
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