Re: [HOE] Questions about making a Doomsayer

["Scott Pedersen" <spederse@hotmail.com>]

> 1) If I am reading and understanding it correctly, isn't the Lifetap
> hindrance (p. 48 of Children of the Atom) more like an Edge? I mean, it
> takes the cost of a spell and splits it amongst a Doomsayer's Strain and
> Wind. Since wind recovers at a point per minute, and since you can spend
> chips to negate/heal wind damage, doesn't this make it a bit abusive? If
> I had 12 strain and 12 wind, I could theoretically cast double the
> number of spells as a Doomsayer who had 12 strain and did not have the
> Lifetap hindrance. Am I missing something?

No you're not missing anything.  There are several ways this could be
handled.  I try to stick with the original spirit and keep it a hindrance by
not splitting the cost.  That is, if the doomsayer uses a power with a cost
of 3 strain they would have to pay both 3 strain and 3 wind.

> 2) Does Molecular Bonding (p. 80 of CotA) act like light armor in all
> ways, i.e. an AP bullet goes right through it? Or does it simply reduce
> the final damage total, but isn't really considered armor?

I haven't found a way to deal with this that I like.  On the one hand, if it
is just light armor, it doesn't matter how high you roll, it counts for
nothing against any kind of AP attack.  On the other hand, if it reduces
damage regardless of AP, then a high roll could make the doomsayer almost
completely invulnerable.  Thankfully, I've never had to deal with this
problem in game.  If I had to, I'd probably rule that it is treated like
light armor, and every level of AP negates 5 points.

> 3) I am having a little trouble understanding Molecular Cohesion (p. 80
> as well). If I am reading it right, the spell works by making the
> person's molecules reattach themselves into the shape they normally are
> in, but that this doesn't happen until *after* the wound has been taken.
> So, if a person with molecular cohesion active gets shot in the guts
> with a 12 gauge shotgun that does a maiming wound, for a split second
> there is a big hole there, with their guts being splattered about, and
> then (assuming the Doomsayer makes his faith roll) all the molecules go
> back into place, basically looking like someone stopped the action and
> then reversed it like it was on a videotape. Again, I understand that
> this is all happening in a split second... but wouldn't that hurt like
> Hell? Shouldn't there be a stun check or wind loss or something? Or does
> molecular cohesion make the persons molecular bonds so strong that
> (again, assuming he makes the faith roll) the shot can't penetrate the
> skin and simply bounces off?

As I understand it, assuming the power works, it's like the wound never
happened, and thus no stun or wind loss.  The point of saying molecular
cohesion happens after the wound has to do with using chips to prevent
wounds.  Specifically, once you roll for molecular cohesion, it's too late
to spend chips to reduce the wound level.

-Scott Pedersen