Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site watmath.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!jagardner
From: jagardner@watmath.UUCP (Jim Gardner)
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: Re: Superhero RPGs
Message-ID: <15590@watmath.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 5-Jul-85 10:16:17 EDT
Article-I.D.: watmath.15590
Posted: Fri Jul  5 10:16:17 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 6-Jul-85 09:33:54 EDT
References: <3140@garfield.UUCP> <2038@genat.UUCP> <6203@ucla-cs.ARPA> <2041@genat.UUCP>
Reply-To: jagardner@watmath.UUCP (Jim Gardner)
Distribution: net
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 28

In article <2041@genat.UUCP> mike@genat.UUCP (Mike Stephenson) writes:
>	- I almost always use a multi-power for as many of the powers
>	  that will fit together.  I have never been able to justify the
>	  use of an Elemental (and would appreciate if someone out there
>	  could show me a good example of using one).

The classic place where an Elemental Control is more useful than
a multi-power is tied in with Mind Scan.  If you want to use Mind
Scan to keep a bead on your target while you Ego Attack/Mental
Illusion/etc., you can't have both your Mind Scan and attack sucking
up the resources of a multi-power.  In such a case, it is sometimes
more practical to put your Mind Scan and mental attack into an
elemental control so you can use both simultaneously.

The other argument for Elemental Control comes when you have a
set of similar powers that you will always want to use together.
As a simple example, take an Ice-shooter character.  This character
might very well want an ice force field for defense, an ice EB for
offense, and flight (via ice ramps, a la Iceman) for movement.
In combat, the character will almost always want to have the FF on
and will often be flying around as well, not to mention shooting EBs
whenever appropriate.  It is therefore more practical to put these
into an Elemental Control rather than a multi-power.  Multi-powers
let you have a lot of stuff cheap, but only if you restrict yourself
to one or two powers at a time.

				Jim Gardner, University of Waterloo