A Special Effect [SFX] is our catch-all term for any power (or power-like stunt) which has a discreet, temporary effect. An SFX has a number of parameters, and the better those are defined, the easier the SFX will be to manage.
The standard parameters are:
So if you are curious to know what those parameters might be, then you are dealing with an SFX, regardless of whether is comes from a mutant power, an artifact, or a magic spell.
SFX can be developed with Plot Points, at the same cost as Skills.
· The multipliers for Unusual or Supernatural or Fantastic will still apply
· The parameters will be at default values or lower.
Once acquired, though, each parameter must be developed separately. Each parameter has a base increment and development increases that increment. Those details are described with the particular parameter, but we’ll use Range as a quick example.
The base Range for SFX is 60’. That’s the range at purchase, unless otherwise specified. If you choose to develop that parameter, you would add an additional 60’ to the Range per Plot Point. Each increment counts as a +1 for Plops cost. So increasing Range from 60’ to 120’, would only cost 1 Plop (0+1) without multipliers. But increasing from 120’ to 180’ would cost 2 Plops (1+1) and from 180’ to 240’ would cost 3 Plops and so forth.
Some parameter settings come with a discount. A Range of Touch, for example, is -2 Plops. These are deducted from the final cost of the SFX if purchased with Plops, or can be added to the Character's Plops if the SFX is a Power.
If the SFX is magic, all the parameters are random, and those details are under the particular Parameter – so watch for them. They will be in italics.
There is no cap on how far you can develop parameters via Plot Points. Knock yourselves out.
If the SFX is an RCM's power, then it starts out at a higher level to begin with. The character can add to the parameters for free (as part of the power) as follows:
· If the SFX is Normal, the RCM can add up to 12 Plops to the parameters without charge.
· If the SFX is Extraordinary, the RCM can add 6 Plops to the parameters without charge.
· If the SFX is Supernatural, the RCM may add 4 Plops to the parameters without charge.
· If the SFX is Fantastic (which most of them are) the RCM may add 3 Plops to the parameters without charge.
Important: for the above rules to apply, the SFX must be the entirety of the power.
If you want to add to the entire SFX as a whole, treat it as a Talent.
It is possible, commonplace even, to develop a skill in using the SFX, and this is separate, and treated as any other skill.
The default difficulty for SFX is Extremely Hard [5DD]. Spell casting with SFX defaults at Brutal [6DD].
If the SFX has an unwilling target, that counts as an Attack, and the target gains an inherent difficulty equal to their current Core Dice. If the SFX does damage, treat it as any other combat attack. If the SFX has some other adverse effect such as mind control or petrification, the target gains a resistance roll equal to their Core Dice plus one other common Stat that must be defined with the SFX. (The default is Willpower). This resistance roll is in addition to any other DD.
When using the Trying Harder stunt, you can add increments to an SFX parameter in place or or in addition to adding to the roll itself. This is temporary, of course, applying to only that single action.
Spell-casters can increase the parameters of the spell SFX while casting. Each such increase adds 1DD and exhausts as if one additional action (before the d6 multiplier). This can be in place of or in addition to any other stunts.
EXAMPLE: Cosmic Kid’s energy bolt is a Fantastic SFX, so it costs 3 Plops just to have at basic parameters. (It actually came free with his power – but go with this please). The player decides he wants to increase the range to 120’ (+1 Plop) but also to increase the damage (the Effect) from 1 dice to 4 (1+2+3=6 Plops).
He could also develop his skill using the energy bolt as an Unusual skill (so +1d6/Plop).
EXAMPLE: The Wizard Timm casts his Lightning Bolt spell at the Big Bad of the Episode. He wants to make sure it only takes the one, so he ups his parameters while casting. The spell defaults at Brutal [7DD] because the parameters were bumped at character creation. .He adds +2 to the Effect of 2d6 Energy damage, do make it 6d6 energy damage. He also needs to make sure he can hit the thing from here, so he adds 1 to the default Range of 2d6x15’ to make it 4d6X15’ which should do it unless he rolls all ones and twos.
This makes the spell Task Roll vs 10 Difficulty Dice. His skill is 8dice+12 – doable, but still not certain. He Tries Harder x2 adding 2 actions against exhaustion to make his roll 10dice+12 – better than even odds.
This leaves his base exhaustion as 1+3(for the parameter bumps)+2(for trying harder) times 1d6. If that dice comes up 5 or 6 this could be the last thing he does this episode.