Range
"Here" is here, "there" is there. Ah! But! Do you know the difference between them?
The Concept
Whatever may be happening in an adventure, we need to know:
- What is happening;
- Where it is happening;
- How much it is happening.
We identify the third component through the use of The Action Chart and The Result Chart. But before we get there, let's look at where it will happen!
(Or "where it won't happen", as the case may be.)
Manifestation
The Simple Overview
Every Power has a Range at which it typically may happen. This Range is included in the Power's description and was a component of determining its Factor Cost. We can broadly group these Ranges into four subcategories:
Touch
a Range of "Touch" indicates that the Character can use the Power or Skill on anyone he touches
Powers that require an extremely close connection between the user and the target are likely to have the "Touch" range: Postcognition is about what happened to a specific object in the past. Cell Rot, Damage Transference, Disintegration, Hypersensitive Touch, Microscopic Vision, and Mutation are all different methods of interacting with matter at a negative AP distance scale. Claws, Cling, and Digging may not have the word "touch" in their names as does Poison Touch -- but they are all about applying the User's body part directly onto the target, which is why Digging is the only travel power to have "Touch" as its Range.
Self
A Range of "Self" indicates that a Character possessing the Power or Skill can only use it on himself
If the Power by its nature can only apply to the user, it typically has a Range of "Self". Movement Powers like Flight, Jumping, and Superspeed mostly have a Range of "Self", even if the moving Character is carrying someone or something plot-relevant. t Powers that change the natural properties of the user's body such as Dispersal, Icing, or Solar Sustenance all have a Range of "Self". Similarly, Powers that alter the function of the user's own psyche without reference to the rest of the world such as Iron Will, Mind Field, or Recall have a Range of "Self".
In general: if it does not matter what is happening anywhere except within the body/mind/soul of the user, then the Power is probably at the "Self" range.
Normal
"Normal" Range Powers can function at a distance equal to the user's APs of the Power.
A significant majority of Powers have a Range that reaches up to as far away (measured in APs) as the Character has APs of the Power itself.
In comic books, more Powers happen at an interesting-to-draw Range than happen inside the Character's point of view. The MEGS rule set ties how far away these Powers might affect (or how long ago, or how massive the weight, or how esoteric the information) to the overall might of the user. So while Icing happens to the Self because it is specifically meant to happen to the Power user, Ice Animation, Ice Control, and Ice Production are all capable of happening as far away as the user has APs of the Power.
other options
Very, very "other" in certain cases!
Some Powers may have notes in their Range field that are meant to direct the reader to the longer text.
All Powers with one of these Ranges will involve extra conversations with the GM in order to apply any Power Bonus or Power Limitation, not only the Range-related ones. We want to work out in advance how these changes will affect the story!
The Nitty Gritty
Touch
This is definitely less than 0 APs of distance. In fact, it's less than -10 APs as far as distance goes! If a Character who just served as the target of a Touch attack immediately responds with a Grappling Attack, the Touch user has a functional Dex of 0 for their OV.
Touch-range Powers might be able to take a Power Bonus that increases their effective Range. The GMs will need a truly intriguing description of how this particular Power works at a different scale than it should, including not just a good Story but also some noteworthy sensory effects.
Eligible Power Bonuses that Increase Range
- Area Effect causes the Power to affect every viable target within a 3 AP radius of whatever point the user touches.
- Range Increase increases the Range to "Normal".
- A Power with the Usable on Others Bonus can be transferred to the second Character at "Normal" range, but the new user now has the same restriction of needing to Touch their target for the borrowed Power to work.
Eligible Power Bonuses that Decrease Range
In the other direction, no Power Limitations can reduce a Power Range below "Touch", because no more reduced option exists! Touch-Ranged Powers are not inherently able to be focused on the user's own person -- not even under hostile influences. If a Touch-Ranged Power gets its Range reduced, then the Power must have somehow been disabled.
Self
Note that sensory abilities have some other sort of Range: how far away can the observable phenomenon be from the observer and still get detected?
Many possibilities exist for means to increase a Range from "Self". Much like as described for Touch-range Powers, however, the GMs will need a truly intriguing description of how this particular Power works at a different scale than it should, including not just a good Story but also some noteworthy sensory effects.
Eligible Power Bonuses that Increase Range
- Area Effect causes the Power to affect every viable target within a 3 AP radius of whatever point the user touches.
- Range Increase increases the Range to "Normal".
- A Power with the Usable on Others Bonus can be transferred to the second Character at "Normal" range, but the new user now has the same restriction of the borrowed Power only working on themselves. Also, this particular Bonus will be an especially tough sale for GM approval!
Some special Power Bonuses are described in the Power writeup that may increase the Range of functionality for the particular Power.
Eligible Power Bonuses that Decrease Range
In the other direction, no Power Limitations can reduce a Power Range below "Self", because no more reduced option exists! If a Self-Ranged Power cannot be used on the Self, then the Power must have somehow been disabled.
Normal
Since most Powers work at Normal Range, a hefty dose of Basic Sense gets applied to the eligible targets when the user gets themselves into a complicated situation. If a Power user decides to Push an Automatic Action or Boost a Dice Action, this might increase its effective Range to match the new temporary APs of the Power.
It is significant for the Power user to know that a potential target exists, and highly relevant to know what features of the scene might directly alter the way that this Power travels over distance. Bronze Tempest might be able to hear a high-pitched sound she was not expecting if it originates anywhere within her current Range, but she does have to know that there's a reason to pick up her dice before she can make a choice to listen for a beeping Omni-Drone at any Range. And if she happens to be on the sidewalk of a typical downtown Manhattan street, she has additional potential impacts on her Range: how much noise is between her and the target sound? Are there sound-baffling materials in the way? Bronze Tempest's effective Range might be reduced -- or the Omni-Drone might be on the stage of a Broadway theater, and the effective Range at which Bronze Tempest can hear it might therefore have actually increased by a few blocks!
It is here that we pick up and discuss my questions about Powers that happen at a distance, is it not?
commission for Jarissa by Chai
It is, in fact.
Okay! Because I had some time to think about things like Brian's flame thing, and the telekinetic power of Susie. I think they are more powerful than they have been portrayed!
commission for Jarissa by Chai
Backdraft by Jarissa Venters
Someone call for an investigator?
I think I know where this is heading!
But go ahead, Grayson, ask away.
Merci! I will be succinct.
When Brian makes his Flame Splash thing--
commission for Jarissa by Chai
Narrator note:
Corsair will not, in fact, be "succinct". The word does not quite mean what he thinks it means. But he gets points for editing himself down in his attempt!
Corsair will not, in fact, be "succinct". The word does not quite mean what he thinks it means. But he gets points for editing himself down in his attempt!
Backdraft by Jarissa Venters
Flame Project.
If you wish.
--Makes his "Flame Project" thing, by the law of this article, he can reach any one target within eighty feet of himself?
commission for Jarissa by Chai
Usually, yes. Circumstances of the environment or events may complicate that, as I mentioned above.
Yes, yes, naturally. But my point: Backdraft can generate the Flame out of himself, and push it during the four seconds of a combat phase to that spot which might be more distance away from him than the length of the trailer on a semi truck?
commission for Jarissa by Chai
Yeah?
Then all the things in that line between Backdraft's person and the target should also catch afire! It is science!
commission for Jarissa by Chai
No.
Grayson, it is not a steady, continuous stream. It's a quick pulse. It gets an elongated shape during that four second duration as it travels, but that is more like a just-lit match flame than it is a fueled jet. If Brian wants it to continue, he has to keep it up for however many continuous rounds -- in which case, he gets to choose additional targets.
Backdraft by Jarissa Venters
Oh. So not a Fireball, either?
I dunno, did you pick up Flame Control?
Backdraft by Jarissa Venters
Not yet?
Anyway I can't do both in the same round, right? They're both Dice actions.
Not to worry, mon ami. You can do it for a shorter Effect Value to make a quick ball, without sacrificing the potential Range of your Action Value.
commission for Jarissa by Chai
Backdraft by Jarissa Venters
Okay. Now, GM, what if I did want to do the thing Grayson was describing? Where I also possibly affect everything between me and my target point as part of my Ranged attack?
Look kiddo, that is possible within the rules. Did you buy up a Miscellaneous Bonus of at least +1 on the Factor Cost for increasing your total area of Power application?
Backdraft by Jarissa Venters
No?
Then you can't have your pinpoint-effect power also happen to hit everything between.
Because, look, both of you: if you are rolling to do something, it is because that is what you are actively trying to do. Hence the die roll! In the case you are describing, Backdraft's roll is to project fire at a specific target, chosen by him.
Look at a similar case: If Grayson rolls on Extended Hearing to try to pick up the sound of a welding torch three rooms away
Susie Dolfin out of costume by Jarissa Venters
Welding torches make a lot of noise, actually.
Okay, fair point. If Grayson tries to hear a cookie jar clicking shut three rooms away, you won't necessarily notice the "power up" sound of a handheld motion detector closer to you.
I cannot do that.
Yet.Maman can!
So I have hope that I am growing into it.
And this is important for me to know, that if I focus on one sound, it means I withdraw my awareness of others?
commission for Jarissa by Chai
In a nutshell!
Also "no".
Susie Dolfin out of costume by Jarissa Venters
So the thing you are trying not to hear is that you didn't write your field trip report about the Renewable Energy Festival yet? You have two days left! Quit demonstrating stuff and get to the library!
Eligible Power Bonuses that Increase Range
A Character might decide to purchase a Power Bonus that increases their Power's effective Range of "Self" or "Touch" to "Normal", or from Normal to Area Effect.
- Certain Powers include in their descriptions some optional Bonuses for that Power only that would increase its Range.
Eligible Power Bonuses that Decrease Range
A Character instead might decide to purchase a Power Limitation that mucks around with their range in a deleterious manner:
- No Range drops a Power's usable Range from Normal down to "Touch"
- Diminishing makes a ranged Power function less per AP of distance traveled.
other options
- Special always means "read the description" and sometimes means "the GM is going to say 'No'."
- A plus sign followed by a number usually means that the Range is (however many APs purchased) plus that number of additional APs in distance.
Blackjack by C.B. Ash
Oui, Chignon. We have the "+7" on our range,
I can usually move so far away as I can see,
while I know that you have a most impressive range of a mile!
When, of course, you take the time to focus yourself.
Papa! I have asked you not to call me that!
Tellement embarrasant!
My comrades will suppose you to mean that I am a Cinnamon Roll!
commission for Jarissa by Chai
- Rarely a precise distance limit will be listed for the range of a power, either "1 AP" for Exorcism or Speak With Animals to indicate that they can be done outside touching range but not much outside it, or else "0 APs" for Microscopic Vision which literally requires extremely close activation. v
Few Powers with one of these Ranges will qualify for a Range-related Power Bonus or Power Limitation, but make sure to check the description in case a unique option is available for purchase on that Power.
Type
Natural
Use
- Dice Actions
- Automatic Actions
Costs
included in ability's description
Compatible with
Footnotes:
Movement Power exceptions to "Self"
t Cling and Digging (which use Touch), Teleport (which has, as the Paxtons are quick to explain, a +7 "Other" Range), plus Dimension Travel, Time Travel, and Warp (which three all list "Special" as their Range, thus falling under "Other") are the exceptions among Movement Powers. And we don't allow Dimension Travel or Time Travel on Player Character sheets anyway.
"Varies"
v
Oh, wait, you skipped an "other"! As I skim through the index of Powers on pages 178 and 179, just gazing down the "Range" column mind you, the term "Varies" pops to my notice exactly twice. A rather distinctive variant, that, and no doubt significant--
Anything else you find significant about those two entries, trickster god?
Ahhm.
Ah hah.
Oh, yes! I see. Yes. Omni-Power and Sorcery are both quite specifically verboten in this campaign universe.
Naturally you did not waste any valuable time discussing those in this article. No use in filling the Midgardians' adorable brains with unworkable side cases.
My enthusiasm for your discourse led me in an improper direction.
My! Your hair is lovely today!
Are you enjoying World Ember thus far?
Did you see my trailer?
I think that Hiddleston lad does a delightful job of being me.
I arranged for this thing specifically for you, Madame GM. Because I value you.
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