Questions about powers and sub abilities

[tre]

Just curious about something. In terms of kinetic powers [kinesis], would I be required to take Telekinesis and whatever 'specialized' ability? Or, could i skip telekinesis and just go straight for the specialized ability?

[Reece]

It depends on the ability; you might be able to get away without it, I can't say for sure (#notamod)... but you will definitely need Remote Control Proficiency:

Remote Control Proficiency – 600 OM (requires Ranged Proficiency) (Example move)
Allows you to create moves which can be manually controlled further than five feet from yourself, such as a shifting wall of sand or flying disks of energy that obey your commands. An essential proficiency for 'kinetics' who wish to purchase a move allowing total control over a particular element such as metal or fire, or for those who wish to purchase the Telekinesis power. While Ranged Materialize Proficiency is not essential for such moves, they go great together.

The relevant text is underlined.

If you were to provide a description of the move you're envisaging, someone would likely be able to give you a better idea of the specific proficiencies and/or powers needed for it. The fact that the Remote Control Proficiency's description says it's essential for kinetics or those who want TK does seem to suggest that there are at least some abilities which can be purchased without it, though.

[tre]

I'm thinking of Umbrakinesis, or Shadow/Darkness Manipulation.

"Through his power of Psychokinesis, Drake is able to control shadows and darkness at will, provided that he is standing on the shadow, or he connects to it with his own. By itself, darkness is mostly used to cloud everything into total darkness, but by accessing a dimension of dark energy it can be channeled to a variety of effects, both as an absence of light and a solid substance. In addition, Drake can create and dispel shields and areas of total darkness, create constructs and weapons, teleport himself through massive distances via shadows, etc."

Given just the general description I have, I realize I need Ranged Proficiency, Ranged Materialize Proficiency, Remote-Control Proficiency, Area Attack Proficiency so far. I figure that I can acquire Debuff Proficiency at a later point in order to trap people via their shadow.

[Deadpool]

So you're planning to do something similar to Shikamaru, from Naruto?

I'd say manipulating shadow size/length would fall under Telekinesis. Especially if you're intending to manipulate shadows that aren't your own.

[tre]

So then I would need both, yes?

[Kopaka]

If you're planning on making moves that cloak an area in darkness, you'd only need Debuff Proficiency and Area Attack Proficiency.

Darkness is not a solid object, so therefore Telekinesis cannot 'move' it. The power is for the explicit purpose of ranged, physical manipulation, but any can also be used to create 'force' effects such as explosions or pulls.

If you just want to move shadows ar will, you'd need the Ranged Proficiency and Remote Manipulation proficiency. If you want to summon your own shadows, you'd need Ranged Materialize proficiency.


Keep in mind that powers and proficiencies only allow you to perform certain actions, or apply modifiers to those actions. Whether or not your attacks use fire, ice, shadow or whatever is simply a matter of personal preference. It won't actually change the core mechanics.

[Reece]

I'd agree with what Kopaka said, though you should know that if you are planning on making this all into one move, it's going to cost way more than 300OM; three hundred is for one use, and you have a whole bunch listed;

it can be channeled to a variety of effects, both as an absence of light and a solid substance. In addition, Drake can create and dispel shields and areas of total darkness, create constructs and weapons, teleport himself through massive distances via shadows, etc.

Just going by what you've mentioned here, Umbrakinesis (if you did opt to go for just one large move, rather than several small ones with different names) would most likely cost 1800OM.

Also, you'd need Teleportation for that last one (though you don't actually need to buy teleporting as a move; you can just RP it as working via the shadows).

I think you could probably get away without telekinesis, though.

[Tearen Wover]

You would need to purchase a move (300 OM) for each different weapon or construct you wanted to be able to create.

[Thaal Sinestro]

I'm thinking of Umbrakinesis, or Shadow/Darkness Manipulation.

"Through his power of Psychokinesis, Drake is able to control shadows and darkness at will, provided that he is standing on the shadow, or he connects to it with his own. By itself, darkness is mostly used to cloud everything into total darkness, but by accessing a dimension of dark energy it can be channeled to a variety of effects, both as an absence of light and a solid substance. In addition, Drake can create and dispel shields and areas of total darkness, create constructs and weapons, teleport himself through massive distances via shadows, etc."

Given just the general description I have, I realize I need Ranged Proficiency, Ranged Materialize Proficiency, Remote-Control Proficiency, Area Attack Proficiency so far. I figure that I can acquire Debuff Proficiency at a later point in order to trap people via their shadow.

Yeah, the "generalized powers" like this usually rack up a lot of OM. The basics of it will require like, MOST Proficiencies, and have a lot of associated powers and moves to get all the stuff you'd like to get done DONE. These powers seem most like Sinestro's Power set, with a few differences, so I'll base the ideas off what I got:

Profs:
Physical Strength – 1000: For using melee shadow weapons
Ranged Proficiency – 1000 OM: For making any form of ranged attack
Area Attack Proficiency – 600 OM: Making attacks in large areas
Area Shield Proficiency – 400 OM: Covering large areas with shields
Ranged Materialize Proficiency – 600 OM: Even if you aren't "summoning" the shadow, you ARE "summoning" your powers at a range
Remote Control Proficiency – 600 OM: Being able to control your powers far away once you summon them
Debuff Proficiency – 1000 OM: Even consuming your foes in darkness is a Debuff, because you are, in some way, reducing their ability. Their ability to SEE is a pretty important one

Powers:
Stealth – 1200 OM: If you can use shadows to completely conceal yourself, you will need Stealth.
Telekinesis Advanced – 1000 OM: If you can physically manipulate objects with shadow (to bring them to you or whatever) you WILL need telekinesis, you can also take the less expensive ones for shorter ranges.
Teleportation: Whatever version you buy will allow you to move through shadows further away from yourself.

Moves:

Creating a move for encompassing an area with shadow MIGHT look liek this:

Shadows Fall – 600 OM (Requires Debuff Proficiency and Area Attack)
Drake uses a shadow he is in contact with to consume an entire area in pitch-blackness in an area of 50 feet by 50 feet. This darkness works as a pure absence of light, so no ordinary means of vision will be effective - not even night vision (as that requires a small amount of light to work). Other means of sensing your surroundings are still perfectly functional, such as sound, smell, echolocation or anything that is not dependent on light. Drake must focus of creating this darkened environment, so any break in concentration might make this darkness fall.
THIS IS JUST AN IDEA OF WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE! THIS MOVE IS NOT APPROVED.

OK, SO PAY ATTENTION: these are for Sinestro's powers, as they do a lot of the same things you wanna do with your shadows. Obviously you'll need to adjust them so they fit your shadow stuff, but they've been worded in a way that they've been approved. You can change Hard-Light into "shadow" and it won't matter mechanically.

Hard-Light Blast – 600 OM (Requires Ranged Proficiency, Remote Control Proficiency, Ranged Materialize Proficiency)
The ring can fire a concentrated beam of yellow hard-light when Sinestro concentrates. This can take the form of a single beam or appear as any other ranged weapon Sinestro images. Sinestro put more energy into each shot, the strength of which relates directly to how physically and mentally drained he is after the attack. If he chooses to create a hard-light weapon, it must be roughly the size of a pistol for a weak shot, or the size of a rifle for a charged shot. These weapons and projectiles will immediately dissipate upon his breaking his concentration for any reason.

Hard-Light Shield – 600 OM (Requires Area Shield Proficiency)
Sinestro is covered in a yellow aura that protects him from attacks and environmental effects. This shield can grow as far as he wills it, usually in the form of a shield or wall, however the shield's overall strength remains the same. This means that a 1'x1' shield will be 100 times stronger than a 100'x100' wall (which almost any attack from a Prime would break through). The more he focuses, the more damage the shield can take, but the more physically and mentally drained he is after the defense.

Hard-Light Tethers – 600 OM (Requires Debuff Proficiency, Requires Ranged Proficiency, Remote Control Proficiency, Ranged Materialize Proficiency)
In the same way that Sinestro can manipulate objects in creative ways, he can also manipulate characters. Iron chains, ribbons of light, crushing snakes can all be used. In general, these tethers always accomplish the same goal: they slow a character down and they immobilize their arms. However, these shackles can be broken just like any other item: hitting, cutting and ripping free in a feat of strength are all options. Additionally, if he loses his concentration, the tethers immediately dissipate. The more energy he puts into these tethers, the harder they are to break but the more physically and mentally exhausted he becomes.

Hard-Light Weapons – 900 OM (Requires Physical Strength)
Sinestro can create melee weapons from Hard-Light in most forms that a melee weapon can come in. These can be short (like a dagger), medium (like a sword) or long (like a spear) in length. The more energy he puts into these weapons, the harder they are to break but the more physically and mentally exhausted he becomes. These weapons will immediately dissipate upon his breaking his concentration for any reason.

Hard-Light Construct – 600 OM (Requires Ranged Proficiency, Remote Control Proficiency, Ranged Materialize Proficiency)

Sinestro can summon objects with his ring to interact with and manipulate objects at range. These manipulations are analogous to the things that a person with two large hands could feasibly complete (moving, pushing, pulling, pressing, turning, etc).

These objects have superficial images associated with them, always in the form of an object that is completing the task. If the object is grabbing and moving another thing, it will have a "grasping" mechanic, be it a hand, a mouth, a clamp, a claw, etc. These images are purely illusory, and the strength of the object is always the same. That means that a Construct shaped like a hand and a Construct shaped like a crowbar are equally good at prying something open and etc. These grabbing constructs appear as a tendril of rope-like light that extends from Sinestro's power ring, ending in the chosen 'grabber'. They can extend as far as Sinestro's concentration allows, but the longer the grabber, the more easily it is broken.

While these objects are illusory and can fulfill only one purpose, they can be attacked, damaged and destroyed. The more damage they take, the more strain it puts on Sinestro's mind. The more energy he puts into these objects, the harder they are to break but the more physically and mentally exhausted he becomes. These objects will immediately dissipate upon his breaking his concentration for any reason. Maximum range of ~30 meters (~100 feet)

Hard-Light Grab – 300 OM (Requires Ranged Proficiency, Remote Control Proficiency, Ranged Materialize Proficiency, Hard-Light Tether)
When a Hard-Light Tether has successfully attached itself to an target, Sinestro can then use that tether to move the target, be it Secondary or Prime. The bond can firmly grab, but not crush his opponent. The bond can move the target off of the ground and in all the cardinal directions. The Tether can be broken as usual.

[Minato Namikaze]

To Add to what Sinestro was saying about Proficiencies and Powers, if you plan on doing anything like going from shadow to shadow in a somewhat 'instant' sense of the idea. as in standing in a shadow and then instantly moving to another shadow, you would need the Teleportation Proficiency.

[tre]

Thank you all for the help, especially Thaal Sinestro. i believe I'm going to change my character's base concept a bit so that I can build up to Umbrakinesis at a later.

[Thaal Sinestro]

Thank you all for the help, especially Thaal Sinestro. i believe I'm going to change my character's base concept a bit so that I can build up to Umbrakinesis at a later.

And man, lemme tell you what: You don't need powers to write an interesting story. You can look at my OM and my level, and then you can look at my Roster page. I got NOOOOO powers, NOOOO moves. For all purposes, I'm just a GUY. And yet, I've written some really fun stuff on the site, and written with a lot of other people. So don't let that stuff discourage you.