Shrinking Without Bonuses

[Electra]

I'm building a single-point version of what will eventually be a higher-point minion, codenamed Happycat. I want to create the one point version as a normal-sized kitten, but to do that, I need to shrink the size down to Diminutive, which is 12 ranks of Shrinking. That's a lot of points just to get small, though, so I'd like to flaw and drawback it some. It can't change its size to medium, so the shrinking would be Permanent, so I think that is a flaw. I also don't need to have the Att/Def bonus or the Stealth bonus that comes with the Shrinking, because kittens aren't very good at attacking or being sneaky. I would think that adding a drawback of "no extra bonuses" would be common and major, since it would always be affected, and at Diminutive, those are +8 bonuses to be giving up.

I'm still trying to learn the character creation system so this is just my possibly flawed understanding of how to customize a power for a character. Eventually, when the kitten becomes a cat, I want to totally redo the points to reflect that, add more points and take Shrinking 8 outright, with the bonuses. This is just a temporary step, but I'd like to figure out how to do it properly. Thanks!

[quotemyname]

You might also think about applying Innate so that the shrinking cannot be nullified. This represents the fact that the cat is normally that small.

Is it possible that you just start with a diminutive creature and then apply ranks of Growth when the thing grows up?

[Geez3r]

The problem is that the benefits and drawbacks of smaller and larger size are there because that's how physics work.

You have trouble hitting a fly with a fly swatter not because it's very good at purposely dodging your attacks, but because it's a small target. Likewise, a fly has very little problem "hitting" you because you are a comparatively large target.

You get the bonus to Stealth because you're smaller and therefore harder to see and can find odd places to hide in.

Also, making a sustained duration power permanent is a (+0) flaw. The durations of powers are in ascending order: instant, concentration, sustained, continuous, permanent.

Sustained lasts as long as you take a free action every round to maintain it, which can have consequences if you're stunned in combat.

Continuous, once turned either on or off, lasts that way until you change your mind.

Permanent is continuous that is stuck in on mode.

Furthermore, a kitten would need the innate power feat on it's shrinking. Innate is not optional, if you need it, take it.

You can mitigate these costs. A standard kitten has a very low Intelligence score and Charisma score, and Wisdom might not be all that high yet either.

So setting Int and Cha to 2, and with Shrinking 12, you have 3 extra points.

But really, if at this point, it's a normal kitten, you can just say "I have a kitten" and be done with it. As soon as you start giving the kitten powers and the like, we can't really bend the rules too much.

If worst comes to worst, save up to buy a second point in minion.

[quotemyname]

I think she was planning on giving it the power

Emotion Control X Flaw: Limited to Calm, Range Touch

[Avenger Assembled]

Unfortunately, Shrinking is unlikely to work for you that way. (Shrinking as a whole is not a great power, though we have some house rules that make it moderately less overpriced.)

Some solutions:

1. Happycat the plot device: Happycat is an adorable cat who gets into places implausibly and makes you feel better when you pet her. Cats can not be held down by stats! Next month, when you'll easily be able to afford Minion Happycat, buy her then. That way you'll be able to roleplay Wander bonding with the little kitty, always fun.

2. Happycat the NPC: I would have no problems with Happycat the Claremont NPC. That way you actually get to write up the character, can have her interacting with other characters, and then have her bond with Wander and become her minion next month. (And get a points for her, yay!)

3. Happykitten the kitten: With one point, you can buy a regular cat with a one point power: Emotion Control 8 (Limited to Happy, Touch Range; Distracting, Full-Round) and then pump her up next month. That way, you can assume that Wander's cat starts out as a very little kitten, and needs extra love and attention before more of her interesting powers develop.

[quotemyname]

Wouldn't that power be more appropriate if it were bought as some sort of aura, or have a continuous and permanent duration?

[Avenger Assembled]

Wouldn't that power be more appropriate if it were bought as some sort of aura, or have a continuous and permanent duration?

Contrary to popular belief, cats don't purr all the time. And it would only be an aura if touching any part of the cat caused the emotion control.

[quotemyname]

Well, isn't it the petting that is causing the calming effect? "It calms you down when you pet it"

[Avenger Assembled]

Not if it's pet-zap-pet-zap. Remember, the Sustained duration on Aura-esque effects is only for effects you plan to turn on and leave on. And if the petter is auto-failing the attack roll, that's OK.

[quotemyname]

You know... I never thought I would see the day when petting a cat had to be represented with dice rolls >_>