powerdesign Power Design Question: Drain Ability Stat or Drain Save

[MBCE]

Okay, I've hit a slight brick wall here.  I'm working on a character at the moment and want to give him the Drain power.  I just can't decide if I should focus on Ability stat or save.

Here is the Power build that I'm thinking of:

 

Drain (Any one Save[2pp/rank]) 6 (Various submission holds;Feat: Slow Fade 1;Flaw: Requires Grapple) [7pp]

or

Drain (Any one Ability[2pp.rank]) 6 (Various submission holds;Feat: Slow Fade 1;Flaw: Requires Grapple) [7pp]

 

I know Drain lowers the PP of the item by the difference on the save roll up to a max of the power's rank.  With that in mind, how does the power affect saves?  Would it lower the PPs used to buy up the save?

 

For example:

Hero A has added 6pp to his Reflex save. Reflex: +7 (+1 dex, +6).

Hero B has only a high dex due to Enhanced Dexterity. Reflex: +7 (+7 dex)

Each hero fail their Fortitude save against the Drain Power by 6.  Would the drain effect both heroes the same way, reducing both to only a +1 bonus?

[angrydurf]

If it is a drain save you'd lower the save by one for every point they fail the save by.  It would apply only to the save (So lower reflex save but they would retain dex bonus to initiative, skills, trip etc in your example.)  The source of the save bonus doesn't matter.  The Ability drain would lower the characters ability (dex in the example) by one per point they fail by which will reduce the ability bonus to saves, skills, etc based on the new ability modifier after the reduction.  

 

So drain(save) would affect both targets the same way, and Drain(ability) would also affect both targets the same way but drain(save) and drain(ability) would not each have the same effect as the other.  

 

 

[MBCE]

2 minutes ago, angrydurf said:

If it is a drain save you'd lower the save by one for every point they fail the save by.  It would apply only to the save (So lower reflex save but they would retain dex bonus to initiative, skills, trip etc in your example.)  The source of the save bonus doesn't matter.  The Ability drain would lower the characters ability (dex in the example) by one per point they fail by which will reduce the ability bonus to saves, skills, etc based on the new ability modifier after the reduction.  

 

So drain(save) would affect both targets the same way, and Drain(ability) would also affect both targets the same way but drain(save) and drain(ability) would not each have the same effect as the other.  

 

 

So overall, Drain (ability) has greater reach as it might affect various traits but also might have a lessor effect due to the cost for ability scores.

 

Hmm, tough call.  Thanks for the quick response.