Array questions

[rbeall]

I'm new to M&M but will be running a campaign soon. In helping my players create characters, we came up with some questions.

The campaign Power Level is 6.

1.Can Flaws and Extras be applied to just a specific Alternate Power in an Array? How is this handled point wise?
The Array is listed. Without taking into account the Flaw and Extra, the Array is 14 points if I understand the system correctly:

Fire Control: 6
Alts:
Blast 6
+range (Extra)
-source object (Flaw)
Suffocate 6

2. Here is another Array. Cold Control (and Obscure (Vision)) both cost the same (2 P per rank), so they both can be at Rank 6 with no issues. However, Protection is only 1 P per rank. Normally, he could take Protection then at Rank 12 in this Array, but since the campagin Power Level is only 6 it stops there. If I were to increase the Power Level later, would he automatically get an increase of Protection to 7 assuming nothing else added to his Toughness Save? That being said, he has a CON of 14, giving a +2 to his 'Toughness Save so his Protection Rank really is effectively 4. How is this situation handled?

Cold Control: 6
Alt:
Protection 6
Obscure (Vision) 6

Thanks for your help.

[peregrine]

You are correct for both 1 and 2. If someone is over cap, they would just get the benefit from whatever power/save up to their cap, but it's not like you have to delete it then and forever. I don't think you can have an AP with more ranks than the primary power, but you don't need to do anything for when PL is raised other than change the numbers on his save, no PP expenditure required.

[rbeall]

But for Question 1, how would that Extra and Flaw effect the point cost? Making the Alt Power cost an additional point for the Extra makes sense, but how about a Flaw, especially if there were no Extras? -1 Flaw on a 1 P Alt Power would make it free, which can't be right.

In the case of my example, would the one flaw and one extra just cancel each other out?


Thanks!

[kenseido]

Alternate Powers cost a straight point. Extras and Flaws affect the cost of the power in that slot.
For example:

Corrosion 10
AP: Blast 10 (Extra: Penetrating)

Corrosion costs 3pp/rank (according to UP) for a total cost of 30pp.
Blast normally costs 2pp/rank. The Extra increases the cost to 3pp/rank for a total of 30pp.
The cost of the entire array is 31pp (30pp for Corrosion + 1pp for Alternate Power)

Basically, the AP can have upto a total cost of 30pp.

[FuzzyBoots]

Kenseido has it in the right. The Flaws and Extras simply apply to the individual powers in the array. There is an option broached in Ultimate Power of adding Extras and Flaws to Arrays where they directly apply to the working of the array (for example, using Unreliable so that arrays don't always switch when you want them to, or so that they only can be changed five times during an adventure), but frankly, it's more trouble than it's worth.

Regarding what Pergerine said, the original Core text did indeed indicate that you couldn't have a power at a rank greater than the base power. Ultimate Power got rid of that limitation (And the FAQ backs it up for Core). Frankly, I think it should be a given since mechanically speaking, Blast 6 arrayed off of Leaping 12 is the same things as Leaping 12 arrayed off of Blast 6. Ultimate Power formalizes the process a bit by introducing a Capital-A Array, which is discussed in Delemental's post on arrays which you'll find at the link below. Oh, and you have multiple options when an array slot can't use all of its points. First, you can have multiple powers in an array slot. Secondly, you do have the option of not using all of the points.

By the by, I highly recommend reading through some of the items in Elric's thread. In particular, there is an entry on Arrays that goes into great detail on how they work in various setups.

[peregrine]

Yeah. Basically, with an Array, you buy your primary power. Say, Blast 10. That then gives you 20 points to spend on any other power you can justify, for the cost of 1 point per AP.

So Blast 4, with the ranged, penetrating, and contagious extras (4*(2+1+1+1)) would be another 20 points of power, and a valid option. Or, say, Fatigue 6 with the insidious extra (6*(2+1)) would be 18 points, and also valid. Or Telekinesis 20, with the distracting flaw (20*(2-1)) is valid.

So whatever flaws and extras you put on something don't change the cost of the AP, only the value, if that makes sense.

[rbeall]

Thanks all.