While conscious is an Accessibility is found on page 5 of Power-Ups 8: Limitations.
This could be useful for people who want DR to turn off while asleep. Though that has elsewhere been defined as possibly a -0% limitation since there are some benefits to it.
Could also be allowed for Aura. As that is normally a free action to switch, adding a concentrate to flip it on (but not off) is similar to taking Takes Extra Time to require a ready maneuver.
Requires Concentrate is different. It's worth more because it requires a SERIES of concentrate maneuvers to MAINTAIN.
Under the hood[]
One thing to keep in mind is that it requires Switchable first, which creates a ready maneuver to turn it on.
Requires Concentrate being worth -5% more than Requires Ready sends the message of "turning a ready into a concentrate is -5%".
Chinese Elemental Powers[]
pg 10:
- For physical abilities, including passive sensory abilities, the need for an initial Concentrate and the failure of the ability on loss of consciousness together count as Accessibility, While conscious (p. 17).
MORE
- If there is no drawback, being switchable is a 0% special effect.
- This applies, for example, to Damage Resistance, which can be either always on or switchable for the same point cost.
- (However, Damage Resistance with Can’t Wear Armor is inconvenient, so making it Switchable is an enhancement.)
- See Switchable (pp. 17-18) for more
This isn't entirely true though: having DR is inconvenient if you want to avoid hurting people (though that's not a risk with flexible DR) or if you want to be able to suffer harm (to blend in) or get afflicted.
Powers[]
P155 Involuntary Deactivation has a section for Unconsciousness:
- ends the effects of all active, switchable abilities
Flight and Scanning Sense are examples. Mind Control too except for it's residual duration.
Active+Transient:
- If someone falls unconscious after using an ability like this to generate a lasting effect, though, the effect won’t end before its entire duration is up.
SPECIFICALLY:
- Affliction, Neutralize, Obscure with Ranged, and abilities with Cyclic, Delay, Onset, or Persistent always run their full course unless somehow negated.
Then:
- Unconsciousness might affect a passive, switchable ability
"Most such abilities let the user decide whether they" (three options):
- switch off or on, or stay in their current state, when he’s knocked out.
- "This is a permanent special effect, set when he buys the advantage."
- (a 4th option of "switch to opposite of current state" does not appear possible)
EXAMPLES
- Growth
- Insubstantiality,
- Mind Shield
- Obscure,
- Shrinking
- Stretching
- Invisibility
- Mana Damper
- Static
Where "while conscious" would differ is that -5% limitations are not necessarily a "permanent special effect". Limitations can be bought off later, or apply only sometimes when an enhancement is used.
Also the permanent special effect does not transform the ready maneuver into a concentrate.
Overlap[]
The -40% version of Active Defense requires consciousness, only Active Defense, Independent does not.
This is explained in PU8's price breakdown.
It assigns -20% for the collective idea of needing to be aware of something, which obviously requires consciousness.
Related[]
P119 shows that Reflexive will force an Unconscious Only ability to activate.
Quotes[]
Kromm in 2007 http://forums.sjgames.com/showpost.php?p=479511&postcount=12
- DR that conks out if you're not conscious is definitely DR with Accessibility.
- I'd peg it at -10%, really.
See also[]
- OOSO
- only while unconscious
- only while dead