[M&M] Stacking Rules Make No Sense

[Gunslinger]

If I'm reading this right, you can never a bonus to anything greater than your level. So...theres absolutely no point in having stats if you're going to max out a power that adds to to damage/saves? Or alternately, if you do have stats, theres no point in maxing out powers that add to those things? Also, that means that no matter what you do, you'll never be able to save on a roll of less than 15 in a fight against an equal level character. That seems like it makes save or die effects like mind control and possession overpowered. If the other person wins iniative, you only have a 30% chance of not dying instantly (provided they hit).

Someone please tell me that I'm wrong about all of this.

 

[Arani Korden]

Someone please tell me that I'm wrong about all of this.

You're wrong about all of this. The stacking rules apply to powers and only powers. (The sole exception being the errata'd Penetrating Attack feat.) My PC, for instance, has Super Strength 8 and a Strength of 20, giving him a Strength modifier of +13, except for "to hit" rolls. This is perfectly legal.

 

[Insight]

Have to echo Arani here. The stacking rules apply only to powers of a similar type and in most cases have nothing whatsoever to do with your Ability Scores, Skills, or Feats (Penetrating Attack being an exception to that general rule).

Powers that basically perform the same function cannot combine for a bonus greater than the character's PL. The example in the book describes a character with Super-STR and Natural Weapon. Since STR and Natural Weapon perform the same function (in terms of adding to melee damage), the total bonus from those powers cannot exceed PL.

There are many, many other examples of this. Protection and Force Field stack with each other, because both reduce an opponent's Damage Bonus. Likewise, Absorption, Amazing Save Damage, and Super CON also stack for this reason (and with Protection and Force Field for that matter).

 

[Petrosian]

The stacking rule makes plenty of sense.

As other state above, it only applies to powers.

But its even simpler than it seems.

It boils down to "the maximum adjustemt to a single die roll from POWERS is your level."

So when making a damage save the max adjustment for a level 10 guy is 10, whether that 10 is from +10 amazing save, +5 force field and +5 amazing save or any other POWER that affects the DC or the die roll itself is irrelevent.

 

[Gunslinger]

Thank you all, now I understand.

That section of the book had me thinking that the maximum adjustment to a die roll was your level, regardless of what you had that contributed to the final result.

 

[tetsujin28]

And feel free to post on the M&M boards, as well!