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Charge Gauges

~This is an informational journal for my RPC fighters.~


Any of my characters who have "powers" or special abilities can 'charge up', or gather energy and store it for later use. This allows them to pull off high-level attacks or amplify the effects of their abilities without draining their own energy. The meter that measures this charge is called a Charge Gauge, or CG.

Neutral Energy
A characters standard ability to use normal level techniques with their powers does not drain them immediately. This is like your natural strength - you can walk without getting tired, it's not until you start sprinting that you need additional energy. When calculating when energy drops below 0, a body has a "natural" reserve of 2 charges normally.

Requirements

In order for a character to add 1 charge to their CG, the character cannot use their powers in any way during the charging post. They also have to be able to concentrate and focus, so if they are injured or unable to concentrate, they cannot charge.

A CG has a maximum charge limit of 5.

Drawbacks
If a character uses a high-level attack without charging, it drains from their immediate source of energy, which can easily tire them out. If they use a high level attack and only has some of their charge needed, it can drop them down into the negatives.

For clarification, if one uses, for instance, a full 5-charge technique and only has 2 charges saved, it will drop them down to -1. This is because their own body will have a natural energy level equal to 2 charges to help buffer the energy drain.

There are also other situations where their charge may be dropped, such as if they have to use their powers instantly and without proper preparation.

Overdrive
If their charge goes below 0, it can drop down as far as -5 levels. However, this wears them out very quickly. If they reach a full -5, all their powers are shut off temporarily, or "short circuited". This tires them out physically, and they cannot use their powers, at all, until they take 5 separate posts to charge back up to their normal level. If they cannot properly concentrate or focus, they cannot charge back up.

Furthermore, Overdrive wears down on them physically. At -1, they become mildly fatigued. At -3, their physical attributes are weakened overall. If they fall all the way to -5, they are robbed of their powers, and they are physically exhausted th the point of collapse. Staying conscious is a struggle.