Control Pain, Incapacitated, Wounded, etc.

[slaughterj]

Only one thread I could here has discussed this, and not much, so I wanted to revisit Control Pain and understand how it can help if you become Incapacitated or worse. The possibilities seem to be:

1. If you are Incapacitated, you can use Control Pain once you are awakened to resist the penalties.
2. If you are Incapacitated but already had Control Pain operating (e.g., were already wounded), it seems that you make a new check against Incapacitated condition to remain conscious and resist the penalties.
3. A GM might allow a Reaction Skill use of Control Pain at the time of injury to resist the penalties.

No. 1 and 2 seem to be the case, but if you aren't already wounded and Controlling Pain, then get Incapacitated, you are out of luck, unless #3 were allowed (though presumably as a later reaction, you will down some dice due to multiple actions, and hard to do this anyway often). I'm inclined to let people take a shot as under #3 (as noted, hard to pull off anyway). No. 3 seems reasonable because if you were already using Control Pain and were injured further, you make a new check immediately as well apparently. Alternatively, maybe this is some of the point of Remain Conscious (and in light of the issue below, maybe #3 isn't good)?

I'm also confused as to how Control Pain is useful against the Wounded Condition. If Wounded, you have -1D to actions. But if using Control Pain, you have -1D to actions (due to multiple action penalty), so why use it when Wounded since you get the same penalty? Therefore Control Pain seems useless for the Wounded Condition *unless* you don't allow #3 above, because if you were Controlling Pain while wounded and got further injured, you would at least have a shot to stay conscious if getting Incapacitated or worse.

[vong]

Is that not already in the rules. You need to use remain conscious to stay up for incapacitated or higher, do you not?
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[slaughterj]

[garhkal]

[Ankhanu]

[vong]

[slaughterj]

[Ankhanu]

An alternative is to allow Control Pain as a reflexive or reactionary skill use (affected by MAPs) when the character is hit and injured to the point of being knocked out (Incapacitated, Mortally Wounded)...
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[vong]

[garhkal]

Very true, but for me i would at least require them to possess both remain consious and control pain to get that reflex action..
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[slaughterj]

[DoubtBreak]

I believe that Control Pain is intended to have a lasting effect rather than being kept "up." The character uses it, takes the -1D multiple-action penalty for the round, and then ignores the wound during future rounds, until injured again. Unless I've misinterpreted it- I don't have my books, but I don't think it says anything about keeping the power "up."

[cunning_kindred]

I've always rationalised it: that multiple action penalties apply only to normal skill rolls during a round while wound penalties apply to all rolls except those to resist damage. Initiative, for example, is impeded by wound penalties but not by multiple action penalties. As such, control pain does have some small effect even with wounded once results.

[Gry Sarth]

Initiative will never suffer from MAPs because it is rolled before you decide how many actions you will take that round. It doesn't count as an action, it's just a check.

And DoubtBreak, from the power's description:
"The power can be kept up, so the character can ignore the pain of injuries for a long period of time."
It's stated quite clearly, "keep it up", which according to the rules implies a MAP. Quite frankly I think the way you stated makes a whole lot more sense.
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[DoubtBreak]