Kewl Powerz

Ghost Whistler · August 16, 2010, 10:04:55 AM

Phew, it's hard work writing up lists of special powers/abilities or whatnot, trying to come up with a suitable amount. It's testing my enthusiasm and will no doubt be playtesting hell. However the only alternative I can think is the sort of indie narrative fudgery that's self defeating (ie pure gm fiat).

Is there a middle ground?

jibbajibba · August 16, 2010, 10:33:39 AM

top of my head ...

give each cool power a point cost 1 - 5 and just have a mechanic that assigns effect based on rank. So (without knowing the system or genre) Rank 5 in Flame makes you into the human torch and you deal 5d10 damage with your fire balls. Rank 5 in Weather control has the same in game effect but a unique narative description (ie fluff text).

If that doesn't work for your genre (remember you can pare it right down to some pretty suble variations... then just make the damn list

)

pspahn · August 16, 2010, 10:37:47 AM

Quote from: Ghost Whistler;399578Phew, it's hard work writing up lists of special powers/abilities or whatnot, trying to come up with a suitable amount. It's testing my enthusiasm and will no doubt be playtesting hell. However the only alternative I can think is the sort of indie narrative fudgery that's self defeating (ie pure gm fiat).

Is there a middle ground?

Yes. Keep power categories broad and let each player define the details. Similar to what the Marvel RPG did, you'd have a Blast power and then could define it as fire, electricity, psionic, etc.

Also, mine other games! Go down lists of powers from other PA games and take the ones you want. The heavy lifting has already been done. All you need to do is revise the descriptions. In the process, you'll probably develop plenty of your own kewl powerz.

Pete

Ghost Whistler · August 16, 2010, 01:10:40 PM

Well that's the trick of course

Silverlion · August 16, 2010, 03:34:46 PM

Quote from: Ghost Whistler;399620Well that's the trick of course

I prefer the plain English version. You write up in plain English what it can do--the player or the GM, and then discuss where its limits are in broad terms.

Give it a name and run with it.

Vellorian · August 16, 2010, 07:23:19 PM

Quote from: Ghost Whistler;399578Phew, it's hard work writing up lists of special powers/abilities or whatnot, trying to come up with a suitable amount. It's testing my enthusiasm and will no doubt be playtesting hell. However the only alternative I can think is the sort of indie narrative fudgery that's self defeating (ie pure gm fiat).

Is there a middle ground?

Blatantly steal the work of others?

Narf the Mouse · August 16, 2010, 07:38:35 PM

Play Hero System and let your players do the heavy lifting. Just assign some caps and the system will (almost literally) balance itself.

...Y'know, unless you've got someone who buys AoE +4, Cumulative +4 and Invisible Power Effects on 1d6 Mind Control. In which case, you know who they are and where the heavy rulebooks are.

Ghost Whistler · August 18, 2010, 02:58:42 AM

It's difficult. I'm trying to design my own game and system. I had definite ideas how certain characters would play with regard to having powers. But I find that creating powers is a huge chore and not something I really want to do. Furthermore you can be sure that, no matter how many kewl powerz you design, the players will invariably try to break them, create their own, want stuff you didn't think of, etc.

So as a rulebook should be a toolkit rather than an all encompassing immutable set of rules I have to think the best way is a diy approach. But with character types that function uniquely, i'm struggling to find common ground or how to make something work.

Cranewings · August 18, 2010, 11:31:29 AM

I took me a long time to write all of mine. Ultimately it is a lot more rewarding to populate the list yourself. Some games are great without even having very many. Think original Vampire. 9 sets of 5 I think?

I guess it is a matter of taste. Personally, I think Savage Worlds looks like a bullshit, vacant mini game that I wouldn't run for free or pay 5 dollars for, so I know I'm in the minority here. I just think you have to use discipline and pound out the content if you want to make something worthwhile.

Ghost Whistler · August 18, 2010, 01:18:28 PM

Part of the problem is that the differnet types of powers function very differently. That was my intention.

Age of Fable · August 25, 2010, 11:46:03 AM

Two sets of ten elements can give 100 combinations, which might be easier than writing one list of 100 elements.

For example in a fantasy game you might have a spell which stops all movement of undead creatures. But you could split that into 'stop all movement' and 'only effects undead creatures'.

The column with 'only effects undead creatures' might also have 'only effects creatures of low Intelligence', 'successful save vs spells negates', 'only works as long as the caster concentrates on it' and so on.

Kewl Powerz

Cranewings