I think it's already been said that the EP mechanics are pretty vulnerable to powergaming, but I've been seriously noticing some problems with skill tests. A starting character with 80 in his choice skill, +30 from a complementary skill, +30 from three muses all assisting, gives you 140 base without any special equipment - on about 90% of all skills.
Even if you're facing the worst possible circumstances, that's -60 - you still have an 80% chance of success. Yes, if it can theoretically be done, against all odds, you still have an 80% chance of doing it. That is tremendous. Unless you're facing another intelligent character who can oppose you, that barrier is realistically... not a barrier. Your best firewall on your toughest system will be cracked usually in 9 minutes. You can't even build a firewall that can stand up for more then 10.
Has anyone else encountered this? What are your thoughts?
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Skills too powerful?
Mon, 2010-12-06 16:55
#1
nezumi.hebereke
Skills too powerful?
Mon, 2010-12-06 18:46
#2
GJD
Re: Skills too powerful?
What's wrong with that? To get complimentary and muse bonuses it's not going to be a skill check that's done in an instant, and mant highly skilled individuals WILL suceed at a task, it just takes time.
Plus you won't get that complimentary skill bonus every time, and MUSE's have a limited skillset themselves. so you may end up being the best darn flump wrangler in the universe, but lets see you crack this lock, or fast talk this guard, or etc...
Powergaming usually creates a one-trick pony - often for combat - and personally I'd disallow complimentary and teamwork skill bonus's in combat. Knowing ju-jitsu, for instance, may actually harm your boxing form so you have to ignore that muscle memory.
Ultimately the GM is the arbiter of what bonuses apply when and personally I'd say the complimentary skill and any teamwork bonuses would be the exception, not the rule.
G.
Mon, 2010-12-06 19:25
#3
Axel the Chimeric
Re: Skills too powerful?
I actually had a hacker once who was guaranteed to succeed on every Infosec test she came up against, barring outside interference (and even then, when equipment and muse bonuses were factored in). Being so dedicated made her a useless fighter, however, as well as a terrible negotiator. She was amazing in her field of influence (sneaking and hacking), but far less competent elsewhere.
That's just how it should be, though. To focus extensively in one area naturally drains you in another area, something opponents (and the GM) can take advantage of.
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Mon, 2010-12-06 21:31
#4
icekatze
Re: Skills too powerful?
hi hi
I think that one of the thematic elements of Eclipse Phase involves titanic threats to civilization and/or individuals. If that is true, then there ought to be conditions where anyone's chance of success gradually drops to zero. If the lack of a cap on skills is causing a problem, I would recommend either capping skill bonuses at some point or removing the cap on penalties.
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Tue, 2010-12-07 10:29
#5
nezumi.hebereke
Re: Skills too powerful?
No question. But when 'takes time' means 'takes 10 minutes', well... That may be a problem. The firewall at your bank lends, at most, a +30 bonus. It's a guaranteed crack for our superhacker, probably in about 7 minutes (and with time dilation, less than a minute). That's not a firewall, that's a firewhat? . If the best tools can be cracked in under a minute by random, starting-character joes wandering around, I wonder how business is even possible.
Tue, 2010-12-07 10:55
#6
CodeBreaker
Re: Skills too powerful?
To be fair, starting, 1000CP characters are not random joes. They are the very best of the best in the system at skills they specialise in. Also remember that to be able to even attempt to make an attempt at hacking through a firewall you need a program worth the same amount as some morphs, something people work years at to get throughout the system. And also remember that hack actions cannot be subject to time dilation. Hacking a mesh node requires accessing it, something you cannot do from inside simulspace.
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Tue, 2010-12-07 11:06
#7
Prime Mover
Re: Skills too powerful?
One of my players running a Hacker with 125 infosec skill (With bonus's) and routinely rushes hacking tests.
He's changed the course of published adventures more then once now due to creative hacking. On the other hand he was nearly killed during the Glory mission in the first combat encounter and ended up burning all his moxie in his escape to safety. So yea it's a trade off.
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