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Guidelines for a new Slight?

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Wed, 2013-10-09 04:19
#1
thebluespectre thebluespectre's picture
Guidelines for a new Slight?
One of my players wanted to have a Psi slight of his own. As the group's sniper, he wanted the ability to focus on one target, so I helped him make this: New Psi Chi slight: Lockdown Psi Type: Active Action: Automatic Range: Self Duration: Temporary Strain Modifier: +0 The async becomes obsessively focused on a single task, whether it be an enemy they are aiming at, a broken bone they are setting or a cycle they are riding. The async gains a +10 modifier on one relevant active skill, but takes a -20 penalty to all other skills due to distraction. So I ask the experts: Is this balanced? I didn't want to make it too powerful, but did it turn out too weak? How would you build this?
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"Still and transfixed, the el/ ectric sheep are dreaming of your face..." -Talk Shows on Mute
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Wed, 2013-10-09 20:17
nerdnumber1 nerdnumber1's picture
Point of clarification: is it
Point of clarification: is it temporary(action turns), temporary (minutes), or some other duration. More importantly, can the effects be ended prematurely, either voluntarily or because the task is complete/rendered irrelevant, i.e. he kills the person he's focussing on shooting, etc.?
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Wed, 2013-10-09 20:41
thebluespectre thebluespectre's picture
The clarification
I'd say minutes, and not being able to disengage at will, since I want to emphasize the "obsession" part of it. It would be awesome for an extended action (or long-range sniping, naturally), but not so hot if you ever have to roll Fray right away.
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"Still and transfixed, the el/ ectric sheep are dreaming of your face..." -Talk Shows on Mute
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Wed, 2013-10-09 23:39
thezombiekat thezombiekat's picture
In the role of a sniper you
In the role of a sniper you do need to change targets, the target you started with may die (hopfuly), withdraw due to injuries (nearly as good) or a more significant threat to the forward team may present itself (great, reapers). Compared to other psy-Chi slights it seems week. Consider ambience sense “+10 modifier to all Investigation, Perception, Scrounging, and Surprise Tests” no down sides and constant so there is no strain. Or enhanced creativity “Apply a +20 modifier to any tests where creativity plays a major role.” Again no downside, no strain. Predictive boost even gives +10 to frey (a combat skill), among other things. And there are other examples. So if your going to make the player pay strain to activate, and include a down side I think the bonus needs to be more than +10. That said I do like the theme of the power. And it would not work as a passive. Psi Chi slight: Lockdown Psi Type: Active Action: Automatic Range: Self Duration: Temporary (until completed, replaced, or ignored) Strain Modifier: +0 The async becomes obsessively focused on a single task, whether it be an enemy they are aiming at, a broken bone they are setting or a cycle they are riding. The async gains a +20 modifier on one relevant active skill, but takes a -20 penalty to all other skills due to distraction. This power will last the full duration of any task action or until a narrowly defined goal is achieved (kill specific target) if lockdown is activated before a previous goal is achieved the new task overrides the old without penalty, if a task is abandoned uncompleted the bonus Is lost but a -10 penalty to all actions remains for 1 hour.
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Thu, 2013-10-10 00:32
thebluespectre thebluespectre's picture
Kat...
That is perfect! Thank you for the help, the player will love it. Now all that's left is to explain to him that this isn't a sword and sorcery setting.
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"Still and transfixed, the el/ ectric sheep are dreaming of your face..." -Talk Shows on Mute
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Thu, 2013-10-10 00:37
nerdnumber1 nerdnumber1's picture
thebluespectre wrote:That is
thebluespectre wrote:
That is perfect! Thank you for the help, the player will love it. Now all that's left is to explain to him that this isn't a sword and sorcery setting.
Just let him poke a Lovecraftian mind and show him what happens.
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Fri, 2013-10-11 00:19
thezombiekat thezombiekat's picture
thebluespectre wrote:That is
thebluespectre wrote:
That is perfect! Thank you for the help, the player will love it. Now all that's left is to explain to him that this isn't a sword and sorcery setting.
Because there is strain on every activation he really needs to only use it for high priority targets. And rely on his skills most of the time. I did note that the way I wrote it you can remove the -10 penalty for abandoning a task by reactivating the power for a quick automatically achievable action, “I focus on reloading my gun” I don’t see this as a problem, it costs strain and will rarely be a good idea. Let me know who close to insanity he gets before he realises strain is bad and he has to ration his use of active slights.
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Fri, 2013-10-11 03:15
LatwPIAT LatwPIAT's picture
thezombiekat wrote: Let me
thezombiekat wrote:
Let me know who close to insanity he gets before he realises strain is bad and he has to ration his use of active slights.
Strain causes Damage, not Stress. He can use the sleight as often as he wants, but it will kill him.
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@-rep +2 C-rep +1
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Fri, 2013-10-11 22:42
thezombiekat thezombiekat's picture
Dam, cant believe I got that
Dam, cant believe I got that wrong. Makes it a bit more use full as damage is easier to heal than stress.
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Fri, 2013-10-11 23:15
CodeBreaker CodeBreaker's picture
thezombiekat wrote:Dam, cant
thezombiekat wrote:
Dam, cant believe I got that wrong. Makes it a bit more use full as damage is easier to heal than stress.
You would be amazed how regular a mistake that that is.
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