The Dresden Files > DFRPG Resource Collection
Custom Power List
ways and means:
Yes accuracy 9 and weapon 13 over 4 zones good but at 17 refresh a caster could easily be attacking for accuracy 16+ (+4 specialization, +6 skill + 6 focus) with high weapons rating, a crafter could be boosting himself with 4 aspects a turn (love the thaumaturgy) and defending, attacking, veiling and blocking at 12.
Taran:
foci are restricted to Lore and specializations need a pyramid.
Also, a wizard needs to spend mental stress each round.
4 zones is 8 shifts of power
Weapon 13 is another 13 shifts
That wizard would have to control 21 shifts of power and they'd hit EVERY person, friend or foe, in those 4 zones.
The fighter with Mythic Skill can do that every exchange.
Sanctaphrax:
That is pretty impressive, but honestly an evoker can still put out better offence. Power and control 15 lets you do a weapon 7 accuracy 15 attack across four zones, which is quite a bit better than accuracy 9 weapon 13. Plus the attack has range.
Sure, it costs mental stress, but when you hit that hard you don't usually need to hit twice.
What really worries me is something like a character with Mythic Skill, Inhuman Toughness, Inhuman Recovery, and a +3 Catch at Chest Deep. Legendary attacks at weapon 6, legendary defences against everything, and superhuman durability. Plus plenty of open skill slots, little gear dependence, the zone attack option, and the other side benefits of Mythic Skill. And that's without going for every available rebate.
Mythic Speed and Mythic Skill look really impressive together because of that four-zone attack, but the Powers actually interfere with each other a bit. So I think the big scary possibility of attacking four zones distracts people from how dangerous Skill is at lower levels of play.
Taran:
Even without a speed power, I can attack everyone in two zones, with only a -1 penalty.
My problem is that you can do zone-wide without hitting allies. There's nothing in the core book that allows that. The exception is zone-wide blocks that affect allies - but that's purely defensive.
As I stated early: yes, the wizard can output lots of damage in many zones but not without hitting himself or allies.
Removing that one ability from the power would do a lot to balance it. Maybe give it a bonus to spray attacks instead.
I don't think it should add to damage either. Strength already does that. Maybe accuracy but not both.
Generally, for a 'building block' power, I think you should break down combat into its parts and find out what the existing powers don't cover, and boost that. None of the 'building block' powers overlap much.
(click to show/hide)Alertness/ambushes
initiative
Accuracy melee
Accuracy range
Accuracy spray
Damage Spray
dodge
Parry
block
maneuver
Grapple
movement
Damage
Armour
Stress
Nothing
Speed power
Nothing
nothing
Nothing
Strength
Speed Power
Nothing
Nothing
(athletics=speed; Might=STR)
Strength
Speed
Strength
Toughness
Toughness
I'm not sure if I missed something. But there are several things, namely accuracy, that aren't affected by any of the Powers. Look into those, block and spray attacks. Maybe allow parries on an ambush as long as the weapon is drawn to tap into that aspect of combat. Instead of damaging every opponent in a zone, let the person spend their action to block attacks on every ally in the zone - since wizards can do that anyways. Or maybe for each level of skill they can protect one additional target.
themselves +1; themselves +2; themselves+3 by putting a block up for that turn. Anyways - I'm just throwing out ideas however imperfect they may seem.
Sanctaphrax:
--- Quote from: Taran on November 17, 2014, 02:33:13 PM ---My problem is that you can do zone-wide without hitting allies. There's nothing in the core book that allows that.
--- End quote ---
So?
New doesn't mean overpowered. In my experience, hitting allies is rarely a concern for a smart group.
I really don't think the selective zone attack thing is a big deal. It only shows up at the Mythic level and it simply won't matter in most fights. You could drop it completely and the Powers would still be very scary.
--- Quote from: Taran on November 17, 2014, 02:33:13 PM ---Generally, for a 'building block' power...
--- End quote ---
This isn't really a building block power. It's not intended to be one of the standard things that most supernaturals have some level of.
Anyway, some level of overlap is unavoidable. Speed boosts Athletics defence, any Skill power needs to boost Weapons defence.
--- Quote from: Taran on November 17, 2014, 02:33:13 PM ---I don't think it should add to damage either. Strength already does that. Maybe accuracy but not both.
--- End quote ---
I've been thinking of the same thing. The Strength overlap doesn't bother me at all, but dropping the damage boost seems like the simplest and most elegant way to weaken the Power.
--- Quote from: Taran on November 17, 2014, 02:33:13 PM ---Maybe allow parries on an ambush as long as the weapon is drawn to tap into that aspect of combat.
--- End quote ---
That might be a good idea. I'm loath to make this ability any stronger, though.
--- Quote from: Taran on November 17, 2014, 02:33:13 PM ---Instead of damaging every opponent in a zone, let the person spend their action to block attacks on every ally in the zone...
--- End quote ---
Anyone can do that. If a block affects only one type of action, it can affect multiple people.
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