Author Topic: Expanding the Shift Track  (Read 911 times)

Offline Peteman

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Expanding the Shift Track
« on: January 04, 2011, 06:09:37 AM »
I don't like the fact that in general, you can only take 4 hits max to a stress track before you have to take consequences. I was thinking of an alternative system, where the stress track is additional, but still limited by your stress level. So someone who has average endurance would have 3 total stress, but can only take a max 2 stress hit at a time before taking consequences. Someone with fair (+1) Endurance would have 6 total, but could only take a max 3 stress hit at a time before taking consequences. Someone with a Good (+3) Endurance would have 10 total, and could take a 4 stress max hit at a time before taking consequences (so he could take two 4 stress hits and a 2 stress hit before being potentially taken out, but a 5 stress hit would require taking a minor to bump it down to 3). Somone with Superb (+5) would still have only 10 physical stress limited by 4 but would get the extra consequences.

People with hulking size would be able to add their extra boxes as usual so a creature with good endurance could take 21 physical stress total, limited to 6 stress max before taking consequences.

Guys with Toughness Powers would have two tracks, one to represent their super toughness and one to represent their normal toughness, so a guy with good (+3) endurance and Inhuman Strength would have 10 (1+2+3+4) normal stress and an extra 11 (5+6) super stress, limited to 4 against Catch attacks and 6 against non-Catch attacks. When taking attacks that doesn't affect his Catch, he can divide it up between his super stress and his normal stress, so when taking a 4 point hit after damage reduction, he can put 2 into normal stress and 2 into super stress, filling out 2/10 and 2/11. However, when dealing with Catch attacks, he has to absorb all the damage in his normal stress track, so a 5 point Catch attack would put him over the edge and require consequences or just take him out (since he can absorb upwards of 4 stress at a time without consequences).

I just don't like how you could cast 4 minimal stress spells and run yourself out on the stress track, even if you have a Good Conviction.

Offline sinker

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Re: Expanding the Shift Track
« Reply #1 on: January 04, 2011, 07:01:38 AM »
I just don't like how you could cast 4 minimal stress spells and run yourself out on the stress track, even if you have a Good Conviction.

I do believe that this is really something that is debated regularly here. Magic is a really powerful tool and I believe that it was set up the way it was to limit magic users tossing around what is essentially mack trucks (weapon:4 and 5 attacks). If you want to (further) expand the wizard's usefulness then you could look at mundane effects on page YS259 and even expand your definition of mundane effects. If that's not the way you want to play though then use the magic system however you like.

Of note I apologize if that seems off topic, but I thought I'd speak to the cause instead of directly to the topic.
« Last Edit: January 04, 2011, 07:18:40 AM by sinker »