The Dresden Files > DFRPG Resource Collection

Custom Powers Master List (Work In Progress)

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blackstaff67:
Question/problem re: Intellectus of War.  It's been a bit of a problem in my game until I took the initiative to price it out as a set of stunts like the YS Book says to do:  I came up with -8 Refresh, not -3. 
Replace:
-1) Guns with Weapons
-1) Driving with Weapons
-1) Fists with Weapons
Driving Stunt that lets the PC:
-1) Drive all Land vehicles
-1) Drive all Airborne vehicles
-1) Drive all Waterborne vehicles
Lets PC make declarations and assume skills and stunts he doesn't have:
-2) Limited form of Sponsored Magic
Total: -8 Refresh
To be honest, I'm thinking about banning the thing altogether.  Guess there was a reason they said the powers weren't playtested and to use them at your own risk.  Am I overreacting?
Edited for clarification: Group averages about 14 or so Refresh...so the PC with this is really 19-20 Refresh as far as I'm concerned.  The PC's Weapons skill is a +7 so basically the PC is running around with four '7s' plus all the other skills he has/needs. 

Sanctaphrax:
Generally speaking, a -3 Power is equivalent to a lot more than 3 Stunts. Inhuman Strength is like 11.5 Stunts, after all.

(click to show/hide)1. +2 to lift
2. +2 to break
3. another +1 to lift and break
4. +1 to maintain grapple
5. inflict +1 stress in a grapple and move grappled targets 2 zones
6. inflict +2 stress with certain Fists attacks
7. inflict +2 stress with all other Fists attacks
8. inflict +2 stress with certain Guns attacks
9. inflict +2 stress with certain Weapons attacks
10. inflict +2 stress with all other Weapons attacks
11. Might always gives +1 when modifying other skills
11.5 +1 to initiate a grapple
But by all means, change/ban it if it's a problem.

I'd hesitate to allow Intellectus of War myself; it's too vague. It sounds like you're using a fairly permissive interpretation of it, so maybe you and your player could hash out a new version which isn't so open-ended?

For example: the power says it only lets you drive vehicles that could be considered weapons. That's a bit vague, and it sounds like your player is using it for all vehicles. That's a problem that you can solve with a bit of rewriting.

It might be a bad idea to ditch the power completely if someone's already using it, though. Rewriting that PC's character sheet could get messy.

blackstaff67:
I got sweet-talked into it allowing the power.  Personally, I'd allow everything BUT substituting the Weapons skill for other skills.  After that, the PC becomes manageable.  Granted, the book says a power is like a superstunt, but I feel the whole thing is abusive--and if you need four 7s in the game, then something has already gone very wrong.  Thank you for the input.

Blackmako:
Important information left out on Intellectus.

1) only has been used for military vehicles. That is at most a one point stunt: can use military vehicles.

2) the sponsored Magic makes no sense. Declarations about leading come from Presence and not from a fighting skill. Declarations/assessments about physical combat come from a fighting skill. For instance a declaration like "hitting the flank" has the fate point expenditure. All three skills (fist, guns, weapons) can create a flank maneuver. Your interpretation of declarations and assessments are too restrictive. Any character can do so with fate points, requisite skill, and GM assent. Should not have to spend two refresh to be able to make declarations and assessments when other players can do so without refresh expenditure.

3) said character possesses skills of guns, fists, and drive and skill points were spent. It does not give access to trappings without having the skill to get trappings. Only helps on "attacks."

4) as Sancta pointed out 3 refresh to power is not equivalent to 3 stunts. 3 refresh is a considerable investment for a character.

5) party is at 16 refresh. Fights beings that are at 20+ refresh with frequent mental attacks. So party fights at challenging level of npcs.

6) before you cry "broke" or "munchkin" consider this fact: with foci/specializations the four wizards in game aim at +8 to + 10 with weapon 5 to 6 attacks via rote. More times than can be counted four wizards hit for 11 to 16 shifts of damage at range and sometimes zone AS PER RULES. Context is very critical in power balance. Mind you the poster is doing such wizardly damage with soulfire and it's accompanying toughness downgrades. Wizards quite simply overshadow physical based characters. The physical characters do great vs cannon fodder, lieutenant monsters. They struggle vs boss monsters and the tougher baddies. In very particular they get beat by magic users and incite emotion.

7) get down to it stunt wise it costs three for fists, guns, drive military weapons. One for capacity to drive military weapons. Maybe 1 for making tactical assessments.

8) poster grumbled at another character doing wall of death with a sword of cross type item on cannon fodder minions. Dresden needs to be more than a wizard game with a group of six players.

Context is key.

Blackmako:
Another comparison is the cost of 3 refresh for evocation or thaumaturgy. For three refresh you can simulate any stunt, do all sorts of powerful things, and certainly make declarations, assessments, and maneuvers. Suck at investigation? Do a divination. Summon something in the know. Etc etc.

How many stunts would you have to compile to simulate evocation or thaumaturgy?

There is a balance issue that occurs with wizards at higher refresh in comparison to other non magic templates. Rather than gimping wizards THREE other GMs have used DFRPG resources to give non magic characters a chance. To mitigate high refresh wizards the opposition has been made stronger, more tricky, and much more deadly in the social battlefield.

The intellectus is of little use beyond combat. At the high refresh social and mental skills have been of greater and greater importance. The characters bump into plot device npcs with regularity and that requires more than fighting. Actual fighting is not commonplace is the game. Problem solving is commonplace. For 3 refresh thaum sure helps with that.

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