Author Topic: Rewriting Lawbreaker Powers  (Read 22686 times)

Offline nadia.skylark

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Re: Rewriting Lawbreaker Powers
« Reply #30 on: May 22, 2019, 05:25:33 AM »
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How would it differ from the standard ability to maneuver with evocation?

It lets you alter someone's defining aspects (ie the ones you decide on during character creation) rather than just sticking new ones on them. That way, you can make more sweeping changes to a person.

Offline Sanctaphrax

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Re: Rewriting Lawbreaker Powers
« Reply #31 on: May 22, 2019, 05:44:08 AM »
You'd need tight limitations to prevent that from being broken, and I suspect that any restrictions which made it fair would make it pretty pointless.

Offline nadia.skylark

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Re: Rewriting Lawbreaker Powers
« Reply #32 on: May 22, 2019, 09:35:42 PM »
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You'd need tight limitations to prevent that from being broken, and I suspect that any restrictions which made it fair would make it pretty pointless.

Well, you probably shouldn't be able to change someone's high concept or trouble.

And the person would defend against it with discipline/conviction.

And it's a spell, so unless you add duration, it would go away at the end of the scene.

And probably other people should have the ability to try and change it back with rapport or something.

Does that sound reasonable?

Offline Sanctaphrax

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Re: Rewriting Lawbreaker Powers
« Reply #33 on: May 22, 2019, 09:41:48 PM »
No. It'd still let you turn an opponent into an ally, or a non-threat, automatically and with a single action.

Offline nadia.skylark

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Re: Rewriting Lawbreaker Powers
« Reply #34 on: May 22, 2019, 10:43:07 PM »
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No. It'd still let you turn an opponent into an ally, or a non-threat, automatically and with a single action.

Maybe some sort of sliding scale of how much power you need based on how much you're changing the aspect? (And you probably can't change the aspect to something completely unrelated to it. If the aspect is "Never Leave A Man Behind" you can't change it to "I Think I'm A Door." That's a consequence of a mental attack, not the effect of this power.)

For example, consider a fight where your opponents are Harry Dresden and Thomas Raith, and you decide to change Harry's "Our Mother's Silver Pentacle" aspect so that you can disrupt their teamwork. If you want to change the aspect to "Distracted by the Sexy" that might take 5 shifts of power. If you want to change the aspect to "I'm going to kill that vampire!" however, that might take 20 shifts of power.

Would that work?

Offline Sanctaphrax

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Re: Rewriting Lawbreaker Powers
« Reply #35 on: May 23, 2019, 02:31:11 AM »
I'm not sure why you'd want to use such a system over the existing system of maneuvers for small temporary changes and take-outs for large lasting ones.

Offline nadia.skylark

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Re: Rewriting Lawbreaker Powers
« Reply #36 on: May 23, 2019, 03:15:46 AM »
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I'm not sure why you'd want to use such a system over the existing system of maneuvers for small temporary changes and take-outs for large lasting ones.

Good point. Maybe it should just be +1 transformation control.

Offline Braincandy

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Re: Rewriting Lawbreaker Powers
« Reply #37 on: September 18, 2019, 11:21:18 PM »
Forgive me for bumping an older thread, I just wanted to throw an opinion in on something that has bothered me since I read Your Story.

Lawbreaker shouldn't be a power IMO. From reading the novels, breaking the Laws doesn't make you stronger at magic. It changes your personality, makes you want to keep breaking the laws. It's a temptation, one that will eventually turn you into a bloodthirsty monster that is less likely to show restraint in how you pursue power. Like all the hoops that Sells was willing to jump through to power his curses. That's much more of an RP thing and I feel that it's much better covered as an Aspect, perhaps as part of your Trouble. Being a lawbreaker carries just as many social implications and combat ones. As an Aspect, it can be used as a Compel too. It can be tagged and used against you in certain instances. Look at all the grief Harry caught from being a known Lawbreaker. It can be used as a positive in social situations. If you are making an intimidate check, tagging a Breaker of the First Law aspect is a solid move even if you are repentant.

The only way I see Lawbreaker as a power is as a -0 refresh choice to reflect the taint on your aura that certain people can detect. Like Marked by Power but with less upside.

Offline Taran

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Re: Rewriting Lawbreaker Powers
« Reply #38 on: September 20, 2019, 02:13:10 AM »
I kind of get what they wanted to do with the power.  It includes aspect changes which can then get compelled.  The extra bonuses gives you incentive to break the laws more often and have more aspects change. 

Another way of going about it would be giving a penalty to spell casting when dealing with a problem other than law-breaking.  And then let the power give you a rebate which lets you take more law-breaking powers...

But, I agree.  An aspect change could work just fine.