I'm curious about how the balance of these two custom powers work out compared to each other and compared to Channeling or just wielding a mundane weapon.

Natural Weaponry: https://dfrpg-resources.paranetonline.com/index.php?title=Natural_Weaponry

Supernatural Martial Arts: https://dfrpg-resources.paranetonline.com/index.php?title=Supernatural_Martial_Arts

First off, a baseline of comparison: a character using Weapons or Guns to attack can roll at skill X with a Weapon rating of 2 or 3, with no Refresh invested. The Gun user has range. The Weapons skill user can parry. Etc. They could also buy Stunts for various side benefits.

By comparison, Fists is fairly weak at baseline, because it lacks a Weapon rating, though it has the small advantage that you can never be deprived of your weapon. The other big thing Fists has going for it is the Footwork stunt, so you don't need to invest as much in Athletics.

Now, what can various powers do for you?

Natural Weaponry: For 1 Refresh, you get Weapon:2 for your Fists. That basically brings you up to par with Weapons skill users. You're still behind, though, because you had to take a power and spend Refresh to get there. With 2 Refresh spent, you can upgrade to Weapon:4 OR get 3-zone range and access to spray attacks. Either option puts you a bit ahead of a baseline Weapons skill user, but still behind a Weapons or Guns user who spent 2 Refresh on relevant stunts or powers.

Supernatural Martial Arts: For 1 Refresh, you get the ability to take Mental Stress to empower your Fists attacks (or defenses) in various ways. You can get +1 to your attack roll, +2 shifts of damage, or extended range, or take more stress to apply multiple effects on the same attack. This lets you fight as well as or a bit better than Weapons or Guns users, for a limited number of rounds per fight. It also has some options that Weapons and Guns can't easily replicate, like hitting ghosts or making area attacks. A second point of Refresh gets you more techniques, increasing your versatility but not your raw power.

So, both of these seem decent on paper. Compared to Weapons or Guns users, you get some minor always-on or moderate situational advantages in exchange for a point or two of Refresh (and not being a Pure Mortal). And you can get some further optimization by combining both.

But then I compare those against what you can do with Channeling, and it all feels pointless. For 2 Refresh, you can blast at range for more damage than a Guns user, make spray and area attacks, etc. plus have all the other utility Channeling brings. I can't decide if Natural Weaponry and Supernatural Martial Arts are slightly underpowered, or if Channeling is just way too good, or what. (And yes, I'm familiar with the usual arguments about Channeling's downsides - the skill investment required, filling up your mental stress track, the risk of becoming a Lawbreaker, etc.).

The only other consideration I can think of is that Natural Weaponry and Supernatural Martial Arts can be stacked with a few other Stunts and Powers (such as Strength) to ratchet them up further. But then, you can do similar things with Weapons, or take Refinement for your Channeling to stack more Focus Item bonuses too.

I dunno. Am I missing something in my analysis? Is Fists doomed to be the less optimized option no matter what, and I should just accept that? Any thoughts or input are appreciated.

(I'm gonna cross-post this to Reddit as well.)

I'm working on a Sponsored Magic for a player of mine who wants to play a trickster archetype. Since we're running in a London setting, he decided he'd like to represent the traditional European trickster Reynard the Fox.  Deception is kind of hard to represent as a theme, though, and perhaps a bit narrow, so I decided Reynard could also be somewhat representative of the forests and natural areas foxes live in, perhaps even with some connections to the fae (or being a powerful fae himself).  This would give his magic some similarity to Summer Court magic, but with its own themes and twist.

I'm thinking that for evocation, this would give him effectively Wood and Spirit as elements, and for thaumaturgy (possibly at evo speeds), illusions, veils, and biomancy.  I'm not sure if that's too broad, too narrow, or just right.  Also, most sponsored magics seem to have some additional minor benefit (+1 to power for a certain type of magic, weakening enemy faction's toughness powers, etc.), and I'm really not sure what would be suitable here.

Any input, guys?

I'm bringing a new character into my long-running San Francisco game, and my GM has greenlighted my concept of a half-mortal son of a rakshasa.  For those who don't know, a rakshasa is a kind of demon from Indian and Hindu writings with illusion and shapeshifting powers, often portrayed in western media such as D&D as cat-like humanoids.

We've already got an established full-rakshasa NPC, White Eyes, who definitely has some cat-related aspects to him (though I don't think we've ever seen his true form) and who runs a local mafia as a smaller-scale parallel to John Marcone.  My character will not be directly related to White Eyes, but there's still plot potential there.

As for mechanics (8 Refresh, 30 skill points), I've been given permission to take Modular Abilities, but I don't expect to take any other shapeshifting powers.  I'm considering exactly how many points to dump into that, as well as the Claws and Glamours powers.  Skill-wise, I'm aiming for 'well-rounded' in social and combat.  I've written up a custom rapport stunt that I like but need to run by my GM, "Let's Make a Deal: +2 Rapport when negotiating a contract, deal, or bargain, so long as both parties have something to offer."

The thing I really need help with, though, is aspects, motivation, and background.  I need to be at least marginally 'one of the good guys.'  Other than that, though, I'm totally drawing a blank on interesting personality traits, backstory and so on.

Anyone got any ideas for me? Suggestions for any part of the character or build are appreciated!

Working on a generic power to represent things like Gorgons, vampires who can affect your mind, and anything else that you really really don't want to look at their eyes.  Really unsure about exact wording, refresh costs, etc. and I'm also half-asleep.  Any review, feedback, suggestions, etc. would be great.

Harmful Gaze: You can subdue or injure opponents through direct eye contact. When taking this power, select Intimidate or Deceit as the skill it will use, and whether it will deal mental or physical stress. You must also specify what type of consequences and taken out results are expected (e.g. mental domination, petrification, etc.). The GM should check to make sure the exact details fit with your aspects and high concept. When someone meets your gaze, voluntarily or not, you may roll the appropriate skill as an attack, opposed by discipline for mental stress or endurance for physical stress. Forcing this on someone usually requires maneuvers or being in a grapple.

Optional Upgrade - Magnetic Gaze: When you first meet someone in a scene, you may roll your Presence skill against their discipline. If the target fails, they can't resist looking you in the eyes, creating the perfect opportunity for you to use your gaze power on them.

Simple rules question:

Jimmy the Fire Mage is a Focused Practitioner with the [-2] Channeling (Fire) power.  He has two focus item slots.  Now, certainly, by the rules, he could make a single blasting rod with +1 Offensive Power and Control for Fire Evocations.  The Power and Control bonus would both apply to any offensive fire evocation he uses.

Now, let's say Jimmy is a bit odd and wants smaller foci... say a ring for his middle finger on each hand, so he can stylishly flip off his opponents while burning them to ashes.  The left hand ring has +1 Offensive Power for Fire Evocations, and the right hand ring has +1 Offensive Control for Fire Evocations.

So, can Jimmy give the finger to his opponents twice over and apply both foci bonuses to the same spell?

The reason I ask is that I was pondering the guidelines for focus item size relative to the number of invested slots, as well as various other concerns re: caster power level and exact rule interpretations.  Splitting your power and control bonuses between two different items and using them both simultaneously seems a handy way to avoid bumping up against the size limits.  Unless that's not allowed?

So, after a long time playing at Submerged level with a group of combat-junkies, I find myself running a game at Feet In The Water for a smaller group that hasn't min-max'ed their characters.  Thus, a fight against a single Goblin with the stats found in Our World felt like a boss fight.

What are some good combat opponents for these kinds of low-power characters?  I know I can design stuff based on the book's suggestions, but I'd appreciate some examples of stuff that's already statted out in Our World.

I've been thinking about physical combat and how various offensive options stack up when compared to each other.

Guns:
-Range
-Bonus stress is 1 to 4 depending on choice of gun
-Circumstantial skill and damage boosts available from stunts.
-Various ammunition types can help with satisfying catches
-Can be the best damage output without spending refresh

Weapons:
-Limited range with thrown weapons
-Bonus stress is 1 to 3 depending on choice of weapon
-Circumstantial skill and damage boosts available from stunts
-Good synergy with Strength powers for extra damage
-Various types of weapons can satisfy some catches
-Can be used for melee defense

Fists:
-No range
-No bonus stress without stunts or powers
-Circumstantial skill and damage boosts available from stunts
-Good synergy with Strength powers
-Your 'weapon' can't be taken away
-Can be used for melee defense
-Difficult to justify satisfying certain catches (e.g. Cold Iron for Fae)

Evocation:
-Good range
-Bonus stress can easily exceed 4
-Limited use per scene based on mental stress
-Bonuses from Focus items and specializations can circumvent the normal skill cap
-Costs at least 2 refresh to start, more if you want to optimize it

Looking over all these pros and cons, it seems to me that Fists really stands out as the worst option for your physical offense.  Yes, there are some decent stunts that can close the gap a bit, but comparing two characters who have spent the same amount of refresh pumping their offensive capabilities, the Fists guy will usually be dealing less stress per hit without any of the range and other inherent advantages of the other three options.

Have I missed any notable pros and cons in my lists here? Has anyone had any good experiences that shed light on whether Fists lags behind the other skills?

If Fists really is the worst physical combat option, what can be done to re-balance it? In your opinion, should it even be re-balanced?