I am probably going to be starting a game soon and was thinking of changing (or clarifying) a couple rules on spells and aspects and wanting to get other folk’s thoughts.  Main issue is that I don’t want to deal with optimized characters in a story based game and want to plug a couple of the gaps in the rules that can be abused or don’t really make sense (at least to me).   Typically try to do this before the game starts so people are not surprised.  Also as I am a hard follower of the rule of “whatever you can do I can do” being able to one shot things even if they are aware is typically not a good thing for the characters.  And in no particular order:

1st:  I would either eliminate focuses or increase their size requirements by 1-2 steps.  Skill + spec is fine, but when you add -in a +5/+5 focus, and only use one element, defenses really cannot cope.

2nd: Casters don't add the number of stress boxes to power when casting, unless they take a consequence.  Also if you are only invoking at a power equal to or less than 1/2 your conviction, it doesn't use a stress point.  This would typically give magic users more endurance, especially for minor cool effects.

3rd:   Targeting mental stress with magic is VERY rare and almost always breaks a law.

4th:  In regards to the first law, either will mostly remove it, or clarify it to only effects mortals with souls.  Now if’s removed the wardens will still kill you for it (bad press), but it would not be corruptive (would still let you take law breaker if you wanted).  If it’s only things with souls you may kill WCV when they are vamping out, but not if they are just walking the dog.  Main reason I would consider removing I don’t like the fact you can kill anything without an effect BUT mortals.  Imo killing anything intelligent DOES affect you regardless; heck even killing animals affects some folks quite a bit.  Now if I do mostly remove it, you will still get it if you kill directly with magic.  Directly as in pulling out their life force, curses, that type of thing, if you are at least one step removed it would be acceptable from not staining your soul type.

5th:  Anything over weapon 4 is considered a lethal attack if you don’t have at least 2 additional control.  Example:  you can make non-lethal weapon 6 attacks if you have 8 control.  

6th:  You can either attack someone’s stress or you can attack them for effect.  For example: if you hit someone with a tazor you could do weapon 2-3 damage or you could have them do an endurance check with a 4-5 difficulty.  If they fail they will be compelled to be stunned until they beat the difficulty (which incidentally will give them a fate point).  Knocking someone off a building, having a floor cave in, or whatever will be handled the same way.

7th:  Libraries will be used.  Wizards will start with a certain number of spells that they can cast off hand using thaumaturgy, most things will require a certain amount of study/reference time and special effects will require an exceptional resource for information.  Without Bob, Harry wouldn’t even be as close to as effective as he is.  

8th:   Adding in difficulty modifiers based on aspects.  For example: good luck trying to see in a pitch black room, listening to a whisper at a concert.  Some things will just not be possible.

9th:   For encounter based instances the number of stickies you can grab w/o fate points will be equal to your skill level.  You won’t be able to have your entire party do maneuvers for 3 rounds than have one  person tag them all.

10th:  Free will / Refresh --- Thinking the problem comes with trying to tie free will to a mechanical system (refresh).  Free will itself has a fairly broad definition, never mind good luck getting the definition from more than 3 different people.  Imo it probably should be part of the high concept instead being tied to refresh.

For example, imo trying to play a RCV (or BCV) isn't possible because a demon literally ate the person's soul and what is left IS NOT human anymore it just acts human when required.  More so with a fey, not only are they not human, they are fey and they follow certain rules.  I wouldn't have a problem letting someone play either one, however the consequences of not following their nature would be extremely significant.  For example if a RCV smelled blood I would force a discipline roll not to tear into what is ever bleeding regardless of where they are or who it is, and even though it's a compel they would NOT get a fate point for it.  If you where playing a fey and you broke your word or lied, you probably just lost at least 1 point of refresh as their power is based on being true to their natures.  

By the same token if you are human regardless of what your refresh was I would say that you do have free will, it's just tested much more if you are in the negative refresh and you probably won't have the fate points to buy out of compels.  Of course the more negative your refresh the worse the compels would be for your character and anyone around them.



Hmmm that got a bit longer than I thought it would......