ParanetOnline
The Dresden Files => DFRPG => Topic started by: Sanctaphrax on May 25, 2012, 05:35:16 AM
-
When writing custom Powers, I often find the Skills Affected section kind of annoying. It seems useless to me and often makes little sense.
But maybe it's useful to people who aren't me.
So I ask you all: do you like the Skills Affected sections of Powers?
Not looking for an argument or anything, just curious.
-
I think it's somewhat redundant.
I don't choose powers for the skills they affect, i choose powers because they fit a concept.
The synergy between powers and skills kind of follows from there.
It's not like i choose skills and then go and say "now what powers affect my skills best", or the other way around.
Choosing skills and powers is an interconnected process. And you need to know what skills do for a power precisely to make decisions. Knowing which skills are affected alone won't do it.
I suppose the "Skills Affected" section is useful to get a quick overview, and as a reminder for those not closely familiar to what skills a power utilizes. And in some rare cases to quickly see which powers are suited for a concept.
If i build a character and say "He's a berserker, so he has no discipline", then glamours would not readily apply to him, as it uses discipline to work. But then again, glamours would not fit a berserker in any case.
So, bottom line:
Personally i think it's redundant, but i know the powers and rules quite well. And any custom power has to be read carefully in any case to see how it works.
For those who want a quick overview and/or reminder of how powers and skills are connected it is certainly a useful summary.
-
I've got a player who goes through the "Skills Affected" section of any of his powers and links the skill on his digital character sheet to them so that he doesn't forget a bonus while playing.
-
I think it's mildly useful for someone who wants to quickly pick powers which reinforce his primary skills. As GM I'll run a quick search on occasion for powers matching an NPC's skills. But neither of those is essential, they're just occasionally nice to have.
-
Or the other way around, help you pick skills that you would use often with your powers.
I agree, though: not essential, occasionally nice.
-
I'm with the others in that I can see the use of it. Can't say I've ever really used it that way though.
-
I think it's somewhat redundant if you're reading the power in full, since the description will tell you exactly what skills are affected and how, but yeah, it's a decent quick-reference.
-
So I ask you all: do you like the Skills Affected sections of Powers?
I'd go with 'meh' as my response. I suppose it can have some use for those who want to make a character focused around a specific skill, allowing them to filter quickly through the power list and focus on the most applicable ones, but on the whole I don't use the Skills Affected entires much, because the relevant information is included in the description below.
-
I guess it's useful if you have all the powers in a database and are applying some filters. Other than that, I'm with the rest. I usually read the specific parts of the powers anyway, and if they don't explain which skills are affected, they are probably poorly written. So no, I don't really need them.
-
Consensus seems to be that they're only marginally useful.
-
Consensus seems to be that they're only marginally useful.
Agreed. I put little thought into skills effected. However, that is sort of like saying the genitals of a sterile/barren person or beast are only marginally useful. I bet the being in question still wants to keep their genitals.
Therefore, I don't mind it being left off of custom powers, but encourage people to add it in (if they have the time) for the following reasons:
It is still marginally useful for the reasons other posters have mentioned.
It doesn't take much time to type out.
Looks more professional
P.S. I'm likely to be hypocrite about this and not do it out of writers laze (laziness), so...take my post with a grain of salt.