"Yet another way, I think social conflicts can be used rather nicely, is in a sort of pre-battle snark-off. The opponents smack-talk each other, and the winner of this social conflict goes into battle with a slight advantage. He's calm and prepared, while the loser is enraged and handles thoughtless."


I like this, but I don't like this. It is a double edged sword.

It makes sense, but I prefer to have them as maneuvers rather than consequences.  There is onl;y one consequence track.  If you have a good group.  1 socialite. 1 mentalist or intimidator. 1 combat monkey.  The opponent has little chance.  Yeah that's good tactics, but can make for a game with few challenges other than the Storyteller...trying to keep up with his PC's.

I stole an edited Ulfgeir's list.  Thanks to him for doing the work

* (Advanced) Dungeons & Dragons (1st, 2nd (Ravenloft, Dark Sun, Spelljammer, Plansescape, Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk, Red Steel, Council of Wyrms), 3.x, 4rth edition)
* BESM
* Buffy the Vampire Slayer
* Call of Cthulhu
* Changeling 2nd edition (more accurately a Changeling char in a mix of all WoD-systems availible at the time. I believe we had 1 western changeling, 1 asian vampire, 1 mage and 1 werewolf).
* Cyberpunk
* D20 modern
* Dresden files
* Dungeons & Dragons (basic version)
* Exalted 2nd edition
* Fate Core (oneshot in Dresden Files campaign)
* GURPS (3rd, 4rth edition) - Various settings
* Marvel Super Heroes
* Mutants and Masterminds (2nd edition, DC Universe)
* Pathfinder
* Runequest (played once on a convention)
* Savage Worlds
* Shadowrun (1st-4rth edition)
* Star Wars (d6 + D20: revised edition + Saga edition + Edge of Empires)
* The Dying Earth
* Vampire: the Masquerade
* All other Old World of Darkness Systems.
*Mind's Eye Theatre. The Old World of Darkness LARP
*MechWarrior
*SOIF RPG (Song of Ice and Fire)
*Everquest D20
*Dragon Age
*Hercules and Xena Role Playing Game
*Battlestar Galactica - was a dismal failure
*World of Warcraft TT D20 I'm pretty sure, only played once
*Palladium
*Star Trek - was a dismal failure
*Scion
*New World of Darkness (pretty much all of it)
*MEGS superhero system (Originally called DC Heroes)
*Champions
*Hackmaster - which is just a cross between Original D&D and AD&D with a humorous bent and a few new rules
*Too many homebrews to count

As far as playing now. 2nd Ed. AD&D. A MEGS system.  Soon to be D20 Star Wars. Then likely more SOIF and Dresden Files RPG.

Of course playing other games effects how you play other games.   People who prefer story or narratives to dungeon crawls will play games that are traditionally dungeon crawls more like a drama.  People who prefer dungeon crawls and hack n slash will play narrative games with more combat.

I'm certain our DFRPG is a little more combat and action heavy than others, but my group still likes a good long roleplaying and narrative session.  In my mind we cultivate3d a pretty happy medium.  Not every group wants or likes that. 

When you have been gaming in this fashion for a long time - I'd say in excess of five years and have a well defined and diverse palette, you will game differently.  It compounds when you have been doing it for decades.

Lots of work.  Being responsible sucks.
Fair bit less gaming as a result.  Less gaming = less need for gaming forums.
Played a pretty long DFRPG game as detailed in another thread.

Seriously, that game got nutty high powered. 

People have mentioned most of the point/counterpoint to this.

I agree that large numbers are the same as small numbers. - Sanctaphrax

I also agree that you need 2 to 5 more refresh than a basic character to customize it properly with stunts or powers ( to go beyond the template). - Mr. Death

Both points are valid.

I think the issue is less being uber - and more "Will I ever get there if I don't start there?"

I see a point in growing a character.  It is one of my favorite things to do.  However, I see stagnation as a problem if you are too low power.  You never grow...you want to do the fun stuff from the start.  If growth is fast or at least steady.  This is less of an issue.

So for a one shot game or a PbP game...I'd favor high level.  In a game that gets played regularly with room to grow.  I'd favor low power.

It also creates an indestructible animal.

I would find a way to abuse the hell out of that.

Fly using a single casting of evocation?
Not without some funky evothaum.

Hurl yourself into the sky with one spell, and then use subsequent spells to either propel yourself further or to change direction mid-'flight'?  If you're insane enough, sure.

Done it!  Totally worth it!

Can you give me an example? As far as I understand you now is, that gravity will pull you down with an effort measured in shifts, and if you can beat that effort with a block, you will not fall down. Which seems kind of silly to me. Things like Gravity are pretty much matter of fact in my book. If you don't have anything supporting you, you'll fall down. You can protect yourself from that in a number of ways, but the effect itself does not have a number value to roll against.

Think Feather Fall in D&D or slow fall abilities Monk classes get in various RPGs and MMORPGs.  Mitigate damage not actually stop falling.  Fall...slower.

I'd forgotten which book it was from, but still I hardly think that bit of conversation is a such a big plot point that it has to be spoiler tagged, unless you think it's foreshadowing that Harry's going to run into Parker in a later book.

He does have the Parker luck...Chuck.

Could very well be, although it is quite different from the island of pirates, indians, and ticking crocodiles I remember from the movies.

So EVERYTHING fantasy is in the nevernever? Just thinking about that is starting to hurt my brain. All those pocket dimensions...

Yes. Absolutely. 

At the very least theose things could exist in Demenses or within parts of the Nevernever that merge with dreams of critters/people.

I agree with Sanctaphrax with a caveat.

Some/many forms of shapeshifting shouldn't allow it.

Just as greater glamours likely can't create iron or actually satisfy catches - since it is just solidified ectoplasm.

In some cases the substance should look like iron, maybe even have all physical and chemical properties of iron, but magically speaking it is still just ectoplasm or skin and muscle and bone.

So to answer the OP.  Maybe.