Aren't Claws Too Weak?

[luminos]

Claws [-1]: +1 Stress damage to Fists attacks. 1 Stunt.

I'm going to have to disagree with you on that one.  A stunt that does +1 damage for a physical conflict under specific circumstances would be one stunt.  Having it on for every attack makes it at least 2, and add an extra 1/2 for being able to stack

[Deadmanwalking]

Nope. Look at Lethal Weapon, which is +2 and situational. +1 and general is well within the capacity of Mundane Stunts based on that precedent. It might not be appropriate, but it's not out for power level reasons.

Now, you're debatably right on the stackable. Maybe up it to one and a half. Still not as good as any of the others except maybe Cloak of Shadows, and even that gives both a +2 bonus and another effect.

[luminos]

Well, like I said, most one point powers are underpowered on their own since they effectively cost 3 refresh, but since most of them can be taken with other supernatural stuff, the +2 that you lose from not being a pure mortal is mitigated enough that supernatural powers come out better.

[Deadmanwalking]

True to some extent, but for Claws it's more significant since (unlike most 1 point powers) many character concepts actively require them.

[Falar]

I would like to counter to whoever said it screws over the were-foxes, were-jackals and were-spiders - I'm personally seeing the combination of Diminutive Size and most of those concepts making them not all that hip to hop with the combat brazen-ry of Claws. I mean, obviously, they might have Claws, but I'd say they're less going to be something that someone would buy as a power. I guess I see buying it as a power making it a bit ... I dunno ... bigger than just having claws. You have CLAWS, dude.

But that might be just me. Although for the were-spider, I would think about doing poisonous bites as a power maybe based off of poisonous claws, but not it.

[Deadmanwalking]

I actually said 'spider monsters' not were-spiders. I was thinking human sized or so. And yeah, they could have Inhuman Strength, but they shouldn't need to.

And I'd say that most foxes and all jackals are quite a bit bigger than Diminutive Size (which specifically states you are dwarfed by even small children). It's for mice and pixies, not foxes, jackals, and coyotes (two of which occasionally eat small children).

[Falar]

Whoops, I misremembered Diminutive Size. I thought it was no bigger than a small child. My bad!

[iago]

Nope. Look at Lethal Weapon, which is +2 and situational. +1 and general is well within the capacity of Mundane Stunts based on that precedent.

No; you can't ever have a general situation with a stunt.

[iago]

The "middle path" solution here might be this: either get a +1 stress effect which stacks, or a Weapon:2 effect which doesn't. Choose which one you like.

[iago]

(Also, part of the reason that the Weapons stunts are generally a little more powerful is because the skill has a limited circumstance built into its use; no weapon, no use of skill. Fists, on the other hand, are always available.)

[Moriden]

i disagree that the ability to do upwards of 20 additional damage is "a little more powerful" but i guess weve gotten all the response where going to.

[iago]

Now that I've found the time to review it, I think the real problem here is the stacking element. Some folks look at this as not worth one of the two shift-equivalents of effect in the ability, other folks do. So the trick instead may be, simply, to say that claws are Weapon:2, and since Weapon:X effects don't stack, leave it at that. You'll still be able to pile your Strength abilities on top of it, but some of the mundane Fists stunts will be redundant with it.

[iago]

i disagree that the ability to do upwards of 20 additional damage is "a little more powerful" but i guess weve gotten all the response where going to.

I disagree with some of your calculations, frankly. And your attitude.

[iago]

Wall of Death
When using wall of death [and there's no restriction on how often you can use this other then having targets] your base weapon damage is multiplied by the lessor of your successes to hit or available targets. again for one refresh, always available and stacks.

+N damage N    Stacks1   situationally usable-1    need weapon -1  can be concealed 1 
Base                                                                               [1-1]x3 =0   or [1-5]x3=12
With inhuman strength +2 damage done                                [1-1]x5 =0  or  [1-5]x5=20
with inhuman strength and combining duel wield                      [1-1]x5 =0  or  [1-5]x7=28/2 =14each

Spray attacks require that you sacrifice accuracy in order to pull off the attack. You don't get your full attack roll against each target. That means that, yes, you might get some boosts to stress dealt when you hit, but you'll also miss a lot more.

I would also rule that you can't combine the effect of dual wield with the effect of Wall of Death. (In fact, I might rule that if you're using WoD, you can't use the benefit of any other stunt.) The example stunt titled "Wall of Death" will be modified to reflect that.

[Deadmanwalking]

Now that I've found the time to review it, I think the real problem here is the stacking element. Some folks look at this as not worth one of the two shift-equivalents of effect in the ability, other folks do. So the trick instead may be, simply, to say that claws are Weapon:2, and since Weapon:X effects don't stack, leave it at that. You'll still be able to pile your Strength abilities on top of it, but some of the mundane Fists stunts will be redundant with it.

This would make me, at least, perfectly contented.