Statting up the Shield Bracelet

[Yokiboy]

Hello,

I heard Fred and Rob discuss how difficult it is to stat up the Dresden's Shield Bracelet in the Harry Dresden RPG, but cannot understand why. It's still FATE right? Wouldn't the Shield Bracelet be an Aspect that could invoked like any other Aspect? If you want to take it further I'm sure that the "magic version" of the Spirit of the Century Gadget rules would do the trick.

Now, bear in mind, that my experience with Harry Dresden and the Shield Bracelet is purely based on the TV show and what I've heard on the podcast. I'm about to pick up my first Dresden book, and perhaps that will change my opinion on statting the Shield Bracelet, although I doubt it.

The charm with FATE, as I see it, is how Aspects are so universally usefull to model just about anything. It will sadden me if the Dresden version of FATE is a crunchfest.

TTFN,

Yoki

[iago]

Here's what Rob wrote in email to someone who asked the same question:

It's really the classic force-field dilemma - people don't expect it to reduce damage, they expect it to be all or nothing,so the force field holds until it breaks, at which point it's no help at all.  No biggee so far, except the books provide an inconsistant yardstick for where (and whether or not) it's breakable because, appropriately, that's really a function of narrative convenience.  Still, for day to day purposes, it's true invulnerability against most mundane threats.

Thing is, that's a headache, but still dealable.  The catch is this: It's a more-or-less entry level item.  Harry (Who is PC-level in the first book) made it, and I fully virtually anticipate every wizard player looking to follow suit.  So the real headache is tying this all together and saying "OK, so a source of virtual invulnerability is well within a starting character's resources and is one of the cleanest yardsticks we have for a wizard-made artifact, so how are we going to make the _rest_ of artifact construction something other than worldbreaking.

Anyway, there are some potential fixes, but there is no one item that pushes the boundaries of so many rules area (How damage works, defense in combat, item creation, power-differential between characters) and fixing one tends to bring headaches in the others.

Any clearer?

[iago]

The charm with FATE, as I see it, is how Aspects are so universally usefull to model just about anything. It will sadden me if the Dresden version of FATE is a crunchfest.

Only a couple shades crunchier than Spirit of the Century, in the final estimate, I'm betting.

[Kaos Wizard]

Does the Third Eye introduce a similar problem? I know this isn't D&D but to draw from there for an example, the Shield Bracelet is pretty much and insta-wall of force which is the source of the problem considering that an entry-level character could have one. The Third Eye similarly is a powerful ability (True Seeing), and while narratively there are draw backs to using the Third Eye (seeing horrible things you can't forget) what's the mechanic for enforcing something like that?

I'll supplement this question by saying that I've only read through the FATE 2.0 Rules, and haven't actually played the system yet.

[Slife]

Does the Third Eye introduce a similar problem? I know this isn't D&D but to draw from there for an example, the Shield Bracelet is pretty much and insta-wall of force which is the source of the problem considering that an entry-level character could have one. The Third Eye similarly is a powerful ability (True Seeing), and while narratively there are draw backs to using the Third Eye (seeing horrible things you can't forget) what's the mechanic for enforcing something like that?

SAN loss, obviously.

[Kaos Wizard]

SAN = Sanity?

[iago]

Does the Third Eye introduce a similar problem? I know this isn't D&D but to draw from there for an example, the Shield Bracelet is pretty much and insta-wall of force which is the source of the problem considering that an entry-level character could have one. The Third Eye similarly is a powerful ability (True Seeing), and while narratively there are draw backs to using the Third Eye (seeing horrible things you can't forget) what's the mechanic for enforcing something like that?

Nah.  Opening the Third Eye is a lot like psychically attacking yourself (as far as mechanics for enforcing it go), and as far as the "true seeing" thing, it's more true *metaphorical* seeing, and only as useful as the GM/author is willing to let it be.

[Slife]

SAN = Sanity?

Yep.

From the Call of Cthulhu RPG