Author Topic: [Marked By Power] Does anyone else houserule this to 0?  (Read 6085 times)

Offline Blackblade

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Re: [Marked By Power] Does anyone else houserule this to 0?
« Reply #15 on: August 23, 2011, 01:33:44 AM »
I really don't think that Marked by Power and Incite Emotion should stack their bonuses because of the concept behind each ability is different.  Let's say Alice is an emissary of Mab, with the Marked by Power ability.  She engages in a social situation with Bob, who's in the know.  Bob recognizes that Alice is a representative of something much greater.  Alice's bonus provided by MbP is a mechanical expression of Bob's rational realization that it might be best if he listens to to what she has to say.  Now, let's say that Alice is also White Courtier with Incite Lust.  She fancies a snack, and uses Incite on Bob.  The mind mojo that IE represents goes straight past the conscious, rational parts of the brain, and targets the baser functions.  Thus, the bonus provided by MbP shouldn't apply.  The fact that Alice works for Mab is of no relevance to Bob's suddenly-raging libido.
« Last Edit: August 23, 2011, 01:35:50 AM by Blackblade »

Offline ways and means

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Re: [Marked By Power] Does anyone else houserule this to 0?
« Reply #16 on: August 23, 2011, 03:57:31 AM »
I really don't think that Marked by Power and Incite Emotion should stack their bonuses because of the concept behind each ability is different.  Let's say Alice is an emissary of Mab, with the Marked by Power ability.  She engages in a social situation with Bob, who's in the know.  Bob recognizes that Alice is a representative of something much greater.  Alice's bonus provided by MbP is a mechanical expression of Bob's rational realization that it might be best if he listens to to what she has to say.  Now, let's say that Alice is also White Courtier with Incite Lust.  She fancies a snack, and uses Incite on Bob.  The mind mojo that IE represents goes straight past the conscious, rational parts of the brain, and targets the baser functions.  Thus, the bonus provided by MbP shouldn't apply.  The fact that Alice works for Mab is of no relevance to Bob's suddenly-raging libido.

I see Marked by Power being more than just reputation if it is just reputation then a pure mortal could (Marcone would have it) have it but they can't because it is a power and therefor represents something impossible for a mortal to achieve so for me Marked by power represents being mystically altered by your patron to which in my opinion would probably show its self either in your aura/ persona (so those in the know can feel part of your sponsor or at least its power in you) or in your every action (if you takes this interpretation then even your emotional inciting would show your ties to your sponsor which would justify the effects of marked by power working with incite emotion). If the power was pure reputation only there is no way being marked by power by winter would give a +1 to rapport with creatures of summer.
« Last Edit: August 23, 2011, 04:15:21 AM by ways and means »
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Offline ARedthorn

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Re: [Marked By Power] Does anyone else houserule this to 0?
« Reply #17 on: August 23, 2011, 04:31:19 AM »
But if that's a case, how come, according to the RAW on MbP, people who don't/can't recognize your and your power source get a pass? Wouldn't your aura of bad-assfulness still affect them?

Offline ways and means

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Re: [Marked By Power] Does anyone else houserule this to 0?
« Reply #18 on: August 23, 2011, 04:57:48 AM »
But if that's a case, how come, according to the RAW on MbP, people who don't/can't recognize your and your power source get a pass? Wouldn't your aura of bad-assfulness still affect them?

I am going to go with the ignorance is bliss line of defense, because those not in the know can't comprehend understand what they are feeling they are not effected in the same way (still rooms for compels about funny feelings etc)
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Offline Masurao

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Re: [Marked By Power] Does anyone else houserule this to 0?
« Reply #19 on: August 23, 2011, 10:57:00 AM »
I am going to go with the ignorance is bliss line of defense, because those not in the know can't comprehend understand what they are feeling they are not effected in the same way (still rooms for compels about funny feelings etc)

But it isn't a feeling, it is an actual Mark, you can hide it, but you can't just get rid of it. It is this Mark that accords you the +1 bonus, not a mystical aura of some sort. Perhaps you could make a similar power in scope and feel, but narrate it as mystical and thus you can avoid this entire discussion :)

Offline ways and means

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Re: [Marked By Power] Does anyone else houserule this to 0?
« Reply #20 on: August 23, 2011, 11:22:10 AM »
You suggesting that marked by power is a big mark on someones forehead, I am suggesting it is a big mark on someones soul. What exactly the mark is or how it manifests (beyond a +1) is never actually described be it mystical aura or twisted nature or people seeing a thunderbolt on his forehead.
« Last Edit: August 23, 2011, 11:31:26 AM by ways and means »
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Offline ARedthorn

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Re: [Marked By Power] Does anyone else houserule this to 0?
« Reply #21 on: August 23, 2011, 11:29:50 AM »
not necessarily that literal, but it does say it can be hidden with deceit in non-stressful situations (which, in Fate, is a hair more literal than in D20). I'd say it's a blend of things from body language to word of mouth/reputation to, yes, a spiritual aura (not sure I'd say soul- that has a kind of sacrosanct vibe going on that nothing supernatural can mess with, especially post-GS).

Offline Masurao

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Re: [Marked By Power] Does anyone else houserule this to 0?
« Reply #22 on: August 23, 2011, 12:12:05 PM »
Okay, so let's look at it from another angle: Hulking Size, do you think that +2 to Intimidation would be applicable to Incite Emotion? And, if so, why?

Offline ways and means

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Re: [Marked By Power] Does anyone else houserule this to 0?
« Reply #23 on: August 23, 2011, 12:16:15 PM »
As long as you were inciting fear of you it would work, because making people afraid of something scary should be easier than the reverse (for example shark vs pigeon). The same way that White Court Vampires have it easier seducing people by being crazily attractive.
« Last Edit: August 23, 2011, 12:39:22 PM by ways and means »
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Offline Masurao

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Re: [Marked By Power] Does anyone else houserule this to 0?
« Reply #24 on: August 23, 2011, 03:50:41 PM »
Perhaps we should simply agree to disagree on this one! :P I wouldn't allow it, because I just feel it isn't meant for that, but that shouldn't deter you in anyway, of course :)

Offline newtinmpls

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Re: [Marked By Power] Does anyone else houserule this to 0?
« Reply #25 on: August 26, 2011, 01:00:55 AM »
"I am developing a strong dislike for the term "canon"."

Me too, but mostly because I see it used to defend not thinking imaginatively. I like the differences from one GM to the next. Maybe I won't ever use them, but I can still have fun appreciating them. One of my best friends and I have been back and forth in each other's campaigns since D&D in a box; his specialty is low-magic campaigns (regardless of genre or universe) whereas I lean way the other way.

We have fun with the difference; we'll probably never do things "the same".

In the same way, I see any given Dresden campaign as "based on" (okay, if JB was actually the DM, I'd say "in") Harry's universe, and the differences are a source of coolness and interest.

Offline Becq

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Re: [Marked By Power] Does anyone else houserule this to 0?
« Reply #26 on: August 26, 2011, 03:05:32 AM »
Without getting into the argument about why bonuses to social actions should not be considered to automatically apply to mental attacks that happen to use the same skill, I'm going to replay to the original topic:

"The downside, of course, is that people tend
to see you as a representative of the thing
that marked you, which can lead to some
uncomfortable entanglements and assumptions."

So basically, you get the occasional +1 to social skills (which only applies in situations in which the mark is recognized as such, and not when interacting with, for example, any non-clued mortals) balanced by the fact that all of your patron's enemies are guaranteed to recognize you with a casual glance.  To be honest, I agree with the OP; it makes sense to housrule this to -0.

Offline zenten

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Re: [Marked By Power] Does anyone else houserule this to 0?
« Reply #27 on: August 26, 2011, 12:07:12 PM »
That's just a compel of the High Concept.  It shouldn't be worth a price reduction.