Some custom True Faith powers for review

[JayTee]

They're a bit light on fluff which I can fix, I'm mostly interested in the balance and how well they fit within the setting.


- 1 Truth Above All
Guided by a Heavenly hand, you possess a sixth sense for falsehoods and misdirections, you may use your Conviction Skill to defend against mystical and mundane attempts to lie or deceive you.

- 2 Faith Takes Sacrifice
While the Higher Powers are willing to help you in your time of need, sometimes the human body just isn't able to handle that much divine power working through it. If you wish to spend a Fate Point, you may instead roll your Endurance to defend against your Conviction. Successfully defending against your Conviction allows you to act as if you had spent a Fate Point for a greater cause. Failure to defend means that you must take a Moderate Mental or Physical Consequence in addition to acting as if you had spent a Fate Point.


Truth Above All was inspired by the exchange between Michael and Thomas, when Michael could sense Thomas's true nature despite the fact that it was normally all but impossible for White Courts to be detected while in 'human mode', and by the conversation in Ghost Story about how lies are REALLY looked down upon by the White God.

I enjoy the Faith Powers in this game, subtle but potent is much more fitting than shooting 'Jesus lasers' of Holy Light everywhere like in some games I've seen. But a lot of them tend to require Fate Points to activate them, Faith Takes Sacrifice is my attempt to mitigate that while still keeping it balanced.


Questions? Critique? Disparaging comments about my mother?

[Haru]

You lookin' for an upgrade?

Ok, let's see.

"Truth above all" is kind of included in "Guide my Hands" already, though broader and as you mention with a fate point cost. It is basically a stunt, so I don't see anything wrong with it.

"Faith Takes Sacrifice" on the other hand, I have a problem with. There might be some faith based characters where a power like that would fit, but I don't see it on someone working for the white god portrayed in the novels, like Michael or Forthill.

Faith does take sacrifice in this case, but a different kind, and Michael is the best example. Like when he lets Cassius go, I would think that is a self compel granting him a fate point. And there are probably quite a few more examples, where he is limited or limits himself because of his faith. That is, in my opinion, the basis and strength of the faith powers, and they require a different playing style than most other character types. Though I admit that opinion formed just now when I read your post, I hadn't really thought about it before.

[Sanctaphrax]

Truth Above All is a good stunt, though it would be hard to justify in mundane terms.

Faith Takes Sacrifice is not so good. It rewards a low Conviction skill. It's weak for a guy with Good Endurance and Superb Conviction but more powerful than every printed power put together for someone with Superb Endurance and Mediocre Conviction.

Also spending 2 refresh means that you'll have less FP to use your Faith powers with. So it doesn't really accomplish its intention.

Some sort of sponsor debt effect is probably a better idea here.

[sinker]

I've always played it that having a sponsor (and thus access to sponsor debt) is actually a separate concept from sponsored magic. So any practicing holy man could get some debt from the white god, and any changeling/scion could pull debt from a parent (or their other nature), etc. Don't know if it's RAW (I'm pretty sure there's mention of giving characters temporary access), but I like it.

[JayTee]

You lookin' for an upgrade?

Haha, no boss, just throwing out a few ideas I've been sitting on for a while now.

"Truth above all" is kind of included in "Guide my Hands" already, though broader and as you mention with a fate point cost. It is basically a stunt, so I don't see anything wrong with it.

Truth Above All is a good stunt, though it would be hard to justify in mundane terms.

Truth Above All is (to me) the Conviction version of the Supernatural Senses Power, as it can sense not only normal lies (such as Tilly in Changes), but also magicky-things like Veils and Glamors. However I suppose if the overall effect I was going for was met, it doesn't matter if it's considered 'stunt grade'!

"Faith Takes Sacrifice" on the other hand, I have a problem with. There might be some faith based characters where a power like that would fit, but I don't see it on someone working for the white god portrayed in the novels, like Michael or Forthill.

Faith does take sacrifice in this case, but a different kind, and Michael is the best example. Like when he lets Cassius go, I would think that is a self compel granting him a fate point. And there are probably quite a few more examples, where he is limited or limits himself because of his faith. That is, in my opinion, the basis and strength of the faith powers, and they require a different playing style than most other character types. Though I admit that opinion formed just now when I read your post, I hadn't really thought about it before.

Faith Takes Sacrifice is not so good. It rewards a low Conviction skill. It's weak for a guy with Good Endurance and Superb Conviction but more powerful than every printed power put together for someone with Superb Endurance and Mediocre Conviction.

Also spending 2 refresh means that you'll have less FP to use your Faith powers with. So it doesn't really accomplish its intention.

Some sort of sponsor debt effect is probably a better idea here.

Okay yeah, these are both good points. The White God is more 'healing and helping' than anything else, plus I geared it towards people who would have Conviction as their highest skill and just assumed that's how everyone would use it.

My ultimate goal is a sort of 'rechargeable Fate Point' that's used exclusively to activate things related to Faith Powers and Holy Items of Power. Perhaps a -0 refresh Stunt/Power that allowed you activate your Faith stuff once per scene in exchange for a point of Sponsored Debt for the White God's Agenda?

Poorly Thought Out Version That Probably Sucks:

- 0 Call for Aid
Make a Prayer, and the Heavens listen. Once per scene, you may activate a Faith Power or Holy Item of Power in exchange for a future Compel from the Higher Powers, from which you do not gain a Fate Point for

[Haru]

Perhaps a -0 refresh Stunt/Power that allowed you activate your Faith stuff once per scene in exchange for a point of Sponsored Debt for the White God's Agenda?

That is sort of what I meant, only you don't really need a power for that. The True Believer, per concept, is always following (or at least trying to follow) the White God's agenda, so nothing would really change here. And it is always possible to accept a future compel from the GM in exchange for a fate point right now (though I am not able to find the part in the book, I am pretty sure I read it somewhere). The only thing the power might do is put a flavour on the future compel, so that it has to be in line with how the point was spent, but I think I would probably do that anyway.

[JayTee]

it is always possible to accept a future compel from the GM in exchange for a fate point right now

I actually had no idea this was possible, never mind then, thanks!

[UmbraLux]

- 1 Truth Above All
Guided by a Heavenly hand, you possess a sixth sense for falsehoods and misdirections, you may use your Conviction Skill to defend against mystical and mundane attempts to lie or deceive you.

As written, this appears to be the "Social Defense" trapping from Empathy.  A good stunt, but...

Truth Above All is (to me) the Conviction version of the Supernatural Senses Power, as it can sense not only normal lies (such as Tilly in Changes), but also magicky-things like Veils and Glamors. However I suppose if the overall effect I was going for was met, it doesn't matter if it's considered 'stunt grade'!

...if you're looking for more of a sensory power you might look at Lore's "Mystic Perception" trapping or even just use Supernatural Sense.  Perhaps you can sense the (metaphorical) 'blood on a killer's hands' giving you an idea of how recently and how often they've killed.  While it doesn't tell you reasons, it does raise warning signs.  Another possibility would be sensing 'predatory instincts / intentions'.  This won't tell you how experienced a killer might be but it will tell you when someone preys on humans...serial killer and vampire.