Sanctaphrax -> No problem!  I've really enjoyed bouncing back and forth on the rules with you.  I think it'll be another round or two between us before it gets ironed out and usable, but I think we've mad e alot of progress together.

At least for Worm, I'll run with the House Rule where PC's and named NPC's can take Consequences to improve their rolls by +1 for mild, +2 moderate, +3 severe and +4 extreme.  An example of this would be spraining your ankle in a sprint, or mother's adrenaline rush letting her get a +3 bonus to Might to lift up a vehicle.    I could see someone blocking a 'death' ray with their arm and having it be a blackened husk (Extreme Consequence) but be otherwise alive.  This should help balance things for our game at least (it works pretty well in my home game and helps buff Inhuman Recovery a hair, which I feel needs it).

I'll send you the power sets of a few Capes I have in the works to see how they fare.  I'm not terribly worried about the 'Death' example because they're very lop-sided.  The answer to them would be to go in undetected with a Stranger or attack them from an extremely far range (Skitter or similar).  Spending 13 points leaves very little room for defense.  Also, storywise it would be limited as it doesn't seem like a very common power :-)

Blk4ce -> Thoughts I shall ponder!  I like the idea of this being used for Entropomancers.  As for offense/defense, I think if defensive options will be chosen from Discipline (mental), Endurance (physical), or Athletics (can be dodged) all of the effects sohuld be fair.  I'm not terribly worried about the particular offense-skill as long as its related (people tend to power game these things anyways).  Immobilization via Bola should be Weapons while a Paralyzing Laser Beam should be Guns.  Definitely feel free to come up with some ideas!

New thoughts on Affliction.  I'm mostly happy with the effects and costing of the actual Afflictions themselves but part of my goal is not just making it for superheroes but also allowing crazy Wuxia swordsmen and terrifying spellcasters.  Balance-wise I haven't thought these through much but I wanted to get your initial opinion on it, Sanctaphrax.

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Affliction

An Affliction is a kind of aspect you can tag for a special Invoke for Effect.  As long as the aspect remains on the target (until the duration is completed or the target uses a maneuver to remove the aspect), they suffer from a debilitating status effect.

Characters can perform Afflictions through one of three ways - they can use it directly with a touch using Incite Effect (and can upgrade it normally), they can inflict it as part of a Technique with their weapons, or they can cast them as spells with Learned Spell.

Incite Effect (Power) [-X] - Choosing to Incite Effect with an Affliction removes the +2 bonus to maneuvers that would normally be gained.  A character can pair up a single Incite Effect: Damage and Affliction together into one attack by taking the Side-Effect [-1] upgrade.  All upgrades to one regarding range, area, and persistence apply to to the other.

Technique (Stunt) [-1] - A character can afflict a target with a status effect as part of their attack.  Choose a single Affliction to add to your techniques, you may add a technique as part of an attack roll by subtracting a number of shifts on the roll to hit equal to the Affliction’s Refresh cost.  This may be combined with any other offensive options the character has, such as the Wall of Death stunt.  This ability can be taken multiple times, each time the character can choose an additional technique to learn.

(Optional Rule - Perhaps for two Techniques learned, the character gets a +1 to attack rolls when adding a technique to their attack?  This would potentially allow high refresh weapons experts to compete better with spellcasters).

Learned Spell (Stunt) [-1] - A spellcaster can add an Affliction to their spell by adding a number Shifts of Power equal to the Affliction’s Refresh cost.  This may be combined with other spell parameters, such as making it an area spell at the cost of 2 Power and similar. This ability can be taken multiple times, each time the character can choose an additional Affliction to learn.

A spellcaster without this feat can add an Affliction to their spell, albeit at the cost of 2 points of Power per Affliction Refresh cost.  Adding an Affliction to an item costs 1 Crafting Power per Refresh if the character has the appropriate Learned Spell, or 2 Crafting Power per Refresh otherwise.

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With this system, I could see a Wind Swordsman with the Shunt Technique take on two bad guys.  He jumps in the middle of them, uses Wall of Death to split up his attack as well as Shunt to move each of them 4 zones away from him - in opposite directions.  I could see Cassius or another snake-themed sorcerer lacing all their Evocations with Poisonous aspects.  This is better suited for a mid to high refresh game, but would create interesting options for epic warriors who normally don't have much to do but move and swing.

Great progress, wrapping positive effects in there is perfect!  Looks like Affliction needs a new name, suggestions?

I feel like you should be able to target yourself (you technically could with Incite Effect) and most characters who have these powers in fiction are able to do so.

I don't think specifying skills should happen unless its a suggestion - or, maybe its worth [-1] to change (like the Alternate Magic Paradigm upgrade).  As there's a billion ways to 'Immobilize' someone - whether it's poison (Gun [dart] vs. Endurance), a bola (Weapons [?] vs. Might), a martial arts technique (Fists vs. Athletics) or psychic powers (Discipline vs. Discipline).

I agree, the check (DC or dice check in D&D) should probably equal the user's skill and not roll.  I'm worried about making it too weak though - maybe there should be one upgrade for +2 DC and another for +4?  It's a tough balancing situatoin.

I think the power can be worded so that you don't have to have a duration tag underneath it for most of them.  It can simply be something like "Unless stated otherwise, the following powers have a duration of..."


EDIT - Other Effects that might be statted:
Clone! (-8/10 Refresh? xD).  Confusion/Madness (act, but randomly?), Memory Loss (this is a tough one), buff powers (also difficult, probably needs a powers overwrite to do it.  I feel like there could be a 'Refinment' ability that works on almost any power).  Backlash (attacks affect themselves). Cursed (stray effects/missed attacks redirected to them)

Characters this helps us stat: Clockblocker (Stasis), Grayboy (Transform more than Stasis. The mind warping part even fits), Taylor (she probably has Variable/Modular abilities, and can easily do Area effects of Nausea or single target Immobilization), an Adepts (Area Stun - Hypnosis), Valefor (maybe...), Bonesaw's darts, Myrrdin, some power-negating trumps (Maybe an Aura upgrade to help with folks like Hatchetface?) and a bunch others

Sanctaphrax - Thanks so much for taking the time to respond!  I took out the +2 bonus that Incite Effect/Emotion Touch normally granted.  You're right, choosing what skill attacks and defends is already a big advantage.  Potent can be taken for [-1] if they want the +2 bonus.

Instant take out effects - These probably aren't very PC-friendly but I know they exist in the Worm universe so I wanted to create a model for it.  That said, I actually think Potent Domination at Range for 8 Refresh (now at only +2 instead of +4) is actually fair.  You still have to see them coming, and you have little Refresh left for defensive abilities at the Submerged level.  I actually think the flexibility of Evocation/Thaumaturgy and either Refinement II or Sponsored Magic is worth more than a single, albeit powerful trick.

I also need to rewrite it a bit, but I wanted them to be able to make a counter-maneuever every round as a free action which should help (edited Dominate with that erratta).  If the character wants something more permanent, they probably need Enthrallment.

I still think Take Out effects need to exist, it's just a matter of pricing (I'm going to aim to balance them considering a Refresh of ~10-12, the game breaks down in many ways after that point anyways).  Any thoughts?

Hello! I was running into trouble creating some characters for the Worm campaign I've been running, mainly due to the lack of status afflictions in the Dresden Files RPG.  To fix this, I wanted to create a sister power to Incite Effect that focused more on getting specific advantages from invoking aspects.  While this can theoretically be done in the system already, I wanted a way to do it reliably and at Refresh cost that makes sense.  If this system works, I'm sure we can apply it to Spells eventually as well.

Affliction [-Varies]
Description: With your powers you can inflict a particular negative status effect on an opponent.  This may manifest in a variety of ways.
Skills Affected: Any.
Effects:
Affliction. Pick a type of effect and a skill that's related to that type of effect. You can use that skill to perform maneuvers related to that type of effect against anything you can touch.  As soon as you perform the maneuver, you may tag it immediately for an invoke that inflicts a specific status effect on the target (see below).  The target is afflicted by the status effect as long as the aspect remains.  If the target wants to remove the aspect, they must make a successful counter-maneuever against your initial maneuver roll (see pg. 207-208 of Your Story).   Unlike most maneuevers, you do not need to keep your attention on the afflicted target to maintain it.
(Rules Balance - Maybe there should be a cumulative bonus for people trying to overcome a maneuver, like +1 for each roll after the first?)

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Inconvenience [-1]: At the cost of 1 Refresh you can inflict statuses that inconvenience your opponent.

Nausea: The target of this Affliction has to concentrate to do anything.  They cannot take supplemental or free actions.
Examples: Brain Freeze, Distraction, Headaches, Sickness.

Paralyze Limb: This power affects the opponent's anatomy.  The target of this Affliction takes a -2 penalty whenever they try to do anything with the targeted body part.  If the hands/arms are chosen, they receive a -2 penalty to Might/Weapons, if Legs are chosen they receive a -2 penalty to Athletics, if the head is chosen they receive -2 to Scholarship and Lore rolls, etc...
Examples: Brain Drain, Paralyze Limb.

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Impair [-2]:  At the cost of 2 Refresh you can inflict statuses that impair your opponent.

Immobilization: Choose a set of limited set of actions that are blocked for your opponent.  They can't do your choice of Movement, Attacks, or Cast Spells/Use Abilities.  In essence this is a limited, persistent Block.
Examples: Power Sealed, Snare, Legs Frozen

Slow: Your opponents actions are slowed.  They receive a -2 to All Physical actions, their Alertness is considered 2 less (changing their intiative order).
Examples: Paralytic Poison, Time Distortion.

Sensory Loss: Your opponent loses a sense (Sight, Hearing, Smell/Taste, or Touch).  They cannot succeed Alertness checks with that sense and may have difficulties keeping track of others and their surroundings. (Needs more mechanical weight)
Examples: Blind, Deafen.

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Debilitate [-3]: At the cost of 3 Refresh you can inflict statuses that debilitate your opponent.

Fear: The target must run away at the best of their ability, sprinting if possible.  After each move they may make a  counter-maneuever once an exchange (usually Discipline) as a free action to regain control of themselves.
Examples: Shock and Awe, Terrify

Stunned: The target cannot take actions until the aspect is removed. (Should they be allowed a supplemental move?)
Examples: Hypnosis Paralyzation, Trapped by a Barrier. (This defense vs. this power is usually tied to Discipline for mental effects or Endurance for physical ones)

Venomous: After this round, the target suffer damage every round with a number of shifts equal to the initial maneuver.
Examples: Poisoned, Set Afire

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Safely Take Out [-4]: At the cost of 4 Refresh you can inflict statuses that take out your opponent at no risk to them.

Stasis: Your opponent is taken out but can’t be hurt or influenced in any way.   Those affected may make a counter-maneuever once an exchange (usually Discipline) as a free action to regain control of themselves.
Examples: Dimension Shift Away, Frozen in Time.

Shunt: Your opponent is teleported a long distance away (equal to a number zones up to 10 x your successful shifts).  Unlike other aspects, this one ends as soon as it is tagged.
Examples: Gust of Wind, Teleported Away

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Dangerously Take Out [-6]: At the cost of 6 refresh you can take out an opponent in a way that makes them dangerous to other enemies.

Dominate: Your opponent must follow commands you make to the best of their ability.  You do not gain any special way of communicating with your target.  Those affected may make a counter-maneuever once an exchange (usually Discipline) as a free action to regain control of themselves.
Examples: Charmed, Possessed by a Spirit.

Petrify: Your opponent is unable to do anything, including perform a maneuver to free themselves (though others might be able to).  They may concede otherwise any action done against them while they are afflicted can take them out. (Serious balance issue)
Examples: Force Choke, Petrification, Stroke.

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Upgrades: This ability has most of the upgrades that Incite Effect does (Potent gives an additional +2 bonus to performing the Maneuever, for instance).  There are also lots of potential Limitations. Affliction (Hyposis) might be Stun [-3] with a Limitation: This aspect ends if the target is attacked [+1/2 Refresh].

Comments/criticism/suggestions and any other help is welcome!

Some people do play by voice chat/IRC!  But Play by post games are nice for others because the pace is much more laid back (people live in different time zones, work odd hours and such and scheduling a group of 4-5 people is a pain even when they live in the same city!).  On the plus side, it allows players and the GM to be more descriptive. 

The wiki has a few example combats:
http://dfrpg-resources.wikispaces.com/Examples

Aura of Protection is probably too cheap for what it does when involved with Immunity.  At least with the Siberian, someone can perform a maneuver on them (jarring their contact with her) to be able to affect the target she's touching.

It's probably less thought out than Tank, but I think Siberian could use the Grant Powers ability I was working on.  I think it's a bit more thematically close to what she does in the story:


In this case, she'd have Grant Powers ([-2] Base, Share Powers II (to 5 People, story-wise this is spot on) [-2], Refinement XIII [-13, for 30 points worth of powers], Limitation: Must be in constant contact [+8 depending for how debilitating this is]) for a total of -9 for the power.  She might also need an upgrade to make the power automatic (as a free action) as that seems to be how it is in the story.

That said, Grant Powers probably needs to be looked at and balanced still, but I feel like this might be the best way to go towards emulating Siberian's powers.