Custom Powers Master List (Work In Progress)

[Locnil]

Maybe include a rule that you can only invoke the same aspect once per exchange?

[Silverblaze]

I'm with Umbra Lux. I got one more attempt at explaining this.

Lets say a character can tag all 7 aspects for one roll.

Now he can tag 14 in one exchange 7 per roll.

21 if he gets 3 actions and so on.

Lots of fate points/sponsor debt?  Yeah, but still not impossible.  I got a pool close to that in the game I currently play.  (Due to an epic cash out.)

[Silverblaze]

Maybe include a rule that you can only invoke the same aspect once per exchange?

That would help a LOT.

[Mr. Death]

Isn't that already a standard rule?

[Silverblaze]

Isn't that already a standard rule?

Is it?  That would impact my opinion of multiple actions quite a bit.

[UmbraLux]

Isn't that already a standard rule?

No, the rule is "once per roll" I believe.  Currently you can use the same aspect on multiple different defense rolls or on both offense and defense if it makes sense.  A once per exchange rule would eliminate that.

[Silverblaze]

No, the rule is "once per roll" I believe.  Currently you can use the same aspect on multiple different defense rolls or on both offense and defense if it makes sense.  A once per exchange rule would eliminate that.

I thought it was once per roll.

Yeah, I still see the same issue as before then.

 However, I've been making this arguement for what seems close to a year or more.  I'm betting those that agree already won't use multiple actions and those who disagree just want me to shut up. 

[Sanctaphrax]

Actually, they do.  Since they're different rolls I can use the same aspect twice but, more importantly, I can affect two or more discrete targets.

I see little point in continuing to argue though.  Time for me to move on to other subjects. 

Please, before you leave, explain why using your FP on two different targets at once is better than using them in other ways.

And then, please explain why this advantage can't fairly be paid for with Refresh.

As for raising the FP-spending cap...I don't think it's very valuable. I've never, in all my time spent playing this game, had a player hit the limit of 7.

Letting people spend more FP doesn't even seem worth a stunt, to me.

I'd like to reiterate that I'd be interested in testing this with a series of fights. If flurry really is overpowered, then surely the person with it will win.

But I don't think it'll go that way.

[UmbraLux]

Please, before you leave, explain why using your FP on two different targets at once is better than using them in other ways.

Taking two entities down means two fewer to hurt you.  One more than only taking one target down.  If/when it's two actions and not just two attacks it's even better.

And then, please explain why this advantage can't fairly be paid for with Refresh.

Play a couple of games that allow extra actions in one way or another.  It's the way to power game in everything from d20 to Savage Worlds and Shadowrun.  Can't boil down years of experience into a few sentences though, so I'll simply suggest you run the math.

As for raising the FP-spending cap...I don't think it's very valuable. I've never, in all my time spent playing this game, had a player hit the limit of 7.

Letting people spend more FP doesn't even seem worth a stunt, to me.

Really not sure what spending cap you're talking about...there isn't a limit to the number of fate points you can spend other than the number of usable aspects and how many fate points you have available or can borrow.

[Sanctaphrax]

Taking two entities down means two fewer to hurt you.  One more than only taking one target down.  If/when it's two actions and not just two attacks it's even better.

First, you can already do this with spray attacks.

Second, spending Fate Points does not guarantee taking down a foe. If you can defeat an opponent by spending 1 FP on a flurried attack, you can take him down for free with a normal attack.

Play a couple of games that allow extra actions in one way or another.  It's the way to power game in everything from d20 to Savage Worlds and Shadowrun.  Can't boil down years of experience into a few sentences though, so I'll simply suggest you run the math.

I've played Shadowrun, and I've run the math.

I've been fairly careful to avoid the pitfalls of shadowrun, and the math suggests that the penalties imposed are probably too large. But I'd like to play it safe, so I'm not gonna make them smaller.

Really not sure what spending cap you're talking about...there isn't a limit to the number of fate points you can spend other than the number of usable aspects and how many fate points you have available or can borrow.

This is Silverblaze's complaint. He's worried that because you can spend twice as many FP if you roll twice as often, then something will somehow become unbalanced.

I'd like, once again, to ask someone to help me test this. I'm pretty sure I can prove that it's not that powerful.

[Silverblaze]

How do you wanna test it?

[UmbraLux]

First, you can already do this with spray attacks.

Sigh, shouldn't have let myself get sucked back in.  You're right, spray attacks work!  Why not dump the multi-roll hack and stick with the core rule?  My guess is you want something more powerful...which should tell you something about multiple actions right there.

As for guarantees, who said anything about a guarantee?

In any case I'll wait for other subjects.   

[Sanctaphrax]

How do you wanna test it?

Make two characters. Make them identical, except one has multiple actions (based on my current model) and the other does not. Maybe give the one-action guy some other Power or stunt of equivalent cost.

Have them fight.

Rinse, repeat.

It's not perfect, but it'll give an idea of how good my take on multiple actions is.

Sigh, shouldn't have let myself get sucked back in.  You're right, spray attacks work!  Why not dump the multi-roll hack and stick with the core rule? My guess is you want something more powerful...which should tell you something about multiple actions right there.

Your guess is wrong.

I chose to do it this way because I've already done spray-attack-based multiple actions.

Plus I wanted to salvage an old design.

And of course, variety is good.

Ideally, this's advantages over spray attacks will be equal in value to its four-stress cost.

All that aside, I still don't see how spending FP on attacks is any better under this system than under spray attacks.

[Sanctaphrax]

So...anybody up for a test fight?

And does anybody have an opinion on Incite Effect's range? Would it be bad to make it Line Of Sight for 1 Refresh?

That aside, there are three Sponsored Magic knockoffs on the list that are quite sound mechanically. So I'm just gonna reformat them, without making any actual changes.

Old:

Self-Sponsored Magic -4, plus or minus additional constraints
You've studied a branch of magic long enough to understand and use it intuitivly without resorting to complex rituals. Pick a magical theme or element as per traditional Sponsored Magic, when casting a spell any Sponsor Debt you gain now act as Compels on your Aspects that you DO NOT gain Fate Points from, likewise you must still pay Fate Points to resist a Compel. A GM may allow you to Self-Compel to pay off a part of your Debt, but you would still not gain any Fate Points (Self-Compels or regular Compels that do not pay off Debt still earn Fate Points normally).

Sponsored Channeling [-2]
Like sponsored magic, but only for evocation effects that fit the sponsor's theme. It allows you to use your sponsored powers to bypass Toughness (as normal) and to go into debt by invoking an aspect without spending a Fate point.
Cost one less refresh if character already has evocation. Note that (if the sponsor agrees) this can be improved to the regular form of Sponsored Magic for [-2] (or the regular cost of Sponsored Magic - whichever is less).

Sponsored Ritual [-2]
Like sponsored magic, but only for thaumaturgy effects that fit the sponsor's theme. If applicable it allows you to use your sponsored powers to bypass Toughness (as normal) and to go into debt by invoking an aspect without spending a Fate point. It does not allow you to cast thaumaturgy effects at evocation speeds.
Cost one less refresh if character already has thaumaturgy. Note that (if the sponsor agrees) this can be improved to the regular form of Sponsored Magic for [-2] (or the regular cost of Sponsored Magic - whichever is less). 

New:

SELF-SPONSORED MAGIC [-Varies]
Description: Either you've studied a branch of magic long enough to understand and use it intuitively, or you're a being of such singular power that a unique form of magic emanates from you.
Skills Affected: Conviction, Discipline, Lore, others.
Effects:
Self-Sponsored Magic. This Power is in all ways identical to Sponsored Magic, except that it lacks an external sponsor. The Compels resulting from the debt taken to fuel this power are therefore obviously not connected to any external agenda; instead, they are linked to your Aspects like normal Compels.

SPONSORED CHANNELLING [-2]
Description: You can use a few scraps of a sponsor's magical power.
Musts: You must select a type of Sponsored Magic when you take this Power.
Note: If you have the Evocation Power, then reduce the cost of this Power by 1 and ignore the item slots that it normally provides.
Skills Affected: Conviction, Discipline, Lore
Effects:
Sponsored Channelling. You may cast evocations as though you possessed the selected Sponsored Magic. This does not allow you to use Thaumaturgy with the speed and methods of Evocation, and any special extra benefits provided by the selected Sponsored Magic are not available to you. But you may take Sponsor Debt normally.
Item Slots. Sponsored Channelling comes with two free Focus Item slots.

SPONSORED RITUAL [-2]
Description: You can use a few scraps of a sponsor's magical power.
Musts: You must select a type of Sponsored Magic when you take this Power.
Note: If you have the Thaumaturgy Power, then reduce the cost of this Power by 1 and ignore the item slots that it normally provides.
Skills Affected: Conviction, Discipline, Lore
Effects:
Sponsored Ritual. You may cast rituals as though you possessed the selected Sponsored Magic. This does not allow you to use Thaumaturgy with the speed and methods of Evocation, and any special extra benefits provided by the selected Sponsored Magic are not available to you. But you may take Sponsor Debt normally.
Item Slots. Sponsored Ritual comes with two free Focus Item slots.

If I screwed something up, let me know.

[Locnil]

Shouldn't that last one be Sponsored Ritual?

How does Self-Sponsored Magic differ from Soulfire?

How valid do you think is Sponsored Thaumaturgy?