Need help with this catch

[Taran]

One of my players is playing a True Beleiver.  He has inhuman toughness and this is what he wants as a catch: (+3 discount)

"The Catch is that the toughness only comes into play if I am engaged in conflict with creatures that are affected by my Holy Touch power and I am aware of it, or was guided to be there by the Guide my Hand power. "

Any kind of research would discover this, so it'd be easy to find out and send mortal goons who would bypass the catch.

Is this a fair catch?  It's a bit unusual, so I really don't know how to adjudicate it.

[Sanctaphrax]

Looks good to me.

What problem do you have with it?

[Taran]

I don't have a problem with it.  I just wanted to see if it was balanced.

Thanks.

[UmbraLux]

"The Catch is that the toughness only comes into play if I am engaged in conflict with creatures that are affected by my Holy Touch power and I am aware of it, or was guided to be there by the Guide my Hand power. "

Any kind of research would discover this, so it'd be easy to find out and send mortal goons who would bypass the catch.

Is this a fair catch?  It's a bit unusual, so I really don't know how to adjudicate it.

To rephrase, it sounds like the catch is 1) anything not "un-Holy" and 2) anything not pointed out to me by a particular higher power.  That sound close to correct?  

I don't see any issue with item 1.  Item 2 is only an issue if the GM / group allows it to be.  Since it generally costs a fate point, it's probably not an issue.  If you're worried about negotiate some specifics of how it will be used.  

[tetrasodium]

and I am aware of it

why would it matter if he knows about it?

[wyvern]

why would it matter if he knows about it?

Because otherwise it functions as a "free" supernatural sense - if toughness is active, hey, that must be some kinda faith-vulnerable supernatural thingy!  Who would've guessed?

Now, there's nothing wrong with having such a sensory power; it just shouldn't come for free as a side effect of having a slightly unusual catch.

[WillH]

Because otherwise it functions as a "free" supernatural sense - if toughness is active, hey, that must be some kinda faith-vulnerable supernatural thingy!  Who would've guessed?

Now, there's nothing wrong with having such a sensory power; it just shouldn't come for free as a side effect of having a slightly unusual catch.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with it as a free side effect. Besides, he wouldn't know until he actually got hit any way, so not much benefit there any way.

[EldritchFire]

One of my players is playing a True Beleiver.  He has inhuman toughness and this is what he wants as a catch: (+3 discount)

Let's break this down, shall we?

"The Catch is that the toughness only comes into play if I am engaged in conflict with creatures that are affected by my Holy Touch power and I am aware of it,

That sounds like "something specific" to me, so +1.

or was guided to be there by the Guide my Hand power[/i]."

This also sounds like "something specific." However, we can only take the highest bonus, so this is ignored.

Any kind of research would discover this, so it'd be easy to find out and send mortal goons who would bypass the catch.

Since anyone who did some research can find out about your catch, that's worth another +1, for a total of +3.

Is this a fair catch?  It's a bit unusual, so I really don't know how to adjudicate it.

Unusual? Maybe. But going by the guidelines for the catch, you properly priced it out.

Because otherwise it functions as a "free" supernatural sense - if toughness is active, hey, that must be some kinda faith-vulnerable supernatural thingy!  Who would've guessed?

Now, there's nothing wrong with having such a sensory power; it just shouldn't come for free as a side effect of having a slightly unusual catch.

Another way to go about it is to just give the character Supernatural Sense. In-character justification? The Almighty wants them to know what is an abomination in His eyes.

If not, don't worry about it. The +3 catch covers it all!

-EF

[polkaneverdies]

How can there be a +3 catch on a -2 power? The minimum reduction is only supposed to bring you -1.

[EldritchFire]

How can there be a +3 catch on a -2 power? The minimum reduction is only supposed to bring you -1.

Well, I just rolled ---- on my reading comprehension. You're right. Since it's only Inhuman Toughness, that's a +1 catch. If it were Supernatural Toughness, than it'd be a +3 catch. >_<

-EF

[Khalis231]

Well, I just rolled ---- on my reading comprehension. You're right. Since it's only Inhuman Toughness, that's a +1 catch. If it were Supernatural Toughness, than it'd be a +3 catch. >_<

-EF

So why not just take Supernatural Toughness then? It'll cost the same, and gets him more bang for his buck.

[Becq]

At +3, the character's Catch should be expected to complicate life for him fairly often, especially given that he's decided that his Catch is listed on Wikipedia.  This says to me that he's expecting -- at least once a session, possibly more -- to be attacked by groups entirely consisting of stuff that is considered completely non-offensive to his faith.  Since nearly everything in OW could be argued as 'offending the faith' of a sufficiently old-school believer, this limits the candidates to mortals and possibly constructs; presumably angels and people of (his) faith wil be on his side).  Note that his Toughness as worded will even work against mortals if there happens to be an obvious Thing That Goes Bump with them.

If this was not what was intended, I would consider having the Catch rephrased to something along the lines of:

"The Catch is that the toughness only comes into play againstif I am engaged in conflict with creatures that are affected by my Holy Touch power and I am aware of it, or creatures I was guided to be there by the Guide my Hand power. "

That is, it only works against the specific 'unholy' creatures or groups he is called on to fight.

[Taran]

I think this is what he's intended.

[Becq]

I think this is what he's intended.

Then perhaps it's time to add a non-supernatural Threat or two to your city, unless you already have that covered...