Author Topic: Cleaning Up The Stunt List  (Read 40819 times)

Offline Mr. Death

  • Posty McPostington
  • ***
  • Posts: 7965
  • Not all those who wander are lost
    • View Profile
    • The C-Team Podcast
Re: Cleaning Up The Stunt List
« Reply #285 on: March 10, 2012, 12:50:11 AM »
1. The effect of using someone else's money without a stunt is different from the effect of using this stunt.
I think that's part of my confusion, because the wording of the stunt basically says that it allows you to use (well, borrow) someone else's money.

Quote
3. Aspects are all equal, in theory. So no matter what narrative role you pick, you get equal power out of it. Taking a certain aspect should not be "better" than taking another aspect.
In theory, yes, but they're not all similarly applicable. A barbarian warrior with Weapons at 5 and an aspect about their prowess with a weapon in hand can be considered "stronger," in battle, than a barbarian warrior with Weapons at 5, but all his aspects reflecting non-combat abilities.
Compels solve everything!

http://blur.by/1KgqJg6 My first book: "Brothers of the Curled Isles"

Quote from: Cozarkian
Not every word JB rights is a conspiracy. Sometimes, he's just telling a story.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_T_mld7Acnm-0FVUiaKDPA The C-Team Podcast

Offline UmbraLux

  • Posty McPostington
  • ***
  • Posts: 1685
    • View Profile
Re: Cleaning Up The Stunt List
« Reply #286 on: March 10, 2012, 12:55:53 AM »
While I usually avoid too much comment here, this is somewhat bothersome:
3. Aspects are all equal, in theory. So no matter what narrative role you pick, you get equal power out of it. Taking a certain aspect should not be "better" than taking another aspect.
Aspects matter and they aren't equal in how they affect the narrative.  To me that's a Good Thing (TM).  Otherwise we could just toss out aspects altogether and simply spend fate points on our "equal power" or bonus.
--
“As our circle of knowledge expands, so does the circumference of darkness surrounding it.”  - Albert Einstein

"Rudeness is a weak imitation of strength."  - Eric Hoffer

Offline Sanctaphrax

  • White Council
  • Seriously?
  • ****
  • Posts: 12405
    • View Profile
Re: Cleaning Up The Stunt List
« Reply #287 on: March 10, 2012, 01:03:05 AM »
Narratively it's the same, but that's not terribly important. It's mechanically different, and we're talking mechanics here.

And I think I'm not getting across re: aspects. Characters are stronger when acting within their aspects, but they can't be made mechanically stronger or weaker by meddling with their aspects. Their role can be changed, but that does not make them stronger because there are no strong roles and no weak ones. In theory.

@UmbraLux: They're different but equal. None are strong, and none are weak. Sure, FANATICAL WARDEN and RELUCTANT WARDEN will send me in different directions, but the character is equally strong either way.

Offline Sanctaphrax

  • White Council
  • Seriously?
  • ****
  • Posts: 12405
    • View Profile
Re: Cleaning Up The Stunt List
« Reply #288 on: March 20, 2012, 04:13:30 AM »
Alright, let's put this to rest. I maintain that the Sponsored Resources stunt doesn't interact with the normal sponsored resource rules, but in deference to public opinion here's a slight rewrite.

Sponsored Resources: You have a powerful patron who will sometimes let you borrow money and goods. When you take this stunt, select an entity or organization of great wealth to be your sponsor. Once per adventure, you may add four to your Resources skill for a single roll as long as that roll somehow benefits the agenda of your sponsor. If you do, you take a point of sponsor debt as if you had used Sponsored Magic. This is not related to and may be used in concert with the standard rules for using someone else's Resources.

Now to throw up a rough draft of post #4.

If you object to this rewrite, please say so quick so I can change it before post #4 is finalized.
« Last Edit: March 20, 2012, 04:15:09 AM by Sanctaphrax »

Offline Sanctaphrax

  • White Council
  • Seriously?
  • ****
  • Posts: 12405
    • View Profile
Re: Cleaning Up The Stunt List
« Reply #289 on: March 20, 2012, 04:28:28 AM »
Lore:

Realistic Conjuration: You are a master of conjuration, and the objects you create are far more detailed than normal. Add 2 to the difficulty of any attempts to notice that the objects you create through conjuration are not real.
Improved Ward Creation: You know a few shortcuts when it comes to ward creation. Choose one of the optional improvements that can be applied to a ward. Reduce the cost to apply that improvement to wards you create by 2.
Transparent Veils: You have a knack for making a good veil. Veils you create do not impede outward visibility at all.
Lasting Portals: The portals you create are solid and durable. You may increase the duration of portals you create by two steps without increasing the complexity of the spell.

Blindingly Fast Change: You are able to shift forms in the blink of an eye – so fast that opponents are caught unprepared. You may shift forms (using the Beast Change or True Shapeshifting powers) without spending a supplemental action to do so. Once per scene, when shifting forms, you may spend a fate point to get +3 on your next attack roll.
I Know Fairies: Your knowledge of the supernatural includes personal familiarity with the fey. You may use your Lore skill instead of your Contacts skill when dealing with the fey.
A Potion For Everything: You always have exactly the right potion for any situation. Add two to your Lore skill when using it to declare that you have a certain potion.
Occult Crafts: There are some things you just don’t learn to build in shop class. Choose a type of item that has some connection to the occult, like shrunken heads or voodoo dolls. You may use your Lore skill to create or repair items of that type.
Occult Ceremonies: Is there really that much difference between a séance and a play? Pick a type of ceremony. You may use your Lore skill instead of your Performance skill to perform that type of ceremony.
Improved Supernatural Senses: Your occult senses are sharp. That’s all there is to it. Add two to your Lore skill when using it with your Supernatural Sense power.
A Loremaster Must Have A Library: You didn’t become the walking library that you are today without owning a real one. Base the quality of your occult library on your Lore skill rather than your Resources skill.
Applied Knowledge: You can always come up with some little fact that gives you an advantage. Add two to your Lore skill when using it for the occult equivalent of the Declaring Minor Details trapping of Scholarship.
Thaumaturge: Thaumaturgy is about knowledge, more than anything else. And you have that knowledge. Add two to your Lore skill when using it to make declarations as part of thaumaturgy preparation.

Might:

Heavy Object Swing: Pure strength can compensate pretty well for a lack of skill sometimes. You may use Might to use heavy objects as melee weapons.
Heavy Object Throw: Pure strength can compensate pretty well for a lack of skill sometimes. You may use Might to use heavy objects as throwing weapons.

Clever Wrestling: You aren't easy to hold down. Treat all grapples that are made against you as though their strength was two shifts lower.
Power Over Finesse: Your unarmed attacks rely on brute strength rather than on clever technique. Use Might to Attack unarmed.
Chain-Grab: It takes a lot of skill, but it is possible to wrestle two people at once. You may use the rules for spray attacks when grappling.

Master Grappler: (Requires Wrestler) As a result of long training, some actions in a grapple have become instinctive to you. Pick one of the supplemental actions that you may take while grappling. You suffer no penalty for taking that action in a grapple.
Built Like An Ox: You are a solid block of muscle, and that lets you take a lot of punishment. Use your Might skill to determine the length of your physical stress track.

Performance:

Artist: You are an artist, obviously. Pick a genre and a medium. You get a +1 bonus to Performance that for each.
The Complete Performer: An artist needs skills beyond just making art if he wants to be great. Fortunately, you have them. Add two to any skill being used to modify Performance.

Spellsinger: Music is magic, at least for you. You may use your Performance skill for spellcasting control.
Song Of Emotion: Your art has a real impact on the emotions of those who hear it. You may use your Performance skill for the Incite Emotion power.

Playing To Expectations: Being a good actor requires being a good liar. You may use Performance, rather than Deceit, for the Falsehood & Deception trapping.
Jester: You are a comedian. +2 to Performance when using it to make jokes and generally be funny.

Mixed Drinks: Some people paint paintings. Some people carve sculptures. You mix cocktails. Add two to your Performance skill when using it to make alcoholic drinks.
Target Audience: You know your audience. Pick a type of being. When playing to beings of that type, add two to your Performance skill.
Cult Following: (Requires Target Audience) You’ve got the kind of fans that most artists would kill for, and that some are killed by. When dealing with beings within your target audience, you may substitute your Performance skill for your Contacts skill.
Method Actor: A good actor can slip into his role so completely that his original self is consumed. Pick a type of being. You may use your Performance skill instead of your Deceit skill to impersonate that type of being. When disguising yourself as that type of being, your disguise can stand up to more than casual scrutiny.
Acting Scary: (Requires Method Actor) Even a totally harmless person can pretend to be something terrifying. While using Method Actor to disguise yourself, you may substitute your Performance skill for your Intimidation skill.
Favourite Subject Matter: You know one subject and you know it really well. Pick a topic. When producing art that pertains to that topic, add two to your Performance skill.
Building Upon The Mood: You know how to use the local ambience to maximum effect.  Add two to your Performance skill when tagging or invoking a scene aspect to boost a Performance roll.
Artistic Spirit: You might not actually be much of an artist, but you could have been a great one if your life had gone differently. Your Performance skill is considered to be Fantastic whenever it would complement, restrict, or otherwise modify another skill.

Presence:

Famous: You are very well known. Increase your Presence skill by 2 when using it to determine your reputation.
In Control: People instinctively wait for you to say your piece. You may use Presence instead of Empathy to determine social initiative.
Encouraging Leadership: People feel braver with your support. When leading a group in a social situation you may have your Presence skill complement that of your group.
Authority Figure: You are in charge. Add two to your Presence skill when using it against someone under your authority (ie: students for a teacher, grunts for a sergeant).
Force Of Personality: Force of will and force of personality aren't really all that different. Use your Presence skill to determine your mental stress track.

Stubborn: You don’t give up on an argument easily. You may take 1 additional mild social consequence.
Spin Doctor: You are an expert in social damage control. You may take 2 additional mild social consequences as long as you have an audience.
Pretty Fly For A Dead Guy: It’s not easy to pull of the “decomposing carcass” look, but you manage it somehow. Ignore two shifts worth of social penalties from Living Dead.
Regal Attitude: You understand how to be powerful, which is much more difficult than it sounds. Use your Presence skill plus one to make Declarations related to power and who has it in any given social situation.
The Opinions Of Your Sort Are Irrelevant to Me: You just don’t really care about what certain beings have to say. Pick a type of being. You have armour: 1 against social attacks from that type of being.
Respect The Power: You have an inherent advantage in social conflict because of your personal power. When you are in a position of obvious power, add two to your Presence skill.
Protected By Prejudice: The preconceptions of others make it difficult for them to act against you socially. Choose a common (but not universal) prejudice, like “the elderly should be treated with respect”. As long as that prejudice applies, you have armour 1 against all social attacks. This bonus stacks with other sources of social armour.
Professional Attitude: You take your job so seriously that it’s hard to believe that you have a life outside of it. Add two to your Presence skill when you are at work.
Welcome To My World: In your domain, you are more confident and people treat you better. Pick a place. Add two to your Presence skill when in that place.
Bolstered Presence: A person with some minions is always more powerful-seeming than someone with none. Add two to your Presence skill as long as you have some subordinates around.
Presence Of The Alpha: You look exactly the way an alpha male should. Add two to your Presence skill when using your physical appearance to impress people.
Animal Magnetism: Your natural charisma and confidence carry over to the animal kingdom. You may use your Presence skill for the Animal Handling trapping of Survival.
Minions, Attack!: (Requires Minions) You might not be good at fighting people, but you sure know how to point at a target. This stunt allows you to treat your minions as weapons rather than as independent characters. Minions are wielded with the Presence skill. The weapon rating, range, and other traits of a group of minions depends on their numbers, quality, and equipment.[/b]
Minions, Defend! (Requires Minions, Attack!) Your loyal minions defend you capably. As long as you have minions present, you may use your Presence skill to defend against physical attacks.
Coordinated Attack (Requires Minions, Attack!) Your expert leadership helps your minions hit their targets. Add one to your Presence skill when using it to attack with your minions.
Morale Boost (Requires Minions, Attack!) Your inspiring leadership makes your minions attack more enthusiastically. Add two to the weapon rating of your minions.
Human Wall (Requires Minions, Defend!) As long as your minions are around, you're safe. Even in the center of a battlefield. Add two to your Presence skill when using it to defend against physical attacks.
I Do What I Want: You don't take no orders from nobody. You have social armour 1 against social attacks phrased as commands.
Strategist: Unlike most people, you have been trained in the science of military strategy. Add a trapping called Strategy to Presence. This trapping allows you to make Assessments, Declarations, and other rolls related to strategy with your Presence skill.

Rapport:

Nothing Suits Me Like A Suit: The right suit can make a lousy point seem brilliant. If you're so well dressed, how could you possibly be wrong? As long as you are wearing a tailored suit, your Rapport attacks inflict two additional stress.
Blank Face: Your facial expression doesn't reveal anything. Increase your Rapport skill by 2 when using it to defend against an Empathy "read".
Everybody's Buddy: People like you. You may use your Rapport skill for the Knowing People trapping of the Contacts skill.
Chat Up The Crowd: The difference between small talk and an information-gathering campaign is nothing more than scale. You may use your Rapport skill for the Gathering Information trapping of the Contacts skill.
Poker Face: You are an absolute master of politely revealing nothing. When Closing Down, your intentions aren't obvious until your opponent beats your Rapport.
Good Cop: Kindness is more effective when given a basis for comparison. When making maneuvers to assist someone who has the Bad Cop stunt, add two to your Rapport skill. In addition, your social Rapport attacks inflict two additional stress as long as you tag or invoke an aspect created by someone who has the Bad Cop stunt as you make them.**
My Crowd Likes Me: You get along well with certain people. Choose a type of being (eg. horror movie fans, summoned creatures). Add two to your Rapport skill when using it to on that type of being. This bonus does not apply to attacks or to defence rolls.**
Excellent Negotiator: You’ve been trained to negotiate the best deal possible. Add two to your Rapport skill when using it as a defence when there's money at stake.**
Suave: You are gifted at talking your way past people – you may use Rapport for the Brush-Off trapping instead of Intimidation. Rapport-based Brush-Off attempts give the target with more of a "starstruck" attitude than "intimidated."
Redirected Conversation: You argue the way a judoka fights. When you successfully defend against a social attack with Rapport, you may sacrifice your next action to place a temporary aspect on the attacker.
Pitiful: Man, I feel sorry for you. Add two to your Rapport skill when making maneuvers to create aspects based off of pity.
Interviewer: You have been trained to ask effective questions. Add two to your Rapport skill when using it to extract information from someone. Reduce the bonus provided by this stunt to one when it applies to a social attack.**

Resources:

Licenses for Everything: You have a licence, real or fake, to own everything under the sun. If the difficulty of the Resources roll made to acquire something would be increased due to legal restrictions you may ignore up to 2 shifts worth of increased difficulty.
Inexplicable Procurement: You can get a hold of anything, no matter how bizarre. If the difficulty of the Resources roll made to acquire something would be increased due to item rarity you may ignore up to 2 shifts worth of increased difficulty.

I Get By: You aren't rich exactly, but somehow you never ever suffer from a lack of money. Treat your Resources skill as Fantastic whenever it would complement, modify, or restrict another skill.
Shut Up And Take My Money: You're very good at bribery, be it subtle or overt. Bribery-based attacks that you make with the Resources skill inflict two additional stress.**
Professional Gambler: Your funds at a given time are determined by chance more than anything else. Whenever you roll Resources, flip a coin. If heads, add two to your roll.
Arsenal: You have access to an impressive supply of weaponry. Resources checks made to obtain weaponry get a two shift bonus.
Improved Arsenal: (Requires Arsenal) You have access to an armoury better than that of some national armies. Ignore all legal restrictions when purchasing weaponry.
Money Talks: For some bizarre reason, everyone wants to talk to the guy who hands out money. Use Resources instead of Contacts for Gathering Information.
Treasure: Your resources are rather old-fashioned: where most people have stocks and bonds, you have gold and jewels. Add two to your Resources skill when using it to buy or already own gold, jewels, and other such things.
Sponsored Resources: You have a powerful patron who will sometimes let you borrow money and goods. When you take this stunt, select an entity or organization of great wealth to be your sponsor. Once per adventure, you may add four to your Resources skill for a single roll as long as that roll somehow benefits the agenda of your sponsor. If you do, you take a point of sponsor debt as if you had used Sponsored Magic. This is not related to and may be used in concert with the standard rules for using someone else's Resources.
Glitterati: Money can, in fact, buy friends. You may substitute your Resources skill for your Contacts skill in high society.
« Last Edit: March 20, 2012, 04:34:58 AM by Sanctaphrax »

Offline Sanctaphrax

  • White Council
  • Seriously?
  • ****
  • Posts: 12405
    • View Profile
Re: Cleaning Up The Stunt List
« Reply #290 on: March 20, 2012, 04:34:34 AM »
And here's one that didn't fit into post #4.

Favoured Enemy: You've studied how to kill certain magical creatures. Choose a type of supernatural being. All attacks that you make with your Guns skill inflict two additional stress to that type of being. (A similar stunt could exist in Fists or in Weapons.)

Offline Sanctaphrax

  • White Council
  • Seriously?
  • ****
  • Posts: 12405
    • View Profile
Re: Cleaning Up The Stunt List
« Reply #291 on: March 21, 2012, 04:47:35 AM »
There are six green stunts in post #4. I think I'm going to get rid of the first four.

You see, I made them a long long time ago. Back then, I didn't have the mechanical chops to write good powers. So some of my ideas ended up as stunts when powers would have been more fitting.

But since then, I've become capable of power-writing. And I've written Sponsored Magics that represent specialization in magical fields much better than these do. So these are kinda redundant.

Not sure what to do with the other two. On one hand, this sort of effect really ought to be available to characters. On the other hand, these would probably work better as powers.

Thoughts? Advice? Suggestions?

Offline Silverblaze

  • Posty McPostington
  • ***
  • Posts: 1150
    • View Profile
Re: Cleaning Up The Stunt List
« Reply #292 on: March 21, 2012, 01:16:00 PM »
Transparent Veils: You have a knack for making a good veil. Veils you create do not impede outward visibility at all.

Lasting Portals: The portals you create are solid and durable. You may increase the duration of portals you create by two steps without increasing the complexity of the spell.

Seem to be fine for stunts, seperate from Sponsored Magic to me.  I think folks with the ability to make veils or portals with or without magic could very well enjoy those stunts.

Offline Sanctaphrax

  • White Council
  • Seriously?
  • ****
  • Posts: 12405
    • View Profile
Re: Cleaning Up The Stunt List
« Reply #293 on: March 22, 2012, 01:48:27 AM »
Huh?

Pretty sure that they're both useless without spellcasting. Worldwalker portals have no real duration, and Glamour wards don't impede visibility as far as I know.

So these end up stepping on the toes of Refinement pretty badly. And they break caps. And they seem so much less interesting/elegant than a Sponsored Magic.

What virtue do you see in them?

Offline Silverblaze

  • Posty McPostington
  • ***
  • Posts: 1150
    • View Profile
Re: Cleaning Up The Stunt List
« Reply #294 on: March 22, 2012, 04:09:42 AM »
Huh?

Pretty sure that they're both useless without spellcasting. Worldwalker portals have no real duration, and Glamour wards don't impede visibility as far as I know.

So these end up stepping on the toes of Refinement pretty badly. And they break caps. And they seem so much less interesting/elegant than a Sponsored Magic.

What virtue do you see in them?

None I guess.

Maybe channeling:  Spirit?

Offline Sanctaphrax

  • White Council
  • Seriously?
  • ****
  • Posts: 12405
    • View Profile
Re: Cleaning Up The Stunt List
« Reply #295 on: March 22, 2012, 06:07:30 AM »
Hm. Your loss of enthusiasm is disheartening, even though I was advocating for it.

Not sure what you mean about Channelling: Spirit.

Offline ways and means

  • Posty McPostington
  • ***
  • Posts: 1783
  • What Lies in the Truth, what truth in the Lies.
    • View Profile
Re: Cleaning Up The Stunt List
« Reply #296 on: March 22, 2012, 10:06:28 AM »
Berserker Blood (weapons)  Your Berserker blood means that you can attack without any hesitation or fear for your own safety. Add +2 to your weapons roll when attacking in physical combat, but enemies gain a +2 to there rolls to physically attack you.

Instinctive Defence (weapons) requires Berserker Blood: Even through the mist of a killing fury, your reflexes have been trained so that you instinctively defend yourself.  This removes the -2 penalty to defence from berserker blood.
Every night has its day.
Even forever must come to an end....
I think.

Offline Mr. Death

  • Posty McPostington
  • ***
  • Posts: 7965
  • Not all those who wander are lost
    • View Profile
    • The C-Team Podcast
Re: Cleaning Up The Stunt List
« Reply #297 on: March 22, 2012, 12:07:12 PM »
Berserker Blood is basically an upgrade to the canon Berserker stunt, without its drawback (That once the stunt's 'active', you can't do anything but attack until either you or your enemies are dead).
Compels solve everything!

http://blur.by/1KgqJg6 My first book: "Brothers of the Curled Isles"

Quote from: Cozarkian
Not every word JB rights is a conspiracy. Sometimes, he's just telling a story.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_T_mld7Acnm-0FVUiaKDPA The C-Team Podcast

Offline ways and means

  • Posty McPostington
  • ***
  • Posts: 1783
  • What Lies in the Truth, what truth in the Lies.
    • View Profile
Re: Cleaning Up The Stunt List
« Reply #298 on: March 22, 2012, 12:20:44 PM »
Actually its swing for the fences  (canon stunt) with a berserker flavouring and an upgrade stunt to mitigate its disadvantage. Was going to call it vanguard charge but thought that sounded too much like the mass effect ability.   
Every night has its day.
Even forever must come to an end....
I think.

Offline Silverblaze

  • Posty McPostington
  • ***
  • Posts: 1150
    • View Profile
Re: Cleaning Up The Stunt List
« Reply #299 on: March 22, 2012, 03:37:29 PM »
Hm. Your loss of enthusiasm is disheartening, even though I was advocating for it.

Not sure what you mean about Channelling: Spirit.

Not a loss of enthusiam.  My arguement for it was soundly defeated so I ceded your points. 

Veils are under spirit magic.

Channelers can make veils with spirit magic.  Transperent Veils would be good for them. 

Do people allow channelers to make portals into the nevernver?  If so they could use Lasting Portals.  Then they wouldn't need a form of Sponsored magic. 

A) cheaper
B) serves as an option to make magic different for different people.  Options are good.