Compound X [Powers/Supers]

[AlexanderHowl]

Yes, I think that the real breakpoint for effectiveness would be 14+.

[Rupert]

Originally Posted by JulianLW

I think most special forces training tests for both HT and Will. And I think they're the ones most likely to be given Compound X.

If it was a military program, I think you're probably right. I also think it'd be a complete disaster.

Spec Ops personnel tend to be intelligent, and to get there they're motivated and self-confident. Many are also rather ambitious, and by inclination and/or training they're also aggressive, and many are Callous (or worse). Spec Ops culture tends towards the 'macho' and the environment is one in which solving problems by force is considered the norm.

So you've just given a bunch of smart, ambitious, aggressive, and callous young men (Spec Ops is very much a man's club) super powers and many of them some extra hefty mental disads to go with those powers.

That's sure to end well.

[David Johnston2]

It wouldn't be licensed of course. The governments would do their best to monopolize the stuff and only use it on carefully vetted soldiers and covert operatives.

[DangerousThing]

Originally Posted by Donny Brook

Indeed, Disads should be about characterization and role play, not ability expansion.

Agreed. I would never have PCs roll for something like this. I might give them X character points with a small amount of points for disadvantages. There would be no randomness for something like this.

Now, for named NPCs I'd give them more disadvantage points, but still assign them. Nameless NPCs I might use such randomness.

If I wanted to deal with randomness in character generation I'd have stuck to playing Traveller.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

It wouldn't be licensed of course. The governments would do their best to monopolize the stuff and only use it on carefully vetted soldiers and covert operatives.

If that happened and program wasn't ultra-secret, there's a pretty near certainty that production would be farmed out to the private sector. It wouldn't be licensed for sale or medical use - the FDA would pretty much implode at the idea - but there would be authorized quality-controlled production.

So while you couldn't legally buy a 'licensed' dose, with the right connections and a large pile of cash you could then buy a genuine dose of the same stuff Uncle Sam gives his finest.