[Basic] Advantage of the Week: Alternate Identity, Temporary Identity, Zeroed

[WingedKagouti]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

It's not a campaign feature, because you have to travel again to get rid of your new identity once people remember you in your new faraway land.

Originally Posted by ErhnamDJ

He said there's not any magic.

I was also specifically talking about the One-Shot/Favor version of Zeroed, ie. you would basically get this effect for free due to a lack of easy/regular long distance communication if you travel far enough, but once in that new place you'd build up a name for yourself. An Italian lord is unlikely to request validation for some random guy from a Polish mayor, and even if he does it's likely that there are no specific records to look up (for the name used). Unless there's a notable reputation (or something similar) involved.

[Otaku]

Originally Posted by Kenneth Latrans

I'd charge a Perk for these if I even allowed them (which, aside from "protection from divination Zeroed", I probably wouldn't to begin with). I have a hard time seeing these being worth the points.

I myself wondered about the prices of Alternate Identity (both versions) and Temporary Identity. The was merely wondering if a Perk version could exist that was a little "better" than the freebie, but that's mostly idle curiosity: the only one I've ever had access to in a campaign was Zeroed, and that was (as usual for me) back in 3e (Black Ops game, actually).

With Alternate Identity, I just have my usual "issues"; desiring something more generic and more universal. I mean, an Alternate Identity courtesy of an organization sounds more like a function/feature of a Patron, akin to a Patron supplying you with equipment. The 10 points into another relevant Advantage is a milk price break, but I am not sure if it should be. Is it worse dealing with your own agency after you've been discovered, or having an illegal identity and having it uncovered?

[ericthered]

Most of my games for IW involve characters who work around infinity and centrum but aren't part of either. One character (a sample one I was learning my way around the system) had as his character concept identities everywhere: He had identities on Centrum, Shiakumon, Infinity, and a few other high-tech worlds. I'm not sure if its worth the point expenditure, and I still wonder what the accessibility modifier is, but It can be worth a lot to be recognized as a 'citizen' on worlds paranoid about such things.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by WingedKagouti

I was also specifically talking about the One-Shot/Favor version of Zeroed, ie. you would basically get this effect for free due to a lack of easy/regular long distance communication if you travel far enough, but once in that new place you'd build up a name for yourself. An Italian lord is unlikely to request validation for some random guy from a Polish mayor, and even if he does it's likely that there are no specific records to look up (for the name used). Unless there's a notable reputation (or something similar) involved.

GM: The guardsmen are going around the common room with a broadsheet and comparing it to the faces of each man in turn.
Player: Um, can I spend two points for one-use Zeroed?
GM: Sure. When they get to you they stare at your face, and back at the broadsheet and then move on. You get a good look at the drawing, and it resembles you about as well as the Unibomber sketch resembled Ted Kazinsky...

[Þorkell]

A Jason Bourne style drawer full of passports and ID documents would be what advantage? This is not an uncommon trope in spy/action movies.

[Phantasm]

Originally Posted by Þorkell

A Jason Bourne style drawer full of passports and ID documents would be what advantage? This is not an uncommon trope in spy/action movies.

That sounds almost like a wildcard variant, but of legal or illegal pricing I have no idea.

[vierasmarius]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

GM: The guardsmen are going around the common room with a broadsheet and comparing it to the faces of each man in turn.
Player: Um, can I spend two points for one-use Zeroed?
GM: Sure. When they get to you they stare at your face, and back at the broadsheet and then move on. You get a good look at the drawing, and it resembles you about as well as the Unibomber sketch resembled Ted Kazinsky...

Obviously, the one-use version would have similar requirements to purchase it as the full version. You don't let a PC spend 2 points to suddenly acquire Lockpicking when he finds a door he can't open. Likewise, you wouldn't let him spend 2 cp to magically become anonymous when someone is searching for him.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by vierasmarius

Obviously, the one-use version would have similar requirements to purchase it as the full version.

I'm not sure what those would be.

Zeroed says, "You must provide a reason for this; e.g., your parents hid you away at birth, you are legally dead, or you somehow managed to destroy all the records (explain how!)."
So I guess:
GM: The guardsmen are going around the common room with a broadsheet and comparing it to the faces of each man in turn.
Player: Um, can I spend two points for one-use Zeroed?
GM: Explain.
Player: Okay. The witnesses on the coach didn't get a good look at me, were confused and the artist that did the broadsheet wasn't very good!
GM: Sure. When they get to you they stare at your face, and back at the broadsheet and then move on. You get a good look at the drawing, and it resembles you about as well as the Unibomber sketch resembled Ted Kazinsky...

Or was there another requirement you had in mind?

You don't let a PC spend 2 points to suddenly acquire Lockpicking when he finds a door he can't open.

Lock-picking is a skill and follows the rules for learning skills (Wild Talent with Retention, Quick-Learning Under Pressure, or Improvement through Study). So no.

Likewise, you wouldn't let him spend 2 cp to magically become anonymous when someone is searching for him.

Why not? Can't you do it as an Improvisation (Power Ups 5: Impulse Buys p. 13)? Alternatively you could consider "Either the witnesses were confused or the artist wasn't very good and the picture doesn't resemble me!" as Player Guidance (p. B347, Impulse Buys p. 7). This seems to fit "Moderate: A believable coincidence or addition, similar to the effects of Serendipity (p. B83)." and therefore is still 2 points.

[vierasmarius]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Zeroed says, "You must provide a reason for this; e.g., your parents hid you away at birth, you are legally dead, or you somehow managed to destroy all the records (explain how!)."

The bolded text is what I had in mind. Through the story you somehow manage to destroy all your records (or have someone do it for you). But unlike the full version of Zeroed there's nothing to prevent the authorities from building a new record of you.

Why not? Can't you do it as an Improvisation (Power Ups 5: Impulse Buys p. 13)? Alternatively you could consider "Either the witnesses were confused or the artist wasn't very good and the picture doesn't resemble me!" as Player Guidance (p. B347, Impulse Buys p. 7). This seems to fit "Moderate: A believable coincidence or addition, similar to the effects of Serendipity (p. B83)." and therefore is still 2 points.

Having them pass you by is a fine use of Serendipity. But that's not erasing all trace of your identity, which is what one-use Zeroed represents.

[Not]

Any chance I can get Invisibility, machines only [20] for half price by claiming that the computer memory of a robot counts as a "record"?