Corrupting Ritual Adept as setting feature

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by dataweaver

One nitpick: it's only 30 points for the Effect-Shaping model, since you don't need to remove the Time element twice.

Yes, but that's only 2 points less of Corruption.

Originally Posted by dataweaver

The difference, of course, is whether or not you have to pay character points for the “privilege” of gaining Corruption in exchange for reducing the penalty. In effect, you're paying for a more beneficial exchange rate (2 Corruption per -5 ignored for 8 CP vs. 5 Corruption per -5 ignored for “free”).

I would never require a gatekeeping advantage for Corruption unless it can be easily removed. The system is too harsh otherwise. Again, no one will use it because it's easier not to. And if you force PCs constantly into situations where they must use it then you're going to get grumpy players. Though if that's the point of the game I could see it working - you'd just need to make sure everyone knew what was up in the beginning.

[dataweaver]

Then just go with a more favorable exchange rate: the “1 Corruption per -1 penalty removed” is just a suggestion; and if you think it's too harsh, you can can change the amount of penalty that each point of Corruption removes.

The question is how high to set the exchange rate: as I mentioned, 2 Corruption per -5 is comparable to what you'd get by applying Corrupting to Ritual Adept; so if you care about maintaining point balance, you wouldn't want the “for free” exchange rate to be better than that — or even as good as it. Personally, I don't care that much about point balance, and might even be willing to say that the “for free” rate might be as favorable as 1 CP per -5 ignored. But 2 CP per -5 seems reasonable, too.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by dataweaver

Then just go with a more favorable exchange rate: the “1 Corruption per -1 penalty removed” is just a suggestion; and if you think it's too harsh, you can can change the amount of penalty that each point of Corruption removes.

The question is how high to set the exchange rate: as I mentioned, 2 Corruption per -5 is comparable to what you'd get by applying Corrupting to Ritual Adept; so if you care about maintaining point balance, you wouldn't want the “for free” exchange rate to be better than that — or even as good as it. Personally, I don't care that much about point balance, and might even be willing to say that the “for free” rate might be as favorable as 1 CP per -5 ignored. But 2 CP per -5 seems reasonable, too.

I went with 1 Corruption = 5 energy for a direct exchange.

[dataweaver]

…which only works if you treat the lack of Ritual Elements as an energy cost. If you're going with Effect Shaping, or you're going with Energy Accumulation but still treating the lack of Ritual Elements as a skill penalty, that doesn't help.

To me, one point of Corruption to ignore one Ritual Element seems reasonable.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by dataweaver

…which only works if you treat the lack of Ritual Elements as an energy cost. If you're going with Effect Shaping, or you're going with Energy Accumulation but still treating the lack of Ritual Elements as a skill penalty, that doesn't help.

To me, one point of Corruption to ignore one Ritual Element seems reasonable.

I still don't know if I would change it. 2 points to remove -5 worth of specific penalties seems ok.

That said, I would allow 1 point of Corruption to give +1 to skill for Effect Shaping RPM to overcome the penalty to cast.

[dataweaver]

So basically, a favorable exchange rate because of a limitation on when you can apply it.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by dataweaver

So basically, a favorable exchange rate because of a limitation on when you can apply it.

Yeah, as I said upthread, you need to entice players to use it. And to do that you need to put on your Emperor Palpatine cloak and convince them to give into their anger. XD

This is all just part of that mind-set. I've used Corruption since I hacked my own system before Horror came out and I've had lots of time to tweak it since.

Heck, in AEON I created a Corruption system based on Threshold-Magic + Corruption. Still trying to convince my players to USE it, but most of them are heroic types so it's a bit harder to push the Dark Side.