Reliable vs Skill

[arconom]

Consider the build:

IQ 10
Control 1 (something) 20 pts
Control Skill IQ-1 1 pt

Versus this build:

IQ 10
Control y (something) (Reliable x) 20 + yx pts

What factors are important when considering which structure to use?
How does each structure affect game balance?
How does each structure frustrate players?

[smurf]

Simple: skills can be modified.

Reliability does not.

[kdtipa]

factors
Personal taste is my biggest factor. I personally prefer skills to the powers paradigm of using reliable to modify a base attribute.

game balance
It's really only pertinent depending on how high in level the power is. Skills generally cost 4 character points to raise them one level (at higher levels of skill anyway). Reliable's cost depends on the power it's modifying. So a power that only cost 10 points might end up having a 1 point per level of reliable cost, but the power that cost 100 points would be 10 points per level of reliable. I guess this might count as one of the factors. If you want drastically powerful powers to cost more to wield well, then reliable can model that. If you want skill in using a power to be separate from the magnitude of the power itself, stick with skills.

player frustration
This is going to be on a "per player" basis. If I were a player, I'd want normal skills because it makes more sense to me. Reliable might end up being frustrating for players too because it can end up costing a lot of extra points.

I could be mistaken somewhere in there... I'm not as familiar with the "reliable powers" method of doing things because I avoid it. I'm happy to hear corrections.

[kirbwarrior]

Note that Reliable is +5%, not +10%. You aren't hitting skill costs until 80.

[kdtipa]

Originally Posted by kirbwarrior

Note that Reliable is +5%, not +10%. You aren't hitting skill costs until 80.

My apologies. The concept still holds, but yeah... it would take longer to cost as much as skills...

[kirbwarrior]

I prefer Reliable unless the intended effect is that you have to learn your powers, then I prefer skills. Mind, due to the fact that you can replace skills with Innate Attacks (and certain other traits, and use Based On can also push attribute rolls onto skills), you can just do both.