05-02-2011, 03:16 PM | #1 |
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Brooklyn, NY
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Flashbacks Frequency
Flashbacks is strange in that it has something like a self-control number, but instead of to resist, it's to fail, and there is no gradation built-in.
You have a flashback on a 6 or less (rolling 3d). This only happens under stressful conditions, if you fail a self-control roll for another disadvantage, or if you fail or just pass a Fright Check. Are there any rulings on how to make this happen more often? I thought of turning the self-control number values on their head, something like this: 6 or less: listed cost 9 or less: 1.5 x listed cost 12 or less: 2 x listed cost 15 or less: 2.5 x listed cost Always: 3 x listed cost (this would mean every time you could have a Flashback, you would) Does that seem reasonable / balanced? Or is there another take on it?
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-JC |
05-02-2011, 03:31 PM | #2 |
Join Date: Sep 2008
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Re: Flashbacks Frequency
6 or less to fail is comparable to 15 or less to pass, so I'd be inclined to base it off of that. In that case, 9 or less is the "base level," and costs x2. 12 or less is x3 (2*1.5), 15 or less is x4 (2*2). Always On would be worth x5 (2*2.5). Note that in this case, Always On means the character would be constantly hallucinating, although personally I'd be OK with your interpretation of just not getting a resistance roll.
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Quos deus vult perdere, prius dementat. Latin: Those whom a god wishes to destroy, he first drives mad. |
05-02-2011, 04:35 PM | #3 | |
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Brooklyn, NY
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Re: Flashbacks Frequency
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-JC |
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05-02-2011, 10:06 PM | #4 |
Join Date: Sep 2008
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Re: Flashbacks Frequency
The modifier for always being on without any stressors is from Powers, where it is intended for use with a Temporary Disadvantage for powers that, when active, automatically have the disad permanently on (the example is of a character with a tiger Alternate Form that is always Berserk). Still requiring a stressor would be less limiting than this, although personally I'd be fine with such a Disadvantage (rather than a Temp Disad) requiring the stressor and still be 2.5x cost.
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Quos deus vult perdere, prius dementat. Latin: Those whom a god wishes to destroy, he first drives mad. |
05-02-2011, 10:46 PM | #5 | |
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Brooklyn, NY
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Re: Flashbacks Frequency
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I see the x2.5 cost given for Temp Disad meaning that, in stressful situations, you get no self-control roll. The times when Temp Disad would usually trigger would generally be stressful situations, so it's an automatic turn-on of the disadvantage effect. But I would allow a PC have a normal disadvantage with no self-control number for x2.5 and then they'd always be slaves to their disadvantage under any stressful condition.
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-JC |
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05-03-2011, 11:46 AM | #6 | |
Banned
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Europe
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Re: Flashbacks Frequency
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Your main problem is that the difference in compensation, between one player taking Flashbacks on 6-or-less and another taking it on 9-or-less, is too small. You should probably use x2 listed cost for 9-or-less, but given how small the difference is between 9-or-less and 12-or-less, the correct cost modifier for 12-or-less can arguably be x2.5, as well as x3. Keep in mind, Flashbacks are much more crippling, when they trigger, than mental disadvantages are. And it's possible that a character that triggers his Flashbacks on a 12 or less simply is almost as unplayable as a Blind character is, while a 9-or-less Flashbacker might be as unplayable as a Deaf character. That could well be why the designers decided to not include more-likely-to-trigger versions. |
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05-03-2011, 11:19 PM | #7 | ||
Join Date: Aug 2004
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Re: Flashbacks Frequency
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05-04-2011, 08:01 AM | #8 | |
Join Date: Sep 2008
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Re: Flashbacks Frequency
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As I said, I personally don't have a problem with a character built with the 2.5x value simply auto-failing an SC roll rather than being permanently under the effect of the Disadvantage, but that isn't the way the 2.5x value works as written.
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Quos deus vult perdere, prius dementat. Latin: Those whom a god wishes to destroy, he first drives mad. |
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05-04-2011, 10:39 AM | #9 | |
Join Date: Aug 2004
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Re: Flashbacks Frequency
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05-04-2011, 11:43 AM | #10 | |
Join Date: Sep 2008
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Re: Flashbacks Frequency
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Quos deus vult perdere, prius dementat. Latin: Those whom a god wishes to destroy, he first drives mad. |
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Tags |
flashbacks, frequency, self-control |
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