Enthrallment Minus FP Cost

[Morathor]

I'm working on a fantasy setting in which, among certain races, one in a hundred people have very radical talents. While I'm not looking for anything explicitly supernatural for these gifts (no magic or psionics), I am trying for very flashy, cinematic abilities. To give you an idea of what kind of abilities I'm thinking of, I already have mad scientists with Quick Gadgeteering and gifted fighters with Trained By A Master.

Anyway, the one that's troubling me right now is supposed to be a natural leader, someone capable of inspiration or manipulation on a grand scale. Charisma and Smooth Operator talents are a good start, but they're not really flashy enough. The Enthrallment skills caught my eye--they're suitably dramatic, and I don't normally let characters take them, so they would definitely stand out. Normally, access to skills that other characters can't learn is just a perk, as I understand it. However, I want them to be able to use these skills without spending FP (except perhaps FP loss tied directly to the exertion of continuous speaking).

I'm not sure how to calculate a point cost for this. My best guess would be 25 points--equivalent to just buying 8 extra FP to spend on Captivate, plus 1 for the perk. But that seems a little excessive. Does anyone have suggestions on cost? Or, barring that, on a good alternative to Enthrallment?

[Jerander]

Originally Posted by Morathor

I'm working on a fantasy setting in which, among certain races, one in a hundred people have very radical talents. While I'm not looking for anything explicitly supernatural for these gifts (no magic or psionics), I am trying for very flashy, cinematic abilities. To give you an idea of what kind of abilities I'm thinking of, I already have mad scientists with Quick Gadgeteering and gifted fighters with Trained By A Master.

Anyway, the one that's troubling me right now is supposed to be a natural leader, someone capable of inspiration or manipulation on a grand scale. Charisma and Smooth Operator talents are a good start, but they're not really flashy enough. The Enthrallment skills caught my eye--they're suitably dramatic, and I don't normally let characters take them, so they would definitely stand out. Normally, access to skills that other characters can't learn is just a perk, as I understand it. However, I want them to be able to use these skills without spending FP (except perhaps FP loss tied directly to the exertion of continuous speaking).

I'm not sure how to calculate a point cost for this. My best guess would be 25 points--equivalent to just buying 8 extra FP to spend on Captivate, plus 1 for the perk. But that seems a little excessive. Does anyone have suggestions on cost? Or, barring that, on a good alternative to Enthrallment?

If the FP is dedicated and can only be used for Enthrallment, then take a look at Energy Reserve in Powers. I believe there's a limitation that will give you a nice discount.

[Morathor]

Originally Posted by Jerander

If the FP is dedicated and can only be used for Enthrallment, then take a look at Energy Reserve in Powers. I believe there's a limitation that will give you a nice discount.

Well, there's -10% for Abilities Only... to be clear, though, I wasn't actually intending to buy extra FP; I was just using the cost of FP to estimate a reasonable price to waive the FP use altogether.

The reason I don't want to spend FP on the enthrallment is because I don't want it to feel like some special power is being used. Of the various interpretations of Enthrallment suggested in the book, this would reflect a form of hypnotism, rather than a magical or psionic ability. They would enthrall their audience through choice of words, tone of voice, and an admittedly indefinable personal charisma... none of which, to me, would take a terrible toll on your stamina--although talking for half an hour might, but I kind of figured that was independent of the listed FP costs.

Anyway, for those purposes, I feel that an energy reserve would make this feel even more supernatural, and therefore less appropriate.

[Anaraxes]

IDHWMBWM, but one point for comparison would be to calculate the cost of a hypothetical base ability, "EnthrallmentForFree", by assuming that Enthrallment = EnthrallmentForFree (Costs N FP). If the ability cost 8 FP, assume that's because someone took Costs FP (8) for -40%, or in other words Enthrallment is 60% of the cost of EnthrallmentForFree. So if Enthrallment is 25 points, then the hypothetical base EnthrallmentForFree would be 42; 42 * (1 - 0.40) = 25.2.

(The numbers are probably wrong, but they serve to illustrate the method.)

[chandley]

Well, could always apply Reduced Fatigue Costs at +20% a level. So, Captivate gets a +160% enhancement, making Attribute + 1 cost 21 points. Similar for the rest of the skills, though at lower enhancement levels.

If that is a little low on price, throw on Cosmic (Allow Reduced FP +50%), which in a truly generic write up is probably required, but you could certainly waive the need for Cosmic in your campaign.

[Morathor]

The problem with those methods is that enthrallment, being a skill, has varying costs... I suppose if I assumed it at Will or at Will +1, as I think Chandley is suggesting, I could work from there. (Sorry if I'm misunderstanding.)

[chandley]

Yah, Im suggesting that there is no fixed cost that is fair, instead, increase the cost of buying the skill by applying various amounts of Reduced FP. For a Racial Template, you can determine what level of skill the race starts out with, figure the price for that level of skill, and put that cost into the template. But if a player wanted to increase the skill later on, you need to remember the enhancement cost.

Or, buy the skill at a certain level in the racial template, and then forbid improvement to the skill level (instead forcing players of that race to purchase things like Charisma).

[Morathor]

Well, as a rule, I don't put skills into racial templates. I'll put Talents or other advantages that increase certain skills if you do put points into them, but I don't like having skills inherent to a racial template.

[NineDaysDead]

Originally Posted by Morathor

The problem with those methods is that enthrallment, being a skill, has varying costs...

Why is this a problem? Just precalculate the costs of the skills, at +160% the cost of the skill level would be:

  Attribute-2     3
  Attribute-1     6
  Attribute+0    11
  Attribute+1    21
  Attribute+2    32
  Attribute+3    42
  Attribute+4    52
  Attribute+5    63

[Fwibos]

Imbuements can be used without FP cost for a -5 to skill roll. It may be different for each Imbuement (IDHMBWM), but there's a good start.