Unfazeable and Leadership

[David Johnston2]

Actually, thinking about it, a "Battle Roar" is an attempt to Intimidate the opposition, which would make your side comparatively more effective, and would be opposed by Leadership.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

Actually, thinking about it, a "Battle Roar" is an attempt to Intimidate the opposition, which would make your side comparatively more effective, and would be opposed by Leadership.

At least in fiction, it's sometimes also a wordless attempt to rally ones own side.

Though I'm not sure I've seen it that in contexts where the roaring person's side was primarily demoralized rather than just losing ground.

[PK]

Originally Posted by Cid SilverWing

The idea is, as I've said, to give bonuses to hit and damage via Leadership as follows:

A party of 5, one's the Paladin leader, a samurai, a mage, a priest and a ninja. The enemy proves innumerable and serious about slaughter, so this has the party at reduced combat efficiency solely for being intimidated by the odds. Paladin rolls Leadership and goes, "To battle with courage! Victor favors the valorous!" This encourages the party members and so negates their initial intimidation, they receive +X to Striking ST and DX (they hit more often and damage harder)

That is completely and totally unrealistic. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it! It just means that you don't want to use Leadership skill. What you're proposing is a supernaturally effective ability -- a power, basically, not a skill.

I'd build this as Affliction (Area Effect; Advantages, Striking ST and DX!; Selective Area; Hearing-Based). That isn't cheap, but it shouldn't be -- this is a very potent superpower that you're proposing, here.

(BTW, "DX!" is common shorthand on these forums for "buy up DX, then buy down the 0.25 Basic Speed it comes with". In other words, it costs 15 points and only improves DX, not Speed.)

[PK]

Y'know, I should also mention that if you really want Leadership to do this, and you're the GM, you can just say that it works that way. But that means that every single warrior in the world is going to buy up Leadership skill and use it, so there really won't be any advantage to either side.

One alternative is to allow Leadership to work that way for anyone who buys an Unusual Background -- much like for chambara skills or Imbuement Skills. I'd say 15-20 points is fair if it only beefs up Leadership.

[The Benj]

Originally Posted by Rev. Pee Kitty

That is completely and totally unrealistic. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it! It just means that you don't want to use Leadership skill. What you're proposing is a supernaturally effective ability -- a power, basically, not a skill.

I'd build this as Affliction (Area Effect; Advantages, Striking ST and DX!; Selective Area; Hearing-Based). That isn't cheap, but it shouldn't be -- this is a very potent superpower that you're proposing, here.

Alternatively, for a lesser effect, you could construct something based of Kiai, but that works like a beneficial Affliction rather than a malediction. It should be pretty hard though.
If you made it:
A) Not give you the +2 to Intimidate
B) Have Leadership as a Prerequisite and not be able to be learned higher than Leadership
C) Only work on people who have accepted you as their leader
then that sounds about right to me for giving them a temporary Higher Purpose: "Carry out the command I was just given".

Probably with some further limit on how often it can be used and how long it lasts. Seconds equal to margin of success sounds approximately right to me, as that's still likely to be a significant fraction of a combat.

[Mailanka]

Originally Posted by Stone Dog

Leadership also gives bonuses to Self Control rolls, doesn't it? That could be very... very useful.

That's what I was going to say. It helps over come Berserker (already mentioned), Bloodlust, Cowardice, Confused, all kinds of things. We had a player with Leadership in our Space Opera Military Game, and he was really really handy.

You'll note that "helping people fight better" is really more Tactics than Leadership. Leadership inspires, while Tactics knows what to do to win the day. Both together make for an excellent "officer" character.

[Phil C.]

The way I understand morale checks, is that they are essentially Fright Checks. In which case, a roll of 15+ will always fail, regardless of positive modifiers. Is that accurate? And leadership can only ever give a +1 or +2, something like that?

[Phoenix_Dragon]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

It could make them more enthusiastic and therefore hit harder. It will not make them more accurate.

No, it will not make them hit harder than they are innately capable of, any more than it will make them hit more accurately than they are capable of. But consider the differences between a scared soldier and a confident one fighting on the battlefield. The scared one is likely to do quicker, more defensive attacks (Hits lighter), and is less likely to go on the initiative to take advantage of openings (Less likely to hit his opponent). A highly confident one is more likely to be open to a larger range of tactical options, including pressing the offense when it is advantageous (Such as taking committed attacks to score an important hit). And one that's really worked up might be willing to heavily compromise his own personal defense in order to land a blow (All-out attack).

Don't think of it so much as a confident soldier hitting stronger and more accurately, but more as a scared or shaken soldier hitting weaker and less accurately. The later soldier is putting far more value on defense, and letting his offense slack because of it.

Strictly speaking, effective strength and skill never changes, but a soldier with shaken morale is going to fight much differently than one with high morale. A good leader is someone who can keep his troops confident and fighting at top form.

[demonsbane]

Originally Posted by Cid SilverWing

Paladin rolls Leadership and goes, "To battle with courage! Victor favors the valorous!" This encourages the party members and so negates their initial intimidation, they receive +X to Striking ST and DX (they hit more often and damage harder)

Originally Posted by Phoenix_Dragon

That's not Leadership. That's magic.

Or something related to some "theologies": if spirituality is real and operative in Cid Silverwing's setting, it can be a kind of inspiration.

If it would be reproducible each time solely depending on the will of the mortal/human leader, then likely it would be even more closer to magic.

Originally Posted by Cid SilverWing

I'm talking psychological effects here. Motivation to push yourself past your limits.

Although from a psychological point of view, it could be mere natural emotional suggestion and maybe a sort of coercion: in any case on my view that wouldn't be enough for granting the bonuses you were talking about.

[Agramer]

Originally Posted by Phil C.

Wouldn't Leadership be a Concentrate maneuver?

Youre right...well change to this.

thanks