Trading Points for Money discussion

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by corwyn

Thanks; I don't use impulse buys and wouldn't have expected to find it under player guidance/buying successes.

Spending points on in-game effects is exactly what Impulse Buys is about, spending points to find money is pretty quintessentially an impulse buy (and B26 says these points are just spent and don't go on your character sheet; which is something GCA still does wrong, but I digress). Spending points to find money is really just a specific case of Player Guidance.

It's a bit frustrating that for the second time they have admitted it's a poor and unfair rule but leave the fix as an optional rule and not actually change it but at least it's there.

I am not sure what you are asking for, errata for the Basic Set?

[Kalzazz]

So this mean if I buy reusable Impulse points if I have any that are going to go stale because I haven't used them at the end of the session I can change them for goodies?

That actually is pretty cool!

[corwyn]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Spending points on in-game effects is exactly what Impulse Buys is about, spending points to find money is pretty quintessentially an impulse buy (and B26 says these points are just spent and don't go on your character sheet; which is something GCA still does wrong, but I digress). Spending points to find money is really just a specific case of Player Guidance.

Yeah, I get that. I guess I've always considered this as part of character creation. I don't think I've ever had a player do this in game.

I am not sure what you are asking for, errata for the Basic Set?

I think so, yeah. Over the past decade there have been plenty of little rules presented as options or increased detail that feel more like stealth errata to me. This is one of them. If they feel the original rule is unbalanced/unfair then I feel it should work its way into errata, not buried in a specific game line or non-core supplement.

As much as I love the PU line, Impulse buys is not every GM's cup of tea. I don't use it - well, I guess I'm using some of it now.

[corwyn]

Originally Posted by Kalzazz

So this mean if I buy reusable Impulse points if I have any that are going to go stale because I haven't used them at the end of the session I can change them for goodies?

That actually is pretty cool!

And doesn't sound at all abusive.
/Sarcasm

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by corwyn

I think so, yeah. Over the past decade there have been plenty of little rules presented as options or increased detail that feel more like stealth errata to me. This is one of them. If they feel the original rule is unbalanced/unfair then I feel it should work its way into errata, not buried in a specific game line or non-core supplement.

I don't think that there is anything wrong with the Basic Set rule, it just isn't as generous. In many games being able to spend a Character Point to just find thousands of dollars might be far too generous.

Originally Posted by corwyn

And doesn't sound at all abusive.
/Sarcasm

You can use Player Guidance (or Serendipity) to get stuff anyway, so there's probably not much abuse here, if these are already options in the game. This is probably one of the reasons why Destiny Points recharge so slowly by default.

[Kalzazz]

By default it is 10% if I read pg 8 correctly, the 100% is if people complain about signature gear

One thing that confuses me is that "It can be extremely handy to spend a few points to stumble across just the weapon or vehicle you need, no strings attached!"

And

"In all cases, this rule never produces “instant” results, least
of all in combat! The gear or money shows up via standard
channels – courier at the door, envelope in the mail, electronic
bank deposit at the start of the business day, etc. – while no
action is going on. To conjure valuables out of thin air, get
Snatcher and see Changing the World (pp. 13-15)."

Seem very contradictory . . . one says it just shows up for you to stumble across, the other seems to indicate its like just ordering it off Amazon and waiting for it to appear

And then there was the Player Guidance example of 'Hey, I find a chainsaw?'

I am getting a bit spun about

[Flyndaran]

I could read the first as explanation for what WILL happen, not necessarily what's happening at this exact moment.
Spend points now, and in the near future your character will just stumble upon the item.

[sir_pudding]

It means you can't spend a point and just have a chainsaw on you. You can spend an point and then find a chainsaw when you search a toolshed.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

It means you can't spend a point and just have a chainsaw on you. You can spend an point and then find a chainsaw when you search a toolshed.

Cliffhanger followed by commercial break and lucky happenstance saving the day. A Team, MacGuyver, yeah, I'm looking at you two.

[RyanW]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

It means you can't spend a point and just have a chainsaw on you. You can spend an point and then find a chainsaw when you search a toolshed.

An alternative way of putting it:

You can spend points to guarantee the tool shed you are searching has a chainsaw. You can't spend points to guarantee there is a chainsaw in reach when zombies suddenly attack you in a dentist's office.