List Of your favorite Custom Perks

[Daigoro]

Originally Posted by tbrock1031

This sounds like an illegal Alternate Identity rather than a Perk, IMO.

I have to admit I missed Alternate Identity when I thought of this one. However, AI seems to be far more involved than just having fake ID- used to be every under-aged drinker could produce a fake ID to get into a pub.

And while it's amusing to see all these cinematic-style perks, I'd be interested in seeing some more realistic ones, like Weapon License or the ones from Martial Arts. You know, little ways that make your character special or things which are useful in play. Unfortunately, nothing new comes to mind right now.

[3d6]

Not Killable: You have a honest or perhaps pitiable face where in a situation which you are faced between captivity or to be murdered, your enemies will also capture you but never deal terminal damage.

[Sense of Duty (Kittens)]

Perks are my favorite.

Reviver You get +1 to all Physician or First Aid Rolls to rescesitate. You will also not have -4 if you lack Physician skill

Legal enforcement powers (Notary) You are a notary public.

Can always find clothing that fits properly This is useful for PCs who are sumo wrestlers, plus sized models, little people, etc

Legal Immunity (Beats count as restraints) This one was for a nurse character I made with ST 6 higher than DX. Normally using a strike-like combat manuever would be grounds for professional censure, but it was a cinematic game and went well with the Power Grappling perk.

Sophomoric You get +1 on IQ based skill rolls with a difficulty penalty of at least -1, but -2 on any such roll with a bonus for ease.

[SimonAce]

Originally Posted by Sense of Duty (Kittens)

Perks are my favorite.



Legal enforcement powers (Notary) You are a notary public.

Interesting. Is notary really worth a perk?

[Pip Boy]

Originally Posted by Rocket Man

15) Fonzie Ignition System: A thump of the hand gets jukeboxes to play, lights to flip on and car engines to rev. Any simple machinery will start working with a slap, so long as nothing is majorly wrong with it. (It may even resolve a "rolling" TV image!)

"Start, Dammit!"
When something won't start, you can roll against appropriate skill +4, as a routine task to start it, as long as it isn't broken, and as long you give it a punch, or a bump and say something in the line of the perk name.

[Mgellis]

Originally Posted by SimonAce

Interesting. Is notary really worth a perk?

I'm going to say, "No."

I published a Pyramid article in which I presented Press Pass as a Perk. But I may have been wrong to do this.

An earlier discussion, which took place after the article was published, considered whether a doctor's license was a perk. I liked the idea that most licenses, passes, etc., if they are things anyone in a certain career should be able to get as part of the normal course of events, aren't perks.

A notary public would count as a 0-point feature, rather than a perk. According to...

http://www.answers.com/topic/notary-public?cat=biz-fin

...becoming one is pretty routine. It's a lot like buying equipment that you need permission to buy, like having to get a loan approved in order to buy a house. If a player wishes a character to be a notary public, it should just be noted as a 0-point feature.

In the same way, most people have a driver's license. Even if they are terrible drivers and should not have a license. And doctors have medical licenses because doctors have to have a license to legally practical medicine. But it's part of the normal course of events that they would have a license if they had the skills to practice medicine.

A license is only a perk when it is highly unusual, like a special government permit to hunt out of season or to carry weapons with an LC rating that makes them only available to military personnel, etc. in most cases.

In fact, in many cases, not having a license should be a disadvantage. A doctor who has lost his license effectively has a version of Social Stigma (Criminal Record). If he was caught practicing medicine after having lost his license, there would be some pretty stiff penalties, too.

Not having a license that most people have should be a Quirk. Routinely doing something for which you need a license which you refuse to get or cannot get for some reason could be a Quirk, an Odious Personal Habit, a Secret, an Enemy, and/or something similar, depending on the activity.

For example, if someone in 21st century America doesn't have a driver's license (assuming they're an adult) it would be unusual enough, I think, to count as a quirk. Among other things, it is a social disadvantage that limits your activity. (It would also be a quirk if you had a license but refused to buy a car, if you lived in a place where this would be unusual--it would not count as a quirk if you lived in a city with good public transportation.) After all, if you have to drive without a license for some reason and get caught, you will be fined.

Habitually driving without a license would be another quirk, at least, maybe even a Compulsive Behavior.

Mark

[Figleaf23]

Originally Posted by SimonAce

Interesting. Is notary really worth a perk?

Notaries are authorized to swear depositions, create certified copies of official documents, and 'officialize' various types of paperwork. And they can charge fees for doing so. A perk fits very nicely.

I disagree with the above poster. My view is that a professional license that allows you to engage in remunerative activities which would be prohibited otherwise is obvioulsy worth some kind of points.

[tbone]

Originally Posted by Asta Kask

16) Informed Attribute This is a perk-level Unusual Background which allows you to buy and maintain a Reputation as a skilled whatever without actually being very good at it.

Famous example: "I'm not a doctor, but I play one on TV..."

[DarkTreader]

I just came up with this one for cyborgs and for super-equipment

GPS receiver

Dunno if it's redundant with anyone who has Telecommunications (radio) but independently I thought it might be nice. Also I haven't purchased Supers yet so I dunno if I'm behind the game or not :)

[cmdicely]

Originally Posted by Figleaf23

Notaries are authorized to swear depositions, create certified copies of official documents, and 'officialize' various types of paperwork. And they can charge fees for doing so. A perk fits very nicely.

I disagree with the above poster. My view is that a professional license that allows you to engage in remunerative activities which would be prohibited otherwise is obvioulsy worth some kind of points.

If it is routinely granted based on the skills necessary to perform the task with only a modest payment (or one that is modest given the income expected performing the job licensed, for a professional license), then its probably not worth points.

If there are substantial other loops to jump through to get the license, it may be worth points, either as a perk or even more.