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Post by Tommy Brownell on Mar 20, 2006 1:32:01 GMT -5
If someone were to, hypothetically, tackle a Marvel SAGA 2nd Edition, what are some things from the current game that you would like to see changed?
What have been major problem areas in your games?
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Post by silverlion on Mar 20, 2006 16:59:12 GMT -5
What fixes would I do for a hypothetical 2E Marvel Saga?
Dooms. I love dooms, but working on my own ACE Engine. I think I'd fix the "stack towards the end".
Either making them a seperate GM pool from the outset.
Or making it where playing one triggers an immediate setback (a person can still suceed at a doom played task, but they must accept some equal value setback--"I leap forward to grab the switch but am hit by Dr. Dooms energy blast, I flip the switch heroically as I fall unconscious" --the doom then is burned instead of going to the GM. Only if the player doesn't want a setback does the GM get it to use later.
I'd clarify powers combining all the energy controls/blasts into a singular power, and similar "condensing of likes" using the same rules structure but different trappings and explain the purpose of that and difference in play of electicity and laser light and so on.
I'd add the RRGTE device rules putting them into the game for player created devices. (but not for devices made at PC creation)
I'd improve the device "rules" and explain them from pc creation point of view (essentially most devices are simply housings for powers, but they can have small perks--lights, worthiness, etc--added as well.)
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Post by Trakx on Mar 21, 2006 11:32:46 GMT -5
That's a good start - we need to find what powers could be condensed. Wings being a limit to Flight, for example, is one that I've seen done before.
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Post by Trakx on Mar 23, 2006 15:58:07 GMT -5
Along the same lines, on a talk Sidhain (Tim) and I once had, some skills in MSHAG are tightly grouped, where others are specific.
For example, the skill "Swords" lets you use any sword well. "Martial Art Weapons" lets you use all weapons originating out of the orient, including the sword, the katana.
Perhaps skills could also be reexamined.
Also, I liked the idea of seperating skills and talents. I had the idea that skills could not be the target of powers (theft, nullification, copy), but talents could - but anything that targets skills, could not target talents.
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Post by silverlion on Mar 23, 2006 18:35:24 GMT -5
Skills could be condensed a bit to (I don't think we need for example a list of all the Science skills as seperate just Sceince and then specify them as specialties.)
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Post by Trakx on Mar 24, 2006 10:36:04 GMT -5
Skills could be condensed a bit to (I don't think we need for example a list of all the Science skills as seperate just Sceince and then specify them as specialties.) Could you give an example? As I understand it, you're proposing having a skill called "Science", which encompases all the sciences - and then they could take Chemestry, Oceanography, Radiology as specialties. Its your meaning of them being specialties that I'm at a loss of. It could be that to be specialized is to be Master Class, but then players would misunderstand that their hero is a radiologist MUST have Science: Radiology (Master Class - due to being a specialty). So... could you explain further? The same could be done with "weapon profeciancies" and "art".
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Post by Trakx on Apr 5, 2006 14:57:49 GMT -5
While this topic began by you, Tommy, you never mentioned any thing that you would change.
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Post by Tommy Brownell on Apr 5, 2006 17:45:38 GMT -5
Character creation and advancement both have to be overhauled. To put it mildly, they suck.
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Post by Trakx on Apr 7, 2006 12:25:19 GMT -5
Thank you, YES, they do!
What I resorted to when I was running a game last year was having my players draw cards as normal, totaling those points up, and then using the point system for creation.
It wasn't a perfect system, and I have always looked for a better one, but at least with it players rarely had the same amount of points to work with, even if they were going for the same concept (which was rare).
I gave them .1 points just for showing up, and then anywhere from .1 to .3 for roleplaying (playing in character), coming up with creative answers, and defeating challenging enemies. If they got 1.0 points, then they had enough to add to their character. Again, not a perfect system, but I liked to give to my players, but the current MSHAG system doesn't have you give too much or too often. Which is understand, but I still don't find it works for me - hence, my work around.
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Post by Tommy Brownell on Apr 7, 2006 13:11:39 GMT -5
See, I think the current system causes advancement way too quickly, when most comic characters tend to be static for long periods of time, with bursts of changes.
That's one thing about Marvel Classic I loved...advancement felt more like Marvel. Saga's solution? Make 'em spend a response point to get a new costume. The player's response? Then I won't be changing up my costume anytime soon, will I?
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Post by silverlion on Apr 7, 2006 15:29:56 GMT -5
Of course sometimes the burst of changes are "negative" loss of powers, loss of iconic aspects (Blue Electric Superman) and so on.
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Post by Tommy Brownell on Apr 7, 2006 16:36:31 GMT -5
That is true, too. I dunno...I guess I just don't see heroes "advancing" in quite the same way as they do in most other genres.
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Post by El Machinae on Jul 3, 2006 13:48:35 GMT -5
For character generation, I found letting the players draw two sets of 10, and then choosing, really helped out. As well, we let people who want to be specific things (scientific genius for example) draw randomly until they fit the alloted requirement and then randomly draw the rest (for SG, for example, draw cards until you have three dooms and three ints - and then the next four cards are yours too).
Advancement was way too quick. After about 5-6 points, an successful aura draw at the end of the session was required to get a point. The players grumbled, but the DM needed time to extend a story before the PCs outclassed the villain.
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