Training in Power Useage

[Tommy Brownell]

Late last year, a thread popped up on the Marvel SAGA mailing list regarding using skills for powers.

I'm sitting here, wasting time that could be spent on something productive, and pondering this:

The skill name as used in the thread is called Power Mastery...it would exemplify training of skills, and would have the following levels.

Hindrance: Inexperienced - The hero gains no trump while using the power.

Basic useage - This is the default level. This is everyone with a power but not the skill. Play as normal.

Skilled - The character has training in their power and can reduce the difficulty of using said power or its stunts by 4 points.

Master-Class Skill - As above, but the hero gains an extra trump suit when using the power. Examples: Trumping off of Intellect and Willpower for Telepathy or Strength and Agility for Leaping.

World-Class Skill - As above, except the hero now trumps off of anything other than a Doom card.

On the surface, I like the idea...the only downsides being that as my personal preferences move away from bog-standard advancement in supers RPGs, this just adds one more step to that...and that, if you tend to use official characters a lot, there's the task of going through and deciding who gains what.

Also, possible conflicts with existing powers such as Mental Control, Energy Control and Observation.

Perhaps a generalized skill for Agility and Strength powers instead?

[oninowon]

I think using skills to denote how skillful you are at using your powers is just redundant. The Edge/hand Size shows how skillful you are, albeit broadly. The game already simulates over the top action and to institute a skill system to further give bonuses would just make it too easy.

[Tommy Brownell]

That is true, to an extent.

Captain America does come across as noticeably better than...most anyone.

A specific example that came to mind for me, and I haven't had a chance to test is, is Professor X vs Nate Grey. Grey SHOULD own Xavier on sheer power...which, now that I read his write-up closer, I realize he doesn't. A Telepathy of 12 vs Xavier's 15.

Huh.

Anyway, in their confrontation in the comics, Nate was portrayed as way more powerful than Xavier, whereas Xavier came across more skilled. Whether their Edge gulf of 1 vs 3 would accurately simulate that, I'm not sure.

Of course, part of you complaint with this house rule is null and void anyway, as Mental Control, Energy Control and Observation already do this for the bulk of Intellect and Willpower-linked powers.

[oninowon]

As to your example of Xavier vs Nate Grey, doesn't intensity determine how strong that power is? Nate would have greater intensity of the power he shares with Xavier but his skill in using his power is dwarfed by Xavier's edge and maybe even in the amount of stunts Xavier can do with that same power. Unfortunately, because of the simplicity of the SAGA system, the difference between power level and skillful use of said power are tied intimately together when determining to hit and damage.

[Trakx]

As I said on another board, on one hand I agree that it unnecessarily adds a degree of complexity to the game which has been covered by Edge, but then again it helps to broaden the game by allowing players to further fine-tune their characters.

Perhaps as the son of Spider-Man, who has all the same powers, you've learned how to websling really well, but your aim with your webshooters could use some work.

I've been working on something of a modified version of the game, where I have removed skills which blanketed many powers (such as Energy Control) and have a power skill system instead. For example, Energy Blasts 14B, would be Energy Blasts as 14 intensity, trumping off Agility and Strength cards played.

[syzygy]

admin said:

A specific example that came to mind for me, and I haven't had a chance to test is, is Professor X vs Nate Grey. Grey SHOULD own Xavier on sheer power...which, now that I read his write-up closer, I realize he doesn't. A Telepathy of 12 vs Xavier's 15.

Both of these listings are mistakes, as I see it.

Xavier's assigned telepathy of 15 is weaker than Frost's of 16, but we know uncategorically that Xavier is the stronger telepath.

In the Classic Marvel RPG, Xavier's telepathy is Unearthy rank. Unearthy power level translates to 18 in SAGA, but Unearthy Psyche translates to 15 in SAGA.

My guess is that whoever converted Xavier's stats for SAGA confused the two and gave Xavier a 15, which makes no sense, since he's continually described as Earth's most powerful mutant mind.

As for Nate Grey, I'd give him an 18 Telepathy as well, but with a special version of Ability Boost that applied not to his stats but to his psionic powers, and with a severe limitation. The rank might be anywhere from 1-4 (up to 22, which is Shift-Z level in Classic), and would last for an aura exchange, but then, after the exchange, Nate loses health at least equal to the power boost (cards of value equal to or greater).

This is different from pushing, in that he can go above rank 20, simulating Nate's near-limitless power, as well as the defect that his mortal body is too frail to contain such power.