Homemade Negative Qualities, Yours, mine, ours? Options Track this topic Email this topic Print this topic Download this topic Subscribe to this forum Display Modes Outline Switch to: Standard Switch to: Linear+

[lorechaser]

So here are a couple new negative qualities I'm thinking of introducing (once I manage to actually get people to, you know, show up to the game). Any thoughts on the balance or appropriateness? Or better names? Or better wording?

Human Throwback (10 pts): This quality may only be taken by a metahuman. Choose a starting attribute that has a racial bonus, and reduce that attributes by one. Your augmented maximum for that attribute is now the same as your racial maximum. In certain circumstances, you may suffer a charisma penalty dealing with members of your own metatype.

The intent is that you get a smaller bonus than a normal member of your race, and you can never be as good as a normal member. The 10 pts is conveniently enough to raise another attribute, but since just shuffling felt cheesy, this also penalizes the attribute you weakened. The pseudo-science is a partially expressed UGE - you didn't get the full benefits of your goblinization.


Dain Bramage (15 pts): Whether you used too many BTL's, burned your brain out on Black IC, or just never quite kept up with the kids, you just aren't as quick as the average bear. You take a -1 penalty on all reaction based checks, and can never spend Edge to go first in a round, or gain extra init passes.


I considered a -2 penalty, but then it seemed like no one would ever take it. I also considered 10 points, but again, for 10 points, you basically get -1 reaction, plus other penalties.


Thoughts? Anyone else have neg. quals to share?

Edit:

Here's the current list, stolen from later in the thread.

Page 1:

Human Throwback (10 pts): Penalty to a racial bonus
Dain Bramage (15 pts): Slow to react.
Grandstander (20 pts): Must be the center of attention.
Enemy(Variable): Enemies.
Flashbacks(Variable,5 to 20)
Whore Hound (5 pt): You want to make sexy time?
Groupies (5/10/15/20 pt): Eeek! There he is!
Temper (10 pts): You wouldn't like me when I'm angry.
Glass Jaw (5 pts): Uppercut! He's down!

Page 2:
Haunted(5/10/15/20): Spoooooky ghosts!
Mean as a Rattler (10pts): Kick em when they're up, kick 'em when they're down.
Grim Servant O Death (20pts): And he was the only one that lived...
Big Britches (5pts): Our fearless leader
Gambling Freak (5/10/15/20): Just one more roll....
Distinctive Style(5): It's all retro SR3!
Swimming with Sharks (0 BP): A pound of flesh.
Stepped on Toes (10 BP): You made someone real big real mad.

[ElFenrir]

Yeah, I mean, Flaws SHOULD be a disadvantage, but there is a difference between 'pain in the ass' 'disadvantage' or 'im now useless'.

I mean, its all well and good to have Situational flaws....in a pirate campaign, Allergy: Seawater is a tough flaw, in Severe cases it could be deadly. But its balanced, the person that takes Severe Allergy to Seawater in a sealubbing campaign is asking for it.

Allergy: Seawater in a campaign that takes place in Kuopio, Finland would be utterly useless.

I think thats one problem...the flaws can be twinky because they are very situational. A balanced flaw in once campaign could be twinky in another, as said above.

What we need are some good, general purpose, flaws(and positive qualities...come on, not EVERY shadowrunner can be ambidexterous ) that are balanced any way you look at them.

Well, i mean, supposedly, based on that, a campaign based around protecting some crazy rich old Hamster Lady who collects them, Allergy: Hamsters would become balanced. :grinbig: