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frostPDP
Not exactly sure how geasing a power point works. What geases can be used on one's whim?

Reason: One of my PC's, possibly the best roleplayer but also the best min-maxer, recently discovered the voulentary geas. And boy does he want to drop stuff into it!

He's pushing for his martial arts style (custom-made) to be a "Gesture" for his killing hands at D damage. At least this cuts back on him touching and killing someone.

But what else can be done as a sensible geas, and does geasing powers count the same as magic points (I.E. some geases are worth 1 point, others 2, others 5, depending on how restrictive?)

Sorry, this may be a silly question, but it comes outta the same PC who wants to up his strength to 10 and flip cars. I just see it as a potential game balance nightmare.
Eyeless Blond
Voluntary geasea reduce the cost of a power to 75%, round up, of its original cost. Check out details in MitS. Also keep in mind munchkinning geasea are a good way to get your GM to invoke the rule saying that you're deliberately ignoring said geasea, and thus can never initiate again (see same pages.
JaronK
If a Gaesa doesn't actually do anything (Fast healing Gaesaed to "only when injured", Killing hands to "only when making a gesture of punching someone"), the GM has the right (and obligation) to say "hell no."

JaronK
toturi
Actually all the geas need is to impose some limit on the adept's actions, even if the limitation is a virtual one and does not practically exist.
Dawnshadow
Any Geas can be taken voluntarily.

Mine.. well, the one I used like that: one was 'night only' (Time Geas). They all make sense, if they're done right. It's a case of making choices for roleplay, rather than min/max.

Basically, any Geas that you can come up with a reason for taking is fair game. If he's a good roleplayer, he probably can.

Not having MITS I can't check, but doesn't the Gesture Geas require something very visible? Restrict it to the flashy demonstration-style moves. I mean, killing hands - Deadly, on a gesture (Taekwondo)? Wouldn't apply it at all to punches and upper body. Don't know if I'd apply it on short kicks. I'd probably just apply it on all the flashy flying kicks and long distance kicks.

If you're really concerned, sit down and work it out like that, and let him decide if that's how he wants his character to fight.
Apathy
Geasa are always subject to GM approval, and my general guideline is they should be a hinderance to the power half the time that the power could otherwise be used. So 'daytime only/nighttime only' is a good geasa, but 'only while awake' is not. Similarly, since you have to strike your opponent in order to use killing hands, calling your martial art a gesture and geasing the power to that would not be acceptable to me. Nor would the restriction 'only when in melee'.

Examples of geasa I would accept:
  • Only when drunk(+1 or more to TNs)
  • Only at night
  • Only indoors
  • Only when wearing my lucky shirt/brass knuckles
  • Only when wounded
  • Only when fighting trolls
  • Only when clean (bathed)
  • Only when my concience is clean (within 12 hours of confession)
  • Only when shouting "Kia!"
toturi
Punching only can be used for Killing Hands since there is Sweep, Throw and Kick Attack maneuvers.
Apathy
QUOTE
Punching only can be used for Killing Hands since there is Sweep, Throw and Kick Attack maneuvers.

I would not allow 'Punching only' as a Killing Hands geas in my games, because I don't believe it's a suitably limiting restriction to balance the benifits of the geas. Of course, YMMV. How often do you find your PCs in melee when their hands are tied behind their back?
Dawnshadow
First time the adept was in a fight, he was badly hurt (got shot) and being used as a human shield from the Sam! wink.gif
Edward
A geasa should cost something, not necessarily a huge amount but something. A gestures geasa for killing hands could be a martial arts stance. It is something you can easily do almost all the time but perhaps not when you are prone, partially restrained in exceedingly tight quarters. These situations will be vary rare but then so would the loss of a talisman or failing to perform daily meditations if you have those geasa.

Edward
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