Talk:MTH:Superpowers

Submitted for consideration:

A)Powers with multiple techniques are rather long entries, so;
1) Should these be given a general introduction and a link to there own page?
2) Should they be given a basic technique and then have the others exist as a 'power style:____' merit?
3) Both 2 & 3
4) Be split into separate, lower-level powers?

System Eloquence

"I wrote Reach for a specific reason, and it duplicates one of Plasticity's effects.... one single effect. Should I remove Force Bolt because Elemental Anima has the Blast technique?" Well, kind of, yes. If a power exists that is just a more limited version of another power, then that power should be removed and the more limited version added as a Weakness for another power. The powers with multiple techniques are, in general, in need of simplification. Since a version of Force Bolt exists for multiple powers, it's probably best to list the technique as something like 'see force bolt'. There are other examples of duplication like this that need to be addressed.

"It's far better to have too much material on this wiki than the bare minimum for it to function." There has been significant discussion in the RPG Net community to the contrary. In keeping with their 'System Eloquence' guideline, and White Wolf's own developmental trend, rules' edits by our group look to widen existing rules to encompass additions when possible, as a preference over adding new entries. This keeps the wiki from being unnavigable and lowers RPG Nets' over-all data burden. New entries are justified when they will not fit under other areas even when widened.

Categorization

When exactly should something be considered a power or a piece of equipment?

Several of us are in the process of creating an equipment page for MTH, and there seems to be some discrepancies in thought on the subject. Is Iron Man's suit a Power or is his Power the ability to create such a thing? As written, the Contingent Activation Weakness can be used to allow an object to be present to use the power, and that seems to exist to allow some powers to be part of a power suit/ray gun/whatever. It would seem like that means the power can be stolen by stealing the object, and there are certainly examples of this in comic book stories.

Mechanically though, is this a problem? Do we want players lending powers or killing of characters to steal their power items?

General Discussion

What's this 'type' nonsense? Who's to say that Regeneration has to be 'Tech' or 'Bio' and can't be magical in nature? What if my character has a magical amulet which causes his wounds to heal? You should be able to fluff any power as having any type of origin. Limiting them by type is... well for lack of a better way to put it, it isn't fun. If this is for one particular game, then maybe that person should have their own set of rules rather than impress upon newcomers to the wiki that their characters will have their pick of superpowers limited based on what 'type' of hero they are.

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As it is described under 'Type' on this page, the 'Type' is an optional factor used with the Origins character splat. If not using Origins the Type has no effect. Besides, just like the die pool on a power (or any of it's other mechanical effects) a different rational for the Power would change the listed Type.

One reason for including Type and Origin is to allow an ST to have some ground to stand on if they need to rein in their players with respect to applying consistent rationales to their character's powers (as opposed to having them be 'fluffed'). In many groups players do that themselves, and so those optional systems are not needed everywhere. Apply where applicable. --BunniRabbi