6 replies to this topic

[metaphysician]

Has anyone ever considered running Adventure! without a distinction in character type?  So, a PC can pick any knack from any list that they feel like, mixing and matching.

If so, what results came of it?

[Alex Green]

In theory, I'm better with Novas taking DD powers than the opposite.

[metaphysician]

I'm not talking about allowing full blown quantum or psi powers or such.  Just picking from Adventure era knacks.

[SkyLion]

I think its a good idea, considering how amost every published A! NPC "cheats."

The main thing is just to make sure that everything fits well within the character concept and not abusive, as always.

[BlueNinja]

Personally, I'd advise against it.  The knacks are separated out to form a more distinct theme for each character "class" and I think that's part of the strength.  On rare, well-justified occasions, I'd let a little mixing occur (since it seems to happen with nearly every NPC in the book ) but I think it's better to keep them separate.  Heroic Knacks especially; their very mechanics and theme set them quite a bit apart from the Dynamic and Psychic Knacks.

[Arcanum_V]

Has anyone ever considered running Adventure! without a distinction in character type?  So, a PC can pick any knack from any list that they feel like, mixing and matching.

If so, what results came of it?

In a game I ran, I allowed rather a lot of this kind of crossover and it worked well.  If something made sense for a character, I usually allowed it.  The main thing I kept an eye out for was stacking that smelled too much like min-maxing, like taking two Knacks that both modify Initiative.  Fortunately I had a mature group of players who had grown out of trying to win the RPG years ago, so they didn't try to do that kind of thing.

I'm also very receptive to allowing gadgets that duplicate Knacks if someone desperately wants a Knack that falls outside of his or her type.  The advantage of a gadget is that it can run out of Inspiration, be taken away, or not be readily available, so it doesn't become a challenge to game balance.

[SkyLion]

In a game I ran, I allowed rather a lot of this kind of crossover and it worked well. If something made sense for a character, I usually allowed it. The main thing I kept an eye out for was stacking that smelled too much like min-maxing, like taking two Knacks that both modify Initiative. Fortunately I had a mature group of players who had grown out of trying to win the RPG years ago, so they didn't try to do that kind of thing.

I'm also very receptive to allowing gadgets that duplicate Knacks if someone desperately wants a Knack that falls outside of his or her type. The advantage of a gadget is that it can run out of Inspiration, be taken away, or not be readily available, so it doesn't become a challenge to game balance.

Hear that Phoenix?!?!