Aberrant RPG - Learning Powers & Teaching

[MooAberrant]

Do you think any Nova can develop any Mega Attribute? What about a power?

What are your thoughts on Novas teaching each other? What about via powers that link their minds?

Is there a teaching enhancement?

A very simple overview of a reoccurring chat IC and OOC in my game.

A mega-int PC in my game wants to create psychic links between lots of Novas then eventually developing in to a Hive Mind, but there is no Queen. The members would develop things like: Mega-Intelligence - Compartmentalized Mind, Mega Charisma - Autonomy, Mega-Wits – Group Awareness, etc.

Part of the reason for this is so all the Novas involved can learn Taint Resistant. Another reason is to create a gigantic think-tank.

Any thoughts on this method being used as a teaching method and think-tank are welcome :-)

[Mr Fox]

It depends on the game. If you are going strict, I would say that developing anything, mega-atts or powers would depend on the character's theme. It is after all their subconscious that is directing the manifestation of their powers.

On the other hand, even in the most strict games I've ever played in the STs still allowed characters to develop out of theme powers, they just made out of theme things more difficult to learn or more expensive to buy.

In most games however, I'd say there aren't really many prohibitions against learning OOT powers/atts, and mechanically there isn't any difference cost-wise or time-wise.

If you are inclined to mess with costs and allow abilities to be taught then I'd say that linking minds would definitely make it easier to learn.

As far as the hive-mind thing, that would really be up to you and your group. If they want to do it then let them do it as long as it doesn't sink your plot or break the game. The whole idea is for the players to enjoy themselves after all, perhaps it will take your story in a different direction than you had planned to go, but sometimes that can make for a great story if you are able to think through what the ramifications of their actions might be.

I once ran a World of Darkness game that centered entirely on diablarie and the whole point was for the characters to stalk elders and drain them dry. We even came up with rules on how it benefited the characters and how they would be permanently improved by it, but also how it could be dangerous and how they could become possessed by the spirits of those they drained (manifesting as personality traits that were not under the character's control). It certainly wasn't a traditional game, but it sure was fun.

And that's my advice, whats going to make for the best game, and be fun? The Hive-mind sounds interesting, if it's what the players want and you are ok with it then toss the rules out the window and come up with your own to govern the process and have a blast.

[MooAberrant]

Cheers for your thoughts. I had another open chat with the group, overall the group decided they would prefer the taint struggle in the game to not be undermined too easily by any Nova being able to develop any power. The idea of altering costs was discussed, and they are having a think about something outside their 'theme' costing +1xp per dot, or a bit more expensive to initially buy. The group PCs are mostly focused on saving the world, the tagline: "Save the Novas, save the world!" sums up the campaign.

One PC Nova is a mega-psychologist and has the idea that mega-counselling will help some Novas that are struggling cope better and maybe could even help limit the effects of psychological taint. The player is aware this is likely to be very dangerous and also unlikely to work with anything other than minor taint. Also that as taint increases the problem is likely going to get more complex and progress unreliable.

Interestingly the psychology Nova is very much against the idea of a Hive-mind, and these two Nova PCs are starting to divide other Novas on the issue.

Game going great, good times