Aberrant RPG - Wound penalties

[BlueNinja]

I was thinking about this when reading over the description of the psi power Inflame (first dot of Algesis).

For most of the normals (including psions and Inspired types), wound penalties are a slightly worrying thing, and while some of them can temporarily avoid the dice lost with Resistance rolls, the best thing to do is to not get injured. For novas though, not only do they get those extra three dice to Resistance, but also each dot of Mega-Stam (which almost every nova takes) reduce wound penalties. Even if the nova takes Low Pain Threshhold, they can have zero wound penalties is they push their mega-stam up to 5 dots.

So I looked at that psi technique, and thought, "Hmm, interesting way of increasing the wound penalties. Still, why do you have to inflict damage for that?" Then I started wondering what kind of powers (admittedly, mostly thinking of nova powers here) you could use to cause a target's wound penalties to increase. Such a thing would be a painful surprise to most novas, especially the elite and XWF types, who are used to not feeling a thing even if it's enough to KO them or kill them.

So ... other than vampiring away M-Stam (which is a sneaky way to drain someone down to 0 stamina, but anyway), what is there in the rules that you could use to make someone suffer from extra wound penalties?

[Alex Green]

Keep in mind that Mega-Stamina only gives back lost dice.

There are other effects (mostly for movement) that stay there.

[SkyLion]

It could be as easy as inventing a pain power (basically an agony spell)...no damage but hurts like hell...Mega-Stamina should still help counteract the effect though, thats what its for! Speaking of which, I just checked and M-Stam does subtract from movement penalties...

[Alex Green]

The numbers for movement are so much larger that it doesn't really matter.

[BlueNinja]

Glancing through the rules again (specifically, the section on wound penalties and the section on M-Stam), having M-Stam means you don't suffer the dice pool penalties - but you do still suffer some movement penalties - specifically, losing the ability to sprint at Wounded, and being down to walking 1 meter at Crippled. Since the other movement loss for walking/running can be eliminated with a medium level of M-Stam, it's hardly a punishment for getting hurt.

Other than using something like, say, Disorient or Q-Vamp, how do you make a nova feel these penalties again?

[SkyLion]

Other than using something like, say, Disorient or Q-Vamp, how do you make a nova feel these penalties again?

Easy...just like anything in any game...use the golden rule and make it up. For exaple:

L2 Power: Agony

Dice pool Int+Agony, successes on a medicine roll add to dice pool. target rolls willpower. Every net success imposes a painful die penalty of -1. You could rule like disorient that reduceing below half means the target is unable to act. M-Stam should help with this, since its so powerful on anyone without it... In any case there you go...one custom power that cripples foes in agony without actually harming them.

[Alex Green]

Glancing through the rules again (specifically, the section on wound penalties and the section on M-Stam), having M-Stam means you don't suffer the dice pool penalties - but you do still suffer some movement penalties - specifically, losing the ability to sprint at Wounded, and being down to walking 1 meter at Crippled. Since the other movement loss for walking/running can be eliminated with a medium level of M-Stam, it's hardly a punishment for getting hurt.

First of all, I've lost battles because I didn't have the ability to sprint. ::glare

2nd of all, enough Mega-Stamina is supposed to let you keep functioning untill you are litterally dead on your feet.

[Ayre el KaBeer]

Let me see...

Does it have to be an actual die pentaly if you just want pain as the end result? Either immobilize, disorient and poison can all easily be suited to "inflict pain" as their effect without having the penalties and thus requiring a new power, still if we must then we must.

The power doesn't need to be high powered but then it will be next to useless against the tougher nova's, up it and then it becomes too powerfull, we need a middle ground.

We can start with the level one psi power, iirc it doubles penalties. Against baselines it's fantastic against low mega-stam nova's it will be merely inconvenient unless they're severely injured, against high, nevermind.

Roll psi, if successfull double wound penalties, great for trinity but for aberrant, based on those mechanics, it'd be a level one power but then what's the point in buying more than one dot? Doesn't work, needs a new mechanic, and one that rewards having more dots, that will push the power up in level andl make it feasable in combat.

2 Possible options:

Two hits from this power for either option can overwhelm and effectively drop almost any character (especially #2) so I'd say no stacking for either of these powers, remember that these penalties are in addition to any the target may have or recieve while under it's effect. Pain penalties regenerate at the same rate as bashing damage.

#1.

Agony.

Level: 2

Quantum minimum: 2

Duration: 1 scene.

Range: Touch.

Dice pool: Stamina + Agony

Target rolls Stamina to resist.

Damage: Net successes add to targets penalties.

#2.

Agony.

Level: 2

Quantum minimum: 3

Duration: 1 scene.

Range: ranged (low).

Dice pool: Dexterity + Agony

Damage: [Quantum] + Agony, successes add to targets penalties.

Note: the target doesn't get to to resist the attack but the maximum pentalies is much smaller than option 1, to compensate it has some range. I'm tempted to make this a level 3 since the effect is assured but then it puts it up there with disintegrate and it's not that deadly.

Even though they can potentially cripple a character in one shot/touch, a nova can resist pain the next round and negate the effect the next round. However, for the target to attack instead of resist the pain they'll be doing so with penalties, this power can effectively take actions away so it is indeed powerful. At the same time it's a non-lethal power (though it can make it easy/ier to kill the target) and the effect cannot be stacked (I'm thinking kind of like forcefield cannot be stacked) so I'm finding it hard to justify having them as level 3's.

The other option is to have the power as an extra for any other attacking power...

Pain:

+1 level.

Each dot in the power add's 1 to pain penalty if you successfully damage/hinder (for immobilize, etc) the target.

[PolaronT2MRR]

Since it seems to be an issue you have with the wound penalties in general, I might suggest to have MegaStam reduce penalties only to a minimum of a 1 die penalty, rather than to 0. Of course this doesnt work as well if youre not ST.

If youre looking for a player method, then I think the imbolization idea was probably the best I've heard.

[metaphysician]

I don't have my book with me, but IIRC, the power Disorient causes universal dice penalties. Seems you could just take Disorient, and define it as "causing intense pain."

[madcat82]

I devised a way to make wound penalties a lot harsher then before, but its a bit harsh on the ST as well.

Simple, instead of giving people a healthlevels worth of damage, depending on weapon type and successes the unfortunate victim gets a temporary/permanent flaw, such as:

Wound: you lose three die on all actions, and you have a bleeding that in the long run is lifethreatening (dont tell the player unless s/he have medicin, and all of a sudden the medic is a VERY important person).

Blinded: your eyes have been hit, resulting in temporary/permanent blindness. you lose two die on all actions above the penalty for blindness.

.... and so on. It requiers a bit of reaserch for the ST, but after that its realy quiet simple, and people tend to take wounds a hell of a lot more serious.

It should also be noted that most of these are invented on the spot, and I just write a small note like (with blindness as an example): Flechette, eyes, blinded, -2

[Alex Green]

Expect more people to get Regen.

[madcat82]

In abb thats pritty universal for my players...

On the other hand, thats not really that easy in Trinity, so Easculapians get a bit more to do (like they didnt have enough allready ::biggrin )