BtS2 / Mystic China / N&SS

[Guest]

Of course I have guidelines...if I ever hear back from the reviewers...

[Jefffar]

Of course I have guidelines...if I ever hear back from the reviewers...

You won't . . . until you pay the ransom

[Sir Neil]

The Natural got a lot better in BTS-2. I'd be more comfortable if he just played a Mystic China OCC out of the box, instead of combining them.

OTOH, if all the characters can select a martial art, it wouldn't be a big deal. It should cost four occupational or elective physical skills.

[Guest]

The Natural got a lot better in BTS-2. I'd be more comfortable if he just played a Mystic China OCC out of the box, instead of combining them.

OTOH, if all the characters can select a martial art, it wouldn't be a big deal. It should cost four occupational or elective physical skills.

It should cost a heck of a lot more than four measely skills.

[Guest]

Well ... BTS2 isn't really all that compatible with Mystic China anymore, for starters. (until we get us some new magic rules)

BTS2 isn't really compatible with anything.

ISP multipliers / Chi Magic / Chi Mastery, etc ... only complicate things.

I recommend dropping the ISP multipliers entirely. While I see what Kevin was trying to do with them, they only needlessly complicate the game.

[Sir Neil]

It should cost a heck of a lot more than four measely skills.

Yes, but it didn't. In N&SS Revised, HU psychics could get them at the cost of one skill program... which was 4 physical skills.

Alternately, one could limit it to Ordnary Person PCCs with the Fighting Athlete skill program. Trade all physical occupational skills for one martial art form.

This lets them buy a few genre bonuses (horror, possesion), but not the most powerful Natural abilities, like super strength or healing factor.

In BTS 2, I think the best powers are Ch'i Katas (Sword Qi and Yin-Yang) and Advanced Atemi's Enlightenment Strike.

[Guest]

It should cost a heck of a lot more than four measely skills.

Yes, but it didn't. In N&SS Revised, HU psychics could get them at the cost of one skill program... which was 4 physical skills.

Alternately, one could limit it to Ordnary Person PCCs with the Fighting Athlete skill program. Trade all physical occupational skills for one martial art form.

This lets them buy a few genre bonuses (horror, possesion), but not the most powerful Natural abilities, like super strength or healing factor.

In BTS 2, I think the best powers are Ch'i Katas (Sword Qi and Yin-Yang) and Advanced Atemi's Enlightenment Strike.

You could let them trade in one measley skill program for a martial art style...if you were letting munchkins play. But since the martial arts give enough skills on average for a skill program, it's still too cheap.

I don't use any of Palladium's official or recommended costs for martial art styles, whoever did them didn't actually look at everything you get in a martial arts style.

[RoadWarriorFWaNK]

I've decided that Martial Arts are worth between 18 to 36 PPE for Naturals / Genius characters to purchace. The reason the player wanted one was that they loved the natural character, but was disappointed by the limited growth in abilities over time.

Players hould have more to look forward to than more hit points and skill % every level ("Wow, my skill went up 2% after slaying 15 HellHounds and 2 vampires!) ...

I agree with this sentiment actually. I'm currently playing a Genius, and all I have to look forward to are my already insanely high skills going even higher as I gain levels. I have HtH Expert, so I get some combat bonuses, but I was really wanting some progression with Perception and Horror Factor saves.

[dataweaver]

Well ... BTS2 isn't really all that compatible with Mystic China anymore, for starters. (until we get us some new magic rules)

BTS2 isn't really compatible with anything.

From what I've seen, BtS2 is quite compatable with RUE.

ISP multipliers / Chi Magic / Chi Mastery, etc ... only complicate things.

I recommend dropping the ISP multipliers entirely. While I see what Kevin was trying to do with them, they only needlessly complicate the game.

I tend to agree.

[dataweaver]

I've decided that Martial Arts are worth between 18 to 36 PPE for Naturals / Genius characters to purchace. The reason the player wanted one was that they loved the natural character, but was disappointed by the limited growth in abilities over time.

Players hould have more to look forward to than more hit points and skill % every level ("Wow, my skill went up 2% after slaying 15 HellHounds and 2 vampires!) ...

I agree with this sentiment actually. I'm currently playing a Genius, and all I have to look forward to are my already insanely high skills going even higher as I gain levels. I have HtH Expert, so I get some combat bonuses, but I was really wanting some progression with Perception and Horror Factor saves.

Sounds like you'd be more interested in a reworking for the Natural/Genius - say, something where you don't get as much of a boost to start with, but you pick up additional bonuses as you go up in levels. A simple rewrite could do this: lower the initial allotment of PPE - say, to about the same level as what "ordinary people" have to spend on bonuses - but add another point or two of PPE per level, to be applied as the player sees fit. And/or change things so that skills that you put PPE into go up by an additional percent or two per level, above and beyond their normal improvements (probably instead of the current bonuses). This makes the Natural/Genius someone who is able to diversify if that's the player's desire, or can remain tightly focused and become really good at his specialty (I'd say that Naturals and Geniuses ought to be able to ignore the 98% cap, regardless of whether or not anyone else can).