ISP per level?

[Natasha]

I vote for A.

[Jefffar]

I say B

[Natasha]

B gives way too much I.S.P. if you're playing proximity rules, I think. I'm not at my book to check I.S.P. costs of the powers though.

[Jefffar]

Anything more than bending spoons costs 20 or 40 points to pull off

Even with proximity rules, the players won't have enough ISP to hit the baddies with their best tricks.

[Natasha]

Like I said I have to re-read; it's been a while. i remember the powers topping out around 20 I.S.P.

[Vidynn]

B!

[ghost2020]

A playtest would've caught this.

I wish that Palladium did a playtest like SJGames does. Seems to work out pretty well.

[Natasha]

A playtest would've caught this.

I wish that Palladium did a playtest like SJGames does. Seems to work out pretty well.

I don't think it is an issue of play-testing, I think it's an issue of confusing verbiage.

[Natasha]

I usually played by method A. Of course, I also let my players have maximum rolls for ISP.

I think that I'd be inclined to give max I.S.P., too.
But I never GMd BtS yet.

[Natasha]

I usually played by method A. Of course, I also let my players have maximum rolls for ISP.

I think that I'd be inclined to give max I.S.P., too.
But I never GMd BtS yet.

This approach suggests that you two generally think there is too little player ISP in the game. I do agree but I think it may depend on game style. If a lot of your game is normal life role playing you need more because if you use any in the afternoon you have vastly diminished resources when a monster shows up at night. But if a game mostly just fights monsters you always go into the beginning of battle sessions fresh. Our game is one of the ones with much more role playing out of supernatural proximity.

I've played on hunter-killer teams with all the latest and I've played poor University students stumbling around after the library closes with little more than a flashlight. Even decked out in the latest and toting some high power, the monsters in BtS (both editions) are quite powerful. I think they're a bit over powered in general, especially in BtS-2, as such I'm inclined to say "ok" to beefing up the PCs a bit. It's rewarding to kick the baddy's ass time from time; it sucks to always be retreating.

[Natasha]

Something tells me you haven't played for the last 9 months at first level with 7 isp and a main power that costs 8 isp. I have. Tonight will be our first game at second level so now I'll have 2 more; it's very frustrating.

I want to thank everyone for their continued opinions and consideration. I think this conversation will continue to be helpful for our game.

Your GM needs to be somewhat more giving of the XP, in my humble opinion.

Good luck.

[Natasha]

Thanks. I suppose there is something to be said for gritty horror supposed to be being frustrating... or worse.

hehe. I played a nega-psychic for year and she died shortly after making level 2. I'm not complaining because it was a lot of fun.
You can have grit and experience levels, too, though.

[Jefffar]

So it looks liek it's a small random pool to start with a small fixed increase as they go up in level.

I think that's too little for practical use by all but the highest level characters in all but the highest threat environments (and leaves them horribly underpowered even then).

So why not add the bonus they get from their ME per level (incidently, my attribute bonuses start at 12, with a +1 and an additional +1 every even numbered attribute above that)

[Natasha]

So it looks liek it's a small random pool to start with a small fixed increase as they go up in level.

I think that's too little for practical use by all but the highest level characters in all but the highest threat environments (and leaves them horribly underpowered even then).

Teamwork.

[Sir Neil]

Psychics get extra ISP when they advance in level. For a character such as Physical Psychic, the base ISP is listed as "2d4+2 per level." Which of these interpretations is correct?

At my table? B, but I don't like hitting players with a hate-bat while screaming, "You don't get to have nice things!"

[Xar]

Autistic Psychic Savant:
"1d6+5 to start, +1d4 per level of experience, starting with level two."
1st=8.5, 5th=18.5, 9th=28.5
Diviner:"2d6+2 per level of experience."
1st=9, 5th=45, 9th=81
Fire-Walker:
"2d4+2 per level of experience."
1st=7, 5th=35, 9th=63
Ghost Hunter:
"1d4+4, as well as +1 per level of experience."
1st=6.5, 5th=10.5, 9th=14.5
Latent Psychic:
"1d6+2 to start, and +2 per level of experience, starting with level two."
1st=5.5, 5th=13.5, 9th=21.5
Physical Psychic:
"2d4+2 per level of experience."
1st=7, 5th=35, 9th=63
Psi Mechanic:
"1d8+3 at level one, +1 per level of experience."
1st-7.5, 5th=11.5, 9th=15.5
Psychic Healer:
"2d4+3 per level of experience."
1st=8, 5th=40, 9th=72
Psychic Medium:
"2d6+2 per level of experience."
1st=9, 5th=45, 9th=81
Psychic Sensitive:
"1d6+6 at level one, and +2 per each additional level of experience."
1st=9.5, 5th=17.5, 9th=25.5
Does this give anyone firm ideas?

Yep. I color-coded the quotes above. Red means their base amount is different than their amount per additional experience level, Green means that you use the same number for both their starting base and their amount per additional experience level.

Ok, out of curiosity, I figured average die rolls to see where each of the characters' ISP would be at 1st, 5th and 9th level. Those are in blue. Does this seem right? Some characters should be more powerful than others, it just makes sense. But, should there be this much disparity? Is the Ghost Hunter right? Is the Diviner? They seem reversed to me. It's been too long since I read the O.C.C. descriptions.

What do you think?

[Natasha]

Psychics get extra ISP when they advance in level. For a character such as Physical Psychic, the base ISP is listed as "2d4+2 per level." Which of these interpretations is correct?

At my table? B, but I don't like hitting players with a hate-bat while screaming, "You don't get to have nice things!"

I don't hit players with such a bat or scream so and still chose A.