Re: [BNW] Improving Powers

[MKirk2112@aol.com]

I don't know how sound your comparison is. Sure the goliath can up his
str., but so can the blaster (cold comfort I know). The goliath's actual
power is the +5, as far as the dice go:
1. Anyone can have just as many dice in str.
2. the difference between 5d6 and 6 or 7d6 really becomes non-cost
effective after awhile if you look at the odds of actually doing more
damage. As far as wounds go, again, any delta can have a 7d6 str.

Also, can't a blaster simply increase his speed? Sure he won't do more
damage, but he gets a better chance to shoot, dodge, drive, etc. 

You say that the goliath can increase intensity and resistance, but the
blaster can't increase intensity, what about increasing resistance? He can
do that by uping his str. or even uping his speed and dodging. So the
blaster does get something out of the deal.

Some power packages are more closely linked to their stats (goliath,
bouncer, etc.) than others (blaster, flyer, etc.) But they all gain
several benefits from increasing their stats. Whether these relate
directly to their powers or not varies, but they all benefit. And they all
receive dimishing returns as they up the dice higher and higher (as far as
rolls are concerned).

I don't have my book, is there a 5 pt. limit on skills? If not then a
blaster actually has an advantage because he can raise his shootin' to
really high levels and then use tricks (yeah I know) like extra damage and
bull's eye to get really good damaging tricks. The goliath can do this too
actually with fightin, but I consider shooting to be more powerful than
fighting in general.

What I was trying to point out, and didn't do a very good job of it, is that 
yes, the Blaster can improve his Strength, but in doing so it does nothing to 
improve his energy blast power.  Yes, he gets the benefit of being able to 
lift more weight, inflict more HtH damage, and take more wounds (just like 
the Goliath) but when the Goliath increases his Strength, his "delta power" 
also increases.  The Blaster's "delta power" does not.

However, I do agree that it becomes non-cost effective to raise trait scores 
incredibly high.  However, my point is more one of a "theoretical" issue with 
the rules system, not a "practical" one.  I think it is questionable, quite 
frankly, to raise any trait to 6.  That's a whole lot of points that could be 
used on a variety of different skills that not only make the character more 
well-rounded and "real," but also have more of a "game impact" because having 
a variety of skills allows the character to be effective in more different 
situations.

I'm not saying that the Blaster and the Goliath can't increase the same 
traits.  They obviously can.  The point I'm making is that in increasing 
stats, they get different "delta power" effects.  As Jennifer pointed out, 
unless you "link" a power that is not normally linked to a trait (like the 
energy blast power), you cannot in any way shape or form (under the normal 
rules) improve the intensity of the power.  The Blaster will always have a 
5d6+10 energy blast.  Even though it is not cost effective to do so, the 
Golaith can increase the intensity of his delta power (his super strength) to 
as high a die value as he wishes.  Yes, the Blaster could, in theory, be 
running around with a 10d6 Strength too, but his delta power itself is 
unaffected by this ... he still has his original 5d6+10 energy blast, where 
the Goliath would have a 10d10+5 Strength when he started with a 5d6+5 
Strength.  The Goliath's delta power itself is effected by this trait 
increase.

That said, I think this is a fairly minor point in the rules.  Yes, I 
certainly have spent a lot of time on it, but I really don't think it's a big 
deal mainly because everyone that has been running a BNW game for any length 
of time says "it hasn't affected the game."  That's good enough for me.  I'm 
really not a rules lawyer.  Heck, I like TWERPS because it's so fast and easy 
and puts the focus on the play of the game rather than the rules.  But, I 
think it's just because I'm a Guide, I spend a lot of time with the rules and 
trying to make sure they are as fair as possible.  This just seems like an 
instance where they are not fair, but the "unfairness" seems to have a very 
limited effect on the game, so that's okay.  No rule system is totally 
balanced or fair because the games that people run are so different from one 
another.

Guide Matt