Re: [HoE] Fortitude Ruling Response (long)

[zombi bobb <zombi_bobb@yahoo.com>]

Alright, I would've left the part of the message I was
responding to in here, but yahoo cut it off after a
certain point. One of the last things mentioned was
Arcane Background game balance. Now I may not be right
about some of this because I haven't had certain ABs
in my campaign but I'll try to make due. I feel that
Sykers are balanced out with the others nicely. 
Templars are always on teh move, or nearly always.
They have to disguise themselves as dispicable
creatures and decide whether your kicking them out of
town for safety or hatred. Their powers are directed
toward themselves, and not everybody loves a Templar.

Doomsayers are always on the move, or nearly always.
They have to try to gussy themselves up to appeal to
norms yet still be mutant enough to gain the trust and
possibly sway the opinion of mutants. They are also
trying to sew together two groups that fear and hate
each other pretty much as a whole. Their powers are
based off of radiation and I feel that less people
love a Doomie than they do Templars.

Junkers get to choose whether they want to move or
not. They don't have to appeal to anybody but
themsleves. They mess with spirits and get to do great
things. Their payment is they are ostracized from any
form of remaining society because of their practices
unless they have something to give that will
immediately help and then they are "urged" to move on,
translating to nobody really loves a Junker but other
Junkers and sometimes their Mommas.

Cyborgs get to choose whether they want to move or
not, unless their AI says differently. They get to
dress how they want, unless their AI says differently.
They have no real life and can't feel any sort of
pleasurable stimulus besides psychologically pleasing
things, unless their AI says differently. They are
accepted into towns less than Junkers unless they have
have something to give that will immediately help,
then their let in, unless their AI says differntly.
Nobody really loves a Cyborg except other Cyborgs,
unless their AIs say differently.

Sykers get to go wherever they want or nowhere, their
decision. They get to choose how they live, given
Post-Nuclear circumstances. Their powers don't come
from any "saints" or nuclear run-off. Nor does it come
from talking to spirits or being manipulated by one.
It come from their head. Payment for this power? They
lose their hair. If they use it too much they get a
head ache (understatement, I know). People only fear
them if they have to fight them because they are a
familiar sight. They've seen them all their lives.
Their not some post-nuclear cult like the Templars or
Doomsayers, they're not some arcane-machine wielding
ghost talkers like the Junkers, and they're not undead
psychotic robo-killers like teh Cyborgs. they are the
safest and strongest link to a past that America trise
to hold onto because that's all it knows or cares to
remember. They are the lasting impression of better
times. Everybody who remembers times before the war
loves Sykers. 

As far as in-game things are concerned, Sykers are the
best thing to be because everybody knows them. Knowing
them makes them familiar, familiar makes them not
feared. No fear means their friendly. Friendly is
good.

Now system concerns, I've had two sykers, two Templars
and two Librarians in my campaign all at once
protecting this little town with something above
average defenses. A very well organized road gang
invaded and took the town hostage. The two Sykers, by
themsleves, crippled and captured the road gang and
took back the town in under ten rounds. One of which
used all his strain. So I feel that Sykers are at
least equivalent to the other ABs. This may not be a
good measure of balance, but it's the only one I got.

I find that equipment costing the amount it does is
okay. If it was cheap enough that you could start out
with more than just the one alien rock that enhances
your psychic abilities suddenly every Syker from
Faraway would have a little keepsake. I think that if
you do have one of these or other rare things and word
gets out everyone should be gunning for you. So you
don't get a syker set up exactly the way you wanted,
he doesn't have all that keen equipment. You have to
justify it. Example:(I know it's not a Syker but it
applies) I made an ex-soldier for the CSA. He had a
history of running away. But that's beside the point,
when I went to equip him I couldn't get him decent
military-grade clothing, military issue weaponry or
other little provisions. But a soldier should have
these things. True, but not after thirteen years of
wandering and surviving. Maybe he traded the rifle for
some food or lost it running from a group of cannibal
muties. Maybe his military fatigues got hit with some
acid spit so he had to find something to make do. 

So I guess my point is, maybe your Syker used to have
equipment, but since he first got here he lost it. If
anything it could be a hook for the Marshal to get you
to go somewhere. "You have to find that Banshee stone
you dropped in the gorge when stunned way back in
'89".

I guess the equipment issue isn't really resolved,
since you were comparing two things where one is more
affordable. I guess I'd take the flavor of a weapon
over it's ability.

Zombi Bobb


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