Re: [HOE] Strain question

[Theo McGuckin <tsm@jlab.org>]

> I'm looking through my newly-arrived copy of Waste Warriors and it
> brought back to mind some questions I had about Strain. Simply put, is
> strain equal to vigor-die type enough for a character to be effective in
> more than one fight per session? And are the martial arts strain costs
> too high?
> 
> Case in point, the Monkey Goes to Mountain ability costs 3 strain per
> use. That seems like a lot for something that is pretty much an
> automatic ability for most cinematic martial artists. The others cost
> 1-2 per use or per round used, meaning most people are good for 8-10
> rounds of combat, then can't use any special abilities for several
> hours.

I think as far as martial artists go the powers are meant more as an
occasional enhancement of the martial artists natural abilities. He isn't
meant to be using a power on every single action or even round of combat.
Think of the fights in The Matrix as an analogy. Take the fight in the
subway between the Agent and Neo.
They face off, quickdraw and shoot at each other while charging.
Then they both go into Plugging the Hourglass as they float in the air
spinning around each other.
Neo then uses the Get Up maneuver to stand
They fight for a good stretch
Agent uses Devastating Ape Strike, but hits a pillar instead.
More Fighting
Agent uses Fury Fan the Flame
More Fighting
etc.

Sure they burned a lot of strain, but that was the climactic fight
afterall...

Now think of the lobby scene:
In the whole scene Trinity did one Monkey Goes to the Mountain (walking up
the wall) and Neo did one Fury Fans the Flame (triple kick on that guard).
The rest was all just straight shooting and fighting. 

I think this was the intention with the martial arts abilities.

> Now, when you're talking about a doomsayer who can take out a tank
> singled-handedly, putting some limits in place makes sense. But the
> martial artist abilities don't seem anywhere near as overpowering as
> most mutant or syker powers.

Well when you combine them with his martial arts abilities they can be.
Take flying kick, combined with a high skill and Devestating Ape Strike
and you get a nasty combination.

The powers may be a little high sometimes, but like I said, I think that
is to encourage style over raw power use.

Theo McGuckin - SysAdmin, JLab


	"We need a plan."
	"Right. First I'm going to soil myself. Then I'm going to regroup and 
	 come up with a new plan."