GM Resources

 

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Thematic Powers

 

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Playing Limitations

Broadly, Limitations can be categorized into those that are directly related to power mechanics, those that are external or systemic, and those that related to the character's identity. The way in which a GM approaches and incorporates an actor's limitations into a campaign can vary based on these categories.

1. Power-Related

Power-related limitations are in many ways the easiest to incorporate into a campaign as their rules and effects tie directly into game mechanics. One of the two components for each of these limitations will always reflect a concrete penalty (in dice) to the actor's ability to resolve tests of their powers. The second will typically reflect the conditions under which the penalty is applied.

The most important task for GMs when players want to use power-related limitations is to ensure that the definintions of the components are specific, explicit, and clear. Don't allow players to hand-wave the rules under which their powers are affected. Make sure these are nailed down before hand.

Power-related limitations may be specified to apply to only a subset of an actor's capabilities, but GMs are encouraged to limit the potential complexity here. A player attempting to micro-manage multiple limitations against individual powers can very rapidly become mired in a nightmare of interlocking game mechanics that can bog down the whole game for everyone.

Consumable Power

The critical factor for this limitation is defining the nature of the "recharge" functionality of the actor's power. What must the actor do to recharge? How long does it take? Are there specific conditions required? Does recharge occur all at once, or is it incremental?

The two components of this limitation have been chosen for their ability to model various mechanisms of power-loss and recharge. A limitation with an Interval of 5 and a Interval Penalty of 1 represents a power which diminishes with each use, eventually resulting in the loss of the capability. A high Interval and high Interval Penalty combine to represent a power which may be marshalled for one big use before needing recharging. A low Interval and high Interval Penalty combine to represent a power which may suffer dramatic fall-off in power if not managed responsibly.

Extrinsic Power

When choosing the extrinsic power limitation, the player must clearly and specifically describe the character's power source, and under what conditions it is vulnerable to removal/failure. GMs should ensure that the Vulnerability component is appropriate to the real vulnerability. Attempts at forcibly removing or disabling the extrinsic power source may be tested against a difficulty set by 6 - Vulnerability.

Physical Vulnerability

 

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Uncontrolled Ability

 

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2. External & Systemic

These limitations can generally be as concrete to incorporate into a campaign as power-related limitations. The key difference is that external and systemic limitations will affect the fabric of a campaign in ways that transcend individual powered interactions. As the GM, it will be necessary to make space in your campaign world for the implications of limitations in this category.

Nemesis

This limitation is highly concrete and straightforward. The GM's challenge for the Nemesis limitation is in developing and playing the nemesis non-player character (NPC). GMs should allow player input to shape the nemesis, but ultimately decisions on character and motivations are in the GM's hands.

GMs may choose to plan encounters with the nemesis, and/or leave the opportunities to chance. The limitation's Frequency component can be used by GMs as a measure of likelyhood to determine nemesis appearances. For any given encounter, the following test can be used by the GM to decide if the nemesis should appear:

Frequency + 2 → 3S

When more than one actor within the heroes' party have the Nemesis limitation, GMs may also wish to consider the prospect of these nemeses teaming up against the players' characters.

Target of Bigotry

 

Before playing this limitation with fidelity, GMs should check in with themself and all players to ensure that roleplaying bigotry and prejudice by NPCs and characters' responses fits in with everyone's ideas of what makes for a fun game.

The critical factor for this limitation is defining the nature of the bigotry directed at the super-powered actor. GMs should work with players to refine their ideas of how this affects their characters, but because this limitation has such an effect on the overall fabric of the campaign setting and the behavior of NPCs, the GM should make final decisions about these aspects. For the sake of expediency and simplicity, GMs are encouraged to unify instances of this limitation across characters.

The limitation's Normativity component represents how likely NPCs are to openly act out their prejudice in front of other NPCs. When considering any social response to an actor with this limitation, the normativity and Intensity of bigotry should both be added to the factors against the actor.

3. Identity

Limitations related to identity can be the most difficult to integrate into a campaign in a natural and organic way.

Code

 

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Duality

 

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Social Vulnerability

 

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