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TheTome /
SensationCharacterAdvantagesAndDisadvantagesYou are on the archive wiki. The new wiki is here. The second component of characters in Sensation are their Advantages and Disadvantages, henceforth referenced as A&Ds, or sometimes as A/D. As with Skills, A&D are not not primarily numeric in nature, insofar as relates to their functioning within the game. A&Ds are also notable because they are used by the player primarily as guides for roleplaying and representing interesting charcter features. The GM also uses a character's A&Ds to decide whether to reward players for roleplaying well, as well as for maiking various spot decisions. This will be more thoroughly covered in the section SensationUsingAdvantagesAndDisadvantages?. A&Ds represent the wide variety of possible character traits and features that are not encompassed by Stats and Skills. This allows for a very very large variety of possible A&Ds to exist. As a result of this great variety, A&Ds are similar to Skills in that they are defined and created by the player when he or she creates a character. Creation and definition of A&Ds is generally a simple matter consisting of only two steps:
Simply give the A/D a suitable name and then encapsulate then general features of A/D within a short paragraph. "Moves like greased lightning!": Joe's reflexes could best be described as "Waaaaaay too fast!". He is capable of the kind of whirring, high-speed movement seen only in martial arts movies, the kind that generally make the mind boggle and the eyes sore. "Thick as a plank": Joe is, for lack of a better description, really really stupid. While not necessarily unknowning, he just thinks really slowly. Really really slowly... The two examples given above are relatively simple examples intended to give you an idea as to how an A/D is defined. The definition can not include any kind of reference to the actual Sensation system. Thus, you can not create an Advantage that gives you +1 to some dice pool or other. The only other real restriction is that the definition can not be a Skill by another name, so to speak. Also, A&Ds should border on Senses, ESP or ESCP. The only cases in which such blurred boundaries can exist are via special GM approval or decision. An example of such a GM approved A/D would be something like "Short-sighted" or "Red-Green Colour Blind". Other than these restrictions, creation and definition allows for pretty much any kind of A/D to be created. Anything from physical disabilities to mental aberrations to deadly diseases can be modelled using A&Ds. Once an A/D has be created and defined it is up to the GM to decide how many A&D Points the A/D either costs or provides. Advantages cost points, whereas Disadvantages provide extra points for spending on Advantages. Before a player can purchase an A/D he or she has created the GM should examine the A/D's definition make a decision about the points cost of the A/D. This cost should based on how much of a force the GM feels the A/D will be in the game in terms of roleplaying potential and influence upon the GM's spot decisions. The following table below provides a guide as to points costs: 1 - Minor A/D Once the GM has decided how much an A/D costs, the player can then choose to obtain that A/D for the decided points costs. Using the previous two examples, "Moves like Greased Lightning!" would probably cost 5 points whereas "Thich as a plank" would be worth something like -3 points (-3 because it is a Disadvantage, and thus grants points instead of removing them). It is advisable that players note down the points value of an A/D when they purchase it, as the GM may need to use this information at a later point. Newly created characters recieve 5 pts to allocate to A&Ds. Players can choose to spend their points has they wish but it is recommended that the GM not allow a massive number of A/Ds rated above 3 to be taken this early in the game, unless the player can do a really good job of convincing the GM and intends to roleplay the A&Ds as well as possible. Probably the best rule of thumb for the GM is: Use your discretion... On a final note, if a player has any Sensory points left over at this point in character creation he or she can choose to convert them to A&D Points at a rate of 1 to 1. It might also be advisable for the GM to allow players who "saved" these points by disabling one or more Senses to take slightly more A&Ds than characters in full possession of their Sensory faculties, although this remains a matter of GM preference. Comments - As always, these go here... |