Topic: Power Point Development

[Dr Jim]

What are peoples experiences with using the power point development ruled in RoCo II? Is the general consensus that it overpowers spell users (I would imagine that pp multipliers would have to be increased rarity)

[Ginger McMurray]

Unless I'm misreading it, it takes power away. You can still only get level * base from stat power points. Now you're paying 2 or more development points for it. Absolutely forget it if you're a non-spell user trying to pick up an odd list to level 5. Your fighter just spent 45 development points just to get 2 power points and a shot at learning the spells.

We've used base power points before at -10 for every PP you go below zero. Unconsciousness hits at -10. It was rarely used. It's much better to ration your points than it is to put yourself at massive penalties to squeeze a few more out.

Then again, I once turned a TPK into the biggest treasure haul ever by knocking myself out. It also involved open ending high on my base attack roll followed by the dragon open ending low. More of that tale can be found here.

[Dr Jim]

I was thinking of the stat / 10 as base pp plus number of ranks multiplied by stat pp number option. Allowing for 2 ranks to be purchased at each level effectively doubles available pp, with the additional base pp on top (although as you say there is an option to impose penalties depending on the percentage of pp's used).
I suppose that, like with RM in general, it's what fits with the flavour of the campaign 

[arakish]

Here is how I have redone the Power Point Development.  By using the Progression method I can make some peoples more apt, or powerful, at magic/power than others.

If you are the GM, it is all about how you want magic/power to be in your world.  Other methods would include giving peoples inherent talents, bonuses to the ESF, etc., etc.

I have also implemented a Genus Species method that is very similar to the Latin naming of species here on Earth.  In the first table, the Genus would Mergaëlon with the appropriate Species name: e.g. Mergaëlon Darnor would be name for the "Wood Folk."

One standard rule you should remember, the more adept a species is at using magic/power, the more vulnerable they are to that magic/power.  On my world, there is only ONE realm of power: Kreäsa.  There are two ways to wield Kreäsa, Kamaru (Power-Use), and Kalpan (Psion-Sap).  In simplest terms, Kamaru is considered the most eloquent since you are using your own developed power; Kalpan is considered utterly evil since you sap your power from all others.

MERGAËLON (First Tribes)

Yolnara (Noble People)		0•9•8•7•6
Darnor (Wood Clan)		0•6•5•4•3
Arnyar (Fair Folk)		0•7•6•5•4
Mithyar (Warrior Clan)		0•4•3•2•1
Ivyar (Sea Folk)		0•7•6•5•4
Vugara (Lake People)		0•6•5•4•3
Tharnhar (Underland Kin)		0•8•7•6•5

ALNAR (Human)

Altaïs (Common)		0•5•4•3•2
Anur (Noble)		0•6•5•4•3
Avari (Greater)		0•8•7•6•5

rmfr

[Spectre771]

Absolutely forget it if you're a non-spell user trying to pick up an odd list to level 5. Your fighter just spent 45 development points just to get 2 power points and a shot at learning the spells.

Funny you mention this.  We had one player who had a fighter-type PC.  At level 0 he spent the 20DP for the 5% chance to learn a spell list.  At level 7, he finally rolled 96+ and learned the spell list.  He has a PP adder he got from a mage player and he could cast his few spells that really helped out.  I've done the same thing ad level 0 but I have yet to learn my spell list.   Someday!  Some day.....  the spell casting Cavalier will rise!

[Ginger McMurray]

Funny you mention this.  We had one player who had a fighter-type PC.  At level 0 he spent the 20DP for the 5% chance to learn a spell list.  At level 7, he finally rolled 96+ and learned the spell list.  He has a PP adder he got from a mage player and he could cast his few spells that really helped out.  I've done the same thing ad level 0 but I have yet to learn my spell list.   Someday!  Some day.....  the spell casting Cavalier will rise!

I had a fighter do that, but he didn't spend the points until around 7th level. He had a decent presence so it only took a couple of levels to get the list. I forget which one it was. Almost certainly the one with unstun or haste on it. Probably the latter as I was a huge fan of smashing face back then and haste lets you do it twice.

[Spectre771]

Almost certainly the one with unstun or haste on it. Probably the latter as I was a huge fan of smashing face back then and haste lets you do it twice.