New Specialties

[Mystrich]

Only specialties I've ever thought of that don't fall into others would be Nature/Animal handling (Could be Science, but I see Science as being mix chemicals and make unstable molecules. Nature/Biology/Riding all falls under a mix of new specialty/science/medical/vehicle - so it gets its own).

Art - while not a comic staple, this isn't really covered by anything. Contacts in museums, artists/musicians, and art skills don't really fit into anywhere, but are common enough that characters should be able to get it as a specialty.

History/Current Events/News/General knowledge could all be a category. While it's not really anything special, how many times in comics does a single character go "O, hey, I know something about that" which stumps the big thinkers because it's not necessarily a science/tech thing.

The first two of the original poster's things are Psych things (but Entertainment could fall under Art [See above]) and Survivalist would fall under Nature (See above)

[MidnightBlue]

I suppose this is another minor issue that I have with the game, where character-defining traits are spread out over distinctions, specialties, and power sets. And what goes where? It defies my nerdy need to categorize everything into boxes.

I love how we all come at these things differently. Spatula, this is actually one of the reasons that I love this game so much. I just really enjoy how you can approach a concept from so many different ways.




I agree with all those above that say there is nothing wrong with adding whatever new thing you want for your table.

Personally, I think the Specialties list in the book covers just about anything that I can think I'd ever want to use...anything else could probably be factored into a Distinction or Power Set somehow.

I also like the idea of very specific Specialties if a player wants a little more flavor for his datafile than he has slots for via Distinctions.

For example, a player that wants his character to have intimate and extensive knowledge of Peace Movements of the 60's...even at Master level, this doesn't break anything. Will it get used a lot? That is totally up to the player that asked for it. I'd think if he felt the need for this to be statted on his datafile, then he'd go to the effort to make it a significant part of his story. [Personally, I'd just recommend the player jot this fact down in the concept/history section of his datafile and we'd roleplay it, but if he REALLY wanted the die...sure, why not?]

But if the question is, do I feel the rule book should expand the list...no, I don't think it is necessary. We can handle that on our own at our own tables.

Most every example that I've seen COULD be shoe-horned into a Specialty we already have...or as others have said, they might fit better as Distinctions.

Entertainment - Are you trying to get a reaction out of a crowd...like acting, singing? I'd say this could be Psych. Knowing and appealing to your audience and trying to sway them would definitely fit into Psych...along with Leadership. Well...if your leadership style is more...aggressive...then you could go with Menace.

Art - Depends on your intended use. Are you trying to speak to an audience with your painting/sculpture/welding/etc? Then, like with Entertainment, I'd go with Psych. Are you trying to scare the bejesus out of people with your insane expression? Menace. Are you trying to sell your art and make a living and a name for yourself in the art community? Business...which would also be used for those entertainers and gamblers that were focusing on making a living with their skills.

Survival, Nature & Animal Handling - I know most of us go to chemistry and physics when we think of science, but just because it isn't our gut reaction, you can't ignore biology, anatomy, kinesiology, botany, entomology, oceanography, nutritional sciences, etc., etc., etc. I think Science covers all of these aspects quite well.

Animal Riding - To me, this is just another form of locomotion...i.e. Vehicles. Vehicle Expert could easily be used for an expert equestrian and cover the handling and care of said "vehicle" as well as knowing contacts and having resources in that field. A Vehicle Master might be a master of all types of biological mounts...especially if you have pegasi (?), unicorns, wargs, battle rhinos or any other form of fantastical critters wandering around your world.

Animal Care - If we aren't talking about a mount (Vehicles) and we don't want to just lump it into Science (Biology), then perhaps you could find your home in Medical (Veterinarian).

Hunting - To me, this is just a form of Combat. You are trying to do harm with hands, weapons &/or traps. For my tastes, I've already lumped Survival and Animal Understanding up in Science.

I think that covers most of what we've seen requested above from my perspective.

Again, remember that character concept is important. Peter Parker is known to be a pretty decent brain in the fields of chemistry and physics, but his datafile doesn't restrict him to those fields. If the table is really that concerned with narrowing down the scope of a Specialty, then they can choose to do so by not trying to use a Specialty for a task that their concepts don't support. [Of course it should be noted that even in the comics, characters step out of their comfort zones all the time and just come up with that fact they need. How many times has Peter dropped some interesting science fact that would more likely come from a biologist?]

It really can be handled on an individual level.

So far, I haven't seen a suggestion for a Specialty that I don't think I couldn't plug into a Specialty we already have.

But what works for your table is the right answer, of course.

[pksullivan]

Hunting - To me, this is just a form of Combat. You are trying to do harm with hands, weapons &/or traps. For my tastes, I've already lumped Survival and Animal Understanding up in Science.

Quick nitpick - as a hunter, the absolute LAST thing I want to do is get into combat with large game. Hunting is much more about stealth and striking while hidden or using traps. The conflict is over before the first shot is fired. That screams covert to me. (Which, by analogue, means that world-class snipers would have covert master instead of combat master. That also feels right to me.)

[blaster219]

Honestly, the reason we added used a specific Animal Handling because our tiny brains couldn't accept the logic that the same skill that let's you pilot the space shuttle, could be used to win the Grand National. It felt like too much of an application stretch.

The listed Specs are fine I think for 99% of the character concepts that player's could come up with.

[MidnightBlue]

Hunting - To me, this is just a form of Combat. You are trying to do harm with hands, weapons &/or traps. For my tastes, I've already lumped Survival and Animal Understanding up in Science.

Quick nitpick - as a hunter, the absolute LAST thing I want to do is get into combat with large game. Hunting is much more about stealth and striking while hidden or using traps. The conflict is over before the first shot is fired. That screams covert to me. (Which, by analogue, means that world-class snipers would have covert master instead of combat master. That also feels right to me.)

I can totally see that too.

My point was just that it was a use of weaponry to inflict harm &/or kill. But I definitely see what you were saying and I agree that Covert would be another great way to handle it.

[MidnightBlue]

Honestly, the reason we added used a specific Animal Handling because our tiny brains couldn't accept the logic that the same skill that let's you pilot the space shuttle, could be used to win the Grand National. It felt like too much of an application stretch.

Heh...I don't know about the tiny brain part, but I know that my own gut reactions often make me overlook a particular stat as being usable for a concept I'm looking for.

Then I have to step back and think...yeah...really it's the same thing. I can drive a car and I can "drive" a horse. It's only the narrative and concept specs that make the difference between the two.

Really, your example is no different from the fact that a NASCAR driver might be able to drive a car with one wheel and on fire with expert precision, but he probably can't fly a space shuttle...yet he would still have Vehicle Expert. Replace horse with car in your example above and you have the same situation.

To me it is more a matter of players limiting their narratives by the boundaries of their own concepts and not needing the rules/mechanics to do it for them.

In my way of thinking (by no means the only way), the expert horseman with Vehicle Expert would never even attempt to narrate that he would be trying to fly the space shuttle "expertly."

[braincraft]

Honestly, the reason we added used a specific Animal Handling because our tiny brains couldn't accept the logic that the same skill that let's you pilot the space shuttle, could be used to win the Grand National. It felt like too much of an application stretch.

But it's kosher that the same skill that lets you pilot the space shuttle could be used to win a BMX racing competition? Or that a marine biologist has the same exact skill set as an astrophysicist? Or that target shooting is the same skill set as fencing, judo, and grenade-tossing? Or that the same skill that lets you pass the bar exam lets you pick locks and pockets?

[N01H3r3]

But it's kosher that the same skill that lets you pilot the space shuttle could be used to win a BMX racing competition? Or that a marine biologist has the same exact skill set as an astrophysicist? Or that target shooting is the same skill set as fencing, judo, and grenade-tossing? Or that the same skill that lets you pass the bar exam lets you pick locks and pockets?

Hey, we're talking comic book logic here. Hank Pym is a biochemist, Bruce Banner is a nuclear physicist, Reed Richards is a physicist... but that doesn't stop any of them (Richards in particular), or any science-inclined character in the Marvel Universe from comprehending in considerable depth any scientific discipline that the story might require them to know. It's not just in the comics either - in the Avengers movie, Tony Stark gains expertise in nuclear physics enough to converse in depth with Bruce Banner overnight, and he pretty much says so.

It's the same with any speciality - the likes of Hawkeye, Wolverine and Captain America (Combat Masters all) are versed in dozens, even hundreds of distinct martial styles, combat techniques and weapons, and while they're most famous for fighting in a particular way (Hawkeye's peerless marksmanship, Wolverine's berserk rages, Cap's use of his signature shield), that doesn't mean that they can't defeat you in any of countless different ways.

Per standard comic book logic, some people are just that good.

[Alric]

The problem I had with the specialties is the munchkin possibilities. Players who see "science" and so they play the character as an expert in every possible science there is. It's important to enforce a background story which will limit the use of the specialties. If the character is a Botanist limit their knowledge of physics for example.

[N01H3r3]

The problem I had with the specialties is the munchkin possibilities. Players who see "science" and so they play the character as an expert in every possible science there is. It's important to enforce a background story which will limit the use of the specialties. If the character is a Botanist limit their knowledge of physics for example.

It is... to an extent. But, as I pointed out above, this is seldom something that bothers comic book scientists - in spite of many of them having a particular focus in science, they frequently demonstrate a significant breadth of scientific knowledge.

Particularly in the case of Masters of a given speciality - Science Master demonstrably does depict a character skilled in numerous disciplines, just as Combat Master depicts a character able to shoot a rifle or bow, wield a sword or punch a guy in the face with equal ease. A Vehicle Master probably does know how to operate cars, motorbikes, tanks, boats, trains, planes, helicopters and starships. That is, in essence, why the character is a [Speciality] Master.

Expert probably covers a lesser breadth of learning, but the fuzzy logic of the comics should still apply to a fair extent.