Specialties

[Majestic]

When we first played, I think all of us were a bit guilty of maximizing the dice pools. As I've learned the game better (and read stuff here), it's become clear to me that one of the main rules to this game is 'Describe the action first, then build the dice pool to match what the action is!'.

So wheras early on I found Luke Cage's character trying to maximize his dice pool by being menacing during the battle (to take a d10 for his Menace Mastery instead of using his Combat Expert d8), I've realized that Menace gets used only when he is building a dice pool for a menacing action, rather than in the middle of throwing punches.

I'm curious what people do for characters like Iron Man and Invisible Woman who don't have any skill in fighting. If in the middle of a standard fight, do they just build their dice pools without using any dice for a Specialty?

Or do you tend to allow them to use other, appopriate Specialties if they do something creative (rather than a direct attack, like a repulsor blast), say, with their Science Specialty?

[Dunlaing]

I let players use whatever they think is appropriate, with only one or two exceptions (I can only think of one and it was a power trait, not a specialty).

I've let someone use Business Master in the middle of a fight.

[Gingerkid88]

id let ironman use his tech specialty. hes using his tech to aim and react to things that another character in the same armor wouldnt be able to do. invisible woman could use her covert expert if she was sneaking up all invisible like. i could see menace being used, if your afraid of what Luke is about to do to you its going to affect how you fight him.

[Supplanter]

"Business Mastery is like Sorcery, only with money." - Me.

When I played Iron Man I let myself use Tech Master if I was manipulating elements of the suit - shutting this down, stepping that up. I also used Science Expert a couple of times during single combat with the T-Rex as I took advantage of my knowledge of its anatomical capabilities. (e.g. hanging on to the back of its neck where it couldn't get me, exploiting its limited vision etc.)

I haven't played Invisible Woman. She looks trickier to manage. I think her datafile particularly would benefit from swapping out Multipower for Versatile. (Admittedly, that's almost always true.) She does pick up an extra D6 from Constructs when making an asset roll, but I'm not completely sold on the value of that SFX. (Afflict? I am down with Afflict!)

For someone like Sue, whose Specialties really are kind of remote from combat usefulness even under a forgiving standard, I'm wondering about something like:

"SFX: Native Talent. You may use a POWER SET stunt for no PP cost."

That gets her the equivalent of an Expert specialty die whenever she wants it.


Jim

[Majestic]

It's too bad that both of those characters (Iron Man and Invisible Woman) don't have something in the fighting arena. I've been buying Iron Man's book for years now, and just about every issue he's throwing down with one villain or another.

I think I'm going to allow the Tech Specialty like you've illustrated, Supplanter, and I'll allow whatever Invisible Woman's player can come up with also (Covert does seem like one that's a natural fit for Invisibility).

I wish characters like this (or perhaps all characters) got a default d4 or d6 for a Combat Specialty, when they aren't otherwise an Expert or Master.

[Wayfarer]

Also take into consideration that while someone may be super strong, like Iron Man, that doesn't mean they have combat training. And no, boxing with Happy Hogan in a ring in Iron Man 2 doesn't count as 'training', that was a workout. In my opinion, there's a difference! lol

People like Superman, Hulk, and the like never had any combat training because they never NEEDED it. Either of those two flicks his finger and a building goes away! The only training one would need would be to hold back so as to not turn their opponent into a fine red mist upon contact! Which is where the holding back option comes in!

I don't agree with Menace being used in combat, unless you're dealing emotional stress. I thought that's what it was; the art of intimidation, scare tactics etc. I can see that working in battle easily but not for physical stress.

I have in the past allowed acrobatics in combat. Thank you Spider-Man! I think in general though it would depend greatly on the type of Stress you're attempting to inflict.

[Majestic]

Good points, Wayfarer. Even without formal combat training, experience goes a long way, I think. I can tell you this from not only decades of playing supers in role-playing games, but also years of actually observing (as well as performing) real-life hand-to-hand combat. One can also see this by watching sports fighting, MMA, etc. Over time one gets better and better at fighting, so a character starts to learn and figure out what work and what doesn't. Thus a character like Iron Man, who is continually engaging in combat (not to mention Superman and the Hulk), should become at least proficient, even if they're not experts.

Interesting that you make reference to IM 2. I've always considered these character (for this game) more as being interpreted from the comics, rather than from the movies. Not that they can't be both, really, but if there was something different between the two, the default would probably be the comics version.

[Doc_Nova]

As a case for proficient but not an "expert", simply allow for Rookie level specialties. At least, that's been the solution for my group.

In regards to Menace in combat, or other "odd" combat specialties: I can see ways that many of them could be worked in for an exchange or two. I could see Menace, for example, shaking an opponent's nerve to aid in connecting a blow and not just requiring mental or emotional stress. Business is a bit of a stretch, but I certainly wouldn't curtail a player's creative narrative by simply telling them "No". I would, however, challenge them to explain how.

That said, if it becomes overused then it runs the risk of becoming rote, which quickly leads to depreciating the value of different specialties and, even more importantly, to dull gaming.

[Newtsy]

I've let someone use Business Master in the middle of a fight.

Now, now, Dunlaing ... don't you mean "Business Mastering"?

[konate]

I've asked about Tony's Tech Master here on these boards and the response was let him use it in combat since it describes using tech.

I, personally, see it more useful than a Combat specialty, then.

I've let Mr. Fantastic use Science Master in combat vs. the raptors since he was using Quinjet parts to create a loud noise to scare them off. He is pretty hamstrung in combat and it was a way for him to do the "Mr Fantastic" thing. It was a fun and creative idea that deserved a reward since it added to the game and everyone's enjoyment.

I love when Mr Fantastic is played by someone with the creativity for him to be effective. When it works, people awe because they can appreciate the difficulty of playing someone without much "beat down" ability. It also gives examples of other ways to be successful, without straight-forward thinking.