Characters too powerful...

[solfuries]

So in our running game I am coming across times when the main characters are doing incredible amounts of damage. For instance one of the player characters is this:

Abilities

Cute +3
Human Arsenal: Guns + 1
Incorporeal Form +2
Invention +1
Focused Invention Guns +1
Combat Skill: Firearms +3
Agile +2
Smart +2
Powermove +3
Weapon: Pistols +2
Perceptive +1

Weaknesses

Size: Small -1
Focus: Guns -2
Agism: 12 years old -1
Amnesia -2
Arrogant -1
Crybaby -2
Fear: Clowns -3
Suppressed Power: Incorporeal Form -2
Weak -2

Power Moves
Hail of Bullets:
Ranged, Rapid Strikes, Area Effect, Open to Attack

Standard Issue Big Gun:
Ranged, Charge, Extra Damage x3, Extra Knockback

So this guys attacks are these:
Basic Pistol Attack: 7d6, DT=3
Hail of Bullets -20 end: 7d6, DT=7 !!!!!!!!
SIBG -20 end: 7d6, DT=10 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When this guy fired his SIBG he did between 80 and 240 damage, that seems to be building leveling power, and I am having trouble having any sort of bad guy that can withstand that sort of blast....

Normally the PCs tend to save their power moves for something they really want to destroy, so what happens is whenever a boss shows up, the boss gets totally decimated in a round or two because of such high damage totals.

It is especially hard to gauge because the above PCs threat value is only 19... Except when he goes up against another 19 the PC nearly always wins because of such high amounts of damage.

Have you guys encountered this in your games? How do you deal with it? Is my math wrong somewhere in his character creation, or is he just a high level powerful character?

[Joe_Mello]

First thing, Hail and SIBG have switched stats. Another thing I noticed is that the character is a +5, which may or may not have been by design.

Some recommendations are to have your lackeys have a secretly Unnatural Resistance to bullets. Also, make sure you enforce all of Charge's effects. Lastly, guns don't always work. :3

Another way to indirectly address the problem is to set-up situations, where combat may not be the best solution. Not everything can be solved with a gun to the face

[solfuries]

I fixed the power moves they should now be correct.

Good point with the 'not always solved by combat idea,' but any sort of combat isn't going to last long if this guy does 200 pts of damage!

I mean even something with armor of 5 and toughness of 4 is going to pretty well destroyed.

Its just a ton of damage, that doesn't seem to fit with the threat level of the character. Any character that can do over 200 pts of damage in a single shot ought to have a considerable higher threat value... Perhaps I am putting too much stake in TV.

However, if the PC misses two times he has exhausted his endurance and then pretty much dead in the water... I guess that is the danger of having such powerful power moves. It just seems that nothing seems to live past those first two shots, especially with a 7d6 attack roll!

[R-90-2]

However, if the PC misses two times he has exhausted his endurance and then pretty much dead in the water... I guess that is the danger of having such powerful power moves. It just seems that nothing seems to live past those first two shots, especially with a 7d6 attack roll!

He does, however, have no defenses: A surprise attack by any moderately competent opponents would suffice.

Also, don't forget about Witchcraft and Miracle dodges: Witchcraft can impart any kind of weakness, including ones that would reduce his endurance below the level required to use either of his powermoves, or severely cut down his attack dice. Don't be afraid to play his weaknesses. If he bought them, then he can't complain if you throw them back in his face. Clown-uniformed terrorists (G-Gundam yay!), vise traps, occasional gun theft, and if he's not crying enough, call him on it.

[Joe_Mello]

Clown-uniformed terrorists (G-Gundam yay!)

But I thought he was the good guy...er..robot...thing. FUKU GUNDAM!

I've also realized that in the realm of RPG's, players often encounter mobs, even when there's a boss. If this character decides she's chargin' her lazer, she's vulnerable to attacks from EVERYONE in the mob without defense rolls. A knockback or dropping Health to 0 should be ample reason to cancel the attack and waste the 20 EP

[Clay]

As pointed out previously, this massive office comes at the price of a completely nonexistent defense. Throw some ninja masters at the character, enemies with masterful stats in both Attack and Defense, and there will be little fight at all. A two-dice Defense simply won't cut it in any lengthy exchange of blows.

That aside, Power Moves of the higher levels (like 4 and 5) will be SLIGHTLY nerfed in the revised game.

[Joe_Mello]

his massive office

Glorious Solar Desk?

[Clay]

Wow, that's quite an unfortunate typo for offense.

I don't know whether to cry in the corner or LOL. Maybe both.

Cute comic, though. ;p

[solfuries]

I understand he has weaknesses, but when he connects he connects so massively sometimes over 200 pts damage, I am having trouble keeping anything alive.

I mean if the ninjas get some suprise attacks, sure, but all it takes is one shot and 200 kills about anything. I will have to play around with some dice bots *wink wink* and see if I can balance it out. I want the attack to be powerful, just not so powerful that can kill anything in one hit.

Also, about this revised game... any ideas as to when it could be expected. I haven't heard much talk about Mecha or Fantasy either, any playtesting going on?

[Joe_Mello]

200 is just an unfortunate side effect of the system that seems to be calibrated on the roll of 2 dice. It's also the reward for not getting ass-raped by all of the bad guys.

Fun note: Any character can have 600 total points (200 Health, 400 Endurance) so wouldn't it be wonderful to see a big hit go off only for the PC's to see that he's only down a die.

[R-90-2]

200 is just an unfortunate side effect of the system that seems to be calibrated on the roll of 2 dice. It's also the reward for not getting ass-raped by all of the bad guys.

Fun note: Any character can have 600 total points (200 Health, 400 Endurance) so wouldn't it be wonderful to see a big hit go off only for the PC's to see that he's only down a die.

400 Endurance? Why is he taking it on the chin and not just burning it for Miracles?

[Joe_Mello]

I would probably house rule that enemies cannot buy miracles.

Additionally, I would probably limit the # of miracles given out to the PC's simply because they become cheap (in more ways than one) at higher levels.

Additionally, I don't think Endurance Reserve can pay for Miracles.

[Clay]

Whether enemies can use miracles or not is ultimately up to each individual Game Master. I'd find it rather against the grain of "good guys win" mentality of most anime, but whatever floats your boat.

Endurance Reserve paying for miracles however is a no-no. Drama Dice are a character's personal spirit and luck. Unless the item in question is a lucky rabbit's foot, magic wand of wishing, or some other gadget that implicitly implies it CAN be used for this purpose, I would not recommend it.

As for the Revised Edition, progress is slow I'm afraid. I'll create a new thread should any more concrete information become available.