Post by TheUdjat on Mar 18, 2009 18:33:21 GMT -5
Now that all of you have made characters, there are a couple of rules to address that are unique to this game. Most important of these is Conviction. Those of you familiar with M&M will recognize the concept as similar to Hero Points. But before I get too far into explaining it…
Conviction
Conviction is what sets heroes apart from the common folks, so this is important. Everyone has 3 Conviction points as the story begins—write it down on your sheet, please. You can spend a Conviction point at any time as a reaction, but only once per round for the same purpose.
This is what you can do:
Regaining Conviction is hard in my style of GMing. There are two main reasons I dole out Conviction: The first is because of good roleplaying. In a moment I’ll talk about Virtues and Vices. When you very accurately and faithfully portray these characteristics, I may be inclined to hand out a Conviction point (though you can have no more than 3, so be sure to spend them, too). Secondly, if I feel a character does something particularly heroic, courageous, or insanely cool, I will also likely hand out a Conviction point.
That’s it. So, in general, Conviction is entirely dependent on participation (and my whim).
Role Abilities
Every role has a, well, role associated with it. To better exemplify this, characters in that role are able to activate certain abilities that other roles can’t. This costs a Conviction point, but it can be worth it.
Warrior – A warrior can spend a Conviction point to erase all Bruised and Hurt conditions. This will make more sense after the first combat, when the Toughness system is clear, but it’s kind of like getting your hit points back.
Expert – An expert can spent a point of Conviction to gain 4 ranks to any skill for the duration of the scene. This can exceed the level limit for skills, and it can also be applied to untrained skills to make them trained. Briefly.
Adept – An adept can spend a Conviction point to remove all fatigue accumulated for using powers. They may also use a Conviction point to gain use of a supernatural power they don’t have (but qualify for).
Virtues and Vices
Everyone must pick a Virtue and a Vice. There is no list of what these are, but as a general guideline, virtues are things like Courageous, Free-Spirited, Gregarious, Hopeful, Industrious, Compassionate, etc. Vices are things like Cowardly, Fearful, Impulsive, Selfish, Lazy, Petty, Arrogant, Stubborn. Pick them—acting them out well gives you Conviction!
The Gift
Now I’m going to address something setting-specific that deals with the Magi in particular, though all of you should pay attention.
Magi are the big shots of the setting, no bones about it, but they have one very significant drawback: The Gift. The Gift is magic, but the Gift has a pretty serious side effect: nobody likes you. That is to say, any given person’s default reaction to your characters is Unfriendly. There are exceptions to this rule, and time and familiarity can improve this, but someone unfamiliar with a magi will always dislike them, without really knowing why (they’ll come up with reasons, but basically unsubstantiated). Your characters are familiar with this. That’s why they have an entourage. Even members of the Covenant may hold them in suspicion and get uncomfortable around magi, but those that have been around a magus a lot will have an easier time of it. So be prepared. The Gift can be a pain in the ass in social situations. How the other players wish to have their characters react is up to them, but remember that you are supposed to be working for the magi, and the game does need to progress with minimal infighting.
Other magi, of course, are well-prepared to deal with it, so there’s no reaction between other magi.
Conviction
Conviction is what sets heroes apart from the common folks, so this is important. Everyone has 3 Conviction points as the story begins—write it down on your sheet, please. You can spend a Conviction point at any time as a reaction, but only once per round for the same purpose.
This is what you can do:
- Activate your Role’s special ability (see below)
- Grant yourself a re-roll, choosing the better of two rolls. As a bonus, the re-roll can’t have a value less than 10 (you add 10 to a result from 1-10).
- Skill Challenges. Using skills in particularly trying ways (like trying to fast balance or craft mastercraft items) typically increases the DC or imposes penalties. You can spend a Conviction point to negate some of this. (Up to +5/-5)
- Temporarily (for one round, typically) gain the benefit of a feat you don’t have, but qualify for.
- Regain your dodge bonus (if you’re flatfooted, surprised, or so forth).
- Gain a move action, before or after your normal actions for the round.
- Reduce fatigue by one level (winded instead of fatigued, fatigued instead of exhausted, etc.)
- Immediately make a recovery check for your worst damage condition.
- Escape Death—that is, to automatically stabilize when dying, either yourself or someone you’re helping.
Regaining Conviction is hard in my style of GMing. There are two main reasons I dole out Conviction: The first is because of good roleplaying. In a moment I’ll talk about Virtues and Vices. When you very accurately and faithfully portray these characteristics, I may be inclined to hand out a Conviction point (though you can have no more than 3, so be sure to spend them, too). Secondly, if I feel a character does something particularly heroic, courageous, or insanely cool, I will also likely hand out a Conviction point.
That’s it. So, in general, Conviction is entirely dependent on participation (and my whim).
Role Abilities
Every role has a, well, role associated with it. To better exemplify this, characters in that role are able to activate certain abilities that other roles can’t. This costs a Conviction point, but it can be worth it.
Warrior – A warrior can spend a Conviction point to erase all Bruised and Hurt conditions. This will make more sense after the first combat, when the Toughness system is clear, but it’s kind of like getting your hit points back.
Expert – An expert can spent a point of Conviction to gain 4 ranks to any skill for the duration of the scene. This can exceed the level limit for skills, and it can also be applied to untrained skills to make them trained. Briefly.
Adept – An adept can spend a Conviction point to remove all fatigue accumulated for using powers. They may also use a Conviction point to gain use of a supernatural power they don’t have (but qualify for).
Virtues and Vices
Everyone must pick a Virtue and a Vice. There is no list of what these are, but as a general guideline, virtues are things like Courageous, Free-Spirited, Gregarious, Hopeful, Industrious, Compassionate, etc. Vices are things like Cowardly, Fearful, Impulsive, Selfish, Lazy, Petty, Arrogant, Stubborn. Pick them—acting them out well gives you Conviction!
The Gift
Now I’m going to address something setting-specific that deals with the Magi in particular, though all of you should pay attention.
Magi are the big shots of the setting, no bones about it, but they have one very significant drawback: The Gift. The Gift is magic, but the Gift has a pretty serious side effect: nobody likes you. That is to say, any given person’s default reaction to your characters is Unfriendly. There are exceptions to this rule, and time and familiarity can improve this, but someone unfamiliar with a magi will always dislike them, without really knowing why (they’ll come up with reasons, but basically unsubstantiated). Your characters are familiar with this. That’s why they have an entourage. Even members of the Covenant may hold them in suspicion and get uncomfortable around magi, but those that have been around a magus a lot will have an easier time of it. So be prepared. The Gift can be a pain in the ass in social situations. How the other players wish to have their characters react is up to them, but remember that you are supposed to be working for the magi, and the game does need to progress with minimal infighting.
Other magi, of course, are well-prepared to deal with it, so there’s no reaction between other magi.
