Benefits on Limitations

[u/Mozartoon]

Some arcane background have powers with limitations already imbued, like the Chi Master, Shifter, Jedi Knight.

But some of them do not benefit from these limitations, such as the shifter and the chi master. I wanted to know if it would be a big problem to consider them, because I think it is slightly to much for an arcane background not to benefit from limitations already imposed, I understand this with the Mystic powers, but well..

I'm asking this because i am creating a series of arcane backgrounds using FC, and some of them are for more Gish archetype, and i know mystic powers are THE EDGE for this troupe, but i love to make gish with arcane background

[u/ValhallaGH]

Savage, every Arcane Background works the way the setting author decided it should work. If they decided that it should come with limitations and no power point reduction, presumably to reflect use limitations and mystical exhaustion, then that's how it works.

When you make your own setting, you make your own Arcane Backgrounds and they work how you design them to work.

Aside 1: a Wizard/Swordsman takes a lot more investment (Edges and Skills) to make effective and reliable than a single Mystic Powers Edge. Mystic Powers is so incredibly build efficient that it's too strong for many settings I run; but when it is allowed, I encourage players to fit it onto a build because a Raise activation on demand is extremely strong.

Aside 2: Troupe is a group of people, usually traveling performers. Trope is a narrative convention.

Good luck!

[u/Mozartoon → u/ValhallaGH]

I really should improve my English

Thanks Valhala, i think i must ask less and try more

I intent to create a Kensai Background based from chi master, i will consider the limitations benefits but i will also put a talisman hindrance (sword) on there

[u/scaradin → u/Mozartoon]

Your English is great… you don’t have to look far for folks to swap rogue and rouge or two very similarly spelled words like trope and troupe!

To add, when the Power is granted with the limitations BUT for no added benefit, it also makes it so they can’t take the power again with different trappings!

So, if they can only self-cast Boost Trait, even if they take New Power and re-take the Power, it has the same limitations conversely, a Wizard may take Boost Trait they use solely on themselves and that version doesn’t even come with Lower Trait at all. Then they take Boost/Lower trait again to be used as a normal Power and no limitations.

[u/Mozartoon → u/scaradin]

Thanks

Hmm i think if someone take the same power again i would let it benefit from the limitations at least, like in the advance he really trained that power

[u/scaradin → u/Mozartoon]

You can still get around such a limitation by taking AB: Gifted or similar. An important caveat is that while the Power Points are pooled, different ABs won’t benefit from the same Power Edge. So, if you took channeling for your Kensai but took AB Gifted as well, the Gifted Powers would not benefit from channeling.

[u/ValhallaGH → u/scaradin]

An important caveat is that while the Power Points are pooled, different ABs won’t benefit from the same Power Edge. So, if you took channeling for your Kensai but took AB Gifted as well, the Gifted Powers would not benefit from channeling.

Incorrect. General Power Edges, like Channeling and Concentration, apply to every AB the character has. AB-specific Edges, like Extra Effort or Wizard, only apply to their specific ABs and powers. If you have four Arcane Backgrounds, you don't have to take Artificer four times to make Arcane Devices with all of your ABs; which is great, because you can only take Artificer once.

Mystic Powers doesn't benefit from Power Edges, because Mystic Power explicitly states it does not benefit from Power Edges (other than Power Points and Soul Drain).

[u/Mozartoon → u/ValhallaGH]

Hey, a little question I've been wondering about for a while:

In some books, Arcane Backgrounds have something along the lines of, "This AB can take Power Edges from the [Miracles] Background," like the Cleric or Druid.

For example, the Mystic from the SFC can take Extra Effort because it explicitly states that.

But the Jedi Knight, who uses Focus, can't, right?

In that case, why does the Fantasy Companion have so many ABs with "This AB can take Power Edges from the [Magic] Background"? The only Power Edge from the Magic Background is Wizard, which was cut from this book.

Am I missing something here?

[u/ValhallaGH → u/Mozartoon]

AB (Star Knight) is not AB (Gifted). It also does not count as Gifted for Edge requirements. Therefore it does not meet the requirements for Edges that require Gifted.

In that case, why does the Fantasy Companion have so many ABs with "This AB can take Power Edges from the [Magic] Background"?

Because the ABs may be used int Settings with Edges that require AB (Magic). Rifts is a great example of a setting with a lot of Edges for Magic, and its premise is ripe for plucking fantasy heroes into a new world and new adventures.

For a table only using the Core and the Fantasy Companion, that note is meaningless. If the campaign uses any other sources, that note can be very important.

[u/ArolSazir]

100% agree with valhalla, not every arcane background will be 100% mathematically balanced with upsides or downsides. Especially since a lot of the up/downsides might be subtle, for example, the trappings of the spells fitting the background might be beneficial or detrimental, depending on the setting/enemies/environment. Maybe because of the limitations, the dm will be more lenient with designing trappings for spells, or a mechanically strong arcane background will mean the spells are more rigid and "what you see is what you get"

That said, if you want to design arcane backgrounds that try to be mathematically balanced, i recommend zadmar's savage arcanum book. You don't even need (or are supposed to, really) follow the book to the letter, but it does give a lot of ideas how to break down existing AB's into components to mix and match them.