Quote:
Originally Posted by Bhikku
Oh. I guess I misunderstood the Stunts thing - i thought that was for achieving, like, special effects outside the normal damage track. That's maybe a little disappointing, but I guess I'll have to see how it plays out for myself. Anyway, I can see it fitting into play pretty well. Spidey shoots webbing at Doc Ock, but the Doc catches it with his mechanoid claws - it hinders him, but it doesn't defeat him. I kinda would have liked something that would have a temporary effect, though, like making a villain waste a turn or so freeing himself from the effect... well like i say, I'll just have to see how it actually plays.
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The temporary effect you're talking about is contained mechanically within the overall damage abstraction, but should have narrative special effects. Stunts or specific actions -- using webbing to blind or trip, judo-flipping a foe, attacking a limb -- are definitely intended to have a special effect, but one of description by either players or GM.
Say the Riddler blinds Batman with an exploding sudoku puzzle.
Mechanically, that's a Failure Rank, and Batman needs to pick which of his Qualities is decreased due to it (probably Millionaire Playboy).
Narratively, Batman's blinded for the moment, so Bats' player should take that into account when describing how Bats still kicks the Riddler's ass though blinded (listening for footsteps, using the prototype sonar in his cowl, seeing spots but otherwise unimpaired, whatever) -- which permits the player to earn Upshifts through cool-ass details. Of course, if the Riddler leaves the conflict at this moment, he might have an Upshift (+2) to his roll to sneak away, at the GM's discretion.
Batman's overall efficacy in the conflict is the same as if the explodo-sudoko had done physical damage. But if it had simply been a Damage Rank, you wouldn't get all of the extra opportunities for both Upshifts from description and ways that the overall conflict could go differently.
Does that help?
CU