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  1. - Top - End - #841
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    Default Re: High School Harem Comedy (Game System, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by Lentrax View Post
    My critique, just looking at them is the phrase 'once per scene.' This makes what are otherwise cool abilities, just pretty broken. Like The Power of Kawaii Compels You. realistically speaking, this could affect anywhere from half to all of the rolls in the game, depending on how the Principal sets up the rolls, of course.

    And Hell hath no fury...? Utterly broken. +3 flat to EVERY conflict roll. These powers should be limited to per episode usage.
    lol

    So you want them limited but not limited? Seriously though, just swap "scene" for "episode" Remember, I said these were designed for a much older version of the rule set...didn't bother to update them....just going off of general concept atm.
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  2. - Top - End - #842
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    Default Re: High School Harem Comedy (Game System, PEACH)

    Pony Time!

    So I've started up HSHC Pony Style, and as such need some brew based around ponies.

    Does anyone have any ideas what could be done for Earth Ponies, Pegasi, Unicorns, and potentially Alicorns?
    I have a LOT of Homebrew!

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  3. - Top - End - #843
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    Default Re: High School Harem Comedy (Game System, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by JNAProductions View Post
    Pony Time!

    So I've started up HSHC Pony Style, and as such need some brew based around ponies.

    Does anyone have any ideas what could be done for Earth Ponies, Pegasi, Unicorns, and potentially Alicorns?
    When it comes to adding new "races" to games like this I would just not fret too much over homebrewing stats. MLP is a very social-oriented setting so the archetypes already in the game book can do all the heavy lifting for you. Just because one character can fly and another can levitate stuff doesn't really mean that it needs STATS per say. Sometimes you just have to let the players use their discretion and only have things that are in their archetypes affect actual rolls while any other sort of abilities operate as vehicles for what they're doing.

    P.S. New poster. Had to remove the link on the quote to be able to post. Apologies.

  4. - Top - End - #844
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    Default Re: High School Harem Comedy (Game System, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by Setrin View Post
    When it comes to adding new "races" to games like this I would just not fret too much over homebrewing stats. MLP is a very social-oriented setting so the archetypes already in the game book can do all the heavy lifting for you. Just because one character can fly and another can levitate stuff doesn't really mean that it needs STATS per say.
    Are you kidding? Of course they should affect stats! This game has an entire archetype dedicated to foreigners, for Pete's sake!

    Now a full archetype for each, I agree is a bit much. But maybe a unique advantage for each they can choose may not be uncalled for. Or maybe just one that has different effects based on race, since otherwise someone could justify just taking all three (though any GM worth his salt wouldn't let them do that anyway, so it probably doesn't matter).

    Heck, because I like JNA, I'll even give an example for him. Even though I'm not really into MLP, the amount of Brony-made stuff on the internet over the years has caused enough pop-culture osmosis with me that I have a general idea of what all four types can do. Plus, my homebrew urge is particularly strong today, and I'm still salty that all of my own homebrew archetypes are stuck on a thumb drive I have no way to stick in an Internet-capable computer at the moment, so this is the best I can do.

    Spoiler: New Universal Advantage!
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    Pony Paragon: You are the epitome of what everypony of your race aspires to be, and you got the skills to back it up! Choose one of the benefits below for this power to give to your character.

    • Earth Pony: +1 Conflict when in contact with the ground.
    • Pegasus: +1 Skill any time flight would give you an advantage or is necessary for the task at hand.
    • Unicorn: Choose one type of roll (Allure, Skill, Conflict, or Luck). You gain +1 to that roll when using some form of magic.
    • Alicorn (GM approval required): Choose one type of roll (Allure, Skill, Conflict, or Luck). You gain +2 to that roll, and +1 to every other roll type, when using some form of magic.


    (An alternate version for Earth Pony and Pegasus would be to keep the same conditions, but also let them choose the roll type that it benefits like the unicorn does, but that seems to make them a bit too same-y for my gaming tastes)
    Last edited by The TechnoGnome; 2016-06-30 at 05:48 PM.

  5. - Top - End - #845
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    Default Re: High School Harem Comedy (Game System, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by The TechnoGnome View Post
    Are you kidding? Of course they should affect stats! This game has an entire archetype dedicated to foreigners, for Pete's sake!

    Now a full archetype for each, I agree is a bit much. But maybe a unique advantage for each they can choose may not be uncalled for. Or maybe just one that has different effects based on race, since otherwise someone could justify just taking all three (though any GM worth his salt wouldn't let them do that anyway, so it probably doesn't matter).

    Heck, because I like JNA, I'll even give an example for him. Even though I'm not really into MLP, the amount of Brony-made stuff on the internet over the years has caused enough pop-culture osmosis with me that I have a general idea of what all four types can do. Plus, my homebrew urge is particularly strong today, and I'm still salty that all of my own homebrew archetypes are stuck on a thumb drive I have no way to stick in an Internet-capable computer at the moment, so this is the best I can do.

    Spoiler: New Universal Advantage!
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    Pony Paragon: You are the epitome of what everypony of your race aspires to be, and you got the skills to back it up! Choose one of the benefits below for this power to give to your character.

    • Earth Pony: +1 Conflict when in contact with the ground.
    • Pegasus: +1 Skill any time flight would give you an advantage or is necessary for the task at hand.
    • Unicorn: Choose one type of roll (Allure, Skill, Conflict, or Luck). You gain +1 to that roll when using some form of magic.
    • Alicorn (GM approval required): Choose one type of roll (Allure, Skill, Conflict, or Luck). You gain +2 to that roll, and +1 to every other roll type, when using some form of magic.


    (An alternate version for Earth Pony and Pegasus would be to keep the same conditions, but also let them choose the roll type that it benefits like the unicorn does, but that seems to make them a bit too same-y for my gaming tastes)
    As an alternative, perhaps there could be a single generic "Pony" archetype, which has a couple advantages for each main pony race (Earth/Pegasus/Unicorn), and being an Alicorn is just a pony who's selected powers that cross over between different pony types.

    Of course, I think each race should have its own archetype with maybe 4 advantages each, and will often only be Quirk'd unless somebody is a super-stereotypical member of their race. The reason for this is that, at least for a pony game, what if you didn't want to play a pony? It's arguable that a gryphon is similar enough to Pegasus that you could use the same archetype, but Changelings? Dragons? Yaks?

    I'm probably gonna end up throwing together some Pony archetypes, even if they're just transplanting existing abilities into the pony archetype and refluffing them.


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  6. - Top - End - #846
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    Default Re: High School Harem Comedy (Game System, PEACH)

    I'm upset that no one has said that its time to pony up.
    I am. -Starsnuffer

  7. - Top - End - #847
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    Default Re: High School Harem Comedy (Game System, PEACH)

    Pony archetypes... Hmmm. First draft, making this up as I go along, so things will definitely not be balanced or anything.

    Spoiler: Earth Pony
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    Hard Work: A slow and steady hoof gets the job done, and earns the admiration of that special somepony... +1 on Skill or Allure rolls where physical labor is involved.

    Put Your Hoof Down: Seriously, you have had enough of this ridiculousness. Twice per episode, you gain a +3 to a Conflict roll.

    Master Craftspony: Half measures make for shoddy work. You don't do shoddy work. +2 on Skill rolls involving crafting something from scratch.

    A Dedicated Heart:Eyup. Once per episode, if you lose an opposed Allure roll, you may use this advantage. You still gain the VP from the roll, but leave all other results from the roll unchanged. (The roll's winner still wins, you just get the same amount of VP.)


    Spoiler: Pegasus
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    Wonderbolt Academy Graduate: You trained at the Wonderbolt Academy. +2 to any Skill roll involving flight.

    Weather Pony: It's your job to keep the skies clear, and you have learned to work hard in any kind of weather. +1 on all rolls during inclement weather.

    Wing Power is the Best Power: Your wings can get you through anything. Anything. Once per episode, you may automatically succeed any Unopposed Skill roll.

    Zonal Awareness: You've learned to unconsciously keep tabs on your surroundings, which means nothing catches you off guard. You gain a +1 on conflict rolls.


    Spoiler: Unicorn
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    Great and Powerful: You can do amazing tricks with your magic, but it tends to make you come off as a braggart. +2 on skill rolls involving playing tricks on other ponies, or +1 on opposed Conflict rolls, where your tricks can help turn the tables.

    Egghead: Being well-read means you know a few things that can help you in any situation. You gain +1 to skill rolls. You also gain a +1 to any roll involving racing other ponies.

    School Specialization: You are just better at one type of magic than the others. Choose a type of magic. You gain a +1 to any roll involving that type of magic. Conversely, you take a -1 penalty on rolls involving any other type of magic.

    Friendship is Magic: Your magic is powerful because of the bonds you have with other ponies. Twice per episode, you can give everyone a magical +2 bonus on the roll for a scene, but using that amount of magic drains you and you take a -2 penalty to your next roll.


    Spoiler: Alicorn
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    Alicorn: All of the pony advantages are viable selections for you.

    Alicorn Magic: Once per episode, you can automatically succeed on any roll.

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  8. - Top - End - #848
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    Default Re: High School Harem Comedy (Game System, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by Elodin View Post
    I'm upset that no one has said that its time to pony up.
    This person gets it.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lentrax View Post
    Pony archetypes... Hmmm. First draft, making this up as I go along, so things will definitely not be balanced or anything.

    Spoiler: Earth Pony
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    Hard Work: A slow and steady hoof gets the job done, and earns the admiration of that special somepony... +1 on Skill or Allure rolls where physical labor is involved.

    Put Your Hoof Down: Seriously, you have had enough of this ridiculousness. Twice per episode, you gain a +3 to a Conflict roll.

    Master Craftspony: Half measures make for shoddy work. You don't do shoddy work. +2 on Skill rolls involving crafting something from scratch.

    A Dedicated Heart:Eyup. Once per episode, if you lose an opposed Allure roll, you may use this advantage. You still gain the VP from the roll, but leave all other results from the roll unchanged. (The roll's winner still wins, you just get the same amount of VP.)
    Spoiler: Comments
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    As written, they have something for every roll type in one archetype. I'm not sure if it's bad, but it's a note.


    Spoiler: Pegasus
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    Wonderbolt Academy Graduate: You trained at the Wonderbolt Academy. +2 to any Skill roll involving flight.

    Weather Pony: It's your job to keep the skies clear, and you have learned to work hard in any kind of weather. +1 on all rolls during inclement weather.

    Wing Power is the Best Power: Your wings can get you through anything. Anything. Once per episode, you may automatically succeed any Unopposed Skill roll.

    Zonal Awareness: You've learned to unconsciously keep tabs on your surroundings, which means nothing catches you off guard. You gain a +1 on conflict rolls.

    Spoiler: Comments
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    Wing Power's quite a thing, but Unopposed is practically a challenge to oppose you. Seems okay


    Spoiler: Unicorn
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    Great and Powerful: You can do amazing tricks with your magic, but it tends to make you come off as a braggart. +2 on skill rolls involving playing tricks on other ponies, or +1 on opposed Conflict rolls, where your tricks can help turn the tables.

    Egghead: Being well-read means you know a few things that can help you in any situation. You gain +1 to skill rolls. You also gain a +1 to any roll involving racing other ponies.

    School Specialization: You are just better at one type of magic than the others. Choose a type of magic. You gain a +1 to any roll involving that type of magic. Conversely, you take a -1 penalty on rolls involving any other type of magic.

    Friendship is Magic: Your magic is powerful because of the bonds you have with other ponies. Twice per episode, you can give everyone a magical +2 bonus on the roll for a scene, but using that amount of magic drains you and you take a -2 penalty to your next roll.

    Spoiler: Comments
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    Why does Egghead give a racing bonus? Friendship is Magic is also intriguing - you help everyone (including you), then only you pay the price.


    Spoiler: Alicorn
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    Alicorn: All of the pony advantages are viable selections for you.

    Alicorn Magic: Once per episode, you can automatically succeed on any roll.
    Spoiler: Comments
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    Alicorns, man. Fricken Alicorns.
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  9. - Top - End - #849
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    Default Re: High School Harem Comedy (Game System, PEACH)

    Egghead's bonus to racing was inspired by Twilight Sparkle finishing ahead in "Fall Weather Friends." I mean, technically she shouldn't have beaten either RD or AJ, but I thought it was worth the nod.

    And like I said, I just made everything up off the top of my head. It all obviously needs tweaking and balancing. I just threw the first things that popped into my head out there.

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  10. - Top - End - #850
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    Default Re: High School Harem Comedy (Game System, PEACH)

    Since some one was looking for this in the recruitment thread, I thought I would go ahead and re-link the most recent PDF of the rules again, just in case anybody else was having trouble finding it.

    Quote Originally Posted by Elodin View Post
    I'm upset that no one has said that its time to pony up.
    I realize that MLP has a big colt following, and that there will be a bunch of neigh sayers when it comes to pony-pun, and who will insist we stop horsing around, but I've always been the type to buck the rules a bit.
    Last edited by Mutazoia; 2016-07-07 at 05:11 AM.
    "Sleeping late might not be a virtue, but it sure aint no vice. The old saw about the early bird and the worm just goes to show that the worm should have stayed in bed."

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  11. - Top - End - #851
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    Default Re: High School Harem Comedy (Game System, PEACH)

    I rather like it.

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  12. - Top - End - #852
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    Default Re: High School Harem Comedy (Game System, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by AvatarVecna View Post
    Decided to put together a Changeling archetype.

    Spoiler: Changeling
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    "You have nothing to fear from me, Protagonist-kun..."

    You're a changeling separated from the Hive, surviving in the world on your own, and the Protagonist's apparent knack for attracting lovestruck ponies will keep you fed forever, if you can manage to get into their head and drive away any competition for their heart.
    Hypnosis: A little mind control never hurt anybody, and sometimes people need a push in the right direction. +2 on Allure rolls if you can make eye contact.

    Love and War: When ponies are competing for Protagonist-kun's attention, their loving feelings clash in the air; unbeknownst to your competitors, this buffet of love fuels you forward. +1 on all opposed rolls.

    Master Of Disguise: While the ability to change shape and mimic another's mannerisms is possessed by all Changelings, you in particular seem to have a knack for adapting to new forms quickly and efficiently; as long as you don't do it too often, you can temporarily take on forms or identities more helpful to your current situation. Twice per episode, you can change your form for the next two scenes (the current one and the one following this one); while so changed, you have a +2 to two rolls types of your choice and -2 to the other two roll types. These roll types are chosen when you originally change shape, and cannot be changed afterward.

    Siphon: Desperate times call for desperate measures, and while feeding on the competition is risky, the results speak for themselves. Once per episode, you may feed on another player character; for the next three scenes, you have +2 on all rolls and they have -2 on all rolls.

    Talented Actor: You slip into new personalities all the time, and you've gotten good at faking it 'til you make it. Once per episode, you can choose a different strong and weak roll for the remainder of the episode.


    I'm not totally sure about some of this, so some feedback regarding power level would be appreciated.
    Hypnosis: While creepy in-character, in mechanics this is in practice an always-on +2 to Allure, because it's so easy to qualify for that you will basically never not. I'd be very leery of that, and consider either dropping it to +1 or giving it a harder to fulfill requirement.

    Love and War: Compared to existing advantages, this is basically four rolled into one. Advantages like Overachiever and Stage Presence already give +1 to a roll just for it being opposed, but only to a specific type of roll, not all four. That said, those advantages also feel kind of weak, but I wonder if that's not just because Illven tends to use a lot fewer opposed rolls than unopposed, so they feel like they don't come into play often. Kind of hard to say what I'd do with this one as a result of that.

    Master of Disguise: This is probably overpowered. It compares favorably to Deep Freeze and Thaw Out - it's more flexible (lets you choose the rolls it benefits and penalizes) and lasts overall longer (4 scenes instead of 3, with the added benefit of them being spread across two uses, so you can split them up compared to DF/TO always being stuck on for 3 scenes once activated), and speaking from experience, both of those are very potent already. I'd drop it to one use per episode, and perhaps even leave it at only two scenes, since it still has flexibility on DF and TO even then.

    Siphon: Extremely overpowered. Both a non-conditional +2 to your roll and a -2 penalty to another player's are very potent effects and typically have a drawback attached (see Overclock, Fortune Talisman, or Faustian Pact) or are restricted to specific rolls (see Serious Business or Misfortune Talisman). Even as a one scene effect this would be pretty good; as three it's totally absurd. It might be okay as a one scene effect if you keep it at one use per episode, but if you want it to affect multiple scenes or get multiple uses, it needs to either be weaker or have a drawback attached.

    Talented Actor: Extremely weak. It's mechanically identical to Multiple Personalities, which is a pretty poor advantage. You just can't predict which strong and weak roll will be to your advantage in the future, just for whatever scene you're currently in, and it's not giving you an additional bonus you didn't already have, just rearranging your base stats slightly. At the very least I think an advantage like this needs several uses per episode - at least 3, maybe even 4 honestly, so it actually gives you some flexibility rather than just being effectively a one time +1 to something you didn't normally have +1 to, and honestly I might try to re-write it to work a completely different way entirely, because I'm not sure that even giving it several uses makes the advantage all that good.
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  13. - Top - End - #853
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    Default Re: High School Harem Comedy (Game System, PEACH)

    Love and War would make more sense if it's an opposed roll with at least two opponents - the power rush is from others competing, Changelings don't eat their own emotions.
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  14. - Top - End - #854
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    Default Re: High School Harem Comedy (Game System, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by Zevox View Post
    Hypnosis: While creepy in-character, in mechanics this is in practice an always-on +2 to Allure, because it's so easy to qualify for that you will basically never not. I'd be very leery of that, and consider either dropping it to +1 or giving it a harder to fulfill requirement.
    The idea for this came from the Improved Vampire I use for Trevor, which has an exactly similar ability; Trevor even has that ability, but the RP drawbacks (that you're hypnotizing people) mean that he's only ever used it once so far in the entire time I've been playing the character, and that was fluffed as being an accident and him losing sight of his morals for a second. But then, I guess depending on people to respect the RP drawbacks of an ability is asking a lot of this community, from what I've seen, so I'll just use my fall back argument of "it's basically a dress power with different fluff". I agree that this would be more powerful than a dress power if you 1) completely ignored the RP drawbacks of constantly hypnotizing people, and 2) were operating in the intended Japanese setting with a dress code. As it stands, this is equivalent to a Shameless in my mind, since it's a +2 to all Allure rolls that comes with RP consequences that nobody cares about.

    Love and War: Compared to existing advantages, this is basically four rolled into one. Advantages like Overachiever and Stage Presence already give +1 to a roll just for it being opposed, but only to a specific type of roll, not all four. That said, those advantages also feel kind of weak, but I wonder if that's not just because Illven tends to use a lot fewer opposed rolls than unopposed, so they feel like they don't come into play often. Kind of hard to say what I'd do with this one as a result of that.
    I am aware of advantages like that, and yes this is the equivalent of four such advantages rolled together. As a counterargument that you yourself point out, however, most of those advantages suck eggs. Now, maybe Illven's games don't use Opposed rolls very often, so let's compare it to other advantages in a game with a perfect split (say, a 16-scene episode with 8 opposed and 8 unopposed rolls, with those 8 divided evenly between the four roll types): across this hypothetical 16 episode game, Idol Singer's "Stage Presence" would apply +1 in two scenes, Idol Singer's "Kira Kira" would apply +2 in four scenes, Idol Singer's "Idol Talent" would apply +2 in four scenes, and Changeling's "Love Is War" would apply +1 in eight scenes.

    Yeah, Love Is War is 400% as powerful as similar abilities, but that's because those abilities are weak, especially when most games favor unopposed rolls anyway.

    Master of Disguise: This is probably overpowered. It compares favorably to Deep Freeze and Thaw Out - it's more flexible (lets you choose the rolls it benefits and penalizes) and lasts overall longer (4 scenes instead of 3, with the added benefit of them being spread across two uses, so you can split them up compared to DF/TO always being stuck on for 3 scenes once activated), and speaking from experience, both of those are very potent already. I'd drop it to one use per episode, and perhaps even leave it at only two scenes, since it still has flexibility on DF and TO even then.
    Yeah, this is the one I was most concerned about, and it was for precisely the reason you're bringing up. My reasoning at the time was that I didn't tend to think of those powers as particularly useful, but that's likely due to not using them myself much or seeing them in action much; combined with the RP involved (you have to pretend to be someone other than your normal character for those scenes), I thought it might be a bit more balanced. I will defer to your experience on this one.

    Siphon: Extremely overpowered. Both a non-conditional +2 to your roll and a -2 penalty to another player's are very potent effects and typically have a drawback attached (see Overclock, Fortune Talisman, or Faustian Pact) or are restricted to specific rolls (see Serious Business or Misfortune Talisman). Even as a one scene effect this would be pretty good; as three it's totally absurd. It might be okay as a one scene effect if you keep it at one use per episode, but if you want it to affect multiple scenes or get multiple uses, it needs to either be weaker or have a drawback attached.
    Another one I was worried about, to be honest. Taking it to the point where it only affects one scene would be good (allowing the victim to recover more quickly), but then it just feels kinda weak compared to other 1/ep advantages like Less Is More, Odd, Just As Planned, Simpler Times, Shadow Out Of Time, and so on. Maybe I just overvalue 1/ep abilities though...

    Talented Actor: Extremely weak. It's mechanically identical to Multiple Personalities, which is a pretty poor advantage. You just can't predict which strong and weak roll will be to your advantage in the future, just for whatever scene you're currently in, and it's not giving you an additional bonus you didn't already have, just rearranging your base stats slightly. At the very least I think an advantage like this needs several uses per episode - at least 3, maybe even 4 honestly, so it actually gives you some flexibility rather than just being effectively a one time +1 to something you didn't normally have +1 to, and honestly I might try to re-write it to work a completely different way entirely, because I'm not sure that even giving it several uses makes the advantage all that good.
    Another one I wasn't too sure on. Honestly, it feels weak, but I'm not sure how to make it better without making it too similar to Master Of Disguise. Maybe if the current ability was 3/ep and double strength? Like, "When you activate this ability, your Strong and Weak Roll are reassigned for the rest of the episode, and grant a +2/-2 instead of +1/-1. Using this ability changes these bonuses." It would essentially be a constant +1/-1 that can be reassigned 3/ep, since it only increases the strong/weak roll rather than adding onto them. Would that work?

    Quote Originally Posted by Qwertystop View Post
    Love and War would make more sense if it's an opposed roll with at least two opponents - the power rush is from others competing, Changelings don't eat their own emotions.
    That's...that's probably a good idea for limiting this power a bit. Yeah, okay.


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    Quote Originally Posted by AvatarVecna View Post
    As it stands, this is equivalent to a Shameless in my mind, since it's a +2 to all Allure rolls that comes with RP consequences that nobody cares about.
    Actually, I just realized that Shameless is just as useful as any other dress power in a pony harem game, since Equestria has no social taboo against going nude.

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    Also, for what it's worth, I started a Harem game that's probably gonna crash and burn. If you feel like going down with the ship, though, feel free to pop in and make a character.


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    Quote Originally Posted by AvatarVecna View Post
    The idea for this came from the Improved Vampire I use for Trevor, which has an exactly similar ability; Trevor even has that ability, but the RP drawbacks (that you're hypnotizing people) mean that he's only ever used it once so far in the entire time I've been playing the character, and that was fluffed as being an accident and him losing sight of his morals for a second. But then, I guess depending on people to respect the RP drawbacks of an ability is asking a lot of this community, from what I've seen, so I'll just use my fall back argument of "it's basically a dress power with different fluff". I agree that this would be more powerful than a dress power if you 1) completely ignored the RP drawbacks of constantly hypnotizing people, and 2) were operating in the intended Japanese setting with a dress code. As it stands, this is equivalent to a Shameless in my mind, since it's a +2 to all Allure rolls that comes with RP consequences that nobody cares about.
    While it's true that in practice most clothing advantages are an always-on +2 to allure as well, that's something that I personally feel is a problem, as I've mentioned at least once before in this thread. Those are part of the core rules of the game though, so I don't contest them in actual games.

    I would argue that balancing an ability around "RP consequences" is a very bad idea, though, because I don't think it's right that a player should be penalized for using one of their character's abilities the way they were designed to be used. Which really means that I don't like the idea of a hypnosis power being in the game at all, personally, since yes, that is extremely creepy and would be rather disturbing if used, well, much at all, really. But that's just me and doesn't really have to do with how the ability's mechanical balance is.

    Quote Originally Posted by AvatarVecna View Post
    Yeah, this is the one I was most concerned about, and it was for precisely the reason you're bringing up. My reasoning at the time was that I didn't tend to think of those powers as particularly useful, but that's likely due to not using them myself much or seeing them in action much; combined with the RP involved (you have to pretend to be someone other than your normal character for those scenes), I thought it might be a bit more balanced. I will defer to your experience on this one.
    Personally, from playing Tanya, I've come to the conclusion that a big part of the reason she's pretty effective is the combination of her Kuudere advantages: Poker Face, Deep Freeze, and Thaw Out put together means she gets an easy +4 (or 5 on her strong roll, 3 on her weak one) on 6 rolls out of every episode, before considering any other advantages, which is pretty solid. Now, obviously half of that is that Poker Face, as an easy to use +2 to anything advantage without even a limited number of uses per episode, is clearly overpowered; but Deep Freeze and Thaw Out are just very solid as well, just giving her that +2 for several scenes without needing to meet any specific requirements to get it. On some occasions they don't work out because the rolls they're boosting offer Luna VP instead of Jen or one isn't an option and the other offers Luna VP, but that's a quirk of a two-protagonist game, so they'd only be better in a normal, one-protagonist game.

    Quote Originally Posted by AvatarVecna View Post
    Another one I was worried about, to be honest. Taking it to the point where it only affects one scene would be good (allowing the victim to recover more quickly), but then it just feels kinda weak compared to other 1/ep advantages like Less Is More, Odd, Just As Planned, Simpler Times, Shadow Out Of Time, and so on. Maybe I just overvalue 1/ep abilities though...
    That is a fair point, it would probably be less potent than many of the 1/episode advantages. Though personally I'd say Just as Planned and Shadow Out of Time are probably overpowered themselves anyway, so I wouldn't compare it to them. Hm, the others however...

    - Cold Shoulder, Easily Forgiven, Hired Muscle, Security Detail, Destiny's Bond, and Heir to the Dojo are auto-successes, a single scene of guaranteed VP. That is better than +2 to you and -2 to an opponent, I'd say.
    - Deep Freeze and Thaw Out are 3 scenes each of +2 to two different rolls, at the cost of a penalty to the other two. Again, better.
    - Less is More is one scene of copying a probably very large modifier, which likely auto-passes an unopposed roll or turns an opposed one into an even roll-off with whoever posted the highest modifier. Usually better, since you'll prefer using it on unopposed rolls for the guaranteed points.
    - Huh? What? is one I have a hard time judging since I haven't seen it in action and it's kind of weird. Theoretically I could see it being better, though.
    - Simpler Times is really kind of dependent on having several opponents that are allure-focused, but since that is one of the most common abilities to focus on in the game it's not that hard for it to be better.
    - Multiple Personalities and Shining Trapezohedron are weaker, but they're just bad abilities in general I'd say.

    So, yeah, I must agree with you there. But at the same time, at 2 uses per episode it would be strictly better than already good abilities like Overclock, Fortune Talisman, and Personality Flip. Hm, so, I see two ways to take that: either make it twice per episode but attach a drawback of some kind, or make it strong but once per episode. Hm, maybe once per episode, and +2 to you and -2 to your opponent on the scene it's used, and the +2 bonus carries over for a scene but the penalty to the opponent doesn't? Keeping both for two scenes starts to sound iffy to me. Again, compare to Deep Freeze and Thaw Out, which are a +2 to two specific rolls and -2 to the others for three scenes - make this +2 to anything and -2 to an opponent for 2 scenes and I already start thinking it's quite possibly more potent than those, and that starts to worry me.

    Quote Originally Posted by AvatarVecna View Post
    Another one I wasn't too sure on. Honestly, it feels weak, but I'm not sure how to make it better without making it too similar to Master Of Disguise. Maybe if the current ability was 3/ep and double strength? Like, "When you activate this ability, your Strong and Weak Roll are reassigned for the rest of the episode, and grant a +2/-2 instead of +1/-1. Using this ability changes these bonuses." It would essentially be a constant +1/-1 that can be reassigned 3/ep, since it only increases the strong/weak roll rather than adding onto them. Would that work?
    Hm... maybe? I don't know, it seems like a logical way to improve that, but thinking about it, most builds will have at least one roll they just can't get bonuses on and are fine with leaving as their weak roll all the time (usually Luck), so the penalty isn't really an issue usually. And making it work that way means you always activate it on scene 1, since the doubled strong roll is permanent once it's used the first time. So it effectively becomes a constant +1 to your strong roll, and you can reassign your strong roll twice per episode. That could be okay, or it could start bordering on being too strong, it's kind of hard to say. Would need playtesting, I think.

    Quote Originally Posted by AvatarVecna View Post
    Also, for what it's worth, I started a Harem game that's probably gonna crash and burn. If you feel like going down with the ship, though, feel free to pop in and make a character.
    Eh, sorry, two games is my limit.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Zevox View Post
    While it's true that in practice most clothing advantages are an always-on +2 to allure as well, that's something that I personally feel is a problem, as I've mentioned at least once before in this thread. Those are part of the core rules of the game though, so I don't contest them in actual games.

    I would argue that balancing an ability around "RP consequences" is a very bad idea, though, because I don't think it's right that a player should be penalized for using one of their character's abilities the way they were designed to be used. Which really means that I don't like the idea of a hypnosis power being in the game at all, personally, since yes, that is extremely creepy and would be rather disturbing if used, well, much at all, really. But that's just me and doesn't really have to do with how the ability's mechanical balance is.
    I have a problem with things like that too, but at the same time I really don't want to shoot this archetype in the foot by denying them the presence of an ability like that when basically every archetype has at least one. It's frustrating, but I've already gotten into one debate today about this, so rather than re-hashing that discussion, let's discuss how to change this ability to be more viable:

    Accepting the fact that a large portion of advantages in the game are "unlimited use +2 to one roll type" abilities that require cleverness/contrivance in applying to the current roll (like dress powers, or Poker Face, or Connections, or Panty Thief, or what have you), and that I wish this roll to be like that, what would you suggest as an alternate limitation? If it helps get away from the creepiness, perhaps instead of being fluffed as hypnosis, the ability could represent a changeling using their vague empathic abilities to enhance their ability to influence others? It's more enhanced charisma than dominate person, so it accomplishes similar goals with less squicky means. What would you suggest as the limiter to make this power require at least a bit of cleverness to use from scene to scene?

    That is a fair point, it would probably be less potent than many of the 1/episode advantages. Though personally I'd say Just as Planned and Shadow Out of Time are probably overpowered themselves anyway, so I wouldn't compare it to them. Hm, the others however...

    - Cold Shoulder, Easily Forgiven, Hired Muscle, Security Detail, Destiny's Bond, and Heir to the Dojo are auto-successes, a single scene of guaranteed VP. That is better than +2 to you and -2 to an opponent, I'd say.
    - Deep Freeze and Thaw Out are 3 scenes each of +2 to two different rolls, at the cost of a penalty to the other two. Again, better.
    - Less is More is one scene of copying a probably very large modifier, which likely auto-passes an unopposed roll or turns an opposed one into an even roll-off with whoever posted the highest modifier. Usually better, since you'll prefer using it on unopposed rolls for the guaranteed points.
    - Huh? What? is one I have a hard time judging since I haven't seen it in action and it's kind of weird. Theoretically I could see it being better, though.
    - Simpler Times is really kind of dependent on having several opponents that are allure-focused, but since that is one of the most common abilities to focus on in the game it's not that hard for it to be better.
    - Multiple Personalities and Shining Trapezohedron are weaker, but they're just bad abilities in general I'd say.

    So, yeah, I must agree with you there. But at the same time, at 2 uses per episode it would be strictly better than already good abilities like Overclock, Fortune Talisman, and Personality Flip. Hm, so, I see two ways to take that: either make it twice per episode but attach a drawback of some kind, or make it strong but once per episode. Hm, maybe once per episode, and +2 to you and -2 to your opponent on the scene it's used, and the +2 bonus carries over for a scene but the penalty to the opponent doesn't? Keeping both for two scenes starts to sound iffy to me. Again, compare to Deep Freeze and Thaw Out, which are a +2 to two specific rolls and -2 to the others for three scenes - make this +2 to anything and -2 to an opponent for 2 scenes and I already start thinking it's quite possibly more potent than those, and that starts to worry me.
    I like the 1/ep idea of carrying the bonus over to the next scene, but not the penalty. Alternatively, what if both carried over to following scene at half strength? Or would that be too much to keep track of reasonably?


    Hm... maybe? I don't know, it seems like a logical way to improve that, but thinking about it, most builds will have at least one roll they just can't get bonuses on and are fine with leaving as their weak roll all the time (usually Luck), so the penalty isn't really an issue usually. And making it work that way means you always activate it on scene 1, since the doubled strong roll is permanent once it's used the first time. So it effectively becomes a constant +1 to your strong roll, and you can reassign your strong roll twice per episode. That could be okay, or it could start bordering on being too strong, it's kind of hard to say. Would need playtesting, I think.
    The problem occurred to me as well. I actually had an idea of how to fix it, though: if you use the power, they have to change. That way, you couldn't just keep your weak roll the same while giving yourself a new strong roll to fit the moment, you have to change both of them. So like, Scene 1, you could be Strong Allure/Weak Conflict naturally, and use this ability in Scene 3 to change it to Strong Conflict/Weak Luck, and then use it again in Scene 5 to become Strong Skill/Weak Allure, and use your final third use in Scene 9 to become Strong Allure/Weak Skill. It's not a perfect solution, but it prevents people from keeping the same weak roll over and over.

    Eh, sorry, two games is my limit.
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    Quote Originally Posted by AvatarVecna View Post
    I have a problem with things like that too, but at the same time I really don't want to shoot this archetype in the foot by denying them the presence of an ability like that when basically every archetype has at least one. It's frustrating, but I've already gotten into one debate today about this, so rather than re-hashing that discussion, let's discuss how to change this ability to be more viable:

    Accepting the fact that a large portion of advantages in the game are "unlimited use +2 to one roll type" abilities that require cleverness/contrivance in applying to the current roll (like dress powers, or Poker Face, or Connections, or Panty Thief, or what have you), and that I wish this roll to be like that, what would you suggest as an alternate limitation? If it helps get away from the creepiness, perhaps instead of being fluffed as hypnosis, the ability could represent a changeling using their vague empathic abilities to enhance their ability to influence others? It's more enhanced charisma than dominate person, so it accomplishes similar goals with less squicky means. What would you suggest as the limiter to make this power require at least a bit of cleverness to use from scene to scene?
    Close enough to see the whites of their eyes? It won't work if you're in a big room addressing alot of people, but up close.
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    Quote Originally Posted by AvatarVecna View Post
    I have a problem with things like that too, but at the same time I really don't want to shoot this archetype in the foot by denying them the presence of an ability like that when basically every archetype has at least one. It's frustrating, but I've already gotten into one debate today about this, so rather than re-hashing that discussion, let's discuss how to change this ability to be more viable:

    Accepting the fact that a large portion of advantages in the game are "unlimited use +2 to one roll type" abilities that require cleverness/contrivance in applying to the current roll (like dress powers, or Poker Face, or Connections, or Panty Thief, or what have you), and that I wish this roll to be like that, what would you suggest as an alternate limitation? If it helps get away from the creepiness, perhaps instead of being fluffed as hypnosis, the ability could represent a changeling using their vague empathic abilities to enhance their ability to influence others? It's more enhanced charisma than dominate person, so it accomplishes similar goals with less squicky means. What would you suggest as the limiter to make this power require at least a bit of cleverness to use from scene to scene?
    Just to clarify, I don't have a problem with advantages that are +2 to one roll type and actually require some setup to use. That's pretty standard all throughout the game's archetypes, and those range from good to bad depending on how easy it is to actually use them. It's the ones that are +2 to any roll type (Poker Face, Connections, and School Queen) and ones that effectively require no setup or circumstances at all to use (clothing powers other than Boyish Charm, which I feel is more balanced because it's only +1, which is more reasonable for something that's basically always on) where I think the problem lies.

    As for how to make something like this actually require setup, hm... perhaps it specifically requires being close to the person as Illven suggests, and only works one person at a time (which seems implied in Illven's post, at least to me), but also can only slightly affect their behavior? The effect has to be subtle, basically. If the NPC normally hates you you're not really going to get anything out of them with it; if they normally mildly dislike you, maybe you can get them to ignore you rather than causing trouble, but you won't get them to help you; if they're normally shy, you're not going to get them to go flashing with you, but maybe they'll help you deliver a present to the protagonist. And it should go without saying that the power shouldn't work on protagonists at all (pretty sure the Vampire version Illven's allowing in YYHC says as much).

    ...though thinking about it, even that might still be too easy to use, just because you can always make up NPCs as you go. Schools are bound to be filled with plenty of different students, so if there's not an existing NPC that fits your criteria in a given scene, there's little objection that can be made to just making someone up who does. Because honestly, describing it as I did above just makes it sound like School Queen, but applying only to Allure. Which, granted, is a lot more balanced than School Queen itself, but still, sounds pretty darn easy to apply.

    Quote Originally Posted by AvatarVecna View Post
    I like the 1/ep idea of carrying the bonus over to the next scene, but not the penalty. Alternatively, what if both carried over to following scene at half strength? Or would that be too much to keep track of reasonably?
    That seems reasonable to me, wouldn't be hard to keep track of. Although personally I think I'd prefer the bonus carrying over but not the penalty, for simplicity's sake.

    Quote Originally Posted by AvatarVecna View Post
    The problem occurred to me as well. I actually had an idea of how to fix it, though: if you use the power, they have to change. That way, you couldn't just keep your weak roll the same while giving yourself a new strong roll to fit the moment, you have to change both of them. So like, Scene 1, you could be Strong Allure/Weak Conflict naturally, and use this ability in Scene 3 to change it to Strong Conflict/Weak Luck, and then use it again in Scene 5 to become Strong Skill/Weak Allure, and use your final third use in Scene 9 to become Strong Allure/Weak Skill. It's not a perfect solution, but it prevents people from keeping the same weak roll over and over.
    Hm, assuming you're just forced to change them from what they currently are, and what they were before doesn't matter, that seems fine to me. If you couldn't pick the same thing as what they were before at all it would be an issue, since it partially defeats the whole point of the ability offering flexibility with your strong and weak rolls, but if it's just based on what they are now then it remains pretty flexible and does still force you to deal with the weak roll on at least two different rolls, which is a bit better. And it gives you a reason not to necessarily use it on the first roll, since you might want your natural strong roll then.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Zevox View Post
    Just to clarify, I don't have a problem with advantages that are +2 to one roll type and actually require some setup to use. That's pretty standard all throughout the game's archetypes, and those range from good to bad depending on how easy it is to actually use them. It's the ones that are +2 to any roll type (Poker Face, Connections, and School Queen) and ones that effectively require no setup or circumstances at all to use (clothing powers other than Boyish Charm, which I feel is more balanced because it's only +1, which is more reasonable for something that's basically always on) where I think the problem lies.

    As for how to make something like this actually require setup, hm... perhaps it specifically requires being close to the person as Illven suggests, and only works one person at a time (which seems implied in Illven's post, at least to me), but also can only slightly affect their behavior? The effect has to be subtle, basically. If the NPC normally hates you you're not really going to get anything out of them with it; if they normally mildly dislike you, maybe you can get them to ignore you rather than causing trouble, but you won't get them to help you; if they're normally shy, you're not going to get them to go flashing with you, but maybe they'll help you deliver a present to the protagonist. And it should go without saying that the power shouldn't work on protagonists at all (pretty sure the Vampire version Illven's allowing in YYHC says as much).

    ...though thinking about it, even that might still be too easy to use, just because you can always make up NPCs as you go. Schools are bound to be filled with plenty of different students, so if there's not an existing NPC that fits your criteria in a given scene, there's little objection that can be made to just making someone up who does. Because honestly, describing it as I did above just makes it sound like School Queen, but applying only to Allure. Which, granted, is a lot more balanced than School Queen itself, but still, sounds pretty darn easy to apply.
    I rather like Illven's suggestion of limiting it to a more personal use (need to be close by, need to be one-on-one, etc); I probably wouldn't make it so that having anybody nearby ended the power, but I think it's reasonable that the changeling's empathic abilities get too jumbled to use if there's too many other people in the immediate vicinity (like, maximum of three?).

    Beyond that though, I do feel the need to mention (once again) that I didn't make this power up; I copied it wholesale from the Improved Vampire archetype that's allowed in Yuri. That's actually not fully accurate: I copied it from Trevor's character sheet, which I had copied the Improved Vampire archetype to in the first place. This power, exactly as it's currently written, which allows it to apply even to the Protagonist, is what's being used in that game, and is a straight-up +2 to all Allure rolls as long as you go around hypnotizing people all the time.

    That seems reasonable to me, wouldn't be hard to keep track of. Although personally I think I'd prefer the bonus carrying over but not the penalty, for simplicity's sake.
    I'll probably go with that then. Keeping it simple should be better.

    Hm, assuming you're just forced to change them from what they currently are, and what they were before doesn't matter, that seems fine to me. If you couldn't pick the same thing as what they were before at all it would be an issue, since it partially defeats the whole point of the ability offering flexibility with your strong and weak rolls, but if it's just based on what they are now then it remains pretty flexible and does still force you to deal with the weak roll on at least two different rolls, which is a bit better. And it gives you a reason not to necessarily use it on the first roll, since you might want your natural strong roll then.
    That looks like it solves most of the problems we had with that, then. I'll go make those changes. Thanks for all your help!
    Last edited by AvatarVecna; 2016-07-10 at 05:21 PM. Reason: Stupid Question Mark needed to be taken out

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    Quote Originally Posted by AvatarVecna View Post
    I rather like Illven's suggestion of limiting it to a more personal use (need to be close by, need to be one-on-one, etc); I probably wouldn't make it so that having anybody nearby ended the power, but I think it's reasonable that the changeling's empathic abilities get too jumbled to use if there's too many other people in the immediate vicinity (like, maximum of three?).

    Beyond that though, I do feel the need to mention (once again) that I didn't make this power up; I copied it wholesale from the Improved Vampire archetype that's allowed in Yuri. That's actually not fully accurate: I copied it from Trevor's character sheet, which I had copied the Improved Vampire archetype to in the first place. This power, exactly as it's currently written, which allows it to apply even to the Protagonist, is what's being used in that game, and is a straight-up +2 to all Allure rolls as long as you go around hypnotizing people all the time.
    Hm, I thought it did exempt the protagonist, since most such abilities do. But otherwise, yes, I'm aware of that, and not really a fan of it. Even when it was first proposed I wasn't, but at the time I was more concerned about that homebrew version of the archetype having two different unlimited-use advantages that could apply +2 to any roll. I probably should've spoken up about this one at the time too, but I didn't. And at this point I don't want to raise a fuss about it when it was decided long ago and it's Illven's decision to make, not mine.

    Quote Originally Posted by AvatarVecna View Post
    Thanks for all your help!
    You're welcome.

    Anyway though! All this talk about homebrewing and balancing things has reminded me of something I started doing a long time ago and have had kind of sitting on my computer for a while. Shortly after seeing that homebrew Vampire in YYHC I also spotted suggestions in this thread from Anubis Dread and Angelalex for balance changes and additional abilities for the existing archetypes, and liked the idea of going through those and homebrewing a bit to try and balance things and add abilities to archetypes that didn't have as many as others, so I did some of those for archetypes that I liked. I never posted them because, well, I was still new to the game and very unsure of whether anything I was doing was actually balanced. And looking at them now, yeah, there's a few I'm changing because I don't think they were. But anyway, without further ado, here's what I had - changes and all-new abilities are in bold, and with comments:

    Spoiler: Genki (Energetic Girl)
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    Genki (Energetic Girl)

    “Ya-hoooo~! Coming through, Protagonist-kun!”

    You have a cheery disposition and more energy than a sugared-up hummingbird. You’re both hyper and assertive, and your willingness to literally bowl the protagonist over with your enthusiasm is your signature strength.

    Butt In: It’s hard to keep you from going where you want or getting the attention of whomever you please. +2 to Allure rolls involving interrupting someone or Luck rolls involving going somewhere you’re not normally allowed to go.

    Comments: As it's written, this advantage is useless, for a very obvious reason: neither players nor GMs want rolls where you need to pass or be disqualified from the next scene to happen. It would suck both to tell people and get told that you don't get to play this scene because you didn't roll well enough. So I re-wrote it to work another way entirely, basing it on the direction Anubis and Angel were taking it but not directly using either of their versions. I do wonder if it's a bit too strong like this, but I reason that two-roll advantages do exist, at least in the form of Gift Giver and Cosplay Enthusiast, so this is how I have it right now.

    Hypercharged: You’ve got the energy of two people crammed into one body. Twice per episode, in a scene where there are multiple options to choose from, you can take two options at once. You take -1 on both rolls and get the results of both options. If both options lead to the same goal, you take the better of the two results.

    Comments: As-is this advantage is very hard to take advantage of, because the penalty makes it a lot harder to actually succeed on both rolls. Still, I'm a bit leery of removing the penalty entirely, so I took the medium route of reducing it to only -1. Alternatively, perhaps it could be removed entirely, but then I think it should probably become a once per episode power.

    Morning Person: You jump out of bed with boundless energy while others are still groggily waking up. +2 on Allure rolls before lunch on school days or the equivalent time in the morning on non-school days.

    Comments: As-is this advantage rarely applies. On school days the first scene is often at school already, and on non-school days it would apply to maybe the first scene or two at most. With this change it's probably an option for roughly half of the episode, maybe a little less, assuming one episode typically lasts a day, which makes it a lot more usable.

    Overclock: You can summon up even more energy than normal at times, but you tend to burn out afterwards. Twice per episode, you can take +2 on any roll, but you take -2 on the next roll you make. You cannot use Overclock on the roll penalized by your first use of it. You may use Hypercharged and Overclock in the same scene; doing so allows you to make both rolls at +1, requires both uses of Overclock, and imposes -4 on your roll in the next scene. Whew!

    Comments: This one is fine as-is, so the only change is to account for the change to Hypercharged.

    Speedster: You somehow seem to move faster than any normal person without even trying. +2 to Skill rolls involving feats of speed or agility.

    Comments: I had a couple of different ideas for how to work an advantage like this, until I realized that the Catgirl's Catlike Reflexes was already basically what I was looking for, so I made this a copy of that.

    Cheerful: Your upbeat attitude is infectious, and makes Protagonist-kun want to spend time with you over the other girls. +2 to opposed Allure rolls.

    Comments: I liked the idea of a bonus based on the character being cheery because of the description of the archetype, and something like the existing "bonus to any opposed rolls of the right type" advantages seemed appropriate. But as was recently discussed those seem weak as-is, so I bumped it from +1 to +2.

    Spoiler: Pervert
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    Pervert

    “There’s nothing quite like a little harmless skinship, is there, Protagonist-kun~?”

    You have a love of all things inappropriately touchy-feely in addition to a penchant for excited nosebleeds. You somehow ended up with the protagonist occupying the number one spot in your fantasies, so now it’s time to demonstrate your ‘bad touch’ to him and the other girls alike!

    Panty Thief: Your experience with underwear thievery has honed your sneaking skills. +2 on Skill rolls involving stealth or burglary.

    Comments: This one seems a bit mediocre, but not quite weak enough that I feel it needs buffing.

    Peeping Tom: You have a sixth sense when it comes to finding people in the middle of changing. +2 on Luck rolls involving peeping or walking in on embarrassing situations.

    Comments: I kind of want to make this one slightly easier to use, but I'm finding it usable enough on my current luck-based Pervert that I'm going to leave it as-is.

    Shameless: Your casual attitude towards erotic situations gives you the confidence to flaunt what you've got. +2 on Allure rolls involving nudity or extremely revealing clothing.

    Comments: This one's fine as-is. Probably the Pervert advantage I've seen the most (gee, I wonder why...).

    Wandering Hands: Your finely-tuned groping technique is more than enough to unsettle any foe. +2 on opposed Conflict rolls.

    Comments: As mentioned above, these "bonus to specific opposed rolls" advantages seem sub-par as-is, so bumping to +2.

    Carry my books?: You can get others to do your hard work for you just by popping a few buttons. Twice per episode, you may substitute an Allure roll for a Skill roll.

    Comments: Stolen wholesale from Anubis Dread's version, because it's just too perfect. Re-named by Techno below. Otherwise it's another version of several existing advantages, but covers a conversion type that no other one does, so seems good to me.

    Touchy-Feely: You’re plenty willing to shove your chest in peoples’ faces or otherwise invade their personal space to get their attention. +1 to Allure rolls involving physical contact with the protagonist or NPC students.

    Comments: I initially had this as a +2 advantage, but decided it was probably too easy to use and should only be +1. Unlike a lot of advantages I let it work with the protagonist, because, well, it seems like it should.

    Spoiler: Bokkuko (Tomboy)
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    Bokkuko (Tomboy)

    “Yo, Protagonist-kun! Wanna go catch a movie with me (boku) after this?”

    You have a striking habit of referring to yourself with masculine pronouns. Your speech is a bit rougher and more masculine than the other girls, and you very well might have the tomboyish personality to go along with it. You’re tired of being seen as “one of the guys,” so it’s time to show the protagonist the charm of your feminine side, too!

    Boyish Charm: You naturally look good in men’s clothes, though there’s also a certain appeal to seeing you dressed up femininely as a rare change now and then. +1 on Allure rolls while wearing an outfit that could be described as “masculine” or "really feminine."

    Comments: I think this is the one outfit advantage that is completely fine as-is. Even in a school with a uniform it should always apply, but it's only +1, so that's fine. Good but not great.

    Down and Dirty: Like any good tomboy, you don’t hesitate to get back up after you get scuffed up a bit playing around. Once per episode, you may take a modifier on any roll equal to the margin by which you failed your previous roll.

    Comments: Yeah, this thing is definitely OP as-is. With some setup it's basically two auto-wins per episode, sometimes even on an opposed roll. Dropping it once per episode is a no-brainer in my mind.

    Now It's On: Nothing gets you worked up like losing to some frilly, feminine girl, and you can really kick some tail when you're in the mood. Whenever you lose an opposed Allure roll or fail an unopposed one, you gain +2 on your next Conflict or Skill roll. This ability does not stack with itself to provide any bonuses larger than +2.

    Comments: Just expanding the trigger condition so this is a little easier to use. Maybe I'm only concerned about it because Illven tends to use fairly few opposed rolls and I've only played with him as the GM to date, but I feel like as-is you'd get too few opportunities to actually use it.

    One of the Guys: You’re used to hanging out with the boys around school, and fit in naturally among them. +2 to Allure rolls involving interacting with male NPC students other than the protagonist, or Conflict rolls involving getting help from them.

    Comments: This is another one that's nigh useless as-is, because it depends on the protagonist being in a specific situation, which you have no control over and can't even rely on happening once per episode on average. Also, it bugs me that it's the one advantage in the game that explicitly assumes a male protagonist and female PC, and makes no sense if either of those is changed. So I kept the name but reworked it into something entirely different mechanically. I actually initially had it as +2 to any roll involving male student NPCs, reasoning that this made it a strictly-worse School Queen - but I've since come to think that even that would be OP, so I changed it to this version.

    Roughhouse: You’ve been in a few scrapes with the guys around school before, and as a result know how to handle yourself in a fight. +2 to Conflict rolls involving physical conflict.

    Comments: This is basically Bruiser/Warrior's Way. Seemed appropriate to me.

    Trash Talk: You tend to throw around insults casually, whether as a way to psyche people out or as an odd way to express comradery. Three times per episode you may attempt an extra d4 Skill roll which grants +2 on an Allure or Conflict roll if successful.

    Comments: This is my favorite homebrew advantage. Mechanically it's just an alternate version of Doujinshi Enthusiast, which seems fine but not too good to me, but in-character I think it would be a ton of fun to play.

    Spoiler: Kuudere (Seemingly Stoic Girl)
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    Kuudere (Seemingly Stoic Girl)
    “Oh… nice to see you, Protagonist-kun.”

    You have a cold, pragmatic exterior which only rarely lets your true, tender feelings shine through. Staying in control of your emotions and keeping a cool head may be a useful trait in dealing with your competitors, but you might just end up showing your true colors to your beloved protagonist…

    Deep Freeze: Retreating into your shell helps you concentrate and act ruthlessly, although it can be a bit off-putting. Once per episode, you may use this ability to take +2 on Conflict and Skill rolls and -2 on Allure and Luck rolls for the next three rolls. This ability cannot be used during the duration of Thaw Out.

    Comments: This one is good, but not quite enough so that I felt the need to nerf it.

    Poker Face: No one can really read your expression, since it rarely changes much in the first place. +2 on Allure rolls involving telling lies or Conflict rolls involving bluffing.

    Comments: Yeah, as I've said, this thing is pretty OP as-is. Easy to use and applies to all four roll types, which is just disgusting compared to most advantages in the game. This change should still leave it as a pretty darn good ability, but now it's at least limited to the two roll types where it makes the most sense (in my mind). I do still wonder if that might be a bit much, but I don't know exactly how much further I'd want to take the nerf, either. I did consider leaving it as applying to everything involving lies but dropping it to +1, but I'm genuinely not sure whether that would be too weak, still too strong, or just right.

    Stay Cool: You don’t let fatigue or outside interference get in the way when a tough decision needs to be made. Twice per episode, you may nullify all negative modifiers on a roll. This ability cannot be used during the duration of Thaw Out.

    Comments: This one is a bit niche, but if several other PCs have ways to apply penalties, I could see it being good. Alternatively, it would be good if you take abilities that apply penalties to you, like Personality Flip or Overclock. So I decided to just leave it as-is.

    Thaw Out: Sometimes you just need to drop your cold exterior to make your true feelings known, even if it flusters you a bit. Once per episode, you may use this ability to take +2 on Allure and Luck rolls and -2 on Conflict and Skill rolls for the next three rolls. This ability cannot be used during the duration of Deep Freeze.

    Comments: This one is good, but not quite enough so that I felt the need to nerf it.

    Hidden Talents: You’re so quiet that no one is all that surprised when you show off a skill you haven’t said anything about before. At the start of the game, choose three advantages from archetypes other than your own. These advantages may not have a limited number of uses per episode and no two may apply to the same type of roll. Twice per episode you may use one of these advantages, provided you meet its requirements. You may not use the same advantage twice in one episode.

    Comments: This is based on a couple of Anubis Dread's advantages. The one he had actually given the Kuudere used the same flavor text (but a different name), but mechanically was just Multiple Personalities with three uses per episode. As we've just discussed, I think that's iffy, so I reworked it. This version is actually based on an advantage Anubis had cooked up for the Delusional Girl archetype (sorry, don't remember the Japanese name right now), which was 1/episode use any advantage in the game that didn't have limited uses. I liked the idea of something similar to represent the idea of the character having hidden talents they don't use or talk about much, so I came up with this alternative version, which is intended to give some flexibility but be limited enough by the 2/episode thing and the need to pick the advantage pool you have at the start so as to keep it from being overpowered.

    Cold Front: Somehow your stoic nature just drains all the life from the room. Twice per episode you may incur a -2 penalty to all rolls for that scene, including your own.

    Comments: This is exactly one of Anubis' advantages. It's niche, but I think it goes well with Stay Cool, and there's other advantages it could combo with (i.e. Down and Dirty, Second Wind, the auto-success on unopposed roll advantages), so I think it could be good on the right build.

    Spoiler: Sports Star
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    Sports Star
    “Yo, Protagonist-kun! You’ll be at my meet next weekend, right?”

    You have talent and passion for a sport of some kind and an indomitable sense of dedication to practice and training. You’re almost always the victor at the end of your matches, but now that you’ve fallen in love with the protagonist, will you be able to emerge victorious in love as well?

    Athletic: Your relentless training regimen gives you a leg up in all kinds of physical pursuits. +1 on Skill rolls involving physical exertion. This bonus increases to +2 in any activity involved in your sport of choice.

    Comments: This seems fine.

    Competitive Spirit: You have the driving will to rise above the rest in any endeavor. +1 on rolls being attempted by any of the other PCs.

    Comments: As it's written, I think this is close to useless. Illven and Techno had an alternative interpretation of it where it applies as long as all of the PCs are using the same set of options for the roll, which makes it almost always-on, and I think that's probably okay, but also probably not what it's supposed to be as it's currently written. So I re-wrote to this, which should practically make it usually-on in most rolls, but being only a +1 that still seems okay to me. Strong, but not necessarily too much.

    Do Your Best: You believe in inspiring yourself and others to pursue their individual talents, whatever they might be. Twice per episode, you may grant an additional +1 bonus to all girls using their strong roll, and gain +2 to yours.

    Comments: As-is, I really don't like this advantage. Compare it for example to Fortune Talisman: it only works on your strong roll instead of on anything you want, and it gives the bonus to every other PC instead of just one (and, really, most characters will usually use their strong roll when it's an option, and will definitely be incentivized to do so if you use this, so it not applying if they don't doesn't seem to help much to me). But it's hard to see how to change it while keeping the basic idea intact, so I just knocked the bonus to the other PCs down a notch, which should help.

    Runner’s Glow: You positively beam with energy once you’ve got a good sweat going. +2 on Allure rolls during or soon after heavy physical exertion.

    Comments: Again, seems fine.

    Second Wind: No matter how hard you get knocked down, you have the will to get back up and stay in the game. Twice per episode, you may apply a bonus on any roll equal in magnitude to the sum of all negative modifiers applied to your previous roll.

    Comments: The only thing I don't like about this ability is that the archetype doesn't have anything to combo it with natively - you need to pick another archetype or quirk that applies a penalty to your own rolls just to ensure that you'll be able to use it at all. Otherwise, it seems good to me. And this archetype already has six advantages, so I don't want to make up a new one that has a penalty, so I guess it'll just have to stay as something you need to build around.

    Self-Improvement: If there's something you've learned from your training, it's that any failing or weakness can be corrected with hard work and determination. Three times per episode, you may take +2 on your weak roll.

    Comments: Just negating your weak roll penalty three times per episode seems weak, so I bumped the bonus up. Not sure if that might make it good enough that it should drop to two uses per episode, or if maybe it's still weak, honestly.

    Spoiler: Demon
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    Demon
    “I want all of you, Protagonist-kun... your body and your soul.”

    You are a fiendish being of the Underworld, an accursed servant of the lords of Hell. You’re no stranger to the sin of lust, and you have plenty of temptations to dangle before the protagonist to draw him into your dark, loving embrace.

    Faustian Pact: You can grant devilish gifts to your competitors, knowing all the while that the cost for a demon’s services is always greater than it first appears. Twice per episode, you may give +2 on another girl’s roll. On the next roll in which both you and your target participate, she takes -2 on her roll and you gain +2 on yours.

    Comments: Honestly it seems strange to me that this only gives you +1 as-is, so I bumped that up slightly.

    Speak of the Devil: You have the uncanny ability to show up anywhere that someone is talking about you. +1 to Luck rolls if any NPC or player other than you said your name in the previous scene or at the start of the current one.

    Comments: Another one that's useless as-is, completely dependent on what the protagonist happens to be doing at the moment, and can't even be counted on to be used once per episode. So I changed it entirely. This version is basically intended to be an always-on +1 to Luck - if the other players start making a point of not saying the Demon character's name just to try and deny her/him this, I'd expect the GM to just have an NPC do it. Small bonus, but consistent.

    Temptation: Your charms are the perfect tool for drawing the protagonist into your grasp, assuming you don’t put him off in the process. Twice per episode, you may take +2 on an unopposed Allure roll. If you are successful, you also take +1 on your next roll. If you fail, you take -2 on your next roll.

    Comments: This one seems good enough to me already. Probably the best existing Demon advantage.

    Torment: You are a master of the fine art of kicking people when they’re down. Twice per episode, if the previous scene was an unopposed roll, you may impose a -2 penalty to the rolls of each other girl who failed their roll in that scene.

    Comments: This one is pretty bad as-is, because very rarely will most characters actually try to use their weak roll unless they're intentionally failing the roll (for Down and Dirty charging, or using an auto-success power, or because they just can't win at any of the rolls, or whatever other reasons they may have). So I changed it to something that seems appropriate and should be much better. I almost wonder if it's good enough that it should be a once per episode ability, honestly, but I'm not sure about that.

    Fiendish Cunning: The gears of your mind are always turning, looking for ways to twist every situation to your advantage. +2 to Skill rolls involving logic, planning, or manipulating others.

    Comments: This is basically a slightly modified Honor Student. Seemed appropriate.

    Soldier of Sin: You delight in the other girls’ sorry attempts to mimic your sinful charms. You gain +1 to rolls in any scene where at least two other girls make Allure rolls.

    Comments: This is an Allure-based version of the Eldritch Abomination's Crawling Chaos advantage. Seems like a good mechanic to me, and fits with the more Succubus-like demon characters, drawing strength from their competition trying to be flirty and alluring like they are just by nature.


    Thoughts anybody?
    Last edited by Zevox; 2016-07-10 at 10:44 PM.
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    Default Re: High School Harem Comedy (Game System, PEACH)

    Jen may borrow from the new sports star type.

    Ms.Smith seems to like Soldier of sin.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Illven View Post
    Jen may borrow from the new sports star type.

    Ms.Smith seems to like Soldier of sin.
    Not sure exactly what she'd take, since Sports Star is the one I barely touched, but sure, why not?

    And yeah, she definitely seems like the type who would.
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    I do like the changes in general, though I'm a bit skeptical about changing Self-Improvement. As is, it turns your weak roll into a normal roll, but with your change, it makes it equivalent to a second strong roll. And as written, I think Trash Talk would work better as a Sukeban advantage than a Tomboy one.

    But I would definitely like using your improved Demon for my character, especially Torment and Fiendish Cunning. It makes a non-succubus build for such a character viable, which as you know, I particularly like.

    (Oh, and alternate name idea for "But Senseeeei! <3": 'Carry My Books?')
    Last edited by The TechnoGnome; 2016-07-10 at 10:30 PM. Reason: Better name for 'But Sensei'

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    Quote Originally Posted by The TechnoGnome View Post
    I do like the changes in general, though I'm a bit skeptical about changing Self-Improvement. As is, it turns your weak roll into a normal roll, but with your change, it makes it equivalent to a second strong roll. And as written, I think Trash Talk would work better as a Sukeban advantage than a Tomboy one.

    But I would definitely like using your improved Demon for my character, especially Torment and Fiendish Cunning. It makes a non-succubus build for such a character viable, which as you know, I particularly like.

    (Oh, and alternate name idea for "But Senseeeei! <3": 'Carry My Books?')
    Ask in thread. If everyone agrees I'm fine with you changing.
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    Quote Originally Posted by The TechnoGnome View Post
    I do like the changes in general, though I'm a bit skeptical about changing Self-Improvement. As is, it turns your weak roll into a normal roll, but with your change, it makes it equivalent to a second strong roll.
    Hm, perhaps. I suppose at three uses per episode that is enough that it will almost be like just making it a second strong roll. Perhaps it should drop to two uses per episode, then? Because just negating the -1 penalty three times an episode still seems weak to me. Most characters would rather just dump the weak roll and never use it than spend a whole advantage just negating that penalty, I think.

    Quote Originally Posted by The TechnoGnome View Post
    And as written, I think Trash Talk would work better as a Sukeban advantage than a Tomboy one.
    Eh, debatable I suppose. I tend to think of trash talking as a specifically masculine sort of thing, but not necessarily something I'd only associate with trouble-makers. But I do think most Sukeban characters will be at least somewhat tomboyish because of the nature of that archetype anyway, so I can see how they end up overlapping a bit, depending on each person's perspective.

    Quote Originally Posted by The TechnoGnome View Post
    But I would definitely like using your improved Demon for my character, especially Torment and Fiendish Cunning. It makes a non-succubus build for such a character viable, which as you know, I particularly like.
    Oh yeah, I knew Mal would love to have Fiendish Cunning at the very least. And thinking about it, Torment would work very well for her considering her two biggest competitors both tend to deliberately fail rolls to charge up other advantages at least twice per episode (often three or four times in Taika's case).

    Quote Originally Posted by The TechnoGnome View Post
    (Oh, and alternate name idea for "But Senseeeei! <3": 'Carry My Books?')
    Hm, yeah, sounds good.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Zevox View Post
    Thoughts anybody?
    I might look these over and see if I can get around to writing a new update one of these days.

    While I'm at it, what do you all think are the worst offenders in terms of existing advantages? Ones that are too weak, ones that are too strong, ones that are worded poorly, ones that just aren't fun to play with? I already have my eye on Just As Planned and Multiple Personalities.
    High School Harem Comedy, my original game system!

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    Default Re: High School Harem Comedy (Game System, PEACH)

    Empathic Manipulation is a-okay.

    Love and War... I guess is okay? Still a flat +1 on opposed roll.

    Master of Disguise seems pretty dang good.

    Siphon seems too much-untyped -2 and +2 is STRONG.

    Talented Actor is still too much.
    I have a LOT of Homebrew!

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    Quote Originally Posted by A Rainy Knight View Post
    I might look these over and see if I can get around to writing a new update one of these days.

    While I'm at it, what do you all think are the worst offenders in terms of existing advantages? Ones that are too weak, ones that are too strong, ones that are worded poorly, ones that just aren't fun to play with? I already have my eye on Just As Planned and Multiple Personalities.
    Oh, wow, I really was not expecting that to get your attention. That's awesome! Thanks for making this system in the first place, by the way - it's been surprisingly fun, and that's coming from somebody who's not really an anime fan.

    As for worst offenders, well, it's not hard for me to point to what I think are the most potent currently: Just as Planned and Shadow Out of Time (from Eldritch Abomination) strike me as the most potent and frustrating of the 1/episode powers, and there was discussion about banning them back when I first joined Illven's game, although we didn't wind up doing so. For the unlimited-use powers, Poker Face (Kuudere), Connections (Iinchou), and School Queen (Ojou) are definitely the big ones - +2 to any type of roll with no limit on uses per episode, and all three seem relatively easy to use. Poker Face is perhaps the worst, because finding a way to make a lie relevant to the roll is rarely that hard. Connections seems harder to use, depending on how readily available authority figures are at any given time, but I've seen it used pretty dependably in the games I've been in. School Queen I have the least experience with, but it has seemed pretty easy to activate from what I have seen, probably easier than Connections. And even if they were harder to use, being able to apply them to all four types of rolls just makes them very potent from sheer flexibility compared to most other advantages applying to only one and only a few being able to apply to two.

    The other issue I've noticed is advantages based on the outfit you're wearing - Maiden's Garb, Gorgeous Gi, etc. I'm guessing when you wrote those you assumed the game would take place in schools with a uniform, so most of them couldn't be used all of the time, right? That would explain why Boyish Charm, the only one that could be used all the time in that situation, only gives +1, while the rest give +2. In practice though most games seem to take place in American-style schools that don't have uniforms, so those advantages turn into always-on +2s that you don't need to do anything at all for. Personally, the only solution I can really think of would be to make it so that in games where the school doesn't have a uniform, all such advantages only give +1 instead of the +2 they'd given in a game where the school had a uniform. That would look a bit odd when written out in the actual rules, but it's what I've got at the moment.

    As for weak powers, well, there's several I identified as near-useless in the archetypes I just posted my edits to. Besides those, hm, just skimming over the archetypes... Truant from Sukeban stands out, since whether the Protagonist would ever be outside school on a school day for the PC to run into is in the hands of the GM, and probably wouldn't happen more than once per episode, tops, so it would very rarely be usable. In Miko, Misfortune Talisman and Warding Talisman kind of run into the accidental problem that most PCs don't use Luck rolls very much, since good Luck bonuses are few and far between compared to the other three types of rolls. They'd be good if that weren't the case, but unfortunately, it is.

    Oh, Shining Trapezohedron, from Eldritch Abomination, is a big one. Because really, as I said in my comment about Butt In in my changes to the Genki archetype, when is the GM going to tell a player that they can't be in a scene anyway? Neither the GM nor the players really want that to be a thing that happens, so that advantage is essentially useless.

    Vampiric Drain is another one that's pretty darn weak. Winning opposed rolls is not an easy thing to do consistently unless you've got one of the big, probably-OP abilities helping you (Just as Planned, Shadow Out of Time, and a big charge on Down and Dirty being the three that come to mind), so it probably won't activate too often, and it's only +1 on the occasions when it does.

    ...and I really need to get some sleep now, so I should stop. I can look over more later, though, if you'd really like me to.
    Toph Pony avatar by Dirtytabs. Thanks!

    "When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty, I read them openly. When I became a man, I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up." -C.S. Lewis

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