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A question about the PSCS

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Thu, 2011-06-16 20:46
#1
Zimrazim
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A question about the PSCS

I might simply be missing this in the faction descriptions, but I'm trying to find out to what extent the penalties for being a member of a particular faction remain the same as they were in 2nd edition. I'm looking at post-Faction War factions here in particular.

In 2e, at least two factions (Bleak Cabal and Indeps) had a percentile chance of a PC dying just for being a member of that faction! Post-Faction War, is a Taker still unable to receive a healing potion from a party member when he's at -9 hp? Is a Sinker still going to have a terrible time receiving magical healing? Do Anarchists still have to give up 90% of all treasure?

I haven't found anything that really suggests the penalties are the same as what they were, but I'd like to be sure...

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Fri, 2011-06-17 16:59
#2
Hyena of Ice
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Re: A question about the PSCS

It was probably left unmentioned so as to allow the DM to decide whether or not to use that himself, or come up with his own penalties.

Fri, 2011-06-17 17:37
#3
Zimrazim
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Re: A question about the PSCS

Makes sense. Personally I find some of the 2e faction penalties to be rather silly.

__________________

BoGr Guide to Missile Combat:
1) Equip a bow or crossbow.
2) Roll a natural 1 on d20.
3) ?????
4) Profit!

Sat, 2011-06-18 23:04
#4
Dragonexx
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Re: A question about the PSCS

how so? They each make sense in presenting different worldviews.

EDIT: Oh you meant the penalties not the factions themselves... sorry.

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Sat, 2011-06-18 23:11
#5
Kobold Avenger
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Re: A question about the PSCS

Dragonexx wrote:
how so? They each make sense in presenting different worldviews.
They reflect a bad design ideology where there were a mix of disadvantages some mechanical and some roleplaying with no consistency between them to offset a mostly game mechanics advantage. Though in most cases simply a mandated roleplaying disadvantage offsetting an advantage in gameplay.

For example "Everyone will hate you" is never a good disadvantage for some ability that makes you really powerful. As a powergamer is likely to get in a lot of fights anyways, and it'll make them more powerful by giving them more xp.

Other roleplaying disadvantages, are inconsistently enforced across the board. Lazy DMs may ignore them, and smart players will simply work around them.

The roleplaying disadvantages vs. in game advantages was something they put a stop to starting with 3e, and all iterations of D&D after, since they came to this realization that these 2e based design decisions simply weren't going to work.

Sun, 2011-06-19 00:03
#6
Zimrazim
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Re: A question about the PSCS

While I definitely like what Kobold Avenger had to say, I want to add to it. For me, it's more that the old 2e penalties seem to hinder roleplaying possibilities more than they add to them. They're just too heavy-handed.

__________________

BoGr Guide to Missile Combat:
1) Equip a bow or crossbow.
2) Roll a natural 1 on d20.
3) ?????
4) Profit!

Sun, 2011-06-19 07:05
#7
Jem
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Re: A question about the PSCS

Unearthed Arcana suggests a means to handle this: take the faction penalties as flaws, which will allow the faction powers as additional feats. The other flaws listed in the SRD material should give you a guideline on how to interpret 2e fluff as a balanced flaw in 3.x.

('course, I personally RP GURPS, which would simply wrap this all up as an Advantage/Disadvantage package and let you buy the rest of your character accordingly. ^_^ )

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