[W.O.I.N.] N.E.W. and Somerset rules questions

Hi Morrus,

some more questions for you regarding the rules

Psionics
Is my following interpretation of the Psi-Blast exploit (from battlepsyche) correct:
- it can be used every round (for it does not cost PP's)
- it can be improved by investing in the Telepathy skill (as per the Psi-Blast universal exploit)

Are the psionic skills only in existence to benefit the Exploits, or could they be used also for other things? I have tried to think of uses for Telepathy, for example, but could not think of any outside the Exploits.

Would you add your relevant dice pool (Telepathy in this case) to the damage, as you do with ranged weapons?

Luck
Is my following interpretation for Extra Luck in Normal mode correct:
- young characters, can use an Exploding dice pool once per day
- adult characters, have no additional benefits
- old characters, can use Careful dice pool once per day.

In cinematic mode, the following is additional to that:
- young characters, nothing
- adult characters, 1 additional luck die
- old characters, 2 additional luck die
Are these additional luck die per day, or do they also recharge with a 5 minute rest per day?

Somerset
The UMC Shotgun has the 'shotgun' special attribute, but I cannot find what the Shotgun special attribute does. I cannot find it in the v1.2 rulebook.

Would you use the Rifles skill for a Shotgun, or a separate Shotgun skill?

The Smartgun mentions 'automatic targeting capabilities with a head mounted sight' and 'combat harness'. How would you translate this in game-stats? Or is that up to the GM?

A small erratum
In the v1.2 rulebook, regarding luck:
On p.161 you refer to p.54 (cinematic mode). I think that should be referring to p.62.
On p.57 you refer to p.60 for cinematic mode, that should probably also point to p.62.

Thanks!

C.

Yikes, that's a list! OK, here goes:

1) Exploits can usually only be used once per round, ones something says otherwise.
2) I don't quite follow what you mean by improving via the Telepathy skill?
3) Skills are always used when you are forming a dice pool to make an attribute check.
4) That would be a house rule, which I don't think would break anything.
5) Young characters can use an exploding dice pool once per day as subtle hinted at by the sentence "Once per day, when rolling a dice pool, you may declare it to be an exploding dice pool."
6) Adult characters have a careful dice pool instead.
7) See 6.
7a) I feel like I'm just reading the book to you.
8) Yes.
9) They are the same as other LUC dice.
10) There are some exploits on NOW which hinge of the Shotgun trait. I don't think there are any in NEW, offhand.
11) That's mainly fluff. You could add some custom mechanics if you wanted.
12) OK, thanks!

Hope that helps!

Geez, you're fast...

Morrus said:

Yikes, that's a list! OK, here goes:

1) Exploits can usually only be used once per round, ones something says otherwise.

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Check! And the Battlepsyche Psi-Blast exploit can be used an unlimited time per day, since it does not require PP's, correct?

Morrus said:

2) I don't quite follow what you mean by improving via the Telepathy skill?

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Sorry, I mean to improve your PSI check, versus mental defence, as the universal exploit. But I think you answered it below with '3'

Morrus said:

3) Skills are always used when you are forming a dice pool to make an attribute check.

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Yes, I understand. Let me rephrase. With most skills such as driving, acrobatics, science, or whatever, I can think of many used outside of using Exploits. However, when reading the psionic skills and exploits, I get the feeling that the psionic skills (biopsionics, clairsentience, clairvoyance, ergokinesis, metapsionics, telekinesis, telepathy, and teleportation) can only be used in combination with relevant exploits. In other words, what could I do with for example Biopsionics or Telepathy skill, if I would not have a Biopsionics or Telepathy exploit. Except perhaps, to recognize such an exploit being used by another character or monster.

Morrus said:

4) That would be a house rule, which I don't think would break anything.
5) Young characters can use an exploding dice pool once per day as subtle hinted at by the sentence "Once per day, when rolling a dice pool, you may declare it to be an exploding dice pool."
6) Adult characters have a careful dice pool instead.
7) See 6.
7a) I feel like I'm just reading the book to you.

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I'll just take the RAW then, and assume that in normal mode Adult characters have no Luck benefits, in Normal mode (on p.57 it only mentions Young and Old characters, and Adults are apparently, out of luck! )

Morrus said:

8) Yes.
9) They are the same as other LUC dice.
10) There are some exploits on NOW which hinge of the Shotgun trait. I don't think there are any in NEW, offhand.

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Okay!

Morrus said:

11) That's mainly fluff. You could add some custom mechanics if you wanted.

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Awesome, we'll cook something up

Morrus said:

12) OK, thanks!

Hope that helps!

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Absolutely, so very much! We'll start the Somerset adventure next weekend, so we're all hyped

Evil_DM said:

Geez, you're fast...
Check! And the Battlepsyche Psi-Blast exploit can be used an unlimited time per day, since it does not require PP's, correct?

Click to expand...

Yes.

Yes, I understand. Let me rephrase. With most skills such as driving, acrobatics, science, or whatever, I can think of many used outside of using Exploits. However, when reading the psionic skills and exploits, I get the feeling that the psionic skills (biopsionics, clairsentience, clairvoyance, ergokinesis, metapsionics, telekinesis, telepathy, and teleportation) can only be used in combination with relevant exploits. In other words, what could I do with for example Biopsionics or Telepathy skill, if I would not have a Biopsionics or Telepathy exploit. Except perhaps, to recognize such an exploit being used by another character or monster.

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They're just skills, like any other. They don't work any differently.

Evil_DM said:

Are the psionic skills only in existence to benefit the Exploits, or could they be used also for other things? I have tried to think of uses for Telepathy, for example, but could not think of any outside the Exploits.

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I mostly treat them like knowledge skills are treated in other games. There are probably a few other uses, too.
I can think of a few examples for telepathy. As you suggested you could try to identify the use of telepathy by others. You could use it to assess an area's security from telepathic intrusion or set up countermeasures if your setting has telepathic countermeasures. I would also allow telepathy to be used as a mental defense skill against telepathic attacks.
Biopsionics might be used on checks to hold your breath or in other instances of bodily control.
Of course, all of this is subject to GM approval and may not be appropriate for all settings.

dekrass said:

I mostly treat them like knowledge skills are treated in other games. There are probably a few other uses, too.
I can think of a few examples for telepathy. As you suggested you could try to identify the use of telepathy by others. You could use it to assess an area's security from telepathic intrusion or set up countermeasures if your setting has telepathic countermeasures. I would also allow telepathy to be used as a mental defense skill against telepathic attacks.
Biopsionics might be used on checks to hold your breath or in other instances of bodily control.
Of course, all of this is subject to GM approval and may not be appropriate for all settings.

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I've let PCs use telepathy for a variety of attribute checks - an interrogation using CHA (telepathy) springs to mind.