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Message: <blockquote data-quote="HeapThaumaturgist" data-source="post: 2796594" data-attributes="member: 12332">Well, let's look at it from the point of view of "Ghost Hit Points".  If each SFX Power Point is equal to 3 Strain ...A 1st level character would then have (Ability Mod) in SFXPP ... we'll assume that with a magic-oriented character and point buy you can do 16, so that's 3pp or the equivalent of 9hp.Of course, PP are easier on the PC, since spending them doesn't do anything to him other than deplete his ability to do magic.Given a 1st level Smart hero, then, you'd be ahead by 1 spell.  (A normal Smart PC would have 6 + Con in HP at 1st, and probably a 12 Con, so he could cast 2 regular spells and not pass out).  Not only are you ahead 1 spell, however, you're able to cast yours without other character-resource penalties.After that, though, the regular-hp character will begin to catch up and eventually pull ahead.  At 2nd level (assuming averages) the regular character has 11hp and the PP character has 12ghost hp.  At 3rd level it becomes 15hp vs 12ghp, and at 4th 19hp vs. 15ghp.I would say that it gives characters more juice from 1st-4th or so, since spending PPs doesn't have any impact on combat ability, while spending nonlethal hp means you're more likely to go down faster in combat.  Once a character has a good 12-15hp buffer, they'll be a little more powerful than the PP using character.  Strain is also more flexible, since a character can choose to extend himself to the breaking point for a little extra juice.I'd say it comes down to how quickly PP come back.  Once per day works well.  It actually slides things in favor of the Strain characters since they can get back lvl/hr in NL damage.  If they come back 1/hr, I'd say that they'd be pretty balanced, even, after 3rd level.  I find many people start their games around lvl3 or so, when PP and Strain probably start to balance out.  Honestly, Strain is pretty hard on 1st-3rd level characters anyway, since they can only get a spell or two off before they can't afford the HP drain.  PP means they balance out.If you'd like to add a little more tactical thinking into PP and a character-resource cost, you might add a clause that a character with PP who has 0pp is Fatigued until he regains at least 1pp.  This would sort of eat up one of those early PP, and give the PP player something to agonize about when the chips are down ... spend that last PP or hold onto it?  --fje</blockquote>

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