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Message: <blockquote data-quote="IceFractal" data-source="post: 4030603" data-attributes="member: 27704">On Point-Systems:Homogenization tends to happen when people hit the cap on their specialty, so the higher the cap (relative to the starting power), the less it will tend to happen.  For instance, a D&D-styled Fantasy HERO campaign would involve starting out at low-power and gaining XP at a much faster than normal rate, eventually ending up in a completely different power-bracket (with the caps, if any, increasing in-sync with this).  In such a setup, homogenization will be less likely, as there's always more to increase within one's speciality.Systems with mutable-flavor abilties at least seem less homogenized than systems with fixed-flavor abilities.  Even if the warrior and the spellcaster both picked up wall-walking (because it's useful), they've got a different style when using it - the spellcaster is using a spell of subjective gravity, the warrior is dashing up the wall with uncanny speed.  Likewise, systems with a huge number of potential powers (like HERO) tend to homogenize slower than systems with a smaller pool to choose from.Also, systems with "diminishing returns", where improving an already superb power to even-better is harder than improving a weak power to average may be realistic, but they encourage homogenization like nobody's business.  HERO in particular: Divergent experiences in homogenization may result from different "cap" rigidities.  If the cap is just "X-point powers", then a brute type could keep improving their combat skills by adding velocity damage, skill levels, multiple simultaneous attacks, and so forth.  If the cap is "no more than X damage dealt per turn" then there's no point improving combat beyond that, and you may as well branch out into other things.</blockquote>

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