I got a toybox called COSMIC and I wanted help to add another module to it. Link below:
The module I want to create is called Powers, and I am a bit stuck on it.
It has 2 objectives: a) allow settings where characters have incredible powers like superheroes, and b) allow players to port character creation from games like the dragon game where they often have features from race.
I have a few ideas but can’t zoom into something definite.
I thought of a descriptive such as “I am…” and “I can…”
I don’t want the working to be bound by hard numbers of any kind (distance, duration, number of uses, etc)
I would like it to be possible that players can pick any number of them, although I’d recommend 3-6.
Perhaps it’s tied to a resource? A luck roll? Idk
The '“unleash your powers” masks move comes strongly to mind here as well, but I am not sure I want it to work the same way.
Whenever you use your special power make a roll and depending on the result you fill a kind of exhaustion track. When you fill it, you mark a condition.
I am sorry, but i think this is something you have to decide by yourself, because this is not a question of right or wrong approach, but of design goals and the whole concept. What are you aiming for? Game where your superpower is tied to a luck roll will will feel different from a game where it’s a resource-management thing.
That said, dice-randomized exhaustion track is probably a good middle ground that doesn’t pull it in either way. Other, similar possibility could be to add risk of some backfire or complication (as in PbtA).
I am always down for just FKRing things. You might look at the way character creation is handled in Numenera for some ideas on how to formulate things. Character Creation - Numenera SRD
