As I've stated in the past, I've changed the workings of many Assets in order to make them feel more useful and less redundant with respect to the standard Plot Injection that Plot Points can be spent to do. Also, to re-balance a few and make it so an actual system exists to adjudicate on some Asset-only rules.
Abbreviations of Note
PP = Plot Point
SP = Stun Point
AP = Advancement Point
Friends In High Places: This Asset reduces the Plot Point cost of bringing to bear the influence of people in influential positions with Plot Points. These characters are specific non-Player Characters who hold influential positions in the government, industry, or society. The favors provoked by this Asset are expected to be paid back)
For a single PP, the influential NPC will do a small favor for the character or their friends (Small loans(~500 Credits), minor tasks such as records checking)
For two PP, the influential NPC will do a reasonable favor for the character or their friends (Medium loans (~5,000 Credits), tasks such as low risk vouching for the character, invitation to an important event)
For three PP, the influential NPC will go to great lengths to help the character or their friends (Large loans (~10,000 Credits), tasks such as issuing security clearance, legal defense, public support)
Failure to repay these debts when called on may lead to the development of a Complication, but do not lead to loss of this Asset barring dramatic circumstances.
Friends in Low Places: Much like Friends in High Places, Friends in Low Places reduces the costs of invoking the intervention of your character's allies. Instead of accepted societal influence and authority, these allies offer support from the criminal element. Where Friends in High Places allowed someone to work within the system for you, Friends in Low Places allows someone to work outside the system for you.
Lightnin' Reflexes: This Asset is just bad. It is a +2 Step to a derived Trait, and it is Major. As such it is being re-written.
Minor: The character's reaction speed is impressive. +2 Step bonus on Agility rolls for Initiative and all Reactive Actions (such as Dodging)
Major: The character's reaction speed is nearly superhuman. As Minor, but any plot points spent count as being three times as much for the purposes of adding bonus dice.
Mechanical Empathy: This Asset is difficult to balance because I want it to be more than it is, which is "For a problem this bad, we will give you a static +2 Step to the Skill (the just a little less than the same as spending 2 Plot Points on the roll) and you don't need to identify the problem. But the problem needs to take more than one roll per category class (small/medium/hard) to fix, otherwise you haven't bought anything.
Rewritten: For a PP or an SP, the character rolls Alertness + Perception/Empathy. Add the number of Success Classes - Severity of the damage as bonus steps to the character's Mechanical Engineering for the duration of the damage being treated for this particular device.
Reader: Readers have the ability to discern information about other peoples' emotional states and cognitive information. Just being in their presence is enough to give a Reader a bit of information about you. Attempting to Read people (either form) is straining, costing either a PP or an SP, the player's choice.
Minor: Add +2 step Attribute bonus to Alertness when observing someone and attempting to understand them.
Reading Surface Thoughts and Emotions: Alertness + Perception
Major: Add an additional +2 steps (for a total of +4) to Alertness when observing someone. Additionally, you can attempt to Read their mind and search their thoughts and memories for information. Reading of this level requires defeating the target's mental resistance first.
Mental Resistance Contest: Willpower + Perception (Reader) Vs. Willpower + Discipline + Resistance Factor (Target).
Resistance Factor is a flat number added to the Target's result based on their training and emotional state. the default Resistance Factor is +7. It may rise as high as +9 or fall as low as +5 depending upon the emotions of the character. Characters with the Mental Fortitude Asset (new) increase the Resistance Factor accordingly.
Once the victim's mental resistance has been overcome, their thoughts and memories are available to be read just the same as Surface thoughts and emotions. The target, on their turn, may spend an action to attempt to push the Reader out of their mind.
Example: Willpower + Discipline (Reader) vs Willpower + Discipline. This effort costs a Plot Point or causes a point of Stun Damage to the target.
NEW
Mental Fortitude: This Asset was implemented to make characters more resistant to Readers and similar phenomena.
Minor: Add 4 to the character's Resistance Factor, and 4 to the roll to push out a Reader
Major: Add an additional 5 (for a total of +9) to the character's Resistance Factor and roll to push out a Reader.
Abbreviations of Note
PP = Plot Point
SP = Stun Point
AP = Advancement Point
Friends In High Places: This Asset reduces the Plot Point cost of bringing to bear the influence of people in influential positions with Plot Points. These characters are specific non-Player Characters who hold influential positions in the government, industry, or society. The favors provoked by this Asset are expected to be paid back)
For a single PP, the influential NPC will do a small favor for the character or their friends (Small loans(~500 Credits), minor tasks such as records checking)
For two PP, the influential NPC will do a reasonable favor for the character or their friends (Medium loans (~5,000 Credits), tasks such as low risk vouching for the character, invitation to an important event)
For three PP, the influential NPC will go to great lengths to help the character or their friends (Large loans (~10,000 Credits), tasks such as issuing security clearance, legal defense, public support)
Failure to repay these debts when called on may lead to the development of a Complication, but do not lead to loss of this Asset barring dramatic circumstances.
Friends in Low Places: Much like Friends in High Places, Friends in Low Places reduces the costs of invoking the intervention of your character's allies. Instead of accepted societal influence and authority, these allies offer support from the criminal element. Where Friends in High Places allowed someone to work within the system for you, Friends in Low Places allows someone to work outside the system for you.
Lightnin' Reflexes: This Asset is just bad. It is a +2 Step to a derived Trait, and it is Major. As such it is being re-written.
Minor: The character's reaction speed is impressive. +2 Step bonus on Agility rolls for Initiative and all Reactive Actions (such as Dodging)
Major: The character's reaction speed is nearly superhuman. As Minor, but any plot points spent count as being three times as much for the purposes of adding bonus dice.
Mechanical Empathy: This Asset is difficult to balance because I want it to be more than it is, which is "For a problem this bad, we will give you a static +2 Step to the Skill (the just a little less than the same as spending 2 Plot Points on the roll) and you don't need to identify the problem. But the problem needs to take more than one roll per category class (small/medium/hard) to fix, otherwise you haven't bought anything.
Rewritten: For a PP or an SP, the character rolls Alertness + Perception/Empathy. Add the number of Success Classes - Severity of the damage as bonus steps to the character's Mechanical Engineering for the duration of the damage being treated for this particular device.
Reader: Readers have the ability to discern information about other peoples' emotional states and cognitive information. Just being in their presence is enough to give a Reader a bit of information about you. Attempting to Read people (either form) is straining, costing either a PP or an SP, the player's choice.
Minor: Add +2 step Attribute bonus to Alertness when observing someone and attempting to understand them.
Reading Surface Thoughts and Emotions: Alertness + Perception
Major: Add an additional +2 steps (for a total of +4) to Alertness when observing someone. Additionally, you can attempt to Read their mind and search their thoughts and memories for information. Reading of this level requires defeating the target's mental resistance first.
Mental Resistance Contest: Willpower + Perception (Reader) Vs. Willpower + Discipline + Resistance Factor (Target).
Resistance Factor is a flat number added to the Target's result based on their training and emotional state. the default Resistance Factor is +7. It may rise as high as +9 or fall as low as +5 depending upon the emotions of the character. Characters with the Mental Fortitude Asset (new) increase the Resistance Factor accordingly.
Once the victim's mental resistance has been overcome, their thoughts and memories are available to be read just the same as Surface thoughts and emotions. The target, on their turn, may spend an action to attempt to push the Reader out of their mind.
Example: Willpower + Discipline (Reader) vs Willpower + Discipline. This effort costs a Plot Point or causes a point of Stun Damage to the target.
NEW
Mental Fortitude: This Asset was implemented to make characters more resistant to Readers and similar phenomena.
Minor: Add 4 to the character's Resistance Factor, and 4 to the roll to push out a Reader
Major: Add an additional 5 (for a total of +9) to the character's Resistance Factor and roll to push out a Reader.
