Wealth

[Moira Morley]

For those of us (ok, one of us) with maxed out Charisma and skills, how do we represent wealth now?

[angrydurf]

As wealth now gives a capped bonus to some interaction skills you would have to drop those skills (or charisma) down an appropriate nuber of ranks.

or you can not have wealth and buy some of hte trappings of it with equipment devoted to an HQ maybe a status benefit. But if you want to have cash on hand you can't cap your diplomacy/gather info on stats and skills alone kinda like the attractive feat.

[Sacerdos]

Out of curiosity, couldn't you have both Wealth and high (i.e. capped) Skill ratings? Sure, the Wealth bonus would be wasted in that case, but why ever would you be forced to be poor just 'cause you're highly adept at what you do?

[Dr Archeville]

Because PL caps are "hard" caps -- you can't have ranks in something and just 'not use them.'

[Sacerdos]

Because PL caps are "hard" caps -- you can't have ranks in something and just 'not use them.'

You're not "just not using" the ranks. You're just hitting the ceiling, beyond which points are wasted. Wealth has other game effects, after all, in that it allows you to have a certain lifestyle in game. Those effects would still be in use, and would be missed if one was forced to drop them due to competency in a few Skills.

[Lord Fell]

I believe that players have the option to buy "Wealth" (up to 3 ranks) which includes money and status, and straight up Benefit: Wealth, which has money but no status. The second option suitable for someone who has a lot of resources, but isn't known for being moneyed.

[Dr Archeville]

I believe that players have the option to buy "Wealth" (up to 3 ranks) which includes money and status, and straight up Benefit: Wealth, which has money but no status.

No.... "Wealth" is "Benefit (Wealth)". It's just shorter to write the former. And no status comes with it.

[Ecalsneerg]

This... does strike my as counter-intuitive. So we have no way for someone to have material wealth but not have it count against PL caps due to bribes (and really... does Divine need to bribe people? :shock: )

[Dr Archeville]

That's one of the things about M&M: taking feats that add to some PL-capped stat (Attractive, Defensive Roll, Dodge Focus, Favored Environment/Opponent, Sneak Attack, and so on) mean you're less effective than someone who just took ranks in that stat, since you won't always be able to take advantage of those feats.

[Sandman XI]

(and really... does Divine need to bribe people? :shock: )

I do believe she doesnt want it for bribing, just the other aspects.

[Dr Archeville]

IIRC, weren't those other aspects "so she can get invited to fancy events"?

If that's all... again, she doesn't need money for that, she just needs to walk around the right parts of town and be seen by the right people. ;)

[Sacerdos]

However, just to be clear, if I want a character who's, say, a playboy billionaire--complete with really cool sports car, Armani suits, a mansion, etc.--and who is also just filled to the brim with Diplomacy, the house rules around here don't allow me to do it. Is that true?

[Moira Morley]

Bribing is one thing. Spending power is another. Basically I dont wanna have her resort to being a golddigger.

[Dr Archeville]

However, just to be clear, if I want a character who's, say, a playboy billionaire--complete with really cool sports car, Armani suits, a mansion, etc.--and who is also just filled to the brim with Diplomacy, the house rules around here don't allow me to do it. Is that true?

Correct. Just like the Core rules state that someone who wanted to play a char with so much Attractive that they turned heads better than She-Hulk and Power Girl combined could not have maxed Bluff or Diplomacy. Or how a PL 10 char with no trade-offs who is ridiculously skilled in sneak attacks (Sneak Attack 4, for +5 damage) cannot carry around/use a blaster rifle (Blast 8, which would be 13 w/ Sneak Attack).

Bribing is one thing. Spending power is another. Basically I dont wanna have her resort to being a golddigger.

If you don't wanna be a golddigger, then... don't be a golddigger. :P

[Sacerdos]

Correct. Just like the Core rules state that someone who wanted to play a char with so much Attractive that they turned heads better than She-Hulk and Power Girl combined could not have maxed Bluff or Diplomacy.

Ah, okay. You're interpreting the core book's prose differently than I do for Attractive.

In the section on PL, it says that a character can't have more than PL+5 ranks in a skill. And, under Attractive, it says that the bonus from Attractive can't increase the character's effective skill rank over the PL limit.

You take that to mean that one cannot purchase Attractive to the point that its bonus would break the PL limit. I take that to mean that ranks of Attractive that provide a bonus over the PL limit are wasted (but not verboten).

Nota bene: It does seem that Kenson leans more toward your interpretation than mine. I haven't found any posts/whatnot in which he explicitly states a position on this subject, though. Instead, he takes his usual, "Oh, I'd probably do this, but you should do what works for you," approach to the question.

Or how a PL 10 char with no trade-offs who is ridiculously skilled in sneak attacks (Sneak Attack 4, for +5 damage) cannot carry around/use a blaster rifle (Blast 8, which would be 13 w/ Sneak Attack).

On this, I agree, though I will note that I'd allow someone to choose not to use their ranks in Sneak Attack. It just makes sense that way, and it's consistent with PFs being optional when using a power.

In any case, I'm not arguing with you on this. I was simply trying to figure out the interpretation of this "house" on the subject, as it runs in what is, to me, a counter-intuitive direction. Now I know, and will tailor my future character submissions accordingly.

[Dr Archeville]

Ah, okay. You're interpreting the core book's prose differently than I do for Attractive.

In the section on PL, it says that a character can't have more than PL+5 ranks in a skill. And, under Attractive, it says that the bonus from Attractive can't increase the character's effective skill rank over the PL limit.

You take that to mean that one cannot purchase Attractive to the point that its bonus would break the PL limit. I take that to mean that ranks of Attractive that provide a bonus over the PL limit are wasted (but not verboten).

Nota bene: It does seem that Kenson leans more toward your interpretation than mine. I haven't found any posts/whatnot in which he explicitly states a position on this subject, though. Instead, he takes his usual, "Oh, I'd probably do this, but you should do what works for you," approach to the question.

That's where I got "my" interpretation from, from what Kenson's said. He's said PL caps are "Hard" caps, meaning you cannot take something and just "not use it."

On this, I agree, though I will note that I'd allow someone to choose not to use their ranks in Sneak Attack. It just makes sense that way, and it's consistent with PFs being optional when using a power.

It is... and it isn't. Yeah, they can choose not to use Sneak Attack, just like you can choose not to use Power Attack or any other feat... but the fact it can be used to bump Damage means it can't be had if using it would break PL caps.

[Sacerdos]

That's where I got "my" interpretation from, from what Kenson's said. He's said PL caps are "Hard" caps, meaning you cannot take something and just "not use it."

He's also said that they're not meant as "Hard" limits. Kenson, as you no doubt know, tends to be inconsistent on most points. The primary exception is his unfailing support for "do what works for your game".

[N/A]

Given how ridiculously excessive Divine's current social skills are, maybe dropping a couple ranks isn't such a bad idea in and of itself. If you want her to accumulate some "Benefit (Wealth)," then there are two good reasons to tone them down a notch.