Prescience Vs Prescience

[rangereric18]

Ok, I've read the house rules from Pirate Spice and I've looked over various different rule variants for Prescience. I'm thinking of going with Pirate Spice's modifier # house rule. However, I was wondering something about the way I've been running prescience so far:

Firstly, let me just explain how I've been running the power in the game since I've begun playing. Then you can tell me how wrong I am, etc. Then I will pose a question.

I run prescience with having the character able to shift stones from ONE action only into defense. In other words, they're not able to re-arrange stones to other actions or from abilities to defense. The only time they're able to do this, however, is when the player with prescience agrees to go after their attacker's turn in initiative.

Example:

Spider-Man is being attacked by a group of 2 goons. Spidey goes first. Spidey decides to put his safe number of stones into Close Combat and decides to act after the thugs, essentially being last in the combat.

The goon's turn comes up and they fire, getting a total of +4 for their attack.

Spidey sees that he's short of defense by 1, twice. If the thugs hit him, he loses 2 white stones of Durability. He uses his prescience to SHIFT 1 red stone from Close Combat into his defense, forming a total defense of +4.

As a result, the thugs just barely miss Spidey, allowing him to follow through on his movement and clobber the both of them.

Now, as for my question: Using this method, how would two characters with prescience battle each other? How many chances would I allow one player to 'go last' per combat phase? In other words, how would I regulate two prescient characters opting to go last so that they can get the drop on one another in a combat?

[pgholland]

Well just going on the core book prescience you don't 'choose' to go last to use it. In your example Spidey would assign, the thugs/goons would assign, then the stones of everyone would be revealed, then Spidey has a chance to assign to any action from his original placement. Of course you could say only into defence (and thats almost always where it goes) but theres no specific ruling, so that would be a house rule. With two prescients i'd say what you do is reveal then they hide their reassignments then re-reveal and thats how it stays or else things would just get silly- and surely prescience only warns you of the most likely future?

[rangereric18]

Well just going on the core book prescience you don't 'choose' to go last to use it. In your example Spidey would assign, the thugs/goons would assign, then the stones of everyone would be revealed, then Spidey has a chance to assign to any action from his original placement. Of course you could say only into defense (and thats almost always where it goes) but theres no specific ruling, so that would be a house rule. With two prescients i'd say what you do is reveal then they hide their reassignments then re-reveal and thats how it stays or else things would just get silly- and surely prescience only warns you of the most likely future?

That sounds pretty solid. I see why other variants for a less powerful version (and, in turn, less expensive) were created. Also, I like the idea of revealing both placements for the two battling prescients and then the next reveal STAYS. Keeps things from getting ridiculous. Good idea and thanks for the help!

[Neros]

In the rules for prescience, it sais: Rearrange stones... I read it as rearrange stones allready spend... So if you havent spend any stones in any abilities or actions, there wont be any stones to relocate...

But for the question... Two prescience characters against each other is a messy buisness... There it really comes down to who has the most energy stones.
But a character with prescience may only rearrange stones when and enemy attack is revealed... So if theres no attack the character cant rearrange stones...

But lets say that two characters have prescience and they are battleling each other for some absurd reason.
Cha 1: Wins in initative and goes first. He has 3 in defense. He place's 7 stones into his close combat.
Cha 2: Is allready has 3 in defense. He has placed 6 stones into his own close combat.
Cha 2 can rearrange his stones due to prescience, so he shifts 4 from his close combat to his defense, barrely evading the blow.

Now its Cha 2's turn to attack. He however, cant shift the 4 stones backfrom his defense, because hes attacking now, so his own attack is a mere 2 stones.
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All in all, they could keep this up until one of them runs out of energy, or one comes up with a plan...