New Action: Thug

[piratespice]

This one was custom-made for a player of mine who wanted a character with a background as a mafia bruiser, and liked what he saw in my Cop Action.

THUG
Cost Level = Action Number + 3 Levels

Description
You’re a thug, a criminal muscleman and extortionist. This Action can be used as either Close or Ranged Combat (for appropriate techniques and weapons), and includes thug-related aspects of Detecting/Pursuit, Thievery, Social Skills. Includes an Ability Bonus and Weapon Modifier. Thug is a general Action, and you may add one Specialty per increase in Action Number.

Specialties include
(feel free to make up your own)
Brass Knuckles • Sap • Knife • Handgun
Robbery • Rackets • Burglary • Stolen Property
Tailing/Shadowing • Blend In • Locating Individuals
Streetwise • Underworld • Gang Lifestyle
Professional Criminal • Law Enforcement
Intimidation • Interrogation • Bribery/Blackmail
Hotwiring • Breaking & Entering • Security Systems

Comments
This Action won’t be so common among heroes, but is very suitable for many street-level bad guys.

Rules for Action Box:
• (Intelligence, Strength, or Agility) Bonus
• Close or Ranged Combat
• Split stones for multiple targets.
• (Insert Specialties)

[Neros]

uuuuh.... This one i like.... GO HOME AND SLEEP NINJA!!!...... Hehe... I like it... Shows that the person have been a Thug for a long time...

[sphynx]

I think it should be a +0 or +1 at most in costs.

Sphynx

[piratespice]

sphynx said:

I think it should be a +0 or +1 at most in costs.

Really? I thought it was a bargain at +3. Its got aspects of five other Actions, plus Specialties and an Ability Bonus. That's pretty potent for a single Action.

[Beacon]

piratespice said:

sphynx said:

I think it should be a +0 or +1 at most in costs.

Really? I thought it was a bargain at +3. Its got aspects of five other Actions, plus Specialties and an Ability Bonus. That's pretty potent for a single Action.

I don't know about that. It seems like most of this stuff could be covered by black ops and that's only, what, +2 or +1?

[piratespice]

beacon said:

I don't know about that. It seems like most of this stuff could be covered by black ops and that's only, what, +2 or +1?

+1. But Black Ops also doesn't have the variety of applications Thug does, nor can it be used for attacks, nor does it have an Ability Bonus (a +5 to Cost Level when bought as an Advantage). Think of it this way. Thug is in the same vein as Ninja, which itself is a bargain at +5, given all that it can do.

[sphynx]

Actually it's more like Close Combat than Ninja. Ninja is worth it for 2 reasons. 2 weapon modifier (that's the most powerful part, allowing 2-handed attacks where you add the +2 to +6 TWICE per attack), and Concentration (which says you can add Ninja to pretty much any Action you have).

The only thing Thug does is allow you to have Close Combat and Range Combat as the same Action, plus the missing Ability bonus in Ranged Combat (Hence the +1). The reason I say +1 for an ability bonus is because it's not a 'power'. Combining 2 actions is pretty canon, so shouldn't cost extra.

Sphynx

[piratespice]

sphynx said:

Actually it's more like Close Combat than Ninja. Ninja is worth it for 2 reasons. 2 weapon modifier (that's the most powerful part, allowing 2-handed attacks where you add the +2 to +6 TWICE per attack), and Concentration (which says you can add Ninja to pretty much any Action you have).

Ninja is also a +5, while this is +3. Of course Ninja is better.

The only thing Thug does is allow you to have Close Combat and Range Combat as the same Action, plus the missing Ability bonus in Ranged Combat (Hence the +1). The reason I say +1 for an ability bonus is because it's not a 'power'. Combining 2 actions is pretty canon, so shouldn't cost extra.

Entirely untrue. It includes elements of five actions, not two. Five. Please stop ignoring the non-combative aspects of this Action.

[sphynx]

I'm not ignoring it, I just don't think those particular non-combative actions should make it cost more.

Anyways, it's just my opinion. I think +1 is more than enough.

[piratespice]

Naturally, you're entitled to your opinion. But I'm baffled by it. Essentially, you're saying I can tack on Thieving, Social Skills, and Hunting/Tracking to any Action for no extra cost.

If the Action does more, it must cost more. You'll create imbalanced Actions, otherwise. Take a look at Blasting. Its Flight, plus Unstoppable, plus a little bit of Force Field. Yet, MURPG prices it the same as Flight. Clearly an imbalance. Thug is no different.