A balancing look at the Tech Level advantages/disadvantages. Pricing schemes look good. But some particular items need a slight adjustment or other options:
General point: We state that it is referees prerogative but then in some cases we state it can be taken more than once outright (reaction drive, stealth drive). Can we standardize this Matt - we can very simply remove the reference to it being referees prerogative and simply state "Advantages/Disadvantages with an Asterisk(*) can only be taken once". This will help us also control the potential abuses and since most adv/disadv can be taken multiple times, it makes the section a lot cleaner and less prone to confusion (no having to worry about what to take multiple times).
I'll address which items need a change, and which ones can be taken only once below Matt.
Jump Drive
Stealth Jump: I dont know why we moved this from a jump drive "option" to become a high-tech perk. Secondly, the effect is actually useless (zero effect). Who cares if you are detected automatically when jumping in.. if you're detected near-automatically with the stealth drive (even a 14+ becomes trivial with the sensors bonus from packages and skills). Change this advantage to be 1-advantage only and rather than requiring a roll - make the jump-arrival undetectable period. This is actually a lot less scary than it sounds because even if you arrive without any-warning, you can instantly be detectable simply for being in "distant range" as per normal rules (hence why as written - it is a useless advantage
)
M-Drive
All good - all can be taken multiple times except Limited Range/Orbital Range (which indicates so)
Reaction Drive
We can remove the mention about what happens if you take it twice. It will be like all other advantages. (so it can be taken up to 3 times, if that is too powerful, lower to 20% per advantage)
Power Plant
All good - all can be taken multiple times.
Weapons and screens
High yield/very high yield: Roll them into one (high yield), with the effect of very high yield, and just make it one advantage. - its not worth the 2 by a long-shot.
Long range: Limit this to taken once (so asterisk) AND make it 2 advantages. This is probably the most powerful change compared to all else.
Resilient: Change to 1 advantage - its not anywhere near as good as it used to be.
General advantages/disadvantages - - Add blurb that Energy Efficient/Inefficient & Increased Size/Size Reduction can be applied to other components not covered here based on referee discretion.
The changes matt will clean up the section and make some minor but significant balance changes. If you notice, the only adv/disadv that are limited to be taken once would be:
Stealth Jump
Limited Range (m-drive)
High Yield
Resilient
[Orbital Range (m-drive), Accurate weapon, Intense Focus & Long Range are 2 picks and therefore can only be taken once without needing and special treatment]
That means you're really better off to say "advs/disadvs" can be taken multiple times with the exception of blah (*) -
General point: We state that it is referees prerogative but then in some cases we state it can be taken more than once outright (reaction drive, stealth drive). Can we standardize this Matt - we can very simply remove the reference to it being referees prerogative and simply state "Advantages/Disadvantages with an Asterisk(*) can only be taken once". This will help us also control the potential abuses and since most adv/disadv can be taken multiple times, it makes the section a lot cleaner and less prone to confusion (no having to worry about what to take multiple times).
I'll address which items need a change, and which ones can be taken only once below Matt.
Jump Drive
Stealth Jump: I dont know why we moved this from a jump drive "option" to become a high-tech perk. Secondly, the effect is actually useless (zero effect). Who cares if you are detected automatically when jumping in.. if you're detected near-automatically with the stealth drive (even a 14+ becomes trivial with the sensors bonus from packages and skills). Change this advantage to be 1-advantage only and rather than requiring a roll - make the jump-arrival undetectable period. This is actually a lot less scary than it sounds because even if you arrive without any-warning, you can instantly be detectable simply for being in "distant range" as per normal rules (hence why as written - it is a useless advantage
)M-Drive
All good - all can be taken multiple times except Limited Range/Orbital Range (which indicates so)
Reaction Drive
We can remove the mention about what happens if you take it twice. It will be like all other advantages. (so it can be taken up to 3 times, if that is too powerful, lower to 20% per advantage)
Power Plant
All good - all can be taken multiple times.
Weapons and screens
High yield/very high yield: Roll them into one (high yield), with the effect of very high yield, and just make it one advantage. - its not worth the 2 by a long-shot.
Long range: Limit this to taken once (so asterisk) AND make it 2 advantages. This is probably the most powerful change compared to all else.
Resilient: Change to 1 advantage - its not anywhere near as good as it used to be.
General advantages/disadvantages - - Add blurb that Energy Efficient/Inefficient & Increased Size/Size Reduction can be applied to other components not covered here based on referee discretion.
The changes matt will clean up the section and make some minor but significant balance changes. If you notice, the only adv/disadv that are limited to be taken once would be:
Stealth Jump
Limited Range (m-drive)
High Yield
Resilient
[Orbital Range (m-drive), Accurate weapon, Intense Focus & Long Range are 2 picks and therefore can only be taken once without needing and special treatment]
That means you're really better off to say "advs/disadvs" can be taken multiple times with the exception of blah (*) -
