Appearance
Archetypes
Character Modifications
Scores Above Five (Benchmarks)
For Street Fighter, it costs half as much to raise the Appearance attribute as the book says. I agree with gaming systems that do not try to rate Appearance as an attribute. It is, after all, purely subjective, and in games where you mix cultures and creatures with different concepts of beauty, downright silly. There is also the fact that I feel a player should be able to choose their character appearance for all it does is give them the roleplaying experience they want. If I think this way, should I not charge more points from players who simply want to look a certain way more (whether it be ugly or pretty)? I think being exceptionally attractive or ugly are better represented as Merits or Flaws if anything. Whereas, Dexterity, Charisma, and all other attributes actually measure the ability to accomplish something through effort. What about taking the effort to look attractive? I hate to say it (actually, I don't) but that would actually be a Skill (Grooming, perhaps?). If Appearance merely served to lower or raise the difficulty of Charisma/Manipulation rolls, wouldn't that actually make more sense (not a lot but +/- 1)?
In many White Wolf games, the score is rather important; however, there are less abilities and a lack of "powers" that use it in Street Fighter. But rather than eliminate it and change the system, I am simply dropping the cost to 2 per dot instead of 4, giving it the cost of an Ability rather than an attribute. During character creation, that would mean every dot put into Appearance counts as two. If you want less, take it. You shouldn't be more attractive than you want to be. For existing characters, expect me to give you some points back as experience.
Archetypes
These are example character types commonly found in the world of Street Fighter.
Use them as a guide to assigning primary traits to a character if you wish.
Avenger with Grudge (Skills: Investigate)
Corporate Executive (Skills: Bureaucracy, Finance, Law, Leadership)
[Merit: Corporate Executive]
Mercenary / Military / Law Enforcement (Skills: Alertness, Investigate,
Security, Stealth, Survival, Streetwise) [BG: Backing (i.e. Rank)]
Modern Day Samurai (Skills: Insight, Streetwise) [BG: Clan Heritage]
Ninja (Skills: Alertness, Security, Stealth, Subterfuge, Survival) [BG:
Clan Heritage]
Prowrestler / Tournament Fighter (Skills: Arena, Insight, Style Lore)
[BG: Fame]
Reformed Villain (Skills: Specialized Knowledge in Villainous
Organization)
Rich kid (Skills: Drive) [Backgrounds: Resources, Staff]
Sensei (Skills: Instruction, Insight) [BG: Arena, Resources, Students]
Vigilante (Skills: Alertness, Investigate, Security, Stealth,
Streetwise) [BG: Contacts]
Wanderer (Skills: Survival)
Character Modifications (not worth a Flaw or
Merit)
Small: Standing height (not more than 4 foot) is considered Crouching. Gains two dice to dodge projectiles. Cut-off for normal Strength and Stamina rating is 4.
Big: Character is never considered Crouching (even during Crouching maneuvers) for purposes of determining if maneuvers can attack him although he can be knocked down. Also, loses two dice to dodge projectiles. Cut-off for normal Strength and Stamina rating is 6. Cut-off for normal Dexterity rating is 4.
Scores Above Five (Benchmarks)
These benchmarks apply to Techniques, Abilities, and Attributes (pretty much
in that order).
Six - The phrase nobody is perfect ceases to apply when you use this ability. The slightest exercise of this ability now leaves witnesses breathless. Not only is this perfection but also art.
Has your mutant gene (Street Fighter gene) awakened? Are you even still human
(perhaps, superhuman)? In any case, you're definitely better than average.
Seven - The ability is now nearly mystical in nature and sometimes exhibits the properties as such when used. An ability of this nature simply cannot be explained and therefore often appears to be true magic. (i.e. if this were DnD, an attack of this strength would be a +1 weapon or count as an actual harmful attack on monstrous creatures in White Wolf's WoD.)
Eight - You have a working knowledge of the true mechanics of the universe as they apply to this ability as usually possessed only by beings as old as Time itself.
Benchmark Discussion: Eight is the status of true englightenment. Seven should be a sufficient high mark for most mortal creatures. Anything above Eight would theoretically follow the same cost structure but then have the cost doubled. However, I cap the maximum at Nine (theoretically, of course). Nine being the rating of actual divinity, telling all that you can bend the universe to your will.
When you rise in power, things that were once difficult and took a great deal of effort are no longer such strenuous tasks. So when you have a Technique of 8, you may
reduce the Willpower Cost by One for maneuvers of that Technique. If you have a Focus Technique of 8, you may reduce the Chi cost of any maneuver by One.
Please note that raising a Score to 8 is not a simple matter of having the experience points to do so. Storyteller authorization is also required lest a game imbalance occurs that destroys the universe. This also applies to raising any Score above 5. However, I am entitled to say I am not motivated enough to create a story explaining why your character has gained such power or to ask you to do so.
Skills
In addition to the Skills in the Street Fighter book, SF game screen supplement (Finance, Law, Science), and Players Handbook (Management). Here are some additional skills and expanded definitions on existing skills. I am pretty much for having as few skills in the game as possible and for using the existing skills for as many uses as possible.
Arena: Knowledge of fighters, arena. Also usable for finding ways to use your environment to your advantage.
Disguise: It's own skill. To make and recognize disguises.
Etiquette: Skills associated with the upper crust of society. Used for
knowing the proper behavior in any given situation, arranging silverware, faking
art appreciation, and the equivalent of techno-babble for the various social
classes. You can use it to "smell" how rich someone is (regardless of
how they try to hide it).
Espionage/Ninja Tricks: Includes rope use, recognizing disguises,
and hiding items on your person. Things that James Bond or a ninja could do that
you can't think of a better skill for. Of course, could simply make a Sleight of
Hand skill.
Escape Artist: Escaping from bonds. Can't be used to pick a lock but can
be used to try to reach the lock on your handcuffs (so that you can attempt it).
Insight: How well you are at reading people, both in combat and in more friendly situations.
Leadership: We have allowed this skill to substitute for multitudes of social interaction rolls, mainly falling under Debate (see Other below). That's still OK. Though perhaps someone using Leadership against Debate in a debate should lose to tie break unless acting like a leader in the situation would be acceptable (such as dealing with a heckler in a crowd you are trying to lead). The leadership skill also handles all the mundane details of being a leading such as assigning work, managing people, and making plans. The Management skill encompasses some of that but deals more with being an agent and dealing with the world for the people you represent. In any case, I don't see reason why someone couldn't make a presentation with their Leadership ability, Debate (Persuasion), or Performance whether it be at a fund raiser, board meeting, or army rally. It would merely affect the style of response.
Meditation: Used to regain multiple Chi instead of taking the 1 temporary back from a full night's rest. See the House Rules page.
Strategy: Used in a contested roll when maneuvering your armies across Europe against an opposing general. There's not much use for a skill such as this when most of it for Street Fighters can (or should) be handled by the use of Insight and the player's own thinking.
Style Lore: Recognizing maneuvers and styles. You have the right to be told of the capabilities of any unfamiliar maneuver if you can roll successes equal to it's Power Point cost (since maneuver's have several PP costs the Storyteller will have to kind of wing it) or if your rating matches it.
Survival: Also includes rope use which you can use to tie up people.
Other Abilities that we have found use for: Performance (Acting), Music,
Sing, Bureacracy, Politics, Debate (Persuasion, Diplomacy)