Secret Identity taken at a slightly lesser value...

[Marcus Impudite]

Say you got a character who maintains a Secret Identity but who is also of such a high power level (i.e. HUGE total character cost) that, while being outed would still be horribly inconvient for him, it would not be so bad that it merits the Major level of severity. Would it be reasonable to take the Social Limitation at a 10-point value (Frequently, Minor) or would that be a trifle cheesy?

[John Desmarais]

Re: Secret Identity taken at a slightly lesser value...

 

Say you got a character who maintains a Secret Identity but who is also of such a high power level (i.e. HUGE total character cost) that' date=' while being outed would still be horribly inconvient for him, it would not be so bad that it merits the Major level of severity. Would it be reasonable to take the Social Limitation at a 10-point value (Frequently, Minor) or would that be a trifle cheesy?[/quote']

 

Perfectly acceptable (to me). A disad's value should (as close as possible) reflect it's potential impact on the character.

[SleepyDrug]

Re: Secret Identity taken at a slightly lesser value...

 

I think you could do it if you really thought that it would have a limited impact on the character.

 

But i'd disagree on your assessment of that impact.

 

The character will now likely be unemployed (too much of a security risk to any company), his personal assets could be in danger (looted or seized by the gov't as leverage for cooperation), he'd lose insurance of all sorts, may be sued in court for actions, his friends and family would likely be attacked by Viper or other enemies.

 

Oh, the character may be physically unharmed....but his life would be severely impacted.

[Chuckg]

Re: Secret Identity taken at a slightly lesser value...

 

Case in point -- Superman. While 'outing' Clark Kent hardly increases his *personal* threat level any, the problems that Ma & Pa Kent, and Lois, and etc. are now having are of enough scope to give him a Kryptonian-sized ulcer, and even his vast powers can't do much to change that. So he should get the same 15 points as Spider-Man should.

[Edsel]

Re: Secret Identity taken at a slightly lesser value...

 

By the same token if the character is already famous in his secret ID then perhaps becoming know as a Superhero would not be that much of an additional out. In a case like that I can see the Disad being worth less.

[sinanju]

Re: Secret Identity taken at a slightly lesser value...

 

I think you could do it if you really thought that it would have a limited impact on the character.

 

But i'd disagree on your assessment of that impact.

 

The character will now likely be unemployed (too much of a security risk to any company), his personal assets could be in danger (looted or seized by the gov't as leverage for cooperation)

 

Not just by a corporation or government. In the Elliott S! Maggin novel MIRACLE MONDAY, Superman's secret identity is revealed to the world on live tv*. Clark Kent's apartment becomes a mob scene as fascinated/enthralled fans descend on the place and end up looting it for souvenirs. Even the elevator button for his floor gets pried off by some desperate fan....

 

*Not to worry, he gets it back by the end of the story.

[sinanju]

Re: Secret Identity taken at a slightly lesser value...

 

By the same token if the character is already famous in his secret ID then perhaps becoming know as a Superhero would not be that much of an additional out. In a case like that I can see the Disad being worth less.

 

"Brad Pitt is actually Captain America?!"

 

"Angelina Jolie is actually Wonder Woman?! Who knew!?"

[Wanderer]

Re: Secret Identity taken at a slightly lesser value...

 

The character will now likely be unemployed (too much of a security risk to any company), his personal assets could be in danger (looted or seized by the gov't as leverage for cooperation), he'd lose insurance of all sorts, may be sued in court for actions, his friends and family would likely be attacked by Viper or other enemies.

 

Well, I am rather doubtful of how much really serious some of the consequences you mention would be for a powerful superhero.

 

Unemployment: well, many of the top level superheroes have means (matter creation, transmutation, squeezing coal into diamonds) of churning out wealth, and/or lessening many of the basic needs mere humans face (life support), so ordinary employment is merely a mean of keeping touch with mortals and a useful Secret ID facade, not a necessity for paying the bills.

While the SID is actually rather useful to protect loved ones, "keeping touch" with mortals might be accomplished in other ways (an unemployed super may always disguise and hang out in clubs, bar, and socialize). A super might switch from shallow, temporary ID to ID in a serial way.

 

Personal assets: see above. A powrful super may always keep his really precious assets hidden in his base/hangout and separate from civilian ID. As for mundane assets, well, they might always be rebought in another temporary ID.

 

Insurance: like a powerful super might really need it.

 

Suing: not really a concern. A powerful super might always separate oneself from liasons with the government and go the vigilante way, and live his civilian life under a new, fake ID. A powerful super can only be (maybe) coherced by using the armed forces: a government so stupid to go on war with the likes of Superman because they didn't show up in courts when Mrs. Uptight sued them for emotional damage deserves the metahuman coup that will inevitably follow.

 

Loved ones protection: Ahh, here we stumble on the only really releavant reason why a powerful super may be interested in keeping a Secret ID. While the likes of Superman and Thor cannot be really worried by "personal" repercussions if their ID becomes public, their frends and loved ones may.

 

Therefore, I'd say that a Secret ID is only really relevant (ie worth points) for a powerful super if they have close friends, relatives, significant others who they want to protect. Otherwise, the most they have to face is a difficulty to have a normal contact with the common people. Alternatively, a super might forego having a single ID and choose to maintain a string of superficial, disposable fake IDs which he adopts and discards. Original ID might be buried, relatives and old friends might be contacted only infrequently and under heavy precautions (after all, how many adult people just see their parents once a year ?) the super might forsake having a steady normal girl/boyfriend and sleep around, or developing most of his/her romantic relationships and friendships in the superhuman community (which is likely to happen anyway).