Losing Wealth and getting it back

[Steve]

I was reading about Adjustment powers when I came across this interesting little tidbit: "Typically characters cannot use Adjustment Powers on Skills, Perks, or Talents. However, the GM can allow this if it seems appropriate and non-abusive. For example, a curse that reduces someone to poverty could be Drain Money." (pg 135 of 6E1)

[Christopher]

A player has purchased 15 points of Wealth on his character, wanting the character to be as rich as Tony Stark or Bruce Wayne.

 

In the comics, those two characters have lost their fortunes multiple times.

 

How do you simulate this in the game? The GM runs a scenario where Villain X steals the player's company and his wealth as part of a nefarious plot. So, for how long is the player unable to use his Wealth Perk because of that plot complication? Does it heal back like damage over a few sessions? Does it just come back all at once eventually?

Wealth for 15 points is a power of the Character as much as blast and Life Support (Age and Breathing). You are not in your right to take that just away as GM.

If you do not know what game effect it has, you propably should not let it cost any points to begin with.

 

The kind of story you describe, sounds like one of two things:

1. Character Episode. It is a story about how Tony Stark/Bruce Wayne lost all wealth, dealt with it and came back out (possibly stronger). His heroing will not be majorly affected by it (BW was bankrupt during the whole Dark Knight Rises Film) or will be put on hold while he deals with that totally new vector of issues*
2. A special effect for removing the wealth perk to spend the points on something more usefull. I think within limits players should be allowed to "radiation accident" there sheets. He might introduce some old skillset he had not used for a while (not needing it before being wealthy).

 

*The classical rule of Greek Tragedy is personal failure:

 

The slightly longer version is the heroes Journey:

 

Both are not easy to translate to the game table. Version B above or as core of a story (that the player wanted) is about the only way I could see that fitting on a RPG table.

[Tech]

Not to the Wealth issue, but other points raised:

 

In AC#3 "Terror in the Treasures" there was The Orb. The Orb would "(11-) heal any wounds (mental or physical) of characters in the same hex. It will cure any abnormalities occurring in a human."

 

Mutations are abnormalities. Granted that the adventure states that the effect should wear off in time and giving the suggestion of months. It was also offered to have random effects, increasing or decreasing power levels, and the option to use it as a Radiation Accident if the player so wished.

(Off the beaten track:  I used the Orb from Adventurer's Club #3 multiple times. Fun! Still have those AC I bought from #1 - #23.)

 

For myself in general, I do not take away powers, skills, etc. for any time longer than one episode. My view is: you are a GM, not the players. You are there to set-up a play. You are not the one in the play, and no one is paying to see this play. The players are the actors, not you. If the players aren't enjoying themselves, the play will end.