bigbywolfe

...I'm assuming that wine's not kosher.

I'd like to make it clear that I don't mind the GM giving away free points.
 
It's just when it becomes arbitrary that I have a problem with it. If everyone gets 3 point to put toward skills which reflect their background, cool. When Hank gets three points, Tony gets two points, Steve gets three points and Diana gets one point, that's when I start to have a problem especially when each player has to convince the GM that their character deserves the points.
 
One character is a private investigator in Hollywood and gets a three point package deal bonus for being a P.I.
 
The next character grew up on the back lots of Hollywood, was a fighter pilot in the war, now works as a stuntman, and does inside the film industry work for his private investigator buddy. And he gets no bonus or a lesser bonus because his skill set is split across the various aspects of his character's more extensive backstory.

"Package Deals" still exist...they are just called Templates. They are the same as Package Deals in previous versions, except there is no -1 to -5 point discount slapped on to undermine the entire idea of a character point based game.
 
The organizational "tidiness" of Templates exceeds that of "Package Deals with arbitrary discounts" because they don't carry the added untidiness of math irregularities. 
 
As you claim to be math averse, and to hand wave numbers, then it seems like you would prefer having fewer line items and less mathematical complexity and thus would prefer the mathematically simpler Templates.
 
6ev1 p36 Character Creation Basics
 
TEMPLATES
A Template is a framework for building a
character. It contains the set of Skills, Complications,
restrictions, and bonuses a character would
acquire from membership in an organization,
profession, or race. Or it could represent the
minimum requirements necessary to belong to
one of those groups.

Templates have advantages for both the player
and the GM. For the player, they make it easier to
build characters, since Templates provide guidelines
for the abilities and Complications certain
types of characters should have. The GM, in turn,
gets a better idea of the character’s background
and more information about where he comes
from. He can also create Templates specifically for
his campaign so that players design appropriate
characters for the game.

Creating Templates
The GM should create (or carefully scrutinize)
all Templates. Since Templates relate to important
groups in the GM’s campaign, he controls them.
When constructing Templates, you should
first decide what benefits the Template provides.
Do members of an organization all have a certain
skill, or knowledge of a certain subject? If so, the
Template should include the appropriate Skill(s).
For example, all members of a Thieves’ Guild
might know how to pick pockets, so the Guild
Template would have the Sleight Of Hand Skill.
Similarly, are any Complications associated with
the job? Hunteds and Negative Reputations are
common Template Complications, as are Distinctive
Features (uniforms and the like).

You shouldn’t include too many Skills and
Perks in a Template, since this diminishes character
individuality. Don’t include Powers and
Talents in Templates except in special cases. Most
Templates should cost the character between 3
and 10 points, with 15 being the usual maximum
(though some highly-trained types of characters,
such as elite soldiers, may have much more expensive
Templates). Templates should just provide a
basic framework for character development; they
don’t need to encompass everything a member of
that group can do.

In addition, each Template should include
Skills that round characters out but aren’t necessarily
useful in combat, such as Background Skills.
The GM should disallow Templates that include
nothing but combat-related abilities a character
would buy anyway.

When you note a Template on your character
sheet, put any points from Complications in the
Complication section (they’re part of your character’s
Matching Complication amount), and write
down the Skills in the Skills section. You should
also write down the name(s) of the Template(s)
your character has.
 

Well I for one think the app is great as is ?
 
The only request I would make is either a - and + button at the ends of the slides or the ability to tap the value and direct enter the value.
 
Just a request from an old curmudgeon with fat fingers....?

Disagree away.  I am kind of with you though, but it does then require that you have a GM with a clear vision that has been adequately communicated to the players and the point of a rules system is to do some of that legwork for you.  Many disciplines incorporate other disciplines: it is almost impossible to do any science without some grasp of statistics, for example. 
 
My feeling is that 'Science!' is too broad, but Quantum Mechanics is too narrow.
 
Arguably, what should happen is that if you put 'SS: Quantum Mechanics' on the character sheet, the GM should note that and make sure it comes up in the game.  I am a lazy GM though, and feel I have enough to do.
 
It is always going to be a balance between flavour and playability.  Playability should generally win, IMO.  We already differentiate between Mechanics and Electronics as specific skills, Computer Programming and Systems Operations, Bugging and Cryptography, amongst others, presumably because we thing that is the sort of thing that might come up as a thing.
 
I'd be happy if we had something like:
 
Life Sciences - the study of plants, animals and microorganisms, medicine and genetics
 
Physical Sciences - the study or matter and energy and their properties and interactions
 
Earth Sciences - the study of the earth, the oceans and the atmosphere
 
Social Science - the study of  the psychology of and interactions between people or other social groups
 
...and call the job a goob 'un.
 
Anyway: I'll see you on Monday.

This puts a whole new spin on being a groomsman. 

Happened to another player.  Rolled a 3 on the Activation Roll for a Force Wall to imprison one of the Seven Horsemen.  
 
As we're debating on what that 3 means, we recall this particular Horseman can just Desolid through the FW.
 
The GM says "I know exactly what effect that 3 has."   Horseman when 'thunk' against the Force Wall that wouldn't let him through.

If you got a  chance to look at trained warhorses in a Bestiary, perhaps that Horse or Horses could pick up a skill for free? At the very least, they are really friendly towards you so in game when you call for one, they come-no making a characteristic check to see if they listen.

1: Given that Mind Link explicitly only cuts out when "hung up", RAW the link persists until the linker cuts it off.  It is entirely more interesting to me to have the linker know that the linkee isn't linked anymore.  Did they hang up?  Did they get Dispel Mental'd?  Are they dead?  The suspense! 
 
2: I'd let the character buying it choose if all their linkees had links to each other or if the links only connected to him.  The upside of everyone linking to everyone else is that it means the linker isn't actually a critical component of their own Mind Link.  The downside is that they can't control, restrict, or filter.  Conversely, having to constantly play messenger and having the network go down when you do is enough of a downside to make free secret conversations a gimme. 
 
3. I'd charge a +5 adder to freely swap modes, otherwise no cost for picking one and sticking to it. 

Josie and the Wookiecats.

Re-reading Danger Sense (6th Ed.) I believe that the danger sense roll is not effected or modified by range, darkness, or any other modifiers that normally apply to PER rolls. You just make your roll at whatever you have it at (11-, 12-, or whatever). The only limit at the "base level" of it is that it is something that could be detected by your normal senses. A sniper could be seen with normal eye sight (even if this sniper is super far away on a building roof top) but an invisible, odorless gas wouldn't trigger danger sense (at base level) because the character couldn't see or smell it even if he/she was already engulfed by it. I think this because :
 
That clearly states that PER Roll penalties or even darkness or blindness do not affect your Danger Sense roll. 
 
The stuff later about using Danger Sense at a range (to cover different sized areas) just include the "no range penalties" bit, to make it clear that they are not needed even when using the power to cover a greater range, it doesn't mean that lower levels of the power suffer range penalties. It is written in the most clearest terms, no. Is it still very expensive for what you get, well that is up to the player and GM to decide. It would depend on how often the GM uses Surprise attacks against his players. Only once every 6-7 sessions, then no, definitely not worth the cost. If they happen 2-3 times a session then yes, it is probably worth it. 

I am horribly confused.
 
Beer, spicy corn chip snacks, and menthol cigarettes are racist.  Two things are terribly surprising here:
 
1) beer, junk food, and inhaled cancer belong to a particular race.
 
2) I am evidently black.
 
 
I have to lie down.....
 
 
(and no grief: I gave up smoking years ago, save for my twice-a-year cigar)
 
 

Do you have a cogent point to make here, or are you just venting?

Don't think I've ever gone to the political thread.  I see no reason to ruin otherwise perfectly rewarding friendships by revealing how stupid we all are.

Deleted 
 

It'll probably be full of senile old duffermunchkins who only play D&D3.5.

You could also go with something like a single hex Change Environment that gives -3 to -5 Dex ("Dance boy, DANCE!") which would force a Dex roll to not fall down. This would get you 1/2 DCV for prone if they fail.  Not exactly what you asked for but another option for reducing DCV.
 
- E

I think Christopher (the OP Christopher) would point out that they are the same AP.  If each of them individually would be OK, having them randomly occur should not be an issue for anyone but the spellcaster...

Well, you have the right approach, you know the ultimate aim is to reduce DCV, that is, as you say, most likely a drain in mechanical terms.
 
You might consider, instead, a bonus to PRE attack.  You need PRE+20 to cause an opponent not to act for a full phase and be reduced to 1/2 DCV.  If you read that instead as causing an opponent to dive a particular way, setting up a follow-up attack, then this fits the bill.  You could make it all or nothing, the opponent either does it or does not, no minor effects.
 
It is apropos as opponents with greater PRE are less affected while those with power defence have no greater ability to avoid the effects (which they would have with a drain).
 
For most base characters, that means a roll of 30 on a PRE attack - needs 9D6 to achieve that on average.  If the character has PRE 15 and can count on the gun (violent action, +1d6) countering context (in combat, -1d6), then you need +6d6 to give you nine dice.  
 
The rules allow for +1d6 for an appropriate interaction skill (+2d6 If roll is made by more than half).  I might as GM allow 5d6, requiring you to make some kind of attack roll to get the extra dice with a chance of a bonus for a good attack roll.  
 
This is feels like a better mechanic than the drain, IMHO anyway.
 
Doc

I love the setting and was curious if there's anyone else on these boards who do too?
 
Steve did and amazing job with the book and I think it deserves more supplements.  Although the base book is very detailed in terms of races, geography, theology, etc, I think there's tons of room to expand on.  The setting has such good bones that it feels criminal to not expand on it.
 
Also, an update to 6th edition would be fantastic although strictly not necessary.

Seriously? Is that actually a question you just asked? Do you want to reformulate the question to sound sensible?
 
Because even one stat that high is already a balance issue?
 
But adding two balance issues can result in a bigger balance issue. That is why "Yield" sign powers still have STOP sign power modifiers.
 
Plus normally fighters are multiple-subclasses. If Stat-man covers all of them, there might be 0 roles left for a 4th or 5th player.
 
This reminds me of OpenLegends levelup System. For stats that range from 1-9 (10 with feats), the starting cap is 5. And then it increases over the levels.

If StatMan has to pay double for abilities MagicMarvin and SkillMonkey pay standard cost, who will actually be disadvantaged?  StatMan pays 50 points for +30 STR, so he has 40 STR.  Along comes Magic Marvin with his Mighty Thews spell (+50 STR for the same 50 points), which has a minor "only to activate" limitation.  Now who is overpowered?  I do agree with niche enforcement, but your limiting of characters example would work just as well with no NCM.  Seems like it is StatMan's niche getting trampled.
 
Any ability StatMan buys at double cost can be matched by a spell which has no NCM for passing any breakpoint.  Tossing out NCM does not mean tossing out all oversight for balance.  Show me the builds for StatMan, SkillMonkey and MagicMarven - each designed efficiently, under NCM or not, - and let's see the huge overpowering impact characteristics provide.
 
 
So why isn't 60 STR (40 of which is "only if he never cuts his hair, -0" so it is limited and NCM does not apply) overpowered?  My -0 is, of course, somewhat facetious, but we can simply make it Gestures only to Activate for a Spell of Great Might, and a similar Grace of the Cat spell to bump DEX similarly.  If the issue is niche enforcement, reduce total points available and avoid the need to double the cost of anything.