New powers that you think would simplify Hero

[Sean Waters]

I would call that power "Cosmic Fiat"

 

[Rebar]

I think the flash thing is not a property of a flashlight, but a weakness of human eyes, so I'd likely play it as such, as opposed to forcing a purchase of something that really isn't an attack property of the power.

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet but a foundation upon which the rules are built is that the average human is the default 0pt character.

Generally, anything an average human can do - or can't do - is worth zero points.

 

This is why 6" of running costs 0 points, while sessile Grogs have zero inches.

Why 0D6 of unluck gains you zero points in disads while Kzin have 1D6 of unluck.

 

Same reason why being blinded by bright light is human default  - and therefore, by definition, not a weakness.

[TheDarkness]

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet but a foundation upon which the rules are built is that the average human is the default 0pt character.

Generally, anything an average human can do - or can't do - is worth zero points.

 

This is why 6" of running costs 0 points, while sessile Grogs have zero inches.

Why 0D6 of unluck gains you zero points in disads while Kzin have 1D6 of unluck.

 

Same reason why being blinded by bright light is human default  - and therefore, by definition, not a weakness.

I would go with "an assumed, but not codified, weakness", since that is what it is. The flashlight itself has no blinding property in bright light. It seems wrong to force people to pay for that property in a light, so as GM, I would merely play it as what it is, a weakness. The light we're talking about does not normally blind. Almost any lamp would have the same effect, if flashed in any human's eyes after they have been in darkness for a long time.

[massey]

It's not even really a Flash. Shine a flashlight in someone's eyes and they can't see, true. But they couldn't see anyway because it was so dark. And they aren't blinded, they just can't take advantage of the flashlight beam.

 

So person A is standing in the darkness in the back yard of a house. Person B is in the back yard with a flashlight. Person C is standing on the back porch, illuminated by a porch light. B walks towards A and points the flashlight at him. B can see A. A cannot see B because the flashlight is in his eyes. But A can turn and see C standing there on the porch. There's no lasting segments of blindness. Turn your head towards a lighted area and you can see immediately.

 

Really all you're doing is changing the sfx of why you can't see. Before it was too dark, so you'd fail a Per roll. Now there's a bright spot, you're seeing the visible sfx of the flashlight, but you still can't see because the way it is being used doesn't grant Per bonuses to you -- effectively it's still too dark.