MPA the Ministry for Parahuman Affairs

[MrNay]

This is the bare bones of my new game. In my head it is a fusion of the BRPD, E-Branch from Necroscope and Cheiron from Hunter the Vigil. I am not much of numbers guy and want to play test it. Are there any massive glitches that immediately jump out at you?

The Ministry of Parahuman Affairs (MPA)
The Ministry is the department called in when paranormal shit hits the fan.
If the principal of the school is possessed by an archdemon and has taken the school hostage or a serial killer is leaving signs of inhuman capability, then a cell of MPA field operatives are sent to seize control of the situation as quickly and quietly as possible.

MPA field operatives have extra-dimensional symbiotes and tailored organs implanted within them to provide parahuman capabilities. When hunting monsters it helps if you are monster. Below are the most common symbiotes and implants.

The Attributes
MIND - intelligence and influence
BODY - strength and stamina
SKILL - physical agility and finesse
EDGE - fortune and luck

Split 20 points between the four attributes. No attribute can be higher than 8 or lower than 2.

Non-combat actions are resolved by rolling 2d10 and adding the appropriate attribute and any relevant Talents. If the roll equals or exceeds 15, the action succeeds.

EDGE functions differently to the other three attributes. Each point represents a d10 that can be added to a roll, the EDGE rating is then decreased by as many points as additional dice that were used. The points refresh at the end of each chapter of the game.

Combat is a little more involved. Both opponents roll 2d10 and add the appropriate attribute usually BODY for brute strength attacks or SKILL for attacks requiring timing and speed. Add any relevant Talents to the total, this is the Attack Roll.
The character with highest attack roll damages the other.
Compare the attack rolls, the difference between the two is the Trauma Threshold, this is compared to the attribute used in the losers attack roll.

If the trauma threshold is equal or less than the attribute used in the attack roll, the character is unhurt.
If the trauma threshold is greater than the attribute, but less than twice its value the character is wounded and suffers a -2 penalty to that attribute.
If the trauma threshold is equal or greater than twice the attribute, the character has been crippled and cannot use that attribute.

Weapons add to the final trauma threshold established after the attack roll. Some add to the attack roll, but not all. A light pistol is +2 to the trauma threshold if the attack roll succeeds.

Strain and EDGE reset at the end of each chapter of the game.
BODY and SKILL heal from wounded overnight and from crippled after a week.
MIND refreshes from wounded after a scene and from crippled overnight.

Talents
Characters get 3 Talents at character creation. Each talent is linked to an attribute, except EDGE. EDGE functions differently to the other three attributes. The rating of the talent is equal to half of the linked attribute.
Talents are specializations of the linked attribute and can be used to represent a lot of things such as training, special skills or a natural ability. Most are a one or two word description.

Xenoaugmentation

All xenoaugs provide a +2 bonus to an attribute when used.
If a die shows 0, the host has accumulated a point of Strain. Each point of strain imposes a -1 penalty to an attribute predetermined by the xenoaug.
If the penalties caused by strain exceeds the attribute, the character is crippled and cannot use that attribute.
The exception is the gestalt strain, this symbiote is the character and the host is the vessel.
If strain surpasses the vessel's body the symbiote is expelled in a cloud of noxious spores.
A player can also gain strain by pushing his xenoaug past it's limits. If he does this he automatically gains a point of strain and is able temporarily break one of the xenoaugs limitations. Strain resets to 0 after each chapter of the game.

Whisperer Nest (-SKILL)
Having a nest of whisperers living and feeding on your thoughts and memories isnt so bad, they let you hear the subvocalizations of others. All those things they say to themselves in their heads are obvious to you.
It does get distracting when the tiny creatures get restless though and start crawling along the inside of your skull.

Phaseworm (-MIND)
A phaseworm is a long slender symbiote with lots of little legs like a millipede. Once implanted it latches on to the underside of your spine. The legs connect it to your nervous system and once the two of you finally get along, you can ask it to create localized spatial distortions around you. These fields can let you compress, stretch or sidestep distance.

Black Halo (-BODY)
This implant looks like a network of dark veins just under the surface of the arms and chest. When stimulated the veins generate the black halo effect, absorbing light and sound rendering you invisible and silent.

Knitter Hive (-SKILL)
You have become a breeding colony for the knitter organisms. They swarm through your vitals accelerating cellular regeneration and performing other far more mysterious functions you dont understand within your body.

Phobogen (-BODY)
You have a small triangular organ attached to the inside of your sternum. When active it hyperstimulates the fear centres in anyone that looks at you triggering intense flight/fear responses.

Gestalt Strain (-BODY)
You are not even human, you are a sentient virus that needs a host body to interact with the human world. Luckily the MPA supply you with comatose hosts, but in a clinch you have no problems riding along or seizing control of someone's nervous system; as long as they do not have any xenoaugs implanted, the energy field of other xenoaugs interfere with the gestalt strain's cohesion .

[Ron Edwards]

Hiya,

At first glance, your system looks a lot like the Pocket Universe engine developed by Jeff Dee. I recommend checking it out because (i) it's very good, and (ii) his system for inserting oppositional penalties into one's roll is very elegant and avoids counter-rolling.

One of the requirements for this forum is that you provide a link to an external document of any kind for us to use as a reference for discussion. Check out the sticky post at the top of the forum for details.

Best, Ron