Concentration - Controlling abuse

[Ankhanu]

I just thought of a way to make Concentration a little less abusable; the italicized text is the new addition:

Control Difficulty:
Jedi Relaxed/at Peace - 8
Jedi In a Tense Situation - 12
Jedi filled w/Fear, Aggression or -/+ Emotions 17
Jedi Acting on Emotions 25

Time Taken: 2 Rounds

Use:
This power is used to clear all negative(for Jedi) or positive(for Dark Jedi) emotions from the user, to allow the force to flow through him freely.

The Jedi concentrates on one specific task. If the difficulty is made, the Jedi may add +4D to that specific action ONLY. Only the Concentration power may be used in the first round as the user clears emotion and focuses on what is to be done, then the specified skill or ability, only, is attempted in the second round. Concentration may be broken if the user suffers a Stun or greater damage.
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[garhkal]

While i have not seen it get to the point of abuse, i have had to argue with a few people that they were NOT at rest/peace when in the middle of a firefight, trying to use it to amplify their skills (mostly astrogation to make a quick jump away!)..
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[Ankhanu]

I'd never encountered abuse of the power in my years playing table top, but I've seen a few characters in pbp games using it quite judiciously, and quite often in times/situations where it really isn't appropriate. It's excessive use has come to bother me a bit, though the power itself is really quite useful.

The established rules don't quite fit with the flavour of what it represents, I think...
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[TheCrazyDuro]

I had the same exact problem with my game. People were back and forth Concentration, concentration, La-de-da, do this, do that. It was abused like crazy. So I decided we would stop that game for a while. Have people play non-force users to get used to not using the force carelessly for remedial tasks (which is abusing the force, which should lead to dark side points. Deadly sin sloth.) I also did this so when we got back to the old game, we could be working the game differently. So try the idea, "use it to much is abusing a natural talent. Taking the easy way out. You are abusing the force for your own gain, get a darkside point." Also, they can't use it for blasting, anything involving causing damage. That is negative in Nature so they cannot expel negative thoughts
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[garhkal]

as a suggestion for those who consistenly use it, why not have force hunters show up due to all the ripples in the force they are making.
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[vong]

[Golbez]

vong:
they use it too much and x=1

Ankhanu:

I think a tense situation is EXACTLY what is needed for that power. Making a jump quickly, or helping to heal a life threatening injury are prime examples of a tense situation.

A 1 round Purge followed by a 1 round action is a lot though. Personally, until play testing can prove me wrong, I would like to see it as adding 4D to the first action of the second round, and that action only. So, a player could still fire off two shots, and take appropriate penalties for all actions should the need to take a second action arise.

this way the concentration power is more then an all or nothing deal.

[Ankhanu]

Part of it is, I suppose, I don't see Concentration as a power that should generally be used in a situation like combat... Sure, Luke used it to destroy the Death Star, but he also took approximately a round to clear himself before he made the attack. If Han hadn't taken out the TIEs following him, he would have been boned.

When you put the rounds into perspective, 2 rounds is only about 10 seconds. It's not very long and falls into the category of still allowing a "quick" action like an emergency course plot or healing an injury...
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[Expendable Hero]

Personally I like when Jedi use concentration in a fire fight. If your using it to hit then you can't dodge and if your using it to dodge you can't shoot. Sure it can be nice if you don't have to worry about anything but the one action but unless your a Jedi sniper its not going to be as useful as people seem to think.
Let me give you an example. I use concentration to shoot the Wookiee.
Congratulations you hit. Now the Wookiee's 6 friends shoot you one misses the other 5 hit and you don't get a dodge.
It amazes me how often Jedi characters seem to think Jedi means invincible. They always look so confused when they get smeared across the floor because they forget to use common sense. The only times I really used concentration is when I had my force user non Jedi tech. Even then the other tech was about as good because of there racial abilities and the skill points they put into tech skill that I had to put into control. Although it was funny watching the real Jedi lose because they couldn't get any damage in with my control/dissipate energy.

[garhkal]

[noctum_carpe]

Perhaps a will power roll to make onself at ease?
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You may fire when ready

[Gry Sarth]

In our games, whenever someone tries to use a power that requires one to be calm, he has to roll willpower in order to control himself.
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[vong]

[Esoomian]

Wouldn't it depend on the situation?
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[Gry Sarth]

Exactly. In some situations it would be almost impossible to keep calm, like if your facing against some hellish monster, other times it`s just a matter of calming your anxieties. So it`s really anywhere from Very Easy to Heroic....
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