Limiting the bonuses (CAP) suggestion

[spikevampire]

First of all, hi to everyone. I am new to the forum.

I've played many RPG (first and most of all D&D 3.5E and lately mutants and masterminds)

I am asking you regard the possibility to create a CAP to the bonuses in the game. I take this idea from the M&M brand, because I like things when are quite balanced and still over the time.

My idea is to limit the max bonus of the Reactions, the attributes and the skills value in order to prevent the focusing on one only thing instead of the creation of a character with many abilities but more balanced.

Since I don't have a great experience with the system I want some suggestion about the value to set, to make the game still playable and the higher successes still reachable.

My starting idea was:
- if not improved by a special race, the attributes should not pass the value of 12. Of course racial bonus or character like Gandalf can overcome this one, but it should be very unlikely.
- the reaction should cap to the attribute value (most of the TN are around the 15), so an elf fighter cannot have more than 14 in swiftness and so on.

The last concern is regarding the skills and their maximum values. I know that should be 12 but I can't figure out if it is the max value you can reach or only the rank in it. If it's about the ranks I am scared that incredibly high levels of skills could be reached:
Fighting = Rank 12 + Attribute 4 + Spec (knife) 2 + Accurate (knife) 3 + Warwise 3 + Masterwork 1 = +25

+25 as I got it It is an incredibly high value, since can easily Stun an enemy with a TN of 15, with a simple roll of 8. (Defense 10 + 12 headshot /against/ roll of 33 = results in a superior success)
About that, I am not sure about the bonuses Accurate and Warwise provide. For the former, does it count as a +3 to the normal specialization or it's a substitute (from +2 to +3)? For the latter, does it counts as a normal rank (so it's limited to 12) or it's another bonus, and so it stacks?

Please enlight me in someway, and again, nice to meet you

[The Tatterdemalion King]

+25 as I got it It is an incredibly high value, since can easily Stun an enemy with a TN of 15, with a simple roll of 8. (Defense 10 + 12 headshot /against/ roll of 33 = results in a superior success)

That's deliberate; both the Trek and LotR versions of CODA are designed so that starting characters are extremely competent.

[spikevampire]

Oh... so I got it right!

What about PvP, my charater as master or two players against each others? The parry should be a good solution there or they should die in one blow?

[Tomcat]

To answer your questions:

ATTRIBUTES
the maximum any attribute can be is 12 unless enhanced by a racial bonus; or the player may ask the Narrator to increase the attribute by 1 point if the PC has gained at least 6 Renown points over the span of a chronicle for use of said attribute (see the Two Towers sourcebook pg.24)

REACTIONS
Reactions are initially generated by the better of two attribute modifiers, based on the particular reaction. Once generated, the reaction score is no longer tied to anything and becomes an independent secondary attribute that may be increased through advancements. I have been playing CODA for over 10 years now and I have never seen a PC push their advancement picks into one particular reaction to the point that they have ever overcome the original Attribute - but YMMV, so set the cap as you see fit.

SKILLS
Skill rank can be increased to a maximum of 12 - any other modifiers may take it as high as it may go, as long as the mods may stack. So yes, having a +25 to attack with the masterwork dagger is very possible.

ABOUT ACCURATE AND WARWISE
Accurate is actually for Ranged Combat only. You may only take the Edge if your Ranged skill rank is +4 or better, then you gain a +3 to your Ranged Combat actions.

Warwise grants the PC a +1 bonus to all types of combat actions, including Siegecraft. It is not included in the 12 rank maximum.

I hope this helps and feel free to ask anymore questions.

[GandalfOfBorg]

Agreed to previous postings. A thing to remember with this game and the world it is in is unbalanced on purpose. When it comes to focusing only on a given expertise, the character lacks in other areas that are ripe for exploitation by the Narrator. This can be worked into the conflict and story-telling to great effect. Also, if you are worried about one-trick ponies growing over a campaign, you have a number of tools in your Narrator's kit to use to avoid such things happening like slowing rate of advancement by not giving out so much xp, give out only a few points at a time instead of blocks of 5 (each adv point is equivalent to 200 xp), set in your social contract that picks must be used to purchase traits that make sense to the story that was just told (no ranks in Lore if no studying, research, or use of the skill was done during the last chapter/adventure/whatever), etc.

[The Tatterdemalion King]

Oh... so I got it right!

What about PvP, my charater as master or two players against each others? The parry should be a good solution there or they should die in one blow?

They should both die in one rage-filled stroke, as befitting the source material.

[spikevampire]

thank you then, I had my thoughts clarified