[FastJack]

and everyone wants them to be special—that's just something inherent to every writer.

Correction: inherent to every writer, player, gamemaster, wargamer, etc., etc.

[Frankie the Fomori]

my mommy said i was special all the time!

[CanRay]

Of course. Everyone has their favorites, and everyone wants them to be special—that's just something inherent to every writer. However, the thing about MSes is that they are better than everyone at everything AND the central focus.

I don't see anyone in the TOC who meets those criteria.

OK, fair enough.

I've had a few people accuse some of my characters that I've written being that way, but then they get into the back story, and...  Well, yeah.  I'm hard on my characters.

Also, I fully realize that while you can be good at a lot, you can't be good at EVERYTHING.  So write with that in mind.  Everyone has a blind spot and weakness, sometimes very obvious and not apparent to the person in question.

[Crimsondude]

Actually you can with enough Karma in fourth edition.

I really hate caps.

[CanRay]

Do you like vests?

[Crimsondude]

Only as part of a three-piece suit.

[CanRay]

Did not get the joke.   

[hobgoblin]

Actually you can with enough Karma in fourth edition.

I really hate caps.

Sadly, uncapped do not work much better. I think some old edition GMs claimed they had to basically double all target numbers to even begin to challenge the older characters in the group. Basically moving the goal posts closer together for that specific character because he was that good at the skill in question.

[CanRay]

That's a problem with all uncapped systems.

I remember one character in a Star Wars D6 campaign we had, the Player's first character that he played for years!  His skill with shooting was so astronomical that he started doing, "Called Left Testicle Shot, With A Rifle, Hip Shot, One Handed, OFF Handed." and still be able to do it.

His other insane skill came from Role Playing and having a fat pimp roll of cred. 

[Crimsondude]

Did not get the joke.   

I don't play or know anything about video games.

Actually you can with enough Karma in fourth edition.

I really hate caps.

Sadly, uncapped do not work much better. I think some old edition GMs claimed they had to basically double all target numbers to even begin to challenge the older characters in the group. Basically moving the goal posts closer together for that specific character because he was that good at the skill in question.

Yeah ... See I think moving the goal posts in that instance is kind of the idea.

[CanRay]

"Until they added the mobile baskets." - Old Shaq. 

[hobgoblin]

Yeah ... See I think moving the goal posts in that instance is kind of the idea.

So simply because a grand master foo steps up to the plate, the bullseye is magically moved 200 yards back while keeping everything else equal?

[CanRay]

So simply because a grand master foo steps up to the plate, the bullseye is magically moved 200 yards back while keeping everything else equal?

I think it's more like the Kai Lords gamebooks.

In the later ones, they didn't even bother with the thief attacks in the city, they just comment that you left a few bodies of idiots behind you as you moved through the rough parts of town.

The Grand Master Foo deals with the bigger issues.

[hobgoblin]

So simply because a grand master foo steps up to the plate, the bullseye is magically moved 200 yards back while keeping everything else equal?

I think it's more like the Kai Lords gamebooks.

In the later ones, they didn't even bother with the thief attacks in the city, they just comment that you left a few bodies of idiots behind you as you moved through the rough parts of town.

The Grand Master Foo deals with the bigger issues.

So the problem would mostly be that of mixing people of very different ability? Hmm, i can see that.

[CanRay]

Power Creep is always an issue, no matter the game or game system.  After awhile, characters curb stomp everything in sight.  Even video games are like this.

Of course, Shadowrun has the Reputation and Notoriety systems to keep that somewhat in check.  Can't be a good "Deniable Asset" if the world knows you're a Shadowrunner for the big jobs after all.

...

Well, in LA...