[aridun64]

My GM is allowing us to use both the ways and geasa to discount our adept powers. I had a question on how geasa worked with adept powers. Do I need to take multiple geasa to discount multiple powers or can i use a blanket geasa to discount all powers. Your input is appreciated

[Critias]

You can use the same geas to cover multiple powers (but be aware that if you break that one, it basically means you're screwed because all your eggs are in one basket, so to speak).  Some folks think it's safer to spread out different geasa over their powers, so that even on an off day, they can use some of their tricks.  Really, which plan is "right" depends on your GM and how strictly they enforce a geas in the first place, how likely it is to come up as anything but a trivial inconvenience, etc, etc.

[All4BigGuns]

For the hassle and the fact that any GM could just say at any time "you couldn't do your geas today", I'd avoid those like the plague. The Ways, good, but the other just not worth it to me.

Note- Haven't run into that, but if I see a major loophole like that that can be used to screw ya over, I avoid it.

[Crash_00]

I particularly don't like gaesa for adepts, but I usually will let an adept that is wanting to remain "pure" take a gaes to remain unaugmented. I only let them take it if it's going to apply to all their powers, and I don't let them take it as a hindrance (mostly because of the way I view hindrances it would be horrible on the adept). Even with the unaugmented gaes and a way, these pure adepts are still usually unable to wind up completely on par with augmented adepts, but they have some nice tricks up their sleaves.

Adepts are a tricky type to play any way. They generally are more specialized than a street sam, but there are a few areas they really shine that street sams don't have access to.

[All4BigGuns]

I particularly don't like gaesa for adepts, but I usually will let an adept that is wanting to remain "pure" take a gaes to remain unaugmented. I only let them take it if it's going to apply to all their powers, and I don't let them take it as a hindrance (mostly because of the way I view hindrances it would be horrible on the adept). Even with the unaugmented gaes and a way, these pure adepts are still usually unable to wind up completely on par with augmented adepts, but they have some nice tricks up their sleaves.

There's just too many GMs out there for my tastes that would 'hand wave' that you couldn't do it under the claim of 'creating a challenge'.  Of course we have one GM in our group (most of us have GMed at some point, though there are two 'primaries') who builds his opposition to 'win'. It's obvious to most people that he does it, but he doesn't see it, instead seeing it as that 'challenge' thing, and to actually say anything about it mainly makes him upset and draws accusations of 'wanting everything free'. (He's why I don't think Edge is viable. For the longest he was giving 4 Edge to just about every 'enemy' individually.)

[Crash_00]

I don't really think of it as challenge so much as roleplaying. Many people that I've seen play adepts know that a lot of Augs are wonderful deals. Muscle Toner for example .6 Essence for +3 Agility to cap you out. The PP equivalent in Improved Attribute would be 4.5. They choose the less powerful route because that's how they see their character reacting toward the augmentation. They believe their magic comes from a wholeness that augmentations would ruin.

I might allow other things like meditation or a moral/religious code, but both would be hard to keep up in a life of shadows.

Of course a jackass GM is going to hit you every day on your gaes, but that's because he's a jackass GM. I don't really care for jackass GM's because they make a lot of players wary of non-jackass GMs that actually do create a hard challenge. I don't try to win. I try to let my players win by the skin of their teeth. It's all about that dramatic tension. The heroes always disarm the bomb in the last seconds, they always stagger away from the fight at the end of the mov...run, and above all else, there is always that one bastard mook that dives behind the couch and you have to shoot for like ten minutes.  Ok, the last one was a joke.

[All4BigGuns]

I don't really think of it as challenge so much as roleplaying. Many people that I've seen play adepts know that a lot of Augs are wonderful deals. Muscle Toner for example .6 Essence for +3 Agility to cap you out. The PP equivalent in Improved Attribute would be 4.5. They choose the less powerful route because that's how they see their character reacting toward the augmentation. They believe their magic comes from a wholeness that augmentations would ruin.

I might allow other things like meditation or a moral/religious code, but both would be hard to keep up in a life of shadows.

Of course a jackass GM is going to hit you every day on your gaes, but that's because he's a jackass GM. I don't really care for jackass GM's because they make a lot of players wary of non-jackass GMs that actually do create a hard challenge. I don't try to win. I try to let my players win by the skin of their teeth. It's all about that dramatic tension. The heroes always disarm the bomb in the last seconds, they always stagger away from the fight at the end of the mov...run, and above all else, there is always that one bastard mook that dives behind the couch and you have to shoot for like ten minutes.  Ok, the last one was a joke.

Not sure how our group would really be with geas stuff, but I've never seen anyone use 'em in the group, and I save adept for melee characters which I don't do much because I would rather not 'bring a knife to a gun fight'.

[Liam oConnor]

In Street Magic p.27 it says:

If a character breaks the term of his geas, then his magic is reduced by 1 point until the geas is again fulfilled. If a character has taken multiple geasa, breaking one of them breaks all of them and the magic-loss is equal to the total of all geasa taken.

I'd say this is a basic rule of geasa and would apply to cost-reduction-geasa as well, so it doesn't really matter if you take one or several geas(a), as soon as you break one, you're just as screwed, as if you had put all your powers into one geas.

[sway]

In Street Magic p.27 it says:

If a character breaks the term of his geas, then his magic is reduced by 1 point until the geas is again fulfilled. If a character has taken multiple geasa, breaking one of them breaks all of them and the magic-loss is equal to the total of all geasa taken.

I'd say this is a basic rule of geasa and would apply to cost-reduction-geasa as well, so it doesn't really matter if you take one or several geas(a), as soon as you break one, you're just as screwed, as if you had put all your powers into one geas.

Except the adept cost reduction version of geas specifically says otherwise. 

[Liam oConnor]

I take back my previous answer and claim the opposite! I'm sorry, I only remembered the rules stated in the qualities section!
But given this it probably makes sense to at least put "packages" of powers together under the same geas, if not all of them.

[sway]

I take back my previous answer and claim the opposite! I'm sorry, I only remembered the rules stated in the qualities section!
But given this it probably makes sense to at least put "packages" of powers together under the same geas, if not all of them.

Even though in most instances, separate geas would be the mechanically safer way to go, I have to admit that for flavor/style purposes I prefer package set-ups with geas. Though arguably some packages can near-as-safe as splitting thing up. For example, if you GM allows you to make something like an augmentation or a commlink (if your focus is hacking or rigging at least) your talisman geasa, that can be a relatively safe bet... in a sense. I mean, if you're primarily a hacker and the GM destroys/takes away your commlink... you've likely been benched until you replace it anyway (the fact that your powers, which are likely hacking related are down until you replace said commlink doesn't add much to the harm). Likewise, if you make your talisman geasa your customized cyberarm, with built-in gyrostabilizer and a steampunk-style casemod... well, if you've lost you're danged arm (which probably was providing you with body, agility, strength, armor - all fairly critical), what powers you had attached to it shutting down until you have that fixed is probably beside the point too. 

[adimar]

Btw, do geasa and way bonuses stack?
one of the players in a-low powered gang campaign we are about to start.
came up with an orc warrior's way adept, and wants all his powers to be tied into a talisman geasa (Gang colors).

sounds a bit overpowered to me, but what do you think?

Adi

[All4BigGuns]

Btw, do geasa and way bonuses stack?
one of the players in a-low powered gang campaign we are about to start.
came up with an orc warrior's way adept, and wants all his powers to be tied into a talisman geasa (Gang colors).

sounds a bit overpowered to me, but what do you think?

Adi

It's just fine. The fact that most adept powers are criminally overpriced is the main problem they suffer, and that puts a bit of a Band-Aid on the problem, along with using the Way of the Adept pdf book. Just don't make the mistake that poor GMs make and constantly have his 'talisman' stolen.

[Lethe]

Not at first anyway, but after some runs, when they managed to get some enemies, who will do their homework over time, they might aim to have it stolen. But then after getting a replacement and having the showdown with them, he will be safe again.. for a while.

[JustADude]

came up with an orc warrior's way adept, and wants all his powers to be tied into a talisman geasa (Gang colors).

Not at first anyway, but after some runs, when they managed to get some enemies, who will do their homework over time, they might aim to have it stolen. But then after getting a replacement and having the showdown with them, he will be safe again.. for a while.

A Talisman Geas just requires three specific qualities in the item used as a talisman. One of those is pretty much a gimme for the category of object (pendant, ring, clothing, etc). For Gang Colors that would be something like this:

Type of object - "Clothing," "Jacket," "Bandana," etc.
Color - (Whatever the gang colors are)
Specific Identifier - Material / Pattern / Gang Emblem / etcs