Masks: Unbound stuff

No idea if this will lead to any further items beyond this one, but in case it does ... While reading  the latest Kickstarter Masks release , this item from the discussion of the upcoming  Masks: Unbound book, caught my eye: We’re super excited about some of the new mechanics you’re going to see in this book. Here are some previews of the Spiderweb playset, including a change to the “Take a Powerful Blow” move that brings the gritty, street-level drama into focus. Take a look: When you take a powerful blow , roll + conditions marked. On a 10+, choose one. - you must remove yourself from the situation: flee, pass out, etc. - you’re seriously injured: take -1 ongoing until you receive medical attention - two options from the 7-9 list It’s a small change with big impact. Adding in the potential for serious injury, and the need for medical attention, drastically changes the feel of a game to match the tone of more street-level comics. The "seriously injured" item replaces the "you lose control of yourself or your powers in a terrible way" item, which makes perfect sense for a more street level game, but I wonder if it's worth adding the injury item into the options we consider for TaPB in our campaign.

I'm not opposed to it, but I'd want to be careful with how it gets used. "You're in the hospital" feels like it'd just add to the long list of reasons we already have for why the PCs are split up, and I don't feel like we're operating at street level in general. Sometimes it makes sense (it's far easier for Summer to get banged up and need work than it is for Leo), but I'd also look at interpreting "remove yourself from the situation" as "injured" for a lot of those times.

I agree with Bill.  The stacking -1 is great for the whole "walking wounded" style that is usually associated with Batman, Daredevil, and other street-level heroes.  If we styled our game towards more of a Defenders-level team (specifically the Netflix show) then this would be very fitting. For what we've been doing, however, I see this as much less fitting.  Now, add it as an additional 10+ option?  Sure.  I could see Alycia or Leo take this occasionally.  Anyone else?  Not really.  How would that work with Harry and his regeneration.  Hell, how would that work with Ghost Girl?

Point taken -- I look on it as a game / story option, not as a requirement. And "medical attention" doesn't necessarily mean hospitalization (esp. at our level), or anything that actually has take more than the scene and its aftermath. Heck, Alycia's got a healing gadget right here in her pocket ... if  she chooses to run over and use it on you.  It's a compromise to being knocked out / fleeing, I guess I see it as, with the appropriate likelihood of something else going wrong because of the -1.