Earth Pony Balance Issues

[Tankenstein_PhD]

Yeah, yeah, necro post. Whatever.

Looking over this and the game rules, though, I'd agree that there is something a little...off. Essentially every race has a specialization unique to them. Unicorns have magic, pegasi have flight, etc. For the EPs, theirs is becoming a cyberpony. There are problems with that, though.

First, from an in-game perspective it's not as "normal" for an earth pony to want to become a cyborg as it is for a pegasus to want to be a champion flyer, for example. It's more difficult to RP around, and it doesn't really seem fair that EP players more or less have to write their back story just to justify doing what earth ponies are supposed to be good at to begin with.

More importantly, though, is the issue from a meta/rules perspective. Unlike all other racial specs becoming a cyberpony is, in essence, a quest perk. You have to hope the GM is nice enough to give you the appropriate resources at the appropriate time to achieve it. This is what seems really unfair, both to the GM and EP players. EP players are essentially relying on the GM and party to steer the game in a certain direction just so they can access their racial abilities. No other racial build is so dependent on other players in the meta of the game. Meanwhile, if the GM has an EP player who wants to go cyberpony he now has a choice: start bending the game to suit this one player's desires on how to build his/her character or essentially tell that character that they can't really play the way they want to after all.

All in all I think it might be good if EPs had access to a racial build that's less dependent on other players and the GM. As a suggestion, what about making them adept with heavy weapons? Bringing the boom like no other would certainly be an eye-catching ability (who doesn't love explosions and miniguns?) and it wouldn't rely on someone other than the player to do the build.

[Lost_Art]

I think I agree most with Fridge in this thread, in that what is needed most is identity and ownership.
The point was made about mobility and I can agree with that, drawing from the show at least I have come to the conclusion that the thing that makes Earth Ponies Earth Ponies is that they possess a supreme intelligence for both innovation (covered by the invention discussions in another thread) and for ballistics.
Some may disagree with me on that point as to whether ballistic intelligence is an EP thing or just a AJ thing, but I posit that it is also a Pinkie thing as well.

So what do I mean by ballistic intelligence? Well basically I mean a supreme, tacit knowledge and judgement of force, speed, acceleration, balance, trajectory, and all the other forces that play into the movement of material objects through the physical world.

When one thinks of Applejack or Pinkie Pie we think of two highly mobile ponies, one able to leap, roll and jump, almost to parkour levels, and the other able to throw herself around, at times exerting forces in blatant manipulation of physical law. We think of AJ as a pony of such skill at the thrown or cast article that she can lasso single apples, throwing or bucking them with precision, we think of her as being able to toss her tools aside and for them to miraculously land exactly where they are stowed, and we think of her as being able to buck rocks as though they were bullets. When we think of Pinkie, we think of a paragon whose familiarity and connection to the physical laws allows her to bend them, slow her descents, accelerate at incredible speeds and other stuff one would expect from master ninjas.

My point is though, that EPs should have modes of movement unique to them, no Unicorn or Pegasus can dive or roll from cover to cover like an EP should, EP should be tightrope masters, mountain goat climbers, and gymnastic dodgers.

Lets give them some ranks of maneuvers, stuff like Roll'n'cover, Longjump, Leapblock, Controlled Fall, Balance, etc with perks allowing them to increase their ability or range of these maneuvers and open up more advanced ones, culminating, should all the perks be taken, in Pinkie-like abilities that are only possible with the magical manipulation of physical law.

If we can agree to that concept then the next point of call would be mechanic. At present, all actions involving fancy hoofwork, or the throwing of objects is covered by the Unarmed skill and the solution could simply be to key all these maneuvers to Unarmed.

With action hero moves, along side EP invention and cyberpony streams, I think we would finally have a race that feels unique and isn't left feeling unspecial. And who knows, maybe one day Martial Arts may come to the party for EP's and Zebra.
What say you, fellow ponies?

[Viewing_Glass]

Its an interesting idea. The moves would have to be carefully balanced, and if powerful enough, would require a point system similar to pegasi tricks to be implemented. Not so sure about Martial Arts for Earth Ponies though, as all the things zebra get are currently GM dependent (the GM has to let them find herbs if they are alchemists and gems if they are shamans).

[Tankenstein_PhD]

Well, I suppose everyone has already taken note of the thread discussing a possible "Innovation" system for EPs? That's point based and allows EPs to quickly throw together stuff that works one usually a one-time basis.

This could be an interesting idea as well, though. After all, without any overt special abilities it stands to reason that EPs would tend to have developed a sense for danger to survive in the Wasteland. Other species tend to rely on their gifts, meaning they will take risks or overlook signs of danger where an EP wouldn't.

[SilverlightPony]

I posit that it is also a Pinkie thing as well.

Pinkie's nature means she's not a reliable basis for anything except the effects of the Random perk.

So what do I mean by ballistic intelligence? Well basically I mean a supreme, tacit knowledge and judgement of force, speed, acceleration, balance, trajectory, and all the other forces that play into the movement of material objects through the physical world.

The academic term for this is "space-time relations", and it covers everything from basketball and baseball to orbital mechanics.

[Lost_Art]

The academic term for this is "space-time relations", and it covers everything from basketball and baseball to orbital mechanics.

Thank you Silverlight, Space-Time Relations very much covers the feel of both Applejack's feats of skill and Pinkie Pie's feats of messing with the fabric of reality.

Its an interesting idea. The moves would have to be carefully balanced, and if powerful enough, would require a point system similar to pegasi tricks to be implemented. Not so sure about Martial Arts for Earth Ponies though, as all the things zebra get are currently GM dependent (the GM has to let them find herbs if they are alchemists and gems if they are shamans).

Yes I would not intend the moves to be particularly flashy as it were, diving from behind one tree stump to behind another as opposed to leaping across the map in a single bound. Diving into or behind a pile of refuse while making the minimum of noise and avoiding detection, as opposed to turning flat out invisible. etc

[SilverlightPony]

Thank you Silverlight, Space-Time Relations very much covers the feel of both Applejack's feats of skill and Pinkie Pie's feats of messing with the fabric of reality.

As noted in my previous post, I disagree on the subject of Pinkie Pie. IMHO, she should not be used as an example unless you're dealing with the Random perk.

[mimezinga]

What if we simply state that EPs are cuddlier?

[Lost_Art]

What if we simply state that EPs are cuddlier?

And have most appetizing and curvaceous flanks~?

[Tankenstein_PhD]

What if we simply state that EPs are cuddlier?

And have most appetizing and curvaceous flanks~?

There's already a "Sex Appeal" Trait, and it isn't EP exclusive.