In other systems, there is often Ability or Attribute Damage. Reducing an Attribute Score in OL seems like a hassle to bookkeep and also comes with issues like “What happens when Attribute X hits/already is 0?”
So I went for the next best thing; Disadvantage.
I based this Bane and it’s Power Levels on the Demoralized Bane, with the difference of making the resist as normal.
It also fit’s nicely with Bolster.
Attribute Drain
Duration: Resist ends (Fail x 3 = 1 minute) Invocation Time: 1 Major Action Power Level: 3 / 6 / 8 Attack:
Entropy vs. Resolve
Influence vs. Resolve
Protection vs. Resolve Description: Either by prohibiting their power directly or tricking them into limiting themselves, you cause your enemies to be less adept. Effect: Choose an Attribute. The affected target has disadvantage on all Action Rolls when using that Attribute. Power Level 3 - Disadvantage 1 Power Level 6 - Disadvantage 2 Power Level 8 - Disadvantage 3
This might be a little weak, but how do you like the idea?
I chose the Attacking Attributes Entropy because it’s fairly obvious (with the draining thing), Protection because that can hinder opponents supernaturally by Nullify already and Influence because it could be used to mentally hinder the use of an Attribute.
What Attributes would you dis-/allow for this?
The idea is ok.
The mechanics however, are almost an exact copy of Demoralized.
The only 2 differences is that :
Demoralized only requires a minor action to resist.
and
Demoralized works on every action roll.
Instead of a disadvantage, I’d have it lower the attribute score and by that, limit access to banes and boons due to too low attribute scores.
What if the score is already zero?
What if that score is a prerequisite for a Feat, like Tough as Nails?
Should other Stats like HP and Defenses be recalculated?
It also introduces more bookkeeping.
Keep in mind that Disadvantage makes it harder to invoke Boons and inflict Banes.
However I think it needs to be distinguished a bit more as well, it seems weak in comparison to Demoralized.
I also think the Attack Attributes should be changed to allow more access and varied Defenses, as @Great_Moustache suggested.
My best idea would be to lower and expand the Power Levels to something like 2/4/6/8 or even 1/3/5/7/9.
The duration could also be expanded and/or a Feat could make it permanent, like with Unending Charm, to make it a long-term disability, like a curse.
I mention this to @Vrenshrrg on discord, the reason you do not do this, is that things that would affect Attribute Scores should be left to the realm of Legendary Items or Narrative GM stuff. Allowing players to access that is too powerful. Plus all the things that Vrenshrrg mentioned.
Duration: Resist ends (Fail x 3 = 1 hour) Invocation Time: 1 Major Action Power Level: 2 / 4 / 6 / 8 Attack:
Alteration vs. Toughness
Entropy vs. Toughness
Protection vs. Toughness
Presence vs. Resolve
Influence vs. Resolve
(probably others) Description: Either by prohibiting their power directly or tricking them into limiting themselves, you cause your enemies to be less adept. Effect: Choose an Attribute. The affected target has disadvantage on all Action Rolls when using that Attribute. Power Level 2 - Disadvantage 1 Power Level 4 - Disadvantage 2 Power Level 6 - Disadvantage 3 Power Level 8 - Disadvantage 4
I’m inclined to add a clause that specifies certain Defenses for different targeted Attributes, or at least make a comment on the fact the GM should determine the Defense in each case. Then again, that is already a thing the GM can do.
This also shouldn’t be taken as a complete list of possible Attack Attributes, as you could also use Might to dislocate a joint to inflict Ability Drain on Agility for example, but targeting Extraordinary Attributes can be a little harder to explain.
Maybe this could be interesting to add? It’s pretty much just a copy of Unending Charm right now:
Unending Drain
Cost: 3 Points Prerequisites: Tier 1: (any one of the Attributes used to inflict Attribute Drain) 4 Description: Your Ability to rob others of power can sometimes stick to them forever. This is a great Feat for a witch bestowing curses upon their enemies or a mad scientist infecting their victims with a resilient virus. Effect: When you invoke the Attribute Drain Bane, targets who do not make their resist roll within an hour of being afflicted become permanently affected by the Bane. They do not receive any more resist rolls to shake themselves free of the effect. Other Extraordinary effects like a Restoration Boon can still end the effect (and other methods may work at the GM’s discretion).
The lower and expanded Power Levels as well as the 1 hour duration make the Bane more of a threat and also more in the line of Attribute Damage that i was originally trying to convey.
It’s not as debilitating as Lethal Damage but a little more impactful than normal HP damage when the Resist Rolls fail. The Feat introduces another form of permanent consequences, either for an NPC that might return or a PC that now needs to search for a cure.