I don't get it: Hex vs. The big Whammy

  • 1 Replies
  • 3747 Views
I don't get it: Hex vs. The big Whammy
« on: July 07, 2012, 04:33:21 PM »
The Hex move says:

Quote
When you cast a spell (with use magic), you can pick the following extra magical effects:
•The target contracts a disease.
•The target immediately suffers harm (2-harm magic ignore-armour).
•The target breaks something precious or important.

The second option is pretty similar to The big whammy:

Quote
You can use your powers to kick some ass: roll +Weird instead of +Tough. The attack has 2-harm close obvious ignore-armour. On a miss, you'll get a magical backlash.

However, Hex looks much better to me: it's more versatile, while allowing you to deal the same harm; it doesn't force you to use an obvious magic effect; and it doesn't require you ro kick some ass and, therefore, suffer your opponent's harm. Is there a typo? Am I missing something?

Re: I don't get it: Hex vs. The big Whammy
« Reply #1 on: July 07, 2012, 05:19:03 PM »
Well, if you are using magic to cast a hex, then chances are that you *are* doing something obvious, or taking time to do it, or another requirement for use magic.

More importantly, they have a different style. Balancing pure mechanical effectiveness was not my primary consideration when I wrote the moves. How it affects the fiction you generate in play and what a move implies about the hunter who uses it are just as important.

So:
- Hex implies you are a magician who specialises in hurting others
- Big Whammy implies you lash out with magic as easily as with your fists or guns.

(These are not be the only things they imply, of course).