When creating the Hunting Fox, I came across the problem of increasing a characteristic as a power. To elucidate: The Hunting Fox's powers come mainly from a suit which provides increases to STR, PRE and REF when worn. Because it can be removed, all the powers that go part and parcel with the suit (including aforementioned stat-enhancements) are removed as well. This would mean all of the suit's powers would have the Focus: Attached (-2 to allpowers, minimum 1 PP). The problem is, how is this applied to the stat enhancements?

The problem was this: The suit provides +3 PRE (which I have dubbed as the power Fearsome Appearance), +3 STR and +4 REF (both of which I have grouped as the power called Myo-Organic Exoskeleton). Would this mean (if +1 in a stat = 1 PP during construction) that if all these have Focus (Attached), would:

a) the +3 PRE and +3 STR will only cost 1 each, and the +4 REF would cost 2, or

b) the Fearsome Appearance (+3 PRE) costs 1, and the Myo-Organic Exoskeleton (+4 REF and +3 STR) would cost 5 (as I grouped them together)?

Bruce Harlick says either is viable, depending on your approach. I prefer the conceptual path (path b). It provides an inbuilt limit on your character, and halts the sort of number-crunching, PP-hoarding overkill many gamers fear. However, the choice is your GM's.

Limiting Stat Boosts

As a corollary to the above notes on stats-as-powers, I wanted the +3 PRE bonus from Fearsome Appearance to only apply to such skills as Intimidation or Interrogation (let's face it, something that looks like a Guyver isn't going to be able to pull chicks that well). It seemed unreasonable that I should pay full points for the PRE bonus when it doesn't provide the full capabilities those points of PRE would normally give.

Bruce Harlick says that to limit a stat's effectiveness in such a method, you appply a -2 PP modifier (minimum cost of 1 PP, of course).