It’s a four hour con game, you select your character and as you’re looking over the sheet. What would you rather see, expendable gear (a bevy of healing potions) or an ability (repeatable powers or an edge/talent/etc)?

Con games are a little different. You don’t have continuity. If you lose the ancient sword of your forefathers it’s a good story instead of a six month quest. I will sometimes take it as a challenge to use everything on my character sheet before the game is over. Because honestly, it was put there for a reason – right. But equipment can be lost, stolen, destroyed, left behind, replaced, etc.

An ability – lets say an aspect from Fate or an edge from Savage Worlds – can’t be taken away and is more of an integral part of your character. Does that make it limiting or more valuable?

Depends on the system and the game of course. DnD – abilities vs magic items. Savage Worlds – Edges and Powers vs Guns and Armor (my games anyway). Star Wars Edge of the Empire – Talents vs Blasters and Light sabers. Dungeon World – Spells and Powers vs Swords and Armor.

But this is a Convention question primarily (can you tell I’m working on my GenCon games). I can tell you that there will be a thermal detonator in my Star Wars game, but likely just one. That same character will have two edges that make him deadly with a repeating blaster. So generate a Lucas ring when you blow something up, or cut the grass with (nearly) endless blaster bolts?

I don’t know. Me personally I like the gear. What do you like?