Making PowerMarks standard and mandatory

[bag-of-worms]

If by differentiating you mean giving a team a win and making them place higher, then yes, they separate teams in that way.
That extra point separation, however, doesn't accurately reflect the skill level. While having points distributed that 100% demonstrate the intangible "skill level" is impossible, I feel that powers are detracting from the already inefficient system.

A few of you are saying that for statistics purposes, tie-breaking, and other multi-team analysis, that powers can help. I'm saying that in a two team situation, where two similarly competent teams play, that 10 points and bonus control is reward enough for a hypothetical situation where one team has power knowledge but only a bit less than the powering team.

The 15 points assumes that the powering team has a significantly greater knowledge base, when that isn't always the case.
For example, a mediocre team is going to get more powers per game against a bad team, and fewer powers per game against another mediocre team. Yes, there is a correlation between skill level and powers per game, but in the situation where those mediocre teams play, the extra points given are necessary.

I suppose I am not advocating powers to be eliminated, just that they should be worth no extra points.

[The Ununtiable Twine]

I suppose I am not advocating powers to be eliminated, just that they should be worth no extra points.

Why have powers if you get nothing for them?

[Auroni]

I suppose I am not advocating powers to be eliminated, just that they should be worth no extra points.

Why have powers if you get nothing for them?

You get the satisfaction of a fantastic buzz without deriving a dumb gameshow-like benefit? What really matters is how many times you can beat good players to tossups, anyway.

[Mechanical Beasts]

I suppose I am not advocating powers to be eliminated, just that they should be worth no extra points.

Why have powers if you get nothing for them?

You get the satisfaction of a fantastic buzz without deriving a dumb gameshow-like benefit? What really matters is how many times you can beat good players to tossups, anyway.

Well, in theory, you get the satisfaction of a fantastic buzz from... the fantastic buzz. Really, the advantage of ten-point powers (over not having powers at all) is in providing more data to those interested in quizbowl prognostication.

[bag-of-worms]

Well, in theory, you get the satisfaction of a fantastic buzz from... the fantastic buzz. Really, the advantage of ten-point powers (over not having powers at all) is in providing more data to those interested in quizbowl prognostication.

Exactly.