The obligatory skill

[j0hn]

[ukhata]

it is not so much that players HAVE to spend their karma.
its more that if they dont want combat to take the ENTIRE session they will do so.
combat IS notoriously slow in ED.

as for the NEED to burn karma. the only time you should NEED to is when facing horrors since they can use karma on anything and will do so to win.
as such you will as well if you want to live.

Karma is not a necessary commodity, but a wanted commodity. its makes sure that adepts are by definition better then non adepts even at lower circles. it gives adepts the fluff of having a "resolve" they can use in their actions. but should such things be given as a standard bonus? not in my opinion. but like most things in ED
as a GM, Its Your Barsaive, and you can decide for yourself.
i just see Karma as the extra to make a purifier smackdown a skeorix in one go if he rolls well and burns max karma instead of dancing with it for 5+ rounds which translates to 2 hours gametime.

Ukhata

[treorai]

[bigity]

I see he fact you can't just refresh all your karma as a tool for drama.

But it would quickly get old if you had to use it up every combat.

But it should be a meaningful choice to use it vs save it as well.