Taking the box set as an example, there are a limited number of action cards. Do you limit how many players can take any given skill by the number of cards available? Some would say this is an odd meta-constraint to impose on an RPG and can give a "board game" feel, but on the other hand it encourages (forces) diversity between players in the cards they play.

I am just curious on what other GM's think about this issue.

Thanks

I don't permit multiples of the same action other than the basic ones, but I don't restrict skills.

We limit the number of action and talents to the number cards avaliable. We have found that diversity is better, that way every character in the group feels more unique.

I really like using the card quantities as a limit. It not only encourages the PCs to develop in different directions and carve out specialty niches, it also brings greater diversity to scenes. The party will have multiple valid approaches to any given problem, instead of just one "we all spam this borderline-broken card till we win" button. I feel like you get a richer game for it. Otherwise the players quickly enter group-think about which cards are the best and double-up on them. If your entire party all have Reckless Cleave, combat gets pretty monotonous. If everyone has Inspiring Words, it strains believability during social scenes. If they all have the same Talent, it undermines the point of the Party Card having slots. If they can all double up on cards, you have to be a wizard or priest to feel unique. Etc.

The trade-off is that you can accidentally create some weird moments where the players step on each other's toes and niches by spending XP on something that another player was eyeballing for next session. So if I was GMing for a group of total strangers who were just meeting each other at the table in real-life, I'd be less inclined to apply the card limits than if I'm running for a group of friends who already have a rapport going.

We also use the card quantities as limit for action cards and talents. In the three campaigns we've played so far (just started TEW as our fourth campaign) nobody wanted a card that someone else already have taken, with the exception of the advanced active defenses which get a lot of love in our table..

This mirrors my own thoughts as well, bringing diversity to the game. I have purchased all the box sets, over the years, but I am going through now and removing the duplicates from the Vault boxes that came with the original box. I did not realize when I bought the Player's Vault that I didn't actually need it, since it is 152 duplicate action cards from the core set.

I use the extras of PC cards as NPC cards in my own game. I still don't let NPCs use the ones I don't let PCs use (Reckless Cleave, Stapling Shot or whatever it's called etc.)