Can Dresden Files RPG handle an Immortal 'Highlander' style character?

[Cajun Guy]

You could make it a feeding item such as a vampire but the abilities are fed and fueled by beheading other immortals. Since it wouldn't be something you do every day, it could be proportionally more powerful (like maybe temporary refresh to spend for a certain time or number of uses) . I also say, you'd probably have to get some refresh as each time a highlander killed another his permanent power would increase based on how powerful his opponent is. I might think you could balance it out by making this how the character gets refresh rather than the usual manner. He could get skils but to get new power he'd have to off another immortal.

Just another way to think.


CG

[swordsman]

About Immortal Recovery: My GM ruled to treat it as Superhuman Recovery, with the added bonus of coming back within a time frame based on the number of consequences (20 minutes for mild, 40, 60, 80, etc)... assuming my head's still attached to my torso.

About The Quickening: GM ruled it as a 'Mimic' Ability that works only for Stunts obtained through beheading, and once added the stunts are permanent, so no reconfiguration. He's giving the character 1 'Free' Stunt.

[Mattastic]

I'd say yes...but only if you killed them permanently via beheading directly with magic. They're closer to Wizards (humans with a cool power) than they are to real monsters.

So, you are thinking that the Laws of Magic and the Rules of Immortals as working together?
My thought was no and having Immortals be a different type of creature. (Yes, I agree with you about them being a human with a cool power.)

[Deadmanwalking]

So, you are thinking that the Laws of Magic and the Rules of Immortals as working together?
My thought was no and having Immortals be a different type of creature. (Yes, I agree with you about them being a human with a cool power.)

Well, not exactly. I just think the Laws are clearly metaphysical laws of reality, so killing anything that counts as a human will get you Lawbreaker. Now ripping an Immortal's heart out or burning them to 'death' doesn't kill them, so if you knew it was an Immortal, that wouldn't net you Lawbreaker...but beheading them with magic would.

It doesn't really have anything to do with Immortal's Rules...none of those break the Laws of Magic and vice versa. The two don't really interact.

[Tharios]

Another thought occurs to me now that it's been mentioned.  Immortals have their own rules they can't break.  And they seem to be as ingrained in their being as the Laws of Magic for Wizards.

Perhaps adapt the Lawbreaker power to suit Immortals and their own set of rules?  Breaking the rules gets you an advantage, but at a price, and you risk quickly becoming an NPC since Immortals would have only 2 or 3 more refresh than the average Wizard, at most.

Now that I think of it...what ARE all the rules anyway?

No fighting on Holy Ground.
All fights are one-on-one.

Nothing else springs to mind...anyone have any idea?

[Valarian]

Now that I think of it...what ARE all the rules anyway?

No fighting on Holy Ground.
All fights are one-on-one.

Nothing else springs to mind...anyone have any idea?

There can be only one! (compelled to fight)

[Deadmanwalking]

Now that I think of it...what ARE all the rules anyway?

Modern weapons such as guns and tasers to soften up your opponent are clearly unacceptable. Every Immortal we've ever seen use them is a complete bastard.

[Jeckel]

I don't know what the opinions are now-a-days, but last I heard the reason for the rule about not fighting on holy ground was a practical one.

When immortals fight, they both release quickening into the surrounding area. If neither die, they both regain their quickening, but if one dies, all the released quickening goes into the winner. However, if the fight is on holy ground, then the holy ground itself draws in all that released energy, regardless of the outcome of the fight, leaving both immortals (or the winner in the case of one immortal losing his head) weaker then when they interned the fight.

As a GM, I would have both immortals put a one or two (the same for both opponents) fate points on the table. If they both live then they get their point or two back, if one dies the other gets all the points. If the fight is on holy ground then the outcome doesn't matter, those two or four fate points are lost completely.

[Deadmanwalking]

I don't know what the opinions are now-a-days, but last I heard the reason for the rule about not fighting on holy ground was a practical one.

When immortals fight, they both release quickening into the surrounding area. If neither die, they both regain their quickening, but if one dies, all the released quickening goes into the winner. However, if the fight is on holy ground, then the holy ground itself draws in all that released energy, regardless of the outcome of the fight, leaving both immortals (or the winner in the case of one immortal losing his head) weaker then when they interned the fight.

This was the reason cited in the (very nicely done) Highlander: The Gathering fan-made RPG for White Wolf's WoD. It's not at all official to the show or movies and, indeed, I always had problems with it due to some of the deep personal grudges Holy Ground prevented from being settled. Mere loss of power seems an insufficient reason.

I personally think Rulebreaker stunts for things like this would be fun and thematic. 

[swordsman]

Didn't Jacob Kell get a Quickening after killing the Immortals in the Sanctuary in Endgame? It's a bit fuzzy... It's been a while.

Plus, I like the lawbreaker idea. Very thematic.

[KOFFEYKID]

All I remember is that they killed off Connor McLeod so that Duncan could fail at being as cool as Connor. Poor poor Connor.

[Deadmanwalking]

The movies after the first one don't count. No, not even the ones based on the show with Duncan in them. The first movie and the show are all that exists. There should've been only one!

[swordsman]

The movies after the first one don't count. No, not even the ones based on the show with Duncan in them. The first movie and the show are all that exists. There should've been only one!

I understand completely.

[Darkling]

Out of curiosity would this be an original Highlander style immortal or a canon Highlander immortal?   I'm partial to Methos from the TV series, myself.

[Deadmanwalking]

Out of curiosity would this be an original Highlander style immortal or a canon Highlander immortal?   I'm partial to Methos from the TV series, myself.

Well, the TV series and the original movie have more or less the same mythos and metaphysics, the only differences being more-or-less in timeline and number of Immortals. So does it matter?

And I'm partial to Methos myself.