Author Topic: Turning the Dresden-ized character thread into a game, anyone up for it?  (Read 3301 times)

Offline Baron Hazard

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I'm posting a character sheet of someone from a different show/medium in the FATE system using dresden character creation rules, And then post a name of another character for the next person to write up - and he follows suit from there. I love building characters, stating out stuff and i usually do this when getting into a new system to figure out the ins and outs of how it works. So I'll kick this off:

Malcolm Reynolds
High Concept: Captain of Serenity
Trouble: Things Don’t Go Smooth
Other Aspects: Browncoat; Served in Serenity Valley; Loyal To My Crew; Epic Wiseass; Man Of Honor in a Den of Thieves

Skills
Superb (+5): Endurance
Great (+4): Fists, Guns
Good (+3): Alertness , Contacts,  Burglary
Fair (+2): Athletics, Conviction, Deceit, Presence
Average (+1): Survival, Stealth, Rapport, Intimidation, Weapons

Stunts
Animal Handler (Survival) Horses
Weight of Reputation (Presence)
Leadership (Presence)
Infuriate (Intimidation)
No Pain, No Gain (Endurance)
Tough Stuff (Endurance)
Ear To The Ground (Contacts)
Footwork (Fists)

Adjusted Refresh: 4

Items of Note: Mal carries his service pistol from the Unification War (weapon: 2) otherwise he usually wears the long “browncoat” that instantly identifies him as an Independent to any war veteran.

NEXT UP: Inara Sera (of Firefly) (just how i went... don't feel like we have to keep this thread firefly centric till we finish ;) )
« Last Edit: May 18, 2010, 08:20:34 PM by Baron Hazard »

Offline John Galt

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I've actually been thinking about how Shepard Book and the Operative would make great True Believers in the Dresdenverse.  I wish I had the PDF's because I'd love to create both of them.  In fact, if I ever play the game my first character choice would essentially be a younger version of Shepard Book.

Offline Mal_Luck

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I'm raising about three eyebrows at Mal's low Presence, Conviction, and Intimidation.

They've only ever dealt with horses once or twice in the show so I question the necessity of the Animal Handler stunt. Generally it seems like Mal does so-so when he gets in an actual fist fight, so I'd bump that down. So I'd swap Footwork (Fists) for something else, perhaps a similar stunt except for Guns.

I'd vote for "I aim to Misbehave" to be an aspect, one of his more famous/most used quotes.

I'd also argue for giving him some Drive along with the Pilot Stunt, he's not as good as Wash but he's Serenity's secondary pilot. I'd also give him a couple Guns stunts, at the very least a Guns version of Killer Blow (several times he's just went bam and solved a problem).
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Offline Papa Gruff

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One of the Aspects of Mal should definitely be "In love with Inara" ... just saying ...
in omnia peratus! ... wait a minute! ... to give anybody a rucksack? ... DAMN CORRESPONDENCE COURSE!

Offline John Galt

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I'm raising about three eyebrows at Mal's low Presence, Conviction, and Intimidation.

They've only ever dealt with horses once or twice in the show so I question the necessity of the Animal Handler stunt. Generally it seems like Mal does so-so when he gets in an actual fist fight, so I'd bump that down. So I'd swap Footwork (Fists) for something else, perhaps a similar stunt except for Guns.

I'd vote for "I aim to Misbehave" to be an aspect, one of his more famous/most used quotes.

I'd also argue for giving him some Drive along with the Pilot Stunt, he's not as good as Wash but he's Serenity's secondary pilot. I'd also give him a couple Guns stunts, at the very least a Guns version of Killer Blow (several times he's just went bam and solved a problem).

I agree with most of this.  I'd also switch "a man with honor in a den of thieves" with "I have a way, is that better than a plan?"  The latter gives you more options and says the same thing.

Mal's conviction should be really high and his stunts should be mostly gunslinging stunts.  He's proven to be one hell of a shot if he's angry or motivated enough. 

I disagree that he's not great in a fist fight.  He's shown to be exceptional.  He just isn't very intelligent about it.  He doesn't lose fistfights, he just comes out of them more busted up than he could have been.  Once again, just like his gunslinging, he's proven to be an extremely able hand to hand combatant when properly motivated.

Offline Mal_Luck

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I agree with most of this.  I'd also switch "a man with honor in a den of thieves" with "I have a way, is that better than a plan?"  The latter gives you more options and says the same thing.

Mal's conviction should be really high and his stunts should be mostly gunslinging stunts.  He's proven to be one hell of a shot if he's angry or motivated enough. 

I disagree that he's not great in a fist fight.  He's shown to be exceptional.  He just isn't very intelligent about it.  He doesn't lose fistfights, he just comes out of them more busted up than he could have been.  Once again, just like his gunslinging, he's proven to be an extremely able hand to hand combatant when properly motivated.
Off the top of my head I don't think Mal's ever won a fist fight except against the Operative, and that was mostly luck / Fate point invoking Browncoat or another soldier/Independent aspect to say he lost that nerve cluster. I'd put him Good Fists at most, he's certainly not a Great.

Change Loyal to My Crew to "You're on my crew"


Other possible Aspect names:
"We have done the impossible, and that makes us mighty."
Big Damn Hero
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Offline Baron Hazard

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I can see alot of your points so replies and updates :P

I'm raising about three eyebrows at Mal's low Presence, Conviction, and Intimidation.

They've only ever dealt with horses once or twice in the show so I question the necessity of the Animal Handler stunt. Generally it seems like Mal does so-so when he gets in an actual fist fight, so I'd bump that down. So I'd swap Footwork (Fists) for something else, perhaps a similar stunt except for Guns.

Unfortunately the breakdown of stats sometimes makes it difficult to accurately portray someone like this, I may agree to bump Fists down a notch, and probably bump his Conviction up. If I bump his guns down at all, I'd have to definitely give him some sort of stunt for it.

As for the Horses, Mal was raised on a horse-ranch on shadow, that was something that might not be required for the character but certainly true to history and something I certainly am going to keep.

I'd vote for "I aim to Misbehave" to be an aspect, one of his more famous/most used quotes.

I'd also argue for giving him some Drive along with the Pilot Stunt, he's not as good as Wash but he's Serenity's secondary pilot. I'd also give him a couple Guns stunts, at the very least a Guns version of Killer Blow (several times he's just went bam and solved a problem).

Bah! I knew there was something I was planning on using as I was falling asleep last night as an aspect that i couldn't quite call up this morning "I aim to misbehave" and "Big Damn Hero" were two of those.

Actually bandied back and forth between "You're On My Crew" and "Loyal To My Crew" I opted to prefer the latter as a generic easily read by anyone while "You're on my crew" would require more details onto what that entailed and how it could be used. But that was where "Loyal To My Crew" Started.

I disagree with "I have a way,  is that better than a plan?" as being a better alternative to Man of Honor in a Den of Thieves" however it is certainly an alternate aspect that would work great, there are a ton of aspects that could have been included. And it also certainly is one that might be swapped too. i can certainly see those two swapping at a major milestone later in the show.

Malcolm Reynolds
High Concept: Browncoat Captain of Serenity
Trouble: Things Don’t Go Smooth
Other Aspects: Big Damn Hero; I Aim To Misbehave; Loyal To My Crew (alt: You're On My Crew); Epic Wiseass; Man Of Honor in a Den of Thieves

opted to drop "Served in Serenity Valley as it could easily be rolled in with his High Concept and the naming of the Ship, on top of the other more obvious implications.

Skills
Superb (+5): Conviction
Great (+4): Presence, Guns
Good (+3): Fists , Contacts,  Endurance
Fair (+2): Athletics, Burglary, Deceit, Alertness
Average (+1): Survival, Stealth, Rapport, Intimidation, Weapons

His skill Breakdown had been bothering me, but its just one of those things where he'd have some more skills than really a submerged level character might, of course he also definitely improves on these as the show goes on, and later in the movie... however thats the point of a starting character yes? lol. Adjusted abit, swapped presence and fists. also juggled his endurance down, while i find it one of Mal's defining characteristics, his ability to take a whole world of hurt, I also feel that his two endurance stunts more than make up for the drop.

Stunts
Animal Handler (Survival) Horses
Weight of Reputation (Presence)
Leadership (Presence)
Infuriate (Intimidation)
No Pain, No Gain (Endurance)
Tough Stuff (Endurance)
Ear To The Ground (Contacts)
Footwork (Fists)
Dead-shot (Guns): As per Killer Blow (Fists).

Adjusted Refresh: 3

Items of Note: Mal carries his service pistol from the Unification War (weapon: 2) otherwise he usually wears the long “browncoat” that instantly identifies him as an Independent to any war veteran.

lol, I got owned up there. teach me to just whip something up while half asleep ;)

I am curious on any further comments. anywho, onward and upward :P Someone stat out Inara ;)

Offline John Galt

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I think your revised edition is much better and much closer to how Mal would actually be statted in a Dresdenverse.  I'd stat out Inara if I had the PDF's.  Instead I'll just try to add helpful criticisms based on my knowledge of Firefly.  I'll offer some preemptive suggestions though for statting out Inara.

Offline Mal_Luck

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I like the updated Mal better.

I'm working on a character at the moment, but I might take a crack at River or Kaylee later. Hell, I may take a crack at a lot of people...

Maybe make a special note that all Firefly characters are fluent in both English and Chinese  ;)

I'd still lobby to swap Stealth for Driving and give him the Pilot Stunt, which might give him an equivalent Fair or Good Driving... Which Wash's would be Fantastic or Epic with the Pilot Stunt.
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Offline Esoteric Wombat

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...I might take a crack at River or Kaylee later...

*blink*
I don't have time to start a full write up now, but River has Cassandra's Tears. Maybe it's obvious to someone else, but it was a little epiphany for me. Apart from that it really depends what point in the series you're stating her at. If it's after/during the movie then you would have to have the whole
(click to show/hide)
bit, which could be represented by slightly modified shape shifting.

Possible aspects include
"Two by two, hands of blue"
"No power in the 'verse can stop me"
"It's just an object. It doesn't mean what you think"
"My food is problematic"
and my personal favorite "The human body can be drained of blood in 8.6 seconds given adequate vacuuming systems"

Playing a River character is perfectly possible, it would just require lots and lots of compels  ;D

Offline Mal_Luck

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"I can kill you with my brain."
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Offline Esoteric Wombat

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I don't know how I missed that one...

Offline KOFFEYKID

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If you stat out Sheperd Book, one of his aspects should be "Too Much Hair!"

Offline John Galt

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Inara Serra

Template: Pure Mortal

High Concept: Renegade Companion

Trouble Aspect: Companion in Love

Skills
Superb: Performance
Great: Deceit, Rapport
Good: Empathy, Alertness, Presence
Fair: Contacts, Weapons, Discipline, Athletics
Average: Driving, Resources, Conviction, Stealth, Scholarship

Stunts: I know just the guy, Takes one to know one, Make up artist, The Social Graces, Impersonator, Pointed Performance, Sex Appeal

Aspects: Former Head of the Companion Class, Firefly Crew, I Go By Ambassador, She's Good; I'm Better
« Last Edit: May 19, 2010, 07:11:41 PM by John Galt »

Offline John Galt

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The Operative

Template: Pure Mortal

High Concept: Council Operative

Trouble Aspect: You Cannot Make Me Angry

Stunts: On My Toes, Too Fast to Hit, Ears to the Ground, Calm Blue Ocean, Hit a Nerve, Redirected Force, The Weight of Reputation

Skills
Superb: Discipline
Great: Fists, Alertness
Good: Presence, Resources, Endurance
Fair: Contacts, Conviction, Deceit, Weapons
Average: Investigation, Athletics, Might, Rapport, Scholarship

Aspects: Open Palm Technique, I am a Monster, We're Building a Better World, What Do You Think You're Going to Accomplish Here?