Characters & Creatures from the Nightside

[Deadmanwalking]

Minor Points of Disagreement:

Razor Eddie clearly has Supernatural Speed. He can do things that are so far beyond Inhuman it's silly. I'd drop On My Toes and make him a -13 Refresh character to give it to him.

Deadboy clearly has Inhuman Speed. It's even referenced several times that he moves faster than humanly possible. Also, that's an AWFUL Catch and worth at least +2 (for being universally usable) and possibly +3 (for being able to be researched...which it might be). Luckily, these two issues cancel each other out airly effectively.

[luminos]

I've only read the first nightside book, but Razor Eddie seems to be a lot more powerful than that write-up makes him.  He kills a whole bunch of harrowing almost effortlessly and you don't even see him while it happens.

[JosephKell]

Minor Points of Disagreement:

Razor Eddie clearly has Supernatural Speed. He can do things that are so far beyond Inhuman it's silly. I'd drop On My Toes and make him a -13 Refresh character to give it to him.

Deadboy clearly has Inhuman Speed. It's even referenced several times that he moves faster than humanly possible. Also, that's an AWFUL Catch and worth at least +2 (for being universally usable) and possibly +3 (for being able to be researched...which it might be). Luckily, these two issues cancel each other out airly effectively.

I actually thought that myself (but I try to walk on the disadvantageous side).  For NPCs that you might face once, it is a pretty solid catch as it doesn't allow a easy early K.O.  But for PCs which have to carry consequences over it is harder.

But as to its "universal usability," the player (or GM) decides when to start taking consequences.  And I will admit that once this Deadboy takes a Moderate (or worse) physical consequence, he is taken out if he has any of his extra boxes filled.

As to the speed, I was trying to keep the refresh cost down.  But yeah, I agree that he is supposed to be faster than that

What do you guys think about a Toughness for Eddie with a catch of "Never benefits from Armor"?

[Deadmanwalking]

I've only read the first nightside book, but Razor Eddie seems to be a lot more powerful than that write-up makes him.  He kills a whole bunch of harrowing almost effortlessly and you don't even see him while it happens.

These are clearly VERY low-end versions of the characters listed. As stated in the first post, their actual power levels as of even the first book are much higher than this (never mind what they've gotten to after 10+ books). They're often not readily stattable in the Dresden Files system otherwise.

[JosephKell]

These are clearly VERY low-end versions of the characters listed. As stated in the first post, their actual power levels as of even the first book are much higher than this (never mind what they've gotten to after 10+ books). They're often not readily stattable in the Dresden Files system otherwise.

Of course not.  The entire series is more of deus ex machina.

Simon R. Green demonstrates absolutely not respect for universe continuity or any sort of stable "metaphysics."  It is a "Rule of Cool" setting.

I almost made the future car aspect include "hovering is the new rotating rims"

[Deadmanwalking]

Oh, I wasn't complaining. 

I honestly think this 'low-end' version is the only way to do these characters in the Dresden Files system for all the reasons you state and a few more.

[JosephKell]

Oh, I wasn't complaining. 

I honestly think this 'low-end' version is the only way to do these characters in the Dresden Files system for all the reasons you state and a few more.

I was agreeing.  Honestly, The Nightside would probably be a crazy high refresh game where characters are (1) expected to spend as little refresh cost as possible and (2) are allowed to make some pretty insane declarations.

A friend of mine said that his next DFRPG character was going to be a pure mortal with no stunts so that he could have as many fate points as possible (and therefore make a lot of declarations).

The weakened Revenant is a template I am going to offer to my group.

[vultur]

Minor Points of Disagreement:

Razor Eddie clearly has Supernatural Speed. He can do things that are so far beyond Inhuman it's silly. I'd drop On My Toes and make him a -13 Refresh character to give it to him.

I think his battle with the Walking Man in Just Another Judgment Day demonstrates Mythic Speed. Frankly, I'd make him a far more powerful character (Mythic Speed, Supernatural Recovery/Toughness/Strength). If JosephKell doesn't mind, I'll post my own version...

Deadboy clearly has Inhuman Speed. It's even referenced several times that he moves faster than humanly possible. Also, that's an AWFUL Catch and worth at least +2 (for being universally usable) and possibly +3 (for being able to be researched...which it might be). Luckily, these two issues cancel each other out airly effectively.

I'm not sure that catch entirely represents how his toughness works in the books; he really doesn't seem to *have* one, except certain kinds of magic. I'd give him +0 (unknown) Catch and thus -11 refresh; otherwise those stats (the current version with Inhuman Speed added) are very close to what I had in mind.

Yes, I intended a low-end version, but I think Razor Eddie really is that powerful even compared to other Nightside beings... he seems to come in only beneath the really top-tier entities like Lilith and the Lord of Thorns.

[JosephKell]

I think his battle with the Walking Man in Just Another Judgment Day demonstrates Mythic Speed. Frankly, I'd make him a far more powerful character (Mythic Speed, Supernatural Recovery/Toughness/Strength). If JosephKell doesn't mind, I'll post my own version...

I don't mind.  I was just posting something since I didn't see it yet.

I'm not sure that catch entirely represents how his toughness works in the books; he really doesn't seem to *have* one, except certain kinds of magic. I'd give him +0 (unknown) Catch and thus -11 refresh; otherwise those stats (the current version with Inhuman Speed added) are very close to what I had in mind.

The catch basically represents being torn apart.  A knife (Weapon:1) has a lot of work to effect him (needs 2 effect?).  But once he is sufficiently messed up (say missing a limb or two), it is easier to hack off more bits.  How messed up do you have to be for your character to consider a missing limb a *mild* consequence?

Magic as it works in Your Story can easily clear Armor:2.

Yes, I intended a low-end version, but I think Razor Eddie really is that powerful even compared to other Nightside beings... he seems to come in only beneath the really top-tier entities like Lilith and the Lord of Thorns.

I don't think you need to worry about Razor Eddie being "too powerful" he is pretty clearly an NPC.

Also, I don't feel total refresh cost accurately represents how powerful an NPC or PC is.  Does Worldwalker make Eddie more dangerous once a physical conflict has begun (he is already there)?  While complimenting powers can have an exponential value.  And this doesn't even consider comparing total refresh to skill points.

[vultur]

I don't mind.  I was just posting something since I didn't see it yet.

OK, here you go (I'll use your idea of applying Worldwalker for his Item of Power since they're better than my ideas (or lack thereof)



Razor Eddie
High Concept: Punk God of the Straight Razor
Trouble: Working Off My Sins
Other Aspects: Punish Those Nobody Else Can; Sharpest Razor In The Worlds; Gray Greatcoat; Scariest Agent for the Good; A Smell of Death

Skills:
*Fantastic (+6): Weapons
*Superb (+5): Endurance, Intimidation
*Great (+4): Discipline, Conviction
*Good (+3): Athletics,  Alertness, Survival
*Fair (+2): Burglary, Stealth, Investigation, Contacts, Might
Other skills default to Average.

Powers:
Mythic Speed (-6)
Supernatural Recovery (-4)
Supernatural Strength (-4)
Supernatural Toughness (-4)
     The Catch (+0): unknown
Item of Power (Ivory Hilted Straight Razor) (+2), acts as Weapon:3 and grants Worldwalker & Swift Transition

Stress:
Mental OOOO
Physical OOOO(OOOO) (+1 Mild consequence), Armor:2
Social OOOO

Notes: Razor Eddie's razor, while 'only' inherently Weapon:3, is quite devastating backed up by his Fantastic Weapons and Supernatural Strength.

Total Refresh Cost: -20

The catch basically represenjavascript:void(0);ts being torn apart.  A knife (Weapon:1) has a lot of work to effect him (needs 2 effect?).  But once he is sufficiently messed up (say missing a limb or two), it is easier to hack off more bits.  How messed up do you have to be for your character to consider a missing limb a *mild* consequence?

Ah, yeah -- just in the books, he often gets riddled with bullets to no greater effect than using up more duct tape.

Magic as it works in Your Story can easily clear Armor:2.

Yeah, I was unclear there; I meant stuff like the one time he got hit by an anti-possession spell, which messed him up since he is essentially possessing his own body.

Also, I don't feel total refresh cost accurately represents how powerful an NPC or PC is.  Does Worldwalker make Eddie more dangerous once a physical conflict has begun (he is already there)?  While complimenting powers can have an exponential value.  And this doesn't even consider comparing total refresh to skill points.

All true.

[JosephKell]

Ah, yeah -- just in the books, he often gets riddled with bullets to no greater effect than using up more duct tape.

Let's say Deadboy was getting his by assault rifles (weapon:3) with 0 to 1 effect.  So Stress 3 and 4.  Armor:2 reduces it to 1 and 2 physical stress.

With 8 physical stress boxes, that is going to take a while to build up to the point where he needs to take a consequence.  Once his 1st and 2nd stress boxes are filled, any future 1 or 2 stress is going to roll up to the next one.  The minimum number of hits to take someone out is Hits = 2 + Boxes - (Lowest typical stress hit, after applying armor).  For instance, for Deadboy being attacked by stress 3 (after considering effect) it is 9 (2 + 8 - (3 stress - 2 armor)).  9 SUCCESSFUL attacks.  If it is stress 5 attacks, it takes 7 successful attacks.

Remember, stress isn't hit points.  8 Stress boxes aren't filled up by 8 total stress, it takes 8 hits to fill 8 boxes and being taken out only requires you to go off the track (a single stress 9 can skip the track).

In fact, for Deadboy, having half his hand blown off is probably around stress box #4.  At the end of the scene (when stress goes away) he just picks up wherever fell off and does his best to re-anchor/reattach it.

So while he is getting riddled by bullets and they don't seem to matter, they just don't matter yet.  Compare it to trying to "shoot" a doorway in an interior wall (basically cutting the edge of the hole with bullets).  It will work out eventually, but it will take time.

But I think an anti-possession (dispossession?  exorcism?) spell would actually be defended against by Discipline or Conviction, so toughness powers don't really matter anyway (which confirms why it messed him up).  For him it was like a block on being able to act, and once he beat it he pulled himself back together.

[vultur]

Since I'm reading The Unnatural Inquirer right now...

Max Maxwell
High Concept: The Voodoo Apostate
Trouble: Bite Off More Than I Can Chew
Other Aspects: Power-Hungry; Hardened Criminal; Three Heads Taller Than Everybody Else

Skills:
Great: Lore
Good: Might, Fists, Intimidation
Fair: Conviction, Stealth, Burglary, Discipline, Presence
Other physical skills default to Average, Mediocre otherwise.


Stunts:
Mighty Thews (Might): When determining approximate lifting capacity, Hendricks may consider his Might to be 2 steps higher than its actual rating.


Powers:
Ritual (Loa Summoning) [-2]
Item of Power (Aquarius Key) [-3] (at least): Grants Portal, Swift Transition, Worldwalker (maybe other powers)

Total Refresh Cost: -6

Notes: Essentially a thug with some magical tricks and a strong Item of Power. When Max Maxwell acquired the Aquarius Key, he decided to stop dealing with the loa through the proper rites and instead to seek to control them for his own personal power.


Suzie Shooter
High Concept: Best Bounty Hunter In The Nightside
Trouble: My Inner Demons Are The Only Thing I Can't Kill
Other Aspects: Most Alive When It's Life And Death; Scarred Face, Shadowy Future; Walking Arsenal; [Something Relating to John Taylor]

Skills:
Superb: Guns
Great: Endurance, Investigation
Good: Conviction, Contacts, Athletics
Fair: Alertness, Stealth, Fists, Weapons, Discipline
Other physical skills default to Average, others to Mediocre.


Stunts:
Bounty Hunter (Investigation): +1 to Investigation when trailing a target she has been contracted to hunt

No Pain, No Gain (Endurance): +1 physical mild consequence

Paranoid? Probably. (Alertness): Gains +2 to Alertness when rolling against surprise

Shoot And Move (Guns): When using small firearms (handguns, submachine guns, etc.), penalties to rolls due to her moving are reduced by up to two.

Shotgun Specialist (Guns): +1 to Guns while using shotguns.

Suppressive Fire (Guns): May use Guns to defend against attacks so long as she has a gun in hand.

Target-Rich Environment (Guns): Suzie Shooter gains a +1 to attacks with Guns whenever personally outnumbered in a firefight.

Trick Shot Artist (Guns): When attacking with Guns, +2 on the roll for shots taken at things (not characters), such as ropes holding chandeliers, etc.

Powers:
Inhuman Recovery [-2]
 The Catch [+1]: Silver

Total Refresh Cost: -9

Notes: This represents Suzie post-Paths Not Taken. While no longer considered a pure mortal, she is still one of the least supernatural major Nightside characters. Still, she is incredibly dangerous - her base Superb Guns can go to Legendary under optimal conditions due to stunts, and if an aspect gets added...

I'm not sure what her Aspect relating to John Taylor should be precisely...

Tyrannosaurus rex
High Concept: It's A Tyrannosaurus!!!

Skills:
Superb (+5): Fists, Endurance
Great (+4): Intimidation, Athletics
Good (+3): Alertness, Survival, Might
Other physical skills default to Fair.

Stunts
Dino Charge (Athletics): +2 to Athletics when sprinting in straight lines.

Powers
Claws [–1]
Hulking Size [–2]
Echoes of the Beast [–1]
Mythic Strength [–6]
Supernatural Toughness [–4]

Stress:
Mental oo
Social oo
Physical oooooo(oooo), Armor:2

Total Refresh Cost: -15

Notes
Based on the zombie T-rex stats in Our World, but quite a few things have changed since this one's alive. Slightly less tough than a zombie tyrannosaur.

[Deadmanwalking]

Suzie absolutely requires a better Dodge skill than you've given her, either through a high Athletics or a Stunt allowing her to use Guns to dodge.

[vultur]

Suzie absolutely requires a better Dodge skill than you've given her, either through a high Athletics or a Stunt allowing her to use Guns to dodge.

Yeah, don't know why I didn't give her high Athletics, oops ... Now it's Great.

The minor demons from The Pit:

High Concept: Minor Demon
Other Aspects: Musclebound Brute; Hungry for Suffering

Skills:
Great: Might, Fists
Good: Athletics, Endurance, Intimidation
Fair: Alertness, Presence, Survival
Other physical skills default to Average, others to Mediocre.

Powers:
Claws [-1]
Incite Emotion: Pain [-1]
Inhuman Toughness [-2]
Inhuman Recovery [-2]
  The Catch [+2]: Holy items (applies to both of the above)
Inhuman Strength [-2]
Pack Instincts [-1]

Stress:
Physical OOO(OO), Armor:1
Mental OO
Social OO

Total Refresh Cost: -7

Notes: This is a very weak demon. Almost any sort of demon might turn up in the Nightside; for a more powerful demon, upgrade the Toughness, Strength, and/or Recovery to Supernatural, give it Wings or Venomous Claws, or any of many other possible upgrades. Less pack- or mob-oriented demons will lack Pack Instincts. Some may lack any Incite Emotion; others will use it to incite despair or (for succubi and the like) lust.

[Deadmanwalking]

Actually it's only Good...and I'd replace Shoot First (which, BTW, she rarely does) with Suppressive Fire (May use the Guns skill to defend against attacks as long as she has a gun in hand.) She should be a combat goddess. Just ridiculously good. Heck, I'd replace Wanted-Dead, with Shotgun Specialist (granting +1 Guns with shotguns). That'd give her a Fantstic attack and defense all the damn time...or at least as long as she has a shotgun.