Statting the Einherjar

[MijRai]

Pretty obvious question here. How would a person stat an Einherjar, besides having very high guns, fists, weapons, discipline, athletics, endurance, contacts, and resources skills? Ever-living warriors have those kinds of skills.

Possibly Inhuman Recovery (I dunno what their Catch would be), definitely some Stunts, and after that I do not know.

Seeing the Einherjar armory, you know they have weapon 3s and 4s on hand, and training on how to use them out the kazoo.

[Morgan]

I've been contemplating an Einherjar myself and here's what I've been thinking as far as some powers.

Einherjar Powers:
Living Dead [-1]
Human Guise [-0]
The Catch [-0] (Massive Trauma) They really don't have any mythic weakness, the can just get killed each day and then revive each night. So I'm tempted to just have their catch be massive trauma, once you've killed them they're dead especially when they are on Midgard/Earth.
Inhuman Toughness [-2]
Inhuman Recovery [-2]

[Deadmanwalking]

I probably wouldn't give them Living Dead, and might replace Inhuman Toughness with Inhuman Strength, but other than that Morgan's looks about like mine would. I might also figure out an appropriate Catch instead of dropping the Toughness.

[GruffAndTumble]

Of all the Catches I would consider, possibly the least likely would be massive trauma. The Einherjar used to make a daily game out of killing and dismembering each other, before going back to that pig made of infinite bacon for lunch. I forget what it was called. I think there was a cow that made mead inside its udders too, but that's hardly relevant.

I would probably give the Einherjar Supernatural or Mythic Recovery, but with the Catch of "In Valhalla." It's a pretty harsh Catch, and would make the power all but useless--in the normal ways one thinks about using it. Consider the discount provided by such a harsh Catch (I'd place it at +5) makes it possible to buy Mythic Recovery for almost nothing. Then remember that the Uberghouls are listed in OW as being functionally immortal--not even massive trauma from Holy Hand Grenades will cut it. What this means is that an Einheriar is not much scarier than a Pure Mortal in combat--he'll have less Fate Points, but will balance this out with a plethora of combat-related Aspects to invoke and high Skills--but he is almost impossible to permanently put down. If his comrades manage to bring back so much as as his severed head or shattered femur to Valhalla, he's coming back. And he's probably very, very angry at you.

[Morgan]

What I meant by massive trauma wasn't the Ghouls keep coming back from everything meaning. What I meant by it is that essentially they don't have any special catch, if you do enough damage to kill them then you kill them. Which might be tough given their recovery and toughness, but not impossible. Hopefully they died with a sword in their hand so they can go back to Valhalla.

On that note one possibility I've been thinking is maybe making their Catch to make their Toughness and Recovery only apply when they have a sword in their hand, to tie it in to how they got to go to Valhalla and be einherjar in the first place. But that does seem to go a bit counter to some of the stuff in Changes.

Though the only in Valhalla idea is a really cool catch idea. But to me it would really depend on the power level, and defining what you want them to be in your game, that would really determine how you might go about designing einherjar. I was going for a fairly low level, semi immortal warrior type, with some spooky walking dead man undertones.

[Archangel62]

I remember Bob mentioning in the margins of the books that valkyries were less supernatural beings and more regular people with really good perks. Maybe the Einherjar are the male equivalent?

[Crion]

From what I know of Norse Mythology, the Einherjar are just mortals who fell in battle and were taken to Valhalla to act as the foot soldier when Ragnarok approaches. By myth, they're just regular people who are just really tough and really brave.

In the Dresdenverse, from what we have seen of them, they really do just seem like your typical mortal. . .only they've died at least once a day for the past X years, and are going to be expert combatants in their preferred weapon set and have learned how to be skilled with new weapons. With how they are portrayed, I can only see them as your top-notch warrior with older ideals, but with practice equivalent of a few mortal lifetimes.

With that in mind, I'd personally side a bit with GruffAndTumble, tacking on an uber-Catch on Mythic Recovery to make them regenerate only in Valhalla or by the assistance of a Valkyrie. I can warrant the acquisition of other powers due to age, skill, and now being (technically) dead.

Again, just my thought of things.

Random question, though: what sparked the conversation? Just curious to make some Einherjar on the side as a just-in-case, or do you have an Honest-To-Odin Valkyrie at your table?

[MijRai]

From what I know of Norse Mythology, the Einherjar are just mortals who fell in battle and were taken to Valhalla to act as the foot soldier when Ragnarok approaches. By myth, they're just regular people who are just really tough and really brave.

In the Dresdenverse, from what we have seen of them, they really do just seem like your typical mortal. . .only they've died at least once a day for the past X years, and are going to be expert combatants in their preferred weapon set and have learned how to be skilled with new weapons. With how they are portrayed, I can only see them as your top-notch warrior with older ideals, but with practice equivalent of a few mortal lifetimes.

With that in mind, I'd personally side a bit with GruffAndTumble, tacking on an uber-Catch on Mythic Recovery to make them regenerate only in Valhalla or by the assistance of a Valkyrie. I can warrant the acquisition of other powers due to age, skill, and now being (technically) dead.

Again, just my thought of things.

Random question, though: what sparked the conversation? Just curious to make some Einherjar on the side as a just-in-case, or do you have an Honest-To-Odin Valkyrie at your table?

My character is the son of Odin, and another guy is the son of Ymir (Odin's grandfather). My Contacts and Resources skill should let me bring them into battle when neccessary, which it will be (the game is -18 refresh).

[Crion]

My character is the son of Odin, and another guy is the son of Ymir (Odin's grandfather). My Contacts and Resources skill should let me bring them into battle when neccessary, which it will be (the game is -18 refresh).

So, you are basically doing the "hiring" aspect instead of the find/create/become side of things, correct?

In any case, there are two things to remember: Every Einherjar is different, and the age of the Einherjar will matter. And also note that the Einherjar were warriors in the first place, so whatever they had before their death should carry over (to a point, of course; I don't think many Knights of the Cross would be Chosen and become Einherjar).

In the build I would use, a "new" Einherjar (from the 1900's-today) should have that aforementioned Mythic Recovery approach (i.e. recover from anything while in "Valhalla" or with the aid of a Valkyrie), and above average Discipline, Conviction, Endurance, and the combat skill(s) of their choice. At most, I'd tack on more Inhuman power on top of whatever else they may have.

Older Einherjar would be like wine and get better with age. The might get better with their preferred combat methods, but it is hard when you were already considered one of the best. Instead, I can see them "evolving" their methods of combat, especially

(click to show/hide)

after seeing that museum-like armory in Changes, where Harry saw an evolution in combat methods, starting from old spears, moving through black powder muskets and grenades, and into super-advanced military equipment

. Give them the same Mythic Recovery, perhaps add on a Toughness power without the same Catch, and have no less than one Inhuman power onto the list.

Again, just my thoughts, do with them as you will.