Author Topic: Social Tank  (Read 5855 times)

Offline MijRai

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Re: Social Tank
« Reply #15 on: October 06, 2010, 08:01:13 PM »
If you want some powers, I suggest one thing: Emissary of Power. You get +1 to ALL social rolls when the target is in the know. Now, you'd have to fit it in, but that isn't always difficult (or easy, to be honest).

Also, I wouldn't add dodging to Presence. It doesn't fit. Maybe add it to Deceit ('Feint' or 'Now You See Me...'), but not Presence.
Don't make me drop a turkey on you...

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Tbora

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Re: Social Tank
« Reply #16 on: October 07, 2010, 05:33:25 PM »
Here is my character build I would like some opinions on it.

The concept behind the character is a rich and powerful politician that is in the know.

Quote
Skills

(+5) Superb: Contacts
(+4) Great: Resources, Presence, Rapport
(+3) Good: Discipline, Empathy, Deceit
(+2) Fair: Guns, Alertness, Weapons
(+1) Average: Fists, Driving, Intimidation

Stunts/Powers

[-1] Feint – Just when they think they caught you they thought wrong. The Dodge trapping is moved to Deceit.

[-2] Disciplined Body And Mind – Your control of self is perfect. Your Mental and Physical stress tracks are determined by your Discipline.

[-1] Wealth Beyond Imagination – When buying something that is perceived as difficult to acquire or incredibly expensive add +2 to your Resources.

[-1] Absolute Authority – You are used to being in charge and have lots of authority. When acting in a known position of power add +2 to your Contacts.

[-1] The Weight Of Reputation – As of the Book.

[-1] Lush Lifestyle – As of the Book.

[-1] Windfall – As of the Book.

[-1] Paranoid? Probaby - As of the Book.

[+2] Pure Mortal Rebate

Remaining Refresh: 3

Stress Tracks:

Mental: OOOO
Physical: OOOO
Social: OOOO

The -2 Stunts Disciplined Mind and Body is simply two stunts combined for the sake of ease.Its perfectly in accordance with the rules and if necessary for you nitpickers I can separate them into two different stunts.
« Last Edit: October 08, 2010, 01:58:57 AM by Tbora »

Offline luminos

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Re: Social Tank
« Reply #17 on: October 07, 2010, 07:09:41 PM »
Drop Conviction (or else, why do you have a stunt that lets discipline fill its most vital purpose?), Drop either weapons or fists, and drop athletics.  Then bump either Rapport or Deceit up by one rank. 

As it is, this character isn't really much of a social tank, but more of heavy social support.  You need a social skill that can attack and defend reliably before you can call it a tank.  Rapport is the best for this, but Deceit is pretty useful as well. 

As is, your character will do awesome at gathering information and supplies, but be somewhat lackluster at winning big arguments, or convincing important people to do as he says.  He'll still be better at these things than most PC's, but he could get stomped on when facing an NPC that specializes in social conflict (like pretty much every Sidhe out there).

Some of your stunts seem a bit wishy-washy, but I'll pass those over.  It'll be whichever GM you have's job to focus the stunts towards whats appropriate for whatever game he ends up in.
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Tbora

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Re: Social Tank
« Reply #18 on: October 08, 2010, 02:03:35 AM »
I updated the build with your suggestions Luminos, and I added the stunt Paranoid? Probably to boost my ability to not get killed by an ambush.

And the point of Contacts as an Apex skill is to represent his position as a United States Senator and a powerful and influential one at that.The point is so I can roll Contacts to send in a SWAT Team if I so desire, call in an Airstrike, or (supplimented by Resources) hire mercs to be bodyguards or whatever I need them for.I am going to hire Kincaid for a couple scenes if he so lets me ;)
« Last Edit: October 08, 2010, 02:24:49 AM by Tbora »

Offline toturi

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Re: Social Tank
« Reply #19 on: October 08, 2010, 02:31:04 AM »
This guy is presumably a Pure Mortal. The advantage of a Pure Mortal is that he has 2 more Refresh, but is limited to taking only stunts. Powers that overlap with stunts are often more cost efficient, thus get those stunts that are not replicated by a Power. Having a possible massively large pool of Fate Points without being heavily compelled is the Pure Mortal's competitive edge.

When I build a Pure Mortal, I take only 2 stunts and leave the rest as Fate points and have as many heavily positive Aspects as I can. Optimally, he should be left with only the Trouble to compel the character. So while the GM is left with little to compel my character with, my character still has a large pool of Fate points to alpha strike when he deems it necessary.

My opinion would be to try to drop as many stunts as you can to free up Fate Points. Go into Social Full Defense and then... unload the heavy ordance once you have lined up the Aspects. One single knockout hit to overwhelm the 4th social stress point and overflow the consequences. Rapport (possibly modified by Resources) + 10 invoked/tagged Aspects. Maybe the no-stat fellas can take that hit.
With your laws of magic, wizards would pretty much just be helpless carebears who can only do magic tricks. - BumblingBear

Tbora

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Re: Social Tank
« Reply #20 on: October 08, 2010, 03:10:17 AM »
Compels are what make games interesting, why is lack of compels a good thing?

Truth by told I will be self compelling his aspect Natural Born Politician as often as possible for Fate Point generation

Offline toturi

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Re: Social Tank
« Reply #21 on: October 08, 2010, 04:03:45 AM »
Compels are what make games interesting, why is lack of compels a good thing?

Truth by told I will be self compelling his aspect Natural Born Politician as often as possible for Fate Point generation
Self-compelling is good because you are in control of the timing, you can self-compel to catch your GM flatfooted, you do it when you are ready but your GM is not.

I do not think that compels themselves make games interesting. Compels are simply a tool, it can also be used to make the game a pain and a drain on your resources.
With your laws of magic, wizards would pretty much just be helpless carebears who can only do magic tricks. - BumblingBear

Tbora

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Re: Social Tank
« Reply #22 on: October 08, 2010, 11:26:55 AM »
True - but your being paid for such pains its not as if you are not getting anything for it.

Same thing for when you concede with the number of consequences you are forced to take.

Offline HobbitGuy1420

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Re: Social Tank
« Reply #23 on: October 08, 2010, 02:34:33 PM »
I think quibbling over whether it's you or the GM who's doing the compelling creates an antagonistic (or at least oppositional) relationship that I feel shouldn't be there in DFRPG.  this is a collaborative game.  The GM and the player both should want the same thing - an interesting story.

my opinion, at least.

Tbora

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Re: Social Tank
« Reply #24 on: October 08, 2010, 02:39:49 PM »
I think quibbling over whether it's you or the GM who's doing the compelling creates an antagonistic (or at least oppositional) relationship that I feel shouldn't be there in DFRPG.  this is a collaborative game.  The GM and the player both should want the same thing - an interesting story.

my opinion, at least.

This sums up my own thoughts to a T.

Offline toturi

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Re: Social Tank
« Reply #25 on: October 11, 2010, 02:40:11 AM »
True - but your being paid for such pains its not as if you are not getting anything for it.

Same thing for when you concede with the number of consequences you are forced to take.
But the point is not whether you are being paid for it or not. It is whether you are ready for it, or not.
The GM and the player both should want the same thing - an interesting story.
But what makes an interesting story may be different from person to person. Which is why the player has the ability to buy off compels with Fate points.
With your laws of magic, wizards would pretty much just be helpless carebears who can only do magic tricks. - BumblingBear

Tbora

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Re: Social Tank
« Reply #26 on: October 11, 2010, 02:54:57 PM »
Here is my updated build.

Quote
Character Name: Nathan McTeir
High Concept: Fae Raised Politician
Background: Nathan was born into an extremely powerful and influential family. Consequentially he went to all the best schools, wore the best clothes, and generally lived better then pretty much anyone you care to name. What was generally not known to most however is that his family going back atleast five generations has been really close to the Summer Court. From the day he was born he had the sidhe coming and going to his house as often as you please. It is they who really taught him how to deal with others and become the politician he is today.
Phase Aspect: Born Of Wealth and Privilege

Rising Action: In fact he even went to Harvard Law School and graduated with top honors, which he then used combined with his family’s power to become a politician of notable power. During his time in school he made lots of friends with his natural charisma including several future judges, top ranking officials in the Pentagon, and even the current President of the United States. Of coarse one can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs and while he definitely made friends he also gathered his fair share of enemies, mostly being upper members of the FBI and a handful of Congressmen. They would be there to make trouble for him for years to come.
Phase Aspect: Friends (And Enemies) In High Places

Rising Conflict: Friends (And Enemies) In High Places
Guest Starring:  Billy Goat's Got my Back
Guest Starring Redux:  Trolls... Why'd It Have to be Trolls!?
Group Adventure: Cause I'm a … Suuuuper Genius!

Skills

(+5) Superb: Contacts, Rapport
(+4) Great: Resources, Presence
(+3) Good: Discipline, Deceit
(+2) Fair: Empathy, Guns, Alertness
(+1) Average: Lore, Stealth, Fists, Weapons, Fist

Powers/Stunts
[-1] Feint - Just when they think they caught you they thought wrong. The Dodge trapping is moved to Deceit.
[-2] Disciplined Body And Mind - Your control of self is perfect. Your Mental and Physical stress tracks are determined by your Discipline.
[-1] Wealth Beyond Imagination - When buying something that is perceived as difficult to acquire or incredibly expensive add +2 to your Resources.
[-1] Lush Lifestyle -  As of the Book.
[-1] The Boss -  People do what you say. Add a new trapping to contacts, called Employment. You may use this trapping to find obedient subordinates when you take this stunt.
[-1] Minions - You have some loyal henchmen. You may use your Contacts to declare that they are present at any time, with a difficulty determined by the situation and the quality of your henchmen.
[-1] Good Employees Are Easy To Find – You Have a knack for finding talented and skillful subordinates. Add two to your Contacts skill when attempting to get new employees.
[-1] Look At This From My Perspective - You are a master of getting people to see things from your point of view.Add +2 to your Rapport when trying to get people to agree with you.
[-1] Master Of Small Talk - You are a master of Small Talk.Add +2 to your Rapport skill when using the Social Defense Trapping.
[+2] Pure Mortal Rebate

Remaining Refresh: 1

Stress Track:

Mental: OOOO
Physical: OOOO
Social: OOOO

« Last Edit: October 11, 2010, 11:29:02 PM by Tbora »

Tbora

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Re: Social Tank
« Reply #27 on: October 11, 2010, 07:19:27 PM »
Can I get some feedback on this latest incarnation of this character?

Offline Sanctaphrax

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Re: Social Tank
« Reply #28 on: October 11, 2010, 09:26:41 PM »
Well, the character looks pretty good, and it makes me happy to see someone using stunts from the Homebrew Stunts thread. But there are a few things that could be improved.

1. You have only spent 34 of the 35 skill points available to you.

2. The Social Defense trapping is already part of the Rapport skill, so the Defense Via Small Talk stunt is unecessary.

3. There are a few typos. There is no apostrophe in "employees", there should be a space after the first period in the description of the Master Of Small Talk and Defence Via Small Talk stunts, and the word "have" should not be capitalized in the description of the Good Employees Are Easy To Find stunt.

4. I don't think that 'Coersionist" is a good name for a stunt. Not only does it sound violent and brutal, it's spelled oddly and might not even be a word.

5. "As of the Book" is an ugly phrase and I'm not sure that the word "book" ought to be capitalized. It's clear what you mean, though.

6. It is not clear what the Wealth Beyond Imagination stunt applies to.

7. There should only be one space between Lore and Stealth in your skill list.

Alright, that's enough nitpicking. Now for some ordinary advice. You have a lot of stunts and not much refresh. I would probably drop Disciplined Body and Mind and buy Conviction and Endurance at Average.

PS: Do you mind if I steal some of your stunts for the Homebrew Stunts thread?

Tbora

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Re: Social Tank
« Reply #29 on: October 11, 2010, 09:33:27 PM »
1) Go ahead and steal the stunts for the Homebrew Stunts thread, and actually

2) Social Defense is apart of Empathy, its not listed as a part of Rapport which is why I have the stunt there.

3) What would you recommend in place of Coersionist?

4.) Will fix those in next draft.

5) *rolls eyes*

6) Adds +2 for the Buying Things trapping of Resources.

7) Will fix that next draft.