Using DFRPG to model Alera

[Save_vs_DM]

So, I'm making my way through the Codex Alera (almost done with Book 5, so please avoid book 6 spoilers!) and I really have a hankering to run a game in that setting. It seems to me that the DF RPG would work pretty well. But I wanted to get some feedback and suggestions as well.

Races

• Humans: Are the only ones who get access to Furycrafting. (I'm ignoring the Icemen for now, as they seem too insular to really use in a game.)
• Marat: I'm gonna give them Echoes of the Beast as a default. Depending on totem they might get extra abilities as well. Will require a high concept. They might also need a few custom powers for the beast bonding.
• Canes: Are gonna be a bit spendier, I think. Default warriors seem to get Inhuman Strength and Hulking Size, with Wizard's Constitution to represent the long lifespan. I'm on the fence in regards to Inhuman Speed. They should also likely get Pack Instincts and probably Echoes of the Beast (Wolf) as well.
• Actually, come to think of it, I think I'm gonna have to come up with a generic "Enhanced Senses" power to represent the keener senses of the Marat and Canim. Probably 1 refresh and a blanket +1 to Alertness rolls.

Furycrafting

• Fortunately the rules are more or less already created for me. Crafters of a Citizens power use Evocation and most folks just have Channeling. Elements are obvious (Air, Earth, Fire, Metal, Wood, Water). I'll likely need a lot of rotes for most of the common stuff.
• I'm uncertain if certain crafters should have access to the Inhuman line of modifiers. It seems to me that Earthcrafters might be able to snag both Inhuman Toughness and Inhuman Strength, and metalcrafters could claim the same.
• I think I might need to mod the spellcasting rules for generic fury use. Most of the internal stuff should probably not cost you a minimum of 1 stress.
• Modeling the furies themselves is gonna be tougher. I think I might be able to snag the Minion stunts from Spirit of the Century as a basis. Then again, I wonder if they could just be modeled on a creative application of basic furycrafting.

Other Thoughts

• The skill list is almost perfect as is. About the only change needs to be swapping Archery for Guns. Driving should probably also be swapped for Riding. Mostly it's just cosmetic changes.
• I'm thinking about completely dropping the Catch requirement, that or expanding it into a general "weakness" style power. After all, most kinds of crafting can be disrupted by an opposite element, such as salt disrupting a windcrafter. Seems to me that you should be getting some refresh back for that.

So, any other thoughts? Any of you guys want to help me develop this further?

[ways and means]

Air crafters could get the -1 power flight as a result of thier aircrafting and some of the speed powers for example the High Lord would probably have mythic speed when flying.

[sinker]

• I think I might need to mod the spellcasting rules for generic fury use. Most of the internal stuff should probably not cost you a minimum of 1 stress.

Haven't actually picked up the Alera books yet, but you could likely do something about this with sponsor debt. Don't know if that actually fits the feel though.

[MijRai]

I wrote out a pretty comprehensive chart for Furycrafting a while back. If I find it, I'll link it.

[Save_vs_DM]

I wrote out a pretty comprehensive chart for Furycrafting a while back. If I find it, I'll link it.

That would be enormously helpful!

[Sanctaphrax]

Inhuman powers are definitely appropriate for crafters.

Minor effects are already allowed without any mental stress taken.

Enhanced senses can be modeled by Echoes Of The Beast, high Alertness, and maybe some stunts. No need for a custom power.

[MijRai]

Here we go: http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,20646.0.html

[Ezra]

Inhuman powers are definitely appropriate for crafters.

I disagree. DFRPG recommends against taking powers you can as easily duplicate with your casting. Allow (say) Earthcrafters to cast spells giving themselves temporary aspects like (say) "Stone Strength," with the methods and speed of evocation (or of thaumaturgy, for a barn-raising). Tag to do extra damage, or lift things, or whatever you can think of Strength as helping with. Compel to lose access when lifted off the ground.

Similarly, an Aircrafter could cast a spell for a temporary flying aspect, taggable to attack from another direction or to chase over difficult terrain. Salt attacks are a compel to fall.

More broadly, counter-elemental attacks can be modeled as a compel against the furycrafting aspect. If (say) Amara is buried in sand, she loses access to her furycraft and gains a Fate Point. (If instead she bought off the compel, perhaps the person burying her would forget to dust her face, and she'd retain access to her fury.)

[Tedronai]

I disagree. DFRPG recommends against taking powers you can as easily duplicate with your casting. Allow (say) Earthcrafters to cast spells giving themselves temporary aspects like (say) "Stone Strength," with the methods and speed of evocation (or of thaumaturgy, for a barn-raising). Tag to do extra damage, or lift things, or whatever you can think of Strength as helping with. Compel to lose access when lifted off the ground.

Unfortunately, unless you're also introducing some way to get a continuous stream of free tags for hours on end while taking no more than maybe a moderate consequence, and without taking any breaks, this method just isn't going to cut it for keeping with the Alera fiction.

Can you duplicate incredible strength, or flying, or emotion-reading, etc. with spells?  Sure.  Can you do it with sufficient ease, reliability, and stamina not to break with the fiction?  Not a chance.

[EldritchFire]

For furycrafting, why not use Modular Abilities? IIRC, they had to divide their attention between the different facets of crafting. Also, it does take some time to "activate" their crafting-enhanced abilities.

-EF

[Save_vs_DM]

For furycrafting, why not use Modular Abilities? IIRC, they had to divide their attention between the different facets of crafting. Also, it does take some time to "activate" their crafting-enhanced abilities.

-EF

That's not a bad idea, either. However, the more I think about it, the more I realize that Aleran furycraft is a bit longer lasting than Dresden Evocation. More and more I'm thinking that while Evocation is a great thing to base things on, it needs to be changed to suit the way the magic works in the world.

The one reason I don't want to use Inhuman ___ powers to model this is that the Aleran's don't always have access to them. A Cane is always stronger than a human - but an earthcrafter is only strong when he's in contact on the earth and using a modicum of will to channel his fury. A subtle but important distinction.

[MijRai]

That's not a bad idea, either. However, the more I think about it, the more I realize that Aleran furycraft is a bit longer lasting than Dresden Evocation. More and more I'm thinking that while Evocation is a great thing to base things on, it needs to be changed to suit the way the magic works in the world.

The one reason I don't want to use Inhuman ___ powers to model this is that the Aleran's don't always have access to them. A Cane is always stronger than a human - but an earthcrafter is only strong when he's in contact on the earth and using a modicum of will to channel his fury. A subtle but important distinction.

You just add a +0 Catch, in my opinion.

[Sanctaphrax]

Perhaps a Human Form variant could model the availability of crafting powers. The Human Form power is +1 for the shapeshifting requirement and +1 for a special condition. I don't think that adding the special condition without the shapeshifting would break anything.

Regardless, trying to simulate these effects with spells is totally hopeless. So we can't do that.