How would you stat this up? (No GS Spoilers please!)

[JediDresden]

I thought about this before reading the last book (which totally changed my thinking) - so I do not want any spoilers - I just want to know if I am thinking clearly.  How would you stat up a ghost advisor that is similar to the TV series Bob?

I tried making up his stats as a living wizard and then as a Ghost, based on TV Bob, but then I just thought he would probably be best represtnted as a aspect that my character could Tag to get a +2 to a roll that he needs.  He needs to research something he calls on his ghost mentor for a +2 on Lore, he needs information on the Supernatural heavyweights in the area and gets a +2 on his Contact or Investigate roll.

I mean I think it would be awesome to stat up a ghost like TV Bob to help him, but it would be a serious crutch in some situations.  TV Bob can mimic people if he has DNA of some sort, he can manifest - but not interact with the physical world, and he knows magical theory.

[HumAnnoyd]

In the campaign I am in my character's father was a Warden who is in a coma while his disembodied spirit haunts his Sword.  Which my character now wields.  My character has an appropriate Aspect which is primarily how we have been handling it.  His father is constantly riding him about this or that which is distracting and a pain in the ass at times (imagine your very strict father floating over your shoulder).  So we have quite a few Compelling situations and his years as a Warden can be Invoked as well.  However, we did stat him up by trading his Evocation and Refinement for Spirit Form and Physical Immunity:

JOHN FRANCIS YOUNGBLOOD II
TEMPLATE: SPECIAL
HIGH CONCEPT: MOSTLY DEAD WARDEN HERO
TROUBLE: MY SPIRIT IS TRAPPED IN MY SWORD, MY BODY IN THE HOSPITAL

ASPECTS
I MAY NOT BE A GREAT DAD, BUT I LOVE MY KIDS
DID I FORGET TO TELL YOU…

SKILLS (+39)
SUPERB +5: Presence, Contacts
GREAT +4: Discipline, Lore
GOOD +3: Conviction, Rapport, Weapons
FAIR +2: Athletics, Burglary, Stealth, Scholarship
AVERAGE +1: Deceit, Investigation, intimidate, Alertness

POWERS (-11)

SPIRIT FORM [-3]
PHYSICAL IMMUNITY [–8] (+3 Spirit Magic and Exorcism)
THAUMATURGY [–3]

TOTAL REFRESH COST: 11

He would likely have quite a few points left over given his level of skill but we had ruled that he could only do Thaumaturgy given his situation. 

(click to show/hide)

After reading GS we would likely have to reevaluate that.

[JediDresden]

I was toying with the same things like trading out some powers for spirit form, maybe mimic person or something for TV Bobs way of using leftover DNA to allow harry to get a look at the bad guy, physical immunity would be a good one. 

The more work I put into it the easier it just seemed to be easier to use an aspect.  It would totally be compelable because you would inheirit the Warden's enemies as much as his knowledge. 

I like those ideas thanks!

[Richard_Chilton]

There's a discussion on how to stat Bob in YS - you might want to start there.

Richard

[JediDresden]

Right, but that is Bob from the books, I want a ghost Bob from the TV series.

[JediDresden]

Sorry I was thinking of Bob's entry in the OW book, where is it in YS?

[Richard_Chilton]

Then there's a ghost in Our World that you might want to check out - Agatha Hagglethorn.  Make him less insane and more Lore based than she is.

(click to show/hide)

Remember what GS has to say about ghost who can manifest - just saying. 

Richard

[JediDresden]

Yeah, I also have the the second Case File (can't remember the name) that I could look at as well I guess.

Thanks.

[Richard_Chilton]

Sorry I was thinking of Bob's entry in the OW book, where is it in YS?

There's not much, but there is this exchange:
What about me? I’d definitely be faster than“two time increments”! How does eidetic
recall fit into your rules, William?

I’m pretty sure you don’t count as a mortal character, Bob. Ha, you’re an NPC! Or an Item of Power?

What?!
-----
Pg 148

Which is their rough attempt to stat Bob.

Richard

[JediDresden]

Thanks, I don't have my books with me at work. 

[SunlessNick]

The trouble with statting Bob as an Item of Power is that Harry could never afford him.  That's a bit less of an issue with the series - effectively, series Harry only has Thaumaturgy - but still.  Which is a shame, because Item of Power would be my first stop.

NPC would be my second.  Spirit Form and Physical Immunity are obvious - but he had to hide from people when they unexpectedly came into the shop, so he doesn't get to unmanifest - could that be worth a discount on Spirit Form?  I'd Catch his Physical Immunity with magic and the things that can harm ghosts.  It really is his soul, and he was a wizard in life, so The Sight and Soulgaze.  The mimicking thing could be an element of Thaumaturgy (he creates airborne writing, so he can do magic) - "disguise as the person who left this sample" is a reasonable spell, made harder if you don't know what the donor is supposed to look like, and easier if you're just manipulating a spirit rather than a living person.

So I'd go with Spirit Form discounted (-2), Physical Immunity with Catches of magic and things that can hurt ghosts (-8 +2), Ritual (-2: it's lesser than Thaumaturgy in an unusual way, though, that he can't use material components or create focus or enchanted items, only cast spells he can hold in his head in one go; specialisations would be in analysing the remains of the dead), The Sight and Soulgaze (-1), and I'd give him the Item of Power discount for the fact that he can't move more than a few feet from his skull (+2).  Total -9.