Author Topic: Constructs used by characters  (Read 2556 times)

Offline Rubycon

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Constructs used by characters
« on: August 08, 2011, 06:55:54 AM »
Hi,
how can a character build and/or use a construct with the rules given? Aczually, I have no clue...

Offline Haru

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Re: Constructs used by characters
« Reply #1 on: August 08, 2011, 02:01:40 PM »
something similar has been discussed here, maybe it helps:
http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,27579.0.html
“Do you not know that a man is not dead while his name is still spoken?”
― Terry Pratchett, Going Postal

Offline devonapple

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Re: Constructs used by characters
« Reply #2 on: August 08, 2011, 05:55:11 PM »
"Like a voice, like a crack, like a whispering shriek
That echoes on like it’s carpet-bombing feverish white jungles of thought
That I’m positive are not even mine"

Blackout, The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets

Offline Rubycon

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Re: Constructs used by characters
« Reply #3 on: August 08, 2011, 07:41:35 PM »
Thanks..
I'll read through all the stuff, hopefulle my questions will be answered... ;)

Offline devonapple

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Re: Constructs used by characters
« Reply #4 on: August 08, 2011, 09:22:45 PM »
Ultimately, RubyCon, there isn't a lot of RAW guidance, but there are three RAW options, and one post-release suggestion from Evil Hat, with my commentary:

1) A thaumaturgic Contacts roll: GM sets difficulty based on how hard it would be to secure an analogous asset using mundane means, like hiring a mercenary version. Basically when you want your thugs to be supernatural in nature, but still just thugs.
2) plot-device level Contacts roll: the shifts don't matter because the player isn't ever really in control - GM can make it as hard or easy as suits the game. This is for summoning things like the Erlking, Fairy Nobles, Chauncey.
3) the Summoning rules (a three-step ritual: create the containment circle, summon the entity, and then bargain, or defeat it in a psychic contest) can easily be adapted to Construct creation, and Evil Hat would probably suggest that be the starting point right off the bat, in line with their philosophy that we apply existing precedents to analogous situations and not require the wheel to be re-invented each time.
4) Kill something to control it: this contested method was proposed by Fred Hicks as a simplified way to do Summoning/etc., and it is to control enough shifts of power to kill whatever it is you want to create/summon and control. So stat out your desired construct/demon/fairy/etc., then do enough shifts to overcome its Stress Tracks, Consequences, etc. Usually amounts to 30+ shifts.
"Like a voice, like a crack, like a whispering shriek
That echoes on like it’s carpet-bombing feverish white jungles of thought
That I’m positive are not even mine"

Blackout, The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets

Offline Haru

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Re: Constructs used by characters
« Reply #5 on: August 08, 2011, 09:31:06 PM »
Or, if the character concept is supposed to be someone who summons something to fight for him, you can go with a tweaked beast change to make things easier, like in the link I posted. We do it this way in the Sydney pbp, too.
“Do you not know that a man is not dead while his name is still spoken?”
― Terry Pratchett, Going Postal

Offline Sanctaphrax

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Re: Constructs used by characters
« Reply #6 on: August 10, 2011, 07:39:40 PM »
Summary of what devonapple, UmbraLux, and I came up with is here:

http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,24744.45.html

Offline devonapple

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Re: Constructs used by characters
« Reply #7 on: August 10, 2011, 09:53:59 PM »
Summary of what devonapple, UmbraLux, and I came up with is here:
http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,24744.45.html

My apologies - I keep failing to find that one when I do a search.

I'm just going to have to edit my GoogleDocs summary to include these links, for future reference.
"Like a voice, like a crack, like a whispering shriek
That echoes on like it’s carpet-bombing feverish white jungles of thought
That I’m positive are not even mine"

Blackout, The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets

Offline Silverblaze

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Re: Constructs used by characters
« Reply #8 on: August 11, 2011, 03:03:55 AM »
Soulfire also creates constructs unless I am mistaken; or perhaps I am thinking of another type of construct?

Offline devonapple

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Re: Constructs used by characters
« Reply #9 on: August 11, 2011, 05:37:15 AM »
Soulfire also creates constructs unless I am mistaken; or perhaps I am thinking of another type of construct?

Soulfire creates constructs in the sense that it serves as spiritual rebar and can reinforce an evocation: Harry considered the giant Fist effect a "construct" of his mind reinforced with Soulfire, an extension of his will. That type of "construct" is actual part of how magic is visualized.

Soulfire is not, per the fiction anyway, mystically superior for creating constructs in the sense of golems, Victor Sells' scorpions, ward dogs, etc., though it could probably be a valid use of Soulfire.
"Like a voice, like a crack, like a whispering shriek
That echoes on like it’s carpet-bombing feverish white jungles of thought
That I’m positive are not even mine"

Blackout, The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets

Offline Sanctaphrax

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Re: Constructs used by characters
« Reply #10 on: August 13, 2011, 07:09:00 PM »
Why the apology?

I don't think you've done anything that requires one.