Need help writing up Percy Jackson Post LO

[bjh31]

Hello, first time Poster, long time Lurker

Recently, I been trying to write up some of the characters from the Percy Jackson series, but I get the feeling that I doing something wrong. Here what I written up so far, any feedback would be welcome. I not worry if they playable or not.

Percy Jackson

[Sanctaphrax]

Welcome onboard.

I like where you`re going with the aspects here.

Physical powers seem a bit high. I always figured that demigods did most of their stuff with stunts and maybe the occasional Inhuman ability.

I don`t ever recall Percy casting spells.

Skill lists are easier to read if you sort them like this:

Superb:
Great:
Good:
Fair:
Average:

Riding is not a skill, it`s a trapping of Survival.

Shouldn`t Riptide be an Item Of Power?

[Katarn]

(as Sancta said, welcome.)

I won't add much, as I haven't read Percy Jackson.  But some general thoughts/comments:

*Do you know the RPG well?  Based on the write-up I assume you know a fair share.
*Keep in mind Mythic is top of the chain- you wrote several "inhuman" as "mythic" methinks.
*Overlap of Physical Immunity and Mythic Toughness- one is the superlative of the other (unless they're context dependent).
*Definitely give other peoples' takes on various scions from the site- for example, I play a scion of Hermes.  Typically, these scions have reduced abilities of their progenitor, but I don't know if that's the case with Percy (ie I don't know if he's basically the new Poseidon, or merely a gifted son akin to Hercules.)

[bjh31]

Thank you for the feedback  it been really helpful

*I read the RPGs and ran a couple of games with then (since the other had no clue about fate or DF, I had to GM). It part of the reason why I doing this, so I can fully get my head around the rules.

*the reason why his powers are so high is because I writing him after "The Last Olympian" where he gotten some major upgrade (Curse of Achilles). This is basically Dresden after becoming the Winter Knight. If it was at the start, his powers would look something like this

Skills and Power:
- Aquatic [–1]

- Human Form[+1]
-- Supernatural Recovery [-4]
-- Supernatural Speed [-2]
-- Supernatural Strength [-2]
-- Supernatural Toughness [-2]

- Marked by Power [-1]

- Sponsored Magic (Poseidon) [-4]

- Inhuman Speed [-2]

- Inhuman Strength [-2]

- Inhuman Toughness [-2]

*the reason for the overlap is to represent two different powers
 - the first is the Curse of Achilles, which make the user nearly invulnerable, except in one weak point. They also gains extreme physical powers - heightened strength and reflexes - and a body that almost automatically fights. However, this places an enormous amount of stress on the body, requiring a warrior under the curse to be careful not to over-exert himself, which happens more quickly than before. this is the main reason why his inhuman skills get upgraded to supernatural, and his supernatural to Mythic

- the second is his Water-Induced Abilities, which boost his physical powers to godlike levels while he in contact with or in the presence of water. However, this only lasts for a limited amount of time unless he is completely submerged in water. Hence the human form (when he near water, he transform into a god, otherwise he human) . He also drawn in power to heal and sustain himself.

*the Sponsored Magic basically represent his control over his father domain (Storms, earth-quacks, water)

as for rip-tide, I haven't got a clue how to stat that up. same with stunts

[Sanctaphrax]

Riptide is a bit tricky to stat. Let's leave it be for a while.

Human Form isn't exactly right for his water-based power-up. After all, Percy never actually changes form. But a +1 rebate for "my powers only work in water" is reasonable, so that's just semantics.

Stunts are really simple. They're like the mortal equivalent of powers.

Each stunt costs 1 refresh and is linked to 1 skill. A stunt usually does one of the following:

provides a +2 bonus to a narrow application of that skill
moves a narrow application of another skill into that skill
creates an entirely new application for that skill
gives you an extra mild consequence
gives you two extra mild consequences under certain circumstances
gives you armour 1 under certain circumstances

Stunts that do something unusual should be balanced against these applications.

The best way to understand stunts is to read a bunch of them. Look here and here.

PS: Stunts that give bonuses to attack accuracy are limited to providing +1 bonuses. Stunts that boost attack damage can add the full +2.

[Becq]

I don't have any familiarity with the concept, so I won't comment on how well your power choices reflect "Percy".  Here are a couple of thoughts, however:

1) The way you've defined it, Toughness is entirely redundant with Immunity.  The only reason you'd take both is if the affected diferent types of damage.
2) I don't know what your "Achilles Heel" is, but if it's anything like the original Achilles' weakness, it's almost certainly not worth +2.
3) The Human Form power is meant to work with some sort of actual shapeshifting.  If you take it, it would mean that the character would have to take a supplemental action to activate the powers, and doing so whould cause a recognizeable change, making the character appear less human.  If this is what you want, great (and you should add Involuntary Change to it).  Otherwize, I'd consider Sanctaphrax's suggestion of making a standalone "Power only work when" power.
4) If you rearrange your powers a bit, you'll make them more readable and reduce the likelihood of questions like Katarn's regarding the physical powers (I very nearly asked the same questions).

So here's my take:

Powers:
  Marked by Power [-1]
  Aquatic [–1]
  Sponsored Magic (Poseidon) [-4]
  Supernatural Speed [-4]
  Supernatural Strength [-4]
  Physical Immunity: Everything [-8]
    The catch [+0] would be his Achilles heel
  Powers only work when touching water [+1] affecting:
    Supernatural Recovery [-4]
    Mythic Speed [-2] (upgrade)
    Mythic Strength [-2] (upgrade)

[Sanctaphrax]

I think you`re on the wrong track here, Becq. Percy`s Toughness and Immunity are totally unrelated and do not share a Catch.

And I think, judging from the amount of trouble Percy gets from his Heel, that it ought to be worth something.

[Becq]

I think you`re on the wrong track here, Becq. Percy`s Toughness and Immunity are totally unrelated and do not share a Catch.

I might well be, since my knowledge of the character is nil.  So the power was meant to be (under normal circumstances) immune to everything that didn't target his heel, and no defense for damage to his heel, plus (while in contact with water) the same, but with armor and extra stress boxes that apply always (or in this case, only for damage affecting his heel)?

And does 'everyone' know about the heel?  Again, I was basing my thoughts on the original Achilles story, in which the knowledge was effectively nonexistent (and involved divine intervention to be exploited, if memory serves).  If the weakness is common knowledge, then the rebate is fair, but may make the power fairly weak based on the implementation of called shots.

[Sanctaphrax]

Well, Percy is a demigod. In one book in the series he gets an upgrade, the same one that Achilles got. It makes him invincible everywhere except, IIRC, the small of his back.

Very soon after he gets the upgrade, an attack is launched against the small of his back by chance. The enemy who did it survives and keeps the knowledge of his weakness.

It seems like a +2 weakness at a glance to me. Anyone can exploit it, but only this one enemy and some of his allies know about it.

I hope I'm not messing up the story, this is all from memory.

[bjh31]

Read another person take on Percy Jackson over at spacebattles, which help me alot. So the final draft here, let me know what you think.

Name: Percy Jackson

High Concept: Favour Son of Poseidon
Trouble: “To save a friend, you would sacrifice the world”

Other Aspects:
Am I a troubled kid?
Rebellion Against Injustice
Curse of Achilles
In love with a Wise Girl
Sandmanning with the Lord of the Wild (Need a better name for this)

Skills
Superb: Fists, Might, Weapons
Great: Alertness, Athletics, Presence
Good: Conviction, Intimidation, Rapport, Stealth, Survival
Fair: Discipline, Driving, Empathy, Endurance, Investigation, Lore, Scholarship
Average: Burglary, Contacts, Craftsmanship, Deceit, Guns, Performance, Resources

Stunts:
- Animal Handler (Horses)

- Infuriate

- Riposte

- Wall of Death

Powers:
- Aquatic [–1]

- Human Form[+1] (this is basically for his Water-Induced Abilities)
-- Supernatural Recovery [-6]
-- Mythic Speed [-2]
-- Mythic Strength [-2]
-- Supernatural Toughness [-4]

- Marked by Power [-1]

- Physical Immunity [-8]
-- the catch [+2] would be his Achilles heel

- Sponsored Magic (Poseidon) [-4]

- Supernatural Speed [-4]

- Supernatural Strength [-4]

Edit: Sorry about that. Late night, brain half asleep

[polkaneverdies]

I don't see a sheet or a link to your new version. It might be my device, but that isn't a problem I normally have.

[Sanctaphrax]

Aside from the lack of Riptide, he looks fairly solid.

Though he seems overpowered. 63 skill points and 35-37 refresh seems like too much.

PS: Why is Mythic Toughness costed at -4? Is he supposed to have Inhuman Toughness normally?

[bjh31]

Whoops, didn't notice that. Fixed now