New Player needs help creating two characters

[Vermillion]

Hello, all.

I'm a new recruit into the world of Dresden Files and FATE RPGs. Just my luck I actaully managed to get into two different DFRPG games: a Paranet Adventures campaign and a short 6 week mini-arc at my regular game store (it is a part of a rotation of games).

Anyway, I have some time before my next session, and I am allowed to make some changes before my characters are solidified, since they were done pretty much on the fly and haven't been finished yet. So after some rereading the book and Googling the stuff I didn't understand (aspects), I decided to sign up here and ask for some help.

So the two character are as thus:

Character 1

(click to show/hide)

Paranet member Sebastian Reeves. Water focused practitioner. He is the middle child of a prominent wizard family, and is considered the weakest of the family. This, plus pressure from his folks to become a full White Council wizard, had led to a bit of a chip on his shoulder. He is a bit reckless and short tempered, which leads to him having a bit more power than control. He'd rather be in an unassuming support role, enchantments and what not, but his family wishes for him to be on the fast tract to become a Warden.

He joined Paranet as a means to distract himself from his family issues. His first adventure with them ("Night at Fogg Tavern") led to his so-far greatest magical feat: controlling a magical water horse spirit...thing through sheer magic power and making it, and its water horse herd...thingy to release the body of water they were holding back, relieving a drought.

So as far as stats, I got (? means I am not too sure about, be ready for a lot of them):

Power level: Feet in the Water
High Concept: Hydromancer Wizard-in-training?
Trouble:
Other Aspects:
Scion of Famous Wizard Family?
White Council Apprentice
Paranet Representative (required)
Just in Time (result of finishing adventure)

Skills:
Great: Conviction, Craftsmanship
Good: Lore, Presence?
Fair: Discipline, Deceit?
Average: Alertness, Contacts

Stunts/Powers:
Channeling (Hydromancy)?
The Sight
Wizard Constitution
Weight of Reputation?

I do want to add some spells and maybe an item or two, but I am still kinda iffy on those rules.

Character 2

(click to show/hide)

Elijah Chase, nascent werewolf that doesn't know it yet. The character I am using for the mini-arc, he and the other characters are hired as bodyguards for the rapper Mystikal. Yes, the guy who did "Shake Yo' A$$" years ago. Yes, my GM loves his puns as much as he loves using real-world music acts as game fodder. You don't want to know what happened to Poison in our last game under this guy.

Back on topic: So far he isn't much. The idea is that none of the PCs know anything about the magic world. They each just happened to have developed a single supernatural ability that they are using subconsciously. This new assignment will be their first true exposure to magic, in the form of the Mystikal's (ugh) mystical gold belt, which is being targeted by some unsavory folk.

My character is an engineering student, the team tech and the secondary muscle. He is pretty good with his hands and other weapons (having taken some martial arts and parkour classes from randomly picking flyer in the school quad), okay with guns (but not a big fan of them, the Greenpeace member is the gun nut...don't ask until later), but he is mainly there to fix and/or break things. Oh and is apparently becoming a werewolf. So far his power is just enhanced speed (which ties into his lack of focus and attention), which he really hasn't used much yet, but will in the upcoming fight.

So as far as stats, I got (again, ? means I am not too sure on it and is subject to change):

Power level: Up to the Waist
High Concept: Moonlighting Backyard Engineer?
Trouble: Symphony of Destruction?
Other Aspects:
I Can Fix It?
Attention Deficit...Oooh Shiny?
Sucker for a Skirt?
Trademark Grey Hoodie?

Skills:
Great: Athletics, Craftsmanship?
Good: Fists?, Scholarship?
Fair: Weapons?, Guns?, Endurance?
Average: Lore, Alertness (at +4 for Init), Driving?, Resources?, Conviction

Stunts/Powers:
Inhuman Speed (free single power granted by GM)
Jury-Rigger?
Tough Stuff?
Martial Artist
Juggler?

As indicated above, my biggest problem is the concept of creating appropriate aspects. It seems a bit too abstract for me to wrap my head around, and I want to make sure I have something useful and entertaining to play.

Any and all suggestions, notes, what have are greatly welcome and appreciated.

[Vargo Teras]

A good aspect is one which will be invoked and/or compelled frequently.  Trouble, in particular, should be compelled often; that's what makes it troublesome. Sebastian's biggest source of problems seems to be the need to live up to his family's expectations.  If it's more internal, his desire to act out against expectations getting him into a mess, then it could be Chip on My Shoulder or something similar; if it's more external, with his parents pushing or arranging for him to get into the sorts of situations a Warden should be able to handle, it could be more like They'll Make a Warden Out of Me.

Elijah doesn't seem to have a clear Trouble from that description alone.  What do you see being the thing that will drive him into bad situations?  When it's 3 AM, in the middle of a thunderstorm in a bad part of town, and he's expecting a ghoul to jump on him at any moment, why is he there? Money? The need to keep a particular person safe? The wolf inside looking for something to eat?

And on a mechanical note: I'd advise, as a general rule, against taking too many mortal stunts when building a low-refresh supernatural who's going to be building towards greater strength.  You'll want to have refresh available to buy new powers at significant milestones, or simply to give you fate points.

[UmbraLux]

I'm a new recruit into the world of Dresden Files and FATE RPGs.

Welcome!

...I decided to sign up here and ask for some help.

So the two character are as thus:

Character 1

(click to show/hide)

Paranet member Sebastian Reeves. Water focused practitioner. He is the middle child of a prominent wizard family, and is considered the weakest of the family. This, plus pressure from his folks to become a full White Council wizard, had led to a bit of a chip on his shoulder. He is a bit reckless and short tempered, which leads to him having a bit more power than control. He'd rather be in an unassuming support role, enchantments and what not, but his family wishes for him to be on the fast tract to become a Warden.

He joined Paranet as a means to distract himself from his family issues. His first adventure with them ("Night at Fogg Tavern") led to his so-far greatest magical feat: controlling a magical water horse spirit...thing through sheer magic power and making it, and its water horse herd...thingy to release the body of water they were holding back, relieving a drought.

So as far as stats, I got (? means I am not too sure about, be ready for a lot of them):

Power level: Feet in the Water
High Concept: Hydromancer Wizard-in-training?
Trouble:
Other Aspects:
Scion of Famous Wizard Family?
White Council Apprentice
Paranet Representative (required)
Just in Time (result of finishing adventure)

Skills:
Great: Conviction, Craftsmanship
Good: Lore, Presence?
Fair: Discipline, Deceit?
Average: Alertness, Contacts

Stunts/Powers:
Channeling (Hydromancy)?
The Sight
Wizard Constitution
Weight of Reputation?

I do want to add some spells and maybe an item or two, but I am still kinda iffy on those rules.

Character 2

(click to show/hide)

Elijah Chase, nascent werewolf that doesn't know it yet. The character I am using for the mini-arc, he and the other characters are hired as bodyguards for the rapper Mystikal. Yes, the guy who did "Shake Yo' A$$" years ago. Yes, my GM loves his puns as much as he loves using real-world music acts as game fodder. You don't want to know what happened to Poison in our last game under this guy.

Back on topic: So far he isn't much. The idea is that none of the PCs know anything about the magic world. They each just happened to have developed a single supernatural ability that they are using subconsciously. This new assignment will be their first true exposure to magic, in the form of the Mystikal's (ugh) mystical gold belt, which is being targeted by some unsavory folk.

My character is an engineering student, the team tech and the secondary muscle. He is pretty good with his hands and other weapons (having taken some martial arts and parkour classes from randomly picking flyer in the school quad), okay with guns (but not a big fan of them, the Greenpeace member is the gun nut...don't ask until later), but he is mainly there to fix and/or break things. Oh and is apparently becoming a werewolf. So far his power is just enhanced speed (which ties into his lack of focus and attention), which he really hasn't used much yet, but will in the upcoming fight.

So as far as stats, I got (again, ? means I am not too sure on it and is subject to change):

Power level: Up to the Waist
High Concept: Moonlighting Backyard Engineer?
Trouble: Symphony of Destruction?
Other Aspects:
I Can Fix It?
Attention Deficit...Oooh Shiny?
Sucker for a Skirt?
Trademark Grey Hoodie?

Skills:
Great: Athletics, Craftsmanship?
Good: Fists?, Scholarship?
Fair: Weapons?, Guns?, Endurance?
Average: Lore, Alertness (at +4 for Init), Driving?, Resources?, Conviction

Stunts/Powers:
Inhuman Speed (free single power granted by GM)
Jury-Rigger?
Tough Stuff?
Martial Artist
Juggler?

As indicated above, my biggest problem is the concept of creating appropriate aspects. It seems a bit too abstract for me to wrap my head around, and I want to make sure I have something useful and entertaining to play.

Any and all suggestions, notes, what have are greatly welcome and appreciated.

In general, the best aspects say several things about the character, his personality, and his goals. Take "Honorable" as an example. It says a few things about the character by itself. Make it "My Family's Honor" and you add a sense of history, possibly even dynasty. Now adjust it to either "My Family's Honor Betrayed" to suggest some dishonorable act in the family history or to "Restore My Family's Honor" to give the character a goal. Either way, you've taken "Honorable" and made it both personal and interesting.

You can work through other aspects similarly. Take the core concept and add to it.

Take the aspects of Sebastian for example, "Hydromancer Wizard-in-training" might be modified to "Hydromancer Apprentice in Protest" to show some of his reluctance.  His trouble might be something like "Authorities gets Beligerance and Recalcitrance" showing his trouble with family expectations and how it extends to the world.  It could also be "Family Expectations" if they interfere a lot.  Dump "White Council Apprentice" though - it's redundant.  Add something to the "Paranet Representative".  Were you drafted?  Perhaps you volunteered against your family's wishes?  Either way, it can say more about you than just a relationship with the Paranet.

Finally, remember aspects can and should change regularly.  You should have the opportunity to change one after each session.

[Vermillion]

Thanks for the responses. They are really helpful.

@Vargo Teras: Those seem like some good Troubles for Sebastian. For some reason, I couldn't wrap my head around it, and was driving myself crazy.

As far as the high number of stunts on Elijah, I did question that, but seeing as it is such a short game (5 weeks) in a rota, I am not too sure yet how it will play out. I will take out one or two just in case.

@UmbraLux: Hmmm, well he joined Paranet as an escape from his family bugging him to be more active in his Warden training. Like a "well, I'll do this thing, which is kinda Warden-like if a stretch it, and make an excuse as it being training or something". This way, he makes them think he is serious about his studies, but really he gets to hang out with non-White Council folk and broadens his horizons a bit. So maybe "Joined Paranet For The Adventure" or something?

One other thing I did want to ask relating to Sebastian: what should I consider when it comes to spells? I recall that he gets one or two rote spells during his creation, but I am not sure. I was able to manage a couple of water blasts and the aforementioned controlling of the water horse spirit, but I am not sure how to turn those into actual spells.

And I suppose I should inquire into items as well.

I hope I am not being too obnoxious with the questions. I really do enjoy the game, and I just want to make sure I am not missing anything. I am probably over-thinking it though.

[UmbraLux]

So maybe "Joined Paranet For The Adventure" or something?

Sounds good - it says a bit more about him and his motivations. 

One other thing I did want to ask relating to Sebastian: what should I consider when it comes to spells? I recall that he gets one or two rote spells during his creation, but I am not sure. I was able to manage a couple of water blasts and the aforementioned controlling of the water horse spirit, but I am not sure how to turn those into actual spells.

For rotes, I suggest a max strength (without taking extra stress) defensive block, a self directed maneuver, and either a good utility spell, an offensive block, or an overpowered attack...probably in that order. 

And I suppose I should inquire into items as well.

Probably want a single foci at +2 offensive control (or defensive if you plan on defending more than attacking).

I hope I am not being too obnoxious with the questions. I really do enjoy the game, and I just want to make sure I am not missing anything. I am probably over-thinking it though.

Don't think questions bother anyone here.    As for over thinking, just remember your choices, for the most part, don't have to be permanent.  You can make changes at various milestones.

[Vermillion]

Thanks for the tips. Took me a while to get back here and post again...Both characters are shaping up a lot better than what I had before.

I am wondering which Stunts I should trim from Elijah. In fact, I am considering giving him Echoes of the Beastin place of one or two of them.

[Vermillion]

Okay here is my updated Elijah:

Power level: Up to the Waist
High Concept: Moonlighting Engineer
Trouble: Destructive Savior
Other Aspects:
I Can Fix It
Attention Deficit...Oooh Shiny
Sucker for a Skirt
Trademark Grey Hoodie
Work Off The Damage Bill

Skills:
Great: Athletics, Craftsmanship
Good: Fists, Endurance
Fair: Might, Scholarship, Weapons
Average: Alertness (at +4 for Init), Conviction, Discipline, Intimidation, Resources

Stunts/Powers:
Inhuman Speed (free single power granted by GM)
Echoes of the Beast
Jury-Rigger
Martial Artist

Base Refresh: 7
Adjusted Refresh: 3

[Vermillion]

And here is the updated Sebastian:

Power level: Feet in the Water
High Concept: Hydromancer Apprentice When Present
Trouble: Brilliant but Easily Distracted
Other Aspects:
Live Up to The Family Name
Rebellious Middle Child
I Don't Like Bullies
Gifted A Fomor Ring (focus item)
Joined Paranet For The Adventure
Just in Time (result of finishing adventure)

Skills:
Great: Conviction, Craftsmanship
Good: Lore, Weapons
Fair: Discipline, Presence
Average: Alertness, Contacts

Stunts/Powers:
Channeling (Hydromancy)
The Sight w/ Soulgaze
Wizard Constitution

Equipment:
Fomor Ring (+2) (Water - Discipline) (2 Focus Item slots)

Rotes:
Ice Shield
Type: Water (entropy) evocation, defensive maneuver
Power: 4
Duration: One action
Effect: Ambient water coalesces around Sebastian's ring hand, becoming a round shield made of ice. Typically used alongside a weapon in a sword-and-board style combination.