Author Topic: Having trouble with character creation  (Read 3988 times)

Offline Erenthia

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Re: Having trouble with character creation
« Reply #15 on: November 23, 2012, 07:22:05 PM »
Ok, wow.  A frequency focus sounds like a good investment.  And a forge makes more sense as something you can't take with you. 

So a Place of Power grants additional options but no more raw power (such as increased complexity)?  I'm not sure how the whole debt system works, though I'm pretty fuzzy on things like declarations.  Honestly it sounds more appropriate for his Karmic Debt though for that I had imagined him as having already gotten the good stuff out of that and still having to pay it off.  Later I wanted to have his understanding of karma to allow him to use it to his advantage, but for the moment his debt was a justification for his high Resources.  I suppose when he does get that understand, that will be a form of Sponsored Magic (Karma Magic) allowing him powerful effects similar to (but opposite in effect as) entropy curse by saving up good deeds, doing random acts of kindness, helping people in need, etc.  Magic Morality.  I think Harry does this without realizing it...a lot.   

For the moment, perhaps his Forge should be an Item of Power instead.  Normally speeding up crafting would be pretty awesome, but since I'm limited in terms of slots, I'm not sure how useful it would be. 

Offline Haru

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Re: Having trouble with character creation
« Reply #16 on: November 23, 2012, 07:44:24 PM »
Well, it kind of does. When you cast a spell, you can ask your sponsor to help you, giving you +2 on whatever you are doing. Every time you do so, you incur debt, which is a pre-accepted compel from your sponsor. So the next time your sponsor asks you to do something, you HAVE to do it, there is no way out of it. The more debt you have, the more he can boss you around. And like I said, that doesn't have to be in the form of "quests" or anything, it can be all sorts of things in line with the sponsors agenda. This is not a financial debt, by the way. Just saying, because you connected it to your characters resources.

But again I have to ask you, in the words of Billy: "Keep it simple, silly."
I know it is tempting to go at the powers like an all you can eat buffet. Trust me, I've done the same. And granted, it works pretty good in a lot of games. Here though, I feel, that it is way easier and more satisfying, if you have a solid concept for your character first and then pick your powers accordingly.

Kind of like this:
He is the son of two sorcerers that have since lost their powers, and he can only employ his magic by creating items.
-> ritual(crafting) + a few refresh worth of refinement

As a master craftsman, he was found worthy by hephaestos to use a magical smithy and create magic items to fight decay and destruction.
-> place of power (probably also + refinement)
“Do you not know that a man is not dead while his name is still spoken?”
― Terry Pratchett, Going Postal

Offline Erenthia

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Re: Having trouble with character creation
« Reply #17 on: November 23, 2012, 07:52:55 PM »
Actually I don't know that his parents have lost their powers completely, but I understand your points.  And as I said, this isn't really intended as a power build regardless of what it may look like.  I had a fairly extensive backstory long before I had the books in hand, and I'm just trying to be true to that. (while also learning the system from scratch which is why I'm looking at so many powers.  I don't even know if they're appropriate or not and I want to learn how they work either way)

And I didn't mean to imply it was a financial debt (though I suppose if your sponsor was some kind of Dwarf-like being it might want gold).  Just that the debt system works like what I wanted for his Karmic Debt which he fell into when he used magic to cheat casinos out of millions of dollars. 

Also I'm bad at simple.  I do simple like Harry does subtle. 

Offline sinker

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Re: Having trouble with character creation
« Reply #18 on: November 23, 2012, 07:53:27 PM »
I think you're over thinking the karmic debt thing. For now I would leave it as an aspect and let your GM compel you to create the effect you want.

As far as sponsored magic goes, I would only take it if you actually want the magic. Debt is not solely a function of sponsored magic, so if you want debt (but not evocation/thaumaturgy) then I would simply give yourself an aspect justification, and then make sure your GM is onboard with that.

I once created a outsider scion that had mainly powers like claws and strength and immunity to mortal magic, however the aspect connection to my father justified drawing power from him. It worked really well.

Having a forge as sponsored magic might be a little funny (in this particular case). I'd probably just use an aspect to represent it.

Offline Erenthia

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Re: Having trouble with character creation
« Reply #19 on: November 23, 2012, 08:02:24 PM »
Well if I did take the Forge as Sponsored Magic, it would be a Place of Power and probably a ley line connected to a spirit of creation and renewal, but yeah I didn't intend to have Karma Magic right from the beginning.  I wanted his story to be about learning how that stuff works and eventually turning his weakness into a strength.  (and also by surpassing his parents by developing magic they never had).  Actually the whole reason I decided I don't want to have the Forge as Sponsored Magic is because that would mean I'd end up with two forms of it later...which I suppose Harry has as of Cold Days, but I don't want to go that far.

Offline sinker

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Re: Having trouble with character creation
« Reply #20 on: November 24, 2012, 02:26:32 AM »
If you want to get really technical Harry has three forms of sponsored magic and has had one more. (if I'm remembering correctly)
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