Custom Templates

[Hick Jr]

Alrighty then. Because I do math like fish do bicycles, I may have messed up the interaction between Human Form and Limitation. Constructive criticism is welcome. First, the Vesuvian.

(click to show/hide)

VESUVIAN
The Vesuvians have been around, since, well, Mount Vesuvius. The common theory is that the original Vesuvians were the practitioners in Pompeii when the fire-mountain erupted, fusing it's immense power to their blasted bodies. Some Vesuvians are the scions, chosen ones, and emissaries of ancient volcano gods or simply beings of volcanic power. Their ancestry is evident in their personalities- They are incredibly slow to anger, but when they do, cities burn. They generally occupy positions as makers or repairmen in the mortal world, taking the time to forge in their spare time. There isn’t a unified nation of them, but the race as a whole are known for their work as blacksmiths, creating magical weapons and armor for anyone who can pay. Some of their better known work includes the Master Bolt of Zeus, the Swords of Summer’s Fire and Winter’s Frost, supposedly reforging at least one Sword of the Cross, and the Chevrolet Camaro. Vesuvians are no slouches in a brawl, either- calling upon their inborn power to summon weapons and armor to themselves at a moment’s notice, smiting foes with blasts of ash and lava, or simply stopping them dead with a hasty ward.

MUSTS
A high concept reflecting your volcanic ancestry or abilities (LAVA SPAWNED BLACKSMITH, SCION OF VULCAN, VESUVIAN MECHANIC)
The following Powers:
Vulcanomancy [-5]
Human Form [+2], affecting
   Supernatural Strength [-4]*
   Breath Weapon [-2] (Throw lava balls)
   Supernatural Toughness [-4]*
   Inhuman Recovery [-2]*
   Limitation [+6] None of the asterisk-marked powers work unless they are near a large
source of open flame. (Most of them solve this by setting the place on fire. Mechanically, they have to tag a sticky aspect that involves On Fire for 2 exchanges before these powers kick in.
Total Refresh Cost: -9

OPTIONS
Gain Strength at all times or increase to Mythic, Refinement for Vulcanomancy, Items of Power that you forge yourself, and myriad enchanted items.

IMPORTANT SKILLS
Craftsmanship, Lore, Scholarship, Weapons, Conviction, Might

And their Sponsored Magic, which I priced up. It might not be worth it. Again, criticism.



VULCANOMANCY [-5]
Description: The ancient power that lurks beneath the Earth’s crust. Primarily lava, but also governs other tectonics. It's secondary aspect is that of the Forge, and creation.
Sponsor: Volcano and forge gods, generally. (Pele, Vulcan, Hephaestus, Goibhniu) Can be self-sponsored with a mastery of both earth and fire or carrying a volcanic bloodline.
Agenda: Unexpected and swift destruction. The forging of tools and weapons. If self-sponsored, your own agenda.
Evocation: Vulcanomancy evocations generally involve lava, heat, ash, obsidian, earth, tectonics, earthquakes, or metals.
Ritual: Vulcanomancy allows for rituals that create things, generally weapons and armor, and the creation of protective items and effects, such as armor and wards. Very, Very, VERY powerful Vulcanomancers may actually be able to cause earthquakes and make volcanos erupt.
Evothaum: Vulcanomancy can be used to create Wards and Conjurations at evocation’s speed and methods.
Extra Benefits: Add +2 to Frequency and Strength for Crafting, as long as you are forging the item.Add +2 to the Complexity of anything created with Conjuration, as long as it is a weapon or armor. Wards created by Vulcanomancy do not require a threshold as long as they have a physical base (a circle, a line of barbed wire, a chain-link fence).

[Hick Jr]

And now for the Thunderbird, which is a lot less cool, basically being a theriomorph with Sponsored Magic, but hey.

(click to show/hide)

THUNDERBIRDS
These aren’t the actual, mythical thunderbirds, the animikii. Those, like naagloshii, have to live on tribal lands in the American Southwest. To clarify on the difference- Naagloshii is to skinwalker as animikii is to thunderbird. That being said, the vast majority of them are centuries old. A few still care to look like Native Americans, but being shape-shifters, they generally look however they care to look. They draw their true power from storms, but are formidable even without them, capable of drawing on the elements of a storm and weather. They have a long, bitter feud with the skinwalkers, and members of both groups will eagerly kill each other on sight. The thunderbirds are perectly capable of holding their own against the demons of the First World, attacking with lightning bolts to shame Tesla, massive sonic booms, and torrential rains. They can also shift to the form of a Haast’s Eagle, enhanced by their tempestuous (ha ha) power.

MUSTS
A high concept that indicates your animikii training or heritage. (DETECTIVE SERGEANT THUNDERBIRD , THE WANDERSTORM, LIGHTNING-EYED WEATHER FORECASTER)
the following Powers:
Storm Magic [-4]
Supernatural Sense [-1] (Weather, Atmosphere)
Beast Change [-1] (Thunderbird/Haast’s Eagle)
Human Form [+1] affecting
   Wings [-1]
   Claws [-1]
        Inhuman Strength [-2]
   Supernatural Speed [-4]*
   Supernatural Strength [-4]*
   Inhuman Recovery [-2]*
Limitation [+8] None of the powers marked with an asterisk work if there isn’t a storm going on within a mile.
Total Refresh Cost: -11

OPTIONS
Refinements to increase Storm Magic power, increase Speed to Mythic, gain the ability to use some asterisk abilities outside of storms.

IMPORTANT SKILLS
Athletics, Lore, Fists, Performance, Conviction, Discipline, Deceit.

Their Sponsored Magic, which is frankly kind of boring.

STORM MAGIC [-4]
Description: The furious, unending power of the thunderstorm. Extends to most other types of weather. Subtlety is almost impossible with this power-even it’s veils are massive fog banks.
Sponsor:Can be gained in a number of ways- A weather deity’s boon, a thunderbird ancestor. It’s often self-sponsored, gained by aeromancers who learn the way of the storm.
Agenda: Once a user becomes powerful enough, the creation of storms. Destruction, uncontrolled.
Evocation: Storm evocations generally involve what you’d expect. Lightning, tornado-force winds, sonic booms, rain, water, fog, mists, ice, air pressure.
Thaumaturgy: Storm rituals destroy things. Violently. They’re also capable of altering the weather. Can also be used to scry through clouds and rain, and on storms.
Evothaum: Storm Magic can be used to create entropomantic and divination effects at Evocation’s speed.
Extra Benefits: Add +3 to the power/complexity and control of any Storm spell if the caster is outside during a storm.

[Hick Jr]

And yes, I'll do the Jade Court when i'm done indulging myself here.

Hrm. The Skinwalkers are giving me trouble. They're honestly ridiculously easy to stat-i'm not even having to homebrew here- but i'm on the fence between Mimic Points or Modular Abilities. I liked how Kevin Hearne did skinwalkers in the Iron Druid books so i'm modelling it off that, and they seem to have Mimic Abilities with maybe Mimic Form? I'm considering giving them that Superior Biomancy custom sponsored magic because it would cover a lot of their abilities, and definitely Demonic Co-Pilot.

Thoughts? Ideas?

[Sanctaphrax]

Modular Abilities is probably better. Mimic Abilities isn't really balanced for PC use...if a character with it randomly stumbles across the Merlin's corpse at some point in the game he'll have Epic Discipline forever for 1 Refresh.

I'm a bit iffy on the complete templates, incidentally. Limitation is meant to replace Human Form, so having them both on one character is likely to make trouble.

Especially since I can't tell what the Human Form condition for the Vesuvians is.

The Limitation rebates seem too generous, especially on the Thunderbird where they apparently reduce the cost of the affected Powers to 0.

The Extra Benefits for the Sponsored Magics also seem too strong. The volcano one is basically 3 Refinements, while the storm one is 6 Refinements with a fair-sized limitation.

PS: You should specify weather the weather sense uses Lore or normal perception skills.

[Lavecki121]

if a character with it randomly stumbles across the Merlin's corpse at some point in the game he'll have Epic Discipline forever for 1 Refresh.

Actually Mimic abilities only works while the person you mimic is alive.

[Hick Jr]

Ah. So it wouldn't work for a skin walker.

And thanks, I hadn't noticed on the Thunderbird. I'll edit it. How would you recommend balancing Vulcanomancy? I could tone down the crafting, but I'm loath to power down the Conjuration- I imagine them summoning weapons and armor to fight. Perhaps I was a bit generous withe the rebates. I wanted them to be playable at Submerged. Toning that down.

The skinwalker is still weird. I'm trying to imagine how I can limit Modular Abilities to only wearing a skin. A homebrew power would work but empirical evidence suggests I am pretty bad at those.  Limitation might but the rebate would be weird.

[Deadmanwalking]

Human Form [+2] is designed for just such occasions, really. Anything where your powers require specific conditions to function falls under it. It combines neatly with Modular Abilities, too (as they cancel out each other's costs).

[Sanctaphrax]

Actually Mimic abilities only works while the person you mimic is alive.

I don't think that's true. The Power just says you need a significant part of your target and that your target is either killed or diminished by the loss of the part. What makes you think that they must be alive?

How would you recommend balancing Vulcanomancy?

I would replace the extra benefits with a special effect that makes conjured weapons worth using. I can try writing that if you want.

The skinwalker is still weird. I'm trying to imagine how I can limit Modular Abilities to only wearing a skin. A homebrew power would work but empirical evidence suggests I am pretty bad at those.  Limitation might but the rebate would be weird.

That's precisely the sort of thing Limitation and Human Form [+2] are for.

Or maybe Item Of Power/Item Limitation would be better, if the skins are physical objects.

[Hick Jr]

Skinwalker is done. I finished it before I saw you posts, so it uses limitation and is playable at Snorkeling. Here it is.

(click to show/hide)

High Concept
Native American Nightmare

Skills
There really isn’t a point to writing these out, as it’s physical skills are basically whatever it last ate or is wearing.

Powers
Ritual:Biomancy [-2]
Supernatural Recovery [-4]
Supernatural Sense [-1] (Pain)
Human Form [+2] affecting the following (Their powers only work while wearing a prepared skin)
Modular Abilities [-10]
True Shapeshifting [-4]
Limitation [+4] You may only True Shapeshift into a skin you are wearing. The Modular abilities you take must be thematically appropriate- for example, shifting into a bear might grant Supernatural Strength and Inhuman Toughness. Skins must be prepared with a biomancy ritual. The Catch for any Toughness powers they take are Native American holy objects and rituals.
Total Refresh Cost: -12

Options
More Modular points, upgrade Recovery to mythic. Elder or more powerful skinwalkers may be able to shift without a skin, gain Spellcraft powers, or gain intellectus on how to hurt someone.

[Tedronai]

I would strongly advise adding a note to any template with a listed value on Limitation that such numbers will vary from one individual member of the template to another, so as to avoid confusion.

[Hick Jr]

Ah. Excellent catch. I actually originally had that as a question mark instead of a number.

Thoughts on the Skinwalker? I understand Limitation is supposed to replace Human Form but it actually interacts with it very well in this context. This and stripping them of a Sense would make them playable at Submerged. The intellectus is meant to be represented mechanically as a Supernatural Sense. It's possibly game-breaking, so check with your GM first. I'd prefer not to represent the skins as IoP- an enchanted object is better suited mechanically for what I had in mind, and even then it's kind of a stretch. using the focus item slots provided by Ritual would work, granting the skinwalker four possible forms, which is balanced in my book. They only have six modular ability points, which may or may not be too many. I meant it to be able to provide either 3 Inhumans or 1 Inhuman and a Supernatural building block. It'll be difficult to justify taking some of the weirder stuff from Creature Features, but again, check with your GM. Some sample skinwalker forms that i recall Shagnasty turning into- a spider, a feline, a bird/bat, and  a gorilla-type thing. Those cover quite a few bases.

Hmm. Rereading Creature Features, i'd prefer it to be seven Modular points, so they can take something interesting out it that isn't a building block. Adjusting accordingly.

Edit- Oh, and my "modern" idea for these guys is essentially a monstrous biker gang. What? It just says "skins". It doesn't say they can't be cool gorilla-leather jackets.

[vultur]

OK, here's the Valkyrie.

NOTE: This is not going to line up with the stats for Gard in "Our World". I didn't represent the Runes as Sponsored Magic, because it makes more sense to me for Odinic rune magic to be based on your knowledge rather than Odin giving you an infusion of power.

So this template uses Ritual: Crafting. Gard's runic battleaxe is an Enchanted Item with a high Weapon-value effect (like the Warden Sword), the one-use effects are potions.

(click to show/hide)

Valkyrie

The Valkyrie is a servant of Odin or Freya, major powers of the Norse Pantheon, empowered to act in the mortal world.

Traditionally Valkyries were choosers of the slain, psychopomps who conveyed the souls of fallen heroes to Valhalla. In the modern world, they seem to act as mercenaries, generally associated with Odin's company, Monoc Securities.

Valkyries are traditionally always female, but the Einheriar, empowered fallen heroes of Valhalla, are also agents of Monoc Securities in the modern world, and may use a similar template.

The Valkyrie is essentially a special case of the Emissary of Power.

Musts: The character's high concept must represent her status as a valkyrie. Also, the character must take the following powers:
Marked By Power [-1]
Ritual (Crafting) [-2]
Supernatural Sense (Strange Senses) [-2]: Use Lore to detect who is fated to die, track your fated foes (generally monsters associated with the Norse and similar mythoi), sense disruptions in fate, etc.

Options: The character can take the following physical powers: Inhuman Recovery [-2], Inhuman Speed [-2], Inhuman Strength [-2], Inhuman Toughness [-2].  Recovery and Speed could later be upgraded to Supernatural.

Valkyries can take Refinement, but only for more focus item slots, like other characters with Ritual.

Important Skills: Lore; plus physical combat skills – Alertness, Athletics, Endurance, Weapons, possibly Fists and Might.

Minimum Refresh Cost: -5.

[Sanctaphrax]

Thanks vultur.

Can Valkyries take Refinement?

As for the Skinwalker, the mixture of Human Form and Limitation looks like double-dipping to me. They both give the same weakness, so why do you get a rebate for both?

Also I don't understand how skins are supposed to work. You should probably explain that.

And you should specify which skills their Supernatural Sense uses.

You've given them 8 form points. Not sure if that's the number you wanted.

I'm not sure how you got a Refresh cost of -12. I count -15.

Does The Catch apply to their always-on Recovery?

Incidentally, Limitation is also supposed to replace The Catch.

There is a point to writing out the skills of a character with True Shapeshifting, since True Shapeshifting doesn't can't increase mental skills or skills like Contacts and Resources.

[johntfs]

Does The Catch apply to their always-on Recovery?

By definition a Catch applies to all Toughness powers except possibly Physical Immunity and that only if the immunity is limited to something specific (as the exemplar fire demon's immunity to fire).

[Hick Jr]

-I agree on the Human Form double dip thing, but I think i misread your earlier posts about how it would be a good mechanic for the skins. I'm not going to just make constant little edits to the thing- I'm editing it in a google doc and i'll post the full thing when I'm comfortable with it.

-Skins are meant to be enchanted objects essentially usuable only for this and maybe Armor. The base Skinwalker has four skin slots from his Ritual:Biomancy.
- The supernatural sense uses Lore.

-I'm switching back and forth on the form points because i'm really uncomfortable with them being able to have Mythic anything, but i want them to be able to have both building blocks, Echoes maybe, and some Creature Features stuff.  Blood, bracken and bone but i am terrible at math. Sorry once more.

-The Catch does apply and i really only used the phrase The Catch in limitation because it's simple to understand. There's no rebate applied. And it does apply to their natural Recovery, yes.

-Rereading Tricked, skinwalkers probably have Demonic-Co Pilot but that power is kind of awful IMO.

-The skills section is a remnant from when they would have had Mimic Abilities. On that note, Mimic Form is appropriate for them. Would cutting them down to 7 Form Points, Mimic Form, Supernatural Recovery, Supernatural Sense(Lore), and True Shapeshifting be reasonable? And the Limitation really depends on your campaign and it's setting, so in any future posts i'm just going to put a question mark for the Limitation.