Help a new guy, please

[Somerset Pierce]

Hey everyone, thanks for taking the time to read this. A couple friends and I are wanting to give the RPG a go, but I'm having trouble with initial character creation. We're doing a waist deep game post Dead Beat. I would like to create a Warden, but don't want an exact copy of Carlos.

My idea is to do a sort of "Last Blade of Luccio" concept where my character received the last sword she crafted before her body jump. Him being a Warden in the East Coast (Our game is set in Kentucky) I thought would be a good way to allow Harry to be present without outshining the players.

Anyway, basically what I'm having trouble with is Warden creation, are they  basically just wizards with a warden aspect? Character creation is the hardest part for me in RPG's, so any input is appreciated.

[Theonlyspiral]

Hey There! These boards are fantastic and a real help. In terms of being a Warden, I would just make sure you're at least a competent Evoker, have the Sword, and make sure your high concept relates to it. With those in place you should be good.

[Deadmanwalking]

What he said.

Wardens are a Wizard who specializes in kicking ass. So, at Waist Deep that's usually gonna involve Great to Superb in Conviction and Discipline, and possibly some mundane skill in the area, especially Weapons, as well.

Worth noting, is that, back years ago, I actually came up with the same basic concept (Warden with the last sword Luccio made), and played it in a short-lived PBP and looking at it might give you ideas. I suspect your character is very different, and this one technically uses a couple of House Rules (having his Extreme Consequence filled for an extra +1 Refresh, and possibly his Rote targeting Endurance), but looking at it might prove inspirational, so here it is:

(click to show/hide)

Name: James Langston Faraday

Background:

James Faraday was born to two parents in a small suburb and had an extremely good childhood, getting good grades, participating in athletics and generally living the American Dream. He was always a good-natured child, and then young man, and possessed of a fine sense of humor and a complete inability to stop telling jokes. When he was 14 (about 10 years ago), he discovered his magical abilities and was rapidly found by a local Wizard of the White Council and began training. By 17, having demostrated calm good judgement, as well as magical prowess beyond his years, he was a full wizard, specializing in Fire Evocation, and was looking to become a Warden. Then the Vampire War broke out.

Aspects: Always Has A Smile And A Joke


Rising Conflict:

Pushed by the pressure of the new Vampire War, James was rushed a bit throuh Warden training (though it still took four years), and was made a Full Warden shortly before the Red Court's suicidal attacks around Halloween (and was, in fact, the last Warden to recieve a Sword from Captain Luccio). He acquitted himself well in the ensuing battles, and was sent down to South America as part of a team operating out of the Nevernever and striking at selected Red Court targets. He spent over two years there, losing comrades and seeing some of the most horrible things that can be imagined. This culminated in an incident about 6 months ago about which details are still unclear. Apparently, while separated from his unit, he found a group of Red Court massacring (or having just massacred) an entire village...from old men to small children. He snapped and the resulting near-suicidal battle and conflagration destroyed perhaps as many as a few dozen Red Court...and nearly killed James, as he sat, rocking and crying, holding a child's corpse in the midst of the flames. Luckily, a member of his unit came and rescued him, but it was a near thing. It was decided that James should be removed from front line combat, but was too valuable not to be utilized, so he was sent to New York in lieu of time off.

Aspect: Shell-Shocked Veteran Of The Vampire War


First Novel: Fighting Memories

James is still wallowing in depression and memories of the War when Kurt Crichton, a local cop and minor talent, comes to him with news that someone is committing murders with magic. Reminded of his responsibilities, James (though still plagued by his experences), manages to pull himself together and find and execute the offending sorcerer, and is reminded that there are things here that he must still do, whatever his own problems. His skills are needed.

Aspect: Too Good For His Own Good


Guest Star: Child's Play

When a group of local children go missing over the course of a week, Serra calls in her ("just a") friend James Faraday for help, and they start doing a little bit of investigating. The bad news, as it turns out, the kids have been kidnapped by a clan of trolls living under the Brooklyn Bridge. The good news however, is that they also meet troll-killer extraordinaire Jack Doe, who just happened to be after the same group of trolls. James and he quickly strike up a friendship and find that they work very well together indeed.

The really bad news, as it turns out though, is that the trolls don't have the kids. As it turns out, they'd already passed them along to their master; the upstart Unseelie lord, one Mister Winterburr the Great, who plans to bind them into his service and create his own army of mortals. With James and Jack, Serra goes to pay him a visit, and while she deals with him (violently, unpleasantly, and all over the place) James and Jack have to use some real teamwork to deal with the remaining Trolls.

Aspect: "You take the dozen on the left, I'll take the dozen on the right."


Guest Star: The Black Tumor

When Kurt Crichton, one of his few actual friends in the city, calls for his help, James comes running immediately. And calls his other friend, Jack Doe, to come help out when he finds out schoolchildren are involved.

Together the three of them took on a group of Black Court Vampires, with James desperately trying to shield his two very mortal compatriots from the creature's all-too-powerful attacks with his magic. They stopped the vampires, but his attempted defense was not entirely successful, as Kurt's recklessness earned him some moderate injuries including a broken arm and bruised ribs.

Aspect: Anything For A Friend



Aspects:
High Concept: Last of the Sword-Wielding Wardens
Trouble: It‘s My Responsibility
Other:
Always Has A Smile And A Joke
Shell-Shocked Veteran Of The Vampire War
Too Good For His Own Good
"You take the dozen on the left, I'll take the dozen on the right."
Anything For A Friend

Skills:

Superb: Conviction,
Great: Discipline, Weapons,
Good: Lore, Rapport,
Fair: Alertness, Athletics, Contacts, Investigation,
Average: Empathy, Endurance, Presence, Scholarship,

Powers:

Evocation [–3]
Thaumaturgy [–3]
The Sight [–1]
Soulgaze [+0]
Wizard’s Constitution [+0]
Refinement [-1]
Extreme Consequence (James is currently suffering from an Extreme Consequence, he must buy this ability off to get rid of it, in addition to the normal requirements.) [+1]

Total: -7 Refresh

Specializations:

Evocation: Elements (Fire, Water, Spirit); Control (Fire +2), Power (Fire +1)
Thaumaturgy: Crafting (Strength +1);

Focus Items:
Flame Ring [+1 Offensive Control with Fire]

Enchanted Items:
Warden’s Sword (2 Enchanted Item Slots)
Pendant of Defense (6 shift Block or Armor: 3, up to three times per session) (4 Enchanted Item Slots)

Rotes:

Plasma Motes (Block: 6 or Armor: 3.)
Overheat (Weapon: 6 Attack targetting Endurance. Requires Ring.)
Conflagration (Weapon: 5 Attack, targets Athletics in an entire zone. Requires Ring, deals him a 2 Stress hit.)

Stress:

Mental: OOOO (+1 Minor Mental Consequences)
Physical: OOO
Social: OOO
Armor: 2 with Kevlar or 3 with Pendant.


Equipment: In addition to his Warden's Sword (actually a sword cane, and Weapon: 3 for reference), James possesses several hand grenades (Weapon: 5 in a full zone) and full kevlar body armor (Armor: 2 vs. guns and such)...neither of which he carries on his person as a rule, unless in full Warden regalia and looking for a fight. He does however carry a bowie knife (Weapon: 2) in a back-draw sheath and perhaps a dozen throwing knives (Weapon: 1) up his sleeves and in boot sheathes. All knives and the Sword (though not the grenades) have some sort of legal documentation, courtesy of the Wardens not wanting him to be arrested.

Physical Appearance: A slight young man of 24, though he looks younger, James is 5'10" and perhaps 150 lbs, though it's all lean muscle. He's handsome in a fragile sort of way, and usually smiling, though sometimes sadly. He has short, touseled, light brown hair, and vivid green  eyes that most people look away from without quite ralizing why. He dresses for utility, not fashion, but with some eye for looking good (and usually manages to combine the two). He's too pale these days, like he doesn't get outside enough.

Item Appearances: His pendant is a small pentagram (in silver) surrounded by a circle (in gold and bronze intertwined), with the ability to manipulate probability and make attacks simply happen to miss him (or only graze him or some such), when doing so it glows with a flickering light momentarily. It is on a simple steel chain. His sword is a walking stick/cane in black hardwood that unsheathes into a slim, two-edged, silver blade worked with runes of about three feet in length. The hardwood sheathe is Weapon: 2, and balanced for fighting. His Ring is simple gold, and set with a small ruby to better channel and focus his Fire Magic.

Home: James lives in an unimpressive little apartment in Harlem he has warded and booby-trapped to a fare-thee-well (though with several non-lethal surprises before anything lethal). His kevlar, grenades, and other military gear, are kept in a hidden floor compartment, and his library and mystical lab are in plain sight (he doesn't let people who don't know about that sort of thing into the apartment). His Grey Cloak hangs on a coat-rack right beside the door.

Note: His Extreme Consequence is currently filled (with a Mental Consequence if it matters), having changed his "Seasoned Veteran Of The Vampire War" into "Shell-Shocked Veteran Of The Vampire War". It's a much less fun Aspect for him now.

[Fyrchick]

Have you checked the DFRPG Resources thread?

http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,22322.0.html

There are quite a few characters (wardens included) that you might want to use as reference to get started.
There are a few character creation threads farther back in the DFRPG main room as well.
Also check out some of the Play-by-post threads. Characters and stats are posted at the beginning, so you might want to see how other people have created characters.

Do you have access to a copy of Our World? All of the warden character sheets are there, so you can see how Morgan stats up. 

The other option is to just post what you already have here- see what suggestions and explanations you get. I'm sure you'll get more than you want (or need!) 

What part are you having trouble with, exactly? The aspects or the skills/stress etc?

[Somerset Pierce]

Thanks a lot for the feed back so far guys! I have pre-order versions of both the books. Honestly the problem I have is the same problem I have in all rpg's, too many options. I know, for example, what I want to do, but I either try to do too much, or I make things too complicated. Also, this is my introduction to FATE. I have played D&D, but the community in my town is very limited, to say the least, which is another reason I'm having trouble. The concepts, and aspects I think I have down ok, it's statting out the character I'm having trouble with. Like, how do I determine how good my character is at evocation, for example? Skills are decided by the number of points available at the start, correct? Sorry if these are questions with obvious questions, I'm just trying to get started, lol.

Thanks again!

[Sanctaphrax]

Like, how do I determine how good my character is at evocation, for example?

Evocation uses the Conviction and Discipline skills, plus specializations and foci.

Your power is equal to your Conviction plus the bonuses of any of your power specializations and foci that apply to the spell you're casting.

Your control is equal to your Discipline plus the bonuses of any of your control specializations and foci that apply to the spell you're casting.

Skills are decided by the number of points available at the start, correct?

Yes, the total number of skill ranks your character can have (at the start of the game) depends on the number of skill points available at the start of the game.

[Somerset Pierce]

So this is what I have so far. I'm very open to suggestions, and input. Let me know what you think:

Matheau Cain
High Concept: “Last Blade of Luccio”
Matheau was recruited into the wardens one year prior to the events of the case “Dead Beat” Captain Luccio temporarily assigned him to guard duty at the council headquarters in Edinburgh Castle.  While here he became friends with Wardens Chandler (“Steed”) and Yoshimo. Luccio completed his sword just prior to the events of “Dead Beat” however it was not presented to him until after the events due to Luccio’s involvement. Due to Captain Luccio’s inability to forge new swords, his friends have christened him the “Last Blade of Luccio”

Trouble: “Absolutely NOT my father’s son!”
Mateau’s mother died when he was six in a car accident. He was sent to live with his father who was an alcoholic, and drug addict. After spending his formative years enduring both mental and physical abuse Virgil grew to hate his father. Vowing to never be anything like him, Matheau follows the straight edge lifestyle, generally looks down upon, sometimes to the point of openly being rude, and dismissive to people who are encountering hardships due to their own drug, or alcohol usage.
Background: “Call me Mat”
Matheau grew up in a life of strict order, and squalor. As such, Matheau has become a bit of a free spirit regarding his lifestyle, and attitude.  He has a strong sense of responsibility despite seeming to take nothing seriously.
Rising Conflict: “Matheau the Red…I don’t want to talk about it.”
Matheau’s first introduction to the Vampire wars was a hard one. During a strike in South America Matheau earned the name “The Red” from a Swiss Warden named Sven Urne, by causing the death of over twenty Red Court vampires, and nearly a dozen of their thralls by detonating  an improvised fuel bomb consisting of three linked fuel takers.  This caused mixed feelings in that the event was a victory for the council in a time where victories are rare, however the weight of the lives lost weigh heavy on Matheau.
First Adventure: “I do what must be done.”
Matheau’s very first duty as a Warden was to arrest a warlock in his hometown who had broken the third law of magic. He met up with a childhood friend who offered several leads. After several dead ends Matheau discovered that it was his friend who was the warlock. The leads he had been given were rivals the friend wanted eliminated. After the arrest, and trial, Captain Luccio allowed the execution to be carried out by Warden Morgan in Cain’s stead.  The fact that he was nearly duped by his friend hardened him a bit, and taught him the lesson that sometimes what you want, and what you need to do are very different.
Guest Star: “Harry Dresden is my boss”
After the events of Dead Beat Warden Dresden became aware of a smallish group of Red Court Vampires attempting to break into the chemical depot in Richmond Kentucky. Upon petition from Harry Captain Luccio assigned Matheau to the case due to both he being from Kentucky, and he being somewhat of a war veteran by this point. After the successful repelling of the break in attempt Warden Dresden assigned Cain to the Kentucky Region, based primarily out of the city of Somerset.
Guest Star: “Yoshimo, Steed, and Cain”
While on leave in New Orleans Matheau encountered a Voodoo priest attempting to revive Voodoo Queen Marie Leveau. Realizing he is a bit over his head Matheau enlists his friends Wardens Yoshimo, and Steed. Together they were able to uncover, and break up a cult devoted to resurrecting the late Voodoo Queen.

[Locnil]

Tying your character in to canon characters may prove problematic, but if you go ahead all the more power to you. 

[Deadmanwalking]

For the Guest Star segments, you're supposed to tie your character to the other PCs, not necessarily canon characters. And the Aspects gained therein need not have anything to do with the people in question...just what you do to help out in that story.

Now, what you've got is perfectly legal already...but I'm guessing you were misinterpreting what the Guest Star phase meant a little, and might want to change things to reflect how it usually works.

[JDK002]

Also, making a warden at chest-deep is most likely going to kind of force your skills into a pretty narrow column.  There's nothing wrong with that, but I bares mentioning.

Discipline and Conviction are what you would probably want at 5, Lore and Weapons at 4, Athletics and Endurance at 3.

This isn't the only way to do it of course, just don't expect a "well-rounded" warden.  Though DO expect your warden to kick some major ass when push comes to shove haha.

[Somerset Pierce]

Thanks again guys. I did misunderstand the guest star aspects, I'll give it a re-working. All the other players but one dropped recently, and if I can't find a new player we may have to shelve it. Can you play with just two people?

[bobjob]

All you need for a good role playing game is one player and an awesome story. Some of the coolest tales are about a single player. Heck, you can even think of Dresden as a single player type and everybody else is an NPC.

[Deadmanwalking]

Yep. One on one or other small games can be really cool if everyone's up for it.

[Somerset Pierce]

How would guest stars work in that case? Would I use an NPC in that instance? Or can a character be used twice with different aspects?

[bobjob]

Just write your own. That particular character creation phase is useful for bringing the party together initially (after all, you've been in three adventures by that point). For a solo game, I say you just make sure you write in helping specific NPCs that the GM can use later on.