Other-setting's creatures

[Tirs]

 Hi!
What do you think, is it possible (and correct) to use characters and beings of another setting in DF-verse?
 Becouse I wont "digitize" werewolves fron Mercyverse, but I'm afraid they would be strong too much for Dresden files.
I can describe them, if someone need.

[Vargo Teras]

The Dresdenverse includes a lot of options for various things; the important bit is that, if you're going to use them in the Dresdenverse, they need to fit in properly. So a type of werewolf which spreads itself by a cursed bite, and possesses great strength and recuperative powers in human form as well as its wolf-like form, is perfectly fine; having that type of werewolf possess a globe-spanning society which has somehow not signed the Unseelie Accords or gotten involved in the politics of any of the other globe-spanning societies is probably not going to fly well with players unless you get their buy-in first.

I would, however, counsel against ever using novel protagonists, or even major supporting characters, as characters in an RPG. Yes, that means I don't think that Harry Dresden should appear in any DFRPG games, let alone Mercy Thompson; what works for a character in a book, with their many unique exceptions and strokes of narrative-demanded luck, becomes incredibly problematic in a game where the players want to be the protagonists.

[Magicpockets]

Statting Mercy should be relatively easy, with the hardest part being "controlling ghosts":
Ghost Speaker [-1]
Echoes of the Beast [-1]
Supernatural Toughness [-4]
The Catch [+3] is that it only works vs magic
Beast Change [-1]
Human Form [+1], affecting:
Claws [-1]
Cloak of Shadows [-1]
Inhuman Speed [-2]

This is a barebone build at -7, judging by the wikipedia article on Mercy Thompson. I haven't actually read any of the books, so if Pack Instincts or Inhuman Strength seem appropriate, feel free to add them in.

[Deadmanwalking]

Possible? Sure. Correct? Depends on your definitions. You obviously need to decide how the (very different) metaphysics and world-rules interact. It's certainly not canon, but not everyone cares about that.

And Mercyverse Werewolves are hardly overpowering. They're built about like this:

Echoes of the Beast [-1]
Pack Instincts [-1]
Inhuman Strength [-2]
Inhuman Speed [-2]
Inhuman Toughness [-2]
The Catch is silver [+4] (The supernatural is public in the Mercyverse, and silver bullets are both universally known and stocked in every gun store...in the Dresdenverse, this probably drops to +3)

Feeding Restriction (Meat) [+1] effecting all of;
Beast Change [-1]
Inhuman Recovery [-2]
Human Form [+2] effecting only; (Mercyverse werewolves take several minutes to shift and are well-nigh helpless when doing so...it's not usually an option in the middle of combat)
Claws [-1]
Cloak of Shadows [-1]
Supernatural Recovery [-2] (This is special: It's basically the act of shapeshifting that heals them...the distinction is mostly meaningless, but might be compelled to have them not use this power during combat or some such, and certainly means they need to be conscious to utilize it)

That's only -8 Refresh (-9 if the supernatural is secret). Now, being a real alpha or something might well include other powers...but they're hardly starting characters.

The Dresdenverse includes a lot of options for various things; the important bit is that, if you're going to use them in the Dresdenverse, they need to fit in properly. So a type of werewolf which spreads itself by a cursed bite, and possesses great strength and recuperative powers in human form as well as its wolf-like form, is perfectly fine; having that type of werewolf possess a globe-spanning society which has somehow not signed the Unseelie Accords or gotten involved in the politics of any of the other globe-spanning societies is probably not going to fly well with players unless you get their buy-in first.

Yeah, this I agree with completely. If you insert werewolves ala the Mercyverse into the Dresdenverse you need to seriously consider how they fit in with the setting. The Marrok's almost certainly gonna be a signatory of the Unseelie Accords, for example.

I would, however, counsel against ever using novel protagonists, or even major supporting characters, as characters in an RPG. Yes, that means I don't think that Harry Dresden should appear in any DFRPG games, let alone Mercy Thompson; what works for a character in a book, with their many unique exceptions and strokes of narrative-demanded luck, becomes incredibly problematic in a game where the players want to be the protagonists.

This on the other hand, I disagree with. Compels and Invocations of Aspects tend to model this kind of narrative interaction perfectly, making Fate one of the better games to do this with. You obviously need to keep it to cameos or give the PCs some reason not to go running to them for help (or them some reason not to help) so that the PCs remain the stars of the show...but that hardly makes their presence impossible or anything...just something you need to be very careful with.

[Deadmanwalking]

Statting Mercy should be relatively easy, with the hardest part being "controlling ghosts":
Ghost Speaker [-1]
Echoes of the Beast [-1]
Supernatural Toughness [-4]
The Catch [+3] is that it only works vs magic
Beast Change [-1]
Human Form [+1], affecting:
Claws [-1]
Cloak of Shadows [-1]
Inhuman Speed [-2]

Not bad for someone who's never read the books, but her magic resistance is to mental and emotional controls, and rather definitively not to physical stuff (fireballs would kill her easily) and her Inhuman Speed stays in human form. She very much lacks Inhuman Strength...and develops Pack Instincts only late in the series. A more accurate build might be:

Ghost Speaker [-1]
Echoes of the Beast [-1]
Inhuman Speed [-2]
Beast Change [-1]

Human Form [+1], affecting:
Claws [-1]
Cloak of Shadows [-1]

Plus what probably amounts to a -1 power granting +2 to resist mental or emotional influences (+4 vs. vampires) or something like that and a massive Discipline score.

And, as the series progresses, Item of Power, Ritual (Ectomancy), and that Pack Instincts I mentioned.

But all this is slightly off-topic since he wanted Mercyverse werewolves, which she rather definitively isn't. 

[InFerrumVeritas]

In our games, we've included Dream the Endless from Neil Gaiman's Sandman, various and extensive amounts of Greek mythological beings and creatures, and elements of the Libromancer book.  I've thrown in bits of the Hellboy mythos whenever the players start considering the Outer Gates too.  Oh, and Gargoyles.

Granted, at this point our game is stretching itself to be called Dresdenverse.  It has several elements of it, and that is the largest contributor to the setting, but Rule of Cool and Interesting Story trumps it every time.

[Theonlyspiral]

I freely steal from the TV series, the Slender-Verse and Greek Mythology and it's only the first adventure. I would say that that rule of cool trumps all in RPGs.

[Tirs]

 Thank's a lot

And Mercyverse Werewolves are hardly overpowering.

I think, I understand you - Mercy-werewolves have no any serious weakness. But... this is their feature. I mean, only few can be mages, and they doesn't have nevernever powers (like  fairy does). They are strong and fast (a think they have inhuman/supernatural (it depends on the age and experience) Strength, Speed, Toughness even in human form but... that's all what they has). Make no mistake, the sun, the day, and the ability to enter into other people's homes and on holy ground - coupled with their strength - are the only thing that will allow them to protect themselves.
Hm...If Billy and his friends were the werewolves as these, they would be able to stand up for themselves? Without the help of Harry.

The Marrok's almost certainly gonna be a signatory of the Unseelie Accords, for example.

Of course. And that's good, that youremember him. Can someone of experienced players describe his features?
I mean... OK, he is at least 1500+ years old. He knew King Arthur. He was a Knight of the Round Table. He was the prototype of the Grendel from the legend of Beowulf. The Vikings have named their most ferocious warriors in his honor. Gray Lords (lords of the fairies), and even vampires (Do you understand - vampires!) ... dislike to aggravate relations with him.
How strong he must be?

[Deadmanwalking]

Thank's a lot

No problem, happy to be of assistance. 

I think, I understand you - Mercy-werewolves have no any serious weakness. But... this is their feature. I mean, only few can be mages, and they doesn't have nevernever powers (like  fairy does). They are strong and fast (a think they have inhuman/supernatural (it depends on the age and experience) Strength, Speed, Toughness even in human form but... that's all what they has). Make no mistake, the sun, the day, and the ability to enter into other people's homes and on holy ground - coupled with their strength - are the only thing that will allow them to protect themselves. Hm...If Billy and his friends were the werewolves as these, they would be able to stand up for themselves? Without the help of Harry.

They really do pretty well without Harry anyway. The inhuman toughness would be handy...but their ability to shapeshift on the fly is, too. Really, only the immortality would be a major step up...though maintaining superhuman physical prowess in human form would let them be a bit subtler if they wanted.

Of course. And that's good, that youremember him. Can someone of experienced players describe his features?
I mean... OK, he is at least 1500+ years old. He knew King Arthur. He was a Knight of the Round Table. He was the prototype of the Grendel from the legend of Beowulf. The Vikings have named their most ferocious warriors in his honor. Gray Lords (lords of the fairies), and even vampires (Do you understand - vampires!) ... dislike to aggravate relations with him.
How strong he must be?

Bran is...excessively hardcore. If you want a sheet...that's hard given the amount we've seen of his powers (relatively little) but I'd be inclined to peg him at something like this:

Name: Bran Cornick

Aspects:
High Concept: The Marrok
Trouble: So Many Responsibilities
Other:
Buried Black Rage
Ancient Bard
Knight of the Round Table
Appears Utterly Harmless
Protects What Is His

Skills:

Human Form:
Fantastic: Discipline, Fists, Performance,
Superb: Athletics, Contacts, Conviction, Lore, Presence,
Great: Alertness, Empathy, Intimidation, Rapport, Resources,
Good: Everything else. Yes, really.

Human Form:
Fantastic: Alertness, Athletics, Fists,
Superb: Conviction, Discipline, Endurance, Lore, Presence,
Great: Empathy, Intimidation, Might, Rapport, Stealth,
Good: Everything else. Yes, really.

Stunts:

Calm Blue Ocean (Discipline) (-1)
Unshakable (Discipline) (-1)
Counselor (Empathy) (-1)
Armed Arts: Sword, Knife (Fists) (-1)
Poet (Performance) (-1)
Leadership (Presence) (-1)
Linguist (Scholarship) (-2)

Stunts:

Echoes of the Beast [-1]
Pack Instincts [-1]
Predatory Knack [-1] (+1 to Fists for all purposes)
Supernatural Strength [-4]
Supernatural Speed [-4]
Supernatural Toughness [-4]
Inhuman Recovery [-2]
The Catch is silver [+3 or +4]
Supernatural Sense - Various, pack based, include lie detection [-3]
Mind-Speaking [-1] (Expansion of his Pack Instincts, allows him to communicate any message to anyone else part of his pack, or part of their packs, anywhere, psychically. Can't necessarily get responses.)

Feeding Restriction (Meat) [+1] effecting all of;
Beast Change [-1]
Supernatural Recovery [-2]
Human Form [+2] effecting only;
Claws [-1]
Cloak of Shadows [-1]
Mythic Recovery [-2]

Total: -27 or -28 Refresh (Note: He still totally has free will, too. Scary guy.)

Stress:

Mental: OOOO (+1 Mild Consequence)
Physical: OOOO (OOOO) (+1 Mild Consequence in wolf form)
Social: OOOO (+1 Mild Consequence)
Armor: 2.

He's really pretty unreasonably powerful. Possibly throw on some Incite Emotion depending on to what degree you think that Alpha ability is compels and Aspects and what you think needs additional mechanics. He might also have any or all of the physical stuff at Mythic...we just haven't seen any evidence of that.

[Tirs]

O, thank you. It's a great analys and sheet!

[Locnil]

Marrok's Empathy should be higher. It's the one trait of his that has been commented upon the most often, IIRC. Of course, it could just be a stunt.

Also, Mercy can control ghosts? 

Oh, right, and Mercy's selective magic immunity could be represented as Supernatural Stoicism, with a Catch of only against magical mind/emotion control.

[Deadmanwalking]

O, thank you. It's a great analys and sheet!

No problem, happy to be of assistance. 

Based on your sig, would you like my writeup of True Blood Vampires? I did it years ago, but I've got it around here somewhere, so it wouldn't be any trouble.

Marrok's Empathy should be higher. It's the one trait of his that has been commented upon the most often, IIRC. Of course, it could just be a stunt.

True...but I've personally always thought they overstate it. He's missed some pretty serious issues in people in his own Pack a few times. Great Empathy's already pretty good, after all. Maybe toss on Counselor for the part he's really good at. In fact, that's an excellent idea and I'm editing it in.

You could also pretty easily swap it and, say, Performance if you don't think that's sufficient, though.

Also, Mercy can control ghosts? 

In theory. In later books. Yeah.

Oh, right, and Mercy's selective magic immunity could be represented as Supernatural Stoicism, with a Catch of only against magical mind/emotion control.

Another valid way to do it if you use that power (I tend not to).

[Locnil]

If you don't like Stoicism, how about a stunt giving two extra milds for resisting mind control?

[Deadmanwalking]

If you don't like Stoicism, how about a stunt giving two extra milds for resisting mind control?

I honestly prefer the option I suggested above (giving her an amped up version of the Hard Boiled Stunt and a huge Discipline score). Epic or Legendary skill at resisting seems like it fits her better than taking consequences.

[Tirs]

Based on your sig, would you like my writeup of True Blood Vampires? I did it years ago, but I've got it around here somewhere, so it wouldn't be any trouble.

It'll be fine
But, back to the MT-werewolves - What about the dominant? It is ability, which allows more powerful werewolves command weaker packmates, and allows every werewolves command human. This is not hypnosis, rather like a very strong intimidation and persuasion.