Most Interesting Reasons for Powers

[Crion]

This was a topic brought up in passing with a fellow GM (about a different game, though), so I was curious what people here have thought up:

What is your favourite, most interesting, or downright strangest idea you've used or run into that gives a purpose behind the powers taken?

Added note: if you had to tweak rules (like use a variant of a Hunger Track for a viral-type power), what did you tweak and how did it work out?

[blackstaff67]

My character was hired by Donny Wise to break into Victor Sells's place and steal any books or magical formulae he could get his hands on--the same stormy night Dresden had hsi showdown with him.  Showing up before D. arrived, he was caught and force-fed a dose of Third-Eye by Victor.  Overlooked by Dresden, the combination of the drug AND the ambient magical energy released when the 'heart-explodey" spell was thwarted revived dormant unknown powers.

That said, he would much rather have not seen Victor Sells, Harry Dresden, the Demon, the distraught Beckitts, the scorpions, the ambient magical energy, the true nature of Victor's house AND Donald Morgan while under the influence of The Sight.  By a miracle, he snags Sells's grimoire and escapes, given up for dead by Donny Wise (who assumed Dresden killed him) and set up a new life in a small northern Indiana town.  Aspect: I have Victor Sells's spellbook."

[Mrmdubois]

I'm in the process of creating a guy who got his Sight blown wide open by three eye as well actually.  He got the Sight and the ability to talk to anything out of the deal, and maybe Cassandra's Tears.

[S1C0]

I was going to make a real Jedi knight he was a nerd who found the original draft of star wars and read some weird language that summoned a small green man who likes to talk in circles he does yep he called yoda who then offered him to leanrn the ways of the force he did and came back an old man named Ben kowolski. i thought i would get to play soon so far not yet
he uses the force a re flavored version of telekinesis and an iop the lightsabre 

[Crion]

Some of my current PCs at my table are doing the following:

Deal with the Demonic Embodiment of Lust: In the setting, each of the seven deadly sins is personified by an individual demon. This character made a deal with Wrath to gain one set of powers during her back story (Inhuman abilities for the most part), and after the contract was completed, she was given a new deal with Lust. The character now has Sponsored Magic (mostly mental whammies, emotional aspects, and summoning via EvoThaum).
If needed, physical enhancements might come into play.

"Super Soldier Serum": This is a concept an old player of mine asked for my help to plink out for his game. Basically take the idea of the Super Soldier Serum as we know it (i.e. Captain America) and make it a bit more negative. He was thinking more Resident Evil (specifically, use the Hunger Track, but require an injection of an anti-virus to clear it), as it could also allow various mutations as a way of going the NPC route.
I was looking more at Mr. Hyde; have a Human Form with "Beast Change," with compels when he is "stressed" to cause the change, and further compels to act according to that darker nature when he is transformed (or even add Demonic Co-Pilot).

Descendant of a Deal-Maker: One of my current players is using this for a Victorian-era game. His character is from Russia, and his great-grandfather made a deal with a Steppegoblin (think a form of a Fae) to have access to certain powers for his family. The contract can be renegotiated, so when he tires of Glamour and Divination, temptation will come knocking. . .

[Magicpockets]

Evolved Human: Think of Prototype (the video games). A shapeshifter that can absorb biomass (mostly still living humans), acquiring their abilities and skillsets. Using True Shapeshifting (for the skill shuffle), Mimic Form (ability to fool even biometric scanners) and a boatload of Modular Abilities.

[Sanctaphrax]

I've always been kind of fond of mundane Powers. Like futuristic technology as an Item of Power. Or incredible mundane strength as Inhuman Strength. Or Batman-level omni-competence as an Experience power.

So you end up with a character that's a mortal narratively, but not mechanically.

[Wyntonian]

I played an Afghanistan vet who had shrapnel from an angel's breastplate embedded in his chest, and a Lasciel-esque mental buddy floating around in his head. He had Marked by Power, Incite Emotion (Hope), Inhuman Toughness and a couple others.

[Conor]

I played an Afghanistan vet who had shrapnel from an angel's breastplate embedded in his chest, and a Lasciel-esque mental buddy floating around in his head. He had Marked by Power, Incite Emotion (Hope), Inhuman Toughness and a couple others.

I like that Wyntonian, it's got a nice consistency of idea about it and it's very evocative.

[voidronin]

In our Tokyo campaign we have:

A former Yakuza/ current vigilante character who was corrupted by a spider demon (Jorogumo); think not so goodie-two-shoes Japanese supernatural spider-man.

An elite special detective who works for the Japanese version of the BPRD using a Hellboy style hand-cannon with specialized ammo (Cold iron, garlic, ghost dust, ect.).

A wind evoking demon hunter bearing the Kusanagi (katana; wind-based item of power).

A magic eating wizard artificer capable of seeing kami and crafting Items of Power.

An otaku that found relics of an ancient trickster/ war god. The relics are currently in the form of an old-school Nintendo power glove and zapper. (Still working on what/ how the powers will work.)

[Crion]

An otaku that found relics of an ancient trickster/ war god. The relics are currently in the form of an old-school Nintendo power glove and zapper. (Still working on what/ how the powers will work.)

If you aren't familiar with it, look into the old cartoon and comic book Captain N: The Game Master. The main character essentially gets trapped in Video Game Land and has his zapper and controller as his weapons. Some of the "powers" they grant include zapping enemies (can be a Breath Weapon/Channeling), "pausing" the world for a short period of time, and super speed/jumps. That is what I remember offhand, but I haven't seen a single episode of the show in almost twenty years, so. . .

For other inspiration, just think of video games in general. How would someone exploit a "glitch" in reality?



As you can tell, I love that idea. :-D

[voidronin]

A "glitch" might be heading into dark magic land via mental magic.

Heh, yeah these are my players... the same guy for the otaku also came up with a social based white court vamp that incites and feeds off of apathy. He would basically bore victims/ enemies to death; Ben Stein in vamp form.

[Conor]

A "glitch" might be heading into dark magic land via mental magic.

Heh, yeah these are my players... the same guy for the otaku also came up with a social based white court vamp that incites and feeds off of apathy. He would basically bore victims/ enemies to death; Ben Stein in vamp form.

That player has some great ideas! A White Court Bore is amazing. Anyone ever see Father Ted? I'm thinking of Father Stone here.

[Mr. Ghostbuster]

There is a character in my game who has been sharing brainspace with a spirit of justice from the Nevernever (sort of like Lasciel). Part of his back story was that he was captured and turned by the Red Court. The spirit intervened and prevented him from changing, which unfortunately resulted in her spirit being permanently bonded to his soul. The end result was that he has physical abilities similar to that of a vampire but that are mostly dependent on the spirit's nature (as in he will begin loosing his powers if he indulges in revenge or shows mercy).

[KOFFEYKID]

I'm thinking of making a true shapeshifter who gained its powers because it was stripped of it's "true name" (Self Identity?) by a wizard's death curse.

It builds a new form by forming a mental framework for the new "person" it is going to become. It will have limitations along the line of "if you can recognize it from a previous identity, naming it with intent (invoke of high compel) can force it into the identity you knew it by."