How would you guys handle this?

[Mr. Ghostbuster]

So there is this player in my game who has a character with some inhuman abilities tied into a spirit from the Nevernever sharing his brain space (kind of a Harry-Lasciel sort of thing). Now, the player wants his powers (inhuman strength, toughness, recovery) limited by the spirit's nature/agenda. The spirit is a spirit of justice, so anything involving vengeance or even mercy can conflict with the spirit's nature, negating or weakening his powers.

How would you guys handle this in terms of game mechanics? We've played with some ideas before but it hasn't really come up yet in the campaign. We were thinking of something based off of the vampire's hunger stress track or maybe something like a sponsor debt. Or should it be some sort of catch?

[Taran]

I'd make it a catch.

Any mission that doesn't involve justice(or whatever) would serve as the catch, for the toughness/recovery powers, at least.

The other option is Human Form (involuntary form). 

Since the spirit dictates when he gets access to his powers (or doesn't), you, as a GM can say what situations constitute having them.
This would give him a +2 rebate but he wouldn't be in control of when he uses them.  Actually, I think this is a better solution than a catch.

[Taran]

Another question:  what kind of deal does he have with this spirit?  Sponsored debt might also be an option. 

If you combine it with Involuntary human form, in times when the spirit says "No Way!", He can choose to take a point of sponsored debt.

This way he gets access to his powers even when the spirit may disagree, but then the spirit has a free compel to use against him to further its goals!

[InFerrumVeritas]

Depends on how often you expect it to come up. 

If it's not very often, than really just compelling him is best.

[Taran]

Depends on how often you expect it to come up. 

If it's not very often, than really just compelling him is best.

This is a good point.

[JDK002]

I don't think a hunger track is quite right for the concept.  Honestly I would say keep it simple.  Make him have an aspect or two tied to his relation to the spirit, let him take sponsored debt, and let compels limit his actions.

Or if you're okay with custom powers, Limitation or Spiritual Co-pilot in the custom powers thread could fit the idea.

[Mr. Death]

Yeah, compels are probably the best way to go on this. I've got a player who just picked up a Blackened Denarius, and what JDK says is pretty much how we're going to handle it.

[Mr. Ghostbuster]

Another question:  what kind of deal does he have with this spirit?  Sponsored debt might also be an option. 

If you combine it with Involuntary human form, in times when the spirit says "No Way!", He can choose to take a point of sponsored debt.

This way he gets access to his powers even when the spirit may disagree, but then the spirit has a free compel to use against him to further its goals!

The original deal (this is all part of the backstory) was the spirit was inprisoned originally and broke a deal with the character (a child at this point) that she would teach him magic and in exchange he would release her once he reached an appropriate level of magical know-how.That all became moot point though when she became permanently bonded to his soul. Now its just sort of a fact of life for both of them. I think the idea is that the connection to the spirit weakens when he strays too far from her nature. Sort of similar (Cold Days spoilers) to

(click to show/hide)

Harry's mantle of Winter Knight in Cold Days

. The more he acts against it, the bigger affect it has. Its also probably worth mentioning that they aren't enemies. They may not be friends exactly but they have been together a long time and are partners.

[Wordmaker]

Based on what you've described, I'd agree that compels would be the most thematically appropriate way to go.

Interesting that it was the spirit who broke the deal. That ought to give the PC an added amount of power over the spirit, essentially it explains why he can buy off the compels and use his powers when he really wants to, even if the spirit doesn't want it.