Worm rules subset for DFRPG

[Stirge]

Introduction

Worm: http://parahumans.wordpress.com/about/

This thread is inspired by two others, the first is of course the work of Sanctaphrax and others in the 'Statting Up Worm Characters' thread.  I blame y'all for me catching the Worm bite.  The second was the Worm PBP game thread.  While I haven't fully read the latter, it made me think about how I'd port over the Worm universe into the DFRPG.  At first glance, Blasters/Strikers/Bruisers/Movers seem easy enough, using the core DFRPG + powers others have created.  In the end though, I felt we needed a lot of custom rules.  A lot of the following is theory crafting and not yet properly worded to be used for rules, my main goal right now is to get people brainstorming about a base subsystem for Worm

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Goals for the System:
1) Have something usable when someone wants to run a DFRPG in the Worm universe!
2) Have character archetypes/trees based off of the twelve types of powers in the universe.
3) Keep true to the moderately rules-light nature of the DFRPG.

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Worm-based House Rules:
1) Compared to the DFRPG, I imagine most Worm Characters will have higher refresh compared to skill points than the current DFRPG categories (There's a good number of 20 skill point, 12 refresh characters running around, for instance).

2) That said, there's probably a Powers based ability like the following:

Skilled [-1]: Gain 3 points worth of skills.  You may take this ability multiple times.  Skills may not go over your Skill Cap and this power doesn't affect how well you use Powers.
    Jack of All Trades [-1]: Get a +1 bonus to skills that are Mediocre or Average for you.  You may take this multiple times, each time increasing the highest category this effects.

Ex: A character like Viktor might have taken Skilled and Jack of All Trades a few times, with an aspect called "Psychic Vampire" which lets him invoke it for effect to deny opponents uses of their skill checks or for the GM to Tag it saying Viktor doesn't have that skill available at a critical juncture).  He possibly has a Modular or Variable ability that grants him access to different stunts..

3) ‘Capes’ replaces ‘Lore’ (Tinker, who use a version of Thaumaturgy Crafting generally have to understand how powers work to replicate them)

4) Powers require a character to have two Aspects - one related to their Trigger Event and another for their Powers (either of these might be rolled up in a particular character's High Concept or Trouble).  A Secondary Trigger Event requires a third aspect to be required.  A character's base (unmodified) ‘Discipline’ or ‘Conviction’ (higher of the two) governs the use of most powers. 

5) Characters should be able to use fate points to stunt off a Variable Abilityrelated to their power spontaneously in a combat.  Taylor, Panacea and other characters do this frequently.

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Common Stunts/Powers:  Some powers are more common than others.  Inhuman Strength/Speed/Toughness/Recovery and Super Senses all seem to be common powers along with:

Power Immunity [-1]: Immune to one's own powers, or very very similar powers. (Exception: Tinkers)
    Wide Coverage [-1]: Immune to powers similar to ones own (all fire attacks for Sundancer, this is weak and probably should allow an additional Mild Consequence of the appropriate category)
Power Specialization [-1]: +1 to all rolls concerning your powers.
    Extra Strength Passenger [-1]: Additional +1 to all rolls concerning your powers.

Common Add-Ons to Powers: These can be added on to virtually any other power

On/Off Switch [-1]: Works on powers that are normally always on (Size powers, Living dead, etc...)
Additional Effect [-1]: Ties one power to another (Teleport + Duplication, Oni Lee) - similar to the Incite Effects add on.  (If too strong, may require a supplemental action).
Variable Ability [-1]: Can sub power for a lesser mode (Taylor substitutes her Master power for Incite Effect offensive maneuver).
Trade-Off [-0]: Permanent +X to attack, -X to stress on an attack power (or vice versa) where X = 1-3.
    (For the more accurate version of the stunt, if the attack succeeds by X or less, it doesn't inflict additional stress.)
    Choice [-1] Can choose which modification (or neither) when using the ability.
Grant Power to Others [-2/-0]: See Trumps, below

Common Drawbacks:
Requires Juice [-1]: Take a mental stress every time you use this power.
Doesn’t Turn Off [-0]: On powers that you normally control - this is more of a Trouble or Aspect than an actual modification.

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Next: The Twelve Types of Capes.

[Stirge]

Heavily WIP.

Powers:
"Mover, Shaker,
   Brute and Breaker.
Master, Tinker,
   Blaster and Thinker,
Striker, Changer,
   Trump and Stranger."

Many of the most common powers in Worm have Trade-Offs, Limitations and Variable Powers built in (see above).  Everyone seems to have something unique about their power.

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Mover:
Flight, Supernatural or Mythic Speed, Teleportation.
Ex: Velocity has Supernatural Speed tied to Trade-Off.  He gets more accurate punches but doesn't deal as much damage.
Oni Lee has Teleportation with Additional Effect, tied to a power that creates his clones (Incite Defensive Effect, perhaps?).

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Shaker
Modified Demesne Power, allows aspects to be placed on the terrain via Declaration, attacks, defense, blocks, and borders as upgrades.

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Brute
Supernatural/Mythic versions of Strength/Toughness/Recovery, some variants of Physical Immunity.  Often times The Catch for such a power will be Power Nullifcation for a simple [-0].

Ex: Weld probably has Supernatural Toughness and at least Inhuman Strength and Recovery.
Alexandria is probably a munchkin with Mythic Toughness + Undying (the Catch: Strangulation) along with Supernatural Strength, Speed, and a boat load of other powers.

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Breaker: A hodgepodged category of powers (along with Trump).  Often self-transformation abilities that don’t drastically change one’s own form.
    Size Abilities, Amorphous Form, etc...

Ex: Fenja/Menja have Gargantuan Size (Hulking Size's big brother) with the ability to turn it On/Off.

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Master:  Whole big rules subset, WIP.  The following are just my notes:

(click to show/hide)

Minions [-4]: Minion Rules needed, all of these are Limited [+X] Duration, type, limited amounts (similar to Physical Immunity).  Minions have 2 free refresh of stunts/powers (1 refresh spent for 2 more for them, max amount = your refresh).  Coordinating them takes a supplemental action.

Common Minion
Heroic Minion

Enthrallment [+0]: Requires you to capture minions.
    [-X]: Mental reading
[-1] Swarm (table progression)
Range
Type of Control
[+1]: Lacks skills

Alex - Enthrallment, Heroic Minions, Limit x3, mental control, City range.
Taylor - Controlled several ‘Swarm’ common minions. Limited (Ammo system?)
B*tch - Heroic Minions, extra points for powers (Size, Super Strength/Toughness)

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Tinker: Tinkers have a version of Thaumaturgy focused on Crafting.  It uses Scholarship/Capes for control/complexity and they often have lots of enchanted items.  Refresh spent on Refinement for Specialization or extra item slots is common.  Power suits or a signature device/weapon are often Items of Power.  Often, someone else can use a Tinker's device even if it's not made for that with a good Scholarship roll (= to the complexity of the device).

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Blaster: Incite Effect, often with Power Immunity.  Oftentimes Blasters will have Trade-Offs and other small powers (Super Senses and the like).

Ex: Legend has Incite Effect with Trade-Off/Choice and Super Senses for his superior sight along with Flight and some Inhuman abilities.

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Thinkers: Thinkers probably use a re-skinned Guide My Hand ability as a base, substituting Mental Stress for FP's to use their abilities.  Particular Thinkers will take Inexplicable Knowledge (the wiki), a re-skinned Sacred Guardian (DFRPG:OW from Mouse), "5 seconds ahead" (DFRPG:OW from Abby) Skilled, Jack of All Trades, and Modular Abilities (for Stunts).

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Striker: See Blaster, but short-ranged!  A lot of Natural Weapon (wiki) powers fall here as well.  Some powers use Fists over Conviction/Discipline.

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Changer: WIP

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Trump: There's a large variety of abilities under this category.  Often times these powers will affect other capes/powers.

Grant Power to Others [-2] - (Can’t grant self [-0]).  Range by touch (default).
    [-X] Common Limit - Duration
    [+X] Increased targets (use progression table)

Power Nullification [-X] - Similar to counterspelling rules, often with Power Specialization to get that edge in.
   [-X] Common Limit - Range
   [+X] Area

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Stranger: Powers allow the cape to use Stealth in more tangible defensive ways.  Characters with Super Senses should get a bonus to Alertness rolls vs. Strangers = to the Refresh they spent on their ability.

[-1]: Allows you to make Stealth check without needing concealment (Invisibility)
OR
[-1]: Blocks on yourself vs. Alertness ().  Doesn’t affect area attacks (?  Similar to Incite Defensive Effect).

Add-Ons:
[-1]: Can attack and ‘restealth’ as a supplemental action.
[-1]: When you stealth, others forget you if they fail an Alertness check.
[-1]: Ignores even Supernatural Senses (they don't get the standard bonus)

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Next: Character Archetypes

[Stirge]

WIP

Character Archetypes: Sponsored Capes, Rogues, Villains, Cauldron Capes, PRT

[dpara]

Maybe you are already aware of them, but the weaver dice rules might be of interest, the idea is basically that you don't quite get to choose the specifics of your powers (unless you roll like a god^^):

https://docs.google.com/document/d/17WIAhETdtVGSKzFuDYOT2_6U_MMXmTGyzCziYhCwozo/edit

[Sanctaphrax]

If I were you I'd try not to change so much stuff. The closer you stick to the foundation laid by Evil Hat, the easier it is to make everything work.

Game design is hard, but houseruling is easy. Why make things any more difficult than they have to be?

Anyway, I don't much like the look of those custom Powers. The balance on them looks loose at best.

Particularly Trade-Off. Accuracy is better than weapon rating, period.

[narphoenix]

Plus, there's no need for artificially constructing the categories when instead playing each power by ear is better.

For example, I could easily justify (and have justified) a Thinker taking ACaEBG. And no Thinker I've seen plays with Guide My Hand, and that includes the Simurgh, the epitome of Thinkers.

[Sanctaphrax]

Guide My Hand would be appropriate for Contessa, though.

The first half of Righteousness, too. She's not exactly the kind of person you'd expect to see using True Faith, but mechanically...

[PirateJack]

Personally, I'd have some Shakers use a modified Sponsored Magic. For Labyrinth especially since her power takes time to set up, inflicts mental stress and is effectively a zone wide ritual cast at evocation's speeds.

Characters like Vista, on the other hand, would do better with Demesne.

[Sanctaphrax]

Hey, are you still doing this?

[Stirge]

Sanctaphrax -> For sure!  There's been a lot posted in the thread that has made me rethink a lot of things so I'm working on them. After I've gotten some momentum in the PBP games I'm playing in I'd like to run a Worm PBP game (lower Refresh than the recruitment thread already there, more Undersiders-level for the PC's).

Trade-Off -> I agree Accuracy is better than damage by itself. But read the ability again, it's so poorly worded because I tried to fix that by not letting it apply to damage (I feel like Wizard's focus items need this limit as well).  Trade Off is a concept from Mutants & Masterminds (an RPG designed for the superhero genre).  I think a base rule that characters decide in character creation might fit better (that's how M&M does it) instead of a power.  I feel it's necessary for characters like Scrub, who have heavy hitter blasts but at the cost of accuracy.  Also, Ingenue's power and Noelle's clones probably had some version of this.

Narphoenix When I was thinking of Guide My Hand for Thinkers, I was thinking primarily of Tattletale.  She uses her power to simulate Empathy/Rapport (social attacks, reading someone), Burglary checks (opening a vault), Alertness (keep track of Imp) just of the top of my head.  I feel like other Thinkers are similarly versatile, with Accord able to use Craftsmanship, 'Alertness' (discovering Skitter's trap in his interlude) and Resources (gaming the stock market).  I know it doesn't apply for all of them, but my goal is to have a couple of different Base Powers for characters within the various archetypes.

However, I might be thinking of everything in reverse.  It might be better to make a list of Character Archetypes with just a few custom powers added.

PirateJack -> That sounds like a great idea.  I had considered Channel for some Evokers, but Sponsored Magic really fits a lot of characters.  And not just Shakers - with how versatile a power Taylor has, for instance, Sponsored Magic might be a good representation for her.  Her limit of needing bugs around might represent the mental stress her abilities cost (or maybe a separate Stress track like Hunger uses) - along with a 'Rote Mastery' or similar feat to allow Taylor to use her usual abilities more effectively.

[Sanctaphrax]

After I've gotten some momentum in the PBP games I'm playing in I'd like to run a Worm PBP game (lower Refresh than the recruitment thread already there, more Undersiders-level for the PC's).

I approve of this plan. As you know doubt have noticed, there's a demand for a Worm GM.

Trade-Off -> I agree Accuracy is better than damage by itself. But read the ability again, it's so poorly worded because I tried to fix that by not letting it apply to damage (I feel like Wizard's focus items need this limit as well).  Trade Off is a concept from Mutants & Masterminds (an RPG designed for the superhero genre).  I think a base rule that characters decide in character creation might fit better (that's how M&M does it) instead of a power.  I feel it's necessary for characters like Scrub, who have heavy hitter blasts but at the cost of accuracy.  Also, Ingenue's power and Noelle's clones probably had some version of this.

Having the accuracy bonus/penalty not affect damage would certainly help. Don't think it'd be sufficient to model stuff like Ingenue's power, though. So much Power stuff is not really dice-based.