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The Dresden Files => DFRPG => Topic started by: Tush Hog on January 26, 2010, 06:24:37 PM

Title: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: Tush Hog on January 26, 2010, 06:24:37 PM
Thanks for posting it - Great stuff!

This has probably been covered before, but when casting a spell is it a Conviction roll?

Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: iago on January 26, 2010, 06:51:05 PM
Conviction governs the amount of power you can throw around. Harry has a lot of this.

Discipline governs the amount of control you have over that power. Harry... is a little sloppy in this department. That's why he favors Thaumaturgy if he can do it: because it's slower and more deliberate, his lack of control doesn't bite him on the butt so much.
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: Tush Hog on January 27, 2010, 03:44:52 AM
Conviction governs the amount of power you can throw around. Harry has a lot of this.

Discipline governs the amount of control you have over that power. Harry... is a little sloppy in this department. That's why he favors Thaumaturgy if he can do it: because it's slower and more deliberate, his lack of control doesn't bite him on the butt so much.
ahhh...very good.

Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: Tush Hog on January 28, 2010, 03:28:36 PM
I was wondering if you might shed a little more light on how Specializations work?
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: iago on January 28, 2010, 03:38:35 PM
I was wondering if you might shed a little more light on how Specializations work?

Pretty simple: they add bonuses to your discipline, or your conviction, or your lore skills (depending on the kind of specialization it is) in the specific case of casting a certain kind of magic.
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: Tush Hog on January 28, 2010, 06:33:05 PM
Pretty simple: they add bonuses to your discipline, or your conviction, or your lore skills (depending on the kind of specialization it is) in the specific case of casting a certain kind of magic.
Very nice! I suppose you take specializations at character creation?
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: iago on January 28, 2010, 06:37:44 PM
Very nice! I suppose you take specializations at character creation?
Yep, though you can pick more of them up as you advance by taking the "Refinement" power one or more times.
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: Ihadris on January 29, 2010, 03:43:05 AM
Yep, though you can pick more of them up as you advance by taking the "Refinement" power one or more times.

How much does the refinement skill cost? I was looking on Harry's sheet and I couldnt make out if it was costing anything from his refresh total, unless it was already there in the -3 for each of the magic skills?
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: iago on January 29, 2010, 04:15:29 AM
How much does the refinement skill cost? I was looking on Harry's sheet and I couldnt make out if it was costing anything from his refresh total, unless it was already there in the -3 for each of the magic skills?

It's not a skill, it's a power. And since the word "Refinement" doesn't appear on his sheet, he doesn't have it yet at that point. :)

It's -1 for each taking of it.
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: Wizard H on January 29, 2010, 06:29:53 AM
Ye gods this all looks great :D  The balance, the chance to have wizards who vary in power and capability, all the other classes/types.  I can't wait!  The only issue is finding enough people in my frackin town to play ><
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: Ihadris on January 29, 2010, 06:30:12 AM
It's not a skill, it's a power. And since the word "Refinement" doesn't appear on his sheet, he doesn't have it yet at that point. :)

It's -1 for each taking of it.

Ah Apologies for mixing up the terminology! Is it one additional specialisation per Refinement? Does Refinement have any other additional benefits?
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: iago on January 29, 2010, 11:53:31 AM
I think it's 2 specialization points per refinement -- or some extra item slots -- or a broader understanding of the use of elements in evocation.
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: skakid on January 29, 2010, 03:18:58 PM
So am I right in reading this that Harry is "Just" playable as of Storm Front?
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: Bosh on January 29, 2010, 03:24:38 PM
So am I right in reading this that Harry is "Just" playable as of Storm Front?

IIRC through advancement you can up your Fate point refresh rate which can keep your character on the near side of the PC/NPC line.
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: iago on January 29, 2010, 04:18:33 PM
So am I right in reading this that Harry is "Just" playable as of Storm Front?
The way we chose to present him, we did him as a high power starting character (there are different power levels you can start your campaign at), and used Storm Front as the *backstory* of his character creation (along with Restoration of Faith and Welcome to the Jungle).  So think of Storm Front Harry as a decent example of that end of our recommended starting power levels. But honestly there's a lot of room to move around in there; your GM determines where the dials are set at the start.
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: Tush Hog on January 29, 2010, 06:44:32 PM
Is there a recommended (or maybe I should say default) starting level?

Looking at the character sheet it looks like it effects your starting skill points and the skill cap. Does it also determine beginning refresh rates or is that 10 across the board?
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: iago on January 29, 2010, 06:46:29 PM
Is there a recommended (or maybe I should say default) starting level?

Looking at the character sheet it looks like it effects your starting skill points and the skill cap. Does it also determine beginning refresh rates or is that 10 across the board?

It affects all three, and we have four (I think it's four) distinct packages of settings for those three dials made explicit in the game, though an individual GM would be free to change the number on any one of the three if she wanted. :)
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: Sh33p on January 30, 2010, 12:26:42 AM
Ye gods this all looks great :D  The balance, the chance to have wizards who vary in power and capability, all the other classes/types.  I can't wait!  The only issue is finding enough people in my frackin town to play ><
That's what press gangs and machetes are for, H. :)
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: Chuck Chuck Razool on February 04, 2010, 02:04:41 AM
Alright let's get a look at this beast...
*Clicks link to Haracter sheet.*

...Buhhhhh. ???

This is seriously unlike any system I've ever seen. The sheet might well be written in Arabic for all the information I'm able to gather from it. It does seem from this sheet that the game focuses on role playing over lots of number crunching. Would that be an accurate statement? If it is it's a bummer, because my roommates tend to only be able to role play very standoffish anarchists.
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: BobForPresident on February 04, 2010, 02:12:54 AM
uhmmm....link?
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: Chuck Chuck Razool on February 04, 2010, 02:16:13 AM
uhmmm....link?
on the DFRPG website.
http://www.dresdenfilesrpg.com/2010/01/26/january-status-update-2010/
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: iago on February 04, 2010, 02:26:15 AM
If it is it's a bummer, because my roommates tend to only be able to role play very standoffish anarchists.

There's a word for standoffish anarchists in the Dresdenverse:

Food.

;)

I would say our system actually sits at the midpoint between the two extremes you're talking about, Chuck.
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: Rechan on February 04, 2010, 09:56:59 PM
I'm surprised Harry only has Fair investigations.

Is Conviction the equivalent of SotC's Resolve, or is Resolve also in DFRPG?

Also, typical SotC heroes start out with 5 boxes of stress. Harry has 4/4/3. Is there a formula reached for that, or is it just something innate to the DFRPG?

Conviction governs the amount of power you can throw around. Harry has a lot of this.

Discipline governs the amount of control you have over that power. Harry... is a little sloppy in this department. That's why he favors Thaumaturgy if he can do it: because it's slower and more deliberate, his lack of control doesn't bite him on the butt so much.
If I understand correctly, this is also why Harry is using focus items. It's granting +1 to Offensive Con(trol).

And why he prefers Thamutergy; +1 Control (Divination)?
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: iago on February 04, 2010, 10:15:10 PM
I'm surprised Harry only has Fair investigations.

Mostly he cheats: he whips up a Divination spell. He does have some strong mundane investigative skills, though, which is why he has a rating two steps above Joe Shmoe.

Quote
Is Conviction the equivalent of SotC's Resolve, or is Resolve also in DFRPG?

There's not a straight one to one correspondence there, though some of the trappings of Resolve are also found with Conviction.  Resolve does not exist as Resolve in the DFRPG.

Quote
Also, typical SotC heroes start out with 5 boxes of stress. Harry has 4/4/3. Is there a formula reached for that, or is it just something innate to the DFRPG?

DFRPG heroes start out with 2.

Quote
If I understand correctly, this is also why Harry is using focus items. It's granting +1 to Offensive Con(trol).

And why he prefers Thamutergy; +1 Control (Divination)?

Those make clear how he's using his foci to help make up for a few shortcomings in the methods that he tends to prefer.
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: Rechan on February 04, 2010, 10:27:50 PM
Say. This whole issue of Power/Control/Complexity. Might that be related to Shifts? (Since with Shifts you can either make it quicker, higher quality, or subtle).

Quote
There's not a straight one to one correspondence there, though some of the trappings of Resolve are also found with Conviction.  Resolve does not exist as Resolve in the DFRPG.
Hm. Then what does one use to defend in some mental/social conflicts? Resolve was useful against Charming, Deceiving and Scaring.

Quote
DFRPG heroes start out with 2.
Yikes! Then, does Harry having a high Conviction and Endurance give him more, or might that be Wizard's Constitution?
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: iago on February 04, 2010, 10:30:21 PM
Conviction contributes to Mental Stress capacity, Presence to Social, Endurance to Physical.

The other questions you're asking are ... um, needing more detail than I have time to provide. :)
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: Rechan on February 04, 2010, 10:46:19 PM
You've answered a lot so far. Thanks, Fred. :)

Grrr, can't wait!
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: Bosh on February 05, 2010, 12:37:28 AM
Quote
I'm surprised Harry only has Fair investigations.
Remember that this character sheet is based on Harry immediately after Stormfront and in the early books his investigation skills are prety stucky, he misses all kinds of clues and mostly bulls his way through things head on. For his investigation of the streetwovles in Fool Moon he just goes to their hideout and says "hello" and it takes him a really really long time in Stormfront to figure out who is behind things. He's not exactly Sherlock Holmes, although he does get a bit better in later books, if anthing I think that +2 is a bit on the high side for early Dresden :)
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: iago on February 05, 2010, 01:03:07 AM
Remember that this character sheet is based on Harry immediately after Stormfront and in the early books his investigation skills are prety stucky, he misses all kinds of clues and mostly bulls his way through things head on. For his investigation of the streetwovles in Fool Moon he just goes to their hideout and says "hello" and it takes him a really really long time in Stormfront to figure out who is behind things. He's not exactly Sherlock Holmes, although he does get a bit better in later books, if anthing I think that +2 is a bit on the high side for early Dresden :)

We consider Good (+3) to be the level that solidly competent professionals operate at, or thereabouts. Fair (+2)'s can do those jobs too, but sometimes they run into... challenges. :)
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: Lash Dresden on February 05, 2010, 01:40:17 AM
So Murphy would be at +3?
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: Rechan on February 05, 2010, 01:44:54 AM
and it takes him a really really long time in Stormfront to figure out who is behind things.)
That may also be to the fact that it's a mystery noir book. Consider in White Night how long it took Harry
(click to show/hide)
. Finding the badguy At The End is typically the convention.
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: iago on February 05, 2010, 01:50:24 AM
So Murphy would be at +3?

Alertness: Fair (+2)
Athletics: Good (+3)
Burglary: Average (+1)
Contacts: Average (+1)
Conviction: Fair (+2)
Discipline: Fair (+2)
Driving: Fair (+2)
Endurance: Good (+3)
Fists: Good (+3)
Guns: Great (+4)
Intimidation: Average (+1)
Investigation: Great (+4)
Presence: Average (+1)
Lore: Fair (+2)
Scholarship: Average (+1)
Stealth: Fair (+2)
Weapons: Average (+1) ** Her sheet is also post-Storm Front. She's gotten better with this skill over time.
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: Rechan on February 05, 2010, 03:05:09 AM
What did it "cost" to start play with those foci?
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: iago on February 05, 2010, 03:07:07 AM
What did it "cost" to start play with those foci?
You get a dollop of item slots with each spellcasting power you take. You can gain more slots by taking the Refinement power one or more times and using that dollop of refinement for slots (instead of more specializations, etc).
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: Rechan on February 05, 2010, 07:05:49 PM
I notice Murph doesn't have a Superb skill; only one Great skill. Yet Harry has a Superb skill.

Are they created with different "levels" of starting costs? (Harry has 35 skill points to arrange).

Also, I notice that Harry has 2 slots for Enchanted Items open. Are those "free", the same way the Foci were "free" with his specializations? How would non-wizards start play with Enchanted items, and are those "free", or how would they "buy" them?
Title: Re: Harry's character sheet is up!
Post by: iago on February 05, 2010, 07:36:23 PM
I notice Murph doesn't have a Superb skill; only one Great skill. Yet Harry has a Superb skill.

Are they created with different "levels" of starting costs? (Harry has 35 skill points to arrange).

Also, I notice that Harry has 2 slots for Enchanted Items open. Are those "free", the same way the Foci were "free" with his specializations? How would non-wizards start play with Enchanted items, and are those "free", or how would they "buy" them?

Just because the skill cap is at a certain level doesn't mean that people have to make their top skill *at* that cap. That said, I forget if we did Murphy on a different skill cost basis than Harry; I don't have the time to do the tallies.

You can trade in a focus slot to get two enchanted slots, I think. It'll be clear in the rules. :)

Non-wizards wouldn't start play with enchanted items. There's gotta be a practitioner somewhere who made it, and that person is liable that item as a part of their own package of abilities. (That said, non-wizards might have an artifact of power, but that's a different kettle of fish. Again, you're asking questions that are bigger than a forum post!)