ParanetOnline

The Dresden Files => DFRPG => Topic started by: Da_Gut on July 10, 2010, 08:40:32 PM

Title: Thalia Grace - (Percy Jackson), her shield
Post by: Da_Gut on July 10, 2010, 08:40:32 PM
Thalia Grace, from the Percy Jackson series, wields a collapsible copy of Aegis. I.E, a shield. It has a very realistic engraving of the medusa head on it. It doesn't turn anyone to stone, or anything. But, foes don't like it, meaning (to me, anyway) that it either has an intimidation attack of its own, or somehow augments Thalia's intimidation.

How would you model this aspect of the shield? Simply give it an aspect "Scary shield" which can be tagged to apply to an entire zone?

And if anyone wants to write up the shield, that would be cool too.  :)
Title: Re: Thalia Grace - (Percy Jackson), her shield
Post by: Deadmanwalking on July 10, 2010, 08:45:41 PM
Well, assuming it's an Item of Power, and the effect is both magical and Zone Wide, it could look something like this.

Item of Power [+1] granting:
Incite Emotion (Fear) [-1]
Zone Wide (Custom power, effects everyone but the bearer in the Zone targetted, in this case the one she's in) [-2]
Title: Re: Thalia Grace - (Percy Jackson), her shield
Post by: ahunting on July 10, 2010, 09:02:53 PM
I'd agree with that whole heartedly.
Title: Re: Thalia Grace - (Percy Jackson), her shield
Post by: Drachasor on July 10, 2010, 09:13:32 PM
Needs to provide armor and/or other defensive bonuses.  It is a magical SHIELD after all.
Title: Re: Thalia Grace - (Percy Jackson), her shield
Post by: Deadmanwalking on July 10, 2010, 09:25:38 PM
IMO, that would fall under Is What It Is. I haven't read the series, but no mention was made of it doing anything defensive a normal shield didn't. Figure out what a shield does, and, well, it does that. That and Unbreakable should do it.

There was even a thread a while back where what a normal shield did was discussed: http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,18527.0.html
Title: Re: Thalia Grace - (Percy Jackson), her shield
Post by: Drachasor on July 10, 2010, 09:36:16 PM
IMO, that would fall under Is What It Is. I haven't read the series, but no mention was made of it doing anything defensive a normal shield didn't. Figure out what a shield does, and, well, it does that. That and Unbreakable should do it.

There was even a thread a while back where what a normal shield did was discussed: http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,18527.0.html

A special defense ability that can be invoked wouldn't be out of line though.  As an unbreakable shield, it can block things that normal shields can't like Acid, fire, bullets, etc.
Title: Re: Thalia Grace - (Percy Jackson), her shield
Post by: Deadmanwalking on July 10, 2010, 09:38:29 PM
Uh...one of those SWAT shields can block bullets, and probably blocks Acid or Fire as well as an unbreakable shield (it might not be good for much afterwards, but...).
Title: Re: Thalia Grace - (Percy Jackson), her shield
Post by: Drachasor on July 11, 2010, 01:37:15 AM
Uh...one of those SWAT shields can block bullets, and probably blocks Acid or Fire as well as an unbreakable shield (it might not be good for much afterwards, but...).

Bazooka blasts then, if you prefer, or sniper rounds.
Title: Re: Thalia Grace - (Percy Jackson), her shield
Post by: CMEast on July 11, 2010, 08:30:02 AM
Well, assuming it's an Item of Power, and the effect is both magical and Zone Wide, it could look something like this.

Item of Power [+1] granting:
Incite Emotion (Fear) [-1]
Zone Wide (Custom power, effects everyone but the bearer in the Zone targetted, in this case the one she's in) [-2]

I've been wondering about this, does it count as breaking the fourth law if you magically make someone feel a certain emotion? I thought not at first, but there's been a few mentions of it on the forums and Your Story does specifically mention 'fear of drugs' and a WCV's ability to incite emotion. I'm not sure if using an item to break a law counts though... perhaps if you made the item yourself it would?
Title: Re: Thalia Grace - (Percy Jackson), her shield
Post by: Drachasor on July 11, 2010, 08:54:00 AM
I've been wondering about this, does it count as breaking the fourth law if you magically make someone feel a certain emotion? I thought not at first, but there's been a few mentions of it on the forums and Your Story does specifically mention 'fear of drugs' and a WCV's ability to incite emotion. I'm not sure if using an item to break a law counts though... perhaps if you made the item yourself it would?

It's a matter of how you use that.  If you make someone afraid, for instance, you aren't enthralling them per se.  Though you could potentially use that fear (and perhaps other emotions) to condition them to obey you or do what you want and that would probably cross the line.  Molly for instance, didn't just make her friends feel fear, she made their minds cause them fear whenever they thought about doing drugs.  She altered how their brains responded to stimuli.  That's a LOT different than just making a "fear zone".

It's something like what Harry did with Toot-toot.  An overzealous Warden might decide to give you a hard time about it, but it's not breaking a law.
Title: Re: Thalia Grace - (Percy Jackson), her shield
Post by: Deadmanwalking on July 11, 2010, 11:09:33 AM
I've been wondering about this, does it count as breaking the fourth law if you magically make someone feel a certain emotion? I thought not at first, but there's been a few mentions of it on the forums and Your Story does specifically mention 'fear of drugs' and a WCV's ability to incite emotion. I'm not sure if using an item to break a law counts though... perhaps if you made the item yourself it would?

Check YS p. 241 under "Non-Spellcasting Enthrallment". In short, if you're human, the Wardens might do something about it (though I agree that only the excessive would do so in this case), but you will never recieve Lawbreaker from it.