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The Dresden Files => DFRPG => Topic started by: Tbora on July 31, 2010, 07:36:15 PM

Title: Denarians - How Do They Work
Post by: Tbora on July 31, 2010, 07:36:15 PM
I am trying figure out what a Denarian would look like mechanically (Weaker ones, not Nicodemus level guys), would there coins act as Items of Power, would you give them modular abilities or beast change, supposedly they get stronger with the death of hope (Which is Dispair) would that work as an emotional vampirism, Assuming its more of a partnership like Anduriel and Lasciel prefer would it be Demonic Co-Pilot or not, etc, etc.

So yeah lots of questions for this.
Title: Re: Denarians - How Do They Work
Post by: Ophidimancer on July 31, 2010, 07:59:13 PM
I would stat the coin out as an Item of Power, which would bring powers depending on the Denarian inside.  Otherwise it would be rather random, but of at least Submerged power level.  There's also the tendency for Nickelheads to pick hosts who are already gifted and you can get huge variety of powers, except of course for the True Faith powers.

Did you want helpful suggestions or actual stat blocks?
Title: Re: Denarians - How Do They Work
Post by: Tbora on July 31, 2010, 08:02:33 PM
Helpful suggestions, as that can be applied to just about any character to "Denarianize" them which is more useful to me in the long run.
Title: Re: Denarians - How Do They Work
Post by: Ophidimancer on July 31, 2010, 08:47:17 PM
To start I would probably give every Denarian at least Inhuman, if not Supernatural, Toughness and Recovery.  The Fallen who inhabit the coins have varying levels of intelligence, but I doubt any of them want to be stuck in their coins with no hosts to allow them to interact with the world.  Safeguarding the host would probably be standard.  The spellcasters among the Denarians would all get Infernal Sponsored magic, naturally.  Then I'm pretty sure even the most horrific of the Denarians knows how to don a Human Guise.

The other physical powers (Speed, Strength) are probably pretty common, as are Creature Features like Breath Weapon, Claws, Hulking Size, and the like, but these are all subject to the specific Denarian, of course.
Title: Re: Denarians - How Do They Work
Post by: Deadmanwalking on July 31, 2010, 09:17:31 PM
The Denarii are not Items of Power, because they can't be taken away, only given up.

I'd say the only universal powers granted are Inhuman Toughness and Recovery, with the Catch as Holy Stuff, other than that it's likely to vary wildly by the specific Denarian in question.
Title: Re: Denarians - How Do They Work
Post by: Tbora on July 31, 2010, 09:19:06 PM
Quote from: Deadmanwalking on July 31, 2010, 09:17:31 PM
The Denarii are not Items of Power, because they can't be taken away, only given up.

I'd say the only universal powers granted are Inhuman Toughness and Recovery, with the Catch as Holy Stuff, other than that it's likely to vary wildly by the specific Denarian in question.

Then why did Cassius feel he could take Lasciel's coin from Harry by playing "Mad Surgeon" in Dead Beat, saying he would simply keep poking around till he found it.
Title: Re: Denarians - How Do They Work
Post by: luminos on July 31, 2010, 10:28:15 PM
It was Cassius's intent to kill Harry after finding the coin, which happens to be the other way to lose them.  They still aren't items of power.  One of the Denearians write-ups explicitly states this fact.
Title: Re: Denarians - How Do They Work
Post by: GruffAndTumble on July 31, 2010, 11:56:09 PM
At least one--I believe both Magog and Lasciel's entry state it. Don't have OW on hand, though.
Title: Re: Denarians - How Do They Work
Post by: CMEast on August 01, 2010, 01:51:55 AM
Given Harry's experience, I'd possibly play a denarian like I would play a changeling. Take an aspect (almost certainly your Trouble aspect) to represent the fact you have a fallen angel in your head, add Demonic Co-Pilot and then take a power or two to show the benefits of the coin. If you take enough power to go over your refresh then you become an NPC, if the Demonic Co-Pilot inflicts consequences the GM might force you to take more power, or have an aspect like 'power tastes good' and so he can throw more compels at you.

If you renounce the coin you lose the powers you've gained, it'll cost a fate point and you might need to win a mental conflict, depending on the GM. Otherwise, just treat the coin as a plot device - you can't get rid of it no matter what you do, people don't know you've got it unless you end up marked by power or you are soul gazed.

It could be lots of fun :)
Title: Re: Denarians - How Do They Work
Post by: finnmckool on August 01, 2010, 12:46:29 PM
Well I think the place to start is to stat up the individual first. Who are they without the coin? Make THAT person at least submerged, since they're probably pretty old (but if not, then lower down the totem pole). Once you've done that add in "Demonic Presence" and whatever the hell (heh) you like because after that Denerians are not uniform. Really what's great about them in specific (and fairly representative of the system as a whole) is that you can just add as much or as little to them as you need and it works like a dream.
Title: Re: Denarians - How Do They Work
Post by: Lanir on August 03, 2010, 06:45:05 AM
Quote from: CMEast on August 01, 2010, 01:51:55 AM
... Take an aspect (almost certainly your Trouble aspect) to represent the fact you have a fallen angel in your head, add Demonic Co-Pilot and then take a power or two to show the benefits of the coin. If you take enough power to go over your refresh then you become an NPC...

I think I'd run with something along those lines. Except I think I'd treat the coins as a mental extreme consequence. Those rules seem to reflect the sort shattering, life altering weight of carrying one of those things around. And it's certainly not something one can normally get rid of. Like an extreme consequence it would take something special to do. I think if I laid one of these things on a player I'd have to do some building up to it.
(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Denarians - How Do They Work
Post by: vultur on August 03, 2010, 10:00:12 PM
I'd say: universally Demonic Co-Pilot and some Recovery/Toughness stuff, with a catch of Holy Stuff. They all seem to have Recovery, probably even Supernatural, but the lesser ones may not have Toughness -- Kincaid takes down the 'Obsidian Statue' Denarian with one shot, for example.  That's all I'd say is *really* universal.

Then most have Beast Change, and Human Form affecting their other powers, which can vary a lot (possibilities: Speed or Strength powers, Breath Weapon, Claws (maybe Venomous), Hulking Size (for Ursiel for example), maybe even better Toughness, whatever.) [They may not ALL have this shapechange -- Nicodemus doesn't seem to.]

Those that can use magic also get Sponsored Magic (Hellfire).

The layout varies a lot by individual Denarian, I think -- they're basically unique creatures. Some have most of their power locked up in their combat-shapes, like Ursiel; others, like Tessa and Rosanna, are more magically than physically powerful. Also, their total power level varies way more, IMO, than Our World really suggests (it tends to way over-stat them, in my mind) -- I'd put only Nicodemus at 'plot device' level, and I doubt most of them are really operating at the -15 to -20 Refresh big leagues. (Ursiel probably is, Tessa probably is.)

I might stat some out in a thread...