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The Dresden Files => DFRPG => Topic started by: Magicpockets on January 22, 2013, 01:23:26 PM

Title: Help me gear my Summer Knight
Post by: Magicpockets on January 22, 2013, 01:23:26 PM
Hi all,
my character has accepted the offer to become Summer Knight, and as such, I've remade him. I wanted to ask what gear/enchanted items do you consider to be iconic for a Summer Knight. The character in question is of british descent, and was a prescient changeling working as a mercenary before he accepted the offer, so much of his old fighting style is out of the window. Also, I do not want to outsource my Inhuman Powers into an Item of Power, but rather stick to the portrayal of the Knight as seen in Cold Days. I have 10 Refresh and 40 Skill Points to play with.

Relevant skills:
Lore 5 (with a Crafting Power Focus, bringing it to 6 for the purpose of Enchanted Items)
Discipline 5
Conviction 4
Weapons 4
(click to show/hide)

Thus far, what I've thought of:
A mundane basket-hilted cavalry sword (would that be Weapon:2 or Weapon:3 ?)
Some throwing knives (Weapon:1 ?)
An enchanted mantle/coat, offering a 6 Shift Block 1x/Session
An Amulet, granting +1 Offensive Control for Summer Magic
A Monocle, granting +1 Crafting Power (this focus is usually kept at home)

The sword and knives are in case the character runs out of mental stress boxes, and IMO, a sword fits this type of character. I've got 3 Enchanted Item slots left over, and was wondering what I should spend those on. The character is a subpar Evoker, since our DM dislikes high shift Evocations instagibbing monsters, therefore I feel that boosting magic further is not quite rewarding. Also, suggestions on mundane gear are welcome.
Title: Re: Help me gear my Summer Knight
Post by: Quantus on January 22, 2013, 02:01:54 PM
How much magic is in the rest of the party?  If he doesnt have to worry too much about the Murphyonic fields, having a gun or two might not be a bad thing.  Maybe a Cell Phone that can contact beings in the NN?

What's the character's mundane occupation?  I am personally a fan of themed modern items.  Like making the Mantle/Coat one of those big yellow and black fireman's coats, for example.

Based on what we learned from Cold Days regarding the purpose of Summer in general and the Summer Knight specifically, some sort of Detect Winter charm for tracking purposes might be appropriate.  Some rudimentary Healing could also fit since the amulet is specifically Offensive use of Summer Magic. 

How would your DM feel about Minions?  Either a summon item for lowish level fighting minions, or maybe some sort of Seelie spirit adviser to play on your Scholarship and Lore

Out of curiosity, what sort of Crafting does your character do?

Title: Re: Help me gear my Summer Knight
Post by: Magicpockets on January 22, 2013, 02:22:57 PM
My character is the only spellcaster in the party. We have a teenage werewolf detective (think Veronica Mars meets Mercy Thompson) and a wealthy arms runner (à la Lord of War) as the other PCs. Therefore, access to firearms and technology is not necessarily restricted, although none of the characters are proficient in the use of firearms.

The character's mundane occupation is lawyer, although he hasn't practiced it in a long time, using it mostly as a cover. Here is a picture of the character, wearing his usual outfit:
(click to show/hide)
I figured the coat would be a viable enchanted item.

I'm not too keen on the Winter Charm, since thus far, the Winter Court hasn't really appeared yet in the campaign. Judging by the Reiki ritual, healing seems to be a bit out of the character's league, since it requires 8+ shifts. As for minions, the character has a Cheshire Cat familiar, although "familiar" might be pushing it. It's more like Harry's relationship with Bob. He needs to bribe that cat (usually with food) in order for it to help him.

The crafting is jewelcrafting, using enchanted gemstones to power his enchanted items, hence the jeweler's monocle.
Title: Re: Help me gear my Summer Knight
Post by: Quantus on January 22, 2013, 03:03:39 PM
Ah, jeweler's manacle;  I was picturing more of a turn of the century aristocrat's monocle at first  :P

A Geomancy focus would play well into the gemcutter idea, and give you some versatile powers of both Fast crafting without relying on a full workshop, and occasional acts of property damage that would be outside the normal "Summer Magic" purview.  You could play on the idea of "Hitting the gem at just the right angle" but instead do things like take down walls or even buildings by hitting the weak points.  Perhaps a minor Earth elemental in a stone, like Solomon's Shamir (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon%27s_Shamir)

How about a glamor item to hide the sword and/or knives, so that he can carry it in public without getting too many questions?  Fairy Glamor would be right up the Summer Knight's alley. 

Speaking of, Glamor in general is a pretty iconic Fae thing.  Maybe some sort of Glamor Hypnosis item?  Some Gem that puts people into a distracted and/or suggestible stupor?  Or a more subtle one that simply gives them a sense of trust and/or well-being (a much weaker version of what Aurora did to Harry that first meeting in SK). 

Something analogous to the Gatekeeper's eye that can occasionally enhance your prescience abilities might also be interesting.  An Augury type item?

Also, who/what has been the primary antagonist so far?   Were there any specific driving motivations or circumstances behind accepting the Summer Mantle?
Title: Re: Help me gear my Summer Knight
Post by: Deadmanwalking on January 22, 2013, 07:00:37 PM
Well, mechanically, your best bet is upping your defensive Item to 8 shifts and 3/session. That gets potentially broken and boring though, so I'm not sure I'd do that (though I would definitely burn one Item slot on the 3/session thing).

Potion slots are always handy. And a Maneuver item giving two Aspects as it powers you up somehow might be appropriate and effective...and, if you pick what Aspects it gives right, might help see through Glamours as well.

That's actually probably what I'd do (upgrade the coat, grab a 1/session maneuver Item, and keep a Potion Slot for emergencies).

For mundane items, I recommend grenades. They're illegal as hell, but nasty, effect a zone, and are used with Weapons. Also, kevlar, basically because why not?
Title: Re: Help me gear my Summer Knight
Post by: Quantus on January 22, 2013, 07:04:44 PM
Quote from: Deadmanwalking on January 22, 2013, 07:00:37 PM
For mundane items, I recommend grenades. They're illegal as hell, but nasty, effect a zone, and are used with Weapons. Also, kevlar, basically because why not?
Good call, if you have an arms dealer in the party you might as well capitalize on it.   A Glamor to keep law enforcement from noticing those would be useful as well.
Title: Re: Help me gear my Summer Knight
Post by: Magicpockets on January 23, 2013, 10:50:28 AM
Do I have access to Geomancy with just Seelie Magic? I always believed its Thaumaturgy part granted this:
Biomancy (+Evothaum)
Wards
Veils
Tracking

At least, that's what I've deduced from reading the novels. And that's already really broad, so I don't want to push it. Glamour sounds cool, although I think I might want to buy the actual power, since I'm really loath to outsource it into an IoP.

The primary antagonists have been the Black Council and the Black Court of Vampires. The reason my character accepted the mantle of the Summer Knight were:

The 3x/Session upgrade for the Coat sounds good, I think I'll do that. I shall leave it at 6 Shifts for now, in order to not overshadow the others. How does the double maneuver item work? Do you get one maneuver per 3 Shifts?

Kevlar will definitely be acquired (a vest worn under a shirt should be Armor:1 ?). As for grenades, no character knows what the arms dealer does for a living, so I think I'll need to acquire them the regular way. How much does a HE grenade cost IRL? How high should I roll on resources?
Title: Re: Help me gear my Summer Knight
Post by: Deadmanwalking on January 24, 2013, 05:49:05 AM
Seelie Magic's thaumaturgy is thematically specialized, not functionally. Based on description, I'd say Geomancy is definitely in there. What's not are all Wards, or all Tracking, y'know? Not even all biomancy...I very much doubt you can kill directly with it for example...something biomancy would ordinarily be capable of (though you could give someone Ebola).

And yes, you get one Aspect w/Tag per three shifts. They're fragile since they're only 3 shifts each, though, so it's a momentary boost.

A vest is probably Armor 1, yeah, and if you don't know an arms dealer of some sort you're probably not getting grenades...those things are illegal as hell. Price isn't the barrier there, it's finding someone who's got them to sell.
Title: Re: Help me gear my Summer Knight
Post by: Quantus on January 24, 2013, 05:05:56 PM
Quote from: Deadmanwalking on January 24, 2013, 05:49:05 AM
if you don't know an arms dealer of some sort you're probably not getting grenades...those things are illegal as hell. Price isn't the barrier there, it's finding someone who's got them to sell.
On the other hand, home-made ones would probably not be out of the question, especially if you can take advantage of some Seelie craftsman.  They would have some trade offs more than likely (less damaging, unreliable fuse times, or something)