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The Dresden Files => DFRPG => Topic started by: Katarn on July 02, 2015, 05:10:41 PM

Title: Sense8 Characters (S1 Spoilers)
Post by: Katarn on July 02, 2015, 05:10:41 PM
So I absolutely loved Netflix's new show Sense8, and after finishing the first season got to thinking about how the characters would be statted up.

For those unfamiliar with the show, sensates are linked humans who can share their thoughts and abilities with people born within their 'cluster' (clusters ranging in size from 2-12).  Furthermore, they can 'visit' any other sensate outside their cluster if they've made eye contact.

So here's a general write up for a typical Sensate Template:

Sensate
Musts:  A sensate must have a High Concept reflecting their ability (Sensate Cop, Sensate Actor, etc.)
A sensate must have the following abilities:


Optional Abilities:


I'd love some feedback, and I'm going to try to write up some of the characters over the next few days.
Title: Re: Sense8 Characters (S1 Spoilers)
Post by: Sanctaphrax on July 02, 2015, 10:11:02 PM
The basic ideas sound solid, and the costs sound more or less appropriate, but I think you need to spell out the effects a bit more. Saying the Powers are analogous to existing Powers helps a bit, but I think the differences are big enough that you can't rely on that for everything.
Title: Re: Sense8 Characters (S1 Spoilers)
Post by: Katarn on July 03, 2015, 03:02:51 PM
Sensate
Sensates are human individuals who have the ability to be mentally linked to other sensates, and share their senses.  Any sensates who have made eye contact can mentally 'visit' the other's location.  Sensates are born with these powers dormant, which must be awakened by another sensate.  Sensates are born into clusters (sensates sharing their birthday) ranging in size from 2-12 members.  Cluster members can, in additionally to already being linked, can share their skills and abilities.

Musts:  A sensate must have a High Concept reflecting their ability (Sensate Cop, Sensate Actor, etc.)
A sensate must have the following abilities:


Optional Abilities:
Title: Re: Sense8 Characters (S1 Spoilers)
Post by: Katarn on July 03, 2015, 03:19:40 PM
William Gorski

High Concept:  Chicago's Sensate Cop
Trouble
(click to show/hide)
Other Aspects:
Powers/Stunts:

Skills:

Refresh: -8
Title: Re: Sense8 Characters (S1 Spoilers)
Post by: Sanctaphrax on July 06, 2015, 03:36:44 AM
Character looks pretty solid to me, though I've never seen the show.

The additional explanation on the Powers helps, but there's still some vagueness there. For example, what exactly does William get for his 4 Refresh of Mimic Abilities? What abilities can he mimic, and what limitations are there on his mimicry?
Title: Re: Sense8 Characters (S1 Spoilers)
Post by: PirateJack on July 06, 2015, 02:12:51 PM
I haven't watched the show either, but I think the Mimic Abilities is more for stunts and skills than powers.
Title: Re: Sense8 Characters (S1 Spoilers)
Post by: Katarn on July 07, 2015, 03:16:02 PM
Character looks pretty solid to me, though I've never seen the show.

The additional explanation on the Powers helps, but there's still some vagueness there. For example, what exactly does William get for his 4 Refresh of Mimic Abilities? What abilities can he mimic, and what limitations are there on his mimicry?
Primarily skills, presumably also stunts.  In the original [-X] Mimic Abilities, you can "steal" X different skills or stunts and use them as your own.  You can do this to theoretically anyone.

For my sensate write-up, I treated it the same way except a) you can't take skills/stunts from anyone you meet like the original ability but b) you can only draw on abilities from within your cluster- how much you can borrow at one time varies on the experience level.  Initially, they draw on random abilities instinctively/by accident, but by later in the show they theoretically can draw on each others' skills more (another clustermate's primary skillset, instead of just a single skill).  They can swap these at will.


I haven't watched the show either, but I think the Mimic Abilities is more for stunts and skills than powers.
Correct.  The only powers in this world are that of sensates, whose don't possess any supernatural strength/speed/recovery etc.  Just the connection to share their human skills/stunts.
Title: Re: Sense8 Characters (S1 Spoilers)
Post by: Sanctaphrax on July 07, 2015, 10:01:10 PM
So, he can take any 4 skills or stunts from anyone in his cluster at will, with no particular limitation? And his cluster-mates don't lose their skills while he uses them?

That sounds dubious balance-wise. Though I guess it depends on the composition of his cluster.

How does the random instinctive borrowing of weak sensates work?
Title: Re: Sense8 Characters (S1 Spoilers)
Post by: Katarn on July 08, 2015, 03:22:03 PM
So, he can take any 4 skills or stunts from anyone in his cluster at will, with no particular limitation? And his cluster-mates don't lose their skills while he uses them?

That sounds dubious balance-wise. Though I guess it depends on the composition of his cluster.
Yea, balance was a concern here.  The other cluster-mate in theory, mentally switches places or is in some sort of very basic autopilot.

Perhaps some sort of time limitation might help the balance.  They never seem to draw on each others's abilities for more than a minute at a time.  May a X uses/day sort of system additionally.

Quote
How does the random instinctive borrowing of weak sensates work?
Initially it's just accidentally tapping into each others' senses.  As it person A is listening to loud music on her headphones, and person B a continent away thinks his neighbors are playing loud music.  Or seeing a different person in the mirror.  A combat example early is when one of the sensates- a bus driver in Nairobi- is getting attacked in a rural village.  He accidentally calls upon a clustermate, a Chicago cop, who is able to fire a gun with much greater precision than the original sensate.  It's literally only a single action.  Meanwhile, the Nairobi driver briefly sees himself in the Chicago PD station.
Title: Re: Sense8 Characters (S1 Spoilers)
Post by: dragoonbuster on July 08, 2015, 04:39:30 PM
Yea, balance was a concern here.  The other cluster-mate in theory, mentally switches places or is in some sort of very basic autopilot.
Initially it's just accidentally tapping into each others' senses.  As it person A is listening to loud music on her headphones, and person B a continent away thinks his neighbors are playing loud music.  Or seeing a different person in the mirror.  A combat example early is when one of the sensates- a bus driver in Nairobi- is getting attacked in a rural village.  He accidentally calls upon a clustermate, a Chicago cop, who is able to fire a gun with much greater precision than the original sensate.  It's literally only a single action.  Meanwhile, the Nairobi driver briefly sees himself in the Chicago PD station.

The "weak" sharing seems more the function of compels and invokes of their "Sensate" ascpect. The "single action" skill use could be an invoke for effect to do a 1-time skill replacement roll. This sounds like how you'd invoke these abilities before taking the actual named Powers.
Title: Re: Sense8 Characters (S1 Spoilers)
Post by: Dougansf on July 08, 2015, 07:25:54 PM
Yea, balance was a concern here.  The other cluster-mate in theory, mentally switches places or is in some sort of very basic autopilot.

Perhaps some sort of time limitation might help the balance.  They never seem to draw on each others's abilities for more than a minute at a time.  May a X uses/day sort of system additionally.
Initially it's just accidentally tapping into each others' senses.  As it person A is listening to loud music on her headphones, and person B a continent away thinks his neighbors are playing loud music.  Or seeing a different person in the mirror.  A combat example early is when one of the sensates- a bus driver in Nairobi- is getting attacked in a rural village.  He accidentally calls upon a clustermate, a Chicago cop, who is able to fire a gun with much greater precision than the original sensate.  It's literally only a single action.  Meanwhile, the Nairobi driver briefly sees himself in the Chicago PD station.

I recall there was also a scene where the African borrowed fight skills from the Asian while she was in a fight.  Other than some brief disorientation, the Asian kept her skill, and won both fights at the same time.  That would be a major problem in a standard game where they all get together into the same encounter.
Title: Re: Sense8 Characters (S1 Spoilers)
Post by: Katarn on July 13, 2015, 05:02:15 PM
I recall there was also a scene where the African borrowed fight skills from the Asian while she was in a fight.  Other than some brief disorientation, the Asian kept her skill, and won both fights at the same time.  That would be a major problem in a standard game where they all get together into the same encounter.

You could have a standard 1-round of inaction if your skills are being "borrowed".

I believe the two fights technically did not happen concurrently.  Sun (the fighter from Seoul) was briefly utilized by Capheus (in Nairobi) BEFORE returning to win her own fight in Seoul).

Usually you wouldn't have 2 in the same place.  I'd assume you'd have one of the following:


I think the biggest issue is finding a way to put a large, balancing limitation on the ability.
[/list]
Title: Re: Sense8 Characters (S1 Spoilers)
Post by: PirateJack on July 14, 2015, 03:51:47 PM
I've watched four episode of the series now and I think the round of inaction is probably a good idea, but another idea could be that the skill being borrowed is reduced to mediocre for one round instead. That said, I'll have to watch the rest of the series, see if the moment of confusion reduces/disappears once the characters get used to being sensates.
Title: Re: Sense8 Characters (S1 Spoilers)
Post by: dragoonbuster on July 14, 2015, 06:21:50 PM
I've watched four episode of the series now and I think the round of inaction is probably a good idea, but another idea could be that the skill being borrowed is reduced to mediocre for one round instead. That said, I'll have to watch the rest of the series, see if the moment of confusion reduces/disappears once the characters get used to being sensates.

Not being a fan of inaction unless you've sacrificed your turn previously a la Riposte/Redirected Force/something similar, I think a Mediocre roll is more appropriate. It still gives you a shot, and you can still burn tags or FPs to get something done.

Absolute inaction is counter to FATE's concepts in my opinion.
Title: Re: Sense8 Characters (S1 Spoilers)
Post by: Katarn on July 21, 2015, 04:32:37 PM
Not being a fan of inaction unless you've sacrificed your turn previously a la Riposte/Redirected Force/something similar, I think a Mediocre roll is more appropriate. It still gives you a shot, and you can still burn tags or FPs to get something done.

Absolute inaction is counter to FATE's concepts in my opinion.

I agree.  It ties in with some of what we've seen.  In the example above, Sun (the fighter) lends her skill to the driver in Nairobi and temporarily loses some serious ground in her own fight.