I agree with wyvern;  Beast Form is a secondary skill layout that is static (unless they spend a minor milestone to alter like they would a primary skill layout), but True Shapeshifting is what allows a person to optimize skills for any given situation due to the concept of being a "multi-form" shapeshifter.

With my campaign finally past city building and character gen, I've had a successful first session.  Without going into tons of story detail, my group is going up against a group of demons that have a disturbing tendency to not just dissolve away into inert ectoplasm when killed.  They don't know many details yet, but I've begun building the demon concept and stats, and I would like to get some constructive review of what I have before revealing more throughout play.  Thanks to anyone willing to help!


"Gatecrasher" Demons
A small gang of demons so-named because of their congregation in San Francisco and the secret method they have discovered of coming through and staying in the Mortal realm.

Gatecrashers are demons that have harnessed a ritual and artifact that allows them to not only enter into a True Mortal host, but also fuse with them in body and soul to become anchored in the Mortal realm.  Hosts must be willing, and afterwards both memories and personalities become one.  When killed, the essence/soul of the Gatecrasher is drawn back to the Artifact used in the ceremony, where it can be re-invested into a new willing host.

As a group, the Gatecrashers number no more than a dozen at any time.  All hosts have been drawn from disillusioned gang members and organized crime syndicates that were desperate for a fast track to power.  The demons gain free reign on Earth, but have formed their own syndicate because of the influence of the mortal desires they gained in the fusion process.  Important and influential Gatecrashers might have slightly more power than the listed template (1 step up in Power Level).

Standard Template:
High Concept: Infernal Criminal
Power Level:  (7/25/Great)
Aspects:  BOUND BY A SECRET, WE’LL SHOW YOU ALL
Refresh: 0
Skills:
   4 - Deceit
   3 - Burglary, Guns
   2 - Fists, Alertness, Athletics
   1 - Stealth, Might, Intimidation, Contacts
(5 points for customization)
Stress:  Physical OOOO, Social OO, Mental OO
Stunts:  Badder than you thought (+2 Intimidation when Human Guise dropped)
Powers:  Human Guise, Pack Instincts (Other Gatecrashers), Cloak of Shadows, Inhuman Strength, {Inhuman Recovery, Inhuman Toughness} Catch (Only at Night or during SF's Supernatural Fog, Specialized Research to find out), Resurrection (Special Condition: Access to Phylactery & new willing host)

As a thought to add to this;

I understand and respect that magic and tech do not work with each other in the Dresdenverse.  It's an important enough concept to the books and to certain mechanics of mortal magicusers that I do not plan on allowing exceptions beyond what's established, but it seems that most of the rules on "Hexing" have to do with technology based on science from the last 70 years or so.

So what about a magical Difference Engine?  All steam, clockwork and gears, an artifact that could be as delicate and elegant as you like, or as clunky and enormous as will fit the scene.  Not really an item for most PCs to have, sure, but it's the sort of thing I think of when I think "Magic Computer".

This is a Post for Janus,

Get yourself a copy of the 1920s source book for Cthulhu San Fran,

Its full of some totally awesome ideas and stuff you can pinch to help put together the setting as well as important figures and places, its a total winner.....

Heh, thanks much Codex!  I was actually just reading through that last night as I was coming up with one of the proposed threats; "The Thinning Veil".  Due to scheduling conflict actual in-person play is gonna be delayed a month, but we're doing city building in Google Wave.

As a newbie, this seems to be a good way of folks to catch a glimpse of who they're dealing with 

Name: Janus Node (aka "GM Janus", aka "Sir Nerdsalot").
Base Refresh (Power Level): 7 (Up to My Waist in Gaming Supplies)
Remaining Refresh: 3

Aspects:
High Concept: Marketing Gamer  (Getting my business degree after 5+ years working in geek retail & business)
Trouble: So Many Details (I have a tendancy to analyse, calculate, theorize, and reassemble problems/issues to a degree that it can become more trouble than it's worth)
Other Aspects:
Going My Own Direction (Geeks were not the norm in my family, so anything I learned about gaming, books, movies, etc., I found on my own)
Friends as Close as Enemies (A major split in the local geek community left me with a couple of broken friendships)
Chrome & Magic (I started out gaming on the 2nd edition of Shadowrun, and that's also where I first started making rules mods)
Always There For My Girl (My girlfriend insisted this was important.  Who am I to disagree?)
Best Geek Kitty in the Midwest (Got a cat recently that has proved to love Doctor Who and be a hit with all my friends)
I've Got a Game for That (There's an impressive list of board, card, miniatures, and roleplay games that I have learned and played)

Skills (25):
Great: Lore
Good: Driving, Rapport, Performance
Fair: Craftsmanship, Contacts, Investigation, Deceit
Average: Fists, Resources, Survival, Weapons

Stunts (6):
Geek Eye for the Normal Guy (Rapport) - -2 difficulty to successfully explain geek subculture concepts and items to those not familiar with them.
The Art of the Sale (Investigation) - +2 shifts to sell any item that has been researched over an appropriate previous extended test.
Putting My Game Face On (Deceit) - +1 shift in all gaming related tests that use bluffing and mental contests.
Excellent Cook (Craftsmanship) - +2 on using Craftsmanship to make any meal for a gaming crowd.
Nightwalker (Endurance) - -2 Difficulty to stay awake for prolonged periods with proper stimulus.
Plotmaster (Performance) - Spend a Fate Point to improv a story solution on the fly.

Stress:

Mental: OO
Physical: OO
Social: OO
Armor: None

Right, indeed that it should be a deal breaker if a PC does it.  I just am thinking things out from an NPC creation standpoint as a GM.  I'm seeing it in my minds eye like an Essence System from Shadowrun, but with powers and abilities instead of cyberware.  You exceed your "allowance" and it's like you've taken a shortcut that you never should have gone for.

I've been thinking about this, preparing my Campaign and all.

And, Miami and New Orleans were literally two of the first that popped into my mind, for those very same reasons.

Though, I also was thinking about San Francisco. Think about it for a second, San Francisco was home of the Gold Rush,  bringing in thousands of people, and who knows what else with them? And, of course, Alcatraz is located off the shore of San Francisco. So, all sorts of Baddies were home there. I mean, if people leave an imprint when they die, think of all the lost souls wondering around on THAT island.

I plan on running my game group in San Francisco for a couple of reasons;

1) Humphry Bogart Era Detectives - I love the story tropes that came with noir detective stories set in this city.  While I'll not be running my game as a 1920s period story (though that would be kind of cool not that I think about it...), there's still that sort of air of intrigue that comes with the city that can be used for aspect and location inspiration.
2) Alcatraz - I saw that also as a major place of interest.  Maybe there's a secret prison there still?  Maybe there's something left from all those criminals and depravity?  Maybe there's something that was there before the prison?  I'm not deciding anything yet because I want to see how the characters and group dynamic develops first, but this is such a rich location for SOMETHING.
3) Chinatown - Sure, every major city has one, but this is San Francisco Chinatown!  This is where "Big Trouble in Little China" went down!  Likely this is one of the oldest "Chinatown" districts in the US, and could hold many plot points.
4) The Bay Fog - I've never been to San Fran, but in the tradition of The Vancouver Method I still see this cinematic trope of the city as something that might lead to interesting twists.
5) The Golden Gate Bridge - An amazing bit of engineering, but maybe there's something more there?  Perhaps a hidden gateway to a Troll/Fae settlement?  Perhaps exotic metallurgy?

I'm still researching some stuff to present to the group, but overall it just feels like a setting that could do some interesting things across many different themes.  If anyone else has some ideas, please post!