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Messages - Obsid

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DFRPG / Re: First time RPer wants advise

« on: May 27, 2011, 07:27:34 AM »

As has been said, there are a lot of different ways to GM. The easiest is to make a railroaded story and focus on stats. I think people who enjoy that sort of thing are either autistic or need a life. The hardest is to make a broad world and let the characters play, the story unfolds based on the characters choices (where they go, what they do) and how the world reacts (rinse repeat). I think GM's capable of this are either geniuses or need a life.

I like to start a game on a railroad story-focused game, which I do through an intense plot hook. This serves both as a start for the story, and a chance for the players to get used to their characters. Then I broaden their choices throwing plot twists at them in an episodic fashion. The longer the game goes, the bigger the episodes, and more important the scale. But that's because I'm not a genius, and I like to delude myself into thinking I have something resembling a life.

It might be a lot to take in, but read the books. Especially read Your Story. Don't read it front to back, that's boring. Start the first few chapters through Character Creation. Then play with the lists (such as Templates, Aspects, Skills, Stunts, Powers, and magic examples), it doesn't matter if you really understand what you're reading at this point, think of this as osmosis. Then go through and read the instructions part of chapters in whatever order pleases you most. It works best if you can trick yourself into enjoying it. Once you've read the book, you'll have a fairly good idea regarding the game (I'm still on the last step of that process and I like to think I understand the game fairly well, but that's probably because I'm clever).

As for OW, I don't really see the need to read it through. OW converts known aspects of the Dresdenverse into game terms and mechanics. I think of it as a reference book, and I weep for anyone who reads encyclopedias all the way through.

You can find Death Curses in YS282. But I wouldn't worry about the mechanics too much in your story, it's a plot devise more than an actual spell.

DFRPG / Re: Refinement Question

« on: May 26, 2011, 04:46:56 AM »

If you work with a five element system, then the degree of specialization is severely limited. Theoretically, you could have 2 Fantastic, 2 Great, 2 Good, 2 Fair, & 2 Average. However I haven't seen a rule that allows you to retrain your specializations, which restricts you A LOT. Here's my math.

For the sake of simplicity, I'm going to replace the 10 things you can specialize with letters A - J.
A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J
0   1   2   2   4   6   7   8   11   13
1   3   4   6   9   11   13
3   5   9   12
5   10
10
0 Is what you get by taking evocation. Numbers are Refinement numbers. So 12 is the 12th time you take refinement. If you can find a better pyramid please show me

Notice, you cannot take another rank at +1 because there's nothing for you to take it in. You can't take another rank in +2 because then you have 4 +2's and 2 +1's. You can't take another rank in +3 because then you have 3 +3's and 2 +2's. You can't take another rank in +4 because then you have 2 +4's and 1 +3. You can't take another rank in +5 because then you have 2 +5's and 0 +4's. So that's as high as you can get. 1 Superb, 1 Great, 2 Goods, 3 Fairs, and 3 Averages.

Unless there's some rule I can't find that would allow you to retrain this (and if there is please show me), or your table houserules it, then that's the inherent limit of Specialization. And even if you have some way to retrain, you're still locked by the theoretical pyramid mentioned ahead (with 2 in each step). So mixing and matching Item slots and specialization slots is pretty useful. And since it takes 10 refresh by my count for 1 Superb via specialization, or 3 refresh for an item.

DFRPG / Re: Threshold question.

« on: May 26, 2011, 12:50:30 AM »

@Nick. I rather like that. It's impressive and it fits in with just about everything in the Dresdenverse. Though I'd use the term belief rather than faith. It also makes it easy to determine what sort of threshold just about any place can have, just as "Who believes its safe, how often are they there to believe it, and how strongly do they believe it?"

@Shadow Light (Or is it Light Shade?). That makes sense. It would also imply that a family that gets a lot of visitors would have a weaker threshold than a family of hermits. I do like the idea of an aspect on any place with a threshold that might have some sort of exception to it (even churches).

DFRPG / Re: Threshold question.

« on: May 25, 2011, 11:34:09 PM »

I agree with most businesses. Since most businesses would occupy part of the building. But a room-renting service is a bit different. Official "business" talk can be handled just about anywhere, and the entire house save the occupied rooms can be used by family members. Those that stay at the hotel are guests after all, paying guests, but guests.

As far as the house being open to the public, that's easy to solve, don't open it to the public. Guests and company only, scheduled stays only, and even be picky about who your guests are. It doesn't negate the business aspect, but it alters it a bit.

How would invoking / compelling an aspect of a threshold work?

DFRPG / Threshold question.

« on: May 25, 2011, 10:06:04 PM »

A business or transient home has a threshold of +0.
A Bachelor's home has a threshold of +2.
A family home has a threshold of +4.
A multiple-generation family home has a threshold of +8.
A religious facility, despite being a place of business, has a threshold of +3.

So how about houses that double as a business? I'd guess if it's a bachelor's house, then it'd still be +0. But what if it's a family home, a family business, and one that's been passed through many generations

How about a large mansion of a house converted into a hotel, with a family of descendants of the original residents still living in and running the place, treating all their customers as family guests who happen to pay? Would that be a +6, or less?

DFRPG / Re: A sword for a WCV

« on: May 25, 2011, 02:59:07 AM »

Normally you need to physically touch the victim to feed off of them. I suppose if you're an unarmed fighter that's fine, but if you prefer weapons, the dagger I presented extends that. It also bypasses your normal nature, you don't need to inspire an emotion for the dagger to feed, it takes it out of the damage it causes. This means that a member of house Raith doesn't need to worry about what it would normally consider food, it can expand its menu to include children and elderly if it wants, or even the same gender if that would normally hinder it. But you're right, it is essentially flavor.

I like the idea of a 2&3 dagger that you can use. But what benefit does the dagger get for feeding? WCV's get their powers, would the dagger become better somehow if its well fed? Anything that eats needs to have a place to store the energy it gains (like my giant belly for example) and it needs to have something to spend that energy on. If it eats in excess, it needs to expand its storage or spend in excess, if it eats insufficiently, its normal expenditure of energy needs to be penalized. Letting it have static abilities and saying that it gets them because it eats is boring.

As for that cane... I'm getting the idea that Items of Power are more common in DFRPGs than they are in the Dresdenverse... not that its a bad cane.

DFRPG / Re: A sword for a WCV

« on: May 25, 2011, 01:08:04 AM »

Quote from: Haru on May 25, 2011, 12:19:29 AM

The problem with a power similar to the tattoos is, that the WCV is already a full fledged vampire, while a RCI is trying to avoid falling to the darker desire.

But there might be a way to do this:
First thing I had to think of was the dagger from Romeo and Juliet. As an IoP it might even have a higher weapon rating than a simple dagger would.

As a symbol of love it would burn the WCV, but it is enchanted to keep the Demon inside at bay, not to hurt the wielder. When the WCV is in danger of losing control, he can use the dagger to help hold his demon back, which could simply be done by a +2 for the discipline roll for resisting hunger stress (or any roll that would let the demon take over).

This would possibly be the mental equivalent of a taser used against the demon everytime, so he might be extra violent, once he is able to break loose.

Or make it entirely like the tattoos, only instead of marks on the skin, the dagger has a crystal, that changes the color if the demon gets too strong.

I like that idea a lot, but it needs something. Make Juliet in this version of the Dresdenverse into a previous White Court Virgin and Romeo into a White Court Vampire. Make Friar Lawrence a Knight of the Cross. When he saw the two were genuinely in love, he hoped to save them from their fate. Now the dagger takes an earlier appearance in the story, the Almighty has Lawrence give Romeo the dagger, so long as Romeo is faithful, the dagger will partially suppress his Hunger, enough at least so that Juliet's touch didn't hurt him.

When Juliet used the dagger to kill herself, it was changed. It can be changed into a Tattoes of St. Giles on a stick, or just about anything.

Here's what I like. The dagger is no longer a holy tool, instead it's a tool ideal for a renegade WCV. If the dagger is used to kill someone, it sucks up their life energy the same way Feeding does, and transfers it to the WCV. This works more efficiently on White Court Vampires and Virgins than on Humans, but more efficiently on humans than other creatures. If Feeding has an efficiency of 8, then killing a WC Vampire has an efficiency of 9, killing a WC Virgin has an efficiency of 7, killing a human has an efficiency of 6, and anything else is 5 or less.

This would be a very precious weapon, since it would allow its wielder to remove Hunger stress mid-combat (or clear the stress post-combat if you prefer). However it inclines its wielder to killing other White Court Vampires, combined with the White Court's tendency towards jealousy and against direct combat, this means the wielder won't likely be the WC's favorite child.

Incidentally, the term "dagger" doesn't reference the size of the blade so much as the stile. It can refer to a medium sized knife or even a small shortsword. Meaning a character that specializes in knives might do well with a small dagger, while a character that specializes in swords might do well with a large dagger, so don't worry about character incompatibility.

DFRPG / Re: Multiple Sponsors: Your approach?

« on: May 25, 2011, 12:34:43 AM »

It looks like you have a specialized version of Sponsored Magic. The best way to approach Sponsored Magic (in my opinion) is to ask What first, then ask Who. For example, when your player first gets a sponsor, ask What sort of power she wants. Hellfire is the obvious choice. Who does she get it from? Wrath. So, for as long as she does as Wrath wishes, she has Hellfire. The war ends and her obligation to Wrath (though not her debt apparently) is ended.

Wrath trades her debt to Lust. Player has no obligation to Lust, but she does have a debt. Lust can make Player's life a living hell unless Player accepts an obligation, but she can't make Player do anything until then. Apparently Player accepts some sort of obligation (maybe she's tricked or doesn't understand that she has a Choice).

What does Player get? Again, Hellfire seems the obvious choice. Who does she get it from? Lust this time. Note that Hellfire is like gasoline, it doesn't care if it's fueling a Humvee or a Cadillac. But the sponsor might. Wrath might only grant Hellfire for violent magic, while Lust may only grant Hellfire for seductive magic. This doesn't change what the sponsored magic is, it just changes how it can be used.

Alternatively, instead of granting Hellfire, you can treat the sponsored magic more like Faerie magic. In this case the What changes every time she swaps hands. I wouldn't make this a modular power, just a list of magic types. So in addition to Mortal Magic, Seelie Magic, and Unseelie magic. You also have luxuria (lechery/lust) magic, gula (gluttony) magic, avaritia (avarice/greed) magic, acedia (acedia/discouragement) magic, ira (wrath) magic, invidia (envy) magic, and superbia (pride) magic. (Use the Latin names, makes it sound more fancy).

In opposition you can have 7 archangels representing the Virtues. So now you have Castitas (Chastity) magic, Temperantia (Temperance) magic, Caritas (Charity) magic,Industria (Diligence) magic, Patientia (Patience) magic, Humanitas (Kindness) magic, and Humilitas (Humility) magic. I listed those all in order so you can see which sin would be opposed to which virtue. This would be similar to the opposition of Seelie and Unseelie magic.

Now, if you really want to run a modular sponsored magic power, which I would reserve for someone who gets passed around a lot (which would be a sign of a game between the demons), then that's fine. In this case create a Modular Magic (sponsored) ability. Run it exactly like Modular Abilities, except instead of Form Points, grant Sponsor Points, and instead of the listed abilities, use something like the following list. Adictive Saliva, Breath Weapon, Echoes of the Beast, Pact Instincts, Spider Walk, Supernatural Sense, Glamours, Greater Glamours, Cloak of Shadows, Ghost Speaker, Marked by Power, Spirit Form, Domination, Incite Emotion, Psychometry, Mimic Abilities, Refinement, Lawbreaker, Blood Drinker, Emotional Vampire, and Feeding Dependance.

A few notes on that. One, the player should make a set of powers for a sponsor before officially accepting the sponsor. This list can be added to, but not until she has all of the powers already listed (if she lists 5 powers, she needs to have all 5 until getting a 6th). Two, the GM must approve of this list. Three, if she goes back to a sponsor she's already had, she should use the same list she did before.

DFRPG / Re: Joining the White Council

« on: May 24, 2011, 11:05:03 PM »

I think the test the Wardens can give are more simple. Things like puzzles that need to be solved through magic. Maybe a couple demonstrations. "Does this person have the magical skill and power to be a wizard?" is what the wardens would be looking for. Probably something like the beads test Harry gives Molly in White Night.

An ordeal is... well, it's an ordeal. Ever read Neverwhere? You're given an objective, and stuff gets in your way. (In Neverwhere, a Niel Gaiman book, the objective is to get through a simple small room. The only thing getting in your way is... um, insanity).

As a test for a wizard, an ordeal should be something like, "bring me X faery's true name," or "retrieve this old book," or "give this message to X being." Something that would almost seem simple. There should be multiple ways of passing the ordeal and it should require a certain level of both evocation and thaumaturgy.

Example methods could include a direct route (found through thaumaturgy) that puts the character in danger that requires magic (especially evocation) to survive. A diplomatic path that has little actually danger but requires knowledge of lore, rapport, and the wisdom to deal with those beings able to help you, this would still require thaumaturgy for summoning or transporting to their location, and probably evocation to impress them.

In other words, something that doesn't require someone to behave in a certain way to succeed, but requires them to excel at whatever way they behave. They should be judged by their piers. This means not by the Senior Council or Wardens, but by regular members of the White Council. Preferably just a handful of them.

I think the example Richard gave fits mot of this perfectly. But it's not a method I would choose. Too tame for my tastes.

DFRPG / Re: Character Breaks

« on: May 24, 2011, 04:47:53 AM »

Much thanks for all the help.

A few more questions... not really regarding Breaking a character but still regarding power balance.

First Question. Beast Form gives you access to a single alternate form and costs -1 refresh. True Shapeshifting gives you access to unlimited alternate forms and costs -4 refresh. How about a shape change that grants you a specific set of alternate forms. Like shapeshifting into a dog, choosing to be a anything from tiny puppy or a dogosaurus rex. Same race, same breed, just different sizes/features.

Next. For Supernatural Sense, how are the following senses.
1. Sense in Void. You can use your senses despite a lack of sense data, such as seeing in darkness, or smelling something normally odorless.
2. Sense in Excess. You can use your senses despite an otherwise overload of data. Such as seeing in blinding light, or hearing in a crowd.
3. See with Acuity. Your vision is better than normally possible for a human. You can see with extra precision, maybe even a larger range of the electromagnetic spectrum.
4. See Reality. You can see an illusion for what it is. You recognize if something has been transformed or otherwise disguised. This does not necessarily allow you to see through illusions, to recognize the normal form of something, or to see through mundane disguises.
5. Hear with Clarity. Your hearing is better than normally possible for a human. You can hear more clearly, maybe even higher or lower decibels than normal.
6. Hear Truth. When people talk, their words vibrate to you in a way that tells you how truthful they are being. This regards more with intent than the accuracy of what they say, so if someone tells you (and believes) that the ground is up, it seems truthful, but if a someone (like a faerie) speaks accurately in attempt to mislead you it strikes false.
7. Taste with Purity. Your taste is better than normally possible for a human. You can taste more strongly and possibly even more tastes than normal.
8. Taste Purity. Evil tastes bad. Holy tastes good. Innocence tastes like vanilla. Corruption adds flavor. You can taste the purity of anything you direct this sense toward. You have to be mentally aware of its location relative to you to do this (such as being able to see or feel it).
9. Touch with Sensitivity. Your tactile sense is better than normally possible for a human. You can feel a pea through a mattress, or the texture of things that might normally feel smooth.
10. Feel Presence. You can feel the presence of other creatures. The stronger their Presence the stronger you feel them.
11. Smell with Intensity. Your sense of smell is better than normally possible for a human, or even most animals.
12. Smell Power. You can smell power the way other people smell fear. The type of power (money, magic, might, etc) determines the scent. (I imagine necromantic power would smell like rotting corpses and taste much the same)

I'm a bit worried that 1 might be a little over powered (since Seeing in Darkness would be part of that, and its listed as an example of sense options). If its possible to make it balance (such as by requiring the other odd numbered senses to work clearly) I'd like to hear opinions. I'm not sure if the other senses would be over powered or not but they don't really seem that way to me.

DFRPG / Re: The Six Swordsmen.

« on: May 23, 2011, 05:21:32 PM »

So, if you take the nails that pierced the Christ can be forged into Swords of Power. Then how 'bout the Lance of Longinus? What'd you make out of the Holy Grail? There are enough items of religious significant that the Swords of the Cross can't reasonably be the only, or even most powerful available (even if they're the only ones located by the Church).

Trying to make the Swords of the Cross into a set with Fairy Swords and Warden Swords is just silly. The Faerie power comes from the Queens of Faerie. The Swords of the Cross are empowered by Micheal's Boss, The Almighty, The White God, or my personal Favorite, The Creator (sounds like a job description rather than a title). The Warden Swords' power comes from Anastasia Luccio, or more broadly, from Mortal Magic. So maybe we have a broad trilogy, Faerie Magic, Faith Magic, and Mortal Magic, but then there's also Demon Magic, Outsider Magic, Rune Magic, God Magic, maybe even Goblin Magic. The fact that there are Two (known) Faerie Swords and Three (Known) Holy Swords, plus 200 known Warden Swords (granted, since they're customized to each Warden, there's less than 50 working now)...

Still, it would be interesting to see what completed item sets can accomplish. All three Swords of the Cross don't seem to do anything special, but maybe there's a reason Arthur sought the Grail. I doubt the Faeries would ever work together long enough to see any synergy out of their powers. And Warden Swords aren't really Items of Power, so lets forget them.

Maybe a complete set of Faerie Powers working together can bridge all of the NetherNether. Maybe a complete set of Faith Powers working together can call forth the image of god, rain of fire, a lessor Flood of Holy Water, Maybe a complete set of Mortal Powers (including such things as the

(click to show/hide)

, maybe similar items) can allow the unlock the Outer Gates. I suppose if you combine all three of them together, you have a nexus to all of the Nevernever, the Wrath of God, and unlocked Outer Gates, sending Outsiders everywhere and killing them. A hunt worthy of the Earlking's participation. But I don't see this being a "We six swordsman" deal.[/color]

DFRPG / Re: How much do non-wizard relatives of wizards know?

« on: May 22, 2011, 07:59:53 PM »

There are only seven Laws of Magic. Theoretically, as long as you keep well clear of breaking them, the white council will let you do whatever you like. Despite that, the white council will still probably kill you if you do things like leak council secrets to their enemies, disobey orders (as a warden) and otherwise bring chaos to the council itself. Even though these things don't go against one of the seven laws, they're still explicit no-no's. Implicit no-no's include spreading information to vanilla mortals which the council doesn't want them to have, including the existence of the council. The White Council might not kill you for implicit no-no's, but it'll frown upon them.

So how much a Wizard shares with their family is a judgement call. I imagine a wizard parent might keep his or her children in the dark unless they think they have the talent. A wizard child might not tell his or her parents and siblings as well. On the other hand they are free to tell them these things as well.

A comfortable middle ground would be to tell their family of the existence of Magic, Wizards, and Monsters. To thoroughly instruct the children regarding the Seven Laws of Magic, and to warn them of their consequences, since breaking the Laws of Magic does quite a bit more to a person than just bringing the wrath of the wardens. Telling children about what sorts of defenses almost always work (thresholds for example) what sorts work sometimes (holy symbols), and what sorts work rarely (garlic) but not about the specifics about the different supernatural groups (maybe that they exist and abide by the accords, but not what sorts of groups they include). Knowledge about the accords should be basic.

DFRPG / Re: Character Breaks

« on: May 22, 2011, 05:56:45 PM »

Quote from: finnmckool on May 22, 2011, 05:26:38 PM

Don't think you can carry mobile circles, for one. And how do you put them back up again in time to not get shot. Plus the bullet would break the circle.

For the guns, I'm thinking of slightly more complex wards. Three dimensional, spheres, cylinders, and hollow cylinders mostly. The sections where the bullets go wouldn't be warded. A custom built weapon can be made to make the necessary wards as simple as possible. But you're right about the mobility. Any way to get around that?

DFRPG / Re: Character Breaks

« on: May 22, 2011, 04:59:56 PM »

Okay, next question.

Magic Wizard by night, Computer Wizard by day. Militiaman during the weekends.

Warden Erik never got a Sword. But who needs it, when you can shoot magic bullets out of a semi automatic rifle?

And all he needs is magic-barrier wards. A circle so simple even Butters can do it. Case all the technical parts with magic circles. Commando Wizard Erik. I don't know if that's OP in game terms, but it sounds like it should be.

Does this work?

DFRPG / Re: Debt, Gifts, and Offspring

« on: May 22, 2011, 12:09:15 PM »

Quote from: sinker on May 22, 2011, 05:23:05 AM

Something occurred to me along the same lines I was saying earlier. What if he's just trying to raise his progeny the best he can? Outside of the Nevernever he isn't the all powerful being he was. Even if he has greater glamors he can't create something lasting. I suppose it's relatively easy to get the basics, Food and shelter and such, through basic trickery (I.E. Steal it while veiled, pay for it with "money" or make bargains with mortals), but what about the big things? When she wants a car or similar, something expensive and lasting. I imagine it's suspicious to simply drop $25,000 cash for a car these days, especially if it went missing later, and you couldn't just steal it because that might have repercussions later. So the interesting question is, did daddy Fae get a day job?

FaeDad the Illusionist. FaeDad the supermodel. FaeDad the legendary supermodel. FaeDad the actor. FaeDad the alternative Actor. FaeDad the phantom thief. I imagine 3 and 6 would be most likely. Why make illusory money when you can use your illusions to get rid of every defense in the mortal world?

Alternatively, he could have been planning this for a long time. Playing the stock market for a couple hundred years, leaving money in banks and such. When you're immortal, you don't have to be good at investing, you just have to be thorough. Eventually something will pay off big time. (he can get the initial money through any of the means above or more)

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