Author Topic: What all can you do with ectomancy?  (Read 3002 times)

Offline tallghost

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What all can you do with ectomancy?
« on: July 09, 2010, 06:09:15 PM »
I'm starting a an ectomancer, and I've ben trying to come up with things he could do with his ritual magic.
Right now, I'm kins of stuck that he could have some enchanted items that held a ghost, like poke-balls and use them for combat.
but I'l like more than "Dead dog I choose you!"
Anyone already playing one, have any ideas?

Offline JosephKell

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Re: What all can you do with ectomancy?
« Reply #1 on: July 09, 2010, 06:15:39 PM »
Is this channeling or ritual?

For channeling, I would say it acts like Channeling (spirit) (well, "spirits").

For rituals, you mostly ask spirits for stuff.
-Want to spy on someone?  Look through a ghost's eyes.
-Want to know what happened?  Help a spirit to coalesce and ask it a question or two.
-Want to make a magic item?  Bind a phantom into it temporarily.
-Want to set up a ward?  Ask the specter to keep bad things out.
-Want to hide?  Ask the phantasms to veil you.
If you have to ask, it probably breaks a Law of Magic.  You're just trying to get the Doom of Damocles.

Offline Ophidimancer

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Re: What all can you do with ectomancy?
« Reply #2 on: July 09, 2010, 06:34:54 PM »
Collect a bit of ectoplasm to make a potion that can let you temporarily walk through walls?

Offline Wyrdrune

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Re: What all can you do with ectomancy?
« Reply #3 on: July 13, 2010, 12:39:51 PM »
in this thread with sample chars is an ectomancer: http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,17704.msg797667.html#msg797667

for your convinience, i am copy/pasting his spells:

Incorporealize (Block: 4 or Armor: 2)
Force Strike (Weapon: 5 Attack. Requires Glove.)
Poltergeist (5 Shift Maneuver against area or opponents. Requires Glove.)

the glove is his focus item.

the character belongs to deadmanwalking.

Offline CMEast

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Re: What all can you do with ectomancy?
« Reply #4 on: July 13, 2010, 01:26:34 PM »
Quote from: YS285
Some ectomancers may even be able to access a skill from a ghost's skill-set, in an act somewhat like voluntary possession; here, the skill acquired is limited by the level of skill the ghost possesses, and the value of the skill rating is added to the complexity for the binding spell.

It reminds me of the Necroscope series by Brian Lumley. The protagonist, Harry Keogh, has the ability to speak with the dead; because he is willing to speak for them and teaches them how to speak to each other they give him knowledge in return. He befriends the ghost of a soldier who teaches him how to fight; for money he writes stories that are told to him by ghosts, sometimes they are the work of famous dead authors and sometimes they are the life stories of the dead; he eventually learns how to teleport from the ghosts of great scientists and mathematicians (though that might be a bit too much for the DFPRG universe).

That could be done either with rituals or, if the GM agreed, perhaps you could use the beast change rules to swap around some key skills as they possess you. Perhaps something like this:

[-2] Ritual - Ectomancy
[-1] The Sight - I see dead people
[-1] Beast change/Spirit Swap. -  affecting:
     [-3] Modular abilities (stunts only)

This would be suitable for a chest deep character that can summon, talk to and dismiss ghosts as a ritual. Plus they can change their knowledge based skills and gain up to 3 stunts as a supplemental action. If I were the GM I'd allow it as long as:
-Beast change didn't affect endurance or might, having the knowledge and skills of a wrestler doesn't mean you have the muscles.
-You chose a number of personas up to your contacts (or perhaps lore) that you could adopt and they'd generally have set stunts and skill changes already. For instance Black-Ops soldier may give you superb fists, athletics, stealth and intimidation, plus stunts to match; Famous Actor may increase your presence, rapport, empathy, performance and deceit, plus stunts, etc.

Hmm, this could be a fun character :)

Offline Wyrdrune

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Re: What all can you do with ectomancy?
« Reply #5 on: July 14, 2010, 01:41:24 PM »
good ideas.

maybe he has also some form of astral travel. i wrote a thaumaturgic ritual version of an astral form spell for the NPC wizard of my campaign. i used the rule of thumb that some known power from the books costs twice as much in shifts as in refresh.

it looks somewhat like this:

Astral Forrm
Type: Thaumaturgy, Worldwalking and Transportation
Complexity: Base 6 (2 shifts per FP power cost spirit form) +x shifts for more than a scene duration +y shifts to overcome thresholds and wards
Effect: the wizard sends out his astral form, which is subject to thresholds, the body is vulnerable and in trance – See more under Spirit Form Power

should enable your ectomancer to be with the ghosts and spirits on "equal ground" or sending his astral body to the nevernever...