Olympian Emissary

[InFerrumVeritas]

As I said in another topic, I'm new to the forums and the game.  I've been lurking and reading, and I was wondering if you guys could rate the character I made for my groups campaign.  I've played other RPGs before, but not FATE based systems. 

Hektor Petrokles
High Concept: Olympian Emissary
Trouble: Family Business
Aspects: Desert Storm Veteran, Fact not Faith, [TBD]

Powers: Sword of Mars (Item of Power+2, War Touches All-1, Guided by Fate-2)-1, Olympian Magic-4, Marked by Power-1, Heroic Constitution-0

 Skills:
2 Great: Weapons, Lore
2 Good: Conviction, Endurance
4 Fair: Discipline, Guns, Resources, Athletics
4 Average: Presence, Rapport, Fists, Alertness

 Items (:
Shield Bracer (+6 Block or Armor 3 3/session)
Thunderbolt Ring (+6 Ranged Lightening Attack uses Weapons 3/session)

Stress Boxes:
Physical: 0000
Mental: 0000
Social: 000

Rote Spells:
Unlucky (2 Shift Maneuver to place "Unlucky" aspect on target)
Strike True (2 Shift Maneuver to place "Strike True" aspect on ally to grant bonus on attacks)
Inaccurate (2 Shift Maneuver to place "Inaccurate" aspect on target)
Glory (2 Shift Maneuver to place "Stature of a Greek God" aspect on spellcaster in social encounters)

Ability Descriptions:
War Touches All: -1
The wielder may gain a boost to its attack or defense roll by inflicting a mental stress hit upon itself, gaining a +1 for each point of stress in the hit. The bonus cannot be greater than the maximum length of the wielder's mental stress track. Alternatively, on a single attack the wielder may take a 2-stress hit to temporarily satisfy the “Catch” on the toughness abilities of a supernatural creature.  Additionally if the wielder has Olympian Magic, he may incur this stress as debt to his sponsor. [This power is functionally a re-flavoring of the Sacred Guarding power found under the Temple Dog description and thus has the same Refresh cost]

Guided by Fate: -2
The wielder gains +1 to all Weapons rolls when using the sword in accordance with Mars' goals (this includes tue wielder defending himself).  In addition, on a successful defense with Weapons, you may sacrifice your next action to turn that defense into an immediate and automatically successful attack. [This power functionally includes the Riposte Mortal Stunt and thus has a refresh cost of -2 rather than -1]

Heroic Constitution: -0
Functionally identical to Wizard Constitution but granted to the Emissaries of the Olympian Pantheon.

Olympian Casting: -4
You are able to cast spells of a deep and true nature, drawing upon the magics of the Olympian Gods. Due to the nature of this power source, it is less flexible in some areas than mortal spellcasting and is therefore subject to limitations.  Channeling can only be used for curses and fating (maneuvers or blocks that place aspects encouraging a specific outcome such as "Inaccuracy," "Unlucky," "Doomed to die in Fire," or "Cursed by Traffic") and disguise and glory veils (which can hide identity or enhance appearance, mainly through veils or maneuvers as well).  Ritual is similarly restricted and can be used for more powerful curses or fating, transformations (humans into animals with the gods taking care of that pesky biology), divination (primarily prophecy), and crafting (but no potions).  Summoning and Binding can only be used on ghosts.  The Olympians use items in order to throw around raw elements (Bag of Winds, Thunderbolt Javelins, etc). Like all Sponsored Casting, this grants four focus item slots for the above purpose.


I realize that the rote spells are rather useless, but didn't think that I could have rote spells that automatically put me in debt (which I would need to really have control over the three shift powers).

[sinker]

War touches all might be a little over powered for 1 refresh, but I'm not really sure. It would likely require some play to find out.

As far as I understand the rote spells aren't a little useless, they're completely non-functioning. A maneuver by default requires 3 shifts. I suppose that the rules aren't really clear on that, and it'd be up to your table, but that's how I read it. As far as debt you definitely can use debt in your rotes, just as you could use foci or additional mental stress or even backlash. The only issue with this is that if you don't have access to any of these things you can't cast the rote. So if your GM decides that your sponsor thinks you need to pay them back before you get any more then you won't be able to use the rote. You could cast a similar spell. You could cast the exact spell without the debt, but it won't be rote and you will have a chance of failing.

Finally I'm wondering about your aspects. What do you see them being? One of the things that I see a lot with people who are new to Fate is a lack of interpersonal aspects (I think the book calls them story aspects). These are very necessary for helping to drive the story so if you don't have enough it can stagnate things. I can see one or two working in that capacity, but I'm wondering what you think.

[InFerrumVeritas]

Yeah.  I was debating removing the ability to take the stress as debt from War Touches All (thus making it identical to Mouse's Sacred Guardian).  It's probably not a bad idea, but I'll talk to my GM.  If he's harsh with the debt, it won't affect power.

Thanks.  On the Rote spells, I've changed them on my actual character sheet to be 3 shift and require debt.  That fits the character quite well actually.

On my aspects:
Family Business (which I'll probably rename to Have to Keep the Family Business Going) is basically what ties the character to the area and provides a way for supernatural baddies to get at me.  It can be compelled to keep me from using Resources, or even force a conflict between me and my sponsors.

Desert Storm Veteran is basically how I met with Ares (my primary sponsor amongst the Olympians).  It's also how I can justify some military knowledge (via tagging), and can be compelled to force me to act in certain ways in both social and physical conflicts.

Fact not Faith is basically stating that my character doesn't believe in the gods.  He knows they're there because he's met them.  It can cause some strife between him and gods, as well as members of the clergy.  It can be compelled to force the character to find proof, etc.

[sinker]

Yeah I could only see one of those (also you high concept possibly) really working to draw you in to a story. One of the things you might consider is Dresden himself. What draws him into conflict? Often it's his aspect of "Chivalry is not dead dammit!" Sometimes it's his aspect of "private-eye wizard" (through Murph and others seeking those services). Sometimes it's through his aspect of "My mother's silver pentacle" (and the attached relationship to Thomas) and finally it's often through his aspect of "Perpetually Broke." Harry has all of these aspects that serve to draw him into the story, and it's a good idea to have a decent number of aspects like that.

[InFerrumVeritas]

Makes sense.  I'm definitely keeping "Desert Storm Veteran" and my trouble (I know the GM is starting the campaign by attacking my restaurant).  I'll probably change Fact not Fate and add another aspect as the game goes on.  Our group has decided to eschew the "background" part of character creation and roleplay that stuff instead. 

Thanks.