Changeling Questions

[Falar]

Hey, so over in PbP, a couple people (including myself) are starting a game where we merry-go-round GMs and all, using the Twin Cities in Minnesota as the base. We're poking through City Creation and some people are starting to throw out characters. Two people have thrown out using the Changeling template, and I wanted to make sure I'm interpreting a few things correctly.

1. As a Changeling, you only have access to powers that are included in your fae heritage. So no Unseelie Magic for Troll-born and no Inhuman Toughness for Half-Pixies.

2. Once you either have all the powers of your fae heritage or you are negative refresh, you become an NPC. So for the low, low price of five refresh as an Half-Elf, you become an NPC, but for an Ogre-born, you've got 12 to go before you hit the wall.

Is that Oll Korrect?

[luminos]

That is correct from my reading of the rules.  On number 2, they can still buy mortal stunts without risking a Fae change, so the half-elf isn't goint to be stuck at the <5 range for total refresh, just for powers.

[Falar]

Yup, yup, yup. And if they had another way to gain powers - say they also got bitten by a Red Court Vampire - those powers wouldn't affect the fae choice. Or if they had an Item of Power.

Thanks, Luminos!

[JustinS]

You need to figure out a set of appropriate bloodline powers, they do not need to be one of the specific listed examples. So, you could be descended from a more powerful elf/pixie subtype, or gain more access by exposure to power, and growing importance (see Toot-toot for evidence the later effect applies). This may be something to look into at major milestones...

[drnuncheon]

I don't believe you go NPC until you run out of refresh, even if you make your Choice.

[luminos]

I don't believe you go NPC until you run out of refresh, even if you make your Choice.

The rules disagree with you.  Pg. 75 YS

[paul_Harkonen]

Unless the text has been changed from the beta (I haven't bothered to update yet, even though I should) then it is not clear on that page that Choice = NPC.

The text says if you empty your refresh or fulfill all the musts then "he becomes full Faerie, never to be mortal again and fully subject to the will of the Faerie Courts."  This does not mean they are necessarily NPCs.  There are Wyld Fae that maintain independence from the courts, and individuals in the courts that also maintain a degree of independence, even though they are somewhat subject to the whims of the Queens.

[luminos]

Its not the fact that he would be tied to the Faerie Courts that would make him an NPC.  Its the fact that he would no longer be mortal, and would thus no longer have free will.

Edit: Although I suppose it just depends on how your group is comfortable playing it.

[Deadmanwalking]

1. As a Changeling, you only have access to powers that are included in your fae heritage. So no Unseelie Magic for Troll-born and no Inhuman Toughness for Half-Pixies.

While people got this right, there is the fact that you get to design your Faerie parent (with GM approval). If your father was, say, a mighty Summer Court Ogre knight, who, being greater than his brethren, had Supernatural Strength instead of merely Inhuman, you might inherit that Strength, and could thus buy it despite most ogres not possessing it.

[drnuncheon]

The rules disagree with you.  Pg. 75 YS

I don't see anything that looks like "becomes an NPC" on that page.  However, the page before says "often becoming an NPC as his power costs rise to exceed his refresh", which suggests that the usual rules for crossing the line into NPCdom apply.

I'm also not entirely convinced that no fey have free will.  The Wyldfae seem to have some element of it, in that they can choose between Summer and Winter, and Harry scrupulously avoided using compulsions on Toot (Morgan tried to come down on him about it - sure, he was looking for any excuse, but he seemed to think he might have had a case).

[JosephKell]

I don't see anything that looks like "becomes an NPC" on that page.  However, the page before says "often becoming an NPC as his power costs rise to exceed his refresh", which suggests that the usual rules for crossing the line into NPCdom apply.

I'm also not entirely convinced that no fey have free will.  The Wyldfae seem to have some element of it, in that they can choose between Summer and Winter, and Harry scrupulously avoided using compulsions on Toot (Morgan tried to come down on him about it - sure, he was looking for any excuse, but he seemed to think he might have had a case).

As Luminous said: YS75 "If taking on another ability reduces your character's refresh to zero or otherwise fulfills all the "musts" of a faerie of the appropriate type, the changeling's Chice is made and he becomes a full faerie, never mortal again, and now fully subject to the will of the Faerie Courts."

The underlined portion means "If you now have all the powers of your fae parent, you are now fully fae (an NPC)."

[Falar]

Heh. You beat me to the punch. I was about to copy out the same thing that you copied out in reply to what the good Doctor was saying.

I think another thing to play up is how non-human you would look by the time you took the last power. Once you take that five points, you look exactly like an elf. You are three feet tall, have pointed ears, delicate features and are more slender than is humanly possibly. You also have practically an unearthly aura around you.

[drnuncheon]

The underlined portion means "If you now have all the powers of your fae parent, you are now fully fae (an NPC)."

Fully fae, sure.  It's the implication that makes you an NPC that I disagree with.

[Falar]

Fully fae means you don't have free will. You are bound to your nature. If they meant for there to be an option to be fully fae and be a PC, then there would be a Fae template.

[paul_Harkonen]

Fully fae means you don't have free will. You are bound to your nature. If they meant for there to be an option to be fully fae and be a PC, then there would be a Fae template.

This is flawed logic.  Fred has said several times (and I think there's even a line in the book about it) that Templates are not the end all be all of character creation.  They are ways to create characters that we have seen, but if you have an idea, run with it.  Work with your GM and fellow players, and if it makes sense, don't worry about whether there's a template already out for it.