Since I received such great advice before, I thought I'd try again. Here's two characters I've created for campaigns. If I could get some advice on how they are built, that would be great. I may also thread-necro this occasionally if I come up with new ideas.
First a Pure Mortal Submerged Character.
Character: Samuel Lauer Player: LankyOgre
Template: Pure Mortal
High Concept Aspect: Supernatural Hitman
Trouble Aspect: Stranger in a Strange Land
Aspects: I Can Only Depend on Myself, This is My Rifle, Everyone Has a Weak Spot,
Appearance
Samuel stands about 6 foot tall and is built like a football lineman. He wears a short military buzz cut and usually sports fatigues of some sort. A serious man by nature, Samuel has become even more somber over the years and rarely ever smiles.
ASPECTS
Supernatural Hitman - Samuel kills the supernatural. That's his job and he does it well. Many members of the supernatural community have not caught up with modern technology and Samuel ruthlessly exploits that weakness. (High Concept)
Stranger in a Strange Land - While skilled at recognizing and defeating supernatural threats, Samuel himself is purely mortal. Samuel is not a signatory of the Unseelie Accords and does not need to follow them, or worry about any repercussions for starting a war.
Background
Samuel was born in Arkansas and grew up hunting on a ranch. His father was a harsh man and expected a great deal from Samuel. Early in his life he realized that he would have to make his own way, and nobody would give him anything. Eager to leave the one stop-sign town he grew up in, Samuel enlisted in the army at 18.
Aspect: I Can Only Depend on Myself - Samuel has a hard time trusting others, but he knows exactly what he's capable of and pushes himself to his limits.
Rising Conflict
Samuel enlisted in the army as a basic infantryman and spent a tour of duty in Desert Storm. While in Iraq, Samuel's patrol was ambushed by a group of ghouls. Since “ghouls attacked and ate the squad” looks bad on reports, Samuel ended up honorably discharged and instructed never to speak of his encounter. Realizing that there are things that go bump in the night, Samuel began studying what he could and found ways to defeat supernatural creatures.
Aspect: This Is My Rifle – Samuel has a large collection of guns and implements of death and violence, and he knows how to use them.
The Story: A Bullet Across the Water
While frequenting occult bookstores, Samuel fell in with a sorcerer by the name of Harvey Walters who promised him an introduction to the supernatural. Harvey tried to control Samuel, and Samuel discovered that a bullet from over the river kills a sorcerer just like everyone else.
Aspect: Everyone Has A Weak Spot – Samuel knows that everyone has a weak spot, its just a matter of finding it out.
Whose Path Have You Crossed
Within days of joining the Wardens Nicolas is tasked with hunting down a warlock ravaging New York City, by killing what appears to be random kids. When he hunts down the warlock, Nicolas discovers it is but a boy, having been bullied by the victims, the boy killed them without knowing he was even doing it. Nicolas brings the boy before the Senior Council, and when he is found guilty, Nicolas beheads the boy, despite his moral qualms. When Carl Strakhov realized students at his son's school were dieing in mysterious ways, he contacted Samuel Lauer to make sure it didn't affect his son. Samuel discovered the warlock, but before he was able to clean up the situation he encountered Nicolas. Deciding that it would be better to work with the Warden than against him, Samuel assisted Nicolas in resolving the situation. That, and he had to make sure it was done.
Aspect: I'll Work With Anybody
Whose Path Have You Crossed
In the time since graduating, Garrett has become an accomplished fireman and pyromancer. His success rate in the mundane fire department is astounding, and he’s sort of a big name around town because of it. He’s also a member of the Paranet, and when another member, a poor soul cursed with Cassandra’s Tears, comes calling he can’t ignore her frenzied pleas for help. Despite not believing a word of her prophecies, he finds himself in a deadly battle against one of the Fallen looking to claim her as its own. Though the victory cost him physically, he does not regret it. A warden named Nicolas Lebeau, is also tracking down the same Fallen, it seems that the creature is targeting quite a few minor talents, and as signatories of the accords tasked with protecting mortals the White Council (and therefore Nicolas) have an interest in ending this Fallen. Together with Garrett, Nicolas works to ensure the Demon won't hurt any more creatures in his (significantly long for a mortal) lifetime. Samuel was hired by Marcus Pikman to find out who his wife was cheating on him with, and "take care of" the situation. (Hey, sometimes you have to take what pays). After a little investigation, Samuel fended up at an old parking garage. His old "friend" Nicolas was in the middle of fighting some creature, with the help of Garrett. Assuming the Fallen was also the one involved in the affair, Samuel opened fire. (Pikman still thinks his wife was cheating on him.)
Aspect: When in Doubt, Shoot - Samuel has found that surprise can be a great thing, and sometimes just shooting can solve a lot of problems.
SKILLS
Superb (+5) Guns
Great (+4) Alertness, Athletics
Good (+3) Discipline, Endurance, Fists
Fair (+2) Conviction, Driving, Presence, Weapons
Average (+1) Contacts, Intimidation, Investigation, Lore, Survival
STUNTS
Alertness
On My Toes: Gain +2 to Alertness when using it to determine initiative.
Fists
Lethal Weapons: Your hands are lethal weapons. When using Fists to strike an unarmored opponent, you are considered to have Weapon:2. Against opponents with Armor:1, your Fists attacks are Weapon:1. There is no benefit against more heavily armored opponents.
Guns
Fast Reload: Provided that you have a supply of ammunition, reloads are rarely an issue. You take no penalty when reloading as a supplemental action; if you're in a race to see who reloads first, or anything else having to do with your speed or ability to reload, gain a +1 on the roll.
Quick-Draw Artist: When a gun is easily accessible drawing barely rates an after-thought. No penalty is taken when a gun is drawn as a supplemental action (page YS:213) and any contest having to do with your ability or speed of drawing a firearm receive a +1 on the roll.
Pin Them Down: When Aiming, the aspect you place on the target cannot be removed so long as they do not move out of the zone, and any attempts to leave the zone face an increased border of 1 as long as you continue to make Guns attacks against that target.
Shoot And Move: When using small firearms (handguns, submachine guns, etc), penalties to rolls due to moving are reduced by up to two.
Sniper: With a properly equipped and adjusted rifle, and something to brace it against or a turn to take aim, suffer no penalties to rolls due to range.
Target Rich Environment: Gain a +1 to attacks with Guns whenever personally outnumbered in a firefight.
Total Refresh Adjustment: -8
Stress Tracks
Physical: OOOO
Mental: OOO
Social: OOO
And Second, a Wereraven trickster/protector
David Peterson
High Concept: Wereraven Tribal Protector
Trouble: I Have a Family
Other Aspects:
Skills:
Superb (+5): Deceit
Great (+4): Investigation, Athletics
Good (+3): Burglary, Stealth, Presence
Fair (+2): Driving, Fists, Guns, Alertness
Average (+1): Resources, Survival, Endurance, Intimidation, Rapport
Raven Skills:
Superb (+5): Deceit
Great (+4): Investigation, Athletics
Good (+3): Burglary, Stealth, Alertness
Fair (+2): Endurance, Fists, Survival, Presence
Average (+1): Resources, Guns, Driving, Intimidation, Rapport
Mortal Stunts
Pick-Pocket: Whether it's a simple bump-and-grab or something more complicated, you're adept at getting people to pay attention to other things while you or an accomplice liberates their pockets of their contents. This includes the filching of small items from a desk or someplace similar. Targets of this action usually oppose with Alertness.
Pilot: Your focus is on aircraft, not cars. Gain +1 to your Driving when piloting an aircraft and an additional +1 when steering float planes.
Supernatural Powers
Beast Change [-1]
Echoes of the Beast [-1]
Guide My Hand [-1]
Human Form [+1]
Diminutive Size [-1]
Inhuman Speed [-2]
Wings [-1]
Total: 2 Refresh
Appearance & Mannerisms
David is a young man in his late 20's with long black hair and a full beard. He frequently wears comfortable jeans and t-shirts. David enjoys nature and frequently camps, skis, fishes, and goes sky-diving. He can be stubborn and rebellious, but he always does what he thinks is right.
Background
David was born and raised in central Washington State as the youngest of a large family. His father worked on a potato farm and his mother was a school secretary. While he never noticed a lack of food or clothing, his parents were never rich either. In high school he learned to sky dive and frequently got in trouble with his parents and school authorities. Occasionally he would skip school, or go visit his older siblings across the state. Despite his frequent challenges to authority, David never got arrested and managed to graduate high school. Soon after graduating he married his high school sweet heart.
Aspect: “Not if I Don't Have To.”
Rising Conflict
After high school, David went to a local college and started taking flying lessons. Throughout college he continued to take spontaneous vacations with his wife and would barely pass most courses. He continued sky-diving and loved the rush of free-fall. Once, while camping, David stumbled upon something he couldn't explain happening in a clearing in the woods. In his attempt to flee from the clearing, David found himself flying through the forest as a raven, and eventually landing high up in the hills. While scared and stunned, a spirit appeared to David and explained some things. During this conversation David was introduced to the existence of the supernatural and told of a deal his family had made with Grandfather Raven. Though the tribe no longer existed, David's ancestors had made a deal with Grandfather Raven to help protect humankind against supernatural threats. Unlike some of the other defenders of humanity, Grandfather Raven expected David's ancestors to handle problems intelligently and through trickery, not always with brute force. Therefore his ancestors, and now David, were gifted with the ability to change shape as a raven. Since then, David's ancestors have continued to help and guide him as he encounters the supernatural world.
Aspect: My Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandaddy is my Adviser
First Novel:
Soon after encountering his ancestor, David graduated and received his commercial pilot's license. With his wife, he moved to Seattle, at the urging of his “grandfather.” Around this time he also had a son and found it necessary to find a job. While out looking for a job, he met Trevor Macawley. Trevor owned a float plane tour company on Lake Union that was about to collapse and was being “hunted” by a minor Skavis. David intervened and tricked the Skavi into leaving Trevor alone and has since helped Trevor rebuild his company.
Aspect: I Work for a Living
Guest Star: Coming Soon!
Aspect: Coming Soon!
Guest Star Redux: Coming Soon!
Aspect: Coming Soon!
Though, after constructing a few characters and looking at starting to play, I wonder if a wide and shallow skill selection may be better (taking a lot of good or fair and not pushing for the superb). It seems like there are always more skills than skill points.
