Her Royal Majesty's Witchfinders

[Arcteryx]

Hey Dresdenphiles,

One of the players in my group has read Mike Mignola's witchfinder series and was interested in a character who specializes in hunting down errant magic users; without sticking to Mignola's setting but sticking with the mage hunting concept, anyone have any suggestions for powers, stunts or the like?

The game's power level is Chest Deep, and as per the subject there would be a small cadre of them in Her Royal Majesty's service. They work directly for the House of Windsor, and not for the government.

TEMPLATE

WITCHFINDER

MUSTS
Witchfinders must have a high concept that is in line with their occupation - that as one of Her Royal Majesty's Witchfinders. This carries the weight of the responsibilities and codes of behavior expected from those who are tasked with this duty.

Witchfinders find themselves constantly at odds with the White Council; the Wardens find and execute those who break the Laws, but the Witchfinders "bring them in"; what happens to these errant sorcerers and warlocks once they are in the custody of the Ordo Libram is anyone's best guess. The other mythical arm of Her Majesty's Most Secret Service are the Pathfinders, who protect her from supernatural threat and liaise with their counterparts in the Summer and Winter Court.

Witchfinders wear a pendant with a vial of blue salt crystals that burn and flare with a brilliant light as they absorb magical harm; these are an item of power and should be referenced in one of the character's Aspects. The crystals need to be replaced (i.e. compel) to continue to be effective.

POWERS [-5]
Ritual: Crafting [-2] YS181
Supernatural Sense: See magic as smoke [-1] YS165

Item Of Power Discount [+1] A Buru Pendant [Pendant With Vial Of Blue Salt Crystals]
Inhuman Speed [-2] YS178
Supernatural Toughness [-4] YS185
Inhuman Recovery [-2] YS186
The Catch: Only against mortal magic [+5] _{+2 for only working against specific thing, +2 for being easily bypassed (not mortal magic is quite common), +1 for requiring research to discover}

Witchfinder's Blade
Similar to a Warden's Sword, but on a lesser scale. It is an Enchanted Item that takes up two slots, and each one is forged by its wielder.

Weapon:2 (it is a sword)
slot 1: Counterspell at Great (assumes the caster has a Lore of Great)
slot 2: +1 power to Counterspell, so it is now Superb
slot 3: + two uses per session (three altogether)
slot 4: Weapon:4 for one use/session

OPTIONS
It is recommended that the witchfinder takes a Refinement to add more slots for enchanted items so that he can be armed with potions and the like.

Upgrade Ritual:Crafting to full-blown Thaumaturgy [-3] YS180
Refinement [-1] YS182
* Gain two additional focus item slots (equivalent to four additional enchanted item slots)
* I'd allow a refinement to be split for 1 specialization and 1 focus item

IMPORTANT SKILLS
Lore
Weapons

MINIMUM REFRESH COST
-5

With many thanks to those who helped with hints, math & aesthetics! You know who you are.

[wicked0truth]

Possibly something to do with supernatural senses? Smell Magic?

[sinker]

The sight and soulgaze definitely.

[Arcteryx]

I do have the supernatural senses pencilled in... player has suggested that he can see magic as smoke drifting off the magically active.

Lore would be a skill to focus on, even Scholarship, and Investigation. Was thinking if a focused practitioner type of skill or powerset would be good, ie. takes magic to hunt magic... even one that is sponsored (i.e. by the Crown).

[bobjob]

Perhaps some kind of toughness power that makes him stronger against magic but not any other form of harm. I also kind of like the Warden Sword that has the ability to work as a counterspell, so I'd find some way to add a counter-spell ability.

[sinker]

I also kind of like the Warden Sword that has the ability to work as a counterspell, so I'd find some way to add a counter-spell ability.

Actually you might want to use that as the start of an IOP that gives them all of these powers. Being mortals with IOPs makes more sense than if they were actually minor talents hunting warlocks.

[Set Abominae]

Well are they theologically motivated? That might be a good reason to throw some of the faith based capabilities in the mix.

It might also be an excuse to throw ritual into the line-up. You could feasibly aim it at "sanctified" rituals meant to ward against evil, demons, etc.

I'd say the following possibilities are feasible depending on the theme you're going for:

Bless This House
Cassandra’s Tears
Guide My Hand
Holy Touch
Item of Power
Marked by Power
Psychometry
Righteousness
Ritual
Supernatural Sense

[Arcteryx]

Perhaps some kind of toughness power that makes him stronger against magic but not any other form of harm. I also kind of like the Warden Sword that has the ability to work as a counterspell, so I'd find some way to add a counter-spell ability.

A toughness ability i.e. supernatural toughness, catch being anything anything non-magical? How would you guys cost out that kind of catch? I think without question that a Warden-like IoP that counterspells would absolutely ooze ubercoolness...

Well are they theologically motivated? That might be a good reason to throw some of the faith based capabilities in the mix.

Not in the original Mignola setting, though the main character in the comic was religious so that was in our minds; if this template turns out looking cool as hell, I can imagine there being a theo-variant with a role in the Churches-that-be.

[InFerrumVeritas]

A toughness ability i.e. supernatural toughness, catch being anything anything non-magical? How would you guys cost out that kind of catch? I think without question that a Warden-like IoP that counterspells would absolutely ooze ubercoolness...

Not in the original Mignola setting, though the main character in the comic was religious so that was in our minds; if this template turns out looking cool as hell, I can imagine there being a theo-variant with a role in the Churches-that-be.

Ogres are immune to mortal magic.  Their catch (for PI, but it would be applicable to other toughness powers if you created it that way) is worth +5.  I think it breaks down like this: +2 for only working against specific thing, +2 for being easily bypassed (not mortal magic is quite common), +1 for requiring research to discover.  If you wanted to make the Witchfinders more ubiquitious (at least to British mages), this could be +6 (so that anyone who has heard of a witchfinder knows that they're resistant against magic), or if they were super secretive you could make it +4 (so that even for people who had heard of them, it would take personal knowledge and experience to know that they are resistant against magic). 

[Arcteryx]

Ogres are immune to mortal magic.  Their catch...or if they were super secretive you could make it +4 (so that even for people who had heard of them, it would take personal knowledge and experience to know that they are resistant against magic).  

Hey thanks for the help costing that out

[Arcteryx]

OK... so I like the idea of a magical sword that's given to a witchfinder; I've crafted up a few different approaches:

1. IoP
2. Have an enchanted item that is given to the player, and I don't like this but it isn't w/o precedent (i.e. Warden Sword)
3. Make the witchfinder a ritual practitioner, i.e. a crafter, and have him build his witchslaying sword
4. Same as no. 3, but he can be any kind of focused practitioner, but this will at least give enchanted item slots so that he can be given a witchslaying sword

Assuming the PC has a Lore of great and is crafting his own, we came up with -
Witchslaying Sword
Weapon:2 (it is a sword)
slot 1: Counterspell at Great
slot 2: +1 power to counterspell, so it is now Superb
slot 3: + two uses per session (three altogether)
slot 4: Weapon:6 for 1 attack


If it was an IoP...
Witchslaying Sword
IoP +2 (Indestructible, It Is A Sword, One Time Discount)
True Aim -1 (+1 weapon when wielded against mortal magicians)
Exceptional -1 (+2 stress)
Supernatural Toughness -4
Catch: Anything that isn't mortal magic +3
Total refresh: -1

Which one seems most elegant? I am leaning towards the PC building his own... it has some neat story implications ("You must build your own lightsabre to become a true Jedi...") and puts the weight more on the PC vs "Wee, lookee what fell out of the magic well today. A mage slaying sword! w00p!"

Commentary & suggestions welcome, especially if it fixes up any rule misinterpretations or math miscalculations... thanks

[sinker]

From a mechanics standpoint I think IoP is better (personal preference) but you can still have them make it. Perhaps they have to do all sorts of hunting warlocks before they even get the sword, collecting ingredients/energy/knowledge in the process which all sort-of culminates in making the sword.

[Sanctaphrax]

Building your own is probably best. Though I think that it would be weapon 4, not 6, when activated.

Why only Supernatural Toughness on the IoP when Mythic costs the same?

[zerogain]

The Enchanted Item/Warden Sword concept still requires that the wielder use their own EI/FI slots to accommodate the object. It is built, however, using the crafstperson's talents (Luccio set the swords at a base 6 item power and has an extra slot for uses per session)

I don't have stats handy, but I have a race of lizard-men who have mage hunters in my game. In general surprise and poison are their chief weapons. As Brust says in the Taltos book, a knife between the shoulder blades is going to seriously cramp any sorcerer's style. Inhuman speed/toughness etc. are also very useful, as are stunts that add extra consequences.

[Arcteryx]

Building your own is probably best. Though I think that it would be weapon 4, not 6, when activated.
Why only Supernatural Toughness on the IoP when Mythic costs the same?

Ah, well caught. Copied & pasted an older version of my worksheet. I wondered about the Weapon 4 vs Weapon 6... didn't know if if the 4 points of effect stacked on top of the weapon's original weapon:2, or completely replaced it?

I think the IoP is probably more efficient and has up-front boom factor. But storywise I like building own much much more. Makes it grittier and more personal.