Author Topic: Vampire Powers  (Read 3746 times)

Offline Blk4ce

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Vampire Powers
« on: April 14, 2014, 09:28:22 PM »
I think I saw somewhere a custom change/overhaul on the hunger system, but I can't find it now. Can someone provide me a link ?

On a related note, has there been a vampire caster that can cast spells from his hunger/physical track? It seems an interesting concept to explore.

Offline Sanctaphrax

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Offline Blk4ce

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Re: Vampire Powers
« Reply #2 on: April 15, 2014, 04:41:33 AM »
Great, thanks!

Offline vultur

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Re: Vampire Powers
« Reply #3 on: April 15, 2014, 05:09:35 AM »
I would also suggest using sponsor debt instead of Feeding Dependency (though that removes a cost rebate). Just define the things you can take sponsor debt for (melee attacks, Might rolls, maybe Athletics, etc.) and the Agenda is related to feeding.

Offline Blk4ce

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Re: Vampire Powers
« Reply #4 on: April 15, 2014, 07:06:55 AM »
I would also suggest using sponsor debt instead of Feeding Dependency (though that removes a cost rebate). Just define the things you can take sponsor debt for (melee attacks, Might rolls, maybe Athletics, etc.) and the Agenda is related to feeding.
Why not both?
And if I put sponsor, I should still take blood drinker, or not?

Offline Sanctaphrax

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Re: Vampire Powers
« Reply #5 on: April 15, 2014, 06:40:43 PM »
Feeding Dependency has some issues. It's not entirely clear how hunger stress works, and the fact that you can clear your stress track with a successful roll leads to some wacky incentives.

The main reason to use Sponsor is to avoid using Feeding Dependency.

Blood Drinker ought to work fine, though.

Offline vultur

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Re: Vampire Powers
« Reply #6 on: April 16, 2014, 03:32:30 AM »
Feeding Dependency has some issues. It's not entirely clear how hunger stress works, and the fact that you can clear your stress track with a successful roll leads to some wacky incentives.

Also, it doesn't scale well to high Refresh - you end up with ridiculously big attacks against Discipline if you have, say, Supernatural Speed, Strength and Toughness all under Feeding Dependency.

Quote
The main reason to use Sponsor is to avoid using Feeding Dependency.

Yeah, exactly.

Offline narphoenix

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Re: Vampire Powers
« Reply #7 on: April 16, 2014, 03:38:00 AM »
Personally, I'd just use Limitation instead. Like "you have to have eaten this many people in this time frame to have access to these powers" It may not work for all Feeding Dependency, but it's what I'm going to do for Moord Nag, for example.
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Offline umdshaman

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Re: Vampire Powers
« Reply #8 on: April 16, 2014, 06:46:59 PM »
you end up with ridiculously big attacks against Discipline if you have, say, Supernatural Speed, Strength and Toughness all under Feeding Dependency.
Well, yeah, but I feel like that's sort of the point. It takes more energy to use those powers so it takes more will to avoid feeding if you do. Also, you can always opt not use a particular supernatural ability during a scene if you want to avoid taking the larger hit. (Not going to start an argument about what's better since OP was looking for the alternative; just pointing it out.)

Offline Blk4ce

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Re: Vampire Powers
« Reply #9 on: April 16, 2014, 08:05:06 PM »
Personally, I'd just use Limitation instead. Like "you have to have eaten this many people in this time frame to have access to these powers" It may not work for all Feeding Dependency, but it's what I'm going to do for Moord Nag, for example.
How much would that limitation worth?

Well, yeah, but I feel like that's sort of the point. It takes more energy to use those powers so it takes more will to avoid feeding if you do. Also, you can always opt not use a particular supernatural ability during a scene if you want to avoid taking the larger hit. (Not going to start an argument about what's better since OP was looking for the alternative; just pointing it out.)
Then again, if you must NOT use a power you bought in order to stay alive, you've done something wrong in character creation. Not to mention, it takes the fun out of the game.
To add to that, it's faster to buy powers, but the skill cap of discipline isn't raised fast enough to protect you when at that high level.
(I am always happy to hear opinions.)

Offline umdshaman

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Re: Vampire Powers
« Reply #10 on: April 16, 2014, 08:40:39 PM »
Then again, if you must NOT use a power you bought in order to stay alive, you've done something wrong in character creation. Not to mention, it takes the fun out of the game.
I take your point, but the game actually does this a fair amount. Of course, not all powers are going to be useful in all circumstances (which is why you get to trade FATE points for them) but more there are a number of powers that do this explicitly and don't scale well (like Human Form's Rare or Involuntary Setting). "The Catch" is another good example; you get the same buyback for your catch no matter how much you had to spend on the ability (and no matter how improbable narratively speaking, inevitably the GM is going to throw something at you that satisfies the catch just because he knows what it is).
But really, think of it like this; if you're dependent on an outside source of energy and you're going all out all the time you're pretty much inevitably going to run out of energy and probably in short order. You can always spend consequences to reduce the stress (and avoid takeout), plus the attack is reduced by a discipline roll so even 10 points of Powers with a 5 point Discipline doesn't mean a takeout without using consequences. It might mean only using them every few scenes, though. I would probably reinterpret it as a takeout triggers a feeding frenzy (undeniable compel to feed) or remove the track and just treat each attack as a maneuver for feeding frenzy with an automatic compel.

Offline Sanctaphrax

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Re: Vampire Powers
« Reply #11 on: April 16, 2014, 11:27:33 PM »
I actually like the way Feeding Dependency scales with the amount of power you use. The problem is that the rebate doesn't scale alongside the Power's drawback.

Feeding Dependency on 2 Refresh of stuff is basically a free point of Refresh.

Feeding Dependency on 12 Refresh of stuff is really not worth it.

How much would that limitation worth?

It really depends on the game, the character, and the number of people you need to eat.