Author Topic: Baddies Help  (Read 3602 times)

Offline mostlyawake

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Baddies Help
« on: November 11, 2010, 03:55:41 PM »
I'm looking for a baddy/baddies for my game this sunday... it needs the following stuffs.

supernatural hitman
-baddy is not human, using magic against it does not break a law
- catch is NOT fey, nor is it holy items (most stuff in the book suffers from one of this)
- must have at least supernatural toughness
- if it has a connection to it's ectoform, it needs to be at least difficulty 8-10 to magically sever that connection. Higher is okay.
- needs attack skill of at least great
- is up against 7 PCs at -11 refresh each (meaning, yes, I could send 77 levels of refresh into the situation, but that seems overkill.  I'm looking at about 4-6 beings of 12-15 refresh each, or a small horde of lesser beings.
- bonus points if you somehow relate it to chinese gangs (something from chinese mythology)

So, reference stuff in the books or make your own, but please give me some ideas!  (yes, I could do this on my own, but I want to see what other people come up with because they often have cool ideas i never thought of).

Offline HumAnnoyd

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Re: Baddies Help
« Reply #1 on: November 11, 2010, 08:05:48 PM »
Seems to me a pack of Lesser Ghouls could serve you well.  They are formidable and hard to kill.
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Offline Falar

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Re: Baddies Help
« Reply #2 on: November 11, 2010, 08:31:03 PM »
- bonus points if you somehow relate it to chinese gangs (something from chinese mythology)
Did I hear Chinese gangs? And urban fantasy? This looks like a job for Don't Kill the Messenger by Eileen Rendahl! Namely, the kiang shi.

Kiang Shi, or Chiang-shih, are reanimated corpses that hop and such. There's a lot of cool information, but if I were looking to make them into some serious badasses, I'd make them be able to fly and turn into big wolves.
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Offline Tsunami

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Re: Baddies Help
« Reply #3 on: November 11, 2010, 08:33:38 PM »
How about a pack of Yaoguai
They are basically Chinese Demons, similar to the Japanese Oni.

As i understand it they come in a wide variety of forms, so it wouldn't be difficult to stat them according to your needs.

Offline Richard_Chilton

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Re: Baddies Help
« Reply #4 on: November 11, 2010, 08:54:44 PM »
How about innocent bystanders that the PCs have to deal with?

For example, let a bunch of high school students know that a killer party is going to happen at the PCs' base.  As they plan, prepare, cast spells in advance, etc they will have to deal with innocent bystanders who want to party.  Sure, they can call the cops to help deal with it, but if the cops come they might want to walk around and see things that could get the PCs hauled in for questioning.  It doesn't have to be weapons - even a map that you're plotting your assault on will raise suspicion.

Or have someone who looks like a drug addict come up to a PC and beg for drugs.  Apologizing for not paying last time but insisting that this time her credit is good.  Offering sex for the drugs she needs.  Even if there isn't a cop around the PC isn't going to be able to use many social skills among the people who witness it.  (Yes, I stole this from Trading Places).

Or woman with a toddler asking when the PC is going to start paying child support... or a woman with black eyes begging him to take her back, saying that she'll be good and he won't have to hit her anymore.  The PC can loudly claim that he doesn't know the woman (it isn't his kid, he never hit her, he isn't a drug dealer) but something like that will cast him in a bad light.

Yes something like that is just a distraction, but it can be an effective distraction.  Like those times that someone pointed the finger at Dresden and he had to dodge the police while fighting the bad guy.  And it drives home the fact that this isn't D&D set in the modern times - you aren't playing someone who goes on adventures but someone who lives in the community.

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Offline knnn

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Re: Baddies Help
« Reply #5 on: November 11, 2010, 09:08:36 PM »
Ferrovax is a Dragon in the Chinese sense of the word....

Half Dragon scions (Descendants of the Dragon?).   Chinese Dragons tended to have water powers, so maybe Fire as a catch?

If they PCs kill too many, they may run the risk of angering Mr. Ferro.   ;D
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Offline Sanctaphrax

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Re: Baddies Help
« Reply #6 on: November 11, 2010, 09:12:11 PM »
I'll be adding demons to the Generic NPC thread soon. If you like, I can make one to those specifications.

Offline mostlyawake

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Re: Baddies Help
« Reply #7 on: November 11, 2010, 10:53:35 PM »
ghouls and demons both tend to have the holy catch... because the hitman will have researched his targets, and one player has soulfire, I can't use something that has a holy catch. Yao Guai (or w/e) seem cool, but if they are explained as demons then I will get "why no holy catch?" questions.  So I'm kind of looking at using them as spirits of hunting, or murder, or something...but not those of the Erlking, b/c they have a cold iron catch... hrmm...

basically I need a good, non-holy, non-cold iron catch for something supernatural and bad?

Offline Custos

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Re: Baddies Help
« Reply #8 on: November 11, 2010, 11:05:30 PM »

Offline devonapple

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Re: Baddies Help
« Reply #9 on: November 11, 2010, 11:49:47 PM »
basically I need a good, non-holy, non-cold iron catch for something supernatural and bad?

Defining one or more elements would be a good option. Not particularly creative, but they would fit your parameters. Fire for starters, then cold/air. Water would be something few players would be throwing around.
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Offline Falar

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Re: Baddies Help
« Reply #10 on: November 12, 2010, 12:39:07 AM »
Kiang Shi are defeated by yellow pieces of paper with special markings on them, in combination with bells. Or, as a backup, either a wooden sword or a sword made of copper coins linked by a red thread. Neither of those are holy.
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Offline Becq

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Re: Baddies Help
« Reply #11 on: November 12, 2010, 01:07:47 AM »
Jade would probably be another good catch (probably be around +2) to use for asian demonic creatures (instead of Holy).

Offline mostlyawake

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Re: Baddies Help
« Reply #12 on: November 12, 2010, 04:02:37 AM »
All of those are actually really good.  Jade is a good catch, it's something fairly easy to get hold of and yet the group won't have it.  I remember reading about taoist shamans who would use miniature replicas of swords as ritual items to combat demons, so they might count as "holy" in the sense that they are faith-based.  So, while i won't use the idea as-is, I'll pervert the idea into such a token being an integral part of the binding spell. This is a basic, nowhere near refined version of what I'll probably use...feel free to comment on it!


Chinese Terra-Cota Warriors 15 refresh, 45 skill points

5,5,5 fists, alertness, endurance
4,4,4 discipline, conviction, might
3,3,3 athletics, lore, presence
2,2,2 as needed for story
1,1,1 as needed for story

-2 Supernatural Sense (Sense magic)
-4 Supernatural Toughness (catch, see below)
-2 Inhuman Strength
-2 Inhuman Recovery (Catch)
-8 Physical Immunity: Immune to magic (except catch, see below).
-1 Cloak of Shadows
-1 Fists: Armed Combat: the warriors may use their fists rating with their swords or spears.
+5 Catch: Terra-cota warriors are physically vulnerable to pure jade. They are immune to all magic except the magic that binds them to their form: earth magic. Finally, each statue has an "animating token" of a small copper sword or spear implanted somewhere on it's outer skin: usually somewhere inconspicuous like the neck right below the armor (which is slightly separated from the skin, thus is reachable).  If this token is somehow removed (generally requiring a maneuver versus the warrior's fists rating), the animating spirit stays in the token, useless.  When animating larger versions, two or more such tokens may be required; removal of some tokens but not all may cause the creature to act uncontrollably, like a zombie without an artificial heartbeat.  (One additional token is required for every 3 points of refresh added to the creature).

Other Weaknesses: As with any spirit bound to a physical construct form, Terra-cota warriors have certain predictable weaknesses. While the sheer physical solidity of the construct body offers some protection, normal running water will drive the spirit back into the token, rendering the form inert, and the body becomes as breakable as anything else made of terra-cota.  Anyone who knows the particular name of a spirit (each spirit is bound to a particular token or set of tokens) may exercise the normal advantages of such knowledge. The creatures rely heavily on their ability to sense magic, even sensing the "magical life-force" of pure mortals, and thus may be visually impaired around water or when high powered, area effect magics of any duration are involved. Lastly, Terra-Cota Warriors are not thoughtless beasts, but are ancient spirits of combat contained for eons in their tokens... stories exist of them being delayed or diverted from their tasks by impressive tales of heroism or flashy martial arts displays.  These stories, of course, remain unconfirmed.

Offline cgodfrey7

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Re: Baddies Help
« Reply #13 on: November 12, 2010, 04:03:13 AM »
Ninja minions where the master is a Japanese sorcerer with dark/shadow/veil powers or/and somehow involved with an oni.

Offline mostlyawake

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Re: Baddies Help
« Reply #14 on: November 12, 2010, 04:18:53 AM »
oh, the ninjas will come...