DFRPG and FATE

[Morgan]

@ Morgan
High Concept : "Wandering Amnesiac Sorcerer"
Trouble: "I dont try looking for trouble it seems to find me just fine"
Other Aspects: "
"Misery Loves Company" Trouble has a way of finding me
"My memory is like a still pond, empty and devoid of all life, until you disturb its surface"
"My Gold Wedding Band"
"Where did I come from?, Who am I? Why can't I remember? What have I done to have so many people wanting to hurt me? How did I come to be without my Memory"
"If I could only remember who I am"

Some of your aspects are a little too long, when I come up with aspects I like to try and keep them pithy and punchy. For your Trouble I'd shorten it to "I'm Not Looking For Any Trouble." All the rest of it is nicely implied in that phrase, especially with some of your other aspects.

"Where did I come from?, Who am I? Why can't I remember? What have I done to have so many people wanting to hurt me? How did I come to be without my Memory" Is way too long, it will be insanely hard to fit on a character sheet if nothing else, try something like "I Just Want Some Answers.", or maybe "I'm Looking For Answers!" which embodies most of those questions and also might be invoked for a bonus when the character sticks his nose where it doesn't belong, and ties in nicely with the character's trouble.

You've also loaded up on quite a lot of memory loss Aspects and now a lot of those compels and issues can be handled with your High Concept, and one or two aspects. The aspect "My memory is like a still pond, empty and devoid of all life, until you disturb its surface" is very cool and evocative it could almost be split into two or three aspects, but what do you want this aspect to do in the game? It seems like your going for something along the lines of having great power inside that can be unleashed when it is least expected. Some more aspects about your magical powers are probably in order so perhaps something like "Don't Make Me Angry!", or for something less Incredible Hulk; "Unexpected Talents", "Hidden Depths of Power", "Deep Reservoir of Power", "Power Beneath the Surface", "Still Waters, Run Deep". Really though it depends on what you think it means and how you want it to effect play, I'd just suggest an aspect dealing with the character's magic power might be more useful than yet another memory based aspect.

"Misery Loves Company" and "Golden Wedding Band" are both good, and they are short and to the point, I'd be curious how you're thinking you might invoke the first one, do you make friends who get into trouble with you, or that you end up sharing in their troubles? Or are you really going to mainly compel it help to pile on the pain, and invoke it to be inured to suffering. Also you could tweak the second one to point it a direction that really interests you with not much more than the addition of a word and a question mark "A Golden Wedding Band?" is quite different from "My Golden Wedding Band?" or "Who's Gold Wedding Band?", punctuation can really make a big difference in Aspects and exclamation points and question marks can be great additions to some Aspects.

"If I could only remember who I am" Since you've already got a lot of general memory loss aspects I'd be inclined to make this one much more pointed and focused. "Am I Wanted By The Wardens?", "Why Can I Remember The Laws?","Why Can I Remember The Name ____?","Should My Past Remain Hidden?". The character's wanting to remembering who he is is already taken care of. Throw him a bone and give him a clue that can be pursued during play, or maybe just go with a useful utility aspect like "Magic Isn't The Only Thing I Remember How To Do", "I Remember More Than Magic", or "I Might Know How To Do That".

Powers (Sorcerer Template)
Evocation (Air, Earth, Spirit)
Ritual (Spirit)

So choosing a Ritual specialization works a little differently than Evocation, you don't pick an element rather you pick one Type or Theme of Thaumaturgy. You should take a look at Types of Thaumaturgy beginning on YS page 274, Thematic Thaumaturgy on beginning on YS page 284 to get a sense of potential options. Themes are broader based in terms of powers essentially letting you use all the Types of Thaumaturgy, but they are based only on specific applications of those powers. Ritual (Ectomancy) can do all the types of Thaumaturgy, but only if they deal with ghosts. Whereas Types of Thaumaturgy are very specific powers which can be applied in a broader way. Ritual (Summoning and Binding) for instance can be used to Summon and Bind just about anything, not just Ghosts, but it couldn't be used to Veil or Craft.

Since you've put down Ritual (Spirit) it seems like you'd like to have more of a Themed Thaumaturgy, I'd suggest either Ectomancy or Psychomancy. Psychomancy could be really neat for this character especially if you want to walk that razor's edge of Lawbreaker, and also delve into the recesses of his own mind. Otherwise if you want more of a Type of Thaumaturgy for your Ritual: Divination, Veils, or Summoning and Binding, are pretty solid choices that fit the Spirit element choice pretty well.

Wizards Constitution
The Sight
Soulgaze

Since you already picked up Soulgaze for free when you got The Sight you are now just one Major Milestone away from being a full Wizard.

As for the Norse god I am not sure where to begin, I was guessing kinda like an example someone found an old stone hammer and BAM! became an emmisary of power for Thor. But the directions aint exactly step by step on how to do it.

Start with a High Concept that deals with being "Thor's Emissary", and start buying powers like Marked by Power, and Item of Power if you want to go the "Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor." route. Then it is just a matter of picking out the powers that the Item of Power grants and applying the Item's discount. For Thor's powers and depending on Refresh levels, at low levels it would probably grant Inhuman Strength, Inhuman Speed, Inhuman Toughness and/or Inhuman Recovery, it might also have Breath Weapon to handle throwing Lightning Bolts. At higher levels increase it to the Supernatural or maybe even Mythic levels of those powers, and possibly add Sponsored Magic (Storm God). It will also be indestructible by normal means and be a (Weapon:2-3), it may give some +1 or +2 Stunt-like bonuses in certain instances, and might also have the ability to return to the wielder when thrown.

Here is a quick write up of a Minor Mjolnir, it's probably not actually Thor's hammer but rather another mystic hammer crafted by the dwarfs and bestowed to Thor's Emissary by the God of Thunder. Or maybe it holds only a portion of the real Mjolnir's power in it due to the character's connection to Thor. Perhaps it is the real Mjolnir, and the character is only beginning to unlock it's true potential and claim their godhood as the New Thor.

-6 Item of Power (Minor Mjolnir)
(Weapon:3), Unbreakable, Returns to Wielder when Thrown
+2 Refresh (Big, Obvious, Can't be Easily Concealed)
-2 Inhuman Strength
-2 Inhuman Speed
+2 The Catch (Snake Venom)
-2 Inhuman Toughness
-2 Inhuman Recovery
-2 Breath Weapon (Lightning Bolt)

A mini Mjolnir could be made with only +1 Refresh at a cost of -7 Item of Power, and a Special Ability to shrink in size to a pendant when not in use.
With all the bonuses from Inhuman Strength it does (Weapon:5), and can shoot Lightning Bolts that do (Weapon:2) damage.

[zenten]

One thing to keep in mind when picking Aspects for your character is that you don't want to have more than one Aspect useful for the same compel.  There's no reason to have more than one Aspect for getting compelled on having amnesia because in the end that doesn't affect how many Fate points you will get.  Instead you should aim (when looking at the compel side of things) to have each Aspect be compelled in a different situation.

[heathd666]

High Concept : "Wandering Amnesiac Sorcerer"
Trouble: "I'm Not Looking For Any Trouble."
Other Aspects:
"Misery Loves Company" (was actually meaning for this to be compelled as in I get into trouble and anyone that is with me at the time could use it for a +2 or reroll or I can use it when others are with me and trouble comes knocking. I believe thats the way its should work?
"Deep Reservoir of Power"
"My Gold Wedding Band"
"I'm Looking For Answers!"
"Should My Past Remain Hidden?"

Skills
Great (2 slots) : Conviction,Endurance
Good (2 slots) : Lore, Discipline
Fair (3 slots) : Prescence, Alertness, Athletics
Average (5 slots) : Empathy, Fists, Might, Rapport, Stealth

Powers (Sorcerer Template)
Evocation (Air, Earth, Spirit)
Ritual (Psychomancy)
Wizards Constitution
The Sight
Soulgaze

Focus Items
Gnarled Ol' Hickory staff +1 to Offensive Control and Power (Spirit Evocation)
Gold Wedding Band +1 to Defensive Control and Power (Spirit Evocation)

Stress
Physical 4
Mental 4
Social 3

Consequences
mild 1
moderate 1
severe 1

I also had a question about skills and their trapping. Are you supposed to specialize in skills or? It seems there are alot of emphasis on the Trappings for the skills but not sure what the trappings actually do (I know what the skills do just not sure what use the trappings have) besides just detail what you can or cant use that skill for.

Also I just wanted to make sure I understood this right. All characters can only do 1 action per I guess you would call it round. So I could cast a spell than later down the round someone attacks me I get a free Block or Dodge or some other defensive action but I cant cast another spell like a magical defense?

With the whole Thor's Emissary example I would basically build a pure mortal character but I would buy the powers and stuff for the item and not the character? or would I build a pure mortal character then build a second character for the item of power?

@Silverblaze

Might suggest something odd about your magic... this could be used to compel the PC to seek an answer as to why his magic behaves "x" ways.  Could be used to compel the PC to do strange things with spells also.  Accidently cause collateral damage (that causes trouble for the PC) etc.  Then you'll get a fate point.

I am not sure on how to do this. Is it I try to add it as an aspect like "My spells have a mind of their own" meaning that anytime I use my magic sometimes they do odd things and react different from the way I intended them to or what?

@zenten
yeah I am definitly struggling with Aspects still but it seems the more I work on it the more I get a grasp on it. Anyone have a quick and dirty cheat sheet on aspects and their ways of using them or could point me to where I could find it. I am afraid my "search fu" is not up to par.

[Silverblaze]

Well, being an amnesiac gives you room to play around with what really happened in your past.

Magic: "My magic is hard on the environment" - you GM can compel you to cause fallout on hte surroundings instead of taking the damage yourself to control it.

 "My magic has a mind of it's own" - your GM could compel you to use a different kind of magic ( you have three elements - using fire inside a wooden building is generally unwise yes? The GM could hand you a fate point and you get fire instead of the other element.)

Sorceror's are not in the WC so you could get one or two aspects based on that "Trained to hurt people; forgot how not to." - Your Gm could have you use attack spells rather than maneuvers.

None of these are perfect ideas , nor should you necessarily make your magic wonky.  I'm just giving you ideas to fit in with not remembering training. 

May want to pick up something reputation related.  Something that draws people to you for help or makes them run screaming.  You of course would be bewildered by this.

[Morgan]

Other Aspects:
"Misery Loves Company" (was actually meaning for this to be compelled as in I get into trouble and anyone that is with me at the time could use it for a +2 or reroll or I can use it when others are with me and trouble comes knocking. I believe thats the way its should work?

Other folks don't get really get to tag your aspect just because they are with you when things go bad, they still have to spend a fate point to tag your aspect and usually that works mechanically when they are attacking or going against you. The way that compel would work is basically you would get a fate point for dragging your friends into your trouble, or joining them in their trouble. They aren't going to be reaping any fate points off your compel unless they also have a similar aspect that can be compelled at the same time to earn them fate points of their own.

Skills
Great (2 slots) : Conviction,Endurance
Good (2 slots) : Lore, Discipline
Fair (3 slots) : Prescence, Alertness, Athletics
Average (5 slots) : Empathy, Fists, Might, Rapport, Stealth

I also had a question about skills and their trapping. Are you supposed to specialize in skills or? It seems there are alot of emphasis on the Trappings for the skills but not sure what the trappings actually do (I know what the skills do just not sure what use the trappings have) besides just detail what you can or cant use that skill for.

Trappings determine what a skill can be used for, that's pretty much it. There isn't a specialization, your skills in FATE are pretty broadly defined and can do a lot. Trappings are basically a way to define various rules for how skills are used in different circumstances.

Also I just wanted to make sure I understood this right. All characters can only do 1 action per I guess you would call it round. So I could cast a spell than later down the round someone attacks me I get a free Block or Dodge or some other defensive action but I cant cast another spell like a magical defense?

Yes you get to take one active action in an exchange. If you set up a Block then attacks against you are made against the Block rather than an Athletics or other appropriate skill roll to dodge. However you do not get a free Block roll if someone attacks you before you have set it up. Magic Blocks are kind of tricky, but what you basically want to do is use shifts of power to make persistent Blocks that last a number of rounds, so that you can leave it up and still get to take an action the next round. If you are just using skill rolls to dodge then you can make as many as you need to and still get your action during the exchange.

With the whole Thor's Emissary example I would basically build a pure mortal character but I would buy the powers and stuff for the item and not the character? or would I build a pure mortal character then build a second character for the item of power?

Nope you would be building a Supernaturally powered character and start with the basic refresh level of the game. By picking up and becoming empowered by the Item of Power you are no longer a Pure Mortal. The powers might be all tied up in an item but you are still using them and therefore you buy them out of your own refresh. In the books this is why

(click to show/hide)

Murphy refused to take up the Sword of the Cross, in the game mechanics she would lose her Pure Mortal bonus and wouldn't have enough refresh to not simply become the Sword's Power, she would have lost her free will and become an NPC.

[sinker]

"My Gold Wedding Band"

I'm starting to realize that this just isn't a very good aspect. It's full of great story meaning and can be compelled for all sorts of plot hooks... but that's about it. I can't think of any other thing to do with it at all, positive or negative. I suppose maybe it could be invoked for you to remember some hidden motivation and push past some obstacle. At the very least you should think about how you want to use this in play. If you can't think of anything then you should work on it or ditch it.

Also I just wanted to make sure I understood this right. All characters can only do 1 action per I guess you would call it round. So I could cast a spell than later down the round someone attacks me I get a free Block or Dodge or some other defensive action but I cant cast another spell like a magical defense?

In order to create a magical defense that is practical and allows you to act, you basically have one of two options. You can take some of the shifts of the spell and devote them to duration (1 shift = +1 exchange after the first). In this way you reduce the effectiveness of the spell a little to make it last longer, however it will still go away if someone breaks it (which is more likely since you reduced it's power). If you can't tell, I don't like this option much. The second option is to use your next action to extend the spell's duration. You basically cast a second spell and add all of those shifts to the duration of your original spell. Check out "Prolonging spells" on YS259 for the full version. This does have it's own disadvantages, using a second action, and additional mental stress, and on top of that it's still a little vulnerable, but of the two this is the more likely to keep you well defended.

yeah I am definitly struggling with Aspects still but it seems the more I work on it the more I get a grasp on it. Anyone have a quick and dirty cheat sheet on aspects and their ways of using them or could point me to where I could find it. I am afraid my "search fu" is not up to par.

There is an aspect list in the resources board, however it is only a list and says absolutely nothing about how they might be used.

[Morgan]

I'm starting to realize that this just isn't a very good aspect. It's full of great story meaning and can be compelled for all sorts of plot hooks... but that's about it. I can't think of any other thing to do with it at all, positive or negative. I suppose maybe it could be invoked for you to remember some hidden motivation and push past some obstacle. At the very least you should think about how you want to use this in play. If you can't think of anything then you should work on it or ditch it.

I can think of a lot of ways to use it especially since it is one of the character's focus items. It is a symbol of his love, and that is some powerful mojo right there. Any time he casts defensive magic or really just about any magic he can concentrate on the ring and invoke it for a bonus. Whoever the ring represents might be hidden from memory, but the feelings of love and commitment, and emotional attachment is still there even without the memories. And maybe sometimes he gets a flash of a face, a warm laugh, or a whispered name that he just can't make out but which gives him the strength to keep going, if only to find out what happened to his wife. And it might have enough true love in it to make a left cross wickedly effective against a White Court Vampire. As for other sorts of compels it might be a little harder, but certainly he wouldn't feel right making any new emotional attachments, and don't knock the value of all those plot hooks, and mysteries about his past that could be tied up and kicked off by the unknown identity of his wife.

I view it acting a lot like Harry's "My Mother's Silver Pentacle", is it always immediately useful mechanically? No, but it is a great symbol and it screams back story.

[sinker]

Ah, clearly you've thought this out much more than I have. Very well, play on.