Buffy or Slayer-like Character?

[Mr. Ghostbuster]

Hey there, I'm working on putting new a game together in the next few weeks with a fellow Dresden fan and one of the players wants to play as a Slayer-like character. As in he pretty much wants a character with Inhuman Strength and Speed but not one who is a vampire or a scion (ie: subject to the hunger/thirst or mortality vs. supernatural Choice). I get where he's coming from, he's read a few of the books and instead of being a magical player (like Harry) he wants to be physical threat to the vamps, faeries, and baddies we go up against while still remaining a "free agent".

The problem is that he agreed that it should stay true to the source material and we haven't been able to come up with an idea that works the way we'd like. Power in the Dresdenverse is never free. Has anyone created a similar character or have any ideas?

[Mr. Death]

Align them with an entity that isn't going to impose that choice of hunger. Right off the top of my head, service to some god or another comes to mind (like Ms. Gard and other valkyries, for instance).

[GryMor]

The problem is that he agreed that it should stay true to the source material and we haven't been able to come up with an idea that works the way we'd like. Power in the Dresdenverse is never free. Has anyone created a similar character or have any ideas?

In the source material, the Slayer has elements of being a Scion, being possessed and being an Emissary. The First Slayer was a created Scion and, for the most part, DID lose her humanity to the Slayer Spirit. The Slayer Spirit is a distinct entity, and in the right circumstances, can influence the chosen one. The Slayer generally has the backing, and is beholden to, the Watcher Council, which itself is descended from those who manufactured the First Slayer.

Given your players preferences, I think they would work best as an Emissary of Power for a quiescent (or outright dead) entity or organization. The upside is that they aren't really beholden to anyone, the downside is they don't get the automatic backing that an Emissary of an active power receives.

[Becq]

Scion is probably your best choice.  The character need not sacrifice free agency as a Scion, and the Choice is really just a flavored version of losing your character to NPChood due to opting to become too powerful.  If the character keeps a buffer of unspent Refresh, he stays "sorta human".

[UmbraLux]

The problem is that he agreed that it should stay true to the source material and we haven't been able to come up with an idea that works the way we'd like. Power in the Dresdenverse is never free. Has anyone created a similar character or have any ideas?

There are a few (relatively) free agent supernaturals in the books:  shapechangers, changelings*, most of the minor talents in the Paranet, and both proto-vampire types.  Either twisting one of those or adding another isn't a major stretch.  That said, if he's destined to slay vampires he's not really free. 

I suggest just making a new starting template.  Something like "Weak Blooded Changeling" or "Empowered Mortal" perhaps.  They're mortals with mortal limitations and don't have a strong enough connection to the supernatural to channel magic externally.  However they have learned to internalize power - healing faster, getting stronger, etc.  Musts: Must have a high concept related to their talent's source or how it's internalized (e.g. Empowered by My Ancestor Spirits; Wearing Tattoos of Power; or Grandma's Father Was a Troll).  The character may then spend refresh on powers with no range.

*Up until they make their choice.

[Lanodantheon]

With the DFRPG's system, it's all about the story of the character. Template are just recipes. Your player can take whatever the story of the character can justify.



For me personally, you could make the character an off-shoot of the Lycanthrope from Fool Moon. That is, a natural channel for a spirit of some kind. In this case, maybe he/she is a channel for some more potent kinds of spirits like a "Spirit of The Slayer". Or maybe a Twin-soul kind of thing.


The above option could be justified in creation by giving the character Demonic Co-Pilot, which I think would make for an interesting take on the "Slayer" concept. Though, it would still be a price.


As others have said, if your player doesn't want to be a changling, vampire or something with a price, a Scion would be your best bet. There are all sorts of supernatural creatures that can reproduce with a human including Bigfoot (See the recent short stories), just pick one.  Umbralux's opinions on a new template reflect my thoughts on the most likely alternative if your player wants a wholly "Human" character with some Supernatural help but no price.


Another option would be someone in possession of an Item of Power that gives him/her said abilities. It would be a restriction on the characters abilities in terms of it being able to be taken away but it would get the job done. Or you could say that he/she got an abilities from an Item of Power that he/she isn't in possession of like drinking from the Holy Grail or that kind of thing.


A dark option could be to make someone who has benefited from the research and practices of the Prosthonos Society.  It's an organization described in the short story, Backup. Bob describes them as, "Bunch of lunatics in the Baltic Region. They chop off their bits and replace them with grafts from inhuman sources. Vampires, Demons and ghouls and such. Patchwork immortality..." Say the character was in an accident and someone with access to that knowledge rebuilt him/her better, stronger, faster. And you don't even need the slow-mo and the cheesy sound effect.

[DFJunkie]

I'll second the fact that the Slayer's powers are absolutely demonic in origin.  That being said I disagree that the First Slayer was somehow taken over by the demonic essence that empowered her.  My read was that she was driven from her people and left to live life of primal violence, always apart from the society she was bound to protect.

If he wants to play a character inspired by Buffy why not roll with the same themes?  Buffy was always apart.  While her friends kept her sane, and some times kept her alive, they could never truly understand what it meant to be the slayer.  Maybe he feels the Weight of the World, or No One Knows Him (Me) or what have you. 

The templates do two things; they situate the characters in the world, and they provide a dramatic vehicle.  Skipping one of the prefab templates obviously leaves the first up to you and your player, which isn't a big deal provided you do the background work and provide him with context for his Slayer.  As for drama, drawbacks like Feeding Dependency aren't strictly necessary, just pay special attention to his Aspects and he should be good to go.

[Sanctaphrax]

Power in the Dresdenverse is never free.

That's not true. Did the Alphas have to pay a price for their power?

No, they just had to learn how to use their magical potential.

If you want to have a human direct her magical potential towards being strong and fast and tough, you can. Just take an appropriate high concept and whatever Powers seem reasonable.

I've made characters like this before, though I'd have trouble finding one with an actual backstory. Most of the characters I've made are generic.

[Mr. Ghostbuster]

Thanks, everyone. You've given us some ideas, one in particular that we are very excited about.

[Lany79]

You could also make your version of the Slayer something akin to the Archive, only with physical abilities instead of magical. Then you could keep the similar "one born in a generation..." motif going.

[Silverblaze]

That's not true. Did the Alphas have to pay a price for their power?

No, they just had to learn how to use their magical potential.

If you want to have a human direct her magical potential towards being strong and fast and tough, you can. Just take an appropriate high concept and whatever Powers seem reasonable.

I've made characters like this before, though I'd have trouble finding one with an actual backstory. Most of the characters I've made are generic.

Agreed for the most part.  it seems minor talents are pretty much free from power for a price.  Seems more like, more power = more cost.  Which applies to everything in life really.

Caveats being:

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They get magical fleas now.  It is also possible that later on we'll see if there is a price for the power in the novels.  For now though we can assume there is not.  Maybe with Will learning more powers he'll suffer more for it?  No evidence supports that theory however.

[Mr. Death]

They may not have had to pay the usual prices for their power, but there's a price all the same. For instance...

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Kirby might still be alive if he hadn't become one of the Alphas.

[JDK002]

I wouldn't personally be horribly concerned with any sort of debt to power if it were me.  It's not 100% required.  You could....

A. Play on the Watchers Council idea that even though they are technically allies, the character is in a way kept on a leash.  While they don't often get directly involved, they make it clear to not step out of line.

B.  Make sure the characters aspects and back story are something you can take advantage of.  Playing into the legacy/birthright, isolation, and moral responsibility of a Slayer type character.

As far as powers, I'm not really sure inhuman speed totally fits a slayer.  Inhuman strength and recovery for sure, maybe inhuman toughness.  Not sure how you would work the dream visions in.  Something like wizard senses could cover their supernatural instincts.  Maybe a stunt or two to represent their inherient fighting ability and tatical aptitude. 

[Taran]

Why not an Emissary of Power?

As soon as most baddies tangled with Buffy, they identified her as a Slayer.  Also, the Slayer Spirit which each young girl inherited imbued her with the instinct, strength know-how of previous slayers.

She's an Emissary of the Slayer Spirit and gets her powers from it and is beholden to it.  But she has a tutor and the Watchers to make sure she can controle the Spirit.  Some slayers, like Faith, lose their path and become evil, which would represent giving in to the more Primal needs of the Slayer Spirit - which would happen if you got negative refresh.

Also, an Emissary lets you pick and choose powers.

I'd like to add that buff had inhuman speed, at least.

[Sanctaphrax]

They may not have had to pay the usual prices for their power, but there's a price all the same. For instance...

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Kirby might still be alive if he hadn't become one of the Alphas.

They paid that price for being heroes, not for being powerful.

If they had been powerless, they'd have faced the same price.

If they'd been powerful but lazy and unheroic, they'd never have paid it.