The Dresden Files > DFRPG Resource Collection
Custom Templates
Hick Jr:
Alrighty then. Because I do math like fish do bicycles, I may have messed up the interaction between Human Form and Limitation. Constructive criticism is welcome. First, the Vesuvian.
(click to show/hide)VESUVIAN
The Vesuvians have been around, since, well, Mount Vesuvius. The common theory is that the original Vesuvians were the practitioners in Pompeii when the fire-mountain erupted, fusing it's immense power to their blasted bodies. Some Vesuvians are the scions, chosen ones, and emissaries of ancient volcano gods or simply beings of volcanic power. Their ancestry is evident in their personalities- They are incredibly slow to anger, but when they do, cities burn. They generally occupy positions as makers or repairmen in the mortal world, taking the time to forge in their spare time. There isn’t a unified nation of them, but the race as a whole are known for their work as blacksmiths, creating magical weapons and armor for anyone who can pay. Some of their better known work includes the Master Bolt of Zeus, the Swords of Summer’s Fire and Winter’s Frost, supposedly reforging at least one Sword of the Cross, and the Chevrolet Camaro. Vesuvians are no slouches in a brawl, either- calling upon their inborn power to summon weapons and armor to themselves at a moment’s notice, smiting foes with blasts of ash and lava, or simply stopping them dead with a hasty ward.
MUSTS
A high concept reflecting your volcanic ancestry or abilities (LAVA SPAWNED BLACKSMITH, SCION OF VULCAN, VESUVIAN MECHANIC)
The following Powers:
Vulcanomancy [-5]
Human Form [+2], affecting
Supernatural Strength [-4]*
Breath Weapon [-2] (Throw lava balls)
Supernatural Toughness [-4]*
Inhuman Recovery [-2]*
Limitation [+6] None of the asterisk-marked powers work unless they are near a large
source of open flame. (Most of them solve this by setting the place on fire. Mechanically, they have to tag a sticky aspect that involves On Fire for 2 exchanges before these powers kick in.
Total Refresh Cost: -9
OPTIONS
Gain Strength at all times or increase to Mythic, Refinement for Vulcanomancy, Items of Power that you forge yourself, and myriad enchanted items.
IMPORTANT SKILLS
Craftsmanship, Lore, Scholarship, Weapons, Conviction, Might
And their Sponsored Magic, which I priced up. It might not be worth it. Again, criticism.
VULCANOMANCY [-5]
Description: The ancient power that lurks beneath the Earth’s crust. Primarily lava, but also governs other tectonics. It's secondary aspect is that of the Forge, and creation.
Sponsor: Volcano and forge gods, generally. (Pele, Vulcan, Hephaestus, Goibhniu) Can be self-sponsored with a mastery of both earth and fire or carrying a volcanic bloodline.
Agenda: Unexpected and swift destruction. The forging of tools and weapons. If self-sponsored, your own agenda.
Evocation: Vulcanomancy evocations generally involve lava, heat, ash, obsidian, earth, tectonics, earthquakes, or metals.
Ritual: Vulcanomancy allows for rituals that create things, generally weapons and armor, and the creation of protective items and effects, such as armor and wards. Very, Very, VERY powerful Vulcanomancers may actually be able to cause earthquakes and make volcanos erupt.
Evothaum: Vulcanomancy can be used to create Wards and Conjurations at evocation’s speed and methods.
Extra Benefits: Add +2 to Frequency and Strength for Crafting, as long as you are forging the item.Add +2 to the Complexity of anything created with Conjuration, as long as it is a weapon or armor. Wards created by Vulcanomancy do not require a threshold as long as they have a physical base (a circle, a line of barbed wire, a chain-link fence).
Hick Jr:
And now for the Thunderbird, which is a lot less cool, basically being a theriomorph with Sponsored Magic, but hey.
(click to show/hide)THUNDERBIRDS
These aren’t the actual, mythical thunderbirds, the animikii. Those, like naagloshii, have to live on tribal lands in the American Southwest. To clarify on the difference- Naagloshii is to skinwalker as animikii is to thunderbird. That being said, the vast majority of them are centuries old. A few still care to look like Native Americans, but being shape-shifters, they generally look however they care to look. They draw their true power from storms, but are formidable even without them, capable of drawing on the elements of a storm and weather. They have a long, bitter feud with the skinwalkers, and members of both groups will eagerly kill each other on sight. The thunderbirds are perectly capable of holding their own against the demons of the First World, attacking with lightning bolts to shame Tesla, massive sonic booms, and torrential rains. They can also shift to the form of a Haast’s Eagle, enhanced by their tempestuous (ha ha) power.
MUSTS
A high concept that indicates your animikii training or heritage. (DETECTIVE SERGEANT THUNDERBIRD , THE WANDERSTORM, LIGHTNING-EYED WEATHER FORECASTER)
the following Powers:
Storm Magic [-4]
Supernatural Sense [-1] (Weather, Atmosphere)
Beast Change [-1] (Thunderbird/Haast’s Eagle)
Human Form [+1] affecting
Wings [-1]
Claws [-1]
Inhuman Strength [-2]
Supernatural Speed [-4]*
Supernatural Strength [-4]*
Inhuman Recovery [-2]*
Limitation [+8] None of the powers marked with an asterisk work if there isn’t a storm going on within a mile.
Total Refresh Cost: -11
OPTIONS
Refinements to increase Storm Magic power, increase Speed to Mythic, gain the ability to use some asterisk abilities outside of storms.
IMPORTANT SKILLS
Athletics, Lore, Fists, Performance, Conviction, Discipline, Deceit.
Their Sponsored Magic, which is frankly kind of boring.
STORM MAGIC [-4]
Description: The furious, unending power of the thunderstorm. Extends to most other types of weather. Subtlety is almost impossible with this power-even it’s veils are massive fog banks.
Sponsor:Can be gained in a number of ways- A weather deity’s boon, a thunderbird ancestor. It’s often self-sponsored, gained by aeromancers who learn the way of the storm.
Agenda: Once a user becomes powerful enough, the creation of storms. Destruction, uncontrolled.
Evocation: Storm evocations generally involve what you’d expect. Lightning, tornado-force winds, sonic booms, rain, water, fog, mists, ice, air pressure.
Thaumaturgy: Storm rituals destroy things. Violently. They’re also capable of altering the weather. Can also be used to scry through clouds and rain, and on storms.
Evothaum: Storm Magic can be used to create entropomantic and divination effects at Evocation’s speed.
Extra Benefits: Add +3 to the power/complexity and control of any Storm spell if the caster is outside during a storm.
Hick Jr:
And yes, I'll do the Jade Court when i'm done indulging myself here.
Hrm. The Skinwalkers are giving me trouble. They're honestly ridiculously easy to stat-i'm not even having to homebrew here- but i'm on the fence between Mimic Points or Modular Abilities. I liked how Kevin Hearne did skinwalkers in the Iron Druid books so i'm modelling it off that, and they seem to have Mimic Abilities with maybe Mimic Form? I'm considering giving them that Superior Biomancy custom sponsored magic because it would cover a lot of their abilities, and definitely Demonic Co-Pilot.
Thoughts? Ideas?
Sanctaphrax:
Modular Abilities is probably better. Mimic Abilities isn't really balanced for PC use...if a character with it randomly stumbles across the Merlin's corpse at some point in the game he'll have Epic Discipline forever for 1 Refresh.
I'm a bit iffy on the complete templates, incidentally. Limitation is meant to replace Human Form, so having them both on one character is likely to make trouble.
Especially since I can't tell what the Human Form condition for the Vesuvians is.
The Limitation rebates seem too generous, especially on the Thunderbird where they apparently reduce the cost of the affected Powers to 0.
The Extra Benefits for the Sponsored Magics also seem too strong. The volcano one is basically 3 Refinements, while the storm one is 6 Refinements with a fair-sized limitation.
PS: You should specify weather the weather sense uses Lore or normal perception skills.
Lavecki121:
--- Quote from: Sanctaphrax on January 04, 2013, 05:20:08 AM ---if a character with it randomly stumbles across the Merlin's corpse at some point in the game he'll have Epic Discipline forever for 1 Refresh.
--- End quote ---
Actually Mimic abilities only works while the person you mimic is alive.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version