The Dresden Files > DFRPG

Being a bane for technology

<< < (6/7) > >>

g33k:
I'm beginning to get a bit of a vibe here for something I haven't seen in this concept, so I offer the notion...  How about making this guy a biker?

Specifically:  he really likes vintage motorcycles.  Restores them, tinkers, etc; especially the German bikes from the 1930's.  The tech is old/simple/reliable enough to be rather Murphyonic-resistant, and adding a "Mechanic" skill lets him fix things (at least sometimes).

It gives him a freedom-of-the-road lifestyle that he isn't likely to get many other ways.

Motorcycle leathers -- gloves / etc -- would let him have "foci" that just seem like "normal attire" for the lifestyle.

"Biker" gives a certain "bad-boy" cachet for some chicks  -- playing into his "lechery" -- plus the "classic" element lets him play a bit upscale from "biker bitch," into the rarefied circles of antique-collectors (and their wives/sisters/daughters).

Aspect it ("The go-to guy for vintage bikes!") to get FP's flowing -- the GM can compel a "breakdown" where he wants you to have an encounter, you can spend a FP for a connection when you want to know someone in the biker- or collector-communities, etc.

Just a thought, fwiw...

Wanderer:
Your suggestion has merit. Speaking in general, the character concept and personality vibe well with being a biker. Pretty much all his magic items (gloves, rings, bracers, pendants, etc.) may fit within the biker aesthetic. Aspects are too much a limited resource to use one just to make a specific reference to the biker lifestyle, but I suppose I may squeeze in an oblique one ('I Know No Law But Friendship, Honor, And Freedom of the Road'). And he certainly fits being a 'bad boy'.

I'm just doubtful about making him a professional repairman. I admit it would give him some use for points put into Craftmanship, besides repairing his own stuff when wrecked by his Murphyonic field. But making it his job might be at odds with his 'Bane for Technology'  Aspect. Moreover, due to the bloody pyramid system I doubt I can spare the skill points to make his Craftmanship any higher than Average, or Fair at the very most by making some tough choices. And I dunno if that would be enough to represent a professional artisan or dedicated hobbyst.

I'm getting more and more dissatisfied with the pyramid system, and seriously considering houseruling it away like I did with the Laws of Magic. I can certainly see the point of preventing excessive specialization in general, but the rule just seems dysfunctional and getting in the way of good concept ideas, especially at high skill-points-pool levels.

g33k:

--- Quote from: Wanderer on June 05, 2017, 07:59:06 PM ---  I'm just doubtful about making him a professional repairman. I admit it would give him some use for points put into Craftmanship, besides repairing his own stuff when wrecked by his Murphyonic field. But making it his job might be at odds with his 'Bane for Technology'  Aspect. Moreover, due to the bloody pyramid system I doubt I can spare the skill points to make his Craftmanship any higher than Average, or Fair at the very most by making some tough choices. And I dunno if that would be enough to represent a professional artisan or dedicated hobbyst.
--- End quote ---
I wasn't thinking he'd actually be a "professional" (in the sense of making much of his living from it)... just a skill, an Aspect to tap when he needs to, and the various links to disparate subcultures, for FP in both directions; but most of all, the flavor of it just seemed in-keeping with your description.

Taran:
It would make sense that he could tinker/fix his own bike rather than having to rely on finding a mechanic every time his bike breaks down.  Having +1 or +2 in craftsmanship is the most you need for that kind of thing.

Wanderer:
I see and agree with the points both of you were making, now I fully understand your intent, and I totally agree about the flavor. I'm just skeptic I can spare such a scarce resource as an Aspect just to make a specific reference to the biker lifestyle, when I need them to cover so many other features of background and personality. I already made an oblique reference to it about 'freedom of the road' being one of the few things the character respects. I suppose I could compress another Aspect to 'Chivalrous Biker and libertine' but that's it. And on second thoughts I can adjust the High Concept to 'Half-Sidhe Sorcerer/Wizard and Martial Artist'.

I already picked Craftsmanship at +1 in the highest power-level builds to appease the pyramid, I happy this angle gives some concept justification to the purchase. I suppose I may anticipate its purchase in lower power-level builds by switching the skill with some other one of minor relevance to the character, such as Contacts or maybe less optimally Investigation or Scholarship (but I assume a character with very high Lore should have some minor proficiency in the latter two skills).

To raise its value to +2 without breaking the bloody pyramid seems rather more difficult. At first glance, I'd have to swap it with Weapons (but I'm uncertain which skill is more valuable and appropriate for a biker, martial artist, and wizard) or with Survival (which seems very fitting for the character's lifestyle). Or to break the symmetry between the Deceit/Empathy or Intimidation/Rapport couples, but I prefer such complementary social skills to have similar scores without a good concept reason to the contrary. Pyramid forced me to put points in skills, such as Burglary and Contacts, I have little use for. I'm getting more and more frustrated with it, and more and more tempted to houserule it away. 

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page