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Messages - Arcane257

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1
DFRPG / Re: FATE Core and DFRPG
« on: January 09, 2013, 02:40:49 AM »
Fred did an ask me anything over on Reddit today http://www.reddit.com/r/rpg/comments/166jkx/i_am_fred_hicks_from_evil_hat_productions_and_the/

Its has some really cool info in it so I thought I would share it over here. It looks like backers might get to see the rough cut of the magic and such if things continue to go well.

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DFRPG / Re: The problem with Thaumaturgy (house rules review request)
« on: November 07, 2012, 10:34:12 AM »
Thanks for the link. It's helped a lot.

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DFRPG / Re: The problem with Thaumaturgy (house rules review request)
« on: November 06, 2012, 07:00:26 AM »
I think its clear that Thaum is safe within certain limits. As the system is currently written starting players can put together some pretty game breaking rituals with no fear of failure, which I think clearly contradicts what the books presents.

Thanks for your thoughts though

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DFRPG / The problem with Thaumaturgy (house rules review request)
« on: November 06, 2012, 06:21:51 AM »
I have been rereading the books lately, and I realized that I just don't feel like the rules as written represent the danger of Thaumaturgy as its presented in the books. I mean I realize Dresden is supposed to be more of a brawler type, but even Bob (who has been working with wizards for over 1k years or so) makes it pretty clear that more powerful rituals have a real risk of causing harm.

The problem I have is once you get your bonus up +5 rituals never go wrong for the caster unless they get interrupted. I was thinking that maybe a way to counter this would be to introduce penalty to each roll based off the total complexity of the ritual being attempted. For example -1 per 10 or 5 points of complexity. 

I was also thinking that maybe it would mean that I would have to set a base time per roll, and allow people to speed it up at increased risk or slow it down for less risk. Also I was thinking that declarations could now be used not only to meet complexity higher than Lore + modifiers rating, but also to help reduce the penalty some. (the -1 per 5 makes more sense to me if I add this stuff in)

For example under this system when Harry wanted to use Little Chicago to search for black magic Little Chicago was used to do something more complex than his lore skill would allow and his purification efforts were done to reduce the penalty to each roll.

I was also thinking this would set the stage for me figuring out rules to build more concrete rules for permanent props used to boost ritual magic. The idea being to give mechanics for things like Little Chicago, Dresden's ever improving quality on his floor ring, and such beyond just being a declaration.
(this is still very much a work in progress and I am not sure how I would handle it but I was thinking it would be that permanent props could serve to help meet complexity totals for appropriate spells ie you would have your lore, focus items, + props to determine base number before you start making declarations)

This all very much in flux but I know we have some great minds on this board so I figured I would ask for peoples thoughts on it.

5
DFRPG / Re: How Do I Make A Great Recurring Villain?
« on: October 30, 2012, 02:43:26 PM »
I tried to introduce a Red Court Vampire as a recurring villain, and the werewolf in my group killed the vampire with a grapple. This occurred on Accorded Neutral grounds, so I have plenty of opportunities to work with the results, but now I am left without a recurring villain.

How do I create a great recurring villain that my players will love to hate? And how do I make them grapple-proof?

Your players already made one for you. You now get to spend the rest of the campaign having Mab torture and hound them for violating the accords. I would make her vengeance so wonderfully awful that it leaves at least the werewolf character wishing for death.... not that The Queen of Air and Darkness would allow that.  ;)

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DFRPG / Re: Shadowrun Returns kickstarter
« on: April 27, 2012, 04:56:15 AM »
We're 15  bucks spent  ;D

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DFRPG / Re: The Laws of Magic and psychic abilities
« on: March 12, 2012, 12:26:47 AM »
Sorry if someone already mentioned this but the Book says its a violation here is the text on it.

Psychic Abilities Psychic abilities seem to divide into two types—
ones which are more trouble than they’re worth
(using the Sight can drive you mad; Cassandra’s
Tears is more a source of sorrow than solace),
and those which break the hell out of the Laws
of Magic (Domination being a good example).



Hope that helps.

8
DFRPG / Re: lawbreaker in action
« on: March 11, 2012, 08:58:42 PM »
Hmm I am liking the lawbreaker stunts as the mechanic for representing the draw and twisting effect of dark magic less and less. I think for now I will tell my player interested in playing an accidental law breaker to just represent it in an aspect and call it good.

 thanks for the help


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DFRPG / lawbreaker in action
« on: March 11, 2012, 10:41:57 AM »
Alright getting ready to run a campaign and was rereading the lawbreaker stuff and got confused hopefully I can get some other opinions that will help me clear it up.

Ok so lets say you have lawbreaker (1st Law) and you go to zap:

a mortal gang banger with a force effect. How does the bonus work? Is it +1 to the roll? Even if the you (the player or NPC with lawbreaker) has no intention of killing said gang banger if he takes him out? Does the Lawbreaker only get to invoke the bonus if it would in fact be enough to take the poor guy out but only if the player agrees to be killing?

How about if you go to zap a red court vamp? Does your lawbreaker help? from the text I would say no

Slippery Slope. Gain a +1 bonus to any spell-
casting roll whenever using magic in a way
which would break the specified Law of
Magic.


Ok so what happens if the Lawbreaker goes to fry what he thinks is a human if it is instead say a fairy?

From reading the books it seems like Lawbreaker is going to apply no matter what when you attack. Your very essence has been twisted and well lets face it black magic is a lot less intimidating if Cowl suddenly gets a lot weaker because he happens to be zapping a non-human.
 

I feel like I am wrong on this though because in the example of Harry frying the red vamp doesn't include his law breaker stunt bonus... which tends to indicate I am in fact supposed to only be handing out the bonus on magic attacks that are against mortals and have the intent to kill them.


Anyone got some thoughts on this?


ON a side note I am also guessing that its pretty reasonable to compel a player with Law Breaker 1st on the occasional taken out results to make them killing blows to show temptation of black magic. I mean if the player wanted to resist and didn't have the fate point to I would be more than willing to let them go into debt for it... I want to temp them down a darker path not drag them kicking and screaming. 

10
DFRPG / Re: Lawbreaker and Summer/Winter Magic
« on: November 06, 2011, 05:19:26 PM »
Yeah I realized I may be asking the wrong question here. I am starting to think the right question is can no caster talent mortals outside of the knights be imbued with Seelie or Unseelie magic?

The knights seem to be a special case as they have their own "mantle of power" they gain when they take up the role that seems to have a lot of power wrapped up in it. So it seems to me that it would take a huge investment from ether court to imbue a normal mortal with Fairy Magic.

Can anyone think of examples in the books that would support a total non practitioner getting any sort of powers imbued into them? The closest I can think of is from changes
(click to show/hide)


So maybe to wield Fairy Magic you must be some sort of practitioner no matter how small and thus are subject to the laws if not a changeling, Knight, or Fairy.

Thoughts?







11
DFRPG / Lawbreaker and Summer/Winter Magic
« on: November 03, 2011, 07:19:20 PM »
Did we ever get something like an official ruling on this one?

I can argue myself round and round in circles for both sides on whether or not I think mortals using magic that comes entirely from an external source would warp you like mortal magic does. Don't get me wrong it certainly effects you, but in the ways sponsored magic is described as doing... the question is do you eat lawbreaker stunts as well?

Now I do think its pretty clear not all sponsored magics are equal on this point. I think the ones taken to enhance your own magic don't free you from the laws, but what about when you have no ability of your own? Doesn't that make wielding such magic about the same as using a gun/bomb/poison? Balance wise it seems to work because the player clearly has an additional fear other casters don't: IF I piss my sponsor off I go back to being a chump.

Any thoughts?

Also please remember that if we haven't gotten an official word on it all we have is opinion. I ask that you please try to be respectful of others thoughts on this. In other words as much as the idea of Dresden being a serial killer that murders Cheerleaders amuses me on some odd level, I would rather this not turn into yet another thread on the subject.  ;)

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DFRPG / Re: Mind Magic questions
« on: October 28, 2011, 07:07:51 AM »
Thanks guys I think the game terms I was looking for are
Thrall

Rough Thrall

Fine Thrall


I was wondering if anyone had done the mechanics of creating the three types via Ritual magic and white vamp antics.


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DFRPG / Re: Using Emotional Vampire and Incite Emotion
« on: October 27, 2011, 07:22:36 PM »
Yeah except incite emotions by itself can inflict emotional stress with upgrades. So you are saying once they have the upgrade they can do both then?




14
DFRPG / Re: Cleaning Up The Stunt List
« on: October 27, 2011, 06:38:21 AM »
Reflexive Shield: I like this one too, but it makes me nervous. Was hoping that someone who had used it would say it was fine.

I really like this one and I think it helps fill in a missing gap from the novels well. A friend of mine may be running a one shot soon I will see if I can play test it for you and see if we notice any problems.





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DFRPG / Mind Magic questions
« on: October 27, 2011, 05:45:47 AM »
Ok so I had a player asked me how mind magic would work if they decided to use it. I realized in the past when it came to NPCs I just hand waved it.

If i want to make a mindless grunt who does my bidding but not much else what would I do?

If wanted to say turn my young apprentice into my loving servant who can still cast spells, defend me, and in general think for themselves?

Got tired of paying my lawyers fees so I make her mine but I need her to still represent me in court what then? IS this the same as above or can it be stronger since they aren't casting spells?



Last but not least which of these can Wamps do and how?


I think I know how with Thaumaturgy but figured it would be good to check how others thought it would be done.

Sorry for the edit had to clear things up.

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