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Topics - Janus Node

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DFRPG / Custom Critters: Looking for constructive review
« on: October 06, 2010, 06:11:39 PM »
With my campaign finally past city building and character gen, I've had a successful first session.  Without going into tons of story detail, my group is going up against a group of demons that have a disturbing tendency to not just dissolve away into inert ectoplasm when killed.  They don't know many details yet, but I've begun building the demon concept and stats, and I would like to get some constructive review of what I have before revealing more throughout play.  Thanks to anyone willing to help!


"Gatecrasher" Demons
A small gang of demons so-named because of their congregation in San Francisco and the secret method they have discovered of coming through and staying in the Mortal realm.

Gatecrashers are demons that have harnessed a ritual and artifact that allows them to not only enter into a True Mortal host, but also fuse with them in body and soul to become anchored in the Mortal realm.  Hosts must be willing, and afterwards both memories and personalities become one.  When killed, the essence/soul of the Gatecrasher is drawn back to the Artifact used in the ceremony, where it can be re-invested into a new willing host.

As a group, the Gatecrashers number no more than a dozen at any time.  All hosts have been drawn from disillusioned gang members and organized crime syndicates that were desperate for a fast track to power.  The demons gain free reign on Earth, but have formed their own syndicate because of the influence of the mortal desires they gained in the fusion process.  Important and influential Gatecrashers might have slightly more power than the listed template (1 step up in Power Level).

Standard Template:
High Concept: Infernal Criminal
Power Level:  (7/25/Great)
Aspects:  BOUND BY A SECRET, WE’LL SHOW YOU ALL
Refresh: 0
Skills:
   4 - Deceit
   3 - Burglary, Guns
   2 - Fists, Alertness, Athletics
   1 - Stealth, Might, Intimidation, Contacts
(5 points for customization)
Stress:  Physical OOOO, Social OO, Mental OO
Stunts:  Badder than you thought (+2 Intimidation when Human Guise dropped)
Powers:  Human Guise, Pack Instincts (Other Gatecrashers), Cloak of Shadows, Inhuman Strength, {Inhuman Recovery, Inhuman Toughness} Catch (Only at Night or during SF's Supernatural Fog, Specialized Research to find out), Resurrection (Special Condition: Access to Phylactery & new willing host)

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DFRPG / (Rules Questions) Negative Refresh: Roleplay & Mechanics
« on: July 02, 2010, 09:08:45 AM »
OK, so I'm starting up a new RPG group on Dresden Files RPG pretty soon, and I was reviewing the rules as GM.  As I work on my cheat sheet notes, I found that I was having trouble finding guidelines on how exactly negative refresh affected NPCs.  Yes, I understand that it keeps the characters from gaining Fate points without taking compels, but how is 0 Refresh of someone that's just gone over the edge different than the -30 Refresh of an Outsider Assassin?  Is it just a matter of roleplay, or is there a mechanics note I'm missing?

Now, if I'm not just missing something (which I admit is quite possible), I'm trying to think of some mechanics to help me as a GM keep things level.  Here's my ideas so far:

  • Extra Trouble Slots - With the sacrifice of mortal will you get more and more trouble the crops up in your existence.  0 is just a being that has just lost free will, -1 to -5 is your first extra trouble, -6 to -15 could be the next slot, and so on.  These represent not only the extra opportunities for compels, but the need for the being to be driven by things other than choices the make for themselves.  (examples: Loathing of own Mortality, Always Second Best, and Need for Affirmation)
  • Refresh Repayment - This is a bit more of a book-keeping issue; instead of starting with refresh points you can spend, you have debt points that have to be worked off with compels.  It could be on a 1-for-1 basis or some other increment (I could see as going as high as 1 debt for every -5).
  • Skill Blindspots - When you give up on living life as a journey and instead devote yourself to power so much that you lose sight of what makes you a person, you also lose sight of the importance for certain life skills.  Pay off negative refresh with negative skill ranks; you can have as many skills as you want at -1 (Poor), but they have to be equal or greater than the skills you have at -2 (Terrible), which have to be equal or greater than the skills you have at -3 (Abysmal).  -3 would be the limit of the negative range.
  • Or any combination of those three!

Please keep in mind, this is just me brainstorming as I work and would very much like to hear thoughts or corrections from others.  If there's something I've missed in the book, please let me know the page number.  If there's another topic that covers this, I'd love to read it.  And if you think these ideas have merit or could use some additions/alterations/corrections, then I'd love to hear that also!

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