"...Gargoyle/Temple Dog/Wardhound!!!!"

Something like a combination of these sounds appropriate.  Obviously not all powers of each...just seems like a good ballpark.

Wasn't Bronx the canine one?  Do quadrepedal gargoyles fit with your vision of them? 

Did he have wings?

Trying to remember....


...Gargoyle/Temple Dog/Wardhound? 

I do see some potential problems here - as currently written an invulnerable type could negate one attack per exchange and, using fate, negate even successful attacks.  I'd suggest something less 'all or nothing' in effect.  Utilizing Locnil's suggestion might look something like:

Get Behind Me!
 - Once per scene you may step in front of another character in the same zone taking an attack targeted at that individual.
 - When another character in the same zone is physically damaged, you may intercept part of it by spending a fate point.  When you do so you take a consequence which would otherwise have hit the intended target.
  Have to say I don't like this much. It's too easy to turn into a stick forcing other players to do what you want.  "You can't do that, you didn't beat the Rapport +2 roll!"    Unless PvP is planned up front I'd avoid using mechanics to control other players.

What's your intent here?  Is there a way to rephrase it so you can't accidentally become "that" player?

This is dangerous territory and if abused can create hard feelings IRL.

Plenty of games ahve a power or ability that works this way...many times it makes for pissed off players.

I'd just make a stunt that grants bonuses when using logic to talk someone out of something.  Those are easy to make and aren't as ham-handed/forceful.

The social combat can resolve as normal and then the loser (lets just say the one being talked out of something)... can still interpret his take out.  (he might still continue with his bad idea, but he might do it smarter.)

1. Craft is for the binding, since the preconstructed body acts as the container rather than the circle.

2. The book says 6-10 for summoning and 10-14 for binding.

4. To each their own. The system is used more for making construct allies rather than mindless slaves.


Your system is very thorough. I like the simplicity of mine, but I suppose it is a little easier to break than yours.

I hate to gang up.

I'm going to say that from a game balance perspective: the ability to break it is a serious flaw.

Also, if someone DOES stat 3 skills at Superb, doesn't that just mean they are going to be useless and easily defeated by most other things?

I see two ways to handle that.

1) superb: presence, conviction, endurance
average: fists

NPC's won't know how crappy they are in combat and they can soak up lots of damage for the PC's

2) Superb: Fists, Endurance, Athletics
Average: Alertness

Slow on initiative - but pretty rugged and effective otherwise.  going to hazard if used as cannon fodder - many foes will not think to social it to death.  In the mean time the cannon fodder beats some serious ass.  Then even if they do fall fast...the PC's added targets to their side of the field and made combat that much safer for themselves.

I have used the linked rules for summoning/binding/constructs etc.  They work elegantly and efficiently.  They aren't truly balanced either...but far closer.

Thaumaturgy itself isn't horribly balanced anyhow, but one should not compound the problem.

I thought that was because he actually moved on.


You aren't making me like the loophole anymore.  I feel the concept of it is cheapend dramatically now.

Ah well.  I don't have to like everything written. 

Could use standard counterspell rules.  Adjust the cost so it can be done defensively.  Have the counterspell effect be based on might + weapon instead.

 To make it more palatable to players put it on an IoP?

While inconvenient; I think systems that are more narrative in nature rather than "dungeon crawls" - have less pre made adventures.

White Wolf eventually had a lot, but nowhere nearas many as D&D types.  The White Wolf ones wwere also generally not as good. 

I'm not sure this type of system lends itself to pregenerated adventures well, since hte players have a larger role in the narrative and can effect the story in profound ways through declarations.

The only snag here is that Batman doesn't kill people. If he did, they wouldn't be recurring foes.

Part of making a memorable villain is the ability to relate to them. Maybe that's a villain whose motivations aren't THAT bad, but whose methods are twisted. The sympathetic villain. "But for the grace of God go I", I think it's called.

I personally like it when villains' plans do NOT survive contact with the PCs. That extends to other media as well. Nothing's more believable and relatable than a bad guy whose grand scheme was blown wide open by the heroes and now has to scramble just as hard as the heroes to fulfill their dreams of world domination... or maybe just domination of Delaware... okay, they'll settle for making it out of that Waffle House in one piece!

Finally, the villain who kills the PCs' collective spouses and runs over their dogs is a cliche, sure. But it works, too. The cliche is just when EVERY villain tries to prove their villainy by doing that kind of thing. You need to save up that tragedy, use some of the excellent non-girlfriend-murdering advice in this thread for a few sessions, make sure the villain is memorable enough so that they'd be recurring even if they didn't resort to familicide, and only THEN spring the car bomb on the heroes' loved ones.

It is only half a snag.  My point is  - make the villain important to the PC's.  Just like Batman and Superman or Spider-Man for example (he may even be a better example honestly).  Hell most heroes....

Batman is personally connected to most of them.

Two-Face- they were friends.
Catwoman - well, they are connected intimately from time to time you don't kill your friend with benefits.
Joker - the only one Bruce should just up and kill - though Joker asks the question that haunts Bruce (would all these villains exist if Batman didn't?)
Most other villains have become important to him in some fashion throughout years of comics.
Most of them are insane and truly in need of help.

Freeze - just wants to get his wife cured (True Love anyone?)
Ivy - crazy and often anti heo material
Harley - same deal
Penguin - getting close to Joker territory, but i guess he's kinda crazy too.

Croc, Grundy, Clayface, etc.  Most have had reasons to hate the Wayne's or Bruce.  Also it is hard to justify killing truly insane people.  Unless you have some sociopathic tendencies.