ParanetOnline
The Dresden Files => DFRPG => Topic started by: JediDresden on July 22, 2011, 04:06:23 PM
-
I am thinking about playing a blind Wizard in an upcoming game. His High Concept will be something like 'Blind Wizard of the White Council with Supernatural Senses' or something. Instead of refinement he took the Disability Superpower that I found here on the forums and then he maxed out Supernatural Senses for -3 refresh ,it will use Lore. The story being he lost his sight helping the WC against some bad thing, losing it later in life and compensating by using mystical means to give him up to 12 types of senses that are hightened. He has Wizard Constitution - but does not know if his sight will ever come back, at least in terms of Game Time (he might get it back years down the road).
I have a couple of questions:
1 - How exactly does the supernatual sense power work? I assume from reading it that the character has to make a Lore check in this case to 'see' or sense anything. Which I am fine with when someone only has 1 Super Sense, but what about 12 senses? Not not all 12 will come into play all the time - but theoretically the character would have 12 chances to sense something? I mean it is a 3 refresh power so it is a pretty hefty one. Or would he just get 1 roll to sense something - in which case the power seems way to costly at 3 refresh. I kind of picture him as a Supernatural Daredevil character.
2 - My second question deals with how to play with a blind character in the game. How do you? I mean I think having a 'blind' aspect could be a Fate point mine as it could, and should, get compeled often, but living with a disability is a struggle - I know I work with people with disabilites daily in my profession - and I don't know if it would be fun in game terms.
Any ideas? I seem to recall a character posted on the boards that was blind and I found a spell that put an aspect on the person to counteract a blind aspect. So I know it has been talked about and I apologize bringing it up again if it has, biut any help would be appreciated.
-
At -3 Supernatural Senses can have up to a dozen senses enhanced. You might ask your GM to simply have your other senses enhanced to above human levels, else I'd say you should map them all out. Unless your GM is fine with Declarations about such a thing mid-game.
-
Thanks for the quick response.
Just to be clear though every time I want to use said sense I would need to make a Lore check right? I was wondering about enhancing the other 4 senses, but also things like tremmorsense (he is an earth specialization mage), and echolocation (Air is another of his elements, with Water being the third) and saying that it is a magical effect (Lore check) but not really a defined spell, more just ways he has learned to compensate. Very similar to Toph the earth bender in the Avatar cartoon series.
-
Ah, the Disability Superpower. Good to see that's being of use to someone.
Well, first off, when you define those other senses, make sure that they're defined in such a way that being blind is still actually a handicap, instead of just flavor, so that you actually get a refresh rebate from it. Daredevil is a good example, so I'll go with that. He's got a wonderful suite of abilities, but the downsides are annoying, to say the least:
Being able to hear with the fidelity of a bat is great--until you try to focus down to one thing and pick it out of the noise, or even just try to get to sleep. Outside of a sensory deprivation tank, restful sleep isn't going to happen much.
Any strong smell will be incapacitating; you'll probably have to make Discipline rolls regularly when the skunks are marking their territory and before garbage day (or, alternatively, walking through a restaurant district will be... distracting).
As for a suite of 12 powers, I'd suggest that you have the regular senses--smell, taste, touch, hearing--as "always on" with a "+3 to Alertness & -2 to Investigation" (your situational awareness of the environment is making it difficult to focus on any single thing) that can be swapped to "+4 investigation, Alertness drops to Terrible" in the vein of Listening (you're focusing on one thing and losing out on the situational awareness).
Then, for the other 8 senses, have them require some activation, like a Discipline check, representing the focus needed to take an already exceptional sense and refining it into something new. Like Hearing becomes Ultrasound for a short period of time, or Smell/Taste becomes chemical analysis (with a Scholarship check, probably), or you manage to get the vestigial magnetite crystals in the human brain to work and suddenly you're a human compass (or GPS), or become the human lie detector (again, channeling Daredevil).
As for it being fun, that's really up to you and your GM; some GMs will go "Oooh, cool character, let's work together to make you awesome and epic and tragic" while some others I've played with will go "Oooh, guilt-free buttmonkey for me to abuse!" The only solution there is to talk with the GM and find a consensus. (trite and cliched advice, I know, but there's a reason for that: it's also true).
-
That is a good idea with the four sense always on, and I do want them to be a liability still. I like the idea of harnessing the Listening stunt for short periods to replicate those. I just was not sure how the Supernatural senses worked because it gives you the option to use Lore, or Investigation and Alertness. And being a wizard my lore is higher that the others, although my discipline is quite high as well, so I like that idea also.
Thanks.
-
@bibliophile20 : how did you come up with the bonuses - is it the ones for the Listening Stunt? Don't have my books a
handy at the moment.
-
Gives you the option, but it has to make sense, thematically, IMHO; Lore is for the more, well, Supernatural senses that don't have a corollary or link to an existing sense (think like a fish's lateral line, or electrical field detection in sharks, or polarized light, for bees, to give a few examples of stuff that we don't have, or the classic "My Spidy-Sense is tingling!"). Senses that are part of the human experience--however refined--still can be interpreted using Investigation and Alertness.
as for the numbers, mostly, I mostly ad-libbed them, with a guiding point that a single point of refresh is worth 1-4 shifts of ability, depending on circumstances. So, throwing that in, I thought for a general +1 to Alertness (keeping in mind that the dominant vision sense was unavailable), threw on the penalty to Investigation to bump that to a +3 Alertness and -2 to Investigation, and added in the Stunt as a thematic feel, plus the idea for using Discipline for "refining" those senses.
-
Makes sense, thanks for your help.
-
One of my friends decided to play a blind character with the sight a while back, and although it is a pretty crippling disability, the compel system works really well. It's only important when it effects the story, so the rest of the time we assume that you make due and get around ok.
I haven't checked out the disability "power", but were I GMing the whole thing I think I'd rather simply represent it with an aspect and move on. As Bibliophile pointed out I'm not fond of the sense that being blind is just flavor and that you're fully functional, but are getting a refresh rebate for it.
-
I haven't checked out the disability "power", but were I GMing the whole thing I think I'd rather simply represent it with an aspect and move on. As Bibliophile pointed out I'm not fond of the sense that being blind is just flavor and that you're fully functional, but are getting a refresh rebate for it.
If you only use an aspect, won't that mean that you could have a potential Fate point Horn-of-Plenty? I mean, you would be compelling it very often, or the player would remind you to compel him. If a character has supernatural senses, so he can get around without too much help, but gets a small rebate for being blind, then you don't have to compel so often as a GM and the player isn't sitting on a throne of Fate points each session. I haven't read the Disability Superpower, though, so I am not thinking of more than a +1 Refresh rebate.
-
Remember though that compels only occur when the aspect is impeding the story. Being blind doesn't have to do this all the time. Sure the character can't read (or notice things at a distance or do any number of things), but often there will be people around them who can. A blind person is perfectly capable of getting around familiar places with the assistance of a cane and even less familiar places with a service animal. The only time when the compels are going to come flying in are when a character is alone and trying to do things that would normally be impossible.
-
Well, he is a wizard, how is he going to target his spells, if he hasn't some superpowered sense to target someone/something...
-
Well, he is a wizard, how is he going to target his spells, if he hasn't some superpowered sense to target someone/something...
He does have a superpowered sense... Why is that at question? Mostly I'm railing about a disability refresh refund for a disability that is completely compensated for most of the time.
-
He does have a superpowered sense... Why is that at question? Mostly I'm railing about a disability refresh refund for a disability that is completely compensated for most of the time.
Okay, using his character was mistake :p I meant, what if doesn't have such super-powered senses? He couldn't target his spells normally, to me this sounds like 'auto-compel'. That is why I would find it fair to give a +1 discount to Supernatural Senses at -2/-3 so a character is more capable in such respects. I will admit that I have no actual game experience, so there might be an easier solution, but I just don't think an aspect to be compelled is going to cut it. I am just curious on how you woul deal with a character who is As blind as the proverbial bat?
-
Being actually blind with no alternative to sight would likely be a fate point gold mine, but that really would be balanced out by the fact that they are going to have difficulties a lot. To be honest I'd only allow it with a player I trusted to be able to role play that well and also to manage it on their own. If they want to cause difficulties for themselves and simply remind me to give them a fate point for it I have no issue with it.
I don't think it would be as much fate points as you think though. I rarely compel the same thing twice in a scene (or more than a few times) since I figure it's kinda ridiculous if I compel you to not do something and then the next exchange you're trying the exact same thing with no difference and expecting a different result (or even expecting the same result). When I compel I figure that extends to much of the scene, or at least until you try something to alleviate or work around the compel. You can't just go "New exchange, compel is gone."
Finally consider some of those fate points can be used to buy off the compels. Maybe when your blind man attacks he gets lucky, or he happens to hear something he can zero in on. Compels are not total.
-
Being actually blind with no alternative to sight would likely be a fate point gold mine, but that really would be balanced out by the fact that they are going to have difficulties a lot.
Resources compel: "Um, yeah, you mixed up your singles and tens last time you did the 'unique fold by value' thing. You just overpaid by an order of magnitude."
Lore compel: "Two words: Braille. Spellbooks. Not. Common."
Contacts compel: "Uh, yeah, apparently your clothing clashes so bad that it can induce glaucoma at twenty paces. Nobody really wants to talk to you."
-
Resources compel: "Um, yeah, you mixed up your singles and tens last time you did the 'unique fold by value' thing. You just overpaid by an order of magnitude."
Lore compel: "Two words: Braille. Spellbooks. Not. Common."
Contacts compel: "Uh, yeah, apparently your clothing clashes so bad that it can induce glaucoma at twenty paces. Nobody really wants to talk to you."
All things that could be compels, but I would not likely make those compels unless they related to another aspect or situation. It's usually best to assume that someone is capable of living as they have for years, unless there is something that says otherwise.
Otherwise you're just being a jerk (compelling for no real good reason and in a way that actually detracts from the story), and jerks don't usually stay GMs if your players have any alternative.
-
All things that could be compels, but I would not likely make those compels unless they related to another aspect or situation. It's usually best to assume that someone is capable of living as they have for years, unless there is something that says otherwise.
Otherwise you're just being a jerk (compelling for no real good reason and in a way that actually detracts from the story), and jerks don't usually stay GMs if your players have any alternative.
I was giving examples of possible complications, yeesh, not saying that I would just drop them for the hell of it. I wouldn't make those compels willy-nilly either; I was just making some oddball suggestions for possible compels that would, of course, be used in a proper context. It's no different than saying to the were-wolf that some hobo has made off with his spare clothing stash and giving them a fate point against their high concept for the complication--or giving a wizard a compel against their high concept for hexing the car--again. In this case, the fact that the character has to function within a society designed for the sighted will cause them issues--on everything from the fact that US dollars are all the same size and texture, to the fact that people often treat the handicapped with reluctant reticence.
(Sorry if I seem a little oversensitive on the "jerk" point, but it hit a nerve; going through some old emails recently brought up an old game that cost me my friendship with the GM and the other players precisely because of that sort of behavior).
-
Okay, using his character was mistake :p I meant, what if doesn't have such super-powered senses? He couldn't target his spells normally, to me this sounds like 'auto-compel'. That is why I would find it fair to give a +1 discount to Supernatural Senses at -2/-3 so a character is more capable in such respects. I will admit that I have no actual game experience, so there might be an easier solution, but I just don't think an aspect to be compelled is going to cut it. I am just curious on how you woul deal with a character who is As blind as the proverbial bat?
There's no such thing as an auto compel. The GM has to find the complication compel worthy. So, "golly gee willikers, it's so hard to cast spells...again." Isn't a compel. the compel is when the RCVs have grabbed your girlfriend and you stumble over a root, allowing her to be captured and infected with RC venom.
So, if your blindness is an easy source of compels for the GM, I say awesome! Better gird your loins. ;)
-
How I'd handle a blind character in Dresden Files RPG.
Trouble: Blind (spice this up...simply using a bland aspect as an example)
This will lead to lots of comples and fate points. If you can stomach being blind (played a blinded character in D&D and V:TM before (all short term however), it can be quite rewarding.
This would still allow you to use your other sense just fine. Supernatural senses works well to offset it. Go for a radar sense Matt Murdock (Daredevil style).
I see no problem with taking powers so that being blind is just for flavor... (but then I wouldn't take it as a trouble aspect...since it won't be compelled often since you can basically just "see" anyhow). Also most GM's won't let such things fly.
-
One word: Daredevil. Ok maybe two words, or one? Dunno.
He is blind, but his other senses are stronger, but one is twice as useful: his hearing.
You can make a sound wizard, concentrating on Air magic and Spirit for light(if you make everybody blind, you are in advantage because you are adapted to it). As minor tricks you can do the sonar thing out of combat. In combat, just get compelled as hell by the GM for missing with your discipline and rack in those delicious, succulent FP. Do aoes like firebreath and team buff/block.
Or pump your Lore to max, get 1 stunt for more powerful third eye, and 1 stunt for more control over the third eye, its a pain to close it. Pump discipline too for closing it. When in combat you can open your Third Eye to see the world magically :) just like Daredevil sees with his sonar.
Or same air deal, but with Earth and sense vibrations, depends on the flavor.
-
Thanks for all the information and ideas. I have been away from a computer for the weekend so haven't got aa chance to respond. I DO want it to be a factor in the game. I chose the Disability superpower as flavor more than anything - so he can still get around and be a wizard - but did not ever intend for it to completely take away the disability. I liked bibliophile20's idea of being overwhelmed by sound and smell and actually thought earlier that it would make for a good compel opportunity, but still being able to be a viable character. I like all the other comments and suggestions as well. Thanks again.
As for aspects the disability power says that your disability and superpower it is linked to must be in your high concept. So I got nothing. All I came up with was Blind Wizard with Supernatural Senses. Kind of bland - any ideas?
-
If you're having a hard time with your high concept then just build the character and as you go it should become more defined.
Questions that might help:
Why is he blind?
How does he feel about his blindness?
What does he do? (and more abstractly what is his purpose?)
Why is he doing it?
Is he connected to anyone else?