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The Dresden Files => DFRPG => Topic started by: Howl on November 25, 2011, 11:37:41 AM
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I had an idea for a campaign I would GM for some of my friends. It wouldn't be a DFRPG game so don't worry about the laws but I would use Fate for the system and a few of my friends mentioned that they would like to have some of these powers, but I have some problems in making the powers. And there are people here who are very good at making custom powers and abilities so I thought to ask for some help. :)
Here are the powers:
1. Psychomancy says you can supercharge your brain and thus improve your reaction time and make yourself think faster. So, how would you model this stat wise? It could be just placing an aspect of some kind on yourself but I would like if someone can think of a similar power that gives you some mechanical benefits.
2. A power that enables the user to see a few seconds into the future and thus allowing him to anticipate his opponents moves.
3. A power that enables the user to subtly pull on time in a bubble around them, stretching it and making time pass more slowly around them. This would enable the user to slow down time and get a few moments to prepare himself while his opponents are "slowed" down. I was thinking this could be just a form of Inhuman Speed, slowing everything around him.
4. A power similar to slowing down time, but one that enables the user to push on time in a bubble around him, compressing it and making it pass more quickly around him.
Thanks in advance for any ideas you might have! :)
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1 and 3 do seem like tweaked speed powers.
For 2, I'd make a power letting the character use Lore (or another skill, depending on which is most appropriate for future-visions) to compliment physical defense.
I have no Idea why you would want to do 4, but mechanically, it seems like it would just be skipping every other turn.
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1.
MAGICAL SELF-ENHANCEMENT [+varies]
Description: Many supernatural abilities can be mimicked through an application of spellcasting. But that requires specialization, of the sort that this power represents.
Musts: A character must possess the Evocation, Channeling, and/or Sponsored Magic powers in order to use this one. Other powers to link this power to are also required.
Skills Affected: Conviction, Discipline, Lore
Effects:
Limited Powers. When you take this power, you must select at least one other supernatural power that you possess. Which powers may be selected with this power is a matter of the GM's discretion. The selected powers are disabled, and the character gets a rebate equal to one-third of the powers' total cost.
Magical Self-Enhancement. This power allows the user to grant themselves access to the selected powers through evocation. Such evocations may be of any element that makes sense, and they may be offensive or defensive. The power required of an evocation that grants powers is equal to the total refresh cost of the granted powers plus the intended duration. The user may extend this effect using the normal rules for the extension of evocation, and they may choose to grant themselves only a few of the selected powers. This also allows them to grant lesser versions of the selected powers. For example, a character who had selected Supernatural Strength and Inhuman Speed with this power may grant themselves Inhuman Strength for 5 exchanges with a 7-shift evocation.
Magical Enhancement [-varies]. This option removes the rebate from Magical Self-Enhancement, making the total cost of the power 0. In exchange, it gives the user the ability to cast power-granting evocations on other characters. Please note that these evocations cannot be zone-wide.
2.
There is a power in OW called A Few Seconds Ahead that does this. But I dislike it, so I recommend using a stunt instead.
3.
Inhuman Speed and maybe Magical Self-Enhancement. A real, D&D-esque, time stop effect has not yet been written for this ruleset, and it wouldn't be easy to change that. The action economy is difficult territory for a homebrewer to operate in.
4.
Not sure what you're asking here.
PS: I think I noticed something about Magical Self-Enhancement that I want to change. Every other Evocation effect in the game has a base duration of 1 exchange, why does it have a base duration of 0? Eh, I'll think about it. It shouldn't break anything either way.
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Are the powers your working on Alemancy inspired out of curiosity.
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Are the powers your working on Alemancy inspired out of curiosity.
I don't know what Alemancy is? ???
A friend asked me how I would model 3. and 4. and I have no idea what he really wanted with power number 4.
And I just googled alemancy. Do you mean Allomancy? From the Mistborn books? Allomancy sounds quite interesting, as do the books. Will have to check them out :)
1.
MAGICAL SELF-ENHANCEMENT [+varies]
Description: Many supernatural abilities can be mimicked through an application of spellcasting. But that requires specialization, of the sort that this power represents.
Musts: A character must possess the Evocation, Channeling, and/or Sponsored Magic powers in order to use this one. Other powers to link this power to are also required.
Skills Affected: Conviction, Discipline, Lore
Effects:
Limited Powers. When you take this power, you must select at least one other supernatural power that you possess. Which powers may be selected with this power is a matter of the GM's discretion. The selected powers are disabled, and the character gets a rebate equal to one-third of the powers' total cost.
Magical Self-Enhancement. This power allows the user to grant themselves access to the selected powers through evocation. Such evocations may be of any element that makes sense, and they may be offensive or defensive. The power required of an evocation that grants powers is equal to the total refresh cost of the granted powers plus the intended duration. The user may extend this effect using the normal rules for the extension of evocation, and they may choose to grant themselves only a few of the selected powers. This also allows them to grant lesser versions of the selected powers. For example, a character who had selected Supernatural Strength and Inhuman Speed with this power may grant themselves Inhuman Strength for 5 exchanges with a 7-shift evocation.
Magical Enhancement [-varies]. This option removes the rebate from Magical Self-Enhancement, making the total cost of the power 0. In exchange, it gives the user the ability to cast power-granting evocations on other characters. Please note that these evocations cannot be zone-wide.
2.
There is a power in OW called A Few Seconds Ahead that does this. But I dislike it, so I recommend using a stunt instead.
3.
Inhuman Speed and maybe Magical Self-Enhancement. A real, D&D-esque, time stop effect has not yet been written for this ruleset, and it wouldn't be easy to change that. The action economy is difficult territory for a homebrewer to operate in.
4.
Not sure what you're asking here.
PS: I think I noticed something about Magical Self-Enhancement that I want to change. Every other Evocation effect in the game has a base duration of 1 exchange, why does it have a base duration of 0? Eh, I'll think about it. It shouldn't break anything either way.
I also considered Magical Self-Enhancement. I really like that power, it is well done. :)
I just checked A Few Seconds Ahead, I actually didn't notice it before. I'm not sure if I like it or not. Thanks for the help, I think the easiest way to go about 1. and 3. would be with Self-Enhancement or just some speed powers that are a bit modified. And using Lore for defense could work for power number 2.
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I don't know what Alemancy is? ???
I'd guess a drinking reference.
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Alemancy is from the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson. Alemancy is a metal based magic that uses the properties of metals produce a variety of effects. Anywhere from controlling emotions, enhancing the body or fling metal about.
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Alemancy is from the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson. Alemancy is a metal based magic that uses the properties of metals produce a variety of effects. Anywhere from controlling emotions, enhancing the body or fling metal about.
It is spelled Allomancy.
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I googled it and it is a very cool concept. I wonder how it would work in fate!? ???
I'd guess a drinking reference.
;D When you drink ale you get magical powers. That would be fun ;D
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I googled it and it is a very cool concept. I wonder how it would work in fate!? ???
;D When you drink ale you get magical powers. That would be fun ;D
Some guys have the power if seeing young ladies in a beautiful light when they have the beer goggles on. My partner always says she's never been to bed with an ugly guy in her life but she's woken up with a few.
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I think I must buy me some ale :D
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Some guys have the power if seeing young ladies in a beautiful light when they have the beer goggles on. My partner always says she's never been to bed with an ugly guy in her life but she's woken up with a few.
Ah yes, the mystical power known as beer googles ;D
One more question: did anyone perhaps create Allomancy as a power using the DFRPG rules? Because I have been reading about it and it sounds awesome. Here is a link where it is described:
COULD CONTAIN SPOILERS!
http://mistborn.wikia.com/wiki/Allomancy
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What we need is a Feeding Dependency variant. One that represents needing a specific thing as fuel for a given power.
Tack that power onto various powers and stunts and you've got most of allomancy.
Though a few metals have effects that don't translate well.
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What we need is a Feeding Dependency variant. One that represents needing a specific thing as fuel for a given power.
Tack that power onto various powers and stunts and you've got most of allomancy.
Though a few metals have effects that don't translate well.
I was thinking among the same lines. Perhaps Allomancy even being "magic" that doesn't deal mental stress but hunger stress, representing the "burning" of metals. :-\
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A few of the metals might work as evocation elements, but most of the effects of allomancy have nothing to do with spellcasting as DFRPG defines it.
So unless you want to use Magical Self-Enhancement, that probably won't work.
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A few of the metals might work as evocation elements, but most of the effects of allomancy have nothing to do with spellcasting as DFRPG defines it.
So unless you want to use Magical Self-Enhancement, that probably won't work.
Good point. Then we really need a variant Feeding Dependancy to do Allomancy correctly. ???
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Alright, I've got some rough ideas. Tell me how this sounds:
+1 rebate power, modifies a number of other powers.
You can store a number of "charges" equal to three times the total cost of the powers modified.
Using a power for an action costs charges equal to the refresh cost.
Recharging is fairly easy under normal circumstances, but too slow to work during combat and occasionally not possible for whatever reason.
If recharging is not easy under normal circumstances, further +1 rebate.
If you have multiple powers, you can make them require different fuels. This means that you get multiple types of charge, one for each (group of) power(s). +2 rebate for 3 different fuels and +3 rebate for 8 different fuels. You can still only carry a total number of charges equal to 3x the total cost, so split them up carefully.
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It's a nice system but wouldn't it be easier to have an aspect covering your Allomancy? If they are an Allomancer, they would have the necessary metals to fuel their powers and not need any special effort to acquire them. Invoking the aspect would represent "burning" the metal and getting an increased effect and if you "ran out" it would be a compel.
I agree with a rebate similar to Feeding Dependency for the powers.
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For #2 another option besides A Few Seconds Ahead might be a modified Sacred Guardian power. I used one for one of my characters in the Boston game.
Foresight [-1]: as a slightly modified Sacred Guardian.
**Combat Clairvoyance. Eli may gain a boost to his attack rolls or defense rolls by inflicting a mental stress hit upon himself, gaining a +1 for each point of stress in the hit. This bonus cannot be greater than the maximum length of his mental stress track.
**Psychic? Definitely. Eli gains a +2 bonus to Alertness when rolling against surprise.
You can look at him more here (http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,25157.msg1066533.html#msg1066533) for his build.
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Well, you could use aspects to represent the need for fuel.
But by making it into a power you get more granularity and more in-game relevance. If you use an aspect, the need for fuel only matters maybe once a session when you take a compel. If you use a power, it matters constantly.
In my experience, aspects can be used for anything and everything. But there's usually a better way.
(I this case there might not be, though. My proposed power just might be horribly broken. Not sure.)
The modified Sacred Guardian is pretty good. Only problem is, I like Sacred Guardian about as much as I like A Few Seconds Ahead.
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For #2 another option besides A Few Seconds Ahead might be a modified Sacred Guardian power. I used one for one of my characters in the Boston game.
Foresight [-1]: as a slightly modified Sacred Guardian.
**Combat Clairvoyance. Eli may gain a boost to his attack rolls or defense rolls by inflicting a mental stress hit upon himself, gaining a +1 for each point of stress in the hit. This bonus cannot be greater than the maximum length of his mental stress track.
**Psychic? Definitely. Eli gains a +2 bonus to Alertness when rolling against surprise.
You can look at him more here (http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,25157.msg1066533.html#msg1066533) for his build.
I like Sacred Guardian and this is a great way to modify it to represent Foresight. I like it, thanks for the idea. :)
Alright, I've got some rough ideas. Tell me how this sounds:
+1 rebate power, modifies a number of other powers.
You can store a number of "charges" equal to three times the total cost of the powers modified.
Using a power for an action costs charges equal to the refresh cost.
Recharging is fairly easy under normal circumstances, but too slow to work during combat and occasionally not possible for whatever reason.
If recharging is not easy under normal circumstances, further +1 rebate.
If you have multiple powers, you can make them require different fuels. This means that you get multiple types of charge, one for each (group of) power(s). +2 rebate for 3 different fuels and +3 rebate for 8 different fuels. You can still only carry a total number of charges equal to 3x the total cost, so split them up carefully.
This looks good. About the rebate for different fuels: does it give an additional +2 bonus or does it just roll up to +2. To explain better: the power has a +1 rebate normally. When you use 3 different fuels does the rebate become +2 or do you get an additional +2 rebate, rolling it up to +3 totally?
I also agree that aspects could be used but this power does represent the need to "refuel" more often. And you can still have the player take Allomancy as an aspect of some kind and then Compel him that he doesn't have any steel with him right now so he cant use his powers to Push metals in this scene. He would still have his other powers and he would get a fate point for the compel.
I would be happy to playtest this power with my group Sancta, and afterwards I can tell you if it is broken. We are playing a different campaign right now and I'm not sure when it will end but afterwards they want to play my campaign. And perhaps this power can be modified further if someone gets any more ideas how to do it better. :)
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The multiple fuels rebate is supposed to replace the base rebate. So you get +2 total if you have 3 different fuels and +4 total if you have you have 8 different fuels that are not easy to acquire.
I appreciate the playtest greatly. A +4 rebate is the sort of thing that demands testing.
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The multiple fuels rebate is supposed to replace the base rebate. So you get +2 total if you have 3 different fuels and +4 total if you have you have 8 different fuels that are not easy to acquire.
I appreciate the playtest greatly. A +4 rebate is the sort of thing that demands testing.
I'll let you know how the power works when we playtest it :)