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The Dresden Files => DFRPG => Topic started by: YPU on October 18, 2012, 11:20:08 PM

Title: construct characters?
Post by: YPU on October 18, 2012, 11:20:08 PM

One of my players has been playing constructs or artificial characters in the various games I have run. In DnD he had a warforged bard, in a superhero game he was a flying droid meant to boost, track and record heroes abilities. various one shots of other systems had him playing similar characters. You'll also notice both of the examples are supporting roles as well.

Anyhow, once the theme became clear he decided it was something he wanted to stick to where possible, and as you might imagine it is no different with our upcoming Dresden files game.

His original idea was something of a golem like character however as I plan to make social interaction an important part of our game I felt it would restrict him to much. The options then shifted to a more bob like idea or perhaps even a genie like character. Now as I understand it most of these entities in the dresden files lack a free will and act according to their nature, also not showing particularly developing personalities. It's something I would be fine with ignoring for his character if he had a good idea of how he wanted to play it but he can be a stickler for established lore and so he did not particularly like that idea.

I am beginning to think I might just need to talk to him about not playing a character like that in this game, but before then I was wondering if anybody here might have an interesting suggestion?

Title: Re: construct characters?
Post by: EdgeOfDreams on October 18, 2012, 11:50:13 PM

For the easiest option, I'd just try to nudge him toward playing a scion or changeling descendant of something supernatural.

If that doesn't appeal, however, consider coming up with some exotic explanation of how a non-mortal acquired free will. There's been some threads on here before about playing a vampire-with-a-soul that might be relevant.

Title: Re: construct characters?
Post by: KnightOrbis on October 19, 2012, 12:02:13 AM

What I do with constructs with a free will usually is make all there powers an IOP and say they are the soul trapped(or contained) within the IOP.

Title: Re: construct characters?
Post by: ways and means on October 19, 2012, 12:06:27 AM

I would go with a biomantic experiment, so human genetic material grown and/or mutated with the aid of magic. 

Title: Re: construct characters?
Post by: Mrmdubois on October 19, 2012, 12:16:40 AM

Or just reskin the Living Dead power so it applies to his constructed body rather than a corpse.

One of the guys in the game we're slowly setting up created a construct character idea as a possibility so it's do-able.

Title: Re: construct characters?
Post by: YPU on October 19, 2012, 12:18:44 AM

Quote from: KnightOrbis on October 19, 2012, 12:02:13 AM

What I do with constructs with a free will usually is make all there powers an IOP and say they are the soul trapped(or contained) within the IOP.

Actually I just got the idea of a apprentice wizards getting tricked into switching places with a genie, which would pretty much be as you describe.

Title: Re: construct characters?
Post by: UmbraLux on October 19, 2012, 12:39:45 AM

Quote from: YPU on October 18, 2012, 11:20:08 PM

I am beginning to think I might just need to talk to him about not playing a character like that in this game, but before then I was wondering if anybody here might have an interesting suggestion?

Building a construct character isn't too hard, just takes a bit of trapping modification.  To me, the hard part is justifying a construct character in the Dresdenverse.  Does he have a good background?  That will shape some of how the character is built...

Title: Re: construct characters?
Post by: Ophidimancer on October 19, 2012, 03:16:27 AM

Quote from: Mrmdubois on October 19, 2012, 12:16:40 AM

Or just reskin the Living Dead power so it applies to his constructed body rather than a corpse.

This works very well, I think.

Title: Re: construct characters?
Post by: YPU on October 19, 2012, 09:57:14 AM

Quote from: UmbraLux on October 19, 2012, 12:39:45 AM

Building a construct character isn't too hard, just takes a bit of trapping modification.  To me, the hard part is justifying a construct character in the Dresdenverse.  Does he have a good background?  That will shape some of how the character is built...

Yea that is a problem as well. Also even if there is a good background there is still the question if he looks human enough to function in general social interactions.

I agree that if he is actually going to be a construct then the living dead power should work out well, the more damage the harder socials get.

Title: Re: construct characters?
Post by: Addicted2aa on October 19, 2012, 12:09:48 PM

Quote from: YPU on October 19, 2012, 09:57:14 AM

Yea that is a problem as well. Also even if there is a good background there is still the question if he looks human enough to function in general social interactions.

I agree that if he is actually going to be a construct then the living dead power should work out well, the more damage the harder socials get.

Tell him to take human form or some other option that lets him hide in mortal company.

Title: Re: construct characters?
Post by: atavistic on October 19, 2012, 12:39:33 PM

My take on the whole 'free will' issue with inhuman characters is that if it quacks like a duck and walks like a duck and floats and flies then even if its not a duck its close enough to count. 

When we talk about free will vs being a monster its not a question of does it have a soul, but rather does it behave as though it does.  A serial killer who can't resist killing is a monster, has a negative refresh and isn't a playable character, but he has a soul.  It could be argued that both Bob and Toot, could be considered as having free will because the both demonstrated the ability to act outside their station or to become something greater then their design. 

Bob does all sorts of actions that look as though they are free will, he takes mister to a strip club and a frat house, he tries to kill his owner when he's evil, he makes a dinosaur eat someone he doesn't like.  He's still tightly bound to his supernatural constraints but he constantly shows he's got wiggle room, like maybe 1 refresh worth of wiggle room.  Toot consistently acts beyond his station, he killed a faerie queen, attacked shagnasty and organized a fighting force, none of which is part of being a tiny pizza loving dew drop faerie.  It could be argued that it was dresden's actions that lead them to all that but the same could be said about Lash's act of free will too.

They might not have free will but they sure act like it.  And just like the serial killer is a monster, maybe these soulless beings have free will. Freedom isn't always a black or white, sometimes is a matter of degrees, and a character just has to be free enough to go above and beyond the call of compels to be free enough to play. If you're looking to have a construct as a character look to these for the Dresden lore surrounding free will and then look to Pinocchio and Dorothy's wizard of Oz companions for creative inspiration.  Maybe your golem who wishes he had free will has had it all along.  YMMV

Title: Re: construct characters?
Post by: Taran on October 19, 2012, 04:29:22 PM

Data.

That would be a good concept for a construct.  A super intelligent AI robot.  Let him look completely human but give him some aspects that could compel his robot status:

"Complexion isn't quite natural" (which he could cover up with deception when it matters)
"Still learning social etiquette"
"Innocent as a child" (Unless he wants to be the Evil Data.  That would be cool too.)

IF he does something like that, then there's good opportunities for compels in social settings, and since data is a "sentient" AI who learns, he could gradually change those aspects as he learns to fit in to society.

I also like the idea of the living dead power.  He'd need to be repaired in order to heal.

Title: Re: construct characters?
Post by: Mrmdubois on October 19, 2012, 04:50:24 PM

A recovery power would work to fix damage too, even if it's just Wizard's Constitution again reskinned and flavored.

Title: Re: construct characters?
Post by: Taran on October 19, 2012, 05:06:04 PM

Quote from: Mrmdubois on October 19, 2012, 04:50:24 PM

A recovery power would work to fix damage too, even if it's just Wizard's Constitution again reskinned and flavored.

nano tech.

Some people may get grumpy with taking a power that negates another powers draw-back - especially one that costs no refresh.

Title: Re: construct characters?
Post by: Sanctaphrax on October 19, 2012, 08:44:10 PM

Quote from: Mrmdubois on October 19, 2012, 12:16:40 AM

Or just reskin the Living Dead power so it applies to his constructed body rather than a corpse.

One of the guys in the game we're slowly setting up created a construct character idea as a possibility so it's do-able.

Yeah, that.

Since it seems to be on-topic, here's a Living Dead rewrite and two related Powers.

(click to show/hide)

UNDYING [-0]
Description: You do not die when you are killed.
Skills Affected: Endurance
Effects:
Deathless. Unless utterly destroyed or killed by special means, you can never suffer a fatal wound. No "death" result is ever permanent unless special means are used (as determined by your creature type).

SEMI-ANIMATE [-1]
Description: You are not fully alive. Maybe you're undead, or maybe you're some kind of robot. Very creepy.
Skills Affected: Endurance, Intimidation, other social skills
Effects:
Unhealing Body. Your body is not, technically speaking, alive. This means that you do not heal naturally, though you can recover normally from physical consequences given repair work or some sort of supernatural effect. (Like a Recovery Power).
What Is Not Alive Cannot Die.  Unless utterly destroyed or killed by special means, you can never suffer a fatal wound. No "death" result is ever permanent unless special means are used (as determined by your creature type).
Very Creepy. When dealing with people not accustomed to things like you, add one to your Intimidation skill and subtract one from your Rapport and Empathy skills. Add one to this bonus/penalty for each level of physical consequence that you are carrying. At the GM's discretion, this bonus/penalty might be ignored in some situations where it would normally apply (like when Reading People) or applied in some situations where it would normally be ignored (like when using Leadership).
No Metabolism. You do not need to eat or sleep or breathe. Furthermore, you do not excrete wastes and you do not age. You are immune to both poison and disease.

NO METABOLISM [-1]
Description: You have no metabolism. It's like your body is frozen in time. Thermodynamics cries itself to sleep.
Skills Affected: Endurance
Effects:
No Metabolism. You do not need to eat or sleep or breathe. Furthermore, you do not excrete wastes and you do not age. You are immune to both poison and disease.

Title: Re: construct characters?
Post by: Ghsdkgb on October 20, 2012, 03:18:49 AM

Quote from: Taran on October 19, 2012, 04:29:22 PM

Data.

That would be a good concept for a construct.  A super intelligent AI robot.  Let him look completely human but give him some aspects that could compel his robot status:

"Complexion isn't quite natural" (which he could cover up with deception when it matters)
"Still learning social etiquette"
"Innocent as a child" (Unless he wants to be the Evil Data.  That would be cool too.)

IF he does something like that, then there's good opportunities for compels in social settings, and since data is a "sentient" AI who learns, he could gradually change those aspects as he learns to fit in to society.

I also like the idea of the living dead power.  He'd need to be repaired in order to heal.

A robot in the Dresdenverse? Where any mortal with a bare flicker of talent can look at you and go

 "poof" and you're out of commission? Seems like a supremely terrible idea to me.

You'd have to be animated strictly by magical means.

Title: Re: construct characters?
Post by: Mrmdubois on October 20, 2012, 03:40:29 AM

He said its a model, not a necessity.  Also

(click to show/hide)

sufficiently advanced technology like Odin's in Changes won't be hexed.