Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - Becq

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 81
1
DFRPG / Re: Pure Mortal or Changeling at Character Creation
« on: September 21, 2012, 02:16:37 AM »
Keep in mind that even if they do start a game as a Pure Mortal (complete with +2) and sprout a power mid-session, buying off the Pure Mortal bonus would count toward the price for the mid-session upgrade.  For example, such a character who buys Inhuman Strength mid-session would lose four refresh, and would therefore have to trade in four Fate points (or gain four debt, or a combination thereof), as well.  This is significant enough that I don't think that there need be further limitations on when such a purchase.

That said, I still favor the concept the characters who are Pure Mortal are mundane until they aren't Pure Mortals any more.  So, for example, until they buy off that Pure Mortal bonus, they could not invoke their High Concept for bonuses related to their supernatural heritage.  That is my opinion; others differ.

2
DFRPG / Re: Running water
« on: September 18, 2012, 12:54:20 AM »
If a character wants to use water magic to short out an opponent's magic, this sounds like your choice of: placing a maneuver on the opponent (Magic shorted out) to be tagged/invoked as appropriate, orthe same, but on the scene (Indoor Monsoon, which could conceivably be used against any attempt at spellcasting), or a block vs spellcasting.  Any seem to me to be appropriate applications of water magic.

3
DFRPG / Re: Items of Power as Animals?
« on: September 18, 2012, 12:47:54 AM »
I've got this picture of a character charging into combat, mightily swinging his pet two-handed by the tail and leaving vicious bite and claw marks on his targets...

Of course, the downside to this weapon would be when your trying to sneak into the evil mastermind's lair, and the GM compels you because your IoP barked...

4
DFRPG / Re: Spending two Fate points to Invoke two Aspects?
« on: September 18, 2012, 12:33:46 AM »
Here's yer quote:
Quote from: YS99
It is possible to use more than one aspect on a single roll, but you can’t use the same aspect more than once on the same roll or action (even if you’ve re-rolled the dice, that’s still the same roll or action).

5
DFRPG / Re: Modular Abilities without Shapeshifting
« on: September 13, 2012, 09:06:49 PM »
For my own writing I have a magic system where magic element is determined by personality and repeatedly reference a guy with Dissociative Identity Disorder that skipped between powers depending on his personality.  That could be fun with a Dresden CHaracter too.

Spend 4 refresh on modular powers and say that at the beginning of the scene the player has to choose what type of channeling/ritual they know at a given time(and preset what each personality has.) All the RP possibilities too.
I'd be more than a little tempted to rule that this doesn't require modular powers (as a house rule).  Instead, just buy "Channeling(GM's choice)", and define your high concept as appropriate.  When this becomes a liability, the character gets the benefit of a compel -- or could buy off the compel to force his "round" personality into the "square" hole... 

Note: most of the time, having the GM pick the element shouldn't count as a compel, because when it comes down to it, attacking with a force-based spirit attack instead of a fire attack has little game impact.  It's largely when you, for example, fight that water elementals who are immune to water attacks where it becomes a liability.

Note 2: It would probably make sense to disallow rotes for the character; this would also provide a counterweight to the slight advantage of being able to spend a Fate point to gain flexibility in element choice.


6
DFRPG / Re: Question about Focused Practitioners.
« on: September 13, 2012, 08:48:17 PM »
Regarding the balance of Sponsored Magic relative to Channeling + Ritual: I think that there seems to be a common tendency to ignore the fact that Sponsored Magic is intended to be on a leash that is not entirely under the control of the character.  Casting a particular spell via Channeling has a predicatable effect every time.  You might fail your roll, you might be blocked, etc, but it's just the character vs. the mechanics.  If you use Unseelie Magic, however, it could fail because it goes against Winter's interests ... or because Winter simply isn't interested in the spell you are trying to cast.  Or because you unknowingly annoyed the Queen last century and she wanted to make you look silly.  This is touched on briefly in the power writeup on YS183 ("Invariably, these sources of power have some kind of agenda of their own"), and mentioned again on YS287 ("the spell you’re casting must align with the agenda of the sponsor"), and descussed in more detail on YS289.

If your GM ignores this inherent limitation in Sponsored Magic then of course it's going to be superior to the alternative, every time.  Or if you have a pushover sponsor whose agenda basically boils down to "whatever the caster wants".  Or if you build a custom power that is modeled off Sponsored Magic (as opposed to the standard magics + additional refresh for advantages), but with no agenda at all.

7
DFRPG / Re: Hunger Reserves
« on: September 11, 2012, 11:30:09 PM »

8
DFRPG / Re: Question about Focused Practitioners.
« on: September 07, 2012, 11:17:21 PM »
Well...he's been playing with a variety of names, so I played it safe. Thanks for the help though. Another player went the route of Ferromancer...technically all metal, but Mettallomancer sounds funny.
You could go with Allomancer...

9
DFRPG / Re: Modular Abilities without Shapeshifting
« on: September 07, 2012, 11:09:25 PM »
Modular abilities, to my understanding, has no requirement that other shapeshifting powers be owned.  That is, there are no other powers listed as 'musts'.  Instead, Modular Abilities is in itself a shapeshifting power.  When used, "You may shapeshift your form to take on a variety of abilities".

On the one hand, this doesn't allow you to change into completely different shapes -- if you use it to gain flight, you become yourself with wings, not a bird.  If you want to look like a bird then you need something like Beast Change or True Shapeshifting.  On the other hand, any function you gain does change what you look like in some way -- if you gain Inhuman Strength, then you will look noticeably more bulky.  If you don't want the changes to be obvious, you need something like Human Guise or Flesh Mask.

10
DFRPG / Re: What's in the BOX?
« on: September 05, 2012, 08:33:58 PM »
A rubber ducky.  Yellow.

11
DFRPG / Re: Shadowmancer
« on: August 27, 2012, 09:26:57 PM »
I'm sad no one got my joke...
I'm sure Lamont Cranston would have gotten it, if he lurked on these boards.  :p

12
DFRPG / Re: Assessments: supplemental or full actions?
« on: August 24, 2012, 11:28:30 PM »
Quote from: YS115
All assessment efforts require the use of a significant chunk of time, usually indicated in the skill write-up. However, this time invested in preparation allows these skills to come to bear in more time pressured environments (like a fight) where they would not typically be useful.

As UmbraLux mentioned, I think that what you are looking for is a Declaration, instead.  Assessment is basically a mechanism that allows you to uncover a hint from the GM in the form of a generally "durable" aspect.  For example, a character might make spend a few hours to make a Contacts roll, resulting in the discovery that his opponent is In hock up to his eyeballs, which he might make good use of some time later, perhaps during a social conflict.  Declaration is what allows you to apply knowledge that your character "already knows" to place an aspect.  The example mentioned earlier regarding RCV bellies is a good example of this, which takes no time at all (you still get a full action without penalties, even though a roll was required to "place" the aspect).  You can also use a declaration to "create a scene element", as done in the example on YS116.

13
DFRPG / Re: Help with an item of power.
« on: August 17, 2012, 07:59:33 PM »
Haru's got a good idea with Modular Abilities to represent the potential bonuses imparted.  You might add "Human Form, involuntary change" to reflect that the benefits aren't always available, and availablility isn't under the character's control.  And as others have mentioned, a "bad draw" would reflect a compel on the attached aspect (which could be "bought off", possibly by the mechanic Haru suggested).

14
DFRPG / Re: Making PCs Faerie Esquires?
« on: August 16, 2012, 08:14:41 PM »
A single-use bonus aspect makes sense for situations like Harry/Morgan's.

If you want a more permanent arrangement (kind of a Knight-lite), then consider having the character add the Emissary template (or replacing, if the character was formerly pure mortal).  The character modifies his high concept (possibly by tacking ", Esquire of Winter" on the end of it), gains Marked By Power, and might have further opportunities to develop other powers.

15
DFRPG / Re: Armor and Toughness Powers Stacking?
« on: August 15, 2012, 02:19:12 AM »
Reference supporting the above:

Quote from: YS202 (sidebar)
Do weapon ratings stack? How about armor?

No, they don’t (unless a power says otherwise). You take the highest rating. That said, not all armor protects against all types of damage, so multiple forms may get you broader coverage without providing a numerically higher armor rating.

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 81