So, when statting several truly ancient creatures in OW, the creators of the game have notes like 'All other skills should be considered Fair'. For true ancients, this seems a reasonable way to do things, and hardly unbalancing, considering how rarely lower-ranked skills will come up. However, it runs into a bit of a problem: What if you want to play something that old?

Not necessarily something powerful mind you, just old. Old enough to have that kind of...breadth of experience. I think this is a perfectly reasonable concept, and have been thinking about how to properly reflect it mechanically. I have an idea...but it seems like it might not quite work and I'd like some thoughts on it. Obviously, barring really weird situations, this power could only be purchased at character creation. So:

Inhuman Experience [-2]
Description: You have lived longer and seen and done more than mortals are capable of. Hell, you've seen and done more than many immortals. You are either several centuries old or at least a century and very active indeed.
Musts: None, but you must usually have some power enabling you to live an extended period of time, at least centuries, such as Wizard's Constitution, Living Dead, or Inhuman Recovery.
Skills Affected: Almost all of them.
Effects:
Seen And Done So Much: Your skill default, the part below your pyramid, is raised from Mediocre to Average. In addition to the Refresh cost of this power, you must invest 10 skill ranks into this 'lower strata' to pay for this breadth...but your remaining skill costs are reduced appropriately (ie: buying a skill to Fair is only one skill rank, a skill at Great only 3). You must still obey the standard skill pyramid rules on purchased skills and your pyramid cap is unaffected. If you possess, or come to possess more than 40 'base' skill ranks (before this power's reduction), one in four must go towards maintaining this power at it's current level. So if you have 48 skill ranks, this power's cost will rise to 12 skill ranks total.

Supernatural Experience [-4]
Description: You have lived longer and seen and done more than many supernatural creatures are capable of, and more than most immortals ever bother with. You are either something like a millennium old or at least a few centuries and very active indeed.
Musts: None, but you must usually  have some power enabling you to live an extended period of time, at least several centuries and more likely at least a millennium, such as Living Dead, or Inhuman Recovery. Wizard's Constitution is not usually sufficient for this level.
Skills Affected: Almost all of them.
Effects:
Seen And Done So Very, Very Much: Your skill default, the part below your pyramid, is raised from Mediocre to Fair. In addition to the Refresh cost of this power, you must invest 20 skill ranks into this 'lower strata' to pay for this breadth...but your remaining skill costs are reduced appropriately (ie: buying a skill to Good is only one skill rank, a skill at Superb only 3). You must still obey the standard skill pyramid rules on purchased skills and your pyramid cap is unaffected. If you possess, or come to possess more than 40 'base' skill ranks (before this power's reduction), one in two must go towards maintaining this power at it's current level. So if you have 48 skill ranks, this power's cost will rise to 24 skill ranks total.

Mythic Experience [-6]
Description: You have lived longer and seen and done more than almost any being on the planet. You are either several millennia old or at least a millennium and very active indeed.
Musts: None, but you must usually have some power enabling you to live an extended period of time, at least one thousand years and more likely several thousand, such as Living Dead, or Inhuman Recovery. Wizard's Constitution is not usually remotely sufficient.
Skills Affected: Almost all of them.
Effects:
Seen And Done It All: Your skill default, the part below your pyramid, is raised from Mediocre to Good. In addition to the Refresh cost of this power, you must invest 30 skill ranks into this 'lower strata' to pay for this breadth...but your remaining skill costs are reduced appropriately (ie: buying a skill to Great is only one skill rank, a skill at Superb only 2). You must still obey the standard skill pyramid rules on purchased skills and your pyramid cap is unaffected. If you possess, or come to possess more than 40 'base' skill ranks (before this power's reduction), three in four must go towards maintaining this power at it's current level. So if you have 48 skill ranks, this power's cost will rise to 36 skill ranks total.

And a downside, available at all levels (though more appropriate the older you are):

Not Keeping Up With The Times [+1]
While you may've seen and done a great deal, none of it involved these newfangled computers and car things. Unlike your other skills, your Driving remains at Mediocre, and your Craftsmanship, Guns, and Scholarship, while they do rise, and may indeed be any rating, are considered to be Mediocre for purposes of dealing with modern technology such as computers, actual surgery, or automatic weapons.
.
.
.
So...thoughts? I'm really unsure on the costs, basically. I know what I want the powers to do...I'm just not so sure on the execution.

EDIT: Upped the skill point cost from a flat 10 (which is how it started out) to the current sliding scale. Just for the record.

Well, for those who don't know, White Wolf Games made a variety of modern supernatural games where you plated as some specific sort of supernatural creature. These could all be made to fit in the Dresden Files, at least in theory. So I'm converting them. Specifically, I'm converting the Old World of Darkness stuff, at least to start with. This thread will be a mass of references nobody who hasn't read or played the games in question will get, but it should be fun anyway.

I did Demon: The Fallen already on request, so I'll be Copy and Pasting that here. After that, I move onto Werewolf, Vampire, and Hunter. Wraith is pretty much just not gonna work, and Changeling and Mage almost don't need the clonversion, though the latter two will get done. They'll get done last, but they'll get done.

So, I've created what amounts to a PC group of eight characters. Fairly well balanced, a variety of types, and with connections to existing Dresden Files characters. they're fully statted, though I'll be writing (as opposed to just knowing) their Backgrounds as I go (and all should be up within a few days). They are suitable for use in Con Games or whatever else. If used for such purposes, I recommend making a quick list and letting however many players you have (presumably less than 8 of them) pick which characters they want to play. Characters are all, obviously, Chest Deep. Commentary of all sorts is welcome.

First up, an index (courtesy of Jeckel):

Novel Chronology

1: Elizabeth Anne Winthrop - Wizard

2: Father James O’Connel - True Believer

3: Erin Carter - Were-Wolf

4: Sam Coleman - Changeling

5: John Strauss - Focused Practitioner

6: Matthew Holland - Red Court Infected

7: Detective Sgt. Delilah Vance - Pure Mortal

8: Anthony Desouza - Pure Mortal


And then our Wizard:

Name: Elizabeth Anne Winthrop

Background:

Liz grew up in a good home with a very normal family. She was always excitable and exuberant, taking life head-on with a great deal of joie-de-vivre, and little in the way of common sense or self-preservation instinct. Her family was upper middle class, but by no means rich, and she seldom speaks to them these days.

Aspect: Youthful Exuberance

Rising Conflict:

When she was 15, Liz made the earth move. Literally. She got very lucky and not only didn’t hurt anyone, but was found by a Wizard of the White Council fairly rapidly and taken in to be put under instruction. She rapidly displayed a prodigious magical talent as well as a lack of what was seen by her instructor as the proper temperament for a Wizard, and particularly a Warden, despite being a decent Evocater. Due to this, she is not given the rank of full Wizard until the age of 23, and even then not considered for the Wardens.

During this time, Liz met and dated a charming young man and fellow apprentice named Carlos Ramirez, who has since moved on to great things. The breakup was relatively amicable…though these days she’s a bit jealous of the esteem and position he’s managed to achieve.

Aspect: Magical Prodigy

First Novel: Falsely Accused

When Liz is accused of having broken the First Law, her ex-boyfriend being a Warden Commander comes in real handy. While he runs interference with the Council, she sets out to prove her innocence, and, with a bit of help from Father O’Connel and John Strauss, PI, she manages to clear her name and nab the mercenary sorcerer who set her up.

Aspect: Carlos Ramirez’s Ex-Girlfriend

Guest Star: Past Sins

When Father O’Connel’s past comes back to haunt him, Liz proves her loyalty to her friends beyond a shadow of a doubt, helping him to lay old demons to rest, even when it almost kills her. While doing so, she meets and works with Erin Carter, another friend of Father O’Connel, and the two actually get along quite well.

Aspect: Loyal To A Fault

Guest Star: Turf Wars

When a Red Court offensive moves into town, Liz (as a representative of the White Council) is forced to ally with Matthew Holland, from the Fellowship of St. Giles, as well as a Pure Mortal businessman named Anthony Desouza to stop them. Not that she minds after she sees their handiwork first hand. Together the three put a stop to the Red Court with extreme prejudice, using a combination of dirty tricks, manipulation, and sheer violence.

Aspect: Subtle And Quick To Anger


Aspects:
High Concept: Young Untried Wizard
Trouble: More Bravery Than Sense
Other:
Youthful Exuberance
Magical Prodigy
Carlos Ramirez’s Ex-Girlfriend
Loyal To A Fault
Subtle And Quick To Anger

Skills:

Superb: Conviction,
Great: Discipline, Lore
Good: Rapport, Scholarship
Fair: Alertness, Athletics, Resources,
Average: Contacting, Deceit, Endurance, Presence, Weapons,

Powers:

Evocation [–3]
Thaumaturgy [–3]
The Sight [–1]
Soulgaze [+0]
Wizard’s Constitution [+0]

Total Refresh: 1

Specializations:

Evocation: Elements (Air, Earth, Spirit); Control (Earth +1)
Thaumaturgy: Complexity (Divination+1);

Focus Items:
Shield Ring [+1 Defensive Control and Power with Earth]
Wand [+1 Offensive Control and Power with Earth]

Rotes:

Gravity Warp (Block: 6 or Armor: 3, requires Ring)
Lightning Bolt (Weapon: 6 Attack. Requires Wand.)
Moving Earth (6 Shift Maneuver against area or opponent. Requires Wand.)
Earth Tremor (Weapon: 4 Attack, targets an entire zone. Defended against with Might. Requires Wand.)

Stress:

Mental: OOOO (+1 Minor Mental Consequences)
Physical: OOO
Social: OOO
Armor: 3, with magic.

I think the title speaks for itself. They provide +1 Stress on unarmed attacks. That's it. As a Mundane Stunt you can get +2 with a restriction...which makes it about equal to Claws. But aren't powers supposed to be flat-out better than Mundane Stunts? Shouldn't someone who just has the Claws power (and, say, Human Form at +0) get something a bit more for the 3 Refresh they gave up?

To look at it another way, Inhuman Strength grants +2 Stress (which also applies to Weapon attacks) and at least one Refresh worth of other capabilities (+3 Lifting and Breakin, +1 to Grapples, +1 Grapple Stress). Shouldn't claws equal the Stress bonus since that's all they give, and even then only to unarmed attacks?

Right now, claws are something certain concepts (like say, a werewolf) require, and so are purchased for them, but at least to me, it feels like a chore, a wasted point of Refresh to make the concept work. That shuldn't be the case with any Stunt, much less a Power, and almost acts as a surcharge subtly discouraging those concepts (not that that'll stop people, but still).

Changing it isn't even particularly unbalancing since you can only get Claws once, so it's not gonna stack up or anything (well, it'll stack with Strength powers, but those are more expensive).

So, I was looking on RPGnet, and they were discussing a potential problem in realism for FATE, which can be summed up as follows: You can maneuver to place the Aspect "On Fire!" on someone, and yet they will not take damage from it by default. Thinking about it, that actually bothered me so I tried to come up with a solution. I also found the section on ongoing damage on p. 325. These together gave me an idea:

If you have put an appropriate aspect on an individual (such as "On Fire!", or "Slowly Dissolving" with Water Evocation) with a Maneuver you may immediately give up your free tag on the Aspect to have the individual take a 1 stress hit every exchange until they successfully take an action to maneuver to remove the Aspect in question. The aspect still exists and may be used, you've just given up your free tag.

Does that sound workable? It'd solve the believability issue in a mechanically supported manner, and it doesn't look too unbalanced either.

So, we have a general skill and Refresh range thanks to the book, and know where most of the Refresh went to boot, but still, we don't have a comprehensive picture of Harry...which leaves us free to make up our own. Here's mine. It's based off of immediately post Small Favor, with notes on changes post Turn Coat and Changes.

EDIT: And now featuring ongoing updates to the Cold Days era.

Now also featuring an Index:

Book Characters:

 1. Harry Dresden (Circa Small Favor)
     Harry Dresden (Circa Cold Days)
     Harry Dresden (Advancement Details)
 2. Thomas Raith (Circa Small Favor)
     Thomas Raith (Circa Cold Days)
 3. Michael Carpenter
 4. Karrin Murphy (Circa Small Favor)
     Karrin Murphy (Circa Cold Days)
 5. John Marcone
 6. Mouse
 7. Carlos Ramirez
 8. Binder
 9. Shagnasty, a Skinwalker
10. Jared Kincaid
11. Listens-to-Wind
12. Anastasia Luccio
13. Donald Morgan
14. Arthur Langtry, the Merlin
15. Ebenezar McCoy
16. Martha Liberty
17. Rashid, the Gatekeeper
18. Ancient Mai
19. Lara Raith
20. Molly Carpenter (Circa Changes)
      Molly Carpenter (Circa Cold Days)
21. William Borden
22. Georgia Borden
23. Waldo Butters (Circa Small Favor)
      Waldo Butters (Circa Ghost Story/Cold Days)
24. Elaine Mallory
25. Youngest Brother Gruff
26. Middle Brother Gruff
27. Elder Brother Gruff aka 'Tiny'
28. Eldest Brother Gruff
29. Toot-toot (Circa Turn Coat)
      Toot-toot (Circa Cold Days)
30. Fix, Summer Knight
31. Lloyd Slate, Winter Knight
32. Ronald Reuel, Summer Knight
33. Sanya
34. Cowl
35. Maeve, Winter Lady
36. Grevane
37. Kumori
38. The Ick (slightly vague)
39. Cat Sith
40. Corpsetaker
41. Charity Carpenter
42. The Skavis
43. Madrigal Raith
44. Vittorio Malvora
45. The Nightmare
46. Nicodemus
47. Tessa
48. The Archive
49. Rosanna
50. Magog
51. Deirdre
52. Thorned Namshiel
53. Lily, the Summer Lady
54. Susan Rodriguez (Circa Grave Peril)
      Susan Rodriguez (Circa Death Masks)
      Susan Rodriguez (Circa Changes)
55. Martin
56. Sigrun Gard
57. Shiro Yoshimo
58. Aristedes
59. Daniel Carpenter (Circa Ghost Story)
60. Mortimer Lindquist (Circa Ghost Story)

Generic:

 1. Black Court Elder
 2. Generic Fomor
 3. Generic Fomor Servitor
 4. Generic Fomor Servitor Leader

So, I just got the book, and I was talking to a friend on the phone about character creation, and he's interested in playing a Changeling. Types of Fae were brought up and he expressed interest in playing the child of a Fetch, and we got to talking about what powers they have. Recalling Proven Guilty I mentioned the ability to travel through mirrors, and then found the sta block for Fetches...which had no mention of this ability.

So, is it a quirk and reflection of all supernaturals' ability to travel through areas that resonate with them? Or is it something more like Swift Transition or Worldwalker that you'd need to pay for?