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Need suggestions for a magic-based brick


dei1c3

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Hello!

 

I am currently playing in a home-brew 6th Edition Champions campaign.  My character Star Mage is, as the name suggests, a spell-casting hero in the vein of Dr. Fate and Dr. Strange (though less powerful) with some sci-fi aspects thrown in to his background story.  Unfortunately, he plays a lot like the 5th Edition D&D Half-Elf Sorcerer I am playing in my D&D campaign and the duplication has left me dissatisfied with him.  With that in mind, I asked my GM if he would allow a "Radiation Accident" event to completely transform him into a different type of character and he said yes.

 

Our group has been time travelling a lot lately and I've decided the event will be caused by residual temporal energies interfering with his casting of a complicated and powerful ritual spell.  He'll still be magic-based in terms of flavor, origin, and special effects but his characteristics, powers, disadvantages, etc... are all open to be changed.  Also, I have already decided that I want his new basic type to be a brick since 1) our group doesn't have one any more (player had to drop out) and 2) I've always had fun playing them.  However, I want him to be more than just STR and Defenses.  This is where (if you're willing) you all come in.

 

I need ideas!

 

I'm open to any and all magic-based brick-related suggestions.  A couple of ideas I have spit-balled but not been able to flesh-out (and am not at all committed to) are:

  • His body is made of magical energy - Kind of like Wonder Man (cohesive ionic energy) or Captain Atom (nuclear energy in a containment suit).  I like this idea a lot but other than flight and energy blasts (nothing wrong with either), I'm blocked on what else a magical energy body would give him.
  • He manifests the 4 classical elements: Stone strength, fire energy blast/damage shield, air flight, water...uh...err...  Anyway, I like systems and symmetries so the 4 elements always appeal to me, but it's kind of a been there/done that kind of thing, right?  Plus while I think the element stuff can be flavored as magic, his current magical powers have nothing to do with them specifically.
  • Becomes some kind of magical brick-like creature: demon, golem, yeti, etc...  But again, what does that give him beyond STR/DEF?

 

I've been going back and forth on this idea for almost a week and am totally blocked.  I've been playing this game since 1981 and have played dozens of different characters (and probably made tens times that number).  Maybe I just don't have any good ideas left.

 

Help!

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EARTH: His strength comes from the earth. Perhaps literally, in that he's only superstrong when he's standing or walking or running along the ground (or on a floor or the like)*

 

AIR: Perhaps when he huffs and puffs, he can produce gale force winds (all out of proportion to even his superhuman strength--kinda like in Superman II).

 

FIRE: Perhaps his defense is a fiery aura, or at least things that strike him take heat damage. Maybe he can generate huge amounts of heat by means of friction--he rubs his hands briskly together until they're glowing red hot and does fire damage to things he touches. Or he spins a twig between finger and thumb and it bursts into flame.

 

WATER: ...really, I got nothing else.

 

 

*Think of it like Thor's hammer, Mjolnir. It's so heavy nobody can lift it...but it can be placed on top of a toilet seat or a glass-topped coffee table quite safely. It's just--nobody can move it.

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What about a plant elemental? Strength of the trees, Growth, Regeneration, perhaps plant control (Entangle and Telekinesis).

 

Living metal, maybe taking the form of a suit of pseudo-medieval plate armor. He could shape his limbs into various weapons. You could also add magnetic powers.

 

Do your current mage's spells draw on any specific entity or defined force? He might become an avatar of that being or embodiment of that force, like Marvel's Juggernaut embodies the invulnerability of the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak. He could thus also have other powers related to that magic source.

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I like Lord Liaden's plant elemental idea, mostly because I've had that idea percolating in my mind for a few weeks and it's something different than the usual earth/fire/air/water theme I've done countless times.

 

I made a warrior/brick for a fantasy hero game years ago that was both fun and effective. If you're still looking for magic-based, what about a brick whose basic characteristics were changed in the accident you described to match those of your run-of-the-mill brick (i.e., high STR, CON, Defenses, etc.), but can access new and more varied powers by casting spells? While these spells may or may not require all of the standard "spell" limitations the original Star Mage had, perhaps it reflects how his body has changed completely but not his mind? 

 

Depending on how much you want the new character to be a standard brick, he could cast spells/focus his magical energy to alter his body in a variety of ways and adapt to situations (e.g., Aid his STR or other characteristics, Growth, Density Increase, Absorption, Enhanced Senses). His body of magical energy might allow him to become desolid to get our of situations where a high STR won't help or shape shift so he can infiltrate an enemy base rather than smash a hole in the front door. My character's "spells" were often built as charges that lasted x phases/minutes/hours, which I liked because I had to decide when or where to use certain abilities. It added variety (and sometimes regret) to my brick/tank.

 

Or, instead of spells that involve body manipulation, come up with powers that are more utilitarian and help the other party members by filling in gaps. If one of the party members has low defenses, he can deflect attacks or create barriers with his spells. Perhaps he can even heal other characters, but only by draining his personal magical energies (increased END)? 

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Perhaps he accidentally becomes the focal point for some transcendent spirit(s).

 

While weaving his magics in the time vortex something happens and some spirit or spirits are drawn into him. And feasting on his magics like a buffet these spirits leave him weak and powerless. But following from that he finds he can channel the spirits like a shaman.

 

 

The spirits could be human warriors, animals, mages, etc. They could be aware of eachother and cooperative or not aware or noncooperative. Maybe the main brick form was a great and honorable spirit and is glad to help. Maybe the other forms are far less honorable and seek to dominate their new form and thus tapping into them opens one up to great risk.

 

So on and sp forth.

 

La Rose.

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For water in the 4-elements scheme, I'd consider a couple of possibilities.

 

One is shapeshifting: water is fluid, so is the character's body.  Similar possibilities include Stretching and Desolid (not through water-tight barriers).

 

Another his healing: it's one of the traditional associations with water, symbologically speaking, and the human body is 80% water.  You can even come up with some mumbo-jumbo about restoring/redirecting the body's humors.  This is compatible with the shapeshifting/fluidity concept above. 

 

Water is also symbolically associated with emotion in a lot of schemas.  So, you could justify some mental powers that way, particularly empathy and emotional mind control, possibly mental defense.

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One ideal for the brick with "Body Of Magic" ability (gee...I have read GURPS some, and they DO have a lot of "Body Of..." powers for GURPS Supers), Desolification, not versus objects made with cold forged iron (that is, iron shaped only by strength, not by heat). In fairy lore, cold forged iron does more damage to the fae folk than normal people. 

 

Another would be "Universal Mystical Power Battery", which would be a Endurance Reserve, Usable By Others, Limited Power (Only Usable By Mages And Mystics). Another side power would be Drain END/END Reserve, Limited Power (Only To Drain Into Magical Sources Of Energy) with an Healing END Reserve (Set Effect: What Is Rolled On The Drain Dice).

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What about a plant elemental? Strength of the trees, Growth, Regeneration, perhaps plant control (Entangle and Telekinesis).

 

Living metal, maybe taking the form of a suit of pseudo-medieval plate armor. He could shape his limbs into various weapons. You could also add magnetic powers.

This is interesting. In fact, if I went this route, I could do the 5 Chinese classical elements of Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Wood (Plants) instead of the Greek ones. And then another thought is he could switch between 5 forms where Earth and Metal would be two different kinds of bricks, but the other 3 wouldn't even have to be bricks. (Plus, as a huge Colossus fan a metal form tank would really appeal to me).

 

 

Do your current mage's spells draw on any specific entity or defined force?

 

Unfortunately not. When I was building him I was just having fun creating different spells from the various power/advantage/limitation mechanics. The result was a very eclectic set of spells that didn't really lends itself to a specific theme.

 

 

I made a warrior/brick for a fantasy hero game years ago that was both fun and effective. If you're still looking for magic-based, what about a brick whose basic characteristics were changed in the accident you described to match those of your run-of-the-mill brick (i.e., high STR, CON, Defenses, etc.), but can access new and more varied powers by casting spells? While these spells may or may not require all of the standard "spell" limitations the original Star Mage had, perhaps it reflects how his body has changed completely but not his mind?

Yeah, this is pretty much what I am thinking.  He won't continue to "cast spells" but instead have magical abilities due to being imbued with the magic that he previously had to work with as spells. It's those additional abilities that I'm trying to figure out.

 

 

Depending on how much you want the new character to be a standard brick, he could cast spells/focus his magical energy to alter his body in a variety of ways and adapt to situations (e.g., Aid his STR or other characteristics, Growth, Density Increase, Absorption, Enhanced Senses). His body of magical energy might allow him to become desolid to get our of situations where a high STR won't help or shape shift so he can infiltrate an enemy base rather than smash a hole in the front door.

 

I definitely like this idea, too. An energy body (magical or otherwise) does suggest a certain amount of flexibility.

 

 

One is shapeshifting: water is fluid, so is the character's body.  Similar possibilities include Stretching and Desolid (not through water-tight barriers).

 

Another his healing: it's one of the traditional associations with water, symbologically speaking, and the human body is 80% water.  You can even come up with some mumbo-jumbo about restoring/redirecting the body's humors.  This is compatible with the shapeshifting/fluidity concept above.

Oh...these are really good. I could see including one or more of these if I go with one of the classic element ideas.

 

Another would be "Universal Mystical Power Battery", which would be a Endurance Reserve, Usable By Others, Limited Power (Only Usable By Mages And Mystics). Another side power would be Drain END/END Reserve, Limited Power (Only To Drain Into Magical Sources Of Energy) with an Healing END Reserve (Set Effect: What Is Rolled On The Drain Dice).

I like this but there are no other magical characters in the group.

 

There's some really good ideas in this thread and my mind is definitely percolating.  Please keep them coming if anyone has any more ideas (either building on these or completely different ones).

 

Thanks!

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For water in the 4-elements scheme, I'd consider a couple of possibilities.

 

One is shapeshifting: water is fluid, so is the character's body.  Similar possibilities include Stretching and Desolid (not through water-tight barriers).

 

Another his healing: it's one of the traditional associations with water, symbologically speaking, and the human body is 80% water.  You can even come up with some mumbo-jumbo about restoring/redirecting the body's humors.  This is compatible with the shapeshifting/fluidity concept above. 

 

Water is also symbolically associated with emotion in a lot of schemas.  So, you could justify some mental powers that way, particularly empathy and emotional mind control, possibly mental defense.

 

Another variation on the water theme appropriate to a brick, would be a body of solid ice. Ice would open up the potential for various cold powers. Now that I think of it, the character might be able to cycle at will between forms of ice, water, and steam, each with their own unique abilities (Multiform or Multipower).

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Another variation on the water theme appropriate to a brick, would be a body of solid ice. Ice would open up the potential for various cold powers. Now that I think of it, the character might be able to cycle at will between forms of ice, water, and steam, each with their own unique abilities (Multiform or Multipower).

 

Wonder Twin Powers Activate! :P

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If you like the body of magic idea, you could add stretching, growth, shrinking, desolidification, density increase, etc. One of the things I've always liked is sort of a Tactile Telekinetic, like Superboy used to be. People think you're a brick, you what you're really doing is putting up a "micro" force field, and you're actually levitating heavy objects, but you can't project your magic anymore, so you have to touch it to levitate it. While it looks like you're punching the bad guy, you're really releasing a magical blast on contact.

 

If your need were REALLY dire, you could project your energy, but it would cost you BODY to do it... Hmm if you don't want that idea maybe I'll use it :P

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Water effects could include a defensive suite - desolid (water-body flows around the attack) vs physical, enhanced DCV (water moves away from the attack), increased armor (how do you hurt water?) etc.

You could also make a nice EB with it - double KB, Continuous (water cannon).

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One of the PCs in my current/on hold campaign is basically a brick with some power moves, Power Defense and Life Support ('cause she's a goddess), and a small VPP for ad-hoc magical powers. Even a small VPP can be quite effective, both tactically and for that "magical" feel. Does the group need some odd little power? Like, just the right form of Life Support to counter the bad guy's big NND? Give Anunit a minute to write a little cuneiform tablet for everyone to carry, and Mister Big Bad becomes Mister One Against Four And Not So Tough Anymore. Or, use it for a few inches of Armor Piercing Teleportation to enter the one base they've ever encountered with Hardened Defense.

 

For Star Mage, the story can be that becoming a creature of pure magical energy means he's lost his spellcasting... but he's gained the potential to be a far more powerful being. The little starting VPP is the first hint of the nigh-limitless power he could attain -- someday.

 

Dean Shomshak

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How about a dimensional intrusion of a gigantic form that is essentially the huge head of your character peering in from 'The Beyond' through a dimensional gate?

 

As such, he could be a man-sized head (perhaps with prehensile hair -- ie 'Extra Limbs') essentially floating in place, and a pair of gargantuan hands that appear (Stretching, Does Not Cross Intervening Space) and vanish at need?

 

Justifies immense strength without the messy limitations of Growth, and definitely not like an elf.

 

Of course, when he needs to, he can emerge entirely into your campaign universe, without that messy mass or DCV/PER penalties of Growth because he's magic.

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Hmmm... how about his body is destroyed by the ritual he is casting, but his soul survives, and it is placed in some sort of construct? He loses some/most/all of his casting ability, but gains a powerful body in its place.

 

This has the side effect of being, "reversible" if his body is recreated, and might allow the construct to continue with another soul in it.

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The one n mana is for mages and priests.

The two nn manna is for holy feasts.

 

And I'll bet you a ripe banana

That there is no three nnn manna.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary says someone with a body of mana would have an astral form, and someone with a body of manna would get stinky and wormy the next day, unless the next day is the Seventh.

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Demonic possession seems like an option.


 


his body is possessed by some demonic lord but he manages to fight back although it takes all of his mystical energy to do so but he doesn't have the strength to  full exorcise thee demon he has all of the demons unholy strength and toughness but none of his old magic and should he lose control in the heat of battle the demon may surface and turn him into a berserker attacking friend and foe alike. now he searches for some artifact or spell that will allow him to finally remove the curse.


 


alternatively with the plant one you couldd certainly use the european myth of the green man / jack in the green etc connected to rebirth and renewal. plenty of mythology to exploit


 


one hero i keep meaning to write up for my self is Doc Osiris. half egyptian half english son of two egyptologist/archeologists when his parents dig is attacked by terrorists he is trapped inside by a huge explosion and awakes to discover his right arm has been torn off in the explosion but some how has been replaced by the arm of the mummy who's sarcophagus his parents had just discovered.


 


now the disembodied spirit of a the long dead court magician helps him in his adventures teaching him ancient magics and secrets. and when the situation gets really dire he can transform fully into the unstoppable undead mummy ..


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Unfortunately not. When I was building him I was just having fun creating different spells from the various power/advantage/limitation mechanics. The result was a very eclectic set of spells that didn't really lends itself to a specific theme.

 

 

Hmm... That makes me think of THE archetypal magic-based brick, Captain Marvel (or Shazam! as they call him now). As with the abilities that the acronym, "s.h.a.z.a.m," stands for, perhaps you could take each of your mage's standard spells, and translate it into a roughly-comparable physical power. Like, your blasting-magic becomes a mighty blow (HA); an Entangle morphs into great grasping strength; a movement spell becomes extraordinary speed; magic shields become permanent invulnerability; scrying spells turn into enhanced senses; and the like. If your spells have distinctive names, your character could declare that each of his abilities is "the power of X."

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Hello!

 

I am currently playing in a home-brew 6th Edition Champions campaign.  My character Star Mage is, as the name suggests, a spell-casting hero in the vein of Dr. Fate and Dr. Strange (though less powerful) with some sci-fi aspects thrown in to his background story.

I find myself curious about these science fiction aspects.

 

If you want to keep the name, perhaps his new powers have a starry theme.

 

"To Stand Unharmed in the Heart of a Star" - Life Support, lots of defenses

 

"Inexhaustible Power of a Star" - zero END cost on STR and Movement

 

"The Forge Fire of the Universe" - Transform (all but the lightest of chemical elements formed from stellar fusion)

 

"To Walk Among the Stars" - FTL

 

"Font of all Forms of Energy" - A Hand Attack with Variable Special Effects to include heat, light, radiation, gravity...

 

"Starsong" - High Range Radio

 

"The Stars do not Forget" - Retrocognition for any event on any world that the light of a star fell upon

 

"Endless Light" - Images, or whatever you use in your game to create light

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary says that every man and woman is a star

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