Leland Gaunt from Needful Things

[g3taso]

I just watched Needful Things again, and it was wonderful. Leland Gaunt is a wonderful villain. His multipower might be described as:

 

1. he knows everything he needs to know about anyone he wants to come in contact with to apply overwhelming psychological pressure on someone

2. many skill levels with Interaction skills

3, he knows some object that you might like, and has one available right then. 

4. megascale AoE for everyone to kill each other

 

This character is awesome, and I bet a lot of people out there have seen this movie. Any other apparent powers that I missed? Any people willing to stab at bringing this wonderful villain's powers up on 5E or 6E?

[mrinku]

Haven't seen it, but your description is pretty clear.

 

Well, if we're taking GM creation, I'd run a lot of that with Unreasonable Levels of Skill.

 

KS: Everyone's Dark Secrets 30-

KS: What Everyone Wants 30-

Any other useful knowledge skills along those lines that may be of use.

Possibly Clairsentience depending on how he gathers the information and if he needs preparation time.

All the interaction skills at 30-

PRE 40 or more

Summon: Something Someone Wants (requires a What Everyone Wants roll)

 

From the wiki description of the book I'd not make the killing each other thing a power as such. That's more his villain plan enacted using his manipulation of people; you wouldn't buy a Megascale damage power to represent a Hulk rampage... you'd just have the Hulk rampage. It also seems to happen over a fair period of time and with a small number of people, many or most of whom have pre-existing issues he exploits... so you could likely get away with Clairsentience and appropriate skills. High PRE is clearly needed, regardless.

 

Nothing I'd let a player have, or course.

[g3taso]

What is really stumping me is how to model is ability to know anything about whoever he is interacting with. He knows of your addictions, he knows what you are doing at that very moment  and all your psychological limitations and so forth. 

 

Megascale attack retracted. That was just for fun

[mrinku]

Well, the BORING way would be Telepathy. Yawn.

 

Add Deduction 30- to the list if you like.

 

From my reading of the wiki it sounds like he has more than enough time to spy on the townsfolk (through some unknown and probably arcane means) and may have been doing so for their entire lives. In that case, it's as I wrote it up - Knowledge Skills, aided by Clairsentience.

 

It's the Batman thing. Batman always has exactly what he needs because he's spent years researching everyone. In game terms that gets done as a gadget pool and very high KS rolls. Sherlock Holmes does it too.

 

This guy is an arcane, next level version of that. 

[dsatow]

What is really stumping me is how to model is ability to know anything about whoever he is interacting with. He knows of your addictions, he knows what you are doing at that very moment  and all your psychological limitations and so forth. 

 

The way I'd do it is a detect psychological needs, mental sense, discriminatory, analyze, range, +4.  This would give him the ability to know this person has a gambling addiction but not know the reason why.  

 

Another way which is far grosser and much more expensive, is clairsentience sight and sound retrocognition. 1024 perception points, rapidx100000. and PS:Psychoanalyst.

[indy523]

What is really stumping me is how to model is ability to know anything about whoever he is interacting with. He knows of your addictions, he knows what you are doing at that very moment  and all your psychological limitations and so forth. 

 

Megascale attack retracted. That was just for fun

g3taso

if you remember from the book the special item that the individuals would sell their soul for or do nasty tricks anyways was at the end shown to be a piece of junk, worn out and useless.  He was able to make the individuals see the item as really cool or beautiful because he put his devil whammy on them.  Think of it as a mind control which has one effect, make the target want the thing so badly they would do anything for it.

 

If you think about it the level needed might be at a +10 or +20 level tops perhaps adding in the I don't know I am Mind Controlled penalty addition.  This is because the tricks themselves mostly seem like harmless pranks.  The reason everyone goes crazy is that they seem to make people think an enemy is doing it and they add up.

 

This would require high levels of persuasion, and KN Psychology, Analyze, Charm and other skills such as High Society and Streetwise because he knows what buttons to push.  Maybe the victim gets the equivalent of  a psychological complication from the mind control.  The power could escalate the feelings of longing jealousy and hatred as a trigger through the focus the needful thing.

 

Just some thoughts!