Emotion vampirism ?

[sioc]

Hello,

I need to find a way to ceate a kind of vampire that feed on ambiant and personal good mood.

 

I have 2 troubles : I need to manage the hunger and i really don't know what power to use for the feeding.

 

Any ideas ?

[DasBroot]

 

Unless doing so has a debilitating effect on the 'victim' (or area) then you probably don't NEED a power to feed - it can be covered by Addiction/Dependence with the level dependant on how common emotions that will suffice are in the setting .  Addiction/Dependence doesn't specify how you ingest the subject of your addiction - that's up to you.  Maybe you have to stand in a crowd with arms outspread, maybe a visible tendril of energy leaps from the 'victim' to the vampire. Whatever.

 

If it has a negative effect on the target, though, then it has to be some sort of attack.

 

I would go with a cumulative Mind Control (fixed effect - Apathetic). 

 

If there's also a traditional vampire bite involved then there would be a physical component as well.

 

What I like for a  vampire 'feeding' bite not meant to injure or kill (by bite alone) is a 1d6 HA, no str, with attack vs alternate defense (resistant PD).  This means that a vampire can bite through the average person's PD unimpeded for minimal stun but is stopped by people wearing armor or who ARE armor (superheroes, etc). From there they can do whatever it is they do (drain BOD, killing attack, whatever)

 

LInk the mind control to it instead of those traditional "I vant to suck your bluud" options and you have a vampire that can bite people, who lack rPD, but not superheroes or anyone wearing armor and 'drain' their good mood.

 

 

[LoneWolf]

What happens to the victim when the vampire feeds on it?  Most of the time the vampire’s feeding will be some sort of drain.  What it drains depends on the nature of the vampire.  The two most obvious drains would be body or stun.  If the feeding is deadly then body would be appropriate, if not stun may be the way to go.  With an emotional vampire it may drain other abilities instead.  EGO or PRE may be appropriate for an emotional vampire.

 

The hunger is usually done with the complication Dependence.  Probably want to use either the weakness option, or maybe the incompetence option.  

[sioc]

thanks for the answers

 

@DasBroot : i love the idea of the Addiction/Dependence, maybe a good way to do so

 

@Lonewolf: good question... damn how to manage a shrink in good mood... I did too much Fate rpg, i think aspect... I have to find an other way here... I like the idea of a drain of EGO and maybe, maybe give a badluck time for those who were drained ? I really dunno... I just have to figure out more the logic in Hero System to find a way...

[dsatow]

I don't know if this helps but

 

I've been creating vampires where they have huge end batteries (100-400 end) but no recovery.  When they feed (a constant HKA, though I like the AVAD HA idea of DasBroot's), they trigger a large healing on the end battery.  Their life support immortal costs end per activation (where they have to activate it every day to stay immortal) and thus draw 1 end per day constantly from the pool.  If they use their powers(multiform, hypnotism, teleportation, flight, etc), the end goes down even faster.

 

You could do something similar, where the healing triggers in good vibes and a susceptibility drains end in a bad vibe.

 

Again, that's just a suggestion.

[sioc]

@dsatow : interesting... 

 

How do you put in game system a bad vibe ? A malus in social test for a given time ?

[dsatow]

Sense Vibe naturally. 

[Doc Democracy]

You know, for an emotion vampire, I like the idea that the feeding element is covered by addiction/dependence, driving the vampire to seek sustenance.  I would make the feeding be a transform attack, creating a psychological disadvantage, first to crave the company of the vampire, then to deaden the emotional highs and lows, removing likes, loves and hates from psychological complications, removing berserk etc.  Ultimately the vampire cannot draw sustenance from the victim and it has to move on, leaving the emotionless addict wrecked behind it.

 

A wicked GM, might have the final transform change the craving to an actual dependence on the vampire...

 

Doc

[Ninja-Bear]

7 hours ago, DasBroot said:

 

Unless doing so has a debilitating effect on the 'victim' (or area) then you probably don't NEED a power to feed - it can be covered by Addiction/Dependence with the level dependant on how common emotions that will suffice are in the setting .  Addiction/Dependence doesn't specify how you ingest the subject of your addiction - that's up to you.  Maybe you have to stand in a crowd with arms outspread, maybe a visible tendril of energy leaps from the 'victim' to the vampire. Whatever.

 

If it has a negative effect on the target, though, then it has to be some sort of attack.

 

I would go with a cumulative Mind Control (fixed effect - Apathetic). 

 

If there's also a traditional vampire bite involved then there would be a physical component as well.

 

What I like for a  vampire 'feeding' bite not meant to injure or kill (by bite alone) is a 1d6 HA, no str, with attack vs alternate defense (resistant PD).  This means that a vampire can bite through the average person's PD unimpeded for minimal stun but is stopped by people wearing armor or who ARE armor (superheroes, etc). From there they can do whatever it is they do (drain BOD, killing attack, whatever)

 

LInk the mind control to it instead of those traditional "I vant to suck your bluud" options and you have a vampire that can bite people, who lack rPD, but not superheroes or anyone wearing armor and 'drain' their good mood.

 

 

DasBroot you can’t have a HA with no STR per RAW. You must have at least 1/2 DC of STR DC in order to use the HA. Fear not  just buy it as 1D6 Blast no range and you’re good.

[DasBroot]

Fair enough.

 

Hmm.  If you go with the 'bite does no lasting damage' approach to things you can skip the bite attack power entirely and just put 'requires skin contact' on the Mind Control.

 

Mental transforms are neat as well but should definitely be reserved to be dependant on how malevolent the vampire is intended to be - mental transforms are downright evil to use, from both a mechanic and in game point of view - even if used for 'good' like trying to remove the megalomania from a villain. 

 

(Yes, the world is a better place for it and yes the villain is probably better off for it ... but it was a core part of their personality and they didn't work through their issues and adapt their personality and sense of self to compensate (buy it off)  Instead they're instantly no longer the same person.  In a way you killed them and replaced them with a clone with their memories.)

[Cassandra]

It's called Marriage.

[Mister E]

If you can sustain yourself on something other than food that is a form of Life Support.

 

If feeding on emotions is meant to exactly replace feeding on food, no points.

 

Compare to toggling from breathing air to breathing water.

 

[sioc]

@Mister E : thanks for that point  that will be a Life Support.

 

 

[sioc]

So, my Mood vampire will also have the ability to step aside in an other dimension but only for 5 minutes at the beginning of the campaign, the players will be able to buy a much longer and even a no time limit version of the power later on.

And yes there are living creatures in that other dimension.

 

There my first try :

 

POWERS
Cost	Power	END

27	Σ² Feeding Mood PRE: Multipower, 22-point reserve, (22 Active Points) Notes: (x2 number of items)
1f	1) Drain PRE (Single Target): Drain PRE 1d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Area Of Effect Nonselective (20m Radius; +3/4) (22 Active Points); Extra Time (5 Minutes, -2), Unified Power (-1/4)	0
1f	2) Drain PRE (Area): Drain PRE 1d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Area Of Effect Nonselective (20m Radius; +3/4) (22 Active Points); Extra Time (5 Minutes, -2), Unified Power (1 Feeding power, 1 Drain Ego, 1 Drain PRE; -1/4)	0
27	Σ² Feeding Mood EGO: Multipower, 22-point reserve, (22 Active Points) Notes: (x2 number of items)
1f	1) Drain EGO (Single Target): Drain EGO 1d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Area Of Effect Nonselective (20m Radius; +3/4) (22 Active Points); Extra Time (5 Minutes, -2), Unified Power (-1/4)	0
1f	2) Drain EGO (Area): Drain EGO 1d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Area Of Effect Nonselective (20m Radius; +3/4) (22 Active Points); Extra Time (5 Minutes, -2), Unified Power (1 Feeding power, 1 Drain Ego, 1 Drain PRE; -1/4)	0
51	Σ² : Multipower, 41-point reserve, (41 Active Points) Notes: (x3 number of items)
1f	1) Area Mood Feeding: Mind Control 3d6 (Human class of minds), Invisible Power Effects (Invisible to Mental Group; +1/4), Telepathic (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Area Of Effect Nonselective (20m Radius; +3/4) (41 Active Points); Cannot Use Targeting (-1/2), Concentration, Must Concentrate throughout use of Constant Power (1/2 DCV; -1/2), Set Effect : Apathetic (-1/2), Unified Power (1 Feeding power, 1 Drain Ego, 1 Drain PRE; -1/4)	0
1f	2) Single Target Mood feeding: Mind Control (fixed effect - Apathetic) 3d6, Invisible Power Effects (Invisible to Mental Group; +1/4), Telepathic (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (30 Active Points); Requires A Roll (Attack roll; Must be made each Phase/use; -1), Eye Contact Required (-1/2), Set Effect : Apathetic (-1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4), Unified Power (1 Feeding power, 1 Drain Ego, 1 Drain PRE; -1/4)	0
1f	3) Step into the Darkness: Extra-Dimensional Movement (Single Dimension) (20 Active Points); Side Effects : Achromatopsia, Side Effect occurs automatically whenever Power is used (see only in grey scale; -1/2), Limited Power Power Time limit : 5 min (-1/4)	2
0	Good Mood Feeding: Life Support (Feed on good emotions instead of food and water.)	0
4	Pseudo-immortality: Life Support (Longevity: 1600 Years), Uncontrolled (+1/2) (6 Active Points); Costs Endurance (-1/2) Notes: (once per day)	1

 

DISADVANTAGES
Cost	Disadvantage
5	Dependence: Good Mood Incompetence: -1 to Skill Rolls and related rolls per time increment (Common; 1 Day; Addiction)

 

Do you see any errors or better way to built it ?

First time i use the Unified Power, not sure i went ok...

And if you have a way to do the attack on both PRE and EGO with a single power  ...

[Lucius]

 

Here, try this

 

Depress Spirits:  (Total: 27 Active Cost, 11 Real Cost) Drain PRE and EGO 1d6, Area Of Effect (8m Radius Explosion; +1/4), Expanded Effect (x2 Characteristics or Powers simultaneously) (PRE, EGO; +1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Damage Over Time, Target's defenses only apply once, Lock out (cannot be applied multiple times) (4 damage increments, damage occurs every 5 Minutes, +1/2) (27 Active Points); One Use At A Time (-1), No Range (-1/2) (Real Cost: 11)

 

Note that EGO and PRE are if I'm not mistaken "Defensive" so each 1d6 Drain is actually a half d6. And if you use "Nonselective" you have to individually target each particular person in the area.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary isn't sure that Uncontrolled applies to Life Support, nor that Cannot Use Targetting should apply to Mind Control (unless in your game Mind Control takes a Hit Location....) Also, Mind Control at only 3d6 is unlikely to control much at all.

[sioc]

20 minutes ago, Lucius said:

The palindromedary isn't sure that Uncontrolled applies to Life Support, nor that Cannot Use Targetting should apply to Mind Control (unless in your game Mind Control takes a Hit Location....) Also, Mind Control at only 3d6 is unlikely to control much at all.

 

For the Mind Control, I wanted a no targetting on the area of effect, so everybody is food and there is no exception... the AoE is enough for that ?

 

You removed the unifled power, any reason ?

[Lucius]

6 minutes ago, sioc said:

 

For the Mind Control, I wanted a no targetting on the area of effect, so everybody is food and there is no exception... the AoE is enough for that ?

 

You removed the unifled power, any reason ?

 

Yes, Area Effect gets what you want.

 

edit: you say "For the Mind Control" but you use Nonselective on all the Area Effect power I notice?

 

No, no reason I didn't use Unified Power.

 

What's your reason for using a Multipower?

 

Lucius Alexander

 

I don't need a reason to use a palindromedary

[sioc]

1 minute ago, Lucius said:

What's your reason for using a Multipower

 

The powers in it can't be used simultaneously and that cost less than not being in one.

[Lucius]

8 minutes ago, sioc said:

 

The powers in it can't be used simultaneously and that cost less than not being in one.

 

That's a good reason.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

And a multipalindromedary tagline

[sioc]

ok,

 

so the new version  

 

POWERS
Cost	Power	END
40	Σ² Feeding: Multipower, 35-point reserve, (35 Active Points) Notes: (x2 number of items)
1f	1) Depress Spirits (AoE): Drain PRE, EGO 1d6, Area Of Effect (8m Radius Explosion; +1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Expanded Effect (x2 Characteristics or Powers simultaneously) (PRE, EGO; +1/2) (22 Active Points); Extra Time (5 Minutes, -2), Damage Over Time, Target's defenses only apply once, Lock out (cannot be applied multiple times) (2 damage increments, damage occurs every 5 Minutes, -1/2), Unified Power (1 Feeding power, 1 Drain; -1/4)	0
1f	2) Depress Spirits (Single Target): Drain PRE, EGO 1d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Expanded Effect (x2 Characteristics or Powers simultaneously) (PRE, EGO; +1/2), Invisible Power Effects (Fully Invisible, effects of Power are Invisible to both target and other characters; +1 1/2) (35 Active Points); Extra Time (5 Minutes, -2), Damage Over Time, Target's defenses only apply once, Lock out (cannot be applied multiple times) (2 damage increments, damage occurs every 5 Minutes, -1/2), Unified Power (1 Feeding power, 1 Drain; -1/4)	0
92	Σ²: Multipower, 82-point reserve, (82 Active Points) Notes: (x3 number of items)
4f	1) Area Mood Feeding: Mind Control 6d6 (Human class of minds), Invisible Power Effects (Invisible to Mental Group; +1/4), Telepathic (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Area Of Effect Nonselective (20m Radius; +3/4) (82 Active Points); Concentration, Must Concentrate throughout use of Constant Power (1/2 DCV; -1/2), Set Effect : Apathetic (-1/2), Unified Power (1 Feeding power, 1 Drain; -1/4)	0
2f	2) Single Target Mood feeding: Mind Control (fixed effect - Apathetic) 6d6, Invisible Power Effects (Invisible to Mental Group; +1/4), Telepathic (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (60 Active Points); Requires A Roll (Attack roll; Must be made each Phase/use; -1), Set Effect : Apathetic (-1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4), Unified Power (1 Feeding power, 1 Drain; -1/4)	0
1f	3) A Step into the Darkness: Extra-Dimensional Movement (Single Dimension) (20 Active Points); Side Effects : Achromatopsia, Side Effect occurs automatically whenever Power is used (see only in grey scale; -1/2), Limited Power Time limit : 5 min (-1/4)	2
0	Good Mood Feeding: Life Support (Feed on good emotions instead of food and water.)	0
4	Pseudo-immortality: Life Support (phase: 1 day) (Longevity: 1600 Years), Uncontrolled (+1/2) (6 Active Points); Costs Endurance (-1/2)	1
145	Total Powers Cost

 

DISADVANTAGES
Cost	Disadvantage
5	Dependence: Good Mood Incompetence: -1 to Skill Rolls and related rolls per time increment (Common; 1 Day; Addiction)
5	Total Disadvantages Cost

 

 

 

[Lucius]

 

Your Area Effect Drain lacks the Invisible Power Advantage. Everyone's going to know who's bringing the party down.

 

Rather than create a Mulipower with a singe target effect and a more expensive but otherwise identical area effect version, perhaps you can consider buying the single target power, and a Naked Advantage of Area Effect? You could even buy just the one Naked Advantage and apply it to whichever relevant power you are using at the moment.

 

You have X2 number of items and X3 number of items on the Multipowers - what exactly are you trying to do?

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary and I don't necessarily have a problem with this, but some Game Operations DIrectors are likely to say it needs to be a Focus to take advantage of that "have another one for +5 pts" rule.

[sioc]

1 minute ago, Lucius said:

Your Area Effect Drain lacks the Invisible Power Advantage. Everyone's going to know who's bringing the party down.

 

Ooops !

 

2 minutes ago, Lucius said:

Rather than create a Mulipower with a singe target effect and a more expensive but otherwise identical area effect version, perhaps you can consider buying the single target power, and a Naked Advantage of Area Effect? You could even buy just the one Naked Advantage and apply it to whichever relevant power you are using at the moment.

 

Uh ? Never used the Naked Advantages ...   so i am not sure to know what's best.

 

2 minutes ago, Lucius said:

You have X2 number of items and X3 number of items on the Multipowers - what exactly are you trying to do?

 

Damn you are right, at first i thought i wanted to go for simultaneous powers so they couldn't be in a same Multipower. Now they can.

[Lucius]

5 minutes ago, sioc said:

 

Ooops !

 

 

Uh ? Never used the Naked Advantages ...   so i am not sure to know what's best.

 

 

 

Or you could just build one power with Area Effect: Selective. Then you have to target each subject individually and roll for the attack, but you only target whoever you choose to - and you can choose to just target one. Might want to make it Attack vs Alternate Combat Value and base on Mental Combat Values.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Riding off on a palindromedary

 

[sioc]

@Lucius, i really don't want the AoE to be with target selection.

 

So that goes like that :

 

POWERS
Cost	Power	END
15	Naked Advantage: Area Of Effect (16m Radius Explosion; +1/4) for up to 60 Active Points of Mood Feeding and Depress Spirit (15 Active Points)	1
70	Σ² : Multipower, 60-point reserve, (60 Active Points) Notes: (x4 number of items)
2f	1) Mood feeding (Single Target): Mind Control (fixed effect - Apathetic) 6d6, Invisible Power Effects (Invisible to Mental Group; +1/4), Telepathic (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (60 Active Points); Requires A Roll (Attack roll; Must be made each Phase/use; -1), Set Effect : Apathetic (-1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4)	0
1f	2) Depress Spirits (Single Target): Drain PRE, EGO 1d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Expanded Effect (x2 Characteristics or Powers simultaneously) (PRE, EGO; +1/2), Invisible Power Effects (Fully Invisible, effects of Power are Invisible to both target and other characters; +1 1/2) (35 Active Points); Extra Time (5 Minutes, -2), Damage Over Time, Target's defenses only apply once, Lock out (cannot be applied multiple times) (2 damage increments, damage occurs every 5 Minutes, -1/2)	0
1f	3) A Step into the Darkness: Extra-Dimensional Movement (Single Dimension) (20 Active Points); Side Effects : Achromatopsia, Side Effect occurs automatically whenever Power is used (see only in grey scale; -1/2), Limited Power Time limit : 5 min (-1/4)	2
0	Good Mood Feeding: Life Support (Feed on good emotions instead of food and water.)	0
4	Pseudo-immortality: Life Support (phase: 1 day) (Longevity: 1600 Years), Uncontrolled (+1/2) (6 Active Points); Costs Endurance (-1/2)	1
93	Total Powers Cost

 

DISADVANTAGES
Cost	Disadvantage
5	Dependence: Good Mood Incompetence: -1 to Skill Rolls and related rolls per time increment (Common; 1 Day; Addiction)
5	Total Disadvantages Cost

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 3, 2018 by sioc
fixed the Naked Advantage display