Tarot based powers

[Yesman]

I'm working on a champions character with Tarot based powers. So far, I've come up with a Summon Arcana power (a summon based on having the appropriate card from the Major arcana handy)...... then i'm stuck, complete char-gen block..... that summon managed to eat up about 80 points. I typically don't spend more than around 50 to 75 points in attributes, and around another 50 to 75 in skills, so I'm swimming in character points.

 

Can anybody help a brother out with 120-170 points worth of Tarot themed powerage?....

[Supreme Serpent]

Couple of things come to mind.

 

One, not all Tarot cards are represented the same way. How a particular card is presented might imply another power/use (ie a card with a bird shown may grant flight, etc).

 

Two, could identify general "theme" for the different general types - ie all "swords" cards give an attack type, all "pentacles" give defense power, etc.

 

Three, could try to identify "common readings" for each card, and try to puzzle out effects based on that, perhaps with activation & side effects to represent pulling a reversed card.

[Zed-F]

Summon Arcana works ok for the major arcana, but what about the minor arcana? You might have a multipower based on those.

[ghost-angel]

which tarot deck do you plan on using? or is this much more general than that?

 

the Amber RPG has a write up for using Tarot in a game, but I don't think it's what you're looking for.

 

Looking at the types of powers and the Minor Arcana you could derive that certain cards and combinations of cards will bring out certain effects. How you get them is up to you (random draw would be interesting but your fellow PCs might not like it so much).

 

Supreme Serpent has a good idea with his second note .. asign certain types of powers to the arcana and then exact powers themselves to each card.

 

Another idea would be to make the four 'face' cards (Page, Knight, Queen, King) apply affects to the powers themselves (naked advantages) just to spice things up.

[TheQuestionMan]

Great idea for Multiforms too

 

Even variable multiforms with different powers . A major arcana as the base form ( brick , energy blaster , etc ... ) and the lesser arcana signifying which powers from the Elemental Control or Multipower he could use .

 

Too Cool

 

E.

[Vex]

My players are starting to build their own characters for my Exiles campaign (unbeknowst to them, these characters will be their Weapon X characters). The method that I have found that works best is to break down and write out every power you would like to have.

 

For Instance: One of the characters wants to play a benevolent Victor Von Doom (Dr. Doom) who has an experiment tampered with by Richard Reids and gains elemental powers. He wants the main character to have a few of the Fantastic Four Powers, but he will have to pretty much pick which one power to use at any time (multipower) and is getting multiform to change into one of the elemental archtypes (Air, Earth, Fire or Water). I sat him down and had him write out a list of each forms possible powers. So that Air flys, has TK and a NND Suffocation attack, Fire superleaps, has RKA with no KB, Water has stretching, an EB with extra KB, and maybe a suppress vs. Movement powers (hosing people down like a riot water cannon), and Earth has an indirect EB, indirect Entangle (the ground attacking), Teleport only while touching the ground, etc.

 

He has also started to plan the characters advancement (something a lot of people, especially beginners forget about) and has ideas set up for the combination forms (Air and Fire is steam, Fire and Earth is Lava, Air and Earth is Electricity, etc...)

 

I think in the end you will have a similar character in that they will both be extremely flexible, but not overpowering.

[Yesman]

wow! thanks for the ideas guys... I love the thought of assigning classes of powers to the 4 suits. I just found my project of the week.

 

thanks again,

tim.

[Yesman]

Thanks again guys,... here's the fruit of my labors.....

 

now for the hard part: Detailing 22 Summons and 48 Ultra Slots from the Tarot........

 

Tarot

 

Player:

 

Val	Char	Cost
10	STR	0
15	DEX	15
13	CON	6
15	BODY	10
18	INT	8
15	EGO	10
15	PRE	5
18	COM	4
3/18	PD	1
3/18	ED	0
4	SPD	15
6	REC	2
26	END	0
27	STUN	0

6" RUN02" SWIM02" LEAP0Characteristics Cost: 76

 

Cost	Power	END
20	Tarot Reading: Retrocognitive, Precognitive Clairsentience (Sight Group), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (90 Active Points); OAF Fragile (-1 1/4), Precognition/Retrocognition Only (-1), Vague and Unclear (-1/2), Restrainable (-1/2), Gestures (-1/4)	0
61	Summon Major Arcana: Summon 400-point creatures, Loyal (+1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Expanded Class of Beings Limited Group (+1/2) (200 Active Points); OAF Fragile Expendable (Easy to obtain new Focus; Appropriate Tarot Card; -1 1/4), Restrainable (-1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Variable Limitations (requires -3/4 worth of Limitations; Either takes a full, delayed phase, or has a random summon; -1/4)	0
18	Minor Arcana Effects: Multipower, 60-point reserve, (60 Active Points); Variable Limitations (requires -3/4 worth of Limitations; Either takes a full phase and delays a segment, or has a random slot; -1/4); all slots OAF Fragile Expendable (Easy to obtain new Focus; -1 1/4), Restrainable (-1/2), Gestures (-1/4)
96	placeholder for 48 ultra-slots with 60 AP each: Custom Power (96 Active Points) [Notes: one slot for each of the minor arcana cards, 2 RP each.]	10
24	Armored Clothing: (Total: 35 Active Cost, 24 Real Cost) Armor (5 PD/5 ED) (15 Active Points); OIF (-1/2) (Real Cost: 10) plus +10 PD (10 Active Points); OIF (-1/2) (Real Cost: 7) plus +10 ED (10 Active Points); OIF (-1/2) (Real Cost: 7)

Powers Cost: 219

 

 

Cost	Skill
4	+3 with Gambling, Slieght of Hand, Concealment (9 Active Points); Limited Power Power loses about two-thirds of its effectiveness (Only when cards are involved; -1 1/2)
5	+1 with DCV
0	AK: USA 8-
1	CK: Las Vegas 8-
3	Acting 12-
1	Language: Romany (basic conversation)
2	KS: The Occult 11-
0	Climbing 8-
3	Concealment 13-
2	Gambling (Card Games) 13-
3	Sleight Of Hand 12-
3	Conversation 12-
3	Deduction 13-
0	Native Language: English (idiomatic; Literate) (4 Active Points)
0	PS: Fortune Teller (Everyman Skill) 11-
2	PS: Gambler 11-
5	KS: The Tarot 15-
3	Streetwise 12-
3	Analyze: Fortune Teller Clientelle 13-
0	Paramedics 8-
3	Persuasion 12-
3	Analyze: Gamblers 13-
0	Shadowing 8-
0	Stealth 8-
0	TF: Small Motorized Ground Vehicles

Skills Cost: 49

 

Cost	Perk
1	Reputation: Renowned Fortune Teller (A small to medium sized group) 14-, +1/+1d6

Perks Cost: 1

 

Cost	Talent
5	Eidetic Memory

Talents Cost: 5

 

 

Total Character Cost: 350

 

Val	Disadvantages
20	Normal Characteristic Maxima
10	Reputation: Inveterate Gambler, 11-
10	Dependent NPC: Ex-Wife Shelia Loreano 8- (Normal)
20	Psychological Limitation: Code Vs. Killing (Common, Total)
15	Psychological Limitation: Compulsive Gambler (Common, Strong)
25	Hunted: Vegas Mob 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Harshly Punish)
15	Unluck: 3d6
5	Money: Poor
5	Distinctive Features: Winged Pig tattooed on left forearm (Easily Concealed; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)
15	Social Limitation: Public Identity (Frequently, Major)
10	Physical Limitation: Nearsighted[Needs Corrective Lenses] (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)

Disadvantage Points: 150

 

Base Points: 200

Experience Required: 0

Total Experience Available: 0

Experience Unspent: 0

[Solomon]

I don't know if it's of any use to you, but the third serie of the japanese comic "Jojo's Bizarre Adventures" was centered on characters whose powers were (very) loosely based on the Major Arcana. Might be useful for inspiration.

 

Character: Arabia Fats

Arcana: The Sun

Power: Creates a fiery globe.

 

Character: Cameo

Arcana: The Judgment

Power: Can magically fulfill three wishes, but only those of his enemies. However, those wishes are twisted as to be harmful.

 

Character: Dan Steely

Arcana: The Lovers

Power: Sets up a neural link with his enemy, feeding him back any pain Dan feels.

 

Character: Devo

Arcana: The Devil

Power: Feeds on his own hate, gets stronger the more he's hurt.

 

Character: Dio Brando

Arcana: The World

Power: Stops time.

 

Character: Forever (chimp)

Arcana: The Strength

Power: Animates machines.

 

Character: Hol Horse

Arcana: The Emperor

Power: Shoots "Spiritual Bullets" that can change direction in mid-flight.

 

Character: Iggy (dog)

Arcana: The Fool

Power: Shapechanger.

 

Character: J. Gail

Arcana: The Hanged Man

Power: Lives in a mirror world.

 

Character: J. P. Polnareff

Arcana: The Chariot

Power: Basic fighter type. Strong, fast, extremely agile.

 

Character: Joseph Joestar

Arcana: The Hermit

Power: Projects tendrils that can scout out an area or gather information from machines.

 

Character: Jotaro Kujo

Arcana: The Star

Power: Fighter type. Extremely strong and fast. Also, apparently, very lucky.

 

Character: Mannish Boy

Arcana: The Death

Power: Brings enemies to the Deamworld. If he kills them there, they're dead in the real world too. If they somehow escape, they quickly forget their nightmare experience upon waking.

 

Character: Midler

Arcana: The Priestess

Power: Absorbs properties of material she's in contact with.

 

Character: Mohammed Abdul

Arcana: The Magician

Power: Fire Control

 

Character: ZZ

Arcana: The Wheel of Fortune

Power: Can summon a montrous car.

[Yesman]

Yeah, thanks for reminding me of that.... I've seen a few episodes of the anime.... I wonder if I can find the old Dreamcast JoJo's BA game?........

[Stephen Mann]

Found this on the Net a looooong time ago

 

Here's the powers I came up with for the tarot controller. The side effects are the tarot cards being reversed, for half the opposite effect.

 

30 Tarot MP (requires a skill roll, half side effects)

3u Fool (Suppress 4d INT + EGO)

3u Magician (6d Ego Blast)

3u Priestess (9d Aid any one power/stat below starting value)

3u Empress (12d Telepathy)

3u Emperor (12d Mind Control)

3u Hierophant (Precognition/Retrocognition)

3u Lovers (Shapeshift to any humanoid 0 END, shrinking/growth)

3u Chariot (Extra-Dim Movement to any dimension; 15" Teleport)

3u Strength (12d Aid STR)

3u Hermit (Full Invisibility)

3u Fortune (3d Aid or Drain largest power)

3u Justice (Reflection +10)

3u Hanged Man (Desolid, mental included)

3u Death (4d RKA)

3u Temperance (50% Damage Reduction resistant)

3u Devil (12d Illusions)

3u Tower (AE 6d Telepathy, for communication only)

3u Star (6d Flash)

3u Moon (25" Flight, x8 noncombat)

3u Sun (10d Fire EB + Create Light 2 hexes)

3u Judgement (6d Mind Scan +15, locate only)

3u World (Density Inc, +40 STR, 0 END)