Blood Magic/Power

[Dr Divago]

I've thinking about a blood magic (or blood powered superpower), i mean that cost STUN (or BODY) instead of END

 

How can i do this?

I've thinked about a Reduced END (0 END) and Side Effect; do you know another limitation? (maybe more simple than an advantage and a disadvantage)

[Doc Democracy]

You could set up and END reserve that only recovers when you lose STUN/BODY - though the limitation will depend on how easy it would be to recover that lost STUN/BODY.

 

To give an idea of costs, I'd give a +2 limitation on the recovery cost of the battery if, by almost killing yourself - or taking yourself to the limits of consciousness - you would be able to fully charge up the END reserve.

 

The player would be able to decide how far they wanted to go in charging up their blood magic by how much BODY/STUN they were willing to risk. (I wouldn't allow the blood magic to address the problems of BODY/STUN unless it was through a BODY/STUN transfer from someone else).

[Sociotard]

hmmmm. since "costs no END" is, what, a +1/2 advantage? slap on a -1/2 limitation runs of equal parts stun and body (i.e. a power normaly using 4 END points will cost 2 stun and 2 body.) Have stun pick up the extra point on odd numbered END. Seems reasonable to me.

[Zed-F]

Stun and especially BODY are a lot more valuable than END. Also, a power that has a reduced END cost advantage is inherently weaker when considering AP caps even if it has an offsetting limitation, because you can't buy it as high to start with. There's no way this is only a -1/2 limitation if you're going to make him pay for the costs no END advantage but still have the power cost stun/body.

 

I personally would say "costs STUN instead of END" is a -0 to -1/2 limitation depending on his relative amounts of STUN, END, REC, and defenses. If he wants to buy 1/2 STUN cost or 0 STUN cost, that's worth the same advantage as 1/2 END cost or 0 END cost would be.

[Old Man]

I would say that costs STUN instead of END would be a -1/2 limitation also.

 

Costs BODY instead of END would be -3/4 or -1. BODY is much harder to get back than END or STUN, and you also have the possibility of killing yourself by using your powers.

 

Overall if the player decides to buy Reduced END, it would have to have an alternate modifier matching the limitation of STUN/BODY instead of END.

[McCoy]

All of the above presumes the power is powered by his own blood. For the spells that require a blood sacrifice use transfer, BODY to END reserve, and power the spells off the END reserve.

[Rick]

Why not build it W/no end and side effects (stun or body drain).

[pinecone]

Yeah...I once converted a friends Bruhah vamp to champs for him and I did the "blood pool" thing as a End reserve...I could easaly see a End reserve X REC X SE:Drain End or Sucept 2D6 Stun and BOD on the rec and a Transfer to fill up the reserve from "donors"....should be playable ...though a little "Iron age" maybe....

[Farkling]

Eh, you could define it as an END battery.

 

Side effects on the REC cause the STUN drain.

 

And then a Susceptibility to using the power...

[SSJ Archon]

could you just sell off all of ur END, throw out the Negative Endurance Rule, and give ur REC a limitation like, Does Not Recover Above X ?

[Dr Divago]

Thank you all for the helps!

 

Originally posted by Shadowpup

I would say that costs STUN instead of END would be a -1/2 limitation also.

Costs BODY instead of END would be -3/4 or -1. BODY is much harder to get back than END or STUN, and you also have the possibility of killing yourself by using your powers.

 

I like this (seriously i like this idea, not only cute girl in the avatar :D )

I like the idea that using this type of magic drain life essence of the caster (using his blood like focus), so is possible for the player using magic multiple time risking his health: using much more magic, will bring to death...

 

Reduced END+Side Effect (Hand Blast) are better to introduce a "randomic factor" in the blood loss: roll normal damage die so blood-mage cannot tell exactly how many spells can cast before die, but is a bit more complicated, don't think?

[cypar7]

Rather than trying to define a new limitation. Why not treat the spellcaster as if she had no END remaining and just take 1D6 STUN for every 2 END (as stated on pg 286).

 

Bruce

[Farkling]

Rather than trying to define a new limitation. Why not treat the spellcaster as if she had no END remaining and just take 1D6 STUN for every 2 END (as stated on pg 286).

 

I might write the limitation like that in a SuperHero game

(-1/2 to -1) cannot use END to fuel power. It does add to the unpredictability of the damage...

 

In a Heroic level game I might consider it as a Physical Limitation: Cannot use END for Blood Spells (All the Time, Slightly to Greatly))

[Doc Democracy]

Originally posted by cypar7

Rather than trying to define a new limitation. Why not treat the spellcaster as if she had no END remaining and just take 1D6 STUN for every 2 END (as stated on pg 286).

 

Bruce

 

Now that's a simple, and elegant solution, if you want to use STUN. I assume you believe this to be a -0 limitation??

 

If you wanted to introduce the death potential then you could make the damage cause BODY and give a limitation to the power. What, something like -1??

[Markdoc]

For my FH game, I required all spellcasting to use up "Life force" - in essence to use up BOD per 10 active points, but only gave this a -1/2 (the BOD loss is to cast a spell, not to maintain it).

 

The rationale for the limitation value was:

 

a) it generated damage roughly equivalent to a side effect (against which you get no defences, remember) at the -1/2 level and

it could be negated by the use of Healing, Aid or Transfer type spells.

 

As far as game mechanics go simply treat it as a side effect. I may have to go back and re-evaluate it now that side effects have been changed in 5th Ed., though.

 

Thus the evil mage would generally have a bunch of sacrifices on hand that he could drain BOD to power his magic, the good mage could have bunch of apprentices to aid him (and each other) and player character mages could either use meditative techniques, draw power from handy victims or accept that every now and then they would have to trash themselves to generate a big spell.

 

The game rational was that I wanted magic to be powerful, nasty, stuff, but I did not want too much of it around. In particular I wanted to give fighter types a clear edge.

 

It does this: if each spell cast costs the caster BOD, people are going to think deeply before casting spells - except cantrip type effects of 5 active points or under, which round down to 0 BOD loss. Likewise, mages, while powerful, are at their best in this system if given some time to prepare - in combat situations, they usually need someone good with bits of pointed steel to back them up.

 

Secondly I liked the idea: it was inspired by the mage in the Harryhausen movie the 7th voyage of Sinbad, who gets older and more feeble as he casts each spell.

 

However, this is definately not the way to go if you want lots of magic, or DnD-style artillerimages.

 

cheers, Mark

[Black Rose]

Don't know if this will help, but it came to me, and I kinda like the idea (I may use it for a necromancer I'm working on).

 

In addition to being able to use your own blood, or the blood of suitably available sacrifices, what about an "ancient, hidden power" (or possibly magic item) that allows the user/weilder to draw, if imperfectly, upon the spilled blood surrounding him? For example, for every point of Body damage done within a 4" radius, the user/weilder gets 1 END for use in any Blood Magic spells (must be used within one Turn). Increase the range or the time, and Blood Mages would be thicker than crows on a battlefield (or a gangland turf war). Of course, a Blood Mage healer would be eight kinds of wonderful in an ER.

 

Hmmm, I think I should go and reread the Crowns of Krim....