Steve Posted December 1, 2015 Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 I'm currently building a character that has a "pure soul" in her concept, and in a fantasy setting it seems like at least a form of Distinctive Features to me. Here are the two versions I have so far: 5 Distinctive Features: Pure Soul (Not Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable Only By Supernatural Entities And Creatures) 10 Distinctive Features: Pure Soul (Not Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Uncommonly-Used Senses) This isn't a paladin or cleric, more like a martial artist with an untainted soul. She radiates innocence and a kind of gentle goodness. The first version seems to me to be a bit like what a virgin heroine in a gothic horror setting like Ravenloft might have, and the second version seems like it would be noticeable by wizards. Is there another way I could write this up? Any suggestions on additional disadvantages? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninja-Bear Posted December 1, 2015 Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 You know it could be a distictive feature based on commonly used senses too. A) Samurai have the overbearing and haughty distictive feature. Look at most of the Disney Princesses, they have a visual look of innocence about them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NuSoardGraphite Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 Yeah, it could just be something that people notice. You could also make a positive reputation based on this so people generally react positively to this feeling, they just dont know why, but the disad portion kicks in when supernatural entities sense this and want to eat the character or use her inner light to power their rituals... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBear Posted December 31, 2015 Report Share Posted December 31, 2015 One question I have to ask is what is the purpose of this feature? Is it supposed to limit the character? To benefit the character? Both? Or just be something there? Maybe a change environment (aura of innocence)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
薔薇語 Posted December 31, 2015 Report Share Posted December 31, 2015 I'm going to have to echo the last two comments about figuring out if this is a feature or a limitation. If this is something that any Joe Schmoe can recognize and is beneficial to the character because it means people react to her more honestly and benevolently, then this should probably be positive reputation. If this is something that people would use against her such as using her as food or sacrifice or otherwise manipulate her, then I could see it being a disadvantage. Lastly, your original build has in it an essential statement that those who could see her aura exist and will be in the campaign at some point. If the individuals that could witness her aura are extremely rare and not likely to show up in the campaign, then I would think of this as being a zero point disadvantage. Soar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tasha Posted December 31, 2015 Report Share Posted December 31, 2015 Sounds more like a version of Striking Appearance. AKA a Talent that gives extra Presence vs certain targets and situations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NuSoardGraphite Posted January 1, 2016 Report Share Posted January 1, 2016 One question I have to ask is what is the purpose of this feature? Is it supposed to limit the character? To benefit the character? Both? Or just be something there? Maybe a change environment (aura of innocence)? I would assume it is a background feature for the character and meant to be an essential part of their greater story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBear Posted January 3, 2016 Report Share Posted January 3, 2016 I would assume it is a background feature for the character and meant to be an essential part of their greater story. That doesn't mean they need points for it. It could be just like any other special effect, only in this case related to psych lims and personality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanis Frey Posted January 4, 2016 Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 There is no reason that a Pure Soul cannot be a power and a complication at the same time. Sure you make the player pay for the befits of Positive Reputation or Striking Appearance and allow it as a complication at the same time. The complication becomes that he will be targeted by the evil supernatural power that be. Either they want to destroy him or tempt him into corruption will be based on your setting. I read a Urban Fantasy series where there were greater immortals, Angles and Demons, and lesser immortals like Succubus, Imps Vampires and others. The lesser immortals were ties to a greater immortal and had to pay for their immortally by corrupting mortals or inspiring Mortals to goodness. The Demons wanted the lesser immortals tempt the pure souls of the world into corruption because that was worth more in the hierarchy of Hell/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kesedrith Posted January 30, 2016 Report Share Posted January 30, 2016 The bad side of the complication doesn't just have to be from evil entities either. The High Priest Muckity-Muck may have plans and designs that could be benefited by drawing in someone with such a pure soul too. In the end, if it doesn't harm or hinder, it's not a disadvantage. If it doesn't actively help, similarly it's not a power/talent/ability. This may be something best simply woven in as character background and as something to be brought into play in the unfolding story as it progresses. (Great way of putting in character specific experience point growth.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hadmar von Wieser Posted November 14, 2016 Report Share Posted November 14, 2016 I agree with Tanis Frey. I would give her a advantageous Striking Appearance AND disadvantageous Distinctive Features. And then I'd start developing a fairy tale plot with an evil sorceress whose most powerful spell needs a Pure soul as expendable Focus. And at least one arch demon who this Focus already is promised too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wardsman Posted November 14, 2016 Report Share Posted November 14, 2016 Define "Pure Soul" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolgroth Posted November 14, 2016 Report Share Posted November 14, 2016 On with at least 98.7% Purity Crystals? One that completely passes the Purity Test? One that is the distilled essence of many souls, where the most pure parts of it are condensed into a single soul. The rest becomes something(s) scary. Something(s) that is(are) linked to the character and feel insanely jealous. I imagine that "pure" in this case is one untainted by whatever taints souls. In a setting that I tinker with from time to time, I have a sliding scale between Grace and Corruption. In my setting, somebody who is at the Grace end of the scale would be considered Pure. Also see Light/Dark side in KotoR and SWToR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted November 14, 2016 Report Share Posted November 14, 2016 Define "Pure Soul" Innocent? Naive? User friendly? I see two interpretations of this feature. One is specific to magical effects--the subject could be resistant to certain magics, and conversely her blood or life could be very valuable to certain magical or magic-using entities. Depending on how this is balanced out it could be a clear disadvantage. The other is more everyday and would be kind of extreme version of innocence that brings out the best or worst in people depending on their true nature. Inherently good people would fall all over themselves trying to help, and inherently bad people would be drawn to victimizing her. At best this would be a distraction as she would be noticeable either way. At worst it would inspire a lot of hindrances in her adventures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted November 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 Define "Pure Soul" I'm picturing a character on the level of a saint or Buddha in terms of spiritual purity and innocence, or maybe like one of the classic Disney princesses like Snow White or Cinderella. Birds sing along with her, that sort of thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucius Posted November 16, 2016 Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 Define "Pure Soul" One possible answer: "Not the pain of this but its unfairness was what dazed Peter. It made him quite helpless. He could only stare, horrified. Every child is affected thus the first time he is treated unfairly. All he thinks he has a right to when he comes to you to be yours is fairness. After you have been unfair to him he will love you again, but he will never afterwards be quite the same boy. No one ever gets over the first unfairness; no one except Peter.” ― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan A pure soul is one that has not yet encountered unfairness; or, like the fairie-touched Peter Pan, meets with unfairness and forgets it again and again. Lucius Alexander The palindromedary wanted to quote Akiro the Wizard from the novelization of the movie Conan the Destroyer, but we can't find it. To paraphrase: "An Innocent is one who reaches adulthood without ever having been truly hurt." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
massey Posted November 16, 2016 Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 Define "Pure Soul" Remember, "pure" does not necessarily mean "good". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wardsman Posted November 16, 2016 Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 Remember, "pure" does not necessarily mean "good". That reminded me the punchline of this episode of Young Justice. The Sword required the "Pure of Heart". "The legend said the heart must be pure, not pure good" http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2gg9nn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted November 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2016 Thinking further on it, I might do it as an inversion of some of the complications and abilities resulting from selling your soul to the devil that the Hero Grimore has in its section on black magic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdamnhero Posted November 18, 2016 Report Share Posted November 18, 2016 I'm picturing a character on the level of a saint or Buddha in terms of spiritual purity and innocence, or maybe like one of the classic Disney princesses like Snow White or Cinderella. Birds sing along with her, that sort of thing. Yeah, that part does sound more like Striking Appearance or some form of Positive Rep. Not to say it can't also be a Disad/Comp of course, but you'd need to put some more thought into how it hinders her or complicates her life, specific to your game. It's certainly going to make it hard for her infiltrate the Evil Overlord's Personal Guard and the like. A pure soul is one that has not yet encountered unfairness; or, like the fairie-touched Peter Pan, meets with unfairness and forgets it again and again. That sounds like Social Comp: Naive or Easy Mark or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucius Posted October 16, 2017 Report Share Posted October 16, 2017 An issue I see with making it a Complication - or a Power for that matter - is that such things tend to be permanent parts of the character. If purity of soul is something easily lost, tying it into the character points might not be the way to go. Lucius Alexander Purifying a palindromedary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdamnhero Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 An issue I see with making it a Complication - or a Power for that matter - is that such things tend to be permanent parts of the character. If purity of soul is something easily lost, tying it into the character points might not be the way to go. Fair point. It depends on how comfortable your GM is with character revisions; personally I don't have a problem with players altering Powers/Disads/etc as dictated by the needs of the story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister E Posted October 18, 2017 Report Share Posted October 18, 2017 "Pure Soul": Invisibility To Detect Soul Corruption (Nontargeting; 10), Persistant (+1/4), Inherent (+1/4), Zero END (+1/2)(20 ap); Always On (-1/2). (13 cp) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tech Posted October 18, 2017 Report Share Posted October 18, 2017 I've got a character who has a Pure Soul (Good). She can, if she wishes, radiate peace to someone. I think a bonus to PRE attack, with appropriate limitation, might work. There are a few villains who would (and have) picked up on this, such as Black Paladin and others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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