phydaux

WOW! So a fighter-type PC would get armor, sword, dagger, lance, shield, a horse & a saddle, AND come coins? That's a LOT of starting wealth. I let new players start with 300 silver pieces to buy gear from the list in the Fantasy Hero book.

See, in my head that creates a problem later if in the course of the campaign the character loses all his gear, and the magic item he paid character points for. As I GM I have no problem rendering the PCs alone and naked in the bottom of a pit with no obvious way out. In fact some of my best sessions started that way. But as a player I'd feel robbed if I were a 135 point character naked at the bottom of a pit next to several other 150 point characters.

I'm including both Counter Spelling and Dispelling in the campaign I'm getting off the ground. Here's my ground rules:

She's mad at me because I dissed one of her favorite authors in another thread. You see, one time she was MY favorite author, but then she broke my heart...

The series started out with a lot of promise. If you're going to be a professional author and make a living by publishing a new book every 18-24 months, then the best way to do that is to have an interesting setting and an interesting character. Hamilton had both. Then you develop a formula, and write a new story with that character in that setting that follows that formula. So you're really not writing, say, 12 books. You're writing one book 12 times. The Anita Blake series had all that, and started out strong. I really enjoyed them, regardless of the occasional gun-related faux pas. (I could go into an example where the author clearly had no idea what a .38 Special derringer was, or what it could do, yet she had the main character run this elaborate bluff based on what the author THOUGHT a 38 Special derringer could do. Read it left me thinking "There's Laurel, there's Anita, and there's me, and clearly ONE OF US is an idiot..." But this was early in, and the stories were still strong, so I let it pass.) About 8-10 books in, the author totally lost control of her own series. It seemed like every book the main character gained a new power, so that nothing she previously encountered in the world was a threat any more. So the author had to abandon the formula and change her own mythology. "Yes, we told you THAT was how vampire powers work, but actually THIS is how vampire powers work." "Yes, we said this is how vampire powers work, but this is only Level One. There are two more levels..." And as the story progressed the main character became less and less sympathetic, to the point where in order to progress the story the ONLY sympathetic character left, werewolf boyfriend, had to be written out of the story and replaced the very next book with a different were-creature boyfriend. "Wow, it took several books for Anita to develop a serious relationship with the werewolf, but she peeled her panties off for this guy in under 100 pages. That's really inconsistent for this character..." It all just struck me as poor planning on the part of the author, and very self-indulgent story telling. Hamilton isn't alone in this. David Weber did the same in his Honor Harrington series. Jim Butcher did a great job keeping Harry Dresden under control early in the Dresden Files, although he seems to have jumped the shark in the last few books. JK Rowling said she had to rewrite Sorcerer's Stone four times while she worked out her mythology, what magic could do and what it absolutely couldn't do, before she went on to write books 2-7. That shows commitment on the part of the author to maintain an internally consistent fantasy setting.

I'm sorry, I only have 5th ed books.

What does the 5 point power detect Magic actually give me or allow me to do? Do I actually have to touch an item to determine if it is enchanted?

I'm thinking about a straight rip off if World of Darkness. The PCs will be hunting werewolves & (Sabbat) vampires. What they won't know is that while their contact is human, he is actually a thrall and they all really work for the Camarilla.

I got about 10 books into her Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series. Good premise, but the author just INFURIATES ME. She makes guns central to the story, and to the main character. "I cann't arm wrestle with vampires & werewolves. I have to shoot, without hesitation, or people will DIE. And I can't trust, or love, anyone who can't pull the trigger without hesitation..." Except the author knows NOTHING about guns, and seems like she refuses to learn, either. She keeps making little mistakes that just drove me CRAZY. "Anita thumbed back the hammer on her Browning Hi Power to show that she meant business." Um, the Browning Hi Power is a single action automatic pistol. If the hammer isn't ALREADY back, then you can pull the trigger ALL DAY and nothing will happen! Also, she kept having to revise her mythology every few books, regarding what powers vampires actually have, and what happens when a vampire bites but doesn't kill a human. Seriously, it seemed like every 3-4 books how EVERYTHING in her universe worked changed, except how guns worked because she never understood that to begin with. I much prefer Kim Harrison's The Hollows series.

Is this the right sub-forum for an urban fantasy game? Something like Dresden Files or Buffy the Vampire Slayer?

Perhaps it is considered poor form buying a 0 END slot in a x2 END multipower, but the way I look at it that's how the player wants to spend his active points, so I let them. I make up for it by being VERY restrictive when players go for the "Magic Powers Only" disadd. My understanding of that disadd is a LOT more restrictive than most peoples. But then, I don't require that disadd for magic multipowers in this campaign. if a players asks for that disadd I will allow it, but I will tell them "Expect to be screwed with." But they could cancel out my screwing with them buy buying a slot with the 1/2 advantage Variable Special Effect. Again, they are spending their active points to gain liberty from the GM. I'm OK with that.

Well, maybe i'm doing it wrong, but this is how I understand it. x2 END is a disadd applied to the cost of the pool. Then every slot inherits the X2 END disadd. So a 45 active point slot, i.e. a 9d6 EB which would normally cost 2 END per use, would then cost 4 END per use. AOE is a 1/2 advantage, so that EB could be bought as a 6d6 AOE EB and it would also cost 4 END in a x2 END MP. 1/2 END is a 1/4 advantage, so the player could buy a 45 active point slot in a x2 END multipower as a 7d6 EB and ONLY pay the normal 3 END for that 7d6 EB. 0 END is a 1/2 advantage, so a 45 active point slot could be a 6d6 EB 0 END even though the multipower as a whole is a x2 END multipower.

We're still in the middle of a Weird War II campaign. When that GM runs out of ideas we'll change GMs. I'll pitch my campaign idea then.

Example Mage STATS STR 10 - BOD 12 4 CON 15 10 DEX 15 15 INT 18 8 EGO 18 16 PRE 15 5 COM 8 -1 PD 4 2 ED 4 1 SPD 3 5 REC 5 - END 30 - STUN 26 - SUB TOTAL 65 POWERS 27 60 pip Magic MP, 1-H Gestures, Incantations, Skill Roll, x2 END 2 Healing Spell 2 Utility Spell 1 Utility Spell 1 Utility Spell 2 Attack Spell 2 0 END Attack Spell 2 AOE Attack Spell 5 Detect Magic 44 SUB TOTAL SKILLS 3 Riding (12) - Stealth (8) - Climbing (8) 2 History (14) 3 Concealment (12) 3 Paramedic (14) - Shadowing (8) 5 Sorcery (15) - Conversation (8) 2 KS: Knights & Nobles (14) - Persuasion (8) - Acting (8) 3 Deduction (14) 1 Literacy 2 LS: High Elvish 3 Analyse Magic (14) 1 Weapon Familiarity (Common Melee Weapons) 4 Social Rank – Initiate 4 Access – Restricted Library 2 PS: Magi (14) 6 +2 OCV with Attack Spells 6 +2 Skill Levels to resist Counter Spelling 6 +2 Skill Levels vs. Counter Spelling range penalty 6 +2 Skill Levels vs. Dispelling range penalty 62 SUB TOTAL DISADDS Various Disadd 50 STATS 65 POWERS 44 SKILLS 56 UNSPENT 4 DISADDS -50 TOTAL 125

Example Fighter STATS STR 18 8 BOD 15 10 CON 15 10 DEX 18 24 INT 15 5 EGO 15 10 PRE 15 5 COM 14 2 PD 6 2 ED 6 3 SPD 4 12 REC 7 - END 30 - STUN 32 - SUB TOTAL 91 POWERS 4 STR ½ END 1 1 Weapon Familiarity (Common Melee Weapons) 1 Weapon Familiarity (Lance) 10 +2 Melee Skill Levels 12 +4 Skill Levels Swords 6 +3 Inches Running 1 34 SUB TOTAL SKILLS 3 Riding (13) 3 Stealth (13) 3 Climbing (13) 3 Weaponsmith (12) 3 Concealment (12) 3 Armorsmith (12) 3 Shadowing (13) 2 History (12) 3 Conversation (12) 2 Heraldry (12) 3 Persuasion (12) 3 Paramedic (12) 3 Deduction (12) 3 High Society (12) 3 Acting (12) 2 Kinghts & Nobles (12) 3 Fast Draw CMW (13) 1 Literacy 49 SUB TOTAL DISADDS Various Disadd 50 STATS 91 POWERS 34 SKILLS 49 UNSPENT 1 DISADDS -50 TOTAL 125

I made some test characters using my campaign guidelines. I think i'm gonna up the point cap to 125+50.

I've got a plot outlined around an Ork uprising near Farmingham. The PCs get involved (1 SP bounty on Ork heads, rescue the farmer's daughter, etc.). They find out the local tribe is just part of a much LARGER Ork uprising. See, in many worlds Orks are dumb. In my world Orks are NOT dumb. They are simply realistic and RUTHLESS. Orks understand that humans can live 60 years of more, and Dwarves & Elves even longer. Baring misadventure an Ork will go from birth to full maturity in just 2 years, and live a long & full life, only to die at the ripe old age of FIFTEEN. Orks simply can't live long enough to become master craftsmen working in steel or iron, or pottery or cloth or even farming. So instead that study fighting, and TAKE everything else form the other "weathy" races. The Orks start out with raggy cloth armor & clubs. They raid farms around Farmingham in small bands in search of leather and steel tools. Once they have decent equipment, then they start raiding in larger bands. This will be where the PCs come in. Depending on the player's actions, an Ork attack on Farmingham either will or will not happen, and if it happens then it either will or will not succeed. If Farmingham gets sacked by Orks then all the loot, e.g. steel swords & chain armor in large quantities, will end up in Ork hands. The Orks will then be able to launch an unprecedented attack on a walled city - Laketon. If the PCs do well then they will prevent the attack on Farmingham and become small-time, local heroes. It they screw the pooch and let Farmingham fall and hundreds of people die, then they have a chance of stopping a major Ork attack on a large city and become major heroes.

Several cities. They will start in the town of Farmingham, outside of Laketon which is on the shores of the Inland Sea. Laketon is a minor walled city, but a major trading hub for the various races. Up river to the west are the mountains of the Dwarves. South is the forests of the Elves. North across the river from Laketon are the vast planes of the Lancers. Down river to the east is the hill country of the halflings and the city of Riverford, a walled city of the Old Men. North along the coast from Riverford is Slot Statka, first and proudest of the walled Manish cities.

I'm sorry, I should have been more clear. My group still uses 5th Ed. I see a 100+50 fantasy character breaking down thusly: 60 points in Stats 45 points in skills 45 points in "other stuff" That other stuff could be feats, magic MP and spell slots, extra skills, or extra stats. A character with 90 points in stats & 60 points in skills, and no other powers, talents or "funky stuff," will be damn effective in this setting.

Updated campaign guidelines: Characters will be built on 100 points with up to 50 additional points from disadds. Normal characteristics maximums. Stats above normal maximum cost double. “Standard” fantasy races are available, with humans vastly prevalent. Use the racial packages in Fantasy Hero. Characters will have 300 silver pieces with which to buy starting equipment. Combat will be quick and deadly. rPD from armor, spells, magic items and Combat Luck will NOT stack. Be forewarned, and build your characters accordingly. Feats are powers bought to represent exceptional skills & abilities. While feats are allowed, there is no reason to believe they will be necessary for characters to be successful. There is a 45 active point limit on all feats. Feat builds will need the GM’s approval. Magic is a multipower. Buy your reserve with the following limitations: 1-handed Gestures to activate (-1/4) Incantations to activate (-1/4) Sorcery skill roll to activate (-1/4) All slots X2 END (-1) Sorcery is your ability to understand magic and cast magic spells. It will also be possible for characters to use Sorcery in a skill vs skill test, modified by range, to Counter Spell the Sorcery of others as they attempt to cast spells, Counter Spelling is a half phase action, and counts as an attack action. Also, characters with Sorcery will be able to make a Sorcery skill roll, modified by range, to Dispel non-persistent spell effects. Dispelling is a full phase action. Characters will be able to purchase penalty skill levels to offset range penalties in counter spelling & dispelling (x points per level), as well as to resist counter spell attempts (x points per level) and resist dispel attempts (x points per level). A character’s Sorcery skill can never exceed the level of the Thaumaturgy library (or sacred texts) the character either owns or has access to (the Access Perk). The Circle of Sequestered Magics maintains private hermetic libraries for its members in most cities. Also, most temples have reflectories that their priests can access. The levels of these “basic” libraries are 13. It can be assumed that these libraries also have “restricted sections” for members with higher than normal access. Studying in a restricted hermetic library or meditating in a restricted reflectory may confer Sorcery up to skill level 15. This represents full membership in the Circle or Priesthood. This higher level of membership also brings certain obligations along with the perks. Often practitioner shops will sell copies of the most common magical textbooks, or sacred texts & relics. These personal libraries can be purchased for 20 silver pieces per level, up to level 15. Libraries, reflectories and practitioner’s shops are available in most major cities. Magic text books & sacred texts that can confer skill levels above 15 are known to exist. Some are even generally known by their titles, or are regional/personal variants of known works. Most extant copies available for purchase in practitioner’s shops are fakes, and studying them may, without the character’s knowledge, actually reduce their Sorcery skill. Genuine copies of these text books sell for exorbitant sums, if they ever come up for sale at all. Rumors of their existence attract GREAT interest from mages, merchants, AND thieves. It is said that some of these books, genuine and fake alike, can threaten the reader's sanity. Others can threaten their very soul. Some, it is whispered, can threaten the continued existence of the entire world by opening a Gate to allow the Old Ones to return. But all the High Priests & Magi agree that these are just stories told by old women, and meant to frighten young children and foolish novices. Since it was the High Elves who taught the other races hermetic magic, most hermetic spell books are written in High Elvish (some less common ones are written in other languages, such as Dwarvish, Old Manish, and The Vile Tongue). Most hermetic spell users will have either the 1 point Literacy talent and the language skill High Elvish, or an exceptional backstory explaining why they were able to learn magic skills & spells without studying from books (or by studying books not written in High Elvish). Spell casters from the priestly tradition will likely have the Literacy talent as well, to reflect their study of their temple’s sacred scrolls. Further, anyone who buys a magic multipower reserve should also but the 5 point Detect Magic sense power to more fully represent their magic abilities. The skill Analyze Magic is also recommended (but not necessary). While there is no limit on the size of a player’s magic multipower reserve, no single slot can have more than 45 active points. “Odd ball” spell builds will need the GM’s approval. Much like the priesthood has its network of temples and mages have The Circle of Sequestered Magics, rogues have their own “professional organization.” The Thieves’ Guild protects members who ply their trade in major population centers. In exchange for this protection the Guild expects members to regularly report on their activities, to follow the orders of their assigned under boss, and to forward 20% of their “take” to the local Guildmaster. Most local Thieves Guilds are associated with a larger organization called The Black Hand. The Black Hand is lead by a shadowy figure known as The Master of Assassins, but more often known simply as The Old Man. The Black Hand is known to insert itself into all manner of business, legitimate, illicit, and governmental. In some cities independent thieves’ guilds operate separate from the greater Thieves’ Guild. Whenever these independent guilds operate in competition with the Thieves’ Guild, their conflict is marked by constant bloodshed and extreme violence. Membership in the Thieves’ Guild is a perk, and has obligations as well as privileges. Membership in the Black Hand would, therefore, come with ever greater obligations. Priest Acolyte Social Rank – Acolyte 2 Access – Holy Reflectories 2 PS – Priest of _____ 2 Distinctive – Priest -5 Social Obligations – Priesthood -5 Subject to Orders – High Priests -5 -9 Total Initiate Social Rank – Initiate 4 Access – Holy Reflectories 4 PS – Priest of _____ 2 Distinctive – Priest -5 Social Obligations – Priesthood -10 Subject to Orders – High Priests -15 -20 Total Mage Circle of Sequestered Magics Social Rank – Acolyte 2 Access – Magic Library 2 PS – Magi of the Circle 2 Distinctive – Magi -5 Social Obligations – Circle of Magi -5 Subject to Orders – Master Magi -5 -9 Total Inner Circle Social Rank – Initiate 4 Access – Restricted Library 4 PS – Magi of the Circle 2 Distinctive – Magi -5 Social Obligations – Circle of Magi -10 Subject to Orders – Master Magi -15 -20 Total Rogue Thieves Guild Social Rank – Thief 1 PS – Thieves Guild 2 License – Operate as Thief 5 Social Obligation – Underboss -5 Subject to Orders – Underboss -10 -7 Total Black Hand Social Rank –BlackHand 2 PS –Order of Assassins 2 License – Operate as Black Hand 10 Social Obligation – Master of Assassins -10 Subject to Orders – Master of Assassins -20 -16 Total

The current document is on a flash drive that isn't with me. I'll post it when I get my hands on it.

I would allow players to buy skill levels to allow their constant & sustained spells to resist dispelling. That, plus having the dispel roll be modified by range, should allow some good constant & sustained spell effects. Dispelling wouldn't effect KABOOM magic like EB & RKA. But Counter Spell would. I'm actually not trying to DISCOURAGE player magic users. I'm trying to ENCOURAGE them, by giving them other things that can do besides sling fireballs.

in addition to the Counterspell game mechanic, I'd also like spell casters to be able to make a sorcery skill roll, modified by range, to dispel non-persistent spell effects. I figure this could be a full phase action. "Our fighter has hit that shaman three times without hurting him, because the shaman has that Force Field spell on him." Dispel roll. "But not any more." I think the Counterspell and Dispel game mechanics will add some flexibility to spell casters, and hopefully offset some of the penalties I saddled them with.

Thing was, there WERE other combat-oriented PCs in the group. Just none of them bought Deadly Blow, and my character did. So he totally outshined the other PCs in the area were they were SUPPOSE to shine.

Yeah, I tried to play up the while "I'm useless outside of combat" angle and provide the other PCs a chance to shine. But other than ONE TIME that my PC managed to lose his sword in combat, the GM never managed to shut my character down. Low magic campaign, though.