Various GM notes
Apr. 4th, 2007 12:26 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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ratcatchersI hope everybody liked last night's game.
A few things about magic:
1) What you have you are allowed to keep but you won't be able to improve it unless you change to the new system.
2) The new system will have two paths common and elite (working titles only) that will correspond to how everybody uses magic and how the focus of a magic circle uses magic.
3) The everyman skill will have a 1AP MPP (magic) added to it (nothing to help you use it though). Using common magic will require a minimum EGO level to have any ability to use magic, a magic skill RSR for casting magic (as per normal), and a Research(magic) skill to learn new spells. Having a teacher or source will reduce the difficulty of learning spells. Some power categories will not be allowed to the common path and others may be more difficult to learn (as per rarity or difficulty in the world).
4) Lending power will have either a skill(EGO) or a power(spell) to use. I haven't decided which.
5) The elite path will allow people to pull from a joint power pool which they have joined. Several classes of spells will be only usable with this path and will roughly corralate with Prince type powers (sans bond). There will be drawbacks when dealing with focusing large amounts of power (possibly a side effect or something to simulate potential for burn out). It will be set up almost the same as the common path but requires a mastery (of some sort) of the common path to gain access to it. (Almost like a prestige class type but not quite.)
6) Princely bonds were desolved with the Council's formation and these new powers are not Princely bonds so the Princes will have to rebuild thier power pools before they can gain equivalent status back. They may or may not figure this out quickly.
About races (most of this is just color):
1) Demons no longer have the infertility disadvantage. I'll have to check to see if there is anything else. There might be but it will more likely affect future generations and not presently adult characters. Demons are now considered a full race and not a half-breed.
2) Changelings have a few changes as well but these should only affect future generations. Changelings are now considered a full race and not a half-breed. Sidhe characteristics that were previously suppressed (ie good looks, pointed ears, height, and other little physical characteristics) will start to show and breed true in future generations. Mental issues may be decreased.
3) Teiflings are still considered a half breed and the term will eventually be extended to include any person of mixed racial heritage. (ie were-changeling, fey-demon, human-fey, fey-changeling, fey-were) Were/human race will be depend on whether or not they can change (were or human). Demon/human race will be determined by presence or absence of wings (demon or human). Changeling/human will depend on place of birth (changeling or teifling). Fey/anything will depend on whether or not they are accepted into fey society (fey or teifling). If it doesn't fit clearly into fey, human, changeling, demon, angel, or were then it is a teifling (aka half-breed or mixed breed).
4) What is most likely to matter in game is that some Irish humans are now considered changelings and are more likely to connect with Erin as well as possibly start buying off mental illnesses since those will be removed from the package soon. Demons are not infertile anymore and are less likely to have irrational hatred or psychosis with regards to Angels. Fey do not have princely bonds anymore but still can easily do joint magic.
5) All race magic maxes are off but the max max is still 40AP unless you are pulling from a joint pool or battery of some sort.
Other stuff:
1) I will allow Watcher characters now but not Controller characters other than those who gain the status in game.
2) Your characters are all carrying the 'gods genetic coding' in you now but it hasn't (and won't) manifested.
3) I don't remember what you decided about the void. If nothing changed then nothing changed.
4) New characters are to be made with the old rules and the standard+XP points then have the 20XP and 1AP added on top using the new rules. This should simulate the abrupt changes.
5) Continuing characters have a chance to do minor rewrites and fixes of character sheets but everything must be approved by me and have an in game reason of some sort.
6) I realize that some of the changes that have been made will mean that some of you loose disadvantages, gain bonuses, and/or have to add new skills to make magic work for you in the future and that this may mean that not all characters will be created equal. It shouldn't be more than a few XP difference so I'm not going to fix it. Everybody gets what they get. It isn't absolutely equal but I think you can understand my reasoning.
7) Characters will be allowed to learn the elite path in game but may not pick it out for a new character in character creation. I'm going to let you learn to be 'princes' but not *poof* be 'princes'. That is decent quest type material that I don't want to waste.
8) I will be introducing a few new skills and skill changes from my new book. I'll post those but the most important changes will be made to cramming and research.
9) I'm also toying with allowing Angel characters... feedback?
For Ironphoenix:
I need your character before next week so I can approve it and figure out how to work it into the game. I *think* the plan was for the group to go to Madiera but they might change their mind.
For Draco:
Ettienne is avaliable as a contact and we will discuss your controller status.
For ArrantDemon:
Let me know how you want to handle Nev and how you see his relationships with others changing (just as a heads up). I figure that the daughter thing will give you a reasonable excuse to leave if you schedule changes so that you need to.
For Nightstriker:
You wanted magic. It will be under the new system (so make sure you have what you need in terms of EGO and skills) and I'm going to allow you to buy the skill to use it without an excuse but the research(magic) will be something you will have to find someone else to teach you. So... you have a spontaneous 'eruption' due to the interference of the 'gods' but if you want to build on that you will have to do so in game as your character has not been studying magic up to this point.
For Anc:
We need to talk about your character so that we don't create a combat monster accidentally. Blessed by God.. heh heh.
EVERYBODY:
The essentials need to be dealt with by next game.
A few things about magic:
1) What you have you are allowed to keep but you won't be able to improve it unless you change to the new system.
2) The new system will have two paths common and elite (working titles only) that will correspond to how everybody uses magic and how the focus of a magic circle uses magic.
3) The everyman skill will have a 1AP MPP (magic) added to it (nothing to help you use it though). Using common magic will require a minimum EGO level to have any ability to use magic, a magic skill RSR for casting magic (as per normal), and a Research(magic) skill to learn new spells. Having a teacher or source will reduce the difficulty of learning spells. Some power categories will not be allowed to the common path and others may be more difficult to learn (as per rarity or difficulty in the world).
4) Lending power will have either a skill(EGO) or a power(spell) to use. I haven't decided which.
5) The elite path will allow people to pull from a joint power pool which they have joined. Several classes of spells will be only usable with this path and will roughly corralate with Prince type powers (sans bond). There will be drawbacks when dealing with focusing large amounts of power (possibly a side effect or something to simulate potential for burn out). It will be set up almost the same as the common path but requires a mastery (of some sort) of the common path to gain access to it. (Almost like a prestige class type but not quite.)
6) Princely bonds were desolved with the Council's formation and these new powers are not Princely bonds so the Princes will have to rebuild thier power pools before they can gain equivalent status back. They may or may not figure this out quickly.
About races (most of this is just color):
1) Demons no longer have the infertility disadvantage. I'll have to check to see if there is anything else. There might be but it will more likely affect future generations and not presently adult characters. Demons are now considered a full race and not a half-breed.
2) Changelings have a few changes as well but these should only affect future generations. Changelings are now considered a full race and not a half-breed. Sidhe characteristics that were previously suppressed (ie good looks, pointed ears, height, and other little physical characteristics) will start to show and breed true in future generations. Mental issues may be decreased.
3) Teiflings are still considered a half breed and the term will eventually be extended to include any person of mixed racial heritage. (ie were-changeling, fey-demon, human-fey, fey-changeling, fey-were) Were/human race will be depend on whether or not they can change (were or human). Demon/human race will be determined by presence or absence of wings (demon or human). Changeling/human will depend on place of birth (changeling or teifling). Fey/anything will depend on whether or not they are accepted into fey society (fey or teifling). If it doesn't fit clearly into fey, human, changeling, demon, angel, or were then it is a teifling (aka half-breed or mixed breed).
4) What is most likely to matter in game is that some Irish humans are now considered changelings and are more likely to connect with Erin as well as possibly start buying off mental illnesses since those will be removed from the package soon. Demons are not infertile anymore and are less likely to have irrational hatred or psychosis with regards to Angels. Fey do not have princely bonds anymore but still can easily do joint magic.
5) All race magic maxes are off but the max max is still 40AP unless you are pulling from a joint pool or battery of some sort.
Other stuff:
1) I will allow Watcher characters now but not Controller characters other than those who gain the status in game.
2) Your characters are all carrying the 'gods genetic coding' in you now but it hasn't (and won't) manifested.
3) I don't remember what you decided about the void. If nothing changed then nothing changed.
4) New characters are to be made with the old rules and the standard+XP points then have the 20XP and 1AP added on top using the new rules. This should simulate the abrupt changes.
5) Continuing characters have a chance to do minor rewrites and fixes of character sheets but everything must be approved by me and have an in game reason of some sort.
6) I realize that some of the changes that have been made will mean that some of you loose disadvantages, gain bonuses, and/or have to add new skills to make magic work for you in the future and that this may mean that not all characters will be created equal. It shouldn't be more than a few XP difference so I'm not going to fix it. Everybody gets what they get. It isn't absolutely equal but I think you can understand my reasoning.
7) Characters will be allowed to learn the elite path in game but may not pick it out for a new character in character creation. I'm going to let you learn to be 'princes' but not *poof* be 'princes'. That is decent quest type material that I don't want to waste.
8) I will be introducing a few new skills and skill changes from my new book. I'll post those but the most important changes will be made to cramming and research.
9) I'm also toying with allowing Angel characters... feedback?
For Ironphoenix:
I need your character before next week so I can approve it and figure out how to work it into the game. I *think* the plan was for the group to go to Madiera but they might change their mind.
For Draco:
Ettienne is avaliable as a contact and we will discuss your controller status.
For ArrantDemon:
Let me know how you want to handle Nev and how you see his relationships with others changing (just as a heads up). I figure that the daughter thing will give you a reasonable excuse to leave if you schedule changes so that you need to.
For Nightstriker:
You wanted magic. It will be under the new system (so make sure you have what you need in terms of EGO and skills) and I'm going to allow you to buy the skill to use it without an excuse but the research(magic) will be something you will have to find someone else to teach you. So... you have a spontaneous 'eruption' due to the interference of the 'gods' but if you want to build on that you will have to do so in game as your character has not been studying magic up to this point.
For Anc:
We need to talk about your character so that we don't create a combat monster accidentally. Blessed by God.. heh heh.
EVERYBODY:
The essentials need to be dealt with by next game.
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no subject
Date: 2007-04-04 07:21 pm (UTC)I'm thinking of a former
burglaracquisitions specialist with some event-related motive for leaving the trade and getting involved with the Resistance; something like family getting captured/killed, finding out about egregious angel or Church of True Faith abuses of power, or similar. If there's something that would give a nice plot hook, I'm flexible.I'm debating how combat-competent to make him. I suspect that he may have a "thing" against killing people, at least himself; it was probably the line he drew as to what he would let himself do in the underworld, because he would probably have made a pretty good assassin. He may, however, have various skills for incapacitating people etc.
A Tiefling would suit this role well, because of the difficulty of getting a straight job in Europe.
I'm also gonna need a new icon... onoes!
no subject
Date: 2007-04-04 07:39 pm (UTC)Ironically the Church of the True Faith abuses power no more than the present day RC church does.
I would also encourage you to take a proactive character.
(I hope this posts...)
no subject
Date: 2007-04-04 08:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-04 08:42 pm (UTC)Non-killing-damage combat works is fine. That can be quite useful... it's easier to question people when you aren't scraping thier brains off the side walk. :P
no subject
Date: 2007-04-05 01:59 am (UTC)I'll note that because surprise attacks are so *vicious* in Hero, that anyone with good stealth and just a wee bit of combat skills can be very potent - that's what makes hunter-type character like Nev, Robert, Mathieu or Jacob extremely dangerous. Because stealth is usually = high dex, you'd only need weapon familiarity and one or 2 OCV skill ranks and you're "good to go".
I like the comment on the code being personal, because otherwise it could become a very big irritant very quickly in the party.
no subject
Date: 2007-04-06 02:56 pm (UTC)Personal code: Ayup, part of the aim.
no subject
Date: 2007-04-04 09:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-04 09:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-04 09:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-05 01:44 am (UTC)Combat monster - I can definitely do things to avoid it becoming excessive (like say, broaden combat skill levels instead of adding new ones, buying stats, buying things not related to combat at all etc).
That being said, we only will know for sure in more fights. I find Hero hard to predict that way - especially for the defensive aspect, ie I know pretty much of much my character can dish out, it's hard to predict how much punishment he can take.
I do know that the choice of a pistol is a big limiter - if instead of being a "pistolero" I was a "Uzi artist" it would be *sick*. I was reading the auto fire rules and it's astonishing how much better they are compared to rapid fire. "Monster" is also relative - I'm not really sure how good some of the other characters are (or were) or will be (with those extra 20 points) in combat.