Thanks for the suggestions Zed but let me just make sure I'm reading this right. So you're saying that Athletics + Speed used defensively can be just as, if not more, effective than relying on toughness to take a hit? And if I use that combo swapping toughness out for something else might be a good idea? Not sure what the best use of one point (short of just increasing base refresh) might be. After looking through the list I think Cloak of Shadows could be a fun add, open to other ideas though.
Remember, the higher your defensive roll the less damage you take. This means that a higher defensive skill leads directly to you taking less damage. Athletics has a couple of advantages in that it is universally applicable to physical defense; you can dodge anything. Claws, gunfire, fireballs, whatever. Weapons and Fists can also be used defensively, but only against melee attacks. The other advantage for Athletics is that it gets a bonus from the Speed powers when you use it for defense.
All of this is really only useful information, though, if your Athletics is significantly high. So a +1 Athletics turning into a +2 to defend thanks to Inhuman Speed isn't that great, but a +3 becoming +4 is something you're going to be getting a lot of mileage out of.
The downside of trading out the toughness for Speed is that you'll lose those extra Stress boxes, which get pretty valuable toward the high end. More boxes means you can take more hits without pushing into consequences, and those hits can be really big (7 points of Stress absorbed by one box is crazy. That's like "I stared down an 18 wheeler at highway speeds" levels of Stress.) But with higher defensive skills, you'll get hit less often, requiring less stress boxes.
Also, remember that you add your Recovery and Toughness powers together and apply your Catch bonus to that. So if you've got Recovery powers, you can still benefit from that discount. Toughness still helps against, say, Vampires, White Council Wizards who don't use fire or animatronic zombies created by creatures from beyond the gates. So it's not worthless.
For reference, Jack is built around using Athletics to defend. He's only got 3 physical stress boxes, but he's gonna be hard to hit in the first place, and those hits are going to be much smaller than they could have been, so he'll probably be ok in most combat scenarios. And I don't have to worry about somebody bringing in Cold Iron or whatever, because it dodges just as easy as anything else.
We'll see how good Florida Man is at soaking damage, but my guess is "damn good." Which leaves you all with a bit more flexibility on physical stress boxes.
Last call for character questions! Let's get that hammered out, and start working on The Story + Guest Stars. I'd like to have all that done so we can do the introduction on Saturday like this:
"<GM intro> - and we're playing Dresden Files. Our characters are:"
"Hi, I'm <Player 1> and I'm playing <character>. <Short introduction of character>. My <big break / first adventure / whatever> was when <The Story>, and that's where I met <Guest Star 1> and <Guest Star 2>."
"Hi, I'm <Player 2, ie Guest Star 1> and I'm playing <character>..."
And then we end with Player 5 saying "and that's where I met <Player 1>", so we have this nicely woven thing.
It amused me when I was trying to fall asleep, lol. Let's get on it!
Suppose this means I actually have to try and figure this system out.
Alright, so I'm thinking that The Catch is commonly available and easily researched which means there is a floating point there (that is useless because Toughness needs to cost 1 point). Then I'm thinking we have this car thing I'm trying to wedge in here. Does making that point cover the car being part of my whole shtick, for good and ill, seem reasonable? It gets car versions of Living Dead/Human Guise/Unnatural Toughness which to me means it looks like a normal car but is actually just this side of a flaming wreck, doesn't need to consume things like petrol or oil and is very difficult to actually destroy while also has problems with Faith Magicy/Holy stuff.
Kinda think I'm juggling like all the aspects slots though they're kinda screwy since the whole concept sorta compresses them all into a very short timeframe.
Currently:
High Concept: Amnesiac Zombie With A New Lease on (Un)Life
Trouble: Not-Born Yesterday
Background: Die By The Sword
Rising Conflict: The Sight Never Forgets
First Adventure: Past Life Aggression
Thinking:
High Concept: Reanimate Amnesiac Racer with Laps Still to Run
Trouble: Someone I Used To Know
Background: Not-Born Yesterday
Rising Conflict: The Sight Never Forgets
First Adventure: Die By the Sword
Die by the sword being First Adventure does push up the revival to really recently but, well, I just don't know what if we don't have one of the guest stars be the person to find his body pinioned to the deathless car by the magic sword.
It also gives him some connection to the group because right now he's kinda drifting without even the mild vestige of connection to folks. I figure inertia is going to drive involvement heavily since the character is otherwise so unmoored.
Florida Man - When Dustin Turnbull decided to do some good in this world, he was struck by a bolt of lightning... meant for someone else. Dustin sets out to find the identity of the would-be killer, but will he succeed when [antagonist provides opposition]?
Redneck Moon Knight - When Jack DuChamp sets out to bust up a child prostitution ring, he does so without any regard for his personal identity or safety. But will Jack be able to cover his tracks when [antagonist provides opposition]?
Nearsightered Golf Wizard - When Franzibald vonFaustenberg is called upon by the White Council to investigate the disappearance of Orlando's Warden, Frank gets back in the game for Just One More Job. But will Frank find out what really happened when [antagonist provides opposition]?
Fledgling Winter Knight - When Victor Grace is tricked into taking the Winter Mantle from his mentor <Bob>, Mab is pissed and wants <Bob> dead. Or Victor dead. So Victor should probably get on that. Good luck!
"When awoken atop a flaming car by <blank> removing a sword from his chest, RAMP tries to understand anything about what just happened. But will RAMP comes to grips with their new world before [antagonist] returns to finish what they started?"
Does making that point cover the car being part of my whole shtick, for good and ill, seem reasonable? It gets car versions of Living Dead/Human Guise/Unnatural Toughness which to me means it looks like a normal car but is actually just this side of a flaming wreck, doesn't need to consume things like petrol or oil and is very difficult to actually destroy while also has problems with Faith Magicy/Holy stuff.
This feels a lot like a magical item. The are what they are (in this case, a car), and are functionally indestructable. The rest could be handled with aspects.
Maybe you could convince @jdarksun to let you spend that extra point of Catch on a +1 (+2-1) magical item of The Revenant Mobile or something that is essentially Superhuman Speed but only while you're driving it.
Hmm, yeah, I have no idea. I sorta get what you're saying, but when I looked at the magic item rules my eyes glazed over immediately. I was mostly trying to window dress some stuff and answer the practical question of how our amnesiac zombie dude buys gas.
Hmm, yeah, I have no idea. I sorta get what you're saying, but when I looked at the magic item rules my eyes glazed over immediately. I was mostly trying to window dress some stuff and answer the practical question of how our amnesiac zombie dude buys gas.
Though I do have some refresh left...
Magic Items are pretty easy. They're any sort of Power, but in an object. So a RevanantMobile that imparted Inhuman Speed [-2] and Inhuman Recovery [-2] would be a Charger or Impala (or whatever) (It Is What It Is) that's Unbreakable for [-2] total refresh (-2 + -2 +2).
Also don't forget I need a bit of info in about the High Concept, Trouble, Background, Rising Conflict, etc. The stuff that led up to the First Adventure.
If we're picking up the crosspollenation stuff at the point when RAMP is reanimated, let's put together a timeline. We can do this story-stick style, I think.
1) The Orcavenger pulls the sword out of RAMP's chest, and the hole it made in the hood of the zombie charger. Florida Man looks on, PBR in hand.
Police Fish Out White Panel Van Rammed, Stabbed, and Drowned in Lake
U-Stor Self-Storage Container Burns Down in Mysterious Fire
Florida Man Steals Lawnmower, Mows Lawn During Garden Party
Illegal Street Race Leaves Panel Van, Classic GTO Destroyed
Man Killed On Wedding Night
Happenings:
Faerie workshop destroyed in PBR-driven iron shrapnel explosion, dozens killed
Pathway to Nevernever sealed by sword stroke
Summer Knight's engagement party crashed by Florida Man on Lawnmower
Well we're plus 1 teenage would be run away, the RAMP-mobile has strange new powers tied to the consumption of car souls* and Vic may have kicked off a war between Winter and Summer. So pretty much as expected.
Posts
Remember, the higher your defensive roll the less damage you take. This means that a higher defensive skill leads directly to you taking less damage. Athletics has a couple of advantages in that it is universally applicable to physical defense; you can dodge anything. Claws, gunfire, fireballs, whatever. Weapons and Fists can also be used defensively, but only against melee attacks. The other advantage for Athletics is that it gets a bonus from the Speed powers when you use it for defense.
All of this is really only useful information, though, if your Athletics is significantly high. So a +1 Athletics turning into a +2 to defend thanks to Inhuman Speed isn't that great, but a +3 becoming +4 is something you're going to be getting a lot of mileage out of.
The downside of trading out the toughness for Speed is that you'll lose those extra Stress boxes, which get pretty valuable toward the high end. More boxes means you can take more hits without pushing into consequences, and those hits can be really big (7 points of Stress absorbed by one box is crazy. That's like "I stared down an 18 wheeler at highway speeds" levels of Stress.) But with higher defensive skills, you'll get hit less often, requiring less stress boxes.
Also, remember that you add your Recovery and Toughness powers together and apply your Catch bonus to that. So if you've got Recovery powers, you can still benefit from that discount. Toughness still helps against, say, Vampires, White Council Wizards who don't use fire or animatronic zombies created by creatures from beyond the gates. So it's not worthless.
For reference, Jack is built around using Athletics to defend. He's only got 3 physical stress boxes, but he's gonna be hard to hit in the first place, and those hits are going to be much smaller than they could have been, so he'll probably be ok in most combat scenarios. And I don't have to worry about somebody bringing in Cold Iron or whatever, because it dodges just as easy as anything else.
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
@Ardent
@DeamonIzual
@DevoutlyApathetic
@Oats
@OptimusZed
Last call for character questions! Let's get that hammered out, and start working on The Story + Guest Stars. I'd like to have all that done so we can do the introduction on Saturday like this:
"<GM intro> - and we're playing Dresden Files. Our characters are:"
"Hi, I'm <Player 1> and I'm playing <character>. <Short introduction of character>. My <big break / first adventure / whatever> was when <The Story>, and that's where I met <Guest Star 1> and <Guest Star 2>."
"Hi, I'm <Player 2, ie Guest Star 1> and I'm playing <character>..."
And then we end with Player 5 saying "and that's where I met <Player 1>", so we have this nicely woven thing.
It amused me when I was trying to fall asleep, lol. Let's get on it!
Penny Arcade Rockstar Social Club / This is why I despise cyclists
So uh, who would the White Council suggest I talk to?
Alright, so I'm thinking that The Catch is commonly available and easily researched which means there is a floating point there (that is useless because Toughness needs to cost 1 point). Then I'm thinking we have this car thing I'm trying to wedge in here. Does making that point cover the car being part of my whole shtick, for good and ill, seem reasonable? It gets car versions of Living Dead/Human Guise/Unnatural Toughness which to me means it looks like a normal car but is actually just this side of a flaming wreck, doesn't need to consume things like petrol or oil and is very difficult to actually destroy while also has problems with Faith Magicy/Holy stuff.
Kinda think I'm juggling like all the aspects slots though they're kinda screwy since the whole concept sorta compresses them all into a very short timeframe.
Currently:
High Concept: Amnesiac Zombie With A New Lease on (Un)Life
Trouble: Not-Born Yesterday
Background: Die By The Sword
Rising Conflict: The Sight Never Forgets
First Adventure: Past Life Aggression
Thinking:
High Concept: Reanimate Amnesiac Racer with Laps Still to Run
Trouble: Someone I Used To Know
Background: Not-Born Yesterday
Rising Conflict: The Sight Never Forgets
First Adventure: Die By the Sword
Die by the sword being First Adventure does push up the revival to really recently but, well, I just don't know what if we don't have one of the guest stars be the person to find his body pinioned to the deathless car by the magic sword.
It also gives him some connection to the group because right now he's kinda drifting without even the mild vestige of connection to folks. I figure inertia is going to drive involvement heavily since the character is otherwise so unmoored.
"When [something happens], [your protagonist] [pursues a goal]. But will [your protagonist] succeed when [antagonist provides opposition]?"
I wrote up a bit for most of the folk...
Florida Man - When Dustin Turnbull decided to do some good in this world, he was struck by a bolt of lightning... meant for someone else. Dustin sets out to find the identity of the would-be killer, but will he succeed when [antagonist provides opposition]?
Redneck Moon Knight - When Jack DuChamp sets out to bust up a child prostitution ring, he does so without any regard for his personal identity or safety. But will Jack be able to cover his tracks when [antagonist provides opposition]?
Nearsightered Golf Wizard - When Franzibald vonFaustenberg is called upon by the White Council to investigate the disappearance of Orlando's Warden, Frank gets back in the game for Just One More Job. But will Frank find out what really happened when [antagonist provides opposition]?
Fledgling Winter Knight - When Victor Grace is tricked into taking the Winter Mantle from his mentor <Bob>, Mab is pissed and wants <Bob> dead. Or Victor dead. So Victor should probably get on that. Good luck!
RAMP?
But, like, we need more and stuff.
Penny Arcade Rockstar Social Club / This is why I despise cyclists
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
This feels a lot like a magical item. The are what they are (in this case, a car), and are functionally indestructable. The rest could be handled with aspects.
Maybe you could convince @jdarksun to let you spend that extra point of Catch on a +1 (+2-1) magical item of The Revenant Mobile or something that is essentially Superhuman Speed but only while you're driving it.
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
Though I do have some refresh left...
Penny Arcade Rockstar Social Club / This is why I despise cyclists
Penny Arcade Rockstar Social Club / This is why I despise cyclists
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
If we're picking up the crosspollenation stuff at the point when RAMP is reanimated, let's put together a timeline. We can do this story-stick style, I think.
1) The Orcavenger pulls the sword out of RAMP's chest, and the hole it made in the hood of the zombie charger. Florida Man looks on, PBR in hand.
What happens next?
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
invite
Penny Arcade Rockstar Social Club / This is why I despise cyclists
Also, I'd like to run a handful of one-off encounters this week if anybody wants to volunteer for practice.
Penny Arcade Rockstar Social Club / This is why I despise cyclists
Are we gonna make the switch? I feel like it's kind of a weird thing, since we could probably do half and half until we get everyone turned over.
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
Penny Arcade Rockstar Social Club / This is why I despise cyclists
Police Fish Out White Panel Van Rammed, Stabbed, and Drowned in Lake
U-Stor Self-Storage Container Burns Down in Mysterious Fire
Florida Man Steals Lawnmower, Mows Lawn During Garden Party
Illegal Street Race Leaves Panel Van, Classic GTO Destroyed
Man Killed On Wedding Night
Happenings:
Faerie workshop destroyed in PBR-driven iron shrapnel explosion, dozens killed
Pathway to Nevernever sealed by sword stroke
Summer Knight's engagement party crashed by Florida Man on Lawnmower
that thing that only I was invited to was happening last night.
How'd that go?
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
I'll bet a helicopter soul is worth like 3 car souls at least.
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.