Dec 3, 2015 7:26 pm
Mechanisms aren't imbued with metallic arts. Metallic arts are intrinsic to the individual. Allomancers can 'burn' metals in their gut to create specific effects in the world - such as a coinshot who can 'burn' steel to 'push' against any metal. The name 'coinshot' comes from their tendency to use coins as projectiles. Since coins are metal, they can use their allomantic power to 'push' a coin with incredible velocity. Feruchemists 'store' traits and effects in their 'metalminds' which they (and only they) can retrieve later. To use the same metal as an example, a steel metalmind can be used to store speed. To store speed the Feruchemist will be forced to be 'slower' while they are storing, but later can 'tap' their steel metalmind for a speed boost. Hemalurgy is used to steal powers and attributes from others (by killing them with metal spikes). The type of metal used determines the power or trait 'stolen' (you don't have to worry about this one, it's unlikely that I will let any characters have a hemalurgic spike without a really good explanation as hemalurgy is a closely guarded secret known only to the Lord Ruler and the Inquisitors).
With respect to someone skilled and working with contraptions, that can definitely work. The setting is a classic fantasy setting, the most significant technological advance is canned food (notably, they don't have gunpowder - specifically because the Lord Ruler has suppressed the knowledge of any technological advance he could foresee being used to give rebellions an edge against expertly trained soldiers). I'm ok with gears, pulleys and a basic understanding of mechanics and mechanisms (they have city gates, make coinage and have very fancy noble houses, after all), from which it follows that a character could be particularly skilled at mechanics and clever with respect to creating contraptions (albeit simple ones, that doesn't mean they can't be effective). Probably also you would make liberal use of ceramics (in Alloy of Law, which is a standalone book set in the 'wild west future' of the Scadrial, ceramics are used to good effect to fight coinshots, who, lets face it, are the primary type of allomancer people worry about). So yes, absolutely can make it work (you will probably want to have decent Resources and Wits, as I can see Resources rolls to acquire odd bits to make a thing, and Wits rolls to pull off the creation effort. You would be playing a very uniquely skilled character (with a skillset the Lord Ruler has a distinctive interest in suppressing/eliminating). Which could be fun!
If you're interested in combining aptitude with magic for greater effect, being a Lurcher may work nicely (a Misting who uses Iron). Lurchers are the inverse of coinshots. Where coinshots can push metals, lurchers can pull metals towards themselves. Not as flashy, or as immediately useful (a lurcher's primary function in the book is to nullify enemy coinshots by pulling projectiles into a wooden shield). However, a lurcher skilled at making contraptions could make things that are lever activated, and trigger them from a distance by 'pulling' the lever (or relocate a metal device by pulling the whole device towards themselves). I'm sure you could come up with even more creative things with details about a task and context. I recommend Lurcher only because, if you were a Coinshot all the clever contraption stuff may pale in comparison to your ability to 'shoot coins' and 'leap as if you were flying' (by pushing against metal on the ground, and so throwing yourself into the air). Lurchers tend to get short shrift because coinshots are so much more effective, but I think a think a Lurcher that is a tinkerer could be a very interesting character to play!
With respect to someone skilled and working with contraptions, that can definitely work. The setting is a classic fantasy setting, the most significant technological advance is canned food (notably, they don't have gunpowder - specifically because the Lord Ruler has suppressed the knowledge of any technological advance he could foresee being used to give rebellions an edge against expertly trained soldiers). I'm ok with gears, pulleys and a basic understanding of mechanics and mechanisms (they have city gates, make coinage and have very fancy noble houses, after all), from which it follows that a character could be particularly skilled at mechanics and clever with respect to creating contraptions (albeit simple ones, that doesn't mean they can't be effective). Probably also you would make liberal use of ceramics (in Alloy of Law, which is a standalone book set in the 'wild west future' of the Scadrial, ceramics are used to good effect to fight coinshots, who, lets face it, are the primary type of allomancer people worry about). So yes, absolutely can make it work (you will probably want to have decent Resources and Wits, as I can see Resources rolls to acquire odd bits to make a thing, and Wits rolls to pull off the creation effort. You would be playing a very uniquely skilled character (with a skillset the Lord Ruler has a distinctive interest in suppressing/eliminating). Which could be fun!
If you're interested in combining aptitude with magic for greater effect, being a Lurcher may work nicely (a Misting who uses Iron). Lurchers are the inverse of coinshots. Where coinshots can push metals, lurchers can pull metals towards themselves. Not as flashy, or as immediately useful (a lurcher's primary function in the book is to nullify enemy coinshots by pulling projectiles into a wooden shield). However, a lurcher skilled at making contraptions could make things that are lever activated, and trigger them from a distance by 'pulling' the lever (or relocate a metal device by pulling the whole device towards themselves). I'm sure you could come up with even more creative things with details about a task and context. I recommend Lurcher only because, if you were a Coinshot all the clever contraption stuff may pale in comparison to your ability to 'shoot coins' and 'leap as if you were flying' (by pushing against metal on the ground, and so throwing yourself into the air). Lurchers tend to get short shrift because coinshots are so much more effective, but I think a think a Lurcher that is a tinkerer could be a very interesting character to play!
