Exigency Character Creation/Character List

Aug 20, 2015 9:02 pm
You can read the primer but we'll go over a few things in more detail here! As this is a play test, we'll take a casual approach to things like respecifying and balancing on the fly.

For simplicity's sake, consider picking one of the following 25XP attribute/talent arrays:

4, 3, 2, 1, 1, 0 - Talent A +2, Talent B +1
3, 2, 2, 2, 2, 1 - Talent A +2, Talent B +2
3, 3, 2, 1, 1, 1 - Talent A +3, Talent B +1
4, 4, 1, 1, 1, 1 - Talent A +1
5, 2, 2, 1, 0, 0 - Talent A +2
4, 2, 1, 1, 0, 0 - Talent A +4

(XP is spent Shadowrun style, with XP cost being the same as the value purchased. STR 1 costs 1XP, STR 2 costs 2XP/3XP for the cumulative total, STR 3 costs 3XP/6XP cumulatively, and so on.)

You will then have 3 aspect abilities (4 if you only have a single talent): choose which attribute each aspect uses. Try and describe what kind of passive/active abilities you'd like and we'll figure something out in the OOC thread!

You also have 5 Resource slots: Resources are very abstract, taking the place of inventory, reputation, background etc. You might opt to have one or two powerful Resources, or multiple minor ones. The more slots you dedicate to the Resource, the more impactful it'll be, but conversely the bigger the downside. Resources can grant stat bonuses and/or additional aspects, but in return boss characters/dangerous events can Compromise them and saddle you with unexpected penalties. And, of course, you get to imply exactly what that Compromise will be when it comes.

Remember that any talent can be used with any attribute, but note that an aspect can only be used with the attribute it's tied to. If a Resource grants an aspect, that aspect can only be used in conjunction with that Resource (i.e., a sword that grants a critical bonus won't let your kicks and punches benefit).

You can present your character stats however you prefer, but if you'd like a suggestion:

Name: and a title if you like, e.g., Bob Bobson the Berserker
Biography:

VIT:
STR:
AGI:
FOC:
WIL:
KNO:

Hit Points: 5 (or your VIT+KNO if higher, potentially boosted by aspects too)
Edge Points: 3

Talents: 1 or 2 out of Bio, Insight, Melee, Mobility, Psi, Social, Stealth, Tech. Remember that a talent is a fairly broad field and represents more than just skill!

Aspects: 3 or 4 with catchy names and a vague idea of what you want them to do

Resources: 5 slots in the form of "description [slots taken up]", things like "martial arts [2]" or "sharp knife [1]" or "infamous hitman [2]" or "heavy cybernetic implants [4]" and so on. The greater the number of slots, the higher their impact in both a positive and negative sense. Losing your knife is very different to losing your robotic limbs!

And then we can see about making you a character card or character sheet! Sample character:

http://i.imgur.com/H9OOMx0.png

Ol' Grunt here doesn't really fit into any of the sample builds mentioned in the primer, but he's a close-quarters fighter with some support abilities, excelling in cover and then breaking that cover to distract enemies and give his friends a bit of a boost (in this system by the way, Advantage is a persistent +2 bonus to one roll in a turn, or you can spend and lose that Advantage for +1d6). No Sell has obvious use in combat, but thanks to his Social rank he could also use it outside of it to make an enemy's attempts at threats and intimidation backfire.

With item Resources, the better the user's stats, the better the Resources they can support. Grunt's armour will grant a little more damage reduction (6, to be precise) than a single-slot Resource normally would due to his impressive STR. The knife is straightforward enough, granting +2 to Melee damage rolls. The rifle is slightly different: it's a 2d8 standard attack that ignores 5 points of armour. Grunt can obviously use it at range, but with a poor to-hit and damage modifier thanks to that low FOC and his lack of Insight talent: but if the target shares his tile, he can use the rifle in Melee combat using his STR/Melee talent rank.

His military rep has more abstract use: you can feasibly invoke it at any time that his background would be relevant for an unconditional +1 bonus, even after rolling. Likewise you can use it in a more narrative sense, such as claiming that you have contacts and leads etc in an otherwise fresh and unfamiliar area.

It makes sense as he's a soldier, but you might think: that's a constant bonus, I can justify most anything using it. And you'd be right. But every time you invoke that background, a hidden counter goes up. Eventually it'll be Compromised and you might not like what happens (or maybe you will, as the Compromise event could easily be something you came up with in the first place)!

Put short, Exigency encounters are intended to support and enable storytelling and a little world building: but that doesn't mean we don't want them to be balanced and fun too! All questions welcome!
Aug 22, 2015 9:41 am
It might be Sunday or Monday before I get a chance to stat out my character, just fyi.
Last edited August 22, 2015 9:43 am
Aug 22, 2015 11:46 am
That's fine! We're still waiting for a couple more players anyway.
Aug 22, 2015 1:53 pm
Looking to roll with an anti-psionic "witch hunter" more or less. Maybe just a strait up sci-fi Van Helsing type: hunting monsters, witches, and whatever else falls into this category. Probs gonna just build it around the executioner archetype with some modifications.
Aug 22, 2015 2:44 pm
I'm thinking a psion wired up in cybernetic implants. Something not entirely different to Vader. Used to be an amazing telekinetic, is now merely good because the implants detracted from it, but is a lot stronger/tougher than they used to be? Blaster/Specialist, perhaps? I want to be able to slow or block enemies and maybe have an attack passive.

RP wise I might be disgusted by Kenny's job, or maybe I'm bitter now and approve of it. Need to have a think.
Aug 22, 2015 3:34 pm
Kenny: Hmm, Executioner definitely sounds like the right fit. Maybe a high-WIL build that relies on discipline and determination: and obviously the high WIL helps versus telepathy etc. Could maybe be affiliated with one of the Orders, particularly The Hand (aka Bloodied Order, believes that justice and vengeance are one and the same, and that neither can happen without the righteous passion of their followers)

Possible abilities (sort of Hero/Executioner fusion, with a bit of tweaking):

Harder They Fall [Passive]
You gain a +1 bonus for every Size category OR talent rank that a target has over you. Your ability dice is also improved by one category versus these targets.

Fool Me Once [Empower]
Free action. After being hit by a specific Resource or aspect power (or studying it at length), you can Drain that Resource or aspect for one turn.

Brutalise [Encounter power]
Full action. Roll ability dice (default 1d6) as Pure [Attribute] attack, dealing Lethal hit to adjacent target on success, or 1N on fail. Witnesses must make a Mind check or be Slowed.


Albi: first off, welcome aboard! And maybe you needed implants because of a renegade psionor? If you nearly died fighting one of them, you probably wouldn't shed too many tears about the brutal tactics of the people sent to take them down.

Possible abilities (actually Blaster and Powerhouse with a custom one for what I imagine a lightsaber would do :P):

Psi Blade [Passive]
Your attacks consider targets to have half their usual armour value. If an attack bypasses all their armour, or they have none, +1F hit.

Miring Field [Empower]
Standard action. Nominate adjacent tile: occupants gain Priority. If an occupant leaves they gain an Exploit but the tile effect ends.

Smash [Encounter power]
Full action. Adjacent target is afflicted with Knockdown for one round, then Slowed for two rounds. Constitution save reduces to Stunned one round/Slowed for one round.


P.S. An Empower just means you have to spend 1HP to fuel it. An Exploit is a status effect (self-applied by critical failures) that you can spend to guarantee success on a roll. It can also mimic most other status effects, meaning you can use it to mimic Advantage etc
Aug 23, 2015 9:36 am
Very interesting. Does an Exploit also let me guarantee enemy failure: could Miring Field be used in such a way that Kenny could automatically kill his target and slow enemies nearby?

I imagine we need a spread of talents through the party (someone for Insight, someone for Social). Could I also ask to see what a purer more damage based Blaster would look like?
Aug 23, 2015 3:09 pm
Short answer yes, long answer it depends on the enemy! Some elites and most bosses might have Edge points like PCs do, and they can opt to burn that Edge to survive a Lethal hit. Unless they have the Knockdown status, which renders them helpless

And as for Blaster abilities (damage over crowd control):

Splash [Passive]
If a target's defence beats your skill roll they can only half the damage of your attacks, not negate them.

Collateral [Empower]
Tied to a standard attack. All enemies sharing the tile (including initial target) must pass a Reactions check versus your damage roll or else take 2F hits.

Energise [Encounter power]
Gain a Feat token as a free action. While retaining it deal +5 damage. You cannot use an Edge power while this token is unspent. After spending this token you are Slowed for two rounds.
Aug 23, 2015 3:36 pm
In that case... I'll consider taking the '5, 2, 2, 1, 0, 0 - Talent A +2' array.

VIT - 2
STR - 5 - Melee +2
AGI - 0
FOC - 1
WIL - 2
KNO - 0

Psi Blade, Miring Field, and then I don't know whether to take Smash or Energise. Depends what the rest of the party thinks?

Also from a mechanics sense, these attribute scores feel very low? Having low WIL seems especially egregious if I used to be a high-powered psion. Likewise only having a single talent rank. Am I missing something?
Aug 23, 2015 3:47 pm
Well, a level 5 character isn't exactly world shattering, but keep in mind that attribute scores in Exigency are more like the attribute modifiers in other systems. Your STR is a no-quibbles +5 to a standard attack's damage there, right off the bat.

You can also get a couple of bonus aspects/talent ranks/attribute boosts out of your Resources if you'd like, but of course you'd lose access to them if the Resources get Drained etc
Aug 23, 2015 3:53 pm
Help me understand something.

If an ability is listed as (Empower) does that mean I have to spend HP to use it, or just my action? If I'm just using actions, what does spending HP do?
Aug 23, 2015 4:01 pm
Biography:
Wilhelm Falstaff is from the far reaches of civilization. His home world pulled words like "desolate" to the fullest extent of their meanings. His early life was defined by the fear of what goes bump in the night. Watching his life be destroyed over and over, from the dark corners of his mind came a shout, "No more!" Taking up his strength he struck down that which he once feared. A pact had been made with the beast within himself, no longer would he feel the twinge of fear. He had neither time nor the patience for useless emotions of the like. Now, it is the things that go bump in the night that fear him. Wilhelm Falstaff is a hunter. Of beasts, of men, it matters not. The ones that exploit the dark to be their weapon shall fall before his feet. For the Reaper is coming, and he brought a big-ass scythe.

XP: 0

VIT: 2
STR: 2
AGI: 1
FOC: 2
WIL: 4
KNO: 2

Hit Points: 5
Edge Points: 3

Talents:
Psi +3
Bio +2
Melee +2
Social +1

Aspects:
Harder They Fall [Passive]
You gain a +1 bonus for every Size category OR talent rank that a target has over you. Your ability dice is also improved by one category versus these targets.

Fool Me Once [Empower]
Free action. After being hit by a specific Resource or aspect power (or studying it at length), you can Drain that Resource or aspect for one turn.

Brutalise [Encounter power]
Full action. Roll ability dice (default 1d6) as Pure [Attribute] attack, dealing Lethal hit to adjacent target on success, or 1N on fail. Witnesses must make a Mind check or be Slowed.

Resources:
Psionic Defense Training [2] (+1 to Will and +1 to Psi; Makes him bad at empathizing with people)
Vibro-Scythe [2] (grants a +2 in melee; is the physical manifestation of his willpower, feels somewhat helpless without it)
Hunter Rep [1] (+1 Social; seen as a dangerous threat by some because of his violent occupation and in general makes people uncomfortable being around him)
Aug 23, 2015 4:02 pm
whipstache says:
Help me understand something.

If an ability is listed as (Empower) does that mean I have to spend HP to use it, or just my action? If I'm just using actions, what does spending HP do?
You have to spend 1HP and the listed action. If you spend 1HP on a standard attack you can deal an additional hit to your target (i.e., the default Empower ability that everyone has access to is basically just like-for-like HP removal, sacrifice one of yours to guarantee taking out one of theirs)
Aug 23, 2015 4:14 pm
Edcrab says:
whipstache says:
Help me understand something.

If an ability is listed as (Empower) does that mean I have to spend HP to use it, or just my action? If I'm just using actions, what does spending HP do?
You have to spend 1HP and the listed action. If you spend 1HP on a standard attack you can deal an additional hit to your target (i.e., the default Empower ability that everyone has access to is basically just like-for-like HP removal, sacrifice one of yours to guarantee taking out one of theirs)
So, how would I categorize an ability that I don't have to spend HP to use? Something that's just requires a standard action?
Here's what I'm thinking:

Disabling Virus (__________): Standard action. Target any technological component. That component is disabled until an adjacent enemy succeeds on a KNO save. If a HP is spent (making this an Enounter) the enemy must also spend a Full action AFTER the successful KNO save to repair the component. (KNO)
Aug 23, 2015 4:29 pm
Nice one. I'd still call that an Empower, and then we could just think of the non-HP version as a minor passive that just happens to be connected to it. Alternatively you could nix the non-HP part and just state that an enemy has to spend a full-turn action + KNO save to beat it, but either option works for me

By "technological component" I think we could apply that to doors and control panels etc, but when dealing with high-level robotic/cyborg enemies I'd probably define one of their Resources as a component rather than the whole thing (i.e., disabling the mech's legs rather than being able to turn the whole thing off until someone fixes it)
Aug 23, 2015 4:32 pm
Hold on, I think I'm finally understanding something. Could I say "Enhanced limbs [5]" and then give myself +5 STR?
Aug 23, 2015 5:26 pm
Edcrab says:
Nice one. I'd still call that an Empower, and then we could just think of the non-HP version as a minor passive that just happens to be connected to it. Alternatively you could nix the non-HP part and just state that an enemy has to spend a full-turn action + KNO save to beat it, but either option works for me

By "technological component" I think we could apply that to doors and control panels etc, but when dealing with high-level robotic/cyborg enemies I'd probably define one of their Resources as a component rather than the whole thing (i.e., disabling the mech's legs rather than being able to turn the whole thing off until someone fixes it)
Yeah, this is exactly what I was thinking; focusing more on weapons and systems rather than an entire mechanical creature.
Aug 23, 2015 6:00 pm
Albionest says:
Hold on, I think I'm finally understanding something. Could I say "Enhanced limbs [5]" and then give myself +5 STR?
Yes. I probably wouldn't recommend that as you'd be putting all your eggs into one, uh, Resource, but that's entirely rules-legal

Note that such a Resource's downside would be incredibly debilitating, and that's in addition to the 0s and 1s you've already got
Aug 23, 2015 7:00 pm
VIT - 2
STR - 7 - Melee +2, Mobility +1 (I had a spare point, and presumably STR is used for jumping and climbing.)
AGI - 0
FOC - 1
WIL - 4
KNO - 1

Psi Blade, Miring Field, Smash or Energise

Cyber arms [3] +3 STR. When disabled, limbs move sluggishly with speed and strength inferior to even an average human's.
Sword [1] Grants (whatever damage bonus is fair), but is much less skilled in unarmed combat and needs the sword to work.
Bitter former psion [1] +1 WIL, but tends to be unpleasant and snappy around psions.


What does everyone think? I don't know whether to play the above or be a more traditional ranged Blaster. Would I be stepping on Wilhelm's toes?
Aug 23, 2015 7:21 pm
Albionest says:
What does everyone think? I don't know whether to play the above or be a more traditional ranged Blaster. Would I be stepping on Wilhelm's toes?
I don'y think you'd be stepping on toes, but I'm starting to think my party members won't want me (an active psionics user) around. :)
Aug 24, 2015 6:28 pm
Serana Margoyles


Character Sheet

Biography:
Once a favoured agent of the High Council, Serana almost died at the hands of a powerful renegade psion. Her personal fortune saved her life but when she awoke from surgery her psionic abilities were all but gone. A shadow of her former glory, she turned her back on her old life and spent her wealth on the best implants she could afford. Where once she approached problems with a sharp mind, now she settles for a sharp sword.

VIT: 2
STR: 7
AGI: 0
FOC: 1
WIL: 4
KNO: 1

Hit Points: 5
Edge Points: 3

Talents:
Melee +2
Mobility +1

Aspects:
Sundering Blade [Passive]
Your attacks consider targets to have half their usual armour value. If an attack bypasses all their armour, or they have none, +1F hit.

Miring Field [Empower]
Standard action. Nominate adjacent tile: occupants gain Priority. If an occupant leaves they gain an Exploit but the tile effect ends.

Smash [Encounter power]
Full action. Adjacent target is afflicted with Knockdown for one round, then Slowed for two rounds. Constitution save reduces to Stunned one round/Slowed for one round.

Resources:
Cybernetic limbs [3] +3 STR. When disabled, limbs move sluggishly with speed and strength inferior to even an average human's.
Long cleaver [1] Grants 1d10 attack with four points of armor piercing. But Serana is much less skilled in unarmed combat and struggles when disarmed.
Bitter former Councillor [1] +1 WIL, but tends to be unpleasant and snappy around psions.
Aug 24, 2015 6:42 pm
Pudge Iranii

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/23420524/databroker004-1.jpg

Biography: Pudge Iranii comes from a middle class family who loved and supported him. His dad died when he was very young, and his step-dad was a member of the Distand Order. He was raised believing that psions are too powerful and unpredictable and that they should forsake their powers. Pudge also had a natural proclivity for manipulating communicators from a young age. For his seventeenth birthday, Pudge's parents gifted him with a moderately advanced communicator implant, hoping it would provide him the opportunity to pursue a career in technology.

During the procedure, however, the surgeon discovered that Pudge had latent psionic abilities, and the implant caused them to "come online." As it turned out, Pudge's birth father had strong psionic abilities, so strong that he felt compelled to try to use them productively to improve society. He applied and was accepted as an Enforcer, and was killed in the line of duty. Pudge's mother never forgive him, and never told Pudge about his father's abilities.

Once the surgeon told Pudge that his implant had activated his psionic abilities, Pudge was certain his mom and step-dad would never understand. Pudge didn't undersand it himself. He thought psions were at best unknowingly disrupting the natural order and harming society with their powers and at worst actively working against a stable and moral community. Now he was one! He went home, packed a bag, and left. He wrote home twice since leaving, just to let his parents know he's safe, but he hasn't spoken with them. And he misses them terribly.

VIT: 2
STR: 1
AGI: 2
FOC: 2
WIL: 3
KNO: 4

Hit Points: 6
Edge Points: 3

Talents: Tech, Psi

Aspects:
Disabling Virus (Empower) - Standard action. Target any technological component. That component is disabled until an adjacent enemy succeeds on a KNO save AND THEN spends a Full Action repairing the component. (KNO)
Feedback (Empower) - Standard action. Grand self/taget a Shield token. This token is spent automatically when attacked and Stuns the token's recipient. (WIL for a bio target, KNO if the target is mechanical)
Enhance (Encounter power) - Full action. Grant item/machine +2 to any stat and grant it an aspect ability. In non-combat situations, given the appropriate resources, the enancement is permanent until a crit fail is rolled in conjunction with the item/machine. You must have witnessed the aspect being used to mimic it. (In combat WIL, non-combat KNO)

Resources:
Hacking [2]
Psionic Disruption & Support [1]
Network Implant [1]
Last edited August 24, 2015 7:09 pm
Aug 24, 2015 9:12 pm
Albionest says:
What does everyone think? I don't know whether to play the above or be a more traditional ranged Blaster. Would I be stepping on Wilhelm's toes?
I'm more of a duelist/executioner type. I wouldn't worry about it. Our only real similarities is that we're grim, brooding, and hit things pretty hard.
Aug 24, 2015 9:19 pm
I would like to clarify that i only hunt rogue psions. So while i'm likely to be distrustful, hostility will only be encountered should you give me a reason to make it necessary.
Aug 26, 2015 6:45 pm
Can I retcon Pudge having a simple ranged weapon... a small handgun or something? We didn't really go over starting equipment, and I definitely need some way to do damage (especially something I can use as a minor action).
Aug 26, 2015 6:51 pm
I was wondering about this as well. We have no ranged weapons in the party!
Aug 27, 2015 6:49 am
I'm thinking we could make it that any PC, without a specific item resource, can make a 1d6-damage ranged attack (flavoured as anything you prefer), but if you're willing to spend a Resource slot you could maybe have a 1d8 gun with 2 points of armour bypass, and I'd allow that to be used as a minor
Aug 31, 2015 3:48 pm
Hey, folks. This is my first time coming to this system, so forgive me for my ignorance of of the setting details and underlying assumptions. Any requests for a particular niche that needs to be filled? I have the feeling that someone with a ranged combat ability would be desirable?

Before I'd read this thread, I'd come up with a character concept of a professional entertainer - a stage magician - who has some latent psi abilities despite a particular disdain for the supernatural. Unfortunately, he's had consistent visions of the awful things in the Vault, and has become convinced that he needs to do whatever it takes to stop them. So he's left the traveling carnival troupe and is bumbling his way forward, aided by his aspects that are geared around detection, perception, intuition. But I clearly need help with the aspects, particularly with tying them into the mechanics of the system. I could see specifically altering "I See You" and "Single-Minded" so that one is more about perception and the other is a more ranged combat stat, but I'd like suggestions/advice.

VIT: 1
STR: 1
AGI: 1
FOC: 3
WIL: 2
KNO: 3

Hit Points: 5
Edge Points: 3

Talents: Insight +3, Psi +1

Aspects:
* Single-minded: [FOC] ability to ignore all distractions)
* I See You [WIL] (perceive despite attempts to hide, conceal, disguise)
* Is This Your Card? [KNO] (intuit the true nature or intents of things/characters)

Resources:
* bag of tricks [3]: a small sack which has been passed down from generation to generation in my family. Most likely an alien artifact, though it's always been there and I've never thought about it too much. The bag actually contains a wormhole connected to a large space. Many generations back, my forebears set up a table in this space, and this is the only way I think of using it: I arrange useful small items on the table, so that they're always at hand: a deck of cards, some dice, hand weapons (melee and ranged), toiletries, some cash. I have muscle memory to recall where I put the items, as light does not penetrate the wormhole, and I've learned to place the items in a circle on the table, so someone else reaching in would just feel the blank hard surface at first touch.
* ring of acceleration [2]: the mobile power source for an advanced network of biomods, affecting glands, neural synapses, motor control and muscle reflexes, the ring is a showy way of starting a typical performance. I put on the ring, and am effectively better: both faster and more coordinated. This has allowed me to perform amazing feats of sleight-of-hand, but having the power source as a ring has inherent flaws...
Aug 31, 2015 3:50 pm
...and of course, that was just my first stab at a character, so I'm not married to the ideas and am willing to try something else that would be a better complement to what others are playing.
Aug 31, 2015 5:39 pm
I like that concept a lot and can see it working. If you're toying with making some kind of alternate, an AGI/FOC build with some Stealth a well as Insight would be helpful. I don't think any of us have Stealth...
Aug 31, 2015 6:05 pm
Seems great! I like the flair.

If you want to take Albionest's advice, maybe you could work with an acrobat rather than an illusionist...?
Aug 31, 2015 6:12 pm
That's not a bad idea! Keep with the entertainer idea but be more dexterity, less smarts. Keep the FOC, maybe lower WIL and KNO slightly and put more points in AGI. Maybe trade the Psi for a Stealth. And bam, you could even keep the same aspects.

But keep in mind we're just making suggestions, do whatever you feel like.
Aug 31, 2015 7:42 pm
spaceseeker19 says:


Aspects:
* Single-minded: [FOC] ability to ignore all distractions)
* I See You [WIL] (perceive despite attempts to hide, conceal, disguise)
* Is This Your Card? [KNO] (intuit the true nature or intents of things/characters)

Hmm. Not to talk over the party, but let me take a quick stab at these...

Single-Minded [Passive]
+1 to Initiative rolls. When facing an environmental or ambient effect that reduces your mental effectiveness, gain Advantage.

I See You [Empower]
Free action. Apply the Exposed status effect to a target: halving their defence and negating any cover/Stealth attempts until they move into a new tile.

Is This Your Card? [Critical trait]
On a critical, +10 to your skill roll. If this still isn't enough to meet the target value, reduce the target's difficulty/defence by an amount equal to your Insight rank for the duration of the encounter.
Sep 1, 2015 3:10 am
Hmm. I like the idea of being stealthy, but in the context of my character concept as possibly misdirection rather than ninja-like concealment. Sort of a "Have you seen this one before? I'm doing this innocuous thing out here in the open; nothing suspicious at all. Whoops! Here's some flowers!" (and, if successful, I've also got his keycard and downloaded an image of his comunit - with passcodes). So that becomes both a flavor and mechanics question: does my character concept as it is allow for that sort of misdirection (could I use a +1 Psi in this sort of sting, rather than the explicit stealth talent?), or is there a way to tweak it to enable that sort of activity through stealth without rendering my Aspects nonsensical (do they make sense just based on Insight without Psi)?

Oh, and thank you for the write up of the Aspects, Edcrab! I love it!
Sep 1, 2015 7:23 am
I generally think of talents as more than just learned skill, which is why items and backgrounds etc can contribute to them, and for this reason there's sometimes a little unavoidable crossover. Both Social and Insight could be used to determine motive/whether someone's lying, both Melee and Mobility are justifiably used to move through crowds, and of course if you're trying misdirection and deceit you can make a fine case for Social, Stealth and even Insight to figure out what someone's buttons are and manipulate them

Psi is particularly troublesome in that regard, because it's a sort of preternatural fusion of Insight and Social, with the difference being that the vector is different and people might object to being psionically scanned (or even influenced, if you're powerful enough). It also gets a bit weird that non-psions can take ranks in Psi, albeit to represent their knowledge and familiarity of dealing with it in others!

And I'd say the aspects work just fine as Insight-flavoured rather than Psi-flavoured, and could possibly even serve as Stealth-flavoured with a bit of a rethink:

Single-Minded (you could obviously rename these if you went down that route) grants its bonus because you benefit from anything distracting/chaotic as it increases your chances of laying low. I See You is an extension of your own Stealth experience being used to counter that of others. And of course Is This Your Card is a critical hit effect and could easily be seen as some sort of ambush or sneaky special move

Ultimately this system is very abstract and aspect effects tend to be so simple that you could flavour them/fluff them to be damn near anything. For example: Serana could be a showboating wrestler, with Miring Field as an attempt to goad enemies into making a mistake (a group gets Priority, and the first one to try and shut this loudmouth wrestler up steps forward and gets beaten for their trouble). Even Wilhelm's Brutalise could be seen as some sort of Social ability, where the "Lethal" hit consists of the target running away and, understandably, affecting their allies' morale as normal.
Sep 2, 2015 4:46 am
Okay, I've tweaked the character a bit and uploaded it to the game. I'm sure I'll appear sometime after this first encounter...
Apr 22, 2016 4:33 pm
Sooo. They don't take into account your resources and they don't list derivative stats, but what the hey!

http://i.imgur.com/lQKpsQn.png
http://i.imgur.com/c6Gw7QD.png
http://i.imgur.com/4DWSHCG.png
http://i.imgur.com/Vw9ZSR7.png

This is also an opportunity to showcase an idea I had: that every passive can be spent as an encounter power (and obviously disabled until the encounter's end as a result), and that every Empower has a souped-up Edge version (just like Pudge's originally did)

You might notice that Serana's passive is a little different! Likewise I've tweaked the wording in most of your abilities, usually so that the encounter power/Edge version of each ability is noticeably superior to the standard version. None of this is set in stone obviously, so let me know what you think!
Apr 23, 2016 11:51 am
This looks cool. I like your sheet design too
Apr 23, 2016 4:12 pm
Yeah. Although I'll be a pain and say that at some point I'd like to rename Seranas Miring Field! I think flavour it as intimidation instead of telekinesis becayse I honestly and literally forget that I initially imagined her as still having residual psi. Might say now that she has none left at all.

edit - although I don't think I've ever even used it? Just the Sundering passive and Smash!
Last edited April 23, 2016 4:19 pm
Apr 25, 2016 5:52 pm
Hey, this is really cool!

The only comment I have is that I was trying to work a sort of tinkerer mechanic into my Enhance skill, such that I could improve other people's equipment in more permanent type ways by actually sitting down and modifying the hardware. If that's too much of a shoehorn, I think I'd prefer to have that skill than the temporary in-combat components of enhance.

I don't really know how or if this works, or if it would be considered too OP. Just kind of thinking about the character, and what kinds of ways he might try to help and fit in with the group.
Apr 25, 2016 7:49 pm
Albionest: That's fine, just let me know what name you'd prefer as it's not that hard for me to edit the image text, haha

whipstache: yeah I remembered that feature of the original ability and my idea was that it still applied, with the "spend" version of the aspect being a permanent upgrade, at least until an Exploit (default natural 1) is rolled when using it. I agree that the passive isn't that impressive though so maybe we could change it up and make the permanence a bit better defined while we're at it.

R&R (rest and resupply) mechanics are in a vague state at the moment, but it would make sense if at every resupply area Pudge had the opportunity to craft or augment... something...
Apr 25, 2016 7:52 pm
Cool. I forgot that Exploit meant Nat 1. That seems like a good way/reason for an upgrade to stop working. :)

I like the idea of having an opportunity to mod stuff in R&R. That makes sense logistically. Maybe it still cost me something to do. Like, I don't get the full benefit of the rest, because I spent my time working or something. Just a thought...
Apr 25, 2016 8:26 pm
Hmm. This might be a bit overpowered in practise, but maybe something like:

Passive: When offered the opportunity to perform a Surge or similar healing/recuperating ability in downtime, instead craft a 1-slot Resource (either as a separate Resource or a bonus to an existing one). You can craft multiple Resources but must spend 1EP for every Resource beyond the first.
Apr 27, 2016 4:32 pm
Maybe Sunder, Threaten, Bash? One word. Snappy. Not sure Threaten is that good a choice though.

Also I am completely against a Pudge buff! ... Unless it's used to buff Serana.
Apr 27, 2016 4:40 pm
Actually, Serana's firearm was the first thing i was hoping to boost. :)
Apr 28, 2016 11:00 pm
Moral of this story: the cyborg should always try and stay on the tech's good side!

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