Character Chatter

Here we can post character discussion(s)--past, present and future. Share ideas, insights and thoughts.

Very cool idea! I sure like the weird science in Deadlands, and drive for knowledge and riches is perfect.

Are folks O.K. if we have a little "you all meet in a saloon...."?

The set up would be you've each arrived at saloon in timber town in east Texas on a dark and stormy night--and we'll go from there with intros and meeting and posse formin'.

Like I posted, we'll aim for RP heavy so the players are the ones who will be driving the posting, with each other, rather than responding to prompts from GM--I'll respond to just as many prompts from you all as the other way round.

Hey there everyone! I hope to have a character up and running by the end of this weekend.

I am planning on playing Jeremiah Lawless, a former scoundrel who was saved by the Lord's hand and brought onto the path of righteousness. While he won't be much of a Holy Roller (initially), I do hope to make him into a decently dangerous gunslinger. I know another player was thinking of being a proper "Blessed" so I may go down the Champion of Good-esque edges and have him focus mostly on taking care of himself.

Great question--they are part of the calculation as they count as Edges in general. As a human (even in settings with all humans) you do get one "free" Edge though!

Perfect thanks!

Hey all, I'm playing Nathaniel Bigby, a young kid (youngin' hindrance) from Chicago, who headed out West in search of his uncle, after a terrible (supernatural) tragedy befell his parents. He's shamed and has a major secret as a result. Seems the Good Lord might just be watching out after him as well.

As for having multiple Blessed types, might make for an interesting concept!

@Dunko - meeting in a saloon works for me.

Horace Phinney has been submitted. Let me what I messed up and I'll fix it. 😂

@Windyridge Wait, is your character a Mad Scientist or a Chi Master?

I see the character is noted as Mad Scientist but you have all Chi Master stuff--however you want to play it, I just wanted to make sure that's intentional!

If you're going Chi Master, we're gonna use a variation of it--It's essentially the monk background edge. It makes it an actual martial character rather than a flavored spellcaster--it's really cool!

Aaah gotchya! O.K. that makes sense! Was just checking--making sure you weren't missing out on anything. Looks good then!

Just take note of that "modified" chi master background. In my in person Deadlands game (going on two years now) our resident chi master is completely in love with using the Mystic Powers! It really just means you don't have to roll twice to do your spells. It actually feels like you are a powered warrior! Just note there is a slight difference in the starting powers and starting power points.

I just realized that in the Pathfinder SW rules Research has been folded into Academics. How convenient! So I got back some points as I had both skills listed.

Can you please explain what modified chi-master is exactly? Where does Mystic powers come in, or is that inherent in the modified chi master? Believe it or not I've never played a character that used magic in SW so it's new territory for me as is Pathfinder for SW.

For sure!The major difference in the mechanic is that Chi Master as written in Weird Westplays like a magic user that just uses martial arts as its trapping. It's perfectly serviceable, and honestly if that is what you'd prefer we can go with it. They are essentially wizards, warlocks, spellcasters (take your pick) that need to (1) be good at fighting and (2) be have good spirit in order to "cast their spells."

To give a Monk vibe in Savage Pathfinder, Pinnacle added some "quasi" arcane backgrounds, like Mystic Powers. Mystic Powers edge leans into the monk vibe you'd find in other mechanics. It's not a spell caster. It's a character that can essentially power their attacks or buff themselves user their inner power. Meaning, you don't roll to cast. You just spend Power Points to add the power to your attack.

This means the chi master would no longer need to be proficient in both Spirit and fighting. Just fighting. The trade off is that Mystic Power flavored Chi Master is limited in the new Edges they can take--as listed. And they have fewer starting Power Points--10 as opposed to 15.

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Play Example:

Chi Master (as written in Weird West.
Chuck is going to use Lower Trait on the Gunslinger Bandit. He runs up and makes a Touch Attack (Fighting +2, -2 from Multi-Action). He gets an 8 vs the Gunslinger parry of 5: SUCCESS!

Now Chuck need to roll Spirit to cast Lower Trait, as a multi-action! He rolls his spirit (-2) and gets 3. Chuck has failed to use Lower Trait on the Gunslinger.

Chi Master using Mystic Powers.
Bruce is fighting with a Rail Warrior. He wants to cast Lower Trait to lower his enemies shooting attack. Bruce charges in and attacks the Rail Warrior--rolls Fighting as a Touch Attack (+2). He gets a 7 which hits the Rail Warriors Parry of 5. Bruce spends 4 Power points (+2 from the power's cost and +2 to make it a raise). Thus the rail warriors Shooting die is now a d4.

Also, maybe this was not clear: Mystic Powers was introduced in Savage Pathfinder, and will be in the Fantasy Companion when it's released. Pinnacle, and many tables, treat companion rules as optional/situational. So, while Mystic Powers is not in Deadlands: Weird West it's kinda available now as SWADE option, and strictly subjectively is a "better" way to hand the powered martial arts archetype. It's also super backward compatible.

Oh, and on a side note, let's not pull everything in from Savage Pathfinder whole cloth. Meaning, let's still keep Research broken out from Academics ;)

So I have submitted Jeremiah Cross, a wrongly accused man saved by a good preacher and the goodness of the Lord. He has turned his life around since, helping to hunt down the evil he knows exist out there.

Character submitted!

....must...protect....