Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2012 8:49:01 GMT -8
Okay, so I've got a technical question here, and I could use some advice.
A player in my game (playing a White Council Apprentice) wants to make something cool for another character. We're discussing it as either an Enchanted Item or a Potion.
He basically wants a poisoned weapon. One-time use.
The book has little about poison, but it does have a supernatural power called "Venomous," so I'm building on that. It costs 2 refresh for the power, so I figure two shifts for the effect.
Now, our problem is that his Lore is only +2 (Fair).
So, our options are:
Enchanted Item -- 2 shifts to make the effect, but an extra shift (that he doesn't have) to make is usable by the otehr character.
Potion -- Usable by anyone, and 2 shifts to make the effect... but it's not really a "drink me" thing. The idea would be to essentially dip the weapon in the potion. And is that okay? I feel like potions are meant to be drunk.
Anyway, I can't decide. I like the idea, it's not game-breaky, and it's creative. I want to encourage that.
On the other hand, I want this player to feel his character's limitations. He's an apprentice, not a full wizard, and that really only manifests in his low Lore. So I want that to be a real thing, to keep him grounded.
I'm not sure which way to go. Suggestions?
--Pukka Tukka
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2012 10:55:49 GMT -8
As he's an apprentice I'd go the potion route, but if that particualr title bothers you chock it up to semantics and change the name of it to an oil or a gel that the user has to coat their weapon with before use.
If you look at fantasy fiction, or even other games, there are hundreds of examples of characters using something of that type to temporarily augment their weapons, armor, etc. A rouge dipping his blade in poison, a warrior coating his armor with a flame resistant chemical. Even in real life soldiers will soak their uniforms in particularly powerful insect repellents before going out into terrain where using traditional methods wouldn't really be possible.
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willh
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Post by willh on Aug 29, 2012 11:32:48 GMT -8
It's OK to use the potion rules. Harry's beam of sunlight in a handkerchief is built as a potion IIRC.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2012 13:25:19 GMT -8
Yeah, I think you guys are right. Looking at other sources, it appears that the "potion" stuff doesn't have to conform to "drinking it. He really likes the potion idea, and it makes it less permanent, so that if the character doesn't like it, he can stop. I think we'll go with that. I want MAJOR "yes, and" points though! My players keep coming up with weird magic stuff they want to do, but refuse to learn the system well enough to do it! So *I* keep spending my time researching it to find ways for them to do their crazy ideas. That's HUGE "yes, and," dammit! Also, I let someone do a tracking spell on some money they gave a guy, even though that's *horrible* thaumaturgy in the Dresdenverse. I let him because it was such a cool idea. So... I want good GM props, is what I'm saying. --Pukka Tukka
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freyki
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Post by freyki on Aug 29, 2012 14:13:25 GMT -8
I love the questions you ask. I'm trying to learn the fate system (legend of anglerre fantasy), and my players don't want to figure out anything either! So I'm learning from your questions too lol.
-Freyki-
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2012 4:04:33 GMT -8
Ooh! Let me know how Legend of Anglerre goes! I'm thinking of using it next time we do a traditional fantasy campaign! --Pukka Tukka
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kevinr
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Post by kevinr on Aug 30, 2012 6:32:00 GMT -8
I want to hear how LoA works out for you as well. I am trying to decide between LoA and Strands of Fate to run a Fate Fantasy game in.
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kevinr
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Post by kevinr on Aug 30, 2012 6:41:36 GMT -8
I like the idea of making it a potion they apply on the blade. I would be tempted to put a temporary aspect on the blade that they could tap and you could compel against them. After all your going to be a lot more careful with where that blade is at when there is a chance it could hurt you and that may just work against you when you need it most.....for a fate point.
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freyki
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Post by freyki on Aug 30, 2012 19:49:49 GMT -8
We're using Strands of Fate for our low-magic fantasy game right now, but I will be switching to LofA real soon. LofA just feels like it has more PC granularity than Strands. Plus, LofA is more Fate-y, so my players won't be out of their element if they play another Fate game at a different table. But aside from that, Strands has worked just fine for fantasy.
I will be sure to post done updates once we make the switch...
-Freyki-
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2012 4:03:37 GMT -8
I like the idea of making it a potion they apply on the blade. I would be tempted to put a temporary aspect on the blade that they could tap and you could compel against them. After all your going to be a lot more careful with where that blade is at when there is a chance it could hurt you and that may just work against you when you need it most.....for a fate point. Yeah, I think that's the kind of thing that appealed to the player, too. I'm not 100% sure on the best way to do a compel on the potion, since the rules seem to imply you do it against the maker, at the time of making, but this is for someone else. I like the idea of making it dangerous. I had planned to only have it last on the blade for one scene. Hmm... may need to tweak this some more. This is the problem I have with Dresden Files. Too many good ideas! (It's a great problem to have)
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kevinr
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Post by kevinr on Aug 31, 2012 17:05:56 GMT -8
It looks like you only need to add a compel to the potion if the maker decides to boost the strength of it.
For a poison potion going onto a weapon I would first ask what does the maker want the poison to do? extra damage, confuse, daze? Then I would place a "poisoned" aspect on the blade when it is used which will last through a scene. The wielder could tap the aspect the first time for free to place the pre decided effect onto a target when he hits (an extra weapon:3 , or minor consequence dazed,confused or whatever is decided). after that he could spend a fate point to add it again. While the GM could compel it for a fate point against the wielder for a -2 to the wielder defense roll assuming he could not maneuver the sword quickly enough to block as he would be worried about splashing poison on himself.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2012 4:40:26 GMT -8
We've basically gone with the poisoned blade working the same way as "venemous" in the supernatural powers section.
I'm still pondering the compel idea... I like the thought of the potential to poison oneself, if one is not careful...
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