 Sherlock Holmes type character |
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 May 1 2007, 12:09 AM
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#1
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Moving Target  Group: Members Posts: 168 Joined: 23-April 07 From: Aurora, CO Member No.: 11,514  |
A friend and I decided to try to make a Sherlock Holmes ish face ish character. We have a house rule quality for all magic and pseudo magic characters (technomancers) to initiate at character creation as a 20 BP positive quality (same as exceptional attribute.)
We made him an adept who started iniated and bought his magic up to 7 that way. Tell me what you all think of him. [ Spoiler ]
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May 1 2007, 12:10 AM
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#2
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,206 Joined: 9-July 06 From: Fresno, CA Member No.: 8,856 |
That addiction should be to Heroin if you want to be Sherlock Holmes. Also:
If nicotine does not count, puzzles should not. |
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May 1 2007, 12:12 AM
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#3
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 168 Joined: 23-April 07 From: Aurora, CO Member No.: 11,514 |
I thought about that. However he had such a high willpower that it took forever for the addiction to be real bad (he could control it)
The puzzle addiction seemed to make sense as a large scale conspiracy theorist Like i said not complete sherlock holmes but inspired by him. |
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May 1 2007, 12:18 AM
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#4
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,206 Joined: 9-July 06 From: Fresno, CA Member No.: 8,856 |
Well, in any case for 30bp it should be something with a detrimental effect on his health. Perhaps true crime/mystery/snuff BTLs....
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May 1 2007, 12:47 AM
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#5
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 170 Joined: 18-September 06 Member No.: 9,412 |
A few suggestions:
Yah, Holmes was addicted to cocaine, his 7% solution. Holmes was also master of disguise. He also had a lot of contacts. He had Cop contacts. Had his brother Mycroft as a contact to turn to when he had a really hard case. Had the "Baker Street Irregulars" as a gang contact. He wouldn't have Literature as a skill, but would have preform(violin), Unarmed combat (he was an expert boxer), History should be changed to History(famous crimes) or something similar. I believe he was described as have almost no knowledge or understanding of any of the arts or sciences except where they were directly related to criminology. So maybe all of his knowledge skills should have the "(criminal/crime)" specializations. |
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May 1 2007, 01:06 AM
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#6
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 168 Joined: 23-April 07 From: Aurora, CO Member No.: 11,514 |
Alright thanks for the suggestions. I am going to do some tweaking to him.
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May 1 2007, 01:40 AM
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#7
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 168 Joined: 23-April 07 From: Aurora, CO Member No.: 11,514 |
Well I got rid of his iniation quality and cool resolve and dropped his magic by one point. I then gave him a moderate addiction to cocaine added some contacts and tweaked some skills. He now looks like this.... [ Spoiler ] |
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May 1 2007, 02:39 AM
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#8
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,883 Joined: 16-December 06 Member No.: 10,386 |
Well, he's definitely a detective, but he's simply too feeble to be really much like Holmes. Seems more of a Mycroft, to me, really. Holmes wasn't so much supernaturally observant so much as he was utterly and completely single-minded. He worked towards getting better at criminal investigation and little else. He'd have average physical stats and the intuition, logic and will at 4s and 5s. He'd have the stealth and influence skill groups (seriously, he broke into places ALL THE TIME) along with a few minor but specialized combat skills as well as plenty of points in contacts and knowledge skills.
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May 1 2007, 02:55 AM
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#9
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,206 Joined: 9-July 06 From: Fresno, CA Member No.: 8,856 |
Well, I doubt Sherlock Homles could be made at Chargen. He is quite the advanced character, so you can't expect everything from him at the start.
I like that you changed the addiction. If you consider that since you're making the character who will become Holmes it makes sense that his addicion shouldn't be too terribly advanced. Evidentally Holmes, "Is an expert singlestick player, boxer, and swordsman". Singlestick is perhaps basically described as basic defense with a walking stick. So Between Singlestick player, boxer and swordsman, you have the three skills of the close combat group. Further if you consider this the character who will become Holmes rather than is holmes then for the same cost of Unarmed(Boxing) 2(4) you could take Close Combat Group 1. Edit: Then consider that you're the lanky young lad who idealized Holmes and wanted to be just like him honing his perceptive abilities to their maximum, before realizing that the physical side is just as important, then spend y ou first 100 or so Karma on getting those 2's and 1's to manageable levels. |
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May 1 2007, 02:58 AM
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#10
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,206 Joined: 9-July 06 From: Fresno, CA Member No.: 8,856 |
Oh yes, and keep in mind that for this character wearing a Lined Coat would give you an effective Reaction and Agility of 1 because you would be two armor points over body x 2 and will therefore have to deal with a -1 to both agility and reaction.
Edit: Damn, I can't stop thinking of suggestions. On the theme of the man who would become Holmes, rather than Holmes himself consider not hitting the cap on two attributes (Magic and Intuition) and having 50 more BPs to spread around. |
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May 1 2007, 03:24 AM
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#11
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 168 Joined: 23-April 07 From: Aurora, CO Member No.: 11,514 |
I thought the lined coat was 6/4? that does not exceed body x2 it equals it or am i reading the rules wrong? Nevermind... his body is 3 I wrote down 2 editing post. oops. The idea was kind of a sherlock idol and will eventually become as good (maybe) I orignally was going to make him an NPC and throw about 100 more BP in him but decided he may be a fun character and tried to do what I can with 400. The close combat group makes sense and can be improved with karma. His horrible stats will go up with karma and will not cost too much. His stealth is not terrible depending on what he is doing. Depending on the type of infiltration mental stats could play a big role (depends on situation and GM discretion.) I figured when I initiate I will give him cognition so he can focus his mental stats as needed and perhaps somatic control for the physical ones as well. I just wanted a fun over the top detective type who uses the Sherlock Holmes image as much as possible (even if he is no where near like the man) |
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May 1 2007, 03:30 AM
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#12
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,883 Joined: 16-December 06 Member No.: 10,386 |
Ya see, aside from the fact that Sherlock would undoubtedly have a rating of 7 perception, I don't agree with that. I'd say he's quite workable at chargen, he'd just be short a few contacts and would have to "settle" for 6 perception. He was after all a mortal man, and there's at least two other characters in his series that match or exceed his admittedly formidable capabilities, at least in the mental arena. Anyway though lunchbox, I totally hear where you're coming from. After all, a "pure" Holmes character would be fairly underpowered by SR standards, what with the lack of magic or an implanted computer lodged somewhere in his head ready to access any database you could care to name. I just think a pure Holmes character wouldn't be that hard to create, that's all, you'd just have to temporarily waive the latent ability rules and give him contacts like Watson and Mycroft at a discount (After all, they're definitely loyalty 6 but that gets WAY too expensive). |
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May 1 2007, 03:34 AM
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#13
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 168 Joined: 23-April 07 From: Aurora, CO Member No.: 11,514 |
Not to mention with the help of magic in SR his perception can go to 9 or so (improved ability can make a skill go to 1.5 x normal max same as attribute max.)
As is his perception is 9 and tons more. I will probably drop the intuition by 1 and magic by 1 so i have 50 more points to move around and drop the 1 point of adept power accordingly, removing whatever I see as less needed at the time and improving some of those horrible physical stats. I may also just dump the cyberware and keep it straight magic so I do not lose a power point worth of powers (because I like his powers as is.) This will also give me more money (which means more points) to put in stuff. I will post more changes soon. |
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May 1 2007, 03:37 AM
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#14
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,206 Joined: 9-July 06 From: Fresno, CA Member No.: 8,856 |
Don't give up Multitasking, I see Observe in Detail a s a free action as a very Holmsian thing. Be chatting someone up in a very lively debate that would not allow for the level of perception he would be doing in the background with his t wo free action observe in details every action.
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May 1 2007, 03:55 AM
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#15
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 168 Joined: 23-April 07 From: Aurora, CO Member No.: 11,514 |
I improved some attributes and skills by dropping intuition and magic to 5 and getting rid of the expensive cyberware. Here he is as of now..... [ Spoiler ] |
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May 1 2007, 04:31 AM
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#16
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Target Group: Members Posts: 35 Joined: 20-April 07 Member No.: 11,505 |
Hmmm, well...
My major concern with such a character is that it doesn't strike me as being very playable (despite being a cool idea). You might notice that there was a detective character in the original (1st edition) of Shadowrun, and it didn't seem to be continued as a viable archetype from there. The thing is that he is based around what is arguably a 'support' skill, and is likely to be dead weight for practical purposes in 98% of the Shadowrun games out there. He's observant, but ultimatly his stealth skills aren't really good enough to keep up with more specialized characters in a full team of infiltrators, and his combat skills are going to make him dead weight/a walking medical bill in the majority of groups which are more combat oriented. He's not really set up to operate remotely through Drones or purely within The Matrix/AR (which many GMs hate PCs to do anyway despite making sense), so that doesn't really appear to be an option. What's more I'd be concerned about his abillity to survive routine hazards like a few gang members or a ghoul, since he'd be doing legwork in person. I suppose a GM could build an entire single player campaign around him (or the concept) and it could be made to work, but it's not something you could just throw out there and use. As far as him being a "starting" version of Sherlock Holmes, consider that by this time develops the rest of his skills, the other PCs are going to be increasing more practical specialties. The GM is also going to be increasingly the cooresponding threat level. So thus while "Holmes" is now able to survive the low end threats above, most threats are now coming from things like Prototype Cyber Zombies, serious magical threats,Custom Brewed Critters, and the like. What's more most SR games don't revolve around solving (but rather comitting) crimes. If the game was based on solving crimes almost entirely, it's doubtful that most of those abillities would be as useful as you think as for practical purposes the GM couldn't let you use them. Sherlock Holmes is a fine character to read in a book (where the reader is entertained by a revelation Holmes figured out long ago in many cases) but a rough one to RP. With the character above you would basically walk into a crime scene, roll a few dice, spout some dialogue, and then have the GM give you the answer before going onto the next "adventure" where you do the same thing. It would be quite dull especially seeing as you'd probably be relying on NPCs to do all serious fighting and heavy lifting (which is a way is fairly loyal to some of the early Holmes stories, he didn't confront villains himself through his entire career.. that came later). At any rate, it's an interesting idea, and an interesting build, but I'd advise you against making it as anything other than an academic exercise. I think you might have some trouble trying to make it work under the rigors of actual gaming. >>>----Therumancer---> |
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May 1 2007, 05:20 AM
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#17
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 168 Joined: 23-April 07 From: Aurora, CO Member No.: 11,514 |
I agree, he is a very hard one to pull off. Honestly the more I look him over the more he will probably become a contact more than a character.
Or a plot device. |
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May 1 2007, 05:46 AM
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#18
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,241 Joined: 10-August 02 Member No.: 3,083 |
Cocaine, actually. He dissolved it in water and injected it. |
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May 1 2007, 04:56 PM
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#19
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,266 Joined: 3-June 06 From: UK Member No.: 8,638 |
I seem to recall in one Holmes story, the great man bent a poker with his bare hands, so his strength would realistically be a lot higher. But that's by the by.
I think Holmes would be more of a face character, capable of reading people and situations. And how many times did he disguise himself and go slumming with the dregs of society? And not get called out? That bespeaks a very high level of etiquette and disguise. As a face he would even make a very valuable addition to a runner team. |
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May 1 2007, 05:54 PM
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#20
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,180 Joined: 22-January 07 From: Rochester, NY Member No.: 10,737 |
Personally, I would build him as a high level NPC who might hire the runners to help him along the lines of the Irregulars. |
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May 1 2007, 06:15 PM
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#21
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 168 Joined: 23-April 07 From: Aurora, CO Member No.: 11,514 |
He will probably become an NPC. I just wanted to really see what was possible with 400 points and some nifty adept powers that most people would not take.
Who knows, with enough cover and planning with his skills he could manipulate others into thinking he was a more powerful being. Perhaps he would masquerade as a dragon (lesser) and try to manipulate people accordingly. He could be a fun helpful NPC, new knight errant CSI detective following the runners trails or even an interesting villain for a mystery campaign. So all in all, it was an exercise in the rules and may turn into a plot device. |
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May 1 2007, 07:26 PM
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#22
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 548 Joined: 21-December 06 Member No.: 10,416 |
The Stealth Grou poses a problem. Holmes was so stealthy that he could follow a life-long hunter across the barren moors without being seen. He could also disguise himself so well that he could appear in character to friends and they wouldn't know him.
For negative qualities, you might want to add Mysogeny. Holmes viewed women as inferior, especially intellectually, and that caused him trouble more than once when a woman outwitted him. He was capable of respecting certain women, but in general terms, he looked down on them. SR3 had one called something like Clueless. That NQ meant that a character was inept at interpersonal relations. Holmes can interrogate very well, but he often misses the subtelties of relationships. When he does catch on, usually when he's hit over the head by it, he did apologise and make amends, in his own fashion. Speaking of interrogation, definitely make that a specialization in verbal. The following are roleplaying points and I'm not sure if they would be worth build points. Holmes would very often give orders and run off without explanation. For that matter, he would also just plain take off without telling anyone what he was up to. That caused his friends a lot of worry and got him into trouble sometimes. Remember, Holmes reputation worked for and against him. As many or more police resented his "interference" as appreciated it. Once the character builds a rep, it could be the same for them. If he were a full mage or mystical adept, I would suggest an Ally Spirit named Watson. Since he isn't, perhaps either a metahuman companion, someone with hacking and data mining skills would be very good, or a Free Spirit, perhaps even with a spirit pact of some kind. |
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May 1 2007, 07:29 PM
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#23
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 548 Joined: 21-December 06 Member No.: 10,416 |
Just remembered something. There was an SR novel called Wolf and Raven, which was something of a collection of short stories about a man and character like what is proposed here. I can't remember the name, but the character was a mage, free spirit or something that was rather like a fixer, I guess. He was resepected in the shadows and had his little stable of runners. Been years since I read it though.
Did find a link to a brief synopsis. Wolf and Raven |
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May 1 2007, 08:55 PM
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#24
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 168 Joined: 23-April 07 From: Aurora, CO Member No.: 11,514 |
In the original form we had him in, (before I posted him here,) he was a mystic adept. I gave him an owl spirit called dr watson for flavor. As is it proved to be too cost prohibitive so I just went straight adept. |
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May 1 2007, 08:58 PM
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#25
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 548 Joined: 21-December 06 Member No.: 10,416 |
I can see that. As an adept, there are so many abilities to choose from that need the magic. Since the Ally's biggest appeal is to act as a power focus, well one of the appeals, even a mystic adept wouldn't get as much from that as a full mage. |
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