An evil mage, How to make a blood mage balanced? |
An evil mage, How to make a blood mage balanced? |
Jun 18 2010, 12:10 AM
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#1
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,768 Joined: 31-October 08 From: Redmond (Yes, really) Member No.: 16,558 |
I want to create a blood mage for an upcoming game, but the RAW just isn't balanced for a PC. How can I have cool blood mage flavor without making him overpowered?
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Jun 18 2010, 12:18 AM
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#2
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 298 Joined: 15-March 09 Member No.: 16,974 |
See the sidebar on pg 138 of Street Magic.
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Jun 18 2010, 12:24 AM
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#3
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 473 Joined: 11-May 09 From: Fort Worth, TX Member No.: 17,167 |
I want to create a blood mage for an upcoming game, but the RAW just isn't balanced for a PC. How can I have cool blood mage flavor without making him overpowered? One word notoriety. I think the biggest issue I would have is does the rest of the group want to deal with someone like that? |
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Jun 18 2010, 05:19 AM
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#4
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 572 Joined: 6-February 09 From: London Uk Member No.: 16,848 |
I would be concerned about playing a blood mage unless the whole team I was running with were very very supportive and back you up 100%
And even then I would be paranoid as there is a massive bounty on your head from the Draco lot who will pay up for your body. Bloody mages have always been to me a good bad guy or a possible role play thing later down the line. In the game I ran nt to long ago I had the team hunt a blood mage for the bounty which was no walk in the park as I had built him up as a prime runner for them. But at the end of the day they were fired up for it as blood mages are treated as bad a toxic's |
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Jun 18 2010, 05:29 AM
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#5
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 5,542 Joined: 30-September 08 From: D/FW Megaplex Member No.: 16,387 |
You're not really a blood mage unless you:
1) take a blood metamagic. 2) use the Calling rules to summon blood spirits. Unless you use either of those, you're just a sadistic mage, and there's nothing wrong with them (aside from the normal view on sadists, anyways). |
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Jun 18 2010, 05:33 AM
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#6
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,768 Joined: 31-October 08 From: Redmond (Yes, really) Member No.: 16,558 |
I was planning on possibly using Sacrifice, but I'm not sure I could talk my GM into it. I'd forgotten about Calling; I'll have to look it up.
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Jun 18 2010, 05:34 AM
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#7
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 5,542 Joined: 30-September 08 From: D/FW Megaplex Member No.: 16,387 |
Don't forget my signature and the guide to owning your own Bloodmourne.
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Jun 18 2010, 09:34 AM
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#8
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 825 Joined: 21-October 08 Member No.: 16,538 |
How are you planning to deal with the small but oddly significant million nuyen bounty for you at the Draco foundation?
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Jun 18 2010, 09:53 AM
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#9
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,190 Joined: 31-May 09 From: London, UK Member No.: 17,229 |
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Jun 18 2010, 10:26 AM
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#10
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 572 Joined: 6-February 09 From: London Uk Member No.: 16,848 |
Get a clone, kill him and collect your own bounty? wont work the clone will not have a blood mage astral imprint for two reasons 1) its a clone they dont get to awaken so it isnt a mage let alone one worth the bounty 2) its a clone it has not lived the life the mage has and been changed by it (its arguable that life alters your astral imprint somewhat as many things rules wise change it so becoming a blood mage should leave a mark just like being a torturer should) |
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Jun 18 2010, 03:58 PM
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#11
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 431 Joined: 15-April 10 Member No.: 18,454 |
wont work the clone will not have a blood mage astral imprint for two reasons 1) its a clone they dont get to awaken so it isnt a mage let alone one worth the bounty 2) its a clone it has not lived the life the mage has and been changed by it (its arguable that life alters your astral imprint somewhat as many things rules wise change it so becoming a blood mage should leave a mark just like being a torturer should) Can you do a brain transplant with your clone? You should be able to with the level of med-tech around. Then you just clone yourself a new body and transplant the brain. This would not extend your life signifigantly since your brain will still age and suffer from any normal degenerative processes. But it should let you turn in that Aura. Of course the surgery will be expensive, never mind.... |
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Jun 18 2010, 04:00 PM
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#12
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 3,179 Joined: 10-June 10 From: St. Louis, UCAS/CAS Border Member No.: 18,688 |
Can you do a brain transplant with your clone? You should be able to with the level of med-tech around. Then you just clone yourself a new body and transplant the brain. This would not extend your life signifigantly since your brain will still age and suffer from any normal degenerative processes. But it should let you turn in that Aura. Of course the surgery will be expensive, never mind.... I would be the happiest doc on earth if I had a blood mage come in and try to do that surgery. He goes under, I call the Draco Foundation in, he wakes up in a mage cell and I am a million richer. Just like Carlos the Jackal, but with the blood magic. |
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Jun 18 2010, 05:39 PM
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#13
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,444 Joined: 18-April 08 Member No.: 15,912 |
wont work the clone will not have a blood mage astral imprint for two reasons 1) its a clone they dont get to awaken so it isnt a mage let alone one worth the bounty 2) its a clone it has not lived the life the mage has and been changed by it (its arguable that life alters your astral imprint somewhat as many things rules wise change it so becoming a blood mage should leave a mark just like being a torturer should) Except no where in assensing does it say, "and find out what metamagic feats the character knows". |
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Jun 18 2010, 05:42 PM
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#14
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 504 Joined: 8-November 05 From: North Vancouver, BC Member No.: 7,936 |
If your trying to make a character more balanced, just dont specialize the skills too much, and make the blood aspect a minor part of your character. Have them use their own blood, or others but draw parrellels to other traditions/religions so it doesnt seem so much like 'Blah, im a blood mage and am going to sacrifice you' but more like 'damn, i really need to cast this spell without dying so my team can survive, well here goes*slit wrist*'. Roleplaying it and having the rest of the players on board could make it workable, will be hard though (unless your gm decides to make it easy for you, which would be a waste of a good opportunity)
Except no where in assensing does it say, "and find out what metamagic feats the character knows". But it can tell you about their traditions Im pretty sure, plus I think both Toxic and Blood Mages have their astral sigs altered once they shift, like insect shamans and people touched by shadow spirits. I dont have my book on hand so I cant say for sure though. |
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Jun 18 2010, 06:33 PM
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#15
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Prime Runner Group: Members Posts: 3,996 Joined: 1-June 10 Member No.: 18,649 |
Why exactly are you trying to do this?
What does it bring to the campaign? |
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Jun 18 2010, 10:59 PM
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#16
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Prime Runner Group: Members Posts: 3,577 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Gwynedd Valley PA Member No.: 1,221 |
To be a blood mage you have to be a big unbalanced.
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Jun 18 2010, 11:10 PM
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#17
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,654 Joined: 29-October 06 Member No.: 9,731 |
What are blood spirits, exactly? Which book are they detailed in?
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Jun 18 2010, 11:18 PM
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#18
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,768 Joined: 31-October 08 From: Redmond (Yes, really) Member No.: 16,558 |
Why exactly are you trying to do this? What does it bring to the campaign? It's a Ghost Cartels campaign, and I wanted to make someone not just amoral, but actively immoral. I might just go classic Faustian, but blood magic is just so kewl (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif) |
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Jun 19 2010, 02:54 AM
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#19
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 825 Joined: 21-October 08 Member No.: 16,538 |
It's a Ghost Cartels campaign, and I wanted to make someone not just amoral, but actively immoral. I might just go classic Faustian, but blood magic is just so kewl (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif) In that case, I can't recommend Neraph's Bloodmourne enough. Banishing is.. not so fabulous and there's nothing quite as entertaining as splitting spirits (that don't do what you tell them to) up the middle. |
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Jun 19 2010, 04:09 AM
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#20
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,768 Joined: 31-October 08 From: Redmond (Yes, really) Member No.: 16,558 |
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Jun 19 2010, 05:06 AM
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#21
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 5,542 Joined: 30-September 08 From: D/FW Megaplex Member No.: 16,387 |
Get a clone, kill him and collect your own bounty? Actually the reason it won't work is because the bounty is for live blood mages, to study the effects of blood magic on the user. Same thing with toxic shaman. QUOTE (Tyro Posted Yesterday, 06:18 PM ) It's a Ghost Cartels campaign, and I wanted to make someone not just amoral, but actively immoral. I might just go classic Faustian, but blood magic is just so kewl Why can't you do a faustian blood mage? You'll have your own spirit at hand (literally) with Bloodmourne, so it's not like you have to look far for Spirit Pacts. Also, with a Bloodmourne's power added to yours you really don't have to worry about those pesky bounty hunters. Especially not if you're a Nosferatu, being able to pump your Magic rating 6 points higher all the time. Magic 10 out of the box, a slew of powers, mystic adept so you can tailor your abilities every 12 hours, take a Charisma-based tradition to synergize with your Nosferatu powers... I can provide a sample template if you want. QUOTE (Hagga Posted Yesterday, 09:54 PM ) I can't recommend Neraph's Bloodmourne enough. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/love.gif) I have the biggest nerd-crush (platonic) right now. I now am highly recommended. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/love.gif) EDIT: |
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Jun 19 2010, 06:01 AM
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#22
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,026 Joined: 13-February 10 Member No.: 18,155 |
Why can't you do a faustian blood mage? You'll have your own spirit at hand (literally) with Bloodmourne, so it's not like you have to look far for Spirit Pacts. Also, with a Bloodmourne's power added to yours you really don't have to worry about those pesky bounty hunters. Especially not if you're a Nosferatu, being able to pump your Magic rating 6 points higher all the time. Magic 10 out of the box, a slew of powers, mystic adept so you can tailor your abilities every 12 hours, take a Charisma-based tradition to synergize with your Nosferatu powers... I don't think I'll be allowing most infected in my game. At least not anything with more than 1 IP as a baseline. |
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Jun 19 2010, 03:48 PM
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#23
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 5,542 Joined: 30-September 08 From: D/FW Megaplex Member No.: 16,387 |
I have no problem with Infected, because they have a cost that seems to be balanced. The amount of work to get an Infected to the same level as a non-infected is ridiculous, except for the number of tricks I've learned.
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Jun 19 2010, 04:13 PM
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#24
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 572 Joined: 6-February 09 From: London Uk Member No.: 16,848 |
Except no where in assensing does it say, "and find out what metamagic feats the character knows". where in my post did I mention metamagics? My points were you cant use a clone because most importantly it wont awaken, and while more abstract in the rules the imprint would not have that taint of blood magic. I mentioned nothing about metamagic in any way. It is a common occurrence in the fluff to imply bad stuff effects your aura which would mean a clone wouldnt have the same aura as it has not gone though the same things as the original but point two is mostly beaten by point one which is the main show stopper to faking up the body. |
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Jun 19 2010, 04:39 PM
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#25
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 5,542 Joined: 30-September 08 From: D/FW Megaplex Member No.: 16,387 |
Not only that but a clone, while not awakened, can still be used as a Ritual Link to the original.
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