Custom Mentor Archetype, Player suggesting variant mentor spirit |
Custom Mentor Archetype, Player suggesting variant mentor spirit |
Mar 1 2013, 03:58 AM
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#1
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Target Group: Members Posts: 42 Joined: 25-July 07 Member No.: 12,354 |
Background: Running SR4, not SR4A, and also have Street Magic. Girlfriend is making a stealthy mage with an emphasis on summoning & wants to make a variant on one of Mentor spirit archetypes for her character. Here's a quick summary:
Bakeneko Bipedal cat with a forked tail, trickster and chaser amongst spirits. Benefit: +2 Summoning and Binding Tests Disadvantage: Difficult to give up the thrill of conflict, must make a Willpower + Charisma (3) Test in order to wound to kill unless already wounded; as per the Cat mentor disadvantage. Bad idea? Good idea? Reflavour and she's got a good idea? |
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Mar 1 2013, 04:03 AM
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#2
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,962 Joined: 27-February 13 Member No.: 76,875 |
Too powerful. The closest thing to that advantage, off the top of my head, is the Zero-One paragon for technomancers - +1 for all sprites, but you have to spend 2 Edge to downgrade a glitch.
I seem to remember a mentor spirit archetype with the same, but can't remember it off the top of my head. |
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Mar 1 2013, 04:12 AM
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#3
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 3,473 Joined: 24-May 10 From: Beijing Member No.: 18,611 |
Maybe restrict it to +2 Summoning and Binding one type of spirit. For this, maybe Beast Spirits.
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Mar 1 2013, 04:20 AM
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#4
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Former Member Group: Members Posts: 814 Joined: 15-July 12 Member No.: 53,042 |
I think it's fine, but for the sake of trying to maintain harmony, maybe add in another Composure Test (making the first one Composure as well) to avoid playing pranks on people too--to go with the 'trickster' element.
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Mar 1 2013, 05:16 AM
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#5
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,351 Joined: 19-September 09 From: Behind the shadows of the Resonance Member No.: 17,653 |
Too powerful. The closest thing to that advantage, off the top of my head, is the Zero-One paragon for technomancers - +1 for all sprites, but you have to spend 2 Edge to downgrade a glitch. Sun mentor spirit has the same Edge cost on glitches, but only gives a +2 bonus to Fire/Guardian spirits (choose one). Gryphon does give a +2 to Binding tests in general (no limit on the type of spirit), but all other mentor spirits I'm aware of gives a +2 bonus to only one type of spirit (or choice of one from a list of two spirits).
I seem to remember a mentor spirit archetype with the same, but can't remember it off the top of my head. |
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Mar 1 2013, 06:14 AM
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#6
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,373 Joined: 14-January 10 From: Stuttgart, Germany Member No.: 18,036 |
Background: Running SR4, not SR4A, and also have Street Magic. Girlfriend is making a stealthy mage with an emphasis on summoning & wants to make a variant on one of Mentor spirit archetypes for her character. Here's a quick summary: Bakeneko Bipedal cat with a forked tail, trickster and chaser amongst spirits. Benefit: +2 Summoning and Binding Tests Disadvantage: Difficult to give up the thrill of conflict, must make a Willpower + Charisma (3) Test in order to wound to kill unless already wounded; as per the Cat mentor disadvantage. Bad idea? Good idea? Reflavour and she's got a good idea? why invent new stuff, when you can just build a mentor spirit by picking from all those mentors available? +2 one type of spirit (the one best resembling the bakeneko) or +2 Binding all spirits +2 Con or Illusion Spells (trickster aspect) Cat mentor disadvantage SR4 mentor spirits always have two "aspects" that are resembled by two more or less different advantages. Summonung AND binding would only focus on the spirit aspect. |
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Mar 1 2013, 06:37 AM
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#7
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Target Group: Members Posts: 42 Joined: 25-July 07 Member No.: 12,354 |
She's also wondering if there's any precedence on a mentor spirit giving a bonus to Drain tests. That did bring up a question though, as it's unclear in the book. When a mentor spirit gives a +2 to a Spirit Type, does this apply to all Conjuring Tests pertaining to Summoning/Binding/Banishing that spirit type, or ALL dice rolls pertaining to or targeting the spirit?
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Mar 1 2013, 06:52 AM
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#8
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,351 Joined: 19-September 09 From: Behind the shadows of the Resonance Member No.: 17,653 |
As I understand it, the +2 to "Spirit" applies to all skill tests pertaining to that spirit (Summoning, Binding, & Banishing). Gryphon gives no other benefits to spirits other than to binding them, while Phoenix gives a -1 DP modifier to all binding tests, but still a +2 to Fire spirits (the two oddballs I know of).
As for the drain, there is some debate (most recent thread) whether or not Bear gains +2 dice to drain when it's Physical damage or not. If you choose that Bear does, then it would also mean that Dark King takes a -1 penalty to resist drain when it's Physical. If your player's really concerned about drain, she should look into fetishes & limited spells, and into getting the Centering metamagic ASAP. After the metamagic, there's a Centering focus that then also becomes an available option. |
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Mar 1 2013, 11:31 AM
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#9
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jacked in Group: Admin Posts: 9,043 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 463 |
She's also wondering if there's any precedence on a mentor spirit giving a bonus to Drain tests. That did bring up a question though, as it's unclear in the book. When a mentor spirit gives a +2 to a Spirit Type, does this apply to all Conjuring Tests pertaining to Summoning/Binding/Banishing that spirit type, or ALL dice rolls pertaining to or targeting the spirit? I think it is all Conjuring Tests, but nothing else. Also, I agree, that you should not give a blanket bonus on Summoning (or Spellcasting), as those are the most commonly used magic skills. Bye Thanee |
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Mar 1 2013, 01:36 PM
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#10
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The ShadowComedian Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 14,538 Joined: 3-October 07 From: Hamburg, AGS Member No.: 13,525 |
Well, at least she is in the right frame of mind for an SR Min/Max . .
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Mar 1 2013, 01:49 PM
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#11
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 3,009 Joined: 25-September 06 From: Paris, France Member No.: 9,466 |
A mentor spirit is more than an appearance and benefit/disadvantage.
A mentor spirit is a concept and a philosophy. I don't know enough who Bakeneko is to judge, but I find the description too short. As for the advantage and disadvantage, I think you'd better stick with existing ones. I agree with most posters here about bonuses on all summoning (or all spellcasting) or drain being too powerful. |
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Mar 1 2013, 03:14 PM
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#12
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Prime Runner Ascendant Group: Members Posts: 17,568 Joined: 26-March 09 From: Aurora, Colorado Member No.: 17,022 |
I think it's fine, but for the sake of trying to maintain harmony, maybe add in another Composure Test (making the first one Composure as well) to avoid playing pranks on people too--to go with the 'trickster' element. It is Fine? No Other Mentor Spirit gives such a powerful combination of Advantages. |
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