Hi Fellas,

I am very sorry for the interruption, but I think I need to borrow some of your creativity (again). App. 2 years ago, I started playing a Troll-character called “Brocken” (I think the correct translation would be “chunk”, but it is also a witchcraft-related-mountain in germany). I even started a topic on DS and you all helped a lot with your comments to create a playable character. I cannot remember exactly, but I think even the street-name Brocken was a proposal from one of you (was it you, Stahlseele?), so you can say, that Dumpshock took a big part in the creation of the character. Congratulations, it´s a boy. ^^

Now after app. 150 !!! karma earned, I think I am ready for some fine-tuning. All the basics (attributes, skills, adept-powers) are covered and now that I created a combat-monster, I wanted to focus on filling out all the various gaps and holes. Because our group is quite small, we have to play 2-3 PC´s simultaneously. It works fine, but of course you cannot go deep into character-portrayal for each one of them and Brocken was (until now) only a side-grunt, used for soaking and dealing damage, while roleplaying was reserved of my main character. But after all these years, I really got attached to my PC and therefore I wanted to change this now.

After all the introduction, now let us in the details. Basically I wanted to play a magical character, focused on protection of the other team members. I think the correct RPG-term would be “tank”. So I went for troll, a high body, a lot of armor and corresponding adept powers. I knew that the Astral Hazing would be a big drawback for an awakened character, but if you encounter magical threats, this flaw is - without any doubt - absolutely priceless – and the only power capable of protecting against critter powers - so I took it. Of course this killed 4 of my magic points right away, so it really took some time until the character was at least a bit effective and even longer, until he could compete with the other characters, but in the end (I think) it was worth to take the difficult road.

The character concept at the beginning was a Viking-Style medieval warrior with the changeling-power “granite shell”. In relation with the name “Brocken” a really perfect match. Fortunately, BP-wise I couldn´t afford the power during character creation and wanted to take it later in game. Everyone who has read the “Runners companion” knows, that (except for the fluff) this power is sh*t, so in the end I am really happy I haven´t bought it.

If you allow, I will summarize the main-projects I am trying to get in line/harmony with the main-concept:

Stone-Skin: Unfortunately I still like the thought of a stone-like troll with this name, and because I am so stuck with this concept, I was thinking to get the same effect another way. At the moment I am playing with the thought to use the adept power “mystic armor” to get a similar effect (shamanic mask during use). This is something I surely can discuss with the GM, but I still haven´t gained what I originally wanted. It doesn´t feel right. And this “feeling” is my main problem.

Mentor Spirit: I was thinking about getting a mentor-spirit, but IMO the only one fitting would be bear. I want to protect, it would make me even more resistant and because I am anyway in the first row, if shit hits the fan, the drawbacks and near to none-existent to me. Maybe I could even add the adept power “berserk”, then I at least have a benefit if I freak out. Bear is ok in relation with Vikings, it is ok in correlation with a big nasty troll, but it doesn´t fit with the stone-skin and also not with the name “Brocken”. Mountain as mentor would be perfect, but the benefits are “meh” and the drawbacks even more so. Additionally, the norse-gods don´t include bear or mountain. So the whole planning falls apart again.

Martial Arts: a Viking-Style warrior needs a martial-arts style, but “Arsenal” doesn´t cover European martial arts (simply because the knowledge got lost) and “Muay Thai” simply sounds odd. So I need to create my own, but what should be the parameters, benefits, maneuvers, etc.?

Adept powers: What could help me to get even better? What would be a good power for my concept, I might have overseen?

So please help me. What should I do? How can I solve this problem and what proposals do you have generally to make the char. balanced and consistent with his concept?

If you use the chummer generator, you can check into my character-sheet for more details. https://www.dropbox.com/s/ahpk45ze71563co/Brocken.chum?dl=0

For the SR4 martial arts, each style's name is followed be some other styles in parentheses, which are similar but distinct styles. This is not necessarily a comprehensive listing, either. In other words, if you want to give this guy an aggressive Viking fighting style, you could (for example) take Muay Thai, but call it Lausatök Combat Glima.

At least one point off from my list. Thank you Glyph.

Of course, there are actually european martial arts for which the knowledge is not entirely lost, especially if you don't mind digging through early modern or middle english writings, or the same for french and germanic scribblings. There are combat manuals for a wide variety of weapons, including bills, swords (with or without shields), axes (ditto) and so on. A half ton troll with a 50kg axe can wreck some drek.

"I have combat armour!"

"I have combat sledgehammer." *C*R*U*M*P*

So that's always worth considering.

For the stony skin thing, you could also try negotiating with your GM about augmenting his natural dermal deposits, as a development of his body with respect to genes, time, age, and mojo flowing through every fibre of his being. I know I'd be amenable to the idea, at minimum.

Another idea might be to negotiate an alternate mentor: Cave Bear. And I wouldn't be too dismissive of the Mountain idea on some level - perhaps an alternate form called Jotun? Or something like that? Maybe?