Help - Search - Members - Calendar
Full Version: feedback
Dumpshock Forums > Discussion > Shadowrun
zenpoetsix
a returning player to my game e-mailed me this character for my approval. it looks interesting but i've never had a character so complex in my game. would you allow it??? she doesn't use edges/flaw but i'm thinking about giving her some since the character is so handicapped. is 6 extra skill points too generous???

Thanks for the feedback:
________________________________________________________________

Background: Ariel was born into an abusive family, so abusive that the only way for her to survive was her mind had to splinter. She developed M.P.D. (multiple personality disorder), or, as it’s known by its clinical term, disassociate personality disorder. Treatment at a local mental asylum proved unsuccessful, she was discharged after her family’s health care stipend ran out. Rather than return back home, one of her personalities took over and she ran away. She joined a gang, The Screaming Amazons, for survival.

Personality: Ariel is the “whole” personality that is so deeply buried that she hasn’t surfaced since early childhood. Crimson is the protective personality, man-hating and quick to fight. Mercy is the submissive personality, shy and a pacifist. Mercy isn’t aware of Crimson and blacks out when she is dominate. Crimson knows about Mercy and thinks of her of weak. Other personalities may emerge over time.

Priorities:
A: Magical Adept
B: Attributes-27
C: Skills-34 (17/17)
D: Resources 20K
E: Human

Attributes:
Body-6
Quickness-4 (6)*
Strength-4
Intelligence-4
Willpower-5
Charisma-4
Essence-6
Magic-3
Mercy’s Reaction/Initiative-4+1d6
Crimson’s Reaction/Initiative-5 (7) +1d6 (+2d6)
Mercy’s Combat Pool-6, Mercy’s Spell Pool-4
Crimson’s Combat Pool-7

Skills:
Crimson’s Skills: Mercy’s Skills:
Brawling-4 Socery-5
Pistols-5 Conjuring-5
Intimidation-4 Bio-tech-4
Stealth-2 Etiquette-3
-Sneaking-4

Knowledge Skills:
Crimson’s Skills: Mercy’s Skills
Gang identification-3 Medicine-4
Gang turfs-3
The Screaming Amazons politics-4

Language Skills:
Crimson’s Skills Mercy’s Skills
English-2 English-3
-Street Slang-4 French-5

Adept Powers:
Crimson’s Powers Mercy’s Powers
Improved Reflexes-1* Magic Power-3*
Improved Physical Ability: Empathic Sense
-Quickness-2* True Sight-1
Attribute Boost: (Geas: Exclusive to Mercy)
-Strength-2
Improved Sense:
-Night Vision
(Geas: Exclusive to Crimson)

Mercy’s Magic*
Magic Tradition: Street Shaman
-Totem: Mouse (+2 for detection/healing spells, +2 for hearth/field spirits, -2 for combat spells)
Heal-5(exclusive for drain)
Antidote-3
Cure Disease-3
Diagnosis-3
Invisibility-4(exclusive for drain)

Contacts:
The Screaming Amazon gang leader (level 2); bought w/resources
The Screaming Amazon gang member (level 1)
Street Doc (level 1)*
*exclusive to Mercy
Moon-Hawk
Please don't make us re-derive everything that's been done, here.
Skill points were split between the two personalities? Is that how that worked? Can you explain the "rules" that went into creating this?

That said, I think it's a fantastic idea, but who is in charge of the personality switching? If it's the player, then I'm immediately suspicious that they'll be trying to get away with something. I think it should be the GM in charge of any character switching, and a matter of GM/player agreement for the introduction of new personalities.
James McMurray
I've toyed with running MPD characters in the past, and it could be pretty fun. However, it could also be pretty powerful, if the appropriate personality is always up and running. I'd leave the character as is (access to two seperate sets of abilties is a pretty good bonus). Be careful to ensure that it doesn't become an exercise in min maxing by having mercy always there when needed, and crimson there the rest of the time.

Perhaps some sort of willpower test on behalf of the dormant personality to try to take control when needed? Opposed tests would work pretty well. If the test fails, the dormant personality cannot try for another hour.
RedmondLarry
Way cool. It appears to me that the player has done a good job designing a complex character. I see no problem with it. I believe it is set up so when, through roleplay, the Ariel personality emerges then the character will have all the abilities at the same time.

I see no attempt to use the MPD to get double-abilities, although I didn't count Adept Powers in detail. For example, she has divided her 34 Skill Points *between* the two personalities instead of trying to give each personality 34 Skill points.

You'll want to talk to the player about when the character will transition between the personalities. Find out what things will bring out one personality over the other and make sure she doesn't intend to switch back and forth in a short period.

As to whether she is underpowered, only you can answer that based on what the other characters in the game already are. Not every character has to be a combat monster, unless that's the way the campaign is run. The player may enjoy the roleplaying of the complex character far more than she does the combat or the B&E or the technology.

If all the other characters in the campaign have earned 100 Karma or have gatheried high-power items already you might give the new character 50 Karma or some extra money so she can keep up.
zenpoetsix
thanks for the replies!!!

Moon-Hawk: yeah, it took me a couple of times reading it through to realize that she split the skill points. i don't know why; i didn't tell her to. she's actually been playing shadowrun longer than i have. i'll have to ask why she did that.

James McMurry: she included in her e-mail a proposal for willpower checks to swap betwen personalities and that they can't swap because they want to, it has to be trigger by stress (physical, emotional, etc, etc.) she said that final decison if a personality swaps or when/if a new personailty emerges will be up to me. she's a really into role-playing so i don't think she'll be a problem.

OurTeam: she's pretty in the same "level" as our characters in the game. two players had to return to school so she'll have another new character in the game plus i've had a few character deaths recently so two other characters are in the 20 karma range.

thanks for the feedback, i think i'll throw her in the game on sunday and see how it goes.
Mensche
the multiple personalities shouldnt have differenet stats and skills though.
Moon-Hawk
Why not? While it may be more generally true for real-life cases of multiple personalities to have identical skills, for the purposes of a game it is much more fun to have a different set of skills and abilities.
I would agree that stats like Body or Strength shouldn't vary. Quickness is a tougher call, I could see an argument either way. Mental stats could easily vary between the two personalities.
Botch
QUOTE (Mensche)
the multiple personalities shouldnt have differenet stats and skills though.

Of course they should, otherwise its just Multiple Mood Disorder. The attribute difference is caused by magic.
Jrayjoker
I could see this as a way for Mouse to hide the real personality until it was safe, thereby dividing the magic and supressing the original personality.
Mr.Sinister
Different personalities "come to the surface" via some sort of event happening to the person. For example, a more aggressive personality would come forward only after the person was physically hit/beaten, verbally assaulted to the point where they become enraged and infuriated, and so on. A more charismatic personality would come forward when the person is put into a more social situation where they have to interact at a party with many people, or maybe when they're caught up in a complex lie and they need to talk their way out of a very pressing situation. Obviously, these aren't all of the options, but some examples.

If I were GMing and a player approached me with this type of character, I wouldn't allow them to switch back and forth between personalities on a whim, some action to/on the character would have to trigger it.

For example, if someone starts to threaten the player, maybe a scaled Willpower test would have to be made to see if the more aggressive persona comes out. When the foe starts yelling and saying threats from a distance, a Willpower test with a target number of the Willpower level needing Willpower-1 successes. So a person with Willpower of 5 would roll 5 dice against a TN of 5 needing 4 successes to switch personas. If the foe approaches and drawns a gun, the same test would be needed, but the TN would be Willpower-1, needing Willpower-2 successes since the threat has increased or continued over time. In this case, the test would be as follows: Willpower of 5, so 5 dice against a TN of 4, needing 3 successes. This would continue to scale down because the threat would continue to increase to a gunshot at the player or maybe a pistol-whip causing the persona to become more aggressive. This test could also be given to the player by the GM based on the situation. The lower the willpower, the faster the personas will be able to switch because the character's mind is unsteady already.

Being able to switch on a whim could cause some type of balance issues, and the triggering would be a way to make things more real and unpredictable. Just a thought.

If this seems a little scattered, bear with me, I'm at work so I'm "multi-tasking". twirl.gif
Jrayjoker
This is starting to remind me of the Flashback chat that has been going on recently. Perhaps this is just an expansion of the Flashback flaw to an extreme level (where the original personality is still submerged. Use the flaw description to help you manage the transition of personalities by trigger events, with a Will resisit.
Jrayjoker
I would let the player choose edges to balance the flashback flaw value.
zenpoetsix
Thanks Jrayjoker!!!

the idea that her totem was the cause of her mind splintering to procted the real pesonality is sweet. i sent the player an e-mail with that idea and she really liked it. it could be why her character's m.p.d. is more extreme than most recorded types of the illness. and the flashback flaw description does give help to handle personality swaps...thanks again!!!

i offered the player to take some flaws since one pesonality is a man-hating, combat freak and the other is a total pacifist but she doesn't want to. never of her characters ever have edges and flaws. i don't know why. i allow them in the game.
Jrayjoker
Glad I could help.
Jrayjoker
Just make sure I get credit on her Character sheet. wink.gif
Jrayjoker
Also, keep me informed as to how the character develops. Great concept.
Fortune
There is an 'Edit Post' feature, just so you know.
Jrayjoker
I've got my kids all over me, I'm lucky to hir "add reply"
MagicalGirlPrettyMatt
I played as a shaman with DID/MPD for about a year, and what I would do was pick a "dominant" personality with a set of skills, and decide which skills/edges and flaws (with GM's approval) could be used in which personalities. A lot of it has to do with trust between a player and his GM, but it's not too hard.
Jrayjoker
I'd like to see someone RP a MPD character with two totems. Something like Shark shaman/Bear shaman. Both berserkers, but one is a healer. The trigger could be berserker rage. I'm a Shark shaman until I berserk, then I am a Bear shaman and heal the guy I just tried to eat...
MagicalGirlPrettyMatt
Well, I did Arizona/Rebecca/Camiela's personalities based on her at various ages (Rebecca was the little girl, not quite in control of her powers, not really sure about tactics or anything, and scared), Arizona being the murderous personality that dueled with Camiela, the cunning, mature adult for control most of the time. Arizona was a total psychopath, but Camiela would only attack when provoked and showed remarkable compassion. Rebecca was born in rural Mississippi in the CAS, to a magic-fearing Southern Baptist enclave, and when she expressed her abilities at a remarkably early age...well, you can figure out the rest.
Frenzy
a few thoughts ...

From what I understand (do to my extensive watching of TV) While the personalities may be aware of each other, they would not have a memory of the others actions. They would need to write notes back and forth. Changing in the middle of combat would be VERY confusing for the character. That would have to be worth a lot of flaw points for the character to balance out with edges.

I think an oposition roll (personality v personality) of charmisa dice against the current dominat personality's willpower , ties going to the dominant personality, would be a neat way to play it. Roll the dice for change anytime the player or the GM (he he he) decides the situation conductive to change.

This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.
Dumpshock Forums © 2001-2012