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GlassJaw
I'm hoping to finally give an adept character a whirl and while I was originally thinking about not having any geasa, I'm curious as to some "common" geasa that are taken.

Anyone have any good ideas that make sense and wouldn't make a GM cringe?
Paul
Hmmm. I had a player once that used sort of a blind kata thing-were all of his fighting skills were based off being blind, inspired of course by Daredevil, and Blind Fury. He had to wear a blind fold while fighting.

Now that was way back in first edition so we thought we were all that! Now a days I can imagine what a few might be:
  • Not new by any means, but I think it's cool: Drunk. The drunker (s)he is, the better (s)he fights.
  • Specific specially designed weapon. Think signature weapon here. I'd require it be hand crafted, or crafted as much as possible by hand with few complex materials.
  • One handed-good for weapons stuff, simple admitedly.
  • Wounded? Is this possible...I don't know. Needs at least apoint of damage to get it in gear.
  • Tranced-meditative state, asleep, asphyxiated, or what not.
  • Astral-whether projecting or just vision.
  • Talker-if he's not leaking from the mouth, he ain't fightin'!

Those are some real simplistic ones admitedly, but I am sure there are more and better. This is a good place to get those suggestions.
Fresno Bob
Having to have one hand tied behind your back.
mfb
you could do the rage thing. some powers of one adept i play only kick in when she's at 3+ boxes of damage.
Paul
Machines. The adept needs a piece of cybernetics to make it work. Maybe something that isn't active all the time? Maybe a type of cybernetic vision, hearing or a weapon?
mfb
indeed. another adept i play uses technomagically-altered devices that, in effect, grant him powers.
Sandoval Smith
I've frequently had adepts use vocalizations such as humming tunelessly for powers like astral perception (it's what they use to focus their concentration so they can use that power). It works pretty well as a geas, because you can only hum so long on one breath, can't talk while astrally percieving, and you might be in a situation where you really want to take a look at the astral, but also want to keep quiet.
FrostyNSO
"I can only use pain resistance when I'm wounded."
mfb
heh. let's not get into that argument again. (for the curious, the powers so geasa'd are IA: Krav Maga 2 and IA: Athletics 4. piss her off, and she will chase your ass down and beat you to death.)
Veracusse
Exertion.

A friend told me this concept once. An adept who powers are only active when she overexerts herself to the point of exhaustion. This could be doing 2,000+ pushups non-stop, running a 50 mile marathon, or something other insane sort of athletic achievement. Then her adept powers will work for the rest of the day/night.

This geasa would fit well with the Athletics way Adept, plus it will penalize her enough in both time and exhaustion modifiers. You may even be able to make her make a Body or Willpower test as you/the GM deem appropriate.

Veracusse
FrostyNSO
heh, jew-jitsu
mfb
haha. hey, i like krav maga. it does one thing, and it does it well. and goddammit, when am i going to learn that there's no n in that martial art?
Cynic project
Music, as in must listen to music.
Must always wear a type of grab. This type of grab should be unusual.
Chanting, loudly.
Smiley
I like the Talisman geas. For example, astral sight geased to a pair of sunglasses.
DrJest
As an Equilibrium fan, I'd like to see some kind of reverse of mfb's rage geas; a state of near-transcendental calm. Perhaps requiring Meditation skill checks? One to kick off the state, and needing a check when injured etc?
Critias
I made a sniper (but never had the chance or real urge to play him yet) who's got a geas where he only gets his improved ability: rifles when he takes an Aim action.
ES_Riddle
I'm a fan of talismans that are pretty off-beat and that actually serve as restrictions. My way of the gun adept who thinks he is nonmagical has a level or two of mystic armor geased to the walther pb-120 that he keeps in a concealable holster in the small of his back. He just feels "safer" when it is there, and he thought about that quite a lot one day after he had some bioware put in and wasn't feeling quite like his old self.

One interesting one I've seen was for a troll martial artist...his abilities were all geased to "only when naked from the waist up." Most of the time he'd walk around in an armored trench coat, but once he got close enough to kick some ass he'd shrug it off and begin the ass-kicking. It was a pretty stiff geas, though, since it significantly limited his armor and wasted an action for him every combat.
GlassJaw
I was toying with some ideas for an archer. What about adding a geas to Quick Draw that it can only be used with bows? Sort of like an adept power that was developed through training.

I thought a good geas for Microscopic Vision was Exclusive. You have to concentrate while using it so no other powers work. That doesn't really matter though since all the Imp Sense have a .25 P cost already.
JaronK
Well, there's time geasa (only at night, only in day time, only in mornings, only after noon), space geasa (only indoors, only outdoors, only underground, only in natural surroundings, only in a polluted area), prevention geasa (only in service to the innocent, only in self defense, only when the target is aware of you, only if they attacked first), talisman geasa (the most likely to be cheesed out, generally only use something they wouldn't have on them anyway), action geasa (only while humming, only while singing, only while shouting, only while dancing), and so forth, but the general rule is the geasa should actually be a penalty, and not really easily circumvented or ignored when the power is needed (pain resistance only while wounded, talisman geasa on IA: pistols being has to be holding a pistol, talisman geasa on any power being has to still have some piece of cyberware installed, etc).

JaronK
kevyn668
QUOTE (mfb)
haha. hey, i like krav maga. it does one thing, and it does it well. and goddammit, when am i going to learn that there's no n in that martial art?

Mind if I ask what the machanics are for that? Did you create a new MA or use Wildcat?

For a Geas, I was thinking of making a gun adept who's IA: Pistols only work in the same round (or pass maybe) that he quickdraw's the gun.

But then agian, I don't really like geasa...
Zolhex
My best one is the full body tattoo.

First off it is 3 different tattoo's to adhere to the 3 different aspects of the talisman geas.

Next you get cut, shot, acid spiled on ya what ever if the wound you take damages the skin your powers shut down.

The only way to get back up and running is with magical healing for the no scars deal.

Came up with idea when I ran a Yakuza adept enforcer was pretty cool although never had to worry about getting healed had a real good mage partner.
Raife
A character in my campaign uses specially designed silk and metal hand/leg wraps. Each wrap is linked to different powers and are extremely expensive because they use small flakes of oricalcum.

If he takes bullet hits or cuts there is a chance they get damage, and if they are damaged he loses the linked powers until they are repaired.

He takes a lot of damage...
hyzmarca
Distance Strike which appears to be a giant glowigng enrgy ball geased to 'must grunt like you're consitpated'.
Cirenya
I toyed with the idea of an assasin-style character, whose combat-oriented powers only worked on people on which she had a contract...
mfb
i used wildcat, but swapped out zoning for whirling. zoning doesn't feel right, in my limited experience, for krav maga; it's too indirect. i mean, face it, krav maga only has two moves: kick 'em in the nuts, then gouge out their eyes with your terrible claw-fingers.
DarusGrey
One of my favorite characters of all time was my one combat adept, who took the same geas on everything.

"Must kill any enemy engaged in one attack"(i.e. recieve deadly wound status)

If the enemy dodged, resisted damage etc, he basically became mundane for 24 hours after.

Was fun..because he'd always get all 1s on beat-cops and stuff.

Though as game progressed it became less restrictive when at 500 karma(long game) he could throw 40D punches.


a more resrictive one that might be fun to play is "perfectionist" geasa, *must* suceed at any test or break the geasa, be funny being forced to use karma pool to suceed at things you could normally retry..like climbinb a moderate sized wall,

"Why don't you come down and get a better footing Bob?," bob:"no..you don't understand..I CANNOT ACCEPT FAILURE"

Only the most masochistic players may apply!
Catsnightmare
My most recent adept character, Brick had two talisman geasa on his powers.
Improved Perception was geased to his prescription glasses. (Brick is nearsighted and has the bio-rejection flaw). He also has Improved Unarmed geased to the pair black real leather fingerless ultimate fighter gloves given to him as a gift by his father after Brick discovered his adept talents and started his martial arts training.
Shockwave_IIc
The condition Geas that my Adept has on her Traceless walk and Magic sense powers is that she cannot have a weapon in a ready possiton. Have one on her? Yes. In her hand? No. So she can be either Stealthy and Aware or ready for combat.
GlassJaw
What about a condition geas of meditation? In order to activate your power, you have to spend a certain amount of time (1 hour?) in deep meditation. If you aren't properly rested or wounded, you won't be able to activate it.
Mr.Sinister
I took a pretty nasty deadly wound with my Adept a few weeks ago and lost a magic point. I took a geas of having to meditate/pray for an hour every day when I wake up. I applied it to my Suspended State power, so the meditation/prayer is a way of my Adept saying "thank you for letting me live, please allow me to continue living".
ES_Riddle
QUOTE (ES_Riddle)
My way of the gun adept who thinks he is nonmagical has a level or two of mystic armor geased to the walther pb-120 that he keeps in a concealable holster in the small of his back.

I was rereading this thread and noticed that my post seemed somewhat munchy (at least to me). Obviously it's a gun so that limits some of the places he can take it, but the fact that the geas is "walther pb-120+in a concealable holster+in the small of the back" rather than anything special about the gun makes it a viable limitation. As soon as it is drawn, the geas is broken and he loses those points of armor.
Catsnightmare
Now that's a cool (but not munchy) geas in my book.
akarenti
I always wanted to see an adept whose powers were all Geased on being under the effects of Deepweed. Esp. good for a Totem or Spirit Way type adept who happens to be a practitioner of Vodoun.

So, the guy would get free Astral Perception and cheaper powers, but he'd have to cough up the money for the Deepweed. And be stuck Dual Natured for hours whenever he could use his powers. Plus Deepweed is addictive.
Lantzer
How about singing.. a la Hudson Hawk singing 'Swinging on a Star' or 'Side by Side'.

I've always enjoyed the latter scene in that movie.

Or talisman geas - must be wearing rollerskates. Great for a street punk. Those constant athletics tests to stay standing get old though.
Critias
QUOTE (mfb)
i used wildcat, but swapped out zoning for whirling. zoning doesn't feel right, in my limited experience, for krav maga; it's too indirect. i mean, face it, krav maga only has two moves: kick 'em in the nuts, then gouge out their eyes with your terrible claw-fingers.

Untrue.

Sometimes they crush windpipes, too!
mfb
only if you raise your skill past 6!
TransistorRadio
QUOTE (Lantzer)
How about singing.. a la Hudson Hawk singing 'Swinging on a Star' or 'Side by Side'.

I've always enjoyed the latter scene in that movie.

Instead of sining a la Hudson Hawk, think of an elf phys ad heavy into melee combat that has "Gaelic Wailing". A stereotype maybe, but still it was fun.
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