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Full Version: "The name's Constantine; John Constantine, asshole
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HMHVV Hunter
Alright, I just saw the movie "Constantine" a few weeks ago. Absolutely loved it.

What I really liked was the hero. Constantine's an absolute dick, but that's part of his appeal.

And of course, as usually happens when I see movies, I try to transfer them to one of the game's I play so that I can play a character somewhat close to them.

Well, I've run into an impasse with the Constantine character: I've got no idea where to begin with him. All I've figured out so far is that he's going to be a magic-type character.

The biggest problem I have is this: the whole concept of life after death isn't really explored too much in SR. Plus, to my knowledge, there's not many totems known for trucking with the dead. I guess I could make him a mage, but I'd also like some shamanic ideas.

So my question is this: how would you suggest I proceed? Like I said, I'm not sure how to make this guy into an SR character becuase the concept of Hell (which, from what I saw in the movie, is central to the character) isn't really as much explored in SR as it is, say, in the World of Darkness. Yet Shadowrun provides the perfect gritty, urban backdrop for this guy.

Any ideas on anything relating to this character?
Kanada Ten
First instincts, make him a free spirit with the astral gateway power trapped in a human body. Hell as a metaplane, various custom shedim as the demons. Going by the PS2 game anyway.
toturi
Simply make it such that what he thought as hell to be a metaplane. Dragonslayer or Firebringer would make a good totem for Constantine.
mallet
You could go the Adapt way. Make him a magical adapt. Give him astral sight and magical resistance at a high level. Only a two or three points in magic. Give him a couple of small/low power spells (mainly detection) all geased up so he has to use items, etc... to cast them.

As for the setting, heaven/hell that's up to the GM.

Just make him an occult investigator.

That's about as close as you could get to the comics version of Constantine. I haven't seen the movie yet, so I'm not sure how much they have changed him.
HMHVV Hunter
See, I've never read the comic, though after seeing the movie, I'm gonna try to find them. So all I've got is the movie.
toturi
Don't forget Borrowed Time and Hunted (by the Devil).

"You are the one soul I'll come up to collect myself. Ah hah..." *claps*
HMHVV Hunter
Y'know, I just thought of another one (Addiction (High level; Cigarettes)), but to my surprise, there's no such flaw in SR! At least not one I could find.
phydaux
Well, when you can just buy yourself a new set of lungs every few years cigarettes become WAY less of an issue.
HMHVV Hunter
I mean, there's no addiction flaw at all.
Fortune
QUOTE (HMHVV Hunter)
I mean, there's no addiction flaw at all.

Yeah I know. It's silly that the Addiction Flaw isn't listed. That being said, I just use the Compulsion Flaw to reflect it, at vaying levels.
Fresno Bob
I think the addiction flaw was replaced by addiction rules.
Glyph
Haven't seen the movie, and doubt I will - replacing the witty, blonde Brit with Keanu Reeves is... bleah. But if you want someone like John Constantine as a Shadowrun character, then I would recommend Totems such as Trickster, Dark King, or maybe Wild Huntsman. He's more of a good guy than a bad guy, but he can be ruthless, and an asshole. For spells, get the subtler ones, and get a high Charisma and social skills. John's main strength is his ability to mess with people's heads. For the look, you need cigarettes, a trenchcoat, and manly stubble.
Fortune
I haven't heard a bad thing about it from anyone who has seen it. Even overly critical people who hate Keanu with a passion say that he does a superb job in the film.
DrJest
I read the comic adaptation. As I expected, it bears absolutely no relation to the original Hellblazer comics past the names (no surprise there, few comic to film adaptations do). What was more of a surprise was that it looked like a pretty good story. My only concern was Keanu Reeves playing a Liverpudlian hard-arse street mage, but I'm told he does well so I shall go see it if I get the chance (not many cinemas out here :/ )

EDIT: As to being a SR character, I can only go by the comics. Constantine would be a hermetic magus with a higher rating in Ritual Sorcery than Spellcasting. Most important would be a very high charisma, lots of Negotiation and Intimidation (Mental specialisation), and high ratings in magical knowledege skills. If you liked the films and want to get into the comics, I recommend going for some of the graphic novels for complete story arcs. Son of Man, Damnation's Flame, Haunted (very good and very street level), any of that.
HMHVV Hunter
Yeah, the more I think about it, the more I realize that Constantine is a mage more than anything else.

That leaves the other problem though: the mystical side of things. Have you guys ever been in a game where this side of things (Hell and the other dark things about Shadowrun's mystical side) get explored?
Mortax
As to the movie and Mr. Reeves acting, yes, I enjoyed it as well.
This is one of the few movies I've seen him in where I didn't want to punch him repeatedly. He did a fine acting job in this one.
DrJest
QUOTE (HMHVV Hunter)
That leaves the other problem though: the mystical side of things. Have you guys ever been in a game where this side of things (Hell and the other dark things about Shadowrun's mystical side) get explored?

I've used themes of Hell in my games before, usually tangentially and without any real "proof" from the players' point of view. In real terms, there's nothing to stop you from having Hell and Heaven in your game, since it's an area left quite deliberately blank in Shadowrun. Or you could have Heaven and Hell as metaplanes spawned from the collective subconcious (along with the other variations from other religions).
kevyn668
QUOTE (Kanada Ten)
First instincts, make him a free spirit with the astral gateway power trapped in a human body. Hell as a metaplane, various custom shedim as the demons. Going by the PS2 game anyway.

How was the game? I got a good review from someone or other but I usually don't trust games that pop up right around the movie release as the tend to be slap-dash, at best.
FlakJacket
QUOTE (HMHVV Hunter)
Have you guys ever been in a game where this side of things (Hell and the other dark things about Shadowrun's mystical side) get explored?

The Horrors and their metaplane would make a pretty good hell. You've already got agents like Darke and some of the lower level less intelligent ones that can get through.
Backgammon
I'm seeing Sin City tonight. Now THERE'S a bunch of characters to convert to SR!
BitBasher
QUOTE (Backgammon)
I'm seeing Sin City tonight. Now THERE'S a bunch of characters to convert to SR!

Not possible, there's not enough karma in the universe to make Marv.
HMHVV Hunter
QUOTE (BitBasher)
QUOTE (Backgammon @ Apr 1 2005, 03:36 PM)
I'm seeing Sin City tonight. Now THERE'S a bunch of characters to convert to SR!

Not possible, there's not enough karma in the universe to make Marv.

And charisma couldn't go high enough to make Jessica Alba eek.gif

(I've never read the comic, but I saw Jessica Alba in the previews. YOW! eek.gif biggrin.gif )
Kanada Ten
QUOTE (kevyn668)
QUOTE (Kanada Ten @ Mar 31 2005, 11:05 PM)
First instincts, make him a free spirit with the astral gateway power trapped in a human body.  Hell as a metaplane, various custom shedim as the demons.  Going by the PS2 game anyway.

How was the game? I got a good review from someone or other but I usually don't trust games that pop up right around the movie release as the tend to be slap-dash, at best.

Modest. Linear gameplay and levels (expected with a movie plot). A little more interesting story than I expected, but nothing unique in terms of style and graphics. Reminded me of Silent Hill.
kevyn668
Thanks. smile.gif
Backgammon
QUOTE (BitBasher)
QUOTE (Backgammon @ Apr 1 2005, 03:36 PM)
I'm seeing Sin City tonight. Now THERE'S a bunch of characters to convert to SR!

Not possible, there's not enough karma in the universe to make Marv.

I just got back from seeing it and, I TOTALLY agree with that statement eek.gif cool.gif
mfb
they watered him down some, for the film. for instance, in the comic, he didn't escape the cell at the farm by pulling out the window. he threw his body at the door for six hours, until it finally broke.

let me reiterate. Marv tested his endurance and capacity to soak damage against an iron door, and the door bitched out.
toturi
Marv is not a PC. He is an NPC... an Ultimate NPC.
The Grifter
Echo that. Marv fraggin' rocks! And so did that movie. I'm not going to even try saying it had anything at all to do with SR, just go see it if you get a chance. It was awesome.
Fresno Bob
That movie kicked more ass than a magical asskicking machine. Also, it had hobbits getting murdered, so that was cool. Elijah Wood's performance ruled, despite his lack of lines.
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