Starting Characters / Power Level

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Joshua
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Starting Characters / Power Level

Post by Joshua »

So, had the base starting level of characters pointed out to me. They're not bad, they're just starting out. We had a similar issue with nWoD, where people wanted to start with more experienced people. This in and of itself is not a huge issue. I figure, just give out a moderate amount of XP for the intro adventures, as people find their place.

That being said, one of the major appeals for the game is mad science. Realistically, in order to be a mad scientist, you need 30 starting xp, not 15. Basically, take Mad Science as your talent, and something like Refuge 2 or Wealth 2 or Patron 2 to give you a bonus resource. That bonus resource allows you to take temporary gadgets without spending 15 xp a pop on them. It's not the end of the world, as 15 xp is 2-3 'sessions' (basically an intro adventure)... HOWEVER, I can definitely see the frustration there and introductory adventures are not always interesting.

So, a few things of useful note before we go into adjusting starting xp or rules:
  • Most zero level resources are strong. Instead of Followers and Rank, your 'group' allows you to take Rank and one of your choice. If you don't have a group... I guess you could take 2 of your choice.
  • Again, if you dump your starting resource (you get either that or a talent) and your 15 starting xp into something that grants you a bonus resource, you effectively have a floating resource. For a budding mad scientist, you could take patron at 2, and borrow your patron's gadgets until you got your own mad science talent after 15xp. (Of course, not everyone wants to be in their apprenticeship, but it's an option.)
  • Speaking of Patrons, if another PC has Wealth 2, he could pay for your temporary gadgets. That's... more of an issue in a forum game than a tabletop, as the PCs will be more spread out.
  • Mentioning it here, I am a fan of conservation of xp. So, if you take Patron 2, then want to buy your own place after leaving your mentor, you can trade the resources in.
  • Which means if we're using the artifact rules to represent a mi-go experiment, and you want to enhance your ability with it, you don't have to but a second version, you can just buy it up and take the additional enhancements. (Sure, it needs a reason, but I've never seen that be an issue before.)
  • Also, a mad scientist could take mad science and a level 1 (or 0) artifact as a 'floating slot'.
So, going back to our Mad Scientist... He takes Mad science for his talent. He has a group that grants Refuge 0, and he buys Artifact 1 with his starting xp. (or swap Refuge 1 and Artifact 0.) He can now produce one low-level artifact per adventure, or keep the same one if he really likes it. At least until he can get enough XP to enhance those, in 2 - 3 sessions / threads / XP progression in forum games is hard.

Splitting the difference would just award xp for an intro scene, something short, or allow the acquisition of temp resources to more people. Something like "It's a one use, and will break soon." Or, "it's mine, but there's some issue before I can fully use it." in general. I mean, inherited stuff or rebuilt things are like that. (Of course, that can lead to a rather dull initial scene better off skipped... but...)

*Facepalm Edit*: So, how about the use of style points to buy temp artifacts. I'm not saying that's what it's there for, but... there's precedent in using your style points to enhance talents. Probably similar to 2 per level (or 1 style to boost a level 0 to a level 1). These would last for a scene, but it's better than nothing.

I figure I'd ask the players some opinions. I'm sorta inclined to try the intro scenes, but that's mostly because I haven't run the system before.
For people who have made characters, or have advice on methods they were able to use, or just want to weigh in, what do you think?
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Joshua
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Re: Starting Characters / Power Level

Post by Joshua »

I wanna play a sorcerer.

Uh... erk... that's... well... okay, let's see what we can do.

Before we begin, is sorcerer the main focus? The Gothic Horror book has a few options:
  • One trick Talents such as Dowser, Fortune Telling, or Second Sight.
  • Exorcist and Medium grant access to a specific ritual at character creation. (Something similar for talking to animals may also exist.)
  • Mentalism is a talent that lets the player choose a psychic power. Once you have one, you can buy multiple ones. Powers include:
    • Cloaking (like the Shadow)
    • ESP (Remote viewing, Precog and Psychometry)
    • Mind-Over-Mater (Biofeedback, psychic surgery, healing)
    • Telekinesis
    • Telepathy
Actual spellcasting is long, hard, and requires lots of studying. There are some powerful effects, from summoning horrors, to being able to see the invisible.

Main issues: Spellcasting in Cthulhu is either a Cha + Will roll, or Elder Lore (which you can't start with...) Learning rituals is 3 xp per ritual, and must be done in game.

So, I think the big issue here is the inability to start with spellcasting. Which is fairly easy a fix...

Cults: A group can grant 0 level resources. One sample character I made was given Elder Lore 0 for being in a mi-go survivor group. I don't see why an ex-cult member couldn't also have that. Likewise, a cult that is fronted by a real magician can give Patron 0... which would let a character spend some of that precious 15xp he starts with on a ritual or two. (Subject to the mentor knowing it and GM approval. But, if you want Elder Sign... That seems reasonable.)

Tomes: There are rules for occult artifacts. And said artifacts can grant the ability to use rituals. (you're still stuck with your own spellcasting, usually... but it's something.) Per the book, they can also be used at tutors for memorizing the rituals themselves. Not the best, but many a debutante has inherited something that was best left untouched in the attic.

So, other than the optional group... I don't see a lot of issue here. That's enough to start learning anyhow.
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