aWoD: Continued

[Orion]

Not a major mechanical issue, but a flavor note: We need a short paragraph somewhere explaining what it means when your monster type comes with sorceries.

To clarify:

I start as a Wererat. This means that I get Abyss of the Body from Descent of Entropy. We know this means I am immune to disease and can learn Withering if I want to. But, presumably, I'm immune to disease because I'm an effing RAT, not because I've delved into the secrets of degeneration. The mechanical unlock of advanced sorceries is handwaved as a natural apititude for the magic or something. Other questions about existing rules and/or rules that might should be changed:

--Does get a sorcery "racially" let you level it up without a book or cult tutorship?

--Does getting sorceries racially provide enough knowledge to teach others?

[A Man In Black]

But, presumably, I'm immune to disease because I'm an effing RAT, not because I've delved into the secrets of degeneration.

Rats aren't immune to disease.

[Judging__Eagle]

- Sun was very thematic and appropriate, but does heavy clothing protect you (as it would versus water and alcohol)?

The World of Darkness has gone both ways on that. Some versions have allowed people to run around in a burkha and be fine, others would not. As a rule of thumb, I would say that if you are casting a shadow in sunlight, your powers are suppressed.

-Username17

So, a parasol is good cop?

[CatharzGodfoot]

I'd like to see a 'boneless' power so that I can play Eugene Victor Tombs (or any of the various creepy-as-fuck character capable of oozing). It strikes me as a natural Fortitude or Potence protean power, but those are both already a bit overloaded.

[virgil]

Maybe a protean devotion that uses Fortitude and Potence as a prerequisite?

[Username17]

I could see an alternate to Flesh of Marble that was Flesh of Water or perhaps Flesh of Sand.

Right now, people who discorporate do so through infernal sorcery by breaking up into a cloud of bugs or through astral magic into mist or through orphic magic into shadow. I am aware that there are a number of other discorporations that people do in the genre (bats, crows, blood, acidic goo), but I'm not convinced that the story gets anything but more cluttered by introducing more of those roughly equivalent paths.

-Username17

[CatharzGodfoot]

I could see an alternate to Flesh of Marble that was Flesh of Water or perhaps Flesh of Sand.

Right now, people who discorporate do so through infernal sorcery by breaking up into a cloud of bugs or through astral magic into mist or through orphic magic into shadow. I am aware that there are a number of other discorporations that people do in the genre (bats, crows, blood, acidic goo), but I'm not convinced that the story gets anything but more cluttered by introducing more of those roughly equivalent paths.

-Username17

What I'm talking about isn't actually discorporation, although it functions very similarly. It's being able to act with extended reach, being immune to a certain set of injuries, and being able to fit through very small spaces (although not as small as a bug or draft). It's something iconic for deep ones and ghouls rather than vampires and sorcerers.

It doesn't add a huge amount to the game mechanically, but I think it's creepy enough to warrant inclusion. A fish man that sneaks into your locked home by turning into mist and flowing under the door is neat, but a fish man that sneaks into your locked home by squishing his way through your AC ducts or crushing himself through your pipes from the sewer is even better.

[virgil]

It's a little weird to stat up statues/robots as a golem or something, yet they have to go out of their way to learn a devotion and spend power points to only sometimes be made of metal or stone.

Is there a carrying capacity for a particular Strength? I can guess what 6 does since it's the human maximum, and the melee weapon chart gives an idea for a scale past that, but things are murky in the lower range; such as a Strength 2 or 3 person needing to carry a heavily wounded mortal. Off the cuff, I just used Shadowrun's carrying capacity system because of the similarity.

[Username17]

It's a little weird to stat up statues/robots as a golem or something, yet they have to go out of their way to learn a devotion and spend power points to only sometimes be made of metal or stone.

Well, they have to pay points to be resilient for being made out of metal or stone. My laptop is made out of metal, but it would be permanently destroyed by a physical smack that would be merely annoying to me personally. Most electronic stuff is actually pretty fragile.

Is there a carrying capacity for a particular Strength? I can guess what 6 does since it's the human maximum, and the melee weapon chart gives an idea for a scale past that, but things are murky in the lower range; such as a Strength 2 or 3 person needing to carry a heavily wounded mortal. Off the cuff, I just used Shadowrun's carrying capacity system because of the similarity.

The SR and nWoD and oWoD carrying capacity rules all suck donkey dick.

-Username17

[the_taken]

In a fit of madness, I have started designing a game that uses a lot of rules and stuff found here. I added celestial magic, but didn't make any disciplines or sorceries for them. I don't feel like putting in a lot of work; are there any oWoD or nWoD source books that have stuff I can use?

[CatharzGodfoot]

In a fit of madness, I have started designing a game that uses a lot of rules and stuff found here. I added celestial magic, but didn't make any disciplines or sorceries for them. I don't feel like putting in a lot of work; are there any oWoD or nWoD source books that have stuff I can use?

Take a look at In Nomine.

[the_taken]

Thank you, kindly, my good sir.

[Username17]

The only "angel powers" stuff in WoD are The Messengers in Hunted and the Fallen Angels in Demon. Both are very dumb.

-Username17

[Prak]

Has anyone done up an Awod Pdf yet?

[The Man Who Killed Death]

Yes, quantumboost made one up and has been updating it every once in a while after enough new material has been written.

Link

[Prak]

cool, thanks

hmm... this question may have been asked... but I don't know, and it's a good question.

can denizens of Limbo affect mirrors in our world from theirs? like move them about and such? (provided small enough mirrors).

I'm wondering if mirror goblins could get mirrors to pop up in situations where they would, if not noticed and moved, become perfect conduits for limbo denizens.
Like a denizen needs a mirror that's been soaked in ammonia, so while a mirror goblin can't douse the mirror in ammonia himself across the barrier, maybe he could move it somewhere that would put it in "danger" of getting soaked in ammonia. Like in a bucket when the mexican cleaning lady is setting up to mop the floors, or maybe it turns up in a urinal...

I think that kind of thing, and that kind of limitation, would be perfectly fitting for a horror movie world like AWoD

[Blicero]

I took a map of the world and sprayed various areas to try to represent the different covenants' spheres of influence. I generally used the aWoD document for everything, but I probably made a few guesses here and there. You can find it here, if you're curious: http://docs.google.com/document/pub?id= ... aKjVHKSPWM

The two areas I can't really find any reference to are South America and Africa (other than the Northern part). Does anybody have ideas? I'm thinking that, seeing as what would interest most supernatural organizations in those areas would be all the criminal activities, the World Crime League might have a bit of an edge. Or maybe those territories could be controlled primarily by Cults and other smaller organizations (to help Storytellers be able to make up a little despot's kingdom or something)?

Also, I'm not sure if it's really worth it to shade in areas like most of Canada, Russia, the Sahara, or even Australia. Seeing as the population density-both supernatural and mundane-is so low, it's pretty much going to be GM fiat over who happens to live in any particular 100 square km region.

[Username17]

That's very cool. Thank you.

I would put some Sabbat control regions in Coastal Brazil and Nigeria. But the insides of South America and Africa can be filled with nothing, or if you're up to it - Marduk Society and Fallen Empire dots respectively.

Also, I'm not sure if it's really worth it to shade in areas like most of Canada, Russia, the Sahara, or even Australia. Seeing as the population density-both supernatural and mundane-is so low, it's pretty much going to be GM fiat over who happens to live in any particular 100 square km region.

Pretty much. You could throw a few blue dots on Moscow, but it really doesn't matter who thinks they own Mongolia.

can denizens of Limbo affect mirrors in our world from theirs? like move them about and such? (provided small enough mirrors).

Gates to Limbo are reflective surfaces, but not all reflective surfaces are gates to Limbo.

-Username17

[Prak]

right. I thought there was something about making reflective surfaces into portals through arcane and eldritch requirements, or did I miss something?

[CatharzGodfoot]

right. I thought there was something about making reflective surfaces into portals through arcane and eldritch requirements, or did I miss something?

I believe it's a Progress of Glass sorcery.

[Maxus]

I'm slowly working through aWoD pdf. I spotted some typos, but I'll have to relocate them when I get a chance before I report them. Progress is hampered by having to use the PDF reader and not having near enough paper nor ink on hand to print it.

On an actual game-related note, I'm more and more digging the idea of 1) Getting used to this system 2) Applying a Hunter patch into it.

Aside from playing Team Human in a monster swarm (whether zombies or vamp spawn or what-have-you) being fun, I can see a monster-hunter organization or two fitting into the setting without much problem. Even with the convenants policing their own, I imagine every now and then some lycanthrope goes berserk in a place where that can be a problem or a vampire decides to carve himself out an empire of spawn in central Africa or Siberia. Actually, I suppose they would maintain diplomatic relations with the covenants, on the basis that they're all more or less in the business of keeping the wild monsters down and keeping the normal people from finding some pitchforks.

Besides, I know the people I game with. It'd appeal.

[Username17]

Well, there totally is such an organization in Ciudad de Mexico.

It's... a weird place. Plays by its own rules.

-Username17

[CatharzGodfoot]

There are hunters, they're just pawns of supernaturals playing a bigger game. But sure, you could have Jane Hunter and her team of plucky humans working for the good side. And maybe down the line Jane learns that she's Reborn and destined to kill monsters. And maybe one of her buddies discovers some innate magical potential. And maybe another turns into a werewolf. Maybe a vampires ends up siding with them and joins the team. Maybe a Fallen joins up as well. Perhaps they eventually discover that they were just pawns of shadowy sorcerer overlords. It could all happen.

[Maxus]

That's fine except for the 'pawn of powerful shadowy supernaturals'.

One of the big appeals for aWoD is there AREN'T these super-shadowy organizations which only serve to cock-slap players. And I'm pretty sure there should be some sort of advancement for being a Luminary. Acquired talents and heavy firepower would likely figure into this. Along with some super-resources.


Heck, I can see three groups/specializations here.

1) Morticians: You Belong Dead, so Bloody Well STAY DEAD. Specialize in getting rid of ghosts, zombies, rogue vampires, and other creatures.

2) The REAL Cryptozoologists (with apologies to Dr. Loren Coleman): Crazy plants and animals.

3) Witchfinders: Knocking out magic-users, unusual things like Prometheans, and miscellaneous weird shit.

Also, if you mention Luchadors or someone with the combined firepower of a Resident Evil game (early one or late, take your pick), some players will dig that and want to play (including me. When I actually play rather than DM, I'm basically the guy with the Barbarian mindset.)

[A Man In Black]

You don't need any shadowy Illuminati bullshit. You already have non-supernatural luminaries supported in the game; you'd just need a splat of character options that don't turn you into a spellcaster or monster.