The Powers List
As part of our celebration of the run-up to the release of Changes (Book #12 in the Dresden Files series), today we’re giving you a look at the list of powers we have in game.
You can download the powers list here!
And make sure to check out our new Downloads page as well, which includes printable blanks of the city and character creation sheets.
Fred, you do know how to tempt us!
Are you a Denarii? I’m only picking up a coin if it comes in the shape of two books…or at least a pdf for the time being.
great list!
it brings me to a question: can wizard’s magic simulate other powers (than spellcraft)? I am thinking of injun-joe’s hsape combat shifting near the end of turn coat.
@Wyrdrune, yes, though the speed at which Injun Joe manages to do it suggests he may have taken what used to be a slower ritual-type casting and sped it up by investing it in a power in its own right.
I think you are worse than a crack dealer… in a good way… I think…
I really wish I could make it to Origins to get the books as they come out.
Will there be guidelines on creating custom powers?
Long time lurker, first time poster.
Wow. These are what really grab me in rpgs, the lists of powers available to pcs, and this one is a doozey that raises so many more questions. I’ve had a few ideas running around in my head for characters, Black Sheep Sorcerer, Lone Werewolf in the Big City, Bearer of the Spear of Longinus… Then i saw the Demonic Co-Pilot power. Mr. Hicks i do believe my GM just felt a disturbance in the force.
@Dave, yep, at least loosely.
@Joe, when you read “Demonic Co-Pilot”, think Hexenwulf… but with some broader potential applications certainly available for a creative player and GM.
@fred
ahh, thank you for the clarification, that does explain why it is under shapeshifting… though demonic co-pilot right next to diminutive size is giving me the oddest mental images…
Awesome. I’m totally loving these sneak peaks. I actually made it a hobby of mine to guess the refresh cost of the powers and what they would do then gauge it against the actually thing when i got to see it and well i didnt do to bad at all actually.
P.S. are there going to be more sneak peeks soon? pretty please
@kyle, good chance of it.
The PDF bookmarks are yet another reason to buy. Like I needed anymore.
@Jonathan, ha! I forgot that I left those in there. Well, indeed — a stealth “leak” and a hidden feature.
This is delicious. How does the ‘Effects and Upgrades’ column work? Is there a seperate listing of those powers and how much they cost, or guidelines for how to create them in the individual listing of the powers on the list?
@The Unshaven, the effects are the effects the power has. The “upgrades” are those things in red with a cost adjustment ala “[-1]“, i.e., an additional -1 refresh adds this effect as an upgrade to the basic power.
That’s wicked cool stuff.
Fred, you are a god in my eyes. This is awsome! job well done dude
I couldn’t help but notice that Spellcasting is Chapter 13. Coincidence?
@gaelvin, it just happened to shake out that way, but I rather liked it.
There were a lot of surprises in that list, I didnt realise it would be quite THAT comprehensive.
One thing though, I can’t quite work out why having an item of power would afford you a discount.. is it a discount on the powers that the item confers?
@Ihadris, yes, it’s that.
Does that mean the only inherent cost of the item is the loss of the pure mortal +2 bonus unless the item confers powers above the +1/+2 discount?
@Ihadris: I hope Fred won’t mind me trying to answer that one.
An Item of Power gets the +1/+2 discount because of the fact it is an independent from the character item and therefore it can be lost, stolen or left behind. The exact discount depends on how hard to keep it it is. Besides that, for getting the +1 discount the Item has to have at least powers for a -2 value and -3 for getting the +2 discount.
Selenio.
@Selenio, correct! The loss of the Pure Mortal bonus is implicit in all that, though, you’re right.
Thank you both for your answers, that really cleared that up!
Grrr. But I want to read the descriptions!
*Stomps off to wait some more for pre-order*
Reagrding items of power. Does this also include itesm created by wizards for their use such as Harry’s shield braclet or would it be counted as a required focus item in order to do that sort of magic.
After some deliberation I have answered my own question Harry’s bracelet would be a focus item required for magic because he has to as he puts it “pour willpower” into in in order to activate the shield.But what about his trenchcoat it seems to me that it could be used by anyone that wore it.Would items enchanted by wizards and then passed of to mortals require a refresh cost?
@Justin, his trench is an Enchanted Item, taking up one of his Enchanted Item slots, whether he’s wearing it or a friend is.
Ah I see thank you Fred.Thats a very decisive way of cutailing a potential “magic factory” problem ahead of time, from what I have read you guys have put alot of foresight in dealing with alot of the issues that come up in game as a GM I really appreciate it.Players find it easier pill to swallow when the rules are clearly defined like that.I also have found the Laws of magic blog to be very useful,the pointing out of grey areas and all other points of contention early on is very helpful. To this day one of the biggest horn locking contests between myself and my players is alignment in D&D.”I don’t care if your alignment says chaotic in it your still good murdering people in cold blood is not the act of a good person” ……. but thats an old aurgument and I digress.Thank you Fred and development team for all your hard work I look forward to this game with much antic….i (say it say it!!) pation.
P.S any thoughts on a game based in kim harrisons series?? (Sorry Jim your still my favorrite but that dame has a pretty interesting world)
I have a question about the soulgaze as well as some the mechanics of other tidbits in the novels
1.The soulgaze is not used very often because of the dowside of not bieng able to ever “unsee” what has been seen and ,to be blunt, players don’t give a crap about that sorta thing they tend to be very blase about implied negative downsides because of the disconnect of playing a fictional character is there an actual game mechanic that supports this downside and makes the soulgaze the double edged sword it is supposed to be?
2.The negative aspects of violating the laws of magic I know as a gm I could simply do the choppy with the warden sword to curtail that sorted buisiness but I am a fan of white wolf games and in them they have a system that reflects the decline of a persons soul and in some cases I have purposly taken a character down that path in order to roleplay a decent into madness or a pride ridden fall.Is there something in DFRPG that reflects a moral decay?
3. And on a simpler note what about the decay of magic at sunrise and the grounding effects of water?
oh and finally a follow up question on the enchanted items and slots. Where do wardens swords fall in that category
Yep. The things you behold with a Soulgaze or the Sight have an intensity rating, which (in essence) mounts a mental attack against you. If you fail to defend, you can’t close off your third eye yet, so it can get real nasty if you look at something too intense to behold.
Yep. When you violate the Laws of Magic, you actually gain an ability (which erodes your free will) which makes it easier to break that Law again. The slippery slope is baked right in.
Yep, that’s covered, though honestly it didn’t need to be strongly mechanized.
They’re multi-slot items that get “adopted” by the wielder’s own slots.
Awesome Fred thank you for answering my questions.The game cannot come fast enough
i’ve seen this page a handful of times and i’ve lurked about but after reading some of this i have a question which im sure is somewhere i just can’t seem to find. What about the wizards death curse i know some gm’s who like to kill characters or players who get better ideas and play test characters to test the system but when a wizard of any kind of actual skill dies he or she should be able to take out a few city blocks.
@lennie, we’ve got the death curse covered in the game. I don’t know if it’s quite as explosive as you characterize, though — taking out a few city blocks usually happens in the fight BEFORE the wizard gets killed.