The Dresden Files RPG

Today in our character type series we have the focused practitioner, arguably the most common type of spellcaster in the Dresdenverse.

Focused Practitioner

Focused practitioners are the relatively minor talents of the spell-slinging set. They have one fairly narrowly defined aptitude at spellcraft which they practice to the exclusion of all else-usually because they’re completely hopeless at anything else, just not “getting” the basics of things outside of their focus. Sometimes this is due to the practitioner having an intuitive understanding of what they do rather than a trained understanding, or simply resulting from a mystical blind spot. Depending on the causes of the focus, some focused practitioners might be able to train into broader spellcasting capabilities, but few do.

HARRY: Don’t make these guys sound like they’re featherweights, Billy. They’re specialists rather than generalists, and their power levels can be all over the map. Mortimer Lindquist, an ectomancer I know, is incredibly capable at what he does. Some of his tricks are stuff I’m not sure I could easily figure out, myself.

Each focused practitioner is different, with spellcasting abilities centered on a single theme. Kinetomancers have access to spell abilities that focus on the use of force (and, untrained, can lead to reports of poltergeists-due to their subconscious mind flinging around power accidentally). Pyromancers are the fiery version of the same. Ectomancers can summon and speak with spirits and ghosts, sometimes getting those spirits to do their bidding. Alchemists brew potions subtle and strange. Open up your handy Latin dictionary and peruse the prefixes-there are tons of -mancers out there, and if you can come up with one by playing prefix mash-up, at least one probably exists.

Of course, by being spellcasters, focused practitioners are subject to the White Council’s enforcement of the Laws of Magic, like any other spellcaster is. Just because they have a narrow focus doesn’t mean they can’t violate someone’s mind or swim against the currents of time like the darkest sorcerers can. Players should beware the appeal of something like an enchantress or chronomancer given that it can quickly lead to the Wardens deciding your neck needs an appointment with a sword.

HARRY: If chronomancers exist, I haven’t heard of them.

BOB: You wouldn’t.

Musts: A focused practitioner must have a high concept aspect that names or implies their spellcasting abilities and focus (e.g., HAUNTED ECTOMANCER or KINETOMANCER FOR HIRE). Additionally, a focused practitioner must take at least one or both of:

• Channeling
• Ritual

The appropriate focus for each ability must be defined at the time the abilities are taken. Please see the power descriptions for more details. Players of spellcasting characters should take some time to work out their most often used, practiced spells before play.

Options: Focused practitioners may take The Sight, but if they do, its use will be colored and narrowed by the focus of their abilities. For example, an ectomancer with The Sight might see the world in terms of its ghostly spiritual presences, and may find himself seeing dead people all the time; a pyromancer might perceive supernatural power and presences in the form of flames of various colors and intensity.

Tune in next time as we focus on the knights of the faerie courts.

General characters

This week’s character type is the emissary of power, a catch-all template for players in the supernatural community that get their juice with the backing of a powerful supernatural patron.

Emissary of Power

Emissaries are mortals who’ve been saddled with a burden of great power-and great responsibility-by one of the big dogs in the supernatural community: they might be vast powers from Faerie or the outer reaches of the Nevernever, one of the true dragons, or something stranger. Emissaries of power are often the bearers of items of great potency, able to tap into the power of their patron and bring it to bear on their patron’s behalf. Such champions are usually more victim than anything, though-powers such as theirs come at the price of dark bargains, be it a lifetime of thankless servitude and sacrifice, their eternal soul, or other such “petty” things.

Knights of the Faerie Courts are an example of this, as are (by certain lights) champions of God such as the Knights of the Cross. Both have their own templates found elsewhere in this chapter. This template, then, is for the outliers, the cases that aren’t covered by the more common, more easily identified emissary templates. Perhaps there was once the Autumn Court of Faerie that got crushed by Winter and Summer-and some hapless mortal is its champion. Perhaps the dragon Ferrovax has need of a functionary that can handle all of that insignificant mortal nonsense on his behalf. Perhaps something else is afoot.

HARRY: Billy, do me a favor and stop inventing problems I don’t already have.

BOB: Actually, there’s some merit-

HARRY: That goes DOUBLE for you, Bob!

For the player looking to play something supernatural, but unsure what, this template offers plenty of build-your-own options. GMs are, however, encouraged to make the demands of the emissary’s patron a regular (if not constant) pain in the ass.

Musts: An emissary of power must have a high concept aspect that speaks to the bargain or pact they have made with a patron of great power (e.g., LAST CHAMPION OF AUTUMN or FERROVAX’S TOADIE). This aspect brings with it all of the strictures and responsibilities the patron places on the character-which can sometimes be a moving target. It may also mean that the patron can occasionally exercise near-total power over the PC (think of Harry’s predicament when Mab decides to force him to do something-like stab himself in the hand).

HARRY: Thanks for that reminder.

Player and GM should discuss the terms of this agreement, to the extent they’re known by the PC. In addition, the emissary must take Marked by Power.

Options: Many of the abilities in the supernatural abilities chapter are negotiably available, assuming you can afford the refresh cost, matching the theme and nature of the emissary’s supernatural patron (if the patron is in some way a mystery to the character, the powers taken may offer a hint). Often some of these powers are essentially contained within an Item of Power.

Tune in next time for the focused practitioner!

General characters

In today’s installment of our character types series, we look at the changeling, a character trapped between the mortal world and the faerie world, always living on the cusp of a life-changing Choice.

Changeling

Changelings are half-human, half-faerie people who-at least for the moment-are able to continue living life as a mortal. But before each changeling, every day, stands the Choice, a razor’s edge dividing their mortal nature from their faerie nature. They may call upon the abilities of their faerie blood, but as they do so, bit by bit, they push themselves closer to becoming full faerie.

In play, this means that at any time a changeling may reduce his refresh (and current number of fate points) to purchase another remaining optional ability. Such abilities may not be “un-purchased” afterwards, and each comes with a clear alteration of in the changeling’s body, moving him towards a more fae appearance in line with that of his faerie parent. Eventually, too much of this transformation will take place to retain a grip on mortality, and the character slips into faerie, often becoming an NPC.

Short of that final decision, the character has the option-using his remaining free will-to make the other Choice to become purely mortal. Doing so means setting aside all of his faerie abilities-in essence, swapping the changeling template for the pure mortal one. When such a Choice is made, it’s permanent-there’s no going back.

Musts: A changeling must have a high concept aspect indicating his or her faerie parentage (e.g., OGRE-BLOODED CHANGELING or HALF-PIXIE HERITAGE). This aspect brings with it some of the baggage of the fae-a vulnerability to cold iron, supernaturally binding gift-exchanges and other such pacts, etc, making it ripe for compels. Some compels might even mandate that the character take on another of his faerie abilities, if accepted!

Note, faerie vulnerabilities mean that even if the character takes some manner of paranormal toughness or healing abilities, those abilities will not protect him against attacks and implements that take advantage of such.

Options: At the time the character is created, the player and GM must work out a set of supernatural abilities that the character could inherit from his or her faerie parent (usually taken by looking at the list of musts and options for the appropriate faerie template). If the player wishes for that to be a mystery, this list may be determined in secret by the GM and revealed incrementally during play as the character draws closer to making his Choice.

Regardless, any ability from this list may be added to the character’s sheet at any time during play, reducing current fate points and refresh as indicated by the ability’s cost. There are no “take-backs” once this is done, save for the Choice to become fully mortal (see above). If taking on another ability reduces the character’s refresh to zero or otherwise fulfills all the “musts” of a faerie of the appropriate type, the changeling’s Choice is made, and he becomes a full faerie, never mortal again, and now fully subject to the will of the Faerie Courts.

Abilities which a changeling might take on include, but are not necessarily limited to:

• Inhuman, Supernatural, or Mythic Strength, Speed, Toughness, or Recovery
• Certain Physical Immunity variations
• Glamours
• Seelie or Unseelie Magic
• Physical traits such as Wings, Claws, or Diminutive or Hulking Size

Our next installment will cover the emissary of power.  See you then!

General characters

Today we continue our sneak peek into character types with the champion of God character template.

Champions of God

Champions of God are among the rarest of mortal humans, actively called to service by the Almighty (in one of many possible guises) to stand against the darkness and beat it back with the strength and light of their faith. They are very few in number, usually limited to one of the three Knights of the Cross.

In your campaign world there may be more than simply the Knights of the Cross who may rightly be called champions of God. Talk to the GM about any ideas you have along these lines.

HARRY: I wish. If only there were more Michael Carpenters in the world.

Musts: Champions of God must have a high concept aspect that is in line with their nature as a true holy warrior-such an aspect (e.g., KNIGHT OF THE CROSS) will be the source of many opportunities for invocation, but also carries the weight of the responsibilities and codes of behavior expected from such men and women of faith.

Champions of God must take a fairly high Conviction score (Good or higher recommended). In addition, Champions of God must take the following supernatural abilities:

• Bless This House
• Guide My Hand
• Holy Touch
• Righteousness

Options: Knights of the Cross carry one of the Swords of the Cross in addition to the above:

• Item of Power
• Sword of the Cross

Tune in for our next installment, the changeling, in just a few weeks!

General characters

Starting today, and continuing every couple weeks into 2009, we’ll be doing a series of posts talking about the types of characters — character templates, in our game’s parlance — that are available to players in the Dresden Files RPG.  This is all draft material that we’re releasing here, and may see some edits and changes prior to publication, but in general what you’re getting is exactly what we want to see in the game — characters from all supernatural and non-supernatural walks of life, coming together to face the greater darkness that bears down upon the world.

Ultimately what limits the kinds of character templates available as PCs is simple: it’s a question of whether or not the type of creature represented has so much power it loses any capacity for the mortal gift of free will.  Free will is what makes PCs — and heroes — possible in the Dresdenverse.  And when you lose it all, that’s when the dictates of nature take over.  When wizards fall too far into the black or reach too high for power, when changelings make the choice to become full blooded fae, when a politician makes every moral compromise necessary to take the reins of influence,  that’s when they stop being people and start to resemble monsters.  It’s a slippery slope that’s all too easy to slide down.

So that’s the context; here’s the content.

We’ll start with the templates chapter’s intro, then get on into the first of the available character types — the pure mortal.

Read more…

General characters