Re: [BNW] Probability Manipulation Totem

[Mark Craddock <mack1@one.net>]

>
>
> Unfortunately, I won't be able to put together a team in
> my area for the forseeable future...  I'm going to recruit
> at the next two local cons, however... (on the same weekend)

Thats a shame.  Where are you from?  We're near Cincinnati, OH.

>
>
> > My Bargainer asked if he could have a Totem with Probability
> > Manipulation (similar to Scarlett Witch)
>
> Note that the Bargainers already have a similar Trick:  Jinx...

Yep.  But he wanted to be more like the Scarlet Witch and in retrospect
this might be an alternative to the Sorcer package...

>
>
> > Probability Manipulation Totem
>
> Is this a mystical totem or a scientific gadget?  Let's get
> a little more fancy with the name...  Perhaps it would be
> known variously as a cursing wand, a bad mojo stick, a
> necklace of black beads, an evil eye, a...

Mystical Totem.  The name has to do with the Scarlet Witch's Power...
I like Karma totem.

>
>
> Perhaps a Totem would have subsections like Power, Form,
> Invocation Rite, Daemon Kin (the kind or kinds of Daemons
> which can have this power), etc...
>
> For this kind of power, perhaps a Gremlin Kin would be
> appropriate...

I wasn't looking at the general mechanics of how a Totem works.
I personally prefer simpler approaches.  I cut my gaming teeth
on Champions and Rolemaster, so I've grown very fond of
"simpler" approaches to games.  I like cinematic games and conscider
myself a loose constructionist when it comes rules.  :)


>
>
> > by Mark Craddock and Mark Means
>
> Hah!  We Mark's will rule the world! HAHAHAH!
>
> Uh, sorry...

Your not suppoese to spread our secrets like that!!!
Punishment #87!


>
>
> >
> > Totem grants the Bargainer 5D6+5 worth of Misfortune effects.
>
> I'd say this would be determined by the Bargainer's Spirit roll
> to bind the daemon..  Perhaps it would be equal to the (successful)
> Spirit roll+5 to a maximum of 35?  This means that better
> Bargainers can store more Misfortunes, rather than it being
> entirely random...

I'm trying to simply emulate the format of packages we've seen so far.
Thinking of it as sort of a Magical Blast with more uses.

>
>
> Of course, there is something resonant in the idea that randomness
> determines the uses of a Probability Manipulator...

I agree.

>
>
> > The Total can be used to reduce the Targets total, increase
> > Targets TN or deal the Total in Damage due to some sort of
> > mishap.
>
> What total?  The total from the roll below?

The total of the 5D6+5 Karma Blast above.

>
>
> > The Bargainer cannot throw bolts of energy but can  cause items
> > to hit or fall on the target.
>
> So the Bargainer sets up a negative vibe, which resonates until it
> comes to a point of shattering?  I can see that.. but how much
> time is involved before the effects occur?  (I could see a less
> difficult roll for an effect that takes longer, in some sort
> of escalating scale;  say -1 TN for an action, -2 for a round -3
> for ten minutes, -4 for an hour, -5 for a day, -6 for a week,
> -7 for a month, etc..)

Well, my idea was a negative vibe or a positive vibe.  Curses and boons.

Its an instantaneous effect.  Longer durations would be created by
raises.
No raise = Immediate effect
1 raise = 1 additional round
2 raise = 2 additional rounds
etc.

The idea came from the Scarlet Witches (Of the Avengers) Hex bolts.


>
>
> > To do any of these things the Bargainer must make a Hex roll
> > with a standard TN of 5, but the more improbable an effect the
> > harder the TN, the Guide should use their discretion.  Hex is a
> > new skill based on Spirit, and is the used to cast the Bargainers
> > bad juju at a target.
>
> Well, few of the other Packages have to make any roll just to
> have the effect happen (one big exception being Covenant, if I
> recall correctly...), so I'd nix the Hexing skill.

Its a targeted effect, in my mind like a blast is.  It needs to "hit"
its opponent.
More along the lines of a person trying to throw Karma instantly against
someone
and their own metaphysical place is resisting though.  A "dodge" could
conceivable be
done but it would be Spirit based.

>
>
> Besides, why have another skill for a Totem?  To me, a Bargainer
> does the most work when he creates his totems, and later just
> relaxes the control of the daemons a little to focus the
> daemons power...  While I can see perhaps a Spirit roll, most
> of the time I would not see any roll:  the daemon wants to be
> free, and it would recognize that a Bargainer, by using the
> Totem's power, releases it, a little at a time...
>

I see your point and maybe this belongs as a separate package...maybe a
Witch/Warlock package.


>
> Now, there might be a contested roll to make the effect work,
> because it makes it a little too powerful..  So perhaps the
> Spirit of the Daemon trapped is the one used for an opposed
> Spirit roll against the victim?  So, binding a weaker daemon
> might be easier for a Bargainer, but a more powerful daemon
> would be a more powerful power.
>
> Hmm..  Is this a probability manipulator or a fate manipulator?
>

Probability.  They bend the realm of possibilty to their will.

>
> They are similar ideas, but not quite the same thing..

>
> A Probability manipulator would be able to make uncommon
> things occur more often, or make common things occur less
> often, like making someone spill their COFFEE, or making
> it likely that a light will go from yellow to green rather
> than red.
>

Right.  Thats why there is the Hex roll and the base difficulty of 5.


>
> A Fate manipulator would cast a dark shadow over a
> particular person's future, meaning that something bad
> will happen to them sometime...  It might even be effectively
> permanant, like a curse, but I'd say that would use up
> all of the Misfortunes in the Totem (at least 15) and
> release the daemon on the target...
>
> Just some ideas...

Good ideas.  I need to rethink some stuff.  Thanks.


>
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