Re: [BNW] Site updates...

[Mark Kilfoil <kilfoilm@nbnet.nb.ca>]

Dan Massek wrote:
> 
> I looked at the Elementals you had on your website, and while they were
> not what I excepted i liked them. I was thinking more of  weather
> manipulation powers as opposed to the person actually being the element.
> I really like the Ice elementalist.

Thanks, it's the one I felt most inspired about so far...

> Here are some comments I had while reading the packages.
> General:
> I think it would be cool if the elementalists could at least somewhat
> turn the power off. Kinda like the ice one can. The fire one seems a bit
> extreme always having the flame on, and I could see the water elemental
> being able to be a solid "normal" looking person one second and a watery
> mass the next. Maybe making the obvious quirk optional and that would
> mean the character could not turn the power off.

Originally, (and to some degree now) I intended for the power level of
the Elementals to perhaps push the boundaries of the established Deltas,
but the drawback would be the combination of insanity and loss of 
identity to the overwhelming and ever-present Element.

I still like that idea, but when I was considering the Ice Elemental
(who is the most "normal" of the three Elementals so far), I hit upon
the idea that they could be vulnerable by having the ice come off,
but only for a little while, and they would not have much control over
the ability.  They *are* Elements, the Elementals *are* becoming who
they
are...

The first two Elemental Archetypes were written within a day of each
other, about two weeks before I wrote the Ice one...  So, naturally
there
are some differences.  I've already allowed the Fire Elemental a way of 
dousing the flames (pour water on themselves, actually), and the Water 
Elemental can hide under thick clothing (except for their faces..),
but I'm going to think about this for a while more, and see what I come 
up with...  I'm expecting to revisit those archetypes tonight, and 
write at least one more (along with the other web site updates people
have
been sending me!) hopefully by tonight..  (There is an SF con in town
this weekend where I hope to run a small game of BNW/demo, so I'll be 
busy..)

> Water Elemental:
> The whole liquid memory thing I didn't really like. Seemed out of place
> for the elemental packages.

People seem to always have a problem with the "memory" abilities I
suggest, so I kinda expected that one..   The idea is that they have
a highly mutable physical presence, and they gain some degree of 
control over it;  being able to shape memories with your body was more
of a "cool" idea than necessarily a "standard" one...

> You cannot cut water trick - I like it but it seems kinda difficult,
> unless you have a high spirit. You lose the dodge skill bonus you
> normally would have, and need an extra success to boot. I don't think I
> would ever use that trick if I had it. It would be easier to dodge,
> unless there was a reason you would want it to go through you for some
> reason. I would try to think of a way to make it more useful.

Well, it may not have been clear, but I intended it *not* to lose the
dodge skill;  the rules in BNW do not prohibit using a different stat
with any skill (they may even state it as such somewhere), so my 
intention was that they simply can *replace* their Speed with Spirit 
in this instance.  I.e., they roll Spirit+Dodge.

I may lose the extra success, however...  Most Tricks are activated on 
an "extra success" basis, which is why I included it, but I think some
tricks are just "automatic"...

> Change of direction trick-  I see more as a natural ability and not a
> trick, and as a trick not very useful.

Egad!  I should have re-read my stuff more clearly, because I've missed
just about all of the appropriate rolls you make...  That trick is hard,
and really is just a facet of the Change Form power...  I think (it's
been a while) I was just trying to add another trick, and forgot that
Change Form (need a better name!) covers this...

> Ice Elemental:
> By far my most favorite so far. I thought of so many cool ideas(no pun
> intended, well maybe a little) with this package.

Yeah, it was kinda groovin' in my mind when I wrote it... I wrote it
just after I "transcribed" the DFL match between the Iceman and Inferno.

> Deflection trick- seems a little difficult to use, I would maybe use a
> min armor of 4/2 but make them roll to deflect it back correctly
> otherwise it is just randomly deflected*insert evil GM laugh here*

If you have the Brave New World book, I based it off of the Turnabout
trick available to Defenders;  it's very, *very* similar, but I wanted
to make it harder.. Actually, given the fact that they have a -4 Speed
penalty at armour 6/2, I'll probably move it down to "at least one
success" rather than two...

> If you haven't looked at his page yet, or the elementalist stuff do so
> now.

Thanks for the recommendation!

> I think I am gonna work on some weather manipultar packages I had been
> working on.

Do you have a particular website archive in mind for those..? ;)

> Oh yeah I looked at the conspiracies. I think you need to  lay off the
> caffeine those are some freaky conspiracy theories. Just kidding cool
> stuff

If I lay of COFFEE I see visions, so I have to keep my
"roasted-bean-cell"
count up.. (Of course, I've seen visions when my COFFEE count is up too
high, too..)

Seriously, glad you like them...  Every great oppression needs nuts
--er,
"concerned citizens" like me...

-- 
             the encaffeinated ONE 
  --- saving the world one COFFEE at a time ---
Visit CAFFEEN! at <http://www.geocities.com/encaf1>