thryth-gaming

[thryth-gaming]

Phasmophobia Ghost Ideas

Bannik - very particular about water

Vyrkolakas - luring you to doom

Haint - oppressive lurker

[thryth-gaming]

Ghost Concept: Bannik/Bannitsa

Bannik

Honestly this is a bit busy and if the devs did something like this, I'd expect to be a few less abilities, but I just basically listed off the ideas that fit the theme. That said, now I think of it, there are some ghosts with similarly complex range of abilities.

Flavor text:

"A spirit associated with bath houses and steam. Where they walk leaves a trail of heat. The bannik is obsessed with manners and will turn violate if it perceives someone as being rude."

Evidence: Spirit Box, EMF-5, Ghost Orb.

Match-ups:

Spirit Box + EMF-5 matches it with Spirit, Wraith, and The Twins.

Spirit Box + Ghost Orb matches it with Mare, Onryo, and Ghost Orb.

EMF-5 + Ghost Orb matches it with Obake and Raiju.

Reasoning:

Spirit Box because it is a ghost associated with wanting rules followed, ergo give it a way to talk to the player. I considered Ghost Writing as well but all viable combinations of Ghost Writing and Spirit Box are already covered. Spirit Box was chosen over Ghost Writing because the static could be compared to the sound of steam a little bit.

Ghost Orb also was chosen because again, similarity to the release of steam.

Freezing was ruled out because this is a spirit known for being associated with heat and steam. Freezing is counter to the idea.

EMF-5 was chosen because of the idea that maybe if heat was going up there might be a side-effect of electrical discharge.

Side Benefit: currently there are only two Ghost Orb + EMF-5 which are the Obake and the Raiju. So currently in a Nightmare game, a game where you get Ghost-Orb and EMF-5 is automatically a Raiju because on Obake Ultraviolet evidence is forced. So, this would make the Ghost Orb + EMF-5 combination now be down to two possible ghosts instead of 1.

Abilities:

Spike the temperature in the room where the bannik currently is. This will be a high spike but quickly drop to room temperature and then towards normal ghost temperature. If you're actively monitoring temps, then you'll see it happen. If you're not actively watching then you might notice that the temperatures never seem to drop low which could just mean the ghost roams a lot.

During a hunt, it will increase the temperature in the areas it walks through. If you walk around the area with a thermo you'll see temps above normal room temp. But you have to think to check. If you're crazy enough to track it during a hunt, you'll definitely see it.

Increased chance to turn on showers and baths. Increased chance to flush toilets. Reduced chance to turn on sinks. See Weakness

Chance to far-roam to water taps.

Drains sanity if the player is the same room as water the bannik has turned on, similar to moroi curse. Shutting off the water ends the "curse".

Weakness:

Can't stand filth.

The Bannik will not create dirty water. If it turns on water, the sink will fill with clean water. This is why it has a reduced chance to turn on sinks to avoid it giving itself away right away.

Hunt threshold

If water is running in the same room with the bannik: 40%.

If no water is running in the same room with the bannik: 60%

The idea here is that if there's steam or water, then the bannik is happier and won't hunt. But if the player shuts off the water or it can't get water then it gets irritable. This also feels like a way to handle the manners thing. If you're turning off its water, it'll get peeved.

[thryth-gaming]

Phasmophobia Ghost Concept: Vyrkolakas

Flavor text: "A horrid creature that spreads disease and misery. Be careful answering the mysterious knock on the door for you may find herself doomed to death when you answer."

Evidence Spirit Box, Ghost Orbs, Ultraviolet (Edited)

Reasoning: The Vrykolakas is a Greek creature often compared to slavic vampires. One of the stories about them is that they will knock on a door and if someone answers the door then they will die of disease a few days later and then raise as a vyrkolakas themselves. So the superstition is that you should wait for the second knock before answering the door because that's a person. A Vyrkolakas only tries once and then moves on.

I decided to lean into and expand on this a little. Ultraviolet due to the association with knocking on doors. Spirit Box to lean into the idea of calling out to the living and luring them to death.

With that combination, the possibilities were EMF-5 or Ghost Orb as the remaining combinations are already used. EMF-5 + Ultraviolet is an already crowded combination so went with Ghost Orb... which can work as a sort of idea of vapor, stench, or miasma.

Other combos: (Edit per commenter)

Spirit Box + Ultraviolet puts it with Mimic, Poltergeist, and Phantom

Spirit Box + Ghost Orb puts it with Mare, Onryo, Yokai... and Mimic due to Mimic's special orbs

Ghost Orb + Ultraviolet puts it with Banshee, Mimic, and Obake

Abilities:

Increased chance to knock on windows or doors. But knocking on the same door has a cool down so that it won't replace a fingerprint before one fades. That knock once and then moves on thing.

Increased chance to ring phones and start radios. Calling people to it.

One of the following to lean the idea that answering the knock = death

A chance to hunt if a player approaches a door or window too soon after the vyrkolakas knocks on it. Maybe 5 seconds or so.

OR

A sanity drain curse similar to the Moroi curse when you approach a window or door too soon after the knock. 5-10 seconds or so.

Weakness:

Pained by salt.

A small chance that when it steps in salt, it will cry out as well as have foot steps./*]

1-3 seconds after stepping into salt, the chance of a cry rises.

The chance will reset after a cry out.

Spamming salt into one place will prevent the chance from increasing since it steps in the salt all at once.

Higher tiered salt has a greater chance to cause pain.

encourages patience in use of salt rather than just throwing it everywhere, but the tactic of covering multiple ways in and out of room should still work for this weakness unless the player is unlucky.

Hunt threshold

50%

one version above would give it a small chance to hunt when someone comes very close to a window or door it just knocked on. This would be regardless of sanity.

[thryth-gaming]

Phasmophobia Ghost Concept: Haint

Haint

Flavor text:

"A lingering presence of malevolent pressure and bringer of bad omens. It enjoys lingering out of sight where it can drive people's hearts to burst from sheer terror."

As a note: I was asked to do this by someone on the reddit, I'm not terribly familiar with Haints as I grew up in the wrong part of the States for this to be a thing I grew up with.

Evidence: EMF-5, DOTS, Ghost Writing

Reasoning: The stories and folklore of haints I was directed toward imply a subtle, oppressive presence without much in the way a blatant signs. Their presence is very much more a feeling of something spooky or creepy. So I opted for evidence that is hard to pick up without specialized gear. Also, in EMF's case, high EMF on its own causes physical symptoms. Some of my ideal combos were already taken though, so I came to the one above.

Other combos:

DOTS + EMF-5 puts it with Goryo, Oni, and Wraith

DOTS + Ghost Writing puts it with Deogen and Thaye

EMF-5 + Ghost Writing puts it with Shade, Spirit, and Myling

Abilities:

The abilities are related to the haints' preference to loom unseen and oppress people with bad feelings rather than appearing in manifestations.

Increased chance for standing ghost events with no vocalization. Standing ghost events will drain 5 sanity from everyone in the room with it. Normal sanity drain for touching it.

Increased chance for shadow or translucent model rather than full physical. Might cause some question of "Haint or very active Shade?"

Heartbeat triggered both by line of sight and proximity. Has a 7-9 meter radius in which it causes heartbeat to start. Makes it confusing where and also goes with the idea of the haint inducing intense creepy feelings without being seen.

Weakness:

Most of the information I have on haints' special characteristics relate to ways to distract or cleanse them, Namely the use of bottle trees (trees strung up with empty bottles), distracting them with things to count, and cleaning up the house (including by placing salt out). All these things feel like I rep by using salt-related issues. Which, I just did for Vyrkolakas, but this is a little different from that.

Distracted by counting.

While the haint isn't hunting, it will stop moving for 30 seconds after stepping into salt. There will be only one or two audible footsteps as it positions itself to count the salt it just disturbed.

A hunting haint that steps in salt will reset its speed to base and not accelerate for 2 (maybe 3) seconds after. It's still prioritizing the hunt, but the salt distracts it.

Hunt threshold: 50%

[thryth-gaming]

Expanding on Something

I recently did a gorgon archer build for Daggerheart's full release on my gorgon archer blog. I also summarized some party members and I was just curious about a particular character's damage thresholds. Namely Tula Barrow, the Giant Guardian. (see way down at the bottom of linked post.)

I don't believe I'll need the full stats, to look at the potential.

Okay, going to look at load outs and such for her to maximize tankiness. Won't need stats for this, I think, just cards and armor.

Tier 1

Giant: +1 Hit Point slot

Stalwart Unwavering: +1 to damage thresholds

Stalwart Iron Will: May mark two Armor per attack instead of one.

Gear: Chain Mail and Round Shield

No card impacts resilience.

Results

Hit Points: 8

Stress: 6

Evasion: 8

Armor Slots: 5

Major Damage Threshold: 9

Severe Damage Threshold: 17

Tier 2 (Level 4)

Giant +1 Hit Point slot

Stalwart Unwavering: +1 to damage thresholds

Stalwart Iron Will: May mark two Armor per attack

Gear: Improved Heavy Chain Mail and Improved Round Shield

Relevant Loadout: Fortified Armor (+2 thresholds)

Results

Hit Points: 10

Stress: 8

Evasion 8

Armor Slots: 7

Major Damage Threshold: 18

Severe Damage Threshold: 31

Tier 3 (Level 7)

Giant +1 Hit Point slot

Stalwart Unwavering: +1 to damage thresholds

Stalwart Unrelenting: +2 to damage thresholds

Stalwart Iron Will: May mark two Armor per attack

Gear: Dragonscale Armor and Advanced Round Shield

Relevant Loadout: Fortified Armor (+2 Thresholds), Armorer (+1 Armor Slot), Valor-Touched (+1 Armor, recover Armor options)

Other: Vitality (+1 Stress, +2 damage thesholds)

Results

Hit Points: 12

Stress: 9

Evasion: 9

Armor Slots: 10

Major Damage Threshold: 25

Severe Damage Threshold: 41

Tier 4 (Level 10)

Giant +1 Hit Point slot

Stalwart Unwavering: +1 to damage thresholds

Stalwart Unrelenting: +2 to damage thresholds

Stalwart Undaunted: +3 to damage thresholds

Stalwart Iron Will: May mark two Armor per attack

Gear: Full Fortified Armor and Legendary Round Shield

Relevant Loadout: Fortified Armor (+2 Thresholds), Armorer (+1 Armor Slot), Valor-Touched (+1 Armor, recover Armor options), Rise Up (+Proficiency Severe Threshold), Unbreakable (Last Hit Point causes resurgence)

Other: Vitality (+1 Stress, +2 damage thesholds)

Results

Hit Points: 14

Stress: 10

Evasion: 9

Armor Slots: 10

Major Damage Threshold: 35

Severe Damage Threshold: 64

Full Fortified: Every Armor marked reduces severity twice

Unbreakable: After marking Last Hit Point recover d6 Hit Points and return Unbreakable to the Vault.

Looking at some of the Tier 4 monsters, this means that a Kraken cannot normally surpass the character's Severe Damage Threshold.

As a note, however, this isn't necessarily the best choice because it does mean not using some of the party buffing powers that Tula has as well as attack cards like Whirlwind.

That said, her load out only accounts for:

+2 Armor Slots

+2 Major Threshold

+6 Severe Threshold

That's significant, especially the 2 armor slots being effectively 4 armor slots when used with Full Fortified armor.

Also note that the Vitality card never goes into Load Out, it's whole thing is that it permanently improves your defenses and then goes into your Vault forever.

It is likely better for her to have things like Battle Cry and Rousing Strike in there.

[thryth-gaming]

Want to get a head start on our new campaign? Well, surprise, our Session Zero just dropped! 

Welcome to Channels. It's a whole new campaign in a whole new world with a whole new player! Let's check in with Jonny, Miah, Lauren, and new player Drew! Meet Sutton Malone, a vampire doing her best to lie low. Jack Harrow, a former thief doing her best to stay on the straight and narrow. And Robert V. Slaughter, an aging custodian who is just the best. Plus, we'll talk a bit about what's new and what's not in campaign two of the Monster's Playbook. It all starts here! So jump in!

[thryth-gaming]

Bowling Ball of Doom

So, playing my character Juri Coumo in Scion 1st Edition where we've just discovered that there's an evil spider trapping people in its webs and draining them dry... (some of these are other spider spirits) and the other members of the band are a lot more combat oriented and tackling her and the puppeted victims directly.

Meanwhile, Juri, mangaka webcomic artist that she is... is looking for other ways to help... and her own spider friends are more of the scout and distract variety.

So, she tracks the villain's threads to an artifact and sees it is in an old store room just sort of littered with thin spider threads that clearly all relate to some sort of trap with the magical relic at the center.

Me: GM, this is a cluttered store room full of dead victims' possessions right?

GM: Sure.

Me: Is there a bowling ball? Like just inside the door?

GM: Yeah, sure, I'm good with that.

Me: Cool, my spindly nerd arms and I are going to take that and roll it through the room to knock of the pillar at the center.

GM: Sure, go ahead.

Several exploding dice later and the pillar as well as the relic on it knock over, trigger traps, and the entire room exploded.

.....

Which is when we learned that all the puppeted victims we'd been trying not to kill in hopes of rescuing them have been long dead.

And we were sad.

We still give the GM playful guff about the emotional stab in the heart.

[thryth-gaming]

25th Game - Fantasy AGE 2nd Edition

(Note, I posted this to the wrong blog at first... oops, you can find a link to my Gorgon Archer blog on my pinned table of contents post)

So, I've done an AGE game in the past here with Modern AGE, which itself used a bit from Cthulhu Awakens. Fantasy AGE isn't the original game in the line, that would be Dragon Age TTRPG, but it is the first to take the engine in its own direction.

They've recently put on an update to Fantasy AGE, most of it is still compatible with 1st Edition, but they've had a few changes that are interesting. I really should do Cthulhu Awakens, because that game does a lot of interesting things with the basic assumptions. Anyway, I'm not going too deep into the differences between 1st edition and 2nd edition, but I will be using a 1st edition option called "Blooded" for producing characters with some influence from monsters in their ancestry. I've been assured this is no problem and fits in well with the balance of 2nd edition.

Fantasy AGE 2nd ed includes at least one concept from Modern AGE, levels adding to Defense directly. Aside from that though, there are significant differences in character creation from Fantasy AGE and Modern AGE.

Things in common:

Both use Talents and Specializations which are split into three ranks of accomplishment.

Both use the same set of nine Abilities.

Both use Ability Focuses in place of skills.

Both use Social Class and Backgrounds as a character creation element.

Where they differ:

Fantasy AGE 2e uses Classes Modern AGE doesn't unless you're using optional rules in the Companion. Modern AGE has Professions, but they're a character creation only thing and don't have near the impact as Classes do.

Fantasy AGE does not have a Drive like in Modern AGE.

Fantasy AGE 2e uses Ancestries where as Modern AGE only has that as an optional rule in the Companion called "People".

Fantasy AGE 2e's Ability Focuses improve from +2 to +3 automatically at level 11, with the option to bring them to +1 if you spend an extra Ability Focus resource on that Focus.

Fantasy AGE 2e provides a lot more chances to get Specializations than Modern AGE.

Fantasy AGE 2e has Class-specific Stunts.

Aside from the last three things, this is mostly the same set of differences between Fantasy AGE 1e and Modern AGE. The increased access to Talents feels a bit like what goes on with Cthulhu Awakens.

As a note, another change from Fantasy AGE 1e to 2e is that there are now four classes instead of three: Envoy, Mage, Rogue, and Warrior. Envoy is the new class.

Other than that, there is still a 9 step process but with some differences:

1: Concept

2: Abilities

3: Ancestry

4: Social Class and Background

5: Class

6: Equipment

7: Calculate Defense and Speed

8: Name

9: Goals and Ties

We've already got our concept in mind, a gorgon archer, anything more detailed will come later on as we move through the steps.

Step Two - Abilities

In 1st edition, the default method for determining Abilities was to roll for them. There was an optional method to buy them up. Now that has reverse, with the default being to have Abilities all start at 0 and then spend 13 advances to increase them up to a max of 3. The rolling method allows for a max of 4 if you roll an 18, but also allows for hitting -1 or even -2. I'm going to stick to the default and spend 13 advances.

The nine Abilities are as follows:

Accuracy - Skill with handling ranged combat and finesse weapons.

Communication - Ability to interact with people. Includes both friendly and unfriendly interactions.

Constitution - Physical resilience. Helps determine hit points.

Dexterity - Agility, flexibility, and things like sleight of hand, stealth, and acrobatics.

Fighting - Skill with fighting in melee.

Intelligence - Logic, memory, and knowledge.

Perception - Awareness of the world around you.

Strength - Physical strength and feats such as climbing and lifting weights.

Willpower - Courage, self-discipline, faith. In addition this ability determines how many magic points casters get.

With that said, I'm going to hold off on finishing up this section until I've hit some of the later options and firmed up details on the concept.

Step Three - Ancestry

2nd Edition has a few Ancestries that are relatively new to the game. Some of them appeared in supplements to the 1st edition version of the game. Each Ancestry provides the following:

An option chosen from two Ability Focuses.

Whether or not they have Dark Sight or not.

Base Speed

Languages.

A chart the player will roll on twice to get additional benefits

It has basically the same Mixed-Ancestry rules as we saw in 1st Edition: Choose which ancestry is the dominant one, get those basic benefits. Then instead of rolling twice on the same chart, they roll once on each Chart. The game notes that Mixed Ancestry can be either a person raised in a culture unusual for the Ancesty, such a human raised by goblins, or a case of biological parents from two different Ancestries.

Mixed Ancestry also has you choose which of your Ancestries you count as for the purpose of Talent or Stunt prerequisites. I have some issues with this approach and would much rather allow the player to take from both sets of Talents and such. It feels a bit icky to make someone of mixed heritages choose which of their ancestries is their primary.

Regardless, this is a case where I'm going to dip into a 1st Edition supplemental option. Namely, the Blooded. Because if there is an official way to get something more specifically gorgon, I'll take it. Also, Green Ronin (the publisher) has said most of 1st Edition is compatible and the community has agreed this option is definitely in that category. I will note that a lot of the 2e benefit charts have special abilities for each ancestry that were not present on the 1st edition charts. So the chance of getting a special power out of the Blooded benefit charts is now a bit more even with the core ancestries.

One thing different though, 1st edition Ancestries gave a base +1 bonus to one of your character's abilities. 2nd edition Ancestries don't do that, so I'm going to remove that from the base traits of Blooded. However, there is still the likelihood of rolling a bonus to an ability on the benefit chart.

As to the benefit chart, this is what the Blooded have:

The stat block I'm definitely using the 2nd Edition Medusa stat block, which is given the alternate name of "Gorgon". I do wish they'd made "Gorgon" the default name rather than Medusa. Note, SP=Stunt Points.

The game doesn't specify, but I'm going to approach this as if you can't get the same benefit twice.

So, first, I'm going to choose an Ability Focus and I'm going to avoid Weapon Focuses since no Ancestries give those in the base bonuses.

That leaves: Stealth, Stamina, Intimidation, Seeing, and Historical Lore.

I'm going with Seeing because the benefit of having multiple sets of eyes from the snake hair is often something I often represent as a bonus to perception checks.

Speed is a base 10 + Dexterity (minus armor penalty if applicable)

Languages will be Common and

Now, to fill out the chart....

Instead of the Highest ability being at 2, I'm putting it at 7-8. I believe it was at 2 before because the base, unrolled traits would give it a +1 in 1st edition, so I'm tweaking to adjust for 2e's ancestries.

2: +1 Accuracy +1

3-4: Perception (Smelling) - Scent is another snake thing.

5: Strength (Intimidation)

6: Weapon Group: Bows or Accuracy (Bows) if the class gives it.

7-8: Constitution +1

9: Constitution (Stamina)

10-11: Petrifying Gaze, but reducing the damage to 1d6+1 to account for the Penetrating nature of it and bring it somewhat in line with the Draak ability to breath fire for 2d6 damage.

12: Perception +1

For rolls, I get a 4 and an 11. Huh... Perception (Smelling) and Petrifying Gaze. And yes I rolled that. Was actually hoping for an Ability bonus.

I'm assuming that she represents a non-monstrous gorgon rather than a blend of gorgon and something else. So the monstrous varieties are corrupted in some way rather than naturally occurring species. Toward that end, I'm going to assume she tries to keep her petrifying gaze a secret when she can. My guess is it would be a trait associated with the corrupted gorgons and likely to get her badly looked at.

Step Four - Social Class and Background

This is also decided by die rolls and mostly determines some roleplaying bits and a single ability focus. It also heavily impacts starting wealth.

You roll 1d6 for Social class:

1: Outsider

2-3: Lower Class

4-5: Middle Class

6: Upper Class

And then you roll another 1d6 for one of the 6 presented backgrounds for each social class. For our character, the rolls are: 4 and 4... which after I set ahead of time which color die is which and rolled them together makes me feel a little silly.

That's Middle Class from a Merchant background.

Merchant provides either Communication (Bargaining) or Communication (Deception). I was going with Bargaining first, but instead I think a history of trying to conceal her gaze ability leans toward Deception.

Step Five - Determine Class

Okay, I'm wanting to lean into the Merchant background thing and towards that I just want to check one thing... and yep, the Envoy does get the opportunity to choose "Bows" as a weapon group. However, Accuracy is a "Secondary" ability for the Envoy so this would be an unusual approach.

You know what... I also want to play with the new class. Envoy it is. I mean, how often can I possibly have done Charisma-types in this Gorgon Archer blog?

Anyway, with that decided time to go back to do the Abilities.

Step Two, Redux - Abilities

All right, so we have 13 points to spread between nine Abilities. I'm going to list them as priorities for concept.

Communication

Accuracy

Intelligence, Willpower, Perception, Dexterity

Constitution

Strength (all bows have a minimum of Strength 1)

Fighting

So, with that said, and including focuses we've already gotten:

Accuracy 2

Communication 3 (Deception)

Constitution 1

Dexterity 2

Fighting 0

Intelligence 2

Perception 1 (Seeing, Smelling)

Strength 1

Willpower 1

Step Five, the Return - Determine Class

Okay, back to class. The Envoy gets the character the following:

Primary Abilities: Communication, Fighting, Intelligence, Willpower

Secondary Abilities: Accuracy, Constitution, Dexterity, Perception, Strength

Starting Health: 25 + Constitution + 1d6 (4)

Three Weapon Groups: Bows, Brawling, Light Blades (all of these use Accuracy as their attack stat)

Then we have the level 1 Class Powers:

Coordinate - You have the ability to give Stunt Points to allies

Dazzle - You can dazzle opponents with Charisma to improve your Defense.

Social Chameleon - You have a second Background and social class, and thus an extra ability focus. One is the society you were born to, the other is the society you integrated into.

Starting Specialization from the following list: Arcane Disciple, Aristocrat, Bard, Champion, Crime Lord, Diplomat, Heritage (Divine, Fey, or Infernal), Knight, Mariner/Pirate, Marked, Mystic Navigator, Spy, Skald.

Two Talents from the list: Animal Training, Carousing, Command, Contacts, Inspire, Intrigue, Linguistics, Lore, Oratory, Performance.

Social Chameleon says you choose the second class and background, but I'm going to roll for it, just for fun. However, I will re-roll if I get middle class again. Also, "Merchant" I'm saying is where she's ended up rather than where she was born. The result is a 2 and a 2, so she was born a laborer and ended up a merchant. The second focus she's getting out of this is a choice of Constitution (Stamina) or Strength (Might). I'm going with Stamina. The power indicates that when determining wealth, you use the higher of the two classes. So she'll have Middle Class starting wealth.

For specialization... I'm going to go with Marked, a person who has magical tattoos.

For her two Talents, I going to choose: Contacts and Linguistics.

She gets her Specialization and Talents at Novice rank which means:

Novice Marked Specialization: Choose one Mark. I'm choosing the Mark of War, allowing her to stow a two-handed weapon (like a bow) in a mark on her body. It will be the mark of serpent-tailed gorgon using a bow (she has legs, btw)

Novice Contacts Talent: The ability to make contacts out of NPCs you just barely met.

Novice Linguistics Talent: A third language, I'm going to say Goblin.

And that is her class.

Step 6 - Choose Equipment

We get some things automatically:

Backpack and waterskin

Traveler's Garb

As an Envoy, light leather armor and one weapon, it's going to be a longbow.

Due to taking a longbow, she also gets a quiver of 20 arrows.

And she has some starting wealth. As Middle Class she starts with 50+3d6 silver pieces. The roll is a 15, so 65 silver pieces.

With that, she's going to get herself the following:

Short Sword, Light Blades Group, 1d6+1, Min Str -1. 14 silver

Spyglass, 15 silver

Bedroll, 10 silver

Silk Rope, 10 silver

Lantern, 5 silver

Mirror (hand, metal), 3 silver

And that leaves 8 silver left over.

Step 7 - Calculate Defense and Speed

Light Armor gives her an Armor Rating of 3, which reduces the damage of incoming attacks by 3. But this is different from Defense.

Defense is 10 + Dexterity + a shield bonus, if you have one... which our character does not.

So her Defense is 12.

Speed is based on your ancestry and we already saw that as 10 + Dexterity. Light Leather Armor does not have an armor penalty.

So her Speed is 12.

Step 8 - Name

I'm going to go ahead and turn to Fantasy Name Generator for this as they have a gorgon name generator. A lot of those are somewhat unpronounceable, but I did see the name Kaelcia and I like that. And for a surname, I'm going to say Skyscale

So, her name is Kaelcia Skyscale.

Step 9 - Goals and Ties

For goals, you choose a mix of any number of short and long term goals to describe your character's motivations. And for ties, we create a bit of history with the other characters... and for that, I need to create some other characters. To avoid a whole other character trait, I'm going to roll some random traits for three other characters, one of each of the other three classes:

Wulfram Hayward. Mage: Halfling Scribe (Middle Class), Specialization: Arcane Scholar. Talent: Chirurgy. Arcana: Divination, Healing.

Naesala Keyzeiros, Rogue: Elf Sailor (Lower Class), Black Powder weapons, Specialization: Spy, Talent: Thievery

Ettioc Macebearer, Warrior: Goblin Squire (Upper Class), Weapon Groups: Dueling, Slings, Staves. Specialization: Champion. Talents: Unarmed Style, Weapon and Shield, Armor Training.

I'm going to say the following:

Long-Term: Discover would caused some of her people to be corrupted and become terrifying monsters.

Long-Term: Purify herself.

Short-Term: Establish contacts where she travels.

Short-Term: Turn a local profit.

Short-Term: Give back to the people when she can.

For ties, I'm going to say the following:

Ettioc was the patron that originally invested in her and allowed her rise to being a merchant.

Naesala decided travelign with Kaelcia was a great cover.

Wulfram is an arcane historian that she approached about info on the corrupted gorgons.

And thus we have the following completed character.

Kaelcia Skyscale - 1st Level Envoy

Origin

Ancestry: Blooded (Gorgon)

Original Background: Laborer (Lower Class)

Current Background: Merchant (Middle Class)

Abilities

Accuracy 2

Communication 3 (Deception)

Constitution 1 (Stamina)

Dexterity 2

Fighting 0

Intelligence 2

Perception 1 (Seeing, Smelling)

Strength 1

Willpower 1

Traits

Health 30

Defense: 12 (14 with Dazzle)

Speed: 12

Armor Rating: 3 (Light Leather)

Dark Sight: 20 yards

Language: Common, Serpentine, Goblin

Weapon Groups: Bows, Brawling, and Light Blades

Class Features

Coordinate

Dazzle (+2 Defense)

Social Chameleon

Stunts

All basic Stunts

Petrifying Gaze (2 SP)

Specializations and Talents

Novice Marked

Novice Contacts

Novice Linguistics

Marks: Mark of War (stash weapon in extradimensional pocket)

Gear

Light Leather Armor, (AR: 3)

Long Bow, 20 Arrows

Spyglass

Bedroll

Silk Rope

Lantern

Hand Mirror (metal)

8 Silver Pieces

Goals

Long-Term: Discover would caused some of her people to be corrupted and become terrifying monsters.

Long-Term: Purify herself.

Short-Term: Establish contacts where she travels.

Short-Term: Turn a local profit.

Short-Term: Give back to the people when she can.

Ties

Ettioc (Goblin Warrior) was the patron that originally invested in her and allowed her rise to being a merchant.

Naesala (Elf Rogue) decided traveling with Kaelcia was a great cover.

Wulfram (Halfling Mage) is an arcane historian that she approached about info on the corrupted gorgons.

I plan to do an advancement on this character, but I'll edit that in later... and I'll do it full to 20th level because I've heard commentary that there's not enough variety of Specializations and Talents to fit all the options you get and I want to see. But for now, I need to take a break.

Okay, time to level things up

First, let's establish some things. A theorycraft like this cannot replace an actual campaign as you will encounter things in gameplay that change up your ideas of what sound good. Also, I do not have a particularly good way to simulate rewards outside of leveling such as wealth, gear, social contacts (important to an Envoy), achievement of goals, or character interaction.

Also, let's summarize some things here.

Kaelcia's Primary Abilities: Communication, Fighting, Intelligence, and Willpower

Kaelcia's Secondary Abilities: Accuracy, Constitution, Dexterity, Perception, Strength

Health increases as follows:

From levels 2-10, Kaelcia gains 1d6+Con Health

From levels 11-20, Kaelcia gains only her Constitution each level.

Even-Numbered Levels provide the following:

One Ability Advancement to a Primary ability.

One Stunt Advancement. At levels 6, 12, and 18 these can be from any class.

One Talent Advancement.

One Ability Focus to a Primary ability

Odd-Numbered Levels provide the following:

One Ability Advancement to a Secondary ability

One Specialization Advancement. Specialization advancements can be spent on regular Talents if desired with some restrictions.

One Ability Focus to a Secondary ability

Levels 4,8, and 12

Gain one Ability Focus of your choice.

Then we have the following individual improvements:

Level 4 - Pick up the Doubletalk class feature.

Level 6 - Gain +1 Defense and Add Weapon Focus to damage.

Level 8 - Pick up the Stunning Repartee class feature.

Level 11 - Gain +1 Defense, Dazzle improves, Focuses improve to +3, ability to double focus

Level 16 - Gain +1 Defense, May add Stunt die to damage against some enemies.

Level 20 - Pick up the Epic Envoy class capstone

Ability Advancements

These get more expensive as the ability gets higher.

Ability up to 5, 1 advance equals +1

Ability from 6-8, 2 advances equal +1

Ability 9 or higher, 3 advances equal +1

So you can get superhuman in one stat at a cost of being average to decent in everything else, or you can be strong in several stats.

Stunts

Stunt points are generated sometimes when you roll dice. This game uses 3d6+Ability+Focus (if you have it) to test success. One of your dice is designated the stunt die, it will be a different color. If you roll doubles on a successful test, you also generate stunt points equal to whatever you rolled on the stunt die.

You can also take a special "Stunt Attack" that deals no damage itself but automatically generates at least 2 stunt points and these will be added on top of any stunt points generated by rolling doubles.

Kaelcia's Levels 2-5

Level 2

+1 Willpower

For the Stunt Advancement, she chooses the Envoy option to make a basic social Stunt cheaper and chooses "Crowd Appeal", making it cost 1 SP per extra target rather than 2 SP.

For the Talent Advancement, she takes the Archery Talent at Novice level.

She takes the Communication (Etiquette) focus

She rolls a 2 and gains 3 Health.

Level 3

+1 Perception

Picks up the Novice Diplomat Specialization (She meets the requirements) and for the two focuses the Novice rank affects she chooses Communication (Etiquette) and Intelligence (Cultural Lore), so she'll pick up the second one in a moment.

She takes Accuracy (Bows)

This time she gains 4 Health.

Level 4

+1 Communication

For the Stunt, she picks up "Rouse", it costs 5 SP so it won't happen often, but it's a chance to get someone from 0 Health back into the fight... as long as they're not unconscious.

For the Talent Advancement, she improves Contacts to Expert. This makes it easier to get favors from Contacts.

She takes the Intelligence (Cultural Lore) focus

She also takes the Communication (Bargaining) focus as her Envoy level 4 bonus focus.

She gains the Doubletalk feature. A once per social encounter chance to reduce the cost of a Stunt and possibly even get a free use of a stunt.

And this time, she gains 7 Health.

Level 5

+1 Constitution (this improves her Health retroactively)

Advance Marked Specialization to Expert and gains the "Spidermark" option to walk on walls. In her case, her left arm is marked to appear as a tree branch with a serpent climbing up it.

The Dexterity (Stealth) focus.

Rolled a 4, so gains 6 Health, plus 4 more due to Constitution improving for a total of 10.

Kaelcia Skyscale - 5th Level Envoy

Origin

Ancestry: Blooded (Gorgon)

Original Background: Laborer (Lower Class)

Current Background: Merchant (Middle Class)

Abilities

Accuracy 2 (Bows)

Communication 4 (Bargaining, Deception, Etiquette)

Constitution 2 (Stamina)

Dexterity 2 (Stealth)

Fighting 0

Intelligence 2 (Cultural Lore)

Perception 2 (Seeing, Smelling)

Strength 1

Willpower 2

Traits

Health 54

Defense: 12 (14 with Dazzle)

Speed: 12

Armor Rating: 3 (Light Leather)

Dark Sight: 20 yards

Language: Common, Serpentine, Goblin

Weapon Groups: Bows, Brawling, and Light Blades

Class Features

Coordinate

Dazzle (+2 Defense)

Social Chameleon

Doubletalk

Stunts

All basic Stunts

Petrifying Gaze (2+ SP)

Reduced cost stunts: Crowd Appeal (1+ SP)

Rouse (5 SP)

Specializations

Expert Marked

Novice Diplomat (Communication (Etiquette) and Intelligence (Cultural Lore))

Marks

Mark of War, snake-tailed woman wielding stowed weapon on her back.

Spidermark, right arm sleeve stylized as a tree branch with a python climbing up it.

Talents

Expert Contacts

Novice Linguistics (Goblin)

Novice Archery

Gear

Light Leather Armor, (AR: 3)

Long Bow, 20 Arrows

Spyglass

Bedroll

Silk Rope

Lantern

Hand Mirror (metal)

8 Silver Pieces

Goals

Long-Term: Discover would caused some of her people to be corrupted and become terrifying monsters.

Long-Term: Purify herself.

Short-Term: Establish contacts where she travels.

Short-Term: Turn a local profit.

Short-Term: Give back to the people when she can.

Ties

Ettioc (Goblin Warrior) was the patron that originally invested in her and allowed her rise to being a merchant.

Naesala (Elf Rogue) decided traveling with Kaelcia was a great cover.

Wulfram (Halfling Mage) is an arcane historian that she approached about info on the corrupted gorgons.

Kaelcia's Levels 6-10

Level 6

This level, her Stunt can be from any Class list.

+1 Communication

She'll pick up the "Evade" stunt from the Rogue list to allow her to move away from attackers.

She'll take the Inspire talent at Novice level.

Intelligence (Evaluation) focus

+1 Defense

Weapon Focus is added to damage

Gains 4 HP

Level 7

+1 Accuracy

Diplomat advances to Expert

Accuracy (Light Blades) focus

Gain 3 HP, she's rolling badly.

Level 8

+1 Willpower

Her stunt will be "And Another Thing" which is an exploration or social stunt that lets her follow up a test with a free action doing something else.

Advance Archery to Expert

Communication (Persuasion) focus

Dexterity (Calligraphy) focus for the free level 8 focus

Stunning Repartee

Gain 6 HP

Level 9

+1 Perception

Marked advances to Master, Warding Mark (Cobra on her throat and chest). Also gains 2 innate armor rating that stacks with worn armor (all Master Marked get that)

Getting the Dexterity (Acrobatics) focus

Gains 8 HP

Level 10

+1 Communication, not planning to do much of this, but making her very charismatic.

"Create Opportunity" is her new stunt, which is another expensive one that can give an ally a free attack.

Advance Linguistics to Expert, gain Sylvan as a language. She can also now imitate specific dialects.

Pick up Willpower (Courage) as a focus

Huh, another 8 HP, the dice are compensating for earlier rolls.

Kaelcia Skyscale - 10th Level Envoy

Origin

Ancestry: Blooded (Gorgon)

Original Background: Laborer (Lower Class)

Current Background: Merchant (Middle Class)

Abilities

Accuracy 3 (Bows, Light Blades))

Communication 5* (Bargaining, Deception, Etiquette, Persuasion)

Constitution 2 (Stamina)

Dexterity 2 (Acrobatics, Calligraphy, Stealth)

Fighting 0

Intelligence 2 (Cultural Lore, Evaluation)

Perception 3 (Seeing, Smelling)

Strength 1

Willpower 3 (Courage)

Traits

Health 83

Defense: 13 (15 with Dazzle)

Speed: 12

Armor Rating: 5 (2 Innate + 3 Light Leather)

Dark Sight: 20 yards

Language: Common, Serpentine, Goblin, Sylvan

Weapon Groups: Bows, Brawling, and Light Blades

Class Features

Coordinate

Dazzle (+2 Defense)

Social Chameleon

Doubletalk

Stunning Repartee

Stunts

All basic Stunts

Crowd Appeal (1+ SP) - Reduced cost basic Stunt

And Another Thing (2 SP)

Evade (2 SP)

Petrifying Gaze (2+ SP)

Create Opportunity (5 SP)

Rouse (5 SP)

Specializations

Master Marked (+2 innate Armor Rating)

Expert Diplomat (Communication (Etiquette) and Intelligence (Historical Lore))

Marks

Mark of War, snake-tailed woman wielding stowed weapon on her back. (Stow one 2H weapon, two 1H weapon, OR, one 1H weapon and a shield)

Spidermark, right arm sleeve stylized as a tree branch with a python climbing up it. (Climb Walls)

Warding Mark, a rearing cobra defensive but not aggressive, the hood and head are her throat, the rest is over her chest.

Talents

Expert Contacts

Expert Linguistics (Goblin, Sylvan)

Expert Archery

Novice Inspire

Gear

Light Leather Armor, (AR: 3)

Long Bow, 20 Arrows

Spyglass

Bedroll

Silk Rope

Lantern

Hand Mirror (metal)

8 Silver Pieces

Goals

Long-Term: Discover would caused some of her people to be corrupted and become terrifying monsters.

Long-Term: Purify herself.

Short-Term: Establish contacts where she travels.

Short-Term: Turn a local profit.

Short-Term: Give back to the people when she can.

Ties

Ettioc (Goblin Warrior) was the patron that originally invested in her and allowed her rise to being a merchant.

Naesala (Elf Rogue) decided traveling with Kaelcia was a great cover.

Wulfram (Halfling Mage) is an arcane historian that she approached about info on the corrupted gorgons.

Kaelcia's Levels 11-15

Level 11

She stops rolling for Health at this point.

+1 Accuracy

Diplomat Specialization to Master

Double focus Accuracy (Bows) focus

Focuses improve to +3 and can be doubled to get to +4.

+1 Defense

Dazzle improves

+2 Health

Level 12

Her stunt choice this level can be from any list.

+1 Communication

For her Stunt, she takes the Warrior option to reduce a combat stunt's cost and chooses "Pierce Armor"

Archery Talent advances to Master

Take Communication (Seduction), I'm actually imagining this comes from an SO teaching her how to flirt.

Strength (Jumping) as her free level 12 Focus

+2 Health

Level 13

+1 Accuracy

I'm taking the option to advance a Talent. For levels 8-15, when you take this option, you can't take a new talent. You have to advance a Novice talent to Expert. So, I'm advancing the Inspire Talent.

And, a bit late, but Perception (Empathy) as a focus.

+2 Health

Level 14

+1 Intelligence

For the stunt, she is going to reduce the cost of the "Sway" stunt

Taking the Observation talent at Novice level and matching it with Empathy.

Taking the Intelligence (Historical Lore) focus

+2 Health

EDIT: I originally took the Intrigue talent to here but realized that would overlap a bit much with the spy rogue, so have reworked this.

Level 15

+1 Constitution

Improves the Observation talent to Expert instead of a new specialization and matching the second Focus to Seeing.

Taking the Dexterity (Initiative) focus

+17 Health, 3 for this level, +14 for raising Constitution

Kaelcia Skyscale - 15th Level Envoy

Origin

Ancestry: Blooded (Gorgon)

Original Background: Laborer (Lower Class)

Current Background: Merchant (Middle Class)

Abilities

Accuracy 5 (Bows*, Light Blades))

Communication 6 (Bargaining, Deception, Etiquette, Persuasion, Seduction)

Constitution 3 (Stamina)

Dexterity 2 (Acrobatics, Calligraphy, Initiative, Stealth)

Fighting 0

Intelligence 3 (Cultural Lore, Evaluation, Historical Lore)

Perception 3 (Empathy, Seeing, Smelling)

Strength 1 (Jumping)

Willpower 3 (Courage)

Traits

Health 108

Defense: 14 (17 with Dazzle)

Speed: 12

Armor Rating: 5 (2 Innate + 3 Light Leather)

Dark Sight: 20 yards

Language: Common, Serpentine, Goblin, Sylvan

Weapon Groups: Bows, Brawling, and Light Blades

Class Features

Coordinate

Dazzle (+3 Defense)

Social Chameleon

Doubletalk

Stunning Repartee

Stunts

All basic Stunts

Pierce Armor (1 SP) - Reduced cost basic Stunt

Crowd Appeal (1+ SP) - Reduced cost basic Stunt

And Another Thing (2 SP)

Evade (2 SP)

Lightning Attack (2 SP) - Reduced by Master Archery

Petrifying Gaze (2+ SP)

Sway (3 SP) - Reduced cost basic Stunt

Create Opportunity (5 SP)

Rouse (5 SP)

Specializations

Master Marked (+2 innate Armor Rating)

Master Diplomat (Communication (Etiquette) and Intelligence (Cultural Lore))

Marks

Mark of War, snake-tailed woman wielding stowed weapon on her back. (Stow one 2H weapon, two 1H weapon, OR, one 1H weapon and a shield)

Spidermark, right arm sleeve stylized as a tree branch with a python climbing up it. (Climb Walls)

Warding Mark, a rearing cobra defensive but not aggressive, the hood and head are her throat, the rest is over her chest.

Talents

Expert Contacts

Expert Linguistics (Goblin, Sylvan)

Master Archery

Expert Inspire

Expert Observation (Empathy, Seeing)

Gear

Light Leather Armor, (AR: 3)

Long Bow, 20 Arrows

Spyglass

Bedroll

Silk Rope

Lantern

Hand Mirror (metal)

8 Silver Pieces

Goals

Long-Term: Discover would caused some of her people to be corrupted and become terrifying monsters.

Long-Term: Purify herself.

Short-Term: Establish contacts where she travels.

Short-Term: Turn a local profit.

Short-Term: Give back to the people when she can.

Ties

Ettioc (Goblin Warrior) was the patron that originally invested in her and allowed her rise to being a merchant.

Naesala (Elf Rogue) decided traveling with Kaelcia was a great cover.

Wulfram (Halfling Mage) is an arcane historian that she approached about info on the corrupted gorgons.

Kaelcia's Levels 16-20

Level 16

+1 Communication

She's taking the "Encourage" stunt which improves on her Coordinate ability.

Advancing the Contacts talent to Master

Taking Willpower (Self-Discipline) as the focus.

+1 Defense

Stunt die can sometimes add to damage

+3 HP

Level 17

+1 Dexterity

Improving the Inspire talent to Master instead of taking a Specialization. At 16-20, she has to advance Expert talents to Master, when she takes this option, she can't add a new talent or improve a Novice one.

I'm going to take the Strength (Intimidation) focus

+3 HP

Level 18

This level, the stunt can be from any list.

+1 Communication

I'm taking another Warrior option and taking the "Dual Strike" stunt.

I'm advancing Linguistics to Master. She gets Dwarven and Orcish as languages and now speaks Goblin with a native accent.

She's taking the Communication (Investigation) focus.

+3 HP

Level 19

+1 Dexterity

Improving the Observation talent to Master

Adding the Dexterity (Crafting) focus

+3 HP

Level 20

+1 Willpower

She is taking "The Good Word" Envoy stunt

Taking the Oratory talent at Novice

Taking Intelligence (Arcane Lore)

Epic Envoy, I'm choosing Combat stunts because she has a number of expensive Combat stunts and this would make them more reliable to show up. Plus she has ways to increase generated Stunt Points in other cases through her Talents.

+3 HP

Kaelcia Skyscale - 20th Level Envoy

Origin

Ancestry: Blooded (Gorgon)

Original Background: Laborer (Lower Class)

Current Background: Merchant (Middle Class)

Abilities

Accuracy 5 (Bows*, Light Blades))

Communication 7 (Bargaining, Deception, Etiquette, Investigation, Persuasion, Seduction)

Constitution 3 (Stamina)

Dexterity 4 (Acrobatics, Calligraphy, Crafting, Initiative, Stealth)

Fighting 0

Intelligence 3 (Arcane Lore, Cultural Lore, Evaluation, Historical Lore)

Perception 3 (Empathy, Seeing, Smelling)

Strength 1 (Intimidation, Jumping)

Willpower 4 (Courage, Self-Discipline)

Traits

Health 123

Defense: 17 (20 with Dazzle)

Speed: 14

Armor Rating: 5 (2 Innate + 3 Light Leather)

Dark Sight: 20 yards

Language: Common, Serpentine, Goblin (Native), Sylvan, Dwarven, Orcish

Weapon Groups: Bows, Brawling, and Light Blades

Class Features

Coordinate

Dazzle (+3 Defense)

Social Chameleon

Doubletalk

Stunning Repartee

Add Stunt die to damage when Communication is higher than target Willpower

Stunts

All basic Stunts

Pierce Armor (1 SP) - Reduced cost basic Stunt

Crowd Appeal (1+ SP) - Reduced cost basic Stunt

Encourage (1+ SP)

And Another Thing (2 SP)

Evade (2 SP)

Lightning Attack (2 SP) - Reduced by Master Archery

Petrifying Gaze (2+ SP)

The Good Word (3 SP)

Ready For Action (3 SP) - Reduced by Master Observation only when using Perception (Empathy) or Perception (Seeing)

Sway (3 SP) - Reduced cost basic Stunt

Dual Strike (4 SP)

Create Opportunity (5 SP)

Rouse (5 SP)

Specializations

Master Marked (+2 innate Armor Rating)

Master Diplomat (Communication (Etiquette) and Intelligence (Cultural Lore))

Marks

Mark of War, snake-tailed woman wielding stowed weapon on her back. (Stow one 2H weapon, two 1H weapon, OR, one 1H weapon and a shield)

Spidermark, right arm sleeve stylized as a tree branch with a python climbing up it. (Climb Walls)

Warding Mark, a rearing cobra defensive but not aggressive, the hood and head are her throat, the rest is over her chest.

Talents

Master Contacts

Master Linguistics (Goblin, Sylvan, Dwarven, Orcish)

Master Archery

Master Inspire

Master Observation (Empathy, Seeing)

Novice Oratory

Gear

Light Leather Armor, (AR: 3)

Long Bow, 20 Arrows

Spyglass

Bedroll

Silk Rope

Lantern

Hand Mirror (metal)

8 Silver Pieces

Goals

Long-Term: Discover would caused some of her people to be corrupted and become terrifying monsters.

Long-Term: Purify herself.

Short-Term: Establish contacts where she travels.

Short-Term: Turn a local profit.

Short-Term: Give back to the people when she can.

Ties

Ettioc (Goblin Warrior) was the patron that originally invested in her and allowed her rise to being a merchant.

Naesala (Elf Rogue) decided traveling with Kaelcia was a great cover.

Wulfram (Halfling Mage) is an arcane historian that she approached about info on the corrupted gorgons.

----------

Okay, so, I don't agree with the complaint that it didn't have enough variety to justify the increased number of Talents and Specializations, but I can see where it's coming from.

I didn't feel like adding any other specialization in here, but that's mostly because I completed the first two before adding a third. That firmed up an image in my head as to what this character was that didn't fit the existing specializations. If I had taken three Specializations to Novice right off the bat, it would have fit in quite easily. I do wish the Sharpshooter specialization had been available, but I can see why they want to keep that with Rogues.

My main complaint is the same complaint I have with most level based games where the later levels always feel a bit anti-climatic and a bit uninteresting. This is a complaint I have with D&D as well. Pathfinder 2e has managed to make interesting, story-completing capstones, but most games that work in this design space fail to reach the proper balance of making the end of a character's story both dramatic and mechanically interesting.

These are powers that a character is only going to use a handful of times, so they need to be exceptional.

In the Envoy's case, the Epic Envoy increasing the number of Stunt points you get in one category of action has the capacity to do that because stunts can do a lot. But this did leave me with picking up a Novice talent at the end. Depending on the end of the story,

Overall, it's fairly interesting and I like the changes from 1st edition so far. Would still like to play the game a bit more.

[thryth-gaming]

About 3 or 4 years ago I started a fanfic called Late Start and where I had Ranma's arrival delayed by 4 years so he and Akane were in college and had matured some. This included the following:

Ranma being genderfluid but also struggling because the curse still seems to know where their mind is at the moment and forcing the other gender.

Gave the Tendo's their own curses just to say the weirdness wasn't just Ranma and to even up some power. (Akane was bonded with a lightning spirit, Kasumi remained an oni after her brief possession, and Nabiki was a vampire... Nabiki is also the only one still a civie and Kasumi still pretends to be a civie.)

So, Ranma and Akane's relationship starts from a fling they have after a martial arts tournament... and then they get told about the engagement. And also they end up deciding they both like Kodachi.

Artist was on twitter, but I've lost the identity since that all collapsed.

Nabiki has a sort of friends with benefits thing going on with Xian Pu, who ended up immigrating to Japan and is in school to be a pharmacist having given up on hunting Ranma (she also lives in the grudge house and has an understanding with Kayako).

Also, Kasumi hasn't told her family that The Secret World is not just an MMO and she's actually a Templar and doesn't just cosplay one.

Artist is Silky Noire

Sorry I’ve been artblock’d, here’s some silly ranma doodles

[thryth-gaming]

More Suburbia 2000 MotW series summaries

Niamh had a memory taken from her by the vindictive and possessive spirit of the witch in the house. She knows a memory was taken from her. The memory taken was of an intimate moment between herself Blake and Da-Hae on the night of the ritual that accidentally shared her wereshark nature between them.

Ricky realized Lil's better where she is... but also left the version of his young self from that time loop with all his adult sorrow and sadness.

Ricky trapped "Aunt Hecky's" compassionate portion in the time loop to luck after the people there.

Cricket in the past time loop saw a version of her being worked on like an android.

Carlo punched a magic mirror to prevent Aunt Hecky from drawing in Ataya to replace the lost mother aspect... this is what clued me in she was an imposter and not actually Hecate.

As a last spiteful attack Aunt Hecky switched Carlo and Skylar's bodies... so Carlo is now in a more limiting android frame... at least we've proven androids have souls.

Niamh had her first advanced Medium roll and used it to have a Craft moment by showing "Aunt Hecky" what invoking the spirit is really like at the head of a ritual being carried out across dimensions and states (Rhode Island and Massachusetts) alongside her allies Kaden and Rafaela and Ricky.

Da-Hae has been getting a weird code sent to her over and over.

[thryth-gaming]

Second Session of Deathwatch ever

had a never punished moment in Deathwatch:

"I'm going to Push this Smite"

Obliterate a warrior and two termagaunt hordes

Psychic Phenomenon was some sort of howling wind that forces people near me to resist being knocked prone

me, resist

other space marines, resist

guardsmen, resist

commissar, resist

tyrannids, fail

Also... I finally hit with the Force Spear and finished off the hive tyrant that appeared near the end of things.

[thryth-gaming]

I've reorganized my gaming blog's table-of-contents post

Blog Table of Contents

Stuff flanked by * * is a link to my main blog, which has a lot of real world stuff and if you're trying to avoid doom scrolling, be aware that drifting from that post may lead to that.

My Other Gaming Blog on Tumblr

The Gorgon Archer and Character Creati

Monster of the Week stuff

General

Media Recommendations

Codex of Worlds and Team Playbooks

Narrative Advice and Character Builds

Huntober 2024 Extras (14 links to other blog posts not listed here)

Same Breed, Different Hunters: Vampires

Escalating Curses

The Chosen and The Forged

Non-Romantic Pararomantics

Immortal Characters

General World-Building Stuff, May or may not include gaming stuff

Ghost Hunting and Horror RPGs

The Supernatural in Flirting with Death

Final Girl and Monster of the Week

Just Character and Team Builds

Ryoko Saotome for MotW

Sa for MotW

Hunter Team based on Spotify listening stats

*Willow Weaver Monster of the Week*

Theoretical Monster of the Week Teams

Agents of Unknown Powers (The Envoy)

Exercise in a "Broken" Build - Penny Varela

Fandom Character and Team Builds

Katalepsis Reframed as MotW series

Late Start Kasumi Tendo MotW build

The Flexibility of Team Playbooks

How to be a Werewolf - Starting four characters

Mystery Drafts (include some character builds)

Huntober 2024 (31 links to mystery drafts on google drive)

Canton Crew MotW Playtest

Canton Crew moves

Canton Crew Timeline

Personal Stories and Such

Multiversal Links in my Campaigns

Characters played in the 2000s (needs update)

Second Guessing Your Own Intentions

Assorted Snippets

Representation within and beyond Me

Playing Women and Gender Identity

Divine Blood Stuff

(my Urban Fantasy setting/Fate-based RPG)

*Alternative Reproductive Systems in Divine Blood*

*Succubus renamed to Girish*

Sentinels of the Mulitverse stuff

Sentinel Comics RPG Character Builds

Verity - Character Build

Unfinished, Unnamed Character Build

Unnamed Deep One Build

Definitive Edition: Spite

Alpha and the Parental Units

Project SPIRIT - Character Build

Guardian Wings - Four Character Builds (links)*

Card Game After-Reports

Definitive Edition: Spite

*Fighting Voss in Definitive Edition Part One*

*Fighting Voss in Definitive Edition Part Two*

Side note: I think I messed up the Ambuscade fight below. Think I forgot to do his set-up properly.

*Fighting Ambuscade in Definitive Edition Part One*

*Fighting Ambuscade in Definitive Edition Part Two*

*Fighting Ambuscade in Definitive Edition Part Three*

Scion Stuff

Rising War Timeline

Late Start Kasumi Tendo Scion build

*Juri Como, no mechanics, just nostalgia*

*Willow Weaver Scion 2e*

*Willow Weaver advances to Legend 4*

*World Setting Facts for Modern Red/Web, Wood, Water*

Chronicles/World of Darkness Stuff

Emma Terreal, Geist 2nd edition build

Pathfinder Stuff

Nure-Onna build

Shika Stories

DnD Stuff

Talking about Proper Ruin

*Lheru, Hengeyokai Druid, initial stats*

Talking about Lheru

*Earlier Talking about Lheru*

Sharessan Religion Homebrew Lore and Caress

More about Caress

Vancian Casting

*Collection of Hero Forge scenes based on a campaign*

Karen Essakye's Barovian Adventure

Video Game Pondering

Reviews and Opinions

Conrad Stevenson's Paranormal PI Review

*Mimics and Time Travel in Video Games*

*Phasmophobia Wishlist, not up to date*

Thoughts on expanding Midnight Suns

Games that don't exist but I wish did

*Reacher/John Wick inspired Souls-Like*

*Urban Fantasy CRPG Please*

*Two Fantasy Game Ideas*

*Urban Fantasy/Horror Game*

*Procedural Urban Fantasy/Horror Game*

*Another Urban/Fantasy Game Idea*

Board Game Play Reports

*Final Girl Game: Creech Manor*

Other Stuff

Game System Discussions

Talking about TORG

Daggerheart Review

My "Home" Games

Ranty Opinion Pieces

Response to a Reddit Thread

Playbooks vs Classes

Urban Fantasy Genre and Era

Tactical and Narrative Approaches to Defining Things

Character Thoughts and Builds - Various systems

Cthulhu Awakens Character Build

Character Background, Shade Thought

Mental Health in Games

Mental Health in Trail of Cthulhu (1st Edition)

[thryth-gaming]

Evolutions in Turn Undead

So, back when WotC had released the 3rd efition of D&D, the idea of 5th Edition's Channel Divinity was just barely coming into being. Up to then, and still at the time, the power was called "Turn Undead". In 1st and 2nd edition AD&D you could use that power as much as you want but would only work on each undead once a day.

Anyway, we were playing Sunless Citadel, our first game of 3rd edition D&D after about 4-5 years of 2nd edition playing the first 3rd edition module ever released. I was playing a cleric/sorcerer. The other classes are fuzzy to me rather than my brother's very heavily multiclassed character.

Player 1: So how do we open the door?

Player 2: Can I tell what the writing says?

GM: The walls say "Channel good to enter"

The other players look a bit confused.

Me, playing the Cleric and having read the new rules: Oh, I can do that! Turn Undead at the door.

The other players look at me confused.

Player 3: Doesn't this version give you limited uses of that?

GM: The door swings open.

Player 1: What?

Me: In this edition, apparently Turn Undead can be used for lots of things.

[thryth-gaming]

Playing Women and Gender Identity

This really isn't much about gaming, but I'll put it here anyway.

So, I've been playing female characters since high school in the 90s when I looked around the room one day and realized that none of us were playing women and that was leaving a good chunk of interesting character types untouched. It is very rare for me to play a male character unless I'm the GM, I think the last time I did so was around 2014 or 2015 for a Feng Shui one-shot. When I write, most of the characters are women as well.

At one point in my life I did a bit of self-analysis to figure out (read justify) how I came to this. I pointed to the moment above and I pointed to the first writing community whose members gave me a lot of advice was mostly populated by women and was focused around a fandom whose main character was a woman. Currently, I just tend not to feel comfortable playing male characters long-term in the same way as women characters. I'm old enough now that "I don't wanna play a guy" should be plenty of reason without needing to explain it.

Over the last 30 years, out of a gaming career approaching 40 years in length, this preference has exposed me to a lot of things that I wish I could just bleach out of my memories. Exactly what varied based on whether I was gaming face to face or digitally. (something I first did in the early to mid 90s and has been an increasingly dominant presence in my gaming life since then) This includes harassment, having my agency over my characters actions taken away, stalking (fortunately online only so ended when I left that forum and community), having people remake my characters, and a few other things.

The majority of that took place between 1995 and 2010. After that, I had learned that bad game is absolutely worse than no game. Thankfully, I also found some gamers I felt safe and comfortable around, most of whom I still game with today. One of those groups I only stopped gaming with because by the time the lockdowns ended, my schedule had changed so much that it was hard for me to fit with them, And most of them are not the digital gaming types. I do still miss them despite being in the same city as them.

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To be clear, I've had bad experiences but they are not comparable to what women in gaming have to deal with on the regular.

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This has resulted in my gender identity being questioned more than once. Sometimes joking, often rudely, and a few times respectfully and broaching the possibility of being transgender.

I do find a lot of male-targeted marketing to range from nonsensical to outright repulsive. And this translates to pretty much anything that could be labeled as "boys will be boys". These days, I can pretty much just generalize it as saying toxic masculinity has always repulsed me and felt just icky and wrong. Given how much of that is sex focused and the fact that I'm asexual and aromantic, that might be part of it as well. It might be fair to say that the prevalence of toxic masculinity in male characters in fiction might also be why I am still uncomfortable in playing male characters.

Now, despite this, I do not find being male wrong really. It's not something I think about unless the subject comes up. If anything, I feel like it's limiting, if that makes sense. If I were a shapeshifter, I absolutely would be experimenting with all sorts of different shapes and genders to see how it feels. When I feel uncomfortable in my body it is a consequence of my being in abhorrently poor health and able to remember a time when I was somewhat athletic.

I'm not really fluid either. There's never a time when I feel like my body is the wrong shape. So, it's not like sometimes I feel like woman and sometimes a man. Gender identity is just not something that comes to mind unless someone puts the question to me. I think the closest I can think of is probably the term "Gender Casual" that's been used to describe Elliot Dunkel in El Goonish Shive.

But again, I don't know if I'd actually be comfortable with a shape other than this one. I just know that I'm fascinated by shapeshifting and the idea being not limited to just the single body-shape. It's very possible that in the impossible case that I somehow am granted shapeshifting abilities that I end up not liking them and just sticking to one form (definitely one with less fat and no lymphedema).

So, I tend to feel I'm a gender non-conforming cis-male and that's about it. I'm maybe a bit non-binary, which is why I'm good with He/Him and They/Them pronouns. The discomfort playing males is an interesting thing, but I'm thinking it's mostly me having some internalized expectations that men do X things I find repulsive. Which, honestly, isn't a terribly healthy position, but I can address that without changing the sort of characters I play.

[thryth-gaming]

Looking forward to this.

Channels: Teaser Trailer

Reality is fragile in Broken River, Minnesota. There’s been a weakening of the walls between what is real and what isn’t. And three unsuspecting citizens will find themselves unwitting adventurers in… a late-90s online video game??

Yes, elderly custodian Robert V. Slaughter, former thief Jack Harrow and literal vampire Sutton Malone will fight scary monsters, meet colorful characters, and hopefully stay alive long enough to figure out what’s going on here. In their seemingly normal home of Broken River, and in the wilds of the Sega Dreamcast game Kings of Bolera, they’ll have to explore two worlds of weirdness to get to the truth.

Welcome to Channels, our brand new Monster of the Week campaign, premiering June 3rd.

[thryth-gaming]

Priorities (MotW Snippet)

So, the haunted house has floors tilting towards a chasm below us like a metaphysical trash chute and my Covenant is pressed up against the wall having finished a phone call with some of my allies only to have the phone ring again.

Now, my Covenant started as the Searcher and has the Cosmic Insight move meaning that while she can feel fear, despair, and isolation, she doesn't have to roll to deal with them, she just shrugs it off. So, she's talking calmly this whole time while the house sort of does an imitation of a 90s-era kids game show on Nickelodeon.

"Hello?"

And it's my Covenant's girlfriend approaching her about some books written by a mutual friend and how maybe if we can invite said friend, we can afford the house we were looking at.

Keeper: Now, there's a chair shifting and if you take the time to end the call gracefully, you are absolutely going to get hit by a chair.

Me: [Girlfriend] is more important than physical injury.

So, I spend Luck on a Charm roll and end the call with "I love you and miss you to, and I really hope to come back home to you and [mutual friend] soon."

My Covenant hung up the phone after getting acknowledgement from the GF then got hit in the face by a chair and fell into a chasm.

Note: Keeper and I are setting up a polycule, with [girlfriend] being the prime instigator and my character and the mutual being a bit oblivious.

[thryth-gaming]

How to be a Werewolf (MotW)

How to be a Werewolf is a webcomic by Shawn Lenore centered around the experiences of a woman who was bitten by a werewolf when she was five years old and has spent much of her life dealing with how to control her wolf-side to make sure she doesn't hurt anyone. It's a great comic and when it drops (usually Tuesday and Wednesday, sometimes only one of those two) it is one of the highlights of my week. It's also one of those stories that really hits that slice-of-life alongside adventure type stories I love so much and which inspired the Mundane Monstrosities team playbook.

This write up uses material from:

the Hardcover edition of the core Monster of the Week book:

The Initiate hunter playbook

The Mundane hunter playbook

No Limits

Use Magic

Trust your Gut

The Tome of Mysteries supplement:

The Searcher hunter playbook

No Limits

Trust Your Gut

The upcoming Slayer's Survival Kit supplement:

The Mundane Monstrosities team playbook

The Changeling hunter playbook

So... it only feels right to do a build of the group as a Monster of the Week hunter team. However, one of the problems of doing this is that How to be a Werewolf has a LOT of characters and MotW is usually best with around 3-4 players. That said, one of the level-up advancements is to create a second hunter to play alongside your own. So that could be part of it.

As a note, to be honest, How to be a Werewolf doesn’t follow the same story structure that MotW series usually use. Instead of a series of short dangers, HtbaW instead has extended, ongoing arcs and troubles. But this is why it is an inspiration rather than a direct one to one conversion.

Anyway.... I'm going to do them as they are at the start, which will still involve some spoilers, but not the biggest ones. I considered having Marin as one of the characters, but decided to keep the focus around Malaya. So the characters I'm building are:

Malaya, The Changeling

Vincent, The Mundane

Elias, The Initiate

Charlene, The Searcher

I'm also going to give characters two level-ups and the Team playbook a single improvement to account for some of the early strips.

First, let's go ahead and start with the Team Playbook.

Walters Pack - Mundane Monstrosities

Three's a few team playbooks aimed at representing a case where all or most of a team are supernatural people in one form or another. Most of them written by me, all of them from the new Slayer's Survival Kit which has been on pre-order a bit and is going into sale sometime in summer:

Escaped Experiments (me) - representing a group of people who were experimented on and escaped a sinister Project that wants to reclaim them. - Definitely doesn't fit the Walters pack.

Coven (me) - a collection of supernatural beings who have made a vow to fight evil, explicitly designed to allow multiple people to play the same type of supernatural being, like being a pack of werewolves. - The Walters pack doesn't go out of their way like this.

Good Monsters (Michael Sands) - a collection of monsters who all try to keep each other in check and supported, trying to live their best lives. - Doesn't really describe the series because most of the characters don’t struggle with being a danger to humanity.

Mundane Monstrosities (me) – a collection of people who have normal, everyday lives, but also happen to have various supernatural abilities. It’s basically slice-of-life interrupted by occasional danger. – And this is what I’m going with.

For style, I’m going to go with the top of the list “Life, Interrupted” which means that at the end of each game system, the players would ask “were we able to enjoy some normal life?” which definitely sounds a bit like the theme of the story in the comic.

Something else the Mundane Monstrosity asks the players to do is set what kind of community the characters come from. And I'm going with "Weird Town".

For enemies, at the start, the team enemy is certainly Connie Greensmith, but on a more general nature, I’d say the overall enemy of the team is “generational trauma”. And for allies, I’m going with The Ross Pack.

For the initial team move I’m going to go with too normal to be weird meaning that most people overlook them when they do or talk about something weird, like magic or werewolves. Moving on to the initial two points of assets, I’m going to go with borrowing innocent front from the Suburban Watch Group team playbook and then I’m adding a clubhouse from Mundane Monstrosities. So they have both a regular business (the coffee shop) and a private location to hang out (the Walters house).

Also, as a note, each character will get an extra move from a list which is how Mundane Monstrosities insures that everybody is at least a little supernatural.

For the improvement, I'm going to give them another move: casual magic.

This accounts for places where the werewolves and witches do just casually supernatural things without having much stress about it.

Malaya Dysangco Walters – The Changeling

I considered going with the Monstrous, and it would certainly fit, because that is about struggling with a curse that separates you from humanity. But the overall story of How to be a Werewolf and Malaya’s relationship to it better fits the Changeling Playbook which is about struggling with ignorance of your own nature. And given that most of the werewolves in the story are just people, it doesn’t feel right setting them up as the Monstrous when I made Changeling to cover this general situation. If the standard werewolf was a maladjusted, cursed people barely under control, then Monstrous would feel more appropriate to me.

To start, for the ratings, I’m going to shuffle around the standard assortment because none of the five default rating lines really feel quite right. The creator of the game has said this is perfectly fine as long as you reach the same balance as the rest of the lines in the playbook.

So, I think:

Charm +1

Cool +2

Sharp +1

Tough +0

Weird -1

So, Charm makes her good with people, accounting for her customer service experience. The Cool stat means she’s better than most people at keeping a cool head and handling hazards. Cool is also the stat that handles the help out move so she’s good at teamwork. Malaya is pretty observant and intelligent, so I gave her a good sharp. Tough is about average. Actually judging how survivor stats compare to hunter stats, she might actually be better than the average person at +0. Anyway, that governs fighting and protecting people. Having her weird very low feels strange… but I do think it fits given her troubles controlling her werewolf side at the start of the series.

As a note, for those that don’t know, the most common way experience is gained in Monster of the Week is by rolling low on a move, so having a low stance on a stat you’ll be using a lot is a way to get experience quickly… and add a lot of amusing drama along the way.

For the unknown heritage, she obviously understands that she’s a werewolf, but she doesn’t really know what that means, and for the three issues she has, I’m picking erratic power, strange thoughts, and unearned reputation. This covers her power doing things she doesn’t understand, the difficult to control emotions, and also the way people that meet her expect she knows a lot more about this stuff than she does.

For her moves, all Changelings get Glamour, which lets her look human and also allows her to get one 10+ result per session in a way that immediately reveals what she is and causes her unknown heritage to give her trouble… so like what happened when she shapeshifted, scared off Aubrey, and ended up a bit regressed into her wolf-mind for quite a while. The werewolf form being her "true appearance" isn't quite right, but it's close enough to fit the situation.

Then she gets two more moves. One of these is going to be they are my people which lets her masterfully protect someone once per session and gives her a bonus when dealing with her werewolf issues. And then I'm going to give her inhuman talent and we'll have to specify a narrow sort of "magic" for her to specialize. Since her weird move is going to be No Limits instead of Use Magic I'm going to think of a narrow physical thing she's good at. I'm not entirely sure about this, but I'm going to go with endurance, so she has an bonuses when she uses No Limits to persevere against pain, fatigue, or other such things, possibly including fear. Seriously, if there's anything you can say about Malaya, it's that she's a bit of a determinator.

And, of course, like pretty much every werewolf character, her basic weird move will be No Limits because, yes, of course I want the implausible and superhuman action hero physicality for the werewolves. Just how much is "physically possible" for a character varies based on how fantastical the table wants to get and on the sort of character the person who has the move. A baseline human with no limits is going to be like an action TV or movie star while a super-soldier or werewolf is going to hold helicopters in place while they try to fly away.

(also, just look up some of the weird and amazing things real life people have done... like surviving falls from airplanes into jungles)

Now, since this is a Mundane Monstrosities team, she gets an extra move from a small list drawn from other playbooks.

And Malaya is going to take shapeshift, because of course she is. And obviously she turns into a wolf and wolf-like shapes, because werewolves.

For Malaya's improvements, I'm going to give her +1 Weird to bring that up to 0 and then I'm going to have her borrow the natural attack ability from the Monstrous, while not usually stated as a move, the creator of the game has stated he sees no reason it can't be borrowed.

So, with this, she gets either two base attacks or one base attack with an extra. I'm giving her two base attacks in the form of Claws (2-harm, hand) and Fangs (3-harm, intimate). For reference, "hand" is like sword and boxing range while "intimate" is grappling range. 2-harm is the same damage as most swords and guns, 3-harm is the same damage as big-melee weapons and shotguns. This is largely unimportant within the context of the actual comic, but adding it in makes me feel like I'm adding in something that's missing.

As a further note, I have definitely done the thing where I level-up to gain a move and then played it off as "no, I could always do this, I'd just never showed you until now."

Charlene Masters - The Searcher

I waffled a bit on what playbook to go with for Charlene. She is a witch that uses magic, so The Spooky might have fit except that her magic doesn't really have a dark side. Initiate and Hex have fortune teller moves, but those can be borrowed later. Charlene isn't part of an organization really (which rules out Initiate) and doesn't involve herself in reckless and dangerous magic, which means not really a Hex.. She doesn't really do combat magic either, so Spell-slinger doesn't fit. Spooktacular is tempting, but it's one of her parents that is the performer not her. Instead, I decided to look into how she had a sort of vision that led her north and go with Searcher. Searcher is someone that looks for answers. The normal application is to the cryptozoologist or UFOlogist, but a witch who received a vision fits.

So, with that said, I'm going with the following line for her ratings:

Charm +0

Cool +1

Sharp +1

Tough -1

Weird +2

So, she's not particularly good with people, and she's noted that she wouldn't deal with people as well as Malaya does. As a note, Charm isn't really about how likeable you are. You could be terribly rude and annoying and have high Charm and very likeable with low Charm. Charm is more about how well you leverage people to do what you want. She does keep her head on and is observant. In a fight, she doesn't go power to power, she's sneaky, so Tough isn't her forte. And she is quite good at the magic, so yeah, she's getting high Weird.

So now on to moves. Anyone who takes Searcher gets the first encounter move and has to choose one of the variations. For Charlene both psychic event and cosmic insight fit, and I'm going to go with psychic event giving her a chance to use the sensitive basic weird move if she focuses.

For her other two moves, she's going to get guardian representing her spirit crow friend and Ockham's Broadsword representing how she's a bit in the know on a lot of supernatural things.

For her main basic Weird move, she's definitely getting use magic because she's definitely a witch. For a long time, that was the only basic Weird move and it is still a good default. As a note, use magic has a long list of possible effects, glitches, and requirements so I'm just going to post the basic move here. And that can be expanded on by taking some moves (usually by adding to the list of possible effects).

Now, on to her "Minor Weirdness" option for being in a Mundane Monstrosities game. The ones that stand out are inhuman talent, the sight, and third eye. I think I'm going to go with inhuman talent and define it as her skill with illusions. See where I posted the text for it on Malaya's stuff.

For her level up improvements I'm going to give her +1 Charm (to be honest, all the characters in Malaya's pack are pretty empathic and good at negotiating and working with reasonable people) and then I'm borrowing The Show: Magic and Illusions from the Spooktacular.

She hasn't actually been part of a show, but that move still fits her powers to a tee.

Elias Ross - The Initiate

So, I considered Elias for both the Professional and the Initiate. Each of these deals with a character whose main story is about their connection with an organization, so both work for his situation. The Professional was tempting due to the bureaucratic way werewolf society operates feeling a bit more modern agency rather than ancient sect. But I decided Initiate worked better over all. Also... for stats, there's a weird rating line for the Initiate that creates one great stat, one good one, and three average ones, so I'm going with that.

Charm +0

Cool +0

Sharp +0

Tough +1

Weird +2

So, he's not particularly bad at anything, but he's good in a fight and in controlling his powers.

First let's define his Sect, giving it two good traditions and one bad tradition. For this situation, I'm going with werewolf society as a whole.

Good Traditions: Like Family, Modernized

Bad Tradition: Factionalized

I considered grabbing bureaucratic from the Professional's list of tags, but on the whole, I suspect that's a symptom of the factionalization rather than the core problem. Like Family is one of the new tags from Slayer's Survival Kit that can apply to either organization and there is a counter to that which is False Family for cases where the "like family" statement is a lie. In this case, the organization very much is like family and in many cases very much is family in a literal blood-related sense.

Now, for Initiate moves. Every Initiate gets this unnamed move I refer to as "the Sect move".

Then the Initiate gets three moves to choose from. This is different from Changeling and Searcher, each of which has a strong, beneficial mandatory move and then gives two optional ones. In the Initiate's case, the mandatory move is more neutral and could even be seen as a downside. Therefore it also gets three optional moves.

For the basic Weird move, like Malaya he's taking No Limits and also like Malaya, his Minor Weirdness pick from Mundane Monstrosities is shapeshifter. (see above where I pasted those two moves earlier)

For these optional moves, I'm going with mentor, that old black magic, and helping hand. This also accounts for him being a bit good at teaching (tough you would expect his Cool to be higher in that case, possibly improving that would be the first thing he chooses on leveling up). Mentor covers his relationship with his mother pretty well. That old black magic usually applies to use magic, in this case, I think it will represent him using his senses... which with the shapeshifter bonus could give him a +1 on top of his Weird for a total of +3 in some forms.

As a note, when a move gives someone new effects for use magic and they don't have use magic I generally assume they have use magic only for those effects or I attach it to their actual weird move. Attaching this investigative ability to his No Limits works well and would go towards him being good at investigation while also being a bit unobservant in some other situations.

For his advancements I'm giving him +1 Cool, because he's good at teamwork, and I'm having him also borrow the Monstrous natural weapons like Malaya did.

Vincent Dysangco Walters – The Mundane

So, now we come to the fourth major character introduced at the start of the story, Vincent, Malaya's protectively taciturn older brother. He's a bit younger than her, "hot in a Vulcan way" as Elias notes and while his sister's been a werewolf for as long as he's been alive, he himself is pretty normal. So, I'm putting him as The Mundane.

As to ratings' lines, every Mundane has +2 Charm, just like every Initiate has +2 Weird. Changeling and Searcher from above juggle things about. Again, this doesn't seem like a thing you'd get out of the way Vincent is very silent, but like Malaya, he does a good job at working with people, even a little bit better than her. And I am again going to play with exact placement of values a bit here and go with this:

Charm +2

Cool +1

Sharp +1

Tough -1

Weird +0

This makes him a bit more accepting of weirdness than Malaya is and thus better able to go along with it. He keeps a cool head well and is observant as well. In the context of the characters in this comic, however, he's not that great in a fight. So low Tough.

Mundanes do not have any mandatory moves and they get to choose three moves from their playbook's list. So, I'm going to go with these options: the power of heart, what could go wrong, and always the victim.

These moves cover Vincent's occasional tendency to need rescuing, his ability to tip things in the heroes' favor, and his practice of pushing into situations that should intimidate most non-magical people.

As for his Weird basic move, I'm going for something a bit low-key and taking Trust Your Gut. Which is an ability to just get hunches that point important things that will drive the plot forward.

Now, as to the Mundane Monstrosity bonus move from Minor Weirdness I'm going to give him another low-key ability and give him the Divine move soothe as it is one of those on the list. Because Vincent is weirdly good at calming people down and comforting them. (Not so weird when you consider his upbringing, but that's kind of the point.)

For his advancements, I'm going to have him take a move from another playbook and have it be The Searcher and take Cosmic Insight because even when he is scared and upset, he holds it together and doesn't usually lose his tactical/crisis mind. Important distinction, this move doesn't say you aren't terrified, it just says you don't have to roll to deal with it.

I'm also going to have him take another Mundane move, let's get out of here which lets him use Charm for the Protect Someone roll. Note that despite the name, he doesn't have to actually leave the scene, he just has to talk someone through saving themselves.

All told, the character sheets look like this:

The Walters Pack

Team Playbook: Mundane Monstrosities

Team Style: Life, Interrupted - “Were we able to enjoy some normal life?”

Community: Weird Town

Team Ally: The Ross Pack

Team Enemy: Generational Trauma (currently Connie Greensmith)

Team Move: Too Normal to be Weird, Casual Magic

Team Assets: Innocent Front, Clubhouse

Improvements

Take another Team Playbook move: Casual Magic

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Malaya Dysangco Walters – The Changeling

Charm +1

Cool +2

Sharp +1

Tough +0

Weird +0

Unknown Heritage: Werewolf

Unearned Reputation

Erratic Power

Strange Thoughts

Moves

Basic Weird Move: No Limits

Changeling Moves: Glamour, They are my people, Inhuman Talent: Endurance

Borrowed Moves: Natural Weapon (Monstrous)

Minor Weirdness:

Harm: 0/7 (Unstable at 4, Dead at 8)

Weapons:

Claws (2-harm, hand)

Fangs (3-harm, intimate)

Improvements

Get +1 Weird, max +3

Take a move from another playbook: Natural Weapon (Monstrous)

Charlene Masters - The Searcher

Charm +1

Cool +1

Sharp +1

Tough -1

Weird +2

Moves

Basic Weird Move: Use Magic

First Encounter: Psychic Event

Searcher Moves: Guardian, Ockham's Broadsword

Borrowed Moves: Magic & Illusions (Spooktacular)

Minor Weirdness: Inhuman Talent: Illusions

Harm: 0/7 (Unstable at 4, Dead at 8)

Improvements

Get +1 Charm, max +2

Take a move from another playbook: Magic & Illusions (Spooktacular)

Elias Ross - The Initiate

Charm +0

Cool +1

Sharp +0

Tough +1

Weird +2

Sect: Werewolf Council

Good Traditions: Like Family, Modernized

Bad Tradition: Factionalized

Moves

Basic Weird Move: No Limits

Initiate Moves: The Sect Move, Mentor, Helping Hand, That Old Black Magic

Borrowed Moves: Natural Weapon (Monstrous)

Minor Weirdness: Shapeshifting

Harm: 0/7 (Unstable at 4, Dead at 8)

Weapons

Claws (2-Harm, Hand)

Fangs (3-Harm, Hand)

Improvements

Get +1 Cool, max +2

Take a move from another playbook: Natural Weapon (Monstrous)

Vincent Dysangco Walters – The Mundane

Charm +2

Cool +1

Sharp +1

Tough -1

Weird +0

Moves

Basic Weird Move: Trust Your Gut

Mundane Moves: Always the Victim, The Power of Heart, What Could go Wrong, Let's Get Out of Here

Borrowed Moves: Cosmic Insight (Searcher)

Harm: 0/7 (Unstable at 4, Dead at 8)

Improvements

Take a move from another playbook: Cosmic Insight (Searcher)

Take another Mundane move: Let's Get Out of Here