Turk Posted July 3, 2003 Share Posted July 3, 2003 I've been watching Highlander, the show with that Adrian Paul guy, i think that would make a cool Aberrant or Adventure! storyline.... i think it would be fun, how would some of u go about it. like intuition for other immortals, costless regeneration, along those lines. maybe even immortals in the same time and worlds as novas! crazy stuff!mace baccon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcanum_V Posted July 3, 2003 Share Posted July 3, 2003 I'd use Adventure!, not Aberrant. Unless you plan on giving the Immortals some extra powers, novas will beat them to a bloody pulp every time. Then they'll regenerate and get beaten to a pulp again.I'm writing this as a sort of package that could make a PC as close to an Immortal as possible without breaking the balance of most Adventure! games.Immortality = A stronger version (Level 3 Knack) of Optimized Metabolism (3 transformation points).Regeneration = Reptilian Regeneration (3 transformation points), perhaps combined with Death Defiance (1 transformation point) to cover the possibility of regenerating anything except beheading. This is not "costless"; the Immortal would still need to spend the Inspiration and enter the trance to regenerate. If the Storyteller is particularly generous, it can also be pointed out that Reptilian Regeneration as written might allow a PC to regenerate a fatal wound without needing Death Defiance.Sensing other Immortals = Telluric Resonance (1 transformation point).If the Telluric Resonance senses only other Immortals (and not any other Inspired individuals), I might throw it in for free and call the whole thing a 7 transformation point package.Quickening could be reflected by just calling Inspiration "Quickening." When one Immortal lops the nugget of another, the permanent Inspiration of the dead one flows into the one that killed him as temporary Inspiration. The recipient would need to buy up his own permanent Inspiration according to the normal rules. If you want to be more generous, perhaps a certain number of points of temporary Inspiration could turn into one point of permanent Inspiration, but only if all of that temp. Inspiration comes from another Immortal during the Quickening.The real problem in making Immortal PCs is the same as it is in the other WoD games: as soon as you allow it, someone will ask "So, can my Immortal start the game as an old Immortal?" As a Storyteller, you'll say "That's an interesting idea that could really create some storytelling potential. Let's do it!" The player will follow up by saying "And because I'm a thousand years old, I should get extra Ability points to reflect my great age and years of experience." and by silently thinking "I'll put some of those into soft, character-defining Abilities like Arts, Linguistics, and Perform, but most of them will end up as Ability mastery in game-winning Abilities like Melee and Martial Arts." That's where you point out that 1 transformation point buys 5 Ability dots or 1 dot of Ability mastery dot, so there's already a mechanism in place to make the Inspired PCs better than mere mortals.I'm sure all Highlander-themed characters will also want all of the Knacks that munchkin up their sword-fighting abilities (Blazing Speed, Blindfighter, Superhuman Reflexes, Body of Bronze, Threat Awareness, One Man-Army, Lightning Reflexes, Untouchable, and/or Universally Deadly). I'd explain these in-game as effects of the Quickening, but there's no reason to make any of them part of the basic character concept or give them to the PC for free.[Edit] Fixed a capitalization error. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahamut810 Posted July 3, 2003 Share Posted July 3, 2003 Sweet writeup there, arcanum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turk Posted July 3, 2003 Author Share Posted July 3, 2003 Wo! that sounds very interesting, but i've never played Adventure! and i have no clue what half that stuff u said is... i also thought some of that was pretty funny to think about, but i'd let imortals get mega attributes, to some extent. like whenever they kill another immortal they get so much exp for however powerful the one tehy killed was. it will never happen but it's fun to think about!mace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcanum_V Posted July 3, 2003 Share Posted July 3, 2003 This is why I wouldn't do an Aberrant conversion:Paddy O'Furniture, Immortal: Wow! Look at me! I have 1337 sword fighting ability and I miraculously heal! I'm cool!Captain Quantumtastic, Nova: Really? I don't know if I can be hurt. At all. I haven't been injured since I erupted. I mean, some bombs and stuff have exploded near me and there was that attack from the Spectacular Samurai a few weeks ago that cut up my cape a little bit, but that's about it. And I can fly. In space. And shoot fire out of my fingertips, shape it into phoenixes, and have it obey my commands. I'm not all that great with a sword, but I can make one grow out of my forearm at will.P O'F: Oh. I, um, can, um. . . oh forget it.If someone really wanted to play an Immortal in Aberrant, I'd just have the character take Healing with a weakness (from the Players Guide) that it only works on the character and the Extra that it can even heal fatal injuries as long is the injury isn't beheading. He wouldn't need a power to sense other Immortals, since (unless Dormancy is involved) novas can usually spot one another anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahamut810 Posted July 3, 2003 Share Posted July 3, 2003 I think he was referring to the entire world. I.E. there are no nova's, only immortals per the highlander history.But I still agree with the main point of Arcanum. Aberrant is on a totally different powere scale then what highlander needs. Just take A! and lump the powers into one large "pool" (there are no Psycics, Stalwarts and Daredevils, just Immortals) and take the 7 points off their transformation for that list of powers mentioned above.you can still take "legendary" stats if I remember correctly. That 6th dot in a stat does wonders and would be considered 1 mega-dot If it would flow with the series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcanum_V Posted July 3, 2003 Share Posted July 3, 2003 I think he was referring to the entire world. I.E. there are no nova's, only immortals per the highlander history.Oh. If it's an Immortals-only world, I'd use Legacy: The War of Ages (which is essentially a Highlander RPG on a WoD model, only without the licenses), one of the sets of rules for Highlander-style Immortals from B.J. Zanzibar's site, or Adventure!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turk Posted July 4, 2003 Author Share Posted July 4, 2003 i understand that a nova would womp an immortal in a fight any day of the week. but these guys would have been alive for so many hundreds of years, they'd have a lot of money, they could have all sorts of anti nova crap anyway. and an imortal (one that isn't psycho) wouldnt go challenging novas, they usually arent dumb. and not many people would know about the immortals, so unless they have been exposed (which would mean they would get hunted down) novas wouldnt know how to find them unless they where watchers... and maybe a few immortals would erupt which i think would be more than a match for the average nova.mace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obsidian Shade Posted July 4, 2003 Share Posted July 4, 2003 uhm, a nova with immortality? till now, i thougth only of novas which eruptet in the DarkAges and lived till 2008 because of their Mega Stamina.i think a highlander would be a villain like lex luthor. he is only a human, but still a nemesis for superman an the JLA... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asbjørn Posted July 5, 2003 Share Posted July 5, 2003 Actually, there is a WoD supplement called Immortal: The Gathering or something like that. Unofficial of course.It gives a pretty good system with additional varied powers for the immortals. I played it a few times, and it's pretty cool, but I have no idea where to get it. Shouldn't be too hard to find, though...Here's one version, but not the one I remember. Here's another. Not sure about that one, either, but you get the idea. Just look around and it's out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcanum_V Posted July 5, 2003 Share Posted July 5, 2003 Actually, there is a WoD supplement called Immortal: The Gathering or something like that. Unofficial of course.[. . .] but I have no idea where to get it. Shouldn't be too hard to find, though...There are several sets of house rules for Highlander-style Immortals on B.J. Zanzibar's website, which I've linked in a previous post. They're in the Potpourri section under the Supernatural heading. The seven part series by Driskill and Gavigan available under "Highlander: The Gathering" is probably the most popular, but there are at least six more sets on the site, mostly under the letter "I" for Immortal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turk Posted July 5, 2003 Author Share Posted July 5, 2003 so, u mean the immortals would be novas that errupted during the dark ages? i never thought of that, pretty cool. but couldnt an immortal errupt? i think it would be cool to see 2 immortal novas goin at it with giant energy swords or sumthin, lolmace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obsidian Shade Posted July 5, 2003 Share Posted July 5, 2003 look at the player's guide: with Mega Stamina 7 you have a natural lifespan of 1000 years, 2.000 years at level 8 and so on... but this would be a nova with quantum 7 oder higher. if you want an earthshaking series...an if immortals eruptet 5000 years before christ... what would they have for powers? ::blink Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayre el KaBeer Posted July 6, 2003 Share Posted July 6, 2003 For that kind of lifespan you don't even need anything above 5, they only need Adaptability as it says in the core book; "lifespan is increased by centuries, if not more" (pg 160.). ::thumbsup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfPotts Posted July 6, 2003 Share Posted July 6, 2003 Adaptability also goes well with the Highlander-style immortals - remember the scene in the film where McCloud is walking around on the bottom of the loch?In Aberrant I'd say that the only 'powers' a Highlander immortal would possess would be Mega-Stamina & Adaptability, with maybe a few levels of Extra Health Levels to offset death (or something similar). They wouldn't even get Regeneration or Healing - since they often don't recover that fast from wounds, certainly not instantly, & any speeded healing would be a natural result of Mega-Stamina; plus there was at least one case in the TV series with an Immortal who'd had his hand lopped-off by McCloud, & it hadn't grown back even years later when they met again.On the other hand, there are a few other 'powers' that could be applicable if you want to twist the material available a bit:In fights in the original film there's always an electrical storm when two immortals clash - could be a form of uncontrolled Weather Control power.When two immortals fight their swords often spark a ridiculous amount - maybe an excuse for some form of additional damage (again with an electrical special effect).When an immortal is beheaded there are winds & (yet again) a huge amount of electical activity in the area - a limited form of the Elemental Mastery - Storm technique?In the film there's the scene with the stag about empathy with nature, etc. - maybe an excuse for Animal Mastery of some variety? (The running thing I'd put down to 'feeling' with the stag & Mega-Stamina sprinting, rather than any superhuman speed ability).The ability to sense other immortals - could be a Node or Mega-Perception Enhancement type effect, but maybe it's better as a variety of Intuition?The ability to absorb another Immortal's 'knowledge & power' - a specific form of Telepathy, plus a type of Quantum Vampire perhaps? Both would need to be heavily modified. Maybe it'd be best to rule that, with this type of character, the only time he can increase his Quantum is after he decapitates a fellow immortal (although he still needs to shell-out the usual xp).Immortality - apart from not ageing (covered by Adaptability) you don't really need more than a few extra Health Levels beyond death to cover this ability. If we take WW rules from Mummy, then just a few more levels of damage beyond death reduces a body to dust / so much 'splat', which would naturally include decapitation (a dust head isn't attatched to a dust body after all - it's just dust).In any case you'd want to sink most Nova Points into Backgrounds, Attributes, & Abilities to simulate the results of their long lives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahamut810 Posted July 7, 2003 Share Posted July 7, 2003 Of course you can still just call that "Flashy effects" and leave it in the A! mindset to discourage thoes immortals who can, lets say, blow everything up by just blinking.I think that if Highlander was going to use Aberrant rules you *really* need to cut NP to at most 15. And that would make them old immortals.11 for your average immortal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayre el KaBeer Posted July 8, 2003 Share Posted July 8, 2003 When two immortals fight their swords often spark a ridiculous amount - maybe an excuse for some form of additional damage (again with an electrical special effect).Maybe even the kinetic discharge extra from claws (disclamer: I'm not saying they should have claws, just the extra... +3 to damage when using swords???).In any case you'd want to sink most Nova Points into Backgrounds, Attributes, & Abilities to simulate the results of their long lives. Absolutely, and even then reduce the amount of NP (seems to be the general theme here ::biggrin ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfPotts Posted July 8, 2003 Share Posted July 8, 2003 Let's see - a fairly high-powered Abberant-style Highlander immortal:Immortality:Mega-Stamina 2 [Adaptability] (6 NP)Body Modification - Extra Health Levels [10x Maimed or, with ST permission, 'dead] (5 NP)Sense Other Immortals:Intuition (maybe with a weakness, but most likely just defined as sensing other immortals whether they're a 'danger' or not, but not sensing danger apart from the immortal variety) (1 NP per level)Sparky Swords:Claws [+ Kinetic Discharge] (3 NP per level)Empathy with Animals:Animal Mastery (3 NP per level)Steal Defeated Immortal's Knowledge:Telepathy [5 level Weakness - only Vs decapitated immortal opponent] (1 NP per level)Steal Defeated Immortal's Power:Quantum Vampire [highly messed about - duration increased to permanent, can be used against whatever powers, abilities, or traits the ST feels applicable at the time, but can only be used Vs decapitated immortal opponents - probably cancels out strengths & weaknesses] (3 NP per level)Flashy Fight & Death Effects:Weather Manipulation [5 levels of Weakness - no control, only occurs when fighting other immortals, or as a final 'whoosh' of power as character is decapitated] (3 NP per level)That's a minimum of 25 NP, with the extra 5 going to Quantum which (along with the 14 bonus points needed to be spent on it) raises the Trait to the minimum of 4 needed for the Weather Manipulation power.Wow ::blink . No bonus points left to spend on all those nice immortal backgrounds & abilities after all!All just examples, naturally. I guess it all depends on how you'd want to play it, but this may illustrate that a Highlander-style immortal in Abberant wouldn't need a reduced amount of NP at all - it just depends what you choose to allow / require him to spend it all on. ::wink Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obsidian Shade Posted July 9, 2003 Share Posted July 9, 2003 i think you don't need to give your immortal all this power at the beginning. only the oldest are such powerfull. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcanum_V Posted July 9, 2003 Share Posted July 9, 2003 The special effects during duels and upon the death of an Immortal aren't powers that need to be purchased by PCs. They aren't under the Immortal's control, they don't offer any bonus or benefit, and they are entirely cosmetic, so I'd say that they just happen because great power is at work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfPotts Posted July 9, 2003 Share Posted July 9, 2003 The special effects during duels and upon the death of an Immortal aren't powers that need to be purchased by PCs. They aren't under the Immortal's control, they don't offer any bonus or benefit, and they are entirely cosmetic, so I'd say that they just happen because great power is at work.Ah, but if they blow-out windows, trash cars, & destroy stone towers, then they're not 'entirely cosmetic' are they. ::tongue Actually, I'd agree with you - but then we're designing a whole new WW character type, & not adapting the Aberrant rules (as was mentioned in the original post). In fact, I designed & ran a Highlander Immortals WoD game myself many, many, years ago (as did lots of guys 'back in the day'). If I did it again today I'd base it on the Mage & Sorcerer rules (one edition of WoD: Sorcerer, 2nd I think, actually has the 'Immortal' merit where you can only be killed in a specific way - such as beheading; & Mage now has that 'fragmented avatar' thingy where you can gain more power by killing guys with the other parts of your avatar). The Immortals I'd design as very limited Mages (focused in Life effects, with a few Forces effects thrown in), or I'd just design a Sorcerer Path specifically for them.But that's really besides the point - in Aberrant you'd need to go to the Quantum powers to simulate what an immortal can do, & the effects that go on around them. My suggestions were just that - ideas for the kinds of stuff to look at. Another way to do the 'special effects' would be via Aberrations (something similar to an Anima Banner for example).Even if you take out the 'special effects' powers, & leave the actual absorbtion of knowledge & power to an expenditure of XP, you've still got the Immortality, Sense Other Immortals, Sparky Swords, & Empathy with Animals to choose from - for around 18 NP at a basic level - which leaves you with 12 NP for Backgrounds, Abilities, Attributes, Willpower, & other stuff you might pick-up over a couple of hundred centuries of life!Essentially, in Aberrant terms, a Highlander immortal-type character is a 'stealth Nova' concept - a few basic low-level powers & Mega-Attributes, with the rest sunk into being a very capable human.If you're putting such a character into the Aberrant universe why would you want to cripple them by giving them less NP than everyone else? ::confused Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahamut810 Posted July 9, 2003 Share Posted July 9, 2003 Because of the different power levels. No matter what you are going to have a *bunch* of restrictions on the chars...ok...18 points auto gone...well...the next 12 are going to Aggro-claws so I can kick the other highlander first!! See? Abberant is way too powerful a system. I would say that A! suits it better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfPotts Posted July 9, 2003 Share Posted July 9, 2003 ... No matter what you are going to have a *bunch* of restrictions on the chars...Yeah - restrictions based on the character concept, same as any other character... ::wink But hey! I agree that another system would work better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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