RPM: John Constantine

[Lameth]

Has anyone thought to write up the magic of Hellblazer and john constantine with RPM?

I’m trying to test and figure out how to mock up john constantine. I’m thinking effect shaping instead of energy gathering as a first stage.

[Prince Charon]

Originally Posted by Lameth

Has anyone thought to write up the magic of Hellblazer and john constantine with RPM?

I’m trying to test and figure out how to mock up john constantine. I’m thinking effect shaping instead of energy gathering as a first stage.

That could be interesting. He'd have to have a hell of a lot of Enemies though, as well as rather nasty luck, to start with. IIRC, he's not a very powerful mage, but is absolutely a very cunning man, with a shedload of supernatural Contacts (some of whom could also be Enemies, depending on the circumstances; John has a strange life). High social skills are a must, as he's damn good at manipulating, well, nearly everyone.

Also, Weirdness Magnet is essential.

[Celjabba]

Agree on Weirdness magnet and some luck.
Serendipity and forethough, also. Lots.

The power level depend on the writer, but at the core, he is a street magician with amazing social skills, some demon blood(effect varies), the "synchronicity wave", and a couple sheets of contacts, allies, favor and so on.
He want something done, he ask, persuade, beg, buy, bargain or blackmail someone (or something) to do it for him, usually.

Other interpretation have him as a powerfull sorcerer too, but I don't know enough to help there.

[The Colonel]

As I recall John also has Medium.

[Donny Brook]

Occultism at very high level, possibly allow it to be used as an influence skill and/or a supernatural variation of Streetwise. And mundane Streetwise quite high too. Maybe Destiny (he has been called 'The Constantine' for this era at least once). Some Advantages in the 'just knowing stuff' category including Intuition.

[Lameth]

And what would you say for the magic? Would it be straight ritual path Magic or maybe mixed with incantations? I’m trying to think of some alternate rule that would fit the world the magic

[Phantasm]

Here is my quick-and-dirty no-points first pass of Constantine from the last time someone asked.

[Donny Brook]

I think there is an argument to be made for Constantine having the Guilt Complex disad.

[Lameth]

I was more looking for the magic outline of what you think his "tradition" would be? His trappings seem very traditional, almost standard "occult" mixed with Hermetic.

He seems to use Effect Shaping, since he does not appear to need to "gather power" but instead relies on artifacts, mystical places, and components to boost his skills, as well as foci tools.

He uses books, reading right from them, perhaps as a bonus to have the spell right in front of him. I doubt these are "grimoires" as RPM sees them and more as a bonus for not having to recall the spell and having it right there.

He uses charms as Talismans and little bobbles he makes or picks up.

He knows a great deal about the power of names, so maybe this adds to his casting.

He uses incantations and hand gestures, so this would be part of his "trappings" perhaps. Maybe -5% for Hand Gestures and -5% for speaking his incantation in some form of "correct" tongue for that spell [Latin, Gaelic, etc].

He likes symbols, so I would he uses Symbol Drawing a lot to boost his durations, skill, or perhaps bind the spell to a location for longer periods. He may use a "sigil" or a magic circle with arcane symbols to do this. Not really a trapping but more as a special rule for Symbol Drawing and its uses maybe?

[Phantasm]

Originally Posted by Prince Charon

Weirdness Magnet is essential.

This depends on whether folks in-universe treat him as one or if it's just a setting switch. To my knowledge, the only acknowledged in-universe weirdness magnet is Blue Devil (before he sold his soul to Neron and became a demon himself). Constantine is more of the kind to seek out the weirdness than to let it come to him.