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Old 12-22-2022, 09:35 AM   #1
hcobb
 
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Pacheco, California
Default Mystic abilities

In this variant disadvantages taken at character creation time don't buy extra abilities or memory points but instead strange personal advantage. The character gets a budget of $1000 for each disadvantage point to pay for "enchantments" to their own body. These enchantments can't be disenchanted, as they are are part of their own lifeforce. (Kill the subject to eliminate the effect.) Note also the doubled cost for each enchantment after the first.

So if a monk spent two disadvantage points he could enchant his own body (but not any weapons he carried) to act as a +2 magic weapon. Another 2 points ($1k doubled to $2k for second enchantment) would grant him Immunity to Sleep spells.
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Old 12-27-2022, 04:56 PM   #2
JohnPaulB
 
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Default Re: Mystic abilities

Quote:
Originally Posted by hcobb View Post
In this variant disadvantages taken at character creation time don't buy extra abilities or memory points but instead strange personal advantage. The character gets a budget of $1000 for each disadvantage point to pay for "enchantments" to their own body.
  • Like Mystic tattoos using kryptonite inks to get Speed Movement spell? [it gets 'used up' after 10 applications and then you need a new tattoo.]
  • Or sacrificing body parts to "Demon God" before character creation to get a wish?
  • Or reading "Things Man Was Not Meant To Know," gaining a spell and adding Madness to his character?
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Old 12-28-2022, 07:36 PM   #3
David Bofinger
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Sydney, Australia
Default Re: Mystic abilities

Interesting idea. I have three concerns:

(1) This doesn't strike me as making sense for most settings or for most characters who take disadvantages.
"My character caught an arrow in the knee so his MA is reduced."
"Great, that means you can have a spell on you!"
"Say what?
Also, what if he starts with Increase Movement...

(2) There seems no good reason to link this ability to disadvantages, and it feels against the TFT philosophy to do so. Why not allow characters with disadvantages that don't use these rules, or characters who use these rules and don't have disadvantages. Perhaps there are other ways to implement the idea. The way mana works in Legacy, for instance: a quasitalent enabling a quasiattribute.

(3) Fundamentally it only lets you do things you could otherwise do with money, which isn't the most exciting kind of feature. Unless magic items aren't generally available in the campaign.
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Old 12-29-2022, 08:59 AM   #4
Axly Suregrip
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Durham, NC
Default Re: Mystic abilities

Can be a great idea if done well. Other games have done similar. I think the first times I saw something like this was Rogue Trader and before that a space rpg with radiation mutations. In any case, usually the model is you acquire a general disability for a specific advantage. Often randomly selected. That is, usually a general disability affects a lot, but since players can lean into specific gains they can leverage the advantage.

Keep the advantages to small steps. Eg. +1 damage for using fists. Both only 1 point and limited scope. This way they can be stacked without quickly becoming insane.

Also have interesting unique advantages/disadvantage that are not necessarily focused on stats or give both positive & negative. Examples:
- "Deep hate for gargoyles, must always attack a gargoyle or loose -50 XP."
- "The smell of x brings back traumatic childhood memories, -1 fatigue immediately and for up to 1 hour after leaving area, then may rest if off but not before then."
- "Specific innate magical ability for a non-wizard: may cast spell X but it is not perfect. It goes off partially randomly. (Example: Freeze spell but 1d: 1:lasts 1 turn, 2:lasts 2 turns, 3-4: lasts 1d turns, 5-6: lasts normal 2d turns"). You will need to make a list and how they are random.
- "Rooster spurs on legs. Damage +1 when doing unarmed kick. But a social freak, gets reaction rolls of -1 with all intelligent races except orcs."

Could be a lot of fun as long as you don't let it get imbalanced. Will take a bit of work to set up. Good luck.
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