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Old 05-04-2021, 09:59 PM   #1
Sorenant
 
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Default [MH] Inhuman Templates: Yōkai

I'm making a couple of Inhuman templates for MH campaign set on Japan and I want to share it with others, and ask for feedback for any perceived flaws.
Here's the first template for Oni. I'm also planning to make templates for Tengu, Yuki Onna, and Tsukumogami but I'm not sure I'll be able to complete the task this week...
For those with Youma Yakou, I'm not using anything from it (like the Yokai meta-trait) on purpose.


ONI
200 points

Your name is synonym with strength and it couldn't be more fitting. You're towering titan of muscle, more than a match for dozen men, unafraid of anything and tough as nails. You are a brute, a blunt intrument with the grace of a sledgehammer and you take pride in that. Just don't call you a Demon. Unlike those freaks from another world your kind has been living and warring with humanity since time immemorial. At least until the incident almost drove them to extinction and forced to go into hiding... Unlike the others who still dream of the day of reckoning, you don't mind to work for humans if it means you get to fight mighty opponents. Being paid enough to binge drink the best sake is just a (significant) bonus.


Attribute Modifiers: ST+7 [70]; DX+1 [20]; HT+3 [30].
Secondary Characteristics Modifiers: SM+1 [0]; Will+2 [10]
Advantages: Damage Resistance 4 (Tough Skin, -40%) [12]; Fangs [2]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Striker (Horns; Large Piercing) [6]; Recovery [10]; Regeneration (Fast) [50]; Resistant to Metabolic Hazards (+3) [10].
Perks: Focused Fury [1].
Disadvantages: Impulsiveness (12) [-10]; Overconfidence (12) [-5]; Social Stigma (Monster) [-15].
Quirks: Alcoholism [-1].
Note: I use KYOS so the ST+7 from this template combines with ST+3 from the Inhuman template for a total ST 20, making the character ten times stronger than an ordinary man.
First question: How do you feel about racial talents being included in the racial template itself? I've considered adding "Raging Spirit" talent (covers Polearm, Two-Handed Axe/Mace, Two-Handed Flail, Intimidation and Forced Entry) to this one but I decided against it because: 1) It doesn't play well with Wildcards; and 2) I'm hesitant of creating tailored talents.

Last edited by Sorenant; 05-04-2021 at 10:07 PM.
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Old 05-05-2021, 07:02 AM   #2
Christopher R. Rice
 
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Default Re: [MH] Inhuman Templates: Yōkai

Looks good, I think I'd add Discriminatory Smell though. As for racial talents - you can do that sure. Just note that inhuman oni exchange X talent for points in Y wildcard when they take a wildcard skill that covers them and you should be good.
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Old 05-05-2021, 05:17 PM   #3
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Default Re: [MH] Inhuman Templates: Yōkai

I'm starting a MH campaign in a few weeks. Two PCs have Japanese backgrounds so this is good.
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Old 05-05-2021, 06:43 PM   #4
Sorenant
 
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Default Re: [MH] Inhuman Templates: Yōkai

Quote:
Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice View Post
Looks good, I think I'd add Discriminatory Smell though. As for racial talents - you can do that sure. Just note that inhuman oni exchange X talent for points in Y wildcard when they take a wildcard skill that covers them and you should be good.
Thanks for the advice!
Why do you suggest Discriminatory Smell? On one hand I like the idea, it would add a "wild" flair to the template and being a good tracker would make it more fearsome, but on the other hand I'm not sure where to get the points for it.
My current intention is to reduce Regeneration to Regular and buy Discriminatory Spell with 10 points left to spend on something else. Fast Regeneration is good, but I felt it was somewhat crass so replacing it with Discriminatory Smell is probably a good idea.

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Originally Posted by dcarson View Post
I'm starting a MH campaign in a few weeks. Two PCs have Japanese backgrounds so this is good.
Thanks! I'm currently working on Tengu (Karasu Tengu variant, to be precise) and it's almost done, I just need to figure out the best way to represent their Jintsuriki (registered as Abhijñā or Rddhi on Wikipedia) so I might be able to post it tomorrow.
Is there some youkai in particular you'd like to see? I was just going to make the most iconic ones because I don't know if there would be demand among my players but if you have any suggestion I can make it instead of Yuki Onna or Tsukumogami.
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Old 05-05-2021, 06:57 PM   #5
Christopher R. Rice
 
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Default Re: [MH] Inhuman Templates: Yōkai

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Originally Posted by Sorenant View Post
Thanks for the advice!
Why do you suggest Discriminatory Smell? On one hand I like the idea, it would add a "wild" flair to the template and being a good tracker would make it more fearsome, but on the other hand I'm not sure where to get the points for it.
My current intention is to reduce Regeneration to Regular and buy Discriminatory Spell with 10 points left to spend on something else. Fast Regeneration is good, but I felt it was somewhat crass so replacing it with Discriminatory Smell is probably a good idea.
That's what I'd do. Regenerating 1 HP/hour is pretty great overall and adding enhanced perceptive capability is a good idea in general. Besides, you can allow them to purchase it as a power-up later on.
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Old 05-05-2021, 07:13 PM   #6
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Default Re: [MH] Inhuman Templates: Yōkai

Quote:
Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice View Post
That's what I'd do. Regenerating 1 HP/hour is pretty great overall and adding enhanced perceptive capability is a good idea in general. Besides, you can allow them to purchase it as a power-up later on.
I will modify the template that way then. I'll post it later together with the Tengu one. Thanks again for the help, I really appreciate it.
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Old 05-05-2021, 07:19 PM   #7
Christopher R. Rice
 
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Default Re: [MH] Inhuman Templates: Yōkai

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Originally Posted by Sorenant View Post
I will modify the template that way then. I'll post it later together with the Tengu one. Thanks again for the help, I really appreciate it.
No worries. Maybe check out my Eastern Adventures article in Alternate Dungeons II Pyramid. I wrote up the Tengu there for DF.
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Old 05-06-2021, 07:56 AM   #8
GarenLiLorian
 
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Default Re: [MH] Inhuman Templates: Yōkai

This is cool. Yokai are cool. Nice work. A couple things to consider:
  • Looks like you forgot to give the SM discount on ST, so you should have an extra 7 cp to spend somewhere.
  • How come Alcoholism is only a quirk, instead of the full disad (or at least Compulsive Drinking (-5))?
  • Was it a conscious choice to avoid negative Appearance for a 9 ft tall, brightly colored, horned and fanged monster? Or Supernatural (or at least Distinctive) Features?

I usually find it useful to start by building the Enemy version of the creature, and then scaling it back to create an Inhuman lens: that gives some clarity on where the creature fits in taxonomy (I guess they're Cryptids, since they're living beings that aren't Outsiders)? And upgrade paths for PCs.

I'd love to see your take on Kitsune: We've got an NPC Kitsune in a MH game, and have never quite been able to agree on what her Inhuman lens should look like.
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Old 05-06-2021, 06:50 PM   #9
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Default Re: [MH] Inhuman Templates: Yōkai

Quote:
Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice View Post
No worries. Maybe check out my Eastern Adventures article in Alternate Dungeons II Pyramid. I wrote up the Tengu there for DF.
I'm a fan of it! Since your version is based on the long-nosed ones, I decided to base mine on the avian ones (like shown in this artwork from around 1896).

Quote:
Originally Posted by GarenLiLorian View Post
This is cool. Yokai are cool. Nice work. A couple things to consider:
  • Looks like you forgot to give the SM discount on ST, so you should have an extra 7 cp to spend somewhere.
  • How come Alcoholism is only a quirk, instead of the full disad (or at least Compulsive Drinking (-5))?
  • Was it a conscious choice to avoid negative Appearance for a 9 ft tall, brightly colored, horned and fanged monster? Or Supernatural (or at least Distinctive) Features?

I usually find it useful to start by building the Enemy version of the creature, and then scaling it back to create an Inhuman lens: that gives some clarity on where the creature fits in taxonomy (I guess they're Cryptids, since they're living beings that aren't Outsiders)? And upgrade paths for PCs.

I'd love to see your take on Kitsune: We've got an NPC Kitsune in a MH game, and have never quite been able to agree on what her Inhuman lens should look like.
Thanks, as for your points:
  • I'm using the Know Your Own Strength alternative rule that rescales ST using logarithmic rate and under this rule ST doesn't receive discount from SM or No Fine Manipulators.
  • Given the template's high HT (that adds to the rest of the Inhuman or sidekick template) and Resistant to Metabolic Hazard, it should resist the effects of drunkness so well I didn't think the -15 points version of Alcoholism would have been worth the points. The disadvantage also comes with yearly chance of reduction in one of the basic attributes, which I don't think would fit the imagery of an Oni. The quirk still makes the character crave for alcohol and spend too much money on it, making him vulnerable to being poisoned this way as so often happens in the myth, so I thought it would fit well.
  • Yes, I ignored negative Appearance and I have a couple reasons for this. I feel stacking Monstrous Appearance with Social Stigma (Monster) is akin to dumping a stat, and I don't like it. I also don't think Oni (and Tengu) are horrendous enough to warrant -5 reaction modifier from it alone. They look like monsters and someone with Mundane Background might get startled when encountering one for the first time but on close inspection they're not really ugly. I believe Social Stigma (Monster) is enough for this effect, so I leave negative Appearance for even uglier race (or individuals who are ugly in the eyes of another member of the race), Monstrous and Horrendous being reserved for body horror types.
I'll see into making a Kitsune template, probably replacing Yuki Onna.
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Old 05-06-2021, 07:19 PM   #10
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Default Re: [MH] Inhuman Templates: Yōkai

Here's the tweaked Oni template. As mentioned above I reduced Regeneration to Regular and bought Discriminatory Smell and an extra level of ST. I could have used the 10 points leftover for something else but I really want an Oni to be a (mostly) man-sized bulldozers capable of throwing regular man with one hand. Assuming the use of Inhuman template, it totals ST 21 or BL 250, which better matches the "more than a match for a dozen men" part of the description.

ONI
200 points

Attribute Modifiers: ST+8 [80]; DX+1 [20]; HT+3 [30].
Secondary Characteristics Modifiers: SM+1 [0]; Will+2 [10]
Advantages: Damage Resistance 4 (Tough Skin, -40%) [12]; Discriminatory Smell [15]; Fangs [2]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Striker (Horns; Large Piercing) [6]; Recovery [10]; Regeneration (Regular) [25]; Resistant to Metabolic Hazards (+3) [10].
Perks: Focused Fury [1].
Disadvantages: Impulsiveness (12) [-10]; Overconfidence (12) [-5]; Social Stigma (Monster) [-15].
Quirks: Alcoholism [-1].
And here's the Tengu template. I feel the disadvantages part lacks some character but I don't want to overload the racial template with it; The Motivational Lens and Inhuman template will add a lot of it on top.
To differentiate from Christopher R. Rice's Tengu, and taking the advantage of the higher point budget, I gave the template Weapon Master (Swords) instead of sword related talent. I also chose to use the rarely used Long-Distance Vision instead of Acute Vision or Telescopic Vision because I feel it fits the cinematic nature of MH genre and doesn't give any bonus to ranged combat. I think the combination of these two traits serves as a clear message that this character is supposed to fight like a swashbuckler, not a sniper using flight and telescoping vision to strike from afar.

TENGU
200 points

Legends says Tengus were born from a shooting star bringing bad omens. There might be some truth to this idea as most Tengus delights on witnessing, and sometimes causing, misery among humans. However not all of them are malicious creatures. Like Karura and Kurama before, you are willing to aid humans and lead them to glory.

Attribute Modifiers: ST+2 [80]; DX+2 [40]; IQ+2 [40]; HT+2 [20].
Secondary Characteristics Modifiers: Will+2 [10]; Per+2 [10]
Advantages: Flight (Winged, -25%); Long-Range Vision* [10]; Sharp Beak [1]; Sharp Claws [5]; Weapon Master (Swords) [35].
Perks: Feather [1].
Disadvantages: Overconfidence (9) [-7]; Social Stigma (Monster) [-15].
Note: In my games I split IQ from Will and Per, so the total increase on these secondary characteristics from this template should be +2, not +4.
*Application of Long-Range 1 (+100%) on Vision, use Long-Distance Modifiers for Vision rolls.
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