Dresden Files-style Red Court Half-Vampire

[tylrlsaa]

betafu-

If the old 3rd Edition advantage of Hyper-Strength has been converted to 4th Edition, it would be near perfect for the Red Court and nearly-converted. Especially if it pulled off the special reserve.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by betafu

In theory, it would allow the play to have several different levels they could operate at - their normal strength could be 10, say, and then they could activate their powers at 14, or 18, or 20 - same with the dexterity and so on. That's the part I can't figure out - how to design it to give them several different levels to operate at - the lowest level makes their roll to not give into their hunger easier, the highest level makes it much harder and the longer time that passes with them operating at that level the harder each roll gets.

How about progressively more difficult Unnatural Appetite Temp Disadvantage limitations on escalating levels of the leveled superpowers?

With Regard To the unquantifiable stuff: Pick something that suits your taste I guess. Do we have any well-defined feats of strength for full Red Court vampires to use as an extreme upper limit? (Surely they're not stronger than that...)

[betafu]

The Hyperstrength is a good idea, I may see if I can find a book with it in it and see if I could translate it somehow.

As for strength, I've reviewed the book material again - they can rip a door off it's hinges and throw a safe across a room. I imagine they couldn't say, lift and throw a car. They could punch through a door however. Does that help?

Thanks again for everyone's help so far!

Originally Posted by Gold & Appel Inc

How about progressively more difficult Unnatural Appetite Temp Disadvantage limitations on escalating levels of the leveled superpowers?

With Regard To the unquantifiable stuff: Pick something that suits your taste I guess. Do we have any well-defined feats of strength for full Red Court vampires to use as an extreme upper limit? (Surely they're not stronger than that...)

[JAW]

Originally Posted by betafu

I was looking at the special reserve idea, and that could work. The part that's tripping me up is the 'pushing the abilities' part.

In theory, it would allow the play to have several different levels they could operate at - their normal strength could be 10, say, and then they could activate their powers at 14, or 18, or 20 - same with the dexterity and so on. That's the part I can't figure out - how to design it to give them several different levels to operate at - the lowest level makes their roll to not give into their hunger easier, the highest level makes it much harder and the longer time that passes with them operating at that level the harder each roll gets.

Alternate forms?

[tylrlsaa]

Originally Posted by JAW

Alternate forms?

Possible. White Court are slightly/vaguely different in appearance when they are "on". The white sheen, or sparkly, or something. I don't recall if the same is true for Red and Black Court. I don't believe so, seeing as they are farther from being human, and White Court was closest.

IMHO.

[tylrlsaa]

Originally Posted by betafu

The Hyperstrength is a good idea, I may see if I can find a book with it in it and see if I could translate it somehow.

3rd Edition Compendium Players book. I can't remember the number. Also, 3rd Edition Bio-Tech. IIRC.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by tylrlsaa

3rd Edition Compendium Players book. I can't remember the number. Also, 3rd Edition Bio-Tech. IIRC.

Bio-Tech for 4e "Explosive Strength" p.46.

[Dalillama]

Originally Posted by tylrlsaa

Possible. White Court are slightly/vaguely different in appearance when they are "on". The white sheen, or sparkly, or something. I don't recall if the same is true for Red and Black Court. I don't believe so, seeing as they are farther from being human, and White Court was closest.

IMHO.

Full-blown Reds have definitely got an Alternate form. At one point in the books, we see one shed its human skin, leaving a ghoulish-looking winged humanoid. Whites I don't think have an alternate form, the change when they really turn on the strength or charisma is more of a nuisance effect, I'd say. The Black Court look like, and are, walking human corpses, animated by foul necromantic forces.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by DAlillama

The Black Court look like, and are, walking human corpses, animated by foul necromantic forces.

I believe Black Court can probably do the whole Bram Stoker thing. After all, it's Stoker publicizing their weaknesses that has lead to them being quite rare these days. :)

[Arawaen]

I have been stumped on how to model 2 aspects of the red court vampires, possibly due to my tendency to read too much into things.

1. the saliva
a. requires contact with subjects skin or a mucous membrane, relatively quick onset time, mere seconds.
b. It produces euphoric feelings, sometimes bordering on ecstasy as well as making the subject drowsy, if the victim falls asleep it will be a deep sleep. c. The effect can last for hours depending on dosage, but the victim seems to be able to temporarily overcome its effect through Willpower, its not once and done effect.
d. It can be administred indirectly, the vamps put it into wine at one point.

2. the human mask the vamps wear
a. true form is monstrous, sweet sickish smell and hissing voice, all of which gets disguised by a flesh mask (*shrug*
b. the true form is underneath, damage will reveal it
c. extreme stress can cause them to revert