[Realm] Character Types (semi-poll)

[sayter]

I was discussing with some of my friends the other day about the game. They have been giving aid in areas relating to proof-reading and ideas as I go along. They are the "anal retentives" who make sure everything makes sense and whatnot.

They mentioned that I should post an opinion poll sort of post, detailing the character types and discerning what people would most enjoy playing as. So, I will give a brief writeup of each character type to get an opinion here and perhaps some feedback on what they feel would improve the game for that particular character type.

Type 1: Dreamer
     These are the "core" of the game, if you will. I imagine most players will want to take the role of these uber-cool folks. Dreamers are attuned to an ancient entity which is within all aspects of reality now, having fed off the dreams of the mortal world for thousands upon thousands of years. They are able to pull power from one of 12 "Strata" (think of them as Spheres, if you want a magick perspective on it) and manifest their needs and desires into reality by using energy from the Fabric (the Dream reality).
     They can combine Strata for numerous powerful effects...literally anything the mind can think up, especialyl at high levels. However, to balance their immense power, they must constantly balance themselves on a sort of sliding scale, called Sway. This essentially acts as a moral compass. Every use of their power can shift the position they stand at on this Sway scale. Too far to the negative and they run the risk of becoming or calling forth a powerful evil entity called a Nightmare. Too far to the positive and they are elevated to paragons of virtue, good dreams brought to life, called Incarna. Thus, they must try to keep themselves balanced as much as possible in order to remain themselves.

Type 2: Spark
     The Sparks are this worlds mages. Long ago, people could call magick by will alone. However, when the entity known as Void came to the world and started feeding off of it and the dreams of mortals, magick was forever changed. In order to use magick now, those born with the gift of magick (the Spark) must find creatures known as Symbiotes. They must bond with these creatures to perform magick. Each symbiote contains within it a certain aspect of magic, that the Spark can "tap". So, for instance, a symbiote might contain all of the Fire Magick.
     These symbiotes can increase in power as they host and itself bond more and more over time. They are not sentient creatures, but the host and creature can communicate via a sort of empathy. The host gains the benefits of the symbiotes natural powers, as well as its magick focus. However, in order to sustain itself the symbiote draws some of the hosts strengths into itself. Sparks can have multiple symbiotes, combining their powers to create different magickal effects. However, they are limited in how many such beings they can attach to their bodies (since each will siphon things like HP, Strength etc from the host in order to exist on him)
     So, its a win-win and win-lose relationship. The host feeds the symbiote, and the creature gives the host the ability to channel his natural magick ability. The host and creature are linked however, and harm done to one will harm the other. Thus, protecting the creature is also very necessary.
    (Some symbiotes are very visible when they are attached to the host. Others are not. Several breeds exist, some more rare than others)
     Magick itself is raised in three areas. Projection, Infusion and Changing. Projection is magic directed at a target, with no intent to alter the natural state of said target (ie: Fireball, exists only to damage. The rest is merely a side effect of the flame itself). Infusion changes a target (ie: healing, increasing strength, cursing), and Changing alters the state of the natural world, without a true target (ie: making a bush move and block a passage, shaping a rock into a new form, etc)

Type 3: Heroic Mortal
     Here we have the Joe Not-So-Ordinaries. They are the common people who rise above their kin as heroes. They spend their days adventuring or performing duties few others would ever consider. Their strengths are of course far less potent than the above character types. However, they are able to perform astounding feats just the same.
     To give them somewhat of a boost over the other two sorts of characters, the Heroic Mortals have a little more luck on their side. Fate points can be used by all character types to alter the outcome of rolls. Heroic Mortals get more of these Fate points to use. Additionally, they do not have to spend a lot of Skillpoints(experience) on magickal abilities and thus they tend to advance faster in skills and other abilities.

-end character descriptions-

There are no classes in the game. Players decide what skills and abilities they possess, and thus craft the character they want. No level restrictions, or other silly D&Disms.

Input is greatly appreciated. I'd like to hear the responses, as it will help me guage why a certain class of character might be undesirable or where they can be improved.

[dindenver]

Hi!
  Well, I like the Spark most of all, but it seems like there is a huge barrier to entry. You have to be born with a gift, then find a symbioute. But it still seems cool.
  I noticed that there is no character type that feeds off of the power of the Void. They don't even have to be evil or corrupted, that could be good and using the power of the void against itself...

[sayter]

ah , yes, I failed to mention that. The dreamers themselves are Void embodied. Theres a long backstory. In short, Void ate dreams while the races slept in a coma-like slumber for thousands of years. Eventually, the terrible dreams they had (Void came in a time of terrible strife) had caused Void to manifest Nightmares into reality. They staged a sort of uprising, sapping Voids power. To counter them, Void birthed the dreamers.

They do not know how they were made (no one but the Nightmares knows of Void, as it is simply in everything and cannot be glimpsed by mortal or immortal), only that they have these powers. They can sense others of their kind (a la highlander), but only those who are sensitive to the same Strata. They have formed "cults" of dreamers dedicated to specific philosophies. All try to keep their existence secret, for the Nightmares are their mortal enemy...and they are powerful beyond measure. The dreamers thus must always be vigilant, combatting the Nightmares, their natural enemy...all the while balancing themselves against the dangers of Sway, what they refer to as The Stain.

[dindenver]

Hi!
  Well, then I guess you need a Nightmare imbued character?

[sayter]

re-read the description about Dreamers. No such character is required. The Dreamers are Void, but also mortal as they were before being given their power. They cosntantly struggle against themselves, the Stain...Nightmare on one end of the scale, and for lack of a better word, Angel on the other.

There are characters, intended as villains ONLY, called the Corrupt. They are dreamers who failed their "awakening" (when they mysteriously attain their power) and were swallowed whole by the will of the nightmares. They are utterly insane, sociopathic beasts of people who rule through fear and slaugther in the dark places of the world. They make plots, or rather they THINK they make plots...but always behind them is the power of a Nightmare.

[sayter]

anyone else?

[Archer]

Dreamer all the way   ;-)   

With a tail... and ears.... cat ears.... yeah baby!

-The Anal Retentives

[Stefan / 1of3]

Do you plan to mix the types in a single campaign?  Dreamers have this moral compass thing which is absent in the other types. If you mix the types either the moral rules would give the Dreamers a theme the others are missing or they would seem as an odd addition, that doesn't really fit.

Have you ever tried a WoD X-Over game? The same problems will occur.

I'd  use the same moral scale for all types with some general effects (maybe something related to the Fate points) and some special effects for Dreamers and Sparks.

[sayter]

Yes, mixed campaigns are more than possible, and quite likely.

While the Dreamers have the Stain/Sway to worry about in all actions, that is something unique to them. Their very existence is a challenge which no others need face.

The Sparks, on the other hand, must contend with forever being bound to ugly and bizarre creatures in order to use their power. While many revere them for their knowledge and abilities they are also feared by a great many, as well. Not every symbiote is able to go unnoticed. Most are quite obvious. A Spark has many enemies in the world, chiefly among a secret sect known as the Eyes of the World. They seek to restore magick to its' former power (which is impossible, but they don't know that) through the capture and perversion of every person capable of workign magick.
     While they lurk from the shadows in hunting these Sparks, they are not without power. Members of their number have infiltrated key government roles, in order to better keep an eye on their terrible purpose.

Heroic Mortals have a struggle which is different from both of the above, as well. Theirs is more primal, more basic, but absolutely of no less importance. Survival, and making the world a safer place for everyone. They are the larger than life heroes from common birth, those who fill the role of protectors and are dedicated to valiant duty. But at every turn, they see the darkness in the world around them. It is a terrible place outside of the civilized reaches. They must face this horror at a far more basic and dangerous level that a Spark or a Dreamer ever could. Without the magick or powers of their counterparts, the only thing they have to depend on in time of crisis is themselves and their companions.
     And to top it all off, they must deal with the politics and issues which plague society at every turn. Eyes and ears turn toward them when they walk past, and their decisions carry great weight. They are the leaders of men, even if they dont want to be.

[Stefan / 1of3]

I don't deny that all types may be interesting. (OK. There are quite a few games about heroes, so that might not be as interesting as the other guys.) The problem I see is, that the issue of the Dreamers is part of the mechanics and the issue of Heroes is not.

[sayter]

Right, to that degree I do agree with you. However, the game is about the Dreamers primarily and their struggle to set reality back to what it should be. Sparks are a part of the world because they are a part of the mythos and the background. Heroic Mortals exist because they would exist in this world. Each is compelling in their own right, and each with their own specific advantages and disadvantages.

If you have suggestions on how a Heroic Mortal might be beefed up, I would love to hear it, but the Sway mechanic is meant chiefly for Dreamers and not the other player types. I cant even fathom how it would apply to them, as they are not linked to Void in the same manner. Void merely is a part of them. The Dreamers ARE Void, or at least are a fragment of its infinite energy.

I envisioned having Heroic Mortals as something that could be used by a player should they choose, knowing that the rewards of superior power were not necessarily a part of them. Yet they are compelling in their own right, with rich background and the like.

I want to avoid "classes" and all the traditional trappings as much as possible, so as to develop a rich and truly original setting in which to play.

[joepub]

These are the "core" of the game, if you will. I imagine most players will want to take the role of these uber-cool folks.

I dislike the idea that one of three classes is designed to be the most prominant, most used, and... the core.

[sayter]

To the poster (forget who it was) that suggested using Sway as a central mechanic...

After giving it some though, I think you may just be right. It doesnt have to eb the SAME mechanic for each character type, But using it would still be interesting.

For Heroic Mortals I can see sway working little more than as a "alignment" gauge. Positive is good, negative is evil. The center is neutral. Perhaps the way others see and communicate with them will change based on this scale?

However, I am having a hell of a time deciding how it would even remotely apply for Sparks.

[sayter]

" dislike the idea that one of three classes is designed to be the most prominant, most used, and... the core.``  -joepub


     It worked in many other titles, the least of which is certainly not Exalted. The Exalted are the main choice in the game, period. Then you have youir god-blooded, demon-blooded, dragon-blooded , heroic mortals , etc. All possibly powerful being....but none that compare on the same level to an Exalted. They exist to make the world interesting and to allow a wide array of choice for both campaigns and players.

What is it about the idea that you dislike? Why does this impact the setting in any form?

[Ramidel]

One problem I see with Sway is that it can create rather silly characters.

Dreamers are forced, effectively, to play by the old AD&D standard of "True Neutral," even while being heroes who fight against the Dark. They are required to do as much evil as good, and each time they stop a Nightmare, they have to kill a random innocent puppy just to keep themselves human.

Meanwhile, True Neutral is a caricature to begin with. People who do a lot of minor good and evil but no large defining things are fine, but rarely prove to be worthy heroes. People like Grayhawk's Mordenkainen, who do lots of big evil things and lots of big good things to maintain some freaky Cosmic Balance, are twisted, insane, and in the end evil monsters. Heroes can have minor flaws, true, but overall a heroic type will usually end up clearly on the side of light, which you seem to be fighting with a very heavy-handed rules stick in favor of creating either, A, Dreamers who are constantly killing poor lost little puppies to balance the scales, or B, Dreamers who are almost amoral and constantly looking out for their own self-interests.

The former is basically tasteless comedy (kill puppies for satan, anyone?), which I don't think was the point of your RPG. The second may be a valid choice but it does heavily railroad the sort of people who can be dreamers, forcing them into being anti-heroes at best, which seems to clash with the concept of them being Dreamers...at risk of sounding silly, the name "Dreamer" conjures to mind images of schoolgirls in sailor fuku trying to balance schoolwork, chasing boys and saving the world, all while avoiding getting their tails slammed in the door. Hardly the stuff dark anti-heroes are made of:)