Session 60.5

Chancel_Amyra
Chapter 8

• Sara looks sheepish.
  

Sara: I'm not very good at hurting things. I still need to work on putting those extra two (or three?) points into something offensive.
BethE: *raspberry* We don't know all that Snow can do, yet. Except scare people with 'omgwtfpolarbear'/
Sara: Heh. Biggest land mammal I could think of...with claws.
Random_Nerd: Two points could make an awfully good anti-regular-person offense, or a rather weak anti-Noble one.
Sara: Hrm.
Knockwood: I've been thinking of buying something offensive...
Sara: I felt silly, in that last battle. I'm supposed to be the DPS, and I couldn't do anything.
Knockwood: Lesser Creation of Howard Stern oughta do it. :)
Random_Nerd: "Make humans cease to exist" could probably be done with a 2-pointer. But on the other hand, anything for use against noble-scale folks takes Penetration.
Knockwood: DPS?
BethE: Damage per second?
Sara: Damage Per Second. In the WoW sense.
Sara: Any ideas as to what I could do?
BethE: I'm just surprised my idea worked. I got a hand through the chest, but it worked.
Sara: Right now, I'm a big canon with no canon balls.
Random_Nerd: Well, hmm.
Random_Nerd: You have Domain at 4, right?
Sara: Yup.
BethE: One problem that will probably come up is that these guys probably communicate mentally like we do. Which means they know something happened.
Random_Nerd: Domain 4, given sufficient ingenuity and a few points of penetration, is a pretty good weapon most of the time.
Knockwood: being the Power of Blades is a big help... though I'm low on MPs now
Random_Nerd: Not as good as if you had a 12-point offensive gift, of course, but Domain can do other stuff.
Sara: Can I just say, "Snow has 2 points of Penetration"?
Random_Nerd: No.
Random_Nerd: But you can take those points as MPs, and spend them on penetration.
Sara: Mm, good point.
Knockwood: or a kick-butt mortal weapon... could Snow throw some Capriciousness into someone's brainwaves?
Sara: Pah, Snow can throw Capriciousness into the MOLECULES of someone's brain.
Sara: Or into their limbs. At different times.
Sara: Or into their heart.
Sara: Mortals are easy.
Random_Nerd: Yeah. If you can't think of how to deal with single humans, you aren't trying.
Sara: It's the nobles and crap that are really hard.
Sara: (Well, for me, right now.)
Knockwood: well, do is on a 'grossd' level and she could give someone a grand mal seizure and spook his friends
Random_Nerd: You know, instead of taking them as a direct offense, you could use them as a hinderance or distraction.
Random_Nerd: Like, say, a Lesser Creation of Ninjas, or whatever.

• Sara laughs.
  

Knockwood: do it finer and she could have the power of Brainfartage. :)
Sara: Hee hee...Snow IS a brainfart.
Sara: Okay. Want to just do this, and I'll try to be creative?
Random_Nerd: With that, you could make a mundane but competant ninja as a simple miracle.
Random_Nerd: I'm just wondering if we should skip this week, since we're down two people. What do you guys prefer?
Knockwood: well... not only that, but we're all under the weather
Sara: I'm ambivalent. Of the people we have, I think we have three of the most "active".
Sara: I wouldn't mind playing for a couple hours. I'm a little stir-crazy.
Random_Nerd: Hmm.
Knockwood: we could have an OOC session, sort out how to spend Sara's points
Sara: Your call though, boss man. You know how you feel. :)
Random_Nerd: One thought I had was trying to do a UA oneshot instead.
BethE: I can go either way. Theresa being a little out of it would make sense, with the blood loss/gaping chest wound.
Random_Nerd: Would you be interested in that, Knock?
BethE: I can do OOC or Jailbreak too.
Knockwood: and maybe our accumulated points as well
Sara: I'd be up for Jailbreak?
Sara: I just figure I'll spend the extra points on Penetration, or Creation of Asskicking miracles or something.
Knockwood: hm... possibly. I've seen Jailbreak, though.
Random_Nerd: Well, hmm. You could be Uder. He already knows pretty much everything.
Knockwood: Oh!
Knockwood: Just thought of something for Snow...
Sara: mm?
Random_Nerd: Oh?
Knockwood: what would it take for her to have the 'blink dog' effect, where her image is disconnected from her actual self?
Random_Nerd: Hmm...
Random_Nerd: Depend how flexible it is.
Sara: Coooooooool!
Sara: That would so be her.
Knockwood: wait, that's not blink dog... that's displacer beast
Sara: What's blink dog?
Knockwood: but either one would be kewl, really.
Knockwood: blink dog is instant teleportation

• Sara snickers. That would also be very Snow.
  

Random_Nerd: Okay, so, hmm.
Random_Nerd: We'd want it to also make her real body invisible, right?
Knockwood: yeah... could be a LC of Image Location
Sara: Well, actually, Blink Dog would be just as useful if she can use it in defense.
Random_Nerd: I'd do it as a lesser destruction of image, with an included lesser creation.
Random_Nerd: Teleporting's easy.
Random_Nerd: Line of sight teleportation is, like, one point, if it's not ridiculously long-range.
Knockwood: actually... if you use your house rule, it's the cost of a LC to Move it. :)
Sara: Let me think on it some more. After coming up with Adorable, I think I can figure out a way to use those extra MPs.
Random_Nerd: Hmm.
Knockwood: then again, you got 2 points, get 'em both. :)
Random_Nerd: Now, the image displacement thing wouldn't actually move your auctoritas around, and even if it could you wouldn't want it to.
Random_Nerd: So, it'd be less useful against people using the Sight, who know what you're up to.
Sara: Pretty easy for someone to see where I...yeah.
Random_Nerd: But it'd be a handy dodge against Nobles using prosaic or mythic sight, who don't know what you're doing.
Knockwood: ... I'm guessing she couldn't blink and attack a Noble, for similar reasons?
Random_Nerd: Well, she couldn't blink to inside another Noble's auctoritas without penetration, I don't think.
Random_Nerd: Although she could blink out of one.
BethE: Hmm...so it wouldn't work against Theresa's Noble Spot Check
BethE: ?
Sara: Two points gets her Durant, doesn't it? Does that affect her getting tired after spending a lot of MPs, like Carrie does?
Random_Nerd: Durant's a one-pointer.
Sara: Mea culpa.
Random_Nerd: Theresa's noble-sense would still find her, yes.
Random_Nerd: Basically, for one point you can get something that's handy against mundane problems or unprepared people, but not an i-win button that works on someone who knows your tricks.
BethE: Hmm...I thought that the low Aspect is what made Carrie get tire?
BethE: tired even
Knockwood: could she get a point break for Aspect Only When Transformed?
Sara: I like that idea. :)
Random_Nerd: Well, you can't make stats cost less points for stuff like that.
Random_Nerd: That could count as a Restriction, but that'd just give MPs, not make it cost less.
Knockwood: I'm still thinking in Hero/GURPS terms. :)
Random_Nerd: Yeah. I like the fact that Nobilis doesn't work that way, myself.
Sara: I think this is wrong, but there's nothing like, +3 Penetration for Claws and Teeth, only when in Animal form?
BethE: Hmm...that would be interesting, but not sure...*looks for the White Book?*
Knockwood: wouldn't do much with Aspect 0, tho
Random_Nerd: You can't spend points just on penetration.
Sara: Ah, okay.
Random_Nerd: When you buy a gift, basically, it has a set miracle level, and set penetration.
Random_Nerd: So, you could base a Gift of Aspect on a "Aspect 2, Penetration 3" miracle, for example.
Sara: Costing how many MPs?
Knockwood: she could buy an Aspect miracle, though, right?
Knockwood: and you're way ahead of me. :)
Random_Nerd: Correct.
Random_Nerd: Well, hmm. You can take gifts cheaper if they cost MPs to use.
Knockwood: well, wait... an attack is a specific act, and therefore cheap, right?
Random_Nerd: Depends on the level of it.
Knockwood: er, 'One Trick'
Random_Nerd: Yeah, that makes it cheaper.
Random_Nerd: But not all attacks have to be bought that way. You could, for instance, get something that can be used to restrain someone as well as rip their throat out.
Knockwood: maybe we're overthinking it... the book has Fire-Breathing for 1 point, and Invisibility for 1 point. :)
Random_Nerd: Or whatshisname's Claw, that can be used against people, but also to cut open doors or slice open the ocean.
Random_Nerd: True, but notice that it's a Fire-Breathing without any Penetration.
Sara: I like claws?
Random_Nerd: Okay, so, let's see.
Random_Nerd: The benchmark for an effective offensive gift, I think, is that it can hurt a Durant guy with Spirit 2.
Knockwood: hm... I think Fire Breathing is 0 CP, so you could add a point of Pen for free.
Random_Nerd: That wouldn't work on everyone, but it'd work on more than half of Nobles, I think.
Random_Nerd: True, you could do that.
Random_Nerd: Okay, let's see.

• Sara listens?
  

Random_Nerd: It takes a miracle of at least level 6 to do a Deadly Wound to a Durant person.
Sara: Lucky Beth.
Random_Nerd: Throw on two penetration, for a base level of 8.
Random_Nerd: Make it accessible with a simple miracle for -1.
BethE: Huh. The Warmain is a jerk.
Random_Nerd: One person only, so minus -2.
Random_Nerd: One single trick, for -3.
Random_Nerd: And "Kill that guy over there" is probably pretty common, so no penalty for rarity.
Knockwood: hold it.,. Self Only is -3
Random_Nerd: Yes...
Random_Nerd: But an offensive gift that only works against yourself is...
Random_Nerd: ...suboptimal.

• Sara snickers.
  

Knockwood: tell that to the Power of Masochism. :)
Random_Nerd: Still, for two points, you can get a gift that will deal a deadly wound to any Noble that isn't either better than Durant, or at least Spirit 3.
Random_Nerd: But it only works on one target, and it can't be used to do anything other than an attack with deadly force against a person.
Sara: Hm...that could work with Snow's mindset.
Sara: She's a coyote, not a, say...polar bear. She'd be inclined to kill things before they could possibly kill her.

• • • Random_Nerd has left #nobilis.
      
    • Random_Nerd has joined #nobilis.
      
    • Mode change "+o Random_Nerd" for channel #nobilis by Sara.
      

Knockwood: I'm still inclined to think a hit-avoidance thing would be better. :)
Knockwood: At least for now.
Random_Nerd: It'd be cheaper, at least.
Random_Nerd: Same cost could buy you Durant and teleportation, for instance.
Sara: It's frustrating, though. Not being able to hit things. They seem to fight things requiring Pentration more often than not.
Sara: I'll burn through MPs like mad.
Random_Nerd: If you did get the offensive version, you can either base this on a domain-type miracle, and create fire or katanas or whatever, or you can base it on aspect and bite their throat out or give them /such/ a pinch or whatever.
Knockwood: well... up until recently she was a coyote. They tend to run from anything larger than a housecat. :)
Sara: Hence the inclination to either be able to kill something right away, or run away.
Sara: A coyote wouldn't last long in a dogfight, so to speak.
Random_Nerd: For comparison...
Random_Nerd: Sara, you have the sample of play chapter, right?
Sara: Maybe? I'm sorry, I don't know. I don't think so.
Knockwood: The one where they fight off a missile-shooting helicopter?
Random_Nerd: Yeah. That one.
Random_Nerd: Anyway, it's a pdf you can download freely, and one of the characters has what I'd call a high-end offensive gift.
Sara: Ah, no. I've been told about it, but not read it. I don't think...sorry. Where is it?
Random_Nerd: (Link: http://www.guardiansorder.com/pdfs/Nobilis_exampleofplay_sample.pdf)http://www.guardiansorder.com/pdfs/Nobilis_exampleofplay_sample.pdf
Random_Nerd: Marsiglio's Claw does Aspect 7 clawing, with 5 penetration, and has a certain amount of flexibility. But on the other hand, it costs 8 points.
Sara: No, I haven't seen this. *reads* I was told about the missile idea, however.
Random_Nerd: Yeah, it's the basis of the Missile Game.
Random_Nerd: And remember the house rule, where you can devote future character points to raising the level of an existing Gift.

• Sara nods and reads.
  

Random_Nerd: So, you could start with the Level 6 2 Penetration version for 2 points, and then raise it later if you fight a lot of warmains or something.
Knockwood: actually... if she gets an offensive gift with no Pen, could she spend MPs to add Pen?
Random_Nerd: No.
Random_Nerd: But she could get a gift with Pen built in and a higher miracle level, but that she had to spend MPs to use
Knockwood: OK, could she get a Simple Gift with 1 Pen and spend 2 MPs to make it 3 Pen?
Random_Nerd: No.
Knockwood: ah, so the Miracle level includes the Pen and is fixed at purchase
Random_Nerd: Yes.
Random_Nerd: But you can take a gift that costs MPs to use, which costs less character points.
Sara: That's not a bad idea, given the situation.
Random_Nerd: For instance, we could make that gift be a Miracle 7 Penetration 3 attack, but that you have to spend 2 MPs to use.
Random_Nerd: True. If it's something you'll use only rarely, but you want to work really well when you use it, I suggest that.
Sara: Are there any Freezing-type gifts?
Knockwood: then again, each configuration would cost at least 1 point
Random_Nerd: What do you mean by freezing?
Random_Nerd: Surrounding someone in ice? Paralyzing them?
Sara: More along the lines of ice and snow.
Sara: Thematic, and all.
Random_Nerd: Well, you could make the miracle this is based on be a creation of cold, or of ice.
Sara: Hm. Can I put 2 points into buying a miracle related to that? Or is there nothing suitable?
Knockwood: it'd need Pen to freeze up a Noble though, right?
Sara: (Or I could do ice-breath, instead of fire-breath, and put an extra point of penetration in it, maybe)
Sara: True, but I could use MPs to bump it up. Makes it cheaper, too.
Random_Nerd: Yes. Or you could make a /big/ block of ice, and surround them even outside their auctoritas with it...
Sara: Cheaper on the character point scale.
Random_Nerd: But that wouldn't hurt them, and any Noble who can't get out of an icy shell just isn't trying.
Sara: I'd rather do something that surrounds them with ice, even inside their Auctoritas. At least, I'd rather be able to reasonably try to do that.

• BethE ponders how to get out of an ice cube.
  

Random_Nerd: You'd need pen for tat.
Sara: 1 point into Ice Breath, 1 point into Penetration for it, and then additional MPs for additional Penetration as needed?
Random_Nerd: Hmm. How about this. Change/Creation of Ice, level 6. 2 Penetration Costs two MP. One person only. One trick (Freezing people).
Knockwood: Where does the Change come in?
Random_Nerd: Well, for raising the level of the miracle to make it work better.
Random_Nerd: Just look it as making ice that's in some way unnaturally effective.
Sara: Works for me.
Sara: Also works along the lines of hinderance/distraction, which someone mentioned before.
Random_Nerd: Okay. That's a two-pointer.
Knockwood: Alternatively, using the book's Fire-Breathing as a Template:
Random_Nerd: Wait, a one-pointer.
Sara: Two pointer with pen?
Random_Nerd: You have another point for either level or penetration, if you make it cost 2 character points.
Random_Nerd: It's a two-pointer with Pen 3.
Sara: Hell, I take Pen 3 in that case.
Knockwood: Ice-Breathing, Create Ice, +2 Pen, Simple, Local, One Trick, Uncommon, 2 points.
Sara: So I have to spend 2 MP whenever I use this?
Random_Nerd: Remove the Uncommon. This is a pretty straightforward offensive gift.
Random_Nerd: And raise it to +3 pen.
Random_Nerd: And yes, you have to spend two MPs, and they have to be of a particular sort.
Random_Nerd: Do you want this to be a Gift of Aspect or a Gift of Domain?
Sara: I assume it'll work better for snow if it's Domain?
Random_Nerd: Either's fine.
Sara: Hm.
Knockwood: Or, keep 2 Pen, and go to Limited Uses to do more with it. :)
Random_Nerd: That'd work too.
Random_Nerd: Either would be good.
Sara: Limited uses... *thinks*
Random_Nerd: If it's Domain, then it's somehow connected to Capriciousness. If it's Aspect, then it's connected to the changes in your own body.
Sara: I think I'll make it a Domain miracle. I follow that easier.
Random_Nerd: Okay. So it'll cost two Domain MPs to use.

• Sara nods.
  

Sara: If I limit it in some way, and take 2 Pen, can I use it using only 1 DMP?
Random_Nerd: If it's still One Trick, and Pen 2, then you can make it be a 1-DMP cost.
Random_Nerd: That'd only cost one MP, but it'd still have to be used against people.
Sara: So do I take the big gun or the little gun, that I can fire twice as often...
Random_Nerd: Or the gun that also works as a fire extinguisher and hallway blocker.
Sara: No, I'll stick with this. She won't use it often. That's what Theresa's for.
Sara: ...oh yeah.
BethE: Oh, sure, make _me_ the tank.  :P
Sara: Bah, I'll lower it then. 2 Pen, 1 DMP per use.
Knockwood: you using mine or RNs?
Random_Nerd: Okay. So, for the record...
BethE: And we already know about its use as a hallway blocker. Our first Excrucian shard had ice powers. Hmm.. *peers at Snow*

• Sara looks innocent.
  
• Knockwood got froze by the bastard.
  
• Sara looks very innocent.
  

Knockwood: then again, he's now Ick, so we can abuse him at will. >:>
Random_Nerd: Lesser Change/Creation (Ice) 6 | Penetration 2 | Normal Miracle (one DMP) -2 | One Person -2 | One Single Trick -3 | Uncommon +1, for a total of 2 points?
Random_Nerd: (Wait, no, we agreed it was Common.)
Random_Nerd: (So, do you raise penetration, or flexibility?)
Sara: Annoying +1?
Knockwood: if you want to do stuff like block hallways you need Limited USes
Random_Nerd: Yeah, that's probably a good call. You'll probably find such situations more often than people with Spirit 3.
Random_Nerd: But either works.
Random_Nerd: Or for that matter making it just a one-pointer, or affecting multiple people.
Sara: I'll take the more useful one.

• Sara is a little lost. Probably the sinus stuff.
  

Knockwood: and as a bonus you get an offensive power as well...
Random_Nerd: Lesser Change/Creation (Ice) 6 | Penetration 2 | Normal Miracle (one DMP) -2 | One Person -2 | Limited Selection (throwing ice at stuff) -2 | Common +0, two character points.
Knockwood: just create an iceberg over the guy's head & let it drop. :)

• Sara laughs.
  

BethE: "I dodge...better than the Titanic."

• Sara copies and pastes into character sheet.
  

Sara: I now have a real offensive skill! yay!
Random_Nerd: That'll be good in a fight against anything short of a combat-specialist.
BethE: Which Warmains are?
Random_Nerd: And even with him, you can at least slow him down and make trouble for him with the alternate applications.
Random_Nerd: Some Warmains are.
Random_Nerd: Some are more specialized in smashing bits of reality.
Sara: That's what Theresa's for. ;)
Sara: Shall we call it a night there?
Knockwood: don't forget me. :)
BethE: Hello? Hole in my chest, thank you?
Sara: Of course, I'm sorry. ;)
BethE: ;P
Random_Nerd: Okay. See you all next week?
BethE: I think Blades would be a better combat guy. He's got Sacrosanct, after all.
Sara: That is true. And up, next Wednesday!
Random_Nerd: Well, except for Beth who lives with me, and Sara who's in my Tuesday game, I guess...
BethE: I can call it a night. The meds make for a swirlybeth.
Sara: Thanks for your help, both RN and Knockwood. You're a huge help given that I don't have the book.
Knockwood: arigato
BethE: I'll see you next week if you'll pay for the hotel room. I demand a hot tub.

• Sara gurgles. Hot tuuub....
  

Sara: I should so gank my sister's tomorrow...I think I Tivo'd some Alton Brown, too...
Random_Nerd: Mmm. Good Eats.
Sara: Damn skippy.
BethE: I would trade some of the Alton Brown DVDs we got for Christmas for your hot tub.

Chancel_Amyra
Chapter 8