High level Wraith Options

[Eldagusto]

I still feel we need options for Wraiths that transcend human limitations. Things to represent Deathlords' and Charon's powers would be desirable because I really am not a fond of, these NPCs are just special and no one can be like them because. I before mentioned I felt it would be nice to have something like a Mantle, a Background or specific power to represent ghosts that are beyond human that take on titles. Or even something like Exalted's evocations and have Ghosts able to learn powers based off of either their Mantle or Artifacts of Office.

But it would also be nice to have something like an Arch-Arcanoi. You don't even need to to have more then an Arch level, like level 6 being the top rather then 6-9. For one I would like it to make the the weaker levels buffed if you learn it, so maybe things are cheaper, stronger and or broadened. As well as each power being iconic and customized to the wraith, more so then Vampire level 6+ which are said to be unique to the Elders, but really you know they couldn't have been because of how many vampires there have been. Same with the wraiths, but maybe you can make them a bit more customizable with some powers like tying it to their history, like a ghost of a hanged man's manifesting spectral nooses.

But I feel it would be helpful, even for the ability to help create NPCs. Also you could have a section on Oblivion tainted beings, like unique powers for Plasmics, and the unique mutations of Wraiths that start becoming Hekatonhires and then Onceborn. And examples of the dark powers of the Neverborn, don't have to fully stat the Neverborn powers, maybe give some example powers, or buffed up versions of Onceborn powers only usable by Neverborn.

[DeadMan]

in one of my more advanced troupes, i (we) allowed the players to buy, per art either, a Talent, (cheaper a cost or Diff by +/-1), a Specialty this stacks with Talents, again gives a another small bonus, and gives a little change to the art to make it more personal, and lastly Mastery, this is a much stronger step up, as it gives a greater change in the arts effect making it more personal and cheaper, each step cost extra XP, and if its not bought when the art is learned it makes it even more expensive. since this is a per art cost, talent is 3 +lv, Specialty 7+lv, and Mastery 10+lv, and if learned after an extra cost of 3 xp.

this enabled the wraiths to have a more personal effect on the arts, and to allow someone to specialize in an art,
the Pardoner who is a master Purifier, gaining a aura of Light around him as he Purifies his target, plus the target loses the casters Lv in TA, first without corpus cost, as he is cloaked in the light. also the Diff is -1, not all that powerful of an affect but its enough to make it very personal and he gained a cult following as the light bringer.

just my 2 cents.

[Eldagusto]

That’s an interesting idea I never considered, is it for the first dot you get it?

[DeadMan]

It is a per Art cost, also since they stack, if the player buys Specialized first he can't then go back and buy Talent, you can go up but not down on the scale. also because the cost can get high, i did allow Mentors to play a part, but only if they had the same kind of add-on, meaning a mentor that has a Talent can teach that but not Mastery. also on the note of Mentors, if a character has an Arcanos of level 4, then when he teaches what he knows to someone else, he gets 4 dice of mentor because of his knowledge of the Arcanos.



Talent: 3 xp + 1/LV of the Art:
this allows you to have a knack for the art in question, giving you a bonus of +/- 1 to the Difficulty or to the cost but this can never lower the cost to zero, also all arts have a minimum difficulty of 4.

Specialize: 7 XP + 1 per Level of Art:
This stacks with Talent, and goes beyond by giving, where Talent gave either a Diff or cost bonus, Specialize give the bonus to the Diff and the Cost, and changes the art effect in a minor way, making it more Personal, The player has to record the effect on paper as once it is set, it cant change.

Mastery: 10 XP + 1per Level of Art:
At this level, you have greater influence over the arts affects, this gives a secondary minor affect or improved version of the arts effect, plus another reduction in cost, Difficulty and even the Angst that is generated by the arts effects.

Note: if you pay for the add-on when you are learning the art, it cost the above listed price, but if you chose to get this after you have learned the art, an extra cost of 3 XP on top of the above cost.

EXAMPLE:
Castigate: Level 3 Purify
Talent: -1 to the Diff of Targets Permanent Angst.
Specialized: another -1 to Diff, Healing hands, hands glow with the light of Purity, target loses 1 TA without corpus cost.
Mastery: another -1 to Diff (total of -3) Light of Purity, Pardoners entire body glows with the light of Purity, the target also glows while under the effect of the art, the target also loses the casters Castigate Level in TA without corpus lose before the dice are cast.

this allowed the players to have an invested interest in the arts they learn and making them personal, because of the cost of these add-ons, the players weren't able to abuse it to badly.

hope this helps.