Deviant Scars and Variations: Do I have this right? / Help with character creation

[BronzeDog]

I'm finding the language a bit confusing in character creation. I'm under the impression that you buy variations dots according to the threat level, and then add scars to "contain" the variations they entangle with. It's also a bit abstract for some scar descriptions, so I could probably use some suggestions on how to get the concept across. "Zero" is essentially a type of spirit-claimed made using Deviant rules. Haven't decided on the human side's name, but the spirit's name translates as "One Who Names Nothing," and is a spirit of symbols, names, and other ways to indicate a void. The human half was a starving artist obsessed with expressing and exploring such ideas in his art, the use of negative space, and the like. The spirit was drawn in, intrigued and made the offer to give him inspiration and a more intimate understanding of such ideas.

First, to see if I get the crunch right

Let's say I put 3 dots into Otherworldly Connection. I believe that would mean I'd need to put 3 dots into a scar (Conspicuous Appearance in my case). If I get major instability, I can increase the magnitude of the scar and improve the Connection with it. Alternatively, I could get the Scar up to 4 dots and buy a new variation at 3 dots.

I'm also thinking of Camouflage with Power Failure and/or Dependency: The camouflage fails if he's in a place resonant with abundance, big numbers, fullness, or the like, or he requires time around a Locus to stave off the Deprived Condition, simulating the spirit's need for Essence. The problem is I'm not sure how secondary scars work, of if that's even the point.

So, can anyone clarify?

[The MG]

Sounds like you have understood everything correctly. The one detail to keep in mind is that you only need a medium Instability to bump up a Scar, and subsequently a Variation – a major Instability would both grant/inflict that increase and cause Zero to develop a brand new Scar.

I'm also thinking of Camouflage with Power Failure and/or Dependency: The camouflage fails if he's in a place resonant with abundance, big numbers, fullness, or the like, or he requires time around a Locus to stave off the Deprived Condition, simulating the spirit's need for Essence. The problem is I'm not sure how secondary scars work, of if that's even the point.

Both of those work. Power Failure would make Camouflage Controlled (i.e. require a roll to activate), while the version with Dependency would only demand an unrolled action. I'm not clear on how secondary Scars relate to this, though, unless you intend to take Persistent Drawback: Dependency (i.e. Dependency but with a required roll).

If that's your intent, the big thing to keep in mind is that a secondary Scar transfers it Attribute category to the Scar that calls it. Thus, Persistent Drawback: Dependency is a Physical Scar, while Persistent Drawback: Addictive Variation could be Mental or Physical.

[BronzeDog]

Thanks. I guess I wasn't as far off as I was worried. Guess now I need to think of how I'm going to combine my wishlist to get the most out of my attributes.

[BronzeDog]

Currently divided on what origin Zero would qualify as. Since he's an Amalgam of a willing human and spirit, Autourgic and Volunteer both seem appropriate. Pathologic probably also fits, and I think the extra instability would fit the feel that the merging of flesh and spirit is progressing. Main issue I have with Autourgic is that the Scar-free dot is in an Overt Variation, and I'm not really sure what I'd pick for that.

Clade: Coactive

Forms: Amalgam and Self-Made.

Still kind of iffy on how the scar-free dot works. Would it let me entangle an X-dot Scar with an X+1-dot Variation?

Combos I'm thinking of at the moment:
Otherworldly Connection / Conspicuous Appearance: As Zero's merging progresses, he becomes stranger and more in touch with the Shadow.

Camouflage / Silent: Embracing the void lets Zero withdraw his presence from the world. The cost is being unable to speak, except for the First Tongue.

Psycho-Onomastics / Addictive?: Inherited the spirit's association with names. Thanks to his appearance, getting his fix for hearing new names may be difficult.

[Satchel]

Currently divided on what origin Zero would qualify as. Since he's an Amalgam of a willing human and spirit, Autourgic and Volunteer both seem appropriate. Pathologic probably also fits, and I think the extra instability would fit the feel that the merging of flesh and spirit is progressing. Main issue I have with Autourgic is that the Scar-free dot is in an Overt Variation, and I'm not really sure what I'd pick for that.

The main issue with Autourgic is that it's the "I got superpowers because I wanted to get superpowers" Origin and you've described Zero as having a very definite ulterior motive in the form of his art. He appears to be a Self-Made Volunteer.

Still kind of iffy on how the scar-free dot works. Would it let me entangle an X-dot Scar with an X+1-dot Variation?

Your Origin-based free dot effectively makes that Variation count as one Magnitude lower for the purposes of entangled Scars; you can be an Exomorph with Telekinesis 5 and another Magnitude 4 Variation attached to a Magnitude 5 Scar, a Genotypal with Anomalous Biology 1 with no Scar, or anything in between.

Psycho-Onomastics / Addictive?: Inherited the spirit's association with names. Thanks to his appearance, getting his fix for hearing new names may be difficult.

I feel like "the character can only speak a language not designed for the human mouth" is the bigger obstacle to being introduced to people by name than having an appearance that's a talking point.