Homebrew Wolf-Blooded Tells

[Deionscribe]

A Tell concept that's limited to the Sundered World setting.

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Marcher
The Wolf-Blooded hears the hunter's call echo from the Marches. He feels it ringing throughout his body, compelling him to journey into its depths in order to hunt. This instinct is so powerful that he becomes restless whenever he's gone for too long. The Wolf-Blooded gains a persistent Addicted Condition keyed to immersion in Pangaea, which must be satisfied at least once every week.

Boon: Truly at home in the Border Marches, the Wolf-Blooded can intuitively find his way between the two worlds, and the Depths which divide them. When traveling through Pangaea, he halves the travel time between rolls, and also enjoys an additional +1 Hunting Bonus.

[Deionscribe]

Highest of Resolve or Composure or half Willpower mostly leads to the same numbers. Though basing it off Res/Com does side-step what happens if your Willpower score decreases (through various means). Make the Influence rolls based off it as well? Sounds good.

Any thoughts on the Essence-to-Willpower cost? Influences can get pretty expensive (which is why I added Mitigation for the Influence-based Mages template). Or I should look at the Dread Power...

INFLUENCE (• TO •••••)
Much like a spirit or ghost, this Horror has Influence over a certain phenomenon. Using Influence costs Willpower instead of Essence and, unless the activation is directly opposed by a character, doesn’t require a roll. For contested or resisted actions, decide on an Attribute + Skill dice pool that fits with the monster’s nature.

Yeah, I'm trying to mimic Essence Bleed here. Willpower per hour is pretty brutal, but Willpower per day doesn't seem like it would have to appropriate dramatic effect. Such Spirit-Touched/Wolf-Blooded need to be near their special thing.

Of course, with such a downside, I had problems coming up with a good enough bonus. Is being able to have potentially "free" Willpower use good enough?

I'd say it is, especially if the Wolf-Blooded doesn't have the luxury of a good night's sleep, one way or another. I'm not so sure about the "risking Willpower" bit, though. Especially since Hunter 2E isn't out yet (unless that hardly matters?).

On a semi-related note, what are your thoughts on Shadow Vassal?

[Vent0]

* Spiritual Influence: I would say higher of Resolve or Composure, with a dice pool which uses both Attributes? Not to mention treat uses of the Influence as being like the Dread Power of the same name?

Highest of Resolve or Composure or half Willpower mostly leads to the same numbers. Though basing it off Res/Com does side-step what happens if your Willpower score decreases (through various means). Make the Influence rolls based off it as well? Sounds good.

Any thoughts on the Essence-to-Willpower cost? Influences can get pretty expensive (which is why I added Mitigation for the Influence-based Mages template). Or I should look at the Dread Power...

* Binding Compulsion: Nothing to say here. This looks pretty good, as is.

Good. I wanted the drawback to simulate a Spirit's Ban, but I had to come up with a benefit. I remember that Spirits tend to appreciate Uratha that respect their Bans, so...

* Dependency: Not sure whether or not losing one Willpower per hour is too much. Though I can see why you went with that to simulate Essence bleed. Hmm. Why not go for one Essence a day, like with that Locus Drinker Tell I'm planning on revisiting?

Yeah, I'm trying to mimic Essence Bleed here. Willpower per hour is pretty brutal, but Willpower per day doesn't seem like it would have to appropriate dramatic effect. Such Spirit-Touched/Wolf-Blooded need to be near their special thing.

Of course, with such a downside, I had problems coming up with a good enough bonus. Is being able to have potentially "free" Willpower use good enough?

* Magnetism: I'd go with giving them the ability to Materialize, to mimic how spirits in an appropriate Locus can Materialize without the Manifestation.

Materialize it is.

* Whispers: Why don't we go with the Shadow Paranoia Condition? Also, maybe you can rewrite it so that the Tell would induce a 'psychological' aversion to the Shadow to reflect how the Worlds of Spirit and Flesh must be separated. Not sure what to say on the benefit, though, but I do like the versatility in interpreting it.

Shadow Paranoia then.

[Deionscribe]

Here's another one I'd like critiqued.

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Shadow Vassal
Though a creature of Flesh, the Wolf-Blooded often finds himself dragged into Shadow politics. Lesser spirits often force themselves on his day-to-day life, and the more powerful ones attempt to bring him under their influence as an agent on the other side of the Gauntlet. The worst spirits, though, are those who seek to make him their host because of the subtle effect he has on the Hisil.

Boon: The Wolf-Blooded has a persistent Symbolic Focus Condition, and can avail of its associated benefits.

[Deionscribe]

Vent0

These are all pretty interesting concepts for Tells. Let me go through all of them in descending order.

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* Spiritual Influence: I would say higher of Resolve or Composure, with a dice pool which uses both Attributes? Not to mention treat uses of the Influence as being like the Dread Power of the same name?

* Binding Compulsion: Nothing to say here. This looks pretty good, as is.

* Dependency: Not sure whether or not losing one Willpower per hour is too much. Though I can see why you went with that to simulate Essence bleed. Hmm. Why not go for one Essence a day, like with that Locus Drinker Tell I'm planning on revisiting?

* Magnetism: I'd go with giving them the ability to Materialize, to mimic how spirits in an appropriate Locus can Materialize without the Manifestation.

* Whispers: Why don't we go with the Shadow Paranoia Condition? Also, maybe you can rewrite it so that the Tell would induce a 'psychological' aversion to the Shadow to reflect how the Worlds of Spirit and Flesh must be separated. Not sure what to say on the benefit, though, but I do like the versatility in interpreting it.

[Vent0]

Hmm. Here's a few notes I have on potential Tells for my Spirit-Touched doc:

Spiritual Influence
The mark of your spiritual ancestry hangs more heavily on you than most. In addition to some obvious sign of your spiritual nature (a constant breeze that surrounds you, crag-like skin wrinkles, a feral mein), you are compelled to dwell near the subject of your spiritual sympathy. You gain the Addicted Condition towards the subject of your Influence.
Benefit: You gain an Influence, just as Spirits have, with your Rank equivalent to the lowest of your Resolve or Composure, and the dice pools using Resolve + Composure. You can spend either Essence to use your Influence (if you have it), or Willpower on a 1-to-1 basis (necessitating multiple turns for all but the weakest abilities).

Binding Compulsion
You have some form of obsessive compulsive disorder, necessitating your perform or abstain from some action. You gain the Ban Condition tied to a recurring behavior or circumstance.
Benefit: Spirits appreciate you keeping to your “Ban” and can relate to you easier. Social interactions with Spirits are improved by one step.

Dependency
Some kids had security blankets that they kept long past childhood. You were something else - psychologically reliant upon some factor or type of object being nearby in order for you to function. Pick something that would be suitable to make a kind of Influence - you need to remain near such objects, situations, or beings or you lose 1 Willpower each hour your are deprived. If you possess Essence (or a similar trait), you can opt to lose 1 point of it instead.
Benefit: You obsession also fortifies your will. You gain 1 Willpower each day just by being near the subject of your focus, and can “risk” Willpower - any roll that you spent Willpower on that succeeds, refunds you the Willpower spent.

Magnetism
For whatever reason, you are are extremely attractive to Spirits in Twilight. Those that Fetter themselves to you find themselves gaining 1 additional Essence per day above the normal effects of Fetter. Of course, this means that Spirits are well invested in doing so - nice if they are Joy Spirits, odd if they are Dog Spirits, problematic if they are Murder Spirits. While the Tell doesn't automatically give you the Urged Condition, multiple instances of it are sure to follow.
Benefit: The Spirits are protective of their host and meal ticket, and will be far more inclined to act to protect you. Additionally, you can spend 1 Willpower point to allow a Spirit to Materialize for a number of turns equal to your Presence.

Whispers
From an early age, you’ve heard voices. You’ve probably had counseling, psychiatric drugs, or at a minimum people spreading rumors about your odd behavior. You gain the Shadow Paranoia Condition, reflecting your psychological aversion to the destructive influence of the constant whispers from the spirit world.
Benefit: The constant whispers of the spirit world have at least taught you a few things. You gain 4 Experiences worth of benefits in one skill. This can be two dots, a dot and two skill specialties, or four skill specialties as you choose.

Thoughts on any of these?

[Deionscribe]

That's an stupidly high amount of essence, change it to causing the Wellspring rite effect for the scene.

Ah. I completely forgot about that one. Will do
And speaking of the Wellspring rite, do you think this Tell could have any benefit to performing it?

[Ephsy]

How about this?

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Spark
The Wolf-Blooded's emotions have been muted since she first manifested this Tell. She finds it difficult to relate to others unless she takes the time and effort to focus. She gains the Disconnected Condition as a persistent effect.

Boon: A Wolf-Blooded can spend a Willpower point to resolve the Condition for the scene, but causes a surge in Essence flows within a radius of 10 yards. Active loci within the area produce Essence equal to its dot rating every hour for the duration of a day, in addition to the amount they normally make. Dormant loci, meanwhile, shorten their revival period to a maximum of one week.

That's an stupidly high amount of essence, change it to causing the Wellspring rite effect for the scene.

[Deionscribe]

I can try. I'll need to comb through existing mental/emotional Conditions to base it off of.

How about this?

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Spark
The Wolf-Blooded's emotions have been muted since she first manifested this Tell. She finds it difficult to relate to others unless she takes the time and effort to focus. She gains the Disconnected Condition as a persistent effect.

Boon: A Wolf-Blooded can spend a Willpower point to resolve the Condition for the scene, but causes a surge in Essence flows within a radius of 10 yards. Active loci within the area produce Essence equal to its dot rating every hour for the duration of a day, in addition to the amount they normally make. Dormant loci, meanwhile, shorten their revival period to a maximum of one week.

[Vent0]

Could you try making a write-up of it, if it's alright?

I can try. I'll need to comb through existing mental/emotional Conditions to base it off of.

[Deionscribe]

I was thinking something more manic-depressive than anger-management.

Like, the Spark is due to the emotional manic surge, with the downside be the depression.

Could you try making a write-up of it, if it's alright?

[Vent0]

I was thinking something more manic-depressive than anger-management.

Like, the Spark is due to the emotional manic surge, with the downside be the depression.

[Deionscribe]

Need a drawback, then? Maybe mood swings or "addiction" to their resonance?

Mood swings could work for a drawback. But I'm not sure whether or not that would be represented by Kuruth. And besides. Wasn't there already a Tell which involved Wasu-Im and Basu-Im?

[Vent0]

Need some assistance with this.

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Spark

Boon: A Wolf-Blooded can spend a Willpower point to jumpstart the flows of Essence in loci with resonance identical or similar to her own. If done in an active locus, she causes it to produce Essence equal to its dot rating every hour for the duration of a day, in addition to the amount it normally makes. If done at the site of a dormant locus, though, she shortens its revival to a maximum of one week.

Need a drawback, then? Maybe mood swings or "addiction" to their resonance?

[Deionscribe]

Need some assistance with this.

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Spark

Boon: A Wolf-Blooded can spend a Willpower point to jumpstart the flows of Essence in loci with resonance identical or similar to her own. If done in an active locus, she causes it to produce Essence equal to its dot rating every hour for the duration of a day, in addition to the amount it normally makes. If done at the site of a dormant locus, though, she shortens its revival to a maximum of one week.