Homebrew Supernatural Merits

[Khanwulf]

... I don't follow.

And then the clock rings and you wake up. Not dead.

Reference breakdown:
White room as semi-afterlife waiting area: Bruce Almighty, The Matrix Reloaded
Morgan Freeman as diety-like figure: Bruce Almighty
White-suited controller figure: Bruce Almighty, The Matrix Reloaded
Time: a clock
Alarm: waking up.

Um, scary stuff? MF staring at you?


--Khanwulf

[Almarck]

"You're standing in a white room. White floor. White ceiling. White walls. The light is sourceless and just shy of blinding. Morgan Freeman walks in, wearing a white suit. He stand in front of you and pointedly winds a small, brushed-steel alarm clock, then purses his lips while adjusting it. His eyes never leave yours."

"He sets the clock down on a table. You never noticed it before. Steel. Glass surfaced. His finger brushes the alarm switch as he turns and walks out, spinning a short cane."

"tic"

"Tic"

"TIC"

... I don't follow.

[Almarck]

"You're standing in a white room. White floor. White ceiling. White walls. The light is sourceless and just shy of blinding. Morgan Freeman walks in, wearing a white suit. He stand in front of you and pointedly winds a small, brushed-steel alarm clock, then purses his lips while adjusting it. His eyes never leave yours."

"He sets the clock down on a table. You never noticed it before. Steel. Glass surfaced. His finger brushes the alarm switch as he turns and walks out, spinning a short cane."

"tic"

"Tic"

"TIC"

... I don't follow.

[Khanwulf]

Open to interpretation. I wrote out in a sort of lengthy lore entry that they just woke up as the default though. But I dunno... what would make the most sense based on the origin... maybe they do hover over the body as a disembodied "camera">

"You're standing in a white room. White floor. White ceiling. White walls. The light is sourceless and just shy of blinding. Morgan Freeman walks in, wearing a white suit. He stand in front of you and pointedly winds a small, brushed-steel alarm clock, then purses his lips while adjusting it. His eyes never leave yours."

"He sets the clock down on a table. You never noticed it before. Steel. Glass surfaced. His finger brushes the alarm switch as he turns and walks out, spinning a short cane."

"tic"

"Tic"

"TIC"

[Almarck]

One question, though: where do "you" exist in between Respawns? In the Underworld? Floating, disembodied over your corpse? Surrounded by the void of oblivion? Or do you just "wake up" once you respawn, finding out later that time has passed?

Open to interpretation. I wrote out in a sort of lengthy lore entry that they just woke up as the default though. But I dunno... what would make the most sense based on the origin... maybe they do hover over the body as a disembodied "camera">

[Vent0]

One question, though: where do "you" exist in between Respawns? In the Underworld? Floating, disembodied over your corpse? Surrounded by the void of oblivion? Or do you just "wake up" once you respawn, finding out later that time has passed?

[Almarck]

Eh, I decided to leave that to Storyteller interpretation, you know, let the players decide what's best for their Chronicle.
Personally, I feel the breaking point should be tied towards the circumstances and happenings of what the respawner was doing when he died rather than the death itself.

Such as say, being the sole survivor of an attack.... or being a failure to do some important duty because you were still on your cooldown.

[Khanwulf]

Probably not. On the one hand, there is a difference between knowing and knowing. The person doing it would still feel themselves killing a person. They might eventually get inured to it, but the first few times would be jarring. That's assuming even being aware of the ability isn't its own Breaking Point.

You're still murdering a human being--even if they literally ask you for it. That leaves a scar, or wound, depending. What if this one time they don't come back? After all, they shouldn't come back! Could you live with that? And even if you get accustomed to killing that one guy (your friend, natch), isn't it easier to kill others? I mean... what if they respawn someplace else, too? Maybe you're doing them a favor? This way lies madness and inhumanity and is literally the point of the WoD approach to integrity/humanity breakdown systems.

Also, from the perspective of the Respawner: dying is a terrifying process--imagine a time when you've been desperate to breathe and couldn't? A time when you really wanted--NEEDED--to move some part of your body, and it wasn't answering the call? Remember when you were in the worst physical agony of your life? Now combine those as the Respawner's brain asphyxiates and the body's ability to respond breaks down under trauma. Best case? Your mind goes tilt and you wake up someplace else, inexplicably better. Your brain thought it was dying... dead. And now suddenly has to kick in all the autonomous systems and respond to consciousness again? NOT fun. (Watch Highlander for examples of this.)

Was it a dream? How far back does the dream go?

Terrifying.

And, thus, a breaking point every damn time to kick the bucket. At best the first times are done with a significant penalty, that reduces as you become inured to it. Eventually you can casually walk in front of a bus, kinda like the Cheerleader in the Heroes pilot sticks her hand into the blender, and just watches it heal.

--Khanwulf

[Vent0]

Would you rule that if you knew that someone had this power, killing them to save them from torture/imprisonment would not be a Breaking Point?

Probably not. On the one hand, there is a difference between knowing and knowing. The person doing it would still feel themselves killing a person. They might eventually get inured to it, but the first few times would be jarring. That's assuming even being aware of the ability isn't its own Breaking Point.

[Master Aquatosic]

Would you rule that if you knew that someone had this power, killing them to save them from torture/imprisonment would not be a Breaking Point?

[Khanwulf]

Being the "guy who comes back from the dead" in a world of weird horror just means you have a benefit with some significant side-effects. Also, it worked for Highlander for a long while. Respawning in a new location is just a minor twist that enhances playability.

I'd totally play such a character, but then again I enjoy both "mortals with shtick" and "stayin' alive."

--Khanwulf

[Tessie]

I don't remember what it's called, but there's one of the Merit Templates from Hurt Locker that has a resurrection Merit. The devs didn't consider that overpowered, but it both had prereqs and limited uses. You could look it up if you want to compare your version with an official.

[Vent0]

I don't think it really unbalances anything at first glance. It is definitely one you only include if you have a reason to, or Chronicle based on it.

[Almarck]

Only change I'd make is for One Last Life For Both Of Us to have text stipulating that if your Target is brought back somehow, you come back too.

Alright, added it in, cleared up some things.

Is Respawning overpowered or underpowered.

[Vent0]

Only change I'd make is for One Last Life For Both Of Us to have text stipulating that if your Target is brought back somehow, you come back too.