How to build this character?

[Nokaion]

Hi, I'm pretty new to BRP, and I've had a character idea, but I don't know how to build it.

My character is a young woman called Sarah, who works for the Bureau for Supernatural and Occult Activities. She made a pact with a Shadow/Darkness Demon, which is why she gets to use some of its powers.

She can make melee weapons out of shadows/darkness, who have their respective physical properties. So she could make shadow daggers with which she can cut things etc. She can also turn herself into a shadowy cloud, and pass through fencing and bars. Her last power would be that she can dive into shadows and move through them like the Squids from Splatoon can with ink.

How would you build this character?

Sorry, for my bad English. It's not my first language, and thx in advance.

[DreadDomain]

Using Superpowers, I would say that all her powers qualify for a power modifier "Power Only Effective if the Pact is Maintained".

The suggestions below depend on the game effect you want and they are rough. Here goes:

To make melee weapons out of thin air, I would use Energy Projection (Darkness) 2 (to generate up to 2d6 damage) with Can Parry (+5 point - a cost totally whiffed from Armor but taking into account that you need a roll to activate it) and limit in with Range limited to melee weapon being conjured (-1 per level), Damage limited to melee weapon being conjured (-1 per level).

Shadow Weapons - Energy Projection (Darkness) up to 2d6 (20 points), Can Parry (5 points), Reach and Damage limited to melee weapon being conjured (-4 points), Power Only Effective if the Pact is Maintained (-5 points). Cost 16 points.

To move in shadows, you could use something similar to Super-Movement (Air Walking). However, you may not even need it. See Intangibility below.

Shadow Walking - Super-Movement (10 points), Power Only Effective if the Pact is Maintained (-5 points). Cost 5 points

The last one can be done with Intangibility. It also allows the character to "fly" at normal speed so it could stand in for Shadow Walking as well.

Shadow Form - Intangibility 20 (can phase through up to 2m barriers/walls) (40 points), Can phase and walk anywhere but can only "fly" through shadows (-1 points), Power Only Effective if the Pact is Maintained (-5 points). Cost 34 points.

EDIT I used BRP:UGE

Edited May 26, 2023 by DreadDomain

[1d8+DB]

Yeah, the 'Powers' are the way to go: I was thinking of Teleportion instead of Super Movement, but that works.

I wonder about using Passions to manage the Pact, Loyalty to the Bureau vs. Demonic Corruption as oppositional drives. Also, depending on how dark you want the tone,  you might want to incorporate Sanity Rules, as  being a conduit for demonic powers might be somewhat traumatizing. 

[sladethesniper]

Since BRP is not really a system that has "builds" you can just go with the idea you have and how I would make this in a game I would run.

Attributes, all of them would be basic human rolls...

Create/shadow weapons, 1 Magic Point for each minute per d6 of damage, so 1 magic point would allow 1d6 damage weapon of whatever type the PC wanted for 1 minute, 2 magic points for a 2d6 weapon for 1 minute. The attack percentage would be that of the type of weapon. So if Sarah had dagger at 44%, then shadow daggers would also be at 44%.

Shadow Cloud: Turn into a shadowy cloud with the same speed as they have normally. The shadow cloud has no actual strength, dexterity or other physical stats and only attacks of a magical nature can harm her. Shadow Cloud costs 1 Magic Point per 15 seconds duration. Turning into a shadow cloud or turning back into a person takes a full round and she can't do anything else that round.

Shadow jump: Sarah can walk into a shadow and walk out of another shadow. It takes 3 Magic Points to walk into and out of another shadow within 10 meters, 6 Magic Points within 20 meters and 10 Magic Points within 50 meters (her maximum range).

I am sure that there is a "book standard" within the Big Gold Book, but that is my first impression without even looking in a book and I'd let you play that no problem in a game I was running.

I would also want a good background of how these shadow powers were gained, demons are not exactly good things to deal with so I would throw on at least one hefty price as the GM.

-STS

[Mugen]

6 hours ago, sladethesniper said:

Create/shadow weapons, 1 Magic Point for each minute per d6 of damage, so 1 magic point would allow 1d6 damage weapon of whatever type the PC wanted for 1 minute, 2 magic points for a 2d6 weapon for 1 minute. The attack percentage would be that of the type of weapon. So if Sarah had dagger at 44%, then shadow daggers would also be at 44%.

IIRC, "elemental bolt" type powers and spells in BGB cost 3MP per d6 and only do damage once. A weapon which can deal 2d6 multiple times for 2MP seems a lot compared to it.

On the other hand, I also think 3MP for a d6 of damage is too much...

[Chaot]

This is what I posted over at reddit.

__

What's the power level of the group? Can other characters do stuff like this?

I would just use the magic system. So the would cost mp and last POW in rounds. You can adjust the cost up or down depending on how heroic you want your game to be.

Give her whatever stats.

Shadowblade (1-3 mp): This spell allows the caster to shape shadows into a solid melee weapon, such as a dagger or sword, granting it physical properties. The caster can then wield this shadowblade in combat, effectively cutting and attacking their opponents. The weapon's damage is dependent on the mp expended; 1mp is 1d4, 2 mp is 1d6, 3 mp is 1d8.

Umbral Shroud 5 mp: With this spell, the caster can transform their body into a shadowy cloud-like form. In this state, they can pass through solid objects like fences and bars, utilizing their shadowy nature to navigate through physical barriers unnoticed.

Shadowstep 6 mp: By invoking this spell, the caster can dive into a nearby shadow and emerge from another shadow at a distant location. This allows them to traverse large distances quickly, moving through the shadow realm like the Squids from Splatoon move through ink.

Shadow Veil 3 mp: This spell envelops the caster in an illusionary veil of shadows, rendering them invisible to normal sight. While concealed within this shadowy aura, the character becomes nearly undetectable, granting them enhanced stealth capabilities.

Umbra Walk 4 mp: This spell temporarily enhances the caster's agility and speed while in shadow form. It allows them to move swiftly and silently through shadows, granting them an advantage in combat and the ability to navigate shadowy environments with ease.

[DreadDomain]

18 hours ago, 1d8+DB said:

Yeah, the 'Powers' are the way to go: I was thinking of Teleportion instead of Super Movement, but that works.

Me too at first but the reference to Splatoon made me think otherwise. In the end, even Super Movement is not required with Intangibility granting the ability "to fly" through shadows.

18 hours ago, 1d8+DB said:

I wonder about using Passions to manage the Pact, Loyalty to the Bureau vs. Demonic Corruption as oppositional drives.

Yes, definitely this! Great stories and roleplaying opportinuties there.

18 hours ago, 1d8+DB said:

Also, depending on how dark you want the tone,  you might want to incorporate Sanity Rules, as being a conduit for demonic powers might be somewhat traumatizing. 

Even without using Sanity, the in game effect of power points expenditure of the powers could be the mental trauma of invoking dark powers.

Shadow Weapons costs 1 or 2 PP per use (strike or parry) and Shadow Form costs 4 PP to turn on (assuming SIZ 12) and 1 PP per round to maintain. Extra Energy would be useful.

Shadow Weapons (Energy Projection) - Can conjure weapons made of solid darkness for up to 2d6 of damage. The reach and damage of the weapon are limited to the type of melee weapon being conjured. Each strike cost 1 PP per d6 being conjured and each parry cost 1 PP. This Power is only effective if the Pact with the demonic entities is maintained. Cost 16 points.

Shadow Form (Intangibility 20) - Can change to a black shadowy form which permits to phase through up to 2m barriers/walls. While in Shadow Form, the character can phase and walk normally, even in plain light. Additionally, they can jump in shadows and move through them unconstrained by gravity. It costs 4 PP to activate plus an extra 1 PP per round to maintain. This Power is only effective if the Pact with the demonic entities is maintained. Cost 34 points.

Demonic Energy (Extra Energy) - Through their pact, the character is fueled by the dark power of the demonic entities. It provides an extra 20 PP if the Pact with the demonic entities is maintained. Cost 1 point.  

This is not cheap at 51 points total.

[DreadDomain]

3 hours ago, Chaot said:

This is what I posted over at reddit.

I like what you have done. She will burn through her PP very fast though!

[sladethesniper]

13 hours ago, Mugen said:

IIRC, "elemental bolt" type powers and spells in BGB cost 3MP per d6 and only do damage once. A weapon which can deal 2d6 multiple times for 2MP seems a lot compared to it.

On the other hand, I also think 3MP for a d6 of damage is too much...

Yeah, I agree.

-STS

[Nokaion]

7 hours ago, DreadDomain said:

Shadow Weapons costs 1 or 2 PP per use (strike or parry) and Shadow Form costs 4 PP to turn on (assuming SIZ 12) and 1 PP per round to maintain. Extra Energy would be useful.

Shadow Weapons (Energy Projection) - Can conjure weapons made of solid darkness for up to 2d6 of damage. The reach and damage of the weapon are limited to the type of melee weapon being conjured. Each strike cost 1 PP per d6 being conjured and each parry cost 1 PP. This Power is only effective if the Pact with the demonic entities is maintained. Cost 16 points.

For every strike 1 power point per d6? Couldn't we make it more of a permanent tax? Like every time she summons a weapon she uses 1 pp per d6 and her pp max just gets lowered as long as the weapons exist. For example if she summons two daggers for 2d6 darkness damage for 4 pp, her pp max gets lowered from 16 to 12 and when she "expends" them, she has 12 out of 16 pp. Would that work?

Btw. I also think that Superpowers are the way to go, because I don't want to roll for the powers to activate. I just want to use them. There are other character concepts where I think that the Magic system makes more sense.

[Nokaion]

On 5/26/2023 at 6:03 AM, 1d8+DB said:

I wonder about using Passions to manage the Pact, Loyalty to the Bureau vs. Demonic Corruption as oppositional drives. Also, depending on how dark you want the tone,  you might want to incorporate Sanity Rules, as  being a conduit for demonic powers might be somewhat traumatizing. 

I skimmed through the rules for Passions and I think it could work, but I don't want pacts to be too disruptive or "irritating". Maybe I could do it, that the stronger the pact, the more character points you get for Powers?

I thought about incorporating the Sanity rules, but I'm hesitating, because I want to play a series of one-shots and not make characters doomed to die (I only know the rules from CoC where they can end in a death spiral). Though it is part of the setting that people who work for the Bureau long enough get weird and kinda "kooky", so Sanity rules would make sense.

[Chaot]

18 hours ago, DreadDomain said:

I like what you have done. She will burn through her PP very fast though!

Yeah. I specifically did that because the power base is pretty over the top. If it's supposed to be that way though, all you would need to do is scale the cost down to 1 or 2 mp per use and just make the shadow blade default at 1d8 dm.

[DreadDomain]

15 hours ago, Nokaion said:

For every strike 1 power point per d6? Couldn't we make it more of a permanent tax? Like every time she summons a weapon she uses 1 pp per d6 and her pp max just gets lowered as long as the weapons exist. For example if she summons two daggers for 2d6 darkness damage for 4 pp, her pp max gets lowered from 16 to 12 and when she "expends" them, she has 12 out of 16 pp. Would that work?

Btw. I also think that Superpowers are the way to go, because I don't want to roll for the powers to activate. I just want to use them. There are other character concepts where I think that the Magic system makes more sense.

I don't see why not. You just need to make it fair with what another user of Energy Projection would burn. As written, Energy Projection costs 1 PP per 1d6 to use per attack. If you want to pay up front instead you may want to set that cost based on how long combats usually last in your game (say 5 rounds) and then discount it a bit to 4 PP or 3PP per d6 to conjure. It might be a steep price to pay in advance but it has the benefit of staying on as long as you keep the points "spent".