Professor Phobos
D20 CoC- Academic feats?
One thing I thought was seriously lacking in D20 Call of Cthulhu were in-genre feats, mostly related to investigation or academia. Stuff like knowing insane numbers of languages, having contacts all over the world, and so forth.
Is there anyplace I could find such feats? Lovecraftian flaws would also be cool.
Turanil
Here is an idea of feat off the top of my head (needs a serious rewrite):
NAME: ???
The character is allergic to the supernatural, and when in its vicinity reacts to it badly even if he is unaware of its presence. As such, when the character begins to sneeze uncontrollably, or what not, he knows that some atrocious things are lurking around...
PREREQUISITE: Knowledge Cthulhu-Mythos: 2+ ranks
BENEFIT: The character knows that something supernatural is happeneing in the vicinity (100 yards radius), when he is affected by some peculiar allergy or illness (such as coughing and sneezing uncontrollably). The closer that supernatural thing is, the stronger the allergy. Unfortunately, the character doesn't perceives the source, only knows that "there is something" out there. Furthermore, the allergy-illness is hindering (to be defined by the GM: -1 to all rolls; being noisy thus listener are at +4 to hear the character, etc.)
note: the 2 ranks in Cthulu Mythos aknowledge the fact that the character must already have encountered the supernatural, and be aware of its horror...
Turanil
I suggest you begin a new thread based on this one in the Houserules forum. Add the above feats and ideas, and ask people to either add ideas of feats, actual writings of feats (either new feats, or feats based on ideas given in the thread), or simple comments about the feats written.
A blackout feat could be cool: a guy with already the feat I began to devise (I will name it "Allergy to the Supernatural" until someone comes with a better more enticing name), could faint, and during his coma (duration of 1d100 minutes) get some visions and clues about what is transpiring around. Visions may be cryptic and are a GM discretion. The character must try to focuse his attention on his allergy; when he succeeds (Concentration check?), he unfortunately fall in a faint. So he is hepless and hiw fellow investigators will have to take care of him. But when he awakes, he has some information...
Good greif!!!! The poor guy only had to post the suggestion twice and I only had to read it carefully once to go...MAN!!! I am an idiot!!!! BAD_ENGLISH
Although no help, I second the request.
Please this is a valid point, that I am ashamed I did not even consider, it would give alot of the flavor back to the rules.
Sanity and flaws? Hmmmm interesting, like H. Bogart in the private eye/investigator "Flim Noir" movies; edgy with a past and a little on the crazy side.
For a name hows about "Terrors Call" or "Alhazrds whisper"
Hmmm obviously it got my attention.
Good work.
Professor Phobos, Turanil do you guys have any more ideas?
The concept is great, I just wish I was as rules savy as others were, to bring something more than my flashes of weak creative illuminations to your ideas. I just had the late great Bogart and the (still?) tough yet wonderful Bacall flash into my head.
http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=87241
Sorry about that.
And the idea of the physiological reaction to the presence of a Mythos entity seems highly plausable. Given the psycho/physiological reaction of post traumatic stress (called "Shell Shock", well into the seventies and eighties by laymen.) and the context of the Great War (WW1) and the early setting of World War 2 coupled with H.P. Lovecrafts character developement/flaws.
Having that reaction to a Mythos entity a very solid case for consideration as the basis for a feat or feats, for CoC D20.
Making a resitance to the physiological reaction due to another feat, or keeping the reaction and having an improved feat that enhances the power of detection/awareness, but having the physiological manifestation as fainting.
Many of the heros in Lovecraft's stories had blackouts, a plot devise to reinforce his statement about the human minds in-ability to comprehend the vastness and power of the Mythos Gods and demons.
