Buffy RPG - A Hellmouth in Waterloo [Closed]

[Cor Azer]

Oh how I love Buffy. But I have a hard time imagining how it would work in an RPG. Some characters were just around for comic relief (Xander). Others had supernatural powers that were essentially useless once they were discovered (Oz), but still had a place as window dressing. Others were just... well I don't know why they were there aside from being easy on the eyes (Cordelia).

Question: Would the Watcher be a playable character in this campaign? That's probably the only character I'd be interested in playing.

Playing a Watcher is certainly possible, whether or not some plays a Slayer.

As for the generic, non-superpowered Scoobies, from a game mechanics point of view, they get far more Drama points than the Heroes; so while the Slayers and Vampires and Initiative Commandos win fights through skills and natural ability, Scoobies win through luck and good fortune.

 

[Systole]

Hmmm ... maybe. Current character concept is a Hero who was born human sometime back in the 16th century, then became an artist for the Medicis, and eventually ended up in the company of a naughty alchemist. Long story short: He's immortal as long as he consumes demon blood regularly, so by this time he's racked up a very, very long list of demons who want him dead. He's currently an art and/or history professor at the college.

 

[Cor Azer]

Hmmm ... maybe. Current character concept is a Hero who was born human sometime back in the 16th century, then became an artist for the Medicis, and eventually ended up in the company of a naughty alchemist. Long story short: He's immortal as long as he consumes demon blood regularly, so by this time he's racked up a very, very long list of demons who want him dead. He's currently an art and/or history professor at the college.

Ah... The Age skill monkey Love getting some past life hooks

So, that looks like 6 players or so, assuming Herobizkit and DrZombie stay interested after checking out the rulebooks. I'll try to post a generic supporting cast later to give an idea of character sheet format, but if people want to start hashing out some character backgrounds, have at ye!

 

[jkason]

Hmmm ... maybe. Current character concept is a Hero who was born human sometime back in the 16th century, then became an artist for the Medicis, and eventually ended up in the company of a naughty alchemist. Long story short: He's immortal as long as he consumes demon blood regularly, so by this time he's racked up a very, very long list of demons who want him dead. He's currently an art and/or history professor at the college.

A man who lives on demon blood and a half-demon? Now that could definitely be some interesting tension.

 

[Cor Azer]

A man who lives on demon blood and a half-demon? Now that could definitely be some interesting tension.

Any different than a Slayer and a vampire on the same team?

 

[jkason]

Any different than a Slayer and a vampire on the same team?

Oh, I didn't mean 'interesting' in any negative sense. I agree, it's very much the kind of tension the Buffyverse enjoys.

 

[Systole]

Rechard Butler

Strength : 3
Dexterity : 3
Constitution : 6
Intelligence : 3
Perception : 4
Willpower : 4

Acrobatics : 0
Art : 6
Computers : 0
Crime : 0
Doctor : 1
Driving : 0
Getting Medieval : 6
Gun Fu : 0
Influence : 0
Knowledge : 4
Kung Fu : 1
Languages : 4
Mr. Fix-It : 0
Notice : 5
Occultism : 4
Science : 0
Sports : 0



Age (with Adversary) 3
Artist
(Ex-)Watcher
Situational Awareness
Hard To Kill 3
Natural Toughness
Nerves Of Steel
Resistance-Demon Powers 4
Resistance-Poison 1
Resistance-Pain 1




Fear Of Commitment
Obsession
Addiction 2
Secret 2
Reckless

Languages: (English), German, Italian, Latin, Chinese

Rechard was born in Germany in the late 1400s. He was a painter -- a good one, with rich and powerful patrons -- and he associated with scientists, philosophers, and dabblers in the arcane. Eventually, he and two of his friends participated in a ritual which gave them eternal life so long as they regularly drank demon blood. The others long since went insane from the corrupting influence; Rechard has survived.

Rechard was a Watcher in the late 1800s, and left on bad terms. They have no idea he's still alive, and they'd be very, VERY interested to find that out. (Secret 2)

Demon blood is both Rechard's obsession and his addiction, as it keeps him alive and superhumanly healthy. However, because of his superhuman health, he tends to wade in to fights without much forethought. He's also accumulated quite a long list of demons whose friends he's killed and drained.

Rechard is currently a history and art teacher at XXXX College, and he also coaches the fencing team. While he's an amazing painter, a knowledgeable historian, and a skilled combatant with a rapier, Rechard has never gotten the hang of automobiles, guns, computers, or anything resembling modern technology and science.

Rechard is an average looking man of average height, or perhaps an inch less. He has a light brown ponytail and goatee, as well as a slight but unplaceable European accent.

P.S. +1,000,000 Internets if you can identify the historical figure/artist Rechard is based on.
P.P.S. Abilities and Drawbacks are still first draft.

 

[airwalkrr]

Well I know absolutely nothing about the system, but if the Watcher is available as a player character, then I am willing to learn. Giles was always my favorite character on that show, although I think my Watcher would be a much different character in at least a few ways.

So far I am thinking about a Watcher who has embraced modern technology in a way few Watchers have. He is internet savvy and keeps copies of many of his most important books on his laptop. He has a physical library as well, but rarely consults it. That might be a weakness on his part; because only a fraction of the most important tomes have been converted to digital format to date and he relies on technology, he is reticent to go back to the old way of doing things.

Rees Dafydd is British (of course) with a Welsh accent, having been born and raised in Caernarfon. He attended Oxford University for his undergraduate studies with a major in Computer Science (Programming) and a minor in The Occult. He completed a Doctorate in Programming Language Design at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology then earned a Master's in Renaissance Studies at Victoria University and a Doctorate in Medieval Studies at the University of Toronto all while performing post-graduate studies in computer programming. He accomplished all of this by the age of 26, then moved back to Great Britain for a short period of time, ostensibly to serve as a professor in an English college, but actually received training as a Watcher. He had been called before attending Oxford and part of doing his graduate and post-graduate studies in Ontario was to prepare him for being a Watcher there. He has recently returned to Ontario to be assigned to a new slayer, or to be assigned to replace a former Watcher (whichever is more convenient). The Watcher's Council has never been fond of the fact that he has been so interested in technology, but they have begun to begrudgingly accept that in order to effectively combat the supernatural dangers in the world they are going to have to adapt.

I'll have to figure out how all this translates into character stats later.

 

[Cor Azer]

Alas, my Google-fu fails me in identifying the inspiration for Rechard, but in my last two Buffy games, I've had a player run a character based on a German historical figure.

General Q on Rechard - what sort of teacher is he? Knowledgable but aloof? Traditional? Interactive? Also... Fear of commitment? Dude is like 400 years old! Poop or get off the pot, man!

 

[Cor Azer]

Love the approach to Watcherdom by Rees; and another nice internal conflict between the current Watcher Rees and the long since ex-watcher Rechard.

airwalkrr, Rees will probably be arriving in Waterloo looking for his new Slayer; either another player's character if someone wants to play the Slayer, or a supporting NPC if nobody picks her. If you don't have the rules, I can whip up a draft to bounce off you for ideas.