Recent content by JConstantine

I try to play a variety of things so as to not typecast myself and stretch the roleplay muscles, but I'll admit I'm always drawn to the spooky options (edge optional). Necromancer, warlock, death knight, occultist; if it deals with the supernatural or dark forces, I'm a sucker for it...

Based on a quick glance at my collection: Arkham Horror/Call of Cthulhu: Mostly investigatory. Combat isn't non-existent, but it shouldn't be a desirable option. City of Mist/Hard City/A Dirty World: All focus on noir investigation, but fisticuffs are a possibility, so probably falls foul of...

There is an Old Jungle Saying: “To see the Phantom is a blessing; to oppose him is a curse.”

No opinions on the article itself, but I really like that artwork. The dingy duochrome palette evokes certain grime-covered Renaissance pieces.

Comparing it to my pre-launch speculation, I was a bit hit-and-miss.

Hence my stating it wasn't strictly true. The only extraordinary thing about Indiana is his stubborn refusal to acknowledge anything close to magical despite all he's seen. When I say "ordinary", I mean people without super powers, magical abilities and the like. Indiana Jones, Flash Gordon...

I vastly prefer the hunger dice to the blood pool, and like Blood Potency as a way of mechanically distinguishing between age and generation. I kinda agree about V:TM's clans insofar as I think the secondary 6 were unnecessary (not to mention the racist elements), but I couldn't gel with V:TR's...

This isn't strictly true when looking at the old pulp serials, but for me, the core of what makes a good pulp story can be summed up as "ordinary people in extraordinary situations." So I try to keep that in mind for pulp games.

Depending on what elements you like (and if you can bring yourself to give it a look), V5 might very well be up your alley. It keeps the setting and clans, etc of V:TM, but de-emphasises the metaplot by making it rumour and conjecture (V:TM always used unreliable narrators, but it's more...

The thread is focused on fey, so I don't want to get too off-topic, but I agree with distinguishing between the agreements made with fey vs devils. I'd throw in djinn wishes here too. I prefer to have written contracts be specific to devils, highlighting their Lawful nature, while fey are...

I'm a big proponent of blue-orange morality for beings like fey. One method I use for that playing that up is by giving them a child-like understanding of things, eg. mostly surface level. So they have nobility with their courts and titles, etc., and demand the respect and gifts that come with...

This is precisely what I meant. I used the term "OC community" as shorthand for those places and their users collectively. No, "Original Character (OC)" comes from the fan-fiction scene, where some would write stories based on an established IP, but focused on an original character (often a...

Macabre is flavour though. Ashton wasn't macabre, neither was Percival himself really, even if his arc was. Meanwhile, Launda was, Vaelus is, Occtis (and particularly Pincushion) has a Tim Burtonesque blend of whimsy and macabre. That's just it, I don't think they have been all that different...

I've mentioned elsewhere about disliking that approach myself. I'm not interested in an internal monologue; if your character is angry, for example, describe to me how they clench their fists, face flushed, and shout at the top their lungs in barely controlled rage. Show, don't tell. This is...

Have you ever interacted with, or at least observed, the online OC community? There is an extremely common trend to make characters who are super special snowflakes. Often, but not always, Mary Sues. I can't (and won't) speak for @overgeeked, obviously, but, Taliesin's characters do have a whiff...