Using the Watchers from Buffy the Vampire Slayer

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

After finally catching up (in a relative sense, the first two seasons of both Angel and Buffy) on the Buffy/Angel phenomenon, I've found myself very interested in the Watchers.

A great deal of the fan sites I've visited while looking for fanfic have offered interesting tidbits, but I'm interested in forming a common list of Watcher skills so that I can make some Watcher-esq characters for my game. Here's what I have so far.

1. Extensive combat training in a variety of weapons, including swords, knives, quarterstaves, unarmed, crossbow, and of course, the stake. Also apparently the modern watchers have added a course in modern firearmes as well.

2. Ability to speak several languages to better translate tomes of demon and vampire lore and prophecy.

3. Grounding in the arcane arts, so they can perform rituals.

What others have people noticed in either series, or gathered by conjecture?

Also, what kind of resources and requirements does a Watcher have? I've gathered that being a Watcher is herediary, requires study from an extremely young age, and the taking of several sacred and biding oaths.

A Watcher is expected to follow the Council's orders, as these orders are supposedly based on hundreds or even thousands of years of accumulated lore.

A Watcher is paid by the Council. They have access to a vast library of tomes pertaining to the various subjects they will face. They can call on other members of the organization at need.

What else? Thanks in advance for any help anyone can give me!

 

[Crothian]

While watchers seem to know how to use some weapons, they don't seem to know how to do it well. Giles rarely looked compitent. And many of the Watchers we see in Buffy season 5 when they give her the info on Glory don't look like they can handle themselves in any type of combat. However, there does seem to be a more militaristic branch that is very good at combat for a normal person.

I agree with the high amount of knowledge in languages, history, and occult lore.

They do seem to have a basic understanding on magic. I'm not sure if all of them can perform it though.

I'd say becoming a Watcher one would need tobe smart and aware or at least open to new things (the supernatural). I image most of them are reseasrch type people as there can only be so many Slayers in training.

It is expected that watchers obey the commands of the council. THat is shown many, many time.

And yes the Watchers do pay the Watchers and probalby do supply them with much of thier personal library.

Coincidetially, the Watchers from Buffy seem very similiar to the Watchers from Highlander. THe big difference being the Watchers from Highlander are supposed to not take any action, they only watch. At least in theory. As a big Buffy and Highlander fan I found the similiaires amusing and wonder if Joss used them to inspire his own creation.

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

While watchers seem to know how to use some weapons, they don't seem to know how to do it well. Giles rarely looked compitent. And many of the Watchers we see in Buffy season 5 when they give her the info on Glory don't look like they can handle themselves in any type of combat.

Giles did indeed look like a buffoon upon several occasions, but I'm laying part of that down to the fact that Buffy is capable to knocking him out with one punch. It's also harder to keep ahold of your weapons with the person you're facing has many times the speed and strength of a normal person. I think partially Buffy's raw talent overshadows what skills Giles does have.

However, there does seem to be a more militaristic branch that is very good at combat for a normal person.

Case in point, the "Council's Elite" from season 1 of Angel ("Santuary"). Very well trained strike team.

I agree with the high amount of knowledge in languages, history, and occult lore.

They do seem to have a basic understanding on magic. I'm not sure if all of them can perform it though.

From a comment by Giles in "The Dark Age" (season 1 Buffy) it sounded like occult studies were part of the normal curriculum for a Watcher. While Giles himself definetly had experience in magic, even the oft maligned Wesley was capable of performing magical rituals (in Angel at least).

I'd say becoming a Watcher one would need to be smart and aware or at least open to new things (the supernatural). I image most of them are reseasrch type people as there can only be so many Slayers in training.

Since the Watchers are in training from a very young age, I gathered the impression that they are much more comfortable with the idea of demons and vampires running around in the world than most people even at younger ages.

While I haven't gotten to the episodes where Wesley is introduced in Buffy, the episode guide and various other sites seems to imply that Wesley was an archivist. That would seem to follow with your comment.

Coincidetially, the Watchers from Buffy seem very similiar to the Watchers from Highlander. THe big difference being the Watchers from Highlander are supposed to not take any action, they only watch. At least in theory. As a big Buffy and Highlander fan I found the similiaires amusing and wonder if Joss used them to inspire his own creation.

Heh, I sense a Watcher showdown coming.

 

[Shallown]

Watchers seemed to be losely organized with managers, trainers, archivist, researchers, witches/warlocks and several other branches. they seemed to have some power and influence since in several episodes they threatened Giles with deporting him when he was fired.

They had some similiarities to Highlander but thinking about it they pretty much have to considering what both their jobs are.

One impression I get is that there are a lot of Watcher trainees training potential Slayers. Like the one who trained faith and the girl before her (started with a K ?) they both stated they had been trained for some time especially K it was all she knew but she had just become the slayer like a year before when buffy died first season.

I also think this season with Willow in England showed that the english mystical mindset is a little more open as evidenced by the watchers all being/ or mostly being english and the coven they mention etc.

Maybe the slayer shows up in America a lot becuase they have england more or less under control through the watchers and friends.

Just an idea.

 

[AuroraGyps]

books on Watchers

I would suggest taking a look at the Buffy the Vampire Slayer RPG from Eden Studios while at you local gaming store. I'm very interested in the game itself, but I haven't looked that closely at the book, so I can't say what info it has for The Watchers. Also, I seem to recall that there might be a book ( like an episode guide thing.... info on the show) about The Watchers, but I could be wrong.
For Eden Studios tryEden Studios , but this might be an old address. Good luck.

 

[Wayside]

While watchers seem to know how to use some weapons, they don't seem to know how to do it well. Giles rarely looked compitent.

They do seem to have a basic understanding on magic. I'm not sure if all of them can perform it though.

I'd say becoming a Watcher one would need tobe smart and aware or at least open to new things (the supernatural). I image most of them are reseasrch type people as there can only be so many Slayers in training.

Coincidetially, the Watchers from Buffy seem very similiar to the Watchers from Highlander. THe big difference being the Watchers from Highlander are supposed to not take any action, they only watch. At least in theory. As a big Buffy and Highlander fan I found the similiaires amusing and wonder if Joss used them to inspire his own creation.

Did you forget about Ol' Ripper? Giles showed himself to be quite capable (and fairly violent in his youth, it seems) several times, not only by beating Ethan Rayne, who was simply mortal, but against all kinds of vampires and demons, which were much stronger and faster than any human; and all this at the age of.. what? Late 40's--early 50's? What I don't really understand is the extent of the Watchers' powers/organization.

I mean, they send Wesley to serve as the new Watcher both for Buffy and for Faith. ?! The whole organization seems predicated on training and guiding the slayers, but they send some moron with no experience to supervize TWO slayers, which in theory has never happened before?! And when Buffy and Kendra were both alive and active, the Watchers somehow didn't know that there were TWO slayers, even though both had Watchers which were, presumably, reporting to the council? And then there are all the hints at the mysterious (possibly dark) source of the slayers' powers, which the watchers know nothing about, despite the fact that they have all kinds of information stemming back from before the world was taken over as human beings.

None of this seems right to me, but then, I hear that Angel ends up with Corny--sorry, Cordy--in his spinoff so.. besides, thes are minor oversights (I think anyway, since they could always be explained later in satisfying way) compared to the paradox of the curse on Angel and a few other things.

That's interesting that you find the Watchers in Buffy to be similar to those in Highlander. They seem completely different to me. In Buffy the name is kind of a misnomer since they exist to (or seem to) actualy do battle against the old ones, and train the slayer(s) to do the same. In Highlander they just watch, hence the fitting title. They're historians, basically, at least until Joe and then Methos.

Getting into Highlander is a big fat nightmare of continuity problems though, so screw that. At least Gregory Widen had something initially.

 

[DM_Matt]

Giles was portrayed at the beginning as incompetent in combat, and he seemed to be -- while he was in his role as Giles, High School Librarian.

Sometimes, though (and more and more often lately), Ripper shows up to the party. Giles truly letting go and letting his Ripper persona take over is a very scary, powerful, and occasionally ruthless man.

I am not saying that he was intentionally being weak, but rather that he was forced into the playing the role of the weak watcher until he could come to grips with his past. When that happened, he got back the power that came with it.

 

[Thain]

Giles is one of my favorite characters in any media, and not just because Anthony head is a god-among-men to me...

Also, I'd like to take this opportunity to plug the great ShadowChasers mini-game from Poly 150, and the Mentor Advanced Class.

Ruppert, Wesley, and the Council couldn't be reflected better in a d20 system.

(As for Highlander-esque watchers, use this class or the Loremaster PrC.)

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

Mentor class does do pretty well.

I was thinking, for a D&D setting, multiclass rogue/wizard, probably with a custom PrC.

 

[Henry]

One thing to note about Giles' weapons training and the generic Watchers' weapons training - Giles is an exceptional watcher, as we have seen before. Most watchers do not have large amounts of weapons training, tehmselves, and are far more scholarly. It seems that only the ones with weapons training are actually assigned to train potential slayers. The rest are the librarians of the occult - they are purely observational and research-oriented people.

BTW, "Ripper" Rupert is much nastier with his fists, than with weapons, as we have seen many times before. My favorite performance of Anthony Stewart Head occurred in the last episode of the 5th season of Buffy. Tha part where he finds the little Glory sycophant listening at his door - coupled with his extraction of information from the sycophant - and his pure cold-blooded assassination of Ben were two of the most dramatic, and (God help my twisted self) COOLEST moments I've ever seen in a TV series.

It is safe to say that Giles is the exceptional watcher, rather than the rule.