Homebrew Custom Arcanum Backgrounds

I did'nt want to make it too high, because you could easily have too much power at the beginning of the game then. What about MA +10 is that good enough?

Yes, because you are more opener to the ways of magic and casting spells.

 

+10 MA would do, methinks. Not too much, but enough to stand for a difference.

...but are screwed about it anyway because of your lack of willpower. Sucks to be a free spirit mage.

 

Mmm...yes...you are right. What if I change the WP -2 into INT -2, and INT +2 into WP +2, or do you have a better idea?

 

Actually both options are interesting when it comes to a chellenge. Any background with INT and WP changes when one is decreased and the second increased will be an original path for a mage.

INT+2 WP-2 will give you a mage who at the beginning has a little variety of spells because of the Willpower decrease, but the few spells he already knowa will be fairly more powerful because of MA bonus.

INT-2 WP+2 on the other hand will give you a mage with increased abilities of learning spells, but deascreased abilities of mentaining them (since he will be able to keep only one spell working at a time).

 

New Version:

The Free Spirit

Available to: All
You have been born with a natural curiosity, and restless soul. A free spirit greets the wonders of the universe with open arms (WP +2). Unfortunaly the horrors of the universe are likely to rip off those arms (INT -2). Free spirits gain MA +10. Since the Free spirit is so open and carefree, it is difficult for him or her to lie (Persuade -2).

 

I just love how you switched the willpower and intelligence modifications without any change in the justifications behind them.

 

I just met someone today... god she is ANNOYING!!! Here is one in her honour...

I mean who whines to an almost complete stranger about how her stuck up friends just turned their backs on her for... well see below

For females but I've met a few male gossips so I guess it could stretch

The Estranged Gossip
You just have to spread the latest celebrity mishap, who knows? The world could implode if you don't! Years of spreadng the latest news has given you a healthy speaking voice that won't allow anyone else to get a word in edgewise (Charisma +3). However you know that last story you told? Turns out it was an unfounded, untrue accusation (Persuasion -12) and your usual posse have thrown you out. People are less likely to believe you as you are now the one who all the gossips are talking about and there sill be consequences if you're found out (-10 reaction per gossip about you).

 

My condolences upon meeting this individual.
The background is quite interesting. A boost into charisma with practically no possibility of transfering the stat into persuation. Like giving someone a finely crafter sword and breaking his both arms. The background would be useful for someone who doesn't care about being a negotiator but just wants to have more followers, however the greatest burden of the background would be the very awareness of being such a filthy gossip.

 

Actually, I am not sure what for negative modificaction I shall do for the Unfortunaly the horrors of the universe are likely to rip off those arms thing.

Indeed, the character must be very carefull, for if his/her lies are found out, he could get a -10 negative reaction modifer with his followers.

 

Well they could still be a negotiator they'll just have a 3 point penalty

I like that idea Arthgon *edits*

 

The first background had more relation between reason and stat. Being open to the universe and all comes with some sort of intelligence, while being sensitive to the horrors of the world can surely break one's willpower. The other way around it just doesn't sound too coherent.

But who would even start being a negotiator when he would have to put 3 points into nothingness. Not to mention that every skill is capped at max 20 points added, for this case max=20-12, which means that this negotiator would be limited to maximum 8/20 in persuation.

I understand that this is more of an real world idea than a plan ti implement in the game? Cause I'm not sure how that would have to be made to work.
-10 is a good solid penalty, but I would say that it's too harsh for a "per gossip" modifier. Five gossips and grandmas will attack you on the street.

 

What about a -2 through 5 modifier, based on the action? It would make traversing cities difficult near the end of the game, but by that point you'd be powerful, and could finally get your vengeance upon those whom ruined your name...

 

I can see the stats working both ways.

+WP/-IN - Being open and one with the universe strengthens your spiritual resolve and leads to a generally more enlightened individual. However, seeing the barbarism and horrors of the world you find reason and rationality to be of little importance.

+IN/-WP - You understand how everything interacts and you see the patterns in the world/universe around you. Unfortunately that pattern can be ugly at times making you wonder what the point of it all is and crushing your spirit.

 

I thought it was quite interchangeable myself, and saw nothing wrong with it. Heh, Magicarp, we posted at the same time.

 

The ring of influence should give enough of a boost to allow such a character to reach expert persuasion due to the bonus it grants. And if persuasion fails,there is always disintegrate. :lol:

 

Muro: About the reaction implementation it would involve adding to the game's dialog but I don't think it would be possible without a bit more work to get it to specify the background for the effect, though that bit was added just for fun because I liked his idea of being found out.

Someone truly wishing to have negotiator as a character would see the persuasion penalty as a challenge, as it was intended, they would have to rely more on items than a negotiator that could just max it and be done with it

 

At first I didn't see the connection between the free spirit and +WP/-INT in Arthgon's description. However this:

indeed made me see the reason behind it. I would however formulate it a bit differently, that +WP comes from spiritual power and great faith, while -INT is caused by putting too much trust in your faith while rarely seeing a need to think it over, which surely fades the mind.

Why are you lying DF, you posted a whole minute later.

The ring of influence is propably the only item adding anything to haggle. There would still be Kerlin's/Kai'tan's blessing, giving +4 to it. All in all, this is a chellenge indeed. The worst of the best negotiators. Still, if a dwarf can be a mage, than why not. Impossible is nothing.

 

Hope I didn't cut it too close(18-19 days since last post).

The Arcane Adept

You are attuned to magic more than most(+30 Magical Aptitude) and spells are much easier to cast and maintain due to your superior magical skills(Fatigue costs lowered by 1/4th). Your affinity to magic is such that you tend to cause technological items to go haywire just by getting 10 feet of them, which tends to greatly annoy technologists(-20 reaction to any with technological aptitude of 5 or higher). Your reliance on your magic has weakened you greatly, and as a result you suffer penalties to Strength(-4) and Constitution(-6) as well as a penalty to Beauty(-2) due to getting too close to an explosives expert who just happened to be making a grenade at the time.

 

Since this thread seems to have run its course, I think I'd like to add most of these backgrounds to my hack - The Swasian being a note-worthy exception as that was done just as a goof (+40 Beauty... Kee-ristmas).

Doing a little quick math showed that between the pre-made characters, stock-game backgrounds, and the ones made by ChrisBeddoes, DarkAngel, Kijikun, and the various people who contributed to this thread, that will give a combined total of between 160 and 170 character backgrounds to choose from.
And that's where I intend to stop. I'll add one of my own making to the end of the list and call this part of the job done.

Also - since the backgrounds don't seem to mention the starting wealth, I'll be using the standard 600 gold unless the background suggests otherwise.

And, of course, proper credit will be given in the build-log and read-me.

So - If anyone does not wish to see their creation used anywhere but in this thread, now would be a good time to say so.

Thanks in advance.

 

Yeah, I timed this thread poorly, I made it right when I started a move that had me intermittently without internet for several weeks. Seemed like a better idea to let it die naturally than to continually defibrillate it. There sure were some interesting and awesome backgrounds in here, but several of them were quite imbalanced.