Default Racial Abilities and Spells?

[Peyton Sorell]

The idea is so that people can see what types of things we do here. It is not to impose certain abilities on certain people. No one would be required to change their characters!

Just thoughts for the moment.

[Delilah Sterling]

I know, I know... I'm so damn opinionated! Sorry to post another novel, but this is another really good issue and I'm glad you brought it up.

As far as putting a default on racial abilities, spells, etc., I think to an extent it's a good idea! For instance, what separates a vampire from a succubus if the vampire is able to walk around in the day and feeds off energy instead of blood? Not much, really.

On the other hand, though, a part of what drew me to this board was the relaxed creation process. The possibilities are endless in a world where every supernatural being has powers like a thumbprint. What a stroke of brilliance and realism!

If you look at mythology from around the world, you will find hundreds and thousands of deities and demons, angels and monsters. One culture's goddess of fertility might be represented by a peaceful mother figure, while another culture's might be represented by a fierce, blood smeared warrior woman. How boring it would be if all cultures and legends were cut from the same mold!

As much as I've loved White Wolf over the years, I was excited by the possibilities this board offered. Your vampire doesn't have to be rigidly defined from Race all the way to merits/flaws. Your demon doesn't have to be a soul-sucking fiend from the fiery pits of hell. Your witch doesn't have to wear a silver moon pendant over an earth-toned dress with a spellbook tucked under her arm.

I think to some extent, it's a good idea to lay out some ground rules for all types, some common thread that holds each race together, but there should also be room left for individuals to craft their own unique character during creation (with the final decision down to application mods and admins, of course).

Some examples:

Vampires: A common trait of vampires would be an increase in sensitivity of the five senses, but sunlight would kill them even if they wore SPF30 and Ray-Ban glasses. A vampire who's squeamish about drinking blood either wouldn't last the first week or would end up frenzying from hunger and going on a mini-killing spree which might get them killed anyway.

Players of vampires could, however, pick a few special abilities in addition to the heightened senses that their character developed after being turned, like telepathy, emotional manipulation, turning into a flipping bat and flying away.

Were-creatures: A werewolf, werecat, werehog, etc., would find their entire life influenced by the moon's phases. For instance, they would grow stronger as the moon waxed, but when the moon reached its fullness they would be unable to control themselves or stop themselves from shifting. As the moon wanes, they gradually grow weaker, so that when the moon is completely absent from the sky, they are virtually indistinguishable from humans.

Players would be able to choose specific traits for their were-creature, such as an ability to communicate with animals, or perhaps a kinship with animals that allows the were-creature to manipulate creatures into doing its will. Or any other number of things that again are ultimately up to the application mod and admins to decide.

Elementals: Fire, water, air, earth and nether/spirit. Elemental characters shouldn't encompass more than one element, and their strengths/weaknesses should be directly related to their element. For instance, a water elemental would fare much better in a monsoon than a fire elemental.

Other than that, a player could have a lot of great ideas about what their elemental character can do in regards to their element - can they make water solid (ice) or turn into a liquid form themselves? Can a fire elemental deprive a person of body heat by absorbing it, or make a person's blood heat unbearably in their veins?

Supernatural Humans: Witches, precognitives (able to see visions of the future but not through Guises), empaths, telekinetics... whatever the unusual trait, they're still human and still perishable. No matter how strong the ability, we're still at the mercy of our mortal bodies, and even the common cold mixed with a poor immune system could finish someone off.

The problem, of course, comes into play with demons. Demon is used generically on the board to refer to all supernaturals, but if you look at the characters, we have all kinds of demons. Fae, succubi, incubi, and a kitsune come to mind.

I think the only real way to create a basis for the multiple choices one has for demons is to ask the player to mention what the basis of their demon is, and then read up as much as they can about that type of demon. A succubus is going to need sexual energy and a kitsune isn't going to be able to help herself when it comes to tricking people. Demons are at the mercy of their most basic needs and impulses.

Well, anyway, to draw it all up with a pretty bow, I think that the fewer limitations to the creative process, the better, but it never hurts to have some basic standards to help keep everyone on the same level.

[Cedric Von Engel]

I 100% agree. I think the idea was not the hinder the process, but to help in the creation by offering options and allowing the players to use the shallow end and not toss them into the deep end to sink or swim

[Gray Denure]

Blimey!

I think I have to agree (sorry though I didn't read your whole post, so sleepy! 00:15pm!!!)

The fewer restrictions the better...besides we have andrea and the mods here, to point out any unnecessary factors on a character bio...so it will all be fine.

[Seth Burgoyne]

I was reading this because I was bored, and I had a thought. I liked this site when I joined because I could create any sort of being I wanted and give it the powers and characteristics I wanted. Some racial abilities and stuff like that are a given - vampiric creatures live of some sort of life-force or blood, elementals are linked to an element/the natural world and so on. These ones are kind of automatic. You really only need more specific guidelines if the site uses a limited kind of creatures/powers or even modified versions. Well, that's what I think.