|
Post by RidiculousNinja on Jun 4, 2020 20:46:04 GMT -5
If anyone's got any recommendations or critiques let me know I'm going to refine it just a bit. Maybe move some stones around.
|
|
|
Post by Gris on Jun 5, 2020 3:54:47 GMT -5
I like how he's trying to do the right thing even if that means getting away from his home and the organization that should be proud of him. His humble origins will also make for a nice contrast between characters, nice work!
|
|
|
Post by Dhark on Jun 5, 2020 7:06:43 GMT -5
Agreed. The story works great.
Mechanically... I’d consider removing the “combine with close combat”, you’ve got two actions per panel anyways, and that’s a pricey perk (which also seems like overkill with ninja already stacking actions/abilities).
Disabling... I think it’s more like RESTRAINING. To me that would fit with control/manipulate.
That’d free up some CL’s to raise some AN’s or diversify some additional skills/actions
The Glove seems powerful as a “free” item... but that’s just my opinion.
|
|
|
Post by RidiculousNinja on Jun 5, 2020 22:53:24 GMT -5
Genji Chen-Dai Li Renegade "If I ever see you in Ba Sing Se again... I'll kill you myself." -Zai Feng, Dai Li Leader BACKSTORY I was never especially important. I was born on an average day to farmers within the outer walls of Ba Sing Se. It really wasn't me and my father and I didn't quite see eye to eye. There was still mutual respect there but I knew I couldn't be a simple farmer when I started erthbending. My days of simplicity were gone.
I immediately began tutelage under an old Earth Kingdom warrior and found that my stubbornness made me a natural bender and I quickly mastered several techniques. This attracted the attention of the Dai Li. As a natural earth bender and quick study it wasn't long before I was recruited within their ranks. The youngest in over 20 generations at sixteen.
Three years past an none of us were prepared for the news we received... the Fire Nation had destroyed the Air Nomads in a vicious attack. Zai Feng, our leader and mentor, told us not to worry and to speak of this to no one. Understandably he did not want the citizens to panic. Little did I know.. he meant no one, not even the Earth King himself.
I didnt realize but Feng had taken over the Earth Kingdom right under everyone's nose. His word became law and any talk of the new war would be considered treason. I confronted him but my brothers had chosen to follow their leader in his mad scheme and I was chased from my home. It is still my duty to protect the Earth Kingdom.
Now I'm on a search for the Avatar it's my destiny to help stop this war. _______________________________________________ Stats Abilities (3W)
Int 3 Str 2 (4) Agi 2 Spd 2
Vitals (7W) Health 3 Energy 12 Regen 6
Actions Close Quarters Training 4 (2w) *Strength or Weapon Bonus *Restraining *Multiple opponents *Kung Fu *Dai Li Training
Ranged Combat Training 4 (2w) *Weapon Bonus *created weapon *Dai Li Training *Blowgun *Spear
Eyes of Ba Sing Se 3 (2W) *Base Cost AN + 1 *General Spying Skills and Field Training *Covert Ops *Interogation *Escape
Earthbending 4 (12W) *Base Cost AN *Control/Manipulate +01CL *Cannot Create -01CL *Substitute Mastery for Strength +1 CL *Force Blast +1 CL *Area attack +3CL
Flight 4 (1W) *Base Cost AN + 2 CL *Bought through Earthbending -1 CL *Maximum Speed is 5 -1CL *Limited Manuverability/cannot perform any other action-1CL
Social Skills 3 (1W) *Secret Messages *Interogation *Information Gathering
Modifiers Wealth -1
Equipment Gloves of the Dai Li (+1 Stone Gloves +2 to disable with earth bending) Robes of the Dai Li
Challenges Outcast of the Wall 3 -Banished from his home and in constant fear that the Dai Li have hunted him down
Pride of the Mountian 1 -He is very prideful and this can lead to confrontation. A wayward remark can lead to an avalanche of destruction.
Heart of the Farmer 1 -While prideful he also cannot not sit idly by when someone is in need, especially farmers.
|
|
|
Post by Ushima911 on Jun 6, 2020 19:18:53 GMT -5
I'd be up to throw down for this to increase interest. I'll have to think of a concept, but it's ATLA, so I'm sure I can easily come up with something.
The last Avatar game I was a part of, I was a non-bending weapon master, might go with that again. Maybe
|
|
|
Post by ultron2099 on Jun 7, 2020 3:01:59 GMT -5
So, I've looked over the lore online, and I've watched the first season of the Last Airbender. And I've noticed something. The rules are obvious, Only the Avatar can master the four elements of bending, and apparently the 5th now being energy. And each bending art takes a unique mind set to master the skills, three of the states have been granted by learning how animals bent their element, and one how the moon bent water. But in NO place I can find, does it say you can only master one element, the only law being that only the Avatar can master all four. So, I'm going to create a first time.
COST +10W Intelligence 4 Strength 2 Agility 2 Speed 2 Durability 4 Health 4 Energy 12 Regeneration 4
COST +20W Black Ops/Spying 3 -Assassination -Infiltration -Extraction
Combat - Close 6 -Boxing -Jeet Kune Do -Jujutsu -Krav Maga -Muah Tai -Sambo
Combat - Ranged 3
Advanced Air Bending 7 +Combine with Close/Ranged Combat +Manipulate Air +Air Force Blast -One Target Only -Other's Not Shielded From Power -Can't Be Split Between Attack/Defense
Mastery of Water Bending 9 +Combine with Close/Ranged Combat +Manipulate Water +Water Force Blast -Only Effects Non-Living Substances *Cannot Heal or Blood Bend* -Other's Not Shielded From Power -Power Weaker Away From Source/Power *Water/Moon* -Can't Be Split Between Attack/Defense
Social skills 3 -Air Bending Culture -Water Bending Culture -Underworld
CHALLENGES -5W -Blames the Fire Nation for starting the war, and the Earth and Water Nation for allowing the Air Nomads to be wiped out. -1 -Disliked and shunned by many 'Decent Folk' -2 -Wants money and power and revenge but doesn't want anyone to know who he is or what he can really do. -2 *He cannot multi element bend. He can at any time bend either air or water, but not both together. Only the Avatar can multi-bend
As fate would have it, Alterum was born into the Air Nomad clan and played and studied his air bending skills like so many others who were communal raised. At the time the Fire Nation invaded his home, he was out collecting wild berries for his favorite pie. When the explosions began he ran back through the thick foliage and before emerging from cover witness the brutality and barbarism unleashed upon his people as warriors, women, children and even animals were all slaughtered in a blood lust of hate and violence. Alterum was forever scarred and traumatized as friends and family and everything he loved was burned to ash. Long after the army had left Alterum just sat on his knees staring out at was once his home.
Sometime later still in a daze he scavenged supplies together and disappeared. Somehow at some point he came out of his fugue state deep in the ice cold waters of the north, were North Tribe Waterbender warriors captured him. At this point he was suffering total amnesia remembering nothing of who he was or were he came from, the clothes on his back and in his possession have been worn through and tossed aside or in bad state of repairs. Slowly he was nursed back to a semblance of normality, but with a deep sense of anger. It was during a full moon and in an internal rage when he lashed out at the world and moved water. Having found something he could focus on, he plunged into learning, quickly mastering the basics and progressing through the advanced techniques until shortly after one year from starting his tutorials he had become a certified master in the arts of water bending.
From there he headed south to join the Earth Benders in their war against the Fire Nation. A couple months into the war he was injured severally, and the trauma triggered his memories. Alterum remembered who he was, and was astonished to learn he could bend both air and water. Faking his own death he disappeared from the world and trained himself further relearning the skills of Air bending he had long forgotten. And when he had trained not only his powers, but skills in combat further along, he started selling his services to those with money and problems needing to be eliminated. Using only his skills in combat and black ops, he is renowned in the underworld for his skills, nobody knowing he is also a bender.
|
|
|
Post by Ushima911 on Jun 7, 2020 4:07:00 GMT -5
So I tried working up a weapon master, but no matter how I tried it, it came out looking like Dhark's character a bit. (Ninja 3, reflexive dodge 3 etc..) I guess Dhark's in MY mind, and Gris is in his mind. ..what a wacky connection we got going on here..
In any case, I just wrote up an airbender who excels at close combat. Let's see what the potential GM thinks.
|
|
|
Post by RidiculousNinja on Jun 7, 2020 6:58:12 GMT -5
So I tried working up a weapon master, but no matter how I tried it, it came out looking like Dhark's character a bit. (Ninja 3, reflexive dodge 3 etc..) I guess Dhark's in MY mind, and Gris is in his mind. ..what a wacky connection we got going on here.. In any case, I just wrote up an airbender who excels at close combat. Let's see what the potential GM thinks. I honestly think its really hard for non-benders in pre-AtLA. Without technology its so hard to stay relevant. Not that you can't. I just know I wouldn't have fun myself. If we both are playing wana be travel buddies?
|
|
|
Post by Gris on Jun 7, 2020 8:13:55 GMT -5
So, I've looked over the lore online, and I've watched the first season of the Last Airbender. And I've noticed something. The rules are obvious, Only the Avatar can master the four elements of bending, and apparently the 5th now being energy. And each bending art takes a unique mind set to master the skills, three of the states have been granted by learning how animals bent their element, and one how the moon bent water. But in NO place I can find, does it say you can only master one element, the only law being that only the Avatar can master all four. So, I'm going to create a first time. It's more like only the Avatar can bend more than one, as stated almost everywhere and reflected in the media. That shouldn't be an obstacle if the GM sees it fitting, but it can be seen as cheesy min maxing.
|
|
|
Post by Dhark on Jun 7, 2020 10:47:19 GMT -5
AtLA isn’t a universe where COMBAT is the relevancy. Benders have an EDGE in combat, but aside from the small/niche military role (pre AtLA anyways) most Benders focus on UTILITY and how they can use their gifts to better the world around them.
Before “The War”, there wasn’t much need for standing armies... aside from Peace Keeping forces (or secret organizations with ulterior motives).
Yeeeeah, it’s not explicitly said— but given the later revealed origins of Bending, I’m of the mind that it’s not REALLY a thing. I mean, it’s a plot device in an AtLA campaign I wrote (but that was due to the Avatar having been born into twins).
What we DO have are examples of Benders who adopt the STYLES of the other Bending Elements, but that’s just “creative” uses of the only element they CAN bend (for example, there’s a fun youtube video demonstrating how Zuko mastered all four elemental STYLES... but he still only BENDS fire). It’s a bit spoilery though if you’ve only seen the first season. But really demonstrates how the styles of martial arts can dramatically shift how one bends their element (which is something I tried to evidence with my waterbender bending in less typical Waterbending ways).
I think that the closest you’ll get to “hybrid” benders would be those super rare bending specialties that we’ve seen throughout the shows (Like Lavabending as a specialty of Earthbenders— a mix of Earth and Fire-ish, Lightning as Fire and Air, Laser as Fire and Air, Ice as Water and Air, etc).
At the end of the day though, these are rooted in a “core” element, not one of themselves and not evidence of bending both separately.
Bending used for solely combat is actually a little on the blasphemous side of things. Balance and Harmony are the touchstones of the setting. Antagonists AND protagonists alike who try to manipulate that Balance, in either direction, are why THE AVATAR exists. Not why other Benders exist. Late in The War (beyond where we’re starting) more Benders are standing up and taking action, but that’s BECAUSE The Avatar is missing / presumed dead. Such resistances are few, and ill trained/equipped because none of the other Nations were really prepared for a War of this unprecedented sort except The Fire Nation (because they started it, and prepared for it). This is why the Air Nomads were obliterated, despite having the wisest/most knowledgable bending gurus in the world. The Earth Kingdom was the stalwart hold out because they have the large Peace Keeping forces and immense population/territory... The Water Tribes divided and isolated also made for easier prey despite the advantages of their element... strategy, surprise, and people doing things that just previously AREN’T done on such a scale. A band of thieving/brigand benders? Sure. An army of trained COMBATANTS?! Previously unheard of.
USHIMA—Don’t worry about relevancy compared to other CAD’s. That leads to min-maxing/twinking to try and one up things. Make the character that can be WHO you want them to be. Weapon Masters of the era weren’t looking to one-up and defeat benders in combat. They chose their weapon, and dedicated themselves to the ART behind it. They could/would use that weapon in lieu of bending to champion their cause... MAYBE. Or to fight of brigands, or the odd angry spirit creature. But for them it WAS about the art and mastery of self— not winning a fight per say.
That said: I’m happy to roll up an Airbender if you’d prefer to work out your original concept.
The White/Red Lotus, The Chi Blockers, The Kyoshi Warriors... all VERY relevant, all largely composed of Non-Benders.
Plenty of Benders are chased off by vegetable throwing commoners, because they’re not combat gods just because they have that edge/utility.
|
|
|
Post by Dhark on Jun 7, 2020 10:56:12 GMT -5
Heck... even the Cabbage Salesman held relevancy beyond the handful of episodes he appeared in!
|
|
|
Post by Ushima911 on Jun 7, 2020 11:09:23 GMT -5
USHIMA—Don’t worry about relevancy compared to other CAD’s. That leads to min-maxing/twinking to try and one up things. Make the character that can be WHO you want them to be. Weapon Masters of the era weren’t looking to one-up and defeat benders in combat. They chose their weapon, and dedicated themselves to the ART behind it. They could/would use that weapon in lieu of bending to champion their cause... MAYBE. Or to fight of brigands, or the odd angry spirit creature. But for them it WAS about the art and mastery of self— not winning a fight per say. Oh, no need to worry about me in that front. MURPG has become less about combat for me, and more of the roleplaying experience. I think only in my first 2 games I actually worried about combat/stone allocations, but after that I liked the storytelling and wondering how my character can fit in the world. No need to adjust anything for the time being if you don't want to. I already sent a concept of an airbender, but have a weapon user on the side just in case he didn't care for the concept. So, either an air bender, or a weapon master. We'll see what the GM wants in his world.
|
|
|
Post by Dhark on Jun 7, 2020 11:31:21 GMT -5
The bulk of that was for Ultron’s education ;-)
Cool cool, just letting you know I’m plenty bendy.
|
|
|
Post by Ushima911 on Jun 7, 2020 11:34:19 GMT -5
You already made that joke, you hack!!!
|
|
|
Post by ultron2099 on Jun 7, 2020 14:11:38 GMT -5
So, I've looked over the lore online, and I've watched the first season of the Last Airbender. And I've noticed something. The rules are obvious, Only the Avatar can master the four elements of bending, and apparently the 5th now being energy. And each bending art takes a unique mind set to master the skills, three of the states have been granted by learning how animals bent their element, and one how the moon bent water. But in NO place I can find, does it say you can only master one element, the only law being that only the Avatar can master all four. So, I'm going to create a first time. It's more like only the Avatar can bend more than one, as stated almost everywhere and reflected in the media. That shouldn't be an obstacle if the GM sees it fitting, but it can be seen as cheesy min maxing. Must be in the Manga then. Because I'll be damned if I can find it in the anime or even online specifically stating it as a rule that you can only bend one element at a time. It seems more like a universal 'common sense' thing that only the avatar can bend all four and the rest of everyone can only bend one element. However its not like anyone thought, lets gather a shit ton of people and see if we can get them to learn a second element. Its like everyone who learned their one element thought, that is god enough, now lets see how good i can get at it. nobody ever thought, i wonder if i can bend another element? Thats why i put in the amnesia twist to my character, to give him a REASON to learn to bending elements without exactly breaking to unspoken rule. oh well, thought it was worth a shot.
|
|