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This is for Rill, the Fennodi Mystic preacher of the 18th COT:

A Well Used Bible

• Type of Item: Bible
• Enchantments (Two Major, Two Minor): Elan, Luck, +1 to Spirit rolls, Inspire
• P.P.E.: N/A
• Trait: N/A
• Trappings: This is the personal study bible of Rill’s mentor, the late Reverend Jeremy Thatcher, who first welcomed Rill to Black Mesa and taught him the Good News. Over many years of loving use, the good reverend inadvertently imbued this bible with its own holy power, and any who read it regularly will find themselves greatly blessed for doing so. The bible confers the Elan Edge (to reflect help from on High when the reader really puts his Spirit into something), the Luck Edge (divine providence), a +1 to Spirit rolls (literally uplifting the Spirit of the reader) and the ability to inspire others (once per session, he can make a Spirit roll as a cooperative roll and add +1 for each success and raise to the Trait roll of another). Rill must spend a couple of minutes reading from the bible every day to get these benefits, and he must keep it on his person.

I updated the above to reflect suggestions I received below. Thank you everyone who has helped me brainstorm!

As a note on design, I wanted to shy away from benefits that were Mystic or spellcaster specific. Reverend Thatcher would have wanted his bible to benefit anyone who had it, not just those with Arcane Backgrounds. I’m obviously not planning for it to pass from Rill’s hands, but it just felt right for the item to be designed with that in mind.

How would you feel about setting aside either Luck or Elan, and taking Command--and then make Teacher's Blessing a trapping for the Command Edge, that allows the benefit of all Command Edges to remain intact for 24 hours, so long as the underlings are part of the morning reading?

Basically, the Trapping subs in a morning prayer meeting for the normal Command Radius, making things a bit more reliable (since you no longer have to stay within 6" to grant the bonuses).

That's a clever idea. I like the Elan and Luck Edges (they were the first things I thought of when I started on this item weeks ago, and I keep coming back to them), but that is certainly worth considering. For now, I'd like to hold on to those two and see what other folks have to say.

Hardin wrote:That's a clever idea. I like the Elan and Luck Edges (they were the first things I thought of when I started on this item weeks ago, and I keep coming back to them), but that is certainly worth considering. For now, I'd like to hold on to those two and see what other folks have to say.

Another possibility would be to go with what I just suggested, but it only works once you buy the Command Edge (and other Leadership Edges after that). Basically, it would become something the character grows into. (Of course, that would be Advances you wouldn't be spending on spell-casting stuff like new powers and more PPE/ISP, so it's still something to weigh on.)

In the same vein as Command, I think Common Bond could work on this item.

I can see the justification for Elan and Lucky, as well ... I'm wondering if there's not some way to put a restriction on Common Bond that would let us squeeze it in as a Minor. Tie it to a Hindrance, like Poverty or Vow? Limit Common Bond to only folks who prayed with Rill that morning, or that he can lay hands on or something?

Tribe of One wrote:In the same vein as Command, I think Common Bond could work on this item.

I can see the justification for Elan and Lucky, as well ... I'm wondering if there's not some way to put a restriction on Common Bond that would let us squeeze it in as a Minor. Tie it to a Hindrance, like Poverty or Vow? Limit Common Bond to only folks who prayed with Rill that morning, or that he can lay hands on or something?

I really like the idea, but I wouldn't want to step on Orrin's toes with common bond, which is unique for him in the party.

What if, once per day/week/session (not sure, here), he could find the perfect scripture to help someone find an answer they're seeking? It would have to be role played and approved by the GM, but the recipient would get some kind of bonus or insight into the path they should take. Maybe the scripture helps neighbors find common ground in a dispute, or gives a clue or suggestion at a key moment while the heroes are puzzling something out. It's squishy, to be sure, but I think it could work.

What do you think?

What about: Once per session, you may spend a benny to provide inspiration. Friendly characters (including your character) add +2 to all trait rolls for the rest of this round.

This is the Inspiration Adventure Card, but it seems appropriate.

High Command wrote:What about: Once per session, you may spend a benny to provide inspiration. Friendly characters (including your character) add +2 to all trait rolls for the rest of this round.

This is the Inspiration Adventure Card, but it seems appropriate.

I really like this. How about:

A Well Used Bible

• Type of Item: Bible
• Enchantments (Two Major, Two Minor): Elan, Luck, +1 to Spirit rolls, Inspire
• P.P.E.: N/A
• Trait: N/A
• Trappings: This is the personal study bible of Rill’s mentor, the late Reverend Jeremy Thatcher, who first welcomed Rill to Black Mesa and taught him the Good News. Over many years of loving use, the good reverend inadvertently imbued this bible with its own holy power, and any who read it regularly will find themselves greatly blessed for doing so. The bible confers the Elan Edge (to reflect help from on High when the reader really puts his Spirit into something), the Luck Edge (divine providence), a +1 to Spirit rolls (literally uplifting the Spirit of the reader), and the ability to inspire others (once per session, he can spend a Benny to give friendly characters (including himself) +2 to their Trait rolls for a round). Rill must spend a couple of minutes reading from the bible every day to get these benefits, and he must keep it on his person.

Just a clarification, without an opinion: If he's going to use his Inspiration, will the other characters need to go On Hold if necessary, to take advantage of it?

Do you have to with the Action Card?

I was envisioning that he could do that at the beginning of a round, not necessarily on his turn. If it needed to be on his turn, then he'd just play it and go on hold the next round until everyone had a chance to take advantage of the +2.

+2 to all Trait rolls for a round is pretty powerful, and also more difficult to schedule. "+2 to their next Trait roll" is easy, but they don't have much control over what that roll would. What if it was each ally receives "+2 to one Trait roll before the end of their next turn" ?

Tribe of One wrote:+2 to all Trait rolls for a round is pretty powerful, and also more difficult to schedule. "+2 to their next Trait roll" is easy, but they don't have much control over what that roll would. What if it was each ally receives "+2 to one Trait roll before the end of their next turn" ?

That certainly works for me, and makes the mechanics a little easier. I’ll revise the OP to reflect.

Adventure Cards can be played anytime, unless they specifically say otherwise.

What I'm not sure is if what amounts to a free Adventure Card is actually a Minor Mod. I'll note that a free extra draw is an Edge (it's on a rules card that comes with the Adventure Deck: "Destiny's Child. You may draw an additional Adventure Card each session."). This Mod, OTOH, adds not only an extra (fixed) draw, but also the ability to play that draw independently of the usual rules, for nothing more than a Benny.

Here's my thoughts on making it a Minor Mod (and this would be a format for similar options down the road):

Up My Sleeve (Minor Mod, any suitable item for the card in question): You may, once per session, pay a Benny to change the effects of an Adventure Card you play for a specific, different card, chosen at the time you create this Mod. You can even use this ability if someone in the party already has that card in hand.

So you still have to use your card-play to actually use this ability--but it means you've always got the card you think is most appropriate to your character available (so long as you have Bennies available).

Thoughts?

I think that’s probably a bit more balanced, though I like the other way better. At the end of the day, though, it fits with the item and gives Rill the chance to help the party out, so I could roll with it.

Freemage wrote:Adventure Cards can be played anytime, unless they specifically say otherwise.

What I'm not sure is if what amounts to a free Adventure Card is actually a Minor Mod. I'll note that a free extra draw is an Edge (it's on a rules card that comes with the Adventure Deck: "Destiny's Child. You may draw an additional Adventure Card each session."). This Mod, OTOH, adds not only an extra (fixed) draw, but also the ability to play that draw independently of the usual rules, for nothing more than a Benny.

Here's my thoughts on making it a Minor Mod (and this would be a format for similar options down the road):

Up My Sleeve (Minor Mod, any suitable item for the card in question): You may, once per session, pay a Benny to change the effects of an Adventure Card you play for a specific, different card, chosen at the time you create this Mod. You can even use this ability if someone in the party already has that card in hand.

So you still have to use your card-play to actually use this ability--but it means you've always got the card you think is most appropriate to your character available (so long as you have Bennies available).

Thoughts?

I would LOVE this mod for Hans to put in a TW device. I do believe it should be a Major Mod, however. It can be used for any of the cards... even the negate an attack, or auto-Crit Failure against you.

So question: would it be a minor or major mod to just have a once per session, spend a benny and you can negate the damage of an attack?

Pender Lumkiss wrote:So question: would it be a minor or major mod to just have a once per session, spend a benny and you can negate the damage of an attack?

Exactly. I would have Hans make one with Revelation...

• Your hero finds all the information available when doing research, or realizes critical information when confronting some obstacle such as a monster’s weakness, the answer to a riddle or cipher, etc.

It would go well with how I play him.

Hans Greuber wrote:

Pender Lumkiss wrote:So question: would it be a minor or major mod to just have a once per session, spend a benny and you can negate the damage of an attack?

Exactly. I would have Hans make one with Revelation...

• Your hero finds all the information available when doing research, or realizes critical information when confronting some obstacle such as a monster’s weakness, the answer to a riddle or cipher, etc.

It would go well with how I play him.

Those adventure cards are quite potent, and could be beyond the scope of what is considered major or minor. I would only be in favor if everyone in the group, gm included was comfortable with this. Keep in mind villians could use this too. Personally I would not allow it. Don't get me wrong, it is cool.

Hardin wrote:

Tribe of One wrote:In the same vein as Command, I think Common Bond could work on this item.

I can see the justification for Elan and Lucky, as well ... I'm wondering if there's not some way to put a restriction on Common Bond that would let us squeeze it in as a Minor. Tie it to a Hindrance, like Poverty or Vow? Limit Common Bond to only folks who prayed with Rill that morning, or that he can lay hands on or something?

I really like the idea, but I wouldn't want to step on Orrin's toes with common bond, which is unique for him in the party

I'm more than happy to share the burden of providing emergency bennies. I think it fits both characters personas, and we are both primarily support mages of some sort.

If the adventure card idea doesn't work, how about a once per session ability to roll his Spirit as a cooperative roll to add to someone else's Trait roll? That could be the mechanic for him inspiring someone else to his or her fullest. Thoughts?

Hardin wrote:If the adventure card idea doesn't work, how about a once per session ability to roll his Spirit as a cooperative roll to add to someone else's Trait roll? That could be the mechanic for him inspiring someone else to his or her fullest. Thoughts?

That's fun. I like it.

There's a similar precedent for it on the Psionics HJ table which let's a psychic replace any trait roll with their spirit instead.

VV

Yeah, I like that, once per session Rill can roll his spirit to replace someone else's roll. Still sort of an inspiration/guidance effect.

yeah I can get behind that. Or maybe even a major mod that like you said lets him use his spirit in place of another appropriate roll to assist for cooperative rolls.

So, it sounds like there are about 4 options in play for the final, Minor mod:

1) Rill can spend a Benny once per session to give everyone in the party a +2 to a Trait roll before the end of their next turn. It looks like this one might be too powerful for a Minor mod, but sounds so very cool.

2) Similar to the above, Rill could spend a Benny to replace his Adventure Card with the Adventure Card of his choice, chosen at the time of item creation and appropriate to the item. He would still need to play his card to get that benefit.

3) Once per session, Rill can make a Spirit roll as a cooperative roll to someone else’s Trait roll. This would not cost a Benny.

4) Once per session, Rill can make a Spirit roll in place of someone else’s Trait roll. It’s unclear if this would cost a Benny, but it probably would?

Of the above, which would be approved as a Minor mod? It looks like 1, 2 and 4 might be more Major than Minor, from the comments, but I’m not sure. If the GMs would wiegh in with their thoughts?

Thanks, and thank you for all you help!

I'm fine with 3 or 4 (which would not cost a Benny) as Minor upgrades. 1 would be a Major, and 2 is really too powerful altogether, considering some of the cards available.

I was thinking about this, and I really like the idea. Once per session seems ok for 3 or 4. I was thinking of a way to add the trapping to the elan edge. So that when your heart is put into your effort(elan) you have a chance to inspire others arround you. You can add the +2 elan normally confers to another players roll instead of your own. You can also spend two bennies to add it to your roll and the other players roll. The player must be within spirit in inches.

Maybe something like that.

Would it be overpowering to make #3 once per day instead of once per session?

Hardin wrote:Would it be overpowering to make #3 once per day instead of once per session?

I would not allow it. That would definitely be powerful unless it had a resource tax on it such as costing a bennie. Even then i would be hesitant and have to think longer on it.

#3 is probably my favorite, and feels about right--honestly, it's simply a more reliable version of a rule I often use, anyway (where a sensible roll can be used cooperatively, if there's reasonable time involved). If it cost a Bennie, then I could see #3 at once per day. Note that the upside of costing a benny is that it ~would~ work with Elan (so you get +2 on the supporting Spirit roll).

Ok, the original post has been updated to reflect the mechanics of Rill’s ability to inspire others: once per session, he may make a Spirit roll to add +1 for each success and raise to the roll of another player (cooperative roll). This should now be ready for approvals. Thanks!

Hardin wrote: A Well Used Bible

• Type of Item: Bible
• Enchantments (Two Major, Two Minor): Elan, Luck, +1 to Spirit rolls, Inspire
• P.P.E.: N/A
• Trait: N/A
• Trappings: This is the personal study bible of Rill’s mentor, the late Reverend Jeremy Thatcher, who first welcomed Rill to Black Mesa and taught him the Good News. Over many years of loving use, the good reverend inadvertently imbued this bible with its own holy power, and any who read it regularly will find themselves greatly blessed for doing so. The bible confers the Elan Edge (to reflect help from on High when the reader really puts his Spirit into something), the Luck Edge (divine providence), a +1 to Spirit rolls (literally uplifting the Spirit of the reader) and the ability to inspire others (once per session, he can make a Spirit roll as a cooperative roll and add +1 for each success and raise to the Trait roll of another). Rill must spend a couple of minutes reading from the bible every day to get these benefits, and he must keep it on his person.

Approved

Looks good to me.

Go for it

J'approve!

Thanks, everyone!