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Message no. 1
From: Lady Jestyr <s421539@*******.gu.edu.au>
Subject: Re: Sprits and contacts
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 1996 14:39:05 +1000 (EST)
[snip]

> BTW, for this character I created some rules for playing a Free
> Spirit in general, making it a bit more variable than the rules give room
> for. If anyone's interested, I could post it, or at least a protoversion
> of it.

Yes please! I'd be very interested in those rules...

Lady Jestyr

------------------------------------------------------
When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.
------------------------------------------------------
Elle Holmes s421539@*****.student.gu.edu.au
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/1503/
------------------------------------------------------
The opinions expressed are my own, unless you don't
agree with them, in which case they are my evil twin
sister's opinions.
Message no. 2
From: Jonas Gabrielson <m94jga@*******.tdb.uu.se>
Subject: Re: Sprits and contacts
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 1996 16:29:39 +0100 (MET)
On Thu, 7 Mar 1996, Benjamin wrote:

> Before that, I wrote:
>
> > BTW, for this character I created some rules for playing a Free
> >Spirit in general, making it a bit more variable than the rules give room
> >for. If anyone's interested, I could post it, or at least a protoversion
> >of it.
>
> Please Do.

That's an A-OK will-do! Unfortunately, It'll have to wait a while
- mid term exam's coming up...
Perhaps I'll get back to this in a week or so, when it's over and
done with. With a little luck, I'll even have time to find my notes and
decipher them... :)

-Jonas Gabrielson
Message no. 3
From: tsbtal@********.com (Tal Kedem)
Subject: Re: Sprits and contacts
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 1996 19:18:02 -0500
On Mar 11, 1996 16:29:39, 'Jonas Gabrielson <m94jga@*******.tdb.uu.se>'
wrote:


>
>
>On Thu, 7 Mar 1996, Benjamin wrote:
>
>> Before that, I wrote:
>>
>> > BTW, for this character I created some rules for playing a Free
>> >Spirit in general, making it a bit more variable than the rules give
room
>> >for. If anyone's interested, I could post it, or at least a
protoversion
>> >of it.
>>
>> Please Do.
>
> That's an A-OK will-do! Unfortunately, It'll have to wait a while
>- mid term exam's coming up...
> Perhaps I'll get back to this in a week or so, when it's over and
>done with. With a little luck, I'll even have time to find my notes and
>decipher them... :)
>
>-Jonas Gabrielson

The only problem is that it gets a bit unbalancing, like playing a Dragon,
a free spirit is EXTREMELY powerful, and munchkins abound would jump at the
opportunity.


--
-Lord Tallion <Tal Kedem>
GAT d- s: a--- C++++ ULC>+++ P+>+++ L+>++ E W+ N+ o !K-- w !O M--
V PS+ PE+ Y++ PGP t++ !5 X R+ tv+ b+++ DI++ D+ G+ e@ h@ !r y?
- tsbtal@***.pipeline.com - tkedem@********.hchs.hunter.cuny.edu -
-tallion@******.net -

- http://heimdall.hchs.hunter.cuny.edu -
All I needed to know about Shakespeare I learned from
watching "Gargoyles"

"I tried to be nice to you, I now see no other alternative. Break
out the sporks!" -Tal Kedem
Message no. 4
From: "A. Blair Blackwell" <ab130f92@*******.adelphi.edu>
Subject: Re: Sprits and contacts
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 1996 19:36:27 -0500
At 19:18 3/11/96 -0500, you wrote:
>On Mar 11, 1996 16:29:39, 'Jonas Gabrielson <m94jga@*******.tdb.uu.se>'
>wrote:
>
>
>>
>>
>>On Thu, 7 Mar 1996, Benjamin wrote:
>>
>>> Before that, I wrote:
>>>
>>> > BTW, for this character I created some rules for playing a Free
>>> >Spirit in general, making it a bit more variable than the rules give
>room
>>> >for. If anyone's interested, I could post it, or at least a
>protoversion
>>> >of it.
>>>
>>> Please Do.
>>
>> That's an A-OK will-do! Unfortunately, It'll have to wait a while
>>- mid term exam's coming up...
>> Perhaps I'll get back to this in a week or so, when it's over and
>>done with. With a little luck, I'll even have time to find my notes and
>>decipher them... :)
>>
>>-Jonas Gabrielson
>
>The only problem is that it gets a bit unbalancing, like playing a Dragon,
>a free spirit is EXTREMELY powerful, and munchkins abound would jump at the
>opportunity.
>
>
>--
>-Lord Tallion <Tal Kedem>

Not true. A free spirit can only get karma from some else. The spirit starts
with special abilities yes, but few skills. The Free Spirit would be a
strong starter but in karma limitation would limits it's ability to grow at
a normal speed.

BLAIR
Message no. 5
From: James Meiers <polbdm@***.unm.EDU>
Subject: Re: Sprits and contacts
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 1996 18:44:58 -0700 (MST)
On Mon, 11 Mar 1996, A. Blair Blackwell wrote:

> At 19:18 3/11/96 -0500, you wrote:
> >On Mar 11, 1996 16:29:39, 'Jonas Gabrielson <m94jga@*******.tdb.uu.se>'
> >wrote:
> >
> >
> >>
> >>
> >>On Thu, 7 Mar 1996, Benjamin wrote:
> >>
> >>> Before that, I wrote:
> >>>
> >>> > BTW, for this character I created some rules for playing a Free
> >>> >Spirit in general, making it a bit more variable than the rules give
> >room
> >>> >for. If anyone's interested, I could post it, or at least a
> >protoversion
> >>> >of it.
> >>>
> >>> Please Do.
> >>
> >> That's an A-OK will-do! Unfortunately, It'll have to wait a while
> >>- mid term exam's coming up...
> >> Perhaps I'll get back to this in a week or so, when it's over and
> >>done with. With a little luck, I'll even have time to find my notes and
> >>decipher them... :)
> >>
> >>-Jonas Gabrielson
> >
> >The only problem is that it gets a bit unbalancing, like playing a Dragon,
> >a free spirit is EXTREMELY powerful, and munchkins abound would jump at the
> >opportunity.
> >
> >
> >--
> >-Lord Tallion <Tal Kedem>
>
> Not true. A free spirit can only get karma from some else. The spirit starts
> with special abilities yes, but few skills. The Free Spirit would be a
> strong starter but in karma limitation would limits it's ability to grow at
> a normal speed.
>
> BLAIR
>

Yes, but what happesn when one of those powers jsut happens to be
sorcery. I would call sorcery at no drain pretty powerful, and in the
hands of a munchkin it would get stupidly out of hand. They could toss of
Hellblast 10 or Fireball or whatever and nuke a whole group fo people
without so much as a sweat. Not to mention they also have powers like
hidden life, which is also pretty munchkinous; no one can kill you unless
they destroy that Hidden life _and_ defeat you in astral combat on your
home plane. there is also possesion, human form for when you want to look
like someone else in a hurry, astral gateway, wealth so you can create your
own money, and so on. Free Spirit PCs are way too powerful and should
never be attempted.


"How many times do I have to tell you? Don't shoot the nuclear weapons!."
-John Travolta, "Broken Arrow"
"Be cool. You... Be cool"
-George Clooney, "From Dusk Till Dawn"
Visit Me At: http://www.arc.unm.edu/~polbdm/home.html
Message no. 6
From: "A. Blair Blackwell" <ab130f92@*******.adelphi.edu>
Subject: Re: Sprits and contacts
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 1996 21:05:58 -0500
At 18:44 3/11/96 -0700, you wrote:
>On Mon, 11 Mar 1996, A. Blair Blackwell wrote:
>
>> At 19:18 3/11/96 -0500, you wrote:
>> >On Mar 11, 1996 16:29:39, 'Jonas Gabrielson <m94jga@*******.tdb.uu.se>'
>> >wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>On Thu, 7 Mar 1996, Benjamin wrote:
>> >>
>> >>> Before that, I wrote:
>> >>>
>> >>> > BTW, for this character I created some rules for playing a Free

>> >>> >Spirit in general, making it a bit more variable than the rules
give
>> >room
>> >>> >for. If anyone's interested, I could post it, or at least a
>> >protoversion
>> >>> >of it.
>> >>>
>> >>> Please Do.
>> >>
>> >> That's an A-OK will-do! Unfortunately, It'll have to wait a while
>> >>- mid term exam's coming up...
>> >> Perhaps I'll get back to this in a week or so, when it's over and
>> >>done with. With a little luck, I'll even have time to find my notes and
>> >>decipher them... :)
>> >>
>> >>-Jonas Gabrielson
>> >
>> >The only problem is that it gets a bit unbalancing, like playing a Dragon,
>> >a free spirit is EXTREMELY powerful, and munchkins abound would jump at the
>> >opportunity.
>> >
>> >
>> >--
>> >-Lord Tallion <Tal Kedem>
>>
>> Not true. A free spirit can only get karma from some else. The spirit starts
>> with special abilities yes, but few skills. The Free Spirit would be a
>> strong starter but in karma limitation would limits it's ability to grow at
>> a normal speed.
>>
>> BLAIR
>>
>
>Yes, but what happesn when one of those powers jsut happens to be
>sorcery. I would call sorcery at no drain pretty powerful, and in the
>hands of a munchkin it would get stupidly out of hand. They could toss of
>Hellblast 10 or Fireball or whatever and nuke a whole group fo people
>without so much as a sweat. Not to mention they also have powers like
>hidden life, which is also pretty munchkinous; no one can kill you unless
>they destroy that Hidden life _and_ defeat you in astral combat on your
>home plane. there is also possesion, human form for when you want to look
>like someone else in a hurry, astral gateway, wealth so you can create your
>own money, and so on. Free Spirit PCs are way too powerful and should
>never be attempted.
>
>
>"How many times do I have to tell you? Don't shoot the nuclear weapons!."
> -John Travolta, "Broken Arrow"
> "Be cool. You... Be cool"
> -George Clooney, "From Dusk Till Dawn"
> Visit Me At: http://www.arc.unm.edu/~polbdm/home.html
>
>
>
Guess I shouldn't mention the Nosferatu Combat Mage I throw at obnoxious
GM's who think their hot stuff. :)

BLAIR
Message no. 7
From: Benjamin <benjamin@*****.com>
Subject: Re: Sprits and contacts
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 1996 18:26:53 PST
>Yes, but what happesn when one of those powers jsut happens to be
>sorcery. I would call sorcery at no drain pretty powerful, and in the
>hands of a munchkin it would get stupidly out of hand. They could toss of
>Hellblast 10 or Fireball or whatever and nuke a whole group fo people
>without so much as a sweat. Not to mention they also have powers like
>hidden life, which is also pretty munchkinous; no one can kill you unless
>they destroy that Hidden life _and_ defeat you in astral combat on your
>home plane. there is also possesion, human form for when you want to look
>like someone else in a hurry, astral gateway, wealth so you can create your
>own money, and so on. Free Spirit PCs are way too powerful and should
>never be attempted.

As written, yes. Have them have to deal w/drain and other stuff (+
hidden restrictions) If they INSIST an playing one.

Heh heh heh...


--
Shiftboy (aka Benjamin Kercheval)
benjamin@*****.com (NOT whatever happenes to be in the From: line today)

Probably the world's only Weretiger PhysAd

no website

"No quote today"
-Me
Message no. 8
From: Robert Watkins <robertdw@*******.com.au>
Subject: Re: Sprits and contacts
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 1996 17:46:07 +1000 (EST)
>
>The only problem is that it gets a bit unbalancing, like playing a Dragon,
>a free spirit is EXTREMELY powerful, and munchkins abound would jump at the
>opportunity.

Start them off slow... Use a character gen table to give a mix of powers
and force. Then, when it comes time to advance, well you need those
humans out there to give you some of their Karma to increase, don'tcha?


--
_______________________________________________________________________
/ \
| "As soon as we started programming, we found to our surprise that it |
| wasn't as easy to get programs right as we had thought. Debugging |
| had to be discovered. I can remember the exact instant when I |
| realizedthat a large part of my life from then on was going to be |
| spent infinding mistakes in my own programs." -- Maurice Wilkes |
| Robert Watkins robertdw@*******.com.au |
\_______________________________________________________________________/
Message no. 9
From: tsbtal@********.com (Tal Kedem)
Subject: Re: Sprits and contacts
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 1996 18:39:42 -0500
On Mar 11, 1996 19:36:27, '"A. Blair Blackwell"
<ab130f92@*******.adelphi.edu>' wrote:


>Not true. A free spirit can only get karma from some else. The spirit
starts
>with special abilities yes, but few skills. The Free Spirit would be a
>strong starter but in karma limitation would limits it's ability to grow
at
>a normal speed.
>
>BLAIR

But aside from the plain mechanics and unbalancing of it, think of the fact
that spirits are NOT (META)HUMAN, and don't (necessarily) even have a
somewhat near humanoid thought process, like the bugs. THAT would be a
bitch to roleplay :)

--
-Lord Tallion <Tal Kedem>
GAT d- s: a--- C++++ ULC>+++ P+>+++ L+>++ E W+ N+ o !K-- w !O M--
V PS+ PE+ Y++ PGP t++ !5 X R+ tv+ b+++ DI++ D+ G+ e@ h@ !r y?
- tsbtal@***.pipeline.com - tkedem@********.hchs.hunter.cuny.edu -
-tallion@******.net -

- http://heimdall.hchs.hunter.cuny.edu -
All I needed to know about Shakespeare I learned from
watching "Gargoyles"

"I tried to be nice to you, I now see no other alternative. Break
out the sporks!" -Tal Kedem
Message no. 10
From: h_laws@**********.utas.edu.au
Subject: Re: Sprits and contacts
Date: Wed, 13 Mar 1996 10:48:01 +1100 (EST)
>Yes, but what happesn when one of those powers jsut happens to be
>sorcery. I would call sorcery at no drain pretty powerful, and in the
>hands of a munchkin it would get stupidly out of hand. They could toss of
>Hellblast 10 or Fireball or whatever and nuke a whole group fo people
>without so much as a sweat. Not to mention they also have powers like
>hidden life, which is also pretty munchkinous; no one can kill you unless
>they destroy that Hidden life _and_ defeat you in astral combat on your
>home plane. there is also possesion, human form for when you want to look
>like someone else in a hurry, astral gateway, wealth so you can create your
>own money, and so on. Free Spirit PCs are way too powerful and should
>never be attempted.
>
So the GM tells the little munchkin player that no, you can't have that nice
little ability to instantly summon and control all the great dragons in the
world.

****************************************************************************
The Politician's Slogan
'You can fool all of the people some of the time and some of the people all
of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time.
Fortunately only a simple majority is required.'
****************************************************************************

Mad Hamish

Hamish Laws
h_laws@**********.sandybay.utas.edu.au
Message no. 11
From: "A. Blair Blackwell" <ab130f92@*******.adelphi.edu>
Subject: Re: Sprits and contacts
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 1996 20:24:39 -0500
At 18:39 3/12/96 -0500, Tal Kedem wrote:
>On Mar 11, 1996 19:36:27, '"A. Blair Blackwell"
><ab130f92@*******.adelphi.edu>' wrote:
>
>
>>Not true. A free spirit can only get karma from some else. The spirit
>starts
>>with special abilities yes, but few skills. The Free Spirit would be a
>>strong starter but in karma limitation would limits it's ability to grow
>at
>>a normal speed.
>>
>>BLAIR
>
>But aside from the plain mechanics and unbalancing of it, think of the fact
>that spirits are NOT (META)HUMAN, and don't (necessarily) even have a
>somewhat near humanoid thought process, like the bugs. THAT would be a
>bitch to roleplay :)
>

Not really. It sounds like fun. Must we always think like humans? I thought
that was the idea of a RPG to be someone else.

BLAIR
Message no. 12
From: tsbtal@********.com (Tal Kedem)
Subject: Re: Sprits and contacts
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 1996 23:11:52 -0500
On Mar 12, 1996 20:24:39, '"A. Blair Blackwell"
<ab130f92@*******.adelphi.edu>' wrote:


>Not really. It sounds like fun. Must we always think like humans? I
thought
>that was the idea of a RPG to be someone else.
>
>BLAIR

Agreed. but it's a LOT easier to be someONE else, than someTHING else
COMPLETELY. If you are a REALLY good (as in, better than any actor in the
history of mankind), you probably could get into the right mindset, but the
Insect Spirit/Free Spirit (sometimes) mindset is just so plain different
than our minds that it is, er, just ALIEN!

--
-Lord Tallion <Tal Kedem>
GAT d- s: a--- C++++ ULC>+++ P+>+++ L+>++ E W+ N+ o !K-- w !O M--
V PS+ PE+ Y++ PGP t++ !5 X R+ tv+ b+++ DI++ D+ G+ e@ h@ !r y?
- tsbtal@***.pipeline.com - tkedem@********.hchs.hunter.cuny.edu -
-tallion@******.net -
"Cthulhu in `96 - Why settle for a lesser evil?"

Further Reading

If you enjoyed reading about Sprits and contacts, you may also be interested in:

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Thwap!