Talk:The Heylel Box

super rough discussion minutes (thurs):

• power reform along shrike lines
• basic framework for social conflict, not too detailed so things remain organic
• combat reform: higher lethality? (be more willing to splat PCs, they're immortal), 'noncombat actions' explicitly contained in the init loop with time dilation if necessary, actions quicker & easier but more options

Helga 2.0 WIP

Stats

1 xp per level

• Strength
• Dexterity
• Stamina
• Perception
• Intelligence
• Manipulation
• Charisma

Proposal on the table: collapse Strength/Stamina and/or Manipulation/Charisma together

• Willpower
• HP (detached from stamina?)
• Fate

Fighting

Basic combat mechanic is the usual: roll dex/str vs. dex to hit, roll str vs. toughness to damage. Damage gets +1 automatic success if armed, and bonus dice from excess accuracy. No choosing defence type this time.

Rolls to resist torment sources are at +1 difficulty.

Grappling

Roll to hit as normal. Then rather than a damage roll you make a grapple roll to achieve your objective. This is a str vs. str roll with bonus dice from excess successes, like damage. Successes can throw the enemy (more sux = more distance) or hold them.

Net successes on hold reduce the enemy's pool to do anything other than attempt to escape the hold on their next turn. Escaping a hold is a grapple attack but net sux can only be applied to remove/reverse the hold. If a hold level reaches the higher of the target's str or dex, the target is pinned.

Socialising

Temptation is appealing to someone's sinful urges. Appealing to a valid sin (not all hellizens have all sins) is a roll of . Appealing to an idol is more effective. Temptation may not apply to PCs without the NPC having a special power

Domination is overriding someone's will with your own. A Domination roll will typically be charisma + modifiers (rank, reputation, social prep, etc). If it exceeds the target's willpower, it achieves a result depending on the margin. Exceeding target willpower by 1 can deliver a single simple command, 3 can issue a more complex command, and 5 will make them your thrall for a scene unless interrupted. Increase the threshold by two for something obviously self-destructive.

Domination is a particular metaphysical act which the target will be aware of and might resent (or enjoy).

You can still deal with NPCs using normal rolls or pure RP.

Both can be used in combat, for example for aggro control, breaking defences, or forcing surrender.

Infernal Power

Powers

Remaining: social powers, extra combat options, summoning

A power with a cost of 'YX' costs Y XP per level. A power with a cost of 'Z' costs Z xp flat.

Modifiers, unless otherwise stated, can be bought once.

Blast (1X)

The ability to hurl some concentration of your will to wreck shit at range. Aim with dex, perception or [rating] at buyer's preference. Does 2*[rating] dice of damage, plus accuracy.

• Persistent: The blast does 1/2 repeating damage over future turns.

Contract (10)

The essential power of mortal demonologists, but possessed by many demons as well. Binding constrains a target to be obliged to fulfill some requirement, while leaving their will otherwise their own. The terms of the obligation can be pushed one way or the other, most commonly by legal wrangling. This power is expensive but usually reduces cost with the 'ritual' and 'voluntary' modifiers. Metaphysically, this power is related to fetters.

Create (1X)

Choose a keyword. You can create or summon a quantity of stuff matching that keyword. Normally this is like a

• Danger: Create dangerous materials like explosives or lava.
• Shaping: You can create the element in a finely sculpted form.
• Versatile: Create other things, too.
• Pretender: The thing can be animate. It has [rating]*4 points to distribute among stats and special abilities with a maximum of [rating]+2 in any one stat.

Infernal Weapon (special)

Some special weapon. Could be permanent or activatable. For any given weapon, the first bonus costs 1 xp, the second 2 xp, and so on.

• Lethal Weapon: An extra +1 damage.
• Cursed Weapon: Attacks can gravely wound the enemy, causing persistent damage or crippling limbs or etc., depending on specifics and stunts.
• Alt Weapon: choose a stat other than strength and roll that for damage or hit rolls, e.g. perception or dexterity for a gun.
• Natural Weapon: The weapon is part of you and can't be disarmed without great effort (though you may be unable to bring the relevant body part to bear).
• Ranged Weapon: What it says.

Kinesis (1x)

Remote control of something physical (iron, fire, etc). Can be used to do combat moves, rolling [rating] dice for attacks and damage. Trying to use the substance in combat is rolled at +1 difficulty.

Martial Arts (special)

Extra combat options!

• Something for helping vs. grapples
• Disarms
• Feints
• Rapid Draw
• Cross counter
• Setup enemy

Mobility (2)

An extra movement mode such as flight or earth swimming that moves at normal land speed, or augmenting an existing movement mode to much greater than normal land speed. Can be bought multiple times.

Monstrosities

Strange physiological attributes, or just unusual effects. More a list of things people might have and their formal effects than a list of things PCs are expected to invest in. Powerful natural weapons are counted under Infernal Weapons.

• Armour: More soak!
• Floating: Not flight as such, but your natural resting place is a couple of inches above the ground.
• Fragile: You shatter when injured. Post-soak damage is doubled.
• Hyperarticulated: Super flexible.
• Multiple limbs: Good for grappling.
• Sexy: People desire you physically.

Nova (2X)

Temporarily gain extreme power (+[rating]*3 stats) for [rating] turns, at the cost of exhaustion on completion.

Port (?)

Impose your will on geometry and move directly from one place to another.

• Blind: You don't need to be able to see the target, just have a clear idea of it. This could be personal experience, a magical address, or something else appropriate.
• Flash Step: You can use your teleport as part of an attack or dodge.
• Portal: Changes the ability. Rather than teleporting once, you create a standing portal which you and others can move through.

Sense (special)

An augmentation of a normal sense such as smell or hearing (-1 difficulty and allows appropriate stunts), or a special additional sense like echolocation or truth. Cost variable. Can be bought multiple times.

Transform (2X)

Transform person-sized quantities of things that already exist. For living things, roll the power's rating and heal [sux] damage, move 2*[sux] stat points around (within mental/physical categories) or increase stats by [sux].

• Animate Only: Only works on 'living' things.
• Inanimate Only: Only works on 'dead' matter.
• Persistent: The changes last for longer than a scene.

Zone (?)

Apply a condition to an area.

Modifiers

Besides specific modifiers the following are applicable to many different powers:

• Desperation: Power can only be used at 1/X health.
• Natural: Most powers need something to activate, be it sword moves or magic words. This trivialises that.
• Precharge: Requires X turns to power up before using.
• Recharge: Can only be used every other turn, or 1/encounter, etc.
• Ritual (1/2 cost): Requires a lengthly (i.e. non-combat-time) ritual to complete, for example drafting a contract, painting a picture, drawing a magic circle.
• Scale (3/2 cost): scale up from small or single targets to large or multiple targets.
• Voluntary (-2 cost): Requires assent from a free (i.e. not dominated or otherwise metaphysically coerced) target.
• Willpower: Requires WP expenditure to activate (more than one WP can be spent in a round or on a single action).
• Coincidental