Revision as of 10:35, 30 March 2006

Char Creation: Genin

Attributes: 4/3/3

All Attributes start with 1 dot

Abilities:

Choose a Training Focus, Home Village and an Additional Ability for your Training Focus. 12 points between Training, Village and Personal Focus. Training and Personal Focus must each have at least 1 dot. 8 additional points to go into any abilities you wish. None may go above three without spending Freebie Points. If the Genin's Village abilities and Training abilities overlap, they must have at least 2 points.

Training Focus

• Ninjutsu
• Genjutsu
• Taijutsu
• Kenjutsu
• Dojutsu

Village: Choose Home Village

• Rock
• Waterfall
• Grass
• Rain
• Sand
• Sound
• Leaf
• Cloud
• Mist

Focus Abilities

Ninjutsu (Ninja Techniques)

• Dodge
• Larceny
• Occult
• Stealth
• Survival

Genjutsu (Illusion Techniques)

• Investigation
• Lore
• Performance
• Presence
• Socialize

Taijutsu (Combat Techniques)

• Awareness
• Brawl
• Endurance
• Martial Arts
• Medicine

Kenjutsu (Weapon Techniques)

• Archery
• Crafts
• Firearms
• Melee
• Thrown

Dojutsu (Traveling Techniques)

• Athletics
• Linguistics
• Resistance
• Ride
• Sail

Village Abilities

Rock

• Endurance
• Resistance

Waterfall

• Sail
• Survival

Grass

• Ride
• Athletics

Rain

• Thrown
• Craft

Sand

• Larceny
• Lore

Sound

• Performance
• Presence

Leaf

• Stealth
• Occult

Cloud

• Socialize
• Awareness

Mist

• Dodge
• Medicine

Advantages:

• 5 Backgrounds
• 8 Jutsus
• 4 Virtues
• 15 Freebs

Finishing Touches:

• Will (sum of 2 highest virtues)
• Chakra (2)
• Health Levels - 7
• Record Personal Chakra Pool = ([7 * Chakra] + [Willpower * 2])
• Record Peripheral Chakra Pool = ([3 * Chakra] + [Willpower * 2])
• Note: I have removed this note

Backgrounds:

• Allies
• Bodyguard
• Contacts
• Library
• Ninja Pet (Familiar)
• Mentor
• Powerful Bloodline (Replaces Breeding, Must choose specific bloodline, prerequisite for Bloodline Limit Jutsus. Known bloodlines are Hyuuga, Uchiha, "Haku" and Kaguya. Note that aside from Hyuuga, these other bloodlines are down to very few members remaining. Storytellers are encouraged to create new Advanced Bloodlines and Bloodline Limit Charms.)
• Resources
• Spirit Binding (Powerful demonic spirit is bound to Character, Each dot adds 1 to the Chakra multiplier for Peripheral Chakra, Use Demon's Willpower [2 per dot in this background]. Each Dot also represents an ability that the Demon may grant to the Character during Life-Or-Death situations [each demon has a list of what they may grant]. Any time the Genin calls upon the bound spirit's chakra they must make a contested willpower roll to remain in control. ST Permission only!)

Note that there are more backgrounds (such as Artifact), however these are rarely held by Genin.

Merits

As per Players Guide, with Exceptions:

Disallowed:

• Selective Conception, Hidden Manse, Terrestrial Bloodline, Past Lives, Sworn Brotherhood, Taint's Warning, Prescient Dreamer, Eternal Vow, Brigid's Heir

Modified:

• (none yet, though I could see a Social version of "Sworn Brotherhood" that represents a very closely knit Genin team)

New:

• Jutsu Savant: (5 Points) Character may purchase a single Jutsu that he or she does not have the prerequisites for. This should be carefully monitored by the storytell, and should not be made available after the Character's prelude.

• Reputation (Positive): (variable) additional dice for social interactions, cost based on number of dice and how widespread the reputation is

• Medatiative Mind: (2 Points) As per WoD, 2 points instead of 1. Use Willpower instead of Wits + Composure

Flaws

Disallowed:

• Limited Forms, Superstition, Barbarian, Known Anathema, Chimera, Greater Curse, Permanent Caste Mark, Death Taint, Throwback

Modified:

• Weak Essence: (6 or 8 points) 6 points, start with chakra 1. 8 Points, 1 chakra and can never raise through xp.
• Pacifist: (3 or 5 points) 3-point becomes 2 points, 2 point pacifists may spend a wp to ignore pacifism penalty for a scene

New: Reputation (Negative): (variable) increased difficulty for social interactions, cost based on increase and how widespread the reputation is

Discussion

Please comment here on your thoughts for how this mod should be done ~ BrigandRansom

Well, I took Bassist159's advice and changed it to 4/3/3 for the ability dots. Added Village-based focuses, so any starting Genin has 8 Focus Abilities (5 from training, 2 from village, 1 personal [or less, since these abilities may overlap]). 12 points into focuses, then 8 additional anywhere you want for a total of 20. I personally think this is fine, but I'm hoping one of you out there in Wikiland will have a suggestion or 3. 15 Freebs, but I was thinking of modifying the freebie purchase costs (possibly 2 dots per freeb in focus abilities), and having the option to purchase additional focus abilities with freebs or xp (like Sakura deciding to become a Medic-Ninja well after she became a Genin).

Another Random Thought, Ox Body should be a Chakra 0 jutsu, as just about eveyone has it, including Rock Lee the Chakraless wonder =) ~ BrigandRansom

While I'm not really a fan of the show (working in a gaming/comic/hobby store has jaded me to most manga and anime), I have to admit, this mod is interesting - perhaps useable for a lower-end Exalted-styled game, with the uber powers being not quite so uber. I'll be keeping an eye on it. Also, yes, I seriously reccomend you make Ox-Body a Chakra 0 jutsu, since every anime character and his brother has more than 7 health levels. Also, might I reccomend if characters "double up" on their Village-Jitsu scores, you make them put 2 in the ability? (i.e. - A Taijitsu/Rock student will have to have a minimum of Endurance 2, as it's favored twice?) - Bassist159

That's pretty much the way I was thinking as well for the Village / Training abilities. Sorry I've let this falter a bit, I'm sort of ADD so I have a tendency to bounce around from project to project. I'll have some Merits, flaws and backgrounds later this evening. It's the crunching of Jutsu's that's going to take the longest, really =) ~ BrigandRansom , once again procrastinating

Interesting choices. A low-powered version of the Exalted system might indeed work for Naruto. One thing I wonder about, though: Chakra recovery. Obviously, there's no Hearthstones. Can Chakra only be recovered through rest? If so, I recommend a faster rate of recovery than Exalted normally calls for.

Also, the Spirit Binding background ought to have a downside. Specifically, Naruto and Gaara have now both displayed the problem that the bound spirits can take over the host body when called on, and this causes problems. I recommend contested Willpower rolls between the host and the spirit whenever the host calls on the peripheral chakra or ability dots granted by the spirit.

And now I feel inspired... I think I'll toy around with a BleachMod. - IanPrice

Well, there's a bunch more for NarutoMod. I'm thinking that Chakra regen rate is possibly based on willpower, with the option of meditation, which would be a difficulty 3 will check modified by environmental (incense would lower the diff, loud noises would raise it, ect) to increase your chakra regain rate. ~ BrigandRansom , once again bouncing from project to project

Rather then giving additional powers from Spirit Binding (The enhanced Chakra is motivation enough), you should make Demon Hosts also buy Bloodline to represent the unique powers they can develop. - Dasmen

Hmm... well to be honest, I was thinking that the abilities would only be available if you fail your Will check with the demon, or storyteller permission. Example, Naruto is pretty damned fast, But not nearly as fast as he is when the Kyuubi is riding him during the fight with Haku. I was also thinking about balancing Spirit Binding with some social penalties, but I think Reputation (Negative) handles this better. A Spirit-Bound Nin could after all, attempt to hide is "condition". This could even go the opposite way, for example a Spirit that was the Village's Protector gets killed in an epic battle, and the Kage binds the "Village Guardian" into a child.

Basically, I'm not sure what I think of having a background that modifies another background. Bloodline Limits are different from Spirit-Binding granted powers, which aren't really granted in the first place. Hmm, I was about to say that Spirit Bindings wouldn't have actual "Charm Trees", but Gaara has most definitely developed ways of using the Tanuki Demon's Chakra. Though the more I think about it, the better this sounds (Naruto wouldn't have any dots in this background, he's limited to his own abilities unless the Kyuubi is riding him, while Gaara has based many of his Jutsus off of the demon that's within him). ~ BrigandRansom , having fun with this little project

Rather then look at Naruto, look at Gaara. Almost all of his techniques (all tha I can remember at least) are dirived from his Demon. That isn't one or two powers given in life or death situations, thats everything Gaara does. Hince my Bloodline suggestion, as Bloodline gives you acess to charms other people can't get. As for being taken over by the Demon, you could use something like the Limit Brake. - Dasmen

Can I suggest that if you're using the Meditation as a way of regaining Chakra, that you perhaps lift the "Meditative Mind" merit clean out of the World of Darkness book? If you don't have it, the rules are that you roll Wits + Composure (here represented by something like Temperence, or perhaps Willpower), and it negates all penalties for keeping calm, meditating, or acting under stress. Since it's far more important here than it is there, I'd reccomend you make it a two point merit, instead of a one point version, like it is in NWoD.

As far as Spirit versus Human struggles, maybe you could create a spirit nature? From what you're discussing, it seems like it's almost like the Throwback flaw, if not a Bane or Shadow. Perhaps you can treat it as the Throwback flaw from the player's guide, where if the Spirit's nature takes over, they have access to enhanced attributes, more chakra, more jutsus, and so forth? Or maybe like Wraith handled shadow, and have the ST or another player actively play the spirit. It's just a suggestion. - Bassist159

Good suggestions! Taking these into account, what I may do is have anyone with "Spirit Binding" actually have a (mostly?) full character sheet for the demon.

As for the way the Human vs Demon thing works, basically the Dead-Demon seal is used to prevent a defeated demon from regenerating / reincarnating by binding it's life force to a mortal life force. However, the demon is most definitely interested in keeping itself alive. In times of life-threatening danger, the character may access the Demon's Chakra. However this often has the side effect of the character losing control of himself temporarily. Thisis not a Hard-And-Fast rule, when Jiraiya tossed Naruto into the chasm, he was able to go into his own psyche and -=ASK=- the Kyuubi for enough Chakra to save his own life. The Kyuubi agreed, and Naruto had enough chakra to summon Gamabunta. However during Naruto's fight with Sasuke at the waterfall, the Kyuubi was most definitely in control of him (the red Fox Eyes, the Iconic Anima banner of the Nine-tailed fox, ect).

Hmm. Does this sound like Exaltation to you? ~ BrigandRansom , with more running at the mouth

More verbal crapping, this time on the Reputation Merit / Flaw. I'm thinking that each point invested is an additional die (or an increase in difficulty) to social rolls, and a point apiece for every 2 Hidden Villages outside of your own. For Example, Naruto's Reputation is very poor in Konoha (let's say + three difficulty to social rolls), but largely unknown outside of the village (one point). This is a three point flaw (I could be undervaluing this, but I'm thinking that Mizuki would be 4 and Orochimaru would be 5). Gaara of the desert is well known after the Genin Trials, so I would put it at +4 diff (for 4 points) and known of by at least 2 additional countries (Leaf and Mist) for 2 points. I was thinking of either doing this by country (at one point per country) or per village (1 point per 2 villages beyond your own)

Rep: Additional die / diff, 1 point per (minimum 1) Home Country 1 point, each additional country 1 point (or each additional 2 villages 1 point)

Making this a 2 - 10 point merit or flaw

Does that make sense? Is it too clunky? ~ BrigandRansom , Who nearly confused himself this time

I wouldn't let people buy up more than +2 difficulty on social interactions, knowing the tendency of roleplayers to screw over inter-party dynamics in their rush to get more points... besides, even Orochimaru didn't have that hard a time convincing people from Leaf to do what he wanted. Admittedly, he was really really good at it, but still... - IanPrice

On the topic of Chakra-I was thinking that the Genin should start with a base Chakra of Two rather than one, because even the weakest of the Genin could whoop up on any Non-Shinobi. In other news: I'd like to suggest that there isn't a Chakra Zero, because as detailed in the storyline, every being has Chakra, just some people can't control and raise their Chakra(Rock Lee, for instance-unless he's using the Gates.). I'd also like to suggest that Chakra is calculated in the way of DB's, and that the pools are melded, seeing as all use of Chakra creates an 'anima.' Either that, or we could use the Peripheral Pool as their normal pool, and the Personal pool as their 'under stress' pool. Just some thoughts. -Tawny, Fireball of the Southern Land.

Still recovering from the flu, so I'm responding to comments as I can. First Up, Reputation. IanPrice, taking your comments into account I agree. So, each additional die or diff is 1 point, and your home village is one point with each additional 2 villages being one point. This makes it a 2 - 6 point merit / flaw.

Next up, Tawny's comment which I moved down. In my mind, an essence of 1 represents a basic understanding of essence (or in this context, chakra) flows. Mortal Extras in Exalted have essence, but they have an essence rating of 0. As for the Lotus Jutsus, I was planning on those converting your Stamina into essence. As for all Chakra Use creating an "Anima"... erm, not in Naruto it doesn't. Most of the time when you see a Battle aura on someone, they're showing for the sake of the visuals. It's stated in many places that it's only the Hyuuga clan that has the capability of seeing Chakra flows and auras. These are Ninjas, and stealth would be greatly hampered by huge iconic displays of Chakra. The rare occasions when chakra is visible to a normal eye (like when Naruto is being ridden by the Kyuubi), everyone notices and is freaked out by it.

So I've been thinking, should there be a "Tools" background to represent various Ninja tools (exploding scrips, Ninja Puppets, ect)? or should these be purchased with resources? ~ BrigandRansom , still coughing

BrigandRansom, hate to break it to you, but mortals (extra or not) have an essence of 1, EVERYTHING has a minimum of essence 1, they just can't use it without a merit or some sort of trick. Look in the player's guide (page 120), where they talk about mortals UNLOCKING a portion of their essence in the merit 'essence awareness'.

As for the anima banner bit, I think that when you break out the anima aura trick, everyone knows you're going SERIOUS. It's not rare (I mean Chouji had an aura when he went badass), just means bad-news. It doesn't mean that you can figure out his chakra flows without some sort of trick thou. ~ haku

Yeah well... I uhh... erm.... ouch. Okay, true on the Mortals with essence 1 (wow do I feel like a dumbass). Taking this into account, I've upped the starting chakra to 2.

As for the battle aura, that's why I switched the multipliers for personal and peripheral essence. When playing normal exalted, people have a tendency to use their peripheral chakra first, since there's more of it. This is of course, barring certain situations like being in an Imperial city (or even Nexus) where it would be bad to be noticed for what you are. That's really the only reason why I have the essence ratings set where I have them, Ninja are (in my mind) going to have a higher personal pool since they will almost always have the need for stealth. Once you run out, then it's "Get Serious Time" and you start pulling off the DBZ Battle Aura. Removed the limitation on only using preipheral chakra for stunting as well ~ BrigandRansom , still feeling rather dumb

Hmmm... a possible suggestion, might be that you have willpower x 2 for the chakra calculation, as a set of larger pools gives a better chance of the players using their chakra and all that and not run dry too fast. You could also make it that you need to reflexively roll willpower to use your peripheral pool, which means that even if the peripheral pool is larger or equal, you won't just keep dipping into it.

~ haku

I had an idea for the Demons and Spirit bindings. As you said, they'd have character sheets. Why not allow the player to create their demons. The background would work something like the below - they would build a character using these. Each "dot" they put in the background gives them ten freebie points to play with. That would make the most powerful demons rather strong, and make the background useful even at level 1.

Basic Demon

• Attributes: 6/5/4
• Abilities: 15 (3 favored)
• Virtues: 5
• Chakra: 2
• Willpower: Two highest virtues.
• Essence: As per standard character.
• Yokei: 10 points worth.

And that way, when calculating up demons, you get truely unique stats, and variable advantages. It also makes them more than just bonus dots thwacked onto a page.

Note that Yokei ("Blessings") are what the bound spirit can give to their hosts and/or manifest when in control. You'd get one free (sharing essence), and one of their choice. I imagine such choices would be things like the ability to share a certain attribute, or your abilities with the host. Exalted: the Lunars, Exalted: the Fair Folk, Exalted: the Autochonicans, and Book of Bone and Ebony could help with the sort of powers that might be inferred, in their sections on undead creation, wyld warping, behemoths, and cybernatic implants. Actually, one could go further back, and look at some of the "evil" books in World of Darkness (The Devil's Road, Dark Ages: Devil's Dues, Infernalism: Path of Screams, The Book of Madness, Freak Leigon: A Fomori Player's Guide, and Possessed) for their various powers. The Wraith line would also have some powers, in the core, Player's Guide, and Spectres: Dark Reflections.

If you want more information on those books, this idea, or want me to write up this further, let me know. Likewise, also alert me if someone has a more accurate translation of the word "Blessings". - Bassist159, Second Circle Demon of House Rules.

I must say you hit the nail on the head there Sir =) By all means, write up anything you like for this, I've got it under communal projects so go nuts! Wow now I gotta see if I can track down my copy of Freak Legions ,I haven't seen that in a while. I ended up banning it's use by PCs simply because the potential for creating nigh-invulnerable fomori. Of course, I used those Nigh-invulnerable builds as nasties for the PCs to deal with.

Haku, were you talking (3 * Essence) + (Will * 2) and (7 * Essence) + (Will * 2) for personal and peripheral pools? or ess * will * 2 for both pools? Or just one? ~ BrigandRansom , Still shuddering at the thought of the broken-ass Fomori with a 42-damage punch

Hmmm BrigandRansom, I was thinking more in line of ((Essence x 7) + (Willpower x 2)) for personal and ((Essence x 3) + (Willpower x 2)) for peripheral. This would result in a larger pool. Unless you want all those jutsu / charms to have super low costs? Like 1 mote per activation kind of cheap costs? See, the power available to you should reflect what the cost of the powers you're going to fuel it with is going to be like. ~ haku

That's what I figured just wanted to make sure. Changes made =) ~ BrigandRansom , who is putting the finishing touches on Scintillant Blade

Actually, I don't think that most of the infernalist stuff from old WoD is particularly appropriate for the bound spirits in Exalted. In a book called Predators for Werewolf: The Forsaken, though, there's a type of character called "spirit claimed." These seem very analogous to Naruto and Gaara, so I think you ought to check them out.

And if Fomori make you shudder, don't even think about letting people play Shih out of Demon Hunter X. Through a combination of powers, I gained the ability to soak aggravated damage with about 50 dice, and to deal out an average of 15 attacks doing 30 aggravated damage each per turn. With all my Attributes at 9. Mind you, I inflicted 6 lethal damage on myself to do this, and at the end of the scene, my attributes dropped to 1 for the next couple of hours... but it was well worth it.

- IanPrice, who gave his brother many headaches with that character.

As part of an ST team for the World of Darkness chats, I'm very familliar with the contents for Predators, as it's a book we find ourselves drawing on constantly. I was suggesting Possessed because the powers are already set up for the old Storyteller system. But conversion from the storytelling system is fairly easy. I'll use it, as I have it on PDF and the older WoD books are kept at another friend's house, but I'll be poking into the other books as well. For our case, I think the Synthesis trait is defined by the background - it both powers the spirit and shows how linked the two are.

As for Shih...I find that ironic, because I had to use Shih in my tabletop group to kill off the fomori players who had gotten far too uber. I guess WoD was full of nigh-unto-lethal stuff, back then. I won't even start on the risen, with no health penalties and the ability to do unsoakable aggrivated by looking at people. - Bassist159, who's looking for his ferryman robes...

BrigandRansom seems to have let his little project here die. Pity. A friend and myself were discussing it as a potential game to play, as we're just looking for something new and random to play. ^_^

Anyway, the point behind me actually updating it is I'm going to spawn a NarutoMod/Jutsus page, because they're needed. - Trithne, who wishes we could use multiple slashies.

Not left to die, just ferment ;) By all means, please feel free to add anything you like to this. I've had a distinct lack of time lately (skuul suqs), but I'm still around.

Changed the "Weak Essence" flaw, it's now at Chakra 1 where it should be.

~BrigandRansom , who also wishes for multiple slashies

Perhaps you should remove periph 'chakra' all together. Since its hard, near impossible, to draw chakra from the surrounding area. Change it to something more..fitting.. like Stamina, then you could have Taijutsu cost Stamina and Nin/Genjutsu cost Chakra, just an idea. -Hoshi