Pyrusticia
2009-06-27, 06:28 AM
Does this board cover Shadowrun homebrews at all? If not, does anyone know a good board that does? I've got a kitsune I'd like to get critiqued:
Kitsune in Shadowrun
Background
Kitsune are a variant on the shapeshifters found in the Shadowrun Companion (p. 34). Unlike most shapeshifters, they have a long history of interaction with (meta-)human culture (particularly Japanese), and so do not suffer penalties for interacting with them, nor do they receive restrictions and penalties to beginning skills. They are still foxes at heart, though, and as such have different motivations from most of those they will interact with. They are particularly fond of mischief, and many shadowrunning kitsune have as their primary motivation the humbling of the powerful corporation, rather than monetary renumeration.
Kitsune Characters
Kitsune characters are created as other shapeshifters, except that they do not suffer restrictions or penalties on starting nuyen or skills. Like all shapeshifters, they have two sets of physical attributes, to which points must be assigned separately. Kitsune have a starting Essence of 8, and Magic of 6. Nearly all kitsune are magically awakened, though this must be paid for in character generation as normal.
Powers and Weaknesses
Unlike most shapeshifters, Kitsune do not benefit from regeneration, nor do they suffer from a weakness to silver. Because they do not regenerate, they do not automatically reject all cyberware. However, they do all suffer from the Sensitive System flaw, for which they get no bonus creation points.
They have the standard dual nature, with all the usual rules that apply to shapeshifters. They also have a human and animal form, with distinguishing marks in the human form. All kitsune suffer from a fox tail in their human form, which is commonly hidden beneath robes, a skirt/dress, or a lined coat. In addition, kitsune may select any or all of the additional traditional flaws (light fur, fox shadow, or fox reflection), each counting as a 1-point flaw. Kitsune receive the same racial modifiers as any other fox shapeshifter.
Kitsune have the power of Desire Reflection (Critters, p. 9), which they commonly use to make “payments” of glamored leaves and twigs which appear as currency and credsticks, or to make themselves appear more beautiful, according to the victim’s desires. They also have a minor resistance to disease and toxins, adding one die to rolls made to resist either. Kitsune start with a lifespan of 50 years.
Kitsune and Magic
All magically active kitsune follow the path of Shinto. Unlike most Shinto practitioners, kitsune do not summon Ancestor spirits or Spirits of Man. Instead, they have the ability to summon one spirit of the elements, chosen at character generation.
The majority of Shinto kitsune follow the kami Inari (an aspect of the Great Mother idol), and are known as zenko. Magically active kitsune who do not follow Inari are called yako, and are often followers of the Lover, the Seductress, or the Trickster. Note that despite the literal meanings of the names, zenko and yako are not strictly divided between good and evil. These are human concepts, and difficult to apply to the motivations of most kitsune.
If a kitsune chooses to counter Magic loss with a geas, she must select the talisman geas as her first geas. The talisman involved is the hoshi no tama, and this geas may never be shed. For further details on the hoshi no tama, see the section on Initiation.
Kitsune and Initiation
Initiation is a very special event for kitsune, as it is how they gain tails. A kitsune gains a second tail upon her first initiation, which marks her (in fox or astral form) as an initiate to all who recognize the sign. She gains an additional tail every fifth initiation, up to a total of 9 tails at initiation grade 35. Very few kitsune ever reach this exalted level, and nine-tailed kitsune are revered and obeyed by all other kitsune.
A kitsune gaining a tail receives no other benefit for that initiation grade. No magic gain, no metamagic technique, no astral signature changing, and no geas shedding. However, the tails themselves give benefits to the kitsune. For every tail she possesses, the kitsune adds one point to all mental attributes, affecting both current and racial maximum (the bonus for one tail is included in the starting stats given). Additionally, they improve their resistance to toxins and disease by one die for every tail gained, and double their maximum lifespan. At nine tails, the kitsune undergoes a transformation, replacing their resistances and lifespan with Immunity (Age, Disease, and Toxins).
Additionally, kitsune have two required ordeals that they must undergo for initiation.
The first initiation must involve the geas ordeal, if they do not already have the talisman geas. The talisman taken must be the hoshi no tama, a golden pearl the exact size of the kitsune’s eye (in fox form). This pearl is strung on a fine silver chain. This talisman is unique in that it shifts with the kitsune’s form. In human form, it is commonly worn as a necklace, or wrapped multiple times around the wrist and worn as a bracelet. In fox form, the chain is absorbed into the talisman, and it must be carried. This is most commonly accomplished by keeping it in the kitsune’s mouth, or else carried on her tail. Note that the hoshi no tama is incomplete in this form, but suffices to fulfill the talisman requirement until completion is accomplished.
If the kitsune has already acquired an incomplete hoshi no tama before becoming initiated, the kitsune must complete it as her first ordeal (see below).
The second initiation must involve the ally ordeal. There are no specific requirements for the ally, except that it must include the inhabiting power. The body for the ally is the hoshi no tama. The ally cannot move on their own, but does communicate telepathically with their kitsune. An inhabited hoshi no tama glows with a soft foxfire, but to all other respects is physically identical to before it was inhabited. If a kitsune loses their hoshi no tama, they must check for loss of magic as normal for losing an ally (SR3, p. 160), and further cannot use any magic without breaking their talisman geas. This restriction cannot be lifted until another hoshi no tama is acquired, and another ally spirit is summoned into it. Once the hoshi no tama is complete, an incomplete hoshi no tama can no longer fulfill the talisman geas.
If the kitsune completes their hoshi no tama during her first initiation, there is no set requirement for her second initiation.
Kitsune in Shadowrun
Background
Kitsune are a variant on the shapeshifters found in the Shadowrun Companion (p. 34). Unlike most shapeshifters, they have a long history of interaction with (meta-)human culture (particularly Japanese), and so do not suffer penalties for interacting with them, nor do they receive restrictions and penalties to beginning skills. They are still foxes at heart, though, and as such have different motivations from most of those they will interact with. They are particularly fond of mischief, and many shadowrunning kitsune have as their primary motivation the humbling of the powerful corporation, rather than monetary renumeration.
Kitsune Characters
Kitsune characters are created as other shapeshifters, except that they do not suffer restrictions or penalties on starting nuyen or skills. Like all shapeshifters, they have two sets of physical attributes, to which points must be assigned separately. Kitsune have a starting Essence of 8, and Magic of 6. Nearly all kitsune are magically awakened, though this must be paid for in character generation as normal.
Powers and Weaknesses
Unlike most shapeshifters, Kitsune do not benefit from regeneration, nor do they suffer from a weakness to silver. Because they do not regenerate, they do not automatically reject all cyberware. However, they do all suffer from the Sensitive System flaw, for which they get no bonus creation points.
They have the standard dual nature, with all the usual rules that apply to shapeshifters. They also have a human and animal form, with distinguishing marks in the human form. All kitsune suffer from a fox tail in their human form, which is commonly hidden beneath robes, a skirt/dress, or a lined coat. In addition, kitsune may select any or all of the additional traditional flaws (light fur, fox shadow, or fox reflection), each counting as a 1-point flaw. Kitsune receive the same racial modifiers as any other fox shapeshifter.
Kitsune have the power of Desire Reflection (Critters, p. 9), which they commonly use to make “payments” of glamored leaves and twigs which appear as currency and credsticks, or to make themselves appear more beautiful, according to the victim’s desires. They also have a minor resistance to disease and toxins, adding one die to rolls made to resist either. Kitsune start with a lifespan of 50 years.
Kitsune and Magic
All magically active kitsune follow the path of Shinto. Unlike most Shinto practitioners, kitsune do not summon Ancestor spirits or Spirits of Man. Instead, they have the ability to summon one spirit of the elements, chosen at character generation.
The majority of Shinto kitsune follow the kami Inari (an aspect of the Great Mother idol), and are known as zenko. Magically active kitsune who do not follow Inari are called yako, and are often followers of the Lover, the Seductress, or the Trickster. Note that despite the literal meanings of the names, zenko and yako are not strictly divided between good and evil. These are human concepts, and difficult to apply to the motivations of most kitsune.
If a kitsune chooses to counter Magic loss with a geas, she must select the talisman geas as her first geas. The talisman involved is the hoshi no tama, and this geas may never be shed. For further details on the hoshi no tama, see the section on Initiation.
Kitsune and Initiation
Initiation is a very special event for kitsune, as it is how they gain tails. A kitsune gains a second tail upon her first initiation, which marks her (in fox or astral form) as an initiate to all who recognize the sign. She gains an additional tail every fifth initiation, up to a total of 9 tails at initiation grade 35. Very few kitsune ever reach this exalted level, and nine-tailed kitsune are revered and obeyed by all other kitsune.
A kitsune gaining a tail receives no other benefit for that initiation grade. No magic gain, no metamagic technique, no astral signature changing, and no geas shedding. However, the tails themselves give benefits to the kitsune. For every tail she possesses, the kitsune adds one point to all mental attributes, affecting both current and racial maximum (the bonus for one tail is included in the starting stats given). Additionally, they improve their resistance to toxins and disease by one die for every tail gained, and double their maximum lifespan. At nine tails, the kitsune undergoes a transformation, replacing their resistances and lifespan with Immunity (Age, Disease, and Toxins).
Additionally, kitsune have two required ordeals that they must undergo for initiation.
The first initiation must involve the geas ordeal, if they do not already have the talisman geas. The talisman taken must be the hoshi no tama, a golden pearl the exact size of the kitsune’s eye (in fox form). This pearl is strung on a fine silver chain. This talisman is unique in that it shifts with the kitsune’s form. In human form, it is commonly worn as a necklace, or wrapped multiple times around the wrist and worn as a bracelet. In fox form, the chain is absorbed into the talisman, and it must be carried. This is most commonly accomplished by keeping it in the kitsune’s mouth, or else carried on her tail. Note that the hoshi no tama is incomplete in this form, but suffices to fulfill the talisman requirement until completion is accomplished.
If the kitsune has already acquired an incomplete hoshi no tama before becoming initiated, the kitsune must complete it as her first ordeal (see below).
The second initiation must involve the ally ordeal. There are no specific requirements for the ally, except that it must include the inhabiting power. The body for the ally is the hoshi no tama. The ally cannot move on their own, but does communicate telepathically with their kitsune. An inhabited hoshi no tama glows with a soft foxfire, but to all other respects is physically identical to before it was inhabited. If a kitsune loses their hoshi no tama, they must check for loss of magic as normal for losing an ally (SR3, p. 160), and further cannot use any magic without breaking their talisman geas. This restriction cannot be lifted until another hoshi no tama is acquired, and another ally spirit is summoned into it. Once the hoshi no tama is complete, an incomplete hoshi no tama can no longer fulfill the talisman geas.
If the kitsune completes their hoshi no tama during her first initiation, there is no set requirement for her second initiation.