Making Bleach characters?

[randomhero00]

Recently I've gotten into watching Bleach. At first I didn't like it but now I love it

Anyways, I've been wracking my brain for ways to make a bleach character (I so wanna play a Byakuya or Kenpachi.)

Basically 2 questions. What would be the best system to use? And could DnD be refluffed (perhaps ToB somehow)? Any system I can think of wouldn't be able to represent the mechanics of Bleach. I mean, how do you recreate Zanpakutō and their Shikai and Bankai abilities? They aren't x/day but they aren't unlimited either. If you don't know, think of super buffs and unique SLAs that wear you out. Kido is easier to represent.

Kenpachi would be doable actually, since he doesn't have Zanpakutō abilities (basically make a super buff Solar Exalted Dawn caste). But other than him...Exalted doesn't really represent their Zanpakutō as far as I know (though it probably comes closest.)

If you're curious about bleach here's the wiki. http://bleach.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page

Whether you like the show or not I think playing a shinigami/vizard would be so awesome and fun. Tons of story possibilities too. Would make a good RPG even if you don't like anime.

Any thoughts?

[Kylarra]

Soulbound weapon Psywar is somewhat close to your average soul reaper. Just don't vary up the stats of your sword and fluff it to be transforming from one in your hand rather than a full-on summon. Power points represent your reiatsu and various powers represent your kidou and special trainings.


Zanpakutou are "easily" replicated as artifacts in Exalted with 1-2 dot drawback and/or essence activation costs.

[Lorolar]

How'd this crazy link thing get here?

How weird, links to relevant sites showing up on their own. Thats for a system mind, not for a class to use within DnD.

And if you can live with freeform roleplay we're rebooting the bleach rp in the freeform section, no obligations just spreading the word

[randomhero00]

Soulbound weapon Psywar is somewhat close to your average soul reaper. Just don't vary up the stats of your sword and fluff it to be transforming from one in your hand rather than a full-on summon. Power points represent your reiatsu and various powers represent your kidou and special trainings.

Zanpakutou are "easily" replicated as artifacts in Exalted with 1-2 dot drawback and/or essence activation costs.

Not really. I mean I guess psywar is the closest DnD class. But hardly anywhere near Bleach.

And artifact weapons might represent some of the weaker Zanpakutō, but show me one that can represesnt Byakuya's Bankai Or Rukia's shikai. Or Renji's. They actually could represent (current) Ichigo's pretty well. But his is the simplest.

But I'm not familiar with Exalted 2e, so maybe they have those now?

In case it wasn't obvious with my mention of Byakuya and Kenpachi I want to represent characters of captain level power. Psywar ain't cutting it.

Reiatsu is close to Exalted's essence, but not really at the same time. It doesn't have the passive effects of reiatsu like in bleach.

That looks interesting Lorolar, I'll look into it.

[Salt_Crow]

Mutants & Masterminds 2nd edition. Hands down. It's a highly flexible system that some would describe as a hybrid of D&D and GURPS.

Also, having an entire splatbook dedicated to creating manga-based characters doesn't hurt either. See Mecha&Manga if you want more information.

You only need, like, the core rulebook to make a character you really want, and the rest of the splatbooks just help you with flavouring up the character. And the quality of the books are incomparable to some of the cruddly scraps *cough* complete psionics *cough* the mainstream D&D seems to produce.


Also: Exalted 2e's a good system for playing a high-powered character. But I found M&M2e a lot easier to learn (it's another d20 system that actually only uses d20). But Exalted would probably be better than M&M if you really want the-shakers-and-the-movers kind of power.

[randomhero00]

MM looks pretty cool. I've had no experience with it though. I'll have to look into it...now if only I could pry my friends away from DnD...sigh

[Yukitsu]

It really depends on the person in question. Some people are really well represented with psywar, others duskblade, a few as soulbows, and others as psions. There is actually some decent diversity to the build types in the setting.

[Eldan]

Have a look at Krimm Blackleaf's homebrew. He's a huge Bleach fanboy and made half the things which ever showed up in the series. Mostly hollows of all kinds, though.

[Kylarra]

And artifact weapons might represent some of the weaker Zanpakutō, but show me one that can represesnt Byakuya's Bankai Or Rukia's shikai. Or Renji's. They actually could represent (current) Ichigo's pretty well. But his is the simplest.

But I'm not familiar with Exalted 2e, so maybe they have those now?

Frankly, the specific powers of an individual person strike me as custom martial arts charms using their given weapon as a form weapon, but just using base weapons for fun I guess...


Byakuya's Senbonzakura is simply a glorified death of obsidian butterflies cast with variable target area. Since there are existing artifacts that release sorceries as standard actions, it's not a small stretch to assume that a limited form could exist. Alternatively, it also simply has a ranged attack and high rate so that you can flurry at things within range, although that's more of Haineko than Senbonzakura.

To forestall the arguments later, senkei is essentially a flurry with Glorious Solar Saber, gokei is some unblockable attack charm, pick one, shukei is again, just an attack charm. If we're escaping canon, senkei can also function as Heavenly Guardian Defense. Bankai is probably only represented by 5dot artifacts or N/As so... yeah, it can mimic lower end charms just fine.

Rukia's Shikai is simply a combination of 3 charms. Her actual sword is meaningless. Hakuren/Tsukishiro is something like Tsunami Force Shout, an AoE attack that deals aggravated damage. People that don't matter are frozen and killed and anyone that does just shrugs it off. Shirafune is just GSS of course.

Renji's Shikai is simply a ranged sword. There's already a variant weapon of razor claws that has a ranged attack, so extrapolation of that to a daiklave and done.

Haineko, mentioned above.

Tobiume is just a sword that can use Blazing Solar Bolt.

Essentially, any sword with a special ability is probably mimicking a charm or them just channeling a charm, any sword with purely physical components is easily replicated.

Naturally, there are some that are either ridiculous or just have no counterparts, but bleach is filled with minor characters who have situational win buttons that aren't worth statting up so eh whatever.

Reiatsu is close to Exalted's essence, but not really at the same time. It doesn't have the passive effects of reiatsu like in bleach.

a flaring anima banner, specifically twilight and dawn caste, certain scene long charms, and a few others easily represent the passive defenses of "having a strong reiatsu" that is shown, when they feel like it, in Bleach. Note that like many things, coughichigo'sbankaicough, comparative reiatsu having a passive effect is only relevant once or twice and then pretty much forgotten in favor of active abilities and sheer overwhelming strength.

[horngeek]

Have a look at Krimm Blackleaf's homebrew. He's a huge Bleach fanboy and made half the things which ever showed up in the series. Mostly hollows of all kinds, though.

Although it isn't a copy of Bleach stuff- he's actually put his own spin on it.

For example, the Unmasked Demon is the Arrancar equivalent, but it's actually... well, the prerequisite is 'Evil Outsider'.

He's also got a version for Good Outsiders... and Dragons.

They're mostly ToB based, though. So, you'd want that book.

[FatR]

Not really. I mean I guess psywar is the closest DnD class. But hardly anywhere near Bleach.

And artifact weapons might represent some of the weaker Zanpakutō, but show me one that can represesnt Byakuya's Bankai Or Rukia's shikai. Or Renji's. They actually could represent (current) Ichigo's pretty well. But his is the simplest.

Nothing of this is at all hard to model in DnD. Byakuya's Bankai - at-will AoE attack and cover to the wielder. Rukia's shikai - Flame Strike that does ice damage at will and empowered version of this X times per day. Renji - a long-reach melee attack and a line-shaped blast that does nonelemental damage. Now, if you have mentioned Kyoraku... but no game I'm aware of can adequately model his power without absctracting it as some king of a Screw You effect.

But I'm not familiar with Exalted 2e, so maybe they have those now?

No. Exalted is a sucky system in general, but 2E will be particularly spectacular in its failure to represent Bleach, like, at all. Reasons range from big-ass attacks that usually solve battles in Bleach being utterly useless and characters generally going from fine to dead in one hit once you start play around with Bleach-like power levels; to just not having anything that can represent run-of-the-mill Bleach powers without breaking the theme. For example, in Bleach everyone and their mother can walk on air, in Exalted you're dependent on artifacts to have flight that does not screw your ability to fight.

In case it wasn't obvious with my mention of Byakuya and Kenpachi I want to represent characters of captain level power. Psywar ain't cutting it.

High-level DnD characters are among the most obscenely powerful beings in, well, any media. I'd argue that a competently built level 13+ psywar would feel right at home among the captains, power-wise. Particularly if shikai/bankai are granted on top of his normal abilities. Thematically, not so sure. ToB classes probably are closer in their style.

[ladysekhmetka]

Well, if you are in the Charleston SC area on June 19th, I'm running a BESM 2nd Edition Bleach game at the local quarterly gaming event.

BESM, aka Big Eyes Small Mouth, uses the Tri-Stat system created by the now defunct Guardians of Order There were three editions at together and in the first two, you want to roll low instead of high. They changed that for the third edition and as a result, most people who like the first two editions do not like the third.

I like to think it's a nice little system that is flexible enough to let you do most anime series. I have already run games in Bleach, Trigun, and The Last Airbender series.

[Tinydwarfman]

There have been like 5 different versions of bleach classes home-brewed, so take your pick really.

[randomhero00]

Some interesting responses. thanks. I am unsure now which system would best represent. But either way, I think the bigger problem is convincing a DM to let me play one in the first place.

Flash step in DnD could be a form of time stop. But I think the main problem for DnD is the general feeling of it. Its hard to change without a really skilled DM. Fighting always feels like hacknslash.

I was just talking about this with my friends. All systems seem to assume you are always going to do tactically good stuff, like they don't expect you to win initiative and then not attack on it for thematic reasons. Or to whithhold your power for reasons of pride. I'd like a system that includes roleplaying in combat situations.

[The Glyphstone]

Exalted sorta has that...you get Willpower for acting according to your Virtues and Vices...

[Muad'dib]

Some interesting responses. thanks. I am unsure now which system would best represent. But either way, I think the bigger problem is convincing a DM to let me play one in the first place.

Flash step in DnD could be a form of time stop. But I think the main problem for DnD is the general feeling of it. Its hard to change without a really skilled DM. Fighting always feels like hacknslash.

I was just talking about this with my friends. All systems seem to assume you are always going to do tactically good stuff, like they don't expect you to win initiative and then not attack on it for thematic reasons. Or to whithhold your power for reasons of pride. I'd like a system that includes roleplaying in combat situations.

Flash step seems a lot more like an at will dimension door. Anyone who attacks right after could easily have the shadow pounce ability.

[~LuckyBoneDice~]

Flash step seems a lot more like an at will dimension door. Anyone who attacks right after could easily have the shadow pounce ability.

I don't like bleach, because the anime killed it for me.

However, all Shinigami have some levels in both fighter and warlock