[UA] The Duelist and The Gardener

[Gareth Hanrahan]

> Taboo: Never fight anyone except in an equally-armed duel unless
> attacked first. Never refuse a challenge.

Hmm. I'd be tempted to just say "select a code of honour and don't break
it".

> 1-50: If you call someone out and he refuses, cheats, attacks you
> afterwards, etcetera you can flip-flop all rolls in that
> situation as long as the result is under your avatar score. The
> duelist also goes first in every round. This also applies to his
> allies attacking you, etc.

Hmm. Meh. I don't like special-case channels for the first channel. The
initial power of the avatar should be more focussed. How about "you can add
half your avatar skill to any roll directly related to the duel?"

> 51-70: Roll your avatar skill to detect sneak-attacks, ambushes,
> etc.
Include the flip-flop ability with this one?

> 71-90: No penalty to disarm or knock out an opponent.
A bit low-powered. How about:
Lady's Favour: the Duellist can adopt the cause of another person (a
samurai's daimyo, a knight's amour, a cop's dead partner). The Duellist now
has temporary hit points during the duel equal to the other person's Soul.

> 91-99: No more than one person can fight the duelist at a time,
> and the attacker can't use a more powerful weapon than the
> duelist uses.
Hmm. Doesn't allow for Cyrano fighting three guards (or thirty) at once.
Maybe the attacks have to overcome the Duellist's Avatar skill with their
soul in order to attack him if he's already engaged.

Overall, I like. I'm not sure about the channels, but it's definitely a good
(and very playable concept). Plus, it lets you do Highlander in UA, when the
Godwalker duels...
> ----
>
> 2. The Gardener
> Taboo: Never let plants go uncared-for. (Lame, I know. Something
> better?)
Never let plants stop growing. The Gardener cannot let his garden be
static...it must keep growing every year. The Gardener must work at a garden
each day.

> 1-50: By rolling under avatar skill, the gardener can grow plants
> of unusual quality and potency: marijuana, curare, wine grapes,
> super-string wood, and giant squash are all possible. These
> plants take the normal time and care to grow, and they are from 2
> to 10 times more potent dedending on degree of success.
>
> 51-70: ???
Fertility aura. All plants in the gardener's care grow faster (by an amount
equal to his avatar skill). I'd swap this channel with the previous one,
actually.

> 71-90: The gardener can control all plants in the area. Vines can
> entangle enemies, hedges can rearrange themselves, branches can
> lower themselves to allow climbing. Usable once per day per 10s
> digit of skill.
>
> 91-99: ???
At this level, the Gardener can awaken the vegetable nature in all things.
He can transform himself into a tree (skin becomes wooden, he takes root),
curse his attackers with a similar fate - he touches you, you're cursed to
turn into a mass of plants after a few hours) or animate plants (walking
scarecrows, thugs who turn into piles of rotting compost when shot etc).

> As you can see, they're a little bit rough around the edges. Tear
> them apart, please.

They're both fairly good. I think I prefer a higher level of power and
pyrotechnics with my avatar channels, though. :-)
> Matt Norwood
Gar


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