[Playbook] The Snake Witch

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Lukas

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[Playbook] The Snake Witch
« on: June 21, 2012, 02:02:14 PM »
This is actually a playbook designed around a npc in my current campaign that I'm planning on taking on as a second character. Snake witches might seem like a kinda narrow concept, but not really that much more narrow than "big scary dude who wears a mask at all times".

The Snake Witch

Presidente, Redman, Belladonna, Cherry, Zombie, Blind, Delacroix, Don, Rum, Thulsa.

Rattler, Cottonmouth, Coral, Sidewinder, Cobra, Krait, Adder, Ferdelance.

Cool 0, Hard -1, Hot +1, Sharp +1, Weird +2
Cool -1, Hard -1, Hot 0, Sharp +2, Weird +2
Cool +1, Hard 0, Hot +1, Sharp -1, Weird +2
Cool 0, Hard +1, Hot -1, Sharp +1, Weird +2

Man, woman, concealed, transgressing or ambiguous.

Scrounge wear, casual wear, display wear, snakeskin wear or luxe wear.

Lean face, stoic face, pretty face, cruel face, tattooed face or lined face.

Darting eyes, hypnotic eyes, unblinking eyes, mocking eyes, sad eyes or feverish eyes.

Slight body, rangy body, compact body, wiry body, athletic body or graceful body.

Pick two snake witch moves:

Bitten by the Ghost Snake: You get +1 Weird (Weird +3).

Charmer: You can roll +Weird instead of +Hot to seduce or manipulate someone as long as you keep close eye contact when you do it.

Fucked-up Voodoo Shit: When someone causes harm to you and you curse their name, roll +Weird if it's an NPC and +Hx if it's another PC. On a hit they immediately take 1-harm (ap) from sudden weakness and sickness. Furthermore, on a 10+ they're immediately beset with fear and trepidation and have to act under fire to harm you or even approach you. On a miss your curse rings empty, but you suffer no negative consequences apart from, you know, being in the middle of getting stabbed.

Medicine Snake: Whenever someone gets bitten by your medicine snake, roll +Weird. On a 10+ they slip into a days-long fitful sleep and emerge healed from mental and physical afflicitions. All damage is healed down to 6 (if over 6) or by one segment (if below). On a 7-9 the same thing happens, but they're acting under fire from the psychic maelstrom the whole while. On a 6-, they take ?-harm.

Slippery: When you try to get into someplace, name your route and roll +Sharp. On a 10+ you get in unharmed and unnoticed, no problem. On a 7-9 you get in unharmed and unnoticed, but you'll have to find some new way out. On a 6-, you get caught, hurt or lost.

Stillness: When you make a harm move, you pick the consequences, not the MC.

Venomous: Whenever you deal harm to someone, through weapons or otherwise, roll +Weird. On a 10+, hold 3. On a 7-9, hold 1. Spend your hold one for one to inflict 1-harm (ap) on that person at any time in the future. If the person seeks help from someone who knows their shit, you or someone else, that counts for all remaining hold.

Snake Witch Special: When you have sex, you can use the psychic energies of yourself and your partner for augury. Doing so leaves you exhausted and gives both of you -1 forward, though.

You start with a bunch of snakes, one handy weapon, oddments worth 2-barter and fashion suitable to your look, including at your option a piece worth 1-armor.

Handy weapons: .38 revolver (2-harm close reload loud), 9mm (2-harm close loud), big knife (2-harm hand), sawed-off (3-harm close reload messy), machete (3-harm hand messy), magnum (3-harm close reload loud).

Go around for Hx. On your turn, choose one or both:
One of them has been under your spell. Tell that player Hx+3.
One of them is clearly uncomfortable around you. Tell that player Hx-1.
Tell all other Hx=0.

On the other's turn:
One of them has come to you for help. Whatever number that player tells you, ignore it; write Hx+3 next to the character's name instead.
One of them is fascinated by you. Whatever number that player tells you, ignore it; write Hx+2 next to the character's name instead.
Everyone else, whatever number they tell you, give it -1 and write it next to their character names. By default, you prefer the company of snakes to that of people.

_Get +1 Cool (max Cool +2).
_Get +1 Hard (max Hard +2).
_Get +1 Hot (max Hot +2).
_Get +1 Sharp (max Sharp +2).
_Get a new snake witch move.
_Get a new snake witch move.
_Get followers (detail) and fortunes.
_Get 2 gigs (detail) and moonlighting.
_Get a move from another playbook.
_Get a move from another playbook.

Re: [Playbook] The Snake Witch
« Reply #1 on: June 21, 2012, 10:59:58 PM »
I like this conceptually a lot. Its specific, its definitely from the apocalypse, its spooky, it doesn't step on other playbook's toes too much.

You gotta have more snake gear. Just listen to the sound of that. Snake Gear. Something like 2 out of: big-ass boa, a pile of regular snakes, a cobra snake, a freaky mutant snake.

I kinda wish Fucked-Up Voodoo Shit was a little more open-ended, because who doesn't like Fucked-Up Voodoo Shit. I like the idea that it could be triggered by non-physical 'harm' as well.

I'm a little worried in play that they don't have enough to draw them in the situation! It seems like once they're being fucked with they add a lot to the situation. Maybe add in some Hx options that state someone dumb is trying to fuck with you. (Preferably an npc)

Re: [Playbook] The Snake Witch
« Reply #2 on: June 22, 2012, 12:12:13 AM »
The 10+ option of FUVS doesn't do anything to NPCs.

Re: [Playbook] The Snake Witch
« Reply #3 on: June 22, 2012, 12:43:01 AM »
I really like this concept. I do have one reservation. I'm kind of put off by the use of the word "voodoo" to suggest black magic. It's a real-life religion that people believe in, and one of the few indigenous practices that survived the African diaspora. It's associated with black magic because of racism. So I think this might be a little appropriative, as put. I think this is really easy to fix: just say "Fucked-Up Black Magic Shit" or something like that. Other than that, it looks damn cool.

I have zero qualms about associating snakes with supernatural evil, obviously!

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Lukas

  • 53
Re: [Playbook] The Snake Witch
« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2012, 08:31:51 AM »
@evilseanbot: Yeah, more specific snake gear seems like a good idea. Finally a chance to use that "Alive" tag? I also agree about it needing more stuff to draw it in. An Hx option, perhaps, or something like the people interested in the Maestro d's establishments (three npcs, one of them owes you/wants to use you/wants you gone, perhaps?).

@help im a bug: Didn't think about that. How about "on a 10+, they also take s-harm"? Functionally, it's pretty close.

@creases: Noted, though I like the ring of FUVS -- it's the kind of thing it'd be called in-universe. I'll probably keep using it in my group, but I might try to find a better term for wider use.

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Lukas

  • 53
Re: [Playbook] The Snake Witch
« Reply #5 on: June 24, 2012, 11:15:22 PM »
Trying a second version:

The Snake Witch

Presidente, Redman, Belladonna, Cherry, Zombie, Blind, Delacroix, Don, Rum, Thulsa, Jonas.

Rattler, Cottonmouth, Coral, Sidewinder, Cobra, Krait, Adder, Ferdelance.

Cool 0, Hard -1, Hot +1, Sharp +1, Weird +2
Cool -1, Hard -1, Hot 0, Sharp +2, Weird +2
Cool +1, Hard 0, Hot +1, Sharp -1, Weird +2
Cool 0, Hard +1, Hot -1, Sharp +1, Weird +2

Man, woman, concealed, transgressing or ambiguous.

Scrounge wear, casual wear, display wear, snakeskin wear or luxe wear.

Lean face, stoic face, pretty face, cruel face, tattooed face or lined face.

Darting eyes, hypnotic eyes, unblinking eyes, mocking eyes, sad eyes, glass eye or feverish eyes.

Slight body, rangy body, compact body, wiry body, athletic body, sensual body or graceful body.

Pick two snake witch moves:

Bitten by the Ghost Snake: You get +1 Weird (Weird +3).

Charmer: You can roll +Weird instead of +Hot to seduce or manipulate someone as long as you keep close eye contact when you do it. It needs to be intensely personal, nothing you can do while walking around or talking to more than one person.

Fucked-up Voodoo (still working on this) Shit: When someone causes harm to you and you curse their name, roll +Weird if it's an NPC and +Hx if it's another PC. On a hit they immediately take 1-harm (ap) from sudden weakness and sickness. Furthermore, on a 10+ they take s-harm from fear and trepidation as well. On a miss your curse rings empty, but you suffer no negative consequences apart from, you know, being in the middle of getting stabbed.

Medicine Snake: Whenever someone gets bitten by your medicine snake, roll +Weird. On a 10+ they slip into a days-long fitful sleep and emerge healed from mental and physical afflicitions. All damage is healed down to 6 (if over 6) or by one segment (if below). On a 7-9 the same thing happens, but they're acting under fire from the psychic maelstrom the whole while. On a 6-, they take ?-harm.

Slippery: When you try to get into someplace, name your route and roll +Sharp. On a 10+ you get in unharmed and unnoticed, no problem. On a 7-9 you get in unharmed and unnoticed, but you'll have to find some new way out. On a 6-, you get caught, hurt or lost.

Stillness: When you make a harm move, you pick the consequences, not the MC.

Venomous: Whenever you deal harm to someone, through weapons or otherwise, roll +Weird. On a 10+, hold 3. On a 7-9, hold 1. Spend your hold one for one to inflict 1-harm (ap) on that person at any time in the future. If the person seeks help from someone who knows their shit, you or someone else, that counts for all remaining hold.

Snake Witch Special: When you have sex, you can use the psychic energies of yourself and your partner for augury. For purposes of failed rolls, your partner counts as your antenna.

You start with a menagerie, one handy weapon, oddments worth 2-barter and fashion suitable to your look, including at your option a piece worth 1-armor.

Handy weapons: .38 revolver (2-harm close reload loud), 9mm (2-harm close loud), big knife (2-harm hand), sawed-off (3-harm close reload messy), machete (3-harm hand messy), magnum (3-harm close reload loud).

Your menagerie contains two of the following: a huge constrictor (alive worn-optional), a pile of regular snakes (alive infinite worn-optional), a cobra or some other very poisonous snake (alive worn-optional), a rare and pretty snake (alive valuable worn-optional), a freaky mutant snake (alive worn-optional). Decide if you travel with it or keep it somewhere. Your menagerie and your business has also put you into contact with at least these five NPCs: Hyde, Jacker, Boots, Duchess, Maggot.
One of them owes you for something. Who and for what?
One of them covets your menagerie. Who and why?
One of them wants you gone. Who and why?

Go around for Hx. On your turn, choose one or both:
One of them has been under your spell. Tell that player Hx+3.
One of them is clearly uncomfortable around you. Tell that player Hx-1.
Tell all other Hx=0.

On the other's turn:
One of them has come to you for help. Whatever number that player tells you, ignore it; write Hx+3 next to the character's name instead.
One of them is fascinated by you. Whatever number that player tells you, ignore it; write Hx+2 next to the character's name instead.
Everyone else, whatever number they tell you, give it -1 and write it next to their character names. By default, you prefer the company of snakes to that of people.

_Get +1 Cool (max Cool +2).
_Get +1 Hard (max Hard +2).
_Get +1 Hot (max Hot +2).
_Get +1 Sharp (max Sharp +2).
_Get a new snake witch move.
_Get a new snake witch move.
_Get followers (detail) and fortunes.
_Get 2 gigs (detail) and moonlighting.
_Get a move from another playbook.
_Get a move from another playbook.

Re: [Playbook] The Snake Witch
« Reply #6 on: June 27, 2012, 06:02:26 PM »
I really dig this concept. In our larger campaign I'm going to use the second character advancement, sneak this sucker in. I'm glad you posted this.

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Lukas

  • 53
Re: [Playbook] The Snake Witch
« Reply #7 on: June 27, 2012, 10:19:30 PM »
I'm glad you like it! I've just started playing my own snake witch as a second character, so it'll be interesting to see how well it works in actual play.

Re: [Playbook] The Snake Witch
« Reply #8 on: June 29, 2012, 05:20:16 PM »
FUVS could be renamed:

Spoiling the Blood
Fucked Up Devil Shit
Fucked Up Gorgon Shit
Fucked Up Cobra Shit
The Gorgon Look
Fucked Up Brain Tricks
Fucked Up Staring Tricks