Author: Andy Hauge

New favorite US tech: getting people to do things that are in their own best interests, like getting the Veteran…

New favorite US tech: getting people to do things that are in their own best interests, like getting the Veteran…

New favorite US tech: getting people to do things that are in their own best interests, like getting the Veteran investigating a cryptic medallion of a cult trying to summon a Big Bad Thing, or getting the Wolf to check out this warehouse that’s on his turf and potentially in danger.

I mean, hey, it just so happens that I wanted their help, but it’s nice that they would’ve wanted to do it anyway. A good bit less prone to owing Debts.

Aw gee. I’m playing the Vamp, and I’m already almost about to mark my first Corruption advance. :-P

Aw gee. I’m playing the Vamp, and I’m already almost about to mark my first Corruption advance. 😛

Aw gee. I’m playing the Vamp, and I’m already almost about to mark my first Corruption advance. 😛

Maybe I should try to find more cooperative people to feed from.

Okay, it’s Round 2 on my “inspired by Fate/stay night” archetype!

Okay, it’s Round 2 on my “inspired by Fate/stay night” archetype!

Okay, it’s Round 2 on my “inspired by Fate/stay night” archetype! This time, I’ve gotten a much tighter focus since I’ve been watching more Unlimited Blade Works; the Heroic Purpose starting move comes directly out of that.

I decided to focus squarely on the Servant for this one; either you’ve got a mage-type in the group who makes for a good summoner, or maybe there’s something else going on with one of the players. (The Wolf summons an ancient hero? It could happen!) Failing that, there’s always the possibility of an NPC being your summoner. Any way you slice it, that should tie the Servant heavily into the group dynamics and the plotting!

So, listening to The Walking Eye’s podcasting on Monsterhearts, I come back to the notion that the game really…

So, listening to The Walking Eye’s podcasting on Monsterhearts, I come back to the notion that the game really…

So, listening to The Walking Eye’s podcasting on Monsterhearts, I come back to the notion that the game really really reminds me of Scott Pilgrim. (The books, not so much the movie.) And yet it’s not actually straight Monsterhearts either–the social timeframe is changed, and the social tensions and growing-up are way more of a slow boil.

So how does that translate? Is this a Monsterhearts hack? I feel like it’d be weird to introduce a Scott Pilgrim-inspired skin into a game of highschoolers.

Also, it suggests a really interesting interpretation of Darkest Self, i.e. Nega-Scott.

Is there a fan-made Chosen archetype?

Is there a fan-made Chosen archetype?

Is there a fan-made Chosen archetype? It came to me that there’s a Chosen in Monster of the Week and Monsterhearts, but not here (not to say that there’s any sort of requirement, but it sparked a thought…). And maybe it doesn’t seem like a good fit initially…

…but I think a Chosen would make an amazing loose cannon in a city. They have a destiny; who do they make deals with to see that destiny through? Who tries to manipulate them for their own purposes? After all, a destined champion is basically a cruise missile for those who know how to handle them.

Hmm, once I finish revamping the Heroic Servant playbook, I may have to turn my eye to this.

So!

So!

So! I just threw this together tonight, because I’ve been watching Fate/stay night (Unlimited Blade Works), which is currently coming out in Japan. Realized that, hey, that’s a cool character archetype which would fit right into Urban Shadows!

Given that it’s terribly late at night, it’s probably not the greatest archetype right now, and I’d love to see more interesting options to customize the Servant.

Watching Burn Notice, realized that it’s very much like an Urban Shadows game minus the supernatural.

Watching Burn Notice, realized that it’s very much like an Urban Shadows game minus the supernatural.

Watching Burn Notice, realized that it’s very much like an Urban Shadows game minus the supernatural. Characters cashing in debts (and gaining new ones) with each other ALL OVER THE PLACE. That’s a really interesting side of the show. Not sure where to go with that idea.