Post by ChromaticTruthsayer on Dec 29, 2013 18:20:10 GMT -5
This is less of a rule section, and more of a little idea of how progression of power works here. This is recommended to be read after one has fully read all other sections of the Rules and Suggestions to avoid confusion.
Naturally you'll be starting with your character of choice. For now, let's talk about persona users. As you probably already know, they start with 3 basic skills out of four available slots and can get more by purchasing them with Fate Points at the OOC Persona Shop. So, you'll be able to buy new skills and upgrades to existing skills. However higher tier skills are significantly more expensive, and with four skill slots you can be severely limited. But worry not! This is where the progression part takes effect.
Persona-users
You and your persona can be "leveled up" for a number of important things; with a max level of 5. With each level up, your persona gains another skill slot for a total of eight slots. Certainly much better than four, wouldn't you say? And as for the issue of skills getting progressively more expensive, leveling up solve that issue as well. You see, leveling up allows you to explore higher level stratums in explorable areas. Level 3 character? You can explore up to level 3 stratums. Pretty simple, right? Higher level stratums yield higher amounts of Fate Points to let you grab those higher level skills without too much worry. Everything has been scaled for players to progress at a relaxing, yet continuously progressive rate. Think Megidolaon's price is nearly unreachable? By level 4, you'll at least see it as a reasonable goal.
Leveling up also allows your persona to evolve into its second, and even third forms. At level 3 one may obtain (through Fate Points) their second form persona which gives the player any number of skill/skill upgrades worth 4,000 Fate Points or less for free; and further augments their elemental/physical resistances. If one reaches level 5 (which can only be reached with a second form persona), they may also obtain (once again, through Fate Points) their third tier persona. Again, this augments the persona's defenses, but the real prize is the skill they can obtain. When obtaining a third tier persona, the player may add any skill they wish to their persona for free. It may even have a custom name to fit the character/persona. (You may even make a custom skill effect if you so please; but it must be approved beforehand!)
Of course, this doesn't mean you can simply level up continuously as you ignore buying skills. One may only level up once they have invested a significant amount of Fate Points in their skills. Each level's requirement is different of course, with all values being found HERE.
Civilians
But what of civilians? Can they not enjoy the progression a persona-user has? They can! And it can certainly be just as interesting, or even more so, depending on how you go about it.
Making true, non-combat civilians is great and all, but what if you want to make one that has a hand in fighting shadows? With weaknesses in all attack categories and a lack of spell usage, surely they are much harder to effectively level up, right? Yes. That is what can make it fun.
And yes, civilians level up as well. However they can only reach level 3, meaning they can only progress up to the third stratum. The human body alone has its limits, after all. Though, being able to make it to the third stratum without a persona is an achievement in itself. (The level up costs for civilians make that pretty evident as well.) Leveling up civilians can be done in the persona store, with the required Fate Point investment listed.
Now, just what do you invest in for civilians? Well, there's a number of answers. But it all really boils down to equipment. "Equipment" being pretty general, would refer to weapons, armor, and accessories. All of these can be bought with Fate Points or be found naturally. (If found, they count for however many points it would be to buy the weapon normally.) Investment in weapon proficiencies also count towards this if your character wishes to diversify their weapon usage a bit. Certainly much less complicated than persona users, but more difficult to accomplish. Anything equipment-related can be purchased HERE.
Civilian characters also have the option to purchase a persona awakening OOC with Fate Points at any given level. The option isn't there to discourage pure non-persona users, but to simply allow that freedom to do so.
Hopeful this guide helped a bit in explaining everything. If you've read all sections of the Rules and Suggestions and still have questions, feel free to ask staff or myself.
Veteran Persona Users
Veteran persona-users are people who have past experience in dealing with Shadows. ICly, about a few months into the formation of the circle, a few groups of persona users from outside the affected area managed to get in with the intent of saving the residents of the city using a special one-way teleporting device they had created. These persona-users backgrounds and experiences with shadows are all different, with their only connection to each other being the organization that they are all a part of. Veteran Persona users start out at level 3 with an awakened persona and 10,000 FP's worth of skills. They may also start with a level 3 weapon in their proficiency and level 3 armor. However, only someone with a character level 3 or higher may make a veteran persona-user.
Anti-Shadow Suppression Unit
Anti-Shadow Units are combat androids that were given an ego to have a persona and do battle with shadows. ICly, they came along with Veteran Persona users from outside the circle. They start out the same way as normal persona users, minus their history. The history of the Anti-Shadow unit is limited to its time in the laboratory as it was "taught to be human," to the time in which it crossed into Mosaic City. (For a better idea of that, see Labrys' story in Persona Arena.)
Playable Shadows
Player-made shadows are shadows that can be made and controlled by someone. To make a shadow, players to have at least one Persona-user or Civilian, leveled to Level 2. Furthermore, for a second Shadow character, you'd need at least one more Persona-user/Civilian meeting this requirement.
Ultimately, how a Shadow comes about and replaces their human counterpart is up to you, the player. There are a few things to keep in mind, though. The human from which the Shadow originates will have been eliminated by the Shadow in some way, shape or form. Reasons can vary. It could be rejections ala P4, or just outright trying to kill them ala P2. Be a little creative. Your Shadow can originate from anywhere in the world, though, as not all Shadows have to necessarily have come about after the lockdown with a Mosaic citizen. Just like there are Veteran Persona-users from all walks of life around the world, there will be Shadows that emerged from these incidents, safe and sound.
Now, you might be wondering about little details regarding Shadows in Mosaic. Why and how can they get into the city? Well, for one, these Shadows have two forms. The first form is that of their original human shape. The second is their actual Shadow form. While in human form, they can safely travel around Mosaic with no issues. They look just like another random person on the street. Persona-users will not be able to sense them while they are in human form. Particularly sensitive Users, and perhaps Anti-Shadow Weapons will be able to notice something slightly off if they're right next to them, but nothing they can put their fingers on. Shadows in human form can sense each other, however. Outside the city, in the Shadowlands, Shadows can change shape to their Shadow form. At this point, they can be sensed by anybody around. Dependent on their own strength, the Shadow will give off the sensations you'd expect from a Stratum Boss, perhaps more.
Now, you might be asking why we're allowing Shadows. These are essentially player-driven bosses with social lives. How you play your Shadow is up to you, but you'll be a bit hardier than a Persona-user or an ASW. Shadows have a few perks over Users. For example, more Custom moves, more Unique moves, 10 skill slots, a few more resistances, and the like. Below, you'll find some information covering these perks, as well as the costs and whatnot to grow your Shadow to its maximum potential.
On launch, your Shadow can apply 20,000 FP into Skills and Resistances however you'd like. Your Shadow will start with up to 2 Nulls, with one weakness. You can split 1 Null into 2 Resistances, if you'd like, for a maximum of 4 Resistances versus 1 Weakness. With 1 Weakness, you can upgrade your various Resistances to up to 4 Repel/Absorbs. Is that not enough? Then, by developing a second Weakness, you can expand the maximum to 6. Moving on, you may have up to 4 Custom Skills on your Shadow, as well as up to 4 Unique skills (the bolded moves in the Persona shop). Don't want 4 Customs? Your unused Custom Skills can be swapped over to Uniques, if you want. Below are the costs for all these transactions.
Shadows cannot get FP in the same way that Civilians, Users, or ASW's can. So, here's the down-low for how you get FP.
Once a week, your Shadow can feed off of emotional energy in Mosaic for a hefty amount of FP. These threads go in the "Feeding" board located in The Gap.
For every complete Social thread, you can get a small amount of FP for feeding off of emotions from your companions.
You will receive bonus FP for every battle your Shadow is in against other Player Characters. Completion of battles will result in a set reward. Winning these battles will offer greater rewards. Players participating in these battles will also receive FP rewards.
You will also receive FP for activity taken in Full Moon Battles.
Amounts for us to know, if we're not sharing:
Feeding – 2k
Social – 1.5k
Battles = 250 x (# of posts x # of enemies); 500 FP for a completed fight, 1000 more for a victory
FMB = 500 x # of posts
Users will also receive 1000 FP on victory of a shadow fight, or 500 FP for a loss or tie.
Naturally you'll be starting with your character of choice. For now, let's talk about persona users. As you probably already know, they start with 3 basic skills out of four available slots and can get more by purchasing them with Fate Points at the OOC Persona Shop. So, you'll be able to buy new skills and upgrades to existing skills. However higher tier skills are significantly more expensive, and with four skill slots you can be severely limited. But worry not! This is where the progression part takes effect.
Persona-users
You and your persona can be "leveled up" for a number of important things; with a max level of 5. With each level up, your persona gains another skill slot for a total of eight slots. Certainly much better than four, wouldn't you say? And as for the issue of skills getting progressively more expensive, leveling up solve that issue as well. You see, leveling up allows you to explore higher level stratums in explorable areas. Level 3 character? You can explore up to level 3 stratums. Pretty simple, right? Higher level stratums yield higher amounts of Fate Points to let you grab those higher level skills without too much worry. Everything has been scaled for players to progress at a relaxing, yet continuously progressive rate. Think Megidolaon's price is nearly unreachable? By level 4, you'll at least see it as a reasonable goal.
Leveling up also allows your persona to evolve into its second, and even third forms. At level 3 one may obtain (through Fate Points) their second form persona which gives the player any number of skill/skill upgrades worth 4,000 Fate Points or less for free; and further augments their elemental/physical resistances. If one reaches level 5 (which can only be reached with a second form persona), they may also obtain (once again, through Fate Points) their third tier persona. Again, this augments the persona's defenses, but the real prize is the skill they can obtain. When obtaining a third tier persona, the player may add any skill they wish to their persona for free. It may even have a custom name to fit the character/persona. (You may even make a custom skill effect if you so please; but it must be approved beforehand!)
Of course, this doesn't mean you can simply level up continuously as you ignore buying skills. One may only level up once they have invested a significant amount of Fate Points in their skills. Each level's requirement is different of course, with all values being found HERE.
Civilians
But what of civilians? Can they not enjoy the progression a persona-user has? They can! And it can certainly be just as interesting, or even more so, depending on how you go about it.
Making true, non-combat civilians is great and all, but what if you want to make one that has a hand in fighting shadows? With weaknesses in all attack categories and a lack of spell usage, surely they are much harder to effectively level up, right? Yes. That is what can make it fun.
And yes, civilians level up as well. However they can only reach level 3, meaning they can only progress up to the third stratum. The human body alone has its limits, after all. Though, being able to make it to the third stratum without a persona is an achievement in itself. (The level up costs for civilians make that pretty evident as well.) Leveling up civilians can be done in the persona store, with the required Fate Point investment listed.
Now, just what do you invest in for civilians? Well, there's a number of answers. But it all really boils down to equipment. "Equipment" being pretty general, would refer to weapons, armor, and accessories. All of these can be bought with Fate Points or be found naturally. (If found, they count for however many points it would be to buy the weapon normally.) Investment in weapon proficiencies also count towards this if your character wishes to diversify their weapon usage a bit. Certainly much less complicated than persona users, but more difficult to accomplish. Anything equipment-related can be purchased HERE.
Civilian characters also have the option to purchase a persona awakening OOC with Fate Points at any given level. The option isn't there to discourage pure non-persona users, but to simply allow that freedom to do so.
Hopeful this guide helped a bit in explaining everything. If you've read all sections of the Rules and Suggestions and still have questions, feel free to ask staff or myself.
Veteran Persona Users
Veteran persona-users are people who have past experience in dealing with Shadows. ICly, about a few months into the formation of the circle, a few groups of persona users from outside the affected area managed to get in with the intent of saving the residents of the city using a special one-way teleporting device they had created. These persona-users backgrounds and experiences with shadows are all different, with their only connection to each other being the organization that they are all a part of. Veteran Persona users start out at level 3 with an awakened persona and 10,000 FP's worth of skills. They may also start with a level 3 weapon in their proficiency and level 3 armor. However, only someone with a character level 3 or higher may make a veteran persona-user.
Anti-Shadow Suppression Unit
Anti-Shadow Units are combat androids that were given an ego to have a persona and do battle with shadows. ICly, they came along with Veteran Persona users from outside the circle. They start out the same way as normal persona users, minus their history. The history of the Anti-Shadow unit is limited to its time in the laboratory as it was "taught to be human," to the time in which it crossed into Mosaic City. (For a better idea of that, see Labrys' story in Persona Arena.)
Playable Shadows
Player-made shadows are shadows that can be made and controlled by someone. To make a shadow, players to have at least one Persona-user or Civilian, leveled to Level 2. Furthermore, for a second Shadow character, you'd need at least one more Persona-user/Civilian meeting this requirement.
Ultimately, how a Shadow comes about and replaces their human counterpart is up to you, the player. There are a few things to keep in mind, though. The human from which the Shadow originates will have been eliminated by the Shadow in some way, shape or form. Reasons can vary. It could be rejections ala P4, or just outright trying to kill them ala P2. Be a little creative. Your Shadow can originate from anywhere in the world, though, as not all Shadows have to necessarily have come about after the lockdown with a Mosaic citizen. Just like there are Veteran Persona-users from all walks of life around the world, there will be Shadows that emerged from these incidents, safe and sound.
Now, you might be wondering about little details regarding Shadows in Mosaic. Why and how can they get into the city? Well, for one, these Shadows have two forms. The first form is that of their original human shape. The second is their actual Shadow form. While in human form, they can safely travel around Mosaic with no issues. They look just like another random person on the street. Persona-users will not be able to sense them while they are in human form. Particularly sensitive Users, and perhaps Anti-Shadow Weapons will be able to notice something slightly off if they're right next to them, but nothing they can put their fingers on. Shadows in human form can sense each other, however. Outside the city, in the Shadowlands, Shadows can change shape to their Shadow form. At this point, they can be sensed by anybody around. Dependent on their own strength, the Shadow will give off the sensations you'd expect from a Stratum Boss, perhaps more.
Now, you might be asking why we're allowing Shadows. These are essentially player-driven bosses with social lives. How you play your Shadow is up to you, but you'll be a bit hardier than a Persona-user or an ASW. Shadows have a few perks over Users. For example, more Custom moves, more Unique moves, 10 skill slots, a few more resistances, and the like. Below, you'll find some information covering these perks, as well as the costs and whatnot to grow your Shadow to its maximum potential.
On launch, your Shadow can apply 20,000 FP into Skills and Resistances however you'd like. Your Shadow will start with up to 2 Nulls, with one weakness. You can split 1 Null into 2 Resistances, if you'd like, for a maximum of 4 Resistances versus 1 Weakness. With 1 Weakness, you can upgrade your various Resistances to up to 4 Repel/Absorbs. Is that not enough? Then, by developing a second Weakness, you can expand the maximum to 6. Moving on, you may have up to 4 Custom Skills on your Shadow, as well as up to 4 Unique skills (the bolded moves in the Persona shop). Don't want 4 Customs? Your unused Custom Skills can be swapped over to Uniques, if you want. Below are the costs for all these transactions.
Shadows cannot get FP in the same way that Civilians, Users, or ASW's can. So, here's the down-low for how you get FP.
Once a week, your Shadow can feed off of emotional energy in Mosaic for a hefty amount of FP. These threads go in the "Feeding" board located in The Gap.
For every complete Social thread, you can get a small amount of FP for feeding off of emotions from your companions.
You will receive bonus FP for every battle your Shadow is in against other Player Characters. Completion of battles will result in a set reward. Winning these battles will offer greater rewards. Players participating in these battles will also receive FP rewards.
You will also receive FP for activity taken in Full Moon Battles.
Amounts for us to know, if we're not sharing:
Feeding – 2k
Social – 1.5k
Battles = 250 x (# of posts x # of enemies); 500 FP for a completed fight, 1000 more for a victory
FMB = 500 x # of posts
Users will also receive 1000 FP on victory of a shadow fight, or 500 FP for a loss or tie.