| Ezekiel Shanoax, the Stormchild RPG Superstar 2009 Top 16 |
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Reviewed.
Thank you for the review!
I really appreciate the honest feedback about the character motivations. Making strong, deep female characters is something I am very interested in, and since we're going to continue doing a lot more Faces, it is something that I want to get good at. So, if you don't mind me asking - what changes, additions, or deletions would you have made to Brynhild's persona?
| Dark Sasha |
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Reviewed.Thank you for the review!
I really appreciate the honest feedback about the character motivations. Making strong, deep female characters is something I am very interested in, and since we're going to continue doing a lot more Faces, it is something that I want to get good at. So, if you don't mind me asking - what changes, additions, or deletions would you have made to Brynhild's persona?
My answer:
To answer your question specifically with regard to Brynhild, the first question I ask is "Why"? Why does she just watch on the sidelines like a NFL medic, waiting for her team to drop, once the whistle is blown to show that the play has ended? Why does she not challenge the Khan? If it is because she realizes he is too powerful, then why doesn't she seek out help if she is not powerful enough to take him on herself? Is it perhaps because he has some sort of hold on her? What is it?
This is why I would prefer to use her at a lower level than the highest provided, it makes a more clear reason for her to hesitate and act only on the sidelines. Perhaps she is waiting for a group of true heroes who demonstrate they are capable and honorable enough to work against the Khan. I find it hard to believe given what you did show of her character that she wouldn't prefer him gone.
| Ezekiel Shanoax, the Stormchild RPG Superstar 2009 Top 16 |
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My answer:** spoiler omitted **
I appreciate the answer, and I think you've got a good point regarding the question of why Brynhild stays on the sidelines. A character's motivations for inaction are sometimes just as important, if not more important, than their motivations for the actions they do take.
As soon as you ask the question, the answer comes to my mind,
Why:
NPC #12 in this series will also involve this concept, pretty heavily.
In her highest incarnation, as the name indicates, Brynhild is on the path of the archetypical role of "Valkyrie". As we know, valkyries were great maiden-spirits of battle that were defined by their roles on the sidelines, sorting through the worthy and unworthy dead after battle. In her highest incarnation, she is enchanted and immortal, indicating that she is awfully close to being 100% valkyrie. Hence, her life is more about other heroes' battles - not so much her own.
As for the Khan, he's the guy providing hot and cold-running battles, allowing her to constantly do her thing. Now she's good and he's evil, so clearly there's conflict there, but that's the gist.
...but of course the writer's sin is in not making it clear to the reader at the outset. There is no credit for having to explain things after the fact. So your critique is certainly apt and appreciated.
Thanks again for the feedback.
| Rite Publishing |
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As was pointed out by Dark Sasha some roles are for the sidelines as the PCs are the heroes of the story, but I also saw it as a reversal of the damsel in distress as she is the one who flys in to rescue the PCs from death.
I also se the archetype role of the Valkyrie limited by the rules of the Power That Be (be that odin or the khan of nightmares), I mean really if you challenge the Khan, the Voracious Visitor is just going to eat you :)
Challenging the Khan is dumb.
In the end we missed it though.
| Endzeitgeist |
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Also: Nice review, Dark Sasha! Though I considered Brynhild to be a nice take on the Valkyrie (who usually don't heal and rather carry the fallen off to Valhalla...) and not a heal-bot - interesting how our perceptions differed!
| Dark Sasha |
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Also: Nice review, Dark Sasha! Though I considered Brynhild to be a nice take on the Valkyrie (who usually don't heal and rather carry the fallen off to Valhalla...) and not a heal-bot - interesting how our perceptions differed!
I guess when I read the title I was hoping for something more like the traditional Valyrie, with quirks of her own obviously. Still a very useful addition to the denizens of the Tarnished Souk and the Coliseum.
Great review, as always.
| Ezekiel Shanoax, the Stormchild RPG Superstar 2009 Top 16 |
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... One of the templates is the mithril-clad template (CR+1 ), the template that (ironically) tarnishes Brynhild, for she...
Nice turn of phrase.
Thanks for the review!
| Bardess |
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Hmmm... this oracle archetype gets 11 revelations +2 final revelations (even if not together). A normal oracle gets 6 revelations +1 final revelation. Is this not too much in exchange for a second curse? The Dual-Cursed Oracle gets 2 extra revelations, not 5.
| Cheapy |
| Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Adventure Path, Companion Subscriber |
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I don't have this one, but does the archetype give any other penalties?
| Bardess |
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Ok, I re-read everything and... if a curse which doesn't improve is worth 2 revelations, 2 curses which don't improve are worth 5! That said, I wonder which oracle wouldn't choose an archetype like this... I would! (And the Merciful Healer feat too!)
