Persona-inspired Campaign Setting [Archive] - Wizards Community

Persona-inspired Campaign Setting [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
The_Clumsy_Robot
09-02-07, 01:36 PM For those who don't know, Persona is a fairly obscure spin-off of the Shin Megami Tensei (SMT) games. Though the SMT games are fairly popular in Japan, it had a slow start getting to the States, possibly due to the Christian-sensitive localization of the SNES era. The SMT series has enjoyed a cult following that is slowly growing with the release of a PS2 remake and the latest release, Persona 3.

After replaying Persona 2 and Persona 3 this summer, I thought it would be neat to see how a d20 Modern adaptation of the series would go. A campaign setting loosely based off of the universe of Persona 2 could play a lot like a Dark*Matter crossed with shades of Lovecraftian mythology and Jungian psychology.

I wouldn't mind working alone on this for a while, but I was seeing if there were any people willing to help (or even any people who have heard of the game, haha). The easiest way to implement the Persona summoning would be a modified form of Pact Magic in Tome of Magic. Given the Tarot classification scheme of Persona, there may be four basic classes based on the minor arcana and twenty-two advanced classes based on the major arcana.

What seems more daunting is gathering a list of cool and relevant Personas. I'd like four to six per Major Arcana, with a good representation of different mythologies (Angelic mythos, Greek-Roman, Norse, Shinto, Hindu, Lovecraft, American folklore/urban legend, historical figures, etc.). With twenty-two Major Arcana, that's 88 to 132 personas, which is plenty, maybe even too much. Some new introductions such as Euclid, Baron Samedi or Tesla could also be interesting.

If you have any ideas to contribute, feel free to post or PM me!
Leress
09-02-07, 08:39 PM I will have to read the book Tome of Magic but yeah I have heard of the games. I have played Persona 1 on PS1 and am now playing Digital devil Saga.

I am willing to help.
The_Clumsy_Robot
09-03-07, 01:00 AM This may contain minor Persona 2 spoilers. Read at your own risk.

Nice. I suppose we should start simple and list off a few ideas for mythological/historical figures to convert to personas. The personas are distinct, outstanding facets of the human mind so figures like Mars, the god of war, embody aggression. It would be good to find a diverse cast of these, since actual arcane magic in Persona is rare; I'd say it's limited to the Occultist class, based on the powers of Wang Long Chizuru of Persona 2.

Some ideas for personas off the top of my head:

Folklore and History: Oh, come on. Jack Frost and Jack O' Lantern are auto-includes. Crowley and Faust appeared in Persona 2, I think. I figure we can include a few original persona of our own, such as Euclid or Tesla, to represent a "new generation" of persona.

Lovecraft: Hastur and Nodens, based on their appearance in Persona 2. Nyarlathotep would make a very, very high level persona, and I think he'd also make a very attractive choice.

Greek/Roman: Mars seems like a good inclusion, a representative of human aggression who'd boost your combat ability. Apollo, Artemis, Callisto, Cerberus, Helios, Io, Prometheus, Odysseus, and Hyperion have made previous appearances. In Persona 3, there's Caesar and a few others I can't remember at the moment.

Hindu: I'm not fully familiar with Hindu mythology and a lot of their gods have very complicated multiple personalities. I know a good portion of the mythology shows up in Persona 2/3 so I'll have to research a little bit. But maybe a few of the DDS demons, which is rich in the mythos, could make a cameo. It doesn't have to be canon to-the-letter, ;) .

Japanese: They sort of get a home-field advantage. Definitely include a few of these. Hotei and Aizen Myo-o were recognizable, but we should also add a few big names like Amaterasu.

Chinese: I haven't a clue about Chinese mythology. This is a place I could use help on.

Egyptian: Anubis was in Persona and Persona 3. There are a lot of popular names here: Bast, Horus, Sobek, Set, Osiris, etc.

Angelic/Demonic: Angels and demons have been consistently represented as personas. Thrones, Virtue, Principalities and such. Beelzebub, the lord of the flies, of DDS/Nocturne wouldn't be too shabby either.

Norse: Loki, Hel and Thor were previous personas. Balder still needs some representation, in my opinion.

Other European: Celtic and English mythology hasn't been very common. Perhaps we should add a few.

Caribbean/Haitian/African: Loa were in Persona 3 and one of my favorites, Baron Samedi, could show up. Again, I'm not fully familiar with this area.

I don't want to directly translate the spell system, since they're not entirely consistent from game to game, but Pact Magic, mechanic-wise, is close to what a persona is. Binding a vestige to a soul is somewhat analogous to using an alternate self as a "mask". Pact Magic is a lot more demonological, but it's a good starting point for developing a system of our own.

I don't want to pick all the game elements one-to-one to d20. The guns and equipment should just stick to the normal d20 Modern set.

The Persona series emphasizes making friends and contracts with demons as often as it emphasizes fighting them. And so, we should put some importance in the social skill rules to encourage negotiations. Just rolling a Diplomacy check doesn't seem like enough, game-wise. I'll try to think of some ideas to include some fun contact mechanics. Of course, roleplaying should also be heavily emphasized in these contacts.

I'm thinking of taking the best of each Persona: the strange and bizarre locales of Persona 1, the dark atmosphere of Persona 2, and the character growth of Persona 3. Video game elements such as spell cards and persona fusion will have to be handled differently. As stated before, this is Persona-inspired. We don't want emulate it, just integrate it into d20.
The_Clumsy_Robot
09-04-07, 10:05 PM The fluff, to lay the groundwork for crunchy cookie bits.

What is a Persona?

A Persona is another you. Throughout history, humans have formed connections with the world around them. Some people identify other human beings with animals, colors, or names. A symbol-forming species, humans can even identify with imaginary characters or even abstract ideas. This symbol-forming gives rise to language, mathematics, and philosophy; symbolic abstract thought is the primary characteristic of a sentient being.

Sometimes, people identify with angels and demons, or even gods and heroes.

This affinity calls forth the power of Persona.

A Persona is a spiritual alter-ego, dormant in the Collective Unconscious. Many wear it like a mask or a suit of armor. Those who can wield a Persona eventually form such a close relationship with this alter-ego that they can momentarily become one with it. One can call forth an avenging angel to bring forth a wave of holy fire, or one can evoke the dark magic of a demon deep inside your subconscious.

A Persona's Origin

Often, those who face trauma of some kind eventually develop a Persona. Near-death situations and close encounters with the unexplainable can rearrange the mind in ways that allow a human to forge a close connection with the Collective Unconscious.

Sometimes, the insane and the prophetic acquire the power of Persona. In the former's case, their Persona are often as unstable and inchoate as their minds.

The Collective Unconscious

Every human has a degree of psychic power. There is even a faint energy between two humans who make eye contact. Furthermore, thoughts and experiences are broadcast in waves, eventually collecting into a single invisible mass. Trapped in another dimension, this mass of thought and memory is called the Collective Unconscious. It is the home of Persona.

All gods and spirits, even false ones, take some form here. Millions of people can recognize the faces here. Some even sympathize with them. An aggressive competitive athlete may form a subconscious bond with Mars; a sly and fiendish salesman may form a bond with Nyarlathotep or even Lucifer himself. Just the act of recognizing a mythical figure lends it substance in the Collective Unconscious.

Philemon, a spiritual guide, giving advice even to Carl Jung, is a resident of the Collective Unconscious. He has the ability to grant Personas to those who need a guardian angel. Often benevolent, little more is known about him. He speaks through dreams, leading some to believe that he is just that, a dream, an inner spirit guide present in every human.

But he is not the only denizen of the warped and twisted labyrinth of the Collective Unconscious...

[NOTE: Most of this was extrapolated or embellished from what I know of Persona 2. Also, it is hardly edited, so please feel free to point out confusing bits.]
Skyrocket
09-06-07, 07:19 PM I think you might be over thinking this. I've only played P3, but here's my take on things.

A persona user is pretty much a fighter who can summon a special creature to aid them in battle. The persona can physcially attack doing slashing, piecing, or bludgening damage. I may also have spell-like abilities that deal force, fire, cold, or electrical damage. A persona may also channel positive or negative energy. Lastly, a persona may have other spell-like abilities.

So, mix psychic warrior with a specialist wizard (summoner) and use the MM to build the Personas. Psionics is always great for stuff like this.

Comments?
The_Clumsy_Robot
09-06-07, 11:52 PM I think you might be over thinking this. I've only played P3, but here's my take on things.

Typically, I start things off by thinking big, then throw out what doesn't work. :P

This is all at the brainstorming stage.

Your method is pretty interesting. I think it would be really great for a Nocturne-type game.

Initially, I envisioned a Persona as a second, powerful character that replaces you in dire situations. Obviously, there are problems with that. Having a second character sheet is time-consuming and annoying. I can't imagine what balancing would look like either. So I scrapped that.

Next, I thought I'd go with the Binder class for the Persona, mostly because statting a vestige is infinitely easier than statting monsters. Also, I feel the Binder is a lot closer to what the Persona is supposed to be in game. It's supposed to be YOU: an alter-ego. The Binder fulfills this by binding forces to your body, though the ritual/demonology may not be completely in-flavor. But this can be taken out or modified (or even replaced by the Velvet Room!).

If you haven't checked out Tome of Magic, take a look at it. Pact Magic was worth the price of admission (though getting the book at a bit of discount was the main attraction >_>)

Taking a second read of that fluff, it's a bit disjointed. I'll edit it soon.
The_Clumsy_Robot
09-07-07, 01:00 AM List of Potential Persona [Tentative]

The lower a number, the less powerful it will be. Big shot gods and goddesses will probably get four to six, while less-known figures get ones or threes. I have a lot of Greek figures here, so if you know any Hindu or Norse figures that might correspond to a particular arcana, let me know.

0. The Fool

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

I. The Magician

1. Jack Frost [homage to Atlus]
2. Jack O' Lantern [homage to Atlus]
3. Circe
4.
5.
6.

II. The High Priestess

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

III. The Empress

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. Pallas Athena

IV. The Emperor

1.
2.
3.
4. Caesar [P3]
5. Red Rider
6.

V. The Hierophant

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. Arahabaki [P3, one of the few new personae I'm fond of]

VI. The Lovers

1.
2. Narcissus [P3]
3.
4.
5.
6.

VII. Chariot

1. Perseus
2.
3.
4.
5. White Rider
6.

VIII. Justice

1. Angel [all Persona games]
2. Cherubim [P1]
3. Principality [P2/3]
4. Throne [P2/3]
5. Euclid [new]
6.

IX. The Hermit

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

X. The Wheel of Fortune

1. Fortuna
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

XI. Strength

1. Valkyrie
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

XII. The Hanged Man

1. Odysseus [P2]
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. Prometheus [P2]

XIII. Death

1.
2.
3.
4.
5. Pale Rider
6. Baron Samedi [new]

XIV. Temperance

XV. The Devil

1.
2.
3.
4. Hel
5. Loki
6. Nyarlathotep

XVI. The Tower

1.
2.
3.
4.
5. Black Rider
6. Hastur [P2]

XVII. The Star

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. Louis Cypher or Lucia Ferre [older games]

XVIII. The Moon

1.
2. Calypso
3. Maia
4.
5.
6.

XIX. The Sun

1.
2.
3.
4. Phoenix
5.
6.

XX. Judgement

1.
2.
3.
4.
5. Anubis [all Persona games]
6.

XXI. The World

1.
2. Ouroborus
3. Hotei
4.
5. Demeter
6.
Skyrocket
09-07-07, 09:01 PM Next, I thought I'd go with the Binder class for the Persona, mostly because statting a vestige is infinitely easier than statting monsters. Also, I feel the Binder is a lot closer to what the Persona is supposed to be in game. It's supposed to be YOU: an alter-ego. The Binder fulfills this by binding forces to your body, though the ritual/demonology may not be completely in-flavor. But this can be taken out or modified (or even replaced by the Velvet Room!).

If you haven't checked out Tome of Magic, take a look at it. Pact Magic was worth the price of admission (though getting the book at a bit of discount was the main attraction >_>)

Taking a second read of that fluff, it's a bit disjointed. I'll edit it soon.

I've flipped through ToM, but I'm without a group at the moment so I can't really justify buying D&D books at the moment.

I have looked through it, and agree that there are elements of pact magic that would work well in making a Persona user. But I'd have to look at the book again to say more than that.

That said, I've been thinking more about how a persona would work. First, letting a character move, summon, and then have the Persona attack all in one round is just too much. I'd say treating the summoning like a swift action and then allowing the Persona to make the attack turn would make the most sense.

Also, a Persona vanishing and needing to be called again after each round in use is rather impractical. I'd just say at a Persona moves with the user as they move provided there's room. After both move a Persona can still take an action but the summoner can't do anything else that turn. Likewise, as a free action, the summoner my tell the Persona to take no action and then take an action.

Lastly, I think that some Hama skills, the ones where you have to give up HP to make them work, would function much like the Divine Sacrific spell.
AdventChild
11-09-07, 11:35 PM I've flipped through ToM, but I'm without a group at the moment so I can't really justify buying D&D books at the moment.

I have looked through it, and agree that there are elements of pact magic that would work well in making a Persona user. But I'd have to look at the book again to say more than that.

That said, I've been thinking more about how a persona would work. First, letting a character move, summon, and then have the Persona attack all in one round is just too much. I'd say treating the summoning like a swift action and then allowing the Persona to make the attack turn would make the most sense.

Also, a Persona vanishing and needing to be called again after each round in use is rather impractical. I'd just say at a Persona moves with the user as they move provided there's room. After both move a Persona can still take an action but the summoner can't do anything else that turn. Likewise, as a free action, the summoner my tell the Persona to take no action and then take an action.

Lastly, I think that some Hama skills, the ones where you have to give up HP to make them work, would function much like the Divine Sacrific spell.

You can always have the person become the persona instead of summoning it.
Cam S.
01-23-08, 11:54 AM Well, don't forget Meso-american mythology; I remember Camazotz (the Aztec bat god) has shown up several times in the megaten games. It could make a good addition to the moon arcana--though it lacks the association with illusion and deception that it common for moon arcana, the moon is the only specifically "night" arcana.

Narasimha (Vishnu as the Man-Lion) would go in the Strength Arcana--I personally like that one; the legend associated with it is also quite entertaining.

Would you be interested in having a system for character interaction with NPCs to advance their affinity with an Arcana (ala P3)? I think that it might be associated with the NPC attitudes, but would probably be more detailed...
NatanaX
02-11-08, 05:43 PM I'd go with more the Persona 2/Digital Devil Saga approach and have your players Transform into their demon forms instead of just summon them ala Persona 3 since the Suicide Spell Animation is more an interesting visual effect that would be hard to convey well in a straight up roleplay. Though you wouldn't necessarily have to replace the "suicide summon", just have it be the means by which you transform. Also check out Palladium Books "Nightbane" for some ideas, the system sucks but the way you build your Nightbane form based on your inner psyche is very conduscive towards Persona, plus rolling random combinations in that game can get you some freakylicious characters.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
The_Clumsy_Robot 09-02-07, 01:36 PM	For those who don't know, Persona is a fairly obscure spin-off of the Shin Megami Tensei (SMT) games. Though the SMT games are fairly popular in Japan, it had a slow start getting to the States, possibly due to the Christian-sensitive localization of the SNES era. The SMT series has enjoyed a cult following that is slowly growing with the release of a PS2 remake and the latest release, Persona 3. After replaying Persona 2 and Persona 3 this summer, I thought it would be neat to see how a d20 Modern adaptation of the series would go. A campaign setting loosely based off of the universe of Persona 2 could play a lot like a Dark*Matter crossed with shades of Lovecraftian mythology and Jungian psychology. I wouldn't mind working alone on this for a while, but I was seeing if there were any people willing to help (or even any people who have heard of the game, haha). The easiest way to implement the Persona summoning would be a modified form of Pact Magic in Tome of Magic. Given the Tarot classification scheme of Persona, there may be four basic classes based on the minor arcana and twenty-two advanced classes based on the major arcana. What seems more daunting is gathering a list of cool and relevant Personas. I'd like four to six per Major Arcana, with a good representation of different mythologies (Angelic mythos, Greek-Roman, Norse, Shinto, Hindu, Lovecraft, American folklore/urban legend, historical figures, etc.). With twenty-two Major Arcana, that's 88 to 132 personas, which is plenty, maybe even too much. Some new introductions such as Euclid, Baron Samedi or Tesla could also be interesting. If you have any ideas to contribute, feel free to post or PM me!
Leress 09-02-07, 08:39 PM	I will have to read the book Tome of Magic but yeah I have heard of the games. I have played Persona 1 on PS1 and am now playing Digital devil Saga. I am willing to help.
The_Clumsy_Robot 09-03-07, 01:00 AM	This may contain minor Persona 2 spoilers. Read at your own risk. Nice. I suppose we should start simple and list off a few ideas for mythological/historical figures to convert to personas. The personas are distinct, outstanding facets of the human mind so figures like Mars, the god of war, embody aggression. It would be good to find a diverse cast of these, since actual arcane magic in Persona is rare; I'd say it's limited to the Occultist class, based on the powers of Wang Long Chizuru of Persona 2. Some ideas for personas off the top of my head: Folklore and History: Oh, come on. Jack Frost and Jack O' Lantern are auto-includes. Crowley and Faust appeared in Persona 2, I think. I figure we can include a few original persona of our own, such as Euclid or Tesla, to represent a "new generation" of persona. Lovecraft: Hastur and Nodens, based on their appearance in Persona 2. Nyarlathotep would make a very, very high level persona, and I think he'd also make a very attractive choice. Greek/Roman: Mars seems like a good inclusion, a representative of human aggression who'd boost your combat ability. Apollo, Artemis, Callisto, Cerberus, Helios, Io, Prometheus, Odysseus, and Hyperion have made previous appearances. In Persona 3, there's Caesar and a few others I can't remember at the moment. Hindu: I'm not fully familiar with Hindu mythology and a lot of their gods have very complicated multiple personalities. I know a good portion of the mythology shows up in Persona 2/3 so I'll have to research a little bit. But maybe a few of the DDS demons, which is rich in the mythos, could make a cameo. It doesn't have to be canon to-the-letter, ;) . Japanese: They sort of get a home-field advantage. Definitely include a few of these. Hotei and Aizen Myo-o were recognizable, but we should also add a few big names like Amaterasu. Chinese: I haven't a clue about Chinese mythology. This is a place I could use help on. Egyptian: Anubis was in Persona and Persona 3. There are a lot of popular names here: Bast, Horus, Sobek, Set, Osiris, etc. Angelic/Demonic: Angels and demons have been consistently represented as personas. Thrones, Virtue, Principalities and such. Beelzebub, the lord of the flies, of DDS/Nocturne wouldn't be too shabby either. Norse: Loki, Hel and Thor were previous personas. Balder still needs some representation, in my opinion. Other European: Celtic and English mythology hasn't been very common. Perhaps we should add a few. Caribbean/Haitian/African: Loa were in Persona 3 and one of my favorites, Baron Samedi, could show up. Again, I'm not fully familiar with this area. I don't want to directly translate the spell system, since they're not entirely consistent from game to game, but Pact Magic, mechanic-wise, is close to what a persona is. Binding a vestige to a soul is somewhat analogous to using an alternate self as a "mask". Pact Magic is a lot more demonological, but it's a good starting point for developing a system of our own. I don't want to pick all the game elements one-to-one to d20. The guns and equipment should just stick to the normal d20 Modern set. The Persona series emphasizes making friends and contracts with demons as often as it emphasizes fighting them. And so, we should put some importance in the social skill rules to encourage negotiations. Just rolling a Diplomacy check doesn't seem like enough, game-wise. I'll try to think of some ideas to include some fun contact mechanics. Of course, roleplaying should also be heavily emphasized in these contacts. I'm thinking of taking the best of each Persona: the strange and bizarre locales of Persona 1, the dark atmosphere of Persona 2, and the character growth of Persona 3. Video game elements such as spell cards and persona fusion will have to be handled differently. As stated before, this is Persona-inspired. We don't want emulate it, just integrate it into d20.
The_Clumsy_Robot 09-04-07, 10:05 PM	The fluff, to lay the groundwork for crunchy cookie bits. What is a Persona? A Persona is another you. Throughout history, humans have formed connections with the world around them. Some people identify other human beings with animals, colors, or names. A symbol-forming species, humans can even identify with imaginary characters or even abstract ideas. This symbol-forming gives rise to language, mathematics, and philosophy; symbolic abstract thought is the primary characteristic of a sentient being. Sometimes, people identify with angels and demons, or even gods and heroes. This affinity calls forth the power of Persona. A Persona is a spiritual alter-ego, dormant in the Collective Unconscious. Many wear it like a mask or a suit of armor. Those who can wield a Persona eventually form such a close relationship with this alter-ego that they can momentarily become one with it. One can call forth an avenging angel to bring forth a wave of holy fire, or one can evoke the dark magic of a demon deep inside your subconscious. A Persona's Origin Often, those who face trauma of some kind eventually develop a Persona. Near-death situations and close encounters with the unexplainable can rearrange the mind in ways that allow a human to forge a close connection with the Collective Unconscious. Sometimes, the insane and the prophetic acquire the power of Persona. In the former's case, their Persona are often as unstable and inchoate as their minds. The Collective Unconscious Every human has a degree of psychic power. There is even a faint energy between two humans who make eye contact. Furthermore, thoughts and experiences are broadcast in waves, eventually collecting into a single invisible mass. Trapped in another dimension, this mass of thought and memory is called the Collective Unconscious. It is the home of Persona. All gods and spirits, even false ones, take some form here. Millions of people can recognize the faces here. Some even sympathize with them. An aggressive competitive athlete may form a subconscious bond with Mars; a sly and fiendish salesman may form a bond with Nyarlathotep or even Lucifer himself. Just the act of recognizing a mythical figure lends it substance in the Collective Unconscious. Philemon, a spiritual guide, giving advice even to Carl Jung, is a resident of the Collective Unconscious. He has the ability to grant Personas to those who need a guardian angel. Often benevolent, little more is known about him. He speaks through dreams, leading some to believe that he is just that, a dream, an inner spirit guide present in every human. But he is not the only denizen of the warped and twisted labyrinth of the Collective Unconscious... [NOTE: Most of this was extrapolated or embellished from what I know of Persona 2. Also, it is hardly edited, so please feel free to point out confusing bits.]
Skyrocket 09-06-07, 07:19 PM	I think you might be over thinking this. I've only played P3, but here's my take on things. A persona user is pretty much a fighter who can summon a special creature to aid them in battle. The persona can physcially attack doing slashing, piecing, or bludgening damage. I may also have spell-like abilities that deal force, fire, cold, or electrical damage. A persona may also channel positive or negative energy. Lastly, a persona may have other spell-like abilities. So, mix psychic warrior with a specialist wizard (summoner) and use the MM to build the Personas. Psionics is always great for stuff like this. Comments?
The_Clumsy_Robot 09-06-07, 11:52 PM	I think you might be over thinking this. I've only played P3, but here's my take on things. Typically, I start things off by thinking big, then throw out what doesn't work. :P This is all at the brainstorming stage. Your method is pretty interesting. I think it would be really great for a Nocturne-type game. Initially, I envisioned a Persona as a second, powerful character that replaces you in dire situations. Obviously, there are problems with that. Having a second character sheet is time-consuming and annoying. I can't imagine what balancing would look like either. So I scrapped that. Next, I thought I'd go with the Binder class for the Persona, mostly because statting a vestige is infinitely easier than statting monsters. Also, I feel the Binder is a lot closer to what the Persona is supposed to be in game. It's supposed to be YOU: an alter-ego. The Binder fulfills this by binding forces to your body, though the ritual/demonology may not be completely in-flavor. But this can be taken out or modified (or even replaced by the Velvet Room!). If you haven't checked out Tome of Magic, take a look at it. Pact Magic was worth the price of admission (though getting the book at a bit of discount was the main attraction >_>) Taking a second read of that fluff, it's a bit disjointed. I'll edit it soon.
The_Clumsy_Robot 09-07-07, 01:00 AM	List of Potential Persona [Tentative] The lower a number, the less powerful it will be. Big shot gods and goddesses will probably get four to six, while less-known figures get ones or threes. I have a lot of Greek figures here, so if you know any Hindu or Norse figures that might correspond to a particular arcana, let me know. 0. The Fool 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. I. The Magician 1. Jack Frost [homage to Atlus] 2. Jack O' Lantern [homage to Atlus] 3. Circe 4. 5. 6. II. The High Priestess 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. III. The Empress 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Pallas Athena IV. The Emperor 1. 2. 3. 4. Caesar [P3] 5. Red Rider 6. V. The Hierophant 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Arahabaki [P3, one of the few new personae I'm fond of] VI. The Lovers 1. 2. Narcissus [P3] 3. 4. 5. 6. VII. Chariot 1. Perseus 2. 3. 4. 5. White Rider 6. VIII. Justice 1. Angel [all Persona games] 2. Cherubim [P1] 3. Principality [P2/3] 4. Throne [P2/3] 5. Euclid [new] 6. IX. The Hermit 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. X. The Wheel of Fortune 1. Fortuna 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. XI. Strength 1. Valkyrie 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. XII. The Hanged Man 1. Odysseus [P2] 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Prometheus [P2] XIII. Death 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Pale Rider 6. Baron Samedi [new] XIV. Temperance XV. The Devil 1. 2. 3. 4. Hel 5. Loki 6. Nyarlathotep XVI. The Tower 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Black Rider 6. Hastur [P2] XVII. The Star 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Louis Cypher or Lucia Ferre [older games] XVIII. The Moon 1. 2. Calypso 3. Maia 4. 5. 6. XIX. The Sun 1. 2. 3. 4. Phoenix 5. 6. XX. Judgement 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Anubis [all Persona games] 6. XXI. The World 1. 2. Ouroborus 3. Hotei 4. 5. Demeter 6.
Skyrocket 09-07-07, 09:01 PM	Next, I thought I'd go with the Binder class for the Persona, mostly because statting a vestige is infinitely easier than statting monsters. Also, I feel the Binder is a lot closer to what the Persona is supposed to be in game. It's supposed to be YOU: an alter-ego. The Binder fulfills this by binding forces to your body, though the ritual/demonology may not be completely in-flavor. But this can be taken out or modified (or even replaced by the Velvet Room!). If you haven't checked out Tome of Magic, take a look at it. Pact Magic was worth the price of admission (though getting the book at a bit of discount was the main attraction >_>) Taking a second read of that fluff, it's a bit disjointed. I'll edit it soon. I've flipped through ToM, but I'm without a group at the moment so I can't really justify buying D&D books at the moment. I have looked through it, and agree that there are elements of pact magic that would work well in making a Persona user. But I'd have to look at the book again to say more than that. That said, I've been thinking more about how a persona would work. First, letting a character move, summon, and then have the Persona attack all in one round is just too much. I'd say treating the summoning like a swift action and then allowing the Persona to make the attack turn would make the most sense. Also, a Persona vanishing and needing to be called again after each round in use is rather impractical. I'd just say at a Persona moves with the user as they move provided there's room. After both move a Persona can still take an action but the summoner can't do anything else that turn. Likewise, as a free action, the summoner my tell the Persona to take no action and then take an action. Lastly, I think that some Hama skills, the ones where you have to give up HP to make them work, would function much like the Divine Sacrific spell.
AdventChild 11-09-07, 11:35 PM	I've flipped through ToM, but I'm without a group at the moment so I can't really justify buying D&D books at the moment. I have looked through it, and agree that there are elements of pact magic that would work well in making a Persona user. But I'd have to look at the book again to say more than that. That said, I've been thinking more about how a persona would work. First, letting a character move, summon, and then have the Persona attack all in one round is just too much. I'd say treating the summoning like a swift action and then allowing the Persona to make the attack turn would make the most sense. Also, a Persona vanishing and needing to be called again after each round in use is rather impractical. I'd just say at a Persona moves with the user as they move provided there's room. After both move a Persona can still take an action but the summoner can't do anything else that turn. Likewise, as a free action, the summoner my tell the Persona to take no action and then take an action. Lastly, I think that some Hama skills, the ones where you have to give up HP to make them work, would function much like the Divine Sacrific spell. You can always have the person become the persona instead of summoning it.
Cam S. 01-23-08, 11:54 AM	Well, don't forget Meso-american mythology; I remember Camazotz (the Aztec bat god) has shown up several times in the megaten games. It could make a good addition to the moon arcana--though it lacks the association with illusion and deception that it common for moon arcana, the moon is the only specifically "night" arcana. Narasimha (Vishnu as the Man-Lion) would go in the Strength Arcana--I personally like that one; the legend associated with it is also quite entertaining. Would you be interested in having a system for character interaction with NPCs to advance their affinity with an Arcana (ala P3)? I think that it might be associated with the NPC attitudes, but would probably be more detailed...
NatanaX 02-11-08, 05:43 PM	I'd go with more the Persona 2/Digital Devil Saga approach and have your players Transform into their demon forms instead of just summon them ala Persona 3 since the Suicide Spell Animation is more an interesting visual effect that would be hard to convey well in a straight up roleplay. Though you wouldn't necessarily have to replace the "suicide summon", just have it be the means by which you transform. Also check out Palladium Books "Nightbane" for some ideas, the system sucks but the way you build your Nightbane form based on your inner psyche is very conduscive towards Persona, plus rolling random combinations in that game can get you some freakylicious characters.