Withdraw that, think again

[davywavy]

I've withdrawn my application for an elder Vamp PC after chatting to Torley and discovering that the thing I was going to do with it is going to be done by an NPC in a few months time.
Naturally, I'm a bit down about this as it took me simply ages to come up with a good elder concept, and to discover that it's pointless is a shame.
This is the problem I have a lot of the time. Many elders seem to just exist because the people paying them *can* play them, and that's just not a mindset I can get into - if I'm going to play a character of that level of power, I want a goal that can only be acheived by a character of that level of power, and there aren't many goals like that. Let's face it, I consider global domination a fair and reasonable goal for a 3/5/7 13th gen, so how many concepts are there that actually need an elder concept? And why do so many people, the very instant that the rules say they *can* play a high-cheese character, immediately do so? Modesty aside, I don't think that other people are more imaginative than me, or they're better at coming up with fine concepts that me - so what is the attraction? I once said it myself, I suppose - "6th gen is for losers who don't think they can win without it"

I was actually rather pleased with myself for coming up with a concept that needed a character of a high power level, and I think it's a shame that there's no point my doing it. As it is, I'll stick to the -relatively- low power levels that I play at the moment until I can think of another plan that is so difficult it needs an elder.

Any suggestions?

Comments

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

I know, but if I'm gonna play an elder, it'll be because I want to acheieve something I could *only* acheieve as an elder.

[zenmeisterin.livejournal.com]

Well, here's a random thought from me (bearing in mind I'm coming from first principles for most of this, not really being a Vamp player). This is probably really obvious stuff you've already thought of but sometimes it's the obvious stuff that gets missed ;-)

Right:
You want something that only an Elder could do to be worth it. Well, instead of thinking straight about what to do with your Elder, look at it basics of what sets an Elder apart from the Neonates and Ancillae: what do Elders have that 100 year old or 9th and below Vamps don't?

Squacky powers. Hmmm... you don't really seem bothered about those but some of them can be used in quite interesting and odd ways allowing for some imaginative tricks and thus opening up possibilities.

Power/influence web. Assuming this Elder is one who hasn't spent the last 1000 years in Torpor and has slowly cultivated a network of puppets, you can find out about the state of play for almost any Group you like and play with it to your own ends. And if you DON'T have said power web because of lots of time in Torpor, then that in itself is something that needs adressing ASAP unless the character has no need for one.

Knowledge. If your guy has been around since Roman times, chances are they will have accumulated a VAST amount of knowledge about life through the Times. Just think how much fun you can have misleading Historians or showing what things were REALLY like back then. Dropping hints about untold treasures you may own and what they might reveal about X culture Y hundred years ago. Easier to do it with aforementioned power web.

Awareness of Who's Who. You might know who the Justicars and the other Elders are. You have known them (or perhaps only known of them) for a while and may be privvy to details other younger Kindred might not be. You were THERE when Elder A offed Elder B back in 1564 and it was later blamed on Neonate Q. You know naughty secrets about a LOT of kindred. Or things along those lines.

Clan Position and power. Perhaps you have a lot of authority and power within your clan. You have your own Broods and the other Elders owe you favours or respect you for some reason. Are you an ardent supporter of your clan and wish to further their goals? Or sabotage them? And not just Clan but any other major hierarchy/organisation. It's much easier for Elders to have that much power as they've had the time to acquire and secure it. They also have the Web etc. to back it up with.

That's off the top of my head (and right now I'm somewhat focused on Biochemistry and Changeling) so I'm sure there's tons more.

Of course all of this can be done by younger/weaker vamps too but it would take a VERY long time. Much longer than the CamUK timescale.

But just my 2p worth.