Priest of Vice P.C.C.

[Lord Z]

This is a class which appeared in the Court of Tarot errata article for NexusNine.net. It is unclear, however, when the articles on that site will be updated again. I passed along this errata months ago. I don't think that the Priest of V was ever seen here, so I am posting it now rather than waiting for it to show up elsewhere. The actual errata article includes a full NPC description of Rasputin and graphics.

New Classes
The Minor Psychic for BtS is a P.C.C. which I created for this article and referenced the character of Ravenbilt as having, but I cut it for space. I included it again in a subsequent Rifter submission which is still pending.
The Priest of Vice P.C.C. was a pain to write, to be honest about it. Of all the data which I lost during my computer failure last summer, this class was the one thing I can not easily re-create. I may or may not rewrite it now.

Priest of Vice P.C.C.
Writer's Note: Kevin currently has a non-official policy about contemporary religions. He won't touch them. The Priests of Vice are not specifically representative of any particular religion, but their guiding philosophy and origin are tied to Christianity. As such, they don't pass Kevin's new policy. I will probably never submit the Priests of Vice to Palladium Books, but I think they fit quite well here at Nexus Nine.
The Priests of Vice are a sect of monks who acknowledge Rasputin as the founder and guiding philosopher of their order. Grigori Rasputin is known to many as the Mad Monk of Russia. His abilities as a mystic to heal the ill and infirm were well known` during his own life. As a young man, Rasputin joined a sect of Christian Monks who believed that acceptance to Heaven could only happen after habitual confession and forgiveness – therefore, sin was a requirement for salvation. Rasputin took this concept to an extreme application by dedicating himself to a daily regiment of sin and confession. He was particularly fond of the Seven Deadly Sins. According to legend, Rasputin eventually died in Russia when conspirators killed him. He was poisoned with enough cyanide to kill five men, stabbed, shot three times, beaten, frozen and drowned. His super-human resilience is a direct result of the years he spent abusing his body and mind followed by periods of strict sobriety, prayer and meditation.
A Priest of Vice will follow Rasputin's example, systematically indulging in vices and then subjecting himself to periods of strict abstinence and virtue. As a Priest of Vice advances in experience, he gains vices. These vices may be any addictive or self-destructive indulgences. A priest may enter a period of vice by using alcohol, any particular drug, sexual activity or even temper-tantrums. A vice could be something as basic as sugary treats (a favorite of Rasputin) or exotic as a specific and rare as Aztec hot chocolate. It is the act of surrendering to desire which is important – not the specific form of each vice. While engaging in any vice, the priest gains access to certain bonuses and psychic powers. Of course, a priest can engage in as many indulgences as he wants, but the number of vices from which he gain benefits is limited by his experience level.
The Priest of Vice gains his first vice at Level 1. This vice, like all subsequent vices, must be specific. It could be “cigarettes” or “gambling” but not “bad behavior.” The Priest of Vice may gain one more vice at each experience level. Some Priests of Vice are content with just their original vice and never choose any others.

Bonuses during Periods of Vice
+1D6 temporary Hit Points per vice.
+1 per vice to every saving throw. That means +1% per vice to save vs coma/death also.
Impervious to poisons and toxins, but not drugs.
Suffers no combat penalties and only half the normal skill penalties while under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
Immune to knock-out.
If the Priest of Vice makes a successful roll to save vs magic, he suffers no bad effects from magic spells and curses.
Psychic powers: Resist Pain (self only, 6), Summon Inner Strength (4), Impervious to Cold (2) and Stop Bleeding (self only, 4).
Extra powers available when in the presence of supernatural evil: immune to mind control, Mind Block (4), Resist Fatigue (4), Leindenfrost Effect (2), and automatically successful in all attempts to roll with impacts.
When a Priest of Vice is not in a period of vice, he is in a period of virtue. He is either in one or the other state at all times. To enter a period of virtue, all effects of drugs or alcohol must be faded so that the Priest of Vice is completely sober. During these virtuous times, the Priest of Vice becomes a charismatic and skilled healer.

Bonuses during Periods of Virtue
+5 to M.A. (minimum 20).
+10% to all Medical Skills, Psychology Skill, and Philosophy Skill.
Immune to Possession.
Psychic Powers: Meditation (0), Psychic Diagnosis (4) and Attack Disease (12).
Gains one healing power of choice upon gaining a 5th vice, and again with the 10th and 15th vices.
Extra powers gained in the presence of supernatural evil: Stop Bleeding (others, 4), Exorcism (10), Healing Touch (6), Deaden Pain (4) and Bio-Regeneration: self (0). Notice how the Priest can heal himself through Bio-Regeneration which works like Bio-Feedback but costs him no I.S.P. and does not require dropping into a trance.

Why I love being a Priest of Vice: Priests of Vice are not the strongest psychic, but they are among the toughest to kill. Furthermore, their unusual combination of physical and healing powers make them one of the more diverse psychic classes. Keeping two character sheets, one for each group of powers and bonuses, might make using such a character easier.

New Alignment: Vice & Virtue (Selfish)
This type of character swings between extremes of good and evil like a schizophrenic lunatic, but the character is not insane. The character is purposefully exploiting different sides of morality so to gain a deeper understanding of both. The ultimate goal is to build a deeper connection with a Higher Power. Over time, the character will slowly lean more towards good or evil, but balance is prefered. Special attention is given to the Seven Deadly Sins and Seven Virtues. The seven sins are Envy, Greed, Gluttony, Lust, Pride, Sloth and Wrath. The seven virtues are Charity, Chastity, Faith, Fortitude, Hope, Love and Patience.
A Vice and Virtue aligned character will:
Take dirty money (Greed) and then give it away (Charity).
Will keep his word, but only to people who he respects.
Will not torture, because it serves none of the seven and seven.
Will not steal, unless it is something he particularly enough to make him jealous (Envy).
Will kill, but only if he is very angry (Wrath).

Requirements: There are no attribute bonuses. There are no known women who have been trained as Priests of Vice, but it would be possible for a woman to develop these abilities.
Alignment: Vice & Virtue.
P.P.E.: 1D4.
I.S.P.: 1D8+3 (x2, x3, x4, x5), +1 per each experience level beginning at the second level.
P.C.C. Bonuses: Needs a 12 or higher to save vs psionic attacks, +10 S.D.C.
P.C.C. Limitations & Penalties: Closed to the Supernatural as per the Psychic Healer P.C.C.
Standard Equipment, Housing, Pay, & Money: as per the Latent Psychic.
Experience: Uses the Nega-Psychic chart on Page 146.
Specialized Knowledge of Religion & the Paranormal: Math: Basic +10%, Language: Native Tongue +4%, Literacy: Native +4%, Language & Literacy: Russian +10%, Language: One other of choice (usually Latin), Public Speaking, 3 Medical Skills of choice, Lore: Religion +20%, One Paranormal Study Skill of choice, Chemistry, Psychology or Philosophy, History, Meditation +20% and one Transportation Skill of choice and Fasting +20%.
Elective Skills: Select 5 from the Elective Skill List on Page 173 or a Priest of Vice working for the Court of Tarot will have this skill package: Lore: Cults & Secret Societies +10%, Swimming, Research +10%, and 2 Science Skills of Choice, W.P. Blunt, W.P. Rifles or Handguns, and Hand to Hand: Expert.
Secondary Skills: Select two from the Secondary Skills List, +1 at levels four, eight, & twelve.

[mrloucifer]

I like it!

In fact, it almost inspires me to come up with psionics specific to their vices (or at least alter some of the ones present). For example, a priest takes up extreme gambling (greed), this may encourage him to develop a telekinesis ability to try and make the dice roll in his favor while playing craps or control the marble on a roulette table. Cigarettes may come up with using smoke as a way to partial hide behind or blind cameras, etc.

Something to consider maybe?

[Ziggurat the Eternal]

Fantastic, I love it.

[Lord Z]

Thanks for the feedback, all. The suggestion of altered psionic powers isn't something which occurred to me. It could be fun, but we could also end up with an intimidatingly long list of new powers -- as happened with the Ludicrous Mage. Maybe a line about possible altered powers, like Mista Lou just did, would be a better use of space.

Psychic Invisibility Variant
Vice: Smoking (including cigarettes, cigars, and opium hookas)
New Effect: Smoke as a way to partial hide behind or blind cameras, etc.

[Lord Z]

I was a little concerned even when writing this class that it could lead to problematic roleplaying. Like the Crazy and Wacko classes, a Priest of Vice seems like an excuse to be a jerk to the other players and disruptive to the campaign. Did that concern occur to anyone else while reading it?

[mrloucifer]

I was a little concerned even when writing this class that it could lead to problematic roleplaying. Like the Crazy and Wacko classes, a Priest of Vice seems like an excuse to be a jerk to the other players and disruptive to the campaign. Did that concern occur to anyone else while reading it?

Not at all... if the player wanna act like jerks to the other players, it doesnt matter what O.C.C. they play.

I DID see it however as a GM's goldmine as I can see these priests getting themselves into trouble, which in turn gets other PC involved in the conflict. After all, whats a RPG without obstacles and challenges to overcome?

[mrloucifer]

Thanks for the feedback, all. The suggestion of altered psionic powers isn't something which occurred to me. It could be fun, but we could also end up with an intimidatingly long list of new powers -- as happened with the Ludicrous Mage. Maybe a line about possible altered powers, like Mista Lou just did, would be a better use of space.

Psychic Invisibility Variant
Vice: Smoking (including cigarettes, cigars, and opium hookas)
New Effect: Smoke as a way to partial hide behind or blind cameras, etc.

Ahh... the Ludicrous mage.

Point taken, and your idea of adding a line about altered powers would work better.

[Misfit KotLD]

I was a little concerned even when writing this class that it could lead to problematic roleplaying. Like the Crazy and Wacko classes, a Priest of Vice seems like an excuse to be a jerk to the other players and disruptive to the campaign. Did that concern occur to anyone else while reading it?

Not at all... if the player wanna act like jerks to the other players, it doesnt matter what O.C.C. they play.

I DID see it however as a GM's goldmine as I can see these priests getting themselves into trouble, which in turn gets other PC involved in the conflict. After all, whats a RPG without obstacles and challenges to overcome?

Bolded for truth.

I like the class from a brief skimming.