Dr Archeville

'splain how he's getting those powers? Especially since his VP specifically doesn't grant him body-altering abilities?

I like it!

Flight 1 [2pp] will get you center stage (as I'm assuming the box seats Eddie got were less than 100 feet from the stage). We'll say the audience is roughly 125 x 125 feet (enough for ~3,000 to sit comfortably). Create Object would be the way to go for "giant barrier o' sound," but I'm unsure on having his metahuman/mutant Sonic Powers being able to create a Wall o' Sound against a supernaturally incorporeal ghost. On the other hand, with a big and obvious enough wall (and all Eddie's stuff is noticeable by default ), she'll turn from them and go after the bigger/more prominent threat. (Which is the main reason I'm reluctant to continue this without Muse, she's the only one whose powers/descriptors are valid for stunting an Affects Ghost's Insubstantial Blast). But, I know you don't want to hold it up, so I'll say that, for this case, Eddie can stunt one rank of Affects Magical Incorporeal effects (like Create Object), as some of Muse's magical essence has been rubbing off on him (bow chicka wow wow). Create Object 2 (2 5-ft. cubes; PFs: Affects Insubstantial [Toughness 1 vs. Incorporeal beings], Progression 2 [2 25-ft. cubes]) [7pp] Split the area so you get 20 25 x 25 x 2.5-ft. sheets, enough to cover an area 125 x 100 with a 2.5-ft. thick Wall o' Sound, enough to cover the front 4/5ths of the audience. And, no, I don't know if thickness of a Created Object affects its Toughness; my gut tells me it would not.

Moving along, despite back of posting from Darksider, and a temporary hiatus by Sand (he'll be back January 1st) Initiative for Ghost Valkyrie (1d20+3=16) Initiatives 22 -- Breakdown -- unharmed, 3 HP 16 -- Ghost Valkyrie -- Unharmed 11 -- Muse -- unharmed, 5 HP 8 -- Slick -- unharmed, 1 HP Notice checks Muse (23) Breakdown (16) Slick (15) Everyone is sure the officer the "Valkyrie" attacked is dead. Knowledge Checks Slick (16) Muse (17) Breakdown (29) Slick and Muse are both fairly certain this "Valkyrie" is, in fact, the Silver Scream, the ghost of an early 20th century film starlet (and native of Freedom City) who was typecast as a "scream queen" in a number of bad movies (mostly from the 30s and 40s), died in obscurity, and returns periodically as a vengeful spirit when her works are (mis)remembered or to strike at those who wronged her in life. She's been on two rampages, both stopped by Johnny rocket (the first by the first one, the second by his grandson, the current one) Breakdown knows it is definitely the Silver Scream (born Lauren Hammond), as he recognizes her appearance as the costume she wore in the 1939 film Die, Valkyrie!. It was an adaptation of Wagner's great opera, done as an American take on German Expressionism, so abysmally bad (in part due to technical errors, in part due to the horrid overacting of the cast, particularly Hammond, who was cast as Brünnhilde, and in part due to the fact it came out a week before World War II broke out and the opinion of all things German took a decided nosedive) that the cause of the fire which engulfed the studio after its release has never been positively identified, due to so many people being prime suspects (producers needing insurance money to pay off Mafia debts, directors and actors upset that this bomb had ruined their chance of ever being taken seriously again, even the Maestro was suspected to have had a hand in it due to its "affront against music"). (He also knows all the other stuff mentioned in the FC book, though I do reserve the right to slightly change some stats since, well, KENNSONN!!! ) Breakdown is up!

Adeptus Physicus (Physical Adepts) Examples: Captain Marvel (DC's) & the Marvel Family, Black Adam; Captain Britain, Iron Fist & the other Immortal Weapons FC Examples: Baron Samedi (borderline), Brittania, Lady Liberty (borderline), Siren (II) (borderline), White Lion (borderline) While many who have the gift for magic focus it on the world about them, a few focus it inward, to improving their own bodies. Basic techniques of this path are known to most all disciplines -- minor spells to temporarily increase concentration or stamina for ritual work, for example -- but only the Physical Adepts focus on these techniques. Masters become formidable opponents, capable of superhuman feats such as splitting great boulders with a single chop, deflecting charging bulls, recovering from injury with astonishing speed, run as swift as a cheetah, or leap dozens, hundreds, even thousands of feet into the air. This discipline is an odd duck, for two reasons. One is that it's seen by some as not being a true discipline of its own, but rather a subset of other disciplines. Both Hermetic and Shamanistic disciplines have their own versions of Physical Adepts, using magical potions and unguents (made via refined Hermetic alchemy or the more rustic herbology of 'primitive' cultures) to enhance one's body, or calling down (or up) spirits to inhabit a body and loan some of its might. Another oddity is the energies used: some say the mystical energies used -- the internal energies referred to as chi or ki or qi -- are not magic per se but rather more akin to psionic power, and as such discussion of these technique sparks more magic vs. psionic debates. The Adeptus Physicus Discipline (not a name they coined for themselves, but rather one applied by a stodgy Hermetic mage) can be divided into several Paths or Ways, though all share the same basic concept of using mystical forces and techniques to improve oneself. They are The Way of the Artist: Some Adepts focus on improving their ability to express themselves, often through dance or some other physical performance, though the bards of old used similar techniques to enhanced their song and music. These Adepts often have an uncanny knack for seeing the world as it truly is, or capturing the true essence of some subject in their paintings, sculptures, or weavings. The Way of the Athlete: Adepts who channel their abilities to excel in assorted athletic endeavors, honing their bodies to the same physical perfection any sports star would. The Way of Invisibility/The Way of Silence: Less flashy than their brothers on the Way of the Warrior, but no less deadly, Adepts following the Silent Path become unsurpassed masters of stealth and subterfuge. They move unseen, unheard, and unidentified. Many are also skilled climbers and gymnasts, so as to better enter "secured" sites with no one the wiser. The Way of the Speaker: Similar in some ways to the Way of the Artist, Adepts on this Path represent one of the most surprising manifestations of somatic magical potential. The "Social Adepts" strive to become the epitome of the metahuman social animal, the alpha of every group and social network. A Social Adept's development focuses on boosting her personal magnetism and her social skills. A bewildering variety of powers are put to use, making them masters of the subtleties of human communication and interaction. A typical Speaker Adept's repertoire of magical gifts allows her to entice you with a silver tongue, placing her voice at just the perfect pitch to convey a thrill, mimic body language to put you at ease, or simply fast-talk you into believing just about anything. The Way of the Totem: Some Adepts follow a totem animal as a Way itself, an ideal for the Adept to model and emulate. (Could some the source of werewolf legends be the result of Wolf-totem Adepts who made pacts with evil spirits for more power, at the cost of their human soul? Maybe!) The Way of the Warrior: The most common type of Adept, who use mystic rites to turn their bodies into potent weapons. Some focus on barehanded styles, others on turning a chosen melee weapon into an extension of themselves, and a few focus on ranged weapons, from Zen archers with their bows and arrows to the modern practitioners of gun-fu. In Freedom City, the students of the Shambala Temple (located on a mountainside overlooking a green and fertile valley nestled in the Himalayan Mountains) are masters of these techniques, combining ancient Atlantean mysticism and martial arts to hone their bodies to an impressive degree. Many other cultures have assorted rites that bestow certain enhancements to a person, such as the Rite of the White Lion that gave King M'Balla of Dakana the strength, speed, senses, and courage of his family's White Lion totem (though how much of that particular Rite is due to Dakanan mysticism and how much is due to Daka crystals is unknown). Those who are host to assorted gods and mystical forces also fit partially into this category, as the god/force often does some "remodeling" of the host to better house it. Why Take This Path: To attain physical perfection, often (though not always) in service to some greater calling, such as the defense of a certain place or group. To become a combat machine, able to fend off entire armies, not with flashy magics but with your bare hands. To do more than you could before, but without using flashy or "vulgar" magics. Common Personality Types: Self-reliance would be the most common personality trait, as followers of this path tend to work alone or in small, tight-knit teams. Honor and respect are also frequently seen, due tot he nature of most of the training regiments Physical Adepts undergo. Powers: Enhanced Traits (notably physical abilities, attack & defense, and certain skills and feats) are the most common type of power, though anything that can be described as a personal performance enhancement (certain Immunities, Leaping, Protection, Regeneration, Super-Senses) is applicable. Nonmagical Variants: As this is essentially a mystical version of a super-soldier, many of these abilities can be used for chemically- and genetically-altered super-soldiers. OFFENSIVE EFFECTS Aashi-Waza (Storm Technique): The Adept uses a fast spinning kata to gather internal ki power and then releases it in circle of lacerating fists, feet and weapons. When the whirlwind comes to a halt, a tired Warrior Adept may have several downed enemies at his feet. Extra (add Area [burst, General or Targeted] to unarmed strike) [cost 1pp/rank] Berserk: Named for the Norse ber serkr ("bear shirt"), this ability allows a Physical Adept to enter a foaming frenzy, boosting their combat power (notably physical strength and fortitude and mental fortitude) at the cost of certain mental faculties. Enhanced Feats (Rage) [cost 1pp/rank] Delay Damage: The delay damage power allows an Adept to inflict damage in unarmed melee combat that does not take immediate effect. When you hit, the target does not make a Toughness save, instead doing so when a condition you set comes to pass; this condition must be one you can detect. Sample conditions include the passage of a certain amount of time (generally no more than 24 hours), when the target next touches a certain item (though the Adept must be able to see him touching it to set the effect off), or when the target says or tries to say a certain word (though the Adept must be able to hear the target's speech in order to set off the effect). Enhanced Feats 2 (Triggered 2 for unarmed strikes) [cost 2pp] Distance Strike: Some Adepts are able to "project" their strikes a short distance. While not a ranged attack per se, some masters are able to strike a foe (or snuff a candle) from across a room. Enhanced Feats (Extended Reach for Unarmed strike) [cost 1pp/rank] Elemental Strike: Beyond merely enhancing their blows with ki-charged hands, some Adepts can convert that ki into blazing fire, crackling electricity, numbing cold, or a number of other elemental effects. Enhanced Feat 1 (Variable Descriptor [cold, electricity, fire] for unarmed strikes) [cost 1pp] Ghost Strike: While Astral Perception allows an Adept to perceive astral forms, this ability allows him to strike at them. Enhanced Feats 2 (Affects Insubstantial 2 for unarmed strikes) [cost 2pp] Inertia Strike: This ability strike allows an Adept to channel his power into a potent melee or unarmed attack focused on knocking his opponent off of his feet. Enhanced Feats (Knockback for Unarmed Strike) [cost 1pp/rank] Iron Fists: There are many techniques for making one's blows hit harder than just physical strength would allow. Perhaps you wreathe your hands in ki energy (which may manifest as a glowing aura), or maybe you just toughened your hands by plunging them into barrels of pebbles, glass shards, or flaming embers! Strike (PF: Mighty) [cost 1pp +1pp/rank] Kick of the Four Winds: In this impressive display, a Physical Adept executes a flying spin kick at an opponent, and while in midair co-located to four positions directly around the opponent, so that the one kick impacts the opponent four times. Extra (add Autofire 3 to unarmed strike) [cost 3pp/rank] Long Fist: By channeling his ki force into his punch, a Physical Adept may strike several targets at once, provided they are in a straight line behind one another. Extra (add Area [Line, General] to unarmed strike) [cost 1pp/rank] Missile Mastery: Even the most harmless of items such as pens, coins, and playing cards become deadly weapons in the hands of an Adept with this ability. Enhanced Feats (Throwing Mastery) [cost 1pp/rank] Nerve Strike: This power allows an Adept to inflict a paralyzing attack, temporarily crippling an opponent, by targeting vital nerve clusters. Targets that lack a functional nervous system, such robotic drones and zombies, are immune to this power. Paralyze (note: Alternate Save [Fortitude]) [cost 2pp/rank] alternatively, Drain Dexterity [cost 1pp/rank] Piercing Cry: By using ki to augment a piercing kiai shout, a Adept can shatter objects from afar. Blast (Flaw: Objects Only) [cost 1pp/rank] Penetrating Strike: This potent ability allows an Adept to project the force of their blows a short distance forward, beyond a target's armor (be it worn armor or superhumanly tough skin) to directly strikes their bones or vital organs. It can be used against both the living and the nonliving and unliving (robots, undead, etc.). Strike (Extras: Alternate Save [Fortitude], Affects Objects; PF: Mighty) [cost 1pp + 3pp/rank] Redirection of the Internal Fires: Using advanced acupuncture techniques, an Adept alters a subject's ki flow to engender a set emotional response. Some use it as a therapeutic technique to prevent emotional excess in the undisciplined, or to calm an enraged attacked, while others use it to the opposite effect, to cause another to fall into a maddened rage or deep despair. Emotion Control (Flaw: Range 2 [Melee]) [cost 1pp/2 ranks] Screech of the Raptor: By using ki to augment a fearsome kiai shout, a Adept can walk through battle and personal challenges without ever striking a blow. Stun (Extra: Alternate Save [Will], Area [Cone, General]; Flaw: Daze Only) [cost 2pp/rank] Smashing Blow: An intermediary step to learning the Iron Fist techniques, this power greatly enhances the force of an Adept's blows, though only against non-living targets, such as stacks f bricks, wooden boards, or blocks of ice. Strike (Flaw: Limited to Objects; PF: Mighty) Linked to Drain Toughness (Extra: Affects Objects; Flaw: Limited to Object) [cost 1pp +1pp/rank] Sounding the Gong: With this technique, a Physical Adept strikes a nearby objects -- even the ground -- and transfers the power of the strike to any target in sight. For example, an Adept may strike the ground with a balled fist, but the effects of the blow are felt on the back of the neck of a foe who stands 30 feet away. The move derives its name from the training method used to perfect it, wherein a practitioner tries to sound a gong from across a training field. Enhanced Feats 3 (Indirect 3 for unarmed strikes) [cost 3pp] Strength of the Bear: Carrying successively heavier loads up steep mountains, splitting logs with bare hands, wrestling bears, and a diet laced with alchemically-treated herbs and spices are all techniques used by Adepts to enhance their physical strength. Enhanced Strength [cost 1pp/rank] Super-Strength: Some Physical Adepts focus on lifting power, or other leverage-based uses of physical strength, but not the damaging aspects of it. They're still quite effective at grappling, though! Super-Strength [cost 2pp/rank] Touch of Death: Atemi, Dim Mak, Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique, Vibration Palm -- all names for the simple-looking technique of killing a man with one strike. Drain Constitution [cost 1pp/rank] Touch of Sleep: Though Physical Adepts hone their body to be a weapon, not all train to be lethal weapons. Stun (Extra: Sleep) [cost 2pp/rank] DEFENSIVE EFFECTS Cloak: While true invisibility is just outside the bounds of what a Physical Adept can do, some become so skilled at hiding that they may as well be invisible and inaudible. In fact, in some ways their techniques are better than true invisibility, since a "Detect Invisible" effect (i.e., Vision Counters Concealment) won't detect them, though a "Detect Hidden" effect would. Enhanced Feats 1 (Hide in Plain Sight) plus Enhanced Skills (Stealth) [cost 1pp for feat, and 1pp/4 ranks of Skill increase] Improved Body: Physical Adept are perhaps best known for the feats of superhuman endurance they can perform. Enhanced Constitution [cost 1pp/rank] Iron Guts: Some Adepts, either through necessity of the environment they train in, or in preparation for surviving in any environment, train themselves to be able to eat anything without ill effect. Immunity 5 (anything you swallow) [cost 5pp] Iron Will: Some Adepts trains their mind as well as their body to be extremely resistant to external manipulations. After all, what good is a body-turned-weapon if someone else is able to wield you? Mind Shield [cost 1pp/rank] Metabolic Control: This power grants an Adept exceptional control over his metabolism, giving him the natural power to reduce the effects associated with extreme wounds by stabilizing and suspending his body’s organic processes. Metabolic Control allows the Adept to enter a meditative trance state in which bodily processes are slowed, thereby reducing the rate of breathing and bleeding, but also limiting his need for food, water, and air, as well as delaying the effects toxins, poisons, and diseases. While in this state, the Adept cannot act as normal (though he can break out at any time). Enhanced Feat (Trance) [cost 1pp] Natural Immunity: Many Physical Adepts use their power of mind-over-body to resist the effects of toxins and disease. Immunity 2 (disease, poison) [cost 2pp] Rapid Healing: Warriors who can deal great damage to their foes are valuable, but those who cannot recover from the damages inflicted upon them are less so. Those who learn to rapidly bounce back from damage are terrors on the battlefield. Rarer still, though not unheard of, are those for whom death is but one more obstacle to overcome. Regeneration [cost 1pp/rank] Sense the Echo of the Dragon: Many Physical Adepts cultivate an almost precognitive sense, allowing them to know when and where blows will land and take the necessary actions to avoid them. Enhanced Feats (Defensive Roll, Dodge Focus, Evasion) [cost 1pp/rank] Sustenance: By learning to sustain oneself via one's ki, a Physical Adept requires less sleep and food (and fewer trips tot he restroom) than normal. Immunity 2 (need for sleep, starvation/thirst; Flaw: Limited [1/2 effect]) [cost 1pp] Temperature Tolerance: Adepts who train in extreme temperatures (under freezing waterfalls, under merciless suns or near volcanoes, etc.) gain a degree of tolerance to temperature extremes, though not to direct attacks based on cold or fire... Immunity 2 (cold, heat) [cost 2pp] Temperature Tolerance, Greater: ... while some Adepts do train long and hard enough to become resistant to even attacks based on temperature extremes. Immunity 10 (cold damage, fire/heat damage; Flaw: Limited [1/2 effect]) [cost 5pp] Toughened Skin: Some Adepts form great callouses on their hands to aid in striking, while others form callouses over their entire body. Others merely train to fortify their flesh with ki, or by the power of whatever spirit dwells within them. Protection [cost 1pp/rank] MOVEMENT EFFECTS Improved Agility: Many Physical Adepts move with amazing grace, honed through lengthy practice and ki enhancement. Enhanced Dexterity [cost 1pp/rank] Freefall: Adepts with this ability can fall any distance without harm, as long as they are able to react to the situation. He can also stop his fall at any point where there is a handhold or a projection to grab on to. Super-Movement 1 (slow fall) [cost 2pp] Ghost Steps: To safely land from any fall (not as good as flying, but still impressive), to move smoothly despite difficult terrain, and to move without leaving tracks are hallmarks of the Ghost Step Technique. Super-Movement 3 (Slow-Fall, Sure-Footed, Trackless) [cost 6pp] Leap of the Clouds: Physical Adepts can often make prodigious leaps, beyond what their (enhanced) strength alone would allow. Leaping [cost 1pp/rank] Speed of the Puma: Many Physical Adepts can move with blinding speed, running circles around their enemies. Speed [cost 1pp/rank] Traceless Step: The Adept with this power may move over surfaces -- including soft or brittle surfaces such as snow, sand, or thin paper -- without leaving visible traces. She makes no noise through contact with the floor (though movement may still cause other sounds), and he will not trip ground-based motion or pressure sensors. The Adept cannot walk across liquid surfaces (but can walk across deep snow without sinking) and can still be tracked by non-visual cues such as scent and sound. Super-Movement 1 (trackless) [cost 2pp] Wall Running: This power allows the Adept to run up sheer walls or other vertical surfaces. Super-Movement 2 (wall-crawling 2) [cost 4pp] SENSORY EFFECTS Accessing the Akashic Record: Some Adepts can meditate to access the Akashic record, a compendium of mystical knowledge encoded in a non-physical plane of existence containing all knowledge of human experience and the history of the cosmos. This can allow an Adept to see what is happening currently in some far off place, or to see the past or the future, or even obtains answers to questions asked directly to "the universal supercomputer" or "the Mind of God." Enhanced Feat 1 (Benefit [directed inspiration]) [cost 1pp] and/or Enhanced Skills (assorted Knowledge skills) [cost 1pp/4 ranks] and/or ESP (all senses) [cost 4pp/rank] and/or Super-Senses 8 (postcognition, precognition) [cost 8pp] Analytics: This ability improves the Adept's logical ability to detect and analyze patterns, puzzles, and ciphers. It is especially useful for clue-hunting and evidence analysis, providing the subject with amazing deductive powers. Enhanced Intelligence (Flaw: Limited [checks involving pattern recognition, evidence analysis, or solving puzzles or logical problems]) and/or Enhanced Skills (Investigate, Search) [cost 1pp/2 ranks for Enhanced Int, 1pp/4 ranks for skills] Astral Sight: Some Physical Adepts can see beyond the physical world and into the astral. This power alone does not allow them to actually interact with astral forms, though. Super-Senses 1 (mental awareness) [cost 1pp] Blind Fighting: Training while blindfolded or in darkened practice halls forces an Adept to rely on their other senses. Super-Senses 2 (adds accurate to normal hearing) [cost 2pp] Cognition:This technique allows an Adept to better comprehend, manipulate, and adapt to her environment. Cognition allows the initiate to focus and divert her mental, perceptual, and intellectual faculties at will. In addition to gaining new Adeptus Physicus abilities as needed, Cognition can be used to exchange points between Mental attributes (Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma), enhancing some while reducing others. Variable (gain 5pp/rank of mental traits; Flaw: Limited [mental Adeptus Physicus powers]) [cost 7pp/rank] Combat Senses: Physical Adepts train to sharpen their senses, gaining an instinctive awareness of an area and any threats in it. The type of sense used varies, though auditory and mental are the most common. Super-Senses 2 (danger sense, uncanny dodge) [cost 2pp] Commanding Voice: This power channels the Adept's ki into his voice to enhance the modulation and pitch, subliminally influencing the actions of any listeners. The adept takes a standard action to give a simple but forceful command (five words or less) to the target, making an opposed power check against the target(s) Will save. If the Adept succeeds in the test, the target uses his next action to either carry out the command or stands confused (if unable to carry out the command). Such commands carry no weight beyond the immediate impetus, and the affected characters will quickly reassert their wits, returning to their original course of action. Commanding Voice may only be used on targets who can directly hear and understand the Adept's words. It has no effect when the voice is amplified or broadcast via technological means (eg. wireless transmission, loudspeaker, etc). Roll a new opposed check of Mind Control vs. Will save for each round that passes, with the thrall getting a cumulative +1 bonus per save. It is also less effective on subsequent uses against the same target (since they get a cumulative +1 bonus to Will saves against Mind Control for each successive attempt in the same encounter and trying again against the same target in the same encounter requires extra effort). Mind Control (Extra: Area [burst or Cone], Conscious; Flaws: Duration [instant {Lasting}], Sense-Dependent [Hearing]) [cost 2pp/rank] Direction Sense: The ability to always tell which direction you are facing, and whether you're above or below local ground level, quite hand for hunters, guides, and spies. Super-Senses 1 (direction sense) [cost 1pp] Ears of the Wolf: Some adepts train their hearing and enhance it with ki such that they can hear sounds outside the normal human range. Super-Senses (ultra-hearing) [cost 1pp] Eidetic Sense Memory: An Adept with this power has the ability to memorize all types of sensory input. Besides perfect photographic visual memory, the adept can recollect sounds, textures, tastes, and smells — and any combination thereof. The adept can recall these sensory impressions at will, and will remember who or what they have memorized in future encounters. The adept can also photo-read, greatly increasing their reading speed. Enhanced Feat (Eidetic Memory) plus Quickness 3 (x10; Flaw: Limited 2 [only for reading]) [cost 2pp] Enhanced Perception: A broad, general enhancement to all an Adept's senses. Enhanced Skills (Notice) [cost 1pp/4 ranks] Eyes of the Hawk: This enhancement allows a Physical Adept to see things far away. Super-Senses 1 (extended vision) [cost 1pp] Flare Compensation: Special training and treatments to the eyes (perhaps long hours staring at the sun, perhaps some alchemical eyedrops) grant a Physical Adept protection from certain sensory-affecting effects. Sensory Shield (vision) [cost 1pp/rank] Flower Gesture: This technique allows an Adept to transfer her ideas in an instant, which come to the target as a sudden burst of inspiration. This technique gets its name from the legend of how the Buddha ÅšÄkyamuni lifted a flower at the conclusion of his final sermon. With a gesture he imparted the essence his teachings to MahÄkÄÅ›yapa. Communication 1 (mental, 10 feet; PF: Rapid 2 [x100]) [cost 3pp] Improved Scent/Taste: One of the rarer abilities, this enhancement allows a Physical Adept to identify individuals by scent, and tell if someone whose scent they know has been in the area recently. Its also allows them to recognize the ingredients in food and beverage by taste alone, as well as any drugs or poisons in their meals. Super-Senses 1 (acute for olfactory sense) [cost 1pp] Kinesics: An Adept with Kinesics has complete control over her body's nonverbal and subconscious communication and social cues, even when engaged in stressful social scenarios. This control includes facial expressions, body movements, posture, eye movements, and internal biological stress functions such as heartbeat, blood pressure, and sweat glands. The Adept is also gifted at reading others' body language and cultural-specific affectations and mimicking their cues to her advantage. As a result, this power boosts the Asept's natural presence and social charms, as well as their ability to mask their own truthfulness or emotional state. Two Adepts with Kinesics and within sight of each other can use this ability to nonverbally communicate simple notions to each other, using body language alone (i.e., the Innuendo and Sense Innuendo functions of the Bluff and Sense Motive skill). Enhanced Skills (Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Sense Motive) [cost 1pp/4 ranks] Linguistics: This power combines enhanced memorization and mimicry to allow an Adept to pick up a new language after minimal exposure. Comprehend 3 (speak any one at a time, understand any, ready any) [cost 6pp] Magic Sense: Some Adepts train to become extremely sensitive to the ebbs and flows in the ki and mana around them. Super-Senses 1 (magic awareness) [cost 1pp] Motion Sense: This power grants the Adept the ability to accurately feel the location of moving objects in contact with the same surface as himself (such as the ground). If used underwater, the Adept can feel objects moving through the water all around him, like a normal radius sense. Super-Senses 2 (adds Ranged to all tactile senses) [cost 2pp] Motion Sense, Improved: This power grants the Adept a magical sense of minute disturbances in the ambient ki, allowing him to subconsciously detect the motion of objects, people, or animals, even when he would be unable to detect them through normal senses such as sight, sound, or smell. Super-Senses 6 (Accurate Acute Radius Ranged Mental Sense) [6pp] Multi-Tasking: Multi-tasking grants the ability to simultaneously process information from multiple senses. For example, an Adept with this power could read data off multiple vid-screens and simultaneously hold a conference call over his commlink, or hold a conversation while watching a movie, providing full attention to each. In game terms, Taking 20 on a Notice check is as a Free action for the character, and he can do an Extended Search of an area 100 ft. in diameter in 12 seconds/2 rounds. Quickness 4 (x25; Flaw: Limited to Mental tasks) [cost 2pp] Piercing Senses: Through meditation on the nature of reality, some Adepts gain the ability to see through Illusions (of any source) and see to the truth beyond. Super-Senses 2 (Vision Counters Illusion) [cost 2pp] Three-Dimensional Memory: An Adept with this power can memorize an area he has viewed firsthand in ultra-clear detail. At a later time, the Adept may make a Notice or Search check to call up the "stored" memory and walk through the "scene," exploring it as if he was walking through the location for the first time. The Adept may not interact or disturb anything in the recalled scene, he may only review things he actually saw or sensed, even if only incidentally at the time. For instance, the Adept cannot review the contents of a drawer unless it was open when the adept memorized the scene. Super-Senses 4 (postcognition; Flaw: Limited [places you've visited first-hand]) [cost 2pp] MISCELLANEOUS EFFECTS Adrenal Surge: Most Physical Adepts who possess enhancements to their strength, speed, or stamina have permanent enhancements, or ones they can turn on and off at a moment's notice. Initiates ma have an ability more like this one, temporarily boosting their body, and suffering fatigue after the boost wears off. Boost Physical Ability Scores (Extra: Action 2 [Free]; Flaw: Personal, Tiring [fatigued once points fade]) [cost 3pp/rank] Animal Empathy: An Adept with this power gains a preternatural affinity with non-sapient animals (both normal and paranormal). Enhanced Skills (Handle Animal) [cost 1pp/4 ranks] Empathic Healing: Some adepts are able to heal the wound of others by transferring them to themselves, by replacing some of their damaged/missing ki with some of their own. Healing (Flaw: Empathic) [cost 1pp/rank] Enthralling Performance: This power infuses the Adept's performance of his chosen artistic ability with magic. While exercising his art (whether acting, doing calligraphy, dancing, performing katas, or painting), the flow of his movements and the thrill of his virtuosity mesmerizes the audience into a mild hypnotic state. Enhanced Feat (Fascinate [choose a Perform skill, or the Acrobatics or Craft {Art} skill]) [cost 1pp/rank] Facial Sculpting: An Adept with this power has learned to channel ki and manipulate their own body in such as way that he change his facial features through slight shifts in muscle build, bone structure, and cartilage. Possible facial changes include raising or lowering cheek bones, thickening or thinning of the lips, stretching the eyelids, altering the height or shape of the ears, squaring or rounding the chin, or drawing up or fattening of the nose. He can also compress or extend his entire musculoskeletal structure to become up to six inches taller or shorter, and alter his hair or skin color within the limits of normal skin tone for the Adept's ethnicity. Morph (any humanoid) [cost 2pp/rank] Flexibility: This ability represents an Adept's unusually limber and supple joints, able to twist and bend beyond the human norm. Flexibility also helps the Adept squeeze through small openings and tight passages, which would otherwise prove difficult for a normal person of his size (such as ventilation ducts), as well as escaping handcuffs, ropes, and other such bindings. Enhanced Skills (Escape Artist) [cost 1pp/4 ranks] Nimble Fingers: This ability allows the Adept to perform simple reflex and timing tricks more efficiently and effectively. It aids in palming and other uses of sleight of hand, and in reloading certain weapons. Enhanced Feat 1 (Quick Draw [reload as free action]) plus Enhanced Skills (Sleight of Hand) [cost 1pp plus 1pp/4 ranks in skill] Pain Relief: Integral to many Asian holistic traditions such as acupuncture, Qigong, Reiki, and Shiatsu, this technique allows the Adept to channel ki through his hands and apply it to a target's chakra points, dissipating fatigue, muscle tension, and pain. This effectively heals some levels of non-lethal damage. This energy manipulation takes 5 minutes per bruise healed, and the adept must maintain physical contact for the duration. Healing (Flaw: Limited [on-lethal damage only]; Drawback: Action 2 [5 minutes per use]) [cost 1pp/rank, -2pp] Power Throw: Some Adepts train to throw things amazing distances, even if the item in question is less than aerodynamically balanced (like another person!). Super-Strength (Flaw: Limited 2 [only to increase throwing distances]) [cost 1pp/2 ranks] Quick Draw: Through long training, an Adept can quickly draw any weapon -- melee, thrown, ranged, even firearms -- in the blink of an eye. Enhanced Feat 1 (Quick Draw [draw as free action]) [cost 1pp] Somatic Control: The pinnacle of an Adept's power, this represents the extension of an Adept's conscious control over her own body, allowing her to overcome natural physical limitations and to magically redistribute her body's resources and energy. In addition to gaining new Adeptus Physicus abilities as needed, Somatic Control can be used to exchange points between Physical attributes (Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution), enhancing some while reducing others. Variable (gain 5pp/rank of traits; Flaw: Limited [physical Adeptus Physicus powers]) [cost 7pp/rank] Voice Control: A Physical Adept with this ability has an amazing level of control over the properties of her voice. She can change her voice's pitch, modulation and tone at will, as well as increase her volume. This allows the Adept to mask her voice and imitate sounds within the normal range of human vocalization (i.e, no infrasound or ultrasound), including mimicking the voices of others. Features 1 (Mimicry [can imitate almost any sound you've heard, giving you a +10 bonus to Bluff or Perform checks to convince others your mimicked sounds are real]) [cost 1pp]

Archived due to being turned into an NPC.

:approved:

Background Fluff looks good, though a tad sparse. But that's what 20Q and the HellQ are for. You should mark that his Grapple is +11 w/out Powers, and +21 when using full Super-Strength. You should note his Impervious Toughness up with his Impervious save. His Paragon Array only costs 13pp -- 10pp for the base, +1 to make it Dynamic, +2pp for the one Dynamic Alternate Power. I'm a bit unsure on the Vulnerability to Daka crystals. As you've got it written, it'd be fine if Daka crystals were used as the striking surface of a weapon (like a Daka-edged blade, or a spearhead made of Daka crystal), but that's not what Daka crystals are typically used for; they're generally the power channeling/focusing components of devices. Suggested alternatives: * Add Limited [1/2 Effect] to four of his Immunities, which'd free 2pp. That, and the 1pp from the improperly costed Paragon Array, gets you the 3pp needed to erase that Drawback. * Power Loss (exposure to Daka crystals) for two of his powers. * Weakness (daka crystals [uncommon], cumulative -1 penalty to all checks, attacks rolls, and Defense [moderate]). That alone would be 2pp, but the penalties accrue every 20 mins; decreasing the time gives you more pp, which could be used for other things.

If he's a Work in Progress, he should be in the Character Building forum. And now he is!

:approved:!

Grapple would be +11 in human form (+6 Melee, +5 Str), +18 in Bear Form (+5 melee, +9 Str, +4 from Size) Please note Flat-Footed Defense. +4 in Human Form, +3 in Bear Form. You're breaking Defense/Toughness caps. In Human Form (+10 Defense, +5 Toughness [+9 vs. Magic]), he's okay, but in Bear Form (+9 Defense, +10 Protection [+14 vs. Magic]), he's over. Suggestion: drop the Protection 3 from his Bear Form, so his Toughness will be +7, +11 vs. Magic. Use those 3pp for more Fearsome Presence, Regeneration, Super-Senses, a rank of two in Strike with the Mighty power feat (which would allow him to hit his Attack/Damage caps), or a rank of Super-Strength. His Amulet: if it's an Easy to Lose Device (can be removed with a Disarm maneuver), it's 3pp/rank, so would cost 7pp. If it's Hard to Lose (must be Helpless before it can be removed), then it's 4pp/rank, 9pp total.

You could drop the Geomancer Array, buy it back later. With his Artifier and Ritualist skills, he's got some magical ability. Actually, his Geomancer Array is costed wrong. Magic 5 would be 10pp, the Unreliable Flaw would reduce it to 5pp. 1 Alt Power bring it to 6pp, the Power Loss drops it back to 5pp.

Archeville nodded at the heroes' words, then glanced back to the surgical center. He noticed that the armor his machines had removed from Valkyrie were gone. "I believe I would best serve this cause by acting as 'mission control,' coordinating efforts and providing long-range scans. And to serve as transport should it be required." Moments later, the three monitors showed people on them, an AEGIS agent, Scarab, and Daedalus. "Ragnarok is here," Archeville stated, "along with a small SHADOW cell. Arrowhawk and Valkyrie here set off the self-destruct to the facility, but we all know that will not be enough to stop their plans, or Ragnarok himself. We need to get down there and find out what they were up to. I believe Scarab and Dr. Metropolis would be our best bet for a forward reconnaissance team, followed by-" Eight night later (October 22nd). Evening. Full moon, clear sky, light breeze, temp in the mid-40s. Vivian had been fixing herself a late night snack, when she felt a call from Those Who Sit Above ringing in her mind. Childe! A test of worthiness is upon thee, greater than any you have faced before! Seek you Providence where the seas meet the rock, and there face Dwellers of the Deeps! Stem the Blood-Dimmed Tide, or the Old Ways shall be lost!

Alright, everything works out now, but I do want to make sure you're aware how undercapped he is. Human Form Punch: +9 attack, +5 damage = PL 7 Human Form Defense: +3 Defense, +3 Toughness (+7 vs. Magic) = PL 3, PL 5 vs. Magic Bear Form Punch: +8 attack, +9 damage = PL 9 Bear Form Defense: +2 Defense, +8 Toughness (+12 vs. Magic) = PL 5, PL 7 vs. Magic If you're fine with him as-is, though, I'm good with approving it.

"Hrm." He jabbed the wide needle into the goo and drew up several ccs of the black, oily substance. "Now to get some of this under a microscope," he squirted some on a trio of glass slides, "and the rest for the gas chromatograph and mass spectrometer. Neither of which I believe are in Miss Americana's laboratory," he did another quick sweep of the room, "though she does have some microscopes, so I can start those examinations." He popped the cap back on the syringe, set two of the slides aside, and prepped the third for examination under a microscope. "Hrrmmm... I do see some cell structures, floating amongst the black fluid. Odd little flecks on the surface of the cell walls; perhaps clots of the black substance, old and dried? The patterning if very regular... perhaps there are some part of the cells themselves? I have seen similar structures on other metamorphs, their cells had tiny grappling hook-like mechanisms dotted all over the surface, allowing the cells to spread out while the subject was in a fluid state yet still remain connected via fine microtubules. That may be what these are, though the unique properties of the fluid medium they are in may make attachment difficult." He turned back to the puddle, "perhaps this is why you are unable to resume your normal state, the oily substance is not viscous enough to allow the cells to recombine. In which case, cold should increase your viscosity, and allow you to get back to normal. If that does not work," he turned back to the microscope, "perhaps some chemical thickeners would help."

"Smart girl's smart," Dead Head said as he began tending to the felled zombies, untangling their bodies and laying them out in neat rows. "Spirit like that don't go down easy, not fer good... but I don't think he's gonna be botherin' us again anytime soon." Mutt padded over to Dead Head, and let out a low whine. "I know, boy, we go a lotta work to do. But it coulda gone a lot worse." The spirit-dog helped him move the corpses, as best he could. I hope it ain't comin' back soon. It did a number on Ironclad an' Cobalt Templar, an' brought up a lotta unfortunate stuff. Dead Head turned his head to face the others, "uh, any'a you got a phone? I ain't, so I cain't call the cops. An' what's the story with that ring," he called to CT, "if'n ya don't mind tellin'. Nasty demon like that, goin' after you fer it, must mean that's got some pow'rful mojo in it." He looked back at the bodies, and muttered, "man, this used ta be easier in tha old days."

The Doktor smiled and nodded, "there is no need to apologize, my boy. You acted for the good of others, and you saved some people from an attack. That is to be commended!" He walked to the head of the bed, checking the special biomonitors they had set up. The standard ones had been unable to get readings due to the skintight gravitic field over him, but these had more penetrating power, and so were able to get reads on his vitals. "Hrm... heart rate and bp are still above normal, though that is common for metahumans with enhanced strength, so I would say you are almost back to where you should be." Powerhouse did not notice that, amongst checking all the readings and marking notes on his notepad, that Archeville had activated a miniscule audio recorder, disguised as a pen in his labcoat pocket, that could record what was said in the room. "Speaking of-" he began "of changes, could you describe this homeless man who was attacking the businessmen, and the wolf-creature that you fought? I would like to get a sketch of them out to the police and local superheroes, so they can be on the lookout."

... your Combat costs are still off. You'd had them at 2 ranks/1pp, now you have them at 1 rank/pp. They're 1 rank/2pp. I.e., Base Attack +4 = 8pp, not 4. His Bear Form's Toughness vs. Magic should be +12, not +13, since his Bear Form's regular Toughness is +8, not +9. Oh, and one alternative for the "Gust of Wind" thing, if you want a version that hits multiple targets: add Area [Cone, General] extra and Range [Melee] flaw.

Ah, so like Wander's Collapsible Nerf Bat. Gotcha. Looks good to me. :approved:

Ah, your Combat costs are way off. "Base" Attack and Defense are 2pp/rank, so Attack +8 and Defense +8 costs 16 points each. Also, Attack Specialization gives +2 per rank on attacks with that chosen attack, not +1. Do be aware Attack Specialization (Unarmed) does not count for Grapple checks, though Attack Focus (Melee) would. His Toughness is off: +5 Con + Protection 3 = +8, not +9. One way to save points: drop Instant Up. With a +10 on Acrobatics and Skill Mastery in that skill, you can reliably Take 10, and so get 20 on an Acrobatics checks. Which would allow you to kip up from prone as a free action Your Super-Senses seem off. Did you mean to get Track 2, so he can track and still move at full normal speed while tracking? If the Electrical Control (Only When Outside) power is to represent calling down a lightning bolt from the heavens, it would need Indirect 2 for it to originate from above. Your DC block indicates you're getting a +2 to Damage from somewhere, but I'm not seeing where. As he is now, his Unarmed damage is DC 20 (15 + 5 Str), his Bear form is DC 25 (15 + 9 Str).

Looks good! :approved:

I was saying Trip should get the Knockback extra, not the Knockback power feat. (Which, in this case, does wind up doing the same thing.) You'd also want Improved Trip with it, since it can't be stated enough how useful that feat/power feat is with Trip. How is her Staff subtle?

You can teach a dog to stand on its hind legs, yes, but it'll be terribly unbalanced the whole time, and probably in some pain (since its legs aren't meant to go that way). But as a Complication, it means a GM can impose some minor circumstance penalties for when he stands too long, and you'll get an HP for the trouble. You should probably change the line about human-style clothing being uncomfortable due to his fur, and note that it's uncomfortable because of the fur and because his skeletal structure is all wrong for it. Actually, I'll edit that in, because having you do that would hold up my :approved: stamp :)

Very fitting! Listing the distances he can leap would be helpful. Spotted another problem with his Bear form: his Regeneration. Specifically, the Resurrection part. Despite being of a Permanent duration, since it's in his Alternate Form, his Regen only work while he's in Bear form (just like his Protection). But since Alternate Form is Sustained by default, he'll switch out of it if he's unable to take a free action each round to maintain it. So if he's killed, he drops out of Bear form, loses the Regeneration/Resurrection, and so can't resurrect. (It also means he shifts back if knocked out, or if he's stunned, unless he can make a DC 17 [10 + power rank] Concentration check for each round he's stunned.) You should change his Air Control, since as-written Air Control is a poorly-kitted power. (It's Move Object/Telekinesis, Extra: Range [Perception]; Flaw Limited [Only Air]... but the air can blow/move objects, so it's not really a Flaw.) Trip (Extra: Knockback) is a fine "blasts of wind" effect; if you go that route, be sure to pick up the Improved Trip feat (as a power feat).

I believe Shaen's still working on the first judgment, but I do have a question, something that isn't quite clear in his description: does this guy walk on two legs or four? You describe hims as being basically a cheetah with a slightly larger-than-average braincase, raccoon-like hands, and a vest, but you don't say whether his posture's shifted. I'm assuming he's still as bipedal as the human he was, but it is best to ask for clarity. If he's a quadruped, I'd say that'd be worth a Complication.