Geez3r

Cassandra had gotten a bit lost in her thoughts while she was waiting for the family to arrive. It was probably for the best, as she might have tackled them the moment they set foot in the door if she was paying attention. As it was, she was able to collect herself for a moment while the family checked in with the receptionist. Striding up to them, Cassandra offered her hand to Cho's parents. "Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin? Thank you for making the trip. I'm Dr. Cassandra Steel, we spoke on the phone?" she said just a little too fast, like she had mentally recited the line a few hundred times. "I guess that would make you Naomi..." she continued offering her hand to the youngest daughter. "And our guest of honor, Cho." finished Cassandra, saving her biggest smile for Cho. "Thank you all for coming. I'll be the one overseeing all of today's proceedings, so feel free to ask me anything at any time. Before we begin, do any of you have any questions?"

May 29th, 2014 10:30am Rennamex research lab; A Grant Conglomerate's subsidiary The building at the listed address was rather unassuming, with the exception of the security checkpoint at the main gate. Besides the sign plastered on the front of the building, there was little to differentiate it from many of the other industrial office buildings in the area. It was relatively small, compared to its peers, at only 5 or 6 stories. It was tall, blocky and corporate, with next to no aesthetic qualities. The main lobby did very little to dissuade this feel. There was a receptionist behind a desk, that blocked them off from the rest of the lobby, the only way to enter was from a door on the other side of the desk, and like the three other doors in the lobby, required a keycard to access. At least two security cameras surveyed the scene. There was a small waiting area with a handful of chairs, and a coffee table with a few scientific periodicals and local newspapers. The only interesting bit was the scientist in a lab coat practically bouncing off the walls, only pausing long enough to look out the window into the parking lot. “They aren't due for another 10 minutes Dr. Steel. I can page you when they arrive.†said the exasperated secretary to the young scientist. “Not gonna happen Randy.†replied Cassandra shaking her head frantically. “They're a 16 year old kid with oblivion running in their veins. They're going to be scared coming here, and I have to put them at ease. Besides think of all the science! Do you know what Terminus exposure normally does to the body? Trick question! You don't, because nobody does, and I get to try to find out! Oh this should be fascinating!â€

Going to be a bit spotty this weekend, going on vacation and to a wedding and possibly buying a car.

Orange Tier Blockbuster: Double-Dash, The Lightspeed Trickster (PL 15 - 255pp) “Run, run, run, as fast as you can. I won this race before it even began.†Abilities: 4 + 10 + 10 + 6 + 4 + 6 = 40PP Strength: 14 (+2) Dexterity: 20 (+5) Constitution: 20 (+5) Intelligence: 16 (+3) Wisdom: 14 (+2) Charisma: 16 (+3) Combat: 22 + 20 = 42PP Initiative: +5/+65 Attack: +11, +15 Speed Attacks Grapple: +13 Defense: +19 (+10 Base, +9 Dodge Focus), +5 Flat-Footed Knockback: -2/-5 Saving Throws: 3 + 5 + 3 = 11PP Toughness: +5/+11 (+5 Con, +6 Defensive Roll) Fortitude: +8 (+5 Con, +3) Reflex: +10/+20 (+5 Dex, +5/+15), Evasion 2 Will: +6 (+3 Wis, +3) Skills: 156R = 39PP Acrobatics 20 (+25) Bluff 17 (+20) Computers 17 (+20) Diplomacy 7 (+10) Disable Device 17 (+20) Gather Information 12 (+15) Knowledge (Current Events) 7 (+10) Knowledge (Popular Culture) 7 (+10) Languages 1 (English [native], Spanish) Notice 8 (+10) Sense Motive 8 (+10) Sleight of Hand 20 (+25) Stealth 15 (+20) Feats: 17 PP Acrobatic Bluff 2 Attack Specialization (Super-Speed Attacks) 2 Connected Contacts Defensive Attack Defensive Strike Distract (Bluff) Improved Critical (Rapid Punch) 2 Power Attack Redirect Skill Mastery 2 (Acrobatics, Bluff, Computers, Disable Device, Diplomacy, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Stealth) Takedown Attack 2 Powers: 15 + 15 + 10 + 31 + 3 + 35 = 106PP Speed 15 [15pp] Quickness 15 [15pp] Enhanced Reflex Save 10 [10pp] Enhanced Feats 31 (Improved Initiative 15, Evasion 2, Elusive Target, Move By Action, Dodge Focus 9, Defensive Roll 3) [31pp] Super-Movement 3 (Wall Running 2, Water Walking) Flaws: Only while running [3pp] Super-Speed Array [35pp] Damage 15 Extras: Autofire – All the punching * AP: Insubstantial 4 (affected by attacks that move at super-speed); Damage 5 Extras: Affects Corporeal – You're too slow~ * AP: Speed 5, Quickness 5, Super-Movement 7 (Sure-footed 4, Permeate 3, Temporal Movement 3) - Double-dash * AP: Drain Toughness 15 (objects only) Extras: Targeted Burst Area, Selective; Flaws: Full-Round Action – Disassemble * AP: Trip 15 Extras: Knockback, General Area Cylinder; Flaws: Touch Range; Power Feats: Progression x2 (75ft radius, 300ft height) - Tornado * AP: Damage 15 Extras: General Area Explosion; LINKED Dazzle 15 (auditory) Extras: General Area Explosion; Flaws: Touch Range – Sonic Boom Drawbacks: (-0) = -0PP Abilities (40) + Combat (42) + Saving Throws (11) + Skills (39) + Feats (17) + Powers (106) - Drawbacks (00) = 255/255 Power Points Double-Dash is widely considered to be one of the most annoying super-villains to ever put on a brightly colored costume. Double-Dash's real name is Megan Conners. She had always been a bit of an action junky, a thrill-seeker, but anything to get the spot light would do. Her pursuits would eventually lead her to be front and center as part of Channel's “Action News†team, being the camera woman for the infamous Amy Feng. For a while, the two made quite the pair, as Megan was just as reckless as Amy was in the pursuit of the story. That came to an end when they were covering a plot by Dr. Simian using a chronal disruptor to turn the mayor (and many other state officials for that matter) into children, or maybe it was apes. As the Freedom League intervened, Dr. Simian's device was damaged and released an uncontrolled pulse of energy right at a certain camera woman who decided to get a little too close to the action. When Megan came to a few moments, Dr. Simian was defeated, most of the League was standing over her, and yet all eyes (and cameras) were on her. When she stood up, she noticed that everyone else around her hadn't moved. She quickly pieced together that she had gotten super-speed from the accident. In short order, she demonstrated her new powers by literally running circles around Johnny Rocket. Things quickly got out of hand, as she started to dismantle and recreate the surrounding landscape in her image, making sure to majestically pose for the cameras. When the League attempted to apprehend her, she literally fled the country. As Double-Dash, Megan doesn't commit crimes so much as she just causes general mischief and mayhem. She often steals things just to see if she can, and later returns the items, preferably while the place is still under guard. She'll only stick around in an area to attract the camera crews, and she'll scatter as soon as it looks like she might have an actual fight on her hands. When she doesn't feel like waiting for a camera crew, Double-Dash has been known to wear a camera herself and live-stream her crimes on the internet. By request from AA, a speedster with all of the go-fast. They're an otherwise normal person who is just really, really fast. They've got a few tricks up their sleeve from their days as a reporter in training, but they're mostly focused on being really fast, and really annoying. She is actually fast enough where they have Temporal Movement 3, which means that they can run through time itself on a whim. This isn't so much as something that'll see play, but it's a built in plot hook. It's also why she's so hard to contain, she can make it so she wasn't captured in the first place. The one trick that I really like about this build is the Insubstantial setting. She can be affected by attacks that move at extreme speed, so for instance, it offers no protection against stuff like light based attacks, or lighting, or even other speedsters, but all other attacks are useless because they're too slow to catch her. I'm going to go ahead and pat myself on the back for that one. While she is focusing on not getting hit however, they can't put as much power behind their blows. All of the other powers are pretty standard fare. Dissassemble things at high speed, spin around in a circle to make a tornado and run so fast you make a sonic boom.

Orange Tier Blockbusters: Cyborg Slayers - Eighty - Six (PL 14 - 250pp) “You cannot stop us. †Cyborg 06 Abilities: 12 + 0 + 14 + 4 + 4 + 6 = 40PP Strength: 22/46 (+6/+18) Dexterity: 10 (+0) Constitution: 24/34 (+7/+12) Intelligence: 14 (+2) Wisdom: 14 (+2) Charisma: 16 (+3) Combat: 16 + 16 = 32PP Initiative: +0 Attack: +8, +10 Melee Grapple: +39 Defense: +10 (+8 Base, +2 Dodge Focus), +4 Flat-Footed Knockback: -23 Saving Throws: 3 + 4 + 4 = 11PP Toughness: +7/+18 (+7/+12 Con, +6 Protection) Impervious 12 Fortitude: +10/+15 (+7/+12 Con, +3) Reflex: +4 (+0 Dex, +4) Will: +6 (+2 Wis, +4) Skills: 128R = 32PP Computers 13 (+15) Craft (electrical) 13 (+15) Craft (mechanical) 13 (+15) Demolitions 18 (+20) Disable Device 13 (+15) Intimidate 19 (+21) Knowledge (Technology) 13 (+15) Notice 13 (+15) Sense Motive 13 (+15) Feats: 11 PP All Out Attack Attack Focus Melee 2 Dodge Focus 2 Interpose Power Attack Startle 2 Takedown Attack 2 Powers: 37 + 10 + 18 + 12 + 2 + 9 + 32 = 120PP Density 12 Extras: Permanent (+0); Power Feat: Innate [37pp] +24 Strength +6 Protection +6 Impervious Toughness +4 Immovable +4 Super-Strength x25 Mass Enhanced Constitution 10 [10pp] Impervious Toughness 6 (Total of 12) Extras: Reflective (Melee) 12 [18pp] Immovable 4 Extras: Unstoppable 8 (covers ranks from Density) [12pp] Speed 2 [2pp] Immunity 9 (Life Support) [9pp] Super-Strength 7 Power Feats: Haymaker, Shockwave, Counter Punching, Bracing [32pp] Drawbacks: (-0) = -0PP Abilities (40) + Combat (36) + Saving Throws (11) + Skills (32) + Feats (11) + Powers (120) - Drawbacks (00) = 250/250 Power Points Cyborg 08 “You cannot catch us.†Abilities: 10 + 10 + 10 + 6 + 4 + 6 = 46PP Strength: 20/30 (+5/+10) Dexterity: 20/40 (+5/+15) Constitution: 20/30 (+5/+10) Intelligence: 16 (+3) Wisdom: 14 (+2) Charisma: 16 (+3) Combat: 24 + 36 = 60PP Initiative: +25/+35 Attack: +12, +18 Melee Grapple: +23/+28 Defense: +18 (+18 Base, +0 Dodge Focus), +9 Flat-Footed Knockback: -2/-5 Saving Throws: 3 + 3 + 3 = 9PP Toughness: +5/+10 (+5/+10 Con) Fortitude: +5/+10 (+7/+12 Con, +3) Reflex: +8/+18 (+5/+15 Dex, +3) Will: +6 (+3 Wis, +3) Skills: 148R = 37PP Acrobatics 15 (+20/+30) Bluff 12 (+15) Computers 12 (+15) Diplomacy 12 (+15) Disable Device 17 (+20) Intimidate 12 (+15) Knowledge (Technology) 12 (+15) Notice 13 (+15) Sense Motive 13 (+15) Sleight of Hand 15 (+20/+30) Stealth 15 (+20/+30) Feats: 29 PP Acrobatic Bluff 2 Attack Focus Melee 6 Defensive Attack Defensive Strike Elusive Target Evasion 2 Improved Critical (unarmed) 2 Improved Initiative 5 Move by Action Power Attack Redirect Set-Up Takedown Attack 2 Teamwork 3 Powers: 10 + 20 + 10 + 5 + 5 + 2 + 6 + 1 + 10 = 69PP Enhanced Strength 10 [10pp] Enhanced Dexterity 20 [20pp] Enhanced Constitution 10 [10pp] Speed 5 [5pp] Quick 5 [5pp] Leaping 2 [2pp] Super-Movement 3 (Wall Running 2, Slowfall) [6pp] Super-Senses 1 (Danger Sense) [1pp] Autofire Extra Applied to Strength score [10pp] Drawbacks: (-0) = -0PP Abilities (46) + Combat (60) + Saving Throws (09) + Skills (37) + Feats (29) + Powers (69) - Drawbacks (00) = 250/250 Power Points We got ourselves a two for one special here. I may wind up doing more teams of Blockbusters in the future as well, though for obvious reasons they'll all tend toward being Orange Tier. The team known as Eighty - Six are a pair of cyborgs created by the Foundry. The pair were experimented on against their will and somehow managed to escape the Foundry's laboratory, rumors put it that it due to a villain attacking the lab over a previous grudge. They retain fragments of their past lives, but just enough to know of all they have lost. They even forgot their own names, and instead have been referred to as the serial numbers written on their metal frames, 08 and 06 respectively. The press came up with referring them to as “Eighty-Six†due to a famous photograph where Cyborg 08's serial number was shown in a mirror, looking like 80, while 06's serial number was viewable from the front. The duo's primary motivation is to destroy the Foundry. However, they will go to whatever lengths are necessary to complete this vendetta without any qualms about who or what gets in their way. They are fully willing to demolish entire city blocks if there is even remote chance it'll damage the Foundry in anyway. The only thing they will not risk is each other's safety. When their plans go south, and the other is in danger, they pull out all the stops to get out of dodge. Eighty-Six sometimes find themselves in the employ of other villains out of necessity. They need their bodies to continue to function, but if they get heavily damaged, they'll need someone to help patch them up. Such partnerships are strictly temporary, and they'll soon be back pursuing their own vendetta. How the Foundry will react to other villains aiding Eighty-Six remains to be seen. From a meta gamey perspective, Cyborg 08 fills the archetype of the cyborg samurai more popular in the anime genre obviously. While Cyborg 06 is the unstoppable terminator. Basically a power house and speedster teaming up. I built them with Constitution scores because they are human enough to not be fully machine. Any lasting injury that needs repair would be a complication if they were a PC, but here that's a plot seed. Cyborg 08 is quite a bit slower than most speedsters, but is quite a bit physically stronger. Of the two, he's better with technology and can fulfill a bit of a hacker role when simply smashing is out of the question. Cyborg 06 on the other hand is about as much of a Mighty Glacier as you can get. She has a bit of speed on her, but her main shtick is just how absurdly tough and strong she is. Of the two, she is the more machine like, which is why she has Density and Life Support. I was half tempted to give these two Immunity to interaction skills to add the full on Terminator vibe, but I wanted to leave that avenue open to combat them. Plot hooks include: * Blow it all up! - The most common thread for these two. They find a Foundry base that happens to be in populated area and they move in to destroy it and a large swath of the surrounding landscape. * Stalker – Borrowing from their Terminator roots, Eighty-six seem to be gunning for an ordinary citizen. Is he an agent of the Foundry or just an innocent man caught in the cross fire? * All in the Family – Another cyborg in the series has appeared. Either working with or against the Foundry and Eighty-six.

We've got a new person starting in like 2 weeks at work so I may have free time again in the near future.

The Harvester – Reaper of the Void (PL 16 - 440pp) “...†Abilities: 20 + 20 + 30 + 10 + 10 + 6 = 96PP Strength: 30 (+10) Dexterity: 30 (+10) Constitution: 40 (+15) Intelligence: 20 (+5) Wisdom: 20 (+5) Charisma: 16 (+3) Combat: 24 + 24 = 48PP Initiative: +10 Attack: +12 Grapple: +22, +25 w/ Additional Limbs Defense: +12 (+12 Base, +0 Dodge Focus), +6 Flat-Footed Knockback: -16 Saving Throws: 3 + 0 + 8 = 11PP Toughness: +20 (+15 Con, +5 Protection) Impervious 12 Fortitude: +18 (+15 Con, +3) Reflex: +10 (+10 Dex, +0) Will: +13 (+5 Wis, +8) Skills: 244R = 61PP Acrobatics 10 (+20) Computers 15 (+20) Craft (chemical) 15 (+20) Craft (electrical) 15 (+20) Craft (mechanical) 15 (+20) Disable Device 15 (+20) Intimidate 21 (+24) Knowledge (Arcane Lore) 20 (+25) Knowledge (Galactic Lore) 10 (+15) Knowledge (Cosmology) 20 (+25) Knowledge (Life Sciences) 20 (+25) Knowledge (Technology) 15 (+20) Medicine 20 (+25) Notice 15 (+20) Pilot 8 (+18) Stealth 10 (+20) Feats: 29 PP Accurate Attack All Out Attack Ambidexterity Artificer Eidetic Memory Equipment 15 Fearless Hide in Plain Sight Improved Grab Improved Grapple Move-by Action Power Attack Ritualist Skill Mastery 2 (Listed Knowledge skills and Craft skills) Equipment – Spaceship [75ep] Size: Gargantuan [3ep] Strength: 70 [12ep] Speed: Space Flight 8 [8ep] Speed: Flight 8 [16ep] Toughness: 16 [5ep] Feature: Navigation System [1ep] Powers: Blast 15 [30ep] Powers: 27 + 17 + 7 + 5 + 6 + 4 + 10 + 9 + 17 + 10 + 83 = 195PP Negrull Template Regeneration 25 (Bruised 3, Injured 6, Staggered 6, Disabled 8, Resurrection 2) Power Feats: Persistent, Regrowth [27pp] Emotion Control 8 (Both Despair & Fear) Extras: Perception Area (+1); Flaws: Range (Touch) (-2), Permanent Duration (+0); Power Feats: Innate [17pp] Immunity 7 (Interaction Skills, Sense Motive) [7pp] Immunity 10 (Mental Effects) Flaws: Limited – Half Effect [5pp] Super-Movement 3 (Slithering, Wall Crawling 2) [6pp] Additional Limbs 3 (5 tendrils) PF: Innate [4pp] Strike 2 PF: Mighty, Improved Critical x2, Penetrating 5 [10pp] Immunity 9 (Life Support) [9pp] Protection 5 Extras: Impervious Toughness 12 [17pp] Flight 5 [10pp] Negrull Blood Harvester Array [83pp] Damage 20 Extras: Alternate Save (Fortitude), Vampiric, Ranged [80pp] * AP: Nauseate 16 Extras: General Area Cone, Poison, Secondary Effect * AP: Transform 16 (Living Things) * AP: Damage 16 Extras: Alternate Save (Fortitude), Perception Range (+2) Drawbacks: (-0) = -0PP Abilities (96) + Combat (48) + Saving Throws (11) + Skills (61) + Feats (29) + Powers (195) - Drawbacks (00) = 440/440 Power Points Little is known about the entity known as the Harvester as it has never spoken or even attempted to communicate with anyone or anything. We know it is an alien from one of the unexplored regions of space that seems to be a collector of some sort. It utilizes some form of magic fueled by biological components, referred to as “blood magicâ€. To that end, it appears to have come to Earth to abduct humans for its grotesque arcane experiments, or maybe even to fuel its magic. Officials have yet to be able to pin down any sort of MO as the Harvester seems to strike completely randomly, targeting random civilians just as much as they target meta-humans. It seems to have no concept of Earth culture or social norms, and shows no interest in learning. By the same token it appears to be incapable of holding a grudge and rarely pursues attackers or those who free its captives. And this latest Red Tier Blockbuster by request from Ravelled, we overdose on the nightmare fuel. The request was for an alien mage. The original idea was going to be something like a Lobo inspired Blood Mage. But the idea morphed into my head until it became a lovecraftian nightmare with unknowable intentions stalking the world seeing humans as nothing more than sacks of meat for it hunt and main, twisting them to meet its own perverted ends, completely uncaring to any suffering it may cause. This change may or may not have to do anything with the fact that my company is going through its budgeting process. Unless you leave a lot of what this guy does off screen, this guy can quickly blitz past our PG-13 rating, so use with caution. On the mechanical side of things, they basically have two sets of powers, one for being an alien in some form of power armor (which is purchased as a full trait since it is likely the only thing keeping them alive on this planet), and then the blood magic. A lot of the alien traits were designed to make them feel, well alien. Slithering, additional limbs, and the Immunities denote that they are quite freaky and act in a way totally seperate from humanity. But what really sells it is the Emotion Control which is on permanently. There is something about the Harvester that terrifies the primal portion of everyone's brain. It is the gutteral reaction of “This thing should not be, and it wishes me great harm.†The Blood Magic does some nasty things to people. The Harvester usually opens up with the Nauseate on a crowd before going after whatever happens to its target of the day. It'll use its Damage effects on anything left standing. Rarely does it use its Transform, but when it does, it will usually turn the target into some nightmarish alien creature.

I'm going to be a bit more flaky than usual. One of my coworkers hit a deer with their car, don't worry he's alright, but his car got trashed, so I've got to help pitch in to cover his workload, and we're working on the monthly close & budgeting for the new fiscal year so things are even crazier than normal.

Orange Tier Blockbuster: Mesmero – The Man in Black (PL 15 - 300pp) “I'm not the type of man who waxes poetic about the multitude of ways I can cause you pain; I just demonstrate.†Abilities: 6 + 2 + 10 + 20 + 20 + 20 = 74PP Strength: 16 (+3) Dexterity: 12 (+1) Constitution: 16 (+3) Intelligence: 30 (+10) Wisdom: 30 (+10) Charisma: 30 (+10) Combat: 24 + 24 = 48PP Initiative: +9 Attack: +12 Grapple: +15 Defense: +17 (+12 Base, +5 Dodge Focus), +6 Flat-Footed Knockback: -3 / -1 Flat-footed Saving Throws: 4 + 10 + 7 = 21PP Toughness: +7 (+3 Con, +4 Defensive Roll) Fortitude: +7 (+3 Con, +4) Reflex: +15 (+5 Dex, +10) Will: +17 (+10 Wis, +7) Skills: 160R = 40PP Bluff 15 (+25) Concentration 10 (+20) Computers 10 (+20) Diplomacy 15 (+25) Disable Device 10 (+20) Gather Information 15 (+25) Intimidate 15 (+25) Investigate 10 (+20) Knowledge (Business) 5 (+15) Knowledge (Streetwise) 10 (+20) Knowledge (Tactics) 15 (+25) Notice 15 (+25) Sense Motive 15 (+25) Feats: 26 PP Connected Contacts Distract (Bluff) Defensive Roll 2 Dodge Focus 5 Eidetic Memory Elusive Target Evasion 2 Fascinate (Diplomacy) Fearless Improved Initiative 2 Inspire 5 Leadership Masterplan 2 Set Up Powers: 67 + 15 + 4 + 5 = 91PP Mental Domination Array [67pp] BE: Mental Blast 15 AP: Mind Control 15 Extras: Duration (Sustained), Effortless AP: Paralyze 15 Extras: Range (Perception) (+2) AP: Drain (Wisdom) 15 Extras: Range (Perception) (+2), Secondary Effect AP: Mental Transform 15 (Complete Alteration) Extras: Continuous Duration; Flaws: Full Round Action AP: Illusions 14 (All Senses) Extras: Selective; Flaws: Phantasms; Power Feats: Progression x4 (100ft radius) AP: Mind Reading 15 Extras: General Area Burst, Effortless, Action AP: Stun 15 Extras: Range (Perception) (+2) Communication 6 (Mental, 20 miles) Extras: Area; Power Feats: Rapid, Selective, Subtle [15pp] Super-Senses 4 (Mental Awareness, Acute, Analytical, Extended x2) [4pp] Immunity 5 (Interaction Skills) [5pp] Drawbacks: (-0) = -0PP Abilities (74) + Combat (48) + Saving Throws (21) + Skills (40) + Feats (26) + Powers (91) - Drawbacks (00) = 300/300 Power Points Mortimer O'Hare, also known as Mesmero is considered by most governments to be one of the most dangerous criminals on the planet. In most physical respects, he is simply an ordinary human, but he possesses a brilliant mind, supplemented by powerful psionic abilities. The saving grace is that Mesmero only has telepathy, he can't use his powers to physically affect anything at all; a fact that doesn't make his psionic lashes easier to take however. In contrast to many ego maniacs, Mesmero is often seen as being very calm, cool, collected, and very much aware of his own failings and shortcomings. While he may talk down to his opponents in a fight, he always seem to carry himself above all of it. Knowing full well that he can't do everything alone, Mesmero often surrounds himself with other villains to accomplish a job. To that end, Mesmero is a brilliant tactician, and has been hired just as frequently for his tactical mind as he has been for his psionic mind, giving him extensive connections throughout the underworld. What puts him at the top of most wanted lists however is his ability to completely brainwash those around him, adding yet more troops to his army. And here we've got another Orange Tier Blockbuster, Mesmero. He sits in stark contrast to many of the other Blockbusters in that he is not super durable. He also has very little attacks that affect a whole area. In a one on one scenario, he may be one of the easiest to defeat Blockbusters I wind up making, depending on how good your Will Save is. But, if you're using Mesmero in such a fashion, either the PC's have done a bang up job of foiling his plans, or you're running him wrong. Mesmero is the man behind the man. With feats like Inspire, Leadership and Master Plan, Mesmero works best in a group. For his flunkies, a handful of generic PL 10 characters can do wonders, but you can also add some extra flare by using someone specific. Generally speaking, when not blostering his allies, Mesmero focuses on spot removal, singling out heroes that are giving his allies trouble. Furthermore, when things turn back, Mesmero is not to proud to admit that he is beaten and go for a tactical withdraw, possibly using some clever illusions to cover their espcape. Or better yet, to split up the heroes, so one of them can be singled out guerrilla warfare style, and brainwashing them into joining his side for good measure so they can come back stronger for round 2.

Red Tier Blockbuster: Helixa – Queen of the Stars - PL 17 (425pp) “It is better to be beneath the notice of a god, rather than beneath their heel.†Abilities: 10 + 10 + 10 + 8 + 12 + 14 = 64PP Strength: 20/40 (+5/+15) Dexterity: 20 (+5) Constitution: 20/40 (+5/+15) Intelligence: 18 (+4) Wisdom: 22 (+6) Charisma: 24/40 (+7/+15) Combat: 30 + 28 = 58PP Initiative: +21 Attack: +15, +19 Unarmed Grapple: +20, +34 w/powers, +42 at full Super-Strength Defense: +14 (+14 Base, +0 Dodge Focus), +7 Flat-Footed Knockback: -2/-16 with Powers Saving Throws: 3 + 4 + 6 = 13PP Toughness: +5/+20 (+5/+15 Con, +5 Protection) Impervious 12 Fortitude: +8/+18 (+5/+15 Con, +3) Reflex: +9 (+5 Dex, +4) Will: +12 (+6 Wis, +6) Skills: 100R = 25PP Acrobatics 10 (+15) Bluff 5 (+20, +24 w/ Attractive) Concentration 19 (+25) Diplomacy 5 (+20, +24 w/ Attractive) Intimidate 15 (+30) Knowledge (Cosmology) 11 (+15) Knowledge (Galactic Lore) 11 (+15) Knowledge (Physical Sciences) 6 (+10) Notice 14 (+20) Sense Motive 14 (+20) Feats: 25 PP All Out Attack Attack Specialization (unarmed) 2 Attractive Dazing Attack Distract (Intimidate) Favored Environment (In Space) Fearless Follow up Strike Improved Critical (unarmed) 2 Improved Grab Improved Grapple Improved Initiative 4 Move-By Action Power Attack Skill Mastery Startle 2 Stunning Attack Takedown Attack 2 Powers: 20 + 20 + 16 + 17 + 11 + 19 + 7 + 31 + 6 + 93 = 240PP Enhanced Strength 20 [20pp] Enhanced Constitution 20 [20pp] Enhanced Charisma 16 [16pp] Protection 5 Extras: Impervious Toughness 12 [17pp] Super-Strength 4 Power Feats: Shockwave, Strike of Valor, Counter punching [11pp] Flight 8 Power Feats: Dynamic [19pp] * DAP: Super-Strength 8 Space Flight 7 [7pp] Immunity 31 (Life Support, All Radiation Effects, All Heat Effects, Aging, Starvation and Thirst, Need for Sleep) [21pp] Comprehend 3 (Speak & Understand all Languages at once) [6pp] Super-Nova Array (80pp array, 6 Dynamic AP's) [93pp] Environmental Control 10 (Extreme Heat, Moderate Irradiation, High Gravity, Daylight; 5,000ft radius) [80pp] – Majesty of a Star * DAP: Damage 0-17 Extras: Sustained Duration (+2), General Area Burst (85ft radius) {0-68pp} – Corona * DAP: Damage 0-19 {0-38pp} – Plasma Burst * DAP: Disintegration 0-16 {0-80pp} – Solar Flare * DAP: Move Object 0-20 Extras: Perception Ranged {0-60pp} – Gravity Manipulation * DAP: Move Object 0-17 Extras: Damaging, General Area Burst; Limited: Only to Grapple & crush {0-51pp} – Weight of a Star * DAP: Create Object 17 Extras: Impervious, Reflective – Melee; Power Feats: Selective, Tether {2-70} – Ion Field Drawbacks: (-0) = -0PP Abilities (64) + Combat (58) + Saving Throws (13) + Skills (25) + Feats (25) + Powers (240) - Drawbacks (00) = 425/425 Power Points Helixa is a member of an ancient race from one of the far flung reaches of space whose name has been lost to time. Her people possessed technology that granted them near god-like power. They could create entire planets and stars practically on a whim, and much of their race spread out to populate the (at the time) sparcely populated universe. It was not technology that her people created, but rather they had found. It was likely a remnant of the Preservers. Such technology was highly coveted and well protected for if it were to fall into the wrong hands, it would surely doom their race. The fates seemed to love irony, as Helixa was one of the select few members of her race who was allowed in its presence, but only to guard it, never to use it, when she arguably coveted its power more than any other. When she saw her chance she took the strange device, but in her haste, it was mishandled. The resulting cataclysm shattered her homeworld, rendering it little more than dust, but Helixa was forever changed. The device had infused her with power beyond her wildest imagining, giving her the power of the very stars themselves. Helixa has wandered the stars looking for a world to rule, as one such as her should never serve. She has conquered many worlds, but eventually left, finding the inhabitants being too droll, or otherwise simply getting bored. She has made her way to Earth, hearing there are those who would even defy Omega and the Terminus. Such people would truly make the most worthy subjects. And here is my first Red Tier Blockbuster. A her core, Helixa is a brawler. She is arrogant, vain and cruel. She thinks only of her self, and sees no reason why everyone else doesn't cater to her every whim. She fancies herself to be elegant and regal, and she can indeed pull that look off, but a scowl comes so much easier to her than a smile. She is not one for subtlety and will not hesitate to destroy all who would oppose her in an overly dramatic fashion. Not only does she want to rule, she wants to be seen ruling. In her travels, she has rarely encountered anything requiring tactical thinking on her part, so if her first attack does not work, her instinct will be to make the next one more powerful. Power wise, Helixa is an unexpectedly quick combatant, who never the less still hits like a truck. Her true forte is her cosmic power of the stars, alternating between concentrated blasts of solar energy, and gravity. Her favored tactic is to pummel a target into submission, while letting her Corona run free, incinerating anything that dares to be in her presence. She will mock and demean her opponents, and the only thing that will slow her onslaught is to bask in the sight of her battered enemies groveling before her begging for mercy.

Blockbuster Primer 1 So I've actually had this idea cooking for a while, and once I saw the recent campaign discussion thread, I decided to "get on with it" as the kids say. So here's my Blockbuster idea. I'm not sure if it's what people are looking for, but I'm going to throw it out there just for kicks. I had this idea for a collection of builds I'm going to refer to as Blockbusters. A common theme that runs around in the community here is that once you reach the higher PL's, there really isn't any true challenge for your characters out there. Most of the NPCs are under PL 12. And it kind of breaks suspension of disbelief your characters run into the same handful of bad guys over and over again because they're the only ones who can challenge them in a straight up fight. So basically I want to make a collection of characters whose job it is to fill in the higher echelons of power to give the PC's something big and stompy to fight. The way I figure it, is that towards the end of career, Centurion was a PL 16 Paragon. Either he roflstopped everything out there, or someone out there could have given him a good run for his money. With that in mind, I will be making these builds with the express intention of being able to go toe to toe with high end PC's or a team of slightly lower PL PC's. In doing so, I will ratchet up the power gaming, bend more than a few rules, and I may just flat out break some of them. For all intents and purposes, I am making boss style characters. They might not be the most interesting, or have engaging story hooks. These guys are here to be the ones you square off against when you want to start brawling. I'll give these characters some token backstory and the like so you can kind of see what makes them tick. Before I get into the builds proper, I want to note that I'm going to be making 3 tiers of blockbusters. Orange, Red and Black. Orange tier characters are what amounts to a mini boss. They are designed with certain exploits, tend to the lower level of PL (at least in comparison to some of the other builds I'll be tossing out), and there are likely more than one of them knocking about. A well coordinated team effort can bring down an Orange Tier Blockbuster without too much difficulty. I would place T-Wrecks in this category. He's kind of a one trick pony. He doesn't have any regeneration, can't fly, and has no real tactics other than to shoot everything until it stops moving. And the scary bit is that if whoever made him can probably make another. Orange tier Blockbusters are generally PL 14-15, and usually less than 300pp. Red Blockbusters are the next tier up. They are built to be quite a bit stronger, and generally don't have any glaring weaknesses. They won't have an answer to every tactic, but the direct approach probably won't work, likewise with trying to take them on yourself. Lastly, this tier will likely only have 1 or 2 of a given build knocking about at a time. They represent serious threats to entire super-teams, but don't necessarily threaten life as we know it simply by their existence. Dr. Doom for instance would fall into this category in most instances. These characters are generally PL 16 – 18, and usually less than 500pp. Black Blockbusters are the highest tier, and are not to be trifled with and are threats to entire galaxies if not entire universes. Someone will die when you fight a Black Tier Blockbuster. Beyond their own scope of power, members of the Black list likely have members of the Orange and Red lists as lackeys and servants. The cannonical Black Tier Blockbuster is of course Omega. Black tier Blockbusters are basically a PL X character that can technically be defeated in a hypothetical scenario, which is why you bothered to stat them in the first place. They are PL 19-20, and have no budget on power points.

Maxima (3)

"The pleasure is all mine." replied Maxima as she shook hands with the Atlanean. Maxima squeezed down on Glamazon's hand with some degree of force, but stopped well before anything painful. She had never shaken hands with anyone that had super strength before... or an Atlantean for that matter. Maxima cracked a smile. "We might have to spar with one another one of these days. I'd love to see some Atlantean fighting styles in action first hand." "Well I'd say you've got the enthusiasm part down pat." remarked Maxima smirking at Subito's antics. "You'll do quite well if you can put some direction to that drive." encouraged Maxima. Maxima took a figurative step back as the other teen heroes started conversing with Errant. She felt like this was some sort of internal matter, and if they were really trying to coax him out of his shell, the last thing he needed was a stranger butting in. It was good seeing the next generation looking out for one another.

I could have Maxima try her hand at keeping up with the operations of the Lab. Once her rebuild goes through, she'll have the funds, business savvy, legal expertise, scientific know-how, and most importantly, the spare Equipment ranks to keep the Lab operating. I'm assuming you can throw extra points from player rewards into maintaining something like this yes?

Alright, I updated the Equipment section. I added a few odds and ends to give Maxima a full on utility belt, and the Commlink is now a properly built Communication power.

Martial Artist – PL 13 (210pp) Abilities: 14 + 14 + 14 + 2 + 6 + 4 = 54PP Strength: 24/ 26 (+7/+8) Dexterity: 24/26 (+7/+8) Constitution: 24/26 (+7/+8) Intelligence: 12 (+1) Wisdom: 16 (+3) Charisma: 14 (+2) Combat: 24 + 24 = 48PP Initiative: +15/+16 Attack: +12, +18 Melee Grapple: +25/+27 Defense: +18 (+12 Base, +6 Dodge Focus), +6 Flat-Footed Knockback: -3/-4 with Powers Saving Throws: 3 + 7 + 6 = 16PP Toughness: +7/+8 (+7/+8 Con) Fortitude: +10/+11 (+7/+8 Con, +3) Reflex: +14/+15 (+7/+8 Dex, +7), Evasion 2 Will: +9 (+3 Wis, +6) Skills: 120R = 30PP Acrobatics 15 (+22/+23) Diplomacy 12 (+14) Drive 9 (+16/+17) Intimidate 12 (+14) Knowledge (arcane lore) 9 (+10) Knowledge (Theology & Philosophy) 9 (+10) Language 2 (1 Native, Plus 2 others) Notice 11 (+14) Sense Motive 11 (+14) Sleight of Hand 15 (+22/+23) Stealth 15 (+22/+23) Feats: 49 PP Acrobatic Bluff Attack Focus (Melee) 6 Challenge (Acrobatic Bluff as a Move Action) Dazing Attack Defensive Attack Defensive Strike Defensive Throw Dodge Focus 6 Elusive Target Evasion 2 Equipment 2 Favored Opponent (Ninjas) Fearless Follow up Strike Grappling Finesse Hide in Plain Sight Improved Critical (unarmed) 2 Improved Grab Improved Grapple Improved Initiative 2 Improved Throw Improved Trip Luck 3 Move-By Action Paralyzing Attack Power Attack Redirect Set Up Stunning Attack Takedown Attack 2 Uncanny Dodge (visual, auditory) 2 Equipment 2 Ranks - 10 EP Commlink [1EP] Motorcycle [9EP] Powers: 2 + 2 + 2 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 3 = 13PP Enhanced Strength 2 [2pp] Enhanced Constitution 2 [2pp] Enhanced Dexterity 2 [2pp] Speed 1 [1pp] Leaping 1 (x2 distance) [1pp] Super-Strength 1 [2pp] Unarmed Supremacy 3 [3pp] Drawbacks: (-0) = -0PP Abilities (54) + Combat (48) + Saving Throws (16) + Skills (30) + Feats (49) + Powers (13) - Drawbacks (00) = 210/210 Power Points After a bit of a hiatus, I figured I'd at least round out the last series of builds I'd left hanging. So, in my own personal head cannon, the difference between PL 12 and PL 13 is what sets apart maximum human capability and those who have begun to transcend those limitations. That means you're going to start seeing some low key powers crop up in this set of builds. Like, even in comic book land, you can't claim to be a normal person, and also be PL 13, Karate Kid I'm looking at you. To that end, I gave this newest variation a bit of low level powers that pretty much just bump up normal human abilities to the low end of the super-human spectrum. With their +18 attack bonus and Unarmed Supremacy 3, they essentially can never roll lower than a 21 on basic attack roll, meaning they can punch anyone with a +11 Defense bonus or lower in the face any time they want, which is everyone that's not wearing brightly colored spandex and most of the people who are. Nothing too much else to say about this version, you're just better across the board.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Arcturus, Tsunami, El Heraldo." replied Maxima as each of the teenaged heroes introduced themselves, alternatively shaking hands and attempting to bow as the situation warranted. It was El Heraldo that got her going however. "Born and raised here in Freedom. And this is about as big as I get. Giantomorphism tends to be a rarer super-powered trait. Most tend to only be able to increase their stature to 15-20ft while retaining a mostly human form. The square-cube law states that when an object undergoes a proportional increase in size, its new volume is proportional to the cube of the multiplier and its new surface area is proportional to the square of the multiplier. The first problem that will occur is the dissipation of oxygen across the body, which effectively causes suffocation even if the subject's lungs and blood vessels are working properly. The heart will attempt to compensate for this by beating faster, but it's exceeds the normal rhythm of the heart and will soon induce cardiac arrest. For this reason, you'll find that the larger gigantomorphs almost always have the source of their power lie in some form of mysticism as it can bypass these ordinary restrictions. I postulate that some form of life-sustaining spell is added into the mix, much like a given spell might allow a witch or wizard breath underwater. Not being a practitioner however, all I have are hypothesis. Now biological giantomorphs on the other hand tend to have some RNA....aaaaannd I'm going to stop talking now." said Maxima catching herself before she went into a long rant explaining in graphic detail how most giantomorphs (herself included) had their skeletons grow first, tearing apart their bodies in the process, before all the meat of their body grew back to fill in the gaps, hopefully before their nervous system finished.

Player Name: Geez3r Character Name: Maxima Power Level: 11/13 – 195/202PP Trade-Offs: -5 Attack // +5 Damage; -5 Defense // +5 Toughness Unspent Power Points: 7 Progress To Bronze Status: 22/30 In Brief: Super smart mutant experiments on herself for the double whammy of SCIENCE! & JUSTICE! Alternate Identity: Dr. Cassandra Steel, aka: Cassie Identity: Secret Birthplace: Freedom City Occupation: Scientist / Researcher Affiliations: Grant Conglomerates Family: Alexander & Lisa Steels (father & mother respectively) Description: Age: 29 (DOB: November 19, 1984) Apparent Age: Same Gender: Female Ethnicity: Caucasian Height: 5'8†/ 8'8†Weight: 165 lbs / 8,000 lbs. Eyes: Brown Hair: Dirty Blonde / Black Cassandra Steel is a relatively tall woman with a toned and moderately muscular frame. She often attempts to contain her bushy, dirty-blonde hair into a pony tail, with varying degrees of success. When she's working in the lab, there will often be a few pens and pencils tucked behind her ear or in her ponytail for later use. Her dark brown eyes are usually focused intently on the task at hand. Those that know her joke that she has a mischievous or even slightly mad look about her, especially when she's deep in her work. She tends to dress rather conservatively, rarely having a skirt above her knee or wearing a shirt with a low neckline. The one caveat to that is that Cassandra often prefers to wear clothes with short or no sleeves. As Maxima, Cassandra undergoes such a radical transformation that she doesn't even have to bother with a mask. She quite literally gains three feet in height and puts on a few thousand pounds of muscle; the logistics of which sent even her super powered brain reeling. Her facial structure also changes. Her cheekbones become more defined, as does her jawline, but her other features become more rounded. In addition, her hair turns get black, and loses its bushy quality becoming sleek and straight. Her costume is based on the singlet worn by Olympic weightlifters. It is primarily a light blue, but has a large white strip running down her front and down her back, as well as two smaller stripes on the side of each leg. The boots she wears follow the same color scheme. Power Descriptions: Cassandra's powers started out as a genetic mutation. She was stronger and tougher than her peers, but far and away from an unstoppable powerhouse. But that wasn't enough for Cassandra, so she took matters into her own hands. Over the years, through genetic and chemical manipulation, she augmented her existing powers into something far greater. The most notable result of this experimentation is her Maxima form. Cassandra is able to temporarily dramatically increase her size and stature for an exponential increase in her strength and durability. While it may be true that this form came about due to chemical manipulation, it doesn't require Cassandra to take any sort of drug or potion to catalyze the transformation at this point. History: Cassandra is a native of Freedom City. She was the daughter of Alexander and Lisa Steels, the former being a professor at the Hanover Institute of Technology, and the later being a lab tech for AEGIS. So it would come as no surprise to the average onlooker that they were the intellectual type, and wanted the same for their daughter. They always took a very active role in her education, and did everything except give her written tests. To be fair, it worked out quite well for them. Cassandra developed into quite a brilliant little girl. She was insatiably curious about pretty much everything. However, as her parents did their level best to ensure that the majority of Cassandra's free time was taken up with something educational, this could have very well been a way for Cassandra to try to interact with the outside world, or at least have some awareness of it. Cassandra was the quiet and shy nerd at school, and didn't have many friends. She figured that was just her lot in life, but that would change in middle school. Every year they always did those presidential fitness tests, and every year Cassandra was at best marginally average. But in 6th grade, Cassandra was suddenly the best in the class, hands down. When they were doing pull-up, the gym teacher had to tell her to stop because Cassandra had already hit them limit. Cassandra got a whole lot of odd looks after that. But for the first time in a long while, there was something Cassandra was good at that didn't involve a book. And moreover, she didn't have to be this shy, nerdy girl her parents wanted her to be. In the bit of spare time that she did get, Cassandra began to experiment to see what the limits of her powers were. Around this same time, Cassandra also noticed another change, she was getting smarter. She had always been an egghead, but now she was getting a solid 100 on every test without effort, and she was practically able to recite parts of her textbook verbatim. These two events lead to Cassandra's fascination with biology and chemistry. She wanted to know what was happening in her body and if there was a way to improve upon it. However, a teenager has access to precisely none of the components for conducting such research. For the next several years, Cassandra breezed through school, while slowly building the groundwork for her future tests, coming up with various hypothesis and theories as to how her powers work. When she was finally admitted into the prestigious Hanover Institute of Technology, she was able to begin her experiments in earnest. Over the course of her college career, Cassandra gained a great deal of clarity on how her powers worked., and she even began to create formulas and compounds to augment her developing powers. This eventually gave birth to her signature ability to “Max-out†and dramatically increase her stature and power. After college, she went had a few part time internships here and there, but she didn't get her big break until she signed on with Grant Conglomerates. Sure, Grant Conglomerates' subsidiaries have had a few run-ins with the law in the past, but either out of eagerness or naivety, Cassandra signed on the dotted line. She was fresh out of college, and here she was being offered a rather prestigious position at a company that is at the forefront of superhuman biology. It was practically too good to be true. Well actually it was too good to be true. Certain higher ups in the company know of Cassandra's abilities and that she augmented those abilities with drug-treatments. She was hired with the full intent of being shipped off to an expendable subsidiary, and being abducted to be experimented on under the cover of “an unfortunate industrial accident†that tragically claimed the life of a young scientist. There was just one problem: the defunct project that was going to be scrapped for this industrial accident? Cassandra made it work. The product being made was a compound to increase bone density. The goal of the project is to reverse the damage done by osteoporosis... oh and if was used on healthy individuals it could likely make them stronger and more resilient to injury, but the former sounds better in a press release. In a moment of pragmatic clarity rarely seen inside shady boardrooms, the executives called off the abduction of Cassandra. They reasoned that instead of trying to forcefully get the information from Cassandra, they could use her expertise in the field to wholly and legitimately make a mountain of money. They realized that a compound to increase one's bone density is something Cassandra likely had to take at some point. And that if they kept putting her on projects like this, she would slowly but surely give them her formula piece by piece. All the while, building up goodwill with a hero, who in all likely hood would go to bat for them if any of their seedier operations came to light. To that end, Cassandra was placed in a special operations group, that was a think tank for Grant Conglomerates subsidiaries. They would assist when projects reached a stumbling block. It also gave Grant Conglomerates' top scientists time to document and study Cassandra, as well as give them iron clad reasons to pick her brain on all matter of subjects. To date, Cassandra has noticed precisely none of this, after all, she's just in it for the science. She has now worked for GC for nearly two years, and has become very successful financially. She has added quite a few patents to her name, and has used her funds to further her own research during her down time. She recently made an acquisition of an old research facility for one of GC's subsidiaries', which was shut down due to various health and safety violations. Which to Cassandra meant that she could get it cheaply and no one would pay any mind to her doing extensive renovations to it. The top levels are now her living spaces, with some of the labs still being functional. The lower levels, from the outside appear to be decommissioned, but Cassandra has instead converted it to a headquarters for her activities as Maxima. Personality & Motivation: Cassandra is the type of person that prefers to set their own goals regardless of what society says. She can be quite the risk taker while in the pursuit of her goals, especially when she believes she's on the verge of a breakthrough. She was never much of the social butterfly, so suddenly being thrown into the spotlight as a super-hero has thrown her considerably off her game. As such, she will try to duck the spot light as often as possible. Which can be hard as she wants to start meeting up with the other more experienced heroes for some tips and advice. She wanted to try and go about being a hero solo, but well, you only need one bad experience with atomically powered gorilla robots to shake that notion out of your head. The only time she really opens up and starts talking is when she's discussing something scientific, at which point the difficulty becomes getting her to stop. Most people would consider her to be a bit of a health nut. She always watches what she eats, bringing precisely measured meals for lunch whenever she's at work. She's been known to go to the gym almost daily, and most certainly going jogging on a daily basis. A few brave souls from her friends and coworkers have tried to go with her one on occasion or another, and she has left everyone gasping for breath on a street corner. This actually servers 3 purposes. Firstly, she actually is just a bit of a health nut, and really does enjoy exercising. Secondly, maintaining a precise diet and exercising daily are key to keeping her powers in check. Last but not least, it gives her a perfectly legitimate excuse for going on patrol as Maxima, after all by this point no one even bats an eye when Cassandra goes missing for hours and comes back winded and sore. She is firm supporter of almost any scientific endeavor, feeling that the pursuit of knowledge is one of the most, if not the most, noble of aspirations for humanity. And she'll defend that notion zealously, to the point of being flat out rude to people. She believes science is the way we can craft a better tomorrow, but only if we let it take its course. She took up the mantle of a hero in part because she feels that too much of the world's scientific resources are being taken up by the war against super villains. She wants to do her part to end this conflict so scientists the world over can get back to solving problems that better society. Powers & Tactics: Cassandra is able to radically increase her size and strength practically with a thought. She has dubbed this “Maxing out†for rather obvious reasons given her superhero identity. Maxima is still a novice crime fighter, as reflected by her abilities. Her saving grace is that she is so strong and tough, she is able to afford to be a little rough around the edges. Her main tactic is quite essentially to pummel the bad guys into submission without any real frills. In her civilian ID, Cassandra has taken up some self defense classes and greco-roman wrestling to supplement her rather lacking skill set, but as of yet they haven't made a significant impact on her combat style. However, Cassandra's greatest unexpected strength is her intelligence. Most of her foes think they can easily outsmart her. Boy are they surprised when she starts spouting technobabble. She's hoping that interaction with the other heroes will help supplement her skill set. Complications: Identity: Secret. Not all it's cracked up to be: Growth and Density have cost reductions to indicate that sometimes being extra big and heavy isn't all that fun. GM's are free to exploit that whenever they want without compensating with a Hero Point. Chemical Dependency: Maxima uses a chemical regimen to augment her powers, and also to keep them in check. If left devoid of these treatments over a period of time, or if a large concentration of other chemicals or formulas make it into her system, it can throw her powers out of whack. Corporate Puppet: Unbeknownst to her, Cassandra's identity and powers are known to the higher ups in Grant Conglomerate's science division, and they are pumping her for information reguarding super-human biology so that they can weaponize it. Blind to the Obvious: While Maxima is extremely intelligent, but also rather naïve and not so good with the social graces. That combination means that she can miss an obvious clue or hint that's staring her right in the face. That coincidentally sets up for an excellent eureka moment down the line. Abilities: 12 + 0 + 12 + 10 + 10 + 0 = 44PP Strength: 22/42 (+6/+16) Dexterity: 10 (+0) Constitution: 22/32 (+6/+11) Intelligence: 20/30 (+5/+10) Wisdom: 20 (+5) Charisma: 10 (+0) Combat: 8 + 8 = 16PP Initiative: +10 Attack: +4, +6 Melee (-1 Size Modifier) Grapple: +12, +31 w/powers Defense: +6 (+4 Base, +2 Dodge Focus), +2 Flat-Footed (-1 Size Modifier) Knockback: -2, -18 w/powers Saving Throws: 2 + 2 + 3 = 7PP Toughness: +6/+16 (+6/+11 Con, +5 Protection) 10 Impervious Fortitude: +8/+13 (+6/+11 Con, +2) Reflex: +2 (+0 Dex, +2) Will: +8 (+5 Wis, +3) Skills: 104R = 26PP Computers 5 (+15, +17 w/tools) Craft (Chemical) 10 (+20)Skill Mastery Diplomacy 4 (+4) Disable Device 5 (+15, +17 w/tools) Intimidate 10 (+12, +14 Maxed Out) Investigate 5 (+15, +17 w/tools)Skill Mastery Knowledge (Business) 5 (+15)Skill Mastery Knowledge (Civics) 5 (+15)Skill Mastery Knowledge (Life Sciences) 10 (+20)Skill Mastery Knowledge (Physical Sciences) 5 (+15)Skill Mastery Knowledge (Technology) 5 (+15)Skill Mastery Medicine 10 (+15, +17 w/tools)Skill Mastery Notice 10 (+15) Sense Motive 10 (+15) Search 5 (+15) Feats: 16PP All Out Attack Attack Focus (Melee) 2 Benefit (Wealth 3) Dodge Focus 2 Eidetic Memory Equipment 12 (free from Player Rewards) Interpose Luck Power Attack Quick Change Skill Mastery 2 (Craft (Chemical), Investigate, Knowledge (Business), Knowledge (Civics), Knowledge (Life Sciences), Knowledge (Physical Sciences), Knowledge (Technology), Medicine) [2pp] Speed of Thought Equipment (60/60 EP) Utility Belt & Other Gadgets Commlink - Communication 5 (radio; 5 mile radius) [5ep] Handcuffs [0ep] Camera [1ep] Binoculars [1ep] Concealable Microphone [1ep] Mini-Tracer [1ep] Flashlight [1ep] Masterwork Tools 4 (Computers, Disable Device, Investigation, Medicine) [4ep] Headquarters – Re-purposed Grant Conglomerate's Research Laboratory [25ep] Toughness: +15 (2ep) Size: Large (2ep) Features: Combat Simulator 2, Communications, Computer, Concealed, Defense System 4 (see below), Fire Prevention System, Gym, Holding Cells (+50% Toughness), Infirmary, Laboratory, Library, Living Space, Pool, Power System, Security System 2, Workshop (chemical) [21ep] Defense Systems: All have a +10 Attack Bonus 1 – Snare 10 – Glue Guns 2 – Stun 7 Extras: General Area Burst; Drawbacks: Full Power – Sleeping Gas 3 – Obscure 4 (Visual & Auditory, 50ft radius) – Peristant Flash Bangs 4 – Blast 10 – Deterrent Lasers Shared Headquarters – Average Joe's [21ep] Toughness: +15 (2ep) Size: Large (2ep) Features: Combat Simulator 2, Communications, Computer, Concealed, Defense System 2 (see below), Fire Prevention System, Garage, Gym, Infirmary, Library, Living Space, Pool, Power System, Security System 2 [18ep] Defense Systems: All have a +10 Attack Bonus 1 – Snare 10 – Bola Launchers 2 – Blast 10 – “Stun Guns†Powers: 72 + 10 +1 + 2 + 1 = 86PP Container 12 (Max Out Form; 12 + 18 + 6 + 12 + 7 + 3 + 2 = 60pp) Extras: Continuous Duration [72pp] Growth 4 Extras: Permanent (+0), {12pp} +8 Strength +4 Constitution +2 Intimidate +4 Grapple Checks +5 Carrying Strength -1 Combat Size modifier -4 Stealth Checks Density 6 Extras: Permanent (+0) {18pp} +12 Strength + 3 Protection, +3 Impervious Super-Strength 2 Immovable 2 x5 Mass Enhanced Constitution 6 {6pp} Protection 5 Extras: Impervious Toughness 7 {12pp} Super-Strength 3 Power Feats: Shockwave {7pp} Leaping 3 {3pp} Speed 2 {2pp} Enhanced Intelligence 10 [10pp] Leaping 1 [1pp] Quickness 4 (x25 speed) Flaws: Limited to mental actions (-1) [2pp] Speed 1 [1pp] Drawbacks: (-0) = -0PP DC Block: ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC 20 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Unarmed, Powered Touch DC 30 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Shockwave 50ft cone DC 25 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) DC 20 Reflex save for Half Abilities (44) + Combat (16) + Saving Throws (07) + Skills (26) + Feats (16) + Powers (86) - Drawbacks (00) = 195/202 Power Points NOTES While Maxed out, Maxima has an effective Carrying Capacity of 70. Light Load – 64 Tons Medium Load – 125 Tons Heavy Load – 200 Tons Maximum Load – 400 Tons Her Speed is 3, for 50mph, or 500fpr. Her Leaping is 4 (x25 height).