Dust Devil II

[RocketLord]

And completely redone, based heavily on Exaccus' build, but shifted towards heavy toughness and changing an attack for a elemental control. 4 points to go.

 

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Dust Devil II
Power Level: 10 (150/150PP)
Unspent Power Points: 0
Trade-Offs: -5 Defense / +5 Toughness

 

In Brief: The successor of the Dust Devil legacy, expanding his protectorate beyond just Magic Mesa.

Theme: Shakedown - The Score

 

Alternate Identity: Cassidy Collins (Secret)
Birthplace: Southside, Freedom City

Residence: Southside, Freedom City
Base of Operations: Freedom City & Magic Mesa
Occupation: Grocery store stocker
Affiliations: Magic Mesa
Family: John Collins (father, grocery store manager), Pearl Collins (née Hart, mother, dance studio teacher), William 'Billy' Collins (16 years younger brother, student), Benjamin "Uncle Ben" Collins (paternal uncle, unemployed)

 

Description:
Age: 26 (DoB: June 5th, 1992)
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Height: 5'10''
Weight: 175 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Black

Cassidy stands at 5'10'' with an athletic build. He has short black hair and a full beard. He is average looking, never tending to stand out in crowds. He usually dresses casually in jeans and t-shirts, wearing a denim jacket if necessary. He tends to wear dark red or grey colors.

As the Dust Devil II, Cassidy wears grey pants and black shoes. He wears a dark grey shirts with white patterns across the torso and lower arms, as seen in the picture below, wearing black gloves on his hands. He wears a grey bandana as a mask that hides his upper face.

 

 

History:

Cassidy Collins grew up as an average boy from Freedom City's Southside district. A slacker at heart, he never amounted to much, rarely having any motion or drive beyond just getting through the day so he could read comics, play games or hang out with his friends. He didn't excel at school, he only did a little sports if it was a game with friends or something that he had to do, and his parents John and Pearl grew to accept that he would most likely never amount to much. He was trusting of everyone, to the point of being naïve, which would often get him into trouble. Cassidy's parents blamed the influence of his beloved uncle Benjamin Collins, a conman that moved in and out of the prison system. 

 

At least some of it changed when Cassidy's brother William was born a few months after Cassidy turned 16. Immediately taking a shine to his baby brother, Cassidy would spend hours playing with and doting on his brother. Graduating from high school, Cassidy even went through a series of jobs to help support his somewhat struggling family, though he would never be able to hold a job for long. He just didn't show the interest in the work or he would be caught slacking off. Still, Cassidy's uncle Ben would show up to help him from time to time, whether it was finding him a new job or offer moral support. Eventually, Cassidy moved into his own place, a tiny one room apartment in Southside, though he would still make frequent visits to his family. 

 

Cassidy's life would change drastically when he lost his latest job. Declining his father's offer to come work in the grocery store that he managed, Cassidy instead accepted to come work with uncle Ben. Unfortunately, uncle Ben was an even worse influence than Pearl and John had feared. A short while later, they went on a road trip to meet with one of uncle Ben's clients in the American South West. Cassidy believed that he was simple coming along to keep his uncle company and occasionally carry heavy cases of equipment. Cassidy thought it was strange that they had to drive all the way out in the desert to do the trade, but uncle Ben would have to know best. After all, he was his uncle, and Cassidy had never had a reason not to trust him. Out in the desert, Cassidy accidentally opened one of the cases and discovered its contents: Alien weaponry, stolen wreckage from the 2018 Terminus invasion. Cassidy panicked, alerting uncle Ben's buyers to his presence. With a single "Sorry" and explanation that it was simply business, uncle Ben shot Cassidy three times in the chest. As Cassidy fell over, his uncle Ben returned to his buyers.

 

Hours later, Cassidy opened his eyes. It was a miracle that he still lived. Only, he didn't. He could no longer feel his heart beating. Uncle Ben and his buyers had disappeared, and vultures were circling overhead. He knew that he was now in the Magic Mesa, and he knew that it had brought him back to become its new guardian, as the newest Dust Devil. Cassidy had little choice in the matter, and at first, he simply wanted to give up. He had been betrayed and killed. Even with the new powers he instinctively knew he possessed, he was the wrong man for the job. Then he realized that uncle Ben might come from the rest of his family. Reacting by instinct, Cassidy travelled through the sand for the first time, returning to Southside. Shocked at his newfound abilities, he  accepted his charge. While he returned to his parents, he kept the details of the falling out with uncle Ben to himself, instead simply saying that he was dangerous and they should stay away from them, while he also accepted a job as stocker in his father's grocery store. 

Now, Cassidy finds himself driven to fight evil where he finds it. He feels a passion and drive unlike any before, as he steps into the role of the Dust Devil, not just to protect the Magic Mesa and his family, but to make sure what happened to him happens to no one else.

 

Personality & Motivation:

Before his transformation into the Dust Devil, Cassidy was a slacker. He made his way through school without much effort or accomplishment, which informed his attitude to most of everything in his life. Cassidy were trusting of others, often being called naïve. Never really getting excited about anything or trying to get involved, Cassidy just followed along with what others told him. The only exception were his family. Caring deeply for his much younger brother, Cassidy would do anything for him and his parents. He secretly felt ashamed of his lack of drive and initiative, but never shared it with anyone.

 

After becoming the Dust Devil, Cassidy has become a much more driven individual. While he has lost much of his unconditional trust in others, Cassidy has leaned into the role of a hero, now being more than willing to put himself in harm's way to save others, and actively seeking out injustice to fight and wrongs to right. He rarely speaks much, letting his actions speak for him instead. He is troubled about his ressurection and what it means for him, and just what he has become. Cassidy is not fully sure what the Magic Mesa wants with him, and wonders what will happen if there is ever a conflict between himself and the Magic Mesa.

 

Powers & Tactics:

Cassidy's power was granted by the Magic Mesa, making them magical in nature. He prefers to get up close and personal, where his strength can be used to effectively disable his opponents. He trusts in his great durability to protect him against most attacks, leading to him often trying to protect others. Not above dirty tricks, he will turn to sand to seemingly disappear and strike at his opponent without them knowing what hit them.

 

Power Descriptions:

All of Cassidy's powers come from the energies of the Magic Mesa. Appointed as the Mesa' newest Dust Devil, Cassidy can transform into a being of living sand. Like the previous Dust Devil, Cassidy cannot be killed and he requires no rest or sustenance, and while he has yet to see the signs, he has stopped aging. He is incredibly resilient to damage, being able to shrug off most attacks. He posses incredible strength, only just learning the limits to his power. He can sense magic around him, just getting a feeling that there is something weird going on, though he has yet to explore this ability.

While Cassidy's body normally appears fully human, he is able to to reshape it in various ways. He can become a cloud of sand, allowing himself to move freely through small cracks and become immune to most types of physical damage, or he can merge with sand around him, using it as a medium for travelling great distances. This is even possible if the sand at his location and destination is not directly connected. By manipulating the sand in his body, Cassidy is able to fly at roughly 25 mph.

While he has yet to experiment much with the ability to reshape his body, Cassidy was quick to learn to create revolvers out of the sand, allowing him to shoot bullets made of sand. He has theorized that the ease of shape comes from the previous Dust Devil. With some experimentation, Cassidy has learned to create swords out of sand, extending his reach in melee. Finally, he is able to control the sand in his body and around him to create a sandstorm effect, greatly hindering those around him. He has learned to control the sandstorm to a degree where it will only affect those he will it to.

All of Cassidy's powers has the Magic and Sand descriptors, with some having additional descriptors as noted.

 

Complications:
Dead Like Me: Cassidy died. Then he came back. The experience was traumatic, and he has yet to deal with all his feelings on the matter. The experience has changed him greatly, even as he tries to put on a brave face for his family.

Guardian of Magic Mesa: Cassidy's powers come with a price. While not as strictly bound as the first Dust Devil, he must protect the Magic Mesa if needed, forcefully being drawn to its protection. This can both mean direct threats at the Magic Mesa, as well as more indirect threats, such as those whose actions could simply threaten the gateways between worlds. This can lead to Cassidy becoming involved in situations and battles he would rather have avoided, or being forced to abruptly leave his current location.

Dust Devil Legacy: The Dust Devil is an almost mythic figure. The protector of Magic Mesa, he is a ruthless guardian. Those that know of the first Dust Devil can be predisposed towards Cassidy, for good or bad.

Whatever Happened to the Dust Devil: The old Dust Devil is gone, and Cassidy has taken his place as guardian of Magic Mesa. He doesn't know whether the first Dust Devil moved on, died or was otherwise rendered unable to fulfill his duties.

Betrayed: Cassidy was betrayed and killed by his own uncle. He understandably has some trouble fully trusting others.

Man of Sand: While he is able to become human, Cassidy is essentially a being of living sand. He is starting to grasp the implications of just what his powers mean, and he fears that he is no longer considered human. He might react badly if confronted with this fact.

Dutiful Brother & Son: Cassidy cares deeply for his parents and younger brother. They're both a strength and a weakness.

Desperado: Cassidy tries to keep his identity as the Dust Devil a secret. Not even his parents and brother know his secret, which is starting to create some friction.


Abilities: 8 + 4 + 10 + 0 + 4 + 0 = 26PP
Strength: 18 (+4) / 30 (+10)
Dexterity: 14 (+2)
Constitution: 20 (+5)
Intelligence: 10 (+0)
Wisdom: 14 (+2)
Charisma: 10 (+0)


Combat: 12 + 10 = 22 PP
Initiative: +10 (+2 Dex, +8 Improved Initiative 2) 
Attack: +6 Melee/Ranged (+6 Base) / +10 Unarmed (+6 Base, +4 Attack Specialization [Unarmed]) / +10 Sand Blade (+6 Base, +4 Accurate Attack) / +10 Sand Blast (+6 Base, +4 Accurate Attack)
Defense: +5 (+5 Base)  +3 Flat-Footed

Grapple: +10 (+6 Attack, +4 Strength) / +11 (+6 Attack, +4 Strength, +1 Super-Strength) / +15 (+6 Attack, +4 Strength, +5 Super-Strength) / +16 (+6 Attack, +4 Strength, +6 Super-Strength) /

+16 (+6 Attack, +10 Strength) / +17 (+6 Attack, +10 Strength, +1 Super-Strength) / +21 (+6 Attack, +10 Strength, +5 Super-Strength) / +22 (+6 Attack, +10 Strength, +6 Super-Strength)
Knockback: -7


Saving Throws: 4 + 6 + 6 = 16PP
Toughness: +15 (+5 Con, +10 [Protection])
Fortitude: +9 (+5 Con, +4)
Reflex: +8 (+2 Dex, +6)
Will: +8 (+2 Wis, +6)


Skills: 64R = 16PP 

Concentration 8

Gather Information 8

Knowledge (Arcane Lore) 8^{Skill Mastery}

Notice 8^{Skill Mastery}

Sense Motive 12^{Skill Mastery}

Stealth 12^{Skill Mastery}

Survival 8

 

Feats: 8PP

Attack Specialization [Unarmed Attack] 2

Hide in Plain Sight

Improved Critical [Unarmed Attack] 2 (from Enhanced Trait power in Guardian's Strength linked power)

Improved Initiative 2

Move-by Action

Skill Mastery

Takedown Attack

Powers: 27 + 10 + 4 + 12 + 5 = 58

Magic Mesa Guardian Array 12 (24PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power 3)[27PP] (Magic, Sand)

• Base Power: Guardian's Strength (Linked) {24/24} (Magic, Sand)
  • Enhanced Strength 12 [12PP] (Magic, Sand, Rock)
  • Enhanced Trait 2 (Improved Critical [Unarmed Attack]) [2PP] (Magic, Sand)
  • Super-Strength 5 [10PP] (Magic, Sand, Rock)
• Alternate Power: Blast 10 (Sand Bullet; Feats: Accurate 2, Incurable, Precise) {24/24} (Magic, Sand)
• Alternate Power: Damage 10 (Sand Blade; Extras: Penetrating; Feats: Accurate Attack 2, Extended Reach 2 (10 ft.)) {24/24} (Magic, Sand)
• Alternate Power: Environmental Control 8 (Sandstorm; Distract DC5, Hinder Movement ½, Visibility -4; Extras: Selective, Duration (Continuous); Flaws: Range (Touch)) {24/24} (Magic, Sand)

 

Immunity 3 (Aging, Sleep, Starvation & Thirst) [3PP] (Magic, Sand)

 

Protection 10 [10PP] (Magic, Sand)

 

Super-Senses 1 (Magical Awareness) [1PP] (Magic, Sand)

 

Regeneration 2 (Resurrection 1/day) [4PP] (Magic, Sand)

 

Walking Desert Array 10 (10PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power 2)[12PP] (Magic, Sand)

• Base Power: Impervious Toughness (Solid Rock Form) {10/10} (Magic, Sand, Rock)
• Alternate Power: Insubstantial 2 (Whirling Sand Form; Gaseous Form) {10/10} (Magic, Sand)
• Alternate Power: Teleport 9 (Travel through sand; Extras: Accurate; Flaws: Long-Range, Medium (Sand)) {9/10} (Magic, Sand)

 

Whirling Sand Array 2 (4PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power 1)[5PP] (Magic, Sand)

• Base Power: Flight 2 (Flight) {4/4} (Magic, Sand)
• Alternate Power: Super Strength 1 (Strength of Sand; Feats: Shockwave, Super-Breath) {4/4} (Magic, Sand)

Drawbacks: (-0) + (-0) = -0PP

None

DC Block

ATTACK              RANGE            SAVE                                    EFFECT
Unarmed             Touch             DC 25 Toughness              Damage, Crit 18-20

Sand Bullet         Ranged           DC 25 Toughness              Damage

Sand Blade         Touch, 10 ft   DC 25 Toughness              Damage, Penetrating
Shockwave         40/100 ft       DC 14/20 Reflex                 Damage

Super-Breath      40/100 ft       DC 14/20 Reflex                 Trip

 

Totals: Abilities (26) + Combat (22) + Saving Throws (16) + Skills (16) + Feats (8) + Powers (62) - Drawbacks (0) = 150/150

Edited September 13, 2018 by RocketLord

[Avenger Assembled]

Here's another take on that idea, Rocket. 

 

https://www.freedomplaybypost.com/topic/6795-aas-all-new-all-different-oddballs/?page=3&tab=comments#comment-206105

 

Might help!

[RocketLord]

Completely changed the build, basing it off one provided by Exaccus, but with a few changes, including a Toughness +5 shift. Now, he's a bit more of a tank, able to just shrug off most hits, or alternatively turn into sand or get away, with an array of offensive options. Just need to spend the last 4 PP, probably on some minor immunities and a magical awareness super-sense.

[Avenger Assembled]

Make sure you clear off the cruft - i.e. the blue text. 

[RocketLord]

@Avenger Assembled After seeing a discussion in the chat on using continuous on powers in an array, I'm not quite sure if what I'm going for with the Environmental Control power in the Mesa Guardian Array would work. Basically, switch in the power in the array and activate the sandstorm centered around Dust Devil in one round, then it sticks around the next rounds because it is continuous, even if I switch to another power in the array. I'm not sure if this would work or not. If not, I'll figure something else out.