Possible Claremont Character: Gamma Buzz

[Supercape]

I would like to practice writing from a YA perspective. Not easy. 

 

But with that in mind, I mull over a possible Claremonter

 

Ideas and comments very welcome (along with any crunch!)

 

Gamma Buzz (a.k.a the Cockroach Kid)

 

Power Level: 8 (180/180 PP)
Unspent Power Points: 0

Trade-Offs: None

In Brief: Radioactive Cockroach

Catchphrase: "

Alternate Identity: Baltazar “Batty” Botez
Birthplace: Mexico City

Residence: Freedom City / Claremont
Base of Operations: Freedom City / Claremont
Occupation: Student
Affiliations: Claremont
Family: Bianca “Betty” Botez (Sister)

 

Description:
Age: 16
Apparent Age: 16
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Cockroach
Height: 5’9”
Weight: 75Kgs
Eyes: Red
Hair: None

 

Gamma Buzz looks like a human shaped insect, covered in a green exoskeleton, with three fingers on each hand, and two antennae growing out of his forehead. He normally wears a t shirt, and jeans.

 

History:
Baltazar Botez grew up in the slums of Caracas, spending his time playing in a rubbish dump with his sister. His favourite activity was playing with the glowing green cockroaches that scuttled around suspicious rusty canisters.

 

Illegally dumped experimental nuclear waste has strange effects. Whilst his sister mutated her eyes (and is able to see in infrared and ultraviolet), Baltazar mutated his eyes and everything else, turning into a half-man, half-cockroach radioactive mutant.

 

Fearing prejudice, he and his sister illegally crossed into the USA so that Baltazar could join Claremont, whilst his sister scraped out a living cleaning the sewers and subways of Freedom City (Infrared vision is good for something…)

 

 

Personality & Motivation

Baltazar is a rumbunctious rapscallion who likes to play rather than study. He is keen to prove daredevil bravery. His hobby is electronics and DJ, and aims to set up his own pirate radio station in the future.

 

Underneath the extravert personality, Baltazar is wounded; he is an insect, with no genitalia and (in his mind) a monster with no chance of getting a girl. He is awkward around females, and gets very angry with bullies.

 

Baltazar is still working out his future. Part of him wants to be a hero, if nothing else to impress the girls and gain acceptance. He has a passion for the underdog and wants to help his sister. A rebellious streak in him makes him fancy himself as a “Punk Hero” – hence the pirate radio station.

 

Powers & Tactics:
Gamma Buzz has insect like strength, agility and senses. His armour plated skin affords some protection and allows him to crawl along walls and ceilings.

 

He is immune to radiation, and at the same time can emit radiation in various forms.

 

He is too inexperienced and impulsive to be tactically savvy, but he would generally prefer to crawl along a ceiling and dramatically surprise people. He generally fights with his fists, whilst glowing green (Aura Nauseate Power).

 

Whilst his sensitive eyes can see throughout the EM Spectrum, this also makes him vulnerable to dazzles.

 

He has a penchant for signing “GBB” (Gamma Buzz, Baby) with an elegant twist of his laser vision.

 

Power Descriptions:
Gamma Buzz’s radioactive powers look like green light. This includes his laser vision (which is also coloured green). His “Mutate” power looks like a sickly yellow green, whilst his “Dazzle” power looks more like a bright white-green.

 

Complications:
 

Half Insect: Gamma Buzz is half insect. He looks ugly and stands out easily, making disguise almost impossible. In addition, certain pesticides and chemicals will affect him if they target insects.

 

Big Impact: He is no more vulnerable to impact damage / effects than the next cape, but Impact can easily dislocate his limbs. 

 

Vulnerable Antenna: Even an average guy (or girl) can easily tear of his Antenna. They regrow back eventually, but without them he will loose his tremor sense.

 

Green Greeny: Tactically unsound and fresh to the fight, Gamma Buzz hasn’t quite realised that the colour green reflects green light. Some of his powers (particularly the laser vision) will be markedly less useful, or ineffective, against green coloured objects (or people).

 

Signature Move: Gamma Buzz will normally celebrate a victory (or percieved success) by carving his signature (GBB or Gamma Buzz, Baby) into surfaces with his laser vision, Apart from the trouble this vandalism might cause, it can delay him.

 

Struggling Sister:: Has very limited wealth (mainly from his struggling sister).

 

Radiation Pressure: Even without actively using his radiation powers, Gamma Buzz is radioactive enough to be easily spotted and tracked by a geiger counter or those with suitable senses. He also has to periodicallly use his powers (he will feel a pressure build up) after a few hours or he will lose control of them (for instance, unwittingly releasing an extra effort radiation burst at a bad time) inadvertantly releasing his radiation in an attempt to let of steam / release the pressure. 

Abilities: 16 + 18 + 12 + 2 + 0 + 4 = 52
Strength: 26 (+8)
Dexterity: 28 (+9)
Constitution: 22 (+6)
Intelligence: 12 (+1)
Wisdom: 10 (+0)
Charisma: 14 (+2)

Combat: 16 + 16 = 32

Initiative: +13 (+9 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Attack: +8
Defence: +8, +4 Flat Footed base

Grapple: +18
Knockback: -4 (-3 for Critical hits)

Saving Throws: 4 + 3 + 4 = 11

Fort +10 (+6 Con, +4)

Reflex +12 (+9 Dex, +3)

Will +4 (+4)

Tough +8 (+6 Con, +2 Protection), +6 vs Critical Hits

Skills: 40 Ranks = 10 PP

Acrobatics 10 (+19)

Bluff 4 (+4)

Craft (Electronics) 4 (+5)

Knowledge (Popular Cultures) 4 (+5)

Language 3 (English, Portuguese, Spanish [Native])

Notice 4 (+4)

Perform (DJ) 4 (+6)

Sense Motive 4 (+4)

Stealth 4 (+13)

Feats: 5 PP

Acrobatic Bluff

Evasion 2

Improved Initiative 1

Prone Fighting

Powers: 37 + 1 + 3 + 2 + 4 + 6 + 4 + 1 + 1 = 72

 

Radiation Array (32 PP Array, Feats: Alt power 5) [37 PP] (Radiation Descriptor)

BP: Blast 8 (Extras: Penetrating, Feats: Improved Range 3 (800’ Increments), Progression: Maximum range 3 (x10), Precise, Incurable) [32 PP] “Laser Vision”

AP: Nauseate 5 (Extras: Sustained Aura [+3], Contagious, Feats: Selective Aura) [31 PP] “Radioactive Glow”

AP: Nauseate 5 (1-50’ Cloud, Extras: Range, Contagious, Cloud Area, Feats: Decrease Area 5, Increase Area 1) [31 PP] “Fallout Bomb”

AP: Dazzle 8 (10-200’ Radius, Visual plus Radio Senses, Extras: Burst Area, Feats: Decrease Area 6, Increase Area 2, Flaws: Range) [32 PP]

AP: Environmental Control 5 (100’ Radius, Extreme Heat, Extreme Light, Heavy Radiation, Extras: Independent [+0], Feats: Selective [Mix and match effects], Slow Fade 6, one day, Flaws: Range [touch]) 32 PP “Irradiate Ground”

AP: Transform 8 (Mutation to Mutation, 250lbs, Extras: Continuous, Flaws: Random [No control over what power points are turned into]) 32 PP “Mutation Beam”

 

Protection 2 (Drawbacks: Weak spot) [1 PP] “Armour plates”

 

Immunity 13 (All Radiation Effects, Hot and Cold Environments, Disease) [13PP]

 

Leaping 3 (x10 Distance. Running 180’, Standing 90’. High 45’) [3 PP]

 

Speed 2 (25 mpg) [2 PP]

 

Super Movement 2 (Wall Crawling 2, Full Speed) [4 PP]

 

Super Senses 6 (Infravision, Ultravision, Tremor Sense, Low Light Vision, Feats: Uncanny Dodge [tactile]) [6 PP]

 

Super Strength 2 (+10 STR, total STR 36) [4 PP]

 

Regeneration 0 (Feats: Regrowth) [1 PP]

 

Feature (Iron Stomach, can eat anything) [1 PP]

 

 

Drawbacks: -2

Vulnerability (EM base dazzles including light Frequency: uncommon; Intensity: Moderate [x150%]) [-2PP]
 

Edited June 30, 2023 by Supercape

[Avenger Assembled]

la cucaracha! this seems fun. a classic "teen hero who is undergoing some weird and scary body changes" archetype. wonder if you could give him an always-on area radiation effect - or is that too tragic for him?

[Supercape]

It crossed my mind but I think, on balance, thats a bit too grimdark - causing cancer and radiation burns! He is pretty screwed up as it is, let alone not being able to touch people!

 

It does give me an indea for another complication though!

 

M

Edited June 30, 2023 by Supercape

[Avenger Assembled]

Cool! Looks like a fun character.