N/A Posted February 25, 2009 Posted February 25, 2009 Power Level: 12 (180PP) Tradeoffs: -2 Defense / +2 Toughness Tier: 1 (Usable By All) Appearance: A mummified corpse, thousands of years old. In life, he was an Egyptian man in his late 30s. Background: Kharhotep was one of the highest ranking priests in all of the ancient Egyptian empire, second only to Tan'Aktor himself. His keen scientific mind was celebrated and envied across the land, and it earned him the position of Royal Physician. He tended directly to the health of the Pharoah, his family, and his close advisors. In time, he probably would have been deified, had he only the courage to remain loyal. But Tan'Aktor seduced him with training in sorcery, and promises of wealth, power, and prestige even greater than that which he already enjoyed. For some, there is no such idea as "enough." Some people, when they get a taste of fame, fortune, and power, just want more. Kharhotep's greed exceeded his gratitude, and when Tan'Aktor led his coup against the Pharoah, Kharhotep was his right-hand man. Their attempt to usurp the throne ultimately failed, thanks in no small part to Prince Heru-Ra. When the battle turned against them, Tan'Aktor insisted on killing his former friend the prince before the conspirators fled. In order to give himself time to murder Heru-Ra and escape the palace, he betrayed Kharhotep to their pursuers. "I don't have to outrun them," Tan'Aktor mused to Kharhotep. "I just have to outrun you." Tan'Aktor struck Heru-Ra a mortal blow, but Heru-Ra managed to kill Tan'Aktor with his final breath. Kharhotep was not so fortunate. Heru-Ra's grieving family was not satisfied with Kharhotep merely dying for his crimes. The magnitude of his betrayal demanded a greater punishment than execution. Loyal priests, acting in the name of the Pharoah, conducted forbidden rites to inflict upon Kharhotep a fate worse than death. A spell of immortality was placed upon him, so that he would suffer eternally. He was cursed to exist in a state neither truly alive nor truly dead, a state where he would never know rest. Then he was embalmed, and sealed in a sarcophagus with a horde of scarab beetles, who would consume his flesh for eternity. His sarcophagus was sealed with the most powerful magics the priests could muster, since the same curses that inflicted this torture upon Kharhotep would also give him great power were he to ever escape his prison. Kharhotep endured this agony for millenia as his rage toward both his executioners and his confederates smoldered. He blamed everyone in the world for his predicament except himself. The pain and hate drove him irrevocably insane. He spent the thousands of years vacillating back and forth between burying himself in despair and self pity, or planning lovingly-detailed bloody vengeance upon all who he believes wronged him. Nazi sorcerer Wilhelm Kantor, the latest reincarnation of Tan'Aktor, discovered Kharhotep's tomb (along with his own) in 1938 when he found the ancient lost city of Seti-Ab. Knowing full well the potential disaster that would befall the land if the seals were broken, he hid the sarcophagus, intending to unleash it against his enemies during a moment of true desperation. He never got the chance. OverShadow was incapacitated in 1984 when a hero disrupted his attempt to interface directly with The Curator. His advisory council, the Penumbra, took over operations of S.H.A.D.O.W., and after a few years of financial success, greed took over and the organization descended into civil war. Kharhotep's sarcophagus was lost in the shuffle. Its current whereabouts are unknown. Campaign Use: Thousands of years of torment have transformed Kharhotep. Once merely a human being who let short-sighted avarice cloud his judgement, he is now an immortal psychopath who wants to make others suffer as he suffers as he grinds them beneath his heel. He wants nothing less than to conquer the world, and will torture and kill anyone who stands in his way, or who has ever (in his mind) "wronged" him. Heru-Ra and Tan'Aktor (who he will immediately recognize in their current incarnations as The Scarab and OverShadow) stand at the top of that list, as do any who ally with them. Abilities [31PP] Strength: 35/+12 Dexterity: 10/+0 Constitution: -/- Intelligence: 16/+3 Wisdom: 16/+3 Charisma: 14/+2 Combat [24PP] Initiative +0 Attack +6, +12 Melee, +12 Powers Defense +10, +3 Flat-Footed Damage +12 Unarmed, +12 Powers, +11 Corrosion Grapple +24 Knockback -7 Saving Throws [13PP] Toughness +14 Fortitude - (-) Reflex +6 (+0 DEX, +6) Will +10 (+3 WIS, +7) Skills [17PP = 68 Ranks] Bluff 4 (+8) Concentration 9 (+12) Knowledge (Arcane Lore) 12 (+15) Knowledge (History) 9 (+12) Knowledge (Theology/Philosophy) 9 (+12) Language 2 (Greek, Hebrew; Egyptian is Native) Medicine 9 (+12) Notice 7 (+10) Sense Motive 7 (+10) Feats [13PP] Attack Focus (Melee) 6 Dodge Focus 4 Fearless Power Attack Ritualist Powers [88PP] Descriptors: Sand, Earth, Necromancy Corrosion 11 (Scarab Swarm, Drawbacks: Lethal Only, Power Loss 2 [inorganic Matter is unaffected], Extras: Area [General, Cylinder {5ft tall / 55ft radius}], Flaws: Action [Full]) 38PP (30PP + 8 APs) AP: Create Object 10 (Sand Constructs; Extra: Movable) 1(30)PP AP: Damage 12 (Siphon Life, Feats: Incurable, Extras: Alternate Save [Fortitude], Vampiric, Flaws: Requires Grapple) 1(25)PP AP: Dazzle 12 (Sand Cloud, Visual Senses, Extras: Area [Cone], Flaws: Range [Touch]) 1(24)PP AP: Emotion Control 12 (Extras: Area [General, Burst], Flaws: Limited [Fear]) 1(24)PP AP: Obscure 10 (Locust Swarm, Visual & Olfactory Senses, Extras: Independent) 1(30)PP AP: Sand Form 2 (Effects: Linked Flight 2 [25mph, Feats: Subtle] + Insubstantial 1 [Particulate]) 1(10)PP AP: Snare 12 (Sand Constructs, Feats: Accurate 3, Reversible) 1(28)PP AP: Transform 10 (Earth To Sand, Extras: Area [General, Burst], Duration [Continuous], Flaws: Action [Full], Range [Touch]) 1(30)PP Immunity 30 (Fortitude Effects) 30PP Protection 14 14PP Regeneration 6 (Recovery +6 [-5 CON = +1], Feats: Persistent, Regrowth, Flaws: Source [siphon Life]) 5PP Super-Senses 2 (Darkvision, Drawbacks: Noticeable [Glowing Eyes]) 1PP Drawbacks: [-6PP] Vulnerability: Fire Effects (Very Common, Moderate [+50% Damage]) -4PP Vulnerability: Holy/Blessed Effects (Uncommon, Moderate [+50% damage]) -2PP Abilities 31 + Combat 24 + Saving Throws 13 + Skills 17 + Feats 13 + Powers 88 - Drawbacks 6 = 180 Power Points :arrow: What better villain for an Egyptian-themed hero than a mummy? :arrow: Obviously, I drew heavy inspiration from The Mummy, in all it's incarnations - Boris Karloff, Christopher Lee, and Arnold Vosloo. Even this character's name is a Freedom City style portmanteau of the mummies from those films, Kharis and Imhotep. Imhotep was an actual person in real-life Egyptian history. He was basically the world's first known medical doctor, and was so revered that after his death, he was deified by the Pharoah and worshipped from then on as a figure in their mythology. :arrow: Yes, I am well aware that the Egyptian language predates Hebrew and Greek by thousands of years. This is a comic book. We're allowed to take artistic liberties.
Dr Archeville Posted February 25, 2009 Posted February 25, 2009 Damage/Strike + Regen can't work in an Array -- Regen's Permanent, so it can't be turned off. Besides, Alt Save/Fort Vampiric Strike alone is fine for a "Life Siphon." I'm also not sure about the Transform Objects to Sand. Geokinetics don't turn things into earth/stone/sand, they manipulate existing earth/stone/sand. Shape Matter (or, heck, Earth Control) would be a better fit. I don't think "Only Organic Matter" would be a Flaw for the "Scarab Swarm" power, since it can still affect creatures. And you don't need Damage (Extra: Ranged) for Blast -- just write "Blast". Same for the Scarab Swarm -- just write "Disintegrate." I'd also ask that you not use so complex a build, like you did with Scarab's powers. We try to use the same template for all characters for a reason, and builds that won't or can't be fit into it make the Refs cranky.
N/A Posted February 25, 2009 Author Posted February 25, 2009 I'll see what I can do to simplify it. Without Regen, Vampiric is useless. It gives him a Recovery check, but he can't recover, because he has no CON. The idea was that the linked Regen would give him a Recovery bonus, but only when he drains energy from a living being. The other option was to drop Vampiric and just do a Fort save Damage linked to Affects Objects Healing. This construction seemed more simple. If I just buy straight Regen, then he heals over time whether he sucks the life out of mortals or not. The "Limited: Organic Matter" flaw was for the Damage. The swarm of scarab beetles would consume all the flesh and plants and such in the area of effect, but wouldn't The idea behind the Transform effect was to have a way to generate the sand he manipulates without being in the middle of the Egyptian desert. That's why I didn't apply any Power Loss Drawbacks or Limited Flaws to his Create Object or other sand-moving powers. I suppose I could just have it come directly out of his body, like the scarabs do. Maybe I could give him a different kind of Transform effect, where he sucks all the moisture and life out of a patch of earth, leaving behind dry sand that he then plays with. I'm open to suggestions.
N/A Posted February 25, 2009 Author Posted February 25, 2009 Doh! I forgot all about the "Source" flaw for Regeneration. That answers that question. I made some other edits to the build. Is this simple and straightforward enough?
Dr Archeville Posted February 25, 2009 Posted February 25, 2009 The "simplifying" was also referring to the "every AP in quote box" format. Please don't do that, it breaks up the sheet unnecessarily. The Source flaw if indeed the perfect fit for the Vampiric Strike/Regen thing. Transform (fertile soil to desert/sand) would be perfect (and perfectly Dark Sun-ish ). Still not sure about the "Limited: Organic Matter" on the Blast part of the Scarab Swarm as being a Flaw -- you'll still be able to damage more than half the things he'd target (pretty much any creature, living or undead, and any wooden object). It seems it'd be a drawback, not a full flaw.
N/A Posted February 25, 2009 Author Posted February 25, 2009 The "simplifying" was also referring to the "every AP in quote box" format. Please don't do that, it breaks up the sheet unnecessarily. The Source flaw if indeed the perfect fit for the Vampiric Strike/Regen thing. Transform (fertile soil to desert/sand) would be perfect (and perfectly Dark Sun-ish ). Still not sure about the "Limited: Organic Matter" on the Blast part of the Scarab Swarm as being a Flaw -- you'll still be able to damage more than half the things he'd target (pretty much any creature, living or undead, and any wooden object). It seems it'd be a drawback, not a full flaw. Done, done, done, and done. Glad to see I'm not the only Athas-fan here. Yes, Dark Sun defilers were also a bit of the inspiration I was drawing from.
N/A Posted February 25, 2009 Author Posted February 25, 2009 How/Why is his Sand Form Subtle? The Flight is Subtle. It's obvious to anyone looking at him that he's a cloud of sand. I've edited the power so hopefully that's more clear.
Dr Archeville Posted February 25, 2009 Posted February 25, 2009 Abilities [31PP] Strength: 35/+12 Dexterity: 10/+0 Constitution: -/- Intelligence: 16/+3 Wisdom: 16/+3 Charisma: 14/+2 Adds up Combat [24PP] Initiative +0 Attack +6, +12 Melee, +12 Powers, +11 Disintegrate Defense +10, +3 Flat-Footed Damage +12 (All) Grapple +24 Knockback 7 Adds up, though his Knockback is -7, not just 7. Saving Throws [13PP] Toughness +14 Fortitude - (-) Reflex +6 (+0 DEX, +6) Will +10 (+3 WIS, +7) Adds up Skills [17PP = 68 Ranks] Bluff 4 (+8) Knowledge (Arcane Lore) 12 (+15) Knowledge (History) 12 (+15) Knowledge (Theology/Philosophy) 12 (+15) Language (Egyptian) (0) (Native) Language (Greek) (1) Language (Hebrew) (1) Medicine 12 (+15) Notice 7 (+10) Sense Motive 7 (+10) Adds up, though Language should be entered as Language 2 (Greek, Hebrew; Egyptian is native) Feats [13PP] Attack Focus (Melee) 6 Dodge Focus 4 Fearless Power Attack Ritualist Adds up Powers [88PP] Descriptors: Sand, Earth, Necromancy Immunity 30 (Fortitude Effects) 30PP Protection 14 14PP Regeneration 6 (Recovery +6 [-5 CON = +1], Feats: Persistent, Regrowth, Flaws: Source [siphon Life]) 5PP Disintegrate 11 (Scarab Swarm, Drawbacks: Lethal Only, Power Loss 2 [inorganic Matter is unaffected], Extras: Affects Objects, Area [General, Cylinder {5ft tall / 55ft radius}], Flaws: Action [Full]) 30PP AP: Create Object 12 (Sand Constructs) 24PP AP: Damage 12 (Siphon Life, Feats: Incurable, Extras: Alternate Save [Fortitude], Vampiric, Flaws: Requires Grapple) 25PP AP: Dazzle 12 (Sand Cloud, Visual Senses, Extras: Area [Cone], Flaws: Range [Touch]) 24PP AP: Emotion Control 12 (Extras: Area [General, Burst], Flaws: Limited [Fear]) 24PP AP: Obscure 10 (Locust Swarm, Visual & Olfactory Senses, Extras: Independent) 30PP AP: Sand Form 2 (Effects: Linked Flight 2 [25mph, Feats: Subtle] + Insubstantial 1 [Particulate]) 10PP AP: Snare 12 (Sand Constructs, Feats: Accurate 3, Reversible) 28PP AP: Transform 10 (Earth To Sand, Extras: Area [General, Burst], Duration [Continuous], Flaws: Action [Full], Range [Touch]) 30PP Super-Senses 2 (Darkvision, Drawbacks: Noticeable [Glowing Eyes]) 1PP I'm having trouble figuring out how you're getting the Disintegrate to cost 30pp. By my reckoning it should be 52pp -- 11x5 -3 (+8 APs = 60pp). You wouldn't need Affects Objects, since that's already included in the cost of Disintegrate. Since Disintegrate is Blast (Ranged Damage, 2pp/rank) + Ranged Affects Objects Drain Toughness (3pp/rank), totaling 5pp/rank, it's essentially two linked powers. Meaning any Extras or Flaws (like Area or Action) would need to be applied twice to get both parts. Thus, it should be Disintegrate 11 (Scarab Swarm; Extras: Area [General, Cylinder {5ft tall / 55ft radius}] for both; Flaws: Action [Full] for both; Drawbacks: Lethal Only, Power Loss 2 [inorganic Matter is unaffected]) Cost is 5 +2 Extras -2 Flaws = 5pp/rank. Everything else looks fine. Drawbacks: [-6PP] Vulnerability: Fire Effects (Very Common, Moderate [+50% Damage]) -4PP Vulnerability: Holy/Blessed Effects (Uncommon, Moderate [+50% damage]) -2PP Adds up. Abilities 31 + Combat 24 + Saving Throws 13 + Skills 17 + Feats 13 + Powers 88 - Drawbacks 6 = 180 Power Points Adds up.
N/A Posted February 25, 2009 Author Posted February 25, 2009 Adds up, though his Knockback is -7, not just 7. Done. Adds up, though Language should be entered as Language 2 (Greek, Hebrew; Egyptian is native) Done I'm having trouble figuring out how you're getting the Disintegrate to cost 30pp. By my reckoning it should be 52pp -- 11x5 -3 (+8 APs = 60pp). You wouldn't need Affects Objects, since that's already included in the cost of Disintegrate. Since Disintegrate is Blast (Ranged Damage, 2pp/rank) + Ranged Affects Objects Drain Toughness (3pp/rank), totaling 5pp/rank, it's essentially two linked powers. Meaning any Extras or Flaws (like Area or Action) would need to be applied twice to get both parts. Thus, it should be Disintegrate 11 (Scarab Swarm; Extras: Area [General, Cylinder {5ft tall / 55ft radius}] for both; Flaws: Action [Full] for both; Drawbacks: Lethal Only, Power Loss 2 [inorganic Matter is unaffected]) Cost is 5 +2 Extras -2 Flaws = 5pp/rank. Sorry. My bad. I'm used to just writing out the base effects instead of using the pregen powers. It should actually be a Touch Range / Area effect, so it's Corrosion, not Disintegrate. I've edited it accordingly. Damage + Drain Toughness = 1PP/rank + 1PP/rank = 2PP/rank +Area (+1) x2 = +2PP/rank -Full Action (-1) x2 = -2PP/Rank +Affects Objects (+1, only necessary for the Drain since it's a Fortitude effect) 2PP/rank + 2PP/rank - 2PP/rank + 1PP/rank = 3PP/Rank Rank 11 x 3PP/rank = 33PP Lethal Only Drawback = -1PP Power Loss Drawback = -2PP 33PP -2PP -1PP = 30PP
Dr Archeville Posted February 25, 2009 Posted February 25, 2009 Ah, that makes much more sense! My one final request is that you replace the "30" at the end of his Corrosion with "30 + 8 APs = 38pp," and remove the listed costs for all those APs (or write something to indicate they're not really costing you 10-30pp each). And I'll go ahead and give my approval.
N/A Posted February 25, 2009 Author Posted February 25, 2009 Ah, that makes much more sense! My one final request is that you replace the "30" at the end of his Corrosion with "30 + 8 APs = 38pp," and remove the listed costs for all those APs (or write something to indicate they're not really costing you 10-30pp each). Done. Yeah, the idea is, unlike the locust swarm (which he summons from far away), the scarabs actually pours out of his own body. The beetles swarm over everything within the area (centered on him, since it's Touch-range), consuming all the organic matter they can find, currently-living or not. It's a cylinder Area because there's only so high the beetles can crawl on each other. So anyone who's more than 5 feet off the ground or away from a surface is safe.
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