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Posted

Gadgets via Equipment points?

Yes. A 7PP/rank version that can pull out "Any Equipment, Multiple Pieces of Equipment At Once." "Grapple-gun and Masterwork tools" yes, "phaser and tricorder" no.

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Posted

I understand that limit, sure; what I question is if it's really needed. Is there more than 20ep worth of additional stuff not already listed you'd see him regularly needing? Or why not trade in those 20ep for 4 more ranks in Luck, to extra effort anything you don't already have?

Or why not jut have all his Equipment (except the vehicle and the HQ) as Gadgets?

(On the other hand, perhaps I am worrying too much. You did already get two other Refs to approve him, after all.)

Posted

We did used to refer people to Elric on the ATT for first starting out, and he uses this construction for Batman. Since he explicitly builds for PC usage (and, like I said, we used to refer to him), I'd say it's fair.

Also: now Shaen can't claim its his idea.

Posted

I think docs later point is more relevant. I really don't see it as being very powerful for its cost especially given all that he already has in equipment. Now whether or not it'll be very useful is another question entirely.

Posted

I understand that limit, sure; what I question is if it's really needed. Is there more than 20ep worth of additional stuff not already listed you'd see him regularly needing? Or why not trade in those 20ep for 4 more ranks in Luck, to extra effort anything you don't already have?

Short answer: "Yes." I have a list of at least 25EP worth of other Equipment I'd want him to have on-hand.

Besides, I really like being able to pull out any small mundane item I want, whenever I want, without having to burn a Hero Point.

Or why not trade in those 20ep for 4 more ranks in Luck, to extra effort anything you don't already have?Or why not jut have all his Equipment (except the vehicle and the HQ) as Gadgets?

I considered buying all his Equipment (save for the costume, the vehicle, and the HQ) as one big Variable Power. However, the much greater expense didn't seem to justify the relatively minor increase in utility. Not only does 10EP worth of Equipment wind up costing 20EP, but I couldn't justify taking the Unreliable flaw on an attack purchased with a variable pool. And without the Unreliable flaw, half the powers in the Utility Belt would cost twice as much. As it is, he gets 1 use per day for each of them, and if for some reason he needs more, he can pop a Hero Point to replenish them (or to gain another AP off the Utility belt). That seems "good enough." Buying everything as Gadgets would've cost me half again to twice as much, depending on whether or not I left any room for mundane items while a weapon was active.

Also: now Shaen can't claim its his idea.

I never did, Smartass. :P

I've ripped off a bunch of character creation ideas from people like Elric, Baron, and Taliesin, and I always try to give credit where credit is due.

Posted

Fellow gamers, I need thy help!

Goal: Half-Human, Half-Dragon I was talking about earlier. Its not quite done yet- I saved some PP for fine tuning and right now Im asking for some tips. Also, few questions:

1. If my character is obviously un-human looking (and I mean, a lot), do I get a Drawback for looking like monster, or just a complication?

2. Not sure Im if Im supposed to pay once for both wings, or separately for each.

3. Thats basically it.

4. Hope nobody minds Im playing a furry.

In case you wonder: this is the closest I can find to how he looks. Click for furry!

Power Level: PL6 (90pp)

Trade-Offs: -2 Attack/+2 Damage, -4 Defense/+4 Toughness

Stats: 14+0+10+2+2+0 = 28pp

Str: 24 (+7)

Dex: 10 (+0)

Con: 20 (+5)

Int: 12 (+1)

Wis: 12 (+1)

Cha: 10 (+0)

Combat: 4+4= 8pp

Attack: +2/+4* (+2 base, * Fire Breath +2 Specialization)

Grapple: +11

Defense: +2 (+1 flat-footed)

Knockback: -5

Initiative: 0

Saves: 4+3+2 = 9

Toughness: +11 (+5 Con, +6 Protection)

Fortitude: +9 (+4 base, +5 Con)

Reflex: +3 (+3 base, +0 Dex)

Will: +3 (+2 base, +1 Wis)

Skills: 4r = 1pp

Language 1 (Polish, English)

Notice 3 (+4)

Feats: 7

Attack Specialization (Fire breath) 1

Ambidexterity

Improved Grapple

Improved Pin

Improved Throw

Improved Trip

Stunning Attack

Powers: 2+14+5+6+5 = 32pp

Additional Limbs (Wings, Tail) [2pp]

Fire Breath (Blast) 7 [14pp]

Flight 3 (Power Loss: Wings compromised) [5pp]

Protection 6 (Source: scales) [6pp]

Super Strenght 2 (Feats: Countering Punch) [5pp]

Drawbacks: = 0pp

Nope

DC Block:

Unarmed --- 22 Toughness --- Bludgeoning/Non-lethal

Fire Breath --- 22 Toughness --- Fire/Lethal

Costs: Abilities (28) + Combat (10) + Saves (9) + Skills (1) + Feats (7) + Powers (27) - Drawbacks (00) = 86pp

Posted

Appearance is always just a Complication.

Flight via wings (flight that ends if the wings are bound or otherwise impaired) is a -1pp Drawback, no mater how many wings you have.

... "Furry" has many connotations. You'll want to specify before making the full submission. ;) If you just mean it as "someone who's part animal," we already have several chars like that.

Posted

Now here's my version:

Power Level: 6 (90/90PP)

Trade-Offs: -1/2 Attack / +1/2 Damage, -2 Defense/+2 Toughness

Abilities 15 + 0 + 12 + 2 + 2 + 0 = 31PP

Str: 25 (+7) (Carry Capacity up to STR 45 with Dynamic Super-Strength)

Dex: 10 (+0)

Con: 22 (+6)

Int: 12 (+1)

Wis: 12 (+1)

Cha: 10 (+0)

Combat 4 + 4 = 8PP

Initiative +0

Attack +2 Base, +5 Melee, +4 Fiery Breath

Grapple +12 (Up to +16 with Dynamic Super-Strength)

Defense +4 (+2 Base, +2 Dodge Focus), +1 Flat-Footed

Knockback -4

Saves 2 + 4 + 5 = 11PP

Toughness: +8 (+6 Con, +2 Protection)

Fortitude: +8 (+6 Con, +2PP)

Reflex: +4 (+0 Dex, +4PP)

Will: +6 (+1 Wis, +5PP)

Skills 16R = 4PP

Language 1 (English, Polish [Native])

Notice 7 (+8)

Sense Motive 4 (+5)

Survival 4 (+5)

Feats 6PP

Ambidexterity

Attack Focus (Melee) 3

Dodge Focus 2

Powers 2 + 13 + 11 + 2 + 7 = 35PP

Additional Limbs 1 (Tail, Feats: Innate) [2PP]

Draconian Might 5 (10PP Array, Feats: Dynamic Alternate Power, Dynamic Base Power) [13PP]

Base Power (Dynamic): Flight 3 (Wings, 50mph, Drawbacks: Power Loss[Wings]) [5PP]

Alternate Power (Dynamic): Super-Strength 4 (Feats: Countering Punch) [9PP]

Fiery Breath 5 (10PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power 3, Drawbacks: Miscellaneous 2 [unreliable Flaw applies to array as a whole]) [11PP]

Base Power: Blast 8 (Feats: Accurate, Precise, Flaws: Unreliable [5 Uses]) [10PP]

Alternate Power: Drain Toughness 8 (Feats: Accurate, Precise, Extras: Affects Objects, Range [Ranged], Flaws: Action [Full], Unreliable [5 Uses]) [10PP]

Alternate Power: Drain Toughness 8 (Feats: Progression [Area] 2, Extras: Affects Objects, Area [General, Cone], Flaws: Action [Full], Unreliable [5 Uses]) [10PP]

Alternate Power: Strike 8 (Feats: Progression [Area] 2, Extras: Area [Cone], Flaws: Unreliable [5 Uses]) [10PP]

Protection 2 (Scales, Drawbacks: Noticeable) [1PP]

Super-Senses 7 (All Visual Senses [Extras: Extended], Infravision, Low-Light Vision, Normal Olfactory Sense [Extras: Acute, Extended, Tracking]) [7PP]

Drawbacks -5PP

Cold-Blooded (Weakness, Extreme Temperatures, Frequency: Uncommon, Intensity: Major [-1 All Abilities per 5 minutes]) [-5PP]

Abilities 31 + Combat 8 + Saving Throws 11 + Skills 4 + Feats 6 + Powers 35 - Drawbacks 5 = 90 Power Points

Posted

Ah, Shaen just pimped my character, now it feels ... mighty ^^ The only thing I'd argue, is Weakness to extreme temperatures, which contradicts the "fire theme" I had for him (ie: he's resistant to heat).

Posted

Ah, Shaen just pimped my character, now it feels ... mighty ^^ The only thing I'd argue, is Weakness to extreme temperatures, which contradicts the "fire theme" I had for him (ie: he's resistant to heat).

The frequency is already "Uncommon," so it's a simple matter to change "Extreme Temperatures" to "Cold Environments" if you still want to work the "cold-blooded reptile" angle.

The exotic saving throws average out to the PL (6), which is actually pretty high. So if you need to shave off some points, I'd start there.

This build hits its PL combat caps in two different ways. The breath weapon is more powerful, but supplies are limited. His unarmed attacks aren't as powerful, but they are more reliable.

The Draconian Might dynamic array allows him to shift points between his Flight and Super-Strength, depending on the needs of the moment. The faster he can fly, the less weight he can carry, and vice versa. Since winged flight caps out at rank 3, I assume his "default" configuration will be Flight 3 + Super-Strength 2, which uses up all 10PP in the array. This is how the build originally looked, and that was intentional - I just spend a couple more points to give him some flexibility. If he's in combat, he probably won't need more than one rank of Flight, if that, so he can shift the array toward Super-Strength.

Normally, Survival is a pretty worthless skill. I only gave it to him because it's the skill used for Tracking, which his Super-Senses allow him to do by scent. I also increased his Notice, so he'd get more use out of the Super-Senses in general. The handful of ranks in Sense Motive were just to give him a fighting chance of resisting Bluff attempts.

The Super-Senses weren't in the original build. I thought it would give the character some nice flavor and utility, and dragons in most fiction have very acute senses. If you need to shave points off for some reason, you could just get rid of the Super-Senses and Survival, and reduce the Notice ranks.

I ditched the combat feats because I didn't think they contributed as much to the build as the traits I replaced them with. I also reduced the combat tradeoffs to something less extreme, with those nice even numbers I like so much. That's mostly a personal preference, but I don't think huge tradeoffs are a very good idea at such a low PL.

Posted

Super-Senses is a good idea which I havent thought about. As for Arrays... well, Im not yet good enough with the system to mess with stuff so much, but I like the current version a lot. Except maybe for the limited use, which Im still having reservations for.

Defense +4 (+2 Base, +2 Dodge Focus), +1 Flat-Footed

What dodge focus? Its not on the sheet.

Posted

What dodge focus? Its not on the sheet.

Simple error on my part, now fixed. I knew it was too good to be true that I actually had room for Luck in a build for once. :P

Posted

Just for fun, I did my past pass at a new 'Grimalkin: Year One' sheet, i.e. how Grim might have looked if Shaen had pimped her out back in 2008 when I first brought her here. I think it's pretty close, but I was tired when I typed this up so I'm sure I screwed something up.

I did this for two reasons: one, to see if pimpin' was in my blood yet (i.e. could I work the numbers right), and two, to come up with a sheet that reflects how I see Grim on page one of her comic book, when she's a young grifter who becomes a sidekick to Stalwart, Lake City's greatest champion.

Enjoy! (and critique)

Character Name: Grimalkin (Year One)

Power Level: 6 (90/90pp)

Tradeoffs: None

Unspent PP: 0

Complications: Prejudice (the Wealthy), Struggling

Abilities [24PP]

Strength 12 (+1)

Dexterity 20 (+5)

Constitution 14 (+2)

Intelligence 12 (+1)

Wisdom 10 (+0)

Charisma 16 (+3)

Combat [20PP]

Initiative +5

Attack +4 Base, +6 Claws

Defense +6, +3 Flat-Footed

Damage +1 Unarmed (+3 Sneak Attack), +4 Claws (+6 Sneak Attack)

Grapple +18

Knockback 3, 1 Flat-Footed

Saving Throws [10PP]

Toughness +6, +2 Flat-Footed

Fortitude +6 (+2 CON, 4PP)

Reflex +7 (+5 DEX, 2PP)

Will +4 (+0 WIS, 4PP)

Skills [12PP = 48 Ranks]

Acrobat 10 (+15) (Skill Mastery)

Bluff 7 (+10) (Skill Mastery)

Climb 5 (+6)

Disguise 2 (+5, +20 Morph)

Gather Information 2 (+5)

Knowledge (Pop Culture) 1 (+2)

Knowledge (Streetwise) 4 (+5)

Notice 2 (+2)

Sleight of Hand 5 (+10) (Skill Mastery)

Stealth 10 (+15) (Skill Mastery)

Feats [9PP]

Acrobatic Bluff

Attack Specialization (Claws)

Defensive Roll 4

Skill Mastery (Acrobat, Bluff, Sleight of Hand, Stealth)

Sneak Attack

Taunt

Powers [23PP]

Immunity 1 (Cold) [1PP]

Morph 3 (Glamour, Feats: Alternate Power) [7pp]

Strike 3 (Claws, Feats: Incurable, Mighty) [5PP]

Super-Movement 1 (Wall-Crawling) [2PP]

Super-Senses 8 (Normal Hearing [Extras], Normal Olfactory [Extras], Normal Vision [Extras]) [8PP]

Drawbacks [-8PP]

Vulnerability (Iron, Frequency: Uncommon, Intensity: Major [+50% DC]) [-2PP]

Weakness (Iron, Frequency: Common, Intensity: Moderate, -1 CON / minute [10 rounds]) [-6PP]

DC Block

Unarmed -- DC 20/Toughness (22 w/ Sneak Attack) -- Damage

Claws -- DC 24/Toughness (26 w/ Sneak Attack) -- Damage

Abilities 24 + Combat 20 + Saving Throws 10 + Skills 12 + Feats 9 + Powers 23- Drawbacks 8 = 90/90 Power Points

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

Working document. Pardon the dust.

Characters Name: Sage [floatr]sage-final.png[/floatr]

Power Level: 10

Trade-Offs: None

Unspent PP: 0

Alternate Identity: Eve Martel

Age: ?? (born Month [day optional] Year; Apparent Age ??)

Gender: Female

Height: 5' 0"

Weight: 100 lbs

Eyes: Green

Hair: White

Stats: 4+10+6+0+6+0 = 26pp

Str: 14 (+2)

Dex: 20 (+5)

Con: 16 (+3)

Int: 10 (+0)

Wis: 16 (+3)

Cha: 10 (+0)

Combat: 5+5 = 20pp

Attack: +5 (+10 Melee)

Grapple: +0

Defense: +10 (+3 flat-footed) [base Defense +5]

Knockback: -3

Initiative: +5

Saves: 2+2+4 = 8pp

Toughness: +3/+7 (+3 Con, +4 Defensive Roll)

Fortitude: +5 (+3 Con, +2)

Reflex: +7 (+5 Dex, +2)

Will: +7 (+3 Wis, +4)

Skills: 76r = 19pp

Acrobatics 15 (+20)

Climb 8 (+10)

Concentration 12 (+15)

Escape Artist 15 (+20)

Language 2 (Sign Language, English, Native: French)

Notice 12 (+15)

Sense Motive 12 (+15)

Feats: 23pp

Acrobatic Bluff

All-Out Attack

Attack Focus (Melee) 5

Benefit 1 (Wealth 1/Rich)

Connected

Defensive Roll 4

Dodge Focus 5

Evasion 2

Instant Up

Skill Mastery (Acrobatics, Climb, Escape Artist, Sense Motive)

Uncanny Dodge (Mental)

Powers: 21+4+25+5 = 55pp

Communication 6 (Mental, 20 miles; Extras: Area, Two-Way; Power Feats: Rapid [x10], Selective, Subtle) [21pp]

Comprehend 2 (Understand All, Understood by All) [4pp]

Mind Reading 10 (Extras: Action 2 (free); Flaws: Limited (Surface Thoughts); Power Feats: Subtle) [21 + 4 AP = 25pp]

AP: Mind Reading 10 (Extras: Action 2 (Standard), Penetrating; Flaws: Range 2 (Touch); Power Feats: Subtle)

AP: Paralyze 10

AP: Strike 10 (Extras: Alternate Save (Will); Power Feats: Subtle)

AP: Stun 10 (Extras: Alternate Save (Will))

Super-Senses 5 (Accurate: Mental; Danger Sense: Mental; Radius: Mental; Ranged: Mental) [5pp]

Drawbacks: -1 = -1pp

Disability (Mute; uncommon, minor; -1)

DC Block:

Mind Reading 10 --- 20 Will

Mind Reading (touch) --- 20 Will

Paralyze 10 --- 20 Will/Staged

Strike 10 --- 25 Will --- Bruised

Stun 10 --- 20 Will/Staged

Unarmed Attack --- 17 Toughness

Costs: Abilities (26) + Combat (20) + Saves (8) + Skills (19) + Feats (00) + Powers (55) - Drawbacks (1) = 150pp

Posted

A few notes on the original build, before I jump into this:

The Super-Senses would be easier to comprehend if you formatted them differently. List the sense, then all the extras you've applied to that sense, rather than listing each extra separately.

Super-Senses 5 (Danger Sense [Mental], Normal Mental Sense [Extras: Accurate, Radius, Ranged]) [5PP]

I'd add Acute to her Mental sense. Otherwise, she can't discern any fine details about the other minds she senses around her. Among other things, that means she can't tell them apart.

If you can hit a DC20 Acrobat check, which you can, reliably with Skill Mastery, you can rise from prone as a Free Action. So you already have the Instant Up feat for free. There's no reason to buy it.

Every spoken language has its own sign language variant, so you should specify whether she knows French Sign, American Sign, or British Sign (that's right - even the American and British versions of sign language are unintelligible with each other).

Posted

A few notes on the original build, before I jump into this:

The Super-Senses would be easier to comprehend if you formatted them differently. List the sense, then all the extras you've applied to that sense, rather than listing each extra separately.

Super-Senses 5 (Danger Sense [Mental], Normal Mental Sense [Extras: Accurate, Radius, Ranged]) [5PP]

I'd add Acute to her Mental sense. Otherwise, she can't discern any fine details about the other minds she senses around her. Among other things, that means she can't tell them apart.

Ah, ok. Dropping Instant Up will free up a point for that.

If you can hit a DC20 Acrobat check, which you can, reliably with Skill Mastery, you can rise from prone as a Free Action. So you already have the Instant Up feat for free. There's no reason to buy it.

I thought it was something like that but I wasn't sure if my memory was faulty.

Every spoken language has its own sign language variant, so you should specify whether she knows French Sign, American Sign, or British Sign (that's right - even the American and British versions of sign language are unintelligible with each other).

Yeah, I know. I was going to go with ASL. I think I put "Sign Language" down by itself on the mistaken assumption that M&M would simplify a few things (there is a ridiculous number of sign languages.)

Posted

Well, you guys did subtitle Trainspotting...

I personally wouldn't bother with that Penetrating Mind Control. I doubt Impervious Will would come up enough for it to be more of a power stunt.

Posted

Character: Sage

Power Level: 10

Tradeoffs: None

Abilities 4 + 14 + 8 + 0 +6 + 0 = 32PP

Strength 14 (+2)

Dexterity 24 (+7)

Constitution 18 (+4)

Intelligence 10 (+0)

Wisdom 16 (+3)

Charisma 10 (+0)

Combat 8 + 8 = 16PP

Initiative +7

Attack +4 Base, +6 Melee, +8 Swords, +9 Masterwork Sword, +8 Psi-Sword

Grapple +13

Damage +2/+4* Unarmed, +5/+7* Sword, +8/+10* Psi-Sword (*Sneak Attack)

Defense +8 (+4 Base, +4 Dodge Focus), +2 Flat-Footed

Knockback 4, 3 Flat-Footed

Saving Throws 1 + 0 + 4 = 5PP

Toughness +8 (+4 Con, +2 Costume, +2 Defensive Roll), +6 Flat-Footed

Fortitude +5 (+4 Con, +1PP)

Reflex +7 (+7 Dex, +0PP)

Will +7 (+3 Wis, +4PP), +15 vs Mental Powers

Skills 60R = 15PP

Acrobat 9 (+16)

Concentrate 7 (+10)

Climb 3 (+10)

Escape 8 (+15)

Language 4 (ASL, BSL, English, French [Native], LSF)

Notice 12 (+15)

Sense Motive 12 (+15)

Stealth 5 (+12)

Feats 27PP

Acrobatic Bluff

Agile Climber

Attack Focus (Melee) 2

Attack Specialization (Swords)

Benefit 4 (Status, Wealth 3)

Connected

Defensive Attack

Defensive Roll 2

Dodge Focus 4

Equipment 2

Evasion 2

Grapple Finesse

Hide In Plain Sight

Power Attack

Skill Mastery (Acrobat, Escape, Sense Motive, Stealth)

Sneak Attack

Takedown Attack

Powers 4 + 25 + 8 + 19 = 56PP

Enhanced Will 8 (Flaws: Limited [Mental Powers]) [4PP]

Psi-Sword 10 (20PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power 5) [25PP]

Base Power: Strike 8 (Feats: Accurate, Improved Critical 2, Subtle, Extras: Alternate Save [Will]) [20PP]

Alternate Power: Concealment 10 (All Senses, Feats: Close Range, Subtle, Flaws: Phantasm) [12PP]

Alternate Power: Drain Will 8 (Feats: Accurate, Improved Critical 2, Subtle) + Mind Reading 8 (Extras: Action [Move/Standard], Penetrating, Flaws: Range 2 [Touch]) [20PP]

Alternate Power: Emotion Control 9 (Feats: Mind Blank, Subtle, Extras: Area [General, Burst], Selective, Flaws: Range 2 [Touch]) [20PP]

Alternate Power: Mind Reading 9 (Feats: Subtle, Extras: Action 2 [Free], Flaws: Limited [surface Thoughts]) [19PP]

Alternate Power: Sensory Link 6 (All Senses, 20 miles, Feats: Subtle, Extras: Duration [sustained], Simultaneous, Flaws: Action [standard]) [19PP]

Super-Senses 8 (Danger Sense [Mental], Mental Awareness [Mental], Normal Mental Sense [Extras: Accurate, Acute, Radius, Ranged], Uncanny Dodge [Mental]) [8PP]

Telepathy 9 (18PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power) [19PP]

Base Power: Communication 6 (Mental, 20 miles, Feats: Rapid [x10], Subtle, Extras: Two-Way) + Comprehend 2 (Languages 2 [speak Any, Understand Any]) [18PP]

Alternate Power: Concealment 10 (All Senses, Feats: Close Range, Selective, Flaws: Phantasm) [12PP]

Drawbacks -1PP

Mute (Frequency: Uncommon, Intensity: Minor) [-1PP]

Abilities 32 + Combat 8 + Saving Throws 5 + Skills 15 + Feats 27 + Powers 56 - Drawbacks 1 = 150 Power Points


ATTACK               RANGE       DC/SAVE                     EFFECT

Emotion Control      Touch/Area  19/Reflex                   (For 1/2 damage)

                                 19/Will (Staged)            Emotion Control

Mind Read (Surface)  Perception  19/Will                     Mind Reading

Mind Read            Touch       18(20*)/Will                Mind Reading

Psi-Sword            Touch       23(25*)/Will (Staged)       Damage

Sword                Touch       20(22*)/Toughness (Staged)  Damage

Unarmed              Touch       17(19*)/Toughness (Staged)  Damage

Equipment 2PP = 9/10EP

Costume [3EP]

Protection 2 (Feats: Subtle) [3EP]

Sword [6EP]

Strike 3 (Feats: Improved Critical, Masterwork, Mighty) [6EP]

Posted

I'm not 100% happy with this build. I had to cut corners and lower ranks in pretty much every area of the sheet in order to squeeze it all into 150PP. I'd like her saves, skill ranks, combat bonuses, and power ranks all to be higher than they are.

These rebuilds are easier when the character has some points under their belt already. :P

You'll notice that her combat stats are a little undercapped. You'll also notice that she's got Concealment against all senses, and she's got it as an AP in both of her power arrays to make sure she can keep it up all the time. That means that unless they make the DC20 Will save, all of her foes are flat-footed against her, giving her a huge offensive bonus (including the ability to Power Attack with impunity). And they don't get to start making saves until she gives them a reason to, so her first attack is probably a freebie. If they do pierce her Concealment, or if they're immune to Mental powers, she can use Acrobatic Bluff to feint them (which also works on targets who are immune to Interaction skills). Either way, she should get her Sneak Attack bonus most of the time.

The sword was just a way to make sure she isn't completely crippled if she happens to go up against robots, zombies, or other creatures immune to Mental powers. I figured she could either have martial arts or fencing training in her high-class background.

I turned her touch-range Mind Reading into a sort of mental Corrosion effect because, frankly, once you drop Mind Reading to touch-range, you've got more points than you know what to do with.

I wanted to keep Area on the Communication power, but I just didn't have the points. It's a Free Action to initiate and maintain, and she can exchange information ten times faster than human speech, so she should have no problem conversing with multiple people every round.

I originally had more APs in the Psi-Sword array, like touch-range Mind Control and Stun, but I ran out of points, so I left a few out to be temporarily acquired as power stunts in-game as needed. I kept the Area Emotion Control, because it's like Demoralize/Taunt or Fearsome Presence, only so much better.

  • 2 months later...
Posted

I've gotten some complaints about Edge being too powerful. Shaen, can you help me out?

Player Name: Davis

Character Name: Edge

Secret Identity: Mark Mason Lucas

Age: 16 (going on seventeen...)

Power Level: 13 (196/196pp)

Trade-Offs: None

Unspent PP: 0

Description:

Mark Lucas is a handsome young man with curly brown hair, a strong jaw, and the big hands of an athlete. He wears khaki shorts and T-shirts in the hottest days of summer, changing into more formal clothes when the situation requires it. In cooler weather, he dresses up a little, wearing button-down shirts and slacks to class or his school uniform when the situation requires it.

Edge's costume is an armored bodysuit that wraps up onto his face, the attached goggles covering his eyes and providing him with cover for his secret identity. His colors are mostly brown and red, with a black diamond on his chest and a red cape. (He designed the costume himself when he was thirteen, trying to cover all the bases for whatever superpower he was sure to develop.) His primary weapon in costume, in addition to his superpowers, are two light blasters on his wrists that fire non-lethal beams of solid light that can be used to stun.

Personality:

Mark is an easy-going kid, quick to tell a joke, and a bit of a flirt with the girls his own age who he knows fairly well. (Never the one's he's helping tutor; that's immoral!) He'd have more friends if he hadn't picked a fight with some of the more popular kids on campus, but even so he's still well-liked by teachers and most students both. Despite his easy-going, slightly rascally nature, Mark is ultimately a hard-working kid with the deep values of a different generation. When the chips are down, that's when the real Mark comes out; a brave, determined young man with the force of personality to lead himself and his fellow young heroes to victory.

Backstory:

The Lucas family has been around superheroes from the very beginning. Back in the 1940s, James John Lucas was a legacy student at Freedom City University when Mark Leeds was a graduate student in history. The bow-tied Jimmy always stood up for the even nerdier Leeds, defending him from accusations of cowardice and plagarism on multiple occasions. In return for that, and for his "hero's heart," Jimmy Lucas had a very special protector in the sky for most of his adult life. Jimmy was something of a mascot for both the Golden Age Centurion and the Liberty League, avoiding the spotlight out of innate modesty. Eventually, after a wacky adventure in the Magic Kingdom of Oz, he found a magic lamp and used the genie within to help him adventure alongaside his friends in the League, letting him do all sorts of crazy things.

Jimmy Lucas traveled the world and had many adventures, returning home with many wild stories to tell his children and grandchildren. He freed his genie in 1946 after his son was born, after making one last wish to make sure his family would always be happy. No one knows for sure if Jimmy ever figured out that Mark Leeds and the Centurion were one in the same; though he knew both men well for years, his brain never could match his lion's heart. Jimmy Lucas served his country in World War II and then worked as an opinion columnist for the Daily Herald, dying in his sleep in 1989 at the age of sixty-six.

Jimmy's son Richard Marcus Lucas (born 1946) was spoiled rotten, like most Baby Boomers. He grew up a child of postwar prosperity in the suburbs, spending his time racing cars and pretending not to be impressed at his father's fantastic stories about his adventures with the Centurion. On a teenaged dare, he joined some high school friends to see a "real wizard" in 1961 and so had a ringside seat for when Freedom City went to Hades! He zoomed away from the incarnate god in his jalopy, racing straight for his father's friends the superheroes. The teenage boy had a good memory, and enough skill to remember the reversal chant that banished Hades back to Tartarus. The League, impressed, made the boy a sidekick. (Hey, it was a different time.)

Rick Lucas went places, and saw things. He saved Bowman II from being blown up by Doc Holiday's Megaton Firecrackers, was kidnapped and...endangered by Luna Moth before being rescued by Lady Liberty, and helped Raven fight the Conqueror Worm's machinations. He was there for the famous fight between Madame Zero and Nero in '76, and the battle between Centurion and Superior in '77. In a sensitive adventure that helped shed light on the problems of yesterday's youth, he learned jive talk to help infiltrate the Sons of Zero alongside the Black Avenger and the White Lion. He traveled to the homeworld of the Lor Republic and to Gruen, and went back in time to stop King Arthur from being abducted by SHADOW. He was a man adventuring among gods, and never lost his gratitude to them. He was head of security at Freedom Hall when the Freedom League broke up for the last time, a decision he bitterly opposed.

He'd kept his connection to the League quiet so as not to attract attention to his family, but it had been the most important thing in his life for years. Supporting himself as a writer and adventurer in his own time, Rick left Freedom City after the Moore Act was passed. He was angry at the city that had turned its back on its superheroes, and angry at the superheroes who had let themselves be pushed out. He retired from adventuring in the late 1980s after his father's death, eventually marrying his long-time girlfriend Martha in 1991. (Fans of Castle Comics will recognize Martha as the long-time author of the romance comic series Andi, about the romantic adventures of Andi Lodge and her boyfriend Vernon. Rick and Martha met at a business meeting in 1982, when Rick was in town selling her company a script about his adventures in Southeast Asia.)

Despite Rick's misgivings about Freedom City, the couple settled in the new suburb of Ashton. Their son Mark was \born in late 1992, and was just a few months old when the world exploded. The now middle-aged Rick Lucas joined his old heroes the Freedom League in fighting back against the Terminus Invasion, reconciling with the Centurion on behalf of his family (they'd parted with harsh words to each other when the League had broken up) just before the world's greatest hero's death. The baby Mark Lucas is actually in one of the more famous pictures of the Centurion's memorial service, his parents visible just behind the youthful Captain Thunder as the paragon knelt before the Centurion's memorial.

Freedom City recovered quickly from the Terminus Invasion, quickly enough that the youthful Mark Lucas grew up in the same happy suburban conditions as his father. He was raised full of stories of action and adventure, though his parents let him think they were just stories from the comics that his parents now both wrote full-time until he was old enough to understand his family's real history. He was a lucky boy in so many ways, descended from a line of adventurers and heroes who had passed on good values, good genes, and good luck to their descendant.

As it happened, Mark's genes were more than good. It's hard to know exactly what causes mutation, especially when a family line has been exposed to many strange things over the years. Was it all those serums his grandfather had drunk that had given so many temporary superpowers? All the radiation his father had absorbed during his decades of adventure with the world's greatest team of superheroes? The Terminus energy he himself had absorbed as an infant? Or maybe the mutation had been there all along, helping give ordinary men the power to hold their own among demigods. It was hard to tell; indeed, his mutation itself might have gone unnoticed if his father hadn't made sure that doctors with experience in super-science were doing his son's medical checkups. (The family had been around the block a few times.)

At five years old, Mark was thrilled to learn that he was going to be a "supahhero!" one day, and fortunately was young enough that the teachers at his day care discarded the crazy stories he told them the next day. Everyone loved little Mark, and he loved everyone else. He seemed to make everything better for the people around him, and they loved him for it. He spent his childhood working out and studying hard, hoping one day that his powers would _really_ manifest. Popular and handsome, he skated by the worst of his early teenage years without too much trouble.

By the time his parents packed him off to the Claremont Academy, Mark was beginning to get really worried. What if his mutant genes never actually manifested themselves? Would he grow up to be a...sidekick like his father and grandfather? That wouldn't be so bad, but Mark didn't want to just tell stories about the wonders of the universe; he wanted to live those stories!

[Note]more from Mark Lucas. Mark is aware that Duncan and Rick know each other moderately well, but only enough to confirm the school scuttlebutt that Duncan Summers was a superhero back in the day. After all, Rick Lucas was famous for getting around.]

In a stroke of good luck, It was William Polzysky who provided the key to unlocking the true nature of Mark Lucas' superpowers; the big bully unintentionally sparing young Mark from a lot of teenage angst. William, also a new student that year, was in the middle of threatening an even littler kid to hand over his lunch money when the heroic-minded Mark stood up to tell him to back off. William pulled back his fist to smack the little twerp in the face when...the roof caved in on him.

Subsequent investigation (and a brush with detention) revealed the true nature of Mark Lucas' powers; his mutant ability was to manipulate probability and chance, driving the winds of fortune itself. Daedalus called it quantum manipulation; Seven called it fortune's magic, but Mark knew that his superpowers were about being the luckiest boy in the world. He apologized to William and made restititution, doing the right thing for the sake of doing the right thing, and his real training began. He learned how to make accidents happen just by concentrating on them, sometimes incredibly unlikely things coming together to do some serious damage. He got some lessons on working in groups and proved to be a natural leader of other kids, having been trained to expect the impossible from an early age.

At sixteen going on seventeen, Mark is a handsome, popular kid with many friends on campus, with the exception of a couple of Next-Gen kids and the usual run of bullies. Though he's taken a superhero name and maintains a secret identity, Mark hasn't joined the Next-Gen or any other campus super-teams that are on campus. (He hasn't been asked. Having been raised on stories of the Golden, Silver, and Bronze Ages, Mark is not a big fan of the Modern Age Freedom League, and a dirty joke he told about Captain Thunder and Lady Liberty in a moment of weakness got back to Bolt. Ah, teenagers.) The first Lucas with superpowers of his own, he is acutely aware of his family's legacy and works to uphold his own integrity and the family name. He works especially closely with Mr. Perry, who has taught him a great deal about the more public face of history. A hard-working kid; he helps tutor others in his favorite subject, history.

Not everyone's been as lucky as Mark Lucas. But he's going to do his best to change that!

Complications:

Accident (Edge's powers often do as much damage to the scenery as they do to the bad guy himself)

Enemy (The surviving rogues of the Silver Age and Bronze Age Freedom League might want to do dirt to the child of

their enemies' mascot.)

Enemy (Sloth. Stupid jerk!)

Honor (Stand up for the little guy, like a hero should!)

Responsibility (Family legacy)

Responsibility (Tutoring/volunteering)

Rivalry (Bolt and the Next-Gen. "Hey, I don't really think your dad and Lady Liberty are doing it! It was just a

joke, man!")

Secret (Mark's real grandfather was Azim-al-Aziz, the powerful genie rescued by Jimmy Lucas from Nazi captivity. Jimmy's final wish, for his genie to give him a son, was taken perhaps a bit too literally as Azim-al-Aziz proceeded to conjure a child out of his own essence and hand it to the very surprised Jimmy. After an exceedingly awkward conversation with his wife, Jimmy persuaded her to take in the boy as their own and simply never tell anyone that he was adopted. Rick Lucas grew up a normal, healthy man with a strange magical heritage and so wasn't needed in the City of Brass. His grandson may not be so lucky...)

Temper (Mark is a bit...defensive about his father and grandfather. "They were adventurers! They weren't mascots

or sidekicks!)

Abilities: 26 pp

Str 12 (+1)

Dex 14 (+2)

Con 14 (+2)

Int 10 (+0)

Wis 14 (+2)

Cha 22 (+6)

Combat: (22 pp)

Attack +5 (+13 ranged)

Grapple +6

Defense +17 (+3 flat-footed)

Knockback -4/-2/-1

Initiative +6

Saving Throws: (15 pp)

Toughness +9/+5/+2

Fortitude +7 (Con +2, +5),

Reflex +7 (Dex +2, +5)

Will +7 (Wis +2, +5)

Skills: 36r=9pp

Bluff 8 (+14/+18 w/Attractive)

Diplomacy 8 (+14/+18 w/Attractive)

Knowledge: History 8 (+8)

Notice 4 (+6)

Stealth 8 (+10)

Feats: 31 pp

Attack Focus (ranged) 8

Attractive

Beginner's Luck

Connected [family friends of his grandfather and father; people associated with the Golden Age and Silver Age Leagues]

Dodge Focus 11

Equipment 2

Evasion

Improved Initiative

Leadership

Skill Mastery (Bluff, Diplomacy, Knowledge [History], Notice)

Ultimate Save (Toughness)

Ultimate Save (Will)

Uncanny Dodge (Auditory)

Powers: 17+2+9+61+4 = 93

Enhanced Feats 17 (Inspire 5, Luck 6, Set-Up, Teamwork 3, Throwing Mastery 2) (17 pp)

Immunity 2 (Despair and Fear effects) [2pp]

Luck Control 3 (Spend hero point on another's behalf, Spend hero point to force someone else to reroll and take the worst of two rolls, Negate use of HP or GM Fiat) (9 pp)

Reality Warping Array 28 (Power Feat: Alternate Power 5) [61pp]

BP: Probability Control 9 (Extras: Fortune, Area/Burst [50 foot radius]; Selective Attack, Flaws: Limited [Fortune only]) (56 pp)

AP: Blast 12 (Extras: Area/Burst [50 foot radius]; Selective Attack, Flaw: Touch Range, Power Feats: Indirect 3, Progression 5 [500 foot cubes, 6000 square feet]) [unlikely accidents] and Immunity 1 (own powers)

AP: Create Object 13 (Extras: Duration [Continuous], Moveable) (PFs: Innate, Precise, Subtlex2) (56 pp) 'creation'

AP: Disintegration 13 (Flaw: Full-Round Action) (PFs: Improved Critical, Power Attack, Precise, Reversible) (56 pp) 'deletion'

AP: Stun 13 (Extras: Range 2 [Perception]) (PFs: Indirectx3, Reversible) (56 pp) 'chain of hilarious accidents'

AP: Transform 7 [100 lbs] (anything into anything) (Extra: Duration [Continuous]) (PFs: Innate, Precise, Reversible) (52 pp) 'alteration'

Protection 4 [4pp]

DC Blocks:

Unarmed -- 16/Toughness

Blast -- 22/Reflex, 27/Toughness

Disintegration -- 23/Fortitude, 28/Toughness

Stun -- 23/Fortitude

Transform -- 17/Fortitude

Abilities 26 + Skills 9 + Feats 31 + Powers 93 + Combat 22 + Saves 15 = 196/196

NPCs will be statted up:

Use the Mystic Ally from Hero High for Golden Age Jimmy Lucas and his Genie

Use the Two-Fisted Adventurer from Golden Age for Rick Lucas in his prime

Posted

I've gotten some complaints about Edge being too powerful. Shaen, can you help me out?

Could part of that be the descriptor, not just the build? "Reality warping" is an incredibly flexible descriptor.

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