N/A Posted May 13, 2011 Posted May 13, 2011 [floatr][/floatr]Player Name: ShaenTheBrain Character Name: Thrude ("ThrOOD") Power Level: 11 (162/163PP) Trade-Offs: -1 Attack / +1 Damage (Melee), -5 Attack / -5 Damage (Lightning), -3 Defense / +3 Toughness Unspent Power Points: 1 Progress To Gold Status: 13/90 (Silver Status earned with The Scarab) Bronze Reward: 2nd PC at PL10/150PP Silver Reward: 7PP of Equipment for The Scarab, 8PP of Equipment for Thrude In Brief: Dimensionally and temporally displaced Nordic warrior-goddess seeking to redeem her pantheon in the court of public opinion. Alternate Identity: None Identity: Public (She has no "cover identity," but the general public is not in universal agreement regarding her status as an actual goddess) Birthplace: Valhalla, Asgard (Earth-Prime Dimension) Occupation: Chooser-of-The-Slain, Goddess, Princess, Superhero, Warrior Affiliations: The Aesir, The Valkyries, The Interceptors Family: Thor (Father), Sif (Mother), Odin (Paternal Grandfather), Frigga (Paternal Step-Grandmother), Gaea (Paternal Grandmother), Magni (Paternal Half-Brother), Modi (Paternal Half-Brother), Ullr (Maternal Half-Brother), Heimdall (Uncle), Tyr (Uncle), Bragi (Uncle), Vidar (Uncle), Vali (Uncle), Forseti (Cousin), Baldur (Uncle, Deceased), Nanna (Aunt), Hodr (Uncle, Deceased), Loki (Adoptive Granduncle), Alvis (Fiancé, Deceased) [floatl][/floatl]Description: Age: Incalculable (several thousand Earth-years at least) Apparent Age: 18 Gender: Female Ethnicity: Caucasian (Scandinavian) Height: 6'0" Weight: 175 lbs. Eyes: Blue Hair: Gold A deity in the image of her followers, Thrude has eyes like lightning, set into flesh as pale as fresh snow, both of which almost seem to glow. The long, flowing golden locks she inherited from her mother shine like honey in the light of the sun. She usually wears them braided to keep them out of her way during combat. She stands tall with the regal imperiousness one would expect of a princess, and moves with the sure, practiced gait of a trained warrior in peak condition. Her words are always clear and crisp, from a combination of perfect enunciation and sheer window-rattling volume. Power Descriptions: As a goddess, Thrude is simply stronger, faster, tougher, hardier, and more beautiful than any mortal ever could be. Her presence commands more respect. She can run faster and jump higher. Her eyes and ears see and hear farther and better, and she is equally at home on dry land, on the highest mountain, or in the deepest ocean. Although hunger and thirst cause her discomfort, they will not be her undoing. As a member of a pantheon where every god is a "god of war," Thrude has received extensive formal training in hand-to-hand combat. That training is obvious to anyone with comparable instruction, even despite her very aggressive, reckless, and ultimately straightforward fighting style. Those traits are particularly emphasized when she uses the techniques her father taught her to enter the "berserk" state of mind, tapping into a nearly endless wellspring of anger and pushing herself beyond even her own divine limits. As the daughter of the god of thunder himself, Thrude has an inherent and intense connection to storms and winter in general. At her command (conscious or otherwise), mist shrouds the sky, rain and snow pour down, thunder and lightning crash. Electricity arcs up and down her body and between her eyes. When she wills it, the chill wind coalesces into the spectral image of a magnificent horse, which she appears to ride as it lifts her into the air. In battle, she wears a coat of resplendent silvered steel mail, solid plates over a bed of interlocking chain. Runes of protection, etched into the mithril and filled in with powdered gems, line the plates. The mail is strong enough to turn aside almost any attack, and the magic of the runes pulls at those attacks, diverting them from bare flesh to thickest silvered-steel. Under her mail, she wears leathers and linens dyed in bright azure and amber hues, similar to the brightly-colored jumpsuits worn by modern superheroes. [floatr][/floatr]Her weapon, Vendrvapn, consists of a ebony haft a meter long, with a gleaming mithril double-head which morphs at her mental command between the shape of a battle axe and a warhammer. In either form, the head is nearly as wide as the haft is long, etched with magical runes similar to those on her armor. But these runes are killing words. On the edges of the axe blades or the striking faces of the hammer, lightning crackles, frost gleams, and a pale blue and white aura of "pure cold" glows. The weapon looks to be completely impractical, and indeed, to anyone relying solely upon the laws of physics, it is worse than useless, refusing even to move. But at the first sign of danger, it leaps almost unbidden into the hands of those of honor and courage, those deemed "worthy." The haft extends and retracts in reaction to both the size and strength of the wielder and the proximity of her foes. And in those worthy hands, it is a weapon that can crush mountains into dust, or cleave even a god in twain. History: Odin, All-Father, was king of the gods of the North, the Aesir, they who had eaten of the golden apples from the Tree of Idunn and gained eternal youth and vitality beyond the reach of mortal men. Odin One-Eye gave gifts of knowledge to the northern tribes: hunting, swordplay, literacy, even brewing, all of it knowledge he gained at great personal risk and sacrifice. With Jord, also known as Gaea, the giantess who personified the very Earth itself, he begat Thor. Thor, who commanded the thunder and the lightning, married Sif, she of the golden hair in whose fertile womb the fields bore fruit. Together, they in turn begat Thrude, Daughter of Storms, Princess of Asgard. Her name means "Power" or "Strength" in one of the oldest tongues ever spoken upon the European continent. The Aesir sought to form a lasting alliance with the dwarves, the runesmiths, creators of wondrous devices. To that end, Thrude was promised to wed Alvis, the All-Wise, master smith. He was small of stature and humble in bearing, but of great skill and kind heart. Thrude learned much during their courtship, for Alvis rivaled even Odin in his understanding of runic lore. With Thrude by her side, he forged for her a great suit of mail, inscribed with enchanted runes of protection that would turn aside any blow, and Vedrvapn, a weapon fit for the Daughter of Storms, a weapon to rival the magnificence of her father's great warhammer Mjolnir. But her father, Thor, did not approve of the union. His pride could not bear the insult of a dwarf as a son-in-law and heir. So Thor tricked Alvis, demanding from him a "test of wisdom." All night did Thor ask questions of Alvis, questions about everything under the sun. And it was the sun that was the dwarf's undoing, for he was so distracted by Thor's tests that he did not notice its morning arrival until its rays turned him to stone, the fate of all dvergur touched by Sol. [floatl][/floatl]Consumed with rage and grief, Thrude turned away from her father, joining the Valkyries. Alongside her sister shieldmaidens, she descended unto the battlefields of Midgard, choosing the bravest and the strongest of fallen mortal warriors to train and fight and revel in Asgard. She helped build the army which would defend the realms from the ravages of the Jotnar on the day of reckoning, Ragnarok. She fought many battles in the name of the Aesir, slew many foes, men and monsters alike. It was in a battle with such a beast that young Thrude's fate was sealed. Fenris, the great wolf, Loki's foul get, had slipped his bonds once again, and Thrude had hunted him to the ends of the Earth. Goddess and Monster were locked in ferocious battle, with no quarter being asked nor given, when Loki, the unequaled trickster, trapped the them both with his sorcery. What purpose he intended in their capture, if there ever was one, has since been lost to time, having slipped through the cracks of the trickster-god's countless machinations. To the outside world, their prison appeared as simple pottery, a jar or bottle like any other. But inside the pocket dimension contained within, their battle raged on throughout the centuries. There was no sense of the passage of time for them, no frame of reference, only a void, empty save for their foe. In the year 2011 of the Common Era of the Gregorian Calendar, a clumsy and ignorant human accidentally destroyed a simple clay jar from a collection of ancient Viking relics, and unleashed both Thrude and the Fenris Wolf upon Midgard once more. On Midgard, their battle may finally reach its conclusion. Having arrived through no fault or intent of her own, Thrude will not be bound by the pact which forbids her fellow Aesir from entering Midgard, so long as she remains there. Thus, upon her shoulders rests the defense of the Earthly realm, of people who have either grown to hate the old gods, or have simply forgotten them. Upon her shoulders rests the honor and redemption of her entire pantheon. Personality & Motivation: Like any teenager, mortal or divine, Thrude isn't half as worldly or sophisticated as she thinks she is. Of all her faults, it is her naiveté to which she is most blind. Sometimes to her chagrin, Thrude takes after her parents, and indeed, her entire family. She is brave and confident almost to a fault, acts and speaks before thinking (often violently), and lets her boundless passion rule her. She is a linear thinker with a straightforward personality, who prefers any action at all to inaction. A straight line is not only the quickest way between two points, it is the only way. If something doesn't fit, bend it, and if it doesn't bend, break it. But she is also generous and self-sacrificing almost to a fault, seeking to alleviate the suffering of others by any means necessary, taking them upon herself without hesitation. She will always be the first to charge in and the last to withdraw, seeking out the most powerful foes or the most dangerous hazards for herself, holding herself to a higher standard than anyone else. In her mind, there is nothing that can't be done, no foe who can't be overcome. Complications: :!: Accidents: As the daughter of a thunder god, Thrude has an innate, intimate connection with winter and stormy weather, and it is not always under her control. When she feels particularly excited, distressed, or depressed, the weather around her often changes to reflect her mood without conscious effort on her part. And as a young and reckless warrior, she often takes action without full regard to the potential consequences. A GM should feel free to give her or her comrades a Hero Point in exchange for either temporarily forcing the "Uncontrolled" flaw upon one or more of her powers, or creating a new hazard as a result of their use. :!: Anachronism: Thrude spent the last thousand years imprisoned in a pocket dimension. A GM should feel free to give her or her comrades a Hero Point when her lack of context and familiarity with the modern world creates an inconvenient misunderstanding. :!: Brash: Thrude is young and inexperienced. She inherited her father's boundless passion and courage, but also his reckless short-sightedness and lack of tactical or scholarly acumen. She is prone to "jumping the gun," and a GM should feel free to dictate a less-than-optimal course of action for her in exchange for a Hero Point (either for her, or for an ally inconvenienced by her actions). :!: Enemies: Thrude's family has many enemies, in the heavens and on Earth. With the rest of her pantheon forbidden to set foot on Earth, she is isolated, a prime target for their wrath. The Jotnar (giants/trolls) have gone back and forth between opposing them directly (particularly Ymir of the frost giants and Surtur of the fire giants), and undermining them with trickery and deceit (the specialty of Loki, and the many monsters he has begotten, such as the dire wolf Fenris). And there are people on Earth who suffered as the result of Thor's (admittedly unwilling) service to the Nazis during World War 2. They, or their descendents, may hold Thrude personally accountable. A GM should feel free to either give these ancestral foes and their schemes center-stage, or just have them show up as supporting characters at the worst possible time. :!: Honor Before Reason: The Aesir never let a little thing like "certain death" stop them from fighting the good fight. And since "doing the right thing" is more important than "winning" or even "surviving," the ends do not justify the means. An honorable defeat is better than a dishonorable victory. Thrude can wield Vendervapn only so long as she proves "worthy" of it. :!: Lost Love: Thrude still grieves for Alvis, the dwarf runesmith to whom she was betrothed (before her father killed him). A GM should feel free to inflict penalties upon Thrude when she is distracted by his memory, or when an enemy uses that memory to manipulate her, in exchange for a Hero Point. :!: Reputation: The Thule Society's binding of Thor into service for the Nazis during World War 2 did incalculable damage to the global perception of the Nordic pantheon. Both superheroes and the general public will be skeptical, at best, of Thrude's intentions. A GM should feel free to give Thrude a Hero Point in exchange for making NPCs less inclined, if at all, to trust or aid her. One way to represent this mechanically would be to force a penalty (or an automatic failure) on Bluff, Diplomacy, and/or Gather Information checks. :!: Rivals: Like many young women before her, mortal and divine alike, Thrude's relationship with her father is complicated and contentious at best. He cheated on Thrude's mother, his wife, siring bastard sons with another goddess. He murdered Thrude's betrothed. And his weakness, his inability to resist the powers of the Thule sorcerers, single-handedly ruined the reputation of his entire pantheon in the eyes of their Earthly followers. Thrude has also developed a relationship of mutual loathing and grudging respect with the armored hero Fenris. Abilities: 16 + 16 + 16 + 0 + 0 + 16 = 64PP Strength: 26 (+8) Dexterity: 26 (+8) Constitution: 26 (+8) Intelligence: 10 (+0) Wisdom: 10 (+0) Charisma: 26 (+8) Combat: 12 + 12 = 24PP Initiative: +8 Attack: +6 Melee, +2 Ranged, +10 Vendrvapn Strike, +6 Lightning Grapple: +14, up to +26 with Dynamic Super-Strength Defense: +8 (+6 Base, +2 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed Knockback: -9/-7, -4 Unarmored Saving Throws: 0 + 0 + 8 = 8PP Toughness: +14 (+8 Con, +6 Armor [unreliable Impervious 4]) Fortitude: +8 (+8 Con, +0) Reflex: +8 (+8 Dex, +0) Will: +8 (+0 Wis, +8) Skills: 24R = 6PP Craft (Artistic) 2 (+2) Knowledge (Arcane) 2 (+2) Knowledge (History) 2 (+2) Knowledge (Theology & Philosophy) 2 (+2) Languages 7 (Danish, English, German, Icelandic, Norwegian, Old English, Old Norse [Native], Swedish) Notice 4 (+4) Ride 1 (+9) Survival 4 (+4) Feats: 10PP Artificer (Rune Magic) Benefit (Status [Goddess]) Dodge Focus 2 Equipment 0 (+8 [40EP] Veteran Reward) Fearless Interpose Ritualist (Rune Magic) Takedown Attack Track Ultimate Save (Will) +40EP for Interceptors Shared Equipment Powers: 8 + 24 + 7 + 1 + 1 + 3 + 11 + 6 = 61PP Devices 2 (10PP Container, Flaws: Hard-To-Lose) [8PP] (Enchanted Bag of Holding, Enchanted Mithril Armor) Dimensional Pocket 1 (100 lbs., Extras: Action [Move/Free], Flaws: Additional Save [Reflex], Requires Grapple) [1PP] (Bag of Holding) Features 1 (Quick Change) [1PP] (Armor) Immunity 2 (Critical Hits, Flaws: Unreliable [50%]) [1PP] (Armor) Impervious Toughness 4 (Flaws: Unreliable [50%]) [2PP] (Armor) Protection 6 (Drawbacks: Weak Point) [5PP] (Armor) Device 7 (35PP Container, Flaws: Easy-To-Lose, Feats: Quick Draw, Restricted 2 [Can only be lifted or wielded by "the worthy"]) [24PP] (Enchanted Empathic Mithril Weapon ["Vendrvapn"]) Divine Power 9 (18PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power, Dynamic Alternate Power 3) [25PP] Base Power: [16 + 2 = 18PP]Environment Control 9 (Cold [intense, 10 minutes, 1/2-mile radius], Hamper Movement [1/2 Speed, 1/2-mile radius], Visibility [-4 Notice/Search, 1/2-mile radius], Wind [Extinguishes open flames automatically, protected flames 50%, -4 Thrown Attacks, -4 Auditory Notice, 1-mile radius], Extras: Independent, Linked, Flaws: Action [Full], Range [Touch], Feats: Feature [buys off Full Power drawback], Slow Fade [1 minute]) [16PP] (Summon Storms, Weather Control [Dark Clouds, Chill Wind, Lightning, Rain, Thunder]) & Flight 1 (10mph / 100ft per Move Action) [2PP] (Divine Wind)Detailed breakdown:Environment Control 9 (1/2-mile radius, Cold [intense, 10 minutes], Extras: Independent, Linked, Flaws: Action [Full], Range [Touch]) [3PP]Environment Control 9 (1/2-mile radius, Hamper Movement [1/2], Extras: Independent, Linked, Flaws: Action [Full], Range [Touch]) [3PP]Environment Control 9 (1/2-mile radius, Visibility [-4 Notice/Search], Extras: Independent, Linked, Flaws: Action [Full], Range [Touch]) [3PP]Environment Control 10 (1 mile radius, Wind [Extinguishes open flames automatically, protected flames 50%, -4 Thrown Attacks, -4 Auditory Notice], Extras: Independent, Linked, Flaws: Action [Full], Range [Touch]) [5PP] 3 + 3 + 3 + 5 = 14PP, +2 Feats = 16PPAlternate Power: [16 + 2 = 18PP]Blast 10 (Flaws: Action [Full], Feats: Accurate 2, Homing 2, Indirect 2) [16PP] (Divine Lightning) & Flight 1 (10mph / 100ft per Move Action) [2PP] (Divine Wind)Alternate Power (Dynamic): Flight 1-9 (Max 5,000mph / 50,000ft [10 miles] per Move Action) [2-18PP] (Divine Wind)Alternate Power (Dynamic): Strike 4 (Feats: Accurate 2, Extended Reach [10ft], Improved Critical [19-20], Incurable, Mighty, Variable Descriptor [bludgeoning, Cold, Lightning, Slashing]) [11PP] + Knockback 1-7 (DMG 5-11 +STR) [1-7PP] (Weapon Strike) [12-18PP]Alternate Power (Dynamic): Super-Strength 1-9 (Up to +45 Lifting STR) [2-18PP] (Divine Might) Vendrvapn Combined":1k9o612i] Divine Power 12 (24PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power, Dynamic Alternate Power 3) [31PP] Base Power: [22 + 2 = 24PP]Environment Control 12 (5-mile radius, Cold [intense, 10 minutes], Hamper Movement [1/2], Visibility [-4 Notice/Search], Wind [Extinguishes open flames automatically, -4 Thrown Attacks, -4 Auditory Notice], Extras: Independent, Linked, Flaws: Action [Full], Range [Touch], Feats: Benefit [No Full Power Drawback], Slow Fade 3 [20 minutes]) [22PP] (Summon Storms, Weather Control [Dark Clouds, Chill Wind, Lightning, Rain, Thunder]) & Flight 1 (10mph / 100ft per Move Action) [2PP] (Divine Wind)Detailed breakdown:Environment Control 12 (5 mile radius, Cold [intense, 10 minutes], Extras: Independent, Linked, Flaws: Action [Full], Range [Touch]) [4PP]Environment Control 12 (5 mile radius, Hamper Movement [1/2], Extras: Independent, Linked, Flaws: Action [Full], Range [Touch]) [4PP]Environment Control 12 (5 mile radius, Visibility [-4 Notice/Search], Extras: Independent, Linked, Flaws: Action [Full], Range [Touch]) [4PP]Environment Control 12 (5 mile radius, Wind [Extinguishes open flames automatically, protected flames 50%, -4 Thrown Attacks, -4 Auditory Notice], Extras: Independent, Linked, Flaws: Action [Full], Range [Touch]) [6PP] 4 + 4 + 4 + 6 = 18PP, +1 Benefit (No Full Power Drawback), +3 Slow Fade = 22PPAlternate Power: [22 + 2 = 24PP]Blast 16 (10 160ft Range Increments / 1,600ft Max Range, Flaws: Action [Full], Feats: Accurate 2, Homing 2, Indirect 2) [22PP] (Divine Lightning) & Flight 1 (10mph / 100ft per Move Action) [2PP] (Divine Wind)Alternate Power (Dynamic): Flight 1-12 (Max 50,000mph / 500,000ft [100 miles] per Move Action) [2-24PP] (Divine Wind)Alternate Power (Dynamic): Strike 4 (Feats: Accurate 2, Extended Reach [10ft], Improved Critical [19-20], Incurable, Mighty, Variable Descriptor [bludgeoning, Cold, Lightning, Slashing]) [11PP] + Knockback 1-13 (DMG 13-25) [1-13PP] (Weapon Strike) [12-24PP]Alternate Power (Dynamic): Super-Strength 1-12 (Max STR 86 [Heavy Load: 1,884 tons 320 lbs.]) [2-24PP] (Divine Might) Immunity 20 (Cold Effects, Electrical Effects, Flaws: Limited [1/2 Effect]) [10PP] (Divine Elemental Affinity) Divine Power 3 (6PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power) [7PP] Base Power: Environment Control 3 (Cold [intense, 10 minutes, 25ft radius], Hamper Movement [1/2 speed, 25ft radius], Visibility [-4 Notice/Search, 25ft radius], Wind [Extinguishes open flames automatically, protected flames 50%, -4 Thrown Attacks, -4 Auditory Notice, 50ft radius], Extras: Independent, Linked, Flaws: Action [Full], Range [Touch], Feats: Slow Fade 2 [5 minutes], Drawbacks: Full Power) [6PP] (Summon Storms [Dark Clouds, Chill Wind, Lightning, Rain, Thunder], Weather Control)Detailed breakdown:Environment Control 3 (25ft radius, Cold [intense, 10 minutes], Extras: Independent, Linked, Flaws: Action [Full], Range [Touch]) [1PP]Environment Control 3 (25ft radius, Hamper Movement [1/2], Extras: Independent, Linked, Flaws: Action [Full], Range [Touch]) [1PP]Environment Control 3 (25ft radius, Visibility [-4 Notice/Search], Extras: Independent, Linked, Flaws: Action [Full], Range [Touch]) [1PP]Environment Control 4 (50ft radius, Wind [Extinguishes open flames automatically, protected flames 50%, -4 Thrown Attacks, -4 Auditory Notice], Extras: Independent, Linked, Flaws: Action [Full], Range [Touch]) [2PP] 1 + 1 + 1 + 2 = 5PP, +2 Slow Fade = 7PP, -1 Full Power = 6PPAlternate Power: Super-Strength 3 (Lifting STR 41 [Heavy Load: 3 tons 1,360 lbs.]) [6PP] (Divine Might) Enhanced Strength 0 (Extras: Vampiric [1, +9 Recovery]) [1PP] (Berserker Rage, Training) Environment Control 1 (Light [Low], 5ft radius, Extras: Action [Move], Flaws: Range [Touch]) [1PP] (Divine Lightning Aura) Features 3 (Environment Adaptation [stormy Weather], Special Effects [stormy Weather], Teleport Beacon [The Brownstone]) [3PP] (Divine Elemental Affinity) Immunity 11 (Aging, Life Support, Starvation/Thirst) [11PP] (Divine Might) Physical Perfection 1 (5PP Container [Passive, Permanent], Feats: Innate) [6PP] Leaping 1 (x2 [Running Long Jump: 36ft, 40ft Rage]) [1PP] Speed 1 (10mph / 100ft per Move Action) [1PP] Super-Senses 3 (Extended Hearing [100ft Notice Increments], Extended Vision [100ft Notice Increments], Low-Light Vision) [3PP] Drawbacks: (-3) + (-3) + (-2) + (-3) = -11PP Disability (One Eye, -4 Ranged Attacks, Frequency: Common, Intensity: Moderate) [-3PP] Vulnerability (Emotion Effects, Frequency: Uncommon, Intensity: Major [x2]) [-3PP] (Divine Passion) Vulnerability (Fire/Heat Effects, Frequency: Common, Intensity: Minor [+1 DC]) [-2PP] (Opposing Elemental Forces) Vulnerability (Magic Effects, Frequency: Very Common, Intensity: Minor [+1 DC]) [-3PP] DC Block: ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC23 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Weapon Touch DC27 Toughness (Staged) Damage* Lightning Ranged DC31 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Energy) [b][u]Totals[/u]: Abilities (64) + Combat (24) + Saving Throws (8) + Skills (6) + Feats (10) + Powers (61) - Drawbacks (11) = 162/163 Power Points[/b] *Energy and/or Physical (Variable Descriptor) Power Stunts For Divine Power Blast/Strike (Extras: Area [burst]) (Ball Lightning, Super-Strength Shockwave) Blast (Extras: Alternate Save [Fortitude]) (Lightning) Create Object (Ice) Dazzle (Visual and/or Auditory Senses) (Lightning, Thunder) Immovable (Extras: Unstoppable) (Divine Might) Move Object (Divine Wind) Obscure (Visual Senses) (Fog/Mist) Snare (Ice) Space Travel (Divine Wind) Stun (Lightning) Trip (Divine Wind)
Avenger Assembled Posted May 14, 2011 Posted May 14, 2011 Love the pictures: they really give you an artistic feel for the character. Are you sure Variable Descriptor 1 is really that helpful for you in terms of how many descriptors you get? Or am I misreading you and it's actually 2? No Ride/Survival/Climb? Or is that just a points-cost issue?
N/A Posted May 14, 2011 Author Posted May 14, 2011 Love the pictures: they really give you an artistic feel for the character. Thanks. Are you sure Variable Descriptor 1 is really that helpful for you in terms of how many descriptors you get? Or am I misreading you and it's actually 2? The examples they give in the book are "any electromagnetic" or "any weather" for 1 rank, and "any magic" or "any tech" for 2 ranks. Her current range seemed on par with 1 and far short of 2. Variable Descriptor basically turns the power into mini-array by itself. Normally, when you have a power with multiple descriptors, it's bound by all of them. If her weapon had "Electricity," "Magic," and "Cold," then if an enemy had Immunity/Impervious/etc. against one of them, he may as well have it against all of them (a generous GM would at least consider only making him partially Immune to the attack). But VD lets you pick and choose once per round which descriptors the attack will carry and which it won't, just like choosing which AP in an array will be active for the round. So she can choose once per round whether her attacks will inflict Cold, Electricity, Slashing, and/or Bludgeoning damage, instead of having to have a bunch of separate APs, each with one or more of those descriptors. No Ride/Survival/Climb? Or is that just a points-cost issue? Part of it was a cost issue. I'm already "wasting" points in a lot of areas for conceptual reasons. It's far from the most efficient build I've ever put together. Part of it was that it didn't occur to me because she doesn't actually need those skills. Her Immunities render Survival useless. The "flying horse" she rode as a Valkyrie is just a descriptor of her Flight power. And her Strength score gives her a decent Climb skill. But now that I think about it, you're right, it's a little weird for her to not have some of that stuff. Heh. I knew I was forgetting something when I managed to fit Luck into a starting build. OK, I dropped the Luck ranks, shuffled around her skill ranks a bit, and gave her some Ride, Survival, and the Track feat. Now she's a decent hunter. More traits I'll probably never use, but CONCEPT! :rock:
Avenger Assembled Posted May 14, 2011 Posted May 14, 2011 Okay, you convinced me on the Variable Descriptor deal, and the skills are good! I've always thought that the various divine types should have skills relating to where they live. I doubt I could convincingly take you through a numbers audit, so...APPROVED
Dr Archeville Posted May 15, 2011 Posted May 15, 2011 When were she & Fenris jar'd? And how does she know English?
N/A Posted May 15, 2011 Author Posted May 15, 2011 When were she & Fenris jar'd? I was intentionally vague about that, because of the inherent difficulty in matching timelines between Real Time and Mythology Time. A rough estimate is "No later than the Dark-to-Middle Ages." I should probably add an Anachronism complication, come to think of it... And how does she know English? The honest answer is "Because I didn't think she'd get approved if she couldn't talk with the other PCs, and Comprehend was too expensive." Ironic, then, that it's now part of what's holding up her approval (not that I'm in any particular hurry). The fluff answer is that her native language is Old Norse, the language the people who created her mythology (in Real Life, anyway), and the other languages she speaks are all tongues which descended more or less directly from Old Norse (and spoken by cultures who, at some point, venerated the Norse pantheon, or their own version thereof). Modern English is, as you know, a sort of "grandchild" of Old Norse. "Old English" (the language of the Anglo-Saxons) is descended from Old Norse, and Modern English is descended from Old English. (That's a vast oversimplification, of course - the "English" language we speak today is the result of the Gaels being repeatedly invaded by the Vikings, Anglo-Saxons, Romans, and Normans over the course of a couple millenia, and having Old Norse, Old English, Latin, and French smashed into Gaelic like a fifteen-car pile-up inside a blender.) The way I planned to roleplay it was that, while she has the Modern English language mechanically, in-character she doesn't speak it very well, because she's more or less deducing it as she goes from cognates in languages that she is fluent in. (Incidentally, that's why I didn't wind up giving her Finnish. Despite the geographic proximity, the language of the Finns is an isolate, having almost nothing in common with any languages other than Hungarian.) Like I said, her speaking English was an out-of-character concession to my fellow Refs, and so if it's a problem, if it's anything at all other than "what you guys want," then I'll gladly drop it and reallocate that skill rank.
Dr Archeville Posted May 15, 2011 Posted May 15, 2011 Nah, that works perfectly fine for me! Fluff's great, crunch is solid -- :approved:
Recommended Posts