pc Errant (PL 7/10) - The Absurdist

[TheAbsurdist]

Errant

Power Level: 7/10 (105/152PP)
Trade-Offs: None
Unspent Power Points: 47


In Brief: Refugee from New Freedom, thrust into the world on his own, trying to find his way, and answers to questions about his parents.

Alternate Identity: Elias Silvestri (Birth name: Hector Aguayo III)
Identity: Secret
Birthplace: New Freedom
Occupation: Student, Costumed Adventurer
Affiliations: Claremont
Family: Hector (Father, Haywire), 'Elizabeth' (Mother, Cattavaria), and 'Uncle' Corso (Courser)

Description:
Age: 16
Apparent Age: 16
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Causcasian [italian], Hispanic, Vietnamese.
Height: 5'9
Weight: 154
Eyes: Hazel
Hair: Shaved (Dark Brown)



Errant is an austere fellow. His expression serious and severe, his eyebrows seemingly in a perpetual scowl. Though when he smiles it almost night and day in contrast, looking more his age when that is the case. He has an olive complexion, with startling contrasting eyes. Generally he keeps his hair buzzed or shaved off entirely. His clothes follow that utilitarian outlook.

He wears the standard Claremont uniform. The only addition being a a full mask over his features, and the Israeli military boots. When he is not dressed as a Claremont uniform, and 'on duty' he favors clothes that blend in to his surroundings, and adopting a mask still, where necessary.

Power Descriptions:
His telepathic powers have little to no manifestation, and seem to be tied to his Ego and Super Ego. And seems to be far more refined versions of what his father had. Thus far his telekinetic powers manifestations have been more instinctual, relating to the id, thus far, existing as an additional passive sense. His ability to telekinetically parry is a refined defensive reaction to stimulus, it visually is represented as a localized distortion of force to intercept attacks.

His powers are growing and evolving. After all the program's result was to breed someone with abilities that comprised both of his parents powers. Thus far he seems to have developed a more focused version of his father's abilities. Though refining his powers was not a goal of his mother as she raised him, afraid of the potential outcomes, however his telepathic powers arrived too early and too strongly to be denied. However, now that he is out in the world the changes are speeding up, as his preternatural prowess seems to let him adapt and seems to be related to whatever wiring in his mind that supplements his psionic powers. If not being derived from his mothers abilities.


History:

His backtory is tied, in part, to that of New Freedom, and to a large degree how the shadows of his parents decisions fell onto his life. His parents were selected by the Harper regime to be 'matched' so as to produce a child with a more likely chance to possess abilities. His father, Hector, was a Marxist revolutionary with fascist leanings who came from a family sympathetic to the Psions methods, and later was a loyal man for Jade Harper. His mother, Elena, was the daughter of a U.S. expatriate, and his Vietnamese wife, who fled to New Freedom during the late 60's. While Hector bought wholesale into Jade Harper's aims, Elizabeth's parents did not and that reflected on the girl, who managed to just pay lip service to the indoctrination desired by Harper.

Eventually Elena and Hector were paired in the hopes they would bring forth children that would be possessed of useful abilities. Elena being an operative with considerable protential who adapted to the harsh realities of New Freedom, particularly after her parents' demise, and Hector one of the established stars of the new regime. Elena, had no desire to further these particular plans and desires of her superiors, even if it meant she didn't have to do missions. Fortunately for her, it seemed as those she was barren, and rather than terminate the marriage as a source of embarassment, it was allowed for Hector be allowed to dally, so as to not kill a resource like Elena. It was something Elena could contend with.

That changed after the Terminus invasion. Something happened to Hector during that time, the specifics are unclear, but whatever Hector experienced changed him. Already something of a ruthless man, he became prone to psychotic rages, and became obsessed with continuing 'his line.' And saw Elena's inability to bear children as an affront to him. During that time Elena spent most of her time overseas, until it seemed as though her had calmed down. He waited for less than a week after she returned. The news of his wife's pregnancy seemed to calm him down tremendously, though he ruled over her coldly and mercilessly. It was when she felt her son's dawning psychic consciousness that she new she could not stay.

After the birth of the boy, he calmed greatly, though it seemed as though Hector was firmly incapable of feeling emotions in teh same fashion most did, and the man's submersion deeper into the New Freedom indoctrination offered some stability to him, or at least it prevented him from lashing out at the boy. Elena bided her time and gathered her favors together, and her resources, and made her escape with her son while Hector was in a meeting. He returned home to be greeted by an explosive. Using most of her favors owed to her, as well as incurring some debts, Elena managed to take her son, who she called Lorenzo, and managed to find succor, albeit temporarily, in Singapore.

Paying off her debts through a few missions, with the aid an old ally, Courser, she stayed there several years, until she could barter her way back to the United States. Once there, she went out into the high desert of Eastern Oregon and hid, with only Courser (Uncle Corso) being a link to the world at large. There she raised her son, unfortunately it was done with her paranoia over being found in place, and so his childhood was largely stemming from the circumstances that led to that. His mother reinforced, early on, boundaries on her telepathically precocious son, as she desired to not have him end up like his father. This was a lesson that he took to heart, as his mother allowed him to access her memories about those events, and he got to feel those events from her perspective. It did work, driving into him an aversion of the kind of victimizing behavior Elena was worried he might inherit. The only constant figure in his life, besides her, was Uncle Corso, who helped round out the boy's education, who often came to visit when Elena had to go and continue to pay her debts.

This status quo lasted for over a decade, until there came a point where Lorenzo started to chafe under these restrictions, knowing there was more than what he had been exposed to. Then it happened, Corso appeared, bloodied and explained to Elena that her husband was coming. Hurriedly thrusting into Lo's hands things she had prepared for this occasion before her husband appeared, along with several armed men. Elena started exchanging gunshots to buy them some time, before Corso exerted himself greatly to teleport the boy onto a rooftop in Freedom City. Lo was able to snatch up some thoughts as this was happening, getting some information, and an the last thing he heard was his mother telling him to be better, and to get to the Claremont academy and then... He was alone. In an unfamiliar place, reaching out to his mother's thoughts only to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of people around him. Once he was able to push out all the extra thoughts, he set about doing what his mother had trained him to do: survive, adapt, flourish. However the context was entirely new.

Personality & Motivation:
Lorenzo is a serious and somewhat withdrawn guy. Amazingly well adjusted considering how he was raised, he just doesn't know how to interact sometimes, and he is a little awkward. Though as he learns, that is not terribly unique, he is just lagging a bit behind others in his age group. His arrival into Freedom City gave him a bit of a shock, as he was exposed to innumerable number of minds, and it was more than overwhelming, and while he is primarily driven by the selfish urge to resolve the questions he has, his ability to feel the pain of others in the almost literal sense gives him an immediate temper to that drive. He knows, full well the suffering of others, it is a weight he is aware of, and he cannot ignore it. Which is opposite to his normal preference to avoid open conflict. Or so he believes, as he had a surprising competitive streak just waiting to get out, which might be a manifestation to passive adaptive abilities, and his desire to challenge himself and to spur himself further allows them to escalate.

Powers & Tactics:
Given the nature of his powers, he prefers, currently, to list back avoid direct confrontation. Currently he is able to provide a good bit of support and that is where her prefers to be. His mother's lessons on avoidance still in his mind. And truthfully, he knows he is not able to hang in the front, though he does know that his abilities give him quite an edge in relaying information to others.

Complications:

Secret: Identity. If who he is got out could be a political issue, and certainly his father is still after his son.
Awkward Teenage Blues: Not being properly socialized growing up, his abilities, and due to circumstance he is a little distrusting of others, plus he is incredibly candid, and as such, has issues with normal social interactions.
Fish out of Water: Being around all these people... it's a new experience (and a bit of a system shock to his powers). While smart enough to adapt, there are still going to be things that blindside him for awhile.
Secrets Comes Home to Roost: His final moments with his mother and Corso garnered him an info dump that is still jarring. Now he has more and more questions. And he wants answers.

 

Spoiler

It is more than that, his mother had a greater difficulty with her son than he remembers. Part of the reason he balks at such over influencing of others' thoughts is that his mother had him use such abilities on himself in the hopes of eradicating certain impulses and psionically embedded training into him. Thus far it seems to have worked. What happens with these things become unlocked and he learns uncomfortable truths? Not just about himself, but about the tree he fell from?

Principled Refusal: Learned early on that he had the ability to twist thoughts and hearts about. While he will use his powers to influence others a little, he felt his mother's revulsion at what his father did, and as such he refuses to do lasting changes to others' psyche (Will never use Mental Transform, Mind Control, or Mind Switch off his array, even if it might be beneficial).
Red Rage of Compassion: Errant's empathy is not the intellectualized synthesis of another's emotions, he experiences those feelings, fully, and in context of the associated memories. As such, it takes effort for him to abide suffering, and he is apt to lash out at the abuser, no matter his involvement with the abusee.

Abilities: 0 + 4 + 6 + 4 + 6 + 0 = 20 PP
Strength 10 (+0)
Dexterity 14 (+2)
Constitution 16 (+3)
Intelligence 14 (+2)
Wisdom 16 (+3)
Charisma 10 (+0)

Combat: 6 + 8 = 14 PP
Attack: +3
Defense: +7 (+4 Base, +3 Dodge Focus), +2 Flat-Footed
Initiative: +10
Grapple: +3
Knockback: -3/-1

Saving Throws: 2 + 3 + 3 = 8 PP
Toughness: +7/+3 (+3 CON, +4 Enhanced Defensive Roll)
Fortitude: +5 (+3 CON, +2)
Reflex: +5 (+2 DEX, +3)
Will: +6 (+3 WIS, +3)

Skills: 52r = 13 PP
Concentration 7 (+10)
Craft (Mechanical) 2 (+4)
Craft (Structural) 2 (+4)
Knowledge (Life Sciences) 2 (+4)
Knowledge (Tactics) 4 (+6)
Medicine 4 (+7)
Notice 7 (+10)
Search 4 (+6)
Sense Motive 12 (+15)
Stealth 4 (+6)
Survival 4 (+7)

Feats: 10 PP
Dodge Focus 3
Eidetic Memory
Evasion
Improved Initiative 2
Improvised Tools
Jack of All Trades
Luck


Powers: 31 + 2 + 7 = 40 PP

Telepathic Array 14 (Power Feats: Alternate Power 3) [31 PP] (All Psionic, Telepathic)

• Base: Damage 7 ( Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Range 2 [Perception]) [28 PP] (mental blast; psychic crush)
• Alternate Power: Emotion Control 7 (Extras: Area Burst (35'), Selective Attack) [28 PP] (Empathic)
• Alternate Power: Paralyze 7 (Extras: Range [Perception]) [28 PP] 'synaptic feedback loop'
• Alternate Power: Communication 7 (Extras: Area) [14 PP] (telepathic broadcast) + Mind Reading 7 (Extras: Area, Sensory Link; Flaws: Feedback) [14 pp] (telepathic scan)
   

Enhanced Feats 2 ([Defensive Roll 2) [2 PP] 'telekinetic parry'
 

Super-Senses 6 (Tremorsense [Penetrates Concealment], Uncanny Dodge [Tremorsense]) 'Telekinetic web.' [7 pp]


DC Block

ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT

Unarmed Touch DC15 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical)

Mental Blast Perception DC22 Will (Staged) Damage (Psionic)

Paralyze Perception DC17 Will (Staged) Paralyzed/Slow (Psionic)

Emotion Control Burst (35') DC17 Will Emotion

Mind Reading Perception DC17 Will Mind Reading/Mental Grapple

 

 

Abilities (20) + Combat (14) + Saving Throws (8) + Skills (13) + Feats 10) + Powers (40) - Disadvantages (0) = 105/152 PP

 

 

[Fox]

Saving Throws should be 2 + 3 + 3 = 8 PP, not 7 PP, though it looks like it's correct down in your final tally.

Craft skills are Int-linked; with an int bonus of +3 and a raw rank of 2, the final skill bonus is +5, not +6.

Just to make it easier to read, please note Mental Blast in its more base-effect form:

Damage 7 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Range 2 [Perception]) [28 PP] (mental blast)

It seems like a small thing, but it'll save anyone you play with from having to pull out their book for the definition of Mental Blast.

(As a side note, I like the 'telekinetic web' power. Neat idea!)

I took the liberty of fixing the formatting on your DC block - the forums don't really like tabs and it won't always line up properly.

Your final pp tally is off. According to the powers and abilities listed, your true tally is:

Abilities (22) + Combat (14) + Saving Throws (8) + Skills (13) + Feats (10) + Powers (39) = 106 PP

Thus, you are over-budget by 1pp.

As a less math-based concern, it's important to note that your character is extremely vulnerable to things like robots, and any other enemies which are psionic-immune. That's fine if that's the build you were going for, but it'll be important to keep in mind that this vulnerability is going to exclude Errant from many threads and situations.

[TheAbsurdist]

Saving Throws should be 2 + 3 + 3 = 8 PP, not 7 PP, though it looks like it's correct down in your final tally.

Craft skills are Int-linked; with an int bonus of +3 and a raw rank of 2, the final skill bonus is +5, not +6.

Just to make it easier to read, please note Mental Blast in its more base-effect form:

Damage 7 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Range 2 [Perception]) [28 PP] (mental blast)

It seems like a small thing, but it'll save anyone you play with from having to pull out their book for the definition of Mental Blast.

(As a side note, I like the 'telekinetic web' power. Neat idea!)

I took the liberty of fixing the formatting on your DC block - the forums don't really like tabs and it won't always line up properly.

Your final pp tally is off. According to the powers and abilities listed, your true tally is:

Abilities (22) + Combat (14) + Saving Throws (8) + Skills (13) + Feats (10) + Powers (39) = 106 PP

Thus, you are over-budget by 1pp.

Resolved those issues.

As a less math-based concern, it's important to note that your character is extremely vulnerable to things like robots, and any other enemies which are psionic-immune. That's fine if that's the build you were going for, but it'll be important to keep in mind that this vulnerability is going to exclude Errant from many threads and situations.

I am trying to make someone thematically divergent from Asad. More than that, he will be adding abilities to compensate, and allow him to interact in that level. I do understand this hampers him right now. I do not plan for it to hamper him forever.

[Fox]

:approved:

[Supercape]

Two small issues:

Alternate Power: Telepathy 7 (Extras: Area, Sensory Link; Flaws: Feedback; Feats: Rapid (x10) Selective, Subtle 2) [28 PP]

I am not sure the maths here adds up, although I am pretty sure it come under budget! Telepathy is essentially short hand for linked Mind Reading and Communication (as Disintegration is linked Drain Toughness and Damage). You would have to clarify which of these powers the extra's and feats apply to.

Here and here is some semi-clarification on the matter. Is not crystal, but in essence consider it as buying two linked powers and go from there.

The other query is the tactile sense. Technically this is legal, but there I have some concern about a ranged tactile being a very cheap sense in comparison to say Tremorsense which costs an additional 1 PP and does the same thing but less well. Your comments on that?

[TheAbsurdist]

Two small issues:

Alternate Power: Telepathy 7 (Extras: Area, Sensory Link; Flaws: Feedback; Feats: Rapid (x10) Selective, Subtle 2) [28 PP]

I am not sure the maths here adds up, although I am pretty sure it come under budget! Telepathy is essentially short hand for linked Mind Reading and Communication (as Disintegration is linked Drain Toughness and Damage). You would have to clarify which of these powers the extra's and feats apply to.

Here and here is some semi-clarification on the matter. Is not crystal, but in essence consider it as buying two linked powers and go from there.

I did ask Ecal this a little while ago, and I might have misunderstood him. So I am gonna just reconstruct this into the Linked format, to make it a bit clearer. As Feedback isn't a wise idea to have in Communication.

The other query is the tactile sense. Technically this is legal, but there I have some concern about a ranged tactile being a very cheap sense in comparison to say Tremorsense which costs an additional 1 PP and does the same thing but less well. Your comments on that?

Straight out of the book, yes, you are correct, per Ultimate Power, pg. 85 "Tremorsense (3 ranks): You can accurately feel the location of moving objects in contact with the same surface as you (such as the ground). If used underwater, you can feel objects moving through the water all around you, like a normal radius sense. Accurate Ranged Touch."

However, per the house rules:

Tactile Sense Type

Default Extras: +Accurate, +Acute, +Radius.

PCs start with: Normal Touch.

Examples of other Tactile Senses: Tremorsense (Tactile Sense, +Ranged, 2PP).

Notice how in Ultimate Power they, for some reason have Accurate in Tremorsense (when in the same book they list Tactile as already having Accurate). So an breakdown should be this: Tactile (+Accurate, +Acute, +Radius), [+Ranged; PFs: Penetrates Concealment, Uncanny Dodge (Tactile]. If I am unclear on this I am more than happy to correct this.

[Supercape]

As I said, technically its legal. Of note, the errate of UP gives Tremorsense as 2 PP, built as an additional tactile sense type (1PP) which has built in acute, accurate, and radius, and then has ranged for an additional 1PP.

My concern is not about technically if its "legal" according to our house rules. I am saying ranged on tactile has been a cause for concern...

Such as here and here. Whilst these are not canon, and of course we house rule anyway, I hope you grasp the gist of the concerns. The implication here is that Ranged Tactile senses need to pay a premium, and this is a view I share. Tactile senses are not blocked by concealment (ever), are rarely if ever dazzled, and slipping in 1 PP to get a sense that is acute, ranged, accurate, and radius is extremely, worryingly cheap even if its legal.

To illustrate, compare:

Tremorsense for 2 PP - A Ranged, Acute, Accurate, Radius power that will not be able to sense flying enemies.

Just adding ranged to Tactile base for 1 PP - A Ranged, Acute, Accurate, Radius power that will.

Hence my concern, I hope you understand. Of course, if your understanding of exactly what the telekenetic web sense does is suitably limited, then my concerns will be ablated!

NB: Fix on telepathy looks good. Feedback flaw is going to be very interesting, like it!

[TheAbsurdist]

Okay, I misinterpreted your intent.

On that note: Yes I imagined it to be suitably limited, i.e. it is functionally Tremorsense. This is very much an inexperienced character, and the telekinetic aspects of his powers are less refined than his Telepathic abilities. I figured he would add the ability for it effect non-ground surroundings.

Edit: Add it later. That is.

[Supercape]

i.e. it is functionally Tremorsense.

My question would then be why not buy it as Tremorsense? according to house rules, and UP, that would be 2 PP (not 3PP as per UP pre-errata, and not 1PP as its an additional sense and then add range).

That would cost you an additional PP (to squeeze from somewhere else).

[TheAbsurdist]

It is functionally Tremorsense, however I do intend for the power to become more refined (I.e. adding the ability to be used in all three dimensions), which I cannot justify under Tremorsense. And this is a case of function following design/fluff.

Essentially he passively overlays a telekinetic web on his surroundings. The web travels up adjacent surfaces, and through them as well, as it is not so directly physical (as the genre tends to laugh and point at Newtonian physics and the mechanics of how telekinesis generates its force). So he is not detecting vibrations through the medium of the ground, he is feeling contact with his telekinetic web. So the planned purchases is to have an additional boost to his range. And then to buy Range 1 for 3 dimensional space. So he has 100' on his Notice for ground based, and 10' for Notice to air based, the representation being that it is harder for him to 'fill' the space.

Another note: the idea is for his telekinesis to be based off the web, where he understands it as "tendrils of thought" that can manipulate the physical world around him.

[Supercape]

Ok. I'll be honest, as I see it you are buying something which has a huge amount of utility for 1 PP - more utility than tremorsense does for 2PP. This is my concern, and it is shared on ATT.

I'll post this up on the refcave for due consideration. Supersenses are messy, and Ranged tactile is a raw nerve on ATT. Sorry for the delay.

[TheAbsurdist]

I can drop his Speed 1, and make it Tremorsense then, and modify descriptors appropriately. I do get the concern, as you pointed out it is a power that develop into dirty pool. And I opted for that rather than one where he can "sense minds," as Errant has a decided mechanical weakness versus robots/zombies/etc. So the intent was partial shoring up.

But, I get the potential for abuse, and will just adjust the power, and pay a bit more for what I want.

edit: changed it to be Tremorsense, rather than just Ranged Tactile.

[Supercape]

Discussed in refcave and yes, Tremorsense was advocated as the answer. Thanks for changing!

Accordingly,

:approved: