TNTeen (PL7 PC)

[Raveled]

Player Name: Raveled

Character Name: TNTeen

Power Level: 7 (105/150PP)

Trade-Offs: None

Unspent Power Points: 0

Progress To Bronze Status: 0/30

In Brief: A boy who only wants to be overlooked gets a most spectacular power.

Alternate Identities: Eugene King, Gene

Identity: Secret

Birthplace: Freedom City, New Jersey

Occupation: Student, superhero

Affiliations: Claremont Academy

Family: Lots

Description:

Age: 16 (DoB:)

Gender: Male

Ethnicity: African

Height: 5' 5"

Weight: 130 lbs

Eyes: Black

Hair: Black

Gene King is not a physically imposing teenager. He's rather short and slim, with elbows and knees everywhere. His hair is dark and curly, his face is long and thin, and his dark eyes are usually in a book. Most of the time he wears jeans and tee-shirts, like almost every other teenager, but when there's danger likely he dons a red shirt with a cartoon bomb on the front, and a red head-mask.

Power Descriptions: Gene can absorb kinetic energy from his environment and release it as explosive spheres. With a little concentration he can even choose how long it will take for the spheres to detonate, potentially setting up a very nasty surprise!

History: Eugene King was born to a big family in Ashton, the baby of seven. Being the youngest he was used to making his own fun, and quickly learned to enjoy quieter pastimes. Very soon grew into a quiet, bookish child. He excelled in academics at school and devoured all sorts of books; he especially loved comic books about Freedom City's local heroes. They inspired him in his life, even though he preferred to be much more low-key than the four-colored titans he read about.

He may have gone through life in a placid way if not for the accident. It was a foggy day, and everyone was packed into family van as they drove home from the holidays. The highway was crowded with cars, and as a band of thicker mist rolled across the road drivers in front of the pack slowed down, too quickly for those in the rear to react. Cars collided and slid into one another, and very soon there was a developing pile-up.

The Kings, ironically enough, avoided the mass of the accident only to slide down the side of the road and hit a tree. Gene was absorbed in a book for most of the time, and his only clear memories are of the car sliding across the road, his father swearing, and his mother screaming before the van came to an abrupt halt. Moments later the tree fell on the car, neatly pinning the family.

No one was seriously hurt, but none of the kids were reacting well to the situation. Young Gene, in particular, was terrified. He felt full of energy, but unable to move due to his seat-belt locking and the tree deforming the car. He reached out, and instinctively pushed it away. He had just enough time to see the tree explode into dust before he passed out.

None of the Kings experienced worse than some nasty bumps and bruises, and within a couple of days they were on the road again in a rented van. No one really wanted to talk about the accident and how the tree exploded, and a thicker silence than normal fell over Gene's life. That was broken when Duncan Summers showed up at the front door with a scholarship offer -- and answers.

That was two years ago. Gene's refined his powers and his control over them, and now he has decided to try and fight crime with them. It's not exactly how he wants to live his life, but he has to know if his abilities can be used to do any good.

Personality & Motivation: Gene prefers to be quiet and inconspicuous most of the time, but when he has an opinion he can be the loudest voice in the room. While he's not confrontational growing up with a bunch of older siblings has taught him that sometimes to the only way to get what you want is to push.

Gene is rather terrified of his powers. He's worried that there's nothing good that he can do with his powers, and so he pushes himself to prove that he can be a hero with them.

Powers & Tactics: Gene's not big on hurting people. He prefers to use his non-damaging powers to set up his allies to take enemies down, or delay combat long enough to get any hostages away. When he is forced into direct conflict, he prefers to stay far away so that his lack of physical strength isn't an issue.

---

Complications:

Secret Identity Gene doesn't want anyone to know that he's the TNTeen, mostly because...

T-Baby Blues Having powers from the Terminus preys on his mind.

Demolisher Gene's powers manifest as small, explosive spheres, so it's easy for them to roll into corners or cracks. Because of that he tends to do more damage to builds than he intends to.

Claustrophobia Small spaces tend to make Gene freak out and make his powers fire off randomly.

Abilities: -2 + 4 + 2 + 4 + 2 - 2 = 8PP

Strength: 8 (-1)

Dexterity: 14 (+2)

Constitution: 12 (+1)

Intelligence: 14 (+2)

Wisdom: 12 (+1)

Charisma: 8 (-1)

Combat: 6 + 12 = 18PP

Initiative: +6

Attack: +3 melee, +3 ranged, +7 Kinetic Concussion

Grapple: +2

Defense: +7 (+6 Base, +1 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed

Knockback: -3/-0

Saving Throws: 3 + 5 + 3 = 11PP

Toughness: +7/+1 (+1 Con, +6 Force Field)

Fortitude: +4 (+1 Con, +3)

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

Will: +4 (+1 Wis, +3)

Skills: 88R = 22PP

Computers 8 (+10)

Craft (Chemical) 3 (+5)

Craft (Electronic) 3 (+5)

Disable Device 8 (+10)

Investigate 8 (+10)

Knowledge (Civics) 3 (+5)

Knowledge (Earth Sciences) 3 (+5)

Knowledge (Biological Sciences) 3 (+5)

Knowledge (Physical Sciences) 8 (+10)

Knowledge (Technology) 8 (+10)

Medicine 4 (+5)

Notice 6 (+7)

Search 9 (+11)

Sense Motive 6 (+7)

Sleight of Hand 8 (+10)

Feats: 12PP

Accurate Attack

Attack Specialization (Kinetic Concussion Array) 2

Defensive Attack

Dodge Focus 1

Evasion

Improved Initiative

Improved Sunder

Luck

Online Research

Power Attack

Quick Change

Powers: 6 + 29 + 1 = 36 PP

Force Field 6 [6PP]

Kinetic Concussion Array 10.5 (21 PP, Feats: Alternate Power 5, Indirect, Trigger 2 [Time, Tripwire) (29PP]

BE: Blast 7 (Extra: Area/Cone (General)) [21PP] (Full Frontal Assault)

AP: Blast 7 (Extra: Area/Burst (General)) [21PP] (Big Boom)

AP: Blast 7 (Extra: Autofire [7]) [21PP] (Barrage)

AP: Dazzle 7 (Visual, audio) [21PP] (Flashbang)

AP: Stun 7 (Extra: Range/Ranged) [21PP] (Stun Bomb)

AP: Trip 7 (Extra: Area/Burst [General], Knockback) [21PP] (Blow 'em Down)

Immunity 1 (Own powers) [1PP]

Drawbacks: 0 = 0PP

Power Loss (Daka crystals, Uncommon) [2PP]

DC Block:

ATTACK                 RANGE          SAVE                       EFFECT
Unarmed                Touch          DC 14 Toughness (Staged)   Damage (Physical)
Full Frontal Assault   Ranged/Cone    DC 22 Toughness (Staged)   Damage (Energy, Terminus)
Big Boom               Ranged/Burst   DC 22 Toughness (Staged)   Damage (Energy, Terminus)
Barrage                Ranged         DC 22 Toughness (Staged)   Damage (Energy, Terminus)
Flashbang              Ranged         DC 22 Fort                 Dazzle
Stun Bomb              Ranged         DC 22 Fort (Staged)        Dazed/Stunned
Blow 'em Down          Area/Burst     DC 22 Str/Acrobatics       Knockdown/Knockback

Abilities (8) + Combat (18) + Saving Throws (11) + Skills (22) + Feats (12) + Powers (36) - Drawbacks (2) = 105/105 Power Points Edited December 31, 2013 by Raveled

[Raveled]

So here's my next PC, a PL 7 Claremonter. The powerset is largely taken from TT's Explosion Girl build, tweaked a bit to make the character more science-focused instead of larceny focused and to bring it down to PL 7. Science is also a secondary focus of the build -- but a real-world, believable level of science, not comic-book level . This is a guy who might get a doctorate, not twelve.

Looking for a little bit of feedback before I drop this in the C-Bank. Any major issues jump out at people before the refs give it a fine-tooth comb-over?

[Supercape]

Quick scan:

 

1. Collateral damage probably isn't going to be a valid complication. Its generally considered a "built in" problem of area affect problems. Not wishing to harm innocents may be a complication, but personally I think its so ubiquitous that its not worth putting down. You could possibly expand this by saying that the explosions have an element of poor control about them, doing things like collapsing buildings or bridges and doing structural damage over and above the normal damage - but in an unhelpful way!

 

2. Again on complications (typical me), its not necessary, but you may want to add meat to what small spaces do. Not to tie you down, but to guide. Shut down his powers due to lack of concentration? Distract him? Make him flee? or just vague angst? To reap HP, you need real problem, not emotional feeling (but the latter is good fun!). 

 

3. A ranged cone effect is odd. This is not a dragons breath. Its like summoning a dragons head at a distance and making it breathe a cone of fire in a direction. Now, that may be what you wanted, but most cone effects that come up tend to be Cone Area, Touch range - in other words, the "pointy tip" of the cone (its origin) is you. 

 

4. As a pure suggestion, I might add the feat: Second Chance (Toughness saves vs explosions), as I imagine he is getting pretty good at handling them!

 

Otherwise, looks good!

[Raveled]

1. Collateral damage probably isn't going to be a valid complication. Its generally considered a "built in" problem of area affect problems. Not wishing to harm innocents may be a complication, but personally I think its so ubiquitous that its not worth putting down. You could possibly expand this by saying that the explosions have an element of poor control about them, doing things like collapsing buildings or bridges and doing structural damage over and above the normal damage - but in an unhelpful way!

I expanded on it, specifying that Gene often does more damage to structures than he intends do.

 

2. Again on complications (typical me), its not necessary, but you may want to add meat to what small spaces do. Not to tie you down, but to guide. Shut down his powers due to lack of concentration? Distract him? Make him flee? or just vague angst? To reap HP, you need real problem, not emotional feeling (but the latter is good fun!).

Clarified this.

 

3. A ranged cone effect is odd. This is not a dragons breath. Its like summoning a dragons head at a distance and making it breathe a cone of fire in a direction. Now, that may be what you wanted, but most cone effects that come up tend to be Cone Area, Touch range - in other words, the "pointy tip" of the cone (its origin) is you.

The way I see it is kind of like a grenade or shaped charge, more than dragon's breath. He throws a big ball of force and it lands and 'fires' in a given direction, rather than simply projecting it from his palm.

 

4. As a pure suggestion, I might add the feat: Second Chance (Toughness saves vs explosions), as I imagine he is getting pretty good at handling them!

Later, maybe. 105 PP is a small budget!

[Supercape]

that all works, looks good!

[Thevshi]

Rav,

 

The thing I wonder about is that he seems to have a LOT of skills, and at some high ranks, for a 16 year old.

 

I understand that he may be focused on science (and is smarter than average), but he is already a skilled CSI investigator?  And trained in disarming security systems and bombs?

Also, how does 11 ranks of Concentration fit into that?  Is he also a 16 year old Zen master?

[Raveled]

I think people undersell the things kids know, and that the book undersells what appropriate skill ranks are. Think about how many ten-year olds you know who can tell you every detail about every dinosaur there was, who can pronounce multisyllabic tongue twister names. And the book says professionals only have 4 or 5 ranks in a skill, which means a doctor only has +5 to Medicine. That only gives that doc a 50/50 chance to hit the minimum DC for surgery, but surgery success and survival rates are way above 50/50.

As for Disable Device specifically, I figured he's very interested in complex mechanical things, and so he's practiced skills like lockpicking just to figure out what's going on inside of a lock. It still only gives him a chance at Cheap Locks. If possible I would have specialized that in locks instead of security systems, but the system doesn't allow that sort of granularity.

With the Concentration, I figured he can be a very driven, dedicated individual when he puts his mind to something. I actually flirted with the idea of giving him a Complication about getting too focused on something and shutting out the rest of the world, but I wasn't sure how to word it.

[Thevshi]

I actually have a 10 year old and an 8 year old, so I do know a thing or two about how they are sponges.  But my 10 year old (the one who had the dinosaur phase) has forgotten a huge chunk of the dinosaur facts he memorized at 3 and 4 (and he is actually a TAG kid that tests in the 99% percentile in math and 98% percentile in reading).

 

I can understand being a driven and dedicated individual (again can point to my 10 year old about that), but does that really translate into the Concentration skill?

[Raveled]

Thev,

Point about Concentration. I dropped it down a PP and bought Second Chance instead.

[Supercape]

Second Chance Toughness vs Area attacks would probably be considered too broad a descriptor...

[Raveled]

Supercape,

But Explosion is only one kind of AoE, and the kind that is probably used the least. Evasion might be a better choice, or maybe Second Chance (Reflex Savs vs. AoE).

[Supercape]

Evasion may indeed be a better choice! I'm just giving an opinion based on the Second Chance Feat for what its worth. It seems to be particularly specific about hazards/attacks requiring a descriptor, rather than type of attack - its example is "Fire blast". 

 

But this is one of those grey areas. Second chance vs mind reading or mind control has certainly been used in the books. It would be one of things up for debate which is why I note "probably". My feeling is that all area attack toughness saves is particularly broad. 

[Raveled]

I prefer clear and unambiguous rules, so Evasion it is.

[Brown Dynamite]

The way I see it is kind of like a grenade or shaped charge, more than dragon's breath. He throws a big ball of force and it lands and 'fires' in a given direction, rather than simply projecting it from his palm.

 

 

It's funny how far he can throw said grenade considering he's physically lacking and couldn't exactly throw a pebble that far.  But hey powers no need for an explanation the kinetic charges are probably are weightless to him I assume.  

 

Anyways, Biology and its ilk are normally covered under Knowledge (Life Sciences) rather than Knowledge (Biological Sciences).   But that's minor.  

 

Still I did some cost looking at for you.

 

For your skills you treated it as if your wisdom was 2 higher than it really was for those that derive from Wisdom.  You did the same thing when it came to your saves and Will (Although you listed the correct total for Saves to get a +7 total there).  Now if you dump concentration all together (Which I would recommend unless you'd rather take from elsewhere) you can still get the same total on the skill bonuses for your wisdom skills and still come out with the same will save for a 105/105 total.  

 

Let's say your cost reflected your skill totals instead of your ranks then you'd have 95 ranks of skills.  So 24 PP spent there to get to said total.  Take 7 away from Concentration.  Take up Medicine 4 (+5),  Notice 6 (+7), Sense Motive 6 (+7).  And then turn Will +7 into (1 Wis, +6).  

 

Mind you, you could easily lower Will to +6, Medicine to 3 (+4), Notice 5 (+6), Sense Motive 5 (+6) and keep your ranks in Concentration.  That way you'd be following your listed costs.

 

Dazzle 7 affecting both visual and auditory is 21PP, 24PP with the Indirect and Trigerred 2 feats but that's fine as all the powers come out to 3 PP more with said feats including the base, before the burst area extra as visual senses cost twice as much as the other senses.  So you can't make it a burst area without going over cost.  However, if you made it a Dazzle 6 effect with only three ranks on the burst area you can still cover a 15' radius while only sacrificing 1 on the DC and still coming in on cost.

 

On the Trip, Knockback is an Extra not a feat.  Still comes out to the exact same costs ultimately.

 

---

As an extra aside, I'd go with Second Chance:  Avoiding Explosions.  Or Evading them if you'd rather.  It'd be in line more with explosive descriptors than the sole Area type.  But one could also just cut out the middle man and take ultimate Effort reflex saves eventually if you have the HP to burn.

Edited December 31, 2013 by HG Morrison

[Raveled]

Refigured skills saves to take better advantage of Evasion. Dropped Concentration entirely, put another PP into saves and spread the remaining skill ranks out to keep certain skills where they were. Dropped the AoE effect from Dazzle to keep it at cost.

I hate that Knockback is an Extra only for Trip. For everything else, it is a Feat. :argh:

[Vahnyu]

Not quite true. The idea is that the Knockback feat adds extra knockback to a power that already causes knockback.

 

Trip doesn't cause knockback, on its own, but the Knockback extra makes it so. You can then add Knockback feat ranks to the trip power, provided that you have purchased the knockback extra first.

 

Keep in mind, that Trip is seriously cheap, and that on top of that, it's RANGED by default! A seriously neat power.

Edited December 31, 2013 by Vahnyu