Mind-Set (PL10) - Arichamus (Gold)

[Ari]

Player Name: Arichamus
Character Name: Mind-Set
Power Level: 10 (150/152PP)
Trade-Offs: -2 Defence / +2 Toughness
Unspent Power Points: 2
Progress To Bronze Status: 2/30

In Brief: Gentler half of an artificial-human duo created by the Foundry to experiment with psionic powers, Created with the power to control the mind and senses.

Alternate Identity: Nathan(iel) Colletta
Identity: Secret
Birthplace: Foundry lab
Occupation: Superhero, nurse
Affiliations: Providence Asylum, Freedom City University, The Foundry
Family: Rachel Colletta (sister)

Description:
Age: 24 (Date of birth: June 1980)
Apparent Age: Mid-twenties
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Italian/Cyborg, Caucasian(as Mind-Set)
Height: 6' 5"/6' 8"(as Mind-Set)
Weight: 210 lbs
Eyes: Brown/Blue(as Mind-Set)
Hair: Black

Description: Big and tall is the simplest way to describe Nathaniel, he's brawny and well-toned with broad shoulders and powerful arms and legs, his skin darkly tanned. The thick black hair on his proportionally-appropriate head is wavy, cut short and always impeccably combed above bushy eyebrows and earnest brown eyes. His features are classically handsome, though not more so than many, and usually set in a warm, encouraging smile. Off-duty he wears button-up shirts(preferably blue) and khaki pants with sturdy shoes, while on the job at the asylum he fills out the standard-issue crisp white uniform.

As Mind-Set he conceals his identity behind both a simple green mask and the illusion of a paler and(even more) square-jawed champion of justice, dressed in a vibrant blue, rich orange and glistening black costume marked with a sunset on the chest. In that disguise his eyes blaze blue and his voice deepens in timbre.

A medical scan of either twin will reveal a web of electronics and circuits digging into their brain. They are aware of it, but believe that it exists to boost their powers. In truth their memories and personalities are housed in the electronics, not in their grey matter.

Power Descriptions: Nathan is telepathic, and his powers have governance over the mind and what it perceives. Mind-Set's powers, besides his ability to form very persuasive sensory simulacrums(Illusion), are remarkably difficult to detect given their wide-ranging effect. When standing at just the right angle, it's possible to make out the passage of some invisible force when he's trying to overthrow another's reason(Mental Blast, Emotion Control) or a flicker of electric blue light in the depths of his eyes and someone whose will he's trying to override(Mind-Control). When hiding himself and others from the senses(Concealment), their bodies appear to disappear in a circular wave from the torso outward.

To those with the right detection abilities, Mind-Set's powers give off a flare of cold blue light around himself and his target or targets, or a harsh electronic crackle.

History:
Talos, the ingenious Man of Bronze and molder of the Foundry, has been hard at work making artificial beings like himself for decades. For obvious reasons, most of them were metal minds in metal bodies, as he struggled to create someone really like himself, a true peer. However, he's always been interested in replicating the bizarre powers displayed by organic superhumans, exemplified by his wayward 'son' Argo, the Ultimate Android, and like his business partner Overshadow has a vested interest in that elusive yet tempting source of power: psionics. That such a thing as a psychic robot had never been seen before was taken by Talos as an implicit challenge by the universe.

Working from the understanding that since organic brains are similar to electronic ones on a base level(interpreting and reacting to exterior stimuli by electric impulses) and that psychics must be somehow exploiting that, Talos studied and experimented for years on those unfortunate enough to both have such abilities and fall into his bronze clutches. To his disgust, he found that the best results were got from organic 'carriers', their brain-wave patterns somehow amplifying the powers he managed to replicate. Making lemonade from lemons being one of his few positive sides, Talos honed and refined his process until he had two prime subjects, both indistinguishable from normal humans save for the small pieces of circuitry and electronics in their brains: where he gave them their powers, their personalities, and their first spark of life.

One could wreak havoc on everything outside the mind, the other on everything within it.

Given that and his agents Keres and(nominally)Blackfire, it's likely they would have been intended as sleeper agents, but Talos' plans were thrown into disarray when his alliance with the Curator led to the destruction of the secret lab the twins(given the names Nathan and Rachel Colletta) were being tested and grown in, and the pair were evacuated with all speed as the facility exploded and crumbled around them. They escaped death or capture(or rescue), but not without damage, including damage to the mental programming that would have compelled them to search out some other Foundry base.

They had enough training to get by in the world, however, and after making their grueling way to civilization, set about the work of their new lives. Talos had already set up a plausible family history for the pair to draw from, and the rest fell out as could be expected, including the "discovery" of their powers and slow migration to Freedom City, super-city of opportunity. Nathan soon developed a fascination with the workings of the human mind, its relationship with the brain and the mysteries therein, seizing an opportunity to study it as a nurse at the Providence Asylum(which after taking on 'superhuman' patients has also significantly increased its wages and health insurance policy) alongside his courses at FCU.

These days Mind-Set spends them like many working university students; he splits his time rigorously between work, ease and school life, keeps up a wide ring of friends on and off campus, and heads off on superheroic excursions with sister Maelstrom when the need arises. It's a good life, busy, and with more doors opening up before the Colletta twins all the time.

Whatever new plans Talos might have for his oddest pawns, if indeed they aren't already unconsciously playing one out, remains to be seen.

Personality & Motivation: A towering and sturdy rock to his sister's raging sea, Nathan(iel, as he insists on adding to it) has grown up into the role of peacekeeper and mediator. He embraces that due to both a history of calming down situations his sister got involved in(the ones she didn't end), and a fascination with how and why people think and do what they do. His powers give him a window on that, but he prefers a more academic method(and fears coming to rely on his powers to get what he wants), and hopes in his heart of hearts to find a way to 'cure' the problems afflicting those suffering mental illnesses and imbalances. Preferably without superpowers.

Nathan's work with the mentally ill is something he values deeply, as the young man views many of the world's villains as very like his patients, people in need of care, understanding and treatment over punishment. This hasn't diminished his power to recognize real, conscious evil, but it has made him more sympathetic to the plight of those in real need of help.

In person he's laid-back and confident, preferring to be the supporter of a group over being a leader, years of playing second-fiddle making it a natural and comfortable fit for him.


Powers & Tactics: A diehard support specialist, Mind-Set tends to keep on the sidelines and coordinate with his sister over their telepathic link(between their chips), providing illusory screens and manipulating the emotions of their enemies to keep the bad guys in disarray. If at all possible, he remains undetectable for as long as possible and keeps nearby allies also hidden, unleashing his savage assault on others' psyches only as a last resort. His power to dominate people's minds is something he uses very sparingly, mostly if he's fighting someone on his own and they prove immune to his appeals to reason or if he's in a group fighting someone vastly stronger than them.

---

Complications:
Actually Artificial Nathan's mind and personality is housed in a computer distributed throughout his brain. This leaves him open to powers that normally only affect computers, like Datalink or an EMP attack.
"And now for that mask!": Mind-Set doesn't wear much of a disguise, and if his illusion is penetrated there isn't much to protect his identity.
Brainwashed and Crazy: Talos doesn't believe anymore in tools that can't be controlled. Not to mention the danger if somebody else figured out how to 'access' either twin.
False History The Collettas' history is elaborate, but ultimately fake. Enough digging will reveal this.
"I'm real, damn it!": Nathan puts an irrational emphasis on his being a 'real' person, and will go to considerable lengths to prove it to himself or others.
Overdrawn at the Brainpower Bank: The mental discipline needed to use his psychic abilities can mean havoc if it's broken or strained, such as if he fails a crucial Concentration check or overtaxes himself using Extra Effort.
Responsibility: His sister's well-being, his patients at Providence, his studies, his friends, his need to conceal his true name from criminals.
Secret: Identity.
Secret: He's a psionic organic robot made by a genocidal metal robot. [if that comes out, it leads to a Prejudice Complication.]
Secret Past: 'Nathan' isn't human, not strictly; he and Rachel were both created by the Foundry, even if they don't remember it.
That was a lie?: Nathan genuinely wants to trust and bring out the best in people, which despite his powers makes him just that much more vulnerable to deception than his more cynical sister.
Whoops! Zhat vas not medicine!: As a nurse at Providence Asylum, Nathan is often unknowingly vulnerable to the likes of the Maestro or Fear-Master, something that could make already complicated situations a lot more so.

Abilities: 6 + 8 + 10 + 6 + 8 + 4 = 42PP
Strength: 16 (+3)
Dexterity: 18 (+4)
Constitution: 20 (+5)
Intelligence: 16 (+3)
Wisdom: 18 (+4)
Charisma: 14 (+2)


Combat: 16 + 8 = 24PP
Initiative: +8
Attack: +10 Melee, +8 Ranged, +10 Mental Blast
Grapple: +13
Defense: +8 (+4 Base, +4 Dodge Focus), +2 Flat-Footed
Knockback: -0


Saving Throws: 5 + 6 + 8 = 19PP
Toughness: +10*/12 (+5 Con, +5 Force Field, +0*/2 Defensive Roll; +0/5 Impervious) *Flat-Footed
Fortitude: +10 (+5 Con, +5)
Reflex: +10(+4 Dex, +6)
Will: +12 (+4 Wis, +8)


Skills: 56R = 14PP
Concentration 8 (+12)
Bluff 8 (+10)
Diplomacy 10 (+12)
Drive 1 (+5)
Knowledge(Behavioral Sciences) +5 (+8)
Knowledge(Current Events) 2 (+5)
Knowledge(Streetwise) 3 (+6)
Languages 2(English(Native), Italian, Spanish)
Sense Motive 6 (+10)
Stealth 11 (+15)

Feats: 8PP
Attack Focus(Melee) 2
Defensive Roll 1
Dodge Focus 4
Improved Initiative

Powers: 11 + 30 + 2 = 43PP

Force Field 5(Extras: Impervious 5; Feats: Subtle)[11PP] Psychic, Technology

Mind Play Array 12.5(25PP Array; Feats: Alternate Power 5)[30PP] Psychic, Technology

Base Power: Mental Blast 10(Flaws: Range(Ranged), Distracting; Power Feats: Accurate, Homing 1(1Extra Attempt), Reversible, Sedation, Subtle)[24/25PP]
AP: Concealment 10(All Senses(Auditory, Olfactory, Mental, Visual); Extras: Affects Others; Flaws: Passive; Feats: Close Range , Selective)[22/25PP]
AP: Emotion Control 10(Feats: Mind Blank, Subtle)[22/25PP]
AP: Illusion 6(All Senses; Feats: Progression 1(Area; 10-ft radius))[25PP]
AP: Mind Control 10(Extras: Conscious; Flaws: Sense-Dependent(They must meet his eyes); Feats: Mental Link, Subtle)[22/25PP]
AP: Mind Reading 10(Extras: Area(250ft radius), Linked(Quickness), Selective; Flaws: Distracting; Feats: Progression 2 (Area: 25ft. per rank=250ft. radius), Subtle)[23/25PP] + Quickness 4(x25 normal speed;Flaws: Mental tasks only)[2PP] = 25PP

Super-Senses 1 (Communication Link [Rachel Colletta], Feat: Subtle) (Sibling Link) (Telepathy) [2PP]


[table]DC Block
ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT
Unarmed Melee DC18 Toughness(Staged) Damage(Physical)
Emotion Control Perception DC20 Will Emotion Change
Illusion Perception DC16 Will Illusion Maintained
Mental Blast Ranged DC25 Will (Staged) Damage(Mental)
Mind Control Perception DC20 Will Mind Controlled
Mind Reading Touch(Area, 250ft.) DC20 Reflex/Will Mind Read[/table]

Totals: Abilities (42) + Combat (24) + Saving Throws (19) + Skills (14) + Feats (8) + Powers (43) - Drawbacks (0) =150/152 Power Points Edited July 25, 2014 by AvengerAssembled
June 2014

[Ari]

Using my Silver Reward slot just vacated by Red Moon being returned to the NPC bank.

[Thevshi]

Okay Ari, just a few things I note about Mind-Set:

 

First, for the Mind Blast, I think you left off reducing the it to Ranged (as you have bought the Accurate feat), for as you have it written, it would be 35 pp, not 25.

 

For Emotion Control, I do not think you need Reversible, as Emotion Control is a sustained effect, you can just turn it off to reverse it.

 

I do not think Precise adds anything to Illusion, as nothing about the write up suggests you need the feat to make detailed illusions.

 

For Mind Reading, you currently have it miss priced, as it is only 1 pp per rank base, and with your extra and flaw, it stays that.  Did you also want to have it Selective maybe?  (as otherwise you will always be reading all minds within the radius?)  As with Illusion, Precise is not an appropriate feat, as it adds nothing for the power.

[Ari]

Thank you very much Thevshi. Totally missed that first one!

 

Fixed his age to match Maelstrom's(24), added birth year and month.

 

*Added the Range flaw to Mental Blast, taking it down to Ranged(thus having the Accurate feat and mention in the Combat block make sense).

 

*Removed the Reversible Feat, could I buy another rank in the power with the added space in points?

 

*Removed Precise, added Progression(10-ft. radius) to the Illusion.

 

*For Mind-Reading, removed Precise and instead bought another rank of Progression, bringing it up to rank 5. Also bought the Selective Extra at your suggestion.

[Ari]

Sundry corrections as pointed out by Thevshi in Chat, including dropping the Affects Insubstantial on the Mental Blast, dropping the range of the Mind-Reading to 250ft.

Edited June 4, 2014 by Arichamus

[Thevshi]

APPROVED

[Avenger Assembled]

APPROVED

[Thevshi]

Archived at player request.