Crescendo (PL10) - Ardebitis

[Ardebitis]

Player Name: Ardebitis
Character Name: Crescendo
Power Level: 10 (154/155PP)
Trade-Offs: +2 Attack / -2 Damage, +4 Defense / -4 Toughness
Unspent Power Points: 5

 
In Brief: A music-themed Badass Normal, and songwriter on the side.
 
Alternate Identity: Edward Rhodes
Identity: Secret
Birthplace: Seattle, Washington
Occupation: Freelance Songwriter
Affiliations: Occasionally members of the music industry, occasionally other heroes.
Family: Sara Rhodes (Mother), Daniel Rhodes (Father)
 
Description:
Age: 22 years old
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Height: 5 feet, 11 inches
Weight: 150 pounds
Eyes: Hazel
Hair: Brown
 
Crescendo has a body build somewhere between slim and athletic, with a white spandex costume that covers his skin below the neck, accented by black-colored pieces of body armor. On his chest is a round emblem about eight inches in diameter, with a picture of a musical note on it, again keeping with the black-on-white color scheme. On his head he wears a pair of chrome-colored goggles, and in his hands is a six foot long battleaxe, built in the shape of a musical note out of black-painted steel.
 
Power Descriptions:
His battleaxe, which he refers to as "The Sour Note", has been modified to harness microscopic vibrations to more easily slice through hard materials. In addition, The Sour Note has a second setting which allows it to generate powerful sonic blasts.
 
History:
Edward Rhodes was born in Seattle, but moved to Freedom City at the age of five. His mother taught Music Theory at a university in Seattle, and his father was the guitarist of a local band by the name of Sonicboom. Needless to say, music was in Edward's blood. Overall, Edward's life was decent enough. Unfortunately, he also considered it incredibly boring. He was a musician by blood, but a thrill-seeker by heart. So he decided to train. For the next three years, most of his free time was taken up by a mix of intense physical training, and studying all the music textbooks he could get his hands on (quite a lot, given his mother's profession). His parents thought he was out of his mind to try being a hero, but they supported him as best they could. Now, Edward has taken up the pseudonym "Crescendo", which he uses in both his songwriting career and his work as a hero.
 
Personality & Motivation:
Crescendo is a thrill-seeker, preferring a life of excitement to a life of safety. He tends to take unnecessary, even stupid risks at times, sometimes just for the sake of excitement.
 
Powers & Tactics:
What Crescendo lacks in powers, he makes up for in training. He is very skilled with his note-shaped battleaxe, and even more skilled in acrobatics, on par with Olympic-level gymnasts. However, due to his thrill-seeking nature, he has little concept of conserving his energy. In a fight, he tends to give it his all in the first minute or so, and tire himself out very quickly. After a successful prevention of a crime, he usually leaves behind his calling card: a small thumb-drive containing an MP3 of one of his songs.
 
Complications:
Secret: Identity
Obsession: Music
 
Abilities: 6 + 10 + 4 + 4 + 2 + 4 = 30PP
Strength: 16 (+3)
Dexterity: 20 (+5)
Constitution: 14 (+2)
Intelligence: 14 (+2)
Wisdom: 12 (+1)
Charisma: 14 (+2)

Combat: 16 + 28 = 44PP
Initiative: +9
Attack: +12 Melee, +8 Ranged
Grapple: +11
Defense: +14 (+14 Base, +0 Dodge Focus), +0 Flat-Footed
Knockback: -3, -1 flat-footed

Saving Throws: 6 + 5 + 7 = 18PP
Toughness: +6 (+2 Con, +4 [Defensive Roll])
Fortitude: +8 (+2 Con, +6)
Reflex: +10 (+5 Dex, +5)
Will: +8 (+1 Wis, +7)
 
Skills: 104R = 26PP
Acrobatics 12 (+17)^{Skill Mastery}
Bluff 4 (+6)
Climb 8 (+11)
Computers 4 (+6)
Concentration 6 (+7)
Drive 4 (+9)
Gather Information 8 (+10)
Notice 8 (+9)

Perform (Keyboards) 8 (+10)^{Skill Mastery}
Perform (Stringed Instruments) 8 (+10)^{Skill Mastery}
Profession (Songwriter) 12 (+13)^{Skill Mastery}
Search 8 (+10)
Sense Motive 6 (+7)
Stealth 8 (+13)

 
Feats: 26PP
Accurate Attack
Acrobatic Bluff
Attack Focus (Melee) 4
Challenge (Fast Acrobatic Bluff)
Defensive Attack
Defensive Roll 2
Elusive Target
Evasion
Hide In Plain Sight
Improved Block
Improved Disarm
Improved Initiative
Improved Throw
Improved Trip
Instant Up
Luck
Move-By Action
Ninja Run
Power Attack
Redirect
Skill Mastery (Acrobatics, Perform (Keyboards), Perform (Stringed Instruments), Profession (Songwriter))
Uncanny Dodge (Hearing)
 
Powers: 9 + 1 = 10PP
 
Device 3 (The Sour Note; 15PP Container; Flaws: Easy-To-Lose) [9PP]

 

Base Power: Damage 5 ( slashing, vibrational; Extras: Penetrating 7; Feats: Alternate Power 1, Extended Reach, Mighty) [15PP]

 

AP: Damage 7 ( Tritone, sonic; Extras: Area [70-ft Cone, General] ) {14/14}

 

Super-Senses 1 ( Analytical [Normal Hearing] ) [1PP]
 
DC Block:
ATTACK      RANGE         SAVE                        EFFECT
Unarmed     Touch         DC18 Toughness (Staged)     Damage (Physical)
Sour Note   Touch (Reach) DC23 Toughness (Staged)     Damage (Slashing and Vibrational)
Tritone     Touch (Cone)  DC22 Toughness (Staged)     Damage (Sonic)

 
Totals: Abilities (30) + Combat (44) + Saving Throws (18) + Skills (26) + Feats (26) + Powers (10) - Drawbacks (0) = 154/155 Power Points

Edited March 30, 2016 by HG Morrison
+1pp for Feb 2016

[Avenger Assembled]

I like this build, and concept, a lot - one thing I would do is drop one of the less useful feats (like Weapon Bind) for Challenge (Fast Acrobatic Bluff). That'll let you do your Acrobatic Bluff as a move action. I would also get Skill Mastery for your Acrobatics, so you can automatically get 10 on that Acrobatics check (and three other skills - maybe Perform and Profession too?). You should also pick up some Sense Motive, since as it is he's _very_ vulnerable to being bluffed or startled via Bluff or Intimidate. 

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