N/A Posted March 28, 2015 Posted March 28, 2015 (edited) Player Name: ShaenTheBrainCharacter Name: The NewtPower Level: 10(7) (150/151PP)Tradeoffs: NonePower Points Unspent: 1Progress To Gold Status: 1/90 (Silver Status earned with >The Scarab)Bronze Reward: 7PP of Equipment for >The Scarab, 2PP of Equipment for >Kingsnake, 6PP of Equipment/Minions/Sidekick unclaimedSilver Reward: Bump PL7/105PP PC to PL12/180PP (>Kingsnake) In Brief: Johnny Storm got stretching instead of fire powers. Alternate Identity: Keahi KekoaIdentity: PublicBirthplace: Honolulu, Hawaii, USAResidence: RiversideBase of Operations: Freedom City, New Jersey, USAOccupation: SuperheroAffiliations: The Newt, LLC; University of Hawaii at Monoa (former student athlete)Family: Haunani Kekoa (Mother), Akamu Kekoa (Father), Leilani Kekoa (Younger Sister)Catchphrase: “FIIISSST!!!†Description:Age: 21 (DoB: 1994)Apparent Age: N/AGender: MaleEthnicity: PolynesianHeight: 5ft 10inWeight: 185 lbs.Eyes: GreenHair: None Out of costume, Keahi usually wears a bandana or durag over his bare scalp, which he is still somewhat self-conscious about. He favors a casual but mainstream style, involving a lot of polo shirts and cargo pants. While "on the job," he wears a dark skintight jumpsuit with yellow splotches, vaguely reminiscent of a fire salamander, made from morphic molecules which stretch and bend with his body. He hasn't let his physical fitness dip since his athletic career ended, so his muscles are still lean, rock-hard and well-defined. Power Descriptions:The Newt can stretch, compress, or bend any part of his body, as if it were made of rubber. When his body strikes a solid surface, it bounces. The tensile strength and malleable nature of his flesh makes him virtually immune to physical harm. He is, however, vulnerable to sudden temperature changes, exposure to corrosive acidic and alkaline substances, and electrical discharge, as though his body were made of unvulcanized rubber. History:Keahi Kekoa grew up in Kalihi, a working-class industrial neighborhood in Honolulu. His family scraped by on his father’s salary as a schoolteacher while his mother stayed at home until he and his sister were old enough to become latch-key kids, after which she got a job at one of the resort hotels. Keahi was never better than an average student, but he was a “class clown†with plenty of natural athletic talent, so he was popular despite being a bit of a “weirdo.†Having a younger sibling forced him to learn a little empathy, so he managed to be popular without being a bully. Keahi’s family wouldn’t have been able to afford to send him to college on their own, but luckily, the University of Hawaii at Manoa offered him a “full-ride†basketball scholarship. As one of their Rainbow Warriors, he proved to be one of the most promising young point guards in the NCAA. Unfortunately, he drew the attention of a Yakuza fixer, who tried to convince him and several of his teammates to participate in a point-shaving scheme, and to use a new version of the designer-drug "Max" as a performance-enhancer. Keahi adamantly refused, and thought he’d convinced his teammates to do likewise. But behind his back, some of them accepted the fixer’s bribes, and his "help." The fixer decided to make an example of Keahi, hoping the rest of the chosen players would then fall in line. Unbeknownst to Keahi, some of the Manaka residue from the Yakuza's new Max strain that he'd handled the previous day had been absorbed through his skin, and reacted unpredictably with his physiology. The next morning, Keahi awoke to find his bed full of hair. He ran his hand over his scalp, and it felt smooth. What didn’t fall out overnight sloughed off in the shower. His friends and fellow students complimented “his new look,†but he was terrified. He showed up to his favorite coffee shop that evening as usual, just as one of his teammates had told the fixer he would. Subdued and distracted by his sudden hair loss, Keahi didn’t notice the Yakuza hitman’s car until his partner started firing. The hitman emptied the clip of his submachinegun into Keahi. The bullets pressed a few inches into Keahi’s flesh without breaking his skin. A second later, the slugs bounced back and clattered onto the sidewalk. The hitmen idled in front of the coffee shop for a few moments while Keahi stood there, all of them staring dumbfounded at the bullets. Then the Yakuza wheelman slammed on the gas pedal and laid a strip of burned rubber down onto the pavement. Without thinking, Keahi angrily ran after the hitmen, and, to his surprise, kept pace with their car. It took him a few more moments to notice that his arms and legs grew longer with every step, and that his feet weren’t so much striking the asphalt as they were bouncing off of it. He reached out toward the car, and his arms stretched forward until his fingers grasped it. Then the rest of his body snapped forward like a rubber band, launching him up onto the moving car. A frantic brawl erupted between Keahi and the two hitmen. Their struggle caused the car to crash into a nearby lamp post. The police arrived to find Keahi sitting on the curb, without a scratch on him, with his elongated arms wrapped around the hitmen like coils of rope. The failed assassination attempt kicked off an investigation that went higher and farther than anyone involved would have suspected. The low-level gangster bribing athletes and coaches and betting on fixed games was the tip of the iceberg. His operating funds came from money that the Yakuza had embezzled from the dues of one of the largest labor unions in the country, a union which included workers from all over the Pacific Rim and the American West Coast. Dozens of people were arrested and indicted. Layer after layer of gangsters and corrupt officials testified against those above them. The failed hit against Keahi turned out to be the one loose thread that unraveled an entire international crime syndicate. Unfortunately for Keahi, no good deed goes unpunished. He swore that his powers had first manifested on that day, but with no way to conclusively prove it, UH Manoa was forced to forfeit the entire season. And since he was barred from any future athletic competitions, Keahi lost his scholarship and had to leave the university. He went from big man on campus to pariah and pauper. He felt like he needed a fresh start, so he decided to move as far away as possible, all the way to Freedom City. He hoped that, if any of the people he helped put in prison ever came back for revenge, this would also move their target away from his family. He spent three months working a minimum-wage part-time job while attending classes at a community college before quitting both in frustration. He doubted he would have been able to keep up the balancing act even if he wasn’t also superheroing on the side. And with his newfound powers, his studies seemed pointless. What career was he going to achieve that would compare to being a superhero? (The idea that he might lose his powers, or that they might fade, did not occur to him.) One of the few college friends who would still acknowledge his existence was an economics major who had interned for a venture capital firm the previous summer. He managed to get Keahi in to see them, and helped him put together his proposal: The V.C. puts up some seed money in exchange for a partial stake in Keahi's new "brand," his superhero identity, and when profits from merchandise sales, endorsements, and public appearances start rolling in, they take a cut. Everyone involved gets to make money by making the world a better place. The pitch swayed the investors. They hired an advertising/marketing professional to come up with a family-friendly, non-threatening name and look. The initial seed money was enough to set Keahi up with an apartment, basic living expenses, and even a couple of employees for The Newt, LLC, who manage his website, social media accounts (which those in need can use to ask for his help), and print-on-demand online merchandise store. The Newt took to the streets looking for some wrongs to right, and some cameras to watch him do it. Personality & Motivation:Keahi is a basically good person who wants to use his newfound gifts to help people. But since his efforts at work/life balance have failed so far, he wants to make "being a superhero" his career instead of his hobby. That depends upon public adoration, so he is acutely aware that fame and image are of paramount importance. But he would be lying if he tried to claim that his striving for the limelight was entirely pragmatic. On the contrary, he is quite comfortable being the center of attention. He is young, immature, brash, cocky, impulsive, and sarcastic, which is potentially a recipe for thorough unpleasantness. But he tempers it with a calm confidence and natural panache which usually manages to make him charming instead of obnoxious. He isn't anything close to a deep thinker, and he has no head for strategy. But he won't hesitate to throw himself into harm's way to help a total stranger, and he won't leave until he's managed to put a smile back on their face. Complications:All About The Benjamins: The Newt is an investment, and Keahi's backers expect to make a profit on it. If his actions in public damage his brand, and thus, his profitability, then his investors could make his life more complicated.Cursed With Bald of Awesome: When his powers started manifesting, all of Keahi's body hair fell out, including his eyebrows, eyelashes, nosehairs, fingernails and toenails. A GM can give him a penalty to checks which require tactile sensitivity or dexterity, or to saving throws against effects which target his eyes or nose (especially if they involve the invasion of foreign matter). Additionally, while he is handsome overall, his condition may appear unsettling enough to some to warrant a penalty on certain social interaction checks.Family: Because of his public identity (see below), a villain may decide to hurt Keahi through his parents or his sister. Because they live on the other side of the planet, he would be unable to respond quickly.Glory Hound: The GM can demand that Keahi take a foolhardy course of action for the sake of his public image, or impose a penalty on a check or saving throw to resist or recognize a foolhardy course of action which could yield public adoration.Public Identity: Keahi's identity is not secret. He wears a mask as a nod to superhero tradition, and to reduce the chance that he’ll be recognized out of costume. But his real name is easy to find (it’s on his website), which makes other information about him (like his home address) accessible to those with the right skills and/or resources. This also makes him an easy target for lawsuits.Sucker For A Pretty Face: Keahi's libido has a tendency to override his rational brain. The GM can give him a penalty to checks and saving throws which involve resisting the allure of the opposite sex. The GM can also demand that he take a foolhardy course of action which may result in female attention.Vulnerabilities: Keahi's flesh is similar to un-vulcanized rubber. He is vulnerable to extremes of temperature and extreme changes in temperature (hot or cold). His body is not as good a conductor of electricity as that of a normal human, so electricity causes more damage when it comes into contact with him. His flesh is also less resistant to corrosive substances, such as highly acidic or alkaline chemicals. A GM can give him a penalty on saving throws against attacks with those descriptors, or force a degree of automatic failure. Abilities: [6 + 8 + 8 + 0 + 0 + 8 = 30PP]Strength: 16 (+3) (Heavy Load: 230 lbs.)Dexterity: 24/18 (+7/+4)Constitution: 24/18 (+7/+4)Intelligence: 10 (+0)Wisdom: 10 (+0)Charisma: 18 (+4) Combat: [8 + 12 = 20PP]Initiative: +7/+4Attack: +4 Base, +7 MeleeGrapple: +14/+11, +21 with Elongation, Automatic Escape with InsubstantialDefense: +7 (+6 Base, +1 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-FootedKnockback: 3/2, 7/2 vs Physical Damage Saving Throws: [0 + 0 + 7 = 7PP]Toughness: +7/+4 (+7/+4 Con), Impervious 7/0 vs Physical DamageFortitude: +7/+4 (+7/+4 Con, +0PP)Reflex: +7/+4 (+7/+4 Dex, +0PP)EvasionWill: +7 (+0 Wis, +7PP) Skills: [52R = 13PP]Acrobatics 8 (+15/+11)Skill MasteryBluff 11 (+15)Skill MasteryDiplomacy 11 (+15)Skill MasteryEscape 0 (+7/+4, +14 with Elongation, Automatic with Insubstantial)Knowledge (Current Events) 5 (+5)Knowledge (Pop Culture) 5 (+5)Languages 1 (English [Native], Hawaiian)Notice 10 (+10)Skill MasterySwim 1 (+4) Feats: [17PP]Acrobatic BluffAttack Focus (Melee) 3ConnectedDistract (Bluff)Dodge FocusElusive TargetEvasionGrapple FinesseImproved GrappleInterposeLuck 2Move-By ActionQuick ChangeSetupSkill Mastery (Acrobatics, Bluff, Diplomacy, Notice)Taunt Powers: [8 + 25 + 6 + 6 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 10 + 4 + 1 = 63PP] Bouncing 7 (x250, Max Distance 3,250ft [0.65 miles], Flaws: Limited [No Protection Effect], Feats: Ricochet) [8PP] Elasticity 12 (24PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power) [25PP] Base Power: [5 + 10 + 5 + 4 = 24PP] Damage 4 (Feats: Mighty) [5PP] (Spring-Loaded Strikes) Elongation 7 (500ft Max, 350ft per Move Action, Feats: Improved Grapple, Improved Range 2 [350ft Range Increments for Melee Attacks) [10PP] (Stretching) Insubstantial 1 [5PP] (Human Clay) Super-Movement 2 (Wall-Crawling 2 [Full Speed, Not Flat-Footed]) [4PP] (Human Cling-Wrap/Silly-Putty)Alternate Power: [24PP] (Pinball Attack)Damage 5 (Extras: Area [Targeted, Burst], Selective, Feats: Indirect 3, Progression [Area] 6 [500ft/rank = 2,500ft / 1/2-mile radius]) [24PP]Enhanced Constitution 6 [6PP] (Elasticity) Enhanced Dexterity 6 [6PP] (Elasticity) Features 1 (Quick Change) [1PP] (Morphic-Molecule Costume) Immunity 2 (Critical Hits, Flaws: Limited [Physical Damage]) [1PP] (Homogenous Elasticity) Immunity 2 (Despair, Fear, Flaws: Limited [1/2 Effect]) [1PP] (Heroic Spirit) Immunity 10 (Impact Damage [Falls, Knockback, Slams]) [10PP] (Bouncing, Elasticity) Impervious Toughness 7 (Flaws: Limited [Physical Damage]) [4PP] (Elasticity) Super-Senses 1 (Extended Vision [100ft Notice Increments]) [1PP] (Stretched Eyeballs) Totals: Abilities (30) + Combat (20) + Saving Throws (7) + Skills (13) + Feats (17) + Powers (63) - Drawbacks (0) = 150/151 Power Points Combat Block: ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC18 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Spring-Loaded Strike Touch DC22 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Pinball Attack Touch/Area DC20 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Edited May 9, 2015 by HG Morrison +1pp for April 2015
N/A Posted March 28, 2015 Author Posted March 28, 2015 Apologies. I didn't realize that I could use my Silver Status reward to bump my PL7 slot up to PL12 instead of bumping one of my PL10 slots to PL12. So I'd like Kingsnake as my PL7-turned-PL12, and Scarab and Newt as my two PL10s.
Brown Dynamite Posted April 3, 2015 Posted April 3, 2015 I'll admit I had some ignorance in how Bouncing's built. Had to wrack my head to figure it out. After sorting my head, can't see anything wrong. Still love the backstory. APPROVED
N/A Posted April 3, 2015 Author Posted April 3, 2015 (edited) Thanks. Bouncing is weird. I still have some trouble with it. It's another construct where Kenson took his "art as much as science" approach. Barring the usual disclaimers about him contradicting himself, he did make a couple of helpful forum clarifications. Near as I can tell, it's a 1PP/rank Leaping effect Linked to a 1PP-per-2-ranks Protection effect. The Leaping is Reaction (+2), despite the entry for Leaping in the same book saying the Action couldn't be modified, Limited (Opposite direction or perpendicular stretched-out arc from fall/knockback), and Limited (Distance can't exceed fall/knockback distance). Common sense would dictate that you also can't exceed the normal jump distance for whatever rank of Leaping you have (or else why bother incorporating a Leaping effect in the first place?). The Protection effect is Impervious (+1) and Limited 2 (Fall/knockback damage). It also does the same weird 1E holdover thing as Absorption, lowering the rank of the incoming damage instead of adding to your Toughness save directly. Like Limited Absorption, it technically counts against PL caps for Toughness, but Kenson recommends ignoring it since the focus is so narrow (see Captain Thunder's sheet for the most prominent example of this design philosophy in action). I ditched the Protection effect entirely in favor of Immunity and Limited Impervious Toughness, hopefully sidestepping that whole mess. The Bouncing entry in UP specifically says that you choose whether or not to bounce with each impact. Kenson also clarified that (assuming you choose to bounce) Bouncing triggers off the "potential" damage, as if you had failed the Toughness save by 5+, "suffering" Knockback regardless of whether or not you actually took any damage (which you most likely didn't) here. So if he takes a +6 damage solid shotgun slug to the chest, his Impervious Toughness 7 against physical damage will render him immune, and he doesn't have to budge, but he can still choose to "suffer" knockback as if his Impervious wasn't there, flying (Damage 6 - KB resist 3 = KB 3 = 10 feet) 10 feet backward, and then, if he hit something, rebounding up to 10 feet back toward the shooter as a reaction, or 20ft upward in an arc 5ft toward the shooter. Similarly, he could take a move action to jump off a 100ft tall building, ignore the Damage 10 because of his Immunity, then, as a reaction, bounce 100ft back up into the air, or 200ft forward in a 50ft tall arc. MATH. He also clarified here that the total bounce distance could represent multiple smaller ricochets, which is the only way the Ricochet feat on Bouncing makes sense. I just took Move-By Action as a standalone feat, so there wouldn't be a question of when during the full round of bouncing he could take the full complement of actions to which he's entitled. The consensus last time people discussed it seemed to be that his Elongation and Wall-Crawling were enough to use a move action to stop or change direction mid-bounce, assuming there is sonething within reach to grab onto, and there aren't any objects in his original path to Ricochet off of. Does any of this help? Edited April 3, 2015 by ShaenTheBrain
Brown Dynamite Posted April 3, 2015 Posted April 3, 2015 That's pretty much how I resolved in my mind it to be built. Well other than specifying that the Reaction was to Impact. And though I already looked up most of those answers, doesn't hurt to see them again! Although I did not consider about the part in which even attacks that didn't cause knockback still activated the bounce, though that makes sense. And had let it slipped from my mind that the Impervious worked similar as to absorption rather than just like normal impervious. The latter of which is moot as you removed the protection half of the power construct and took the straightforward immunity instead. But like I said had wrapped my head around it by the time I approved! Or else it wouldn't have made sense for me to vet the sheet and all.
N/A Posted April 3, 2015 Author Posted April 3, 2015 Sorry. Didn't mean to mansplain at you. Hopefully the next redname will get something out of my wall of text.
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