First FCPBP Character

[SoullessGinger]

Hello folks,

 

I stumbled across this site while looking for a mutants and masterminds pbp group. Quite frankly, it looks fantastic and so I've decided to put together a character. I'm still browsing the house rules and reading up on second edition (the only version I've played is third, so I have to unlearn a few things). As soon as I figure out second edition dynamic arrays, I can sort out my character. 

 

The concept is one that I've had for a while and wanted to get a bit of feedback on, to make sure it's appropriate for FC:

 

The character was biologically engineered and created in a misguided attempt to perfect living weapons. Somehow, she avoided whatever control measures were in place, but woke up with no memories on the streets of Vladivostok. After scraping by for several years working as a mob enforcer, pit fighter, or freelance muscle she learned of a place where things could be better: Freedom City. A place where she would no longer have to hide her abilities, where she could live openly and do something more meaningful than collect debts for people that she despises. Spending all her money on a new identity, she managed to stow away in a shipping container. Her story starts when she arrives destitute but hopeful on the docks of Freedom City.

[Avenger Assembled]

Hey, SG! I'm a former Texan myself - we recently moved out of Laredo. 

 

That concept would be good. Make sure you've got a super-identity to go with it. We try to keep to the trifecta of supername, costume, and secret identity - if you've got two of those, you're usually fine. 

[SoullessGinger]

Very nice! I'm a dirty Austinite, I've been here for about 7 years now. 

 

I just read through the section about character themes and the trifecta. That makes sense. Would it acceptable to develop some of those things in character? Thematically, the character would still be getting used to the world and would have little idea how to fit in anywhere, let alone to Freedom City. From a meta level, being fresh off the boat gives me as a player an easier intro into a setting that I am still learning about. So theoretically, the character would have a legal identity (by spending a point on Benefit) which she would do her best to keep secret, and would work on developing the other two as soon as possible. She would be more concerned with her legal status as an asylum seeker than anything else  and would need some help integrating as a person first, then a superhero second. 

 

If that just doesn't work with the setting, then I can tweak some things, maybe moving her past her arrival in Freedom City. But I liked the idea of starting at her arrival point on both a thematic and meta level. Please let me know what y'all think.

[Heritage]

Hi SG! Always happy to see new faces!

 

So is the idea that she paid money to someone to have a new identity made for her that would be her 'true' identity, but her actual identity is a mystery? Also how old do you see her being?

[SoullessGinger]

4 minutes ago, Heritage said:

Hi SG! Always happy to see new faces!

 

So is the idea that she paid money to someone to have a new identity made for her that would be her 'true' identity, but her actual identity is a mystery? Also how old do you see her being?

 

Yes. She paid to have an identity created but she has no idea who she is (which would be reflected in the Amnesiac Complication). I see her being 3-4 years out in the world and appearing to be in her mid-twenties. She was actually created in a lab, but does not remember if she had an identity before waking up in an aleey. Finding the resources to explore her origin will be a huge focus for her.

[angrydurf]

So the Alternate ID benefit is really for a second or third etc legal ID.  You get one for Free as it were and her ID from her amnesiac past would then be a complication (as people might recognize her she might have a criminal record all that good stuff)  So you don't need the points in benefit unless you want more than one established ID to use legally.

[SoullessGinger]

So here's my first pass at this character mechanically. I would appreciate any feedback you guys could offer on mechanical issues with the sheet. I'll work on fine-tuning and getting everything in the proper format once I get the hang of the character building rules. What I'm going for is an Apollo-themed (The Authority, not the Greek) powerhouse. I also want her to be a talented combatant (hence the feats) that doesn't solely rely on her exceptional strength and toughness. Her uniquely tough bioengineered anatomy is what allows her to channel quantum forces in her own self-taught, brute force fashion. Her skills are relatively limited to reflect her short time out in the real world. Subject 31A is the placeholder name I generated while working with Herolab. The custom drawback to her Regeneration is that it requires a source, UV radiation, in order to function.

 

Here's the statblock:

 

Subject 31A

 

Power Level: 10; Power Points Spent: 149/150

STR: +8 (26), DEX: +3 (16), CON: +10 (30), INT: +0 (10), WIS: +0 (10), CHA: +0 (10)

Tough: +10, Fort: +10, Ref: +5, Will: +8

Skills: Acrobatics 4 (+7), Intimidate 8 (+8), Knowledge (streetwise) 7 (+7), Language 1 (+1), Notice 8 (+8), Sense Motive 8 (+8)

Feats: Attack Focus (melee) 5, Benefit (Identity: Cassandra Alkaev), Fearless, Improved Critical 2 (Kinetic Expression ((Strength Bonus) Strike 9)), Improved Grab, Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative, Improved Pin, Interpose, Move-by Action, Takedown Attack 2, Ultimate Effort (Toughness)

 

Powers:
Bioengineered Celluar Structure (Immunity 9) (disease, enviromental conditions (all), poison, suffocation (all))
Bioengineered Resiliency (Impervious Toughness 10)

Quantum Manipulation (Linked)
   Quantum Freedom (Flight 9) (Linked; 2/r-1], quantum forces, Speed: 500 mph, 4400 ft./rnd; Noticeable)
      Kinetic Expression ((Strength Bonus) Strike 9) (Alternate; [3 active, 17/17 PP, 1/r+3], quantum forces, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Kinetic Expression ((Strength Bonus) Strike 9)); Penetrating; Affects Insubstantial 2 (full power); Noticeable)
      Quantum Powerhouse (Super-Strength 7) (Alternate; [0 active, 17/17 PP, 2/r], quantum forces, +35 STR carry capacity, heavy load: 58.9 tons; +7 STR to some checks)
Regeneration 1 (recovery rate (bruised) 1 (recover 1 / round); Regrowth; Custom (Requires UV Radiation))

 

Attack Bonus: +5 (Ranged: +5, Melee: +10, Grapple: +18/+25)

Attacks: Unarmed Attack, +10 (DC 23)

Defense: +10  (Flat-footed: +5), Knockback: -10

Initiative: +7

Languages: English, Russian (native)

Totals: Abilities 42 + Skills 9 (36 ranks) + Feats 16 + Powers 42 + Combat 30 + Saves 10 + Drawbacks 0 = 149

 

[SoullessGinger]

Wow, that Herolab statblock was super unhelpful. Here's a better break down:

 

PL: 10 149/150PP Spent

Totals: Abilities 42 + Skills 9 (36 ranks) + Feats 16 + Powers 42 + Combat 30 + Saves 10 + Drawbacks 0 

 

Abilities: 16 + 6 + 20 + 0 + 0 +0 =  42 PP
Strength: 26 (+8)
Dexterity: 16 (+3)
Constitution: 30 (+10)
Intelligence: 10 (+0)
Wisdom: 10 (+0)
Charisma: 10 (+0)


Combat: 10 + 20 = 30 PP
Initiative: +7
Attack: +10 Melee, +5 Ranged
Grapple: +18/+25
Defense: +10 (+10 Base)
Knockback: -10


Saving Throws: 2 + 8 = 10PP
Toughness: +10 (10 Impervious)
Fortitude: +10 (+10 Con)
Reflex: +5 (+3 Dex, +2)
Will: +8 (+8)


Skills: 36R = 9PP

Acrobatics 4 (+7)

 Intimidate 8 (+8) 

Knowledge (streetwise) 7 (+7)

Language 1 (+1)

Notice 8 (+8)

Sense Motive 8 (+8)

 

Feats: 16PP

Attack Focus (melee) 5

Benefit 1 (Identity: Cassandra Alkaev)

Fearless

Improved Grab

Improved Grapple

Improved Initiative 1

Improved Pin

Interpose

Move-by Action

Takedown Attack 2

Ultimate Effort (Toughness)

 

Powers: 9 + 10 + 1 + 22 = 42PP

Bioengineered Celluar Structure (Immunity 9) (disease, enviromental conditions (all), poison, suffocation (all))  = 9PP

 

Bioengineered Resiliency (Impervious Toughness 10)  = 10PP

 

Regeneration 1 (recovery rate (bruised) 1 (recover 1 / round); Regrowth; Custom (Requires UV Radiation)) = 1PP

 

Quantum Manipulation Array: 22PP

-Base: Quantum Freedom (Flight 9) Drawback: Noticeable = 18PP

-AP: Quantum Powerhouse (Super-Strength 8) = 2PP

-AP: Kinetic Expression (Strike 6) Feats: Mighty, Affects Insubstantial 2, Improved Critical 2; Extras: Penetrating; Drawback: Noticeable = 2PP

 

 

Attack Bonus: +5 (Ranged: +5, Melee: +10, Grapple: +18/+25)

Attacks: Unarmed Attack, +10 (DC 23)

Defense: +10  (Flat-footed: +5), Knockback: -10

Initiative: +7

Languages: English, Russian (native)

Totals: Abilities 42 + Skills 9 (36 ranks) + Feats 16 + Powers 42 + Combat 30 + Saves 10 + Drawbacks 0 = 149

[Raveled]

There's a big problem with the Strike: with Mighty and the listed Str bonus, that's a Rank 14 effect with a +10 Attack bonus. That breaks caps. You could drop the attack bonus to +6 or drop the rank to 10.

[SoullessGinger]

Ah, that's just me being stupid with Herolab. It should only be rank 2. But Herolab just lets you dump points into things. By my math rank 2 puts her at the cap. Is that correct?

 

You guys have been a great help, both in here and in chat. I had to travel for work all day today. I hope to get a full post up for approval sometime Thursday.

[Raveled]

2 ranks of Strike would keep it at caps, yes. It also makes that power only cost 7 or so PP, meaning you have ~10 PP unused in that 'slot'. You could shave some points by putting something like Takedown Attack in there as Power Feats and using those points elsewhere.

[SoullessGinger]

Now that's a very interesting idea. I'll have to take a look at her feats and see if there are any that I wouldn't mind her only accessing when that power is active. Thanks for the suggestion. I also noticed a lot of drawbacks on some of the posted character sheets (like Impoverished) that I can't find in the core book. Is there a list of those somewhere that I'm missing?

[angrydurf]

Most of those are house rules

 

Impoverished is basically an inverse of the wealthy benefit feat.

[SoullessGinger]

Finally got it posted. You guys have been a great help and I really appreciate it.