Kavos Posted June 17, 2008 Posted June 17, 2008 I’ve been thinking of some character concepts for my Pl 6 character, and I’ve thought of one that I don’t mind, I just need some advice on it. Basically I was thinking of some form of Alien/science experiment gone wrong sort of thing. (Not sure overall on the details) Anyway I was thinking that the character would be a Bi-pedal armored stalker. Combining heightened sensors, leaping limited speed, Concealment, Fear inducing abilities and natural weapons to hunt down prey. I’m not sure how intelligent it would be; it would either be animal instinct with baseline human intelligence or highly intelligent with alien mindset. I was also thinking it having a tail and two mantises like claws (probably on its back). Basically I’m just looking for some collaboration on appropriate abilities/skills/feats/powers for the creature.
nareik123 Posted June 17, 2008 Posted June 17, 2008 *cough cough* Tyranid Lictor *cough cough* I haven't seen one like that, although this person sounds a bit too solo. Intimidation is definately a skill you want to max out, might I recommend you invest in Charisma as well? Not massivly, but a boost will help. A high ranking in fearsome presence, pretty obviously. Sneak attack is also neccessary. Conceal from all visual senses with the Blending flaw will serve you well here. With the obvious leaping, and strike powers (split attack is recommended for two claws). The intelligence thing is something you have to decide.
Kavos Posted June 17, 2008 Author Posted June 17, 2008 *cough cough* Tyranid Lictor *cough cough* haha yeah, i was going through some of my old books last night, and i saw the Lictor. I always liked it, and I've been going over and over different character concepts for villains and this one stuck the most. Out of curiosity how does Shapechange/morph work? I'm all for "solo" but as I say I'm an "anti-social socialite" :? anyway perhaps he could be an alien who can change into a human, (whether simply cosmetic or full stat change). That would give him more group play options, but still retain the Alien persona.
nareik123 Posted June 17, 2008 Posted June 17, 2008 Morph is a cosmetic change only. Say you morphed into a human, you'd still have all of your deadly abilities, two claws and other stuff. You can really sum it up this way. If a battle axe was morphed into a Dagger, it is still a battle axe. Shapechange is where you gain the full set of traits. Admittedly, it confuses me a lot. Shape change, In my opinion, is useful for multiple forms. For a single human alter ego, I'd go Alternate Form Linked with Morph. There you can save the points that shape change costs (8pp per rank? Thats possibly the most expensive basic power in the MnM 2nd ed book! It might even be more expensive!) Oh yes, in addition to the recommended powers, might I add Super sense: Infra red and Dark? Also, make your smelling better and possibly extended. Additional Limbs 2 as well. Yes, I am a 40K addict, but hey, Boltguns, S&M space aged elves and daemons who wear no clothing, its all there. :D
Folkert Posted June 17, 2008 Posted June 17, 2008 Regarding the Shapeshift power: Better not plan with it. Variable powers are currently not allowed here. So, as nareik123 said, Morph is the way to go to "look human".
Dr Archeville Posted June 17, 2008 Posted June 17, 2008 Regarding the Shapeshift power: Better not plan with it. Variable powers are currently not allowed here. Actually, this is not entirely true (I was recently corrected on an error I've been working under). Seems straight-from-the-book VPs are technically allowed here, though they may of course be nixed during Character Approval during the approval process.
nareik123 Posted June 17, 2008 Posted June 17, 2008 I personally don't like Shapeshift, as it solves too many problems. You want to muscle your way past? easy, bear form. You want to sneak by an enemy? easy, spider form. You want to fly? Easy, bird form. In addition, it's cost allows some incredibaly nasty Alternate powers. Something like Blast 10 Area: Burst 15ft.
Dr Archeville Posted June 17, 2008 Posted June 17, 2008 In addition, it's cost allows some incredibaly nasty Alternate powers. Something like Blast 10 Area: Burst 15ft. Though it's not a printed rule, I prefer not to let VPs create powers with APs, since you can just reconfigure the VP to get what you want. Your Blast would be built as Blast 10 (Extra: 15-ft. Burst Area; PF: Progression 7/reduced area); Progression is used to increase or decrease the size of an Area effect.
Avalon Posted June 17, 2008 Posted June 17, 2008 I think something like nemesis or reflexive memory would cost more per rank.
Dr Archeville Posted June 17, 2008 Posted June 17, 2008 Kavos, do you have access to Instant Superheroes? There's a PL 6 "Living Weapon" in there, it's got decent Str, Dex and Con, Regeneration, Strike, and Super-Senses (low-light vision and tracking scent). Concealment could just be a good Stealth check (the PL 6 Living Weapon has a +13 on Stealth; on average that's a 23, something most Normal won't be able to beat). And if the only part of your appearance you want to change is just that, the appearance, got with Morph.
Kavos Posted June 18, 2008 Author Posted June 18, 2008 Yeah, Morph sounds better to me, (and less complicated ) Erm no unfortunately I don't have that book Doc. Although buy what you described there it sounds like it would be worth a look. Also a few questions. 1: Do you only need 1 strike attack? (E.g. his Claws, Mantises Blades, possible a tail if I feel like it.) Or would they all need there own Strike attacks? 2: I was thinking that perhaps I'd give him a little more Psyonic ability, namely in his fear department. I was wondering does the Emotion control (limited Fear) allow you to endues fear through Ghosts, sounds, ext ext or would that need to be linked with a limited Illusion? (It could be Sense Dependent, although if its Psyonic in nature wouldn’t that be mental?)
Dr Archeville Posted June 18, 2008 Posted June 18, 2008 Erm no unfortunately I don't have that book Doc. Although buy what you described there it sounds like it would be worth a look. It's definitely one of my faves, up there with Ultimate Power. 1: Do you only need 1 strike attack? (E.g. his Claws, Mantises Blades, possible a tail if I feel like it.) Or would they all need there own Strike attacks? It can be done with just one Strike, yes. You could do Strike 2 (PFs: Mighty, Split Attack, Variable Descriptor/bludgeoning, piercing or striking) to do all his bodily weapons. Or, you could do something like Strike 2 (claws; PFs: Mighty; AP: Strike 1 [tail; PFs: Extended Reach, Mighty]); with this, the claws do more damage, but the tail has longer reach. 2: I was thinking that perhaps I'd give him a little more Psyonic ability, namely in his fear department. I was wondering does the Emotion control (limited Fear) allow you to endues fear through Ghosts, sounds, ext ext or would that need to be linked with a limited Illusion? (It could be Sense Dependent, although if its Psyonic in nature wouldn’t that be mental?) You can link it to a Phantasm Illusion effect, yes. And you can make the Emotion Control sense-dependent, but that would mean they'd need to look you in the eye or hear your voice or smell you to be affected by your fear. If you only want it so the target sees terrifying images drawn from their own subconscious, and you have no real control over what they see, then that can be done just with Emotion Control. (And it's typically spelled "Psionic" )
Kavos Posted June 18, 2008 Author Posted June 18, 2008 Ok cool thanks ( :cry: I thought it looked wrong) I'll look into picking up that book you mentioned.
Kavos Posted June 18, 2008 Author Posted June 18, 2008 Quick question, how do you do the -1 or more on the sight? E.g. you have Quickness 1 power point rank, and if you have the flaw -1 mental only, how do you do the costing here? Is it still 1 ppr? Or a 2ranks for every 1 pp? Ext ext? Oh and I may change the character concept a little, after thinking of a general back story and whatnot, I realised that the Stalker like character wasn't really the Logical choice for the background, So I’m working out some alternatives which follow the same lines as the stalker, just more suitable for the story concept.
Folkert Posted June 18, 2008 Posted June 18, 2008 Quick question, how do you do the -1 or more on the sight? E.g. you have Quickness 1 power point rank, and if you have the flaw -1 mental only, how do you do the costing here? Is it still 1 ppr? Or a 2ranks for every 1 pp? Ext ext? Two ranks for every one powerpoint is the correct solution. (Or three ranks for every one powerpoint if you chose Quickness with the single task (-2) flaw.)
Kavos Posted June 18, 2008 Author Posted June 18, 2008 ok cool thanks. is it just me or is there never enough points for everything you want. :P
Kavos Posted June 19, 2008 Author Posted June 19, 2008 * Sigh * ok I seem to be at a dead end (although 3 days of little sleep can probably do that to the mind…) anyway how does this sound. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The character comes from several thousand years in the future and an alternate dimension. In there timeline, discoveries made during this time period set there world in a direction that ultimately saw the extinction of the Human race (as we know it.). It started out as small changers in social behavior and slowly grew more and more with each passing generation. Most of the populace began to develop a limited psionic capacity, allowing people to better understand each other when they talked to each other. But this continued to escalate. Each generation became more and more powerful that eventually there was no need to talk, until finally a new generation was born which from our prospective was completely alien in mindset. They no longer thought as individuals but instead were of one mind… This new hive mind quickly dispatched of their parents, their incredible psionic abilities more than enough to deal with the “weaker life form.†Their intelligence already far greater than any individual could ever hope to achieve. And so with the last of the old human race destroyed this new race began to change, they began to reshape their genetic codes and the world around them. They began to grow genetically engineered children in pods, which were suited to a specific task. Eventually as the generations went buy, very little was left of the old human race. Now the planet and much of the known galaxy was overran by this new superior race. Large hive mind enteritis controlling the billions of workers, scouts, researchers, and any number of other job specific creature. All worked for the single goal of increasing their numbers. It was around this time that an unexpected twist happened; one of the Elder Hive minds was pondering the time stream, when he stumbled across an interesting possibility. Utilizing his immense psionic abilities the Elder Hive mind sent out his mind to wander the other dimensions. Until he stumbled across a universe almost identical to his own. As soon as his mind entered this new realm the Hive from that realm merged with his realms Hive, and so the Hive grew larger… With this new knowledge they began to scout out dimensions, growing ever larger and larger as alternate earths that had followed the same path of evolution joined into one Hive mind. But that wasn’t enough they had to keep expanding. While their armies marched across galaxy’s eradicating all, and absorbing the required material to create more of themselves, and now with the expansion from dimension to dimension, it still wasn’t enough. Each one of them screamed out for more minds more connection within the Hive. And so a new plan was designed, a plan to send a new bread back into earths past, in each and every world that never became the Hive mind, and this breads job would be to make sure that the change happens, that the humans of that earth would evolve into the Hive and the Hive would grow stronger… ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Still with me? Anyway that was my base idea… at the moment my real problem is I’m not sure what sort of creature they would send back. It would have to be intelligent, and be able to survive in isolation (there biggest weakness, even if connected mentally, they die if there not physically close to each other.) and be suitable to bring about whatever the change is that puts humans on that path in the first place. Ok granted I’m not looking for any super-being (well more super than a super-hero, or villain in this case) just something that would fit. The two ideas I’ve had so far are the stalker I mentioned, or a Juvenal Elder Hive mind, (the adult being way to powerful for a Pl 6 character). The problems with the stalker is while he does seem independent, I’m not sure how he would achieve his goals, since he seems better suited to killing things more than anything. As for the Hive mind, its possible, although since its sole purpose is psionics, it would be Incredibly week physically (possible like a 1 on the Strength and Dexterity, and possible even Constitution. Meaning it relies totally on its powers to do anything.) ok shutting up now before this ends up as a novel :?
JDRook Posted June 23, 2008 Posted June 23, 2008 I think I've read that novel. It sounds quite a bit like Stephen Baxter's "The Time Ships." It's written as a kind of updated sequel to Welles's "The Time Machine." I recommend it. :)
Kavos Posted June 24, 2008 Author Posted June 24, 2008 Ah I didn't know that.... another idea stolen before I could think of it... haha :)
Dr Archeville Posted June 24, 2008 Posted June 24, 2008 Eh, it's not like comic writers themselves haven't borrowed/stolen ideas from countless sources That being said, that last character idea sounds somewhat similar to the Cosmic Mind, an FC supervillain.
Kavos Posted June 25, 2008 Author Posted June 25, 2008 hehe true. *Wanders off to look at the cosmic mind.* hmm interesting Oh and thanks doc for the tip on Instant superhero, i grabbed it the other day and it is very handy 8-) *Has sad idea for a hero/villain* probably not really suitable to play, just funny concept. have a small fry [shrinking] hairball with big loveable eyes [Emotion control] with bouncing and rubber band, (no arms, but with a tongue that can extend and be used as a hand) combined with the Matter Eater power... i know sad concept lol, but funny.
Avalon Posted June 25, 2008 Posted June 25, 2008 I think there's a creature like that in the Harry Potter universe. They are said to make great pets for kids.
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