Gaming W/Jemal: Mutant Rising OOC (Game has started!)

[Guest 11456]

Robert Paul Marshall (R.P.M.)

PL: 10 (150pp)

Abilities: STR: 16 (+3) DEX: 18 (+4) CON: 14 (+2) INT: 10 (+0) WIS: 10 (+0) CHA: 10 (+0)

Skills: Acrobatics 8 (+12), Escape Artist 8 (+12), Sleight of Hand 8 (+12), Stealth 8 (+12)

Feats: Elusive Target, Evasion (2), Fast Overrun, Instant Up, Move-by Action, Uncanny Dodge

Powers: Super-Speed 10 (Air Control, Rapid Attack, Wall Run, Water Run; PP: 53), Quickness 10 (10,000 mph or 88,000 feet per melee round), Speed 10 (perform routine tasks a 2500 times normal)

Combat: Attack +8, Defense +15, Initiative +44

Saves: Toughness +4, Fortitude +5, Reflex +14, Will +3

Abilities 18 + Skills 8 (32 ranks) + Feats 7 + Powers 53 + Combat 46 + Saves 18 = 150

Background: Until about two weeks ago Robert Marshall had been mostly just your typical petty thief. He had never really intended to be a thief but his inability to hold down any job for more then a month maid it a necessity. He mainly stole just enough to live on because just like any other job he sucked at stealing as well.

Two weeks ago he had tried to snatch an old woman’s purse for the first time. However he didn’t know that the woman in question was actually a policewoman in a sting operation to crack down on crime in the park. As he grabbed the purse he found himself on the receiving end of a police chase. Although it was a foot chase he wasn’t holding out hope that he would escape. At least he put a mask on his face so if he could escape he couldn’t be identified. As he turned a corner he saw two police cars coming for him. He thought that he was caught. So he turned the other direction and started running as fast as he could. That’s when it happened. He quickly accelerated to super-sonic speed and was home before he knew it.

Since that time he has been getting acquainted with his new found powers. He has cut down on the theft. He seems to feel like a true hero, like in the comic books that he read as a kid. He still has been doing some theft because super-sonic speeds do a number on his clothes.

[sblock=FOR THE GM: WTF is going on submission]Even though Robert was a petty thief, he still tried to do the right thing as well. The last few years he has been working with after school programs. He was also a member of Big Brothers and was mentoring a young boy. He was with the boy last week when the kid grew to giant size. Using his abilities he tracked where the kid was taken to.

Two days ago Robert was zooming by a local bar when he saw the fight between the two men. Then he saw the one man freeze the other. He used his powers of speed to tail the freeze guy too.

He has been noting other strange occurrences and has ‘procured’ a police band radio in order to keep up with the local police chatter. Although the police radio is at his home he can get to any location in the city in a matter of seconds.[/sblock]

 

[Relique du Madde]

Rellique
I dislike Turnabout on teleport. I understand that it's "Supposed" to be the equivalent of a move-by-action, but teleport-attack-teleport is too powerful of an attack pattern IMO.
Are your Body Armour and Goggles Equipment or Devices? The way you have them listed is as though they were actual powers.
Finally: I notice you only have a 13 defense. The 'base 3' just means you have to buy 3 base points before increasing it any further with feats/powers. If you only WANT a 13 defense that's fine. I presume in that case you'd be hoping for your insubstantiality to keep you alive?
Also, don't forget you have to pick one type of power that affects you while you're insubstantial.

With the armor/goggles I was initially just thinking of having them be "powers" with the technological descriptor on them to make them psuedo devices. But since I'm not sure if that flies I could easily change them to a device.

As far as the defense goes, I've been debating on what I should cut/lower so I could add in defensive feats. I figure once I make his armor into a device then I could assign some points from that into defense feat/power (so Dusk would basically be at a major disadvantage when not in is suit).

Since shadow/darkness is his schtick, would effects with a "light" descriptor be common enough to count as something that counters his insustantial? If not then "energy" works.

 

[Binder Fred]

Nightshift, whaddya think? If you just have the core TK power, that'd probably be the only one we have in common. We could even make it an RP thing...perhaps an informal rivalry or something springs up.

No problems at all, Shayuri. The effects will likely be completely different anyway. Nightshift's gun can't actually support objects in the air for example (unless it's light and he keeps shooting it up each time it comes down, of course .

Speaking of which:

Instant duration Mind Control seems exceedingly limited.

Ah, but it's an instant *lasting* duration. Which, if I read it right, basically means that the effect (1) doesn't have to be maintained and (2) continues until successfully saved against with targets getting a save at cumulative +1 every round thereafter (2nd ED p70). That seemed to fit well with the FX of shouting a command and then people obeying it until they think better of it. You want to order them to do something else? You have to shout another command/use the power again.

N.B. I noted as an aside "targets remember being controlled" since that made more sense. Didn't think it was worth points either way though.

Both of your snare attacks work mechanically, but don't make sense with their 'name'. I take it since your character is a mentalist that the snares are you making them think they're received an incapacitating wound/being handcuffed, hence the will save? Or are these actual bonds you're creating?

He's not a mentalist per se. All of his powers are grounded in the physical with the partial exeption of "Command voice" which is part pure presence and habit of command, and probably part mutantish ESP as well. All his other attack powers come from summoning weapons to his hands and using them.

With "Flesh wound" he shoots a bullet in a non-essential part of the target, said target being either bothered, or downright incapacitated by the shock and the pain (hence the will save). Leg shots would simulate the "rooted to the spot" bit of some Entangles.

"Infinite handcuffs" involve teleporting bounds to this hands (handcuffs, rope, etc) and physically snapping them on to a target. Note his low Attack bonus on melee attacks : this is best accomplished on a cowed/distracted/held down or unconscious target. It's the classic takedown and cuff them manoeuvre.

"C4" summons explosives to his hand, either of the C4 plastique kind or pineaple-type grenades. Set and watch go boom.

The 'costume teleport' - I think I get what you're going for, but wouldn't taking your protective suit as a 'device' and then using the quick change feat to represent your teleport make more sense than 'activated protection'?

Wouldn't he have to carry the folded-up costume around then? Ideally I'd want the costume to be stashed away in his cache back home with the rest of his weapons and then teleporting around him in one go. Aged security guard one moment but then *boom* a flick of the hand and Nightshift is looking down at you, fully armored and ready to go.

Reversible and Trigger on teleport: Reversible teleportation is basically a variant of turnabout, which I've disallowed.

The Reversible is on his attack teleport... or is tagging a villain, shifting away and then teleporting said villain next to one of the bricks only to Reverse him back to his original square just after the brick squashes him the problem? (I admit, it did cross my mind <evil grin>). Would taking a "Standard action" Reversible patch things up? I mostly put the Reversible there to match the FX of his summoned weapons popping in and out at will.

And...

As to Triggered attack powers - I don't allow triggers that are controllable by the character. it's a cheap and easy way of getting a free-action attack (Granted once per combat, but that's often enough), and I dislike that.

"C4" has no problems that I can see : triggers there are mostly time delay-type things with a few tripwires thrown in. "To me" Teleports though... pretty much *have* to be triggered by the character if I want to match the Summoned weapon FX... Standard action activate like the Reversible? A Standard to set, a standard to activate, a standard to send back : in short, a standard to use. Could say it's the trouble of pulling another person's lifeforce through with your own : it tends to resist!

Assuming the above is OK, and with that rationalisation in mind, would it be unbalancing to say the Standard action reverts back to Free for inanimate objects?

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Binder Fred, can't blame a guy for trying.

 

[Andor]

Andor
Your character needs to buy a few ranks in the Intimidate skill. (Fearsome Presence rank may not exceed intimidate bonus)

And yes, I'd suggest giving your nauseate a 'requires successful grapple' limitation for -1.

Huh. Didn't notice that before. D'oh. Without his powers Roy is as intimidating as a wet kitten. OTOH I can simply choose only use intimidate with some kind of display, and gradually ignore that as he grows into his powers (and up) and starts to have real prescence.

Ok, off to edit the char sheet. ^^

Oh, and this? "Although it was a foot chase he wasn’t holding out hope that he would escape. At least he put a mask on his face so if he could escape he couldn’t be identified. As he turned a corner he saw two police cars coming for him. He thought that he was caught. So he turned the other direction and started running as fast as he could. That’s when it happened. He quickly accelerated to super-sonic speed and was home before he knew it." Really makes me think of the 'street thief in high speed chase with landlady' scene from kung-fu hustle.

 

[Shayuri]

Binder, I've got a question.

If that TK is meant to represent his gun shooting...why not just make it a standard Blast power? It'd be cheaper that way too.

 

[Binder Fred]

links

Proposal for a deeper link with Crystal
Hey There Renau, gave the conection angle a thought and I have a proposal for you. How about this: Gordon likes to walk when he's brooding or just can't take it anymore. One of his walking spots has always been the local university, the park next to it or the athletic grounds. There, before AA, before the expulsion, he met an old guy in a tan security uniform. Most often they don't talk at all, just walk in company before parting with a pat on the shoulder or a hand raised in farewell. Sometimes, sometimes they sit on the cold concrete steps of the accounting building and discuss till the sun comes up, hands slashing arguments, leaning bodies pressing the essential point forwards (history, politics, the do's and don'ts a modern man has to live with, they've covered them all). In fact, it's Nighshift that directed Gordon towards AA during one of those talks. More than strangers, not exactly friends (Gordon's violent-angry side in perticular is a field of hot contention between the two; scares Nighshift sometimes, worries him often. He's talked to Mary about it at lenght), such are two heroes in a chain of heroes.


Proposal for a link with RPM
Hello Tailspinner! You think RPM, before he gained his power, could be an habitual would-be thief at the U? Lots of computers and stuff in there, wide-ground to cover for the sec guys too : can't possibly cover it all, can they? It's PERFECT! Somehow though, he always gets too greedy (trying to balance a whole pile of monitors in his arms?) or too "unlucky" to get *anything* out of that place. That old guy has the luck of the devil with him too : how did he manage to - Nevermind that! Next time, next time will be different, next time he'll...

I suggest a nickname for him as well, your choice. Since he's always(?) wearing masks for his attempted heast, the university sec guards coud have nicknamed him "Halloween", or, if you want something in line with his future powers, maybe "Speedy" for his fast retreating back? If you let me pick, I'd go with that last one.

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Binder Fred, opening windows.

 

[Binder Fred]

Binder, I've got a question.

If that TK is meant to represent his gun shooting...why not just make it a standard Blast power? It'd be cheaper that way too.

For the stuns. i.e. it also represents a guy shooting their hats off, "pressing" buttons and levers with a well placed bullet, disarming them with a hit on their weapon, tripping them with projected objects, "Freeze!"-ing and "Up against the wall!"-ing them with TK grabs, etc, etc.

Contrarely to Crystal and Dusk, Nightshift has seen and done enough killing to last him three eternities. Using TK as a straight punch will be his last resort, saved for robots and the truly insane.

Does that make sense?

 

[Shayuri]

For the stuns. i.e. it also represents a guy shooting their hats off, "pressing" buttons and levers with a well placed bullet, disarming them with a hit on their weapon, tripping them with projected objects, "Freeze!"-ing and "Up against the wall!"-ing them with TK grabs, etc, etc.

Contrarely to Crystal and Dusk, Nightshift has seen and done enough killing to last him three eternities. Using TK as a straight punch will be his last resort, saved for robots and the truly insane.

Does that make sense?

I dunno. The first few things on that you could conceivably do with a Blast too. Tripping them with projected items and grabbing people sort of flies in the face of what you were saying earlier, about how you weren't planning on using TK for more than just shooting people.

*shrug*

The Sustained duration just seems really weird on something that's supposed to be a "gun." You wouldn't normally use a gun to shove someone up against a wall, for example. You'd grab them and do it with your arm.

I think I see what you're trying to accomplish; modeling the things you see classic "gunslingers" do with their guns. I'm just not sure TK is really the best way to do it. Have you considered making a separate array? A sort of "gunslinging" array that branches off of a Blast as a base power and has other powers to simulate trick shots and so on as Alternate Powers?

 

[Binder Fred]

Tripping them with projected items and grabbing people sort of flies in the face of what you were saying earlier, about how you weren't planning on using TK for more than just shooting people.

Uh... I said Nighshift couldn't "hold things up in the air" like most TKs can. that's not quite the same thing.

The Sustained duration just seems really weird on something that's supposed to be a "gun." You wouldn't normally use a gun to shove someone up against a wall, for example. You'd grab them and do it with your arm.

At range? Now I admit this power was created before I'd thought to add the "comand voice" power which does the same thing differently, but you must have seen people using the commanding/fear inducing power of a pointed gun to control people's actions? You point the gun and yell "Freeze". Nothing comes out of the gun and yet the victim is caught in the, in this case very real, mesmerizing grip of that dark round *hole* in creation : it's a gun grab at range. Same principle for the "Up against the wall!" use : gesture with the gun and presto, before they know it they're pressed against it as if a force was holding them there. Doesn't work so well, or at all, without the gun.

To be perfect you'd probably need for it to be saved against Will.... Though if you can dodge out of the "line of effect" of the pointed gun it's bound to be a lot less impressive.

I think I see what you're trying to accomplish; modeling the things you see classic "gunslingers" do with their guns. I'm just not sure TK is really the best way to do it. Have you considered making a separate array? A sort of "gunslinging" array that branches off of a Blast as a base power and has other powers to simulate trick shots and so on as Alternate Powers?

To what end though? Another array isn't exactly going to be cost effective, so where is the gain? Does it give my character more options? Better chances of success? Something?

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Binder Fred, inquiring minds.

 

[Shayuri]

Eh, it's your character. Clearly we see things differently. Which is fine.