[Live Free or Die Hard] Help me stat out John McClane

[Michael Dean]

I don't care if the movie is terrible or not, but I will be first in line tomorrow morning to see it. So for all the Die Hard lovers out there, help me put some stats together for John McClane. Or if you know of any sites that have done so already, feel free to steer me there.
I don't have my d20 Modern book in front of me, but I'll take a stab at some stats.

Abilities*
Strength: 13 (He's fairly stocky, but not Swarzenegger-like, plus he throws a mean left hook)
Dexterity: 14 (He generally gets the drop on the bad guys, but some of the tougher guys he faces are faster and more athletic than he is, so this doesn't seem too high)
Constitution: 18 (Of course it's an 18; he's Die Hard for crying out loud)
Intelligence: 12 (Smarter than your average bear, but not Mensa level)
Wisdom: 15 (Good investigator/cop, so pretty high here, especially if he takes levels in Dedicated Hero)
Charisma: 8 (Good looking guy, but is well known for making people furious, especially his superiors, bad guys, and estranged wives/children)
* Of course, these may change depending on how many levels he gets; I'm thinking minimum 8 character levels, but maybe as many as 12. So maybe add one point to Strength or Dexterity, and one to Constitution. Or just 2 to Constitution so he gets to the next bonus.

Classes
So what classes should I give him? Tough Hero and Dedicated Hero seem like obvious choices, as well as Investigator, and maybe Strong Hero. Any ideas on what the mix should be? Or any better ideas for classes?

Feats
Don't have the book in front of me, like I said, so this is tabula rasa.

Skills
Ditto for Feats above.

 

[takyris]

Honestly, I don't see any need for classes beyond Tough. Like, a lot of it.

He doesn't win in hand-to-hand because he's a martial arts ninja. He wins because you hit him, and you hit him, and you hit him, and then you get tired, and then he hits you, and you go down. A Tough hero with decent Strength and Dexterity works really well in that regard.

 

[Michael Dean]

Honestly, I don't see any need for classes beyond Tough. Like, a lot of it.

I like the way you think!

 

[wingsandsword]

Here are some stats for him I'd already had written up, at least him circa Die Hard With a Vengeance

Lieutenant John McClane, NYPD
Human Dedicated Hero 6/Tough Hero 6
Medium Size Humanoid
Str 15 +2
Dex 14 +2
Con 17 +3
Int 13 +1
Wis 12 +1
Cha 13 +1

Profession: Law Enforcement (Drive, Intimidate)
AC: 18 (+6 Class, +2 Dex)
HD/HP: 6d6+6d10+36 (92)
Reputation: +4

Saves:
Fort: +9
Ref: +6
Will: +8

Attacks: (BAB +8)
Melee +12, +7, 1d8+2 Nonlethal (Unarmed)
Ranged: +11, +6, 2d6 (Glock 17)

Allegiances: Good, New York, Law

Wealth Bonus: +6
Initiative: +2
Action Points: 12

Skills: Investigate +10 (9 Ranks), Knowledge (Civics) +5 (4 Ranks), Knowledge (Popular Culture) +5 (4 Ranks), Knowledge (Streetwise) +5 (4 Ranks), Listen +10 (9 Ranks), Drive +17 (15 Ranks), Intimidate +16 (15 Ranks), Spot +19 (15 Ranks), Treat Injury +2 (1 Rank)

Feats: Simple Weapon Proficiency, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Dodge, Mobility, Advanced Firearms Proficiency, Quick Draw, Weapon Focus (Glock 17), Improved Damage Threshold (20), Iron Will, Brawl, Point Blank Shot, Improved Brawl, Shot on the Run, Knockout Punch

Class Abilities/Talents: Skill Emphasis (Spot), Aware, Cool Under Pressure (Spot, Search, Investigate, Knowledge: Civics), Remain Conscious, Second Wind, Stamina

Equipment: NYPD Badge, Glock 17 w/ Shoulder Holster, Cigarettes & Lighter

 

[Tumbler]

I think he needs some ranks in Sense Motive. He rarely seems to be tricked by the schemes of the badguys. He definitely has the Hunch ability.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Re: First post.

I'd give him slightly higher Int (wasn't he a detective before?) and not such a high Con. Yes, he's tough, but that big goon in the first movie was definitely tougher than he was.

I'd give him a higher Charisma score. If you ask me, he uses his high Charisma to taunt people. I wouldn't give him Diplomacy, though ^^

I don't know if he needs Hunch. Intuition should do the trick.

By the way, I've only seen the first movie in its entirety, so I'm probably missing some stuff.

 

[Klaus]

John McClane
Tough Hero 10/Dedicated 4
S 13 D 14 Co 18 I 13 W 14 Ch 12
Occupation: Law-Enforcement

 

[Michael Dean]

Re: First post.

I'd give him slightly higher Int (wasn't he a detective before?) and not such a high Con. Yes, he's tough, but that big goon in the first movie was definitely tougher than he was.

I'd give him a higher Charisma score. If you ask me, he uses his high Charisma to taunt people. I wouldn't give him Diplomacy, though ^^

Well, I think if he has high enough skill points in Sense Motive, Notice, Spot, or Knowledge (streetwise), it would be enough to offset his slightly above average intelligence. I never got the impression that he was super book smart, just very, very street smart savvy. His investigative skill set would let him pick out the fact that the i.d. was fake and the European cigarettes (in Die Hard), not the fact that he is a Rhodes scholar or something. He's a grind-it-out Everyman, albeit an uber-Everyman.

And true, the big guy was tough, but McClane is the very definition of taking your best shot, or shots, and still wearily getting up and coming after you. The guy ran across glass in his bare feet, for gosh sakes. I always thought of a high constitution score as not being tied in as much with how big you were, but how much punishment you can take.

After rethinking it, I do think a higher Charisma score is warranted, especially if it boosts his intimidation or Sense Motive score.

 

[Psion]

After rethinking it, I do think a higher Charisma score is warranted, especially if it boosts his intimidation or Sense Motive score.

He really only seems to have a problem with authority figures. Normal folks (the airline worker in Die Hard 2 who makes a pass at him after helping him out; the know-it-all truck driver in Die Hard 3) he seems to get on with just fine.

In Spycraft, I'd make him a Tough Hero. With the Die Hard knack, of course.

Possibly some lawman or slueth levels.

Talent: Persistent
Specialty: Investigator. Lots of arguable uses of the "free hint" ability in the movies.

 

[smootrk]

I would have to think for a while on how to stat him, but after just seeing the latest movie about an hour ago, I would say he is pretty high level. He would have to be to dish out and take that kind of punishment.

Spoiler ahead

Spoiler

Heck, he fell off of an overpass and onto a Harrier Jet, that promptly crashed moments later... then followed this up by shooting himself in the shoulder so that he could send the bullet through him and into the BBEG behind him. Wow, thats tough.