PDA

View Full Version : Marvel's Ultimate Universe: Professor Xavier



Allandrel
Feb 21st, '04, 12:09 AM
Standard Opening: I’m preparing to run a game set in Marvel’s Ultimate Universe. I’ve been roleplaying for ten years, but I’m new to the Hero System. To help prepare for my game, and more importantly to help learn the ins and outs of the system, I’m statting up the entire Ultimate Universe. What I’m looking for here is feedback and suggestions on how to get the effects I want using the Hero system, rather than precisely replicating the abilities of the characters (though I’d like to do that, too).

(In addition, whenever I lack information about a character’s abilities, I’m going to fall back on the assumption that they’re pretty much the same as their Marvel Universe counterpart.)

Regarding point ranges: I’m building Professor X as a Cosmically Powerful Superheroic character. For my Ultimate Universe, Legendary Physical Primary Characteristics go from 18-25, with 26+ as superhuman. Legendary Mental Characteristics go from 21-30, with 31+ as superhuman.

The following Profile represents Professor X when the X-Men leave on their world tour, prior to their confrontation with Proteus (that is, issue #13).

PROFESSOR CHARLES FRANCIS XAVIER

STR 10 (Roll 11-, Lift 100 kg; 2d6 damage) (0 points)
DEX 11 (Roll 11-, OCV: 4/DCV: 4) (3 points)
CON 15 (Roll 12-) (10 points)
BODY 12 (Roll 11-) (4 points)
INT 25 (Roll 14-, PER Roll 14-) (15 points)
EGO 40 (Roll 17-, ECV: 13) (60 points)
PRE 30 (Roll 15-, PRE Attack: 6d6) (20 points)
COM 12 (Roll 11-) (1 point)

PD 3 (Total: 3 PD, 0 rPD) (1 point)
ED 4 (Total: 4 ED, 0 rED) (1 points)
SPD 4 (Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12) (19 points)
REC 8 (6 points)
END 50 (10 points)
STUN 25 (0 points)

Total Characteristic Cost: 150

Running: 0”/4”
Jumping: 0”
Swimming: 1”

POWERS

Levitation: Flight 1” (2 Active Points); Increased Endurance (x4 END, -1 ½), No Noncombat Movement (-1/4) (1 point)
Powerful Mind: Mental Defense 20 (12 Active Points) (12 points)
Telekinesis: TK (STR 10), Fine Manipulation (40 Active Points); Increased Endurance (x3 END, -1) (20 points)
Brainstorming: Variable Power Pool (10 point pool), Control Cost 5 (15 Active Points); Linked to Mind Scan (-1/4), VPP Mimics target’s Skills (user’s choice, -1), Skill Rolls may only be as high as Target’s Rolls (-1/2) (12 points)
Telepathic Powers: Variable Power Pool (200 point pool) Control Cost 100, Powers Can Be Changed as a Half-Phase Action (+1), No Skill Roll Required (+1) (500 Active Points), Telepathy-Effect Powers Only (-1/4) (400 points)

Sample Telepathic Powers:
1) Mass Hallucination: Mental Illusion 15d6, Area Effect (radius, +1), MegaArea (1” = 1 km, +1/4) (191 Active Points); Concentration (1/2 DCV, -1/4), Power Stops Working if Mentalist is Stunned (-1/2) (109 Real Points)
2) Hormone Control: Mind Control 10d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END, +1/2), Telepathic (+1/4) (87 Active Points); Set Effect: Only to Control Emotions (-1/2) (58 Real Points)
3) Erase Memories: Minor Transform 8d6 (remove or change target’s memories, requires subconscious-level result with Telepathy to heal), BOECV (+1), Works against EGO, not BODY (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (1/2 END, +1/4) (200 Active Points); Concentration (1/2 DCV, -1/4), Extra Time (Full Turn, -1 ¼) (80 Real Points)
4) Mass Paralysis: Entangle 5d6, BOECV (+1), Personal Immunity (+1/4), Takes no damage from Physical Attacks (+1/4), Area of Effect (Radius, +1) (175 Active Points); Cannot Form Barriers (-1/4), Stops Functioning if Mentalist is Stunned (-1/2), Concentration (0 DCV, -1/2) (78 Real Points)

Wheelchair: Running 4”, Reduced Endurance (0 END, +1/2) (12 Active Points); OIF (-1/2), Only on Appropriate Terrain (-1/2) (6 points)
Cerebro: MegaScale (1” = 1 km) to VPPs, Reduced Endurance (0 END, +1/2) (135 Active Points); OIF (Immobile, -1 ½) (54 points)

Total Power Cost: 505

SKILLS

+5 with Telepathic Powers (15 points)
+1 Overall Skill Level (10 points)

Analyze: Psionic Abilities 14- (3 points)
Bureaucratics 15- (3 points)
Computer Programming 14- (3 points)
Conversation 15- (3 points)
Deduction 14- (3 points)
High Society 15- (3 points)
Inventor 14- (3 points)
KS: Mutant Affairs 14- (2 points)
KS: Mutant Powers 14- (2 points)
KS: Philosophy 14- (2 points)
KS: Psionics 14- (2 points)
Language: Epsilon-Omega (idiomatic, native accent) (English is native) (4 points)
Oratory 15- (3 points)
Paramedics 14- (3 points)
Persuasion 15- (3 points)
PS: Teacher 14- (3 points)
SS: Biology 14- (3 points)
SS: Genetics 14- (3 points)
Security Systems 14- (3 points)

Scholar (3 points)
Well-Connected (3 points)

PERKS

Contacts: Many, many contacts of varying influence (30 points)
Money: Filthy Rich (15 Active Points); Limited: Funding from Hellfire Club sponsors (-1/2) (10 points)
Reputation: Civil Rights Leader 14- (+4, known to the general public) (9 points)

TALENTS

Eidetic Memory (5 points)
Speed Reading x100 (6 points)

Total Skill, Perk and Talent Cost: 145 points
Total Cost: 800

DISADVANTAGES

Distinctive Features: Mutant (Concealable, Major Reaction, Detected only be genetic scan or test) (5 points)
Hunted: Proteus 8- (More Pow, Limited Area, Professor X has Public Identity, Kill) (15 points)
Hunted: S.H.I.E.L.D. 14- (More Pow, NCI, Professor X has Public Identity, Watched) (25 points)
Physical Limitation: Paralyzed below waist (Frequently, Fully) (20 points)
Psychological Limitation: Code vs. Killing (Common, Total) (20 points)
Psychological Limitation: Code vs. Violating Free Will (Very Common, Strong) (20 points)
Psychological Limitation: Driven to pursue his dream at any cost (Common, Total) (20 points)
Psychological Limitation: Emotionally Detached (Common, Moderate) (10 points)
Reputation: Telepathic Threat 11- (Extreme) (15 points)
Social Limitation: Mutant (Frequently, Major) (15 points)
Social Limitation: Public Identity (Frequently, Severe) (20 points)
Social Limitation: Hiding Magneto from the world (Occasionally, Severe) (15 points)

Total Disadvantage Points: 200
Base Points: 600
Total Points: 800

As one of the five most powerful characters yet detailed in the Ultimate Universe, Professor Xavier has the highest point total I've yet worked with.

As ridiculously powerful as I have written Xavier, I still think that I maybe ought ot bring up his VPP further. He can manage the "paralyze all minds within a ten block radius," but not at an appropriate strength level.

Patrick J McGraw

SomeAsianKid
Feb 21st, '04, 08:15 AM
Don't forget that he was able to boost rogue's stolen tk powers 50 times over to contain the nuclear blast

Allandrel
Feb 22nd, '04, 02:59 AM
Originally posted by SomeAsianKid
Don't forget that he was able to boost rogue's stolen tk powers 50 times over to contain the nuclear blast

Using Aid with the special effect of "telepathically boosting someone's power to its full potential" should cover that. Remember, Marvel writers justify virtually anything with telepathy or telekinesis - which is why I made Xavier's telepathy a VPP.

Patrick J McGraw

Eyendasky80
Feb 22nd, '04, 06:49 AM
More power.

Allandrel
Feb 22nd, '04, 04:45 PM
Originally posted by Eyendasky80
More power.

I think so, too. I'm just leery of building anyone that big - then again, when you actually manage to make an attack against Xavier, he's toast.

So other than the VPP pool's size, how does he look?

Patrick J McGraw

Eyendasky80
Feb 22nd, '04, 05:35 PM
Excellent. I was just thinking to myself that he may be a little stronger than average (at least upper body) from lifting his weight around without the help of his lower half.

SomeAsianKid
Feb 23rd, '04, 12:30 PM
What I don't understand about Prof. X is that a normal human who sets up in a sniper position could kill Xavier. He doesn't wear X armor and he doesn't have a force field. You would think a man with as many enemies as he does would do something to protect himself.

BishopofB&W
Feb 23rd, '04, 12:51 PM
Originally posted by SomeAsianKid
What I don't understand about Prof. X is that a normal human who sets up in a sniper position could kill Xavier. He doesn't wear X armor and he doesn't have a force field. You would think a man with as many enemies as he does would do something to protect himself.

He already has the most powerful protection of all: THE PLOT. Of course THE PLOT could turn against him but I'd rather have that than any armor.:)

Also, I think in the first Ultimate X-men trade paperback Xavier was a bit of a voyeur. He got off on prying into other people's innermost thoughts and desires. He took particular pleasure in announcing to his students that he knew all of their "ribald" thoughts.

Allandrel
Feb 23rd, '04, 09:11 PM
Originally posted by SomeAsianKid
What I don't understand about Prof. X is that a normal human who sets up in a sniper position could kill Xavier. He doesn't wear X armor and he doesn't have a force field. You would think a man with as many enemies as he does would do something to protect himself.

He would detect the sniper and shut him down telepathically.

Patrick J McGraw

Tasha
Feb 23rd, '04, 10:35 PM
My only issue with the character is the Change Memory...

It should be a Major Transformation. See the Until Superpowers Database pg 158. throughout the book whenever a transform is used to change memory, Psyc limits permanently it is listed as a Major Transform

Also don't forget the points for the Academy where Cerebro is housed.

Tasha :)

Jarandis
Feb 24th, '04, 04:38 AM
I really like the VPP for his telepathic powers. it gives him the versatility he really needs.

I do have a couple of suggestions though.
He really needs some sort of all encompassing danger sense to prevent the sniper on the roof from killing him before he gets an action. Maybe even a detect minds always on so that he is always aware of people around him.

Also some more speed..at 4 speed a lot of villains would run rings round him. As he is not really a physical person in any way I would 'borrow' the idea that was used for Menton(I think?) and give him +5 speed 'only to use his VPP's' so that he can take a lot of mental actions but not a great many physical ones

SomeAsianKid
Feb 24th, '04, 05:09 AM
True, you should probably include the X-mansion as like a 1000pt base (the danger room would be pretty darn expensive, not including cerebro).

Allandrel
Feb 24th, '04, 10:16 PM
Originally posted by Tasha
My only issue with the character is the Change Memory...

It should be a Major Transformation. See the Until Superpowers Database pg 158. throughout the book whenever a transform is used to change memory, Psyc limits permanently it is listed as a Major Transform


I was following the example in FRED, which listed it as a Minor Transform.

Patrick J McGraw

Allandrel
Feb 24th, '04, 10:20 PM
Originally posted by Jarandis
I really like the VPP for his telepathic powers. it gives him the versatility he really needs.

I do have a couple of suggestions though.
He really needs some sort of all encompassing danger sense to prevent the sniper on the roof from killing him before he gets an action. Maybe even a detect minds always on so that he is always aware of people around him.

I like this. Have it operate as a Normal Sense, so that other skilled telepths can try to hide their presence, agents can be equipped with gadgets that mask their signature, etc.


Also some more speed..at 4 speed a lot of villains would run rings round him. As he is not really a physical person in any way I would 'borrow' the idea that was used for Menton(I think?) and give him +5 speed 'only to use his VPP's' so that he can take a lot of mental actions but not a great many physical ones

I like this, too. How much should that Limitation be worth? He's more likely to use his actions for powers than anything else, so I wouldn't go higher than -1/2.

Patrick J McGraw

Allandrel
Feb 24th, '04, 10:22 PM
Originally posted by SomeAsianKid
True, you should probably include the X-mansion as like a 1000pt base (the danger room would be pretty darn expensive, not including cerebro).

I'm pretty much following the "you get support stuff for free" idea presented in Champions. Membership in a team is free, as is access to the team's resources like HQ and vehicles.

In Xavier's case I've considered buying the HQ, vehicles, etc, since being an X-Man essentially means you get access to Xavier's stuff. I'll have to include a writeup for the school and Blackbird in my revision (to be posted soon).

Patrick J McGraw