Call for Help on Lifedraining Villain

[Publius]

I would like to create a character (NPC villain actually) who has developed a gadget that will drain (completely) the lifeforce of another being and use this to add to his own characteristics, making him preternaturally strong/fast/etc (stats in the range of 25 or so I was thinking, just beyond Normal Characteristic Maxima all around to reflect his 'superior' state; as my heroes get more powerful, he might refine the process too as he is intended as an archvillain/continuing villain).

The extra lifeforce, not being his own, drains away over time however, and he must take another person's life force every week or so in order to maintain his heightened abilities or he reverts to his original 'Professor' form: that of an older male with 8-10s in most of his stats (except INT of course, he invented the thing).

There are a couple of things I thought about for representing this power:

• Transfer, all characteristics with a really long delay. The problem with this is that it is clunky (recalculate points all day long), and the draining of lifeforce is one of those things that must take place in a specific location with a relatively unresisting opponent. That can be done by making a Bulky/fragile machine and all, but it just didn't "seem right..."
• Multiform, with the 'Superior' form as the base and the Doctor form as the (lower point) alternate. Purchasing "Accidental Change" with the Frequency being Always and the circumstances (Not having drained the lifeforce of another) as an Uncommon trigger event. It is uncommon because he would hardly be caught in that situation normally. This feels like I am taking advantage slightly however, since he is a supervillain who would hardly be caught by this unless in jail/being watched very closely/etc. Should I make the 'Circumstances' a Very Uncommon/+0 and have the whole thing only good for 15pts? Maybe I could add something to the character, a control device that if damaged will cause him to revert as well as the lack of lifeforce and keep the modifer (for having both trigger the change) as 'Uncommon'.
• Multiform, but with the Professor form as the base and the 'Superior' as the other one (which would require some 1:1 costs as the Professor has a much smaller point cost) with a Continuing Fuel Charge of 1 Week which demands an "Uncommon" means of replenishment for a grand total of something like -1/4 or -1/2. This one is a bit clunky too though, especially with the 1:1 thing.

I'm thinking that the 2nd Option (Multiform, 'Superior' as base with the Accidental Change) is the way to go at this point, but I have reservations (mentioned above). Does anyone else have any suggestions either about the options above or as a different way to make the villain?

[Tom McCarthy]

How about buying him as the superior doctor, then having a Dependence or Susceptibility on draining people, with the penalty being greatly reduced competency ?

[Talon]

Or, buy the more powerful form, then limit his enhanced stats (and anything else that is gained from the lifedrain) with a -1/4 "Must drain 1 life per week or goes away".

[Publius]

Both are very good suggestions, and I have to point out an error on my part in the intitial post, for some reaosn I thought that you had to buy the points that the multiform has over and above that of the base form at a 1:1 ratio, apparently that is not the case. I am not used to Multiform and I guess I got that rule from Duplication stuck in my head.

Okay, that being said, I like both of the above. It seems like double dipping to do both (limit on purchased characteristics and the Dependence) so I will probably use the -1/4 disad "Must Drain 1 life per week using Lifetaker device" on all the purchased characteristics. Its actually much more simple than trying to figure it out the other way... sheesh, all this cool stuff to play with and you get blinders on sometimes.

Related note: Do you think that -1/4 is sufficient? That would be a conditional limit that affects the character "about a fourth of the time"? I guess it is not as much how often it limits as that he must essentially leave a trail of bodies behind him. It also allows for the fact that the device which grants him this ability can be targeted for destruction, thus depriving him of these powers. Perhaps I should also require that he buy the Machinery as well in order to compensate for this fact.

New Question: Should the Lifedraining device be purchased as a Major Transform (Victim to Lifeless husk) or straight up 3d6 RKA, No-Range, NND (protection by Power Defense only), Affects Body and of course it is a Bulky, OIF which takes extra time (say 1 minute), of course I'd probably also have this combined with restraints bought as Entangle.

[Talon]

Originally posted by Publius
Related note: Do you think that -1/4 is sufficient? That would be a conditional limit that affects the character "about a fourth of the time"? I guess it is not as much how often it limits as that he must essentially leave a trail of bodies behind him. It also allows for the fact that the device which grants him this ability can be targeted for destruction, thus depriving him of these powers. Perhaps I should also require that he buy the Machinery as well in order to compensate for this fact.

Assuming the character is powerful enough that taking a life every week is not a huge problem, I'd say -1/4 is right. Remember that the Limitation will never come into play during combat, and even if he loses the equipment, he's got an average of 3 days to find/build a replacement device (or recover the original).

Of course, if the device can be used in combat, it should be bought as a Power.

New Question: Should the Lifedraining device be purchased as a Major Transform (Victim to Lifeless husk) or straight up 3d6 RKA, No-Range, NND (protection by Power Defense only), Affects Body and of course it is a Bulky, OIF which takes extra time (say 1 minute), of course I'd probably also have this combined with restraints bought as Entangle.

It's really up to you -- the RKA is probably more expensive, but has the benefit of hurting people as it functions (whereas someone partially hit with the Transform hasn't taken any actual damage). I'd lean toward the RKA myself.

[Publius]

I was not really thinking of him using the machinery in combat, more as a plot device, something in his lair, but spending points on the device also makes up for the -1/4 limits that he has on all his "power characteristics" (i.e. those characteristics which are purchased above his puny regular self). As GM of course I can simply up his points, but I am a fanatic for balance, and attempt whenever possible to make things even out.

[Fuzzy Gnome]

Originally posted by Geoff Speare

It's really up to you -- the RKA is probably more expensive, but has the benefit of hurting people as it functions (whereas someone partially hit with the Transform hasn't taken any actual damage). I'd lean toward the RKA myself.

I think I'd do it with a BODY Drain, because Transform isn't supposed to kill people. RKA is good, too...