Creating a specific type of character

[TheSmokeySmokey]

I am GMing a Hero System game over the internet. The game hasnt started yet, and ive been going through each person in dms to get their characters done without a session 0 or the like. None of my players have played the hero system before. Essentially, I am making this character's stats for a player, with a lot of input on the mechanics of how they work through special effects, but not really the actual rules/stats, thats the part I have a question about.

Potentially questionable GM decision aside, I need help with how to represent this character's existence through the game's rules.

The character isnt human, instead being a shell like helmet. Within the helmet is a power source, which is used to create a body of black goo. This body allows the character to walk, act, etc. The body is not needed for the characters survival in the slightest, only existing so it can interact with other things physically. Destroy the gooey body, a new one can be made easily, destroy the helmet, potential to actually kill the character. 

I have some ideas on how to represent this, but im not sure. Main one is buying Characteristics as Powers, with a Focus, and Unifying/Linking it to other powers as needed/appropriate.  

Im not sure if im missing something, if ive got more or less the best answer already, or should just ignore the special effects (which the player is fine with, for the record). 

[Duke Bushido]

Most of what you have described is just special effects: what you look like, etc-- is all just declared and done.

 

Now I want to tell you to ignore this, because a lot of folks will jump and tell you that you must do X because you look like Y.  The fact is that you don't, but again-- feel free to ignore this and spend eighty points based on what you look like. 

 

 

What you will be paying for is any _genuine advantages_ that this look gives you.  I _stress_ genuine advantages because a lot of folks have a hard time distinguishing between _genuine advantages_ and _perceived advantages_.  Perceived advantages (patent pending) are those things that people will tell you that you _have_ to buy because your chosen SFX have the _potential_ to logically be used in particular way, even if that usage is not within your character concept.  Like someone telling you that you _have_ to buy Damage Shield because your SFX include your entire body turning into flame.  Therefore, it follows that anyone touching you will automatically be burned.

 

But it _doesn't_ follow.  If you _don't_ buy Damage Shield, then it doesn't happen.  For whatever reason, people can give you the Bum's Rush and not actually catch fire or even feel abnormally warm.  They are merely bear hugging a guy who is on fire, and yet they are fine.

 

This sticks in a lot of craws, by the way, but the fact is that this _is_ the way the game works: if you don't buy it, then you don't get the advantage for it.  If you don't _want_ the advantage-- no matter how relevant is may possibly be-- you don't _have_ to buy it.

 

You have to really, _really_ understand that.  As far as all the "how does this make sense to not buy" arguments, remember that first and foremost, the entire game system is designed to emulate comic books.  Keep that _foremost_ in your mind, because at some point you are going to have your own train of thought that starts with "well, logically, I _should_--"  The minute you start thinking that, you need to _immediately_ scream-- out loud, mind you-- COMIC BOOKS!  Logic has no real solid footing when you are creating a character with seven wings, nine eyeballs, who can fly and recharges by taking vacations at the core of the sun.  COMIC BOOKS!

 

So ask yourself what genuine advantages you see the character's form actually putting to use.  That is, what possible Powers will absolutely most definitely come up in the story arcs and scenarios you have plotted out of this adventure?  Once you have an idea of that, then you have a good grasp of what is a "must buy."

 

For example, immediately upon reading your example, I saw two possible builds.  The longer I type, the more I can think of.

 

But let's go with the initial two:

 

shots to the "body" don't hurt him.  So you have the option to go with either ridiculous defenses-- those that would exceed campaign limits, to ensure that shots to the body don't actually hit him-- with a Limitation that these defenses don't apply to head shots.  There.  The SFX for getting attacked is getting little bits of goo flung away until he is gone, but he continues to grow back.

 

Alternatively, ridiculous levels of healing and regeneration that keep him coming regardless of how much damage he takes-- so the bits of his body being blown away are actually bits of his BODY being blown away, yet he continues to regenerate over and over, etc.  Again, limitations that prevent him from recovering from damages delivered via headshot.

 

Do keep in mind that certain SFX of certain attacks-- like an "all-over bath of radiation" or an area effect of a billion shards of ice-- are going to default in some parts of that attack hitting his head, so...

 

 

Now...  You want a really simple build?

 

Shrinking.  He is the size of a helmet.  This has the advantage of not having to include using Hit Locations (which I tend to avoid, as HERO combat is already a bit sluggish) and still giving you what you want.

 

How do you play this?

 

Easy enough.  Let's say that this Character's base DCV is -- well, whatever an appropriate base DCV is for your universe.  But he gets a lot of DCV bonuses from Shrinking.   You could play this that any attack that registers as a "hit" against his un-shrunk DCV value hits his gooey nougat-y "body," where is flings away streamers of caramel and peanuts, essentially harmless to the Character.  Any attacks that successfully hit his Shrinking-corrected DCV have struck him on his hard chocolate shell of his helmet, where it does real damage. 

 

You might even consider, after a combat or two, allowing PER rolls for Characters who have previously struck him in the helmet to notice that this actually kinds of bothers him.  Sure, it brings called shots back into the game, but your players will feel pretty good for figuring this out, etc.

 

 

Yes, it's something of a deception, but ultimately no more of a deception than is rules-approved Combat Luck, where a successful attack roll is made, and then turned into an unsuccessful attack roll by dint of the definition of the power: "The SFX of this extra DEF is "Nope; you missed."  

 

If you're not cool with the Shrinking, then consider adding some sort of Disguise Skill at a ridiculous level or Images to create an illusory tar-like body.    Personally, I wouldn't require that, but this isn't my Character.  My Character is Nougat, who is the light-hearted rip-off of your delightful concept that I am going to use to challenge the youth group once they're done defending Campaign City from the Christmas Treant.   (I deeply thank you for the idea, too!)

 

It might be suggested that you must by Flight Always On or something like that since you are just the helmet, six feet off the floor, but again: are you getting _any_ of the flight advantages besides having your head at head height?  If he is not going to be able to fly away or levitate up to the top shelf, I don't see the need-- but again, it's a matter of _perceived_ advantage versus _actual_ advantage.  Remember that SFX are _free_, and even if they are defined in language that can push them into Powers territory, they are _not_ Powers if you are getting none of the advantage of actually having the power.  COMIC BOOKS!

 

Ultimately, it boils down to what you are "getting" from the SFX.  If you aren't really getting Stretching, you don't have to buy Stretching, even if it seems possible that you _could_ Stretch.  After all, I am a human being.  It seems _possible_ that, since I am a human being, I could design and construct a working orbital platform and all the equipment needed to get it into space.  Realistically, I _can't_, and I never, ever will, so I'm going to skip buying that Engineering Skill. 

 

As a human being, it seems _possible_ that I could run as fast as fast as Usain Bolt, but seriously, with my back, It's all I can do to outrun a daschund.  With my heart, I can't run across the entire yard.  So I'm not going to buy any extra Running because my SFX (ie, "I am a human") means that I have the potential to do those things.  (NOT COMIC BOOKS!)

 

 

 

Now all that said, and to explain with certainty that there is no snarkiness or treachery here (I don't know how long you have lurked, but I don't sarcasm.  I just don't), I want to add a bit of explanation:

 

The proper level of "what must I buy" is tied to, as I said, "what are you actually getting?"

 

The proper level of "how complex or simple must the build for this effect be" is tied _one-hundred-percent to fairness.  Is this something that you would allow a Player to submit to you?  After hearing his explanations of why this should be like that, would you allow it?

 

If you won't let your players do it, then as a GM, you are obligated, out of a sense of fairness, to not require that your players simply deal with it.  Why not?  It's like the boss fight in an SNK game:  the players _not_ have fun if their opponents aren't playing by the same rules that they themselves are forced to use.

 

 

 

[TheSmokeySmokey]

I think what ill do is:
 

Sell STR, DEX, OCV, DCV, some PD/ED, and Run/Leap/Swim to 0
Buy Characteristics power to set all of them back to their desired amounts
(If Characteristics isn't in use, can't move, attack, etc, meaning it requires END to maintain)
All other powers (barring Teleportation/Life Support/Sword) are Linked to this power
Teleportation is a thing the player wants via shadows, Life Support cause not human, Sword cause the initial basis for this concept was actually hollow knight
These would be: Healing, Regeneration, Stretching, Shapeshift, and Clinging
Magic goo bandages, regenerating goo, stretching goo, stretching goo creatively, and latching to walls with goo (lot of goo)
And of course have each with their limitations as needed

Edited January 9, 2022 by TheSmokeySmokey
removed a line due to redundancy

[LoneWolf]

Can the character do anything without the body, or does it just sit there until it can grow a new body?  If the character cannot do anything without a body you could purchase it as regeneration with the resurrection adder. Destroying the helmet would be the way to prevent the resurrection from working.

 

Take a physical complication for the body becoming useless if the helmet is removed.  How much the physical complication will be worth depends on what happens when the helmet is removed.  If he has to grow a new body any time the helmet is removed that would probably be about 20 points.  If he can regain use of the body when the helmet is replaced, I would put that as 15 points.  Removing the helmet is probably going to be considered a infrequent circumstance.  If he needs to grow a new body every time that would be fully impairing, if he can regain control of the old body, it would be greatly Impairing.

 

If the body is not all that resilient you could even buy down the Body of the character.  You could also have lower than normal defense, or at least low resistant defenses.  Purchasing a large portion of your defenses as stun only would also make sense if you are going for the idea that the character is taken out by destroying the body.   When the character is stunned or knocked out the body has taken too much damage for it to function properly.  
 

[Duke Bushido]

Also, SmokeySmokey:

Thank you!

 

I love the idea so much that I am going to task the youth group with defending the city from a Valentine's variant of this concept. 

 

They've almost wrapped up the Christmas Treant.  I think I am going to enjoy the gooey antics of Nougat....

 

Thanks!

 

[Hugh Neilson]

How long does it take to re-grow the body?  What can the helmet do on its own?  This could be as easy as Regeneration with the Resurrection adder (destroying the actual helmet prevents regeneration).