Character for review: Puma

[caris]

Number 3, this one is the spirit warrior for an Native American tribe. He has been a cat like creature since birth. BTW – I know the player never read any Spider-Man comics, so doesn’t know about the already existing Puma character.

 

Puma

 

Player:

 

Val	Char	Cost
40	STR	30
25	DEX	45
30	CON	40
15	BODY	10
11	INT	1
20	EGO	20
30	PRE	20
-5	COM	-2
15/25	PD	7
10/20	ED	4
8	SPD	45
20	REC	12
60	END	0
50	STUN	0

6" RUN02" SWIM08" LEAP0Characteristics Cost: 232

 

Cost	Power	END
7	Totem Regeneration: Healing 1 BODY, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (20 Active Points); Extra Time (Regeneration-Only) (1 Turn (Post-Segment 12); -1 1/4), Does Not Work On Some Damage (Fire; -1/2)
9	Spirit Senses: Enhanced Perception (+3 to PER Rolls for All Sense Groups)
5	Cat's Eyes: Nightvision
60	Totem Warrior: Multipower, 60-point reserve
4u	1) Totem Blending: Invisibility to Sight Group (Additional Sense Group: Hearing Group, Additional Sense: Infrared Perception, Additional Sense: Ultraviolet Perception, No Fringe) (45 Active Points)	4
4u	2) Spirit Claws: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 1d6 (plus STR) (vs. PD) (+1d6 -1), Affects Desolidified (Any form of Desolidification; +1/2) (37 Active Points)	4
2u	3) Spirit Skin: Force Field (10 PD / 10 ED) (20 Active Points) (added to Secondary Value)	2
2u	4) Spirit Blow: Hand-To-Hand Attack +4d6, Affects Desolidified (Any form of Desolidification; +1/2) (30 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2)	3

Powers Cost: 93

 

 

Cost	Skill
3	Acrobatics 14-
3	Climbing 14-
4	Survival 13-
7	Tracking 13-
2	Language: English: Fluent Conversation
3	Stealth 14-
3	Concealment 11-

Skills Cost: 25

 

 

 

 

Total Character Cost: 350

 

Val	Disadvantages
20	Distinctive Features: Big Cat Creature, Not Concealable, Always Noticed and Causes Major Reaction, Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses
10	Physical Limitation: Unfamiliar with mainstream culture, Frequently, Slightly Impairing
10	Psychological Limitation: Fear of Fire, Common, Moderate
10	Vulnerability: Fire, Common

Disadvantage Points: 50

 

Base Points: 300

Experience Required: 0

Total Experience Available: 0

Experience Unspent: 0

[Mike W]

Two things:

 

1) This is a PC, not the Marvel character right?

 

2) Hard(at best) to review the character without knowing about the game universe and baselines you're using . 8 SPD is insanely high for our universe - reserved only for top line speedsters.

[devlin1]

I agree on the 8 SPD thing. Seems way high, but it depends on the campaign.

 

As for my thoughts on the rest of the character (all IMO)....

 

If he's a cat-thing, I'd think his highest characteristic should be DEX, not STR, and that his main defense would be a high DCV instead of PD/ED/FF. When I think "cat," I think "agile." I'd lower his STR, maybe lower his CON, and raise his DEX a bit. That 25 DEX is a waste of points, IMO. It's an extra few points for the same OCV/DCV he'd have at a 23 DEX. Drop it to 23 or (my preference) raise it to 26 or above for the extra OCV. Either way. But 25 is in limbo.

 

11 INT is a waste of a point. I'd drop it to 10 or raise it to 13.

 

-2 COM? Really? Also, wouldn't that be worth 6 points instead of 2?

 

He's a cat-thing. How about buying up that Running?

 

He's a cat-thing. How about loads of Breakfall? He should be able to land on his feet from any height! Also, how about a couple dice of Luck?

 

What's the degree of vulnerability to fire? 1 1/2X STUN?

 

Without knowing anything about the campaign or his background, it's hard to say anything else (e.g., why the Vulnerability to Fire?), but at first glance, that's what I see.

[BNakagawa]

An 8 SPD is a little high for most games, but yours might be an exception.

 

Personally, I'd go with less STR and maybe martial arts to make up the difference. I know he's some sort of mystic critter, but when I think cat-creature, I typically don't envision something capable of tossing three tons around.

 

Add Discriminatory smell.

 

Personally, I'd also lower the Con. Sure, it's some sort of supernatural wierdie, but it's cat-based. Felines have crummy endurance compared to canines. They're sprinters, not marathoners. They tire quickly. They also sleep 16 hours a day if they can get away with it.

 

More Dex might be nice. 28 is nice. 30 is nicer. If you don't go with more Dex, maybe you oughtta think of investing in a level or two?

[caris]

Originally posted by Mike W

Two things:

 

1) This is a PC, not the Marvel character right?

 

2) Hard(at best) to review the character without knowing about the game universe and baselines you're using . 8 SPD is insanely high for our universe - reserved only for top line speedsters.

 

thank you for your time

 

1 - yes, it is a PC. I seriously doubt the player has ever read any of the Spider-man comics featuring Puma when he gave me the name.

 

2 - 8 is my campaign limit on SPD, but I do not limit anything to any single concept type. I've run into a ton of frustration over preconcieved ideas about the archetypes.

[caris]

Originally posted by devlin1

I agree on the 8 SPD thing. Seems way high, but it depends on the campaign.

 

As for my thoughts on the rest of the character (all IMO)....

 

If he's a cat-thing, I'd think his highest characteristic should be DEX, not STR, and that his main defense would be a high DCV instead of PD/ED/FF. When I think "cat," I think "agile." I'd lower his STR, maybe lower his CON, and raise his DEX a bit. That 25 DEX is a waste of points, IMO. It's an extra few points for the same OCV/DCV he'd have at a 23 DEX. Drop it to 23 or (my preference) raise it to 26 or above for the extra OCV. Either way. But 25 is in limbo.

 

11 INT is a waste of a point. I'd drop it to 10 or raise it to 13.

 

-2 COM? Really? Also, wouldn't that be worth 6 points instead of 2?

 

He's a cat-thing. How about buying up that Running?

 

He's a cat-thing. How about loads of Breakfall? He should be able to land on his feet from any height! Also, how about a couple dice of Luck?

 

What's the degree of vulnerability to fire? 1 1/2X STUN?

 

Without knowing anything about the campaign or his background, it's hard to say anything else (e.g., why the Vulnerability to Fire?), but at first glance, that's what I see.

 

STR vs. DEX issue, the player character wanted a character with a high STR (something the other PCs felt the group was lacking). So at best the STR and DEX were going to end up equal. The player did point out that not all of the great cats are leanly agile like Cheetahs, lions and tigers are both actually probably stronger than they are agile, if you could come up with any meaningful way to compare the two. Puma's are probably between the two extremes.

 

Much the same applies to the CON/PD/ED. The player wanted more to take a punch than dodge the punch.

 

On the efficiency of a 25 DEX and 11 INT, I'm from the school of thought that I just don't care about the freakin' break points. The efficiciency of the break points are highly questionable to me on all of the characteristics, except INT. If nothing else, it means that the player will only have to spend 3 point if and/or when the player decides to raise the DEX to get the next CV number, and two points to get the increase on INT based rolls.

 

Lowering your COM to 0 gets you back 5 points, of which you have to spend 3 to get it to -5 COM, which means net rebate 2 points.

 

The breakfall is the best idea, I'll look into scraping the points together for it.

[Kzinbane]

Just rename the character Jaguar. The Jaguar is probably the most poweful cat pound for pound. They are incredibly stalky and built more like bulldogs than the lithe form one thinks of as a cat. Jaguars used to range up into North America so it's not too far "out there" to consider that a jaguar spirit or something could take human form even outside the range of where the big cats are now (Mexico, central and South America).

Personally as a cat character idea I'd suggest the invisibility be limited just slightly in that he has to make stealth rolls for it to work. That adds just a bit of flavor and heightens the suspense of the big cat guy stalking his prey.

[Vanderbilt_Grad]

12d6 attack + 8 SPD would be high for me. I would suggest either toning down the STR a bit if the SPD is going to stay high or vice versa.

 

However this guy’s biggest problem is that he has no movement powers. He seriously needs some extra running and/or leaping. Swimming would be good too. As he is written the player is going to have to use a lot of those 8 actions just getting from point A to B so he has a shot with Totem Man's Hand Attack.

 

The MP only needs 57 points not 60.

 

Agree with previous comments about CON, DEX, & INT. Cats, even the big ones, are more well known for DEX than CON. I would raise the INT to 13 or 18 on this guy.

 

More enhanced senses would also be neat. How about improved hearing or something that lets him sense ‘spirits’ … would be perfect for a supernatural predator.

 

Skill wise & perk wise he could also use a bit more IMO. KS- Spirit Totems, KS- Native Lore, AK- Home Hunting Grounds, etc. would be perfect add-ons. This guy could also use a contact or two. A shaman that helped him connect with their totem might not be a bad idea.

[mr_azrad]

I agree with many of the posts that suggest running... maybe with an endurance cost multiplier (short distance running).

 

The Mad Arab

[devlin1]

Originally posted by caris

STR vs. DEX issue, the player character wanted a character with a high STR (something the other PCs felt the group was lacking). So at best the STR and DEX were going to end up equal. The player did point out that not all of the great cats are leanly agile like Cheetahs, lions and tigers are both actually probably stronger than they are agile, if you could come up with any meaningful way to compare the two. Puma's are probably between the two extremes.

 

Much the same applies to the CON/PD/ED. The player wanted more to take a punch than dodge the punch.

Okay. Then I might suggest that a feline does not make the best Brick template. You're probably not looking for a different totem animal, but how about a bear? A bear spirit could much more easily justify high STR or, more appropriately, Density Increase. Just a thought.

 

Ursa Major. Actually... yeah, I'm gonna make that guy!

 

On the efficiency of a 25 DEX and 11 INT, I'm from the school of thought that I just don't care about the freakin' break points.

Well, that's different. If you don't care about efficiency, then we won't worry about wasted points and/or opportunities.

 

Having said that, I really do think he should be smarter than average. More than a point smarter. Smart enough that a roll would reflect it.

 

The breakfall is the best idea, I'll look into scraping the points together for it.

I also second the suggestions for Enhanced Senses and background skills-- especially the latter, because right now he seems to have no context whatsoever. But better than these, and more essential, IMO, is the additional Running! What's the point of being a cat if you can't run circles around your puny man-animal slaves?

[ChocolateMousje]

Heh. Tried to use HD 2.23 to see what the multipower and regeneration would look like as an EC

 

10 Elemental Control, 20-point powers

4 1) Regeneration: Healing 1d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (20 Active Points); Self Only (-1/2), Does Not Work On Some Damage Two or More Types of Damage (fire; -1/2), Extra Time (Delayed Phase, -1/4)

Notes: No Healing Max (see FREd p. 120).

 

Had to select two or more for the -1/2... just fire would only be -1/4. Probably only a point or two difference anyway.

 

25 2) Invisibility to Sight and Hearing Groups , No Fringe (35 Active Points) 3

 

HD apparently considers IR and UV part of the sight group, saving 10 points.

 

12 3) HKA 1d6 (2d6 w/STR), Affects Desolidified Any form of Desolidification (+1/2) (22 Active Points) 2

 

Not sure why your 1d6 HKA +1/2 is 37 AP

 

10 4) FF (10 PD/10 ED) (20 Active Points) 2

13 5) HA +4d6, Affects Desolidified Any form of Desolidification (+1/2) (30 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2) 3

[Rechan]

Let's not pidgeonhole cat = martial arts/agile.

 

I really don't think 'super agile' when I think of a Lion or a Tiger. They are 700 pounds of Raw Power. And while they may have some impressive dexterity, I'm pretty sure it's the strenght that shreds you when they Smack you.

 

Similar veins could be made for the Jaguar or Cougar; the Jaguar is compact and square, and while agile (It does move through the trees) has power. The cougar is a big cat too, and can Pounce. They have amazing leaping capabilities.

 

Seeing as this is a spirit, it makes sense for the force field; a ghostly cat critter that you Shoot with a frickin' shotgun, and it just stands back up and disappears and then rips your face off.

[pinecone]

I don't see a big problem with a cat critter being a martial brick...it does not matter to me if you use an HA instead of a Cat-fu...the speed is high for my typical game , but that is a campain specific thing, so it looks OK to me...just add in Hunted by Eye-killers and its cool by me