Doctor Octopus

[Eyendasky80]

So I made his arms a vehicle, how do you resolve damage when attacked? Will the Doctor take any? Specifically, if hit with an AE attack, will he be hit as well?

 

Ok, I changed to the Automaton style and it looks a lot less complicated but is more expensive. I had to buy Ock some defense focused through the arms since the arms' defenses won't cover him. Feedback and suggestions are very welcome. So please help

[caris]

Re: Doctor Octopus

 

I say it would depend. Common Sense says that he should take damage. If you think the situation is common enough, it should count as either a Limitation on the Arms' Def and other Defenses or as a Physical Limitation for the Arms.

[Eyendasky80]

Re: Doctor Octopus

 

Doctor Octopus

 

Player: Justin

 

Val**	Char***	Cost
8**	STR	-2
11**	DEX	3
10**	CON	0
9**	BODY	-2
25**	INT	15
18**	EGO	16
20**	PRE	10
8**	COM	-1
	*
2/17**	PD	0
2/17**	ED	0
3**	SPD	9
4**	REC	0
20**	END	0
17/47**	STUN	-1

*5"**RUN-22"**SWIM01 1/2"**LEAP0Characteristics Cost: 45

 

Cost**	Power	END
15**	I can feel them: Mind Link (Arms), Any distance, Psychic Bond*
37**	Armor (15 PD/15 ED), Hardened (+1/4) (56 Active Points); OIF: Arms (-1/2)*
20**	Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% (30 Active Points); OIF: Arms (-1/2)*
20**	Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% (30 Active Points); OIF: Arms (-1/2)*
15**	Missile Deflection (Bullets & Shrapnel), Ranged Adjacent Hex (+1/2) (22 Active Points); OIF: Arms (-1/2)*
20**	+30 STUN (30 Active Points); OIF (-1/2)*
50**	Attachments: Variable Power Pool, 40 base + 10 control cost (60 Active Points); VPP Can Only Be Changed Between Adventures (-1/2), OIF:Arms (-1/2)*

Powers Cost: 177

 

 

Cost**	Skill
7**	Combat Driving (15 Active Points); Limited Power Only to pilot arms (-1) 17-*
13**	+2 with All Combat (16 Active Points); IIF (-1/4)*
4**	Rapid Attack (HTH) (5 Active Points); IIF (-1/4) *
3**	Power (INT-based) 14-*
3**	Computer Programming 14-*
5**	Electronics 15-*
3**	Inventor 14-*
3**	Mechanics 14-*
3**	Systems Operation 14-*
1**	KS: Architecture 8-*
2**	KS: Fine Art 11-*
5**	Weaponsmith (Arms, Biological Weapons, Chemical Weapons, Energy Weapons) 14-*
27**	+8 with DCV (40 Active Points); OIF: Arms (-1/2)*
3**	Linguist*
2**	1) Language: Japanese (completely fluent) (3 Active Points)*
2**	2) Language: Mandarin (completely fluent) (3 Active Points)*
2**	3) Language: Russian (completely fluent) (3 Active Points)*
2**	4) Language: French (completely fluent) (3 Active Points)*
3**	Scientist*
4**	1) SS: Genetics (INT-based) (5 Active Points) 16-*
3**	2) SS: Biochemistry (INT-based) (4 Active Points) 15-*
2**	3) SS: Inorganic Chemistry (INT-based) (3 Active Points) 14-*
2**	4) SS: Chemistry (INT-based) (3 Active Points) 14-*
2**	5) SS: Mathematics (INT-based) (3 Active Points) 14-*
1**	6) SS: Physics (2 Active Points) 11-*

Skills Cost: 107

 

Cost**	Perk
76**	Arms (382 Base, 25 Disad)*

Perks Cost: 76

 

Cost**	Talent
3**	Absolute Time Sense*
3**	Lightning Calculator*
5**	Eidetic Memory*
6**	Speed Reading (x100)*

Talents Cost: 17

 

 

Total Character Cost: 422

 

Val**	Disadvantages
20**	Enraged: when mocked (Common), go 11-, recover 11-*
20**	Hunted: S.H.I.E.L.D. 8- (Mo Pow; Harshly Punish: Incarcerate/Kill; Extensive Non-Combat Influence)*
15**	Hunted: The Ultimates 8- (Mo Pow; Harshly Punish)*
15**	Physical Limitation: Sensitive to daylight (-2 OCV w/out sunglasses) (All the Time; Slightly Impairing)*
15**	Psychological Limitation: Paranoid (Very Common; Moderate)*
15**	Psychological Limitation: Casual Killer (Common; Strong)*
15**	Reputation: Supervillain 11- (Extreme)*
15**	Social Limitation: High-profile fugitive (Frequently; Major)*
10**	Vulnerability: 2 x Effect Light based sight flash (Uncommon)*
10**	Unluck: 2d6*

Disadvantage Points: 150

 

Base Points: 201

Experience Required: 71

Total Experience Available: 71

Experience Unspent: 0

[Eyendasky80]

Re: Doctor Octopus

 

Doctor Octopus' Arms

 

Player: Justin

 

Val	Char	Cost
40	STR	30
24	DEX	42
0	CON	-20
25	BODY	30
10	INT	0
0	EGO	0
10	PRE	0
8	COM	-1
10	PD	21
10	ED	30
6	SPD	26
8	REC	0
0	END	0

20" RUN282" SWIM08" LEAP0Characteristics Cost: 186

 

Cost	Power	END
60	Automaton (Takes No STUN)
37	Damage Resistance (10 PD/10 ED), Hardened (+1/4) (37 Active Points)
15	Lack Of Weakness (-5) for Resistant Defenses
5	Arms: Extra Limbs
18	Stretching 5", Reduced Endurance 0 END (+1/2) (37 Active Points); OAF: Arms (-1)
22	Attacks: Multipower, 45-point reserve, all slots: (45 Active Points); OAF (Focus: Arms; -1)
2u	1) Hand-To-Hand Attack +6d6, Reduced Endurance 0 END (+1/2) (45 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2)
2u	2) Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 2d6 (plus STR) (vs. PD), Reduced Endurance 0 END (+1/2) (45 Active Points)
10	Increased Arc Of Perception (360-Degree) (Sight Group)
20	+0 STR, Reduced Endurance 0 END (+1/2) (20 Active Points) (Modifiers affect Base Characteristic)
10	Clinging (normal STR)

Powers Cost: 201

 

 

Cost	Skill
11	+2 with All Combat (16 Active Points); IAF: Doc Ock (-1/2)

Skills Cost: 11

 

 

Cost	Talent
9	Ambidexterity (Eliminate Off Hand Penalty entirely)

Talents Cost: 9

 

 

Total Character Cost: 407

 

Val	Disadvantages
15	Physical Limitation: Inoperative if Octavius is unconscious (Infrequently; Fully Impairing)
10	Vulnerability: 2 x BODY Electricity (Uncommon)

Disadvantage Points: 25

 

Base Points: 200

Experience Required: 182

Total Experience Available: 182

Experience Unspent: 0

[JeffreyWKramer]

Re: Doctor Octopus

 

GADGETS AND GEAR has a write-up for doing Dr. Octopus' arms (essentially, in all but name) as an Automaton Follower.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Doctor Octopus

 

So I made his arms a vehicle' date=' how do you resolve damage when attacked? Will the Doctor take any? Specifically, if hit with an AE attack, will he be hit as well?[/quote']

 

According to The Ultimate Vehicle p. 12, you can take a Limitation on the DEF of a vehicle, "Does Not Protect Occupants" (-1/2). This is often done with writeups for smaller vehicles like motorcycles.

[Eyendasky80]

Re: Doctor Octopus

 

So how does he ride the automaton?

[JeffreyWKramer]

Re: Doctor Octopus

 

So how does he ride the automaton?

It more or less carries him along, just as Doc Ock's arms do with him.

[Eyendasky80]

Re: Doctor Octopus

 

Makes sense to me.

[levi]

Re: Doctor Octopus

 

Also the Gadgets & Gear book has a write up for each Tentacle as a seperate Follower. This allows the character wearing them to have five (4 Tentacles + the wearer) completely seperate actions. I have witnessed this in game and it is VERY effective.

[Eyendasky80]

Re: Doctor Octopus

 

Sounds like a good write-up for a solo villain, but if you want to team him up with a group it could be a little unbalanced. And since I want to use The Six, I'll probably just stick with the single automaton. Try it both ways though, cuz that sounds like a cool way to do it.

[Eyendasky80]

Re: Doctor Octopus

 

Any suggestions for improvement? Will he hold his own or is he under-powered?

[Elbandit]

Re: Doctor Octopus

 

Also the Gadgets & Gear book has a write up for each Tentacle as a seperate Follower. This allows the character wearing them to have five (4 Tentacles + the wearer) completely seperate actions. I have witnessed this in game and it is VERY effective.

 

This brings up a question, how would such a character build gain new abilities for his arms? Do followers actually earn XP?

[JeffreyWKramer]

Re: Doctor Octopus

 

This brings up a question' date=' how would such a character build gain new abilities for his arms? Do followers actually earn XP?[/quote']

 

Followers technically do not earn XP, but the character can expend his XP to improve his Followers, just as he can use it to improve Multiforms, etc. Doing so is quite cost-effective, so long as the Follower cost does not exceed the cost of the base character - the it starts getting pricey.

[Guest bblackmoor]

Re: Doctor Octopus

 

I think buying followers or a vehicle is a goofy and overcomplicated way to do it, personally. He's just a brick with Extra Limbs and Stretching.

[Elbandit]

Re: Doctor Octopus

 

I think buying followers or a vehicle is a goofy and overcomplicated way to do it' date=' personally. He's just a brick with Extra Limbs and Stretching.[/quote']

 

Well in my case it makes a little bit of sense. One of the players in my campaign has a character who is a host with a symbiote. As far as the symbiote interaction think of a cross between Venom, Carnage and Spawn. Recently I have been reconsidering how I built the character and was curious how to advance him.

[Eyendasky80]

Re: Doctor Octopus

 

I think buying followers or a vehicle is a goofy and overcomplicated way to do it' date=' personally. He's just a brick with Extra Limbs and Stretching.[/quote']

 

Oh absolutely, except that time and time again Doc Ock demonstrates that the arms function just as well without him. Since it's not just an occasional thing, it should be part of the write-up some way. He's controlled the arms remotely in every appearance he's had since they were removed from him.

[Guest bblackmoor]

Re: Doctor Octopus

 

He's controlled the arms remotely in every appearance he's had since they were removed from him.

 

Sounds like someone saved up his experience points and bought Telekinesis, Indirect.

 

It's just not that complicated. (Or at least, it doesn't have to be all that complicated. I know that sometimes having a goofy, overcomplex character write-up is part of the fun. )

[Eyendasky80]

Re: Doctor Octopus

 

That's a valid way to build it.

[Andrew Cermak]

Re: Doctor Octopus

 

He's just a brick with Extra Limbs and Stretching.

 

No, he really isn't.

 

Doc's arms aren't that strong; they can lift a few tons at most. Doc has no resistant defenses and at best medium defenses overall; if his arms miss a few Blocks, he's in trouble.

 

What makes Doc dangerous is in the comics is how many things he can do at once and how many directions he can do them from. It's what makes him such a great villain for Spidey; Spidey is all about dodging, while Doc is nigh undodgeable.

 

You *could* build Doc as a Brick with stretching, but it would be a poor copy. Building his arms as a Follower or multiple Followers is the best method I've seen.

[Vorsch]

Re: Doctor Octopus

 

No different from ironmans armour auto pilot, OIF with int.

[Eyendasky80]

Re: Doctor Octopus

 

Ok, details? Am I right to interpret this as TK indirect, only to affect his arms or is it TK, indirect, focused through the arms?

[Guest bblackmoor]

Re: Doctor Octopus

 

Doc's arms aren't that strong; they can lift a few tons at most.

 

AKA, "brick".

 

Doc has no resistant defenses...

 

A trait shared by most comicbook characters, including many bricks. It's one of the main areas where Champions characters usually depart from the source material which inspires them.

 

Spidey is all about dodging' date=' while Doc is nigh undodgeable.[/quote']

 

The most straightforward game mechanic to represent what you describe is called "combat levels" (and probably a higher-than-typical Speed). There are other ways to approximate that ability, of course. If you want to go the needlessly-complex route, have fun with it, but if you focus on what the character does, and not what the special effect looks like, and choose the most straightforward power to approximate that ability's results, you'll have a much easier time with Hero System.

 

Personally, if I were GMing and a player wanted to run a character whose extra limbs were bought as followers, I'd just shake my head and suggest they apply that creativity in the character's background rather than in twisting the game mechanics until they snap.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Doctor Octopus

 

The most straightforward game mechanic to represent what you describe is called "combat levels" (and probably a higher-than-typical Speed). There are other ways to approximate that ability' date=' of course. If you want to go the needlessly-complex route, have fun with it, but if you focus on what the character [i']does[/i], and not what the special effect looks like, and choose the most straightforward power to approximate that ability's results, you'll have a much easier time with Hero System.

 

But will you:

 

(a) Represent the concept as accurately (Ock's arms have been known to carry an unconscious Otto away from combat)

 

( be as much fun (paramount)

 

Personally' date=' if I were GMing and a player wanted to run a character whose extra limbs were bought as followers, I'd just shake my head and suggest they apply that creativity in the character's background rather than in twisting the game mechanics until they snap.[/quote']

 

I'm guessing you don't like the official representation of the Hydra either?

[MitchellS]

Re: Doctor Octopus

 

Wouldn't it just be easier to buy the arms as:

Tentacles: Extra Limbs

Tentacles: +30 Strength, arms only, No Figured, OIF

Tentacles: +4 Speed, OIF

Shield Self: 20 PD 20 ED Armor plus -15" Knockback, OIF

Tentacles: 10" Stretching, arms only, OIF

Tentacles: +10 HtH Levels, OIF

Tentacles: Computer: 10 INT, 20 DEX, 3 SPD, Programs: Operate Arms, Fight, Return to Base, Guard Octavius when unconscious

 

And then buy Doc Oct a Mind Link with the computer with No LOS?

 

That way when Doc is out the computer takes over and all is happy. He's a brick with stretching and a computer.