A Difficult Power

[Blue]

A player came up with this concept and I think it's kind of neat so I'm thinking about how to make it work.

 

So far my builds on this have been fairly costly (I don't have them in front of me or I'd post them). So I'm going to give you the effect and you tell me what you'd suggest...

 

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The character is essentially a spirit. Each day when they appear to the super-team they show up looking like someone completely different. Basically they appear as the nearest freshly dead body, because they have taken over that vacant husk. But each day the body deteriorates enough that they have to inhabit a new one.

 

Picture the characters getting their morning briefing and a total stranger walks in. It's a police woman with an obvious bullet wound that has stopped bleeding. The're extremely pale and they take a seat at conference table.

 

"Good Morning, Anostopheles," the team leaders says. "Well, at least all you're body parts are present today."

 

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Naturally this will wreak havoc on base security (as the hero has different voice & finger prints every day when they they show up for work). But all that aside, how do I build this simple but entertaining effect.

 

I tried it as: Shapeshift, requires a material component (Newly deceased body), no conscious control (because the whacky GM comes up with the resulting form), happens once a day. Most physical stats would be in a characteristics pool with similar limitations.

 

Tricky part is that it has to be linked to a teleport of some kind to get them to the nearest body. That makes it more expensive for a simple special effect-type power, and it's hard to get a TP to work blind and to a source you aren't even aware of.

 

Is there a better build? Am I better off just making the characteristic pool and giving a free ride on all the body-changing stuff, just giving a limitation that the body slowly deteriorates and only resets between adventures or something like that (So she doesn't wind up getting out of a Viper prison by simply suiciding).

[Trebuchet]

Re: A Difficult Power

 

I'd just handwave this as a special effect. After all, a new body every day is going to be as much a problem as a boon. Sometimes an old man, sometimes a child. The commonality should be that the body is always clearly dead to anyone who makes an INT roll or has mystic senses.

 

As for identification, perhaps a special ring with an encrypted ID chip that the character picks up from its hiding place before he goes to HQ...

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: A Difficult Power

 

Always On Inherent Desolidification with TK, Affects Real World, only to animate corpses?

[Blue]

Re: A Difficult Power

 

Hmm. It occurs to me I can make it a susceptability that harms stats; Only healable with the presence of another body; At which point the transformation takes place.

 

That's brutal though. It puts heroes in the position of needing to find a dead body to save the character. If they're on a long adventure they'd have to think about offing someone to make room for her soul. But mechanically it kind of works.

[Victim]

Re: A Difficult Power

 

Distinctive features: always some type of dead body.

[Blue]

Re: A Difficult Power

 

Always On Inherent Desolidification with TK' date=' Affects Real World, only to animate corpses?[/quote']

The character would never be in any danger (unless all the villains carried "affects desolid" weapons.

[Blue]

Re: A Difficult Power

 

Distinctive features: always some type of dead body.

Well, it would certainly leave the character all their points to work with. It's just not as close to what the character wanted as I'd like. But it may come down to this.

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: A Difficult Power

 

The character would never be in any danger (unless all the villains carried "affects desolid" weapons.

 

Maybe put Feedback on the TK to simulate the possession?

[Blue Jogger]

Re: A Difficult Power

 

10........Physical Limitation: Spirit, Every day is drag against its will to the nearest dead body and forced to animate it. (Freq, Slightly)

15........Distinctive Features: Dead Body (Conceal w/Effort, Major)

 

Then the 25 points should be enough to buy 61 points of Shaprshift with NCC (20 points)

[Lightray]

If the character can't actually use this quirk to do something, then it's not a Power.

 

You need to figure out what being in a different dead body does, how it benefits (or hinders) the character.

 

Character can't be traced by mundane methods? Perk: Anonymity

 

Enemies can't tell which person the character is this time? Shapeshift.

 

The character can pose as another person (i.e., as the dead body)? Shapeshift. or maybe some variation of Perk: Deep Cover. and really high Disguise and Mimicry skill rolls.

 

Being in someone else's dead body going to cause the character problems (i.e., how is the dead guy's family going to feel about the character using - or abusing - his body?)? Disadvantage: Hunted or DNPC or Social Limitation.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: A Difficult Power

 

This sounds an awful lot like DC comics's Deadman who is a ghost (Persistent Desolidification AND Invisibility) who can temporarily take over the body (but not the mind) of a living person. I think his real name was Boston Brand and he was a circus trapeze artist so he has incredible DEX and Acrobatic skills that go with him into whatever body he posseses. Seems like the possesion part is just a special effect of his ability to affect solid (+2). I can't remember if Deadman can use this power to take over just anyone like Jericho of the 80's era Teen Titans though.

 

HM

[Derek Hiemforth]

Re: A Difficult Power

 

I think we're getting ahead of ourselves. Is it possible to permanently kill this character if there is no dead body nearby to inhabit, or is it just assumed that he will inhabit the nearest dead body (even if it's some distance away)?

 

If the latter, then forget about building the whole effect of getting a body. It's just a Phys Lim or something (Character begins each day at the location of the nearest freshly dead body).

 

I wouldn't worry about Shape Shift or anything to change the appearance, either. Since the character has no choice in who he appears as, he can't use it to his advantage. So the benefits of changing appearance (confusing enemies, etc.) are basically balanced by the drawbacks (possibly confuses teammates, makes security problematic, etc.) Just chalk it up to SFX.

 

At that point, it becomes buildable. Buy the max level of CHA's you think he'll ever need, and apply a Limitation to them, "Only Up To Amount Possessed In Life By The Corpse du Jour". Alternately (or in addition) a modest VPP with the "No Choice In How Powers Change" Limitation can fill in gaps as well.

[OddHat]

Re: A Difficult Power

 

Spirits are very expensive.

 

If the character can't move around as a disembodied spirit, and can't do this at will, it's a little unfair to make them pay anything for what is basically the SFX of a few perks and disads. However, one option:

 

Build the character as a ghost in his natural form, with no APW powers at all.

 

Now, give him a VPP, Cosmic, Multiform Only, Only to Inhabit Dead Bodies, No Control Over How Points Shift, Expendible Focus: Dead Body. Total Limit on the control cost = -3. If he's a 350 point character in Walking Dead form, the cost will be 96 points.

 

His Spirit Form will need a Detect: Dead Bodies at Range, and maybe telescopic, and Megascale movement to get to them. You should be able to build the rest of his Spirit Form for the 200 or so points you have left, as long as you let him put the Invisibility (always on) and Desolid (always on) in an EC.

 

Now, if his body is about to die he can try to "leave", becoming a spirit and droping it. However, he will still take damage, get knocked out, etc. Each body can have the same skill set, and a fe powers reflecting its status as undead as well. If the body is destroyed with him in it, he's dead forever.

[Guzalot]

Re: A Difficult Power

 

I'd just handwave this as a special effect. After all, a new body every day is going to be as much a problem as a boon. Sometimes an old man, sometimes a child. The commonality should be that the body is always clearly dead to anyone who makes an INT roll or has mystic senses.

 

As for identification, perhaps a special ring with an encrypted ID chip that the character picks up from its hiding place before he goes to HQ...

Sometimes the simplest solution is the best

[OddHat]

Re: A Difficult Power

 

I'd just handwave this as a special effect. After all, a new body every day is going to be as much a problem as a boon. Sometimes an old man, sometimes a child. The commonality should be that the body is always clearly dead to anyone who makes an INT roll or has mystic senses.

 

As for identification, perhaps a special ring with an encrypted ID chip that the character picks up from its hiding place before he goes to HQ...

 

This kind of reminds me of a ruling by Steve about turning on your powers. If you turn on your powers by teleporting a suit of armor from your house, you don't need to buy long range teleport UAA; you paid points for your powers, and they just turn on. If you can teleport that armor back to you wherever it may be it's not even a Focus; at most it's OIHID or a Physical Manifestation.

 

So, yes, way agreed.

[Rapier]

Re: A Difficult Power

 

Player or GM?

 

If NPC handwave it. No need to go to the bother of the build.

 

If a player, design a basic corpse body (build it as an automoton).

 

Build the spirit as a computer or some mental stat only type thing. Give the spirit a "possession" type power (super TK, transform etc).

[Blue]

Re: A Difficult Power

 

All very good suggestions, folks.

 

Gives me fodder to write up a few builds and take them to the player now.

 

Thanks very much

[KA.]

Re: A Difficult Power

 

Regeneration: Healing 3d6, Resurrection, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2); Extra Time (1 Day, Only to Activate, Character May Take No Other Actions, -2 1/4), OAF Corpse (-1), Self Only (-1/2) [Notes: No Healing Max (see FREd p. 120).]

 

(So you Regenerate the next morning, in the new body, but you must have a corpse. Until you get one, you basically just don't exist.)

 

Plus:

Physical Limitation : Dies Every Night, Body is destroyed.

Distinctive Features : Undead

 

I would just assume that the Characteristics are held within the "soul" so that the new body is always the same, it just looks different.

 

KA.

[Rapier]

Re: A Difficult Power

 

Regeneration: Healing 3d6' date=' Resurrection, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2); Extra Time (1 Day, Only to Activate, Character May Take No Other Actions, -2 1/4), OAF Corpse (-1), Self Only (-1/2) [Notes: No Healing Max (see FREd p. 120).']

 

(So you Regenerate the next morning, in the new body, but you must have a corpse. Until you get one, you basically just don't exist.)

 

Plus:

Physical Limitation : Dies Every Night, Body is destroyed.

Distinctive Features : Undead

 

I would just assume that the Characteristics are held within the "soul" so that the new body is always the same, it just looks different.

Instead of the PhysLim I would take a Susc to time. Cost it out so that the

'body' will take just enough BODY to kill it in 24 hours. This would very nicely simulate the deterioration of the body. Might even consider some kind of END drain also to reflect how difficult it is to keep animating the body.

 

That would work well with the Healing Regen.

[Kristopher]

Re: A Difficult Power

 

This leads to some very intense plot hooks, as sometimes the body will be one of a murder victim, and sometimes the murderer will still be there.

 

Will the character know how the person died, or will he be left guessing as to how and why?

 

Will the character sometimes be saddened or enraged by what she comes upon each morning? Imagine a him waking up in a small child's body. Or will he be hardened and unmoved by it?

[Guest Champsguy]

Re: A Difficult Power

 

Okay, I think I have to ask this question, because I honestly think it doesn't get asked enough.

 

How in the world is this a superhero?

 

I think too often, many Champions players get caught up in trying to do something "different". They want a different power construct, and come up with some off the wall idea for some reject villain from a Spawn comic or some escapee from the World of Darkness. I mean, seriously, the guy's power is that he shows up everyday in a dead body? No, that won't scare the kiddies.

 

No offense to your player, but maybe he ought to look at a character whose powers are less gruesome.

[Rapier]

Re: A Difficult Power

 

How in the world is this a superhero?

 

o offense to your player, but maybe he ought to look at a character whose powers are less gruesome.

Eh. To each, his own. It all depends on the thematic genre of the campaign. Maybe they are playing Spawn Hero. Champions doens't necessarily 4 colour. It could be Sandman, Spawn or some Hentai Hero...doesn't necessarily have to be the League of Super X-Bat-Lantern.

[KA.]

Re: A Difficult Power

 

Okay, I think I have to ask this question, because I honestly think it doesn't get asked enough.

 

How in the world is this a superhero?

 

I think too often, many Champions players get caught up in trying to do something "different". They want a different power construct, and come up with some off the wall idea for some reject villain from a Spawn comic or some escapee from the World of Darkness. I mean, seriously, the guy's power is that he shows up everyday in a dead body? No, that won't scare the kiddies.

 

No offense to your player, but maybe he ought to look at a character whose powers are less gruesome.

 

Champsguy,

 

First, congratulations on reaching 1000 posts in your latest incarnation.

 

Second, I agree with the "How is this a superhero?" question.

When I was first teaching Champions to my teen nephews, one of them kept coming up with a string of Spawn-wannabe's.

"I want to raise armies of demons that kill people!"

"And what exactly makes that heroic?"

"Because they kill bad people!"

 

However, we did only learn one aspect of this character.

While it is a bit grisly, it may be that the character's motivations are more heroic, kind of like a silver age cross between Deadman and The Spectre.

I mean we havent' heard anything about RKA Flying Maggots, or summoning an army of zombies to tear flesh from the bad guys.

Yet.

 

And, even though you and I appear to have pretty similar ideas about what makes a hero, there are people who are really into the "Iron Age" stuff.

 

I think of it like a church picnic. They come for the fried chicken, but they may pick up a little gospel along the way.

 

As long as new people keep joining the Hero flock, some day, when they have played out all the bloodthirsty butchery, they may get bored and decide to make a "real" Superhero.

 

And then we've got them.

 

KA.

[lemming]

Re: A Difficult Power

 

Okay, I think I have to ask this question, because I honestly think it doesn't get asked enough.

 

How in the world is this a superhero?

Depends on campaign tone and how it's presented. Somehow I don't see this hero getting the key to the city anytime soon or in a public type of role, but the character could be heroic without the traditional trappings of a hero.

 

Now if he took over someone's living body each day and discarded an empty husk at the end, you might have a better point.

[Blue]

Re: A Difficult Power

 

Okay, I think I have to ask this question, because I honestly think it doesn't get asked enough.

 

How in the world is this a superhero?

 

I think too often, many Champions players get caught up in trying to do something "different". They want a different power construct, and come up with some off the wall idea for some reject villain from a Spawn comic or some escapee from the World of Darkness. I mean, seriously, the guy's power is that he shows up everyday in a dead body? No, that won't scare the kiddies.

 

No offense to your player, but maybe he ought to look at a character whose powers are less gruesome.

Actually, this is a "she" player. As far as I know she barely even reads comics these days, but she's got a decent sense of what's superheroic.

 

Anyway, this hero (and yes, I did dare use the word hero) is a spirit of vengeance, something dedicated to correcting past wrongs and curing the evils of others, and each time it takes on human form it puts itself in danger by risking it's immortal soul. It could wander forever, disembodied (as most souls that escape their afterlife destinations typically do) but instead it is so dedicated to writing wrongs that it puts itself back into the bodies of the dead knowing that if it dies there again it will be swept off into damnation.

 

What's more heroic than that?