Please help critique character (Origin/Background/Points)

[Funksaw]

Alexander Hades thought he had it all. A lovely wife, Demeter, a bright (if rebellious) teenage daughter Persephone, job security, a well-above-comfortable standard of living, and a secret underground lair from which to terrorise the world. Oh, and superpowers, though, at times, that was a perk.

 

That was, until he got captured trying to strip-mine Alaska for gold. (Granted, it was the entire state of Alaska... all at once...) Knowing that he'd just escape, the Powers that Be decided to try a new type of experimentation. Without trial, Hades was placed into suspended animation for 12 years in a device known as the Burgess Box, and his mind and personality rewritten, changed by a mutative process. His dreams of world conquest replaced by dreams of world peace. His greed replaced by selflessness. And his family... just gone. A mind murdered by Project Burgess.

 

But while Hades slept, Demeter hid. Not wanting to accept that Hades was dead (and able to tell a faked death from a real one a mile away) she secluded herself, let Hadestech grow more ambitious, and raised Persephone as heir apparant while she waited for his return.

 

The current day: Not even knowing his name, the man once known as Hades awakes, a world both familiar and unfamiliar, fleeting memories of a different life, and a penchant for Truth and Justice. Project Burgess hopes he'll become a productive member of superheroic society. Other people have other plans.

 

Most wouldn't recognize Hades - he kept a low profile as a supervillian, and people have short memories anyway. Some would.

 

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Please help critique character (Origin/Background/Points)

 

I like the use of the character sheet format. The origin and background seem ok but the elemental control is a very ineficient use of 120 points. I would scrap it and instead group all the obvious attacks into one multipower and maybe another smaller multipower for movement abilities. For 245 points and a concept that is quasi-speedster he has an extremely low DEX and SPD as well. This depends a lot on the game that he will be used in of course.

 

Just my 2 yen.

 

HM

[Funksaw]

Re: Please help critique character (Origin/Background/Points)

 

I like the use of the character sheet format. The origin and background seem ok but the elemental control is a very ineficient use of 120 points. I would scrap it and instead group all the obvious attacks into one multipower and maybe another smaller multipower for movement abilities. For 245 points and a concept that is quasi-speedster he has an extremely low DEX and SPD as well. This depends a lot on the game that he will be used in of course.

 

Just my 2 yen.

 

HM

 

The problem with multipower is that you can't use, say, forcefield and energy blast at the same time.

 

I could move Energy Blast and Entangle into a multipower, I suppose. But the EC costs 120 with all the powers.

 

If I put the Force Field outside the EC, it'll cost 60, and Inertial Blast and Remove Inertia would cost 6 per slot +60 for the Multipower slot. So we're already running a deficit.

 

I think it's best to go with EC on this one.

 

You're right, I'd like to push his SPD up to 4 or 5, but I just don't have the points.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Please help critique character (Origin/Background/Points)

 

The problem with multipower is that you can't use, say, forcefield and energy blast at the same time.

 

I could move Energy Blast and Entangle into a multipower, I suppose. But the EC costs 120 with all the powers.

 

If I put the Force Field outside the EC, it'll cost 60, and Inertial Blast and Remove Inertia would cost 6 per slot +60 for the Multipower slot. So we're already running a deficit.

 

I think it's best to go with EC on this one.

 

You're right, I'd like to push his SPD up to 4 or 5, but I just don't have the points.

Take a look at the powerset of the character in this link which is very similar to yours although highly expanded: http://www.herogames.com/forums/showpost.php?p=518116&postcount=27

You might be able to find a useful cost cutting idea or two.

 

HM

[simplygnome]

Re: Please help critique character (Origin/Background/Points)

 

To save a few point, looks like you could put your three travel powers in one small multi-power as well. That should save you about 21 points I think...just enough for 2 points of speed .

[Hawksmoor]

Re: Please help critique character (Origin/Background/Points)

 

No offense but this was why I hated straight no limitation 250 point Champions. The PCs are just too wimpy.

 

Hawksmoor

[yamamura]

Re: Please help critique character (Origin/Background/Points)

 

I hate Project Burgess just like I hated death of Personality in B5 and as a super in that world I would be working to put these guys out of business. But don't get me wrong Project Burgess makes for an excellent organization for the means justifies the end. So I actually like the story just hate Project Burgess.

 

G

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: Please help critique character (Origin/Background/Points)

 

Nice Character Background and I love the Character Sheet Format. Tell us how you did it and posted it too please.

 

As to his powers I agree you should look a Elemental Control over Multipower. Are you limited to a 250pt. Character?

 

Very Nice

 

QM

[Funksaw]

Re: Please help critique character (Origin/Background/Points)

 

I'm 150/150, but I can't load on any more disads.

 

The problem with loading the travel powers into an MP is that again, can't cling while leaping, can't leap while clinging.

 

Might work in an EC though: Inertial travel?

[devlin1]

Re: Please help critique character (Origin/Background/Points)

 

Y'know, if you just make the MP big enough to Cling and Leap, you wouldn't have that problem and you could probably cut down on your costs. I also agree with those who suggested using a MP for the attack powers instead of an EC. You really, really need to free up points for SPD and DEX. Also, why so much KB Resistance? You can use Clinging to counter KB too, y'know. If you cut that KBR down to 5", you'd save a point of SPD.

 

Is Le Parkour Running that "freerunning" jazz the French love so much? Apologies if you're French and take that as some kind of insult. It's not meant as one. And even if it were, it wouldn't be a very good one. But I digress. If it is, you might want to buy some Envionmental Movement for Urban terrain, maybe even Flight with "Only in contact with a surface" to really represent the unbelievable way those guys move. Then throw the Running, the Leaping, and the Clinging into a 30-point MP and save yourself another point of SPD (or thereabouts).

 

If you have a 7d6 2x KB EB, why would you ever use your feeble 2x KB HA? I say drop that altogether, personally. I don't see the point. The EB can be used at close range, too, with slightly different (or maybe not) SFX. At the very least, up the HA by a few dice and put it in a MP with the EB and the Entangle. Also, drop the Entangle down and put some appropriate modifiers on it, like "Doesn't take damage from attacks" and "Cannot create barriers." All he's doing is preventing a guy from moving; he's not encasing him in ice. I don't think, anyway. And if it were me, I'd take the FF down to 15/15 (or maybe 20/10, considering the SFX of the power) and make it 1/2 END. Maybe you could use some of those saved points to up his END, REC, and STUN, because once someone gets through his defenses, this guy's going down.

 

An ex-villain hero with a 10 EGO? C'mon... give it one more point, at least. I see a lot of opportunities to save points and a lot of ways to use them differently. A couple 3-point CSLs with that new MP, for one. With a 15 DEX, I don't see him doing too well against other 300-point characters.

 

I know you want more disads, so how about a Vulnerability? Vulnerabilities are good. Gives the GM something to exploit. I'm sure you can come up with another Psych Lim, too.

 

I get the idea of his forced transformation from villain to hero, but IMO, the mythology imagery is a little heavy handed. A wife named Demeter? Who names kids Demeter? Apologies if you're named Demeter. And they're just torturing their daughter by naming her Persephone. At any rate, that's just personal preference.

 

Sorry for going on and on-- I haven't critiqued a character in a long, long time. I guess I was backed up.

[Funksaw]

Re: Please help critique character (Origin/Background/Points)

 

Y'know' date=' if you just make the MP big enough to Cling and Leap, you wouldn't [i']have [/i] that problem and you could probably cut down on your costs. I also agree with those who suggested using a MP for the attack powers instead of an EC. You really, really need to free up points for SPD and DEX. Also, why so much KB Resistance? You can use Clinging to counter KB too, y'know. If you cut that KBR down to 5", you'd save a point of SPD.

 

I thought the tradeoff was that you couldn't use two powers in a multipower at once.

 

The KB resistance is concept-based, the guy has inertia powers. Objects in motion tend to remain in motion (thus his powers have 2x knockback) Objects at rest tend to stay at rest. (thus clinging/knockback resistance.)

 

 

Is Le Parkour Running that "freerunning" jazz the French love so much? Apologies if you're French and take that as some kind of insult. It's not meant as one. And even if it were, it wouldn't be a very good one. But I digress. If it is, you might want to buy some Envionmental Movement for Urban terrain, maybe even Flight with "Only in contact with a surface" to really represent the unbelievable way those guys move. Then throw the Running, the Leaping, and the Clinging into a 30-point MP and save yourself another point of SPD (or thereabouts).

 

What's "Environmental Movement?"

 

 

If you have a 7d6 2x KB EB, why would you ever use your feeble 2x KB HA? I say drop that altogether, personally. I don't see the point.

 

 

It's a 6d6 total 2xKB HA when you add strength. I suppose I *could* drop it, but I want to be able to punch people. It's a visual thing.

 

But I see your point too - when using the punch attack, it's the same inertial control as the 7d6 EB. I'll talk with the GM, but wouldn't it just make sense to say that he can use the EB in close quarters, and while he's *punching* the guy visually, game mechanically, he's using the EB? If so, that's something I can drop. Same SFX, but different visuals.

 

The EB can be used at close range, too, with slightly different (or maybe not) SFX. At the very least, up the HA by a few dice and put it in a MP with the EB and the Entangle. Also, drop the Entangle down and put some appropriate modifiers on it, like "Doesn't take damage from attacks" and "Cannot create barriers." All he's doing is preventing a guy from moving; he's not encasing him in ice. I don't think, anyway. And if it were me, I'd take the FF down to 15/15 (or maybe 20/10, considering the SFX of the power) and make it 1/2 END. Maybe you could use some of those saved points to up his END, REC, and STUN, because once someone gets through his defenses, this guy's going down.

 

An ex-villain hero with a 10 EGO? C'mon... give it one more point, at least. I see a lot of opportunities to save points and a lot of ways to use them differently. A couple 3-point CSLs with that new MP, for one. With a 15 DEX, I don't see him doing too well against other 300-point characters.

 

 

You go through 12 years of brainwashing and see how much EGO you have left

 

Everyone keeps talking about putting it into an MP. Indeed, why wouldn't anyone ever put anything into anything BUT an MP? But I'm trying to visualise a character who can do a number of things at once, specifically, keep a forcefield up while attacking, and MPs just can't be used that way.

 

 

I know you want more disads, so how about a Vulnerability? Vulnerabilities are good. Gives the GM something to exploit. I'm sure you can come up with another Psych Lim, too.

 

 

I can't really think of Vulns that would make sense. I mean, what's the opposite of "Inertia?"

 

 

I get the idea of his forced transformation from villain to hero, but IMO, the mythology imagery is a little heavy handed. A wife named Demeter? Who names kids Demeter? Apologies if you're named Demeter. And they're just torturing their daughter by naming her Persephone. At any rate, that's just personal preference.

 

 

Bond villians name their kids Persephone, their dogs Cerebus, and their robot Hephastus.

 

 

Sorry for going on and on-- I haven't critiqued a character in a long, long time. I guess I was backed up.

[freakboy6117]

Re: Please help critique character (Origin/Background/Points)

 

hmm I might build Le parkour as flight(must end move on a solid surface) or leaping more than running.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Please help critique character (Origin/Background/Points)

 

re: Multipowers

 

There is no rule that says that a Multipower's reserve is only as large as the largest Slot. For example:

 

80 Multipower Reserve

 

6u [60]Inertial Blast EB 7d6 x2 Knockback (+3/4)

8m [60]Inertial Punch HA 7d6 (9d6 w/STR) x2 Knockback (+3/4) HTH Attack (-1/2)

6u [60]Remove Inertia 6d6 Entangle

10m [50]Force Field 20PD 20ED Costs End Only To Activate (+1/4)

4m [20]Inertial Running +10" (16" total)

4m [20]Inertial Leaping +20" (22" total)

2u [20]Knockback Resistance -10"

 

15 Clinging 25 STR (this already behaves as KB Resistance -1d6)

 

135 vs. 191 for very little removal of combat ability. Any rasing of the character's STR will result in a dramatic increase in effectiveness as well since the HA can potentially be doubled up to 14d6.

 

HM

[Guest WhammeWhamme]

Re: Please help critique character (Origin/Background/Points)

 

I can't really think of Vulns that would make sense. I mean, what's the opposite of "Inertia?"

 

Friction?

[Funksaw]

Re: Please help critique character (Origin/Background/Points)

 

Friction?

 

You really want me to create a character whose vulnerability is chafing?

[Funksaw]

Re: Please help critique character (Origin/Background/Points)

 

re: Multipowers

 

There is no rule that says that a Multipower's reserve is only as large as the largest Slot. For example:

 

80 Multipower Reserve

 

6u [60]Inertial Blast EB 7d6 x2 Knockback (+3/4)

8m [60]Inertial Punch HA 7d6 (9d6 w/STR) x2 Knockback (+3/4) HTH Attack (-1/2)

6u [60]Remove Inertia 6d6 Entangle

10m [50]Force Field 20PD 20ED Costs End Only To Activate (+1/4)

4m [20]Inertial Running +10" (16" total)

4m [20]Inertial Leaping +20" (22" total)

2u [20]Knockback Resistance -10"

 

15 Clinging 25 STR (this already behaves as KB Resistance -1d6)

 

135 vs. 191 for very little removal of combat ability. Any rasing of the character's STR will result in a dramatic increase in effectiveness as well since the HA can potentially be doubled up to 14d6.

 

HM

 

Okay, I've been using the sidekick rules when i should have been looking at the big black book...

Still, though, if I'm reading this correctly, I'd have to drop the forcefield every time I wanted to attack someone.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Please help critique character (Origin/Background/Points)

 

Okay, I've been using the sidekick rules when i should have been looking at the big black book...

Still, though, if I'm reading this correctly, I'd have to drop the forcefield every time I wanted to attack someone.

Yep, 5ER is a must have to really understand the rules. Sidekick is a great introduction but only gives you the bare minimum rules to play but not always enough to model every idea that the full system can encompass.

 

Without increasing the multipower reserve a few more points you could maintain an 8PD/8ED Force Field [20 active] while using one of the attacks at full strength. But notice that I did make the Inertial Punch a 'multi' slot so it could be used at lower active points and still get a decent size attack especially if you increase your STR some.

 

Also, any defenses in a multipower should be bonus, not base which seem far too low on this character. If suprised, this character runs a serious risk of taking body from a relatively low dice normal attack (anything higher than 3d6!). I would probably increase his defenses up to about 10-15 normal with 5-10 points of damage resistance and then have a 10PD/10ED Force Field as a 'bonus defense' slot in the multipower.

[devlin1]

Re: Please help critique character (Origin/Background/Points)

 

Ah. You're running solely off Sidekick. That explains a lot. However, you should still be able to revise him as others have suggested. Hyper-Man's MP is perfectly valid: as long as there are enough points in the MP pool to run two powers at once, you can run two powers at once. I don't recall offhand if Sidekick differentiates between ultra and multi slots for powers in an MP, but if it does, check that out. I understand your initial aversion to MPs, but sometimes, especially with multiple powers that serve the same general purpose (e.g., attack, travel, etc.), it's quite appropriate to put them in an MP, because odds are you'll only use one at a time.

 

"Flight, Only in contact with a surface" is a must for this guy, IMO.

 

I understand the SFX of the KB Resistance, but from a practical point of view, you don't necessarily need to have 10" worth, especially since you can use your Clinging to resist KB as well.

 

Also, re: the 10 EGO, do you really want a weak-willed hero? If so, then... okay. Were it me, I'd say that the brainwashing/mindwiping did the trick, but his ambition and will are too strong to stay dormant forever. I wouldn't want this character to have a 3 ECV or be so easily-affected by mental powers like Mental Illusions and (God forbid) Mind Control.

 

BTW, on the inertia stuff-- think about that old standard, Dispel: Knockback Resistance with the Advantage "Does Knockback." And is his ability to inhibit inertia really best represented by an Entangle (which a strong enough character can break out of), or should it be a Drain vs. Movement Powers?

[Funksaw]

Re: Please help critique character (Origin/Background/Points)

 

1) I'm not running solely off sidekick, but I thought the rules were compatable enough that I could use the Sidekick for most of the rules and Big Black (5E, not 5ER) for the rest. Seeing how they're incompatable makes a big difference.

 

2) Now I'm beginning to see it... didn't know what the "m" notation versus the "u" notation stood for. Yeah, that could work... Either a forcefield at full strength (50/20PD-20ED) and a punch at limited strength (3d6+strength) or the punch at full strength (7d6+strength) and an 8pd/8ed... nice.

 

Using Flight for a La Parkour runner seems counterintuitive when there is a "running" power. Remind me to suggest for 6E that Flight, Leaping, Clinging, Swinging Tunneling and Running be combined into a single "Movement" power.

[Funksaw]

Re: Please help critique character (Origin/Background/Points)

 

Heh...

 

I just thought of something.

 

Is there any way to limit a TK to "Can only be used to accelerate or decelerate objects. (Or if the object isn't moving, to help keep it at rest?)"

[Funksaw]

Re: Please help critique character (Origin/Background/Points)

 

Huh?

 

Why would a character *ever* choose Running instead of Flight with "Only in contact with surface?-1/4"

[Funksaw]

Re: Please help critique character (Origin/Background/Points)

 

Oh, no. Now I see why. Turn modes.

 

In that case, Running is more appropriate for the character, who might have to do lots of turns.

[devlin1]

Re: Please help critique character (Origin/Background/Points)

 

1) I'm not running solely off sidekick, but I thought the rules were compatable enough that I could use the Sidekick for most of the rules and Big Black (5E, not 5ER) for the rest. Seeing how they're incompatable makes a big difference.

 

2) Now I'm beginning to see it... didn't know what the "m" notation versus the "u" notation stood for. Yeah, that could work... Either a forcefield at full strength (50/20PD-20ED) and a punch at limited strength (3d6+strength) or the punch at full strength (7d6+strength) and an 8pd/8ed... nice.

 

Using Flight for a La Parkour runner seems counterintuitive when there is a "running" power. Remind me to suggest for 6E that Flight, Leaping, Clinging, Swinging Tunneling and Running be combined into a single "Movement" power.

Instead of getting hung up on the word "running," think about what you want that Le Parkour running to do. I've seen how those guys move-- very little gets in their way, and their agility isn't just due to speed (i.e., more Running). The problem with Running is it only lets you move on a horizontal surface. Flight, Only On A Surface would let you do the running-on-a-wall thing I see them do, and also let you get around any obstacle in your way. I don't know if you'd want to, but you could even do the classic bit of running on the tops of people's heads in a crowd. Reason from effect.

 

And no, I'm not with you on the generic "Movement" power. You certainly could have it, but you'd always have to use the same modifiers to create common modes of movement (like running, flight, etc.). In the end, instead of creating the same Modifier "packages" over and over again, it's more convenient to have them as separate powers with costs commensurate with their utility.

 

The TK question: I think the best way to do this would be to use Aid and Suppress, both with "Any Movement power, one at a time."

[devlin1]

Re: Please help critique character (Origin/Background/Points)

 

Huh?

 

Why would a character *ever* choose Running instead of Flight with "Only in contact with surface?-1/4"

Because maybe your character can't always justify being able run up the side of a skyscrapper. Maybe the GM isn't allowing powers. Maybe a lot of things.

 

I think you're missing out on a good thing by not taking that Flight option, despite the turn mode for Running. IIRC, Skill Levels with Flight let you turn more frequently. Not sure about that, though.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Please help critique character (Origin/Background/Points)

 

Just a couple of points:

 

 

• Clinging already allows use of running on any surface horizontal or vertical so the only additional benefit of Flight Only Usable On Surface would be to allow 'running' on water. It certainly would not be cheaper considering turn modes.
  
• SideKick is not 'Incompatable' with 5E, 5ER or other 5th edition products, it is just not a complete version of those rules. It is a bare bones presentation designed to help beginning players.
  

HM