New Character for review...

[Ghost Face]

This is the first character I've created in over 10 years. I didn't actually create him as much as I've redesigned him though. What do you guys think? Let me know if there is something I can change about him to make him better or his powers more efficient. VanguardPlayer: Anthony Gentry

Val	Char	Cost
25	STR	15
21	DEX	33
23	CON	26
12	BODY	4
13	INT	3
10	EGO	0
15	PRE	5
12	COM	1
8/24	PD	3
5/18	ED	0
5	SPD	19
10	REC	0
46	END	0
37	STUN	0

6" RUN02" SWIM05" LEAP0Characteristics Cost: 109

Cost	Power	END
26	Shift: Teleportation 12", No Relative Velocity, x4 Noncombat (39 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -1/2)	8
17	Shift sense: Clairsentience (Sight Group), Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees) (25 Active Points); Only to sense surroundings for safe shifting (Shift; -1/2)	2
11	Hardened skin: Armor (3 PD/3 ED), Hardened (Hardened skin from rigors of shifting; +1/4) (11 Active Points)	0
23	Armor costume: Armor (13 PD/10 ED) (35 Active Points); OIF (New technology materials in costume. ; -1/2)	0
7	Life Support (Self-Contained Breathing) (10 Active Points); IIF (Recycled oxygen once helmet seals; -1/4), 1 Continuing Charge lasting 1 Hour (Recyled oxygen filters; -1/4)	[1 cc]

Powers Cost: 84

Cost	Martial Arts Maneuver
3	Basic Strike: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, +0 DCV, 7d6 Strike
5	Defensive Block: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, +3 DCV, Block, Abort
4	Martial Dodge: 1/2 Phase, -- OCV, +5 DCV, Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort
5	Offensive Strike: 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +1 DCV, 9d6 Strike

Martial Arts Cost: 17

Cost	Skill
3	Acrobatics 13-
3	Breakfall 13-
6	Computer Programming (Computer Networks, Personal Computers) 13-
3	Deduction 12-
2	+1 with single Characteristic Roll [Notes: Bonus to Int roll]
3	Stealth 13-
8	+2 with All Combat (16 Active Points); Custom Modifier (Only usuable against enemies previously fought; -1/2), Requires An INT Roll (No Active Point penalty to Skill Roll; Interpreting combat data; -1/4), IIF (Battle computer in helmet; -1/4)
2	PS: Investigative reporting 11-
3	Streetwise 12-
2	Systems Operation (Communications Systems) 12-

Skills Cost: 35

Cost	Perk
4	Contact: Roger Warrick (Contact has access to major institutions, Contact has very useful Skills or resources, Contact limited by identity) 11-
1	Contact: Bernie MacDougal 8-

Perks Cost: 5

Val	Disadvantages
15	Hunted: U.S.I.S. 8- (Mo Pow, Capture)
10	Vulnerability: 2 x Effect Time/Chronal attacks. (Uncommon)
10	Social Limitiation: False Identity (Occasionally, Major)
10	Psychological Limitation: Distrustful of Government officials/agencies (Uncommon, Strong)
20	Psychological Limitation: Code versus Killing (Common, Total)
10	Psychological Limitation: Driven to expose government corruption (Uncommon, Strong)
10	Vulnerability: 2 x Effect Transformation attacks (Uncommon)
15	Dependent NPC: Mark Fontenot 8- (Normal; Unaware of character's adventuring career/Secret ID)

Disadvantage Points: 100

Base Points: 150Experience Required: 0Total Experience Available: 0Experience Unspent: 0Total Character Cost: 250

Height: 1.84 m	Hair: Black
Weight: 87.00 kg	Eyes: Brown

Appearance: Vanguard has a milky white spandex costume with blue briefs and boots. Vanguard wears a gold helmet that covers everything except his mouth and chin. The helmet seals itself with a clear membrane when the Oxygen tanks are activated. None of the circuit is visible on the helmet from the outside. Anyone with the proper cable/interface and appropriate computer knowledge would be able to unlock the purpose of the helmet circuitry if they had a chance to look inside the helmet.Personality: Alpha12(Keith) has never had a Father, Mother, siblings or other family. The only father figure he has is knows is Roger Warrick and Alpha12 cares for him immensely. Because of this, Alpha12 finds it hard to open up and have normal relationships with friends, acquaintances and co-workers.

 

Alpha12's distrust for government agencies is a direct result of his experiences with U.S.I.S. Is this scienctific agency can have such a covert and duplicitousnature, then certainly other agencies like the D.O.D. are far more dirty. Any new government scandal isn't a surprise to Alpha12, it's more like teaken for granted.

Quote:"You're no better than I thought!"Background: Most people don't like going to the doctor. It's understandable. But imagine living with doctors. Being their guinea pig and subject to their poking and prodding. That's exactly the situation Subject 1980-Alpha12 faced. Created by the government agency U.S.I.S. (United States Integrated Sciences), Alpha12 was subject to new age thinkers and practices in the scientific community. One of the department heads, Roger Warrick, saw how lonely the test subject was took an instant liking to Alpha12 and formed a tight bond with him.

 

Alpha12 spent several years in the test facility receiving training to become a spy and tool of the government. It wasn't until he was 18 that he learned that some of his fellow test subjects were being contracted out under the table to various corporations. The Alpha group test subjects were treated as expendable since there were many more where they came from, and the corporations paid a high premium for the 'under the table' use. Taking this information to his confidante Roger Warrick, Alpha12 wanted to do something about this scandal. But Roger already knew. Roger was more concerned than ever about Alpha12 since the recent loss of his son around the same age. He also knew that Alpha12 would not be able to stay since he was next in line to do one of these missions.Secretly helping Alpha12 escape from the test facility, Roger told him to stay hidden and never look back. But after years of poking and proding, and subject to the whims of 'The Man', Alpha12 couldn't just stay hidden. Establishing a new identity, Alpha12, now known as Keith, has vowed to protect those that can't protect themselves and uncover those that abuse their authority.

Powers/Tactics: Vanguard tends to stick back and assess the situation before taking any action. Knowing the limitations of his power level, Vanguard won't blindly jump into the situation without knowing what he's up against. If there is someone that he has fought before and is in his combat database, he will tend to fight that person to get the added bonus from the battle computer. Another tactic that Vanguard likes to use is to teleport behind someone in battle and attack them from their blindside.Campaign Use: 

[Vigil]

Re: New Character for review...

 

A few thoughts:

 

Overall, he's interesting but unfocussed. Since TP is the essence of the character I'd design more TP powers and put them into a MP. It's cost effective and gives him more than one trick. If you want to indicate that he's still a novice and not very good at this TP thing you could give most of the slots but one or two at least 2x END and other disads. I'd get rid of the clairsentience and just give him "safe blind port (+1/2)" which would make it intuitional and unconscious. It'll also be cheaper modifying his port that way than to buy the clairsentience. If you want, save up some points and buy clairsentience later to show that he's worked on making this sense conscious. I'd also buy back his STR to 15 and use the points to increase his base PD/ED to 10 each then buy some DCs with his MA instead. I might even buy down his CON and BODY to put some more points into DEX or Lightning Reflexes. But those are just my biases. Take them with a grain of salt.

 

Vigil

[devlin1]

Re: New Character for review...

 

I'd put the Teleport and Clairsentience in an EC to save a few points; they're closely related powers, so it makes sense. Even better would be to buy Safe Blind Teleport, but if you're looking for a power that'll actually show him where he's going, keep the Clairsentience. Safe Blind Teleport will only keep him out of solid objects.

 

The special sub-categories for Computer Programming and Systems Operation are used more often in, say, Star HERO than in Champions, so if your GM isn't using them, that's a few more points to be saved (although Systems Operation will actually cost a point more).

 

Another weird Skill thing that's clearly a sign you recently purchased Hero Designer: the "+1 with single Characteristic Roll." I think what you probably wanted was a +1 with all Intellect Skills, right? In that case, it'll cost you 5 points. The 2-point SL is literally for a single Characteristic Roll. That is, if the GM says, "Make an INT Roll," which, in my experience, doesn't come up that often. That's not to say you couldn't still get that particular kind of SL; I just think you meant to get something else. Also, fool around with Hero Designer a bit more-- you'd be surprised what you can highlight and edit.

 

On a related note, his +2 Overall CSLs depend on an INT Roll. However, since the special effect is a battle computer doing his thinking for him, I'd remove the RSR altogether or, if you want there to be some uncertainty, change it to Activation.

 

IMO, you should drop the OIF Armor and up his natural Hardened Skin and give him some greater offensive ability. Up his STR and/or buy some CSLs with his MA package (or increase the damage they do).

 

Social Limitation: False Identity-- just to clarify, this is Secret ID, right? I only ask because there's a perk called False Identity in Dark Champions. Also, I think Secret ID is worth another five points (Frequently, Major).

 

Were I the GM to whom you were submitting this character, I'd also want to know how he's able to teleport, since nothing in the background mentions this. I'd also want more information on his second Contact and his DNPC, and why he takes extra damage from "chronal" attacks.

 

These are all pretty minor. On the whole, he's a solid character.

[Ghost Face]

Re: New Character for review...

 

Thanks Vigil and Devlin. I'm definitely taking your suggestions and making some changes.

 

Yes, I just purchased HD this Saturday. All the suggestions I got were spot on and the program is very helpful. I wish it was around back in the day.

 

I bought the +1 to Int rolls to simulate Vanguard's ability to interpret the battle computer data. It doesn't necessarily do the thinking for Vanguard as it just provides statistical data that he has to interpret to effectively use it. That's why I have the RSR. Maybe I'll change this also.

 

The False Identity is because he never actually had one while a test subject of U.S.I.S. He was basically created in a laboratory and never received a Social Security number. The false identity is something that he basically assumed to operate in public. But it may not hold up under major scrutiny if someone actually took the time to investigate.

 

His second contact is basically his forger that he uses when he needs a new Social, etc. His DNPC is another older gentleman that he has started to look up to as a father figure. He has apprenticed under the individual who is an investigative reporter. This enables him to gain the skills he needs to uncover any conspiracies and it also has his DNPC getting in some sticky situations that requires him needing to be saved.

 

Vanguard is able to teleport by basically bending himself in the space/time fabric. U.S.I.S. doesn't know if this is the result of their laboratory experiments or some genetic birth defect. None of their mutant detection equipment marked Alpha12 as one.

[Vigil]

Re: New Character for review...

 

Given what you say about his False ID, I'd go instead with what's called a Private Life. It's not worth any points but it shows that you keep your public and private IDs seperate and that the difference isn't actively hampering. Guys like Deathstroke have this.

[Ghost Face]

Re: New Character for review...

 

Given what you say about his False ID' date=' I'd go instead with what's called a Private Life. It's not worth any points but it shows that you keep your public and private IDs seperate and that the difference isn't actively hampering. Guys like Deathstroke have this.[/i']

 

Would this make him subject to deeper investigation if an enforcement official stumbled upon him? Say if he was pulled over for a DUI in his false identity? What about if he ever did get a girlfriend and her rich father did a background check to make sure the creep wasn't after her money? Of course he wouldn't find anything from the supposed high school or neighborhood that the person grew up in. That's a little bit of the direction I wanted to go in with that.

[Vigil]

Re: New Character for review...

 

Private Life is, obviously, not so deep as Secret ID. What it means is that your iD will stand up to casual, everyday scrutiny but that a core of people know who you are under the hood and given any sort of real investigation the characters ID is pretty easy to deduce. Just think about the way that Deathstroke plays his IDs and you'll get the idea. He isn't particularly rigorous about protecting his ID but not many people outside the superhuman and intel communities know who he really is. But in those communities it's not secret.