Character Critique II: Catwoman

[Superdragon]

Same as with Black Widow. Enjoy!

 

 

Catwoman

 

Player:

 

Val**	Char***	Cost
15**	STR	5
26**	DEX	48
21**	CON	22
13**	BODY	6
18**	INT	8
20**	EGO	20
25/30**	PRE	15
22**	COM	6
	*
8**	PD	5
14**	ED	4
6**	SPD	24
7**	REC	0
42**	END	0
32**	STUN	0

*10"**RUN02"**SWIM07"**LEAP0Characteristics Cost: 163

 

Cost**	Power	END
3**	Feline Empathy: +5 PRE (5 Active Points); Requires A Animal Empathy Roll (-1/2) (not added to totals)*
2**	Seductive Mastery: +5 PRE (5 Active Points); Only Versus Men (-1) (added to Secondary Value)*
18**	Mastery Of Stealth: Invisibility to Sight Group (Additional Sense Group: Hearing Group), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (37 Active Points); Only When Not Attacking (-1/2), Requires A Stealth Roll (-1/2)*
6**	Fire-Retardant Costume: Armor (0 PD / 6 ED) (9 Active Points); OIF (-1/2) (added to Primary Value)*
5**	Cowl Lenses: Infrared Perception*
3**	Cowl Lenses: Nightvision (5 Active Points); OIF (-1/2)*
7**	Retracable Glove Claws: Multipower, 10-point reserve, all slots: (10 Active Points); OIF (-1/2)*
1u**	1) Attacking: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 0 1/2d6 (plus STR) (vs. PD) (10 Active Points); OIF (-1/2)*	1
1u**	2) Climbing: Clinging (normal STR) (10 Active Points); OIF (-1/2)*
16**	Cat O' Nine Tails: Multipower, 32-point reserve, all slots: (32 Active Points); OAF (-1)*
1u**	1) Lash: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 1d6 (vs. PD) (15 Active Points); OAF (-1), No STR Bonus (-1/2)*	1
1u**	2) Reach: Stretching 3" (15 Active Points); OAF (-1), No Noncombat Stretching (-1/4), Always Direct (-1/4), No Velocity Damage (-1/4)*	1
1u**	3) Grapple: Telekinesis (13 STR), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (29 Active Points); Affects Whole Object (-1/4), Limited Range (2") (-1/4), Only To Grab And Possibly Squeeze (-1/4), Only Affects Human-Sized or Smaller Objects (-1/4), Can Affect Only One Target At Once (-1/4)*
1u**	4) Swinging: Swinging 6" (6 Active Points); OAF (-1)*	1
3**	Lockpicking Tools: +2 with Lockpicking (OAF)*
8**	Swift: Running +4" (added to Primary Value)*	1
4**	Strong Leaper: Leaping +4" (7" forward, 3 1/2" upward) (added to Primary Value)*	1
5**	Acrobatic Leaper: Leaping 8" (8 Active Points); Requires A Acrobatics Roll (-1/2) (not added to totals)*	1

Powers Cost: 86

 

Cost**	Martial Arts Maneuver
**	Boxing, Jeet Kune Do, Jujutsu*
5**	1) Acrobatic Dodge: 1/2 Phase, -- OCV, +4 DCV, Dodge All Attacks, Abort; FMove*
4**	2) Block: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +2 DCV, Block, Abort*
4**	3) Disarm: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, +1 DCV, Disarm; +20 STR to Disarm roll*
4**	4) Dodge: 1/2 Phase, -- OCV, +5 DCV, Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort*
4**	5) Cross: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +2 DCV, STR +4d6 Strike*
4**	6) Escape: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +0 DCV, +25 STR vs. Grabs*
5**	7) Hook/Kick: 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +1 DCV, STR +6d6 Strike*
3**	8) Joint Lock/Grab: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, -1 DCV, Grab Two Limbs, +20 STR for holding on*
4**	9) Knifehand Strike: 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +0 DCV, HKA 1d6*
3**	10) Throw: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +1 DCV, STR +2d6 +v/5, Target Falls*
8**	+2 HTH Damage Class(es)*

Martial Arts Cost: 48

 

Cost**	Skill
15**	+3 with HTH Combat*
6**	+3 with Whips*
30**	+3 Overall*
**	*
3**	Acrobatics 14-*
3**	Acting 14- (15-)*
2**	AK: Gotham City 11-*
2**	AK: New York 11-*
2**	AK: Paris 11-*
2**	Animal Handler (Felines) 14- (15-)*
3**	Breakfall 14-*
3**	Climbing 14-*
3**	Combat Driving 14-*
3**	Computer Programming 13-*
3**	Concealment 13-*
3**	Contortionist 14-*
3**	Conversation 14- (15-)*
3**	Demolitions 13-*
3**	Disguise 13-*
3**	Electronics 13-*
3**	High Society 14- (15-)*
3**	Interrogation 14- (15-)*
3**	Lockpicking 14-*
3**	Mechanics 13-*
3**	Persuasion 14- (15-)*
7**	PS: Burglar 16-*
3**	Security Systems 13-*
3**	Seduction 14- (15-)*
3**	Shadowing 13-*
3**	Sleight Of Hand 14-*
3**	Stealth 14-*
3**	Streetwise 14- (15-)*
2**	Survival (Urban) 13-*
2**	TF: Common Motorized Ground Vehicles, Two-Wheeled Motorized Ground Vehicles*
4**	WF: Blades, Small Arms, Unarmed Combat, Whips*

Skills Cost: 143

 

Cost**	Perk
5**	Contact: The Batman (8-) (Contact has significant Contacts of his own, Contact has: extremely useful Skills or resources)*
0**	Contact: The Gotham City Underworld (8-) (Contact limited by identity)*
5**	Contact: Barbara Gordon (Oracle) (8-) (Contact has significant Contacts of his own, Contact has: extremely useful Skills or resources)*
6**	Contact: Slam Bradley (12-) (Contact has: very useful Skills or resources, Good relationship with Contact)*
6**	Contact: Ted Grant (Wildcat I) (12-) (Contact has: very useful Skills or resources, Good relationship with Contact)*
15**	Follower: Holly Go-Nightly (75 Base, 0 Disad)*
5**	Money (Well Off)*
4**	Reputation: One of the world's greatest thieves (A large group, 11-) +2/+2d6*

Perks Cost: 46

 

Cost**	Talent
12**	Combat Luck: 6 PD/6 ED*
3**	Environmental Movement: Supreme Balance: No penalties on narrow surfaces*
6**	Lightning Reflexes: +4 DEX to act first with All Actions*

Talents Cost: 21

 

 

Total Character Cost: 507

 

Val**	Disadvantages
15**	Dependent NPC: Dr. Leslie Thompkins, psychotherapist, Incompetent (-20 points or lower), 8- (Infrequently)*
30**	Dependent NPC: Her various housecats, pets, Incompetent (-20 points or lower), 8- (Infrequently), Group DNPC (x8 DNPCs)*
10**	Dependent NPC: Holly Go-Nightly, friend, Incompetent (-20 points or lower), 8- (Infrequently), Useful noncombat position or skills*
20**	Hunted: The Batman, As Powerful, 8- (Occasionally), Harshly Punish, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Extensive Non-Combat Influence*
20**	Hunted: Gotham City Police Department, More Powerful, 8- (Occasionally), Harshly Punish, Extensive Non-Combat Influence, Limited Geographical Area, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find*
10**	Psychological Limitation: Romantic Attraction To The Batman, Uncommon, Strong*
20**	Psychological Limitation: Fiercely Independent; Will rely On No One But Herself, Common, Total*
15**	Psychological Limitation: Strong Need To Be The Catwoman, Common, Strong*
10**	Social Limitation: Secret Identity: Selena Kyle, Occasionally (8-), Major*

Disadvantage Points: 150

 

Base Points: 200

Experience Required: 157

Total Experience Available: 157

Experience Unspent: 0

 

 

 

Background: The oldest of two sisters from a fractured family, Selina Kyle had one of the toughest childhoods one could imagine. Much of Selina and Magdalene's childhood was spent on the streets of Gotham's East End - their mother committed suicide shortly after Magdalene was born, and her father was an abusive drunk. He eventually lost custody of the kids to the State, and they were taken away to an institution named Sprang Hall. There, Selina fiercely defended Maggie against other juves and the staff until she was about 10 or 11 - and was often punished for the fights she won while so doing. Maggie and Selina were then separated and Selina was sent to another institution called Sea Gate.

 

Sea Gate was run by a bitter and corrupt woman who viewed severe discipline as the main practice of correction. Because Selina was fiercely independent, spent a lot of time daydreaming, stealing and made up her own rules, she was harshly disciplined to no avail, and eventually ended up in solitary confinement. However, as time passed, Selina discovered that the director was embezzling from the institution - but failed to flee after taunting the woman with that knowledge. Thus, the director drugged Selina and threw her into the ocean wrapped within a burlap bag. But Selina somehow survived and, using the ledger with the proof of the director's embezzlement, blackmailed the woman into letting her free of the institution and destroying all records in her possession regarding the 13-year-old girl known as Selina Kyle.

 

Now living on the streets, Selina eventually became a part of a street gang of urchins and pickpockets called the "Alleytown Gang." An old woman named Mama Fortuna ran the gang. Fortuna was ruthless with the brats, and Selina refused her authority. Although she was brilliant as a kid thief, Selina eventually left and had to resort to prostitution when she was roughly fifteen years old. For a time she was protected by a slightly older prostitute named Sylvia. This would not last long though after an incident in which the two girls were accosted one evening by a group of men who pulled up in a vehicle as they worked the strip. But feeling something was not quite right about the men Sylvia decided to go instead of allowing Selina. As Sylvia had suspected the men had been up to no good as they beat and tortured her savagely. Sylvia was unable to come to terms with her trauma until much later, and finally come to blame Selina for what had happened.

 

A year later, Selina's father died from alcohol poisoning. Meanwhile, roughly when Selina was leaving the Alleytown gang, Maggie became a nun in a Gotham convent.

 

When she was roughly 17, Selina fell in love with a brutal pimp named Stan. Stan often abused and beat Selina . During one such beating he left her badly beaten in a back alley flanking the convent where Magdalene resided. After the nuns alerted the police and he got her to a hospital, Selina was approached by Detective Flannery, a straight-edged cop on the Gotham Vice-Squad, who had come to Selina at the request of the Nuns. He recommended Selina see an instructor he knew who could teach her self-defense and provided her with an address.

 

Initially Selina refused, but when Stan attempted to force her into doing a john requesting her to wear a cat costume, she re-evaluated her situation. Something in the whole business lead her to strongly suspect the guy was some sick freak, and not just some guy with a S&M fantasy. It was at this time Selina reached a major turning point in her life and sought out the self-defense trainer recommended to her by Detective Flannery. She presumably wasn't expecting much - but when she connected with the trainer, she discovered the man was Ted Grant, undefeated heavyweight boxing champ, world-class martial artist, weapons master, and former costumed adventurer Wildcat I of the famed JSA. Grant liked Selina's fierce demeanor and watched as she quickly became one of his most gifted students ever, possibly second only to the Batman.

 

Ironically, Selina met billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne around the same time she was training with Grant - and shortly before Wayne had adopted the identity of the Batman. Wayne, undercover, had attempted to prevent a pimp from roughing up one of his girls right under Selina's window. The pimp however was Stan and the girl, Holly a 13 year old prostitute who was Selina's protegee, much like Selina had been to Sylvia for a time. When a brawl erupted, Holly stabbed Wayne in the thigh to help Stan, and when Wayne disarmed Holly, Selina attempted to engage Wayne to protect Holly. But Wayne was too fast and punched Selina out with one blow. Because of that humiliating incident, Selina trained even harder than she had before. Approaching Grant with a Cat-o-nine she had received from a john who was into domination, she asked to be trained in its use. Grant agreed to Selina's request as the determined young woman eagerly worked the new weapon into her fighting style.

 

At that time, Selina also encountered a master thief, a local legend known simply as Stark as he burst into Selina's room and killed the john she was servicing - a criminal known as Tony the Toucan who had tried to double-cross Stark in their previous job. As they chatted, Stark was immediately attracted to Selina and, after Grant, he was the first man whose strength she could respect. They became lovers and, shortly after, partners, with Stark teaching her the tricks of the trade. Obviously, Selina never told anybody she was the lover and partner of one of Gotham's top criminal freelance talent - Stark was her secret life.

 

Shortly after, in the middle of the night, she witnessed one of Batman's first public appearances, during his dramatic escape from the GCPD's paramilitary might. Seeing the almost primal, unstoppable figure in a costume inspired her. Donning the cat costume given to her by Stan, she arranged a meeting with him in the back alley where he had previously beaten her and took the opportunity to provide some feedback. As she unmasked and left the alley where Stan lay beaten unconscious, she came face-to-face with her sister Magdalene, and fled the scene.

 

Magdalene then hit the streets to look for Selina , inadvertently attracting the attention of Stan, who wanted to strike back at Selina for what she had done to him in the alley. With a hard-on for revenge Stan kidnapped Maggie and held her hostage. After some investigation Selina discovered where Stan was holding up and confronted her ex-lover and pimp. A fight between Stan and Selina erupted and eventually led to their final confrontation on the building's catwalk. There Stan held Maggie tightly to him until he lost his footing and fell off to his death. As a result Maggie also took a plunge but was saved from sharing a similar fate when the Batman swung down from seemingly nowhere and managed to rescue her in mid-fall. Selina was shocked by meeting with her sister again, by Stan's death and by how ruthless and unhinged she was when wearing the cat costume. She was lost and wasn't planning to ever wear a mask again - until Holly was beaten by a police captain with well-hidden sexual neuroses. Catwoman confronted him and would presumably have killed him hadn't the Batman intervened again. He convinced her not to kill the captain, in large part due to an immediate chemistry that appeared between them. Selina kissed him, then sucker punched him and walked away from the scene. Holly decided to stay with Maggie at the convent.

 

Now 18, Catwoman started stealing from Gotham East End criminals, and quite often from Gotham's most notorious and established criminals. Some of her thefts were attributed to the Batman, though. Out of pure ego, Catwoman went to steal expensive items from Gotham's crime lord, the Roman, and left claw marks on the Roman's face as a calling card - nobody would attribute her exploits to the Batman this time. Her plan succeeded, although only through the intervention of the Batman, who also happened to be on the scene.

 

Around this same time, as the Catwoman, Selina double-crossed Stark during a diamond heist. She ran away with the bag and Stark barely escaped. He had to leave Gotham, though, but later became a feared national operator, grand thief and killer. Selina's reason for betraying her first great love have remained mysterious ; it may have had something to do with proving to herself that she wasn't dependent on him.

 

With her loot (especially the considerable sum from the Stark double-cross fiasco) and her natural class, Selina then amused herself and took her social revenge by becoming a society girl when she was about 21. With her poise, smarts and incredible beauty she even became the girlfriend of Gotham's most eligible bachelor, Bruce Wayne, for a time - but this relationship went nowhere due to Bruce's own secret life. The society life allowed her to case the local social elite, and Catwoman was soon stealing from Gotham's richest men and women with unnerving ease. And on many of her capers she found herself running into the Batman. Although, on paper, the Batman was out to arrest her, things were actually much more ambiguous. He saved her life on some occasions, such as when the second Mister Handsome attempted to capture and kill her.

 

Selina then ran into her old protector, Sylvia and reluctantly agreed to help her commit a theft so she could retire. The scheme went awry when Sylvia had to shoot a man and lost it, forcing Selina to leave her one-time protector behind as the police burst in. Shortly after, Selina took as a protegee another young streetwalker much like Holly - a girl from Flagstaff called Arizona. At roughly that point, Maggie had a crisis of faith and left the convent ; some time later she moved to California after marrying a man called Simon.

 

Some months later, she started working for Bane - although the cut was poor by her standards, it left her free from fencing concerns. This collaboration went south when an assassin named Guillermo, looking to kill Bane, tried to get his pet thief Catwoman first. Selina and Arizona barely escaped the bombing of their apartment. Investigating in Santa Prisca, she caught up with Guillermo as he was about to assassinate the island's ruler, and distracted him long enough to have the ruler fatally stab the assassin. Under the Santa Priscaian ruler's protection, she discovered some of his guards were traitors, and that Quincy Lord was the apparent mastermind behind the assassination attempt. While foiling Lord's plans she discovered that Bane and Leopold were behind Guillermo's finding her and firebombing her apartment. With her usual wit she found a way to cause Bane to kill Leopold for her - which he managed, even behind bars. And she never even had to get her hands dirty to do it.

 

Catwoman then went through a long series of adventures that took her around the United States and the world as a thief and quite often as an anti-hero. Arizona had managed to cobble together a decent life for herself, and left Selina's protection. Catwoman was blackmailed into working for the government for a time, but of course escaped their clutches. When a $5M bounty was offered to find a man whose bloodstream may hold the cure to the Ebola-like virus, which had struck Gotham, she was among the hunters and collaborated with the bat-crew in eventually finding a cure and delivering it. Her next encounter with the Batman was less friendly though as he attempted to arrest her. She got her revenge by freeing the Joker, Two-Face and the Penguin and telling them to make life tough for the Batman. This further served as a distraction while she was attempting to steal an antique Egyptian doll house, but Two-Face double-crossed her and she ended up teaming up with the Batman to catch the three other criminals.

 

Selina next encountered various troubles from a copycat burglar who turned out to be a former Sea Gate kid, and a police detective who discovered her identity and dated her before she realized he was a serial killer. She also worked a bit with the Huntress, coming closer to being a vigilante than a thief, and clashed again with Two-Face, now clearly an enemy.

 

When a major earthquake struck Gotham, Selina barely made it out alive after being trapped underground for many hours. She then went on to stop Poison Ivy from turning Gotham into a jungle. No good deed goes unpunished and shortly after she was attacked by the Scarecrow, who made her confront her innermost fears by making her believe she was imprisoned in Arkham and had to depend on others for everything, including her escape. Eventually Selina was able to break free of the mental manipulations of the Scarecrow's chemicals. Later, in Vegas, while attempting to snag $3M she ended up teaming with Wildcat I, then ditched him to get the money. This however proved fruitless as she then had to spend most of the money to discover where those she had stolen the money from were holding the now captured Wildcat I, and rescue him. The rest went towards a trip to Rio for two so Selina could make up for ditching Grant. Another escapade had her being stalked by the Joker. But with the help of the Batman she defeated the Clown Prince of Crime and returned him to his cell in Arkham - by breaking in the highest security part and dropping him in his cell.

 

When Gotham became a no man's land, Selina left for Paris - but eventually came back to the US, and more precisely Manhattan. She blackmailed the CEO of a company into making her the VP, then faked her own murder and framed the CEO for it, thus freeing the position. She then proceeded to playing the stock market, thoroughly cheating and acquiring insider knowledge to sextuplet the worth of the company, then was made CEO on the strength of her results. After having thus stolen an entire company, she decided she would steal an even bigger prize - New York City. She ran for Mayor.

 

Selina survived an assassination attempt by Gunhawk, then took down other would-be assassins that were sneaking around her apartment. She then discovered Lady Vic had infiltrated her organization as one of her aides, and fought her at a rally. The Trickster was the next person to put a crimp in her plans when he leaked to the tabloids that Selina Kyle was the Catwoman. Not knowing that it was actually the truth, the Trickster did so as an attempt to discredit Selina during her mayoral campaign run. After catching the Trickster, she convinced him to work with her to steal her own assets, which had been frozen due to suspicion of market fraud. But the Trickster duped her, and as the political heat began to reach an unbearable level, Selina orchestrated for the police to find a body dressed as herself in a car possessed by a team of assassins. Selina Kyle was thus declared dead.

 

Although she accomplished a mission for Batman's sake during the end of the "no man's land" period, she was shortly after framed as the culprit who stole an extremely valuable crystal spire. For Commissioner Gordon this had been the last straw as he vowed to capture her, against the Batman's advice not to. Gordon's intricate setup worked, and the Catwoman was jailed as Jane Doe with a two-year sentence. Due to her many enemies, she had to be put into solitary. Her stay in prison was too much and caused Selina to have flashbacks of her time in Sea Gate ; this in turn pushed her to a point where she attempted a mad rush to escape, which triggered a prison riot. A negotiator was brought in but, while talking in private with Selina, the woman suddenly cut Catwoman's throat and called for an ambulance. The woman was actually Dr. Harleen Quinzell, who left an infuriating game of clues for Gordon to track them down while she submitted Selina to a severe drug treatment. With the help of the drugs, Harley Quinn forced Selina to assist her in a series of crimes such as fighting Gordon and then robbing a bank in which a note was held by Catwoman to the cameras threatening to kill Gordon if the detention facilities inmates were not released. Before things got too out of hand though, Selina broke free of the chemical hold on her that Quinn had and fled into the night.

 

Shortly after managing to blackmail the Mayor of Gotham City over his narcotic use, she coincidentally encountered Commissioner Gordon in an alley. Gordon attempted to arrest her, grazing her thigh with a bullet, but was then himself shot from behind by unseen assailants. Catwoman was of course a prime suspect and was tracked down by the bat-crew for questioning - although she was eventually able to clear herself of those allegations. However, shortly after the Gordon fiasco, she was once again subjected to mind-altering drugs at the hands of the Scarecrow and Two-Face. At first she suspected her sister Maggie was somehow out to get her, but then realized it was not true, but instead that it had been a effect of the drugs administered to her by the Scarecrow and Two-Face which caused her to sleepwalk and sabotage her own work. She did however manage to defeat the diabolic duo and recover from the effects of the drugs.

 

Still, the Mayor of Gotham wanted his revenge, and hired Deadshot to take care of the problem. Towards that end Deadshot stalked the Catwoman. During the encounter Selina was caught in the explosion of a fuel tanker and barely survived the blast by some miracle of a chance. Now believed dead, Catwoman considered the advantages to that and decided to retire the Catwoman identity for a while. The Mayor, however, didn't believe that Catwoman had perished in the blast and thus hired a top-level private investigator, the legendary Slam Bradley, to investigate the situation.

 

Meanwhile, Selina got interested in a heist job that was both highly lucrative - $24M in cash - and extremely difficult to pull off. A fast, heavily guarded train, four cars long, with the cash in more than thirty bags and no stops between starting point and final destination. She knew she could not pull the heist off alone, so she sought who she considered would be best suited to assist her: Stark.As she had anticipated. Despite being totally amoral and a stone cold killer, Stark agreed to go along with his old, traitorous flame - both out of nostalgia and for his own reasons. He and a young, brilliant criminal techie named Jeff and an old friend of Selina's, a fence by the name of Swiftie, helped to perfect the plan for the heist. The heist was brilliantly executed by the three top-flight professionals and their accomplice, but they had been second-guessed by a French Canadian criminal named Laperier. The ruthless Laperier killed Swifty and Jeff, then confronted Stark and Selina. They outmaneuvered him, but Stark's pistol jammed and he was fatally wounded by a point-blank burst by Laperier, whom he killed before collapsing.

 

The blow was very hard for Selina - she realized that the life as a master criminal only provided her with empty thrills while killing off those for whom she cared. Although she professed not to know the meaning of the word "love", she clung to Stark's corpse during the whole night before slowly letting it slide into the river as the dawn came. She formed the project to go back to her roots in the East End ; Stark's death marked the end of the Thrill of Adventure motivation for Selina.

 

Meanwhile, Slam Bradley was doing a superb job. He established that Selina Kyle wasn't dead and that the corpse in the coffin was not she. He then guessed she was actually Catwoman, and was well on his way to tracking her down when she met with him. Bradley had come to empathize with Selina, though. He admired her guts, class and hard life much more than he respected the Mayor. He decided to burn the file with his findings, and became a friend to Selina.

 

Trying to reevaluate her life and goals, Selina actually accepted a little help from the Batman - a considerable change for her. During several months, she had private psychotherapy sessions with Dr. Leslie Thompkins. At first Selina thought part of her confusion was due to the various incidences of mind-altering drugs she had been subjected to by the Scarecrow or Harley Quinn, but her blood was actually normal. Leslie helped her admit she wanted to return to her roots in the East End, overcome her hesitations to fix things up with her sister - and be Catwoman again. She decided Selina Kyle, as Catwoman, would be a protector for the East End - the poorest, most crime-ridden part of Gotham, including such places as Crime Alley.

 

As she came back to the old 'hood, Selina quickly ran into Holly, her former protegee (now having left the convent and back on the streets as a hooker), and they quickly re-established their friendship, with Holly becoming her eyes and ears on the street. After stopping a superhuman that was killing hookers, Selina started taking over the East End. However, it soon became clear that the crime boss for the East End was the devastatingly violent, psychotic criminal known as the Black Mask. And he had an asset - one of his lieutenants was Sylvia, the long-lost friend of Selina from her teenaged years. She knew who the Catwoman was.

 

Black Mask struck at Selina hard, attempting to break everyone she cared for. Selina's big project, the renovation of the cathedral and construction of the community center project in the East End with her stolen millions, was firebombed into rubble a few days after the opening ceremonies. Magdalene (who has recently come back to Gotham with her husband) was kidnapped, her husband was tortured to death and she was driven mad and catatonic. Holly was nearly killed, then captured, and Slam Bradley ended up in the hospital. Catwoman managed to locate Black Mask. In the fight, Sylvia was killed by Holly to save Selina's life, and the Black Mask fell to his apparent death. The wounds from this conflict, physical and mental, were hard to heal for those involved, and Maggie's case appears hopeless.

 

Selina took Holly with her on a road trip to help heal the trauma over killing Sylvia. Catwoman established herself as pretty much the queen and kingpin of the East End - providing protection to all for a 0% cut. However, many gangs and crime lords were attempting to oust her and fill the vacuum left by Black Mask's death. Catwoman soon found herself nearly overwhelmed by ruthless attacks, including a brutal one by the Mafia - using the superhuman fighter Zeiss as their spearhead.

 

Personality:

Selina has been searching for herself for a long time, oscillating between light and shadow and redefining herself - from street urchin to whore, from whore to protector, from protector to thief, and now from thief to protector. The death of Stark has made her drop the purely criminal and venal life, and Leslie Thompkins's example has convinced her that she'd actually find satisfaction in being a benefactor and protector of something she cares about - Gotham's East End. Her friendship with Holly, and trying to make Holly's life better, are a small-scale example of the same mores. The talk therapy with Thompkins also made clear that Kyle needed to be Catwoman, much like being the Batman is necessary for Wayne.

 

Still, Selina defines her own rules and changes them when necessary. She is on no side but her own, not trusting cops and occasionally finding herself at odds with the Batman. She operates partially as a simple street vigilante, but mostly as a cunning planner taking down crime lords and corrupt cops (the East End comprises the worst precincts, corruption-wise). While her methods may be ever shifting, her goal to protect the impoverished and homeless of the East End remains constant.

 

A hardened criminal, master fighter and former super villain, Catwoman is not to be messed with. She can be remarkably devious, violent, manipulative and brutal, but mostly tends to act that way when what she cares for is threatened. The characters at the receiving end of her fury are always particularly unsavory, but there's a significant chance she will kill if pushed far enough.

 

She's also very private, hard to read and unpredictable -even her closest friend, Holly, can never knows what she's really thinking : Selina's strong protective instincts make her a very mysterious person. She does not submit to any authority - not even the future, as she always lives in the now ; and she makes certain that all her decision are hers and hers only. She absolutely hates being dependent on anyone for anything, and tends to be suspicious of anything that looks remotely like it could have some sort of hold on her. Yet, she keeps strong traces of her old Thrill of Adventure - although her definition of fun often implies very high velocities, dangerous men with guns and outrageous, death-defying stunts.

 

Selina's relationship with men is complex. She does not have much trust for the majority of them, unless they prove to be mentally strong and driven - or unless they are older gentlemen. She can certainly be a cold, manipulative bitch using her sex-appeal, feminine wiles and sheer charm to get what she wants from even the toughest muttafuckas in the rare occasions she need it ; but at the same time actual love is rare and precious to her. She will manipulate the key men in her life to prove she can and who has the power, but at the same time it seems she doesn't really want to and that it is a way to make a point about who can hurt who, or perhaps even a game between adults. She tends to be bad at it when it comes to the Batman - her very strong attraction to him confuses and angers her, and her attempts at establishing a balance of strength more in her favor often comes across as more... clumsy, weak or even childish than usual. Thankfully, the Batman is about as disarmed toward her as she is toward him. She is undeniably a romantic, but certainly only wants the very, very best and her own issues likely prevent her to ever find herself in a working relationship.

[Superskrull]

Re: Character Critique II: Catwoman

 

Hmm. That's a really impressive history there.

 

Anyway, does her current costume only defend against energy attacks, and all energy at that or is it even moderately bullet-proof? As it stands, it's apparently not only fire-resistant but cold, electricity and generic energy resistant as well. If it's only fire, you might toss that limitation on there.

 

You might upgrade her lockpicking tools to a more rounded set of tools including Security Systems skill bonuses and such, representing her equipment for circumventing more than just locks surrounding her loot-to-be.

Adding Legsweep might be useful and simulates her using her whip to trip people up

Swinging could be increased to 8" in the multipower to increase it's general utility.

[Savinien]

Re: Character Critique II: Catwoman

 

Looks decent. I'm actually a Catwoman collector and you've kept the juicy bits I'm fond of. I would have included the 'kids' Holly heads up that are Selina's eyes and ears in the East End. They are being shown as a DNPC in recent issues.

 

I'm also not so sure of the Romantic Draw with Batman. She's drawn to ruggedly strong men. You can see it in her attraction to Stark, Slam, and Batman. To only mention Batman is shortchanging the recent reboot of Catwoman.

 

You've also skipped over the 'Avatar to Bast' stuff that came out in the current run. Ignoring it on a whim, or thinking future writers will ignore it? I can't say I'm totally pleased with it myself.

 

Is Batman really Hunting to Harshly Punish? Isn't he also a contact? I think I'd change that to Watching myself.

 

Let me repeat... I'm thrilled with the write-up and plan to peruse further at a later time.

[Bloodstone]

Re: Character Critique II: Catwoman

 

3** Feline Empathy: +5 PRE (5 Active Points); Requires A Animal Empathy Roll (-1/2) (not added to totals)*

 

2** Seductive Mastery: +5 PRE (5 Active Points); Only Versus Men (-1) (added to Secondary Value

 

I believe that would be Requires An Animal Handler (Felines) Roll.

 

The name Seductive Mastery implies that she is good at seduction, but the lim actuly allows her to use that extra PRE to better use any PRE attack on men and to resist any PRE attacks made by men. You might want to further limit it with something like "Only for Freindly/Seductive PRE attacks (-1)"

 

Also, buying limited PRE twice has actuly resulted in you spending as many points as you would have if you had just bought +5 Presence normally. Might be better to just buy +1 with three realted Skills (Animal Handler, Seduction and either Conversation or Interogation) and call it Animal Magnetism or some such.

 

5** Cowl Lenses: Infrared Perception*

3** Cowl Lenses: Nightvision (5 Active Points); OIF (-1/2)*

 

These should both be OIF.

[Superdragon]

Re: Character Critique II: Catwoman

 

Savinien, glad you liked the writeup. Unfortunately, I can't take credit for writing Catwoman's history and personality. I've simply transcribed it from Writeups.org ( http://www.writeups.org/index.html ) a site for DC Heroes game writeups.

 

Oh, and I haven't read the series up to the "Avatar of Bast" stroyline. However if it's mystical, I'd rather not use it. It just doesn't seem right with Catwoman's character, if it's all the same with you.

 

As with the same with the Black Widow writeup, I appreciate everyone's input. I'm making the proper adjustments as such...

 

Superskrull, you are correct. In her writeup her costume is energy resistant, specifically to heat and cold as well as water as well.

 

And now for the revamped version:

 

 

 

Catwoman

 

Player:

 

Val**	Char***	Cost
15**	STR	5
26**	DEX	48
21**	CON	22
13**	BODY	6
18**	INT	8
20**	EGO	20
25**	PRE	15
22**	COM	6
	*
8**	PD	5
14**	ED	4
6**	SPD	24
7**	REC	0
42**	END	0
32**	STUN	0

*10"**RUN02"**SWIM07"**LEAP0Characteristics Cost: 163

 

Cost**	Power	END
3**	Animal Magnetism: +1 with Animal Handler (Felines), Interrogation & Seduction*
18**	Mastery Of Stealth: Invisibility to Sight Group (Additional Sense Group: Hearing Group), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (37 Active Points); Only When Not Attacking (-1/2), Requires A Stealth Roll (-1/2)*
6**	Fire-Retardant Costume: Armor (0 PD / 6 ED) (9 Active Points); OIF (-1/2) (added to Primary Value)*
3**	Cowl Lenses: Infrared Perception (5 Active Points); OIF (-1/2)*
3**	Cowl Lenses: Nightvision (5 Active Points); OIF (-1/2)*
7**	Retracable Glove Claws: Multipower, 10-point reserve, all slots: (10 Active Points); OIF (-1/2)*
1u**	1) Attacking: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 0 1/2d6 (plus STR) (vs. PD) (10 Active Points); OIF (-1/2)*	1
1u**	2) Climbing: Clinging (normal STR) (10 Active Points); OIF (-1/2)*
16**	Cat O' Nine Tails: Multipower, 32-point reserve, all slots: (32 Active Points); OAF (-1)*
1u**	1) Lash: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 1d6 (vs. PD) (15 Active Points); OAF (-1), No STR Bonus (-1/2)*	1
1u**	2) Reach: Stretching 3" (15 Active Points); OAF (-1), No Noncombat Stretching (-1/4), Always Direct (-1/4), No Velocity Damage (-1/4)*	1
1u**	3) Grapple: Telekinesis (13 STR), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (29 Active Points); Affects Whole Object (-1/4), Limited Range (2") (-1/4), Only To Grab And Possibly Squeeze (-1/4), Only Affects Human-Sized or Smaller Objects (-1/4), Can Affect Only One Target At Once (-1/4)*
1u**	4) Swinging: Swinging 8" (8 Active Points); OAF (-1)*	1
3**	Burglary Tools Set: +2 with Electronics, Lockpicking & Security Systems (6 Active Points); OAF (-1)*
8**	Swift: Running +4" (added to Primary Value)*	1
4**	Strong Leaper: Leaping +4" (7" forward, 3 1/2" upward) (added to Primary Value)*	1
5**	Acrobatic Leaper: Leaping 8" (8 Active Points); Requires A Acrobatics Roll (-1/2) (not added to totals)*	1

Powers Cost: 82

 

Cost**	Martial Arts Maneuver
**	Boxing, Jeet Kune Do, Jujutsu*
5**	1) Acrobatic Dodge: 1/2 Phase, -- OCV, +4 DCV, Dodge All Attacks, Abort; FMove*
4**	2) Block: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +2 DCV, Block, Abort*
4**	3) Disarm: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, +1 DCV, Disarm; +20 STR to Disarm roll*
4**	4) Dodge: 1/2 Phase, -- OCV, +5 DCV, Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort*
4**	5) Cross: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +2 DCV, STR +4d6 Strike*
4**	6) Escape: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +0 DCV, +25 STR vs. Grabs*
5**	7) Hook/Kick: 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +1 DCV, STR +6d6 Strike*
3**	8) Joint Lock/Grab: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, -1 DCV, Grab Two Limbs, +20 STR for holding on*
4**	9) Knifehand Strike: 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +0 DCV, HKA 1d6*
3**	10) Legsweep: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, -1 DCV, STR +3d6 Strike, Target Falls*
4**	11) Low Blow: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, +1 DCV, 3d6 NND*
3**	12) Throw: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +1 DCV, STR +2d6 +v/5, Target Falls*
8**	+2 HTH Damage Class(es)*
2**	Weapon Element: Blades, Whips*

Martial Arts Cost: 57

 

Cost**	Skill
15**	+3 with HTH Combat*
6**	+3 with Whips*
30**	+3 Overall*
**	*
3**	Acrobatics 14-*
3**	Acting 14-*
2**	AK: Gotham City 11-*
2**	AK: New York 11-*
2**	AK: Paris 11-*
2**	Animal Handler (Felines) 14-*
3**	Breakfall 14-*
3**	Climbing 14-*
3**	Combat Driving 14-*
3**	Computer Programming 13-*
3**	Concealment 13-*
3**	Contortionist 14-*
3**	Conversation 14-*
3**	Demolitions 13-*
3**	Disguise 13-*
3**	Electronics 13-*
3**	High Society 14-*
3**	Interrogation 14-*
3**	Lockpicking 14-*
3**	Mechanics 13-*
3**	Persuasion 14-*
7**	PS: Burglar 16-*
3**	Security Systems 13-*
3**	Seduction 14-*
3**	Shadowing 13-*
3**	Sleight Of Hand 14-*
3**	Stealth 14-*
3**	Streetwise 14-*
2**	Survival (Urban) 13-*
2**	TF: Common Motorized Ground Vehicles, Two-Wheeled Motorized Ground Vehicles*
4**	WF: Blades, Small Arms, Unarmed Combat, Whips*

Skills Cost: 143

 

Cost**	Perk
5**	Contact: The Batman (8-) (Contact has significant Contacts of his own, Contact has: extremely useful Skills or resources)*
0**	Contact: The Gotham City Underworld (8-) (Contact limited by identity)*
5**	Contact: Barbara Gordon (Oracle) (8-) (Contact has significant Contacts of his own, Contact has: extremely useful Skills or resources)*
6**	Contact: Slam Bradley (12-) (Contact has: very useful Skills or resources, Good relationship with Contact)*
6**	Contact: Ted Grant (Wildcat I) (12-) (Contact has: very useful Skills or resources, Good relationship with Contact)*
15**	Follower: Holly Go-Nightly (75 Base, 0 Disad)*
5**	Money (Well Off)*
4**	Reputation: One of the world's greatest thieves (A large group, 11-) +2/+2d6*

Perks Cost: 46

 

Cost**	Talent
12**	Combat Luck: 6 PD/6 ED*
3**	Environmental Movement: Supreme Balance: No penalties on narrow surfaces*
6**	Lightning Reflexes: +4 DEX to act first with All Actions*

Talents Cost: 21

 

 

Total Character Cost: 512

 

Val**	Disadvantages
15**	Dependent NPC: Dr. Leslie Thompkins, psychotherapist, Incompetent (-20 points or lower), 8- (Infrequently)*
30**	Dependent NPC: Her various housecats, pets, Incompetent (-20 points or lower), 8- (Infrequently), Group DNPC (x8 DNPCs)*
20**	Dependent NPC: The East End Kids, juvenile street informants, Incompetent (-20 points or lower), 8- (Infrequently), Useful noncombat position or skills, Group DNPC (x4 DNPCs)*
10**	Dependent NPC: Holly Go-Nightly, friend, Incompetent (-20 points or lower), 8- (Infrequently), Useful noncombat position or skills*
20**	Hunted: Gotham City Police Department, More Powerful, 8- (Occasionally), Harshly Punish, Extensive Non-Combat Influence, Limited Geographical Area, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find*
10**	Psychological Limitation: Attracted To Strong, Rugged Men, Uncommon, Strong*
20**	Psychological Limitation: Fiercely Independent; Will rely On No One But Herself, Common, Total*
15**	Psychological Limitation: Strong Need To Be The Catwoman, Common, Strong*
10**	Social Limitation: Secret Identity: Selena Kyle, Occasionally (8-), Major*

Disadvantage Points: 150

 

Base Points: 200

Experience Required: 162

Total Experience Available: 162

Experience Unspent: 0

[Superdragon]

Re: Character Critique II: Catwoman

 

Oh and Savinien, thanks much for the rep, man!

[Dino]

Re: Character Critique II: Catwoman

 

Hmmm, I have a few nitpicks but first let me say nice job! It takes a lot of courage to post writeups of iconic characters for all the world to snipe at.

 

I have a real problem with Catwoman having a higher EGO than Black Widow. Not only does she have a lot more mental hangups than Natasha, but The Black Widow has all that superspy training working for her. At the very least, BW should have some Resistance talent. I also think she should not have less overall skill levels than Catwoman for the same reason.

 

I notice that you gave them both identical DEX, Spd, and COM scores (and they all seem a little high to me for normal humans, but that's a scale thing). I submit that while both women are supposed to be very beautiful, Catwoman is more consistantly portrayed as ravishing while Natsha is often viewed as cold and therefore less universally apealing (and I go for that type, so I'm not saying this lightly!)

[Bloodstone]

Re: Character Critique II: Catwoman

 

At the very least' date=' BW should have some Resistance talent. [/quote']

 

She actuly has the Resistance talent in the writeup.

 

I submit that while both women are supposed to be very beautiful, Catwoman is more consistantly portrayed as ravishing while Natsha is often viewed as cold and therefore less universally apealing (and I go for that type, so I'm not saying this lightly!)

 

I think this is a combination of two factors. The first is that Natasha has mostly been on team books with other hotties. The second is that she often willingly distances herself from people. She can play up the total knockout role just fine, when she needs to.

 

Then again, I may just be partial to redheads

[Superskrull]

Re: Character Critique II: Catwoman

 

Then again' date=' I may just be partial to redheads [/quote']

 

Well, it's not like the russian accent doesn't have certain charms of it's own, you know what I mean?

[Bloodstone]

Re: Character Critique II: Catwoman

 

[Colossus impersonation] Da, tovarich. [/Colossus impersonation]

[llao]

Re: Character Critique II: Catwoman

 

Selina is a master thief first and above all else so should have a greater ability in security systems, lock picking and the like than is currently listed.

Maybe the Dark champions "security ghost" skill or something is in order for her?

 

In her most recent comic she gets some true dark vision goggles in order to take on Killer Crock along with a gal named Onyx (IIRC). Assuming this isn't just one of those things the writers do she should normally have night vision that requires some light to use - like a starlight scope - as opposed to "dark" vision allowing her to see in complete darkness.

 

Nit picking! Good job overall I think.

[Superskrull]

Re: Character Critique II: Catwoman

 

Selina is a master thief first and above all else so should have a greater ability in security systems, lock picking and the like than is currently listed.

Maybe the Dark champions "security ghost" skill or something is in order for her?

QUOTE]

 

Nah, she's good, but she does get caught on occasion. 'Sides, the write-up he has gives her a 19- in Lockpicking and 18- in security systems with her levels and tools added in. She also has PS:Burgalar to make supporting rolls with.

I suppose she could be given KS: Locks & Security Devices representing her familiarity with pre-existing setups and the idiosyncracies of various manufacturers & designers.