Wanting to make a character, need advice. :)

[Ragdoll]

I've had this character 'made' in one form or another for the last year or so. But I've recently had an interesting twist on her. This is my idea, please be brutal and tell me if it sounds silly or overwrought.

 

A woman born a natural mutant, born with very high intellect, but of small stature. She only stands about three feet in height at twenty eight years of age. She's not a genetic dwarf, her body is 'proportioned'...she just looks like a normal woman would, except she's three feet in height, and doesn't seem to be growing.

 

In her college years, she gets involved with a fringe group looking for a way to scientifically quantify ambient magick levels. They succeed, and codify the energy and particles that mages use to manipulate magick, codify spells into formula, etc. She's on the cusp of introducing an engine which converts ambient magickal energy into usable electricity..when her research staff are all brutally slain, by a very powerful orginzation that want to keep magick secret, she herself survives though the efforts of one individual in the orginization who believe the researches could have been negotiated with.

 

So he brings her before this organization and at great personal risk he gets them to agree to not to kill her, with a few exceptions that she give over all her relevant research on her techno-magick work, so they can supress, study and 'eventually' release it when humanity is prepared. They also want her working for them...as a sort of independent agent. She agrees, but asks that she be allowed to choose they way in which she works. They agree within reason.

 

So she comes up with a technological suit of powered armour that has integrated techno magick. They allow this on the condition that she have an official watchdog/liason which is the person in the organization that helped her to survive originally. She builds a suit of armour that's either human size or just slightly larger. So here's this three foot tall woman with super human intellect that has studied magick, and has built this suit of tech-magick powered armour, working for a secret orginzation all the while working in public wit a group of local heroes to do 'good' works.

 

Does this sound...too silly?

[Sylevus]

Re: Wanting to make a character, need advice.

 

Only nitpick I have is with the organization A) brutally murdering her team, expecting her to work for them, and C) Giving her leeway to do it "her way".

 

I would say pick any two of the above and you got yourself a great concept...

 

A + B = She hates working for them and fears for her life, given a chance to get away clean she would do it in a heartbeat. Maybe has dependent NPCs keeping her chained to them?

 

A + C = I don't like this so much, but if you want deep manipulation where each thing she does is really a part of their bigger plan and she is really doing big bad things unknowingly.

 

B + C = work is shut down by big organization. Everyone is mind wiped to forget the research, but her. Without the mass murder involved she would be more likely to work with the group, especially if they expose her to more interesting avenues of research...

 

Just my two cents worth.

[Roy_The_Ruthles]

Re: Wanting to make a character, need advice.

 

how many points is that? that's like 3 concepts in one

[Ragdoll]

Re: Wanting to make a character, need advice.

 

how many points is that? that's like 3 concepts in one

 

She's going to be a standard 350 point hero. She's a mutant her only things are hyper intellect, and her size problem. No problem there. She is 'essentially' a normal...in most of her statistics. She might have a 'minor' VPP for magick effects..or a MP..I don't know..and the rest of her powers come from the power armour. I have a rough draft for her. She's legal and everything. I'll see if I can post something soon.

 

Only nitpick I have is with the organization A) brutally murdering her team, expecting her to work for them, and C) Giving her leeway to do it "her way".

 

I would say pick any two of the above and you got yourself a great concept...

 

A + B = She hates working for them and fears for her life, given a chance to get away clean she would do it in a heartbeat. Maybe has dependent NPCs keeping her chained to them?

 

A + C = I don't like this so much, but if you want deep manipulation where each thing she does is really a part of their bigger plan and she is really doing big bad things unknowingly.

 

B + C = work is shut down by big organization. Everyone is mind wiped to forget the research, but her. Without the mass murder involved she would be more likely to work with the group, especially if they expose her to more interesting avenues of research...

 

Just my two cents worth.

 

I like your ideas..this was the part I was 'shakey' on..wonderful suggestions. I'll have to pick one.

[Kirby]

Re: Wanting to make a character, need advice.

 

I'm going to go with Sylevus on the "A,B,C" thing, but the concept sounds neat. She's sort of like a Dr. Doom/Solitaire*/Witchcraft combo. Is there any particular reason for the 3' height, though? I mean, until you mentioned he techno suit, I was figuring her name was going to be "Elf," "Sprite," "Pixie," or something like that. Afterwords, it just seemed like a 'make her different' gimmick.

[TheEmerged]

Re: Wanting to make a character, need advice.

 

Concept: Yeah, the A->B->C thing needs work.

 

As to the multiple concepts? It can work, when done right. I'd recommend working toward being able to do specific things than a broad concept -- with multiple power sources like this, if you go the VPP route you end up with Duex Ex Machina Woman, and that's only good for a solo campaign (one player, one GM).

[Ragdoll]

Re: Wanting to make a character, need advice.

 

I'm going to go with Sylevus on the "A' date='B,C" thing, but the concept sounds neat. She's sort of like a Dr. Doom/Solitaire*/Witchcraft combo. Is there any particular reason for the 3' height, though? I mean, until you mentioned he techno suit, I was figuring her name was going to be "Elf," "Sprite," "Pixie," or something like that. Afterwords, it just seemed like a 'make her different' gimmick.[/quote']

 

Yep..I agree about the motivations. As to the 'height' issue. The original character was that way. She was originally a battle suit character...that was in control of the golem battle armour.. But she was 'unusually' short due to a mutation, and she had superhuman level intellect.

 

It was funny since she was in this power armour with 5 to 10 points of growth always on...but inside was a 3 foot tall woman sitting inside the chest/cockpit. I'm fond of that part of her creation, really, and wanted to keep it. It's something of an homage to an old super hero, as well.

[MisterBaldy]

Re: Wanting to make a character, need advice.

 

Part of the problem when you try to put too many concepts into one character...the character has a tendency to develop too slowly. The character doesn't real have any focus point with which to get a handle on.

 

My suggestion is to take some serious heed to Sylevus' suggestion about the concepts.

 

Doing too much in a RPG, especially in a Champions campaign, means that the special qualities of the character become "watered down"...and no longer special.

[Sylevus]

Re: Wanting to make a character, need advice.

 

Thinking some more she will need two hero names. Ragdoll and magi-tech armor are not that obvious a connection and its a little too obvious pointer to the migit genius for those inclined to look for a connection.

 

To refine your concept, what you really have here is a genius character who creates/maintains his own armor. Thus a gadgeteer with magi-tech as your special effect. So the meat of your character is what type of magi-tech does she go in for? Stealth suit? Battle suit? Super utility belt?

 

If you don't want to get away from the RagDoll connection, use that as an acronym for the suit. RAG-DL1 or something would be easy for the media to pick up on.

[hooligan x]

Re: Wanting to make a character, need advice.

 

I'd green light this character with the changes suggested by Sylevus. Heck, it would fit right in my campaign. I have an empty seat if you like pizza...

[Ragdoll]

Re: Wanting to make a character, need advice.

 

I'd green light this character with the changes suggested by Sylevus. Heck' date=' it would fit right in my campaign. I have an empty seat if you like pizza...[/quote']

 

/laugh If it was online I might consider. Minus the pizza of course.

 

Anywho, sorry for lagging behind, but this is what I have so far. It's a first rough draft:

 

5 [35] STR (-5) <8>*

11 [27] DEX (3) <12>*

10 [25] CON <8>*

10 [15] BOD <2>*

30 INT (20)

14 EGO (8)

10 [20] PRE <3>*

12 COM (1)

2 [12] PD (1) <5>&

2 [12] ED <5>&

3 [6] SPD (9) <15>&

5 [15] REC (4) <10>&

20 [40] END <5>&

20 [40] STN (2) <10>&

*Independent, OIF, No Effect Figured Characteristics; &-Independent, OIF.

 

-POWERS-

99 VPP: Onboard Electronic Grimoire - 80 points - Last 40 points are OIF, Gestures, Incantations, and Only Magick (-1 1/4). First 40 points are Gestures, Incantations, and Only Magick (-3/4).

 

1 KB Resistance: -1"; OIF: TechnoMagick Power Armour

 

Endurance Reserve: 100 END, 10 REC; OIF, Independent; [Mana Engine]

 

This is what I have so far. I'm not sure if you can combine OIF and Independent together. Also..I have two disadvantages that will be key. One is Physical Limitation: 9 feet tall (only while in armour). And Physical Limitation : 3 feet tall (only outside of armour). Would it be appropriate to make each frequent, slightly imparing?

[steriaca]

Re: Wanting to make a character, need advice.

 

My advice is...get rid of the VVP. Instead, give her one, two, or three small spells she could cast outside her armor (make them minor spells), then concentrate the rest on her power armor and skills. Her spells should be utility spells, not combat/protection spells. Why? Because if she could cast spells willy nilly with a VVP, then why even have her wear a magical suit of "powered" armor.

 

My advice on the minor spells are, "Detect Magic", "Magic Hand" (a small strength TK ability), and "Fall Like A Feather" (Gliding, only downward motion).

 

Besides, she is a charater (with 350 points to spend), not a NPC (with unlimited points to spend).