Tommy Spyder

[JakSpade]

Hey everyone,

 

I got an unusual idea for a pulp character, and I just spent the past couple of hours writing him up. His name is Tommy "Spyder" Collins, a young gadgeteer with Cerebral Palsy, who invents a backpack with special abilities. His palsy mostly affects his legs, so he overcomes his disadvantage with the backpack.

 

I took it upon myself to take the Gadgeteering VPP, but I reduced it and built the backpack as a vehicle. I hope everyone likes it...

 

Tommy would probably work nicely as a sidekick. I don't know if I would play him as a character or not...

 

Jak

 

Tommy "Spyder" Collins

 

Player:

 

Val Char Cost

8 STR -2

15 DEX 15

10 CON 0

10 BODY 0

23 INT 8

13 EGO 6

10 PRE 0

12 COM 1

 

4 PD 2

4 ED 2

3 SPD 5

4 REC 0

20 END 0

19 STUN 0

 

4" RUN -4

2" SWIM 0

1 1/2" LEAP 0

Characteristics Cost: 33

 

Cost Power

5 Big Brain: +5 INT

37 Spyder Gadgets: Variable Power Pool (Gadget Pool), 30 base + 7 control cost, (45 Active Points); all slots OAF (-1)

0 1) Web Gun: Entangle 3d6, 3 DEF (30 Active Points); OAF (-1), 2 clips of 6 Charges (-1/2) Real Cost: 12

0 2) Stun Darts: Energy Blast 3d6, No Normal Defense (Resistant Defenses, Body Armor, Complete Body Covering; +1) (30 Active Points); OAF (-1), 2 clips of 6 Charges (-1/2) Real Cost: 12

0 3) Web Parachute: Gliding 18" (18 Active Points); 4 Charges (-1), OAF (-1) Real Cost: 6

Powers Cost: 42

 

 

Cost Skill

5 Electronics 15-

3 Inventor 14-

3 Mechanics 14-

3 Combat Piloting 12-

3 Combat Driving 12-

3 Bugging 14-

3 Deduction 14-

3 Systems Operation 14-

2 KS 11-

1 Streetwise 8-

5 TF: Combat Aircraft, Skating (iceskating or rollerskating), Small Motorized Ground Vehicles, Small Planes, Small Wind-Powered Boats, Spyder Backpack, Two-Wheeled Motorized Ground Vehicles

3 +1 with any three maneuvers or a tight group of attacks

3 KS: Spiders/Arachnids 14-

3 SS: Metallurgy 14-

3 SS: Mechanical Engineering 14-

3 SS: Biology 14-

2 SS: Biochemistry 11-

Skills Cost: 51

 

Cost Perk

20 Vehicles & Bases: Spyder Backpack

2 Fringe Benefit: Private Investigator License

2 Contact 11-

Perks Cost: 24

 

Total Character Cost: 150

 

Pts. Disadvantage

5 Rivalry: Professional (Roman Prescott, classmate/local inventor; Rival is As Powerful; Seek to Outdo, Embarrass, or Humiliate Rival; Rival Aware of Rivalry)

15 Awkward Around Other People: -2 to Interaction Skill Rolls (-3 with girls) (Frequently, Major)

10 Distinctive Features: Cerebral Palsy Leg Braces (Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

15 Enraged: vs. Bullies (Uncommon), go 11-, recover 11-

5 Physical Limitation: Unable to walk or run without his braces (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)

15 Psychological Limitation: Claustrophobia (Uncommon, Total)

10 Psychological Limitation: Fear of wasps & bees (Uncommon, Strong)

5 Hunted: Tom and Elizabeth Collins, Tommy's parents 8- (Less Pow, NCI, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Watching)

 

Disadvantage Points: 80

Base Points: 75

Experience Required: 0

Total Experience Available: 0

Experience Unspent: 0

 

------------------------------

 

Spyder Backpack

 

Player:

 

Val Char Cost

20 STR 10

15 DEX 15

12 BODY 2

3 SPD 5

 

6" RUN 0

4" SWIM 2

4" LEAP 4

Characteristics Cost: 47

 

Cost Power

5 Spyder Legs: Extra Limbs (6)

4 Climbing Suction Cups: Clinging (normal STR) (10 Active Points); Maximum Movement Speed While Clinging Is 1" Per Phase (-1/2), Costs Endurance (-1/2), Cannot Resist Knockback (-1/4)

6 Water Spider Feet: Flight 4" (8 Active Points); Only In Contact With A Surface (-1/4)

9 Spyder Strength: +20 STR (20 Active Points); Only for Lifting and Carrying, Power loses about a third of its effectiveness (-1/2), Requires A Skill Roll (-1/2), Extra Time (Delayed Phase, Only to Activate, -1/4)

10 Spyder Legs: Stretching 2"

Powers Cost: 34

 

Cost Martial Arts Maneuver

3 Martial Grab: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, -1 DCV, Grab Two Limbs, 30 STR for holding on

4 Martial Strike: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +2 DCV, 6d6 Strike

4 Martial Block: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +2 DCV, Block, Abort

4 Martial Dodge: 1/2 Phase, -- OCV, +5 DCV, Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort

4 Root: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +0 DCV, 35 STR to resist Shove; Block, Abort

Martial Arts Cost: 19

 

Total Character Cost: 100

 

Base Points: 100

Experience Required: 0

Total Experience Available: 0

Experience Unspent: 0

[Michael Hopcroft]

Re: Tommy Spyder

 

A great idea. he does have possibilties as a player-character who is part of a team -- his mental acutiy would be a great asset and thanks to his weapons and his skill with them he's not totally useless in a fight.

 

One thing is that the backpack, while it helps alleviate the effects of his disease, will do nothing to slow its progress. Over time he could develop other physical limitations involving fine motor skills, control of his arms and hands, and possible an impediment to his speech. All of these would change his role in the campaign -- he would still be useful and probably very important, but combat and physical adventuring would become much more difficult.

 

Tommy might be an even better Teen Champions character, especially if you improve and expand upon the tech in the backpack.

[ThothAmon]

Re: Tommy Spyder

 

Cerebral palsy has very severe, progressive debilitating effects - more than just wobbly legs.

 

Nevertheless, I appreciate the character design. The 'heroic cripple' is almost a Package Deal...

[JakSpade]

Re: Tommy Spyder

 

Cerebral palsy has very severe, progressive debilitating effects - more than just wobbly legs.

 

Nevertheless, I appreciate the character design. The 'heroic cripple' is almost a Package Deal...

Well, I'm only going with what I've experienced. My little brother had this form of cerebal palsy as a child. It caused him to walk on his tip toes all the time. He wore corrective braces for 5 years, and since then, he's been fine. He's had a little bit of a learning disability, but other than that, he's grown up fine. And he's... OMG... 36!

 

Man, I'm getting old.

 

Jak (38)

[McCoy]

Re: Tommy Spyder

 

Cerebral palsy has very severe, progressive debilitating effects - more than just wobbly legs.

 

Nevertheless, I appreciate the character design. The 'heroic cripple' is almost a Package Deal...

Are you thinking of Muscular Dystrophy? I don't believe CP is usually progressive.

[JakSpade]

Re: Tommy Spyder

 

Are you thinking of Muscular Dystrophy? I don't believe CP is usually progressive.

Might even be thinking about Multiple Sclerosis. It's a degenerative nerve disorder.

 

Jak

[AlHazred]

Re: Tommy Spyder

 

I made a similar character for a Champions campaign back in the Champions III days. Called Interface, he ended up playing an unintentional central role in the campaign, which was a hoot because he was the one character without amazing "kewl" powers - basically he's similar to Daredevil, a character who's exceptional because his powers allow him to overcome his limitations.

 

I'll have to see if I can find him anywhere, but it's been about fifteen years...