The Ghost Knight: Creative or Cheese.

[Rechan]

Here's the PC in my group, The Ghost Knight. He's been doing some... really impressive things with his powers (He knows the rules better then I do), so I would like folks to take a look at him. Tell me what you guys think.

 

His player will post the background info after me. But here you go: http://www.memesis.org/garrett/rpgs/ghostknight/ghost5th.html

[JohnTaber]

Hi Rechan,

 

A 150 active point VPP is pretty damn gross. It is very abusive especially with a player who knows the rules. I personally would not allow this PC as I think the VPP is to wide open with that many points. Maybe if the pool was this wide open with a small size it might be less abusive. I also question the -1/2 on restrictive powers as it does not seem well enough defined. Hopefully the player justified the -1/2 to you in person. It is a stop sign structure for a good reason.

 

The only real limitation on this PC is a 4 speed and that is not a big deal.

 

Just some first thoughts...

[astralfrontier]

Background as requested

 

Thomas Temple incorporates traits from a lot of recognizable sources - Batman, the Crow, the Shadow, and more. Unlike almost every "Dark Avenger" type character, though, his motive is not revenge. It's a sense of the division in the world between "what's right" (the ideal) and "what's real" (the status quo). He sees the world as existing the way it does because of the laws of economics and chemistry and physics; he envisions the world as it should be, aided by technology and ruled by ethics and morality.

 

In many worlds, his family has been carefully shepherding superpowers in the genes since time out of mind, based on the laws of inheritance that have been at least loosely observable for centuries. He is the latest expression of some tendency to powers in his family line - molecular telekinesis is his forte'.

 

His father is a potent telepath, and for years has been expanding the young man's mental fortitude with controlled, directed stress against his psyche. As a result Tom has a high intellect and several useful and unique gifts (photographic memory and so forth).

 

Despite that, he is still a young man, and the obligations his family and especially his father have tried to impose on him have bred rebellion. As a consequence, he is trying to mold society (or what part of it he can reach) in HIS image.

 

He sees himself as a protector and guardian, and uses his powers to create the persona of an undead knight from the Crusades era, a seeming that will inspire the most fear in people. He has briefly taken on other identities as need permits; he's considered others, for future use.

 

Tom attends college in Millennium City, has a girlfriend, and is generally a fairly nice guy when he's not out molding the world.

[astralfrontier]

Originally posted by JohnTaber

Hi Rechan,

 

A 150 active point VPP is pretty damn gross. It is very abusive especially with a player who knows the rules.

 

The VPP is 60 active points, and the GM has been briefed on its limits. The big point total you see is the pool + Control cost, which is Cosmic.

 

One of the limits that's not explicitly on the sheet is that his powers DO NOT AFFECT other living things, period. No lifting people, no stealing their guns out of their hands, no mangling their intestines, nothing. This is the "special effect" behind the VPP, and I can clarify the text if need be.

[William Bushway]

That's the problem with a Cosmic VPP, especially one that can be changed without a skill roll as a zero-phase action: that's why VPP has a stop-sign next to it.

 

The only problems I see are in the description of his Spatial Awareness (by default it can't see through walls).

 

Also, you need to be sure that you enforce the -1/2 lim he's bought on his VPP: "Must roll appropriate Sci skill to set power." Because he's made it skill-based, using his powers should be limited in the ways a skill is limited - particularly when it comes to time penalties. Also be sure to give bonuses/penalties to the roll depending on how mundane/esoteric the effect he's trying to create - especially if it's his first time using that power.

[astralfrontier]

Originally posted by William Bushway

The only problems I see are in the description of his Spatial Awareness (by default it can't see through walls).

 

I based the pricing on that by looking at both N-Ray Perception (Detect Physical Objects), which CAN see through walls (that's what it DOES, after all), and Spatial Awareness (Detect Physical Objects). Since I was using (and getting familiar with) the HeroBulder program at the time, I went for Spatial Awareness as a quick way of representing what was actually going on. If I need to spell out "Detect Physical Objects; Targeting; etc. etc." I will do so.

[Kevin Scrivner]

Ghost Knight certainly is versatile. I'd almost have to know what the other characters in your campaign are like to make a comparison. To my eyes, Ghost Knight almost looks like a Justice, Inc., character with powers with that DEX 18, SPD 4, PD/ED 2. Of course, my campaigns were very much affected by the DEX race, where 23 DEX, 5 SPD were standard and few characters had a PD lower than 10 or 15.

 

If most of the other characters are normals with powers -- CVs and normal defenses of 5 or so -- then I can see Ghost Knight as being very effective.

[MarkusDark]

If you have the powers already 'slotted' why not make the VPP into an MP? With the -1/2 lim and making three of the slots Ultras, you come out with the same point cost.

[Rechan]

The listed powers there are just the most Commonly Used from the VPP. The VPP is so that other things can be used, new ways of using it.

 

Sort've like different spells that a spellcaster might use. Simply 'what's in my bag of tricks', with the most commonly displayed powers statted out.

[astralfrontier]

The powers presented on the sheet serve three purposes.

 

1. Examples of his typical approach - powers he's likely to build with his VPP for most applications.

 

2. Boundaries of power level. He's not likely to create any powers that are MORE potent than what's presented, under normal circumstances.

 

3. Known powers. The character has a Reputation, and as a consequence people know at least somewhat what he can be expected to pull out of his hat. The GM has been told that anyone making the Reputation roll is probably informed enough to expect the powers listed there.