Neck breaking

[Truthsayer]

How would you write up an assassin who kill by breaking necks? I've got this villian who is like Reed Richards and I want him to be able to wrap around and snap the victim's neck? How would you write this?

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: Neck breaking

 

Hand-to-Hand Killing Attack, Must Follow Grab.

[zornwil]

Re: Neck breaking

 

Personally, I'd just do a HTH NND, as the basic idea of this character I would think is that if he hits at all, he hits the neck, with the defense being some sort of hardened defense around that area. Although that might not work if his crush can actually go through hard defenses. The grab thing above is better from the perspective of physical maneuvering, though, as well as being more "correct". Depends a bit on genre, even sub-genre, and taste, too.

[Truthsayer]

Re: Neck breaking

 

The way he works is that he wraps around the victim, like Mr Fantastic, and then, with 20 str, he wraps his hands around their head and snaps their neck.

[name_tamer]

Re: Neck breaking

 

Personally' date=' I'd just do a HTH NND, as the basic idea of this character I would think is that if he hits at all, he hits the neck, with the defense being some sort of hardened defense around that area. Although that might not work if his crush can actually go through hard defenses. The grab thing above is better from the perspective of physical maneuvering, though, as well as being more "correct". Depends a bit on genre, even sub-genre, and taste, too.[/quote']

 

The writeup for Pokerface, in Hudson City, uses approximately this approach, in a power called "Necksnapper": NND (rigid rPD on neck or other mechanism to prevent the head/neck from being turned), Does BODY, must follow grab, must target head, no STR bonus, Requires a STR roll.

 

In a non-Dark Champions campaign, some of those limtiations could probably come off.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Neck breaking

 

The writeup for Pokerface, in Hudson City, uses approximately this approach, in a power called "Necksnapper": NND (rigid rPD on neck or other mechanism to prevent the head/neck from being turned), Does BODY, must follow grab, must target head, no STR bonus, Requires a STR roll.

 

In a non-Dark Champions campaign, some of those limtiations could probably come off.

 

On the other hand, in a non-DC game, I would suggest the defense is a lot more common. A high STR should prevent the neck twist, and many kinds of rPD common in the Supers genre would also work. Few Supers would be affected by the attack as described, IMO.

 

I suspect the DC construct also assumes the use of hit locations, so targetting the head, although taking a -8 OCV penalty, also results in double BOD and a 5x Stun Multiple. Supers games tend not to use hit locations, so an "instant kill" neck break would require a lot of DC's.

 

Of course, such an attack shouldn't succeed against Supers very often in a four colour game anyway.

[Doc Samson]

Re: Neck breaking

 

I think to represent that it is an attack that can be used on anyone and to give the heroes a chance to survive, I would buy it as a Transform Linked to a Grab and Squeeze. Norms will probably die anyway from the Grab damage (as it may take a few phases of sqeezing for the Transform to work) but heroes will only be left paralyzed.

 

Assuming a 60 AP campaign, here is how I would write it up.

4d6 Major Transform (target to paralyzed target), No Range(-1/2), Linked to Grab(-1/4) 34 pts.

 

To represent that permenancy of the situation, I would make the healing requirement the "Can Heal Limbs" adder from the Healing/ Regeneration Power or a very high (superhuman) Paramedics roll.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Neck breaking

 

I think to represent that it is an attack that can be used on anyone and to give the heroes a chance to survive, I would buy it as a Transform Linked to a Grab and Squeeze. Norms will probably die anyway from the Grab damage (as it may take a few phases of sqeezing for the Transform to work) but heroes will only be left paralyzed.

 

Assuming a 60 AP campaign, here is how I would write it up.

4d6 Major Transform (target to paralyzed target), No Range(-1/2), Linked to Grab(-1/4) 34 pts.

 

To represent that permenancy of the situation, I would make the healing requirement the "Can Heal Limbs" adder from the Healing/ Regeneration Power or a very high (superhuman) Paramedics roll.

 

I'd stick to the KA appproach (or just leave it Grab & Squeeze, likely with a HA damage bonus and/or choke hold). Why?

 

- why would Dr. Occult, normal human with mystic powers lending considerable power defense, be unaffected, while Captain Indestructable (minimal power defense but 35 rPD) has his neck broken?

 

- the intent was an attack that kills, not paralyzes.

 

- your own recovery terms highlight the inappropriateness of this build. Transforms either heal normally (and while there's some precedent in comics for a broken neck healing, I don't think it's the approach I'd want), or jheals instantly if the target meets some reasonably determinable healing condition. Regen (regrow limbs) and superhuman paramedics don't seem reasonably attainable to me.

 

As well, the heal condition results in instant recovery. That means the character's neck is broken for 6 months, then Dr. Fixup shows up, rolls a Paramed success at -20, and the character miraculously gets up and walks with no ill effects.

 

There are lots of uses for Transform. IMO, this isn't one of them.

[Doc Samson]

Re: Neck breaking

 

I would like to politely disagree with a few things...

 

I'd stick to the KA appproach (or just leave it Grab & Squeeze, likely with a HA damage bonus and/or choke hold). Why?

 

- why would Dr. Occult, normal human with mystic powers lending considerable power defense, be unaffected, while Captain Indestructable (minimal power defense but 35 rPD) has his neck broken?

 

The fact the Power Defense works against Transform is a limitation of the game mechanic, not this power build. permenant blindness and paralyzation are both listed as examples of Major Transforms. Even the Hulk had his neck broken with a simple combat maneuver. Batman, his spine. There are plenty of comic book examples of this type of attack.

 

- the intent was an attack that kills' date=' not paralyzes. [/quote']

 

I was merely poiting out another option for a broken neck. A broken neck does not automatically mean that the target is dead. The OP may find this to be a more interesting attack. Think about this in terms of a playable mechanic. For the HKA version of the power to ever full work, (i.e. result in a broken neck) the target must die. Often easier said than done within the bounds of a balanced campaign, even with multiple attacks.

 

- your own recovery terms highlight the inappropriateness of this build. Transforms either heal normally (and while there's some precedent in comics for a broken neck healing' date=' I don't think it's the approach I'd want), or jheals instantly if the target meets some reasonably determinable healing condition. Regen (regrow limbs) and superhuman paramedics don't seem reasonably attainable to me.[/quote']

 

Transform has no obligation to have an easily available (just easily determinable as you pointed out) method to heal the damage. And, it still beats being dead. I chose an all-or-nothing method of healing because I agree that it makes no sense to heal normally from such a terrible injury.

 

As well' date=' the heal condition results in instant recovery. That means the character's neck is broken for 6 months, then Dr. Fixup shows up, rolls a Paramed success at -20, and the character miraculously gets up and walks with no ill effects.[/quote']

 

Again, this is not uncommon in comics. Batman and Professor X have both recovered fom such injuries with the help of a superhuman healing source. The Hulk healed from his injury using his amazing healing factor.

 

There are lots of uses for Transform. IMO' date=' this isn't one of them.[/quote']

 

Fair enough. I just wanted to voice what I felt was a viable alternative.

[Gary]

Re: Neck breaking

 

How fast do you want the neck snapped? If you want it snapped in 1 phase, it will be expensive, and probably not balanced. If it takes a few phases, then a NND or AVLD Does Body HA or HKA, or some sort of Penetrating HKA should be doable at a reasonable cost.

[OddHat]

Re: Neck breaking

 

I was merely poiting out another option for a broken neck. A broken neck does not automatically mean that the target is dead. The OP may find this to be a more interesting attack. Think about this in terms of a playable mechanic. For the HKA version of the power to ever full work, (i.e. result in a broken neck) the target must die. Often easier said than done within the bounds of a balanced campaign, even with multiple attacks.

 

Actually, the disabling rules can handle this sort of thing pretty well without Transform, if they're in use in a campaign. You could even do it with a Martial Maneuver with the Disable element.

 

If I allowed this at all in a four color campaign, I'd probably use the Disable Element to do it, though I'd need to think over exactly how it applied.

[Truthsayer]

Re: Neck breaking

 

The character who can do this is named Twist, because all of his assassination targets wind up with a broken neck. Twist is a 350 pt metamorph who is like Mr Fantastic from the Fantastic four. He has a 20 strength and 30 Str clinging usable against others. So when he grabs you, he wraps himself around you securely. Then he grabs your head and snaps your neck. He can also smoother you with his body, 2d6 NND not versus self contained breathing. Now this is another way he can kill a person. But even when he does this, he snaps their neck after they are unconscious, killing them. The head twisted around is his signature.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Neck breaking

 

Overall, the mechanic you use for this attack depends a lot on how you want it used in the game. In particular, is it intended for use exclusively on assassination targets, or do you want it to be viable in Supers v Supers conflict?

 

If it's intended only to be viable for assassination, it can be loaded up with limitations like "Target must be Grabbed at head location" and "reduced STUN", lowering utility and cost. An AVLD Does BOD vs Resistant Defenses would work fine for this. Most Supers would be immune, but a 4d6 AVLD (+1 Does BOD, +3/4 rPD AVLD) costs 55 AP, in the ballpark for most 350 point Supers, and will kill a normal inside of a turn.

 

If you want this to be viable in Supers vs Supers combat, you need a different construct, likely the HKA although a suitably customized Transform could do the trick. However, PC or NPC, allowing a power that kills or cripples Supers sets a precedent that may cause problems down the line, depending on campaign tone. Unless I was prepared to allow a similarly "lethal.crippling or utter failure" ability for player characters, I wouldn't give it to an NPC lightly.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Neck breaking

 

The character who can do this is named Twist' date=' because all of his assassination targets wind up with a broken neck. Twist is a 350 pt metamorph who is like Mr Fantastic from the Fantastic four. He has a 20 strength and 30 Str clinging usable against others. So when he grabs you, he wraps himself around you securely. Then he grabs your head and snaps your neck. He can also smoother you with his body, 2d6 NND not versus self contained breathing. Now this is another way he can kill a person. But even when he does this, he snaps their neck after they are unconscious, killing them. The head twisted around is his signature.[/quote']

 

A) You don't use Clinging Against Others. If you want extra STR for Grabs either buy one or more Martial Manuevers with the GRAB element, or buy STR Limited as No Figured Characteristics and Only For Grabs.

 

"Breaking Someone's Neck" is just a SFX for a Killing Attack of some sort. In this case, an HKA Only vs. Opponents With A Neck (-1/4) would be appropriate.

 

C) You could probably do this character with some Martial Manuevers (Martial Grab, Choke Hold, Killing Strike would all be candidates; Reversal would probably be good as well), and some Damage Classes to crank the damage up to the point that the character is effective vs Supers.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Neck breaking

 

Actually, here is a character that is a stretchy grab martial artist:

 

http://www.killershrike.com/MillennialMen/CharacterFiles/CRUX.HTML

 

I also did a stretcher martial artist character called Commando Rubberbando for the Millennium City 8, which is detailed in Digital HERO #13 that might prove to be a useful inspiration for you.

[Truthsayer]

Re: Neck breaking

 

Shrike, thanks for the idea. I think I'll go with the extra strength with a grab and an AVLD does body.

[Alibear]

Re: Neck breaking

 

Commando Rubberbando? LOL. Rep.