"Slow Poke"

[quozaxx]

I need help creating a super villian named Slow Poke.

 

His main power is going to be slowing down (hopefully to a stop) even the quickest speedsters.

 

But how. At first it sounded like Supress DEX. But my campaigns don't run over 62 Active points (AP) for most and never above 75AP. Even for the villians.

 

Well, I need it to affect desolid, since, well, I have a desolid char.

 

I'll probably use standard effect since, well, I don't want to caculate it every time.

 

Well, Suppress DEX, Affects Desolid, 10D6, (75AP). Standard effect is 30 pts.

 

30/3 = 10. Not exaclty stopping him are we? Any suggestions?

[Certified]

Re: "Slow Poke"

 

Would this work? It wouldn't get the job done on the first shot but even with some power defense it should get the job done.

 

75 Slow Down There Speedy: Multipower, 75-point reserve

7u -- 1) Suppress Dex 6d6 (standard effect: 18 points), Affects Desolidified Any form of Desolidification (+1/2), Cumulative (144 points; +1) (75 Active Points) vs Dex.7

7u -- 2) Suppress Speed 6d6 (standard effect: 18 points), Affects Desolidified Any form of Desolidification (+1/2), Cumulative (144 points; +1) (75 Active Points) vs Speed.7

[Trebuchet]

Re: "Slow Poke"

 

Why not take an entirely different approach: Instead of using Suppress, make Slow Poke a mentalist who uses Mental Illusions to convince his victims they can hardly move? That way he can use ECV to hit those pesky speedsters instead of hoping he can hit them with OCV.

 

Mental powers work just fine on Desolidified characters too...

[Cygnia]

Re: "Slow Poke"

 

There's also the old fashioned approach of using Entangles (tar, glue, quagmires, molasses etc.).

[The Monster]

Re: "Slow Poke"

 

I second the illusions approach.

 

Also, play with Drain/Suppress Running, perhaps?

18 points of effect is -9", enough to freeze a norm, and put a dent in many speedsters.

[assault]

Re: "Slow Poke"

 

Any of these would hose my Speedsters in very short order, with one exception: they rarely use Running. A Drain/Suppress on Flight would be more effective against them.

 

Of course, I have been known to build Speedsters with as little as 20 Dex and 4 Spd... The nastiest of these did, however, have Enter the Speed Zone from the Ultimate Speedster.

[Comic]

Re: "Slow Poke"

 

END Drain?

 

Tk?

 

Transformation?

[GoldenAge]

Re: "Slow Poke"

 

Would it be interesting to make his "slowness" effect a Damage Shield with a large radius?

[GoldenAge]

Re: "Slow Poke"

 

Why not take an entirely different approach: Instead of using Suppress, make Slow Poke a mentalist who uses Mental Illusions to convince his victims they can hardly move? That way he can use ECV to hit those pesky speedsters instead of hoping he can hit them with OCV.

 

Mental powers work just fine on Desolidified characters too...

Great idea, but I think that there may be a problem with villain longevity here. If ever the heroes discover that it's just an illusion it will greatly affect Slow Pokes success in the future (as the heroes will be ready for illusions thus pushing the success roll down the scale). Also, even a little Mental Defense will counter Slow Poke's affect.

 

A DEX Drain/Suppress (factored statistics also affected) would work to slow down anyone (not just super-fast runners and fliers like a movement suppress). It would also work on speedsters that use Teleportation (with visible contrail) to simulate speedy movement. It's not the most colorful solution but it is the simplest that I can think of right now.

 

As far as cost goes... Subtracting 10 DEX from anyone (especially in a game with a 75 AP cap) reduces them to "normal" DEX, reduces their OCV/DCV by 3-4 points and would decrease their SPEED by at least one full point. Not bad. (A good roll would ruin them!) -- Totally stopping a hero every time is kinda over the top, doncha think. This way there's always a chance fro the hero to think his way out of trouble before Slow Poke get's in another shot further reducing the speedsters DEX/SPEED/OCV/DCV.

 

You could also use Drain with Variable Effect = SPEED. That would allow Slow Poke to drain DEX or SPEED or Teleportation or Flight or Running... Just as long as the power was within the Speed related group of effects. Heck, if the hero says that he has a huge OCV/DCV because he's fast Slow Poke could even Drain one or the other. This would even work on his Desolid if it's based on Speed Powers.

[pawsplay]

Re: "Slow Poke"

 

Drain DEX, standard effect, cannot drain below 1 DEX (-1/2)

Drain movement powers, all simultaneously

Drain speed-based powes, all simultaneously

[Trebuchet]

Re: "Slow Poke"

 

Great idea, but I think that there may be a problem with villain longevity here. If ever the heroes discover that it's just an illusion it will greatly affect Slow Pokes success in the future (as the heroes will be ready for illusions thus pushing the success roll down the scale). Also, even a little Mental Defense will counter Slow Poke's affect.

 

A DEX Drain/Suppress (factored statistics also affected) would work to slow down anyone (not just super-fast runners and fliers like a movement suppress). It would also work on speedsters that use Teleportation (with visible contrail) to simulate speedy movement. It's not the most colorful solution but it is the simplest that I can think of right now.

 

As far as cost goes... Subtracting 10 DEX from anyone (especially in a game with a 75 AP cap) reduces them to "normal" DEX, reduces their OCV/DCV by 3-4 points and would decrease their SPEED by at least one full point. Not bad. (A good roll would ruin them!) -- Totally stopping a hero every time is kinda over the top, doncha think. This way there's always a chance fro the hero to think his way out of trouble before Slow Poke get's in another shot further reducing the speedsters DEX/SPEED/OCV/DCV.

 

You could also use Drain with Variable Effect = SPEED. That would allow Slow Poke to drain DEX or SPEED or Teleportation or Flight or Running... Just as long as the power was within the Speed related group of effects. Heck, if the hero says that he has a huge OCV/DCV because he's fast Slow Poke could even Drain one or the other. This would even work on his Desolid if it's based on Speed Powers.

The fundamental problem with using Drain/Suppress variants is the GM's self-imposed cap of 75 active points. There's no way he's going to accomplish everything he wants within that limit - Not when he has to reduce SPD, DEX, and who knows how many different movement Powers as well simultaneously.

 

If this is a megavillain (as seems appropriate given the stated SFX) then busting that point cap is entirely appropriate. (If I had to Drain just one thing, it'd be SPD.)

 

Myself, I'd make it a Plot Device: Slow Poke simply reduces everyone's SPD, DEX, and all movement by 50% within a given radius by GM fiat. Never mind what it costs. It's up to the characters to decide how to deal with it.

[GoldenAge]

Re: "Slow Poke"

 

Yep, I totally agree.

 

As a GM I hardly ever worry about the exact points of my villains. I concentrate on their affect on the characters (both psychological and physical), survivability (one-shot or reoccurring) and their overall color. It's all about the drama. Though I DO have total workups on most of my villains it's not because it's needed, just that its fun.

[GoldenAge]

Re: "Slow Poke"

 

Perhaps a radius Damage Shield that reduces DEX (thus reducing OCV/DCV) and an attack power that reduces SPEED? A double whammo with 2 different powers both capped at 75 points?

[Zed-F]

Re: "Slow Poke"

 

Do not forget the fact that Drains and Suppresses stack. You do not need Cumulative for this, Drains and Suppresses are automatically cumulative and have no maximum. If he hits the speedster with a suppress that removes 10 DEX on his first phase, and another 10 on his second phase, and another 10 on his third... the speedster is pretty much out of action in 3 hits. Would he take down the speedster any faster with 3 EBs? Maybe, maybe not, depends on the build. And again, versus other characters with less DEX, they go down even faster. Plus each hit potentially makes the next one that much easier.

 

If you want to escalate power and possibly take a walk on the cheesy side, depending on how you do it, there's always rapid fire, autofire attacks, and the like. Or make it an invisible attack, with IPE including effects, so the target doesn't realize he's being slowly drained over time until he goes to do something that requires his superspeed.

 

Pretty much any AoE attack will tend to work well against a speedster, though. You could try something like an AoE entangle. As Treb pointed out, BOECV attacks and mental attacks will also do the job against most speedsters.

[Dawn Darke]

Re: "Slow Poke"

 

You don't need Cum. on Suppress -- Oh, Zed-F got that. OK

 

Drain is 0 range; bad with a speedster. & Ranged is +1/2.

 

Suppress with Continuous: "Altho' Suppress is already a Constant Power, you can apply this Advan. to it to make it continue to affect a target, Phase after Phase, w/o making another Attack Roll"

[quozaxx]

Re: "Slow Poke"

 

Thanks for all the suggestions. Sorry I haven't gotten back with you. I like the damage shield option, and the cumulative options the best. The mentalist option didn't seem to fit his concept. Plus I can make a MP, with two slots, one for desolid and one without.

 

The 75AP is to show that, (not including his slow down powers) he's pretty much the wimp in the group.

 

Quozaxx

[BobGreenwade]

Re: "Slow Poke"

 

Instead of Suppress DEX/SPD, maybe you could try Suppress Movement Powers, Any Movement Power one at a time (+1/4).

[Balabanto]

Re: "Slow Poke"

 

How about.....

 

4d6 AOE Radius (+1) Penetrating (+1/2) Suppress, Sticky (+1/2), 0 End (+1/2), Selective (+1/4). Have one for Movement Powers, One for DEX (Down to Normal Human Max, it only suppresses their SUPER speed), and one for SPD (See Dex.). Make THESE powers no range.

 

Put these things in an elemental control, along with a "Ride the Wave." effect of Teleportation "I move faster than you now, Flash....hahhahahhahaaaaaa..." and a Force Field "So Slow Nothing Hurts."

 

That way, you can MAKE his DEX cruddy, and his SPD cruddy, and just make him tough.

 

Plus, won't Super Speed lad be surprised when everyone else around him slows down, too. And if he was a big enough twink to buy power defense, it still hurts.

[Mad Fnorder]

Re: "Slow Poke"

 

BoECV Entangles that dissolve in a couple of phases? "Can't...Move...Body..."