Powers of Undeath

[Vestnik]

I'm wondering if you guys have any ideas for a character concept I've had jumping around my brain for a while now.

 

The idea is that the character is an emissary or ambassador from the Land of the Dead, which I have cleverly provisionally named Necromundus (the character isn't for any campaigns actually in prgross or being set up, so I can make up the universe's metaphysics without worrying about pesky GMs until I actually try to use him in a campaign). I haven't decided yet if he should be a person who has died and then been brought back to life, or something created in the Deathworld.

 

The idea as far as powers are concerned is that he is as it were hovering on the border between life and death, existing in both and able to draw upon the powers of death and the dead.

 

Does anybody have any ideas for powers, using a 350-point standard? What I've been thinking about so far are:

 

Death touch. It's a cliche but an appropriate one. Probably a Drain BODY, only on living things.

 

Regeneration, Resurrection Only. If he dies, the dead just send him back.

 

XDM to Necromundus and back.

 

Succor BODY, only to 0 BODY. He can cause the land of the dead to refuse to take a soul.

 

Summoning of various ghostly and undead beings. This could be real expensive using the examples in the Bestiary.

 

Stereotypical "ghostly" powers -- fear attacks, Desolidification, ectoplasmic tentacles/ectoplasmic blast, that sort of thing.

 

Talking to the dead. I'm really not sure how to go about doing this one, and it might be unbalancing -- in theory he can communicate with the spirit of anyone who has passed on and learn things they knew, though they may not be willing to help and the dead are not the best of raconteurs and communicators.

 

Does anybody have any ideas? I've been thinking about this guy for some time and he's just not coming together. I like the idea but am having problems making him concrete. Thanks!

[pinecone]

Re: Powers of Undeath

 

As far as defenses...I'd go with DR x1/2 PDr and EDR, LS-Boatloads, some power def....and a little resistant on top....

 

Powers of the Deathworld: Multi (60)

u Drain: 4D6 Life energy(Str,Bod, End,Stun) any one +1/4, REnd +1/4 (drop to 3D6 and add Ranged?)

u Summon Zombie (up to 250 pts,Fanatic)

u One of us now! RKA 4D6

u Travel the paths of the Underworlds: EDM and or Teleport

u Dispell any one +1/4 Life energy/Chi power 15D6 or so

u The little death you call sleep: 6D6 NND (no need to sleep) (Thanx Kevin!)

 

Hmmm...what else?

[Kevin Schultz]

Re: Powers of Undeath

 

Various "death-related" powers:

 

Death Gaze - clayrivoyance - Know the moment when an individual is destined to die and how they will die by looking into their eyes.

 

Watch where you swing that! - CSL: Sythe

 

Very Wealthy - Death&Taxes, Hades as lord of the Underworld and of wealth. Unfortuantely, all his wealth is in the form of silver pennies, taken from the eyes of the dead.

 

Shush - hold with the SFX of sleep - sleep as metaphor for death.

 

precognotion and prophecy immunity- (Invisibility - Clayrivoyance/Danger Sense) as he is the END of the story, rather than part of it.

 

Serial Killer Transportation - (teleport) - you can't stop death.

 

Power over pathways - death as the Final Journey. Variation of doorways as metaphor for transformation/moving to another reality.

 

Universal Death skill - variation of the "Universal X" construct, dealing with skills and professions directly dealing with death (taxidermist, mortician, soldier, embalmer, farming).

[Vestnik]

Re: Powers of Undeath

 

Man these are great ideas! Please keep 'em comin!

[pinecone]

Re: Powers of Undeath

 

Various "death-related" powers:

 

Death Gaze - clayrivoyance - Know the moment when an individual is destined to die and how they will die by looking into their eyes.

 

Watch where you swing that! - CSL: Sythe

 

Very Wealthy - Death&Taxes, Hades as lord of the Underworld and of wealth. Unfortuantely, all his wealth is in the form of silver pennies, taken from the eyes of the dead.

 

Shush - hold with the SFX of sleep - sleep as metaphor for death.

 

precognotion and prophecy immunity- (Invisibility - Clayrivoyance/Danger Sense) as he is the END of the story, rather than part of it.

 

Serial Killer Transportation - (teleport) - you can't stop death.

 

Power over pathways - death as the Final Journey. Variation of doorways as metaphor for transformation/moving to another reality.

 

Universal Death skill - variation of the "Universal X" construct, dealing with skills and professions directly dealing with death (taxidermist, mortician, soldier, embalmer, farming).

 

Expert: Death...of course this means paying points for each set of skills or knowlages....

Speaking with the Dead...Hmm...Universal Scholar? add in Precog: Only for things witnessed by the now dead, Fuzzy? after all witnesses can be wrong about what happened....

[Kevin Schultz]

Re: Powers of Undeath

 

You Can't Escape From Death II - Insubstantial, only to get to someone who is trying to get away from you.

 

You Can't Escape from Death III - Mind Scan, only works on those trying to hide from me.

 

You Can't Escape from Death IV - Surpress (any power that lets you get away from me - usually Luck or Movement powers)

 

Roll the Bones - +10 Gambling (Dice only, -2) - death, fortune, and fate tend to be mixed up: with dice (which used to be carved from knucklebones), that link is even closer.

 

Don't take ANYTHING from him! - Mind Control, requires target accept a gift (traditionally a pomegranite)

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Powers of Undeath

 

When I wrote up a variety of super-powered undead for Digital Hero #44, I tried to develop a consistent concept of "undeath" that was similar to yours. The undead exist simutaneously in the world of the living and of the dead. Not only does that mean that they can draw on the power of both, but since they only exist partly in this universe they're less affected by forces originating here. They're immune to many conditions of the living world (Life Support), and attacks only harm the part of them existing here (Damage Reduction). I put those Powers into an Elemental Control, "Half In Death's Realm" - not actually legal without GM permission, but it worked for my concept.

 

Some other undead abilities that I've used:

 

"Drawn To Life" (Detect Life with various Adders - the Unlife that animates it is drawn to Life like a compass to iron);

 

"Soul Blow" (Naked NND Advantage on STR - the undead can strike at the victim's soul instead of its body).

 

You also have an excellent rationale for an automatically-successful Simulate Death Talent.

[pinecone]

Re: Powers of Undeath

 

"I smell your blood!" Detect: Blood Discrim,Tracking (Scent group)? Dang LL, I'm going to have to update my Mayan Vampires now!

[Manic Typist]

Re: Powers of Undeath

 

Since he will be an emissary from the land of the dead, this seems to indicate he has a role. A job, profession, responsibilities. I suggest that you limit the "talking to the dead" bit to "Only when performing official business as Emissary" or somesuch. The dead are not to be disturbed lightly, so says the Powers that Be....

[Vestnik]

Re: Powers of Undeath

 

Since he will be an emissary from the land of the dead' date=' this seems to indicate he has a role. A job, profession, responsibilities. I suggest that you limit the "talking to the dead" bit to "Only when performing official business as Emissary" or somesuch. The dead are not to be disturbed lightly, so says the Powers that Be....[/quote']

 

That's an idea. The thing is I'm still not sure in my head what exactly his role should be as emissary. I needs ta do some thinkin'.

 

In my sketch write-ups, he gets to be ungodly expensive, mainly thanks to all the Damage Reduction and Life Support. Not to mention all the skills a Diplomat of the Deceased should have.

[CraterMaker]

Re: Powers of Undeath

 

Neat idea.. I've been floating something similar: an ancient demi-god who, when his people were destroyed, started doing odd jobs for other dieties and eventually lived in a SandMan type Necropolis as a beaurocrat... eventually, with the return of magic in the real world, he put in for retirement and became the closest thing to being worshipped he could find: Being a superhero.

 

May I suggest that those who sent this emissary to the world are probably concerned about the rise of Takophanes? It's right on so many levels...

 

-CraterMaker

[Vestnik]

Re: Powers of Undeath

 

Neat idea.. I've been floating something similar: an ancient demi-god who, when his people were destroyed, started doing odd jobs for other dieties and eventually lived in a SandMan type Necropolis as a beaurocrat... eventually, with the return of magic in the real world, he put in for retirement and became the closest thing to being worshipped he could find: Being a superhero.

 

May I suggest that those who sent this emissary to the world are probably concerned about the rise of Takophanes? It's right on so many levels...

 

-CraterMaker

 

Since I'm not in a campaign right now -- he's kind of universe-neutral. If he wound up in the CU, why not?

 

I had the idea of him being sent to the world of the living because of some kind of impending upset between the balance between life and death -- as might be caused by some kind of impending catastrophe of cosmic proportions that would flood the land of the dead with too many souls for it to take.

[CraterMaker]

Re: Powers of Undeath

 

Erm - realized I didn't explain why the idea was similar... nevermind! Chalk it up to the meds...

 

Yah, I'd just leave it for the GM to fill in, then. Good backstory, he'll love it!

 

-CraterMaker

[Manic Typist]

Re: Powers of Undeath

 

That's an idea. The thing is I'm still not sure in my head what exactly his role should be as emissary. I needs ta do some thinkin'.

 

In my sketch write-ups, he gets to be ungodly expensive, mainly thanks to all the Damage Reduction and Life Support. Not to mention all the skills a Diplomat of the Deceased should have.

 

Well, if you can't find some sort of framework way of handling the skills....

 

Cut them to the barebones.

 

 

He's an Emissary of Death. When he speaks, you LISTEN. If you don't, and he's there on OFFICIAL business...... Well, evolution is self-selecting.

[Vestnik]

Re: Powers of Undeath

 

Here's my preliminary write-up of Unnamed Emissary of the Dead Guy, without any disadvantages yet. What do you all think? I've got 14 points to spend -- perhaps more skills? Bring up his defenses? A perk: "emissary of the dead"?

 

I know the EC is not book-legal since the powers don't cost END, but I hate that rule so I'm ignoring it.

 

The OAF is a staff he carries around that is a sign of his diplomatic status and also connects him more closely to the Deathworld, making it easier to use his powers.

 

Cost CHA Val

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

0 STR 10

24 DEX 18

26 CON 23

20 BODY 20

8 INT 18

14 EGO 17

10 PRE 20

0 COM 10

16 PD 18

11 ED 18

12 SPD 4

0 REC 7

0 END 46

0 STUN 37

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

141

 

 

 

 

 

Cost Powers

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

8 Between Life and Death: Elemental Control, 15-Point Powers

7 1) 25% Physical Resistant Damage Reduction (15 Active Points)

7 2) 25% Energy Resistant Damage Reduction (15 Active Points)

41 3) Life Support: Full plus Longevity: Immortal (49 Active Points)

11 4) 1 BODY Regeneration, Can Heal Limbs, Resurrection

(Resurrection Can Be Prevented By Destroying Character

in Necromundus), 0 END Cost (+1/2), Persistent (+1/2)

(70 Active Points), Self Only (-1/2), Extra Time (One Day; -4)

 

10 10 PD 10 ED Damage Resistance

5 5 Power Defense

3 3 Mental Defense (6 Total)

 

40 Powers of the Deathworld: Mutipower, 60-Point Powers, All Slots

Variable Limitations (-1 worth of Variable Limitations, usually OAF; -1/2)

u3 1) Dislocate Soul: 6d6 Energy Blast, No Normal Defense (Defense is

Longevity: Immortal) (60 Active Points), Variable Limitations (-1 worth of

Variable Limitations, usually OAF; -1/2), Only vs. Ensouled Beings (-1/2)

(30 Real Cost)

Note: Temporarily Detaches Soul from Body

u3 2) Tear Away Soul: 6d6 BODY Drain (60 Active Points), Variable

Limitations (-1 worth of Variable Limitations, usually OAF; -1/2),

Only vs. Ensouled Beings (-1/2) (30 Active Points)

Note: Permanently Detaches Soul from Body

u3 3) Drain Life Energy: 3d6 STR, BODY, END or STUN Drain, One

Characteristic at a Time (+1/4), Ranged (+1/2) (52 Active Points)

Variable Limitations (-1 worth of Variable Limitations, usually OAF; -1/2),

Only vs. Ensouled Beings (-1/2) (26 Real Cost)

u2 4) It Is Your Final Destination, But This Time You Get a Reprieve:

5d6 BODY Succor, Area Effect (3" Radius Selective; +1 1/4) (56 Active Points),

Variable Limitations (-1 worth of Variable Limitations, usually OAF; -1/2), Only to 0

BODY (-1) (24 Real Cost)

u4 5) Deathbolt: 4d6 RKA (60 Active Points), Variable Limitations (-1 worth

of Variable Limitations, usually OAF; -1/2) (40 Active Points)

Note: He Needs Something that Can Affect Inanimate Objects, Dammit!

u1 6) Travel the Pathways of the Dead I: Extra-Dimensional Movement (Any Location

in the World of the Living to Corresponding Location in the World of the Dead)

x4 Normal Weight (30 Active Points), Variable Limitations (-1 worth of Variable

Limitations, usually OAF; -1/2), Extra Time (One Turn; -1 1/4) (11 Real Cost)

u4 7) Travel the Pathways of the Dead II: 15" Teleport, Position Shift, No Relative

Velocity, Safe Blind Teleport (56 Active Points), Variable Limitations (-1 worth of

Variable Limitations, usually OAF; -1/2) (37 Real Cost)

u1 8) Speak with the Dead: Clairsentience for Sight, Hearing, and Touch Sense Groups,

Retrocognition (60 Active Points), Retrocognition Only (-1/2), Only Things a Now-

Deceased Human Could Have Witnessed (-1/2), Requires a Persuasion Roll (-1/2),

Extra Time (One Minute; -1 1/2), Variable Limitations (-1 worth of Variable Limitations,

usually OAF; -1/2) (13 Real Cost)

u4 9) The Fear of Death: 3d6 PRE and EGO Drain, Two Characteristics Simultaneously (+1/2),

Ranged (+1/2) (60 Active Points), Variable Limitations (-1 worth of Variable Limitations, usually

OAF; -1/2) (40 Real Cost)

u2 10) Summon Wraith: Summon One 200-Point Wraith, Amicable (Loyal) (60 Active

Points), Variable Limitations (-1 worth of Variable Limitations, usually OAF; -1/2),

Extra Time (One Turn; -1 1/4) (22 Real Cost)

u1 11) Summon Zombie: Summon One 150-Point Zombie, Amicable (Fanatic; +1),

Variable Limitations (-1 worth of Variable Limitations, usually OAF; -1/2), Extra Time

(One Turn; -1 1/4), Must Be a Corpse Available (-1 1/2) (15 Real Cost)

u1 12) Wraithwalk I: Invisibility to Sight Sense Group (20 Active Points), Variable Limitations

(-1 worth of Variable Limitations, usually OAF; -1/2) (13 Real Cost)

u3 13) Wraithwalk II: Desolidification (Affected by Magic) (40 Active Points), Variable Limitations

(-1 worth of Variable Limitations, usually OAF; -1/2) (27 Real Cost)

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

164

 

Cost Talents

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

3 Simulate Death

 

 

Cost Skills

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

6 +2 with Powers of the Deathworld

2 Bribery 11-

(Note: Necromunda Is Highly Corrupt)

2 Bureaucracy 11-

(Note: See Above)

3 Conversation 13-

2 High Society 13- (Necromundan Society Only; -1/2)

2 KS: The Ways of the Dead 11-

2 KS: Necromundan Politics and High Society 11-

3 LNG: English, fluent with accent

(Note: The "native" tongue of the dead is a cacophany

of shrieks, babbling, grunts, and howls)

3 Oratory 13-

3 Persuasion 13-

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

28

 

Total Cost: 336

[pinecone]

Re: Powers of Undeath

 

Looks promising, a little min maxing and he should be cool...you already know about the EC so....have at it. He seems skill light so you might stuff some there...