Help Make Energy Projectors Interesting

[Checkmate]

I've been playing in quite a few online games, and something I've noticed, is no one ever really wants to be the Energy Projector.

 

Being one who likes to do things no one else does, I figured I'd go with the EP'er. What I found out though, is man are they boring. I mean think about it, when you say Energy Projector, you pretty much are going to know the powersets: Energy Blast, Flash, Entangle, Flight, Force Field. Regardless of the SFX, that's pretty much it. Sure depending on SFX you might add a few flavor powers like you could make a Green Lantern clone and add Telekinesis and Force Wall, or an Iceman clone would have Change Enviornment, but really, ho-hum.

 

So what I'm looking for, is how do you make your Energy Projectors interesting? To give you an idea, one of my favorite EP'ers I've ever played was a Captain Mar-Vell / Quasar type (enhanced Stats OIHID and Energy Constructs through wrist bands). What I liked about his, was that he was just given his bands and didn't know how they worked really. He had an END Reserve that only recovered when he WASN'T in hero ID, and he'd switch out of Hero ID if the END Reserve ran out. So in the middle of a battle he'd become a normal again, and have to try not to get killed (hope he wasn't flying too high), and maintain his secret ID while trying to figure out why his powers kept failing. So some times it's limitations that make the character interesting.

 

So how about it fellas (using the term 'fellas' gender neutrally of course) any ideas for an interesting Energy Projector?

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Help Make Energy Projectors Interesting

 

I don't see the issue. A Brick has a pretty easily defined power suite, as does a mentalist, a martial artist or a speedster. It's the flavour and the personality, neither of which can be statted out mechanically, that makes any character interesting, in my view.

[Checkmate]

Re: Help Make Energy Projectors Interesting

 

I guess I'm really looking for some inspiration. What were some of your more interesting EP'ers and why.

 

I'm also sort of using different Archetypes: There's Hand to Hand, Ranged, and Mental. Bricks, MA's, Shapeshifters (for the most part) all are pretty much Hand to Hand.

[Maccabe]

Re: Help Make Energy Projectors Interesting

 

I found the the UNTIL SUPERPOWERS DATABASE worked well with giving me and my players inspiration.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Help Make Energy Projectors Interesting

 

If I create a character with combat as the primary goal then I often end up with a generic build. I find it better to focus on how the character can utilize their abilities in heroic ways outside of combat. This in turns forces me to build at least a few of the abilities that many of us otherwise depend on making a Power Skill roll to use.

 

In short, pick a sfx and figure out how you want to apply that sfx heroically outside of combat.

[Lucius]

Re: Help Make Energy Projectors Interesting

 

That's funny, I've always heard Bricks described as the least interesting type.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary suggests: If Energy Projectors bore you, try breaking the mold. What kind of Energy Projector for instance would NOT have either an Energy Blast or a Ranged Killing Attack?

[JmOz]

Re: Help Make Energy Projectors Interesting

 

That's funny, I've always heard Bricks described as the least interesting type.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary suggests: If Energy Projectors bore you, try breaking the mold. What kind of Energy Projector for instance would NOT have either an Energy Blast or a Ranged Killing Attack?

 

A character who's powers are based on Entangles, drains, etc... Like Paste Pot Pete...

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Help Make Energy Projectors Interesting

 

Here's a link to a teleportatation/gate powerset I created recently - Wormhole Stan.

 

Not a traditional Energy Projector but that label fits as well as any other imo.

[That Masked Man]

Re: Help Make Energy Projectors Interesting

 

Here's a link to a teleportatation/gate powerset I created recently - Wormhole Stan.

 

Not a traditional Energy Projector but that label fits as well as any other imo.

 

And the winner of the award for Best Use of Ranged Stretching is...

[That Masked Man]

Re: Help Make Energy Projectors Interesting

 

So some times it's limitations that make the character interesting.

 

Absolutely! Aside from the old saying of judging a man by his enemies, its those points where a character isn't perfect that make him interesting. After all, who wants to hear a story about a hero who has no weaknesses and can't even possibly lose?

 

I haven't been able to create many characters starting from disadvantages, but I have found that the more you flesh out a character's disads the more you feel like you "know" him.

[Moonblade]

Re: Help Make Energy Projectors Interesting

 

In the games I've been in as characters, I've often ended up being the brick so I admit, I'd probably find being an energy projector as kinda fascinating anyway.

 

However, you could have drains as your basic attacks, or maybe TK instead. My next character will be the closest I've come and she's a metal manipulator so (among other things) shoots ball of metal -- no comments, please ;-) -- and has a powerful transform against metals to turn them into whatever shape she'd like. The only force field she has is a big one against metal only to reflect her invulnerability against it.

[Odraude]

Re: Help Make Energy Projectors Interesting

 

Id say try combining the projector archetype with one that is more unusual, like a more dexteritous character that fights like the guy from Equilibrium

[Pariah]

Re: Help Make Energy Projectors Interesting

 

I build an EP once specifically without a traditional Energy Blast. She had an NND, an AVLD, an RKA, a Flash, and I think some kind of Entangle, but no straight EB. Like you, I was looking for ways to do something different.

 

I've played a lot of Energy Projectors, and the best way to keep them interesting is to look for unusual Powers that fit your special effect. For example, one of my current characters is a cold user. One power that she has is that she can put someone into cryogenic stasis. It's a major Transform with the Limitation that it can't be used on anyone who is actively resisting, so it's useless in combat. But once the baddies are down, it really helps to know they won't be waking up on their way to Stronghold.

 

For a light-based EP, I gave him a 'power' that was +3 Skill Levels with his Multipower, Costs END, Visible, Not in Fog or Bright Lights--a self-powered laser sight. He could use his light control powers to put a red sighting dot one someone, then blast away with his MP.

 

Another EP I'm playing right now is Onyx, a stone-based character. All his attacks, essentially being thrown rocks, are vs. PD instead of ED. He has a straight EB (Stone Blast), an EB that does Double KNB (Stone Barrage), an RKA (Stone Spear), an Autofire EB (Handful of Stones), a Sight Group Flash (Sand in the Eyes), and an Entangle (Personal Avalanche). He also has a couple of levels of Density Increase in his MP, reflecting the fact that instead of projecting stones, he can actually turn to stone. This turns him, as occasion requires, from an Energy Projector into a Brick.

 

You get the idea. Look for unusual Powers that fit your special effect, and Energy Projectors can suddenly become a lot more interesting.

[Vestnik]

Re: Help Make Energy Projectors Interesting

 

Maybe try an unusual SFX, impose that on the standard EP power set, and see where that takes you. I was faced with the boring energy projector problem recently and resolved to make one who was based on summoning the spirits of the dead, who would lift him about, fire blasts of ectoplasm, move objects (TK), shield him from harm, and so forth. He also had lots of Summons (zombies and whatnot) and Retrocognition, plus XTD (enter the world of the dead, only in cemetaries or other such places). (Never actually played him though.)

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: Help Make Energy Projectors Interesting

 

With all the potential options and tricks, I can't imagine how energy projectors can be boring ...

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Help Make Energy Projectors Interesting

 

One thing that does seem to limit some Energy Projector concepts more than it really should is the use of hard caps by GM's.

 

Limited Energy Projectors like Cyclops or Black Canary are nearly impossible to build as effective starting characters under such caps even when specifically choosing not to give them a 'standard' movement and defense power suite.

 

Bricks also tend to have an easier time getting past such 'hard caps' than Energy Projectors if only because their true potential is a little more obscured on the character sheet.

[Badger]

Re: Help Make Energy Projectors Interesting

 

Well, you could take a cue from anime. And make it a MA/Energy Projector combo. (Just dont overdo it like Dragonball Z )

 

 

Note: Crosshair Collie is gonna get me for mentioning anime.

 

 

Note: And for the record, I have always found bricks the most boring, though this is partly due to my preference in fighting video games in the 1990s to pick the more agile and quick characters.

[Supreme Serpent]

Re: Help Make Energy Projectors Interesting

 

I've enjoyed a number of EP characters, haven't found them to be boring power-wise.

 

Red Star the flaming Soviet hero of the Great Patriotic War - simple powerset but being a living flamethrower during WWII was pretty handy.

 

The Entangler - battlesuit villain with various, well, entangles and such. Very fun to use with a team.

 

Comet - decided instead of the MP of various attacks would just do one attack - but it would be a good one. Kept dumping points into the EB to be as large as GM would allow, made it indirect (tossing around corners and such). Plus when you only have one attack, levels come cheap. Throwing spread curveballs to whallop several villains at once is a very rewarding experience.

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: Help Make Energy Projectors Interesting

 

Well, you could take a cue from anime. And make it a MA/Energy Projector combo. (Just dont overdo it like Dragonball Z )

 

 

Note: Crosshair Collie is gonna get me for mentioning anime.

 

 

Note: And for the record, I have always found bricks the most boring, though this is partly due to my preference in fighting video games in the 1990s to pick the more agile and quick characters.

 

While tempting, the idea is hardly limited to japanimation. Cyclops and Black Canary (two examples mentioned earlier in the thread) are both highly skilled martial arists. GL's Hal Jordan and John Stewart have basic combat training because they were in the military. Storm's trained in streetfighting techniques. etc etc

[sinanju]

Re: Help Make Energy Projectors Interesting

 

I guess I'm really looking for some inspiration. What were some of your more interesting EP'ers and why.

 

I'm also sort of using different Archetypes: There's Hand to Hand, Ranged, and Mental. Bricks, MA's, Shapeshifters (for the most part) all are pretty much Hand to Hand.

 

Hell's Angel is probably my most entertaining energy projector. She was a normal woman who transformed into an inhumanly beautiful angelic form (complete with wings)--and who had fire powers (hence hell's angel). In addition to the usual EP powerset, she also had area effect selective TK (only for fire), drain (to absorb fires), and a 1" Tunneling power versus VERY high DEF to represent her ability to "blowtorch" her way through most any barrier.

 

That being said, what made her interesting to play (and interesting enough for the GM to select her for his online game from among many submissions) was her personality and background. So while interesting powers are part of it, I think your focus should be on the individual rather than the powers.

[ghost-angel]

Re: Help Make Energy Projectors Interesting

 

I built an Energy Projector around a suite of Mental Powers, I'd love a chance to play them. I didn't want to play a Mentalist with the standard suite of Mind Control, Telepathy, etc etc etc - so with some custom Limitations and Advantages I created a series of Ego Attacks, Drains and an EGO Based RKA.

 

It's not too far off the "standard suite of EP Powers" but I thought it was an interesting enough twist on both archetypes.

[Checkmate]

Re: Help Make Energy Projectors Interesting

 

The character is already made. It's one that's going through a radiation accident right now. The way the accident happened really ANYTHING would fit, from mental powers, to energy powers, heck even magic could be worked in there. Team doesn't really have an EP'er and I really wanted to try to fill that role.

 

If the personality helps, he was originally a sidekick with Speed powers, radiation accident happened, now he's going to be sort of like Dr. Manhattan from the Watchmen, where he gradually loses touch from humanity.

 

If I create a character with combat as the primary goal then I often end up with a generic build. I find it better to focus on how the character can utilize their abilities in heroic ways outside of combat. This in turns forces me to build at least a few of the abilities that many of us otherwise depend on making a Power Skill roll to use.

 

In short, pick a sfx and figure out how you want to apply that sfx heroically outside of combat.

Any examples you can rattle off?

The palindromedary suggests: If Energy Projectors bore you' date=' try breaking the mold. What kind of Energy Projector for instance would NOT have either an Energy Blast or a Ranged Killing Attack?[/quote']

This is my problem. I'm having trouble coming up with a type of EP'er that would "break the mold". Any suggestions?

You get the idea. Look for unusual Powers that fit your special effect' date=' and Energy Projectors can suddenly become a lot more interesting.[/quote']

Again that's my problem. I'm having trouble coming up with a cool SFX and weird/cool powers to fit in it.

Maybe try an unusual SFX' date=' impose that on the standard EP power set, and see where that takes you.[/quote']

Any other ideas besides your Necromancer?

With all the potential options and tricks' date=' I can't imagine how energy projectors can be boring ... [/quote']

Give me some ideas, what kind of options and tricks? My well has dried up.

[Cardinal]

Re: Help Make Energy Projectors Interesting

 

One alternative, is to make the powerset an accident/after thought in the background.

 

I did that with one character: Angel - I played a teen aged victim of Soviet experiments. At the end of the cold war, they were trying to create biologic code breakers (ie. manufacture savants) that could help get through NSA codes. Most went insane or failed. My character was a success One unexpected glitch in the process gave my character psionic ability to create force fields.

 

The result was that she had two suites of powers. A very low cost set included +int for code breaking, some language skills (pattern recognition) and a huge cryptography roll. This was great for color and anchored her history, but had little impact on the game.

 

In addition, a much more expensive suite of Force field powers:

Flight (restrainable) -- FF wings

Force Field Ram - EB with Variable Adv (pointy = AP, wide = 1 hex AOE, etc.)

FF,

FW

TK

Engtangle

 

However, one of the most fun aspects of the character was her personality. She did not know her history and instead had been rescued by a group. That group received funding from ACI. As such, she had become sponsored by an Evil Corporation. her uniform had all sorts of logos. However, she was genuinely naive and nice. As such, she assumed that ACI and everyone who had helped here were good. The campaign ended before they fully reared their ugly head, but it was a fun dynamic with her talking to the bad guys all the time without realizing it.

 

I also built a character that was similar in concept to the necromancer. However, in his case he summoned air elementals.

 

His power set was:

flight (being carried)

EB (blast, explosion, etc.)

Summon Elemental

FF (mystic wards)

NND (suffocate)

CE

 

I have also been working on another idea that I am not sure if I can make it effective at the cost: inertia powers. Think combination of slick from the Ultimates or a sanded down version of Gavis Gan from GC.

Power Set:

1. Leaping (or flight)

2. EB (OIF, object of opportunity); if you have the points, indirect

3. Limited TK

4. FF (probably heavy on PD not ED)

5. AOE Entangle takes no damage (freezing movement in an area)

6. AID movement powers

7. Flight, Usable as an attack

8. Drain Movement powers

 

This would be a very non-standard powerset. However, as I discussed, it is kind of tough to do at a reasonable cost. This might also work well as an offshoot of Speed powers. You could keep some of the running, etc. under the theory of self enhancement.

 

In terms of other ideas, here are a couple off the top of my head:

1. Snowstorm (think mix of storm and iceman)

2. Weather -

3. Electricity -

a. Lightning / nasty stuff

b. control electricity - cybermancy

4. Cosmic Fire

5. TK

6. Power Armor based on sonics (Dr. Sonic from TSATP)

7. Radiation control (lots of drains, etc.)

 

If I can think of anything else, I will post it.

 

Good luck and let us know what you choose.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Help Make Energy Projectors Interesting

 

...

Any examples you can rattle off?

 

See my second post in this thread (#8) with the link to wormhole based powers.

 

Since you said he was a speedster first I can even help with the radiation accident explanation. If his 'speed' was in any way related to a 'speed force' like energy just say that he now has access to the speed force dimension but not as a form of personal energy. Now he can access that dimension as a 'hyperspace-like' conduit similar to the old Teen Titans villain 'Warp'. He's still a movement specialist from a certain perspective but he can also be nearly as powerful as any classic energy projector he faces as well.

[Badger]

Re: Help Make Energy Projectors Interesting

 

While tempting' date=' the idea is hardly limited to japanimation. Cyclops and Black Canary (two examples mentioned earlier in the thread) are both highly skilled martial arists. GL's Hal Jordan and John Stewart have basic combat training because they were in the military. Storm's trained in streetfighting techniques. etc etc[/quote']

 

 

Aww, I was hoping for a Collie anti-anime rant. Aw shucks.

 

Promise, you will next time, kay?