Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

Zac · February 27, 2009

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

Mind Control' date=' Area of Effect: Radius, Telepathic, Multiple Classes (At least Animal and Human), Only To Make the Target Follow the Character, OAF: Flute, RSR: Flute Playing[/i']

Doc, you want to add a character in here?! We might need ya

Zac · February 27, 2009

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

Yeah' date=' 5's that limit.[/quote']
Change your enraged to from Uncommon to Common. If Murder is uncommon, the just hurting someone has to be A LOT more common.

Vox · February 27, 2009

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

Everything else looks peachy. Could you put your picture in the hdc file next time you send it? Thanks.

I've had it in the .hdc for a long time. I guess I should be packaging them?

As to the spike power, let's just make it Penetrating. I'd really rather not worry about accidentally murdering people. New rationale: the spike is magically propelled with incredible force, but is really just a piece of wood. Even if the wood shatters on impact with armor it still hits like a rubber bullet.

~Gabriel

Zac · February 27, 2009

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

I've had it in the .hdc for a long time. I guess I should be packaging them?

As to the spike power, let's just make it Penetrating. I'd really rather not worry about accidentally murdering people. New rationale: the spike is magically propelled with incredible force, but is really just a piece of wood. Even if the wood shatters on impact with armor it still hits like a rubber bullet.

~Gabriel

I consider the character complete at this point. Now it is just a waiting game.

Fedifensor · February 27, 2009

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

New rationale: the spike is magically propelled with incredible force' date=' but is really just a piece of wood. Even if the wood shatters on impact with armor it still hits like a rubber bullet.[/quote']
You know, when you start with "it's magic", you don't really have to worry so much about incredible force or if the wood shatters. Regardless of speed or sharpness, the Chinese magics imbued into the projectile seek out the weak point in any defense and cause pain to the target.

Vox · February 27, 2009

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

You know' date=' when you start with "it's magic", you don't really have to worry so much about incredible force or if the wood shatters. Regardless of speed or sharpness, the Chinese magics imbued into the projectile seek out the weak point in any defense and cause pain to the target.[/quote']

My specific inspiration was a skill trick from the Vampire Hunter D novels. The eponymous hunter throws simple wooden needles, but at such speeds that they become deadly weapons. And, of course, they are technically stakes and thus capable of killing the undead.

When you suggested Wood as an element, that was the first thing that came to mind...for whatever reason.

~Gabriel

Stochastic · February 28, 2009

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

Oh if someone else already has a mentalist character I don't want to bump him off.

Do you have a tanker type?

Here's my idea for a tank.

Eric Krieg

Player:

Val Char Cost

65 STR 55

18 DEX 24

18 CON 16

18 BODY 16

13 INT 3

14 EGO 8

18 PRE 8

16 COM 3

13/31 PD 0

4/30 ED 0

4 SPD 12

17 REC 0

36 END 0

60 STUN 0

6" RUN 0

2" SWIM 0

13" LEAP 0

Characteristics Cost: 145

Cost Power

66 Psyhokinetic Field: Armor (18 PD/26 ED)

13 Psychokinetic Field: Damage Resistance (12 PD/4 ED/10 Mental Def.)

6 Psychokinetic Field: Tunneling 1" through 1 DEF material, Usable Running (+1/4) (6 Active Points)

13 Psychogenic Field: Healing 1 BODY, Can Heal Limbs, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (30 Active Points); Extra Time (Regeneration-Only) 1 Turn (Post-Segment 12) (-1 1/4)

7 Psychogenic Field: Mental Defense (10 points total)

35 Life Support (Immunity All terrestrial poisons and chemical warfare agents; Immunity: All terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents; Longevity: Immortal; Self-Contained Breathing)

Powers Cost: 140

Cost Skill

3 Bureaucratics 13-

3 Climbing 13-

5 +1 with HTH Combat

3 Conversation 13-

3 Electronics 12-

3 Gambling 12-

3 Hoist 12-

3 Linguist

3 1) Language: English (idiomatic) (4 Active Points)

3 2) Language: French (idiomatic) (4 Active Points)

0 3) Language: German (idiomatic) (4 Active Points)

3 4) Language: Italian (idiomatic) (4 Active Points)

3 5) Language: Portugese (idiomatic) (4 Active Points)

3 6) Language: Spanish (idiomatic) (4 Active Points)

3 Oratory 13-

3 Paramedics 12-

3 Persuasion 13-

7 PS: Interpreter 16-

3 SS: Linguistics 12-

Skills Cost: 60

Cost Perk

2 Deep Cover

1 Fringe Benefit: License to practice a profession [Notes: Licensed Interpreter]

2 Money: Well Off [Notes: Upper-Middle Class Income]

Perks Cost: 5

Total Character Cost: 350

Pts. Disadvantage

10 Enraged: Injustice (Common), go 8-, recover 14- [Notes: One of the more obvious psychological manifestations of Erik Kriegs complex is his profound anger at injustice - as though it were a personal affront to his power or identity. This complicates matters with trying to keep the identities of Erik and Blitzkrieg separate - more than once has Erik called in sick to work to go marauding as Blitzkrieg for the day. Too many such instances and someone might put two and two together.]

20 Social Limitation: Secret Identity (Very Frequently, Major) [Notes: Erik Krieg has so far been successful in keeping Blitzkrieg's identity safe from even his family. A reporter thinks she may have a lead, and has been sniffing around Erik for the past several weeks.]

20 Psychological Limitation: Overconfident (Very Common, Strong) [Notes: With such incredible resilience, Erik has developed something of a God Complex. Eventually, he will run up against the limitations of his powers - hopefully, he won't be running too fast at the time.]

20 Psychological Limitation: Code Versus Killing (Common, Total) [Notes: While Erik doesn't mind breaking things, breaking people is another story altogether. Erik is not willing to accept that he cannot subdue any threat.]

15 Hunted: Thebes Police Department 11- (Mo Pow, NCI, Limited Geographical Area, Mildly Punish) [Notes: Looking to ticket/fine/try Blitzkrieg for his reckless damage to property in the apprehension of criminals.If they did so, his identity might become compromised.]

30 Dependent NPC: Parents, Siblings 11- (Normal; Unaware of character's adventuring career/Secret ID; Group DNPC: x4 DNPCs) [Notes: Brother Lukas is a hedge fund manager, sister Sofie is a pianist, Father Jonas and Mother Anna are retired. All call upon Erik for help from time to time, thinking him to be 'connected' from his job as a court interpreter. ]

10 Hunted: Jessica Knox of the Daily News 14- (Less Pow, NCI, Limited Geographical Area, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Watching) [Notes: Jessica Knox is an up and coming reporter with a local rag, who believes she may have a great debut article to put her on the front page - the identity of the notoriously reckless Blitzkrieg. She's been snooping around Erik Krieg, looking for proof.]

15 Reputation: Reckless, 14- [Notes: Blitzkrieg is seen as irresponsible and reckless in the popular media, he has very little sympathy from the everyman, as they see laying waste to entire city blocks of property to be more the purview of villains and bad guys.]

10 Vulnerability: 2 x STUN To Be Decided (Uncommon) [Notes: [ooc] I want him to have a cryptoninte like weakness that he doesn't yet know about. I know that's kind of cliche, any other ideas for a weakness that he could run up against are welcome as well. ]

Disadvantage Points: 150

Base Points: 200

Experience Required: 0

Total Experience Available: 0

Experience Unspent: 0

Background

orn 26 years ago, the middle child of three, to affluent parents in western Germany, Erik enjoyed a liberal education and a wealthy life style. High school track star, valedictorian and prom king, Erik seemed like the kid who had it all - but none of it seemed important to Erik. Through his depression, Erik studied linguistics and languages at Oxford pursuing a Bachelor of Arts.

In his third year, Eric Krieg was overpowered by his depression and nihilism took hold once more - with war on the world stage, what use were words? Such poverty, suffering and crime demanded a more potent response than a sharply worded message. Especially despondent, he went for his regular evening run - this one, however, would prove fateful.

Approaching an intersection, Eric noticed a vehicle accelerating towards a woman trying to ferry two unhappy children across the street. With no time to think, Erik jumped in front of the startled woman, realizing in the fraction of a second before his impact the futility of his action.

Erik's mind blacked out momentarily, but when he came to he realized he was leaning over the woman and her children. His back felt strangely cool, and his senses returned to him, he realized that the car was strewn about the street corner, as though it had been hit by a train. The driver was severely wounded, and though Erik regrets that, it was made public that he had been involved in a series of drunk driving accidents over the past year, two of which had led to fatalities.

Erik has since devoted his life to fighting injustice with both words and - if necessary - actions. He is not afraid to stand up for what he believes in, neither as Eric Krieg nor as Blitzkrieg, he has finished his degree and become an interpreter in the burgeoning metropolis of Thebes.

Personality

Erik's powers have provided him with fantastic strength and fortitude, both physically and emotionally. Armed with his nigh invulnerability, Erik has developed a bit of an overconfidence problem, rushing into decisions and situations that he is ill-prepared for. Not fully understanding his own powers, he also does not have any real concept of his limitations - he also has some level of insulation or detachment from the damage he wreaks while Blitzkrieg.

Quote

If you try to stop me, it will go poorly for you.

Powers/Tactics

Erik isn't truly invulnerable - though he is highly durable. His body, down to the molecular level, is protected and regenerated by an intense psycho-kinetic field. The field is projected and maintained by his subconscious, possibly even the instinctual, reptilian portions of his brain. The net effect of this has caused him to believe he has super-strength, when truly his body is simply that of a 21 year olds, encased in a powerful protective field that annihilates whatever he moves past.

{ooc I was thinking of maybe giving him some super running and lowering something else.}

Appearance

Erik is 26 but does not appear to have aged past 21. With golden-blond hair and sapphire blue eyes, he is not an unattractive individual. To protect his siblings and parents (both of which are still alive) he wears a costume while fighting crime (Blitzkrieg - red and gold theme, with a tank insignia on the chest). When he is working as an interpreter, he wears nice suits and ties, always appearing professional - if startlingly young for the job.

Sorry about the long background section. I can trim it down some.

Vox · February 28, 2009

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

You're going to want to dial back the fully resistance defenses. I don't think 31/30 PD/ED will be a problem for a 4 speed brick, but I do know that Zac and Fed will never let them be fully resistant. Take it down to 17/17 rPD/eED at least.

~Gabriel

Fedifensor · February 28, 2009

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

Background is interesting...though there is already a villain named Blitzkrieg in the campaign.

I see where you're going with the powers, though I have a few suggestions on the writeup that may help. For example, if you don't take Knockback Resistance, your invulnerable body will bounce around like a ping-pong ball if a truck hits you. You could also have a layered defense - armor for your resistance at the subconscious level, and a 0 END Force Field for your conscious resistance. The latter could be put into an EC (Psychokinetic Field) with Tunneling and possibly Running.

Fedifensor · February 28, 2009

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

You're going to want to dial back the fully resistance defenses. I don't think 31/30 PD/ED will be a problem for a 4 speed brick' date=' but I do know that Zac and Fed will never let them be fully resistant. Take it down to 17/17 rPD/eED at least.[/quote']
31 PD is pushing it a bit, but may be acceptible. Since he's a pure brick, he could have pretty high resistant defenses...as long as they're not Hardened. By comparison, Miracle can reach 30/30 defenses, 16/16 of them are resistant, and everything is hardened. So without hardening, I could see resistant defenses in the 20's.

EDIT: Besides, resistant defenses are used against BODY damage...and Catalyst tries to be a less lethal campaign. So taking less BODY damage doesn't bug the gamemasters very much...

Fedifensor · February 28, 2009

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

Tempest's player has given me permission to post the first part of the character's background. Enjoy!

Tempest's Background (Part 1)

"I can't believe we have to move again," Jade said, trying to move one of the boxes stacked in the back of the garage and failing. "Ooof… this one's heavy."

"You'll make new friends," her uncle reassured her. He lifted a box that looked like it should be too heavy for his wiry frame and carried it out to the rental truck.

"Why bother?" she asked when he returned, "We'll just move again, and I'll lose them too." She threw her weight against the cardboard box, all ninety-something pounds of it, and it refused to budge. "Seriously, what's in this thing?"

"Leave that one until your parents get home from the airport," he told her, measuring the stacks of boxes that remained by eye, trying to solve the puzzle of packing them in the truck as tight as possible. "I seem to remember you said the same thing in Bayport."

There had been less teenage drama, then, and more tears. She shook her head, embarrassed. Some of the same boxes, too. She was willing to be some of them hadn't been opened since Middleton. Or maybe New York. She picked at a piece of peeling tape on the heavy box. It was so dry it broke off.

"Besides, I didn't think you liked here," her uncle said.

"I didn't, but just when I'm finally getting used to Thebes, they're all 'oops, sorry, we're moving to Colorado!' What's next, Florida? Wyoming?" She stomped once. It didn't make as much noise as she'd hoped it would.

It made it hard for him not to laugh, she suspected. She peeled more tape back, and opened the box a little. He didn't seem to notice.

"Think of it as getting to live more places you'll learn to like." He took his glasses off, exhaled on them and started polishing with the corner of his shirt. "Besides, your father is the only child, he needs to be close to his parents right now."

"Would you move to China if Grandpa and Grandma Shen got sick?"

"I will, when the time comes." He finished the right lens and started on the left again.

The box was full of—sand? She pushed it around, sifted through it. There was something else in there, metal, cool to the touch.

"Of course, I'd come back to see my favorite niece," her uncle said finally. And when that didn't get a reaction, he added, "I'd bring presents."

She was still trying to find the edges of the metal object and wasn't really paying attention, but she knew the moment he finally put his glasses on and looked up.

"Oh," he said. "Oh, Jade."

She froze, one hand almost elbow-deep in the sand.

He walked over slowly, gently lifted her hand out of the box. "Go put some water on for tea, will you? And then we'll talk."

She nodded and ran into the house.

The kitchen was mostly packed up, but a few essentials had been left for last, and with Uncle visiting, that included the essentials for tea. She waited for the water to boil, let the tea steep for three long minutes, and then, since he still hadn't come inside, she took the tray out to the garage.

Uncle had unpacked another box and now it was half full of sand, and a few other boxes had been opened. He was sitting on one of them holding something that looked like a geiger counter and clicked occasionally.

"It's safe," he said. "This box is almost as old as you."

She hesitated, until he waved her closer. She gave him a cup of tea.

"Thank you." He sipped it, still too hot for her to do more than blow on.

"Your mother's never told you about what our father did during the war, has she?"

She shook her head.

"She talk about our sister?"

"Not much. She died in a car crash before I was born."

"Maybe it's just as well you're leaving Thebes," he said.

"Why?"

He made a face and sipped again. "Nothing. I'm allowed to be superstitious." He finished his tea and contemplated the leaves left behind.

"Let me tell you a story…"

"The man who became Qíng Tiān Pī Lì (thunder from a clear sky) inherited his powers over thunder and lightning from his mother. It has always passed to the eldest child. Thunder is dominant when the child is male and when female, lightning.

"There are those who believe the line can be traced back to Lei Kung (the duke of thunder) and Tien Mu (the mother of lightning) and that that the Ministry of Storms actually existed, either as actual deities or what people now call 'primes.'

"Whether this is true or not, I do not know. What I know is that when China was invaded by the Japanese, my father–your grandfather–wielded the power of storms in defense of his home. He was assisted by his brother, who crafted for him a suit of armor and a spear that enhanced his powers. They fought in secret at first, but eventually my father joined the Nationalist Army and later fought beside the Allies, who called him "Thunderbolt." I believe his brother had been killed before then.

"Near the end of the war, one of the American soldiers, codenamed "Overmind" gave him a phone number to call if he was ever in his country and needed help."

"When the Japanese surrendered, Qíng Tiān Pī Lì put away his spear and armor and tried to be merely Shen Yóuxiá again. He married a woman–your grandmother–from his home province.

"But while the invaders had been defeated, the Civil War continued, and Shen had tasted enough death and destruction. When the government fell he did not join them in exile. Instead, he and his wife left China for America, where he used the money and English skills he gained during the war and my mother's talent for cooking to open a restaurant.

"In time they had twins. This was unexpected. Never in memory had twins been the firstborn children. Eventually, the elder daughter exhibited the power of lightning... but none of the thunder as would be expected. While your mother, the younger daughter, had the power of thunder, but none of the lightning, and her gift seemed weaker in her than in our father, as it was meant for a male heir.

"My sisters were taught to control their gifts—and to keep them secret, as generations before had done. But naturally, both used them. Your aunt found her father's armor and called herself Stormfront, though she was never revealed to the public. And your mother took up our father's spear. Both of them kept their actions hidden from our father. Though in time, both came to trust me with their secret.

"In 1986, in front of the world, Hiroshima threatened to destroy the Statue of Liberty.

"Some twenty primes joined forces to stop him. Thunderbolt and Stormfront were among them, fighting together for the first—and last—time. She was killed during the fight. Father brought her home, and called the number Overmind had given him years before. They faked the accident and kept that secret, even when so much else had been revealed.

"Your mother was in the hospital, in labor. You were born later that morning, in the hours before dawn."

Jade stared as her uncle lifted a suit of bronze armor out of the box.

"This was his armor... later hers," he said.

Jade saw it was curved like it had been reshaped for a woman's figure, ornate plates over rings, and beneath that dusty black layers of leather, linen and silk. A strange reddish metal she wasn't familiar with.

"Copper?"

"Bronze. A special kind of bronze the English call gunmetal. They used to make cannons out of it."

"Can I touch it?"

He nodded.

It was cold under her fingers and she shivered, though that had little to do with the temperature. There was a fissure in the breastplate, the metal discolored and partly burned away.

"That was where Hiroshima's radiation lance pierced her heart." And ours, his eyes seemed to say, full of tears that never fell.

She yanked her hand back, instinctively. "I'm sorry."

"She'd have liked you, I think. You don't resemble her the way your mother does, of course, but you remind me of her."

Jade bit her lip. "I'm the eldest." Eldest and only child, and likely to stay that way, as far as she could tell. "Does that mean—"

Her uncle sighed. "The armor would have reacted to your touch."

"Oh."

He smiled, just a little. "How do you think I felt growing up? It's not you. Your parents weren't born in China, and even there... well, sometimes it skipped a generation. Those without the full gift might have a minor gift for magic or predicting the weather—which is more important to farmers than you know—but for most of us, the family line isn't so exciting," here his voice turned serious and he tapped the edge of the ragged hole in the armor, "which is our good fortune."

She shivered again, and nodded. "Why didn't mom tell me?"

He shook his head. "You'll have to ask her that yourself sometime. I don't think she's ever told your father what really happened, either. Maybe it still hurts too much to talk about. But now it's your secret, too.

"Now come on, let's clean up this mess before I have to explain it to your mother."

Fabricati · February 28, 2009

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

I don't recall seeing it, which is easy to do right now. The whole idea of hyper-intelligent animals is something I have not considered (at all, even on drugs).

[OK, I went back and looked at you bio. It does say Rats in the basement. I get that... old house. I did not put 2+2 together to get hyper-intelligent rats out of How was she supposed to know his familiar had gotten around with the rats in the basement... Probably should have, but didn't]

Do you mind them getting out an infecting other areas of the city? They are rats after all, they do breed like crazy. I see a mission with some guy and a set of pipes in my future

Not too much, but she'd probably sit it out for the same reason she'd want to hide them from the County Dept. of Public Health. That CvK applies to all sapient beings, which is why this is a problem in the first place (of course, she's no stranger to the strange, either).

They mostly clean up after themselves, so they're not spectacular vectors (of disease) except for their own magic-screwed DNA, but yeah, they probably get around- for technical writers, at least.

Revised.

Stochastic · February 28, 2009

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

Hi. Okay, so because you already had a guy named blitzkrieg, I retooled the character, now Erik Kriegs alternate identity is Inversion. Personality wise he's still the same.

But I'm kind of stuck. I gave him light defenses to start off with, but then two pretty powerful Absorption powers, that will make his powers grow as he gets hit.

I nixed the recursive absorption, it seemed like it was going off the deep end (by my math, even with a +1 1/2 adder, 5d6 absorption pool was turning into a 10d6 absorption pool, after four iterative applications of the maximum absorable value. They should make a limitation where you can effect the absorb character point ratio - that's really more what I want - to fall off by exponents or something. Like, the first "main dice" do it at a 1/1 ratio, then the next iteration do it at a 1/2 ratio, then the third iteration absorb character points at a 1/4 ratio.

Anyways, that was getting too convoluted, so I tried just making it a smaller pool of absorption with the adder to increase the max pool size. But still ending up not with what I want. His defenses become too strong and his offense is too weak to really hurt anyone.

Anyways here he is. Should I maybe just buy him to whatever defenses I want him to be, and then only link the absorption to his offensive ability/abilities?

Eric Krieg

Player: Revision 1

Val Char Cost

25 STR 15

18 DEX 24

18 CON 16

18 BODY 16

13 INT 3

14 EGO 8

18 PRE 8

16 COM 3

5/55 PD 0

4/54 ED 0

4 SPD 12

13 REC 8

60 END 12

40 STUN 0

6" RUN 0

2" SWIM 0

5" LEAP 0

Characteristics Cost: 125

Cost Power

30 Psychokinetic Barrier: Armor (10 PD/10 ED)

35 Instinctive Psychokinetic Field: Life Support (Immunity All terrestrial poisons and chemical warfare agents; Immunity: All terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents; Longevity: Immortal; Self-Contained Breathing)

13 Instinctive Psychogenic Field: Healing 1 BODY, Can Heal Limbs, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (30 Active Points); Extra Time (Regeneration-Only) 1 Turn (Post-Segment 12) (-1 1/4)

15 Kinetic Field Control: Elemental Control, 30-point powers

15 1) Psychogenic Inversion Field: Absorption 3d6 (energy, Psychogenic Shield, Feedback Loop), Can Absorb Maximum Of 30 Points' Worth Of Energy Damage, Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per Minute; +1/4), Psychogenic Shield and Feedback Loop (+1/2) (37 Active Points); Costs Endurance (Only Costs END to Activate; -1/4), Visible (-1/4) [Notes: Red sparks around body, emenating from the source of the impact, as Inversion absorbs.]

15 2) Psychokinetic Inversion Field: Absorption 3d6 (physical, Psychogenic Shield, Feeback Loop), Can Absorb Maximum Of 30 Points' Worth Of Physical Damage, Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per Minute; +1/4), Psychogenic Shield and Feedback Loop (+1/2) (37 Active Points); Costs Endurance (Only Costs END to Activate; -1/4), Visible (-1/4) [Notes: Red sparks around body, emenating from the source of the impact, as Inversion absorbs.]

15 3) Psychogenic Shield: Force Field (10 PD/10 ED/5 Mental Defense/5 Power Defense) (30 Active Points)

8 4) Feedback Loop: Energy Blast 2d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Penetrating (+1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Damage Shield (+1/2) (30 Active Points); Linked (Psychokinetic Barrier; Lesser Power can only be used when character uses greater Power at full value; -3/4)

10 5) Kinetic Reinforcement: Hand-To-Hand Attack +6d6 (30 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2)

0 Psychogenic Shield: Force Field (30 PD/30 ED/15 Mental Defense/15 Power Defense) (Custom Adder) [Notes: This would be the Full Effect force field. Costing 9 END / Phase. Would require a total of 60 body to be "absorbed". But still more than I want, especially unbalanced if combats are going to be longer.]

0 Mock Full Power Feedback Loop: Energy Blast 6d6, Custom Adder, Penetrating (+1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Damage Shield (+1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2); Linked (Psychokinetic Barrier; Lesser Power can only be used when character uses greater Power at full value; -3/4)

{lower than I want, if most people have 20-30 def, this probably wouldn't do anything even at full power}

Powers Cost: 156

Cost Skill

3 Bureaucratics 13-

3 Climbing 13-

5 +1 with HTH Combat

3 Conversation 13-

3 Electronics 12-

3 Gambling 12-

3 Hoist 12-

3 Linguist

3 1) Language: English (idiomatic) (4 Active Points)

3 2) Language: French (idiomatic) (4 Active Points)

0 3) Language: German (idiomatic) (4 Active Points)

3 4) Language: Italian (idiomatic) (4 Active Points)

3 5) Language: Portugese (idiomatic) (4 Active Points)

3 6) Language: Spanish (idiomatic) (4 Active Points)

3 Oratory 13-

3 Paramedics 12-

3 Persuasion 13-

7 PS: Interpreter 16-

3 SS: Linguistics 12-

Skills Cost: 60

Cost Perk

2 Deep Cover

1 Fringe Benefit: License to practice a profession [Notes: Licensed Interpreter]

2 Money: Well Off [Notes: Upper-Middle Class Income]

Perks Cost: 5

Total Character Cost: 346

Pts. Disadvantage

10 Enraged: Injustice (Common), go 8-, recover 14- [Notes: One of the more obvious psychological manifestations of Erik Kriegs complex is his profound anger at injustice - as though it were a personal affront to his power or identity. This complicates matters with trying to keep the identities of Erik and Blitzkrieg separate - more than once has Erik called in sick to work to go marauding as Blitzkrieg for the day. Too many such instances and someone might put two and two together.]

20 Social Limitation: Secret Identity (Very Frequently, Major) [Notes: Erik Krieg has so far been successful in keeping Blitzkrieg's identity safe from even his family. A reporter thinks she may have a lead, and has been sniffing around Erik for the past several weeks.]

20 Psychological Limitation: Overconfident (Very Common, Strong) [Notes: With such incredible resilience, Erik has developed something of a God Complex. Eventually, he will run up against the limitations of his powers - hopefully, he won't be running too fast at the time.]

20 Psychological Limitation: Code Versus Killing (Common, Total) [Notes: While Erik doesn't mind breaking things, breaking people is another story altogether. Erik is not willing to accept that he cannot subdue any threat.]

15 Hunted: Thebes Police Department 11- (Mo Pow, NCI, Limited Geographical Area, Mildly Punish) [Notes: Looking to ticket/fine/try Blitzkrieg for his reckless damage to property in the apprehension of criminals.If they did so, his identity might become compromised.]

30 Dependent NPC: Parents, Siblings 11- (Normal; Unaware of character's adventuring career/Secret ID; Group DNPC: x4 DNPCs) [Notes: Brother Lukas is a hedge fund manager, sister Sofie is a pianist, Father Jonas and Mother Anna are retired. All call upon Erik for help from time to time, thinking him to be 'connected' from his job as a court interpreter.]

10 Hunted: Jessica Knox of the Daily News 14- (Less Pow, NCI, Limited Geographical Area, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Watching) [Notes: Jessica Knox is an up and coming reporter with a local rag, who believes she may have a great debut article to put her on the front page - the identity of the notoriously reckless Blitzkrieg. She's been snooping around Erik Krieg, looking for proof.]

15 Reputation: Reckless, 14- [Notes: Blitzkrieg is seen as irresponsible and reckless in the popular media, he has very little sympathy from the everyman, as they see laying waste to entire city blocks of property to be more the purview of villains and bad guys.]

10 Vulnerability: 2 x STUN To Be Decided (Uncommon) [Notes: [ooc] I want him to have a cryptoninte like weakness that he doesn't yet know about. I know that's kind of cliche, any other ideas for a weakness that he could run up against are welcome as well.]

Disadvantage Points: 150

Base Points: 200

Experience Required: 0

Total Experience Available: 0

Experience Unspent: 0

thanks for the help!

Vox · February 28, 2009

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

I'm sure Zac and Fed will provide lots of meaningful, mechanical feedback, so I'll just chip in with the subjective friendly advice:

I think the character would work better if the absorption fed into something other than his defenses. As a super-power it's one of the most passive, not mention one of the most potentially unbalancing. You're always going to be either glass-jawed or untouchable, and neither one of those is really any fun.

Just my two cents.

~Gabriel

Stochastic · February 28, 2009

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

I'm sure Zac and Fed will provide lots of meaningful, mechanical feedback, so I'll just chip in with the subjective friendly advice:

I think the character would work better if the absorption fed into something other than his defenses. As a super-power it's one of the most passive, not mention one of the most potentially unbalancing. You're always going to be either glass-jawed or untouchable, and neither one of those is really any fun.

Just my two cents.

~Gabriel

hm k, sounds good.

What about :

Cost Power

30 Psychokinetic Barrier: Armor (10 PD/10 ED)

35 Instinctive Psychokinetic Field: Life Support (Immunity All terrestrial poisons and chemical warfare agents; Immunity: All terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents; Longevity: Immortal; Self-Contained Breathing)

13 Instinctive Psychogenic Field: Healing 1 BODY, Can Heal Limbs, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (30 Active Points); Extra Time (Regeneration-Only) 1 Turn (Post-Segment 12) (-1 1/4)

15 Kinetic Field Control: Elemental Control, 30-point powers

10 1) Psychogenic Inversion Field: Absorption 4d6 (energy, Critical Mass), Can Absorb Maximum Of 32 Points' Worth Of Energy Damage, Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per Minute; +1/4) (30 Active Points); Costs Endurance (Only Costs END to Activate; -1/4), Visible (-1/4) [Notes: Red sparks around body, emenating from the source of the impact, as Inversion absorbs.]

10 2) Psychokinetic Inversion Field: Absorption 4d6 (physical, Critical Mass), Can Absorb Maximum Of 32 Points' Worth Of Physical Damage, Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per Minute; +1/4) (30 Active Points); Costs Endurance (Only Costs END to Activate; -1/4), Visible (-1/4) [Notes: Red sparks around body, emenating from the source of the impact, as Inversion absorbs.]

15 3) Psychogenic Shield: Force Field (10 PD/10 ED/5 Mental Defense/5 Power Defense) (30 Active Points)

15 4) Critical Mass: Density Increase (4,200 kg mass, +30 STR, +6 PD/ED, -6" KB) (30 Active Points)

Density Increase, so that he can still walk through walls and such (Because he's massive)?

But that leads to a big problem in terms of the Inversion Field pumping it up.

The Full Power critical mass would be

0 Mock Full Power Critical Mass: Density Increase (34,603,000 kg mass, +95 STR, +19 PD/ED, -19" KB), Custom Adder

Maybe the problem is that I'm linking Absorption to other powers? What if I just linked the Physical damage absorption to his CON and the Energy damage absorption to his STR?

That would still be +15/+30 at max, respectively. I kind of liked the idea of a character that "charged up", but maybe thats better left to video games, as I can't seem to make it seem reasonable.

Or I could have them effect his regeneration! How about that? So, if it doesn't kill him outright, he'll probably recover from it?

You think that's overpowered? Hm. Thanks for being a sounding board though, by the way. Are you playing in the thebes game or are you in the other one?

Vox · February 28, 2009

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

You think that's overpowered? Hm. Thanks for being a sounding board though' date=' by the way. Are you playing in the thebes game or are you in the other one?[/quote']

I'm in Silverstone and applying for Thebes. There's no law against double-dipping.

Don't take my suggestions too seriously. I'm just a bystander. My opinion has no bearing on anything. That being said, I think absorbing to density increase is a good idea. It's just that the maximum might be a bit high for the campaign.

~Gabriel

Fedifensor · February 28, 2009

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

I'm not going to make a habit of copying Hero Central posts over to this thread, but since this is the first public post for the characters in the Silverstone game, I thought I'd share it with everyone. It's taken about a week to get all the characters in the right spot for this, and I hope the payoff is worth it.

The Second Coming

Lex Stevens, the anchorman for Channel 8 news (the only local newscast on television at 2:45 in the afternoon) turns to the screen and says, "And now, a special report from Channel 8's news reporter, Bruce Dolan. Bruce?"

Bruce Dolan appears on the screen, apparently standing in a hallway. "Good afternoon, Lex. I'm reporting to you from North Hollow Medical Center, where we have an exclusive interview opportunity. Nearly a year ago, the founder of the Prime Interdiction Taskforce, also known as PIT, resigned her position and went into the private sector. Beth McIntyre's quick rise to prominence, first at the CIA and then with PIT, is highly classified and little information is available. During her tenure, many controversial decisions were made...none moreso than the execution of the supervillain Hiroshima. Today is the anniversary of Hiroshima's death, and thanks to dilligent investigation we have discovered that Beth McIntyre now resides in Silverstone. She is at North Hollow today to see Dr. Rosenthal, a noted expert on nerve and spinal damage. As you may recall, her right leg was crippled after the PIT offices were attacked by Hiroshima in 1990. Today, we hope to find out more about why she left PIT, and if she feels responsible for the destruction of the government lab that was tasked with carrying out Hiroshima's death sentence."

Bruce turns and heads down a hallway, past a few doors, and into a large waiting room. Several people look up in various states of surprise and alarm, and the camera swivels to home in on Beth McIntyre. As the camera shifts, you get a brief look at the others in the room - two men in business suits (one with a Blackberry), an Oriental man peeking out from behind a newspaper, a father who is startled out of sleep, sitting up in his chair as his two children look to him. Sitting next to Beth is a woman in a wheelchair, holding a magazine on gardening as she looks up in surprise. Next to the woman in the wheelchair is another middle-aged woman, who appears to have been talking to Beth before the camera appeared. Beth looks up, and the mike picks up her instinctive reaction upon seeing Bruce Dolan and the camera. "Oh, $&!^..."

Beth McIntyre is a woman in her 50's, a cane laying on the empty seat next to her. The cameraman focuses tightly on Beth's face, ignoring the others in the room. Bruce Dolan moves up next to his cameraman, and immediately starts the impromptu interview. "Ms. McIntyre, this is Bruce Dolan with Channel 8 news. Today is the anniversary of Hiroshima's death, and we are responding to a Newsline 8 tip about you. Can you tell us your thoughts about that dark day?"

Beth appears torn for a moment, but decides to go the diplomatic route. "Certainly, Bruce. Hiroshima was the greatest threat the United States has ever faced. Even during the Cold War, calmer heads could prevail, but Hiroshima was blinded by an obsessive quest for vengeance. Despite the bombing of Hiroshima having taken place 40 years before Hiroshima's first appearance, he persisted in blaming individuals who weren't even in politics when the incident occurred. He was tried and convicted of multiple counts of murder, including the murders of a US Senator and one of the Joint Chiefs. Because of his...unique powers, special equipment was required to carry out the court-mandated death penalty. Regretably, Hiroshima's death released all the stored energy in his cells to catastrophic effect, destroying the facility and killing many patriotic men and women. While the loss of life was unfortunate, I remain convinced that had he lived, he would have escaped even the restraining cells at the Metahuman Prisoner Lockdown Facility, and killed far more than those who lost their life that day."

Bruce Dolan replies immediately to Beth's words. "Little public information has been released about the specifics of the execution, and I imagine you'll tell me those details are a matter of national security. However, our Newsline 8 tipster states that the execution device required a final approval from the central PIT facility to activate. Tell me...were you the one that gave the final approval?" Beth looks at Bruce Dolan in surprise, and there is pain in her eyes. A long pause occurs, then she says, quietly. "Yes."

The reporter, like a lion pouncing on its prey, quickly adds, "Which means you're responsible for the death of over 100 people...who went through with the execution because your agency assured them it was safe. Was it the guilt over those deaths that drove you to help design the Good Samaritan act, a Constitutional Amendment that turns over much of the enforcement of Prime criminal activities to unlicensed individuals who dress up in outlandish costumes? An Amendment that hamstrings our legal system to this day?"

While Bruce Dolan has always been hard on Primes...he's an investigative reporter who's hard on everyone. It could be that he has a grudge against Primes. More likely, however, his words have simply been chosen for the maximum effect upon his target, and his style has shifted to become more interrogation than interview.

Beth is about to reply, her face heated, where there is a commotion in the hall. Two Oriental men, apparently Japanese, throw a third man into a nearby stairwell, and a loud bang can be heard as one of the Japanese men kicks and bends the doorknob. The two thugs then rush in at two individuals in business suits, quickly grappling and subduing them. Two other thugs are at the doorway, guarding it. The cameraman turns around to catch the action just as another individual walks through the door. He is wearing a trenchcoat (with the collar turned up) and a hat. He turns toward the far wall as he enters, but a white face mask can briefly be seen.

The man in the trenchcoat speaks. Though he has a Japanese accent, his English is perfect. "America never changes. You believe the world can simply be bought with your immense wealth, that your so-called democratic rule is the only way a nation should be governed. Even today, your troops occupy many foreign lands, because force is the only language you know. And you still believe that the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people from the atomic bombs dropped on Japan over 60 years ago were justified...that it was the only way. When Hiroshima came to your land to teach you the error of your ways, you could not bear the shame of your past sins that he brought to light. It drove you to convict him of crimes against your nation, instead of realizing that his only crime was giving a voice to the fallen. And you, Beth McIntyre, were the instrument of his destruction, the only one I am able to reach."

Suddenly, a corona of energy radiates from the figure, burning off the outer layer of his clothes, and revealing a white bodysuit. "The others will have to wait. You, however, will pay for what you have done. I have given you the opportunity to confess your crime...your entire nation will hear the words you have spoken. But while you have killed a great man, you have not killed his legacy. All you have done is delay the inevitable. Behold, America..." The figure turns, and a distinctive rising sun logo can be seen on his chest. The corona of energy about his form is now clearly recognizable, and several in the room gasp in fear.

"...Hiroshima has returned."

Fabricati · February 28, 2009

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

....

.....

Oh, gag me with a spoon. Application withdrawn.

I mean, really, you expect me to take a speech like that seriously?

Stochastic · February 28, 2009

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

....

.....

Oh, gag me with a spoon. Application withdrawn.

I mean, really, you expect me to take a speech like that seriously?

Eh? Whatcha mean? The Hiroshima thing? I thought it was pretty cool.

Stochastic · February 28, 2009

Re: Catalyst: A Champions campaign on Hero Central

Eric Krieg

Player: Revision 4

Val Char Cost

25/55 STR 15

18 DEX 24

18 CON 16

18 BODY 16

13 INT 3

14 EGO 8

18 PRE 8

16 COM 3

5/31 PD 0

4/30 ED 0

4 SPD 12

16 REC 14

64 END 14

40 STUN 0

11" RUN 0

2" SWIM 0

5"/11" LEAP 0

Characteristics Cost: 133

Cost Power

30 Psychokinetic Barrier: Armor (10 PD/10 ED)

35 Instinctive Psychokinetic Field: Life Support (Immunity All terrestrial poisons and chemical warfare agents; Immunity: All terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents; Longevity: Immortal; Self-Contained Breathing)

13 Instinctive Psychogenic Field: Healing 1 BODY, Can Heal Limbs, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (30 Active Points); Extra Time (Regeneration-Only) 1 Turn (Post-Segment 12) (-1 1/4)

6 Psychokinetic Inversion Field: Absorption 1d6 (physical, Critical Mass), Can Absorb Maximum Of 11 Points' Worth Of Physical Damage, Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per Minute; +1/4) (9 Active Points); Visible (-1/4), Costs Endurance (Only Costs END to Activate; -1/4) [Notes: Red sparks around body, emenating from the source of the impact, as Inversion absorbs.]

6 Psychogenic Inversion Field: Absorption 1d6 (energy, Critical Mass), Can Absorb Maximum Of 11 Points' Worth Of Energy Damage, Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per Minute; +1/4) (9 Active Points); Costs Endurance (Only Costs END to Activate; -1/4), Visible (-1/4) [Notes: Red sparks around body, emenating from the source of the impact, as Inversion absorbs.]

15 Kinetic Field Control: Elemental Control, 30-point powers

15 1) Psychogenic Shield: Force Field (10 PD/10 ED/5 Mental Defense/5 Power Defense) (30 Active Points) [Notes: With Full Psychogenic Shield {PD 25(20r), ED 24 (20r) 3 END / Phase, 12 end / Turn}]

15 2) Critical Mass: Density Increase (4,200 kg mass, +30 STR, +6 PD/ED, -6" KB) (30 Active Points) [Notes: At Base Critical Mass {Strength 55/ PD 31(10r)/ ED 30(10r), 3 END/ Phase, 12 END / Turn}]

15 3) Psychokinetic Amplification: Running +5" (11" total), x32 Noncombat (30 Active Points)

0 Mock Full Power Critical Mass: Density Increase (67,600 kg mass, +50 STR, +10 PD/ED, -10" KB), Custom Adder [Notes: At Full Critical Mass. [strength 75/ PD 25 (10r) / ED 24 (10r), 5 end / Phase 20 end / Turn]]

0 Total Defense Power: Custom Power [Notes: With Full Power Critical Mass and Psychogenic Field [strength 75/ PD 35 (20r) / ED 34 (20r), 8 end / Phase 32 end / Turn]]

Powers Cost: 150

Cost Skill

3 Bureaucratics 13-

3 Climbing 13-

5 +1 with HTH Combat

3 Conversation 13-

3 Electronics 12-

3 Gambling 12-

3 Hoist 12-

3 Linguist

3 1) Language: English (idiomatic) (4 Active Points)

3 2) Language: French (idiomatic) (4 Active Points)

0 3) Language: German (idiomatic) (4 Active Points)

3 4) Language: Italian (idiomatic) (4 Active Points)

3 5) Language: Portugese (idiomatic) (4 Active Points)

3 6) Language: Spanish (idiomatic) (4 Active Points)

3 Oratory 13-

3 Paramedics 12-

3 Persuasion 13-

7 PS: Interpreter 16-

3 SS: Linguistics 12-

Skills Cost: 60

Cost Perk

2 Deep Cover

1 Fringe Benefit: License to practice a profession [Notes: Licensed Interpreter]

2 Money: Well Off [Notes: Upper-Middle Class Income]

Perks Cost: 5

Total Character Cost: 348