Crikey! It's Steve Irwin for Champions!

[Kevin Scrivner]

Watching the movie "Crocodile Hunter" last night reminded me of the web comic somebody posted "Steve Irwin Meets Cthulhu." It occurred to me that Irwin could easily replace Jimmy Dugan as the NPC normal heroes love to hate, if anyone who cuddles venemous snakes for a living can be considered "normal." Imagine. Your Friendly Neighborhood Heroes are about to put some smackdown on those pesky alien invaders or Elder Gods when HE shows up to rescue the poor victimized brutes.

 

Here's what I've got so far. Let me know what you think.

 

200+ Disadvantages

 

20 Psychological Limitation: Code vs. Killing Animals, common, total

20 Psychological Limitation: Must Get Up Close and Personal with Vicious, Venomous, Predatory Creatures

15 Enraged 11- When Animals Harmed, Recover 14-, common circumstance

20 Hunted 11-: Poachers, more powerful

10 Watched 11-: Various International Governments (They Think He's A Spy), more powerful

15 Distinctive Features: Always Wears Khaki Bush Shirt and Shorts, not concealable, always noticed

10 Reputation 11-: Crazy Aussie Naturalist

10 Social Limitation: Famous, frequent, minor

5 DNPC 8-: Wife, normal, useful skills

 

Cost Powers END/Roll

 

"I've Been Doing This Since I Was A Child. Don't Try It At Home."

30 Luck 6D6

xx Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant

xx Lightning Reflexes (to avoid getting bitten)

xx "Animal Empathy," Telepathy 10D6, -1 limit Only vs. Non-Human Biological Species (Animals)

[The Watcher]

Of course, he doesn't have to stay "normal." There is the always classic radioactive animal bite origin.

 

Or considering Steve's habits, the opportunity for several radiocative animal bites in the course of his career.

[Twilight]

Considering Steve's skill at outwrestling saltwater crocidiles, dodging the bites of all sorts of quick striking animals and essentially staying alive when other folk would've been reptile chow I'd hardly say those poachers were more powerful then Steve-O.

 

Also you forgot the +30 PRE; only for maintaining his smile in any and all situations.

[Supreme Serpent]

One of our campaigns had him turning into a superpowered snake-monster. Curt Connors meets Steve Irwin.

[BobGreenwade]

Gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous.

 

The Animal Empathy should also not work against birds. They just don't like him -- especially cockatiels (with one individual exception).

 

I think I'd raise the Luck to around 10d6, but make it work only versus animals -- the one thing that almost killed Steve was a highly toxic tree.

 

Terri is just as competent as Steve, so I'd drop her as a DNPC and put their daughter, Bindy, in the same place. I'm not sure about the dog, Suey, though.

 

Drop the Hunted by Poachers, or at least to 8-; I've not seen the movie, but Steve has never run afoul of them on the TV show.

 

Lots of extra PRE, with a "Defensive Only" Limitation, would also be fitting.

[Brandi]

I've always thought Steve Irwin would make a hell of a CoC investigator myself...

 

(Of course, I also thought Stevo's basic overenthusiasm was just the way Seeker ought to be played.)

[lemming]

Well, I was going to say Combat Luck, but he doesn't have to be really aware of the threat before hand.

 

I just remember the time he's in the back of the jeep and the camera man is facing forward, we're chasing some beasite. There's a thunk noise and Terry and the camara guy turn around and Steve is nowhere to be seen.

He got clocked by a tree branch and knocked out of the jeep, but just seemed a little dazed when they went back to pick him up.

[BobGreenwade]

Mark's right -- Steve would definitely have a high CON, and probably some good PD too. And be sure to crank the END well beyond normal human maximum, with Physical Limitation: Naturally Caffeinated.

 

And don't forget the mild Psychological Limitation: Fascinated By Wild Animal Poop.

[Twilight]

Originally posted by BobGreenwade

Mark's right -- Steve would definitely have a high CON, and probably some good PD too. And be sure to crank the END well beyond normal human maximum, with Physical Limitation: Naturally Caffeinated.

 

And don't forget the mild Psychological Limitation: Fascinated By Wild Animal Poop.

 

That'd be more of a quirk then a Psych Lim. I doubt checking animal poop would be a consideration if a croc was trying to bit his head off or something. However, from what I've seen of the show he's probably got a 25% Damage Reduction amd a fairly high STR as well as crocs are tough buggers.

 

As for Terri and Suey, I'd say they'd be followers. Terri would be built on almost as many points as Steve.

[assault]

Originally posted by Brandi

(Of course, I also thought Stevo's basic overenthusiasm was just the way Seeker ought to be played.)

 

Ixnay on the Eekersay...

 

If Steve is the Secret ID, his heroic identity could be quite scary. Say, something like an Australian Ninja...

 

Hmm. How about this? An Australian naturalist/crazy gets roped in to play Seeker in a fictionalised film about the Champions. Foxbat mistakes him for the real thing.

 

Does anyone recall the DC character Blue Devil? He was a stunt man in a devil suit who got mistaken for the real thing and magically zapped by an interdimensional critter. He later turned out to be a weirdness magnet. It was quite a fun little series.

 

Steve could have a bit of that going on.

 

If you get bored, you could stick a bit of Crocodile Dundee into the mix. Failing that, do a Google search on: Jackaroo Cyclone Comics.

 

The Jackaroo is a non-powered Australian character with a "bush" feel.

 

Alan

[Hermit]

"Crikey, it's Grond! Now, I'm going to sneak up on him, and you have to be reeeal careful about his arms, or SNAP, he'l yank you up just like that."

[Hermit]

Originally posted by assault

Does anyone recall the DC character Blue Devil? He was a stunt man in a devil suit who got mistaken for the real thing and magically zapped by an interdimensional critter. He later turned out to be a weirdness magnet. It was quite a fun little series.

 

One of my favorite DC heroes, ever. I loved that series, at least the first two years of it.

[Rage]

Re: Crikey! It's Steve Irwin for Champions!

 

Originally posted by Kevin Scrivner

20 Psychological Limitation: Code vs. Killing Animals, common, total

 

BLAM BLAM BLAM

Crickey I think I hit Killer croc and Cat woman.... Im strangley confused

[Watchdog]

Croc Hunter has been a character in our Can of Whupass event at Gencon the past two years. I won't go through all the stats, but here are some highlights:

 

Dangerous animals multipower, 0 END, side effects (takes damage from attack if he fails an animal handling roll)

 

u - A charging rhino! EB vs PD

u - A school of piranha! RKA autofire

u - A vicious crocodile! HKA, no STR bonus or KB

u - A big python! NND (life support, no breathing), continuous

u - A poisonous spider! drain vs COn & STUN

 

Some of his disadvantages:

 

Hunted by PETA 14-

Hunted by the spies who want what the crocodile...ate? (Hell, we're still not sure what the plot of the movies was) 14-

Psych Lim. Really, REALLY loves his job

Psych Lim. Always talks to the "camera", even when none are around.

Psych Lim. Indifferent to bipedal mammals

Rivalry: Manimal (Croc Dundee was too obvious)

[Kevin Scrivner]

I wondered if Irwin might have some type of Entangle since he always seems to have plenty of rope or straps or bags to restrain wildlife with. Or would you simply give him WF: Lasso and some skill levels?

[Kevin Scrivner]

Write-up so far

 

Cost Powers END/Roll

 

"I've Been Doing This Since I Was A Child. Don't Try It At Home."

25 Luck 10D6, -1 limit Only When Dealing With Animals

30 Physical Damage Reduction 50%, Resistant

15 +10 Lightning Reflexes (to avoid getting bitten)

25 "Animal Empathy," Telepathy 10D6, -1 limit Only vs. Non-Human Biological Species (Animals), 5 END

 

Cost Skills, Talents, Perks Roll

 

"Croc Wrestling" Maneuvers

4 Martial Dodge

4 Martial Escape

3 Martial Grab

3 Martial Throw

Boxing Maneuvers

4 Punch (Martial Strike)

4 Block (Martial Block)

 

xx Animal Handler

3 Breakfall

3 Climbing

3 Combat Driving xx-: Common Ground Vehicles, Small Motorized Boats

3 Concealment

2 KS: Reptiles

2 KS: Insects and Arthropods

2 Language:

3 Mechanics

3 Navigation

3 Oratory

3 Paramedics

2 PS: Naturalist

3 Riding

200+ Disadvantages

 

20 Psychological Limitation: Code vs. Killing Animals, common, total

20 Psychological Limitation: Must Get Up Close and Personal with Vicious, Venomous, Predatory Creatures

15 Enraged 11- When Animals Harmed, Recover 14-, common circumstance

10 Hunted 11-: Poachers, less powerful

10 Watched 11-: Various International Governments (They Think He's A Spy), more powerful

15 Distinctive Features: Always Wears Khaki Bush Shirt and Shorts, not concealable, always noticed

10 Reputation 11-: Crazy Aussie Naturalist

10 Social Limitation: Famous, frequent, minor

5 DNPC 8-: Daughter, normal, useful skills

1 Quirk: Disgustingly Cheerful In All Circumstances

1 Quirk: Can't Resist Examining Animal Droppings

[Chuckg]

Comments:

 

Well done, but shouldn't that be +3 DCV, not +10 Lightning Reflexes?

 

And the Telepathy Only vs. Animals is a -0 limitation in 5e... you just define the Telepathy working against the 'Animal' class of minds by default, instead of the 'Humanoid' class.

 

Not to mention that there's a new Talent in Fantasy Hero for this, but as I don't have my FH with me at present, can somebody else post it?

[BobGreenwade]

For the rope, I'd just give him a WF.

 

The Animal Empathy, as Chuck noted, would work versus the Animal class of minds simply as a matter of definition. I'd still give it a -1/4 Not Versus Birds Limitation.

 

And the Animal Handler skill should have every class of animal in it except birds -- with one individual exception, they just won't leave him be long enough to get any experience with them (especially cockatoos).

 

The DF should be Concealable With Effort. He actually has worn other garments, like a flight suit when he was taken up in an F-15 or a wetsuit when snorkeling. He did wear the Khakis to a formal party in NYC, though....

 

I wonder... would his problems with cockatoos be represented as a DF, a Hunted, a Social Limitation, or just a Quirk?

[AnotherSkip]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

on the birds id suggest a phisical limitation:cannot deal successfully with avians.

(because willpower has _nothing_ to do with it)

[Kevin Scrivner]

"Wouldja lookit those FANGS on Grond? Ain't he a beauty?"

 

OK, here's a more complete write-up based on YOUR suggestions. Still need help on Disads. He's 76 points in the hole.

 

Name: Steve Irwin, Crocodile Hunter

 

Val Char Cost

20 STR 10

18 DEX 24

25 CON 30

15 BODY 10

15 INT 5

18 EGO 16

30 PRE 20

16 COM 3

18 PD 14

5 ED

4 SPD 12

9 REC

50 END

38 STUN

 

Characteristic Rolls: STR: 13-, DEX: 13-, CON: 14-, INT: 12-, EGO: 13-, PER: 12-

Run: 13", Swim: 6", Jump: 4", Lift: 400 kg

 

Cost Powers END/Roll

 

"I've Been Doing This Since I Was A Child. Don't Try It At Home."

25 Luck 10D6, -1 limit Only When Dealing With Animals

30 Physical Damage Reduction 50%, Resistant

15 Talent: Lightning Reflexes +10 (Moves first to avoid getting bitten)

40 "Animal Empathy," Telepathy vs. Animal Minds 10D6, -1/4 limit Not vs. Avians, 5 END

20 +30 PRE, -1/2 limit, Defensive Only

14 Running +7" (Total 13")

4 Swimming +4" (Total 6")

 

Cost Skills, Talents, Perks Roll

 

"Croc Wrestling" Maneuvers

4 Martial Dodge

4 Martial Escape

3 Martial Grab

3 Martial Throw

Boxing Maneuvers

4 Punch (Martial Strike)

4 Block (Martial Block)

 

12 Animal Handler 15-: All Listed Types Except Birds and Raptors

3 Breakfall 13-

3 Climbing 13-

3 Combat Driving 13-: Common Ground Vehicles, Small Motorized Boats

3 Concealment 12-

2 KS: Reptiles 11-

2 KS: Insects and Arthropods 11-

2 KS: Showmanship 11-

2 Language:

3 Mechanics 12-

3 Navigation 12-

3 Oratory 15-

3 Paramedics 12-

2 PS: Naturalist 11-

3 Riding 13-

3 Science: Herpetology 12- (INT-based)

3 Science: Entomology 12- (INT-based)

2 Science: Zoology 11-

3 Stealth 13-

3 Tracking 12-

7 TF: Common Ground Vehicles, Small Motorized Boats, Riding Animals, Small Planes, SCUBA Gear

5 WF: Common Melee, Lasso, Small Arms

9 +3 with Lasso

 

200+ Disadvantages

 

20 Psychological Limitation: Code vs. Killing Animals, common, total

20 Psychological Limitation: Must Get Up Close and Personal with Vicious, Venomous, Predatory Creatures, very common, strong

10 Psychological Limitation: Always "On Camera," common, strong

15 Enraged 11- When Animals Harmed, Recover 14-, common circumstance

10 Hunted 11-: Poachers, less powerful

10 Watched 11-: Various International Governments (They Think He's A Spy), more powerful

10 Distinctive Features: Always Wears Khaki Bush Shirt and Shorts, concealable with effort, always noticed

10 Reputation 11-: Crazy Aussie Naturalist

10 Social Limitation: Famous, frequent, minor

5 DNPC 8-: Daughter, normal, useful skills

1 Quirk: Disgustingly Cheerful In All Circumstances

1 Quirk: Can't Resist Examining Animal Droppings

76 "My Dad Taught Me This When I Was A Child. Don't Try It At Home" Bonus

 

OCV: 6 (9 with Lasso); DCV: 6; ECV: 6; Mental Def.: 0; Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12

PD/rPD: 18/0 ; ED/rED: 5/0

 

Costs: Char.: 144 Disad.: 122

Powers: + 254 Base: + 200

Exp.: + 76

Total: = 398 Total: = 398

[BobGreenwade]

Something I hadn't picked up on before... Bindy (his DNPC daughter) should be Incompetent, without the Useful Skills. She's not literally without useful skills, but hey -- she's only five years old!

 

Also I think the thing with birds could be a Distinctive Feature: Not Concealable, Major Reaction, Small Group (10 points).

 

I'd back off a tad on the extra Running and Swimming, with only +3" to each. He's a naturist, not an Olympic athlete.

 

You could also reduce his PRE to 15, with the other +15 having a Limitations Defensive Only (-1) and Not Versus Humans Or Birds (-1)

 

As for any further extra points,

[Zed-F]

Crikey! That's a lot of points for a normal

 

This is all very well if you want a super-powered Steve.

 

In my game Steve Irwin would not be a super, but rather a skilled normal, probably built on 25+25 or 25+50 points. So what would he look like as a normal? Steve is a fairly rugged and charismatic fella but IMHO he's by no means Olympic-calibre material. After all, it's not like he's in constant training or anything; his croc wrestling experiences are cinematic but relatively occasional, and I would expect a well-trained soldier to outperform him when it came to a real combat situation. His physical stats are probably in the 13-15 range, depending on how good a rugby player you think he'd make. I wouldn't go higher than that; I doubt he's within the top few percent of the population as far as buffness goes. The reason he can do what he does is training, empathy, and devotion, not raw physical ability.

 

Let's try this...

 

Name: Steve Irwin, Crocodile Hunter

Val Char Cost
13  STR  3
14  DEX  12
13  CON  6
12  BODY 4
13  INT  3
10  EGO  0
13  PRE  3
14  COM  2
4   PD   1
3   ED   0
3   SPD  6
6   REC  0 
26  END  0 
26  STUN 0

Characteristic Rolls: STR: 12-, DEX: 12-, CON: 12-, INT: 12-, EGO: 11-, PRE: 12-
Run: 7", Swim: 3", Jump: 3", Lift: 150 kg

[u]Powers[/u]
7 Don't try this at home: Luck 3D6, Only When Dealing With Animals (-1)
5 Unfazed by Animals: +10 PRE, only vs. animals (-1)
2 Running +1" (Total 7")
1 Swimming +1" (Total 3")

[u]Skills, Talents, & Perks[/u]
6 Animal Handler 14- (Aquatics, Canines, Equines, Insects, Reptiles)
1 Breakfall 8-
2 PS: Naturalist 11-
3 Oratory 12-
2 Navigation 8- (Land, Marine)
2 SS: Zoology 11-
3 TF: Small Motorized Boats, Riding Animals
3 Tracking 12-
1 WF: Lasso
0 Everyman: Acting, Climbing, Concealment, Conversation, Deduction, Paramedics, 
           Persuasion, Shadowing, Stealth, TF: Small Ground Vehicles


25+ Disadvantages

15 Psychological Limitation: Fascinated by Animals (Common, Strong)
10 Psychological Limitation: Always "On Camera," (Common, Moderate)
10 Distinctive Features: Khaki Bush Shirt and Shorts (Concealable with effort, Noticed)
15 Reputation: Crazy Aussie Naturalist (14-)


Costs: Char 37 + Powers 15 + Skills 23 = 75
      Base 25 + Disads 50 + Exp    0  = 75
Total: 75

[AnotherSkip]

Hmmm Im not sure what you guys are thinking.

 

I would value every tv show equal to an adventure session(well yeah a minimal adventure worth minimum XP, but still).

 

so give the guy a break, hand out a few measly XP for a guy who has been bitten by more things than I care to think about.

 

heck he's probably tying Wonder Woman for film exposure in live action.

[Kevin Scrivner]

An Irwin for all campaigns

 

Zed-F's 75-point Steve Irwin is probably more like the real man, although I'd give him more STR so he can wrestle those crocs and more DEX so he can avoid snakebite. My version is based on Irwin's persona in the movie "Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course." I didn't expect it to balloon to superhero proportions but it does reflect his cinematic abilities.

[Zed-F]

I could see boosting his STR to 15, probably not more. I don't think he needs extra DEX, but you could give him a +1 DCV skill level (only when Dodging, -1) for 2 points. Probably I would take him down to 10 BOD to be able to afford that.