Making a Strange Character hmmm

[Basic204]

I was sitting down and looking through images for super characters. I got an Idea for the Image below

 

Most people looking at this image would think she is brick. I started thinking what if she is immortal. Can't Die, Has Healing powers but every time she uses her healing powers it causes everyone who knows her and every scrap of evidence that shows she exists just blanks. Also some times for no reason it happens. 

 

Thinking of putting another power on top but can't think of one yet thinking maybe something like she can project a type of light bolt at enemies 

 

I'm thinking she has these powers because she is in existence because of a paradox. That causes her to exist when she should not.

 

How would I make a power that erases the memory of everything about the character every time she heals some one happen ? Also thinking the light bolt is just a projection of the raw energy of the paradox surrounding her  she lets lose. Also Healing she is causing the energy's of the paradox to heal some one. 

[SirViss]

When altering huge swath of reality is indicated (...it causes everyone who knows her and every scrap of evidence that shows she exists just blanks...) it easier to think that she "travels" to another dimesion where those conditions exist instead of trying to use a MASSIVE Tranform to have reality conform to the end result. Thus look up Extra-Dimensional Movement.  It would take her to a dimensional where she "doesn't exist." Either make it Uncontrolled so the GM can judge when it happens or put it on a Trigger to say it happens whenever X occurs, and voila.

 

I hope that covers what you were thinking.

[death tribble]

The people one might be possible via a Mind Control Damage shield. Only if she has used healing power only versus those who know her.

Possible again with the transformation attack, only versus any information about her and linked to whether she has used the healing.

 

Because extra dimensional movement each time would be a royal pain for the GM

[Basic204]

I was thinking of using some kind of Mind Control or Mind Blast or maybe transform happens everywhere but being this is such a huge negative for her it should be pretty cheap because se can't keep money in a bank or things in a deposit box or a facebook page or contact with friends. 

[Greywind]

You're suggesting disads/complications. Those won't reduce the cost of the power.

[Steve]

Since this is a massive downside to the healing power, I'd probably go with the heaviest form of Side Effect you can get and call it a day.

 

Oddly, it reminds me of the movie Memento, only affecting everyone else but the character.

[Philip Nicholls]

I agree grey wind these are complications not power modifiers.

[Rebar]

It can be pretty useful to have everyone forget you.

 

How about an INT Drain - only memories of character (-4?) area effect, megascale.

[Tasha]

Invisibility no Fringe Effect. PC just wasn't there. Can be targeted as long as anyone is in LOS.

 

Also, this isn't much of a Superhero. They would make a great NPC that the GM writes stories about the person as they go insane as no one can see them and remember them.

[Greywind]

Don't we have one of those in The Mutant File?

[wick]

I was thinking it was a disadvantage but I would say the expensive side effect is good too, It may even be multiple complications. Perpetually homeless,  unable to form lasting relationships, a strange amnesia only affecting others, etc...  You could build all of her disadvantages around this effect.  But mainly it is a special effect and really does not need to be bought as a power to simulate (i.e. no need for INT drains, or extra dimensional movement, etc). Overall a big pan in the butt  especially for a character compared to the small advantage of being anonymous.

 

One problem would be maintaining group cohesiveness with a character that is often forgotten. Not as bad if the character is solo after all you don't have to keep explaining who you are to your teammates Mustard Man and Kangaroo Girl.

[Tasha]

A character like that would be like living in total isolation. You could talk to people, but they would instantly forget you. Human beings NEED a certain amount of social activity. Without it we start to go insane. A character with that power always on would have no life, no nothing. The character would be sad not epic. I can swear that either on Heroes or perhaps Alphas there was a Woman with this kind of power. The went a little insane from the lack of attention. Tried to assassinate a government official to get someone to notice her.

[Greywind]

That was in The Mutant File, Tasha.

[Steve]

Wasn't the character's name Plain Jane?

[drunkonduty]

Had a character with something like this in a game I was running.

 

He didn't disappear from people's memories but any physical or digital records of him vanished over a period of a few days. IIRC the power was bought as a 1d6, continuous, always on, takes extra time, double penetrating, megascale (the whole planet) transformation.

 

And yes, it did mean the character could not have bank accounts, a social security number, a home, etc. He was actually a pretty good character but he didn't work well in a team.

[Tasha]

That was in The Mutant File, Tasha.

That might be so, but I also Remember Live footage of something similar. I have a good imagination, but usually not that good.

[The Weapon]

A character like that would be like living in total isolation. You could talk to people, but they would instantly forget you. Human beings NEED a certain amount of social activity. Without it we start to go insane. A character with that power always on would have no life, no nothing. The character would be sad not epic. I can swear that either on Heroes or perhaps Alphas there was a Woman with this kind of power. The went a little insane from the lack of attention. Tried to assassinate a government official to get someone to notice her.

 

She's only forgotten when she uses her healing powers or "sometimes when it happens for no reason".  Depending on how long "sometimes" is she could go decades without anyone forgetting her.  So as long as she can go for years without using healing (at the cost of how many lives?) she could have a normal social life.  Until of course someone realizes, "Hey you've got to be over 60 years old, why don't you have wrinkles?" and then it's heal someone, turn up in town again with gold (or later cash), and start a new business.  If necessary introduce yourself as someone's relative who lives far away/is thought to be dead.  After all if she wasn't who she said she was, how would she know so much about you?

 

So where does she get the gold?  Well obviously the rise of banking has been a great boon to her, she's been skipping out on loans for years, maybe centuries.  She's also a great spy/police informant.  She only has to get the information, not conceal the fact that she's the one that got it.  Just deliver the proof, let her employer us it, then after a few months heal someone.  The guys who know she betrayed them forget all about it.  She starts again, knowing even more about the organisation she's trying to penetrate.  Consider how much money was in the average weekly payment to Al Capone.  Grab those a few times, get forgotten and you're set for life.  

 

A sort of social life would be possible, particularly as it would be easy to reestablish relationships (since you know how they react and what sort of person they like).  Oh and they don't remember how she screwed them over last time they knew her.  

[Tasha]

She's only forgotten when she uses her healing powers or "sometimes when it happens for no reason".  Depending on how long "sometimes" is she could go decades without anyone forgetting her.  So as long as she can go for years without using healing (at the cost of how many lives?) she could have a normal social life.  Until of course someone realizes, "Hey you've got to be over 60 years old, why don't you have wrinkles?" and then it's heal someone, turn up in town again with gold (or later cash), and start a new business.  If necessary introduce yourself as someone's relative who lives far away/is thought to be dead.  After all if she wasn't who she said she was, how would she know so much about you?

 

So where does she get the gold?  Well obviously the rise of banking has been a great boon to her, she's been skipping out on loans for years, maybe centuries.  She's also a great spy/police informant.  She only has to get the information, not conceal the fact that she's the one that got it.  Just deliver the proof, let her employer us it, then after a few months heal someone.  The guys who know she betrayed them forget all about it.  She starts again, knowing even more about the organisation she's trying to penetrate.  Consider how much money was in the average weekly payment to Al Capone.  Grab those a few times, get forgotten and you're set for life.  

 

A sort of social life would be possible, particularly as it would be easy to reestablish relationships (since you know how they react and what sort of person they like).  Oh and they don't remember how she screwed them over last time they knew her.  

If this is just the regular forgotten like the OP. then the Age of Surveillance is just hell for her. They may forget the woman who robbed their bank, but she's on camera. Eventually someone is going to figure out what she does and she will have a trial with her at a remote site in a room with a camera. People will monitor her and she will sit and watch her trial and her incarceration. In Prison she dare not use her powers or she may just starve.

[The Weapon]

If this is just the regular forgotten like the OP. then the Age of Surveillance is just hell for her. They may forget the woman who robbed their bank, but she's on camera. Eventually someone is going to figure out what she does and she will have a trial with her at a remote site in a room with a camera. People will monitor her and she will sit and watch her trial and her incarceration. In Prison she dare not use her powers or she may just starve.

From the OP "and every scrap of evidence that shows she exists just blanks".

Of course that means she has to buy a lot of fake IDs and pay people a lot of money to make "legends" (spy speak for backstory of a cover identity).  

[Greywind]

Sooner or later, she'll run into someone that is immune to her power. And it probably won't be a friend.

[Cassandra]

Transformation [Minor] Erases Images and Data regarding her, only against recording devices and computers, linked to Healing 

No conscious Control

 

Tranformation [Minor] Erase Memory of her, Linked to Healing, No Conscious Control

 

Both are expensive but that is reduced by the fact that she had no ability to prevent her memory from being erased.  If she likes someone she just has to meet them all over again

 

She would have Superhuman STR, Healing: Regeneration, and LS: Immunity [Disease], Longevity [immortal]

 

Paradox would be a good code name for her.  Real name Pandora Box, and played by Jeri Ryan.

[DusterBoy]

Couldn't "Change Environment" with the applicable modifiers be used for this?

 

Or, try this from one of Killer Shrike's characters whose power works

    1)   Mystic Anonymity:  Major Transform 1d6 (Remove All Memory Of The Magus Maximus, Meeting Lord Arcane Again), Selective (+1/4), Personal Immunity (+1/4), Inherent (+1/4), Partial Transform (+1/2), AOE (One Hex; +1/2), Uncontrolled (+1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Affects Desol Any form of Desolidification (+1/2), Continuous (+1), BOECV (Mental Defense applies; +1), IPE, Hide effects of Power (Fully Invisible; +2), MegaScale (The Entire Dimension; +5), Penetrating (x10; +5) (281 Active Points)

Notes: Without constant exposure to the Magus Maximus, memory of his existance and role in events fades away.

0     2)   Mystic Anonymity:  Major Transform 1d6 (Remove All Record Of The Magus Maximus, Countermagic), Personal Immunity (+1/4), Inherent (+1/4), Partial Transform (+1/2), AOE (One Hex; +1/2), Uncontrolled (+1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Affects Desol Any form of Desolidification (+1/2), Continuous (+1), IPE, Hide effects of Power (Fully Invisible; +1), MegaScale (The Entire Dimension; +5), Penetrating (x10; +5) (247 Active Points)

Notes: All physical records of the Magus Maximus existance are erased / altered to conceal his existance and role in events.

Admittedly, doing it this way gets really pricey really fast.

[Lucius]

I know a made a character like this once. Now where did I put it?

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary doesn't remember

[Lucius]

Here it is, but it's 5th edition

Phantom

Val Char Cost Roll Notes

15 STR 5 12- Lift 200.0kg; 3d6 [1]

18 DEX 24 13- OCV: 6/DCV: 6

13 CON 6 12-

10 BODY 0 11-

18 INT 8 13- PER Roll 13-

14 EGO 8 12- ECV: 5

20 PRE 10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6

6 COM -2 10-

 

4 PD 1 Total: 4 PD (0 rPD)

4 ED 1 Total: 4 ED (0 rED)

4 SPD 12 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12

6 REC 0

26 END 0

26 STUN 1

Total Characteristic Cost: 70

 

Movement:

Running: 5"/10"

Leaping: 2"/4"

Swimming: 1"/2"

Swinging: 3"/24"

Teleportation: 7"/14"

 

Cost Powers END

57 No such person.: Mind Control 6d6, Personal Immunity (+1/4), Telepathic (+1/4), Area Of Effect (One Hex; +1/2), Invisible Power Effects (Fully Invisible; +1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2), MegaScale (1" = 100 km; +3/4), Cumulative (144 points; +1), Continuous (+1) (187 Active Points); Always On (-1/2), No Range (-1/2), Set Effects: Only commands like "Ignore me" "Forget me" "Destroy evidence of my existence" etc. (-1/2), Does Not Provide Mental Awareness (-1/4), Gradual Effect (1 Turn (Post-Segment 12); -1/4), Mandatory Effect EGO +10 (-1/4)

 

7 Mental Defense (10 points total)

 

25 Luck (Usually takes the form of people looking the other way, detectives losing evidence or overlooking clues, etc.) 5d6

 

14 I wasn't there: +5 with DCV (25 Active Points); Costs Endurance (-1/2), Limited Power Not Vs. mindless things like automata (-1/4) 2

 

3 The subtle effects of his power have long range.: Anonymity

 

12 You don't really want to hurt me.....: Combat Luck (6 PD/6 ED)

 

21 Danger Sense (self only, any danger, Discriminatory (Specifically to tell if it's an Area Effect Attack), Function as a Sense) (32 Active Points); Limited Power Psionic: only for intentional dangers posed by people with thinking minds (-1/2) 13-

 

11 I'm not there: Teleportation 7", Position Shift, Trigger (Activating the Trigger is an Action that takes no time, Trigger requires a Half Phase Action to reset, Character does not control activation of personal Trigger; Danger Sense detects an Area Effect Attack; +1/4) (24 Active Points); No Conscious Control (Only Effects cannot be controlled; -1), Must Pass Through Intervening Space (-1/4) 2 Notes: He was never really where you thought he was....

 

10 I knew that was coming: Defense Maneuver I-IV

 

7 +2 with interaction skills (10 Active Points); Costs Endurance (Only Costs END to Activate; -1/4), Limited Power Not effective against characters with 10 or higher Mental Defense (-1/4) 1

 

2 Swinging 3", x8 Noncombat (13 Active Points); Requires A Climbing Skill Roll (RSR Skill is subject to Skill vs. Skill contests & Situational Modifiers, Must make roll again for every arc; -1 1/4), OAF (-1), Limited Power Must stop after each arc to detach grapnel, and cast it again (-1), Extra Time (Extra Phase, One phase to throw grapple and check it's secure, one phase to swing.; -3/4), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4) 1

 

Perks

3 False Identity ((several))

3 Contact: Major Mentalist or Occult Villain (Contact has significant Contacts of his own, Contact has very useful Skills or resources, Contact is blackmailing the character) 11-

1 Money: Well Off (Being rich is less useful than you think, if no one remembers who you are.)

2 Bases (Hide outs, bolt holes, and safe houses)

 

Skills

International Jewel Thief

3 1) Climbing 13-

3 2) Stealth 13-

3 3) Concealment 13-

3 4) Shadowing 13-

3 5) Breakfall 13-

3 6) Acrobatics 13-

3 7) Lockpicking 13-

3 8) Sleight Of Hand 13-

3 9) Security Systems 13-

3 10) Electronics 13-

3 11) Acting 13-

3 12) Disguise 13-

2 13) Computer Programming (Security Systems) 13-

3 14) Streetwise 13-

3 15) Contortionist 13-

3 16) High Society 13-

2 17) Forgery (Documents) 13-

3 18) Seduction 13-

3 19) Trading 13-

3 20) Combat Driving 13-

3 PS: Appraise Jewelry 13-

0 PS: International Jewel Thief (everyman profession) 13-

3 Linguist

0 1) Native: Language: English (imitate dialects)

2 2) Language: French (idiomatic)

2 3) Language: German (idiomatic)

2 4) Language: Italian (idiomatic)

0 5) Language: Yiddish (fluent conversation)

3 Traveler

1 1) AK: Germany (2 Active Points) 11-

1 2) AK: Great Britain (2 Active Points) 11-

1 3) AK: New England (2 Active Points) 11-

1 4) AK: Western Europe (2 Active Points) 11-

1 5) CuK: European cultures (2 Active Points) 11-

 

Total Powers & Skill Cost: 256 Total Cost: 326

 

200+ Disadvantages

20 Normal Characteristic Maxima

5 Age: 40+

15 Hunted: Major Mentalist or Occult Villain 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Watching)

10 Social Limitation: Person without a past - no one knows him, no documentation except forgeries, etc. (Occasionally, Major)

5 Hunted (somewhat ineffectively): Law Enforcement agencies who don't know who they're really looking for. But sometimes a dogged investigator comes too close for comfort.... 8- (As Pow, Character is very hard to find., Capture)

10 Psychological Limitation: Loner (Common, Moderate)

5 Social Limitation: Harmful Secret: Is actually an international jewel thief (Occasionally, Major, Not Limiting Among Criminals)

10 Psychological Limitation: Resents the villain who is blackmailing him. (Common, Moderate)

46 Experience Points (4 points unspent)

Total Disadvantage Points: 326

 

Background/History: Anton Sophiony had always been a very successful criminal, eventually specializing in stealing that most concentrated and portable form of wealth, gems and jewelry. He knew he was good, and he knew he was lucky. But in other ways, unlucky. Partners might stick around for one job, but eventually drifted off. He faded into the crowd, easily overlooked - useful for getaways, but annoying when trying to get service in a restaurant or store. And he had a good reason not to trust banks - he's lost track of how much money he's lost because when he returned, they had no record of his account and tellers denied ever seeing him before. He now keeps money in safe deposit boxes - show up with the key and you can usually get to your money. It was when he finally decided to retire that life got really strange....what do you do when you buy a house and then next week the real estate agent is showing it to someone else and doesn't remember that you bought it already? Then things got worse. An arrogant egoist with the power to back up his pretensions shows up to tell him what he already knew but did not want to admit - his success was largely due to his own unconscious psychic powers. He couldn't read minds, exactly, nor make someone do what he wanted, but his awareness and influence on the psychic plane was pervasive - and only someone with a powerful or well defended mind could resist the compulsion to deny his existence. Just his luck that the one person who does not find him totally forgettable, is a cunning villain who carefully assembled all the evidence needed to prove that Anton Sophiony, the man nobody knows, is really the mysterious Phantom, the thief no one ever saw, let alone caught....and now the "invisible jewel thief" becomes the invisible pawn in a game not of his choosing.....

 

Quote: I was never here. I was never anywhere. I am nowhere now.

 

Campaign Use: Pawn of a master villain

 

Appearance: Who knows. I certainly don't remember what he looks like.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Copyright Palindromedary Enterprises
 

[wick]

I think the big difference as to this being just a hosts of disadvantages or bought as a power comes to how its used and does it give a direct advantage.  It could also be a combo.  The Phantom ( or the Korean copyright knockoff the Phrantom ) seems to use his memory erase more as a power. In the Op's post it just seems to be a set of disadvantages mainly. I do like anonymity bought as a power linked to Healing to represent the positive aspects of the memory loss, which should really cover the benefits. The Anonymity should cost more than 3 but I am not sure how much.