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TV characters you base game characters on.


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Name and describe a TV character you would like to base a RPG character on.

 

I'd go with Bobby Goren from "L&O criminal intent". I really liked him because he was a very good but flawed and troubled character. He had issues with schizophrenia and other inner demons which came along with his great intelligence. He was a mix of sherlock Holmes and columbo, with some real, serious issues like being generally asocial, schizophrenic and having rage issues. He also had hulking size which maybe kept him from being bullied too much as a kid. 

 

He was also apparently a "monster magnet" who attracted a lot of downright evil characters to him. Plus those close to him seemed to be tragedy magnets. He had a lot to carry and sometimes slipped but always had a strong moral code and empathy for victims.

 

A real flawed, tragic hero.

 

 

 

 

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     In a Star Wars game I once based a Y-wing commander on Tommy Lee Jones's portrayal of the Commander of Attack helicopters in the movie Fire Birds.   

    Texas drawl, cadence and word choice, stance,  mannerisms, the whole bit.  Very popular NPC, but that was less about the character than the actor.

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Nick Diamond had a lot of Robert B. Parker's Spenser in him. His dad Sam Diamond was based on Tony Rome from Lady in Cement, while his grandfather Blake Diamond was a mis-mash of many different PI characters ( he was originally a JI character).

 

Nick Diamond

Val      Char    Cost    Roll     Notes

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

17        DEX    21        12-       OCV:  6/DCV:  6

16        CON   12        12-

16        BODY 12        12-

13        INT      3          12-       PER Roll 13-

13        EGO    6          12-       ECV:  4

15        PRE     5          12-       PRE Attack:  3d6

14        COM   2          12-

5          PD       2          Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)

3          ED       0          Total:  3 ED (0 rED)

3          SPD     3          Phases:  4, 8, 12

7          REC     2

35        END    2

35        STUN  3          Total Characteristic Cost:  80

 

Movement:     Running:           7"/14"

            Leaping:           3"/6"

            Swimming:        2"/4"

 

Cost    Powers            END

3          Observant:  +1 PER with all Sense Groups

3          Quick Healing:  heals at twice normal rate

 

Martial Arts: The Sweet Art of Street Boxing

3          Right Cross                 +1        +0        6d6 Strike

5          Left Jab                       +1        +3        4d6 Strike

5          Kick in the Nuts          +1        -2         8d6 Strike

4          The trick is not            --         +5        Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort

            to let them tag you

4          +1 HTH Damage Class(es)

 

            Perks

7          Money:  Wealthy

6          Contact:  Lenny Seltzer - bookie (Contact has significant Contacts of his own, Contact has useful Skills or resources, Very Good relationship with Contact) 11-

4          Contact:  Race Witherspoon - gay fashion photographer (Contact has access to major institutions, Good relationship with Contact) 11-

1          Reputation:  Tough Guy (A small to medium sized group) 14-, +1/+1d6

20        Lincoln Monk:  Follower (30 Active Points); Activation Roll 14- (-1/2)

 

            Talents

5          Eidetic Memory

6          Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)

 

            Skills

3          Acting 12-

5          AK: Hudson City 14-

4          AK: Greater Miami 13-

4          AK: Mid Atlantic Coast 13-

3          Combat Driving 12-

2          Computer Programming (Personal Computers) 12-

3          Conversation * 12-

5          Criminology * 13-

3          Deduction * 12-

3          Fast Draw 12-

2          Gambling (Horse Racing) 12-

3          High Society 12-

2          KS: Current Affairs - Sports 11-

2          KS: Police Etiquette and Procedures 11-

0          Language:  English (idiomatic) (4 Active Points)

3          Language:  Spanish (completely fluent)

3          Lockpicking 12-

2          PS: Finance 11-

2          PS: Photography 11-

5          PS: Private Investigator * 14-

2          SS:  Psychology 11-

3          Shadowing * 12-

3          Stealth 12-

3          Streetwise * 12-

3          WF:  Small Arms, Blades

8          +1 with All Combat

3          +1 with Pistols

10        Detective Skills:  +2 with a *

 

Total Powers & Skill Cost:  171

Total Cost:  250

 

150+    Disadvantages

5          Dependent NPC:  Dr. Vivian Tylo, MD - girlfriend 8- (Normal; Useful Noncombat Position or Skills)

10        Dependent NPC:  Kit Diamond - mom 8- (Normal)

10        Hunted:  Guy he sent to jail 8- (As Pow, Harshly Punish)

5          Physical Limitation:  Addicted to tobacco (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)

5          Physical Limitation:  Slow Riser -1 to all skills until after he's had his morning coffee (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)

10        Psychological Limitation:  Code of Honor - Private Eye's (Common, Moderate)

10        Psychological Limitation:  Sense of Duty to clients (Common, Moderate)

10        Psychological Limitation:  Stubborn (Common, Moderate)

10        Psychological Limitation:  Overconfident (Common, Moderate)

10        Reputation:  Honest, 11-

5          Rivalry:  Professional (Sgt Harry Dane - ex-partner; Rival is As Powerful; Seek to Outdo, Embarrass, or Humiliate Rival; Rival Aware of Rivalry)

5          Social Limitation:  Bad rep with cops - fired from the State Police for being a "bush-league f**king hot dog". (Occasionally, Minor)

5          Unluck: 1d6 - plays the horses but usually loses

 

Total Disadvantage Points:  100

 

Background/History:  Nick Diamond is a 3rd generation private eye. His grandfather, Blake Diamond, operated in Chicago during the mid to late 20s before moving to San Francisco in 1930. He married his secretary, Jessica Lord, in 1928 and they had one child in 1931.

 

Sam Diamond followed in his father's footsteps after getting out of the Army in 1955. Sam operated in the Greater Miami area throughout the 50s, 60s and 70s. In 1967 he married millionairess Kit Forester, Nick was born three years later. In 1982 Sam was murdered by Paul Mungar, an ex-con that he had put away 20 years earlier. Blake came out of retirement to bring Mungar in aided by Sam's friend Waldo "The Horse" Gronsky.

 

Blake and Jessica moved to Florida and helped Kit raise Nick who grew up on his grandfather's stories of Chicago during Prohibition and Frisco in the 30s. Blake and Jess died just weeks apart in 1988. They say that Blake died of a broken heart after he lost Jessica, but Nick isn't so sure.

 

In 1992 Nick graduated from Hudson City University with a degree in Criminology. He joined the State Police shortly after. Nick got considerable practical experience while working out of the Stewart County D.A.’s office, but the States were a bad fit for him and he felt too pressured to conform. He was a good investigator but his constant tendency to throw the book away led to his being fired in 1998 for being “a bush-league f**king hot-dog.” But, by that time, Nick figured that he’d already gotten what he needed from the job.

 

In 1998 Nick opened the latest version of Diamond Investigations. Currently he works out of an office above the Hudson City Five Cents Savings Bank at the corner of Beaufort Ave. and N. Adams Street. Business has been decent but could be better, a lot of it is routine – serving of court papers, insurance investigations, and background checks – but a few times a year a case comes in the door that reminds him that the Hollywood myth about private eyes does have some basis in reality.

 

Nick’s dodged his share of bullets over the years and even had a couple dug out of his flesh but, as his assailants have found out, Nick Diamond is a hard man to kill. Yeah, he knows that somewhere out there is the bullet that really does have his name on it, but he figures that it’ll get to him when it gets to him, so there’s no point in worrying about it.

 

Nick lives on 7th Avenue near the Kurtland Blvd. overpass in the same apartment that he occupied when he was a student at HCU. He keeps himself in shape by jogging three times a week and pumping iron at the HCU weight room.

 

Over the years he’s developed a strong friendship with Lincoln Monk, a freelance leg-breaker who once saved his neck when he was a cop. Another of Nick’s friends is Lieutenant Frank Mallory of the HCPD Homicide Squad, although Mallory has no great love for Nick, he knows that Nick is both a good investigator and honest, and that counts for a lot, even if he is a pain in the ass sometimes.

 

The most important person in Nick’s life remains his mother, Kit, who now lives in West Palm Beach, he's no mama's boy it's just that Kit is the only family he has left. Nick has recently begun a relationship with Dr. Vivian Tylo, an ophthalmologic surgeon at HCU Hospital, that is showing a lot of promise.

 

Personality/Motivation:  Nick Diamond is tough, cynical, world-weary, and a smartass. He will frequent espouse "Diamond's Rules", most of which he makes up as he goes along. He enjoys needling people, mainly thugs and pompous idiots, whom he figures deserve it. But sometimes he'll be a pain in the ass just cause he's in a rotten mood. He always figures that his clients are hiding something or lying to him about something.

 

Deep inside Nick longs for the kind of life his grandfather led in the thirties. Life may have been tough and there was a lot of crime, but there were also a lot of genuinely nice folks that needed help. Something that he feels is in extremely short supply in Hudson City. In spite of his cynicism, in a very real sense Nick is still a kid at heart, who believes in right and wrong. But his profession has forced him to accept the fact - albeit grudgingly - that sometimes the best you can do, is to do what you can, not what you should.

 

Quote:  Honey, I'm too damned old to listen to bullshit. Tell me what your problem really is and maybe I can help you. Otherwise stop wasting my time.

 

You're a sporting man, Lou, so I'll make you a bet. In fact I'll make you two. One - you won't kill me because you want to know what I know and there's no point in killing me without finding out why. And Two - if your pet dobie over there tries to hassle me I'll take his piece away from him and knock his teeth out with it. Even money.

 

Nick: Viv, we should be on that plane. Heading for someplace sunny and warm. I don't know why I stay here sometimes, I really don't. The weather stinks, the cops are a pain in the ass and nine times out of ten my clients have lied to me about something. I mean it's not like I need the money.

Vivian: People are people, Nick, and lying is almost a part of the human condition. Particularly in Hudson City.

Nick: That's the point. I could do this somewhere else so why do I stay here?

Vivian: Because nowhere else can you make as much of a difference as you do in Hudson City. What you won't admit is that you'd like to be the Lone Ranger but you were born a hundred years too late.

Nick: A hundred and thirty years. Does that mean you consider Lincoln Monk to be Tonto?

Vivian: Maybe.

Nick: I’m gonna tell him you said that.

 

Powers/Tactics:  Nick Diamond is armed with .357 magnum Colt King Cobra. Although most everyone has switched over to semi-autos by this time, Nick prefers the power and simplicity of the wheel-gun, which he normally loads with hot .38 Specials rather than full magnum loads. He sometimes carries a .38 caliber snub-nosed Taurus 617 revolver in an ankle holster as a back up. If he needs really heavy firepower he’ll load up his Mossberg 500, 12 gauge shotgun.

 

Although skilled with firearms, Nick prefers to avoid a shooting confrontation by using his fists instead. A skilled brawler, he has been known to needle thugs into a fistfight, which he invariably wins, just to see what happens. This ties into Diamond's rule # 7 - When the investigation's stagnant, punch out a bad guy to get it moving again.

 

Personal Habits:

 

Nick smokes unfiltered Camel cigarettes. Although he’s been trying to quit he has yet to manage it. He has cut his intake down to about a pack a week. Like his father and grandfather Nick likes to play the horses. Lenny Seltzer, an old timer who operates out of a booth at the Patriot Tavern in Bayside, is his bookie. Lenny is also an occasional source of information if a case involves gambling.

 

Nick’s alcoholic beverage of choice is draft Guinness beer, but he has been known to drink neat Wild Turkey bourbon when stressed, and also has an appreciation for Moet et Chandon champagne. When it comes to non-alcoholic drinks Nick goes with coffee – usually Dunkin Donuts or instant Nescafe; or Coca-Cola.

 

Nick drives a Ford Mustang GT that he bought new in 1998. Although he likes the car the powerful V-8 is getting expensive to operate as gas prices continue to climb. He’s considering trading the car in on something a bit more fuel efficient.

 

 

Appearance:  Nick rarely wears a tie although he does have several. His customary dress is casual – jeans or dockers, a jersey, a jacket or coat and loafers or athletic shoes. Although he looks good in a suit, he dislikes wearing one and will only do it if he has to. Both Monk and Frank Mallory have been known to needle him about clothes once in a while. Almost unbelievably, Nick owns a tux, which he has worn exactly three times.

 

 

Diamond's Rules:

            #1 Your client is lying to you.

            #2 That doesn't mean you can lie back to him.

            #3 Nor does it mean you have to tell him everything.

            #4 Don't drink coffee when following someone. It goes right through you and     there's nothing more embarrassing than losing someone cause you had to take a wicked piss. Sip water instead.

            #5 When you're breaking and entering, act like you're just a workman doing a job.

            #6 Follow the money.

            #7 When the investigation's stagnant, punch out a bad guy to get it moving again.

            #8 If there's no bad guy to punch out, follow a suspect.

            #9 If there's no bad guy and no suspects, investigate your client he's lying to you.

           

 

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I have ripped off M*A*S*H* (The TV show) for more NPCs than I care to admit as a Game master.

 

Not always as doctors either. Col. Sherman T. Potter (Under a different name) as a PRIMUS Commander ready to retire but always at least willing to listen to supehreroes was quite respected by the players, which I'd like to think meant I got it right.

 

Charles Emerson Winchester makes a wonderful AI.

 

I actually did borrow Father Mulcahy for a paladin  I got to play, if you're going to steal, steal from the best. But it could be tricky being that darn nice all the time.

 

 

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That would be a write up I would like to see.

 

Looking over the build, I was understating his power.  I toned him back a little from his full display of abilities from the cartoon and he's still really, really powerful.  Superman-level.  He started as a "peacekeeper" a sort of space cop, ended up getting the bands from an alien, and got an "Inviso-Belt" from some secret police kind of guys.  He was the best of the Peacekeepers, so he's got a lot of training and skill.  The Attacks I mostly bundled into a single really expensive 12d6 blast with variable special effects and advantages to represent the ways he's used it in the past.  His force field should probably be higher, but its pretty immense as is.  He routinely flys around in base mode of 8 PD/ED force field that the Power Bands give constantly.  Most of his attacks require him to push the 3 buttons on his wrist in various combinations, so they have gestures.  Technically people could take his belt and power bands but I don't remember it ever happening so I gave them IIF for most of the powers; its not clear the bands give him x-ray vision or flight for example.

 

SPACE GHOST

Val    Char   Cost    Roll     Notes

18/40  STR       8       17-      Lift 6400.0kg; 8d6 [4]

  17    DEX     14      12-      OCV:  5/DCV:  5

  18    CON      8       13-

  18    INT        8       13-      PER Roll 13-

  10    EGO      0       11-      ECV:  3 - 3

  20    PRE      10      13-      PRE Attack:  4d6

   5     OCV     10     

   5     DCV     10     

   3     OMCV  0      

   3     DMCV  0      

   4     SPD      20                  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12

   6     PD          4                   Total:  6/36 PD (0/30 rPD)  

   6     ED         4                   Total:  6/36 ED (0/30 rED +25 vs fire or cold)

   7     REC      3

  35    END      3

  10    BODY   0

  30    STUN    5       Total Characteristic Cost:  107

 

Cost   Powers                                                                                   END

           Invso-Belt                                                                                     

48      Inviso-Belt:  Desolidification , Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) (60 Active Points); IIF (-¼) 0

20      Inviso-Belt:  Invisibility to Sight Group , Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) (30 Active Points); IIF (-¼), Decreased effect against technological detection (-¼)                                                     0

           Power bands                                                                                 

19      Basic Defense Screen:  Resistant Protection (8 PD/8 ED) (24 Active Points); IIF (-¼)               0

12      Viso Penetron Beam:  Penetrative (blocked by lead) with Sight Group (15 Active Points); IIF (-¼)        0

51      Force Field:  Resistant Protection (22 PD/22 ED) (Protect Carried Items) (76 Active Points); IIF (-¼), Gestures (-¼)        0

19      Heat Force Shield:  Resistant Protection (25 ED) (39 Active Points); Cold Only (-½), IIF (-¼), Gestures (-¼)      0

19      Freeze Force Field:  Resistant Protection (25 ED) (39 Active Points); Heat Only (-½), IIF (-¼), Gestures (-¼)    0

45      Flight:  Flight 15m, Position Shift, x8 Noncombat, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) (45 Active Points)            0

35      Flight:  Faster-Than-Light Travel (15 Light Years/hour) (44 Active Points); IIF (-¼)                0

15      Strength Augmentation:  +22 STR, Custom Modifier (+0) (22 Active Points); IIF (-¼), Concentration (½ DCV; -¼)         2

8         Recharge:  Aid  Endurance 2d6, Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per Minute; +1) (24 Active Points); Only Restores To Starting Values (-½), Only for mechanical or technological devices (-½), Only to Aid Others (-½), IIF (-¼), Gestures (-¼)                                                                                                  2

13      Sensors:  Detect Invisible objects A Class Of Things 9- (Unusual Group), Range, Targeting (20 Active Points); IIF (-¼), Gestures (-¼)                                                                                               0

                                                                                                                   

115         Power Bands:  Multipower, 135-point reserve, all slots Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) (202 Active Points); all slots OIF (-½), Gestures (-¼)

9f       1)  Ray (varies):  Blast 12d6, Variable Special Effects (Limited Group of SFX; +¼), Variable Advantage (+½ Advantages; +1) (135 Active Points); IIF (-¼), Gestures (-¼)                          0

2f       2)  Energy-Enhanced Strike:  Hand-To-Hand Attack +7 ½d6 (38 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-¼), IIF (-¼), Gestures (-¼)                                                                                               0

4f       3)  Magnetic Ray:  Telekinesis (50 STR) (75 Active Points); Only vs metallic objects (-½), IIF (-¼), Gestures (-¼)             0

9f       4)  Stun Beam:  Drain STUN 6 ½d6, Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per Minute; +1) (130 Active Points); IIF (-¼), Gestures (-¼)                                                                      0

5f       5)  Locking Ray:  Entangle 6d6, 9 PD/9 ED (75 Active Points); IIF (-¼), Gestures (-¼)             0

 

          Self Defense Training

5         Defensive Block                                                                       +1            +3           Block, Abort

3         Legsweep                                                                                   +2            -1           9d6 Strike, Target Falls

4         Martial Dodge                                                                            --            +5           Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort

4         Martial Strike                                                                            +0            +2          10d6 Strike

 

           Perks

30      The Phantom Cruiser/Ghost Ship:  Vehicle

 

           Talents

6         Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)

 

           Skills

3         Combat Piloting 12-

16      +2 with HTH Combat

5         Escape Artist:  Custom Skill 12-

3         Paramedics 13-

2         Peacekeeper:  PS 11-

3         Persuasion 13-

3         Security Systems 13-

6         WF:  Common Melee Weapons, Common Missile Weapons, High Tech Firearms

 

Total Powers & Skill Cost:  536

Total Cost:  643

 

643+     Matching Complications

25      Dependent NPC:  Jan, Jace, and Blip the monkey Frequently (Normal; Group DNPC: x4 DNPCs)

5         Distinctive Features:  Galactically famous superhero and law enforcer (Easily Concealed; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

10      Hunted:  Zoltar Frequently (Less Pow; Harshly Punish)

10      Hunted:  Zorak Frequently (Less Pow; Harshly Punish)

10      Hunted:  Moltar Frequently (Less Pow; Harshly Punish)

15      Psychological Complication:  Code of Behavior (Common; Strong)

10      Psychological Complication:  Gullible and Trusting (Common; Moderate)

 

Total Complications Points:  643

 

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Space Ghost.hdc

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On ‎11‎/‎14‎/‎2017 at 10:58 PM, mattingly said:

I was playing an eccentric scholar / treasure hunter, and after a few sessions realized that I was subconsciously channeling J. Peterman.

 

anigif_enhanced-20579-1403995149-15.gif

 

His voice always did strike me as the perfect adventure narrator for what it is worth

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On ‎1‎/‎18‎/‎2018 at 10:10 PM, Nothere said:

You forgot Space Ghost's base. Course as it's Ghost Planet, that's probably for the best. How many points is  a planet sized base anyway?

 

How much is really the base, and how much is just "Grounds?"

 

(Total: 4 Active Cost, 4 Real Cost) Grounds (x2 Base Size), MegaScale (1m = 100 million km; +3), Cannot alter scale (-1/4) (4 Active Points) (Real Cost: 4)

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary says there's no grounds for charging full price for a planet in this context

Edited by Lucius
I didn't planet all out at first
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You forgot Space Ghost's base. Course as it's Ghost Planet, that's probably for the best. How many points is  a planet sized base anyway?

 

He never really seemed to use it as more than just a home though.  Of course he never really used his vehicle much either, and I gave him that.

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