character hologram build

[prretender]

Hello!

 

I would like to preface that I am new to the HERO system. I have read the books, multiple times, and I have a long way to master this amazing system. This is my first post and I hope I do not offend or post this in the incorrect place. Now, I need help with a unique character build.

I am beginning a sci-fi campaign soon where my players are heroic builds with 225 points and 50 in complications. One player wants to be a realistic hologram that can interact with the physical world. We used Desolidification as a constant power with other advantages and limitations, but I keep thinking there is a better way. I attached the character sheet we made in hopes that someone may be willing to steer us in a better direction.

Here are some of the character details. He wants to be a realistic hologram that is projected from a badge that he is wearing on his arm. He can interact with the physical world and only has strength 3. Since the projection emits from the badge on his arm he is unable to pass through walls or the like. The character is difficult to hit because damage only affects the badge/hologram projector. If the badge is struck he will take damage along with becoming stunned and/or losing the ability to interact with the physical world for a short period (2-3 phases). If the badge is destroyed he is lost forever. Finally, the projector needs to be charged daily, and he will suffer negative affects after a day with no charge.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

H.O.M.O.N.C.U.L.O.S mark III.HTML

[Steve Long]

OK, now anyone can respond.

 

I don't want to get too bogged down providing a complete answer, but here are a few ideas:

 

1. Since the character can interact with the physical world -- at STR 3 -- and doesn't seem to get any non-defensive benefit from being an intangible hologram, I wouldn't spend points on an expensive Desolidification build. I'd sell back 7 points of the character's STR (giving him STR 3), and then define his "intangibility" by looking at what it really does for him:  it makes him really hard to hurt. I'd buy as much Damage Negation or Damage Reduction as I could afford with the Limitation Doesn't Affect Hit Location 18 (-0) -- in this case the GM allows the player to define his character's Hit Location 18 as the emitter rather than the Foot. Trying to hit the emitter directly would entail a severe OCV penalty (at least -8, and probably more like -10 or -12).

 

2. The other effects of the emitter getting hit (he's automatically stunned, temporarily loses his 3 STR, whatever you and the player decide) you can define with a Physical Complication. The need to "recharge" the emitter on a daily basis is probably best defined using the Dependence Complication.

 

3. My last piece of advice is:  be leery of taking character ideas from ST: VOYAGER, since DEEP SPACE NINE will provide far better inspiration.

 

[clnicholsusa]

Sounds like the character is the badge, not the image. Use the Size: Minute template, sell back running and all but 1 STR, purchase some minimal flight (for movement),  minimal telekinesis (probably with fine manipulation), and images (sight and hearing) with the set effect of creating the hologram person. You'll probably need some extra defense for the badge, but there should be some points left for skills, anyway.

Oh, and I thought this idea might have come from Red Dwarf, which is worse than any Star Trek iteration as far as inspiration is concerned.

[prretender]

Thank you both for your ideas! Your suggestions already have me thinking in different ways about how to go about this character. This is great  

I think the inspiration for the character came from Halo's Cortana. I have pointed out the similarities to characters from Voyager and Red Dwarf to him when we began talking about his character and he denied everything!  

[dsatow]

On 6/3/2018 at 9:03 AM, clnicholsusa said:

Sounds like the character is the badge, not the image. Use the Size: Minute template, sell back running and all but 1 STR, purchase some minimal flight (for movement),  minimal telekinesis (probably with fine manipulation), and images (sight and hearing) with the set effect of creating the hologram person. You'll probably need some extra defense for the badge, but there should be some points left for skills, anyway.

Oh, and I thought this idea might have come from Red Dwarf, which is worse than any Star Trek iteration as far as inspiration is concerned.

 

Buy the shrinking with invisible power effects. Its an amusing power concept build in any case.

[Doc Democracy]

 

I think I would stick with the minute template is the best bet - shrinking is supposed to be for when you can alter your size, if you are always small or big you should buy the effects of that size.  The best thing about buying them without the shrinking power is that you do not need to buy the invisible power effect - the powers all have the special effect of "hologram wearing a projector".

 

What is interesting to me is the following.

 

On 6/2/2018 at 3:38 PM, prretender said:

If the badge is struck he will take damage along with becoming stunned and/or losing the ability to interact with the physical world for a short period (2-3 phases). If the badge is destroyed he is lost forever. Finally, the projector needs to be charged daily, and he will suffer negative affects after a day with no charge.

 

Obviously the damage thing works normally if he is hit and destroying the badge is essentially killing the character.  The badge being struck could be a complication along the lines of a vulnerability.  I would give you points for a complication where, if an IIF is hit in combat that you are stunned for 2 phases (that is a big complication!!).

 

The need for charging is essentially replacing eating food with plugging into the wall.  You could leave it as a straight replacement and treat lack of charging the same as you would a lack of food.  You could also build it as a dependency - if you do not charge at regular intervals then bad things happen...,

 

Doc

 

[LoneWolf]

If the character cannot interact with the real world while the image is not functioning the image is the character.  The badge is more of a special effect. 

 

Build the character normally but with some extra defenses.  When the character takes damage it is the result of the image being disrupted not actually being damaged.  Then buy some extra body and defenses only to prevent death that does not work if the badge is hit.  Or buy regeneration from death with a focus limitation.

 

Take an accidental change complication that his body disappears when unconscious or dead.

[Doc Democracy]

24 minutes ago, LoneWolf said:

If the character cannot interact with the real world while the image is not functioning the image is the character. 

 

It all comes down to what is meant by "cannot interact with the real world".  If there is no input or output then it sounds very much like unconsciousness... 

 

However your take is as valid as any of the rest that have been put out there.

 

Stephen

[assault]

Buy down his Strength. Buy up his DCV (hard to hit the transmitter). Buy some Life Support.

 

Dependency for the recharging. Or maybe Physical Complication - he can't really do anything unless he has recharged.

 

That should pretty much do. Not that expensive.

 

And make sure he has a Rivalry with his inter-dimensional counterpart, Ace.

[clnicholsusa]

I'm liking this build, as a villain. Size: Minute template, sell back running and all but 1 STR, flight and/or teleportation (for movement),  telekinesis (probably with fine manipulation), and images (sight and hearing) with the set effect of creating the hologram person. Some sort of force field for the projector, itself. A skill set heavily into organization building and a fair KS: Criminal Underworld. Create a history for the extraterrestrial android espionage machine dispatched to weaken Earth's defenses in preparation for the invasion.

And when I do spring this dude on my players, he'll be Smeghead the Sinister.