Publius

I was not really thinking of him using the machinery in combat, more as a plot device, something in his lair, but spending points on the device also makes up for the -1/4 limits that he has on all his "power characteristics" (i.e. those characteristics which are purchased above his puny regular self). As GM of course I can simply up his points, but I am a fanatic for balance, and attempt whenever possible to make things even out.

I like all of the suggestions, hard to find something that does not duplicate what has been done here. What plot is he hatching? raising the sea floor to create tsunamis, covering the earth in his minions, reprogramming the VCR to blink 12:00 constantly (oops, did that already) "Proceed to resist petty organic." "There is nothing as pathetic as the malady you call hope." or similarly "Hope is a disease of organics." "Trust an organic to use something with a less than 1% success probability."

Both are very good suggestions, and I have to point out an error on my part in the intitial post, for some reaosn I thought that you had to buy the points that the multiform has over and above that of the base form at a 1:1 ratio, apparently that is not the case. I am not used to Multiform and I guess I got that rule from Duplication stuck in my head. Okay, that being said, I like both of the above. It seems like double dipping to do both (limit on purchased characteristics and the Dependence) so I will probably use the -1/4 disad "Must Drain 1 life per week using Lifetaker device" on all the purchased characteristics. Its actually much more simple than trying to figure it out the other way... sheesh, all this cool stuff to play with and you get blinders on sometimes. Related note: Do you think that -1/4 is sufficient? That would be a conditional limit that affects the character "about a fourth of the time"? I guess it is not as much how often it limits as that he must essentially leave a trail of bodies behind him. It also allows for the fact that the device which grants him this ability can be targeted for destruction, thus depriving him of these powers. Perhaps I should also require that he buy the Machinery as well in order to compensate for this fact. New Question: Should the Lifedraining device be purchased as a Major Transform (Victim to Lifeless husk) or straight up 3d6 RKA, No-Range, NND (protection by Power Defense only), Affects Body and of course it is a Bulky, OIF which takes extra time (say 1 minute), of course I'd probably also have this combined with restraints bought as Entangle.

I would like to create a character (NPC villain actually) who has developed a gadget that will drain (completely) the lifeforce of another being and use this to add to his own characteristics, making him preternaturally strong/fast/etc (stats in the range of 25 or so I was thinking, just beyond Normal Characteristic Maxima all around to reflect his 'superior' state; as my heroes get more powerful, he might refine the process too as he is intended as an archvillain/continuing villain). The extra lifeforce, not being his own, drains away over time however, and he must take another person's life force every week or so in order to maintain his heightened abilities or he reverts to his original 'Professor' form: that of an older male with 8-10s in most of his stats (except INT of course, he invented the thing). There are a couple of things I thought about for representing this power: Transfer, all characteristics with a really long delay. The problem with this is that it is clunky (recalculate points all day long), and the draining of lifeforce is one of those things that must take place in a specific location with a relatively unresisting opponent. That can be done by making a Bulky/fragile machine and all, but it just didn't "seem right..." Multiform, with the 'Superior' form as the base and the Doctor form as the (lower point) alternate. Purchasing "Accidental Change" with the Frequency being Always and the circumstances (Not having drained the lifeforce of another) as an Uncommon trigger event. It is uncommon because he would hardly be caught in that situation normally. This feels like I am taking advantage slightly however, since he is a supervillain who would hardly be caught by this unless in jail/being watched very closely/etc. Should I make the 'Circumstances' a Very Uncommon/+0 and have the whole thing only good for 15pts? Maybe I could add something to the character, a control device that if damaged will cause him to revert as well as the lack of lifeforce and keep the modifer (for having both trigger the change) as 'Uncommon'. Multiform, but with the Professor form as the base and the 'Superior' as the other one (which would require some 1:1 costs as the Professor has a much smaller point cost) with a Continuing Fuel Charge of 1 Week which demands an "Uncommon" means of replenishment for a grand total of something like -1/4 or -1/2. This one is a bit clunky too though, especially with the 1:1 thing. I'm thinking that the 2nd Option (Multiform, 'Superior' as base with the Accidental Change) is the way to go at this point, but I have reservations (mentioned above). Does anyone else have any suggestions either about the options above or as a different way to make the villain?

Look relatively sharp, have a kind of retro look that I like, especially those like Gunfighter4/the Hunter. Very nice, thanks for pointing me in that direction.

Second!

The Command and Control powers were for the operator only, not the Automatons, but if you mean that you are going to buy these powers for the operator via a Focus, yeah you will have to do that or make it use charges or slap on a requirement that it needs to be powered constantly by the base. When I posted the concept, I guess I should have made it more clear that it was specific to my NPC, a mobile cyberpowered villain who could do this stuff from basically anywhere. Mea Culpa. Making this 0 END to use via a Focus would be entirely reasonable for what you are describing. I just re-read Link, and don't see that restriction, but there might be something about this in the FAQ of which I am unaware. Actually, two of the power examples for Linked on sidebar p. 195 have 0 END. As I mentioned, the character I used these with was cybernetically enhanced, so he did not have to worry about it. Bulky OIF was just a suggestion for the stuff if you have to use it in the base. Fair enough I guess, to each their own. I use it where I think appropriate, and disallow its use where I think it is inappropriate (that is where GM approval becomes a necessary brake on munchkinism). The description for Megascale says that it "can be bought for Powers that work at Range, such as many Attack Powers and Sensory Powers." but nothing pro or con for clairsentience specifically. I used it here because otherwise the audi-visual pickups on the Automatons would have a range of only 250m, which I kind of thought was unreasonable. As is, it is kind of too long range, but since this guy is an NPC I was not too worried about it getting out of hand. I probably could have done something similar by basing this element on some form of Trasmit with Radio Perception/Transmission but I wanted to convey that Workgang and the Automatons he controlled were deeply connected via his cyberpowers (thus Mindlink for communication and the clairsentience to allow him to "flip" between the Audio-visual pickups of the robots). Nevertheless, think about transmit on robots + RP/T if you want to make it simple cameras on the bots.

I thought they were always described as Force-Beams as well... but it has been a while since reading the X-comics for me. It may thus simply be the synergy of the SFX involved that allowed her to do that: TK Shield v. Forcebeam.

oops, didn't notice that second part of the question, sorry Irishman. I did Workgang's this way: Command & Control: Mind Link (One Specific Mind), Number of Minds (x8), Psychic Bond, Invisible Power Effects (Fully Invisible; +1) (50 Active Points); Only With Others Who Have Mind Link (-1), Limited Class Of Minds Only Automatons (-1), Does Not Provide Mental Awareness (-1/4) Real Cost: 15 points Audiovisual Broadcast: Clairsentience (Sight Group And Normal Hearing), Megascale (1" = 1 km; +1/4), Can Be Scaled Down: 1" = 1km (+1/4) (37 Active Points); Only to use Automaton Audio and Visual pickups (-1), Linked to Command & Control (-1/2) Real cost: 15 Points Groupthink: +2 skill levels with Teamwork and related skills (6 Active Points); Conditional Power Only with Automatons (-1/2) Real Cost: 4 points. You could make these powers all part of a Fragile or Bulky Focus to represent the fact that the character needs to be at home base when controlling the robots. The Workgang character had cybernetic enhancements that allowed him to roam about, it was his cowardice that made him avoid direct confrontations with the PCs.

That post came up when I was still lurking and I found it useful for a Villain named Workgang who was an out-and-out coward. Here is how I did it with Duplication: Work Gangin': Duplication (creates 8 200-point Duplicates), Easy Recombination (Zero-Phase Action at Full DCV), Ranged Recombination (+1/2), Altered Duplicates (100%; +1) (162 Active Points); Extra Time 5 Minutes, Only to Activate Constant or Persistent Power (-1), Character May Take No Other Actions (-1/4), Feedback Only When Base Character Is Struck (-1/4) Real Cost: 65 Points. As a role-playing choice, he did not have these robots active all of the time, for a PC however, the GM may simply make this a contingent for the character or add some sort of extra limitation to achieve this. I then created the Robotic minions as 200-pointers, including the following little tidbit for each to solve the dilemma of "What happens when they get smashed up? do I get my points back?" Reform Module: Healing 3 BODY (Resurrection) (50 Active Points); Extra Time (Regeneration-Only) 1 Hour (-2 1/4), Character May Take No Other Actions (-1/4), Resurrection Only (-1/2), Self Only (-1/2) Real Cost: 11 points Ressurection may be halted by the physical removal of the Reform Module, just as you can stop a Vampire Ressurection by cutting off the head & burning the body. One of Workgangs minions was assigned to "collection duty", not getting involved in the fighting but just collecting up the modules of his fallen fellow minions.

Don't forget the extra knockback. Smacking people around, into walls, into other Mr. Smith's etc. is important. Buying a significant chunk of HA with the variable advantage might be a way to go too, although that can get real expensive real fast. Could you buy a series of naked power advantages for STR to use in HTH in an Multipower pool for "Matrix Martial Arts Moves"? I don't have FrED with me at the moment. Even if using naked power advantages this way is one of those things that are normally questionable, it might be an acceptable exception for the Matrix game setting.

In my last adventure, 299-300 but they were equal in number (more or less) to my 350pt PCs. I say "More-or-less" because one of the Agents had a Duplication power that allowed him to create robot drones of 200 point value. The drone-creator was safely away while his drones fought the PCs with the other agent, and never used his full allotment (they were there essentially to keep it challenging by providing multiple targets).

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Updating Ethnic Superfriends I actually kinda liked Hermit's "Smoke Jaguar" other suggestions, all lifted from the glossary of a book "A War of Witches" ...tonal, one of the aspects of the Aztec soul that gave the spark of life, fate and luck. ...yollo, the aspect of the soul equated with the heart, life, movement ...ecahuil (Eca-will), the "Shadow", the cool dark part of the soul ...nagual, associated with the animal alter ego, often paired with the ecahuil fir a three part soul: (tonal/yollo/ecahuil-nagual) Cool thread with some very nice ideas. I like the bonus XP idea

Just some thoughts on the Matrix Hero concept generally, Short Form: Generally, I'd set up the Matrix as a dual game world, with each player having both a "Base" and a "Matrix" character. Switching between the Real World and the Matrix does not require any powers, skills, rolls whatever because it is simply an integral part of the setting as Markdoc suggested above (conversely, those born outside of the Matrix in Zion would have the Physical Limitation "Cannot Enter Matrix" at whatever value the GM deems appropriate), save of course for the well-defined limitations set by the world (no leaving the Matrix unless you use a land-line to do so etc.). However, Players have additional points to spend on their Matrix selves for the cool "in the Matrix" powers and heightened "beyond normal ken" abilities. GM's might want to help here by having some set powers to use as examples ("Super-leap", "Advanced Kung Fu" bonuses to OCV/DCV, etc.) and maybe some Matrix-only Characteristic limitations for starting PCs. Specifics: I would have players make their "base character" with a normal range of characteristics, including the skills they want their characters to have all of the time (whether they were initially downloaded or not as with Neo). I'd set these characters in the 'heroic' point values, whatever you'd like but make sure that they have NCM (which you may want to simply make a default for no points). The characters should have a good number of skills, so you might make them with higher points than you might for what are otherwise 'normal' folks (for example, pushing the point totals from 75/75 'standard' characters to 125/125 'Very powerful' characters having the stipulation that no less than 50 points may be spent in skills). Don’t forget the Kung Fu. Basically, any skill that a player wants their character to have on a more or less consistent basis – from adventure to adventure – should be given to the 'base character'. The players then make their "Matrix character" by starting with their base characters (thanks to "Residual Self Image") and adding a hundred points (or 50, 75, 125, etc. as your GM deems appropriate). These Matrix versions of the characters have added Characteristics for SPD, STR, BOD whatever, up to a Matrix Characteristic Maxima (say 25 or 30 in selected physical stats for starting PCs, more as they get experience) plus the obligatory +2 or more in COM (going from the grungy real world to the idealized I-get-to-wear-whatever-I-like Matrix). You can make all of these purchases with the limitation "Only in the Matrix" for a -1/2, or leave that limitation off entirely since these characters can only operate in the Matrix anyway. Skills would either be VPP's or Cramming with OSL's (with the "Only in the Matrix" limitation slapped on) to increase their values (whatever the GM prefers). I'd not require any points for gear, but that's just me. The Loading Program/Construct allows the characters to get any sort of guns/equipment they seem to need and this nicely offsets the raw power of the Agents.