Comic

Re: Best and most Pointless superbattle of all time Lobo vs. Anyone. Lobo's children vs. anyone.

Re: New President - Etrigan would accept.

Re: High power magic (Brainstorming welcome and requested) Pair it with its opposite: everyone who doesn't believe in the caster's religion is EDM'd to a cubicle in Heck.

Re: Persuasion Restrainable? Maybe we're looking through the wrong end of this telescope, a bit. -1/2 is a pretty significant level of limitation on a power. It's more than -0, which recognizes a limitation for the sake of clarifying and defining, but one not rising to the level of being worth points. It's more than -1/4, which reading down the list of limitations worth that much can limit significantly from time to time. Not all limitations of the same name are made equal. For example, Flight, Restrainable (-1/2) represents very little difference on bare reading from being grabbed or entangled while flying, which can happen to anyone, and is not very commonplace. Except that you fall out of the sky -- a pretty severe price to pay. And Restrainable also allows the GM to impose some other restrictions or limitations than just 'stops working if grabbed or entangled,' from not allowing it to work in confined spaces or requiring extra maneuvers or Dex checks to do some things unRestrained flight allows. Superman, for example, can hold up an elevator from inside it. Hawkman can't. Making Restrainable worth points at the same level as for Flight, every time a grab comes up, in my view overpays and skews the balance of the grab maneuver in a campaign. The example of Restrainable the player proposed -- grabbed and his mouth covered -- is very different from and much less common than the commonplace one for Restrainable I've seen to describe winged Flight. Not all grabs cover mouths, and there are countless other impositions on Persuasion in the environment that also restrict its use which are worth no points to the character as severe - loud noise, distractions, hearing flash, unwillingness of target to listen. Odds are, if someone's grabbed you and covered your mouth, your Persuasion's already at a penalty from them being a hostile audience. Which is much less of an increased liability between taking no damage and falling for 30d6 at terminal velocity. And yes, all the language-dependent skills (and powers) depend on the ability to employ the language of the listener. They don't work while unconscious, when the language of the listener is unknown, when the mouth is covered, or even when others are denied the chance to overhear what is said. Mind Control requires the +1/4 advantage 'Telepathic' to be used without speaking. Suddenly getting +1/2 on Mind Control for something that is an intrinsic element of that power would be much more than a 1 point munch. Wouldn't it have been easier just to point and laugh?

Re: High power magic (Brainstorming welcome and requested) Megascale Aid to Intelligence, Animals Only, linked to Language, Usable by Others, Megascale, Animals Only. One week of being outsmarted at every turn by every farm creature, forest critter, rat, bug, predator, bird and worm in the country, I'm fairly sure the humans would surrender.

Re: Persuasion Restrainable? Mostly, I'm just a huge fan of pointing, laughing and ridicule. Supposing the player had asked something reasonable, the GM had made some obscure error of judgment or misreading, my stance would of course be wrong and make a fool of the GM and myself. As long as we're all laughing, we can get over it. But we're not wrong, and I'm hoping that the players and GM are all friendly and the laughter, pointing and ridicule were good-natured and well-meaning, to indicate "I can't believe you'd go there." It's a chance for the player to save face, laugh at the situation, and move on without clinging to the munchkiness of the moment. Any effort to sound reasonably accomodating, such as finding a rule, or making a house rule, that helps save face can go far. Thus the '5-pt. skill minimum' on limitations. I'm sure it existed in some version or edition, and even if not, doesn't seem like such an unreasonable statement applied to this situation. Of course, if the reason the player asked the question in the first place was that he looked at some other guy's character sheet, saw 30 skills bought for 1 pt each on a focus that takes 0 DCV Concentration.. there's a good chance he's merely responding to a confusing situation going on in the campaign and wondering how far he could push it. Which.. with that question.. was too far.

Re: New Character - Captator Dii Thanks, Doc. You've made some excellent points that really let me open up the character for more fun, and a somewhat cleaner build. I won't put the Life Support into a variable pool, although the way the powers work could support it. Captator has no clue of the real origin of his powers, and is being actively mislead by a trusted madwoman in a position of authority. I do need help with a power I want, something that fits the general description of 'psychometry', that allows Cap to analyze metal on touch, without realizing what this awakening sense really is or how it works. One thing I really would like to do is explore the cheerleading skill set, with cheerleading talents, and possibly a basis for an eventual cheerleading-inspired martial art (grab, kick, throw?). I'm not sure if this is a tight enough grouping for a package, for a martial arts close group, or if PSLs are more appropriate than CSLs, or a mix of both? I do want to emphasize in this character's build that he's young, ill-trained, has an insane woman actively derailing his efforts to learn by leading him into her own deluded 'reality', and is very much just getting started not just in his hero identity, but in his secret identity, too. Here's draft 2: [b][font=Comic Sans MS][size=3]Captator Dii - Biffy Estes[/size][/font][/b] [size=2][font=Courier New]+[u][b]Val[/b][/u][b] [u]CHA[/u] [u]Cost[/u] [u]Base[/u] [u]Roll[/u] [u]Notes[/u][/b][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 55 STR 45 10 20- HTH Damage 11d6 [5][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 17 DEX 21 10 15- OCV 6 / DCV 6[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 33 CON 46 10 16-[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 10 BODY - 10 11-[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 13 INT 3 10 12- PER Roll 12-[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 14 EGO 8 10 12- ECV: 5[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 10 PRE - 10 11- PRE Attack: 2d6[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 12 COM 1 10 11-[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 21 PD 10 11 28 PD (15 rPD) [1] 12-[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 17 ED 10 7 24 ED (15 rED) [1] 12-[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 4 SPD 13 2.7 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 18 REC - 18[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 56 END -5 66[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 55 STUN - 55[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]+[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 6 RUN 0 6" [1][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 2 SWIM 0 2" [1][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 11 LEAP 0 11" 11" forward, 6" up [5][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]+[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New][b]CHA Cost: 152[/b][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]+[u][b]Cost[/b][/u][b] [u]POWERS[/u][/b][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 8 8 rPD/8 rED Damage Resistance <8 AP> [i]Copied Resiliency[/i] [-][/font][/size] [font=Courier New][size=2]| 50[/size] 50 pts. Life Support (All) <50 AP> [i]Copied Inorganic Qualities[/i] [-][/font] [font=Courier New][size=2]| 1 Latent Mental Awareness Acts 8-, <3 AP> [i]Psychic Nature[/i] [-][/size][/font] [font=Courier New][size=2]| 7 Detect/Analyze Metals (Touch), Requires Power Skill Roll (-1/2) <10 AP> [i]Psychometry[/i] [-][/size][/font] [font=Courier New][size=2]| 5 7 pt Elemental Control Requires Power Skill Roll (-1/2) <7 AP> [i]Psychic Meta-Mimic [/i][-][/size][/font] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 5 A) 7 rPD/ 7 rED Force Field <14 AP> [i]Copied Durability[/i] [1][/font][/size] [font=Courier New][size=2]| 5 3" Stretching <15 AP> [i]Copied Ductility[/i] [1][/size][/font] [size=2][font=Courier New]+[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New][b]POWERS Cost: 81[/b][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]+[b][u]Cost[/u] [u]SKILLS[/u][/b][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 1 8- Acrobatics (Familiar)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 8- Acting [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 8- AK: School District 13 [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 1 8- Breakfall (Familiar)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 8- Climbing [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 8- Concealment [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 8- Conversation [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 1 8- Coordination (Familiar)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 8- CK: High School [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 8- Deduction [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 1 8- Hoist (Familiar)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 8- KS: Cheerleading [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 4 pts. LS: English [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 8- Paramedics [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [font=Courier New][size=2]| 3 12- Power Skill - MetaMimesis (Int)[/size][/font] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 8- PS: High School Student [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 8- Shadowing [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 8- Stealth [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| TF: Small Motorized Ground Vehicles [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]+[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New][b]SKILLS Cost: 7[/b][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]+[u][b]Cost[/b][/u][b] [u]Talents[/u][/b][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 1 Latent Absolute Time Sense [i]Rhythm Drills[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 1 Latent Ambidexterity [i]Pompom Drills[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 1 Latent Bump of Direction [i]Dance Drills[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 1 Latent Combat Sense [i]Team Drills[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 1 Latent Danger Sense [i]Clouseau-like Training[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 1 Latent Eidetic Memory [i]Cheer Drills[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 1 Latent Find Weakness [i]You Want Me To Lift Her By Her _WHAT_?![/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 1 Latent Perfect Pitch [i]Psychic Mimetic Talent[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]+[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New][b]Talents Cost: 8[/b][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New][b][u][size=2][font=Courier New]+[/font][/size][size=2][font=Courier New]Cost[/font][/size][/u][size=2][font=Courier New] [u]Perks[/u][/font][/size][/b] [size=2][font=Courier New][b]| 1[/b] Cheerleading Squad Membership[/font][/size] [font=Courier New][size=2][b]| 1[/b] 'Library Club' Membership[/size][/font] [size=2][font=Courier New][b]+[/b][/font][/size] [font=Courier New][size=2][b]PERKS Cost:[/b][/size][/font][/font][/size][font=Courier New][size=2][b] 2[/b][/size][/font] [b][size=2][font=Courier New]+[u]Val[/u][/font][/size][size=2][font=Courier New] [u]DISADVANTAGES[/u][/font][/size][/b] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 10 DNPC: Egide Ruprecht 8- (Less Powerful than the PC; Utterly Insane - think Hannibal Lector in drag)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 10 DNPC: pals Ash & Zandra 8- (Incompetent Normal; Group x2)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 10 Hunted: Street Gang 8- (Less Pow, NCI, Harshly Punish)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 15 Hunted: Shewolf 8- (As Pow, Harshly Punish)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 10 Hunted: Police 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Watching)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 10 Phys. Lim.: Physiology interferes with medical treatment(Infrequently, Greatly Impairing)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 15 Psych. Lim.: Code Vs. Killing (Common, Strong)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 15 Psych. Lim.: 'Twisted Upbringing' (Very Common, Moderate)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 10 Psych. Lim.: Low Risk Perception: Self-absorbed, Shallow, Overconfident (Common, Moderate)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 10 Psych. Lim.: Curious about Weirdness (Uncommon, Strong)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 15 Social Lim.: Secret ID - Billy Estes, Highschool Cheerleader (Frequently, Major)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 5 Social Lim.: School Obligations, must keep up his grades for school (Infreq., Minor)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 5 Social Lim.: Cheerleader Obligations, must practice and train (Infreq., Minor)[/font][/size] [font=Courier New][size=2]| 10 Rival: Head Male Cheerleader, Cordwainer Yeager (Superior)[/size][/font] [font=Courier New][size=2]+[/size][/font] [size=2][b][font=Courier New]DISADVANTAGES Points: 150[/font][/b][/size] [size=2][b][font=Courier New]Base Pts: 100[/font][/b][/size] [size=2][b][font=Courier New]Total Character Cost: 250[/font][/b][/size] Background: Cherubic, prone toward chubbiness, Billy Estes tried out for every team, not making a single one, asthmatic and weak. His last hope was to try out to be a male cheerleader. Stunningly, everything went right for Billy in the try outs - he could not only hold up cheerleaders, he could lift them easily. He didn't tire out all try-out, and it turns out he has a talent for leaping as if his legs were steel springs. It was bewildering. He didn't even notice when he was redubbed 'Biffy'. "You are the Captator Dii, child. I am your Speculor. We have only to complete your Test, and then your training will begin," the woman's voice says. It's an odd setting. The boys' changeroom, a confused young man in a towel cornered by the reputedly batty highschool librarian at the end of a row of lockers. And that very large revolver she's pointing at his flabby pink chest. "This is the Test." *BLAM* Even muffled, the sound is painful, up close. So Billy Estes closed his eyes. He hears a dull thud, and opens his eyes again, expecting to see himself dead on the tiles of the changeroom floor. Instead, he sees a small, misshapen piece of metal. The bullet. The one that should have gone right through his heart. "You have passed. Get dressed, boy. Your training begins tonight." With those words, Egide Ruprecht's search has ended. How many years has she sought the Captator Dii? The Council Speculorum will be pleased. And this time, there is no need for the plastic bags and that spade. Origin(s): Billy Estes is a genetic mutant. He has the psychic ability to mimic any property of any metal he has ever made contact with. His ego is elevated, because of his innate psychic powers. His strength and stamina are that of steel. His balance is improved because he can subconsciously alter the weight of any part of his body, and his reflexes can be up to as fast as electric current, much faster than neurochemical reactions. As a teenager, Billy discovered this by copying the durability of the steel lockers around him when Egide Ruprecht shot him. He is now her apprentice, and he does the bidding of the secret and mysterious Council Speculorum as the Captator Dii, as she instructs. Egide Ruprecht has heard voices all her life. She is quite insane, and quite homicidal. She invented a world of mystic creatures, and her own role as the agent of a group of world-saving scholars. And she would, from time to time, find a nice young boy and shoot him in the heart, seeking a soldier to fight the demons that haunt her troubled mind. Billy and his friends Ash and Zandra are completely convinced of Egide's story. That the school librarian covers for them and gets them special priviledges doesn't cause them to question her more closely, purely out of self interest. After all.. Billy can bounce bullets off his chest. With her training, it seems there's almost nothing he can't do, so far as they can tell. (That is, he can stretch, turn a mysterious shadowy color - gunmetal grey, ignore poison, and lift things; how much more do they need to see?) Egide's twisted upbringing of this earnest young hero has him doing things he'd never consider on his own. Like patroling by night. Then, there's the shewolf. She's real. Her path crossed Captator's patrol route, as designated by the Speculor, and she certainly looked like one of the Dii who Egide told him to watch for. So their battles are repeated regularly, the shebeast berserk, the mutant confused, neither willing to let the other win. The local street gang and the police are just fixtures of the local school district.

Re: High power magic (Brainstorming welcome and requested)

Re: I believe this may be a MORE SUPERific car. That's an awful lot of compensating in one vehicle.

Re: Best and most Pointless superbattle of all time Spiderman vs. Firelord, Herald of Galactus Lord Cumulus vs. Xander in WARP. Dazzler vs. Dazzler. Cerberus vs. Wolveroach.

Re: Time Dilation Question It's enormously close to the speed of light, close enough that for game purposes it could be fudged a bit -- considering time to accelerate and decelerate and so on. While they're approaching Earth at this speed, Earth is approaching them at the same relative rate. So.. does time dilate on Earth at the same rate, to the alien's perceptions?

Re: Persuasion Restrainable? Point and laugh. That's all you can do. Point. Laugh. Maybe roll on the floor a bit, giggling and holding your sides. Throw out a few words to soften the shaming, like, "We only apply limitations to skills that cost 5 pts or more," or what-have-yous, out of pity, if you have to. But ridicule is appropriate in this situation. (Of course, I'd never condone doing it on boards. We have a code of conduct here.)

Re: character build help thread: Pulse How do you stop an exploding man? Is the explosion a side effect of the powers, or a physical limitation?

For your comment and consideration: a starting brick in a highschool setting.. with a surprise. [b][font=Comic Sans MS][size=3]Captator Dii - Billy Estes[/size][/font][/b] [size=2][font=Courier New]+[u][b]Val[/b][/u][b] [u]CHA[/u] [u]Cost[/u] [u]Base[/u] [u]Roll[/u] [u]Notes[/u][/b][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 60 STR 50 10 21- HTH Damage 12d6 [6][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 17 DEX 21 10 15- OCV 6 / DCV 6[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 39 CON 58 10 17-[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 10 BODY - 10 11-[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 13 INT 3 10 12- PER Roll 12-[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 14 EGO 8 10 12- ECV: 5[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 10 PRE - 10 11- PRE Attack: 2d6[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 10 COM - 10 11-[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 23 PD 11 12 30 PD (15 rPD)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 19 ED 11 8 26 ED (15 rED)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 4 SPD 13 2.7 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 20 REC - 20[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 60 END -9 78[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 60 STUN - 60[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]+[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 6 RUN 0 6" [1][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 2 SWIM 0 2" [1][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 12 LEAP 0 12" 12" forward, 6" up [6][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]+[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New][b]CHA Cost: 166[/b][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]+[u][b]Cost[/b][/u][b] [u]POWERS[/u][/b][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 8 8 rPD/8 rED Damage Resistance <8 AP> [i]Copied Durability[/i] [-][/font][/size] [font=Courier New][size=2]| 50[/size] 50 pts. Life Support (All) <50 AP> [i]Copied Inorganic Qualities[/i] [-][/font] [font=Courier New][size=2]| 3 Latent Mental Awareness <3 AP> [i]Psychic Sensory Ability[/i] [-][/size][/font] [font=Courier New][size=2]| 7 7 pt Elemental Control <7 AP> [i]Psychic Copycat[/i] [-][/size][/font] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 7 A) 7 rPD/ 8 rED Force Field <14 AP> [i]Copied Magnetism[/i] [1][/font][/size] [font=Courier New][size=2]| 8 3" Stretching <15 AP> [i]Copied Ductility[/i] [1][/size][/font] [size=2][font=Courier New]+[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New][b]POWERS Cost: 83[/b][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]+[b][u]Cost[/u] [u]SKILLS[/u][/b][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 8- Acting [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 8- AK: School District 13 [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 8- Climbing [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 8- Concealment [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 8- Conversation [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 8- CK: High School [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 8- Deduction [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 8- KS: Cheerleading [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 4 pts. LS: English [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 8- Paramedics [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 8- PS: High School Student [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 8- Shadowing [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 8- Stealth [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| TF: Small Motorized Ground Vehicles [i]EM[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]+[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New][b]SKILLS Cost: 0 - He's in High School[/b][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]+[/font][/size][u][size=2][font=Courier New][b]Cost[/b][/font][/size][/u][size=2][font=Courier New][b] [u]Talents[/u][/b][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 1 Latent Perfect Pitch [i]Psychic Mimetic Talent[/i][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]+[/font][/size] [b][size=2][font=Courier New][b]Talents Cost: 1[/b][/font][/size] [/b] [b][size=2][font=Courier New][b][u]PERKS[/u][/b] -[/font][/size][/b][size=2][font=Courier New] None.[/font][/size] [b][size=2][font=Courier New]+[u]Val[/u][/font][/size][size=2][font=Courier New] [u]DISADVANTAGES[/u][/font][/size][/b] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 10 DNPC: Egide Ruprecht 8- (Less Powerful than the PC; Utterly Insane)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 10 DNPC: pals Ash & Zandra 8- (Incompetent Normal; Group x2)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 10 Hunted: Street Gang 8- (Less Pow, NCI, Harshly Punish)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 15 Hunted: Shewolf 8- (As Pow, Harshly Punish)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 10 Hunted: Police 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Watching)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 10 Phys. Lim.: Physiology interferes with medical treatment(Infrequently, Greatly Impairing)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 15 Psych. Lim.: Code Vs. Killing (Common, Strong)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 15 Psych. Lim.: 'Twisted Upbringing' (Very Common, Moderate)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 10 Psych. Lim.: Overconfident (Common, Moderate)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 10 Psych. Lim.: Curious about Weirdness (Uncommon, Strong)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 15 Social Lim.: Secret ID - Billy Estes, Highschool Cheerleader (Frequently, Major)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 5 Social Lim.: School Obligations, must keep up his grades for school (Infreq., Minor)[/font][/size] [size=2][font=Courier New]| 5 Social Lim.: Cheerleader Obligations, must practice and train (Infreq., Minor)[/font][/size] [font=Courier New][size=2]| 10 Rival: Head Male Cheerleader, Cordwainer Yeager (Superior)[/size][/font] [font=Courier New][size=2]+[/size][/font] [size=2][b][font=Courier New]DISADVANTAGES Points: 150[/font][/b][/size] [size=2][b][font=Courier New]Base Pts: 100[/font][/b][/size] [size=2][b][font=Courier New]Total Character Cost: 250[/font][/b][/size] Background: "You are the Captator Dii, child. I am your Speculor. We have only to complete your Test, and then your training will begin," the woman's voice says. It's an odd setting. The boys' changeroom, a confused young man in a towel cornered by the reputedly batty highschool librarian at the end of a row of lockers. And that very large revolver she's pointing at his skinny chest. "This is the Test." *BLAM* Even muffled, the sound is painful, up close. So Billy Estes closed his eyes. He hears a dull thud, and opens his eyes again, expecting to see himself dead on the tiles of the changeroom floor. Instead, he sees a small, misshapen piece of metal. The bullet. The one that should have gone right through his heart. "You have passed. Get dressed, boy. Your training begins tonight." With those words, Egide Ruprecht's search has ended. How many years has she sought the Captator Dii? The Council Speculorum will be pleased. And this time, there is no need for the plastic bags and that spade. Origin(s): Billy Estes is a genetic mutant. He has the psychic ability to mimic any property of any metal he has ever made contact with. His ego is elevated, because of his innate psychic powers. His strength and stamina is that of steel. His balance is improved because he can subconsciously alter the weight of any part of his body, and his reflexes can be up to as fast as electric current, much faster than neurochemical reactions. As a teenager, Billy discovered this by copying the durability of the steel lockers around him when Egide Ruprecht shot him. He is now her apprentice, and he does the bidding of the secret and mysterious Council Speculorum as the Captator Dii, as she instructs. Egide Ruprecht has heard voices all her life. She is quite insane, and quite homicidal. She invented a world of mystic creatures, and her own role as the agent of a group of world-saving scholars. And she would, from time to time, find a nice young boy and shoot him in the heart, seeking a soldier to fight the demons that haunt her troubled mind. Billy and his friends Ash and Zandra are completely convinced of Egide's story. That the school librarian covers for them and gets them special priviledges doesn't cause them to question her more closely, purely out of self interest. After all.. Billy can bounce bullets off his chest. With her training, it seems there's almost nothing he can't do, so far as they can tell. (That is, he can stretch, put a mystery (magnetic) bubble around himself, ignore poison, and lift things, how much more do they need to see?) Egide's twisted upbringing of this earnest young hero has him doing things he'd never consider on his own. Then, there's the shewolf. She's real. Her path crossed Captator's patrol route, as designated by the Speculor, and she certainly looked like one of the Dii who Egide told him to watch for. So their battles are repeated regularly, the shebeast berserk, the mutant confused, neither willing to let the other win. The local street gang and the police are just fixtures of the local school district. How you can help: I don't have a campaign yet for Captator and his insane DNPC mentor, but would welcome character design advice, especially on improving his BG.

Re: [Help me Build...] Paprika Sounds a bit more like Mind Scan, Mental Illusions, and Telepathy, with the limitations of 'target and attacker must both be dreaming.'

Re: The Wrecking BALL!!! Wrecking balls are typically 2 tonnes, but may weigh anywhere from a half tonne to six tonnes (more for military uses -- the Russians use decommissioned tanks as wrecking balls to scrap.. uh.. other decommissioned tanks..) Since the weight of the ball might matter, if you've got a brick or even powerful telekineticist, or if it lands on someone (><), and the height of the crane might matter, may be best to decide what the weight and height is for the scene, then work out the strength required to throw that weight half that height (more if the operator's a heedless maniac) and use that strength as the damage. It takes 45 Str to lift a 6.4 tonne balanced, aerodynamic wrecking ball. If the crane is 20" tall, ball does 19d6?

Re: [Help me Build...] Paprika Your way could work. Compare it to the non-duplication build: o You might just call it XD movement with the 'leaves physical body behind' limitation. It's more often used for Desolid, of course. o This lets you put a set of powers into the same (I assume Multipower) pool as the Mental Illusions, with the -1/2 limitation 'only in dream dimension'. Which fits better?

Re: Would you allow it?: A FF buster I'd tend to simply call it Find Weakness. Maybe use the Analyze as a complementary roll. If you need to specifically bust up a force field, get a linked suppress. Sure, it costs twice as much since it acts against a defense, but with 'requires skill roll (Analyze Energy Signature, -1/2)' it won't be outrageously expensive for what you get.

Re: [Heresy] Do we need Killing Attacks? You strike me as a logical person. I'm sure the practice of setting a limit on the time and energy you're willing to invest looking for an improvement is something you've seen in other contexts and accepted. For example, the Supreme Court decided George W. Bush would be president because it would be costly to keep on debating the issue, on exactly that basis. This is just like that. The KA issue is flooded with dangling chads and no clear consensus is to be had. So once the debate has gone on long enough.. in this case, for me, well over a decade, I choose to go with RAW, and move on. If you've been debating it less than ten years, be my guest to consider it further and see what you come up with -- leaving me to, you know.. roleplay instead. If you've been in this debate for more than a decade.. maybe it's time to consider hanging it up and moving on with us? Some alternatives lead to improvements. Some lead to Aasimar bards named Dangling Chad. In a decade, I've seen way too much of Chad. I've seen shoddy math arguments, half-baked 'solutions' (including several of my own), and endless tail-chasing circles by people who often forget before it's over why they started. I'm willing to settle for something which, in the long run, isn't so awful, has many advantages, and certainly works better than the solutions I've seen posted on Usenet, or on online games, or on other forums, or here, in my experience. So long as it gets people roleplaying.

Re: [Heresy] Do we need Killing Attacks? Use both hands. Apply pressure evenly but not so much that the case stretches and allows air in. Dig your knee into their vitals or solar plexus. Don't let up. It's not terribly efficient, mind, but it'll get the job done. Helps if you start with a thumb to the voicebox.

Re: Increasing Target Visibility Pro's and cons: Pro: Does ruin Invisibility vs. Sight group. Cons: 1. As Suppress/dispel/drain Invisibility - also has the effect of tagging visible people, so can be used to tell which one is the shapeshifter, and which duplicate hit you. Ruins disguise, concealment, shadowing, too. This is why I suggested Transform, as opposed to Suppress. It depends how you intend to use it. If it is Suppress, it may need the +2 advantage 'all visibility-dependent powers/skills/effects'.

Re: Soldiers marching. Knowledge of the terrain, too, is important. Do you have local experts? Spies? Scouts? How much and of what quality. Are you trying to be unobserved, or intend to be seen? Are you moving toward a seige, to reinforce an ally, to chase a foe, to meet an oncoming enemy head-on? Where will meeting them be most advantageous? Typically the force that has the field first has the advantage. Will there be popular support along the way, or popular resistance? Or, to save time, I could point you to Sun Tzu's Art of War. It's shorter, and better written.

Re: What would a supers setting look like 35 years from the present? What a great opportunity to use a Post-Apocalyptic setting.. or.. Decide if you want a Utopian or Distopian feel. Did your teen heroes make a positive change in the world, tending toward a brighter future? Did they go too far, and incite tyranny or anarchy in either extreme? Technological changes are only a small part of any future. While 35 years ago the Internetwork was only a gleam in Al Gore's eye, for most of the intervening time it existed, and merely only had an impact on a few percent of the population at all until socially it was embraced and used. Flying cars have existed for years. Medical advances can happen at a thousand times their current rate, and still not take a noticeable bite out of the many medical problems that will remain unsolved. And even if medical science knows something, it's no guarantee society will accept it. Choose what you want to solve, what you want to still be a problem, and what you want to be a new problem (cloning? new diseases?). Your guess is as good as anyone's. Good luck. Have fun.

Re: Mechanon take control of the Minute Man VII Robots Mechanon loves all his children, even the clunky, backwards ones put together by pathetic organics who only partially understand that the day of the carbon-based is over.

Re: [Heresy] Do we need Killing Attacks? Or save the time tweaking, fiddling and proving what _might_ work in the face of substantial experience with disappointing alternatives that never quite satisfy everyone.. and spend that time roleplaying while using RAW?