X-Men Class of 1985 (Inactive)

Game Master Reckless

Roll Call!

Checking in.

So Michael Jager and Werewolf are both taken, so why not both?

Anyways, here is Werewolf crunched out. This is the first time using this system for me, so please check it for errors.

Here, Captain my captain!

I'll have to come up with a cool codename, suggestions anyone?

Building should not be tooo difficult as there are several jean grey builds which would closely fit my characters with some minor adjustments.

This weekend I am going away with my gf so I will not be able to make a character then, hope to be able to pull something together tomorrow, but no promises. Have to work as well :).

I'll have to come up with a cool codename, suggestions anyone?

Manifest. Poltergeist. Psi-cle. Psy-pher. Psy-clone.

Misguided Speedster reporting in! :)

I could also use codename suggestions...and will probably need help with the rules but I'll look at the book/SRD tonight. I think I know how to make superspeed go but I'm not sure how to model the seizures or other drawbacks he's carrying.

Probably use something like the Side Effects flaw for the seizures and friction burn. There are a few other flaws you could stretch to mimic the drawbacks.

On to code names: Tachyon. Splitsecond. Hyperspeed. Velocity. Jitters (for your seizures and speed!).

Samnell: Veloce (fast in Italian), Quickie, Shot, Boom (as in sonic), Zip, Whizz

Jolly Roger: Psy Chick, Soulforce(English for psychokinesis), Force, Soul, Psyche,

Popping in to say ay-ay

As for code name ideas

Speedster
Bolt, Zoom, Neuron, Synapse seems to fit too, though that was totally used in city of heroes for a similar character.

Alex Mack
Psion, Miss Mental... Telekinetics sure are tough to name without venturing into the terribly cheesy.

Misguided Speedster reporting in! :)

I could also use codename suggestions.

Breakneck, Reckless, Hectic?

Can't think of any really good ones for a telekinetic quite like Poltergeist and Manifest above though.

So I've got a question:

Are we assuming these kids have been going to the institute for a while now or are they just coming in?

I've got some extra points that I'd like to put into a weapon that could've been specially made while attending the school, in preparation for joining the X Men, but I don't see it being created if we are just coming in.

So,.. mechanics,..

Ideally, to begin with I'm thinking that Whisp's powers might be an essentially instantaneous-type effect - so, from her human form, she insubstantially streaks forward as an incorporeal, small blue ball of light through an object or person, afflicting it (if living), returning to her normal form at the end of the movement.

Later she might gain the ability to maintain the form for longer periods. To mechniacally achieve this i'm not sure how to go. Should I use Flight, Shrinking, Affliction and insubstantial? If so how do I make the effect duration short enough? Is there a better way of achieving this with different effects? (maybe Teleport instead of the above???).

Also,

Would the "reaction" modifier allow the ability to be used intentionally as well as in response to the "trigger"?

So Michael Jager and Werewolf are both taken, so why not both?

Anyways, here is Werewolf crunched out. This is the first time using this system for me, so please check it for errors.

There are some violations of power level limitations there. I'll respond in more detail soon.

So I've got a question:

Are we assuming these kids have been going to the institute for a while now or are they just coming in?

I've got some extra points that I'd like to put into a weapon that could've been specially made while attending the school, in preparation for joining the X Men, but I don't see it being created if we are just coming in.

Just coming in to the institute (although one student could be the "Jean Grey" secret student who's been there for awhile.

Misguided Speedster reporting in! :)

I could also use codename suggestions...and will probably need help with the rules but I'll look at the book/SRD tonight. I think I know how to make superspeed go but I'm not sure how to model the seizures or other drawbacks he's carrying.

Either side effects like Catalyst suggested or as Complications. Complications will give you Hero Points when activated, whereas flaws will reduce the cost of your current powers.

So,.. mechanics,..

Ideally, to begin with I'm thinking that Whisp's powers might be an essentially instantaneous-type effect - so, from her human form, she insubstantially streaks forward as an incorporeal, small blue ball of light through an object or person, afflicting it (if living), returning to her normal form at the end of the movement.

Later she might gain the ability to maintain the form for longer periods. To mechniacally achieve this i'm not sure how to go. Should I use Flight, Shrinking, Affliction and insubstantial? If so how do I make the effect duration short enough? Is there a better way of achieving this with different effects? (maybe Teleport instead of the above???).

Also,

Would the "reaction" modifier allow the ability to be used intentionally as well as in response to the "trigger"?

To do what you're talking about, I think you should probably do it as a teleportation effect with a linked perception ranged or line area affliction.

I'll have to research the reaction question.. answer soon.

About Power Level Limitations:

Basically, the power level is used to determine how many levels each effect can have. There is a trade-off between to-hit and damage/effect(including strength), between defense (dodge/parry) and resistance(toughness), and between Fortitude and Will. The maximum total combined levels for each trade off is double the power level.

Examples at PL 8:
You could have an attack that is +10 to hit with an effect level of 6
You could have a dodge of 4(or less), parry of 4(or less) and toughness of 12, making you easy to hit, but hard to hurt.
Your Fortitude could be 10 and Will 6.

Or any other combinations that total 16 or less.

-------------

So, Werewolf's claws are too strong (+10 to hit, Effect 11, for total of 21 is 5 higher than the limit.)

I'd suggest making some of the Strength "lifting only", adding penetration to the claws, and either reducing the accuracy or overall effect level.

Also, you can add accurate attack and power attack advantages to simulate his shifting control over his accuracy/power.

I may or may not have some issues on mine. I used a trial edition of hero lab and then typed out everything. Hopefully I didn't miss anything.

Would the "reaction" modifier allow the ability to be used intentionally as well as in response to the "trigger"?

Looks like that's a negative, although you could set the "Reaction" to be something you could intentionally do, I suppose. For example if the Reaction is to "skin contact" then touching someone would work equally well as being touched. Reaction to teleporting would be triggered when you teleport, but is probably better off as a linked effect or triggered modifier.

I think I moved things around appropriately. I reduced Str to 8 in wolf form and removed the ranks in combat and damage, using it to buy Power Accurate attack, Penetrate 4, and correcting Multiattack (I had it wrong, apparently).

That should make any attack that I do in wolf form +8 with effect 8, with my claws being better via crits.

Any other suggestions? Any ways to do a build like this better?

OK,..

Not at all sure that I've got this right, but:...

If this looks OK i'll work out the modifiers and make a profile.

Cheers!

Thanks for the codename suggestions, everyone. I almost went with Veloce but I think it's a little too sophisticated for him, even if he probably speaks Italian. I liked Synapse and Neuron, but both come with too much City of Heroes baggage. (Neuron was the evil version of Synapse. I miss that game...) In the vein of Zip and Whizz (which I am far too juvenile to use seriously) I think I'm going to go with Twitch.

Since I'm n00btastic with M&M 3e, I'm looking through the basic speedster powers. Tell me if I understand them correctly? For simplicity, I'm using the PL 10 numbers from the example rather than recalculating them all on the fly.

All of that sound more or less sane?

I think I will stick with Psyforce or do you think that sounds too cheesy :s.

Question for the GM:
I am limited by 16 for a total of will and toughness. However I want to pick the power force field which increases toughness and thus the combined total over 16. Is that allowed? The forcefield power is something that I need to sustain.

Not final but its a good start, tell me what you think. I think I should get some more persuasion/deception but I need to figure out how :). Her telepathy helps in this sense.

For those of you unfamiliar with the system (I myself am more used to the 2ed version of M&M), when you're designing power sets (aka arrays/alternate powers under an umbrella power), remember unless they are linked or made dynamic you can only use one power in the array at a time. At least, that was how it was in 2ed and I don't remember reading if they changed it or not.

I'll use myself as an example: normally, the chemicals secreted by Catalyst's skin are toxic to other people and by touching a person, she can cause a number of conditions to that person. This is my Chemical Secretion power that acts as Affliction 8. Now I also wanted her to be able to alter the chemical composition of the secretions into something that instantly combusts when introduced to oxygen. This is her Chemical Combustion power that acts as a Damage 8 ability. Since those powers are connected in some ways, I put Chemical Combustion under Chemical Secretion as an Alternate power that isn't linked. Now this means that if I want to use Chemical Combustion to set someone on fire by touching them, I can't at the same time use my Chemical Secretion power to afflict them with status conditions.

For a more classic example, lets look at Superman: If Superman had a power for Flight and under that power also put his Super-strength (for whatever reason) power and didn't link them. Now Superman can fly whenever he wants or pick huge things up but if he tries to fly and hold up... oh lets say the Statue of Liberty, he is going to make a nasty dent in the street when he comes crashing down.

Yups
For Psyforce I specifically picked a dynamic array for telekinetics for the wide range of abilities you can use telekinetics for (manipulation, blast, flight, shield) which can me mixed and matched (so fly and shield for instance) and a non dynamic array for telepathic powers since Psyforce is not well versed in that; she can only use her mental communication with her friends or read peoples thoughts, not both at the same time.

I made some changes to my build seeing as we're just entering the school. The Battle Staff+Throwing Blades wouldn't have been acquired until after adventuring for a bit. I'll probably pick them up when we hit the next power level. Along with the two, I removed my affliction "kick to the head" ability. Just wasn't seeing the need for that given what everyone else can contribute.

Instead, I increased my abilities (Str+1,Agl+1,Fgt+1) and defenses (Dodge+1, Parry+1, Will+2) along with skills (increased Close Combat: Unarmed, removed expertise and intimidate).

Would I benefit from having a higher Fort given my power set, or will?

Well I'm sure you don't want to die from every little hit now do you ;). I would invest in some defenses and maybe make the resurrection take longer if needed. You are still growing and evolving after all.

I take it you plan on fighting baddies by hand and battle staff? I would take some offensive powers with that or you may end up just as a meat shield :P.

I think I will stick with Psyforce or do you think that sounds too cheesy :s.

Question for the GM:
I am limited by 16 for a total of will and toughness. However I want to pick the power force field which increases toughness and thus the combined total over 16. Is that allowed? The forcefield power is something that I need to sustain.

it's 16 total for dodge(or parry)+ toughness and 16 total for Will and Fortitude Toughness and Will do not trade off.

Not final but its a good start, tell me what you think. I think I should get some more persuasion/deception but I need to figure out how :). Her telepathy helps in this sense.

Maybe make it an alternate power in the telepathic array. Something like:

Telepathic Social Butterfly (1PP)(Enhanced Trait: Presence 5, Enhanced Trait: Deception 4, Enhanced Trait: Persuasion 4) This would increase both skills by 9 and all your other social skills by 5 when not actively using your telepathy.

Stuff...

Yes, that all looks pretty good. You could apply the Unreliable(Roll) Flaw for only a few ranks of your speed, meaning you would have to roll when you're going above a certain speed. Then add in the Side Effect Flaw (probably best at the same number of ranks as the Unreliable.)

Well I'm sure you don't want to die from every little hit now do you ;). I would invest in some defenses and maybe make the resurrection take longer if needed. You are still growing and evolving after all.

I take it you plan on fighting baddies by hand and battle staff? I would take some offensive powers with that or you may end up just as a meat shield :P.

The advantages he chose gives him a number of tactical trade-offs regarding to hit and damage, defense, etc.

His Immunities make him ignore a good number of Fortitude Effects (but certainly not all.)

But yes, I think he'll be getting some use out of that Immortality as he's statted out. :)

But then, unless I'm mistaken, that's his intent. This looks like a character intended to eventually grow into his own.

You know what they say about Warren Worthington III... tweet f$#+ing tweet. :P

Since Michael has only had the beast form for a few months at this point (unless he is the the long time student), Michael wouldn't really have much control when he goes fully beast, or at least the way I set it up. What would be the best way to set up that mechanically? Or should that be done purely as a roleplay thing?(like being quick to attack, more likely to kill, or not listening to party members when fully beast)

Yes I intended him to grow into his own a bit, but I also don't want to have him completely nerfed until then. I'm gonna scale down his immortality and immunity a bit and look into increasing survivability or damage output in a way that could be tied to his mutant ability. Perhaps a defense aura or something similar to 2es life control?

Since Michael has only had the beast form for a few months at this point (unless he is the the long time student), Michael wouldn't really have much control when he goes fully beast, or at least the way I set it up. What would be the best way to set up that mechanically? Or should that be done purely as a roleplay thing?(like being quick to attack, more likely to kill, or not listening to party members when fully beast)

Probably with the Temper Complication added to the beast form. That way you get bonus points for RPing it out.

OK,..

Not at all sure that I've got this right, but:...

** spoiler omitted **

If this looks OK i'll work out the modifiers and make a profile.

Cheers!

The Affliction Rank is way too high, and it doesn't need accurate if it's a line effect.

This would be better:

Linked Effects
. . Affliction: Line Area Affliction 8 (Linked; 1st degree: Dazed, 2nd degree: Stunned, DC 18; Alternate Resistance (Dodge), Line Area 2: 5 feet wide by 60 feet long, DC 18, Custom: Move Action; Limited Degree)
. . Teleport: Teleport 1 (Linked; 60 feet in a move action, carrying 50 lbs.; Change Direction, Change Velocity)

Costing 28 points. Also, since it's a move action with the custom extra, you can do it twice in a round.

Normally you cannot reduce the action of an attack/affliction that way, but it makes sense with your power, so I'm ok with it.

Notice that I added in a limited degree flaw; You hadn't delineated what the affliction did, beyond your initial concept of stunning, so I capped it at stunning.

Alternatively, you could do:

Linked Effects
. . Affliction: Line Area Affliction 8 (Linked; 1st degree: Dazed, 2nd degree: Stunned, DC 18; Alternate Resistance (Dodge), Line Area 2: 5 feet wide by 60 feet long, DC 18; Limited Degree)
. . Teleport: Teleport 1 (Linked; 60 feet in a move action, carrying 50 lbs.; Change Direction, Change Velocity; Increased Action: standard)
which costs 19 points.

Again, you are not supposed to be able to make a movement power take a standard action, but with teleport I don't see why not.

The way Alternate Resistance(Dodge) works with a line power is as follows:

Any targets in the line of effect must attempt to Dodge to reduce the effect. A success halves the Effect level (so from 8 to 4).

Then, since their Resistance is ALSO dodge, they make a second dodge roll against the effect's DC (18 or 14 if they made the first roll.)
With Affliction, they take the first degree on a failed roll and the second on a roll that fails by 5 or more. I wouldn't bother with Penetrating with Dodge Resistance because pretty much nobody is going to have Impervious Dodge.

Ah ok, and is it possible to get higher toughness than 10 in the game through the use of sustained powers, or will it be limited to 10 at those instances? At least that is what HeroLabs is showing me...

Good idea on the social butterfly thing, I wanted it to be something to do with her mind reading but I can fluff it that way as a sort of cold read on the person she is talking with.

You can have toughness higher than 10 as long as your Dodge and Parry are lower than 6, since the total combined cannot be higher than 16. This is true even with sustained abilities.

Yes I intended him to grow into his own a bit, but I also don't want to have him completely nerfed until then. I'm gonna scale down his immortality and immunity a bit and look into increasing survivability or damage output in a way that could be tied to his mutant ability. Perhaps a defense aura or something similar to 2es life control?

Maybe like:

Death-Proof
. . Fast Healing: Regeneration 1 (Every 10 rounds)
. . Immortality: Immortality 16 (Return after 1 minute; Uncontrolled)
. . Kill-Proof: Immunity 5 (Disease, Poison, Starvation & Thirst, Suffocation (All))
. . Protected Life Force: Enhanced Trait 8 (Traits: Stamina +4 (+4))

Would bump Stamina, Toughness, and Fortitude up to 5, which is closer to PL, plus make it so you recover faster even if you're not killed.

Ok, cool. I'm on the right track then.

So I made some more alterations to the crunch, Mostly moving things around, making some of my ranks in speed, leaping and regeneration enhanced traits linked to the beast form.

I also cleaned up the backstory and descriptions a bit, editing it to reflect a more recent arrival, and added in the complications.

I was also thinking about changing the name. Possible options are Predator, simply Wolf, or Canis. Any suggestions from you guys?

Echos Myron wrote:

Yes I intended him to grow into his own a bit, but I also don't want to have him completely nerfed until then. I'm gonna scale down his immortality and immunity a bit and look into increasing survivability or damage output in a way that could be tied to his mutant ability. Perhaps a defense aura or something similar to 2es life control?

Maybe like:

Death-Proof
. . Fast Healing: Regeneration 1 (Every 10 rounds)
. . Immortality: Immortality 16 (Return after 1 minute; Uncontrolled)
. . Kill-Proof: Immunity 5 (Disease, Poison, Starvation & Thirst, Suffocation (All))
. . Protected Life Force: Enhanced Trait 8 (Traits: Stamina +4 (+4))

Would bump Stamina, Toughness, and Fortitude up to 5, which is closer to PL, plus make it so you recover faster even if you're not killed.

I like that a lot. I was really worried about stepping into Wolverine territory at first.

lots.

Cool - more points to spend! I've got some stuff to do today but will sort it all out ASAP.

How about Jagerwolf? Jäger is such a cool last name to not utilize, especially when your character becomes a predatory beast

Howl
Gray
Shifter
Cub
Razor

Just spitballing here. Out of all of them, I like Gray the best.. so vague yet so specific.

I like that a lot. I was really worried about stepping into Wolverine territory at first.
I'll probably drop immunity: starvation and thirst, throw the 1pp into regen and make the enhanced trait permanent instead of sustained.

Yeah, you can pretty much just put points straight into Stamina, and explain it as "heals superficial wounds really quickly and has enhanced immune system". It doesn't have to mean that you ignore damage. One of the fun things about M&M is envisioning different "fluff" for the same mechanics.

I like Jagerwolf. Or I could make his code name Jäger, and make his last name Hunter...

But I also like Shifter...

Decisions, decisions.

Edit: Just came up with another one: Instinct.

Having fun coming up with The Brotherhood.

Spoiler below contains names of Brotherhood members:

Taking a first pass at a character sheet.

That should be 116 points so far. Anything wonky or math gone wrong? Not sure what to do with the last 4 points if I have all my sums right. If I have, then he should run at greater than mach 25 if he doesn't seize while trying. His safe speed would be about 28,800 mph. (Still > Mach 25.) I feel like that might be excessive for a Marvel speedster, but that comes from imagining Quicksilver running at about Mach 1 in a different continuity from this game.

Also, even if the math is right let me know if I've made some serious blunder in neglecting this or that. :)

So I think this all OK? (see profile).. If so I'll add background motivation etc.

Having fun coming up with The Brotherhood.

Spoiler below contains names of Brotherhood members:

** spoiler omitted **

Hmm,.. wonder what each of them is like? Let's see:

So I feel "Deathless" is too "mercenary/mutant gun-for-fire" for now, so I think I'm gonna go a bit more "teen hero" with the very cheesy, bragtastic Kid Wonder.

As for the brotherhood...I'm taking Crosshairs down.

Question time:
1) I envision KW being able to assess obstacles on the fly and go into a light version of photo reflexes a la Taskmaster. Under accelerated reflexes, I chose safe fall and sure footed along with quickness 4, limited to physical actions.
Does that fit mechanically?

2) Could his cockiness be used as a complication? One that would grant him hero points?
Perhaps his brash attitude leaves him a bit self-centered, so he tends to think for himself instead of as a unit? Maybe using team tactics would overcome the complication?

Xavier would call you Lazarus :)