Actually what might be a good idea is focus on the tech gizmo stuff as a sort of omni-power where you analyze the situation and pull the appropriate solution out of your nether orifice with a gizmo you make for the occasion.
It's always nice to have that ace up your sleeve handy.
Batsharkrepelent
Actually what might be a good idea is focus on the tech gizmo stuff as a sort of omni-power where you analyze the situation and pull the appropriate solution out of your nether orifice with a gizmo you make for the occasion.
It's always nice to have that ace up your sleeve handy.
She IS a robot, you never know where she might have in-built storage space. ;)
I'm starting to lean in this direction, moving away from some of the electricity manipulation stuff and just working on gizmos. I was gonna get rid of the detachable hand, but I'm now thinking of building on that, giving her a mechanical hand she can detach or transform into different objects (a gun, a sword, etc.)--if I can reflect that properly int he system (I'm guessing a device with a various alternate power array). So she'd become more "Inspector Gadget" but that's ok.
Here's my first stab at Whippoorwill in 2nd edition. I'm going to have to ask for help, since I'd like to make sure I've got everything sufficiently optimized.
Whippoorwill's main power independent of any gadgets or gear is flight, powered by two large, feathered wings on her back.
Her two main weapons are her quills and her whip. The quills have a variety of effects, ranging from your basic thrown weapon (a la batarangs) to explosive, flare, and stunning.
Her whip is your basic entangling weapon, but I've also added a strike to allow her to do a bit more damage outside the quills.
A few thoughts: I don't see a drawback for wing-powered flight and I wonder if that would be enough to merit a reduction in the cost -- since they can be bound, and technically would require a bit of room to flap.
I've always envisioned there to be a limited number of quills available to her at any one time -- space constraints on the costume, etc. She has a tech-guy contact who makes her custom weapons and keeps her stocked up, but I also wonder if I could take a limited number of uses per issue/adventure/fight to buy more trick quills (I'd like a corrosive acid one, and a tear gas/smoke screen variety)
Thanks in advance for any help!
Whippoorwill
Power Level: 12; Power Points Spent: 170/182
STR: +3 (16), DEX: +6 (22), CON: +4 (16), INT: +2 (14), WIS: +3 (16), CHA: +2 (14)
Tough: +8, Fort: +5, Ref: +10, Will: +6
Skills:
Acrobatics +10; Bluff +6; Computers +4; Diplomacy +4; Escape Artist +10; Intimidate +4; Investigate +4; Language 6; Notice +15; Pilot +8; Search +10; Sense Motive +15; Stealth +10;
Feats:
Ambidexterity; Blind Fight; Connected; Contacts; Defensive Attack; Defensive Roll 5; Environmental Adaptation (High Altitude); Evasion 2; Favored Environment (air); Fearless; Improved Disarm 4; Improved Initiative; Leadership; Master Plan; Move-by Action; Precise Shot; Quick Draw; Throwing Mastery 4; Uncanny Dodge 2 (sight and hearing); Well-Informed.
Powers:
Flight 4
Speed: 100 mph, 880 ft/rnd; Noticeable (Move - Personal - Sustained)
Quills (Device 12)
Easy to lose; action 3 (standard), Noticeable (Standard - Personal - Permanent)
Blast 6
Ballistic, Skill, DC 21, Feats: Attack Specialization (Quills)
Blast 8
Fire, Heat, Kinetic, DC 23; Explosion Area 30 ft. (noticeable) (Standard - Ranged, 80' - Instant)
Dazzle 5
Light, sonic, Affects 2 sense types (Sight, hearing), DC 15; Noticeable (Standard - ranged, 50' - Instant (lasting))
Stun 6
Electricity; DC 16; Range (ranged) Noticeable (standard - ranged, 60' - Instant (lasting))
Whip (Device 5)
Easy to lose; Action 3 (standard) (Personal - Permanent)
Snare 6
DC 16, Feats: Attack Specialization 4 (Whip); Range (touch); Extended Reach 3 (15 ft.); Noticeable (Standard - touch, 15 ft., - Instant)
Strike 6
DC 21, Feats: Attack Specialization 5 (Whip); Extended Reach 3 (15 ft.); Noticeable (Standard - Touch 15 ft. - Instant)
Equipment: Flash Goggles, Flashlight, GPS Receiver, Mini-Tracers, Costume
Attack Bonus: +12 (Ranged: +12, Melee: +12, Grapple: +15)
Attacks:
Blast 6, +18 (DC 21)
Blast 8, (DC 23)
Dazzle 5, +19 (DC Fort/Ref 15)
Snare 6, +18 (DC Ref/Staged 16)
Strike 6, +18 (DC Fort/Staged 16)
Unarmed Attack, +12 (DC 18)
Defense: +16 (Flat-footed: +8), Knockback: -4
Initiative: +10
Drawbacks:
Languages: English (Native); Arabic, Mandarin, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, Farsi
Totals: Abilities 38 + Skills 16 (64 ranks) + Feats 32 + Powers 13 + Combat 56 + Saves 9 - Drawbacks 0 = 164
And here's Gothic. She was sooo much easier, since she's just a pure telepath. Thoughts?
Gothic
Power Level: 12; Power Points Spent: 182/182
STR: -1 (8), DEX: +1 (12), CON: +2 (14), INT: +1 (12), WIS: +4 (18), CHA: +1 (12)
Tough: +2, Fort: +2, Ref: +1, Will: +4
Skills:
Computers +5; Concentration +8; Investigate +3; Notice +10;
Feats:
Equipment 1; Fearless; Improved Initiative; Trance; Well-Informed.
Powers:
Telepathy 12
Communication 12, Mind Reading 12; Action 2 (free); Permanent; Innate; Subtle 2 (unnoticeable) (Extended/Perception, 20 million miles) (lasting)
Communication 12
Sense Type: Mental
Mind Reading DC 22
Mental Blast 12
DC 27; Linked (Telepathy), Penetrating (standard - Perception - Instant)
Mind Shield 12
Impervious +12 to Will Saves vs. Mental effects; Linked (Telepathy); Innate (free - Personal - sustained)
Equipment: cell phone
Attack Bonus: +0 (Ranged: 0, Melee: 0, Grapple: -1)
Attacks:
Mental Blast 12, (Will DC 27)
Mind Reading 12 (Will DC 22)
Defense: +11 (Flat-footed: +6), Knockback: -1
Initiative: +5
Drawbacks:
Disability (Mute) Uncommon, minor
Languages: English (Native);
Totals: Abilities 16 + Skills 4 (16 ranks) + Feats 5 + Powers 136 + Combat 22 + Saves 0 - Drawbacks -1 = 182
Whipporwill can take a drawback: power loss when bound/snared. There is a standard flaw for limited uses. Flaw: Unreliable, and you choose uses.
I'm liking the look of this character more. You might want to compare it to the others. Might be a little slow on the flight, and you probably want a blast at rank 12.
Thanks for the advice! I think I'm getting the hang of it, now.
Whippoorwill
Power Level: 12; Power Points Spent: 182/182
STR: +3 (16), DEX: +6 (22), CON: +4 (16), INT: +2 (14), WIS: +3 (16), CHA: +1 (12)
Tough: +8, Fort: +5, Ref: +10, Will: +6
Skills:
Acrobatics +10; Bluff +5; Computers +4; Diplomacy +3; Escape Artist +10; Intimidate +3; Investigate +4; Language 6; Notice +15; Pilot +8; Search +10; Sense Motive +15; Stealth +10;
Feats:
Ambidexterity; Blind Fight; Connected; Contacts; Defensive Attack; Defensive Roll 5; Environmental Adaptation (High Altitude); Evasion 2; Favored Environment (air); Fearless; Improved Disarm 2; Improved Initiative; Leadership; Master Plan; Move-by Action; Precise Shot 2; Quick Draw; Throwing Mastery 4; Uncanny Dodge 2 (sight and hearing); Well-Informed.
Powers:
[b]Flight 4
Biological, Speed: 100 mph, 880 ft/rnd; Noticeable (Move - Personal - Sustained)
Quills (Device 14)
Easy to lose; action 3 (standard), Noticeable (Standard - Personal - Permanent)
Blast 8
Ballistic, Skill, DC 23, Feats: Attack Specialization 2 (Blast), Split Attack 2 (3 targets); Noticeable (standard - ranged 60' - Instant)
Explosive Blast 11
Fire, Heat, Kinetic, DC 26; Explosion Area 40 ft., Penetrating; Unreliable (uses); Noticeable (Standard - Ranged, 110' - Instant)
Dazzle 5
Light, sonic, Affects 2 sense types (Sight, hearing), DC 15; Noticeable (Standard - ranged, 50' - Instant (lasting))
Obscure 5
Chemical, Affects 1 sense type (sight), Radius 100 ft., Action 3 (reaction); Unreliable (uses); Noticeable (reaction - Ranged 50' - Sustained)
Stun 6
Electricity; DC 16; Range (ranged) Noticeable (standard - ranged, 60' - Instant (lasting))
Whip (Device 4)
Easy to lose; Action 3 (standard) Noticeable (Personal - Permanent)
Snare 8
DC 18, Feats: Attack Specialization (Snare); Linked (Whip); Entangle, Range (touch); Extended Reach 3 (15 ft.); Tether (800') Noticeable (Standard - touch, 15 ft., - Instant)
Strike 8
DC 23, Feats: Attack Specialization 2 (Whip Strike); Extended Reach 3 (15 ft.); Noticeable (Standard - Touch 15 ft. - Instant)
Equipment: Commlink, Night-Vision Goggles, Flashlight, Mini-Tracer (x2), Costume
Attack Bonus: +12 (Ranged: +12, Melee: +12, Grapple: +15)
Attacks:
Blast 8, +16 (DC 23)
Explosive Blast 11, (DC 26)
Dazzle 5, +12 (DC Fort/Ref 15)
Snare 6, +12 (DC Ref/Staged 18)
Strike 8, +12 (DC Fort/Staged 16)
Unarmed Attack, +12 (DC 18)
Defense: +16 (Flat-footed: +8), Knockback: -4
Initiative: +10
Drawbacks:
Power Loss, uncommon, minor, Bound/Snared
Vulnerable, uncommon, minor, Guilt/Remorse
Languages: English (Native); Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Farsi, Japanese, Russian, Spanish
Totals: Abilities 36 + Skills 16 (64 ranks) + Feats 32 + Powers 36 + Combat 56 + Saves 9 - Drawbacks 3 = 182
I like this much better, but somehow this time around my attack bonuses are much lower. Is a +12 acceptable, or do I need to make some adjustments to increase my accuracy?
Here's the background of Whippoorwill.
Briana McClaine was born in the early 2000s into a troubled household in Philadelphia. Her father was abusive and went in and out of prison, causing his daughter to frequently enter foster care. Briana's hard life had few bright spots until she turned eleven, when her foster parents introduced her to martial arts. As it turned out, young Briana had an incredible talent for it. Even after she was reunited with her biological parents, she kept up her lessons clandestinely through her teenage years, growing in skill and even won the northeastern mixed martial arts tournament at age 15. She was returned to her father for the final time shortly thereafter. At age 16, she put her father in the hospital when she finally had enough of his abuse. She ran away from home and disappeared for several years.
Briana lived homeless for a time, gaining some notoriety for her fighting prowess and finally becoming employed by noted weapons dealer Carlisle Estovion. Briana finished her education under the tutelage of the notorious underground figure, and later went on to serve in numerous militias and private military companies, including the private security firm Coyote Solutions, seeing serving in numerous parts of the globe and engaging in tours of duty in Belarus, Santa Prisca, Ukraine, Bialya, and Azerbaijan.
Her success eventually saw her recruited by the elite paramilitary unit C.A.D.R.E. (Covert Arms Division: Reconnaissance and Enforcement), which promised to enhance her to superhuman levels. She agreed, undergoing an excruciating process which grafted large feathered wings to her back and augmented the rest of her body to endure high altitudes and withstand the strong G-forces that enables her to perform complex aerial maneuvers. She was given the code-name Whippoorwill, and worked with an elite team of superpowered mercenaries that included Zero-G (gravity manipulation), Headlock (superstrong wrestler), Cortex (telepath), Jaunt (teleporter), Hairnet (prehensile hair), and the twins Woofer and Tweeter (sonic gestalt).
While much of their military actions were effectively bad-guy vs. bad-guy, there was enough questionable work that she gradually became disillusioned with the work. However, she did not leave until after a mission that destroyed an entire village of innocents. Even though she had been given assurances that the village would be evacuated, the destruction and collateral damage finally caused her to leave the mercenary life and become a hero.
Joining Briana in her defection was weapons designer Robert Whetstone, who had similar feelings about the CADRE and their methods. After settling in Star City, Whetstone worked to keep Whippoorwill stocked with her special gear, while she went out to try her hand at being a hero.
She has a history of working for lots of bad people, so she has numerous contacts in the criminal underworld, shady organizations and "axis of evil" type governments. It's very possible she's worked for Lex Luthor at some point or other nefarious types. I don't know if you want to build a hook there with Imagine or not.
Despite her criminal past, Whippoorwill is fully redeemed. While she may not feel that way (which drives her continually), she has no desire to slip back to her old life and constantly works for the betterment of society.
Complications: Enemy (CADRE); Obsession (redemption); Reputation (mercenary past); Wanted (by certain nations for fighting for opposing regimes)
Here's an updated attempt at Proxy. Switched off straight up electricity control (which was a holdover from an earlier concept where she was more of a digital being with an electric body, rather than an android)... for a "Device" -- which is her robotic hand. She has configured the robotic hand and added various gadgets so it can transform into various guns, turn into a Bigby's Hand, a grappling line, etc. The limitations I can put on it and the way you can build a device let me build a slightly better blast, as well as add a hand-to-hand option. She's still not a combat monster, but hope somewhat better equipped for combat.
I also traded her electrical absorption for a standard regenerate power (nanites), which seems easier to adjudicate. She's still immune to electricity because fluff-wise, she's still designed to absorb electricity into her battery and not be harmed by it. Her zap gun won't work if she's taken Con damage because the power reserves are lost--she loses the extra juice to shoot at people. I hope that makes sense.
Character history stays the same.
Proxy
Power Level: 12; Power Points Spent: 182
STR: +0 (10), DEX: +0 (10), CON: +0 (10), INT: +6 (22), WIS: +1 (12), CHA: +0 (10)
Tough: +16, Fort: +10, Ref: +10, Will: +10
Skills: Computers 14 (+20), Craft (electronic) 8 (+14), Craft (mechanical) 8 (+14), Gather Information 10 (+10), Knowledge (physical sciences) 4 (+10), Knowledge (technology) 16 (+22), Notice 4 (+5)
Feats: Beginner's Luck, Eidetic Memory, Equipment 1, Fearless, Improvised Tools, Inventor, Skill Mastery (Computers, Knowledge Technology, Craft Mechanical, Craft Electronic), Well-Informed
Powers:
Biodroid Body (Linked)
. . Biomechanical Immunities (Immunity 26) (Linked; aging, common descriptor: Electricity, fatigue effects, life support, starvation & thirst)
. . Cybernetic Toughness (Protection 16) (Linked; +16 Toughness)
. . Inate Comm Link (Communication 2) (Linked; sense type: radio)
. . Nanite Repair (Regeneration 2) (Linked; ability damage 1 (recover 1 / 5 hours), recovery bonus 1 (+1 to recover))
. . Robot Hand (Anatomic Separation 1) (Linked; separate: hand, 1 separated part)
Machine Language (Comprehend 4) (languages - understand all, languages - you're understood, machines / electronics - speak to, machines / electronics - understand)
Transforming Hand (Device 9) (Hard to lose, Only you can use; Action (Power Switch), Power Loss (Can't use if hand is detached))
. . Zap Gun (Blast 10) (electricity, DC 25; Line Area (5x250 ft. line), Penetrating; Power Loss (If taken Constitution damage))
. . . . Flash Gun (Dazzle 12) (Alternate; affects: visual senses, DC 22)
. . . . Grabby Hand (Snare 12) (Alternate; DC 22; Engulf)
. . . . Grapple Gun (Super-Movement 1) (Alternate; swinging)
. . . . Reinforced Fist (Strike 12) (Alternate; DC 27; Penetrating)
. . . . Shield (Shield 19) (Alternate; +19 dodge bonus; Affects Others)
. . . . Taser (Stun 12) (Alternate; DC 22; Range (ranged))
Equipment: Flash Goggles, Flashlight, GPS Receiver, Laptop Computer, Mini-Tracer
Attack Bonus: +6 (Ranged: +6, Melee: +6, Grapple: +6)
Attacks: Flash Gun (Dazzle 12), +6 (DC Fort/Ref 22), Grabby Hand (Snare 12), +6 (DC Ref/Staged 22), Reinforced Fist (Strike 12), +6 (DC 27), Taser (Stun 12), +6 (DC Fort/Staged 22), Unarmed Attack, +6 (DC 15), Zap Gun (Blast 10) (DC 25)
Defense: +6 (Flat-footed: +3), Knockback: -8
Initiative: +0
Drawbacks: Weakness, uncommon, minor, Magnetic Powers
Languages: Native Language
Totals: Abilities 14 + Skills 16 (64 ranks) + Feats 8 + Powers 92 + Combat 24 + Saves 29 - Drawbacks 1 = 182
Of course I still don't know if you'll have me so don't know much additional tweaking is worth it, but I think this at least looks better and more of a single concept than the first go.
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PPS: Sorry to see you're not submitting anything, Black Dow--IIRC in the last M&M game we were in you had a cool character.
Cheers for the kudos DQ - loved that game, and was gutted it went south. We had some interesting mythos going on. Hopefully I'll get to play Eoten again down the line :)
Some great concepts being pitched here - enjoying the read :)
Hey folks, just checking in. At the risk of looking overeager, I'm wondering where y'all are in this process. :)
I'm still around, too! And still interested!
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I'd like to bring in Whipporwill, Proxy, and Clayface. I've been struggling with some stuff at work that has been keeping me away from the boards. Students are gone now, and just a couple days of meetings remain, so hopefully we can get things going. We can move over to discussion and you guys can dot gameplay. I'm not quite sure how to bring everyone in yet. If you have any ideas, let me know. We currently have two competing vision of the Justice League,and some conflict between our own League members, so I'm sure these new recruits will stir the pot. If you feel up to it, instead of just dotting gameplay you can write up a sort of "day in the life of" post. What does your character look like on patrol, or fighting a villain. Something that might appear in your own solo book.