The year is 2018.
All of the stories are true.
Well, kind of true.
Your story is a story with which we are almost familiar, but your world is so much bigger than what we know.
This is a recruitment for a Mutants and Masterminds 3rd Edition PbP game here on the Paizo boards. Characters should be based on a fictional character from television, film, literature, video games, etc. Characters should be capable of existing in 2018 based on the rules in their own story. You can make extrapolate from events in the story, and your story doesn’t have to have happened exactly as it is told in our universe.
This game is very loosely based on the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, in the sense that it uses pre-existing characters working together in a fused hyperfictional setting. You will also be working, possibly reluctantly, for a shadowy organization. This will help hold the party together. Despite being based on the central idea of the comic, the campaign will be more of a rollicking adventure than a cynical deconstruction.
Characters will be Power Level 8 with 120 points. Skills are 4 skill points per Power Point rather than 2. I’m going to prefer characters who aren’t built with broad suites of powers that make their team mates seem useless.
Submissions should include your character build and any changes you want to make to the character’s story. If you want, you can describe your status with the League (which will be a more International organization than the British one) and how you were recruited. This could be your first adventure or your 20th.
Floating the idea of playing two linked characters, sort of, maybe: the djinn Bartimaeus (of the trilogy of the same name) and his current summoner (who may or may not be Nathaniel).
I'm not sure whether it would be more interesting to play Bartimaeus + some other guy, an alternate future ending where Nathaniel doesn't die and his working relationship with Bartimaeus continues, or they remain in their weird fused state/retain the ability to do so from the end of the last book instead of Bartimaeus returning to the "Other Place".
Storm Dragon, that makes sense to me. Are you thinking the djinn is the character and the magician is the sidekick?
DQ, if you wonder in here and didn't see my message in the other thread, I'm totally sold on cryo-frozen Jaime Sommers.
Storm Dragon, that makes sense to me. Are you thinking the djinn is the character and the magician is the sidekick?
They both have roles to play; most spells in the setting ARE just magicians going "servant, slap that" but there is some personal magic.
Basically Nathaniel would have Expertise: Magic plus Ritualist and Artificer (plus enough Limited Quickness to whip out minor spells on command), while Bartimaeus would have the bulk of abilities (Glamour, Shapeshifting, extra senses, etc.). Bartimaeus in this case can easily be statted up as a Heroic Summon 8 effect.
Both are more guile heroes than anything; Bartimaeus is on the lower end of power (he's an intelligent and skilled mid tier demon, but has little throw down capability when matched up against even other Djinn, much less Afrits and Marids).
Although having Bartimaeus as the primary character and Nathaniel as an improved Sidekick may be better, I'll have to fiddle. Bartimaeus as a lot more Complication potential than Nathaniel in terms of physical stuff ('existence is pain for a Meeseeks an exalted spirit Jerry Nathaniel', weakness to silver and iron, etc.) and is the most likely to persist if Nathaniel dies rather than vice versa.
That was just a thought. I was working on a version of Blue and Owen that had Blue as the character.
hey SuperTumbler,
I was thinking of going with a lesser known Greek God.
Nemesis, the goddess of vengence.
Her purpose is to avenge those who are wronged, also righteous anger.
Talk about the perfect hero.
So she would have to be able to sense those who are wronged and the wrong doer, have great skill with a sword, be immortal, and have wings. Skill wise some history and some wealth would do. What do you think?
Here is a run down:
Nemesis directed human affairs in such a way as to maintain equilibrium. Her name means she who distributes or deals out. Happiness and unhappiness were measured out by her, care being taken that happiness was not too frequent or too excessive. If this happened, Nemesis could bring about losses and suffering. As one who checked extravagant favours by Tykhe (Tyche) (Fortune), Nemesis was regarded as an avenging or punishing divinity.
In myth Nemesis was particularly concerned with matters of love. She appears as an avenging agent in the stories of Narkissos and Nikaia, whose callous actions brought about the death of their wooers. In some versions of the Trojan War, she was the mother of Helene, and is shown in scenes of her seduction by Paris pointing an accusing finger at the girl.
Nemesis was often sometimes depicted as a winged goddess. Her attributes were apple-branch, rein, lash, sword, or balance. Her name was derived from the Greek words nemêsis and nemô, meaning "dispenser of dues." The Romans usually used the Greek name of the goddess but sometimes also named her Invidia (Jealousy) and Rivalitas (Jealous Rivalry).
NE′MESIS (Nemesis), is most commonly described as a daughter of Night, though some call her a daughter of Erebus (Hygin. Fab. Praef.) or of Oceanus (Tzetz. ad Lyc. 88; Paus. i. 33. § 3, vii. 5. § 1). Nemesis is a personification of the moral reverence for law, of the natural fear of committing a culpable action, and hence of conscience, and for this reason she is mentioned along with Aidôs, i. e. Shame (Hes. Theog. 223, Op. et D. 183). In later writers, as Herodotus and Pindar, Nemesis is a kind of fatal divinity, for she directs human affairs in such a manner as to restore the right proportions or equilibrium wherever it has been disturbed; she measures out happiness and unhappiness, and he who is blessed with too many or too frequent gifts of fortune, is visited by her with losses and sufferings, in order that he may become humble, and feel that there are bounds beyond which human happiness cannot proceed with safety. This notion arose from a belief that the gods were envious of excessive human happiness (Herod. i. 34, iii. 40; Pind. Ol. viii. in fin., Pyth. x. 67). Nemesis was thus a check upon extravagant favours conferred upon man by Tyche or Fortune, and from this idea lastly arose that of her being an avenging and punishing power of fate, who, like Dike and the Erinyes, sooner or later overtakes the reckless sinner (Apollon. Rhod. iv. 1043; Sophocl. Philoct. 518; Eurip. Orest. 1362; Catull. 50, in fin.; Orph. Hymn. 60). The inhabitants of Smyrna worshipped two Nemeses, both of whom were daughters of Night (Paus. vii. 5. § 1). She is frequently mentioned under the surnames Adrasteia and Rhamnusia or Rhamnusis, the latter of which she derived from the town of Rhamnus in Attica, where she had a celebrated sanctuary (Paus. i. 33. § 2). Besides the places already mentioned she was worshipped at Patrae (Paus. vii. 20, in fin.) and at Cyzicus (Strab. p. 588). She was usually represented in works of art as a virgin divinity, and in the more ancient works she seems to have resembled Aphrodite, whereas in the later ones she was more grave and serious, and had numerous attributes. But there is an allegorical tradition that Zeus begot by Nemesis at Rhamnus an egg, which Leda found, and from which Helena and the Dioscuri sprang, whence Helena herself is called Rhamnusis (Callim. Hymn. in Dian. 232; Paus. i. 33. § 7). On the pedestal of the Rhamnusian Nemesis, Leda was represented leading Helena to Nemesis (Paus. l. c.) Respecting the resemblance between her statue and that of Aphrodite, see Plin. H. N. xxxvi. 4; comp. Paus. i. 33. § 2; Strab. pp. 396, 399.) The Rhamnusian statue bore in its left hand a branch of an apple tree, in its right hand a patera, and on its head a crown, adorned with stags and an image of victory. Sometimes she appears in a pensive standing attitude, holding in her left hand a bridle or a branch of an ash tree, and in her right a wheel, with a sword or a scourge.
ADRASTEIA (Adrasteia). A surname of Nemesis, which is derived by some writers from Adrastus, who is said to have built the first sanctuary of Nemesis on the river Asopus (Strab. xiii. p. 588), and by others from the verb didraskein, according to which it would signify the goddess whom none can escape. (Valcken. ad Herod. iii. 40.)
ICHNAEA (Ichnaia), that is, the tracing goddess, occurs as a surname of Themis, though in her case it may have been derived from the town of Ichnae, where she was worshipped (Hom. Hymn. in Apoll. Del. 94; Lycoph. 129; Strab. ix. p. 435 ; Steph. Byz. s. v. Ichnai), and a surname of Nemesis. (Brunck, Anal. ii. pp. 1. 86.)
RHAMNU′SIA a surname of Nemesis, who had a celebrated temple at Rhamnus in Attica. (Paus. i. 33. § 2, vii. 5. § 3; Strab. ix. p. 396, &c.; Steph. Byz. s.v.)
Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.
Here is my submission for Brundlefly. Any input welcome. I will have to resolve how he became a hero.
I am still interested. At the moment I am working on some administrative work for a game I am running, but should be able to get a submission in within a few days. Do you have an application deadline?
Right now thinking about Jaime Sommers (awesome the cryo thing works), Fred, or Maggie Mui. Some notes about them if you think any one might work better for the campaign than the other:
Jaime: Reluctant secret agent cyborg (ex-tennis pro/teacher). Has some mental/amnesia issues, but a heroic everywoman who happens to have super strength who wants to do good for good reasons. She is a fairly social character and very empathetic. I have an idea pulled from the first reunion special where she describes having been in a coma in the early 1980s--in my version she actually would have been so damaged she went into cryostasis again until she could be fixed up/have her cybernetic rejection issues cured, and anything in the reunion specials was just a dream. She wakes up in present day with most of her known allies dead or gone, and having to start over--but with the U.S. government still considering her their personal property.
Maggie from R.O.D: I doubt you've seen this series, it's about a bunch of secret agents and detectives who, fueled by bibliomania (yes you read that right) can use paper the way Green Lanterns manipulate light--turn it into various constructs, etc. Maggie's specialty is defense and creating giant origami constructs that fight for her. Maggie is a bibliomaniac (making for an interesting complication) and of course needs paper to use her powers (making for another). She is a detective/bodyguard by trade, after being released as a "failed experiment" by the secret organization that created her (failed because of her extreme bibliomania) (they paired her with her "sisters"--other experimental subjects--to help better stabilize them mentally and socially, but only used them as freelance operatives). She is very shy and has some odd quirks ((here's a very silly clip of her being teased by the author (lady in glasses) she's supposed to be protecting), but is fearless in combat. Her series took place in 2006, when she was 21, so she'd be in her early 30s now. She may have been separated from her sisters or they were killed, which is why she'd be operating alone, and looking for a new "family" to help protect. Her powers are much more obviously "superheroic" (and I'd probably have to tone them back for PL 8) but the world she comes from is an unusual one, still with much more of a noir/espionage feel, and in this world the major superpowers are China and Great Britain, backed by immortal figures who control two information-controlling organizations fronted by an Asian Publishing Company, Dokusensha, and the British Library, respectively.
Of the two Jaime is probably easier to build, and I am leaning toward her, but I figure I'd throw either out there.
Here is my submission for Brundlefly. Any input welcome. I will have to resolve how he became a hero.
You don't really have to worry about being a "hero," so much as being an agent, which is pretty easy to figure out. He fits into the Jekyll/Hyde roll pretty well.
I'll look at the build when I get a chance, and I'm sure some of the other MNM experts here will also take a look at it.
hey SuperTumbler,
I was thinking of going with a lesser known Greek God.
Nemesis, the goddess of vengence.
Her purpose is to avenge those who are wronged, also righteous anger.
Talk about the perfect hero.
So she would have to be able to sense those who are wronged and the wrong doer, have great skill with a sword, be immortal, and have wings. Skill wise some history and some wealth would do. What do you think?
Here is a run down:
** spoiler omitted **...
Nemesis is interesting. Could she be more low key that a winged human most of the time? She might stick out a bit if she is full god mode, but if she is diminished by a lack of worship and not super obvious it might work.
That is cool SuperTumbler. The wings could have slowly faded due to lack of worship over time. I am all cool with that. Could you perhaps assist me in character creation as I have no idea how to do that with this game system?
Sure thing. Probably the easiest thing to do is just have you describe the character's abilities relative to other characters you can think of. Strength, agility, fighting ability.
Advantages are basically feats.
Then powers she has.
Then I'll work up a draft in Hero Lab.
I'll let recruitment run for at least a week until the 16th. Characters can take a while to feel good about in MNM.
BTW there is an Excel-based generator that works well here: https://www.atomicthinktank.com/viewtopic.php?t=37265 (first post, the creator updated it with the latest version). It takes a little figuring out but is useful.
(If you have Hero Lab its generator for M&M also works well but I don't recommend shelling out the dough unless you think you'll use it repeatedly. Note with Hero Lab you only get to unlock one ruleset with purchase, and then it's $30 for each additional set, though you can use the other rulesets in "Demo Mode" which won't save your character (you have to screenshot it).)
EDIT: I forgot Tumbler is allowing more skills per PP. There should be a way to modify this in the Excel sheet but I can't find it. Sorry.
@DQ Should be able to change Field AX30 from =AX29/2 to =AX29/4 on the Skills Tab
I am working up Roland, Wanted to double Check that I can take his Revolvers as a power with the removable Flaw -1/5 instead of as equipment. they cost ~4x that way but they are a part of him as much as anything else. I want to make it hard for them to be taken.
Yes, that is the way I would build them.
Guns and other weapons, generally speaking, should be "Easily Removable" (-2/5 cost, can be Disarmed). Removable items can ONLY be removed if the character is unconscious otherwise incapacitated.
I feel like removing Roland's guns should require him to be unconscious otherwise incapacitated. But I will defer to -2 if the GM prefers.
First look
If that's how you want them there's nothing stopping you; I was just pointing it out in case you wanted to save a few more points and maybe rely on your increased Dodge/Parry and such to prevent the Disarming.
ok so Nemesis needs to be able to read minds pretty well
she needs to be able to kick butt with a sword
I think she should have a sword in one hand with a wheel shield and in the other hand a branch.
She will be wearing a crown of stags with a symbol of greek meaning victory.
This is her goddess form which is immortal. She is also written about as being as beautiful as aphrodite and a virgin goddess, so no hanky panky for Nemesis.
I think she should have perhaps a split form. Perhaps something mortal and normal and then something like shazzam for when she wants to get her Goddess on. Mortally she will be called Rhamnusia as a last name. (Greek based on a city in Attica)
So skill wise some history, some wealth since she has been around so long, awesome fighting skills. Take a look and see if you see anything else?
I'm going to go with Martin Brundle, son of Seth Brundle as he will better fit the roll of Jekyll/Hyde.
One question, are our characters recruited by the government or a private agency?
Wanting to know for background.
I'm usually not very picky in recruitments, but I'm trying to get a fairly specific feel out of this group and the campaign, so please don't take any critiques personally.
I'm not yet at the point of optimizing builds. I probably won't worry about that too much until after we have a set roster for the campaign, but I do want to point out some things since some of us are new to the system.
Skill: You want to think of things you character can do reliably and the DC for those things and set your skill levels based on that.
Routine Checks and the table below it are helpful. For example, let's say I'm building John Rambo. He pretty much never fails an Athletics check, so his ranks should let him take 10 and overcome Challenging and Heroic difficulties, so I make sure his total bonus is +18 (Max for our power level). This means he will pretty much always succeed at really challenging tasks.
If you want your character to be world class in a skill area, you will want to be in that 15-18 range for skills. Of course this doesn't apply to fighting skills. Those have to be balanced with damage.
Here's a rough draft of Jaime. Definitely needs some tweaks if she gets in, but this is the general idea. Jaime largely fought by trying to take weapons away and incapacitate people and I might further make some changes to reflect that better. Her background can be adjusted as needed.
PL8
Abilities
Strength 7, Stamina 3, Agility 4, Dexterity 5, Fighting 5, Intellect 2, Awareness 3, Presence 3
Powers
"Cyborg Body:
Bionic Arm Strength: Enhanced Strength 5, Bionic Arm - Fast Digits: Quickness 4 [Limited to Physical Tasks Only], Bionic Legs - Running: Speed 5, Bionic Legs - Jumping: Leaping 3, Bionic body - Electronic Grounding : Immunity 5 [Resists damage with the Electricity descriptor; Limited to Half Effect], Bionic body - Reinforced Spine: Protection 5
(27 points)
Bionic Ear:
Bionic Ear: Senses 6 [Ultra Hearing 1, Extended (Auditory) 1 rank per, Penetrates Concealment (4), Commlink 1; Limited - Pentrates Concealment works by half]
(4 points)"
Equipment
Advantages
Beginner's Luck, Benefit 1 [Security Clearance - OSI 6], Improved Disarm, Improved Grab, Improved Smash, Improved Trip, Leadership, Teamwork, Throwing Mastery 1, Weapon Bind, Weapon Break
Skills
Acrobatics 3 (+7), Athletics 3 (+10), Close Combat: Unarmed 3 (+8), Deception 4 (+7), Expertise: Singing 4 (+7), Expertise: Education 3 (+5), Insight 7 (+10), Intimidation (+3), Investigation 7 (+9), Perception 9 (+12), Persuasion 7 (+10), Ranged Combat: Thrown Object 3 (+8), Sleight of Hand 2 (+7), Stealth 3 (+7), Vehicles 2 (+7)
Offense
Initiative +4
Unarmed Attack +8, Damage DC 22;
Thrown Object +8, Damage DC 23
Defense
Dodge 5, Parry 5
Toughness 8 (Def Roll 0), Fortitude 7, Will 7
Power Points
Abilities 54 + Powers 31 + Advantages 11 + Skills 15 + Defenses 9 = Total 120
Complications
"Motivation: Doing good. Jaime's paramount goal is to use her skills to help others any way she can, and in spite of any odds.
Power Loss: Prolonged Exposure to below freezing temperatures limits her Bionic Body powers, and removal of her nuclear power pack in her arm (requires procedure) depowers her and will slowly kill her
Identity: Jaime is meant to be an undercover operative, and the government demands her bionics are kept a secret
Relationship/Enemy?: Jaime puts what she thinks is right above her orders, but owes the government her life--and the government believes they own her body. This leads to a troubled relationship at best. She wants to serve her country, but has her own ideas how to do it, and has been on the run from her own employers before--and one wrong step could put her at odds with them again.
Brain Damage: Jaime nearly died to a massive cerebral hemorrhage caused by bionic rejection. She has gaps in her memory, and can become emotionally stable or suffer flashbacks under duress.
Fame: Jaime WAS a tennis pro good enough to beat Billie Jean King at Wimbledon in '74. Given she's barely aged since then, tennis fans who do recognize her could make things awkward."
Background
Steve Austin. A man barely alive. Whoops--wrong start. Jaime Sommers grew up in Ojai, CA, with soon-to-be-astronaut Steve Austin after his family took her in when she was 16 years old, after her parents died in a "car accident" (she learned much later they were government agents who were killed). While she studied education at Carnegie Tech in Pittsburgh, she initially pursued a career as a tennis pro. She was very successful, even beating the legendary Billie Jean King in 1974 at Wimbledon. She reconnected with Steve a few years after he "miraculously" recovered from a plane crash, and they soon decided to marry--but on a skydiving outing, her cords crossed and she plummeted to the earth. Steve, now the world's first cyborg, demanded his employer, the Office of Scientific Intelligence, give her the same augmentations so she could survive and thrive. They did so, but with the expectation that she too would work for the OSI as an agent. Unfortunately, while the bionic implantation seemed successful, she began to reject her prosthetics, and nearly died of a massive cerebral hemorrhage due to the resulting system shock. In order to save her, she was cryogenically frozen until they could find a way to safely operate on the aneurysm. She was revived successfully, but had amnesia--first, completely, and then, about Steve and the accident she suffered. She continued her life as an OSI agent, while working undercover as a teacher at a California air force base. She engaged in a large number of adventures and adopted a bionic dog. She tried to resign from the OSI a few years later only to learn the government refused to let her--they asserted they owned her cybernetic implants, and thus her body. They gave her the choice to keep working, or transfer to a "retirement facility" that was a gilded cage, as she'd not be allowed to leave. She opted to run. After a several day chase, she came to terms with her own identity as both a bionic woman and as a woman, and negotiated a return where she would still work for the OSI on a part-time basis. A couple years later, she was sent on a very dangerous mission to Eastern Europe with fellow agent and occasional love interest, Chris. It ended poorly--they were caught in an exploding building, Chris was killed, and Jaime was injured so badly she began to reject her bionics again. They once again cryogenically froze her to try to save her life. After she was frozen, the government struggled to find the funding both to save her and retain Steve Austin, who was also becoming rebellious and difficult to work with. The ended the bionics program, and Jaime was left literally on ice... until nearly 40 years later. A researcher, Kenneth Martin, who had been mentored by Jaime's scientific savior Rudy Wells, had reopened the bionics project only to learn about Jaime's existence. With new threats on the horizon in the age of terrorism, the government agreed to revive Jaime if Dr. Martin could guarantee success. Jaime was operated on, repaired both in flesh and circuitry, and revived (while in a coma she had bizarre dreams of the years and life she never lived, even of eventually marrying childhood sweetheart Austin), devastated to learn that she had lost the last few decades. Her adoptive parents were long gone, Austin had been killed in action, and most of her allies at the OSI had also passed away after long and fruitful lives (and the few who might be alive were retired and couldn't learn of her revival). She agreed to work for the government as before, still grateful for her life even if under these devastating revelations--but if she was distrustful of and rebellious toward them before, now with few friends to trust save Dr. Martin, she is all the moreso skeptical of how much good working as an agent will do her, or the public she truly wants to protect. Recently, she was contacted by a mysterious League... promising her the freedom to help in the way she likes. Is it too good to be true--and, if she hears them out, will her activities brand her a traitor to the country that saved her life?
Personality Jaime is intelligent, stubborn, empathetic, and kind. She has a strong sense of right and wrong and once she has an idea of the right thing to do, it is hard to convince her otherwise. She at the same time however still is a good listener and willing to hear people out within reason; while those who know of her abilities focus on the physical, her "powers" come as much from her kindness and persuasive skills as her cybernetic enhancements. Indeed, she hates violence--an odd trait in a government agent--and tries to find ways to incapacitate or convert before resorting to brute force. She is willing to fight and even kill, but only in the rarest of circumstances. She suffers from "little troubles" as she calls them, having been mildly brain damaged from prior episodes of bionic rejection, sometimes becoming emotionally unstable or unable to remember certain things, but these things never stop her in the end from getting her job done--indeed, often such episodes push her in the end to work harder to help others, especially victims of trauma like herself.
Background:
Attend to me oh muses so that I might tell story of vengeful Nemesis born of Night and Zeus, advesary of fortune and sin, and mighty goddess of balance. Long nights ago when the stars were young and Mount Olympus shone with the power of mighty Apollo and Ambrosa was plentiful in the fields I was made both in the image of Night and also of Zeus did I come to be. Although I was not of the great gods, I found place in many cities among the spurned lover and those who were turned away. I found place in war and with those seeking righteous vengence. My name was remembered and the sacrificial lamb was burnt on the fires in Attica.
I cannot tell you exactly the number of years that have passed. No longer can I go to mighty Olympus and I do not see the other gods and goddesses I once did. Perhaps it is because righteous vengence is a thing that even some can understand today that I am still fed. Still, one would expect fear of the storm to feed Zeus, or war to feed Ares? Where have they all gone? Why do they not hear my call? Where is Hermes of the swift winged foot to bring my message to my father? I long to hear their voices once more. I am but a shadow of what I was. Still I hear the voices calling out as if from far away, calling out of vengence, calling out to right the sinner or smite those not due fortune. My sword still sings in my hand. My crown still glistens with the glow of righteous fury.
That the mortals found me in Attica in Greece sitting watching tourists walk my holy grounds is no surprise. I was thinking of killing them all. I have been thinking of it for a while. What could be more righteous? Yet some small thing held me back. Perhaps it was the little child with curly hair who shook his rattle and smiled to me. Perhaps it was the old woman who brushed the hair from my face and did the old rites to honor her lost husband to robbers. That man knew how to speak to me though. He called me by my true name. "Nemesis of Righteous Fury, attend to our call." Who are they? What is it that they wish? Anyone who calls me in such a way at least deserves a moment of my attention. Besides, it will grant these tourists some prolonged mercy while I consider other things. Taking my leave from Greece and not teaching "mythology and ancient history" to young men and women will be a welcome break as well.
DeathQuaker, looks great to me.
Edelsmirge, I'm getting close on a first draft for you.
Here's my current write-up for Bartimaeus.
[/b]
PL 8
Abilities (30 PP):
Strength: 0
Stamina: 2
Dexterity: 2
Agility: 2
Fighting: 0
Intellect: 0
Awareness: 0
Presence: 0
------------------------------
Dodge: 10 (8pp)
Parry: 8 (8pp)
Toughness: 5 (3pp)
Fortitude: 4 (2pp)
Will: 4 (3pp)
Damage Array (26pp):[b]
--Detonation (22pp): Ranged Damage 8 (Fire), Accurate 4, Affects Insubstantial 2
--Conflagration (22pp): Ranged Area Damage 7 (Fire, Burst), Affects Insubstantial 1
--Flux (22pp): Broad Simultaneous Nullify (Magic Effects) 7, Insidious
--Glamour (22pp): Illusion (Sight, Hearing) 7, Dimensional 1 (Four Planes)
--Invisibility (22pp): Concealment 10 (All Sense Types but Tactile), Dimensional 2 (Seven Planes)
[b]Shapeshifting (24pp): Shapeshift 4 (Limited To Living Creatures), Limited: While Not Exhausted
Flight 2 (4pp)
Senses (0pp): Vision/Hearing Counter Concealment And Illusion (8pp) Check Required: Perception 7 (-4pp), Activation: Move (-1pp)
Senses (2pp): Darkvision (2pp)
Comprehend (3pp): Languages 2, Innate
Immunity (3pp): Starvation and Thirst, Aging, Need For Sleep
Deception +18 (18 ranks)
Persuasion +12 (12 ranks)
Insight +14 (12 ranks)
Perception +13 (12 ranks)
Expertise: History +10 (10 ranks)
Ambidexterity
Eidetic Memory
Jack of All Trades
Move-By-Action
Uncanny Dodge
Evasion 2
Fearless
Taunt
Well-Informed
Daze
Minion 3
Weakness To Silver: Bartimaeus’ Magic does not affect silver objects, and Silver ignores Toughness bonus
Existence is Pain: Need to Periodically return to the “Other Place” to recharge Essence. Prolonged periods in the real world without rest (starting after a week) lead to increasing levels of exhaustion. Does not apply if trapped inside an object (such as a lamp) or merged with a human body.
Quirk (Big Mouth): Bartimaeus will rarely pass up the opportunity to make a snarky comment at someone’s expense, even knowing it will often lead to punishment or deterioration of a social situation.
Prejudice: “Demons” (or spirits, as they prefer to be called) are considered servants at best, and tools at worst. Though Bartimaeus has a friendship with Nathaniel, other Magicians who could happen to summon him are likely to insist on unquestioning obedience.
True Name: Any creature that knows Bartimaeus’ true name (which is a matter of public record, if anyone digs deep enough and is aware he did not perish a few years ago, as was commonly thought) can summon and bind him as long as he is not currently summoned.
Enslavement: When summoned, a Magician has great power over a spirit, being able to torture them with spells they have no recourse against, or even annihilating them at will (though this can only happen to a spirit that directly disobeys an order). Their essence can also be contained in objects to create magical artifacts; two ways a permanent end could potentially befall Bartimaeus. Note: Nathaniel cannot perform these tortures/spells to Bartimaeus (not that he would, these days). A spirit that learns their summoner’s True Name may rebound any such curses upon the caster.
Guile Hero: Bartimaeus is considered capable, but weak for his class of spirit. Most djinn are stronger than Bartimaeus in a pure combat sense (though there are two classes below him: foliots and imps, and two or more above: afrits and marids). Less a direct Complication and more a GM guideline for building Djinn or similar spirits; most, if not all, should have more powerful damaging spells and combat ability over Bartimaeus.
Abilities (20pp):
Strength: 0
Stamina: 0
Dexterity: 0
Agility: 0
Fighting: 0
Intellect: 4
Awareness: 0
Presence: 0
Dodge: 3 (3pp)
Parry: 0
Toughness: 0
Fort: 0
Will: 5 (5pp)
Powers:
Amulet of Samarkand (6pp): Immunity 10 (All Magical Effects), Easily Removable (-2/5pp)
Advantages (8pp):
Ritualist
Artificer
Eidetic Memory
Benefit(s): Wealth 2, Security Clearance (British Parliament), Diplomatic Immunity, Status (Magician; ruling class)
Skills (15pp):
Expertise: Magic +18 (16 ranks)
Persuasion +16 (16 ranks)
Deception +12 (12 ranks)
Perception +8 (8 ranks)
Investigation +8 (8 ranks)
Complications:
True Name: Nathaniel operates under the alias “John Mandrake”, with only a few people (including Bartimaeus) knowing his True Name.
I'll have a more concrete write-up of the backstory later. Cliff notes: Bartimaeus is a spirit that's been around and actively summoned since at least the time of Solomon, and was besties with Ptolemy. He's snarky and relatively weak, but resourceful and capable, making him a favorite for many Magicians to summon for tasks requiring finesse.
Nathaniel first summoned Bartimaeus when he was 12 (the year 2000), and they've had a grudging partnership through several adventures, culminating in an actual friendship once Nathaniel stopped being a big borderline Evil a@@*@#% around 5 years after they first met. After the whole issue with Ptolemy's Gate and the Spirit Uprising they managed to stop (a bunch of spirits tricked Magicians into summoning them inside their bodies with promises of more power and just took them over instead), they've worked together over the last 13 years to reform the government and work on improving Magician/Spirit relations, to...mixed success.
Bartimaeus' capability means that with or without Nathaniel present, he was likely summoned and used by a bunch of League personnel over the years, or Nathaniel was contacted and they both did the job. They're good at solving occult problems with occult solutions.
Note on series; It's somewhat of an alt-history where Magicians rule the world, but most things (like technology) seem to have proceeded and developed as normal (save that apparently the US is just now starting the Revolution against British rule in like 2001). Most of it I expect to be handwaved to fit with the hodgepodge world a game like this will naturally create.
I figure if Harry Potter is fair game, this isn't TOO far off.
Nemesis rough draft: Basically an Immortal Martial Artist with some mind reading tricks.
Unnamed Hero - PL 8
Strength 4, Stamina 3, Agility 6, Dexterity 4, Fighting 10, Intellect 0, Awareness 3, Presence 0
Advantages
Accurate Attack, Agile Feint, All-out Attack, Assessment, Chokehold, Daze (Intimidation), Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll, Evasion, Improved Defense, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Smash, Improved Trip, Power Attack, Precise Attack (Close, Concealment), Prone Fighting, Takedown, Uncanny Dodge
Skills
Acrobatics 10 (+16), Athletics 10 (+14), Insight 10 (+13), Intimidation 10 (+10), Perception 8 (+11), Stealth 8 (+14)
Powers
Immortality: Immortality 6 (Return after 16 hours)
Impervious Defense: Impervious Toughness 4
Soul Gaze: Mind Reading 8 (DC 18; Subtle: subtle; Reduced Range 2: close)
Analyze Style: Affliction 8 (Alternate; 1st degree: Vulnerable, 2nd degree: Defenseless, Resisted by: Will, DC 18; Insidious, Subtle: subtle; Limited: vs. your attacks, Limited Degree)
Sword (Easily Removable (indestructible))
Damage: Strength-based Damage 4 (slashing, DC 23)
Tough: Protection 2 (+2 Toughness)
Offense
Initiative +10
Analyze Style: Affliction 8, +8 (DC Will 18)
Damage: Strength-based Damage 4, +8 (DC 23)
Grab, +10 (DC Spec 14)
Soul Gaze: Mind Reading 8, +8 (DC Will 18)
Throw, +4 (DC 19)
Unarmed, +10 (DC 19)
Complications
Motivation: Justice
Temper
Languages
Native Language
Defense
Dodge 6, Parry 10, Fortitude 3, Toughness 6/5, Will 3
Power Points
Abilities 60 + Powers 27 + Advantages 19 + Skills 14 (56 ranks) + Defenses 0 = 120
Validation: Soul Gaze: Mind Reading 8: Attack Bonus exceeds Power Level limit by 2; Sword - Damage: Strength-based Damage 4: Attack Bonus exceeds Power Level limit by 2; Soul Gaze: Mind Reading 8 - Analyze Style: Affliction 8: Attack Bonus exceeds Power Level limit by 2
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And yes, I know a couple things are above power level limits at the moment.
Storm Dragon: absolutely right about the setting. It will be pretty Gonzo kitchen sink stuff.
I've done a fair amount of thinking about the sci-fi aspects of the game, but less about the mystical aspects. If we end up with a wizard/djinn and a diminished goddess, I probably need to worry about that.
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Would the following be acceptable?
Spock (based loosely on the version from TOS series). He was on a time travelling mission that went wrong and he got left here on Earth.
Mechanically, basically a gadgeteer. Better than human stats (but only barely superhuman). Some functioning equipment. Mind Meld, nerve pinch, etc. I'm sure that he'd end up being somewhat more powerful than the TV version
Clearly, his following the Prime Directive would mean that he wouldn't reveal his knowledge of the future.
That is a delightfully weird proposal. I'll allow it!
(Worlds collide, Jerry!)
Also, turns out Nemesis is in Percy Jackson series, which my youngest daughter reminded me of.
I want to make a few tweaks, I modified the weponmaster the 7 Dex seems a little off to me I might try for lowered stats and raised modifiers. Should have a second draft today
although I have not read that Percy Jackson series, it seems now I must! No wonder she is still around!
Nemesis - PL 8
Strength 4, Stamina 3, Agility 6, Dexterity 4, Fighting 8, Intellect 0, Awareness 3, Presence 0
Advantages
Accurate Attack, Agile Feint, All-out Attack, Assessment, Benefit, Wealth (well-off), Daze (Intimidation), Defensive Attack, Evasion, Improved Defense, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Smash, Improved Trip, Power Attack, Precise Attack (Close, Concealment), Prone Fighting, Takedown, Uncanny Dodge
Skills
Acrobatics 10 (+16), Athletics 10 (+14), Insight 10 (+13), Intimidation 10 (+10), Perception 8 (+11), Stealth 8 (+14)
Powers
Danger Sense: Senses 1 (Danger Sense: Hearing, Advantages: Uncanny Dodge)
Immortality: Immortality 5 (Return after 1 day)
Impervious Defense: Impervious Toughness 4
Soul Gaze: Mind Reading 8 (DC 18; Subtle: subtle; Reduced Range 2: close)
Analyze Style: Affliction 8 (Alternate; 1st degree: Vulnerable, 2nd degree: Defenseless, Resisted by: Will, DC 18; Insidious, Subtle: subtle; Limited: vs. your attacks, Limited Degree)
Ancient Linguist: Comprehend 2 (Alternate; Languages - Read All, Languages - Speak All)
Sword (Easily Removable (indestructible))
Damage: Strength-based Damage 4 (slashing, DC 23; Affects Insubstantial 2: full rank)
Tough: Protection 2 (+2 Toughness)
Unshackled: Teleport 2 (120 feet in a move action, carrying 50 lbs.; Limited: Only when bound or imprisoned)
Offense
Initiative +10
Analyze Style: Affliction 8, +8 (DC Will 18)
Damage: Strength-based Damage 4, +8 (DC 23)
Grab, +8 (DC Spec 14)
Soul Gaze: Mind Reading 8, +8 (DC Will 18)
Throw, +4 (DC 19)
Unarmed, +8 (DC 19)
Complications
Motivation: Justice
Temper
Languages
Ancient Greek (But powers allow her to speak and read all languages)
Defense
Dodge 6, Parry 8, Fortitude 3, Toughness 5, Will 3
Power Points
Abilities 56 + Powers 32 + Advantages 17 + Skills 14 (56 ranks) + Defenses 0 = 119
definately like the second version so if she is trapped under or in something and made dead she can get out. Alright awesome!
I feel like I need better defenses, I am thinking along the lines of
Bullet time:
Bullet Time 1: Enhanced Dodge 5 [Limited (In a Gun Fight); Activated, Move action], Bullet Time 2: Enhanced Parry 5
(5 points)"
I have 3 enhanced Defs at 10 but that is much lower than any of the Archtypes
That's because most (all?) of the Archetypes are Power Level 10; they have higher caps on their defenses.
Having Dodge 10/Parry 10 plus your normal Toughness 7 actually puts you 1 over the combined cap for PL 8 (the sum of your Dodge or Parry plus your Toughness cannot exceed double PL, in this case 16).
** spoiler omitted **
** spoiler omitted **
I really like the metamorph extra concept, but it is taking a bit to flesh out two characters.
@SD, Thanks, mostly just scanning the book from this end. I now see that section, I think I have something I am happy with. I'll work on linking the Gunslinger to the group
Sure, Brundlefly. It is twice the work. I'm not in any rush to get things going.
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If its ok with you I'll only create an alias if selected.
The following is my write up for Commander Spock. He is based primarily on TOS (not movies, not reboots). He is somewhat more powerful than Spock was so as to be actually a fit member of the League.
3 years ago Spock was on a time travelling mission from the Enterprise. In the Star Trek universe this mission happened just after the 3rd season ended.
The mission was to observe the Summit on Climate Change. Although many records had been lost it was clear that this was a major turning point and a crucial point in the survival of the early 21st century technological culture that would someday become one of the founding members of the Federation.
Unfortunately, the mission went badly. While they were there, the Federation team discovered that another group was trying to disrupt the conference. There was some (inconclusive) evidence that the group were rival time travellers. What WAS clear was that they had access to technology far above what was available in the 21st century.
Although the Enterprise team managed to thwart the other group Spock was very concerned about the possibility of another group trying to alter the time line. He chose to remain behind in 2015 in order to safeguard the time line.
Since then he has used his considerable technological expertise to build several items to help him in his work. He came to the attention of The Organization and has joined it. The Organization is aware that he is an alien (A Vulcan) but NOT that he is a time traveller.
His solo role has caused him to broaden his skill base somewhat and to create some additional gadgets. He DID start with basically all the equipment from the Away Team.
Note - the whole time travel is meant primarily as an excuse for him being present. It is a source of plot hooks only if the GM wants it to be. The adventures all, clearly, result in the historically ordained events. Or are just minor sidenotes. Which only becomes clear in the aftermath :-). The GM can TOTALLY ignore temporal stuff unless they wish not to
Note 2 - I am planning on totally ignoring the established future history that contradicts OUR history. Or just pushing the dates 20 years into our future. So, the Eugenics Wars either did NOT happen or happen in the future. Obviously, the future history of a show written in the 60's doesn't match well our actual history. The BROAD history is still correct, of course (UFP being a fairly utopian society, Kirk being captain, etc). If this is an issue I can change things to come from an alternate time line.
The following is a basic cut at the character. It doubtless needs some refinement which can hopefully come if the character is selected.
Definitely a higher PL version than the show version (who was probably something like PL5 or 6).
I used Hero Lab for this but I don't own the M&M3 plugin. So, for the moment, I'm just using a screen capture. I'll do something better if selected
His attacks are offset a little towards power (I wanted his phaser to be a heavy hitter) at +6/+10
Similarly, he is easier to hit than to harm (defences 6, toughness 10)
Here is amended Brundlefly. Still working on background.
Here is Martin Brundle. I am having trouble spending all of the PP. As a new player, I might have bit off more than I can chew here.
Brundle, your max skill bonus at PL 8 is 18, so you can spend some more points on those skills.
Will do. Working on it. Decisions decisions.