Clearly I'm playing the game with a different mindset than everyone else. It was never my intent to mess with people or detract from anyone else's fun. Quite the opposite. Anyway, I'm not sure where Dave fits in to a group where a PC can literally kill a NPC with basically no exposure to risk and then threaten to murder Dave for the high crime of offering to help cleanup the neighborhood. I had reservations about the villain concept and I guess I didn't buy in. My mistake. I'll leave you to it.
Karma's anger came not from the offer to clean up the neighborhood, but to the statement of his name and his location. She knows that information will get back to the V'sori and they will likely begin to patrol the area looking for Dave and perhaps assume the others who escaped at the same time may be in the same area. She also knows that the gang that is protecting the Shake Shake is in league with the V'sori, so they will probably be watching for him, and the V'sori may, for good measure, give them pictures of the rest of us with instructions to report sightings to them.
That spurred her anger and made her see him as a serious enough threat to attempt to scare him into an attitude change.
If push came to shove, Karma would leave the group and look after her own security rather than actually hurt Dave. Dave may not know that, so let's assume Karma and Dave will be walking on eggshells around each other for a while, wary of each other.
Really? You wouldn't rather just approach Dave privately and say, "Hey, sorry about earlier. I'm not really going to kill you..." Why do we need have interpersonal conflict between our characters? That seems unnecessary. Dave does not understand Karma's psychotic reaction, because he has interacted with the police many times before and knows they don't take him seriously. He doesn't see himself in the wrong here and even if he did, Karma's response was way over the top. Dave is out the door unless she apologizes.
As a third party, both of you were out of line.
I know Dave is supposed to be funny, but if the character doesn't understand that things are different than before, then there's an issue. Dave needs to recognize that he screwed up big time. This is not "being a boner," this is a threat to all of our lives. And this is not a threat that goes away by you walking away. If you get picked up, then they can find out where we are.
The issue with her reaction was that there was no OOC talk about it. It was excessive, but so was Dave.
Yeah, this game us definitely not for me. Good luck.
Yeah, this game us definitely not for me. Good luck.
I am sorry that you are not having fun. I am sad to see you go but I understand your choice. Farewell. I'll see you round the boards.
With the departure of Dave I will be bringing in both the new folks unless something goes terribly wrong.
However I could use some ideas for entrances.
Ideas?
Delivering the van.
Survivor from a destroyed cell.
One of the prisoners you set free?
Any suggestions?
Also tweaked/added more info for the Comlinks and V-MAP. And added the no non-con PVP to the setting rules.
Sorry if I misread what was appropriate. The GM questioned Dave's actions and Dave's player said he was just playing his character's alignment and personality. When that was deemed an acceptable reason for potentially outing the whole operation without GM intervention, I figured Karma would do what she did based on her character and background. I explained OOC it was not a threat that she would carry out, just an action that could give Dave a strong motivation to behave.
This is the problem I see with any campaign that tries to let players be evil. Evil doesn't generally play well with others. It takes something that threatens everyone in the team to give villains a reason to work together. The V'sori threat is that motivation here, so if PC is threatening to sabotage that, villains will deal with it harshly. It's in their nature. But, of course, we're also not supposed to have PVP conflict. So it's hard to know what to do when a situation like Dave's statement to the bystanders takes place.
On a tactical note relating to the Milk Run plan: I need some information on how an intangible character in a car works as a game mechanic. It ultimately relates to how an intangible character can move if he doesn't take the flight ability. An intangible person could not walk in the normal way because he cannot take advantage of Newton's Third Law and apply a force to the ground so the ground applies a force back.
So a related question is this: if an intangible person is in a car and the car starts moving, does the person move with the car? Or if Karma were in a car tangible and went intangible, would she stop moving and the car moves on without her?
I'm a physics teacher, so I need something to explain how an intangible person without the flight power could ever move. Does gravity affect an intangible person? Can an intangible person fall down an elevator shaft?
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Okay so lessons learned:
1) There is quite definitely an environmental factor of how "visible" our base is to the enemy. We need to be aware of this and take steps to avoid being seen.
2) Don't go around telling other PC's you're going to do bad things to them. Apparently people don't like that.
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So a related question is this: if an intangible person is in a car and the car starts moving, does the person move with the car? Or if Karma were in a car tangible and went intangible, would she stop moving and the car moves on without her?
I've had many discussions about this and it always comes down to: Don't overthink it.
Basically it means that if you're intang. and something -else- moves, you move with it. So you can ride in a car in the same way that you keep moving as the Earth orbits the sun.
But if you're intang, it let's -you- move through things.
Some thoughts : first off, I'm really sad to see that things went the way they did.
However, having said that, can we *please* ret-con that Dave did *not* say the things he said at the Shake Shack (or, in lieu of that, letting us know that it will have no consequences)? That would make life so much easier for us moving forward.
Finally, FWIW, I'd vote for "in the van", no ret-con needed. Altho Dr. D could always just say into our ears "I'm assigning someone new to your team. They will show up at your base at <gives a day and time>. The recognition password is 'swordfish' ".
While we may be evil or evilish, we need to cooperate to survive. I think that we can each figure out our own reasons to cooperate.
* We have additional resources working together.
* The team can cover my back.
* If we aren't effective in the field, Dr. D will use us as a disposable distraction for a team that does work together.
* That green blob is pretty cute. If I show how great I am, maybe I'll get a date out of it.
* etc.
Toxie really doesn't want to get captured again. Working with Dr. D is the best option he sees to beat the V'Sori. But he knows that Dr. D sees us as minions, and our value depends on how well we perform. If we fail, he will dispose of us and try to use that disposal to his advantage. If we succeed, he will give us more resources and more tolerance.
He's also generally pretty easygoing. He's not about to make waves unless there's something important.
I haven't had time to follow the recruitment posts. If there is something that requires player input, let me know.
Also, I second Psiclops suggestion about Dave's statement at the Shake Shack. I think the GM should have interrupted gameplay at the point Dave made the statement and mandated the statement be retracted on the grounds that it is an PVP sort of thing to make every other PC's security diminished, just to try to get a laugh. That moment has passed, but with Dave gone, it could be done retroactively and that would retcon Karma's reaction.
Sorry if I misread what was appropriate. The GM questioned Dave's actions and Dave's player said he was just playing his character's alignment and personality. When that was deemed an acceptable reason for potentially outing the whole operation without GM intervention, I figured Karma would do what she did based on her character and background. I explained OOC it was not a threat that she would carry out, just an action that could give Dave a strong motivation to behave.
This is the problem I see with any campaign that tries to let players be evil. Evil doesn't generally play well with others. It takes something that threatens everyone in the team to give villains a reason to work together. The V'sori threat is that motivation here, so if PC is threatening to sabotage that, villains will deal with it harshly. It's in their nature. But, of course, we're also not supposed to have PVP conflict. So it's hard to know what to do when a situation like Dave's statement to the bystanders takes place.
I actually, from a personal not a GM standpoint, do not consider that either Karma or Dave acted inappropriately as characters. Both the outing by Dave's character and the threat from Karma's were entirely within bounds and made sense for how they both had been played up to that point. Though the outing and Karma murdering the driver were pretty extreme and I admit I was surprised. Given the OOC parts of Karma's statement I fully expected you to talk this out as a collective. I was quite surprised by Dave the player's reaction, but ultimately that player decided they did not wish to continue the game. Their call.
You mentioned GM intervention several times now so there is something I want to make clear. I will not stop you from blowing up your characters/the group/the world so long as I consider the actions involved to be genuine and not trolling/sabotage. I do not actually expect this campaign to reach the end of the Plot-Point campaign. NE is DIFFICULT. The closest video game likeness I have found to this game is X-COM/UFO Defense. The NE players may have better toys (superpowers) than early x-com but you are both facing a better resourced enemy you know very little about with no clear path to victory. I will try to give you fair warning before you do something I consider dangerous/foolish and provide some direction but you are each the captains of your collective fate. I will not stop you if you insist on heading for the rocks.
On a tactical note relating to the Milk Run plan: I need some information on how an intangible character in a car works as a game mechanic. It ultimately relates to how an intangible character can move if he doesn't take the flight ability. An intangible person could not walk in the normal way because he cannot take advantage of Newton's Third Law and apply a force to the ground so the ground applies a force back.
So a related question is this: if an intangible person is in a car and the car starts moving, does the person move with the car? Or if Karma were in a car tangible and went intangible, would she stop moving and the car moves on without her?
I'm a physics teacher, so I need something to explain how an intangible person without the flight power could ever move. Does gravity affect an intangible person? Can an intangible person fall down an elevator shaft?
The easy answer here and the one I prefer is to say that you are the intangibility expert so however you see your power working is the way it works for everyone. So please tell me the answer.
But some folks don't like that answer. My fall back answer relies on choice. Shove a normal-matter person in an aluminum can and throw it from NY to LA and the normal-matter person just has to take it and enjoy the in-flight entertainment. A strange-matter (intangible) person has a choice they can either stay with the plane, either tangible or not, and move with it as it flies. Treating the plane as still as the world moves around it, or they can remain with the ariport, ghost through the floor or rear of the plans and take the fall to the tarmac. Assuming that is that they choose to accept the ground as solid.
I expect there are some intangible types no one ever heard of who either fell to the center of the earth or drifted off into deep space because they chose the incorrect frame of reference. But again this is my fall back answer. As the expert how does Karma see this working?
From a rules standpoint an intangible person still has a pace so they can move. They are not fall-proof so down the shaft they go. RAW. But the rules are silent as to why.
I haven't heard a 'no' so I'm going to assume a 'yes'.GM: In light of recent events I'd like to do a minor PP tweak.
I'd like to decrease my Super Skill 2 points so I can get Forgetful. (This is the part where you say, "clever girl". ^_^)
More details please.
Do you mean dropping Super Skill:Focus by 2 points to add the Forgetful mod to Mind Control? If so then go for it. If not please elaborate.
Retcon in light of Dave leaving.
I offer that the entire Shake Shack incident be removed. from existence.
In this altered timeline Dave will have had an argument with (insert one or more character's here) about (insert reason here) and left.
This means:
*the drive-by did not happen or at least you never heard about it.
**the outing never happened.
**the murder never happened.
**Nobody gets junk-food.
So give me a yea, or a ney and another option. Ballot boxes are open.
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In this altered timeline Dave...
The group of recently-rescued pour into the abandoned store. Chatter echoes through the spartan walls and the sounds of freedom so newly won ring about in hushed tones and the occasional muttering of a future plan.
Only one among them is not letting relief wash over him like a glacier-fed waterfall.
The who had called himself "Dave" stops in his tracks. He straightens, his hunched shoulders falling back and his body uncoils, like a seedling at last touched by the sun. The dour, homely expression that had weighed his face like a loadstone falls away and his face is young, fit, even handsome. He works his shoulders like a trossed man only just now untied.
"At last humanity will have it's revenge," he mumbles, but it's in a voice that none had heard. "At last a new Age of Man will grow from under this alien yoke."
All chattering stops and the group looks at him, mouths agape.
He turns as if only just now seeing these people. He brings a hand up to one eye. In a perfect Londoner york he gives the group a "Be Seeing You" and turns left...out of existence.
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**Nobody gets junk-food.
This will not STAND!
In -this- reality Mom brings over frozen burgers, buns, and fixin's.
Also a couple frozen containers of Chernobyl Cherry alcohol* mix (made with REALfruit!**)
*All alcohol in Chernobyl Cherry is synthohol.
**Chernobyl Cherry contains no actual fruit and is made with 100% soybean byproduct and artificial flavors.
Hello, all. I'm doing my best to get up to speed on the campaign. You folks post a lot!
I'm looking to bring in a new character. From a player perspective, I am going to treat myself as a newb to Savage Worlds and to the Necessary Evil campaign. In order to make that work best for me and everyone else, I'm trying to bring in a character who doesn't understand much of anything. So character and player get to be ignorant newbs.
The concept of the character is that he has access to the Universal Mind of all humanity. As our Poor Wandering GM said in recruitment, he should be the second best man in the room most of the time.
My goal is not to outshine anyone, so if I'm stepping on any toes let me know. I feel like the build isn't very optimized, and I'm fine with that. I would like to be useful to the party. I don't have to feel awesome. Here is the build I have so far. Please feel free to offer input. Assume I don't know what I'm doing.
Savant (Alex Carter)
Novice Human
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d10, Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d4
Skills: Academics d4, Athletics d6, Battle d4, Common Knowledge d4+2, Electronics d4, Fighting d12, Hacking d4, Healing d4, Language (English) d8, Notice d4, Persuasion d4, Piloting d4, Repair d4, Research d4, Riding d4, Shooting d4, Stealth d4, Thievery d6
Pace: 6; Parry: 10; Toughness: 4
Hindrances: Hard of Hearing (major), Heroic
Edges: Danger Sense, Great Luck, Jack-of-all-Trades, Luck, Master of Arms, Scavenger, Super Powers, Weapon Master
Weapons: Unarmed (Range Melee, Damage Str), Melee Attack (Generic) (Range Melee, Damage Str+3d6, AP 10)
Language: English (native, d8)
Current Wealth: $500
Special Abilities
Languages Known: English (native, d8)
Melee Attack (Generic) (3; Mental): - +10 AP
Super Edge (4; Mental): Adds 4 Edges to obtain from the Edges tab
Interface (Mental): Your hero can interface with electronic gadgets, giving him much greater access to their inner workings than others. He gains +2 to Electronics and Hacking rolls. - Thievery gains the +2 bonus for interface so long as electronics are involved in some way., Any skill affected by interface that would normally take 10 minutes or less can be tried with a single action.
Super Skill (4; Mental; Fighting): Boost selected skill by 4
Ageless (Mental): The hero never grows old. - The character is already quite old, though he may not show it. His life experience gives him +2 to Smarts and Common Knowledge rolls.
Boost/Lower Trait (Mental; Any Trait): Make a Focus roll. If successful, increased or decrease target Trait by one die type, two with a raise, minimum d4 - Can affect any trait "on the fly", Limitation (-1): Self Only
Deadeye (Mental): The character causes +d6 damage with firearms (including pulse weapons and the like), bows, or crossbows. - Damage increases to d10
Genius: Gets a free reroll on all Smarts and Smarts-based skills - The hero ignores the −2 penalty when making unskilled, Smarts-based rolls.
Fearless (Mental): Character is completely immune to Fear checks, whether they come from powers, Special Abilities, or situations
Object Reading (Mental): Reveals vague impression of an object’s history (more detail with a raise)
Speak Language (Mental): Can speak any language, even new ones after short exposure. - May read and write any language, give a few minutes and samples
Starting Bennies: 5
Advances
Novice Advances
Edge: Danger Sense
PWGM - I'm fine with the ret-con you suggested.
Tumbler - how do you see yourself adding to the missions? I see you can control electronics, which could help us bypass locked doors and security systems. You've got a high Fighting but a "relatively" low damage (altho with AP 10, that helps a bit), so you may not be that useful in a fight. You might consider trading points in AP to points in damage. You do +d6 damage with firearms, but your Shooting is d4, so...why?
A Toughness of 4 in supers is tissue-paper. It really needs to be something like 10-15. You may also want to increase your TN to be hit by ranged attacks (which defaults to 4) with Dodge.
I'm not familiar with all your Edges, but it looks like you're really good at finding and building things on-the-fly, which could come in handy if you (the player) have a good imagination.
Object Reading and Speak Language could come in handy now-and-then.
These are just my thoughts, and they're meant to be constructive, not critical. PWGM has the final say on PC builds.
Go team Kara's Mom! I stand behind that version of reality.
Ok, here's what I have so far for Crystal Titan. :)
Key here, is that he's still getting used to being able to move around without a wheelchair or cane, so he still uses one when out and about.
I tried to fill in some gaps, and still narrowing down the super abilities...
Phillipe Anthony Devereux (Novice Male Human)
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d4, Vigor d6
Skills: Athletics d4, Boating d6, Common Knowledge d6, Fighting d6, Focus d8, Language (English) d8, Language (French) d6, Language (Linguist #2) d6, Language (Linguist #3) d6, Language (Linguist #4) d6, Notice d6, Persuasion d4, Science d8, Stealth d4
Pace: 5 (7); Running Die: d4 (d6); Parry: 5; Toughness: 17 (12)
Hindrances: Enemy (major, Southpoint Slashers), Environmental Weakness (Sonic), Loyal, Mild Mannered, Slow (minor)
Edges: Connections (Street People), Linguist, Martial Artist, Super Powers
Weapons: Unarmed (Range Melee, Damage Str+d4, +1 to Hit)
Languages: Linguist #4 (d6), Linguist #3 (d6), Linguist #2 (d6), French (d6), English (native, d8)
Current Wealth: $500
Languages Known: Linguist #4 (d6), Linguist #3 (d6), Linguist #2 (d6), French (d6), English (native, d8)
Crystalline Body (Altered Form; Earth): The hero has a morphable body made from a particular type of energy or matter. - Must make a Focus roll as an action to transform into his altered form. If he loses concentration, it Powers Down and must be reactivated
.. Armor (6): +12 Armor - The armor is considered Heavy Armor, and can only be damaged by Heavy Weapons. (Contingent (0): Altered Form)
.. Pace: Increase Pace by +2 and the hero’s running die a die type. (Contingent (0): Altered Form)
Hmmm.... good point. The languages are from the Linguist edge, but that would let me add a different edge.
I can probably pick up Linguist later on, to "reveal' he's been able to speak these other languages all along..... :)
I think I can also bump Boating and Science down a die to let me make it a d6 Athletics (for throwing) and something else....
Hello, all. I'm doing my best to get up to speed on the campaign. You folks post a lot!
I'm looking to bring in a new character. From a player perspective, I am going to treat myself as a newb to Savage Worlds and to the Necessary Evil campaign. In order to make that work best for me and everyone else, I'm trying to bring in a character who doesn't understand much of anything. So character and player get to be ignorant newbs.
The concept of the character is that he has access to the Universal Mind of all humanity. As our Poor Wandering GM said in recruitment, he should be the second best man in the room most of the time.
My goal is not to outshine anyone, so if I'm stepping on any toes let me know. I feel like the build isn't very optimized, and I'm fine with that. I would like to be useful to the party. I don't have to feel awesome. Here is the build I have so far. Please feel free to offer input. Assume I don't know what I'm doing.
Savant (Alex Carter)
Novice Human
.....
Welcome.
First look, not a formal review, but that d4 strength and vigor are lethal. From your edges and skills it looks like you are specializing in hand to hand but that d4 is str will SEVERLY limit what weapons and armor you can use and that d4 vigor means you are less able to take a punch than the average street thug.
I strongly recommend at least a d6 in Vigor and the same in strength if you want to carry anything.
Deadeye isn't getting you much. You don't have the Shooting (guns/bows) or Athletics (thrown) to support it. You would hit hard but you would need to use boost trait to have a decent chance to hit.
Hard of hearing as a major hindrance does mean you are fully deaf. Auto failing any hearing based notice checks. Interesting RP options but it is a major hindrance for a reason.
You appear to be short on Hindrances but that may be by choice. One of the setting rules (Larger than Life) allows you to take and additional major hindrance. It's not required but it can be useful.
Overall: I can see someone developing in there but a bit of tweaking could help bring them into focus.
Oh and as a favor to me please note what you are using you hindrances to buy something like "Hard of hearing, Major. (+1spirit)" if that makes sense. It makes it much easier to do the full review later.
Ok, here's what I have so far for Crystal Titan. :)
Key here, is that he's still getting used to being able to move around without a wheelchair or cane, so he still uses one when out and about.
I tried to fill in some gaps, and still narrowing down the super abilities...
Welcome.
Again this is just a loose overview as I am pressed for time right now.Question: Did you consider Power Sets (SPC3 pg 47)? Titan seems like a good candidate.
You seem light on offense. I am not seeing and offensive powers and only a d6 fighting and no shooting so weapon use will be problematic. Unless I am missing something.
Connections (street people) and the Major Wanted will be interesting....
One possible issue. You have Slow (minor) and Pace (2spp). Would "Quirk, Uses cane" get you the same effect in a simpler way? Highlighting this because slow movement was a point of discomfort earlier in the game.
Remember that the Armor power can be bypassed with a called shot. You might want to consider a mix of the Armor and Toughness powers.
Linguist is not likely to be that useful with 2-3 players with the Speak Languages power in the group.
Overview: You have a good start here. I think this is something that will work.
All good feedback. I was just sort of gathering powers that seemed to fit the theme without worrying too much about effectiveness with the first pass.
I was hoping to hand the build on the Boost power, but there doesn't seem to be a way to extend the duration of that, so it might not work like I was hoping.
I can wiggle things around to add whatever we need.
What I was wanting to do was create a character who would change abilities to fit what the adventure needs, but wouldn't have total control of what abilities he has. He can access all of these voices, but not necessarily control which ones he hears the loudest.
Didn't intend for Hard of Hearing to be Major. I'll fix that.
Maybe if I give some flavor comments on what I was thinking with some of the choices it will help you help me.
Interface (Mental): Your hero can interface with electronic gadgets, giving him much greater access to their inner workings than others. He gains +2 to Electronics and Hacking rolls. - Thievery gains the +2 bonus for interface so long as electronics are involved in some way., Any skill affected by interface that would normally take 10 minutes or less can be tried with a single action.
This would have some limitations added to it. He can't actually connect to machines with his mind. But he can access the minds of the programmers, he knows their passwords, knows any back doors they wrote into the program.
Scavenger Edge lets him find useful items. This would be because he knows where someone left something or hid something.
I was struggling with how to add Toughness to him in a way that makes sense for the power set. Didn't want to just give him a force field belt that the good Doctor gave him, but that is a backup possibility.
The easy answer here and the one I prefer is to say that you are the intangibility expert so however you see your power working is the way it works for everyone. So please tell me the answer.
But some folks don't like that answer. My fall back answer relies on choice. Shove a normal-matter person in an aluminum can and throw it from NY to LA and the normal-matter person just has to take it and enjoy the in-flight entertainment. A strange-matter (intangible) person has a choice they can either stay with the plane, either tangible or not, and move with it as it flies. Treating the plane as still as the world moves around it, or they can remain with the ariport, ghost through the floor or rear of the plans and take the fall to the tarmac. Assuming that is that they choose to accept the ground as solid.
I expect there are some intangible types no one ever heard of who either fell to the center of the earth or drifted off into deep space because they chose the incorrect frame of reference. But again this is my fall back answer. As the expert how does Karma see this working?
From a rules standpoint an intangible person still has a pace so they can move. They are not fall-proof so down the shaft they go. RAW. But the rules are silent as to why.
I would say that the Intangible power includes 2 points of flight. An intangible person cannot fall and also cannot be moved via a conveyance like a car, plane or soda can. A PC could spend additional points to improve the flight rate. The only question then would be whether the cost of Intangible increases by 2 to cover the flight power that comes with. The flight power only works while intangible, so tangible flight would have to be purchased separately and works only while tangible.
From a physics point of view, this eliminates some sense in which Newton's laws only apply to the intangible person in ways the intangible person chooses, which opens up lots of other questions, like why can a car push an intangible person but the intangible person cannot push the car without becoming tangible?
Side note: in the comic book Ghost, on which I have based a lot of Karma's design, the character cannot ghost through jade. So she has a jade bed because if she slept on a normal bed, she might drift down into the earth.
Retcon in light of Dave leaving.
I offer that the entire Shake Shack incident be removed. from existence.
In this altered timeline Dave will have had an argument with (insert one or more character's here) about (insert reason here) and left.This means:
*the drive-by did not happen or at least you never heard about it.
**the outing never happened.
**the murder never happened.
**Nobody gets junk-food.So give me a yea, or a ney and another option. Ballot boxes are open.
Yea.
By the way, I would justify attacking the car because the car posed a threat to innocent bystanders who were at risk of getting shot. Karma attacked the driver to disable the car. She was not going for a kill, but that was a by-product of how she chose to try to defend the bystanders. One of the reasons she qualifies as a villain is that as a vigilante, she feels justified in killing people who are harming others, and feels no obligation to disable and bring them to justice instead.
To the new players: welcome.
I'm not very familiar with SW system, so I haven't been reviewing characters for the purposes of making suggestions. There are much more qualified players who are able to offer advice. I'm just glad we are getting some more participants and I look forward to what each new PC has to offer.
Karma is secretive about her past, so don't read her background. She will reveal things as she feels she can trust others with the information.
For the purposes of team balance, Karma is able to infiltrate and spy on others, so she's good as a scout and information gatherer. She can fight, but she's vulnerable to energy attacks and doesn't have a lot of defensive sturdiness, although she has regeneration, so she generally can bounce back from injuries. She can do damage with weapons and relies on surprise, like an assassin.
Welcome.
Again this is just a loose overview as I am pressed for time right now.Question: Did you consider Power Sets (SPC3 pg 47)? Titan seems like a good candidate.
You seem light on offense. I am not seeing and offensive powers and only a d6 fighting and no shooting so weapon use will be problematic. Unless I am missing something.
I actually didn't, but last night I got to thinking about some adjustment to the concept which Power Sets would definitely help with. What if the power(s) were more the typical "Elemental" related ones? Something about the crystals his mother used to cure his disease transformed him, giving him the ability to tap into the core elements (Air/Earth/Fire/Water). The Crystal Armored form is part of his Earth power, and perhaps a Fire or Water form which would help the Offensive side of things...
Connections (street people) and the Major Wanted will be interesting....
Or the Enemy rather? :) I may have to knock that down to Minor now that I think about it...
One possible issue. You have Slow (minor) and Pace (2spp). Would "Quirk, Uses cane" get you the same effect in a simpler way? Highlighting this because slow movement was a point of discomfort earlier in the game.
Good point. I may go ahead and drop that, just using one for the heck of it. :)
Remember that the Armor power can be bypassed with a called shot. You might want to consider a mix of the Armor and Toughness powers.
Thank you, I completely forgot about that....
Linguist is not likely to be that useful with 2-3 players with the Speak Languages power in the group.
Yeah, I may go with something else, and just give him a skill point in a second language for flavor. :)
Overview: You have a good start here. I think this is something that will work.
Really looking forward to this. :)
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First look, not a formal review, but that d4 strength and vigor are lethal. From your edges and skills it looks like you are specializing in hand to hand but that d4 is str will SEVERLY limit what weapons and armor you can use and that d4 vigor means you are less able to take a punch than the average street thug.
I strongly recommend at least a d6 in Vigor and the same in strength if you want to carry anything.
I just wanted to echo this.
I understand and appreciate support characters (moreso, being one myself,) but one must always ask how they can be useful in combat. Hopefully very useful. Not only because that is where PbP can spend much of its time, but because that is usually where the greatest danger lies.
So too, this world is -dangerous-. One of the players that quit made a combat monster, and he still got taken out in one round. (He also wasn't careful, and didn't let our two invisible fliers scout properly, but the lesson remains.)
I'm not saying you need to max Toughness and damage dealing, but one might not fully let them go, either.
Ok, I have a question regarding Power Sets.
We start with 45 points as a level III hero. If I take 1 Power Set for Earth Elemental (8 points), that leaves me with 37 points. Another for Fire Elemental would be 29 points.
As I understand it, that would give me 3 forms? For example, Normal (Super)Human, Crystal Man and Fire Man? And each one would have 29 points to spend with 12 pts max on each power?
that d4 is str will SEVERLY limit what weapons and armor you can use and that d4 vigor means you are less able to take a punch than the average street thug.
If you're re-arranging your SPP, you can also make up for the low die values by taking the Super Attribute Power to increase them.
I haven't read everything that everyone's posted, but be aware that while Armor does increase your overall Toughness (which comes from Vigor), it can be penetrated by attacks with the Armor Piercing (AP) quality. If you put SPP into the Toughness Power, you'll get only half the additional points of overall toughness, but those points can't be negated by anything. Also, the Force Field Power absorbs incoming damage and doesn't appear to be negated by the AP feature.
I would say that the Intangible power includes 2 points of flight. An intangible person cannot fall and also cannot be moved via a conveyance like a car, plane or soda can. A PC could spend additional points to improve the flight rate. The only question then would be whether the cost of Intangible increases by 2 to cover the flight power that comes with. The flight power only works while intangible, so tangible flight would have to be purchased separately and works only while tangible.From a physics point of view, this eliminates some sense in which Newton's laws only apply to the intangible person in ways the intangible person chooses, which opens up lots of other questions, like why can a car push an intangible person but the intangible person cannot push the car without becoming tangible?
Side note: in the comic book Ghost, on which I have based a lot of Karma's design, the character cannot ghost through jade. So she has a jade bed because if she slept on a normal bed, she might drift down into the earth..
Interesting....
Mechanically this would bump the Intangible cost up by a point. You have already effectively paid this as part of your purchased flight so you are golden mechanically.I do have some questions, you appear to be choosing to be still in relation to the constantly moving Earth but....
1. What happens if you go intangible in a moving car?
2. Passenger jet at cruising speed?
3. How about if you go intangible in a spaceship on orbit?
4. Or a ship in interstellar space?
5. Or on another planet?
Not that the last 3 would happen in a game unless it featured some kind of alien invasion plot but those never happen. :7)
Also, the Force Field Power absorbs incoming damage and doesn't appear to be negated by the AP feature.
True. FF is basically Toughness that requires activation but is exempt from the Toughness/Armor maximum.
Ok, I have a question regarding Power Sets.
We start with 45 points as a level III hero. If I take 1 Power Set for Earth Elemental (8 points), that leaves me with 37 points. Another for Fire Elemental would be 29 points.
As I understand it, that would give me 3 forms? For example, Normal (Super)Human, Crystal Man and Fire Man? And each one would have 29 points to spend with 12 pts max on each power?
That appears to be correct. 3 total forms with 29spp each and a power limit of 12.
This is an interesting idea.
To the new players: welcome.
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Karma is secretive about her past, so don't read her background. She will reveal things as she feels she can trust others with the information....
I'm gonna need to step in here. Your character sheets are public, including the backgrounds, for the other players. This openness is pretty important in establishing player-player trust. You don't have to read peoples backgrounds but they are open to all.
I actually find this way works for players with secrets in their background because it makes it easier to bring these secrets into play or to allow the secret holding character to take the lead when play wanders near a secret. At least this has been my experience.
Your Characters of course have no knowledge of anything not revealed in play.
The same openness applies to Spoilers in play. The players have access to everything, their characters do not.
Does this make sense?
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I was hoping to hand the build on the Boost power, but there doesn't seem to be a way to extend the duration of that, so it might not work like I was hoping.
I was looking at this and yes the duration of boost is a bit tight. we could just brute force it and chance the duration but I think I found a better way. Take a look at SPC3 pg 48 Additional actions. The 5 point level of this power removes 2 points of a multi action penalty.
This solves the Boost problem because you can just multi-action to re-boost as needed. It also makes you generally better than a standard human in a very broad manner. In a fight this duplicates the Two-fisted & Two-gun kid edges which will give you a strong offense once you get some decent weapons.I can wiggle things around to add whatever we need.
...Interface (Mental): Your hero can interface with electronic gadgets, giving him much greater access to their inner workings than others. He gains +2 to Electronics and Hacking rolls. - Thievery gains the +2 bonus for interface so long as electronics are involved in some way., Any skill affected by interface that would normally take 10 minutes or less can be tried with a single action.
This would have some limitations added to it. He can't actually connect to machines with his mind. But he can access the minds of the programmers, he knows their passwords, knows any back doors they wrote into the program.
I do not see any need for limitations. You are not taking the range mod so you are interfacing with your fingers rather than with your mind. The "borrowed Knowledge" trapping fits perfectly to me. Mechanically if you go the Additional Action route you get better bang for your buck if you take the 2pt Fast Action mod there rather than from Interface. Same cost but the action version has broader scope.
Scavenger Edge lets him find useful items. This would be because he knows where someone left something or hid something.
Perfect
I was struggling with how to add Toughness to him in a way that makes sense for the power set. Didn't want to just give him a force field belt that the good Doctor gave him, but that is a backup possibility.
This is a tougher (rim shot) problem. Some toughness or a high Vigor is easily explained by you unconsciously borrowing genetic information. You effectively have the best genes on the planet and always have. Think of this as a low grade super-soldier formula. You will probably want armor at some point. And you do have the funds to start with something decent.
Anyway I hope that helps.
It occurs to me that I may have made an error. Did I start you off with $500 or $1000 as the base funds? $1k is the correct amount so if I gave you the lower amount in error then I am sorry and happy birthday. Feel free to spend this money at base book prices. And for the new folks Omega Com-links are free, with strings attached as with all free offers.
That's all very helpful. The additional action idea I would never have found/thought of.
I'm working on pushing some points around to get tougher and better at causing damage.
Lots of people seem to have a super suit or toughness gadget, so maybe that isn't too cheesy.
Thanks for the help, sorry for taking so long.
After my work is done today, I'll start making a map of the lair so we can fill that in while we're waiting for the new PCs.
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Re: maps.
In my head I assume we have a large, like, 4-car easily, garage-like empty space where we park the car. The large space gives it an open, empty feeling where it dreams of when it was a cool place filled with gadgets, like an old maid still in a fancy party dress that is decades old and threadbare.
Ok, testing out the idea of separate power sets for each form.
Even in his normal human form, Phillipe has a lot going for him I think...
Phillipe Anthony Devereux
Novice Male Human
Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, Strength d6, Vigor d8
Skills: Athletics d6, Common Knowledge d6, Fighting d6, Focus d8+2, Language (English) d8, Notice d6, Persuasion d8, Research d8, Shooting d4, Stealth d4
Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 13
Hindrances: Enemy (minor, Southpoint Slashers), Environmental Weakness (Sonic), Loyal, Mild Mannered, Phobia (minor, Enclosed Spaces), Secret Identity (setting)
Edges: Connections (Street People), Investigator, Martial Artist, Super Powers
Weapons: Unarmed (Range Melee, Damage Str+d4, +1 to Hit)
Language: English (native, d8)
Current Wealth: $500
Rough look at Elemental
Attributes: 6 points over
Skills: 2 under. We are using the More Skills setting rule so you have 15 skill points.
~Where is the +2 on Focus coming from?
Hindrances: Problem. Larger than Life allows you to take an additional major hindrance you appear to have taken 2 additional minors. Normal Major Hindrances can be cut into 2 minors but Larger than life adds a major hindrance. It is intended to make characters Bigger, more melodramatic, Larger than Life to coin a phrase.
~Also please note either with the hindrance or with the target what you are using the hindrance points for. EX "Mild Mannered, edge" or "Vigor d8 2hindrance". Once you are approved you can erase the notation but it is a HUGE help on my end.
Edges: Please note where your edges are coming from. AB Super Powers is free and you get 1 free edge as a Human but where are the other 2 coming from?
Wealth: You have $1000 to spend. Setting rule. I may have forgotten to note this one. See Campaign page for gear notes.
Powers: Not reviewed yet. Please note how many points each power costs. EX"Power Set: Earth Elemental (8)"
Looking good as a work in progress.
Hmmm we will have to figure out what happens when you switch from Power Level 3 to 4. You Limit per power goes up but so does the cost of the power sets. Still plenty of time to ignore this for now.
Keep up the good work.
After my work is done today, I'll start making a map of the lair so we can fill that in while we're waiting for the new PCs.
That would be wonderful. If it is helpful back in this places heyday it could support a staff of 5~6 security/cook/other specialists and house about 6~7 heroes/VIP's. One thing that is in here that I didn't think of until now is there has to be a small seawater pool in here somewhere. It is likely drained now but it was there for Atlantean members/vip's