Folkert

Welcome, IM #9420!

Speaking/writing from memory we have currently (at least) two PC battlesuit wearers, both villains: Icarus and Malice (to be found in the character bank).

I don't know any from the heroic side at the moment, but it could be possible that any of the recent arrivals has one. Can't really say.

Plus the Freedom City 'canon' battlesuit users like Deadalus, etc. ..., of course.

[EDIT]

Jury's still out on Adaptation (and all other VPs), and will be for a few weeks more, so you may wanna go ahead and change that now.

Thanks!

Still ...

Will have to replace it with sustained Immunities, then.

Finally had the time to rework her (totally) and got rid of the troublesome Speed power in the process to avoid further unpleasentness.

One unexpected week of reserve duty later I'm finally back. Will try to get up to speed as soon as possible.

A suitable power via the Nullify option doesn't seem that easy to build from what I've read so far, so I'll probably leave an AP open for it (to figure it out later) but I won't base the main power on it. For that I'm probably going with something based on the Melt AP from Plasma Control. With a perception-based Power 10 any object with Toughness up to 9 will be immediately destroyed, tougher objects will take another action and truly armored objects like Tanks or APCs require a total 3 actions/actions. Seems like a reasonable fit.

New build will probably come on the weekend.

Keep in mind you'll need to buy range up twice, once for each effect. So it'd be Disintegration (some number) (Extras: Range 2/Perception for both; Flaw: Drain Toughness part only affects objects; PF: Precise). Cost: 6pp/rank, +1pp.

No problem at all, I haven't forgotten the last time you schooled me on this. Cost should even go down to 5pp/rank as I can flaw the Blast also with "objects only".

Bah! Again with the questions! In my day we played what the GM gave us, and we were glad for it!

Sorry, my mother taught me to question everything strange old men say who hand out kites with keys attached to them to fly while they stay "way over there".

Bank Armored Cars have Toughness 11 (Impervious 3). And battleships and aircraft carriers (and tanks) have some Impervious, too. As does anything else the GM decides

Yup, but how often will we see situations like this?

Officer: "Central, we have a 10-91 (bank holdup) here. Additionally one of the suspects seems to be armed with the USS Iowa."

There is one other AP I'd suggest though, for the "precise targeting of parts of a big device" thing you were mentioning: Nullify. Specifically, Nullify (any one technological-based power at a time). This may even work better (certainly cheaper) than the Disintegrate build above, as I vaguely recall reading somewhere the Nullify used on objects requires the object to be repaired before it can be used again (or maybe that just applied to equipment), though cannot recall where I read this.

Very interesting idea, thanks!

Found nothing in the books, so I'll snoop around the ATT a bit.

Thanks!

Looks like a perception-based Disintegration (limited to objects) might be in order then, though that will be "murder" on anyone opposing her who relies on devices which are not indestructible.

Some questions first, though:

Are there really that many objects with ranks in Impervious ? I know the tank has some, but Disintegration 10 will easily take care of that.

Can I use Corrosion as an AP on Disintegration? (Kind of "the closer the more powerful" the effect is.)

Anything else about the character before I go about re-designing?

Thanks,

Folkert

Short preface: Should there have been text under the last quote?

Thanks, Dr. Archeville, I'm definitely seeing clearer now.

Wouldn't that be the same Defense you'd need to aim for with a Transform, though? (Though said Average Criminal will be hard-pressed to make the DC 18 Fort save to keep his gun in one piece.)

Yes, certainly, but with Transform I could afford to go for accuracy as it all it would take was one hit. (And without any kind of save as equipment is transformed automatically, only devices get a save. [uP, p. 92] )

In contrast, the Blast option and its five successful hits (on average) would probably cause nothing but going back to the old real-world maxim "Don't shoot the gun, shoot the perp."

Yes, since Transform cannot be used to cause direct damage (which is effectively what you're doing to the gun or whatever; repairing it would require the same amount of time and tools and skills and etc. as repairing an object damaged by a blast or crushing strength, yes?).

Okay, I can see your point but I'm still left a bit confused. Direct Damage is a problem but turning an object into glass and then shattering it or, even worse, transforming something directly (and continuously) into air or water wouldn't be?

Looks like I'll have to "re-configure" the power then, any suggestions?

This, too, as that would require the Precise feat to affect just a specific part of a target (IMO).

Didn't think of the powerfeat when writing the piece, but that should be quickly alleviated by rearranging points a bit.

I missed that thread, but from what you're describing, it still sounds like you should have Blast, possibly Limited or with a Drawback to not affecting things of more than a certain mass/weight. I'm almost certain you can't use Transform for what you're describing, any more than you could use Transform (living beings) to heal someone (changing from injured person to uninjured person), but this is just my opinion.

I'm sorry, Doc A., but even after reading your reply a few times, I'm still having some real trouble with understanding it.

What I got is the Blast part and this is why I don't like that solution, by the example of a handgun held by someone. A Blast 6 (Limited to Objects) would on average take 5 hits to disable a handgun (standard handgun made of steel = toughness 10 vs. the blast's damage DC of 21). I could of course lower my attack bonus to get a higher save DC but since the average criminal (M&M 2E, p. 226) has already a Defense of 21 for the gun held in his hand, that doesn't seem advisable.

Regarding the Transform power: Are you objecting in general to using it to destroy objects? Or my interpretation of using it on the lock if I can't affect the whole door? Or that I used the 3-points-per-rank cost and instead should use one of the higher ones?

Thanks,

Folkert

Also -- and this is just my personal experience, so it's not 'hard-coded' or anything -- but I've never seen any character with Attractive 4. I've never even seen one with Attractive 3, that I can recall. Attractive 1 is what I see on characters who are attractive and know it/use it; Attractive 2 for character where "Beauty" is an intrinsic part of the character (like Goddess of Beauty/Love, or some versions of Power Girl). Even going strictly by the "skill benchmarks" sidebar, with Attractive 4 that's a +16 bonus on Bluff & Diplomacy skills, which is "Best in the Entire World" level of beauty.

On the other hand, I know some say Beauty = Symmetry/Symmetry = Beauty, and Order and Symmetry do go together fairly well....

I've seen one character with Attractive 4, but he was a god. Literally.

I think you can take that down a bit.

Regarding "canonical" characters with high attractive levels, here's what I compiled from official M&M material:

Thanks to Doc A for reminding me about the "Paragons" sourcebook [regarding firearms]. Here I found the first:

Felicia Dumont - Attractive 4 [Paragons, p. 126-127: A one-eyed woman "born of old money"]

More in the "Time of Vengeance" adventure:

Dam (Blood) - Attractive 6 [ToV, p. 19/59: a "pale-skinned, dark-haired teenage girl clad in regulation Goth attire" with "scars on her body (including her wrists)" from cutting herself and apparently a good number of tattoos and piercings]

Barad (Hail) - Attractive 4 [ToV, p. 32/56: "Talking to Barad is like talking to a grown toddler, one that’s the absolute worst kind of brat.", "just plain nuts" and "is uncontrolled and unleashed emotion"]

The Scarlet Spectre - Attractive 3 [ToV, p. 52: "her revealing costume"]

Well, ToV seems to suffer a bit from inflation, but they are 'out there', even if only a few.

The reason I went that high ("Best in the Entire World" was indeed what I was aiming for) is that her incredible beauty and good looks are both her curse and her boon (to a limited extent). She has to "thank" it for her celebrity status, something she didn't really aspire to, but which came with the photoshoots she initially did after being stranded on Earth to earn some money. It also earned her a reputation of being "pretty face with no brain" that still follows her today, not to mention that everybody who ever saw one of her spreads in Time or Glitz magazine thinks he owns a piece of of her. Not that there isn't some truth to it - she was pretty new to Earth at that time and Dethalia didn't exactly favour a broadband education but it galls her to no end that she is still reduced to "that hot blue chick". In the words of Rodeney Dangerfield: "She can get no respect."

That she has become somewhat withdrawn as a result of these experiences hasn't helped her cause at all as she never developed any real people skills by simply preferring to avoid people instead of dealing with them. The one thing she has learned (and mastered) is to manipulate those affected by her looks - something entirely unheard of on Dethalia but it seems to work pretty good with many humans.

Mechanically, that is rather easy. Simply use the Powerfeat Indirect 1. (That's exactly what I did for Finder's guns who simply punch through every kind of cover.)

Just a moment, I need to search for my UP.

[EDIT] And here we are. The basic effects of Distraction and Hamper Movement and since how exactly you achieve these is up to, little shadowlings should do nicely:

Distraction: You can create conditions to distract anyone attempting to concentrate, such as driving rain, hail, dust storms, and so forth. For 1 point per rank the distraction is DC 5, for 2 points per rank it’s DC 10, and for 3 points per rank it’s DC 15.

Hamper Movement: You can hamper movement through the area with high winds, icy or wet surfaces, or similar effects. For 1 point per rank, you halve movement speed through the area; for 2 points per rank, you reduce it to one-quarter.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL

Type: General

Action: Standard (active)

Range: Ranged

Duration: Sustained

Saving Throw: See description

Cost: 1-2 points per rank

Hey, Doc Archeville, thanks for taking a first look but shouldn't you have been up to other things, like some last-minute learning? Hope everything went well.

Trying to answer bit for bit.

Why Transform (whole objects into broken objects)? Why not just Blast (Objects only)? Or do you want to make it so the broke object can still function as normal, despite being in pieces?

This originally comes for a player of mine who wanted to have some "fairy-mischief-blast-instead-of-deadly-destruction-power" and thus went with Transform. (You might have seen my thread regarding this on ATT.) Since I liked the idea behind it and the execution, I borrowed it from him.

I envision the power to function like this: She charges her former stunbolts with cosmic energy and throws them. (Originally I had the range at perception, but found it more fun if she actually missed sometimes.) Due to humans having a different bio-signature, one she is not attuned to, instead of stunning its target when thrown at a living being it does exactly ... nothing. But if it hits an object the effect is drastically different. Discharging its cosmic energy into the material, the projectile has the unexpected side-effect of fracturing the material bounds and thus making the object explode violently if it doesn't have enough mass to dissipate the energy throughout its structure. In theory this could also have happenend back on Dethalia if not for the fact that nearly everything on that planet is infused with a certain amount of cosmic energy (see below) which in turn negates this aspect of her power.

So she couldn't disassemble a car due its mass, but a hit could conceivably rip a door or the hood off or, if she aims well enough, she might even get a tire. A solid metal door would be too much but she could aim for the lock, instead. Though, if it were additionally barred from the other side, she'd be simply out-of-luck. A massive wall is an insurmountable obstacle.

And how, thematically, do all the powers from the "Cosmic Jewelry" tie together? (And is it just one piece of jewelry, or several?)

It's several pieces, including things such as rings, bracelets, chains, ear-rings and ornaments running up both of her arms (under her clothing). She doesn't have to wear the whole assembly, though, certain parts are interchangeable - the Dethalians are rather fashionable and wouldn't want to be caught wearing the same array twice.

How do the powers tie together?

This should be easy: Transform and ESP are provided by the jewelry (which she got after graduating to Peace Officer) as they are necessary for her job - even if they work no longer as originally intended on Dethalia. But even cops need a private life and/or hobbies and since Merayn enjoys speed and running, it gives her the speed power. The combat adjustments stem from the jewelry adapting to Earth being such a dangerous place, quite contrary to her home planet, and thus providing with advanced means to survive ...

Sounds a bit phoney, doesn't it?

Well, that's probably because it's a total fabrication with only strenous connctions to the real truth.

All Dethalians are in fact living batteries of cosmic power, with potentially nigh infinite capacity to develop all kinds of powers. But aren't the nearly limitless applications of cosmic power in fact nothing but another word for ... Chaos? At least the Dethalians in charge seem to think so (and have done so for ten-thousands of years).

Long ago means were developed to limit the average Dethalian's access to his own power: cultural conditioning, pschic wards and even massive use of "re-education" techniques who amount to nothing less than total brainwashing. And that is why Deviants considered such a danger. Not because they disrupt society with their non-orderly ways - which they do, but this is nothing but a nuisance compared to the real danger - but because somehow most Deviants display a vastly increased chance to break through their conditioning. It has has never been scientifically proven why Deviants are cursed this way, but such non-orderly research is forbidden, anyway.

The trinkets every Dethalian receives after graduation and which supposedly allow him "to harness the power of the universe" to assist him in his future field of work are nothing but control devices that allow some of the internally stored (and steadily increasing) cosmic power to be bled off and channeled into minor and non-critical activities. And that is why almost everything on Dethalia is infused with cosmic power because that's exactly what was used in creating it.

As a bonus on the side, these trinkets are also used to increase the difficulty of accessing one's own cosmic power by locking them away further the longer they are worn.

As a Primary class Deviant, Merayn's conditioning is steadily dwindling and enough internal power has leaked through the weakening locks so that her powers have increased way over what should be available to an ordinary Peace Officer, even if they no longer function as she had been "taught". Her subconscious desires have begun to shape her power output and thus the previous flight power, the standard method of movement for the Corps, has been gradually replaced by super running, as guided by her inner love of both speed and sport. At the same time, her subconsciousness started to adept to the growing realization that Merayn was now living on a world so dangerous that it almost defied belief. (Dethalia does not have weapons of any kind and the last violent death happened at least a thousand years ago.) Especially with her perception of Earth shaped by TV, the cosmic power has started to form defensive patterns and strategies she can access, but unfortunately they are only limited. While it could have been something impressive like turning into immaterial energy or even solid Thegasium, her imagination is guided by the primary source of education/learning - human action movies. Coupled with her obsession with guns she would certainly make a fine action hero but nothing more, her full potential still wasted - for now.

Neverthless Merayn is still unable to use her cosmic powers without the jewelry as she continues to believe that they are only granted to her by it. And since willpower is so important in consciously shaping her powers and the remaining locks are still in place, even if weakened, this will change for the time being. (Unless she experiments enough and has the necessary PP to buy the device rabate off.)

...

Then I feel reassured. :)

Cool, but will that be the mind I'm searching for?

Reason: I envision this as some sort 'ultimate finding power'. So if the the Senator's daughter Claire gets abducted the PC can use her power to locate Claire, but it really shouldn't reveal that there are 30 goons hidden in the room next to her, waiting for any would-be rescuers.

Thanks again.

I wonder if I could flaw that so that I only perceive the specific person I'm searching for?

Thanks.

A question regarding Telelocation then: "You can mentally “search†an area for an intelligent (Int 1+) creature." Does this mean I could search only for one specific individual?

And if so, what kind of 'Detect x' would that be if I wanted to achieve the same via ESP?

Ah, okay. Thanks!

So, if I had something like 'Detect:Minds' and used ESP to displace that via an extended search (with enough ranks of quickness to finish the search in a single round), it would work like some sort of 'mental radar' up to the distance as per extended range table. Correct?

I do have a caveat, though: this coming up week is my last week of classes, and the following Monday is my final exam. This is for the last class I need to finally earn my BA, so my presence here will dip a bit as I study my butt off for it.

That fateful day is drawing near and I wanted to use the opportunity to wish you all the best and success for the exam!!!

Folkert

Still wrangling with the finer points of this.

ESP lets me "displace one or more of your senses over a distance, perceiving as if you were at that location".

So if I displaced my 'mental sense' how exactly would that work and what would/could I sense?

Thanks!

What can I say?

The man single-handedly brought down the Wall and thus made our reunification possible ... or not.

Seriously, this Garthe Knight was just too good to leave wayside when I stumbled over him while searching for something completely different.

Could you please archive this one?

Thanks!

(I'm still interested in the final judgement on the open questions, though, since they might come up again. )

[EDIT]

Surely not.

I don't know if you read other characters but here's what Heridfel, one of global Moderators, said when another player considered scrapping her current un-approved character to build something else entirely.

"Nope. If you would like to try another character, better now than after you've been sanctioned and playing. We can move this to the archived characters if you think you might come back to it, or the regular archive otherwise."

Sometimes you find an avatar and sometimes an avatar finds you. :D