Gizmo

Placing his gloved hands behind his head, Jack emoted boredom as he casually stepped around Grim's random swings then ducking under her real attack. As his opponent recovered from her vicious uppercut, the swashbuckler straightened and shook his head. "Grim, c'mon," he said softly, his tone carrying exaggerated disappointment. "We're trying to put on a good show for the kids. Work with me here." Leaping backward, backward before she could respond, the blindfolded man landed easily atop the ropes surrounding the ring and began to pace along them like a tightrope walker, while turning to face the other heroes in the stands. "Hey now, guys, I don't know how you were raised, but Mama Blades always told me, 'Jack,' she'd say, 'if you're going to take a lady out, take her out dancing.'" Reaching one of the corner posts, he turned to address the rest of the audience as he continued to walk along the quivering ropes with an alarming lack of concern. "Honestly, it's almost like my pals up there don't want me to win. Which is crazy, obviously, 'cause I'm pretty much terrific. Have you seen these abs? Seriously, we're one washtub bass short of a jug band over here." So saying, he tossed his arms in the air and undulated his stomach in an exaggerated belly dance. As his antics drew forth another round of applause and laughter, he hopped down from the ropes back into the ring, the crowd's noise covering the light sound of his landing. From there he stood perfectly still, moving only to put a finger to his lips, miming a call for silence with a shameless grim which only brought on a greater cacophony.

Bluff check vs. Feint (1d20+21=39) Can't play a playa! Since it's not a surprise attack, Jack easily dodges the punch (17 vs. 28). Now, Jack is going to start off with a Taunt at DC 31, then, assuming the cheering caused by his Acrobatics performance last round constitutes enough of a distraction, he'll try a Stealth check at DC 25, both courtesy of Skill Mastery. He'll also keep up his Defensive Stance for the extra Defense bonus.

Alright, assuming I drop the Defense/Toughness trade-off all together, what do you guys think of this: Probability Control 15 [Power Feats: Alternate Power 3] - 63pp AP: â€Jinx†Probability Control 10 [Extras: Jinx, Perception Range, Flaws: Limited to Jinx] AP: â€Accidents†Damage 15 [Extras: Targeted Burst Area (50' radius), Ranged, Selective Attack, Power Feat: Subtle, Drawback: Full Power] AP: â€Lucky Dodge†Immunity 2 [critical hits], Protection 5 [Extras: Impervious 10, Reflective 2], Drain Attack Bonus 14 [Extras: Alternate Save (Reflex), Ranged, Power Feats: Subtle], Enhanced Feats [Evasion 2, Improved Defense 2] I can still change "Jinx" if I'm wrong about it starting off as at Touch range. "Accidents" is now targeted, so it's affected by trade-offs, and I moved it down to Ranged from Perception. "Lucky Dodge"... I dunno. It's a thought, anyway. The idea is a combination of Denari getting lucky as he dodges and his opponents making unlucky shots.

Ha, I had a feeling I was going to run into problems with his powers. Now, the Jinx Extra says: Shouldn't that mean it's already at Touch range, and only needs to be brought up twice to reach Perception? I'm reworking the 'Accidents' and 'Lucky Dodge' APs now. Couple questions: First, does the bonus from using Total Defense count towards caps? Second, can you buy just the Impervious extra, without getting the Toughness bonus?

Absolutely. In fact, Grim should just avoid attacking Jack for the entire match. That'll show him!

With his eyes covered, Jack's energy sense naturally moved to compensate. The audience was a surrounding tingle, and ultraviolet glow he was constantly aware of, but which didn't distract him. Fulcrum's beacon of malevolent radiation served to mark the spot where the event's other participants were seated, helping the swashbuckler to orient himself. Even that was simply background noise, peripheral vision as he focused his attention on the woman cautiously stepping around him. Grim herself registered as a human silhouette, edges blurred by the faint inner glow of body heat and synaptic signals. Separating her from the average human being, however, was the shimmering mystic energy of transformation magic wrapped about her. Grim's magic translated as pale green strings of luminescent bubbles filled with a sort of three-dimensional paisley pattern. Jack tried not to think about it too much. Instead he grinned as the bubbles moved to envelop the heroine's face as she modified her mask. "I always was a trendsetter. I expect blindfolds will be all the rage in Milan this spring." Even as he spoke, the young man was charging forward, getting a running start before leaping. "Actually, when you were sitting on Colt's shoulder's before the matches, it got me thinking about my favourite pool game." Twisting in the air, Jack sailed over Grim's readied arm, landing on his hands behind her. "Goes like this: Polo!" A backflip brought him over to her left side. "Wait, no, Polo!" A tumbling somersault took him to his teammate's left flank. "Whoops, Polo over here, now!" Hopping back to his feat, Jack crossed his arms and shook his head. "No, see, you're supposed to say, 'Marco'. I can't believe you don't know this game. It easily makes the 'top ten water-related activities named after a Venetian merchant' list."

Hmm, say... making a check against the audience, Ã la the "Creating a Diversion to Hide" component of Stealth? Actually, given Grim's Notice modifier, unless the cheering crowd deals a substantial penalty, it's probably not that great an idea anyway. To quote one Mr. Cobb, I just get excitable as to choice; like to have my options open. I'll let Geez3r decide how he wants to deal with all of that. In the mean time... I'll make a Feint check as a standard action; Skill Mastery makes it an automatic 31. Then, since move actions are pretty useless in this case, I suppose I'll use Acrobatics as a Perform skill to impress the audience; once again, Skill Mastery comes into play to make it a flat out 25. I guess that makes it a "memorable performance; audience enthusiastic". I'll also take up a Defensive Stance, putting Jack's Defense at 28.

Ha ha, man, I've been waiting to do that blindfold thing for so freaking long, way before I even got around to buying the accurate effect, even. I thought Grim might follow suit. So, quick rules check before we get this party started in earnest: Grim's accurate super sense is tied to her hearing, right? How does that interact with Stealth?

So Jack's making use of his accurate energy sense to fight while blindfolded. 'Cause he's kind of a big ham like that. Initiative (1d20+9=25)

Jack slipped into the ring nonchalantly, tightening his gloves while Grim played to the audience. The swashbuckler's black, skintight bodysuit showed off the lean musculature normally hidden under his flowing greatcoat, with only his deep crimson sash and bandanna mask breaking up his shadowy silhouette. His earlier practically manic energy had given way to a relaxed ease, like a lounging cat. Waiting a moment for the crowds cheers to die down, he raised his voice to carry out into the audience. "I gotta tell you, Grim, I'm not so sure about this. I mean, here you are, an experienced super heroine, loved by the just, feared by the wicked, with fantastic eldritch powers beyond the ken of mortal men. Just doesn't seem like a fair fight." Pacing back and forth as though in deep thought, he abruptly stopped and threw a gloved hand in the air. "Ah ha! I've got it." Reaching up, he turned his mask around so that it completely covered his eyes, effectively blindfolding him. "That's better! En garde, dear lady." The crowd roared as he took up a fighting stance.

Welcome aboard! Madcap looks like a pretty fun character; gotta love the 'redeeming the family (code)name' angle.

Jack clapped Colt on the back as the sharpshooter exited the ring. "See, it's no fun if you just set them up for me like that," the swordsman admonished with mock severity. "'Buckle her swashes' indeed. You don't hear me making cowboy jokes at your expense, do you?" Pausing to consider for a moment, Jack's false sternness broke into a wide smirk. "Oh, wait, I guess you do. Speaking of which, you just got beat up by like an eighty-year old, bro. Like, mid-eighties, even. That? That is hilarious." Slipping off his greatcoat, he tossed it to the side of the ring and retrieved a pair of boxing gloves. "By the way, Altas was paying a lot of attention to all the grunting and groping, so if you're interested, I think you've got a shot. Valentine's Day is coming up, eh?" Jack cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders. "Hoo. Alright, good warm up. Thanks, Colt. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go get mercilessly pummeled by your tiny, tiny girlfriend." Though his words were light and teasing, a significant look passed between the two men for a brief moment, assuring Colt that he had nothing to worry about. Though Jack didn't intend to hold back against an opponent as competent as Grim, he was, in the end, a finesse fighter, and had no intention of causing any undue injury. Taking a moment to ensure that his acrobatic antics in the audience had kept him limber, he glumly hoped that the shapeshifter had made a similar resolution.

Man, if you don't want to see Jack get smacked down, I'm doing something wrong! He takes being outrageous very seriously. That level of obnoxiousness takes commitment. Anyway, I'm fine with Jack and Grim going next; if I were organizing this thing in-universe, I'd definitely schedule the giants as the grand finale!

Well fought, gentlemen! Sheesh, though, Fulcrum's wreaking the place, tearing up the seats and what not! Thank goodness for energy awareness, Uncanny Dodge and Skill Mastery (Acrobatics), eh?

Jack tilted his head to the side contemplatively as Grim bolted for the side of the ring. The swordsman felt a pang of concern for his fallen teammate as well, though he suspected it was of an entirely different magnitude than Grim's distress. Still, he trusted that Ace was competant enough to avoid doing any lasting harm and more importantly that Colt was more than capable of taking a punch or two. He contented himself with giving the couple their relative privacy when Fulcrum spoke and his perch suddenly fell out from under him. Had he been an ordinary person, even with his considerable acrobatics training, Jack likely would have gone sprawling. Fortunately, the heroine's comment focuses his attention on her just in time to feel her disconcerting energy aura shift ever so slightly. The swashbuckler's limbs were moving before his conscious mind even had time to recognize an exertion of power or note that it reminded him vaguely of Darkstar's gravity manipulating abilities. As the chair flew away Jack was already somersaulting through the air. Planting a hand on Fulcrum's head to control his impromptu flight, he landed comfortably in the hovering paragon's lap. Tossing one arm around her neck, he tapped her on the nose with the index finger of his free hand. "Oh, you," he smiled dreamily before tumbling away and approaching the ring below with a series of leaps and vaults.

Grapple rules, you so crazy!

Jack struggled for a moment to pry Atlas' digits off of his head to no avail. Giving the big man a baleful look, he managed to comment, "Hyu mnow mh't th' se 'bet ah m'n m'th b'g h'nds..." When the Russian finally released his head, Jack took a moment to work his jaw and watch the fight. Colt seemed to be approaching the bout the way he would a saloon brawl, and Ace had evidently deigned to follow the cowboy's example. At Atlas' dry speculation as to the combatants' intentions, the swordsman grinned. "Hey, check out 'Lassie, coming alive with the suggestive pop culture reference!" Springing off of the giant, Jack landed lightly on the back of Fulcrum's seat, looking over the statuesque heroine's shoulder at her notepad. "Well, shucks, forget talking 'em to death, if I'd known there was gonna be a quiz I would've brought one of those voice recorder deals, maybe taken some cell phone video."

"Why 'Lassie, I've been here all along! I'm your conscience, Jackimy Cricket!" Planting a hand on Atlas' head, Jack cartwheeled from the big man's left shoulder to his right, belting out in a surprisingly melodic baritone, "When you wish upon a Darkstar..." As he completed his acrobatics the swashbuckler's greatcoat settled over the Russian's head; nimbly crouching back down, Jack tugged the garment away from Atlas' eyes, then turned to Fulcrum in time to see her pull a face. "Well that's attractive," he grimaced. "And lady, you ain't crazy. I know from crazy. I've been defenestrated by some of today's biggest names in crazy. By the way," he added, looking back down at Atlas, "I think 'punch him in the face with your fist' is my new bumper sticker. Well, if I had a car. Maybe I can get a shirt made..."

From his perch atop Atlas' shoulder, Jack gave Grim a long glance before leaning forward to address the massive red hero. "Uh, say, 'Lassie, ol' chum, I don't supposed you want to switch opponents? Eight feet tall I can handle, Jersey I'm not so sure about." In his younger days, Jack had attended and participated in a number of fencing competitions, and though a few of those had gotten rowdy thanks in part to his own penchant for theatrics, the packed Liberty Dome was on an entirely separate plane. The crowds cheers combined to form a roar he felt throughout his body, blending with the pulsing energy glow of the gathered spectators in a way that made the swordsman think vaguely of being submerged or wrapped in a thick blanket. Even Fulcrum's tremendous energy output was simply a noticeable point in a sea of tingling vibration.

Jack chuckled as he leaned an elbow on Atlas' head. "You kidding? For Mr. Twinkle-Twinkle that's practically hamming it up." The swashbuckler shrugged unconcernedly. "Cosmic-types, go figure. As for placing bets..." Jack scratched the light stubble along his jawline. "I mean, granted that's Ace flippin' Danger, excuse me while I squee like a pre-teen fan girl, but I gotta have my boy's back on this one. Y'know, in a totally butch, non-man-crush way." As he spoke Colt charged forward to wrap his arms around his celebrity opponent's midsection. "Speaking of which, this has gotta be doing something for you, huh Grim?"

"Sheesh, with a straight face he says this," Jack snorted, backflipping into the stadium and performing twisting acrobatics across the seats and railings of the stands, his greatcoat spreading and flapping as it trailed behind him. Coiling his arms beneath him, the swordsman sprung upward air feet first, arcing through the air to land lightly on Atlas' massive red shoulder. Crouching there like a smirking gargoyle atop a brick monolith, he casually steadied the balance of an overambitious tyke scaling the giant hero's bicep. "In Soviet Russia, charity event participates in you!"

Speaking of which, and at the risk of getting ahead of ourselves, how do you want to play the second bout, Heritage? Claws vs. swords, or straight-up unarmed boxing? Jack hurts a little more from losing his weapon of choice, but Grim's already got the advantage in terms of PL and Powers, so I could go either way.

I'd like to put Jack's two free points into his energy sense, making it: Super-Senses 5 (Energy Awareness [Accurate, Acute, Ranged]) [5 pp] I'd also like to switch Sense Motive out for Notice in his Skill Mastery list, and add this complication: Tainted (Jack's resurrection by the undoing of the demonic invasion was complicated by his semi-magical nature. Currently whenever he forms a sword from mundane fire he involuntarily transmutes into deep blue hellfire which smells faintly of brimstone.) Done by angrydurf

Yes, precisely. As a point of interest, Rose is unusual among the 'Jacks' in that her inherent mutant powers manifested prior to mystical enhancement. The result is that her abilities are a little more overt than those of her peers, with or without the magical component. Generally speaking, representatives of the House of Cups tend to be showy and very straightforward, whereas the Coins have a self-absorbed, bourgeois attitude, the Swords are soldiers who favour martial prowess over reliance on superhuman powers and the Staves are the most secretive and adept at sorcery. Yay, world building!

I think we should get the bouts started pretty soon. Are we doing them one at a time, with the other participants as spectators, or all at once?