Dragonsong

Twenty Questions Hell Questionnaire

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Trent Venfield - Defiant

Thread List January 2011:

Trent Venfield - Defiant A desperate, never say die rebel from a world cast into the Terminus by the reckless hubris of its greatest minds, the hero known as Defiant led his people in a hopeless war against infinitely greater forces of evil. Pushing the grim certainty of his own failure and death from his mind, he fought tirelessly until the day he was snatched from certain doom by a strange quirk of fate, hurled across the walls dividing dimensions on a wave of energy. He awoke to find himself very much alive, in a world that could not have been less like his home. [floatr][/floatr] His goal now is to defend that world, and to keep it from becoming any closer to his own. Theme Music: The Planet Shyne: The Catalyst - Linkin Park Hopeless Struggle: Isabella, Leader Of The Resistance - Jesper Kyd He Stands Defiant: Protectors of the Earth - Two Steps from Hell A Broken Warrior: Dark Harbor - Two Steps from Hell Index: Thread List Reputation Chart Questionnaires Links: Character Sheet Wiki Page (Under Construction)

Thanks! I'm glad you like the biosuit. I think I've corrected the problems now. Sorry about the blast staff mishap; I'd assumed that the Alternate Power feat included its own point cost as part of the available points to purchase the alternate power, but that actually doesn't make much sense now that I think about it. Wishful thinking, I suppose. I've updated that as well as the DC block, and cleared up the formatting errors you pointed out (sorry about that!), so hopefully everything is all set! Cheers, Dragonsong

Allo, all. I've been around for a bit, but let's make it formal, shall we? I'm a student in my freshman year. I've been playing RPGs, mostly DnD, since I was too young to really understand the rules, and I was into forum-based writing even before that. I've been doing DnD online on and off for years, but since I've had to leave home I've been looking to be a part of something bigger and longer lasting than a lone campaign. I found this site on TV Tropes, and I've heard only good things, so I decided to apply. I'm here to fight loneliness and write stories, and I'm all out of... never mind.

Special thanks to Raveled, Derin, KnightDisciple, and Airon for making this character possible. [floatr][/floatr] Player Name: Dragonsong Character Name: Defiant Power Level: 10 (150/155PP) Trade-Offs: +2 Attack / -2 Damage Unspent Power Points: 5 Progress To Bronze Status: 5/30 In Brief: Battle-hardened rebel from the Terminus, out to defend his new home. Alternate Identity: Trent Andrew Venfield Identity: Public Birthplace: Coldriver, Administrative District 11, Shyne Occupation: Presently None Affiliations: Presently None Family: Adam Venfield (Father), Anna Venfield (Mother) Description: Age: 28 (DoB: April 22, 1983) Apparent Age: 28 Gender: Male Ethnicity: Caucasian Height: 5'10" Weight: 180 lbs Eyes: Blue Hair: Brown Trent Venfield looks very tired for someone so young. Rather handsome but unkempt, with smooth, well-proportioned features being overtaken by rough stubble and deep bags under his soft blue eyes, he stands dowel-straight and still manages to look heavy-laden. Premature lines furrow his forehead , and his cheeks are gaunt. Short, messy chestnut hair frames his face, sticking up at odd angles at the back and reaching down toward his eyes. Yet his posture is tense at all times, coiled tight and ready to spring, and his gaze is iron, unbowed and unconquered. Trent's Biosuit hides his weariness, leaving only the imposing visage of Defiant. The flexible nano-plates that form the armored exterior cling closely to his muscular frame, and the soft glow of his dark ochre faceplate, featureless and yet vigilant, makes him seem somehow beyond human. Astride a battered hoverboard, with a heavily modified Omegadrone stave in hand, he is swift and forceful, the very avatar of a people's will to survive against the odds. Power Descriptions: The most obvious of Defiant's powers are those of his Biosuit, a dark-steel-colored body glove of nano-plating and refractive fibers with deep ochre showing through at the joints and on the faceplate. When its stealth systems are active, however, there is nothing to see at all; light bends around the suit, while sound and smell are entirely absorbed by it. Miniature thrusters line the arms and legs, an integrated parachute of sorts to save the wearer from falling to his death. Defiant also carries what was once an Omegadrone's staff, though his modifications to the device since it fell into his hands have been extensive. Small compartments along the blasting end house an electrified shock prod and a carbon foam projector; the former delivers a stunning jolt to whomever the staff strikes, while the latter entraps a target within layers of expanding, rapidly-drying and hardening foam. Finally, Defiant moves astride a battered, often-repaired hoverboard, a racing device in its day and now a weapon against evil. History: In the far future of the twenty-sixth century, mankind reached out to colonize the stars in a great Confederation of Planets. Possessing incredible technology, including the secret of traveling far beyond the speed of light to reach distant solar systems, the people of the little blue planet launched a great age of space exploration to rival any effort the species had previously undertaken. National identity faded away, replaced by a human unity undreamt of in the divided societies of the past. Truly long-distance travel, however, remained incredibly risky, and that lent it the allure of danger that ever calls to bold hearts. Such was the case with the colonization of Shyne, a glimmering orb on the far side of the galactic disk from Earth. To conquer it would be an amazing symbol of humanity's power to adapt and overcome, a friendly challenge to allies and a bold statement to foes. And so a colonial expedition was organized and launched toward that far-off world. Yet the alien Grue Unity, ever an enemy of any society that refused to bow to them, would not allow this challenge to succeed. Rather than interdict the colony fleet with their own warships, which would bring down terrible retribution upon them, they sent a team of elite infiltrators to sabotage the faster-than-light travel systems of the human vessels. In this mission they were successful, escaping undetected moments before the ships launched. And as the ships prepared to enter hyperspace, they vanished. As humanity mourned what appeared to be a horrible accident, claiming the lives of tens of thousands, the colony ships were well underway. The sabotage had not acted as intended; instead they had caused the vessels to travel through time as well as space, and when they arrived on Shyne it was in the Earth year 1900. Their triumphant messages of success could not be detected by the Earthlings' primitive communications systems, nor were any additional supplies coming. The people of Shyne felt abandoned. Despite the sudden isolation, Shyne thrived. Though their later discovery of the hyperdrive sabotage, which they lacked the resources to fix, confined them to the planet, they made the best of their situation. Gleaming cities rose into the sky, surrounded by and filled with plants and animals imported from Earth. A population of fifty thousand became a million and then still more over the years that followed. All was well. And then, in 1982, it all went wrong. Few of Shyne's inhabitants had ever really understood the hyperdrives that had brought them to the planet; they were incredibly complex devices, powered by unique elements and brimming with quantum particles for which the 21st century had no name. To fix them was one thing, an effort attempted from time to time without success. But to reverse-engineer them was quite another, and when a team of scientists attempted to recreate the drive they triggered a dimensional instability that pulled them into the Terminus. In a way, Shyne was lucky; Omega did not need to raid the world, for it was now in his domain. Instead he could occupy it, bleed it dry over the years, and then discard it as dust when its potential was exhausted. Though Shyne's defense forces fought valiantly, they were unaccustomed to war, for the planet had existed peacefully since its founding. The entire world fell within a week, its population forced into internment camps as its resources were stripped away. Trent Venfield never knew the utopian Shyne of the past. Born in 1983 to parents who had managed to avoid capture by the Omegadrones, his childhood was a whirling blur of fleeing from one cave or burned-out building to the next. His mother Anna had been an engineer before the planet's fall, and put that expertise toward building devices to conceal their presence from the occupiers. Trent became an assistant in this process from a young age, taking solace in the certainty of machines. Yet all around him it was the certainty of machines that was transforming Shyne into a barren hell. Nature preserves were consumed, their flora and fauna alike stripped down to their base elements for processing. Cities and mountains were crushed and stripped of useful metals, leaving only jagged mounds of broken rock and concrete. The only structures left untouched were the high-walled internment camps and the vast, blade-sleek Omegadrone factories they fed into. As he grew older, Trent went from helping with his mother's projects to building some of his own. He rescued usable bits of technology from piles of salvage whenever he could, tinkering with the components of computers and guns alike. At the age of fourteen he built his own set of tools, so sleek that his mother was always asking to borrow them. At the age of seventeen he refurbished a racing hoverboard, replacing all of the internal components in a process that took him several months. Two years later, the Venfields and the families they were traveling with cut it too close. While searching for increasingly scarce packaged food from before the planet's fall they were discovered by an Omegadrone patrol; in their panicked flight more than half of their number was either blasted down or dragged back to the internment camps. Among the casualties was Trent's mother. Angry and devastated, Trent left the group he had traveled with all his life, including his father, behind. It was time to do more than just run, he decided; it was time to hit back. He spent a year wandering, gathering up other survivors who wanted to do something more than just survive and repairing the weapons of the ill-fated planetary defense force. He was wise enough to know that he needed to start small: pick off a few sentries here and there, gather strength, gain experience before going further. Some of his group left in the first year of its formation, frustrated by seeing his promises of revenge limited by caution. It was from the first Omegadrone he ever destroyed that Trent took the staff that would become his signature weapon. He tinkered with it constantly, both to make it visually distinct and thus avoid friendly fire and to add versatility the original design lacked. Using this new weapon, one which the Omegadrones did not expect to face, he grew bolder; the group began to ambush full patrols on occasion, bringing down several in their entirety. But there were always casualties, no matter how well they prepared. Placed in the unenviable position of giving orders that would almost certainly result in deaths, Trent seemed to age far more rapidly than his years would indicate. Somewhere deep in his heart he knew he was fighting a war he couldn't possibly win; his numbers dwindled daily, and were finite to begin with, while his foes had no such limitations. Every drone destroyed was replaced by another, converted from the unwilling body of an innocent neighbor or relative. Yet he refused to lie down and take it, whether or not victory was possible. The young man's darkest hour came when he was twenty-four. Having led his fellow rebels for half a decade, he became confident in his ability to command, perhaps too much so. Wanting to even the scales of the war, he planned an assault on one of the smaller internment camps; this would not only reduce the enemy's capacity to manufacture Omegadrones but also gain him a large group of new recruits. Arming his ragtag band as best as possible, he set a distraction on the far side of the planet and attacked. The results were horrific; the automated defenses were more than sufficient to hold off the rebels, who never even reached the walls. Trent himself was badly wounded and spent six months in hiding as he gradually recovered; many of his followers fared far worse. Of the survivors, only a few stayed with him, their belief shaken by the utter failure of the attack. Yet Trent, once recovered from his injuries, still refused to give up. The only way to avoid his crippling guilt was to keep pushing forward, and so he did. At the end of his time in hiding, he discovered an amazing opportunity: with most of Shyne's resources completely stripped away, the Omegadrones were moving one of the immense colony ships down from orbit to be disassembled. Moving swiftly and silently, he and his remaining band salvaged the vessel's main computer. Though much of the data was corrupted, Trent was able to recover schematics for a number of devices that had been developed on distant Earth, among them a nano-weave Biosuit. It took nearly two years of raiding and salvaging, nipping at the heels of Omega's efforts with little result, to gather the components required for the suit, especially with the intensive modifications that Trent had made to the design. But when he finally assembled it, he immediately knew that it was more than just a protective device; it would become a symbol. When he donned it Trent Venfield faded away, and in his place stood Defiant, tyranny's foe. The remaining rebels flocked to Defiant's banner as word of his victories against the patrols spread. Trent made no secret of who he was, but with time even the survivors of his failed internment camp assault came to accept him once again as success mounted on success. For the first time, the rebels of Shyne truly became an irritation. Patrols increased, only to be picked off one by one. Strip mining efforts were sabotaged, the machines blown apart and the metals they had collected stolen. But Shyne was still being consumed, and after nearly thirty years the process was almost complete. The final strip mining runs would leave the planet little more than dust, and the last of the population was scheduled to be herded into the factories. Trent knew that all would soon be lost, but Defiant gave no thought to such things. He planned a new, bold move to slow the process, just as he had before, but this time he was wiser. He would not assault the camp; that was expected. He would destroy the factory. The rebels spent nearly a year building the Oblivion Bomb, a device designed to simply disintegrate everything in its vicinity. This would be placed in the center of the planet's largest Omegadrone factory; Omega could see how he liked seeing things that belonged to him reduced to nothingness. The factory, less guarded than the adjacent camp, was infiltrated and the bomb placed and armed. Then, suddenly, a vast force of Omegadrones surrounded the facility with Defiant and his strike team still inside. They had been sold out by one of their own, terrified of his seemingly inevitable death, who had given their location in exchange for freedom; the promise, of course, had not been kept, for Omega and his servants care little for bargains or fairness. The Omegadrones swarmed into the factory's halls, determined to disarm the bomb, while the rebels fought them off as best they could, hoping both to escape and to ensure that the mission had not been wasted. In the end, the struggles of each doomed the other. The Oblivion Bomb did not explode so much as simply pulse, sending out an energy wave that left nothing and no one standing where the factory had once been save a vast, empty hole. Defiant only hoped that the rebels would find a new leader to continue the fight, that somehow Shyne might be saved, or at least escaped. He felt nothing. And then he opened his eyes and found himself lying on his back on a world of blue skies, the aches of his body telling him that he was still alive. For at the center of the Oblivion Bomb, powering it, had been the malfunctioning hyperdrive that brought humankind to Shyne. Personality & Motivation: Trent isn't a genius, but he is smart, smart enough to know that he had no chance on Shyne. Yet he put aside that knowledge because it didn't accomplish anything. For years he deceived himself, let himself think that he was making a difference; he knew he only had one shot at life, and he made the simple decision spend it doing something worthwhile whether he could succeed or not. His determination was infectious partially because it was so unusual, and it became his legendary mask as much as his armor, hiding his faults and doubts. It stands to reason, then, that Trent's presence on Earth leaves him very confused. He has no one to lead and no all-important mission. Most of all, he has discovered that the lifting of the grim certainty of going down fighting has left him without a clear path or purpose. He is a hero partly because he knows it is right, partly because he wants to defend a world that's so much better than his home it's incomparable, and partly because he has no idea what he would do with himself otherwise. As someone who had to grow up fast and then lead without showing hesitation, fear, or doubt, Trent is finding it strange to be in a place where he can genuinely feel emotion. Nothing is expected of him; he can live his life however he chooses. But he only knows one way to live, and one way to go about living that way. His relationships have been about allies rather than friends, a choice made to help him lead without bias. It will be a long time before he overcomes this way of thinking, if indeed he ever does. Powers & Tactics: Defiant is a skillful fighter both up close and at range, with a number of methods of incapacitating foes at his disposal. His staff is usually his only weapon, but between it and the protection afforded by his suit he can hold his own in a direct battle. His hoverboard lends him mobility, allowing him to catch fleeing foes, negotiate difficult terrain, and fire from a position of advantage. His suit's stealth systems allow him to scout an area before moving in as well as to ambush his enemies. In short, Defiant is equipped for a wide range of situations. Complications: Health Issues: Trent's years on Shyne were not kind to him; though he's quite physically fit, an unpleasant combination of old injuries and stress-related complications has prematurely aged him in body as well as mind. Since he doesn't know what else to do but be a hero, the situation is unlikely to improve. Illegal Alien: Trent makes no secret of his name or origin (though he doesn't publicize it, either), but that doesn't change the fact that he has no legal status, job, property, or education. He is technically a dimensional refugee who never actually went through border control. Terminus Refugee: Though the escape of a single rebel from a world that will soon cease to exist matters little to Omega, twenty-eight years of hell matter immensely to Trent. Though generally level-headed and unemotional to the point of being frustrating, Terminus-related phenomena make him uncomfortable at best. "You Don't Know How Good You've Got It": Earth is a big step up from Shyne, to put things very mildly, and Trent is absolutely determined to make sure that it doesn't suffer the same fate his home did. Usually this manifests as a cold anger toward the criminals who drag down the planet for everyone else. In case of external invaders, however, he gets a whole lot angrier. Abilities: 6 + 8 + 4 + 6 + 4 + 4 = 32PP Strength: 16 (+3) Dexterity: 18 (+4) Constitution: 14 (+2) Intelligence: 16 (+3) Wisdom: 14 (+2) Charisma: 14 (+2) Combat: 24 + 12 = 36PP Initiative: +8 Attack: +12 Grapple: +15 Defense: +10 (+6 Base, +4 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed Knockback: -5 Saving Throws: 6 + 6 + 8 = 20PP Toughness: +10 (+2 Con, +4 Mimetic Stealth Biosuit, +4 Defensive Roll) Fortitude: +8 (+2 Con, +6) Reflex: +10 (+4 Dex, +6) Will: +10 (+2 Wis, +8) Skills: 72R = 18PP Craft: Electronic 12 (+15) Computers 12 (+15) Concentration 8 (+10) Diplomacy 8 (+10) Disable Device 12 (+15) Knowledge: Technology 12 (+15) Notice 8 (+10) Feats: 13PP Defensive Roll 2 Dodge Focus 4 Equipment 1 Evasion 2 Fearless Improved Initiative Inventor Uncanny Dodge (Hearing) Powers: 12 + 3 + 16 = 31PP Device 4 (Blast-Staff; Flaws: Easy to Lose (3pp per rank)) [12PP] Base Power:Blast 8 (Staff Bolt (Energy); Feats: Alternate Power 2, Improved Range, Precise) [20PP] Alternate Power: Strike 5 (Staff Bash (Physical); Extras: Linked (+0) to Stun; Feats: Mighty) {6PP} Linked Power: Stun 6 (Shock Prod (Energy); Extras: Linked (+0) to Strike) {12PP} Alternate Power: Snare 7 (Carbon Foam Projector (Physical); Feats: Improved Range, Precise, Reversible, Split Attack) {18PP} Device 1 (Hoverboard; Flaws: Easy to Lose (3pp per rank)) [3PP] Flight 5 (Hoverboard; Flaws: Platform (-1); Speed: 250 mph) [5PP] Device 4 (Mimetic Stealth Biosuit; Extras: Hard to Lose (4pp per rank)) [16PP] Immunity 9 (Bio-Regulator; Provides Life Support) [9PP] Super-Movement 1 (Gravitic Stabilizers; Provide Slow Fall) [2PP] Protection 4 (Flexible Nano-Plating) [4PP] Concealment 8 (Mimetic Stealth System; Flaws: Blending (-1), Passive (-1); Feats: Close Range; Concealment from All Visual Senses, All Auditory Senses, and All Olfactory Senses) [5PP] Drawbacks: (-0) + (-0) = -0PP DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC18 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Staff Blast Ranged DC23 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Energy) Staff Bash Touch DC23 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Shock Prod Touch DC16 Fortitude Stun Carbon Foam Projector Ranged DC17 Reflex Snare Totals: Abilities (32) + Combat (36) + Saving Throws (20) + Skills (18) + Feats (13) + Powers (31) - Drawbacks (0) = 150/155 Power Points

Yes, it would've been, but this has style points . In any case, my final change for this thread will be to put eight ranks in concentration, switching the two points needed out of the Fortitude Save modifier; now that Defiant has a nice sealed suit I'm not as worried about that, and +8 is the guideline I've been given anyway. With that done, I'm off to make my application. A major thank you to everyone who helped me! I really appreciate all the advice I've received.

Oh dear. My mistake. For some reason I read "2 points" instead of "2 ranks" per sense type, and thought I was okay because of the Blending flaw. I've now modified it by adding the "Passive" flaw in addition to "Blending"; if I can get 2 ranks for 1 point, the math should work out correctly (4 ranks = 2 points for visual, 2 ranks each = 1 point each for auditory and olfactory, and 1 point for the feat = 5PP). It'll still be good for initial surprise attacks and for sneaking around, and since Defiant has other assets in a fight this shouldn't be too much of a setback. Perhaps I can modify it to work closer to how it was originally once I get some more PP under my belt. In any case, if I've still done it wrong please do let me know. Thanks again!

Thank you both! Plunging to one's death is to be avoided. Fortunately, Airon's idea is not only pretty neat but also works out very nicely points-wise. I don't see anywhere that says that Flight with the Platform flaw can't be taken as a device; as I understand it, it would just mean that the power can't simply be "reactivated" with a concentration check if Defiant gets knocked off his hoverboard, which fits better in any case. Thanks to the flaw I can get the same rank of Flight for half the cost, which freed up three points. I decided to combine the fact that Defiant needs a parachute with the fact that an easy to lose life support device doesn't make much sense, as getting it ripped off while in vacuum would be just as unfortunate as getting one's jetpack ripped off while flying. This led to the transformation of the Bio-Regulator into the Mimetic Stealth Biosuit, inspired in part by Crysis. In an effort to consolidate points I cut half of Defiant's equipment and folded its functions into the suit; after all, the device is now hard to lose and thus makes a better store of points than equipment anyway. The Biosuit now acts as life support, a parachute, armor, and stealth capability all rolled into one. I had to cut some points to make it all fit, unfortunately including Master Plan and the related skill and feat, but I got it all to work in the end. Without further ado, Defiant v3. Powers: 12 + 3 + 16 = 31PP Device 4 (Blast-Staff; Flaws: Easy to Lose (3pp per rank)) [12PP] Blast 8 (Staff Bolt (Energy); Feats: Alternate Power 2, Improved Range, Precise) [20PP] Alternate Power: Strike 5 (Staff Bash (Physical); Extras: Linked (+0) to Stun; Feats: Mighty) {6PP} Linked Power: Stun 7 (Shock Prod (Energy); Extras: Linked (+0) to Strike) {14PP} Alternate Power: Snare 8 (Carbon Foam Projector (Physical); Feats: Improved Range, Precise, Reversible, Split Attack) {20PP} Device 1 (Hoverboard; Flaws: Easy to Lose (3pp per rank)) [3PP] Flight 5 (Hoverboard; Flaws: Platform (-1); Speed: 250mph) [5PP] Device 4 (Mimetic Stealth Biosuit; Extras: Hard to Lose (4pp per rank)) [16PP] Immunity 9 (Bio-Regulator; Provides Life Support) [9PP] Super-Movement 1 (Gravitic Stabilizers; Provide Slow Fall) [2PP] Protection 4 (Flexible Nano-Plating) [4PP] Concealment 4 (Mimetic Stealth System; Flaws: Blending (-1), Passive (-1); Feats: Close Range; Concealment from Visual Senses, Auditory Senses, Olfactory Senses) [5PP] Drawbacks: (-0) + (-0) = -0PP DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC18 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Staff Blast Ranged DC23 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Energy) Staff Bash Touch DC23 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Shock Prod Touch DC17 Fortitude Stun Carbon Foam Projector Ranged DC18 Reflex Snare Totals: Abilities (32) + Combat (36) + Saving Throws (20) + Skills (18) + Feats (13) + Powers (31) - Drawbacks (0) = 150/150 Power Points If it turns out that it's illegal to combine the Platform flaw with Flying that's part of a device I'll have to take Platform Flying without the device (as I want to keep the hoverboard idea), in which case I'll probably drop Defiant's exotic saves to +8 across the board and reinstitute the Master Plan chain. Other than that I don't see any potential errors, but if they exist I would be grateful if someone would point them out. Thanks again for all the help thus far!

Oops! Good catch on the illegal Linked. That was a holdover from when Strike was the main power, and I forgot to delete it when I put Blast there instead. Fixed now, and I've added the flight speed (which I believe should be 250mph, unless I'm reading the table wrong). If there are other formatting errors, I'd be glad to fix them; I don't want to make this any more frustrating for the staff than I already have. Thanks for the help!

Thanks, Derin and KnightDisciple; those are excellent points. Building off of the advice I have received, I now present Defiant v2. Every day I'm shufflin' (points around, that is). In order to gain some powers while maintaining "normal human" status, I decided to go the Device route. I wanted something more "superhero" than a gun, and the illustration of the Omegadrones near the passage that inspired me depicted them with some nifty staff-blasters. As Defiant has been fighting the drones regularly it seemed reasonable that he could purloin one of them and modify it with his tech skills. I also gave a little thought to getting around and decided to go with the classic jetpack to avoid the "hero on the bus" issue. To finance these two devices I lowered his saves (a little), used Defensive Roll properly (I hope), eliminated most of his equipment (and re-jiggered the rest), scrapped the feats built around tripping with the chain, and made use of Dodge Focus. I also decided to lessen the Attack/Save DC trade-off to +2/-2. Quick question about alternate powers and the Linked extra: can I use the points from the original power and divide them between two linked powers? For example, is it legal to do as I have done below and say that the alternate power of a 20PP Blast 8 (with 4 feats) is Strike 5 with the mighty feat and Stun 7, both with the Linked extra (6PP + 14PP = 20PP)? I have a sinking feeling it's not, in which case I'll have to discard "mighty" and take Strike 8 with Penetrating and a couple of feats. Whatever the result, thanks again, all! Powers: 12 + 6 + 6 = 24PP Device 4 (Blast-Staff; Flaws: Easy to Lose (3pp per rank)) [12PP] Blast 8 (Staff Bolt (Energy); Feats: Alternate Power 2, Improved Range, Precise) [20PP] Alternate Power: Strike 5 (Staff Bash (Physical); Extras: Linked (+0) to Stun; Feats: Mighty) {6PP} Linked Power: Stun 7 (Shock Prod (Energy); Extras: Linked (+0) to Strike) {14PP} Alternate Power: Snare 8 (Carbon Foam Projector (Physical); Feats: Improved Range, Precise, Reversible, Split Attack) {20PP} Device 2 (Jetpack; Flaws: Easy to Lose (3pp per rank)) [6PP] Flight 5 (Jetpack; 250mph) [10PP] Device 2 (Bio-Regulator; Flaws: Easy to Lose (3pp per rank)) [6PP] Immunity 10 (Bio-Regulator; Life Support, Starvation and Thirst) [10PP] Drawbacks: (-0) + (-0) = -0PP DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC18 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Staff Blast Ranged DC23 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Energy) Staff Bash Touch DC23 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Shock Prod Touch DC17 Fortitude Stun Carbon Foam Projector Ranged DC18 Reflex Snare Totals: Abilities (32) + Combat (36) + Saving Throws (22) + Skills (20) + Feats (16) + Powers (24) - Drawbacks (0) = 150/150 Power Points I'm envisioning the bio-regulator as being part of a system that covers his entire body but is primarily housed in a mask which can be snatched away, leaving him exposed to the elements; hence the "easy to lose" designation, which might otherwise be a little hard to justify for an item that grants life support. The same system recycles body waste, which explains the starvation and thirst bit. Any and all suggestions are welcome!

Foiled again! And I would've gotten away with it, too, if I could read! More seriously, thanks. I'll look up those threads presently.

Hey, all! I'm very eager to get writing on what looks to be a truly amazing site. Unfortunately, my understanding of the MnM rules is... limited. Coming from a DnD background, where your class is built for you, I ended up with a trainwreck of a first attempt. To prevent my fridge-stuffed mistakes from clogging up the character bank I'll post my new concept here. I'm not terribly worried about whether the build is powerful or not, but I need a character that I can write as not getting his rear handed to him in every single thread as well as (obviously) one that's rules legal. Any advice anyone can provide is greatly appreciated. I hope to avoid the like of the memorable reminder that my mighty wizard could be grappled by "small woodland creatures" this time around. I was flipping through the Freedom City book when I happened on an interesting tidbit about worlds in the Terminus dominated by Omega, their populations gradually processed into Omegadrones. Naturally I felt a need to make a rebel. My first character went overboard with the magic, so this time I'm looking at a "no powers" character. Melee combat is based around his use of a chain to trip and disarm, which he'll combine with various bits of supporting equipment to help him survive in other situations. I hope you'll forgive me for not writing out the backstory beyond the seed I've given just yet; that part takes me about three times as long as the character sheet on a good day, even for a system I'm just starting to figure out. I'll form the sheet with the concept as the primary guideline and put the flesh on the skeleton when it's application time. Defiant, PL 10 Powers: 0 + 0 + 0 = 0PP Drawbacks: (-0) + (-0) = -0PP DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC18 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Chain Touch DC20 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Blaster Ranged DC20 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Energy) Totals: Abilities (32) + Combat (50) + Saving Throws (26) + Skills (21) + Feats (21) + Powers (0) - Drawbacks (0) = 150/150 Power Points This character, in addition to being an experienced techie, has a "rebel leader" vibe thanks to Diplomacy, Know (Tactics), and Master Plan. I'm considering removing that aspect by taking out those skills and feats, dropping his Charisma to 12, and going a more combat-focused route with Improved Initiative x2, Improved Block x2, and Weapon Bind, plus Uncanny Dodge on sight in addition to hearing just in case (and to soak up that last point). I am confident I could write a good background either way. Alternatively, I could keep the leader and otherwise do much the same by dropping his reflex save to 10 and giving him Improved Initiative, Improved Block x2, and Weapon Bind. This might be a better idea, especially from a background standpoint; saves aren't all that interesting to write. I'm definitely leaning this way now that I've thought of it. Thoughts?

Hm. I did not think this through as well as I should have. Could I request that this thread be deleted, please? I balanced my points to the Nth degree, but I misread the rules in a number of unfortunate places; the combination has made this a bit of a trainwreck. Take two will be better. That said, thanks for the prompt response and the helpful advice! Next time, no more min-maxing; being torn apart by squirrels would be an ignominious end.

[floatr][/floatr] Player Name: Dragonsong Character Name: Numen Power Level: 10 (150/150PP) Trade-Offs: -5 Attack / +5 Damage Unspent Power Points: 0 Progress To Bronze Status: 0/30 In Brief: Demon-hunting sorcerer cursed with a tenuous hold on his soul. Alternate Identity: Ulysses “Yule†Eriksson Identity: Secret Birthplace: Denver, Colorado, USA Occupation: Unemployed Affiliations: Presently None Family: Joseph Eriksson (Father, Doctor), Patience Hall Eriksson (Mother, Doctor), Annabeth Ericksson Tremain (Sister, Businesswoman), Thomas Tremain (Brother-in-Law, Lawyer), Andy Tremain (Nephew, Toddler) Description: Age: 28 (DoB: December 1, 1983) Apparent Age: 28 Gender: Male Ethnicity: Caucasian Height: 5’10†Weight: 155 lbs Eyes: Sea Blue Hair: Chestnut Brown Of roughly average height, with smooth features and a lanky build, Yule is relatively handsome. His deep blue eyes are distant, as though seeing something beyond his immediate surroundings. Short chestnut-colored hair casually parted to the right frames his well-proportioned face, to which stubble that refuses to move beyond scraggly and actually become a beard clings unevenly. There are long bags beneath those faraway eyes and a slump to his posture that speak of perpetual exhaustion. Even so, he radiates calm collectedness and perfect focus. Power Descriptions: Yule’s magic is not particularly flashy, but it's still obvious that he's the one casting it thanks to the teal glow that surrounds him and his target while he's using it. He doesn’t have to move or speak to invoke it, though he sometimes does in order to help himself focus; he simply wills results to happen, pitting the power of his soul focused by the lens of his mind against the defenses of whatever foe he is battling. This can take the form of lifting and throwing cars, turning metal to ash, or opening yawning black gates that move him instantly across great distances, all without moving a muscle. History: The Alabaster Cabal was ancient when Atlantis fell; by the turn of the second millennium CE few remembered its existence, let alone its origins, and yet it endured. While the Supreme Sorcerers of Earth busied themselves protecting the dimension from the many and varied threats that assailed it, always on the defensive, the Cabal was striking back. They invaded the Netherworlds of the multiverse, doing battle with their Supreme Sorcerers and burning away shadows with searing light. Even more commonly, they battled the forces of the Infernal Dimensions. The Cabal was ever a thorn in the side of demons, for they cared nothing for rightful punishment; all was fair in war. They snatched tortured souls from the depths of hell to stop them from empowering their foes. They bound devils in mystic containers buried in Antarctic ice or even burning in the hearts of stars, for to destroy them was merely to give them the chance to form their bodies anew. And they used their power to break infernal contracts, cutting off the supply of souls at one of the most common sources wherever they could. When Tartarus lay empty, they vowed, and not before, they would be content. Members of the Cabal were expected to dedicate their entire lives to the pursuit of this goal, with no distractions, no outside commitments, and no hesitation. To find candidates with the focus, drive, and single-mindedness necessary to meet these criteria was never easy, but in the modern age of self-indulgence and skepticism fewer and fewer such men and women ever knew of or cared about the secret war. So when a bright young man like Ulysses “Yule†Eriksson went looking for something to dedicate his life to, the Cabal was glad indeed to be found. Yule grew up to be a thoughtful, outgoing youth with a love of mythology and an attitude that put people at ease. Smart and hardworking, with a full ride to American University and competitive offers from half a dozen other prestigious colleges, he nonetheless found that he was not content with his life. He wanted a cause, something he could believe in and work toward unconditionally, and he couldn’t find it in politics or even community service. There were always shades of grey; he was always forced to ask if what he was doing was unambiguously right, and he always had to answer “noâ€. At the age of seventeen, the summer before he was to attend college, he left home to look for such a cause. Though a homebody at heart, and very close to his family, he felt that leaving was necessary no matter how painful it was. Since he was not yet an adult he could only go so far; he was, for all intents and purposes, a runaway, and that limited his travel options. He would probably have been found in short order if not for a combination of his own determination and sheer chance; in the little town of Purgatory, in southern Utah, he happened to encounter a member of the Cabal. The sorcerer, whose name was Trent Drake, sensed something unusual about the youth, and the two of them ended up talking over cups of coffee. When Yule expressed his desire to dedicate himself to something unconditionally good, without moral complexity, Drake knew that he had found a promising candidate. Revealing who he was, he made Yule the offer the young man had been waiting all his life to hear. It would not be easy, Drake warned, and there was no guarantee that Yule would ever be able to channel magic; some people simply never could, and most people lacked the focus. But the choice was still clear. The next five years of Yule’s life were spent under Drake’s tutelage, isolated in the secret dimensional fortress of the Alabaster Cabal. Months passed in meditation, pausing for little save a few hours’ sleep and a simple meal every so often. It was three years of this search for perfect focus before Yule manifested his first spell: moving a pebble the size of his knuckle an inch without touching it. Yet concentration and experience built upon one another, and his pace of learning shot upward over the following two years. He became a potent telekinetic, able to crush a car by looking at it. To force his student to continue learning at the same voracious pace, and perhaps even faster, Drake put him in the field: by his twenty-fourth birthday Yule had literally been to hell and back, an experience that shook him but reaffirmed his sense of purpose so powerfully that he finally felt certain he had chosen the right path. Nearly four years later he was a rising star amongst the ranks of the Cabal, propelled by a soul burning bright with purpose. This soul drew notice from the highest ranks of the organization: it could not match them, and likely never would, but it was wasted as a footsoldier. On Yule’s twenty-eighth birthday, Drake came to him flushed with pride. He explained that the young sorcerer had been granted a great honor, and imparted a secret: the original founder of the Cabal was still alive, countless millennia after the crusade against hell had begun. This being, mighty and righteous, was sustained by the souls of powerful young mages like Yule so that its crusade could continue forever, and it had just deemed him worthy to lend his own soul to this preservation. A piece of him would live on forever, granting power to the greatest among them. Yule knew the consequences of surrendering his soul: he would lose not only his magic but also his empathy, becoming a sociopathic, murderous husk that would be cast into utter oblivion when death finally took it. Drake explained that it was indeed so, and that Yule would be “euthanized†after the removal of his soul to prevent him from hurting anyone; this was the ultimate sacrifice, one that would guarantee him a place of honor in the histories of the Cabal’s unending battle. In all the millennia this custom had been practiced, not one mage had refused to do this greatest of duties. Yet Yule did what no other had done: full of fear, he hesitated. His devotion was not to the Cabal; it never had been. He had dedicated himself to the battle, to a worthy struggle against certain evil, not to any institution. Perhaps more importantly, he was afraid of dying a lonely, forsaken death, stripped of everything that mattered and denied any chance at an afterlife. So he did what no other had done: he said no. Drake, in shock, took this message to his superiors. After long deliberation, they decided that refusal was never really an option; it was for the good of the order. The mages of the Cabal came in force to ensure that the command was obeyed. In a second betrayal, Yule broke the sanctity of a hall that had never seen bloodshed in eons of existence. He fought back tooth and nail, his back to the wall and his tremendous determination turned toward survival. Yet he was but one mage; he could not stand against the Cabal’s greatest. In disgust they struck him with a powerful curse designed to strip away the soul he had sought to retain, then cast him out, banishing him to the world from which he had come. Yule hardly felt the loss of the purpose he had worked so long and so hard to gain: he was in survival mode, his soul the only thing on his mind. Throwing all of his power into the working of a great spell, Yule found that he could only delay the inevitable: he could slow the weakening of his soul but not stop it, like clamping his hands over a spurting fountain. One day, perhaps one day very soon, he would become that vile shell unless he could find some way to stop the bleed or restore what had been lost. This became his purpose: to become whole again before he became a monster consigned to utter destruction of both others and, ultimately, himself. And so he journeyed to the place he had always heard was the home of powerful beings who might be able to help him: Freedom City. To hide who he had been, he took the name of Numen. Personality & Motivation: Yule is greatly changed from when he was a youth. Where once he was vibrant and outgoing he became calm and reserved, listening more than he spoke and able to focus to a degree unmatched by most mortals. Now the second great change in his life has occurred: the young man who has braved hell itself more than once is afraid. His own mortality is crashing down on him; everything he ever worked for, let alone took for granted, is ticking away. He could become a maniac devoid of the only things he values, morality and his power to do good, in six months or six minutes. There is no way to know when his defense will be undone. Beneath the all-consuming need to find a way to survive his impending destruction, Yule knows that he has been cut off from his real purpose. He secretly wonders if the Cabal was right and he was selfish to refuse to make the ultimate sacrifice; his only defense is to assure himself that he is still devoted to the cause of good, and that leaving the Cabal hasn’t changed that. This need to believe that the Cabal’s demand was unreasonable drives him to ever-greater acts of heroism, partly because he knows that such is the right use of his powers and partly to salvage the joyous purpose he once felt. Quiet and courteous, Yule is more readily convinced by actions than words. He trusts when a reason to trust is demonstrated and mistrusts when given a reason for such, doing his best to avoid making assumptions based on appearances. He is out of touch with the world because he has spent the past decade away from it in places where its happenings are irrelevant, but is simultaneously patient and eager to understand. He does not often confide in others, especially after his sudden falling-out (to put it mildly) with his longtime friends in the Cabal, but is loyal and supportive to those who earn his respect. Powers & Tactics: Yule is a mobile combatant, teleporting across the battlefield before assailing his targets with powerful magic. His power, drawn from his soul and focused through his mind, does not require speech or gesture and often visually consists of only a soft teal glow, making him considerably less flashy to watch than many wizards but no less effective. Though accustomed to fighting demons, with whom he did not have to pull any punches, Yule is a believer in the value of life (especially with his own in such jeopardy), and his control over his magic is easily capable of reducing his attacks to nonlethal levels of strength. Complications: Cabal’s Disdain: Though once a promising member of the Alabaster Cabal, Yule is now a living stain on honor otherwise unblemished for millennia. This does not sit well with his former allies. Fading Soul: Bit by bit, Yule is suffering a fate worse than death, likely followed by utter death. The very first effect of this process is nightmares that terrify someone who has been to hell and back without fear. Identity: Yule keeps his identity secret by using the name of Numen both to protect his family from demonic enemies made during his time with the Alabaster Cabal and to avoid the shame he feels at leaving them a decade ago. Out of Touch: It’s been ten years since Yule spent any significant amount of time on Earth. He has no property save what he carries, is legally dead, and is utterly unfamiliar with the events of the past decade. Powerful Enemies: Yule was, until recently, an active part of an organization that was a thorn in the side of the rulers of the Infernal Dimensions for millennia. Now he has no allies among them and no fewer grudges against him. Abilities: 0 + 4 + 0 + 6 + 6 + 4 = 20PP Strength: 10 (+0) Dexterity: 14 (+2) Constitution: 10 (+0) Intelligence: 16 (+3) Wisdom: 16 (+3) Charisma: 14 (+2) Combat: 0 + 10 = 10PP Initiative: +10 Attack: +0 Melee, +0 Ranged Grapple: +0 Defense: +10 (+5 Base, +5 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed Knockback: -0 Saving Throws: 10 + 8 + 7 = 25PP Toughness: +10 (+0 Con, +10 Force Field) Fortitude: +10 (+0 Con, +10) Reflex: +10 (+2 Dex, +8) Will: +10 (+3 Wis, +7) Skills: 48R = 12PP Concentration 12 (+15) Diplomacy 6 (+8) Knowledge: Arcane Lore 12 (+15) Knowledge: History 10 (+13) Language 2 (Latin and Arabic, two mystical languages) Notice 6 (+9) Feats: 11PP Dodge Focus 5 Fearless Improved Initiative 2 Trance Uncanny Dodge 2 Powers: 65 + 12 + 0 = 77PP Magic 30 (Feats: Alternate Power 5) [65PP] (Spellcasting (Magic)) Base Power: Mental Blast 15 (Mind Needles (Magic, Mental)) {60/60 Magic PP} Alternate Power: Disintegrate 12 (Ashen Laughter (Magic); Extras: Range (+1)) {60/60 Magic PP} Alternate Power: Telekinesis 15 (Mage Hand (Magic); Extras: Damaging (+1), Perception (+1)) {60/60 Magic PP} Alternate Power: Nullify 15 (Counterspell (Magic) Extras: Counters All Magic Descriptor Powers (2PP per rank), Duration (+1), Power Resistance (+1)) {60/60 Magic PP} Alternate Power: Teleport 9 (Arcane Gate (Magic); Extras: Accurate (+1), Portal (+2); Feats: Change Direction, Change Velocity, Turnabout, Progression (Portal Size) 2) {60/60 Magic PP} Alternate Power: Astral Form 11 (Path of Silver (Magic, Dimensional); Feats: Subtle 2, Dimensional 3) {60/60 Magic PP} Device 4 (Sun Droplet Brooch (Magic); Flaws: Easy to Lose (3PP per rank)) [12PP] Force Field 10 (Luminous Armor (Magic); Extras: Impervious (+1)) {20/20 Device PP} Drawbacks: (-4) + (-1) = -5PP Impoverished (General; Frequency: Uncommon; Intensity: Minor) [-1PP] Recurring Nightmares (General; Frequency: Very Common; Intensity: Moderate) [-4PP] DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Mind Needles Perception Will DC 30 Damage Ashen Laughter Perception Fort DC 22/Tough DC 27 Tough Drain/Damage Mage Hand Perception Tough DC 30 Damage Totals: Abilities (20) + Combat (10) + Saving Throws (25) + Skills (12) + Feats (11) + Powers (77) - Drawbacks (5) = 150/150 Power Points