How important is offensive capability for a PC?

[Folkert]

Still working on my PC and while going forth and back on what to include, I find my less and less inclined to include any truly offensive capability at all the more I work on the background. Finder is an alien from a culture that does not know violence and though her stay on earth taught her a lot so far, old habits (and brainwashing) die hard.

So I am considering nixing the combat part of the character, but I'm a bit worried that might also damage her ability to work with other PCs 'round here as a certain amount of combat ability seems usually needed.

Opinions?

[Dr Archeville]

Well, my Doktor Archeville has no inherent combat ability (offensively he's PL 4: +8 Attack, +0 Damage), and he's seemed to do fine so far. 'Course, he's not really been in many true combats yet, either (though this may be changing soon).

The "Helper/Supporter" role is a viable one to play, though it certainly has its share of difficulties.

[Veiled Malice]

I run one of the oldest and best established villain characters around here, and in the nine months I've done so, he's gotten into maybe 4 or 5 fights. That's not to say combat ability wasn't vital there, but it honestly hasn't come up all that often. If you're going to axe the combat portion, you'll have to find other people that just want to roleplay, not fight things.

[Dr Archeville]

And I'm sure you'll be able to find some folks like that ;)

[Folkert]

Thanks for the replies, folks!

I'm not looking to create a useless gimmick character, but it looks like she'll primarily be an investigator and, well, find things. (Plus I'm probably wasting points trying to accurately create a humanoid organism that possibly might developed under an Orange Star.)

The least the Doctor still has his "intellectual foresight" ; Finder will probably undercut PL 4 easily (no combat training, no experience + pacifist mindset).

[Folkert]

Addendum: After a private, 2-hour-lecture from a friendly astrophysicist on what effects living under the light of an Orange Star would have on lifeforms, I've decided to go with comic science inastead. :roll: