Hellbound gets Airborne [OOC]

[Dr Archeville]

I'm having some trouble deciding on what to do for the next two Stages, since... well, since there's so little to Hellbound aside from "he's a brawler."

Suggestions?

[Hellbound]

An obstacle course would be nice. Something in the Indianna Jones milleaux? Make him work those notice skills he's lacking (to spot traps), backed by reflex rolls for when he fails along with balance checks?

Other than that? Run some intuition tests. Set him up with three or four Archevilles and have him try to figure out which is the real one based on subtle clues? Allow him to ask whatever questions he wants, but put a limit on either the time that he has or the number of questions he's allowed to ask before the fake Archevilles 'kill' the real one.

Don't forget that he's actually more than just a brawler. His fast reflexes actually push him towards the quick-reacting role of a speedster. Granted, he can't run faster than sound or dismantle a car in .7 seconds, but he's good at getting the jump on the bad guy. I'd like to see his Initiative Bonus put to the test as he tries to out-draw a digital opponent.

After we run Phase 3 I'm sure I can come up with another couple of possibilities, as well.

[Hellbound]

Ooh, you know? I really kind of like the idea of an easter egg hunt obstacle course for the final exam. Set up a series of chambers filled with different environments ranging from repair labs to lost jungle ruins. Hellbound has to make his way through them, watching for and escaping traps while trying to spot the one item in each section that he has to bring back to Archeville.

Maybe it's an actual Easter Egg set in plain sight on a shelf of spare parts, or maybe it's a fountain pen laying next to an idol in a mayan temple. Something about each item makes it look relatively innocent, and thus easy to hide in plain sight, and yet still incongruous enough that a sharp observer would notice that it doesn't actually belong.

And for Phase Three -- the one aspect that hasn't really been tested is his high Initiative bonus (plus his Sieze Initiative feat). Setting him up against a machine that he has to outdraw or in some way react more quickly than would be a nice run for the boy.

Would you suggest that I go ahead and AP the Immunity for the Doc's machine even though it won't fully protect him from its effects? At least in that way the Doc can get difinitive evidence of the adaptation as it happens since he's keeping Hellbound under continuous scan at the moment.

[Dr Archeville]

Yeah, go ahead and do the Immunity I spelled out, and edit as needed.

Some form of Obstacle Course will be next ;)

[Hellbound]

Shaweet. I reduced the consequences of his nausea since, even though he had plenty of failures, it doesn't look like any of the Will ones were by more than 10. Though it is early over here and I may have missed some...

Certainly he didn't end up with those catastrophic 15+ throws in rounds 3 and 4.

[Dr Archeville]

STAGE FOUR

An Indiana Jones-esque romp.

Notice check, followed by one of two Reflex saves. If you fail the Notice check, use the higher Reflex DC; if you make the Notice check, use the lower Reflex DC (because you spotted where the thing's coming from and so can better avoid it).

No harm for failing the Reflex save, except for the embarrassment of being hit with paint.

Each is done three times, so (5 x 2 x 3 ) 30 rolls total.

He may use extra effort at any time, but the fatigue will remain until the stage is complete; any fatigue suffered will be cured before the next stage begins. Spending an HP for a re-roll is also possible, but once used, it is gone for the entire thread. Any actual damage suffered will also be healed between stages; there is a Doktor in the house.

Part 1: DC 10 Notice, DC 10/10 Reflex (basic "this is what's going on" part)

Part 2: DC 14 Notice, DC 14/12 Reflex (high-end basic training)

Part 3: DC 18 Notice, DC 18/14 Reflex (high-end professional training)

Part 4: DC 22 Notice, DC 22/16 Reflex (high-end expert training)

Part 5: DC 26 Notice, DC 26/18 Reflex (how do you handle insurmountable odds?)

[Hellbound]

Ah. So is that a Hero Point in addition to the one he spent on the last test to gain partial immunity to the Doc's machine?

Regardless...

Notice Rolls...

Part 1 Notice: 1d20 + 4=19, 1d20 + 4=16, 1d20 + 4=5

One failure.

Part 2 Notice: 1d20 + 4=20, 1d20 + 4=11, 1d20 + 4=5

Two Failures

Part 3 Notice: 1d20 + 4=9, 1d20 + 4=22, 1d20 + 4=24

One Failure

Part 4 Notice: 1d20 + 4=13, 1d20 + 4=19, 1d20 + 4=22

Two Failures

Part 5: 1d20 + 4=11, 1d20 + 4=24, 1d20 + 4=14

Three Failures

Reflex Rolls...

Part 1 Reflex (10/10/10): 1d20 + 7=26, 1d20 + 7=22, 1d20 + 7=20

No Failures

Part 2 Reflex (12/14/14): 1d20 + 7=20, 1d20 + 7=15, 1d20 + 7=15

No Failures

Part 3 Reflex (18/14/14): 1d20 + 7=20, 1d20 + 7=10, 1d20 + 7=26

One Failure

Part 4 Reflex (16/22/22): 1d20 + 7=11, 1d20 + 7=8, 1d20 + 7=18

Three Failures

Part 5 Reflex (26/26/26): 1d20 + 7=14, 1d20 + 7=10, 1d20 + 7=11

Three Failures

[Hellbound]

Hrm. I notice that Hellbound's saves ARE pretty pathetic. They probably should be raised.

I also notice that his most expensive (and least useful), ability is the burning blood that helps define his background and uniqueness. Would it be possible to find a way to lower the staggering 14 points to something more reasonable?

I mean, after all, that's 1.4 power levels right there.

What about reducing it to the fear effect alone, dropping the attack and attaching the Accident Complication as a Power Drawback to represent it setting things on fire when it's inconvenient for him?

[Dr Archeville]

Ah. So is that a Hero Point in addition to the one he spent on the last test to gain partial immunity to the Doc's machine?

Hunh? No, you've spent your one HP. Unless I tell you you've gain another, you have none.

I also notice that his most expensive (and least useful), ability is the burning blood that helps define his background and uniqueness. Would it be possible to find a way to lower the staggering 14 points to something more reasonable?

I mean, after all, that's 1.4 power levels right there.

No, that's 0.93 a PL worth of points. 15pp/level, not 10.

What about reducing it to the fear effect alone, dropping the attack and attaching the Accident Complication as a Power Drawback to represent it setting things on fire when it's inconvenient for him?

No. If you want it setting things on fire, it needs a Damage component.

[Hellbound]

Hunh? No, you've spent your one HP. Unless I tell you you've gain another, you have none.

That's what I was thinking, but in the Phase Four outline:

He may use extra effort at any time, but the fatigue will remain until the stage is complete; any fatigue suffered will be cured before the next stage begins. Spending an HP for a re-roll is also possible, but once used, it is gone for the entire thread.

I figured he was done with Hero Points but I wanted to double check. Plus, just in case, I resisted throwing an HP in to his efforts for the test.

No, that's 0.93 a PL worth of points. 15pp/level, not 10.

D'oh! 15 per PL. Not 10. That's right.

Math is hard.

No. If you want it setting things on fire, it needs a Damage component.

Ah, the price he pays to have incredibly cool blood. So be it. Next month I'll have to decide between Hellbound either pumping iron or raising his saves. Hopefully he'll receive training to cover which ever direction he chooses.

[Dr Archeville]

Ah, the price he pays to have incredibly cool blood. So be it. Next month I'll have to decide between Hellbound either pumping iron or raising his saves. Hopefully he'll receive training to cover which ever direction he chooses.

Either one can easily be done in Doc's Gymnasium of Horrors. ;)

[Hellbound]

We get to play with his brain?!

Hellbound's brain is not a toy :P

[Dr Archeville]

So, will Hellbound let his guard down enough to take a shower in Doktor Archeville's House of Horrors?

I do need to know, since that will determine what I post next.

[Hellbound]

Sure. He's not exactly the modest type. ;)

[Hellbound]

Huh. It suddenly occurs to me that I didn't need to make so many die rolls during stage two. Since his Impervious Toughness was 10 at the time, then only that last attack could do enough damage to cause injury. The rest could be ignored, unless they were penetrating.

I'll have to watch that in the future.