Carces - Creature Feature - PL11 Hero

[Carces]

Creature Feature

Power Level: 11 (150/164PP)

Trade-Offs: -4 Attack / +4 Damage, -4 Defense / +4 Toughness

Unspent PP: 14

Progress to Bronze Status: 14/30

In Brief: A young man who can take the form of movie monsters

Alternate Identities: Vance Malloy

Identity: Secret

Birthplace: Houston, Texas

Occupation: Student

Affiliations: None

Family:

Mother: Mary Malloy, loving wife and successful real estate agent

Father: Manny Malloy, an underpowered cop in a superhero's city

Brother: Joey Malloy, an overachiever and a success in university, whether he's tackling books or football players

Age: 16 (DoB: August 16, 1994)

Gender: Male

Ethnicity: Caucasian

Height: 5'7"

Weight: 110lb

Eyes: Green

Hair: Black, stringy, and unkempt

Description: Vance is the kind of person that has a tendency to fade into the background. The young teenager, while almost shockingly fit and capable, gives off the 90 pound weakingling vibe. Coupled with his tendency to wear cheap jeans and blank T-shirts, it would be a patently absurd to think Vance was a super hero of any sort. When there's trouble a'brewin', Vance's appearance can be very different indeed...

Power Descriptions: Vance's shapeshifting has a unique quirk in that it emulates the medium of the target image. Thus, while the monster is no longer a man in a rubber suit, a puppet, or a product of stop motion, but the form does retain the hue of the picture. Depending on the quality of the picture, the monstrous forms can be black and white, or have visible video grain intrinsic to the form. The better the video quality of the image, the less apparent this trait is, however.

History:

Concerning his perfectly ordinary family: The Malloy family has been living in Freedom City for 8 years after moving from Houston. With such an excellent standard of living being offered in the City of Champions, coupled with the extremely cheap housing being offered, the move seemed to be an exquisite idea. Afterall, it takes a secial kind of family and a special kind of community to live and thrive in Freedom City, and with two darling children, it was natural to reach out and take a little bit of that "specialness" for their own children. At the very least, a city with all those super-powered heroes running around has to be the picture of safety.

It wasn't long until they had their first encounter with a super hero. A large man in spandex threw their entire house at a robot.

Mr. and Mrs. Malloy were shocked and devestated. The house was, fortunately, unoccupied at the time, but the wheels had already started to turn in their minds. Someone could have been in there! Afterall, how could a hero know whether a building was abandoned or not?

The house was replaced through a charitable, yet anonymous, donation that helped to rebuild a large section of the city that had been wrecked by the same fight. While the Malloy home was in better shape than ever, Mr. and Mrs. Malloy were armed with a new understanding of the dangers of Freedom City, both villainous and heroic.

Young Vance Malloy grew up while always taking the most direct route home from school every day. There, he would hear from his mother the property damage caused by another super-powered fight, while his father spoke of news around the police station. Afterwards, he'd run down to the basement with his brother to the basement where they'd be safe from the alleged horrors of Freedom City that his mother and father reminded him of every day. Without the courage to go outside or visit other people after school, it became difficult to maintain any semblance of a social life. Joey, Vance's older brother, coped by focusing on schoolwork and taking the first scholarship-paid ticket to the Hanover Institute of Technology, where he has obtained success and confidence in learning, football, and scratching the surface of super-science. While Joey excels in a lot of different academic areas, Vance tended only to excel at hiding - a trait which, not surprisingly, has failed to gain much attention.

Abandoned by his older brother and left alone in a basement as his parent work overtime, it was only a matter of timee before Vance would find a hobby to pass the time with. He found a calling with horror movies.

Concerning his perfectly ordinary hobby: Vance Malloy's fascination started with some old videos his father had collecting dust in the basement. These old VHS tapes were a natural source of amusement, as Vance only had access to an old TV, a VCR, and his brother's outdated and baffling computer (What does 'Load "*"' even *mean?*) for company. He fell in love with old horror classics, such as "The Rise of Dracul", "The Wolfguy", and "Beast from the Black Lake." When he ran out of films to watch, he found a sympathetic ear from his distant brother Joey, who recorded some of his favorite monster movies onto a VHS and brought them to Vance on his next visit to the home.

The world of the monster movie was revealed before Vance. First, there was "Godzoola, Chief of Monsters", and "Gamerow, Friend of Kiddies." Vance was instantly enamoured with the magic of the silver screen, bordering on obsession. As bright as he was, Vance had a great deal of difficulty balancing his newfound hobby and his schoolwork. When Mr. and Mrs. Malloy found out, they were neither pleased with Vance, nor his brother Joey for providing for his obsession. Movies would have to wait.

Concerning the perfectly ordinary 1950's and their perfectly ordinary secret invasion: The Grue Invasion first became widely-known by governments and other organizations. The invasion is not widely publicised in order to protect the populace from large-scale panic. However, a small amount of knowledge is a terrible thing in the hands of the wrong people.

Concerning his perfectly ordinary part-time job: Grounded and deflated, Vance became listless and withdrawn. School was the only place that offered Vance a reprise from the tedium. There, he'd talk to a few of the other, somewhat nerdy misfits he had managed to befriend and would live vicariously through them, catching up on the latest movies and news as they came. Then, like a miracle from heaven, the news had come: His friends had found a place called the Video Hut, a glorious retro-movie rental store that had a wide collection of VHS tapes, shunning the DVDs that he was incapable of watching. And they were Hiring.

Surely, this was destiny. Vance's path was clear. Though the road may be treacherous and filled with danger at every turn, fate is one thing Vance had no intention in hiding from. He would achieve a Part Time Job!

Concerning the perfectly ordinary 30 years of research and experimentation since the 1950's: The Grue cellular structure is a very difficult thing to keep a hold of. As part of a collective, living cells have a tendency to draw other grue operatives, seeking to reclaim particularly valuable cellular structures for the Metamind. Thus, obsessed with his work, Dr. Richard Baker was forced to approach the newly formed group SHADOW in order to continue his illegal experiments. His experiments and research, if successful, would come to a horrifying climax in Project: Gemini. The scope: to duplicate the super-powered beings of the Freedom League under the direct control of SHADOW!

Concerning the perfectly ordinary Video Rental Location: Vance Malloy had never really considered employing his natural gift of stealth to sneak out of the house before. Afterall, apart from getting a little carried away with his hobby, Vance was a generally nice guy who did what he was told, and certainly wouldn't want to get hurt in the mean streets of Freedom City suburbia! However, a trip to the fabled Video Hut was worth the risk! Vance went to his basement, turned on the TV to a particularly loud station, and proceeded to squeeze out the small window in the basement.

The trip was a much longer one than he had expected. Video Head bordered the eastern section of the Fens - a decent distance away from Grenville. The shadows of the southern Freedom City do many strange things when the old, broken down street lights are your only source of light and the desolate train tracks are your only guide. With all of his stealth, there was no doubt that someone, or something, was watching Vance, licking their lips and raising their weapons on high. When you stand still, you can almost feel an unearthly breath on the back of your neck...

Then a perfectly ordinary taxi came by, spiriting Vance away to the Video Head store. The driver's name was Max. He was a nice, perfectly ordinary guy.

With a possibly shocking and dangerous adventure averted, Vance made his way to the store - a broken down place with a slightly off-centre sign that read "V eo He d". As he headed inside, it struck Vance that his friends visit very odd locales.

Concerning the progress of the perfectly ordinary doomsday Project: Gemini: The problem with the enhanced Grue cellular structure is that it is primarily controlled mentally and as part of a collective. A collective experience, much akin to the "collective unconcious" human phenomenon on steroids, gives the Grue a large source of information to draw upon when activating their morphic abilities. During the 1980's, Dr. Baker and SHADOW had successfully created nanites that could successfully control the captured Grue cells and control them to such an extent that they could be duplicated.

The process to be used was simple: take a video tape filled with all the information available on a super hero in order to create a perfect replica of the being. The first target was a simple choice: the Centurion. With the Moore act in full swing, Freedom City could be crushed very quickly with the Centurion's power, and an entire army could be created before the disbanded Freedom League could reorganize any semblance of a retaliation. World Domination would be an inevitability.

The first SHADOW agent is infected with the nanite/Grue combination. Cellular reconstruction begins.

Concerning the perfectly ordinary owner of the Video Rental Store: An nice, old lady by the name of Lindsy Lights is the owner and sole employee of Video Head. She maintains the shop and sleeps in an apartment above the store, and tends to her beloved pet "Zippy", a cat that hardly moves, save to stay near Lindsy Lights, and never purrs. She welcomed young Vance in from outside and invited him to look at her videos. Soon after, she called the police.

As it turns out, Lindsy was no fool, and a young boy she had never seen before wandering out in the Fens was more than enough of a clue to suggest someone was somewhere they shouldn't be. In a perfectly ordinary, albiet dramatic coincidence, the police officer who was coming to the store happened to be Vance's father, Manny Malloy. Boy, would Vance be in trouble when he got there! Just imagine the nasty things Vance's angry father would say to poor Vance when he got over there!

Those things weren't half as nasty as the things coming from the thugs' mouths as they fired machine guns and told nice old Mrs. Lights to put all the money she had in the bag.

Concerning the perfectly ordinary discoveries via morphic experiment by SHADOW nazis in the 1980's: Project Gemini was branded as a failure! While the reconstructed cellular structures were capable of creating a duplicate image of the Centurion, no super powers were copied! Dr. Baker's work would be considered a failure if it did not produce favorable results. SHADOW has a rather grisly method of dealing with failure.

At his wit's end, he clamoured through all of his research, intent on unlocking the potential of the Project. Ever the brilliant, yet evil scientist, the flaw was indeed discovered: the nanomachines were gathering too much information! While recreating the precise organic makeup of a human being, the super-powered aspect of the creature couldn't be copied - there simply wasn't any room. The implication was equally astounding - if the cells are given a rough idea of what is expected with a fictional image, and is given the freedom to work out itself, it could tap the vast possibilities of the Grue Unity.

It was at about this epiphany that super heroes happened. Perfectly ordinary super heroes, if you were wondering.

Concerning the perfectly ordinary armed robbery: As always, Vance has a particular talent for hiding which has proven an invaluable asset against thugs preoccupied with money. With a nice, old lady in danger, Vance turned once again to his hobby to save the day. He toppled the large, well-stocked shelves to create a rather destructive domino effect, taking out the thugs and practically everything else in the store.

The police arrived, carting the thugs away. Both Vance's father and mother arrived as well, when news of the robbery had gotten to the police. Tears were shed.

However, Vance had caused quite a bit of property damage and had made quite a mess. Lindsy suggested that the young boy had to take responsibility, and would need to work off his debt at the store. Vance's parents apologized and agreed. Vance Malloy secretly rejoiced. In the days to come, Vance Malloy would work at the Video Hut, borrow a movie to take home, take care of anything old Lindsy Lights needed doing, and discovering all the obscurities that film had to offer.

Concerning the perfectly ordinary invasion by psuedo-nazi ninjas at the video store: During a particularly slow night shift at the Video Head, Lindsy Lights was just about to turn in when SHADOW ninja agents burst into the store to wreak havoc. Before Vance could figure out what was happening, Lindsy Lights had grabbed her cat-like cat robot and had started blasting at ninjas with cat-based lightning, while shoving the young man into the safety of an unused closet. Confused, Vance went with his instincts and fell back to the his old knack of hiding.

Unfortunately, hiding does not work against SHADOW agent explosives, intent on tearing the Video Head down. Before long, the ground itself had cracked open and Vance was swallowed by a cave.

Lighting his official "Gamerow: Friend to Kiddies Night Flashlight", Vance Malloy witnessed the amazing subterranean storehouse of the obscure super heroine Lady Tesla, who had fought SHADOW for many, many years. Why would such a storehouse be found under the Video Head, owned by the kindly Lindsy Lights? No one can say.

Another explosion shook the very ground, causing Vance to take a tumble. As he did, one of the storage cases broke, depositing a strange-looking VCR-like device in his lap.

SHADOW agents found their way into the subterranean storehouse and demanded the device from Vance. Poor Vance had nowhere to run from his ruthless opponents. Only his incredible resourcefulness could save him from such dire straits. Resourcefulness, and sheer dumb luck that the TESLA-MOBILE was in the storehouse, unlocked, gassed, and ready to go.

Without a moment to lose, Vance was pressing random buttons. Finding the self-defense lightning module, Vance shocked the SHADOW agents before managing to raise a platform that allowed the TESLA-MOBILE onto the streets. From there, Vance terrorized the road with his complete inability to drive, coupled with the TESLA-MOBILE's exceptional acceleration. He soon safely crashed near the river, where he took the device home where it could be safe.

Concerning the perfectly ordinary events following Vance's escape: Curiosity gets the better of many people. The device wasn't hard to plug in, and a curious Vance was capable of ejecting a VHS tape from the device, confirming his suspicions that the device was a fancy VCR. What could SHADOW want with it?

The video inside was labelled "MONSTER - 3104". A new movie? How exciting! In the safety of his own home, Vance turned on the VCR and attempted to watch the movie. As part of the process, he stuck his hand in a hole on he device, where he felt a sharp stabbing pain. A stabbing pain that injected his blood with a nanite/grue compound that would change his life forever!

Still having no luck getting the device to work, Vance gave up and put the video into his old VCR, his imagination dancing with thoughts of 3D, or smell-o-vision that he had now eluded him. Worst, the movie was a simple rehashing of the classic "Retaliation of the Mummy". However, when his skin sprouted yards upon yards of ancient, pre-wrapped bandages, he knew something was amiss! From that day forward, he could assume the form of any monster he witnessed in a monster movie he knew something about (practically all of them).

Concerning YOU the READER: Now you have witnessed how a series of perfectly ordinary events could lead to a young man becoming a MONSTER in the streets. A super-heroic boon for society? Or a sign of a horror to come?

Lock your doors! Bar your windows! For no criminal is safe when Creature Feature is coming (to a theater near you!).

Personality & Motivation: From the shy, under-confident young boy that Vance once was, the ability to change forms into those of monster movies has changed his outlook greatly - especially when it comes to super heroes. Before, he received his information about super heroes second hand from his parents, who constantly reminded him that they were dangerous individuals. Having now walked the streets in monster form along side super powered individuals, he's gleaned a little more of the truth himself: super heroes are particularly dangerous when they beat him up for being a monster wandering the streets of Freedom City. Since then, Creature Feature has had a tendency to only use particularly large forms when there's already an apparent menace.

Vance has always been a good egg, for the most part. When push comes to shove, he wants to do what is right, and his new found abilities have only strengthened that resolve. However, it certainly does not hurt that the subject of his shape-changing powers happen to be characters he loves so much in general.

Unfortunately, Vance has not mastered his own insecurities about himself, despite the larger-than-life forms he now takes. When not using his powers, he has a tendency to fade into the background, and attribute the heroics performed as aspects of the powerful creatures he is borrowing, rather than being a hero himself.

Despite the fact that the Video Head is currently a heap of rubble with Lindsy Lights being MIA, Vance has found his now-defunct job as a good temporary excuse when he needs to leave and become Creature Feature. His parents have not yet caught on, though they're certainly bound to. However, school and homework still remain an issue. Being a teenager is hard!

Powers & Tactics: It should be noted that Vance is entirely new at the entire super-hero business and is still coming to grips with his own power. So far, through sheer luck, he's managed to avoid giving away his secret identity. He has also learned to keep a home video of his summer vacation running in his basement when he leaves the house, so he has something he can use to change back to the form of Vance Malloy. He has also found the location of a Drive-In Theater, which he uses to change forms for a variety of reasons. It has not yet dawned on how to use portable video in his blossoming crime-fighting career, if he ever did manage to acquire such a device.

Creature Feature's shape-shifting works on his own knowledge of monster movies being accessed by the video at large. This accesses the Metamorph properties of Vance's new cellular structure, which works to achieve the form's features as described in Vance's memory. However, these transformations still tend to take the Grue tendency to be a form of military application, and naturally enhances combat or subterfuge capabilities as is applicable. A majority of the forms Creature Feature assumes include some amount of Growth, as Vance is something of a shrimp. His largest forms tend to go somewhere into the colossal range, where more practical forms tend to average at either Large size or the larger end of Medium size.

When Creature Feature chooses a subject that is not a fictional creature to transform into, his Shapechange is automatically reduced to morph, as the nanites become over/underwhelmed by the information provided and simply tries to copy the form. While certainly not useful for combat, this is handy for Vance trying to get back home and assume his original form, as he can use the various electronic displays around Freedom City to take the form of something that does not stand out, reapplying the forms as necessary to slip past the notice of the crowd. Due to the high probability that these videos are commercials, this has lead to the rumor that Creature Feature's alter ego is a model. Accounts disagree as to whether the model is male or female.

When stuck in his normal or in a Morphed form, Vance tends to rely heavily on his stealth to avoid combat and his luck to avoid dying in combat. Escape is usually the order of the day in these cases.

Complications:

Accident: (Part of Creature Feature's shapeshifting is to take on the weaknesses and unusual traits of the thing he has transformed into. Unbeknownst to Creature Feature, this goes further to having lasting effects after the shapeshifting has ended. A werewolf form may infict lycanthropy, depending on the movie. Toxicguy really is radioactive, and so on. This is an accident waiting to happen!)

Enemy: (Devices or abilities capable of detecting the Grue might ping with Creature Feature, due to the nature of his powers. This could lean to a messy situation...)

Prejudice: (A lot of the forms Creature Feature uses are mistaken for threats to the city.)

Responsibility ("The teacher'll kill me if I'm late for school again!")

Secret (Vance's immunity: aging is a byproduct of the transformation. Instead of resuming his normal form, Vance is constantly taking the form of his last-known video. Vance isn't aware that he isn't reverting to his original form, and this is a secret that will catch up with him eventually!)

Abilities: 2 + 4 + 2 + 4 + 6 + 4 = 16pp

Str 8 (-1)

Dex 14 (+2)

Con 10 (+0)

Int 14 (+2)

Wis 16 (+3)

Cha 14 (+2)

Combat: 12 + 12 = 24pp

Initiative: +2

Attack: +6

Grapple: +5

Defense: +6 (+6 Base, +0 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed

Knockback: -0

Saving Throws: 5 + 8 + 7 = 20pp

Toughness: +0 (+0 Con)

Fortitude: +5 (+0 Con, +5)

Reflex: +10 (+2 Dex, +8)

Will: +10 (+3 Wis, +7)

Skills: 32r = 8pp

Bluff 1 (+3)

Computer 1 (+3)

Disguise 0 (+2, +7 Morph, +67 Shapeshift, +72 Morph+Shapeshift)

Hide 12 (+14)

Knowledge: Physical Sciences 2 (+4)

Knowledge: Popular Culture 8 (+10)

Notice 6 (+11)

Sense Motive 2 (+7)

Feats: 5PP

All-out Attack

Luck 3

Power Attack

Powers: 1 + 78 + 1 = 80PP

Immunity 1 (Aging) [1pp]

Shapeshift 13 (Extras: Continuous; Flaws: Action [Requires Standard Action to change form], Limited [Movie Monster forms only], Limited [Requires video playing of subject in sensory range to change] [78pp]

Morph 1 (Humanoids Only Extras: Continuous; Flaws: Limited [Requires video playing of subject in sensory range to change]; Drawback: Requires Move Action) [1pp]

Drawbacks: -3 = -3pp

One-Way Transformation (Much like the forms he turns into, Creature Feature needs a video playing of his original form to turn back into his alter ego; Frequency: Common]; Intensity: Minor [-3pp]

DC Block:

    ATTACK      RANGE     SAVE                        EFFECT

    Unarmed     Touch     DC14 Toughness (Staged)     Damage

Abilities (16) + Combat (24) + Saving Throws (20) + Skills (8) + Feats (5) + Powers (80) - Drawbacks (3) = 150/164pp

---

Sample Forms Beast from Black Lake This horrible creature from the depths of the sea is... well, actually not so horrible. Sure, the women in the movie screamed loud enough, but that didn't stop the army from featuring the Beast in Seaworld in an open tank. Nevertheless, for amphibian-style fighting, the Beast from Black Lake is as strong as it is fast, with incredible hearing that functions similarly to sonar. Enhanced Constitution 9 [9pp] Enhanced Dexterity 10 [10pp] Enhanced Strength 6 [8pp] Growth 3 (Flaws: Permanent; Feats: Innate) [7pp] Immunity 2 (Suffocation under water, Water Pressure) [2pp] Protection 8 [8pp] Skill: Swim +12 [3pp] Strike 9 (Claws Feats: Mighty) [8pp] Super-Sense 5 (Accurate [Hearing], Extended X 2 [Hearing], Ultra-Hearing) [5pp] Swimming 5 (50 MPH)[5pp] Abilities (27) + Combat (0) + Saving Throws (0) + Skills (3) + Feats (0) + Powers (35) - Drawbacks (0) = 65pp DC Block:

ATTACK      RANGE     SAVE                        EFFECT

Claws       Touch     DC29 Toughness (Staged)     Damage

Facegrabber When stealth is the order of the day, the Facegrabber is a better choice than even an invisible, yet over-the-top Predien. In a pinch, the Facegrabber can attack too, using its own blood as a corrosive substance. This is a last resort, however, as the result almost always damages the Facegrabber, causing him to take non-lethal damage. Its ability to move fast, and enter spaces too small for anyone else makes the Facegrabber excellent at various forms of espionage. Too bad Vance is a terrible saboteur. Attack Bonus: -2 [-4pp] Corrosion 14 (Flaws: Side Effect (2): Always takes damage equal to attack) [7pp] Defense Bonus: -2 [-4pp] Enhanced Dexterity 16 [10pp] Feat: Defensive Roll 4 [4pp] Feat: Elusive Target [1pp] Feat: Evasion [1pp] Feat: Grappling Finesse [1pp] Feat: Improved Pin [1pp] Protection 10 [10pp] Quickness 2 (X5 speed, Limited: Physical Tasks only) [1pp] Reflex Save: -3 [-3pp] Shrinking 8 (Extras: Normal Strength; Flaws: Permanent; Feats: Innate, Normal Toughness) [10pp] Speed 2 (25 MPH) [2pp] Stun 6 [12pp] Super-Movement 3 (Slithering, Wall-Crawling X 2) [6pp] Super-Senses 4 (Blind-Sight [Touch]) [4pp] Abilities (16) + Combat (-8) + Saving Throws (-3) + Skills (0) + Feats (8) + Powers (52) - Drawbacks (0) = 65pp DC Block:

ATTACK       RANGE     SAVE                              EFFECT

Stun        Touch     DC21 Fortitude (Staged)            Daze/Stun/Unconscious

Corrosion   Touch     DC29 Fortitude/Toughness (Staged)  Lowers Toughness/Damage

Gamerow - Friend to Kiddies A giant, space-faring turtle, Gamerow is a giant powerhouse with a lot of mobility options. While Vance is not yet capable of enlarging himself to Gamerow's presumed height, he's still quite formidable against some of Freedom City's larger threats. Attack Bonus: +2 [4pp] Constitution Increase: +1 [1pp] Defense Bonus: +4 [8pp] Dexterity Decrease: -4 [-4pp] Feat: Attack Focus 2 (Melee) [2pp] Feat: Improved Overrun [1pp] Flight 4 (250 MPH) [8pp] Growth 15 (Flaws: Permanent; Feats: Innate) [31pp] Immunity 9 (Life Support) [9pp] Protection 6 (Drawbacks Noticeable [Turtle Shell], Weak Point) [4pp] Space Travel 1 (Speed of light) [1pp] Abilities (-3) + Combat (12) + Saving Throws (0) + Skills (0) + Feats (3) + Powers (53) - Drawbacks (0) = 65pp DC Block:

ATTACK      RANGE     SAVE                        EFFECT

Unarmed     Touch     DC29 Toughness (Staged)     Damage

Hydra Y'know what they say - several heads are better than one! The famous monster-effect from "Daedalus: The True Story" (A very, very loose interpretation on the life of Daedalus.), the Hydra has been a difficult form to master. Each of the seven heads is a different copy of Vance's mind, and cooperating with one's self is easier said than done. Due to the multiple heads, however, the hydra form has a slightly easier time to avoid mind control and is better capable of protecting others from harm. Additional Limbs 4 (7 Additional limbs, Total: 7 Heads, 4 Legs, and a tail) [4pp] Attack Bonus: +2 [4pp] Defense Bonus: +1 [2pp] Drawback: Vulnerable to Fire (Common, Minor) [-2pp] Elongation 2 (Extras: Continuous; Flaws: Limited (Neck only), Permanent; Feats: Innate) [2pp] Enhanced Constitution 9 [9pp] Enhanced Strength 8 [8pp] Feat: Second Chance (Mind Control) [1pp] Feat: Interpose [1pp] Growth 11 (Flaws: Permanent; Feats: Innate) [23pp] Protection 4 [4pp] Regeneration 8 (Recovery from Disabled/Round, Ressurection/Day unless all heads are cut off and the neck stumps are cauterized; Feats: Regrowth) [9pp] Abilities (17) + Combat (6) + Saving Throws (0) + Skills (0) + Feats (2) + Powers (42) - Drawbacks (2) = 65pp DC Block:

ATTACK      RANGE     SAVE                        EFFECT

Unarmed     Touch     DC29 Toughness (Staged)     Damage

The Predien Sometimes, punching people in the face just isn't an ideal option. Sometimes, you just gotta shoot someone in the face, and none are better at shooting than the Predien. An invisible alien monster out to shoot various action stars for reasons unknown, The Predien has stealth and artillery to boot, but has peel-away armor, and won't stand toe-to-toe with an enemy for very long, when revealed. Blast 14 (Extras: Homing) [42pp] Enhanced Constitution 5 [5pp] Feat: Improved Critical (Homing Blaster) 2 [2pp] Growth 3 (Flaws: Permanent; Feats: Innate) [7pp] Invisibility (Visual) [4pp] Protection 10 (Flaws: Ablative) [5pp] Abilities (5) + Combat (0) + Saving Throws (0) + Skills (0) + Feats (2) + Powers (58) - Drawbacks (0) = 65pp DC Block:

ATTACK      RANGE     SAVE                        EFFECT

Blast       Ranged    DC29 Toughness (Staged)     Damage

Werewolf, Movie There's a lot of movie werewolves to choose from. This particular werewolf is from the Cult Classic "Revenge of Wolfguy", in which the Curse of Wolfguy once again arises, leading into a fantastic army versus werewolf scene, and ends tragically when Wolfguy trips and falls into his own, carefully polished silverware. Attack Bonus: +1 [2pp] Defense Bonus: +1 [2pp] Drawback: Vulnerability (Moderate Vulnerability to Silver [uncommon]) [-2pp] Enhanced Constitution 9 [9pp] Enhanced Dexterity 10 [10pp] Feat: Acrobatic Bluff [1pp] Feat: Defensive Roll 2 [2pp] Growth 7 (Flaws: Permanent; Feats: Innate) [15pp] Leaping 4 [4pp] Protection 4 [4pp] Skill: Acrobatics +12 [3pp] Strike 8 (Claws Feats: Mighty) [9pp] Super-Senses 6 (danger sense, , darkvision, scent, track, ultra-hearing) [6pp] Abilities (19) + Combat (4) + Saving Throws (0) + Skills (3) + Feats (3) + Powers (38) - Drawbacks (2) = 65pp DC Block:

ATTACK      RANGE     SAVE                        EFFECT

Claws       Touch     DC29 Toughness (Staged)     Damage

[Sandman XI]

before I start, the there's good news and bad news. Bad news is, no variables in arrays (which should have been stated in the house rules), the good news is that Shapeshift has built in morph for free. Also, Shapeshift starts as a standard action, it would be an extra to put it as a move action.

[Carces]

My mistake. Shapeshift is listed as a move action in the main book, making that a typo on my part. I changed it to a Full-round action.

As part of the way the power works, the morph effect needs to be separate from Shapeshift, as it's a fall-back effect. One works when the other one doesn't, due to the "Monster" limitation. I've changed it to its own power.

[Geez3r]

Actually, Shapeshift is a Move Action in Ultimate power Sand. And as a general bit of advice, are you really sure you want to limit yourself to being able to actively see the monster you want to change into? That is incredibly, oppressively limited in scope in my opinion.

[Carces]

And as a general bit of advice, are you really sure you want to limit yourself to being able to actively see the monster you want to change into? That is incredibly, oppressively limited in scope in my opinion.

I'm aware. I'm going for a "monster per episode" feel for the character, and the shape-shift power was the most eloquent way to express the flavor of the character. I don't expect to get much mileage out of the duration increase either.

Fortunately, as a rookie hero, he's supposed to kind of suck. As time progresses, I'll get him to figure out a way to bring his own movies, essentially making the power a "device" - fairly similar in cost. I'd hate for all the character development to be done in the background, though.

If I understand correctly, I've changed the Action flaw to "standard action".

[Dr Archeville]

You'll also need to give sample stats for the monster forms he regularly assumes.

[Carces]

You'll also need to give sample stats for the monster forms he regularly assumes.

I can do that. Is there a preferred format? I couldn't find anything in the Character Template or in any of the character sheets I've looked at.

[Ecalsneerg]

Doktor Archeville (the character) has a lot of sample VPs displayed on his sheet.

[Carces]

Thank you for the quick responses, everyone! I very much appreciate the help.

I've come up with a few sample forms to get started. For the sake of the math, I'm counting enhanced abilities in the abilities section. I'm still a touch newer at this, so please bear with me.

Gamerow - Friend to Kiddies

A giant, space-faring turtle, Gamerow is a giant powerhouse with a lot of mobility options. While Vance is not yet capable of enlarging himself to Gamerow's presumed height, he's still quite formidable against some of Freedom City's larger threats.

Attack Bonus: +2 [4pp]

Constitution Increase: +1 [1pp]

Defense Bonus: +4 [8pp]

Dexterity Decrease: -4 [-4pp]

Feat: Attack Focus 2 (Melee) [2pp]

Feat: Improved Overrun [1pp]

Flight 4 (250 MPH) [8pp]

Growth 15 (Flaws: Permanent; Feats: Innate) [31pp]

Immunity 9 (Life Support) [9pp]

Protection 6 (Drawbacks Noticeable [Turtle Shell], Weak Point) [4pp]

Space Travel 1 (Speed of light) [1pp]

Abilities (-3) + Combat (12) + Saving Throws (0) + Skills (0) + Feats (3) + Powers (53) - Drawbacks (0) = 65pp

DC Block:

ATTACK      RANGE     SAVE                        EFFECT

Unarmed     Touch     DC29 Toughness (Staged)     Damage

Movie Werewolf There's a lot of movie werewolves to choose from. This particular werewolf is from the Cult Classic "Revenge of Wolfguy", in which the Curse of Wolfguy once again arises, leading into a fantastic army versus werewolf scene, and ends tragically when Wolfguy trips and falls into his own, carefully polished silverware. Attack Bonus: +1 [2pp] Defense Bonus: +1 [2pp] Drawback: Vulnerability (Moderate Vulnerability to Silver [uncommon]) [-2pp] Enhanced Constitution 9 [9pp] Enhanced Dexterity 10 [10pp] Feat: Acrobatic Bluff [1pp] Feat: Defensive Roll 2 [2pp] Growth 7 (Flaws: Permanent; Feats: Innate) [15pp] Leaping 4 [4pp] Protection 4 [4pp] Skill: Acrobatics +12 [3pp] Strike 8 (Claws Feats: Mighty) [9pp] Super-Senses 6 (danger sense, , darkvision, scent, track, ultra-hearing) [6pp] Abilities (19) + Combat (4) + Saving Throws (0) + Skills (3) + Feats (3) + Powers (38) - Drawbacks (2) = 65pp DC Block:

ATTACK      RANGE     SAVE                        EFFECT

Claws       Touch     DC29 Toughness (Staged)     Damage

The Predien Sometimes, punching people in the face just isn't an ideal option. Sometimes, you just gotta shoot someone in the face, and none are better at shooting than the Predien. An invisible alien monster out to shoot various action stars for reasons unknown, The Predien has stealth and artillery to boot, but has peel-away armor, and won't stand toe-to-toe with an enemy for very long, when revealed. Blast 14 (Extras: Homing) [42pp] Enhanced Constitution 5 [5pp] Feat: Improved Critical (Homing Blaster) 2 [2pp] Growth 3 (Flaws: Permanent; Feats: Innate) [7pp] Invisibility (Visual) [4pp] Protection 10 (Flaws: Ablative) [5pp] Abilities (5) + Combat (0) + Saving Throws (0) + Skills (0) + Feats (2) + Powers (58) - Drawbacks (0) = 65pp DC Block:

ATTACK      RANGE     SAVE                        EFFECT

Blast       Ranged    DC29 Toughness (Staged)     Damage

Facegrabber When stealth is the order of the day, the Facegrabber is a better choice than even an invisible, yet over-the-top Predien. In a pinch, the Facegrabber can attack too, using its own blood as a corrosive substance. This is a last resort, however, as the result almost always damages the Facegrabber, causing him to take non-lethal damage. Its ability to move fast, and enter spaces too small for anyone else makes the Facegrabber excellent at various forms of espionage. Too bad Vance is a terrible saboteur. Attack Bonus: -2 [-4pp] Corrosion 14 (Flaws: Side Effect (2): Always takes damage equal to attack) [7pp] Defense Bonus: -2 [-4pp] Enhanced Dexterity 16 [10pp] Feat: Defensive Attack [1pp] Feat: Defensive Roll 4 [4pp] Feat: Elusive Target [1pp] Feat: Evasion [1pp] Feat: Grappling Finesse [1pp] Feat: Improved Pin [1pp] Protection 10 [10pp] Quickness 2 (X5 speed, Limited: Physical Tasks only) [1pp] Reflex Save: -3 [-3pp] Shrinking 8 (Extras: Normal Strength; Flaws: Permanent; Feats: Innate) [9pp] Speed 2 (25 MPH) [2pp] Stun 6 [12pp] Super-Movement 3 (Slithering, Wall-Crawling X 2) [6pp] Super-Senses 4 (Blind-Sight [Touch]) [4pp] Abilities (16) + Combat (-8) + Saving Throws (-3) + Skills (0) + Feats (9) + Powers (51) - Drawbacks (0) = 65pp DC Block:

ATTACK       RANGE     SAVE                              EFFECT

Stun        Touch     DC21 Fortitude (Staged)            Daze/Stun/Unconscious

Corrosion   Touch     DC29 Fortitude/Toughness (Staged)  Lowers Toughness/Damage

[N/A]

Carces, please modify the sheet at the very top of the thread, including the sample VP configurations, instead of creating a new post.

Just to clarify: The "Shapeshift" power from the books is built upon the 8PP/rank Variable Power (Any Traits, Multiple Traits At Once), which defaults to a Standard Action to reconfigure, with a Sustained duration. They left the duration alone, applied one level of the Action (+1) extra to move the action required to reconfigure the points down to a Move, then brought the cost back down to 8PP/rank by applying a Limited (-1) flaw, specifically, "Limited (Physical Traits)." So it can't be used to acquire INT/WIS/CHA, skills based on those "mental" abilities, and other purely "mental" traits (like psychic powers).

You are, of course, free to use this build, or modify it as you see fit.

...no variables in arrays (which should have been stated in the house rules)...

*ominous narrator voice* They are coming...

[Carces]

Original Character Sheet is edited. I apologize for the inconvenience.

Carces, please modify the sheet at the very top of the thread, including the sample VP configurations, instead of creating a new post.

Just to clarify: The "Shapeshift" power from the books is built upon the 8PP/rank Variable Power (Any Traits, Multiple Traits At Once), which defaults to a Standard Action to reconfigure, with a Sustained duration. They left the duration alone, applied one level of the Action (+1) extra to move the action required to reconfigure the points down to a Move, then brought the cost back down to 8PP/rank by applying a Limited (-1) flaw, specifically, "Limited (Physical Traits)." So it can't be used to acquire INT/WIS/CHA, skills based on those "mental" abilities, and other purely "mental" traits (like psychic powers).

You are, of course, free to use this build, or modify it as you see fit.

*ominous narrator voice* They are coming...

Thank you for the clarification. I'll probably need to stop working on a vampire form for the time being, then.

The idea of a "Mental" ability is a little confusing. Do the feats I've taken count? Or super-senses? I considered them very basic in the way they would react with the brain (much like shape-change itself), but I don't know what the book says about them.

I've tried my best to avoid *any* mental changes in my character in the forms, as many movie monsters are not the nicest of people. It seems that might work in my favor in this case. :D

[N/A]

Most Super-Senses would count as physical traits for the purposes of Shapeshift's Limited flaw, as long as they weren't of the Mental sense type.

Mental Blast and Enhanced Intelligence are "mental traits." Blast and Enhanced Strength are "physical traits." It's kind of a fuzzy boundary, but an intuitive one nonetheless.

There are several traits common to supernatural creatures like vampires, such as Sense-Dependent Mind Control, which would indeed count as "mental traits" for the purposes of Shapeshift's Limited flaw. If you wanted to have access to them, then you would have to remove that flaw (in which case it would probably be best to just start with the base Variable Power and go from there).

Variable Power, the chassis upon which powers like Shapeshift were built, is detailed in Ultimate Power and the Masterminds Manual. Let us know if you lack access to those books, and we will accomodate you.

[Carces]

I have a friend that owns the book. I should be able to have a look at it when I get a chance.

I can live with the "Physical traits" aspect of shape-shift, though, since it fits the flavor of the character better. That's assuming that the forms I've submitted do not break any of the constraints, which I believe they don't. If that is not the case, I'll rebalance as you've suggested.

I don't absolutely need to go down the vampire route. Vampires are pretty suave for a guy like Vance.

I will add a couple more forms tomorrow, as soon as I get a chance. Hopefully, that should make a good enough selection to start with.

Thanks again for the clarification!

[Carces]

Character is edited with 2 new forms (Beast and Hydra). Forms are now listed in alphabetical order.

Also note that the main character was edited. I realized I had one too many points in Luck and put the point towards ranks in Notice.

Please audit at your convenience.

Edit: Also changed Facegrabber's Shrinking. It was using the "Normal Strength" extra, and I believe that is house-ruled out.

Edit 2: I've looked in the Ultimate Power book. The shrinking power in that book is *vastly* different than the one in the normal book. I've added normal strength again and took normal toughness as a feat, while dropping out thee feat Defensive attack for the Facegrabber form.

I've also noticed that under Shapeshift, there's a clause that says I cannot have powers or an increase to attack higher than the ranks I have in shapeshift. Is that in play here? I can get more ranks in Shapeshift to make the increases legal, but that will require a massive edit to the forms and the character.

Thanks for your help!

[N/A]

:approved:

[Sandman XI]

:approved:

[Dr Archeville]

Archived due to inactivity.