Noob making his first character, here...

[Dr Archeville]

Or at the very least hit your Defense/Toughness caps, so you aren't KO'd after the first hit.

[Cubist]

My immediate reaction, when I read Geez3r's suggestion to exchange a bit of Attack Bonus for Attack Focus (Melee), was Gimme a break -- why can't Jube throw small objects at transsonic velocity (or higher)? My second reaction, which followed fairly quickly after the first, was Dude. In this game, Jube will be a friggin' novice. And since airflow (hence, trajectories of throw objects) gets wonky in the transsonic-and-up regime, it makes sense that he wouldn't yet have learned how to compensate for said wonkiness. So yeah, I'm trading in some baseline Attack Bonus for some Attack Focus (melee).

Jube's defenses: I am actually okay with the idea that Jube will be comparatively fragile, not to mention weak against attacks that depend on exotic saves. The basic concept, cheetah with TIme control, kind of mandates that he be soft and squishy w. r. t. any attack that can actually hit him; should this prove to be a problem, well, that's what XP are for, right?

Jube's Danger Sense: The specific mechanism I envision for this is motion-sensing via detection of subtle air currents (see also: vibrissae), which is a (kind of) tactile sense. I mean, it's based on feeling the aforementioned subtle air currents, right? Given the practical effect of this mechanism, however, I suppose "spatial awareness" could also be a valid way to describe it... maybe...

Jube's Timeshift power: The Array is gone. Is just a list of Linked powers, now.

Jube's caps: See below for the current (fourth) version of Jube. It gives him Attack Bonus of 5, and the Attack Focus (Melee) Feat of +10; if I'm understanding how it all works, this means Jube's Melee Attack Bonus is 15. His Strike has a rank of 3, plus the Mighty feat; Jube's Timeshift boosts his STR up to 18, which is worth a STR bonus of +4; and that +4 gets added to the 3, for (what I hope is) a total DC of 7. If I haven't screwed up somewhere, this version of Jube ends up with an offensive cap of ((15 + 7) / 2 =) 11. Regarding the defensive cap, I added Defensive Roll 4 to Jube's Feats, which raises his Toughness roll to 6; his Defense of 10 is the same, so his defensive cap ends up being (10 + 6) / 2 =) 8. I think. If I'm correct about the values of the caps in this version of Jube, I should be able to reset both of those caps to 10 by redirecting 4 PP from his Attack Bonus to Defensive Roll. Yes? No?

---

Abilities: -4 +14 +4 +8 +6 +2 = 30pp

Str 6 (-2) // WIth Timeshift: 18

Dex 24 (+7)

Con 14 (+2)

Int 18 (+4)

Wis 16 (+3)

Cha 12 (+1)

Combat: 10 + 20 = 30pp

Initiative: +7/+23

Attack: +5 [10pp]

Grapple: +12

Defense: +10 [20pp] (+10 Base), +0 Flat-Footed

Knockback: -1

Saving Throws: 0 + 4 + 6 = 10

Toughness: +2 (+2 Con)

Fortitude: +6 (+2 Con, +4) [4pp]

Reflex: +7 (+7 Dex)

Will: +9 (+3 Wis, +6) [6pp]

Skills: 32R = 8pp

Stealth 1 (+8)

Notice 5 (+8)

Language 2 (English [native], Spanish, French)

Knowledge: Current Events 2 (+6)

Knowledge: Business 3 (+7)

Knowledge: Technology 3 (+7)

Knowledge: Theology and Philosophy 2 (+6)

Profession: Writer 7 (+10)

Profession: Troubleshooter 7 (+10)

Feats: 19PP

Attack Focus 10

Defensive Roll 4

Environmental Adaptation (Low gravity)

Jack of All Trades

Master Plan

Evasion 1

Uncanny Dodge (Spatial Awareness via detecting subtle air currents)

Powers: 30 + 5 + 5 + 6 + 3 + 2 + 2 = 53PP

Timeshift (set of Linked powers) [30pp]

• Speed 6 [6pp]
  Quickness 6 (Linked to Speed) [6pp]
  Improved Initiative 6 (Linked to Speed) [6pp]
  Enhanced STR 12 (Linked to Speed) [12pp]

Cheetah-related stuff:

Super-Senses 5: (Low-light Vision, Scent, Tracking (Scent), Ultra-hearing, Danger Sense (Spatial Awareness via detecting subtle air currents)) [5pp]

Super-Senses: (X-ray Vision, Infravision (Power Modifier: Linked to Timeshift -- X-ray Vision only active when all 7 ranks of Speed are in use, IR only when Jube is Timeshifted slower than normal) [5pp]

Super-Movement 3 (Wall-Crawling 1, Slow Fall 1, Sure-footed 1) [6PP]

Strike 3 (Feat: Mighty) (Jube's claws and fangs) [3pp]

Regeneration 2 (recovers faster from Bruised and Unconscious) [2pp]

Immunity 2 (aging, diseases specific to either humans or cheetahs) [2pp]

Abilities (30) + Combat (30) + Saving Throws (10) + Skills (8) + Feats (19) + Powers (53) = 150pp

[Ecalsneerg]

My immediate reaction, when I read Geez3r's suggestion to exchange a bit of Attack Bonus for Attack Focus (Melee), was Gimme a break -- why can't Jube throw small objects at transsonic velocity (or higher)?

Because you haven't paid for some form of Blast power? ;)

[Dr Archeville]

Jube's caps: See below for the current (fourth) version of Jube. It gives him Attack Bonus of 5, and the Attack Focus (Melee) Feat of +10; if I'm understanding how it all works, this means Jube's Melee Attack Bonus is 15. His Strike has a rank of 3, plus the Mighty feat; Jube's Timeshift boosts his STR up to 18, which is worth a STR bonus of +4; and that +4 gets added to the 3, for (what I hope is) a total DC of 7. If I haven't screwed up somewhere, this version of Jube ends up with an offensive cap of ((15 + 7) / 2 =) 11. Regarding the defensive cap, I added Defensive Roll 4 to Jube's Feats, which raises his Toughness roll to 6; his Defense of 10 is the same, so his defensive cap ends up being (10 + 6) / 2 =) 8. I think. If I'm correct about the values of the caps in this version of Jube, I should be able to reset both of those caps to 10 by redirecting 4 PP from his Attack Bonus to Defensive Roll. Yes? No?

Partially correct: per our House Rules, Defensive Roll rants +2 Toughness per rank. So right now, he's at +10 Toughness (+2 flat-footed), and +10 Defense (+5 flat-footed), and thus hits PL 10 caps Defensively. (Also, his Knockback is currently -5, -1 if flat-footed.)

The attack will need to be dropped, since caps in M&M are what you build to; having +15 Attack & +7 Damage is verboten for a PL 10 char. Also remember our House Rule that at least 1/3rd of your total Attack bonus must come from 'base' Attack. So 'base' Attack 5 + Attack Focus (Melee) 10 is okay, but 'base' Attack 1 & Attack Focus (Melee) is not.

Lowering 'base' Attack to 4 and Attack Focus (Melee) to 8 (total melee attack +12) would let you hit PL 10 Attack/Damage caps (+12 attack + 7 Damage = 19 / 2 = PL 9.5), and free up 4pp (2 from lowering 'base' Attack by 1, 2 from knocking off 2 ranks of Attack Focus [Melee]).

You could use one of those points to buy Ranged for his Tactile sense, so it can actually work the way you describe his whiskers working.

Also, you're still listing Regen from Unconscious, which (per our House Rules) is not allowed.

[N/A]

[...]

[N/A]

Also, something you really, really want to get into the habit of doing is listing your skills, feats, and powers in alphabetical order. It makes the sheet easier to follow and keep track of, for you and for everybody else.

[Dr Archeville]

This is an effects-based system, so you only ever get what you pay for, and then you explain it away, not the other way around. Running rings around the rules logically (even at supersonic speeds) doesn't fly in this system.

Much like in HERO -- you get what you pay for.

[N/A]

Skills, if you don't have ranks in the skill, don't list them. Also, you will likely never get any mileage out of Profession, ever. You can just say in your Backstory "I'm a writer". If you are a well known and/or successful writer, grab some Benefit feats like Status or Wealth.

Or even some Knowledge skill to reflect the topics he writes about or that tend to come up in his writings. But yeah, Profession is definitely a "last resort" skill.

[N/A]

There really isn't. Unlike DC or Marvel, the vast majority of folks genuinely like the superheroes and are thankful for them for all the work they do, and do not assume that all superhumans are Just One Bad Day away from snapping and becoming psychopathic murder machines. However, there is a supervillain whose outfit incorporates a lot of KKK imagery: White Knight, a bigoted, misogynistic, racist thug with super-strength and flame powers.

Who got those powers by selling his soul to The Devil, no less.

[N/A]

[...]

[Cubist]

Minor note before getting to the main event: It would appear that my "why can't Jube throw objects around?" gut reaction was interpreted by some folks as if I'd ended that sentence with the clause "without paying for it". In reality, I am down with the you-get-what-you-pay-for paradigm, and I didn't have any problem with the fact that Geez3r's suggestion would, indeed, result in the absence of a missile attack; I was just thinking, hey, it makes sense that a speedster should be able to do that, so I'm not sure I want to shave points in that manner. And then I realized that there was a valid in-character reason for Jube to not throw superfast objects, so my gut reaction was moot...

---

The rationale behind FC's house rule forbidding Regeneration from unconsciousness is unclear to me. However, I expect you guys have a valid reason for it, so Jube's "Regen vs Unconsciousness" gets swapped to "Regen vs Staggered". By concept, Jube's superfast metabolism means he heals real fast, so he should have gobs and gobs of Regen. Accordingly, this is one of the things I'll be pouring points into over time.

---

Have added the Ranged (tactile) and Radius (tactile) power feats to Jube's Super-senses, as (what strike me as) a good, albeit weird, way to represent "detecting motion via sensing air currents" in the game system. It may or may not be appropriate to include a Drawback about "Ranged and Radius do not allow Jube to sense textures or pressure at a distance"? Alternately, perhaps this might be a new option for Super-Senses; call it "Detect Motion", and it's worth either 1 or 2 PP. Or not.

---

Assuming I haven't botched up somewheres, this edition of Jube weighs in at 144PP, which means I've got 6 PP I could buy equipment with. Yay for Jube's utility vest! And here we go:

---

Abilities: -4 +14 +4 +8 +6 +2 = 30pp

Str 6 (-2) // WIth Timeshift: 18

Dex 24 (+7)

Con 14 (+2)

Int 18 (+4)

Wis 16 (+3)

Cha 12 (+1)

Combat: 8 + 20 = 28pp

Initiative: +7/+23

Attack: +4 [8pp]

Grapple: +12

Defense: +10 [20pp] (+10 Base), +0 Flat-Footed

Knockback: -5, -1 Flat-Footed

Saving Throws: 0 + 4 + 6 = 10

Toughness: +10 (+2 Con, +8 Defensive Roll)

Fortitude: +6 (+2 Con, +4) [4pp]

Reflex: +7 (+7 Dex)

Will: +9 (+3 Wis, +6) [6pp]

Skills: 28R = 7pp

Knowledge: Business 4 (+8)

Knowledge: Current Events 4 (+8)

Knowledge: Technology 5 (+9)

Knowledge: Theology and Philosophy 5 (+9)

Language 2 (English [native], Spanish, French)

Notice 6 (+9)

Stealth 2 (+9)

Feats: 17PP

Attack Focus 8

Defensive Roll 4

Environmental Adaptation (Low gravity)

Evasion 1

Jack of All Trades

Master Plan

Uncanny Dodge (Spatial Awareness via detecting subtle air currents)

Powers: 30 + 2 + 2 + 3 + 3 + 7 + 5 = 52PP

Timeshift (set of Linked powers) [30pp]

• Enhanced STR 12 (Linked to Speed)[12pp]
  Improved Initiative 6 (Linked to Speed)[6pp]
  Quickness 6 (Linked to Speed) [6pp]
  Speed 6 [6pp]

Cheetah-related stuff:

Immunity 2 (aging, diseases specific to either humans or cheetahs) [2pp]

Regeneration 2 (recovers faster from Bruised and Staggered) [2pp]

Strike 3 (Feat: Mighty) (Jube's claws and fangs) [3pp]

Super-Movement 3 (Slow Fall 1, Sure-footed 1, Wall-Crawling 1) [6PP]

Super-Senses 7: (Danger Sense (tactile), Low-light Vision, Scent, Tracking (Scent), Ultra-hearing, Feats: Radius on tactile, Ranged on tactile) [7pp]

Super-Senses: (Infravision, X-ray Vision (Power Modifier: Linked to Timeshift -- X-ray Vision only active when all 7 ranks of Speed are in use, IR only when Jube is Timeshifted slower than normal) [5pp]

Abilities (30) + Combat (28) + Saving Throws (10) + Skills (7) + Feats (17) + Powers (52) = 144pp

[Dr Archeville]

We ban Regen from Unconscious because even 1 rank makes it near-impossible to put anyone down. Per our "like the DCAU, but slightly more mature and thought-out, and on the whole non-lethal" guidelines, all damage done is, unless explicitly stated otherwise, non-lethal, which mean KOing someone is by far the most common way of taking someone out. When you're reduced to unconscious, you must normally wait one minute (10 rounds) before you get a chance to make a Constitution check to wake up; 1 rank of Regen for Unconscious reduces that to 1 round. And since most people with Regen are also going to have a high enough Constitution.Recovery bonus to reliably make that check, that means they'll pop right back up, which'd make combats last forever.

Looking much better, though please do list his total Defense, Toughness, and attack bonuses in the relevant lines. I.e.,

Attack: +4 ranged, +12 melee

Defense: +10 (+10 Base), +5 Flat-Footed

Toughness: +10 (+2 Con, +8 Defensive Roll); +2 Flat-Footed

Equipment 6 will give you 30 points worth of Equipment. You can definitely build a solid Utility Belt/Vest with that.

[N/A]

[...]

[Cubist]

Sounds like the rationale behind forbidding Regen vs. Unconsciousness is one of those things which is perfectly obvious once you've actually played MnM... which I, um, haven't... yet...

---

Proposed new power!

Super-Senses: MOTION SENSE

Type: Sensory (tactile)

Action: None (passive)

Range: Personal

Duration: Continuous

Saving Throw: None

Cost: 1 PP

Motion Sense allows you to perceive the subtle air-current disturbances that are caused by solid objects moving through the air around you. Like other Tactile senses, Motion Sense is considered to have the Radius and Accurate feats; however, it does not include Acute. You can perceive the size, general shape, location, and quantity of moving objects, but not any details of their appearance. Motion Sense cannot detect objects which are Insubstantial (because they don't displace the air they pass through) or unmoving (because an unmoving object can't disturb air currents).

Motion Sense allows you to perceive moving objects within a 10-foot radius of your body. To increase this radius, buy the Extended feat.

With a successful Notice check, you may be able to perceive certain surface characteristics of the objects whose motion you're sensing, but only those surface characteristics which affect how air flows around the objects. Loose-fitting clothing, or a skintight superhero costume, could qualify; the color of a costume, not so much.

Yes? No?

---

The latest and greatest version of Jube!

• Have futzed w/ the Combat stuff; Jube's melee bonus is the same, but he has a little better chance of hitting with ranged attacks.

• Have compiled a list of items for the utility vest. If I've screwed up somewhere, it wouldn't surprise me; should this end up being more expensive than I figure, I can remove items from the list, or revert my changes to the Combat stuff, or both.

• Have given Jube 1 rank of the proposed Motion Sense power (plus 1 rank in Extended on Motion Sense).

• This version weighs in at 150 pts. Should this version pass muster, I'll start up Jube's thread in the Character Bank forum (hope hope hope)...

Abilities: -4 +14 +4 +8 +6 +2 = 30pp

Str 6 (-2) // WIth Timeshift: 18

Dex 24 (+7)

Con 14 (+2)

Int 18 (+4)

Wis 16 (+3)

Cha 12 (+1)

Combat: 12 + 20 = 32pp

Initiative: +7/+23

Attack: +6 [12pp] (+6 ranged, +12 melee)

Grapple: +12

Defense: +10 [20pp] (+10 Base), +5 Flat-Footed

Knockback: -5, -1 Flat-Footed

Saving Throws: 0 + 4 + 6 = 10

Toughness: +10 (+2 Con, +8 Defensive Roll) / +2 Flat-Footed

Fortitude: +6 (+2 Con, +4) [4pp]

Reflex: +7 (+7 Dex)

Will: +9 (+3 Wis, +6) [6pp]

Skills: 28R = 7pp

Knowledge: Business 4 (+8)

Knowledge: Current Events 4 (+8)

Knowledge: Technology 5 (+9)

Knowledge: Theology and Philosophy 5 (+9)

Language 2 (English [native], Spanish, French)

Notice 6 (+9)

Stealth 2 (+9)

Feats: 19PP

Attack Focus 6

Defensive Roll 4

Environmental Adaptation (Low gravity)

Equipment 4

Evasion 1

Jack of All Trades

Master Plan

Uncanny Dodge (Motion Sense)

Contents of Jube's "utility vest": Stuff from the Core book

Binoculars [1EP]

Commlink [1EP]

Cutting torch [1EP]

Digital A/V recorder [2EP]

Duct tape (Snare 1) [2EP]

Ear protectors (+5 vs Dazzle (auditory)) [1EP]

Fire extinguisher [1EP]

Flash-defense goggles (+5 vs Dazzle (visual)) [1EP]

Forensics kit [1EP]

Gas mask [1EP]

GPS unit [1EP]

Handcuffs [1EP]

Mini-tracer [1EP]

Palmtop (PDA) [1EP]

Police scanner [1EP]

Rebreather [1EP]

Swiss army knife (i.e., multi-tool) [1EP]

UV 'blacklight' [1EP]

Contents of Jube's "utility vest": Stuff which probably won't have much effect on combat, but is in there anyway

Spare batteries (all kinds needed for his gadgets)

Protein bars

Vials of concentrated energy fluid (i.e., Rockstar/Monster/Red Bull)

SUV: Converted to serve as Jube's mobile home. No 'exotic' features as yet

Powers: 30 + 2 + 2 + 3 + 3 + 7 + 5 = 52PP

Timeshift (set of Linked powers) [30pp]

• Enhanced STR 12 (Linked to Speed)[12pp]
  Improved Initiative 6 (Linked to Speed)[6pp]
  Quickness 6 (Linked to Speed) [6pp]
  Speed 6 [6pp]

Cheetah-related stuff:

Immunity 2 (aging, diseases specific to either humans or cheetahs) [2pp]

Regeneration 2 (recovers faster from Bruised and Staggered) [2pp]

Strike 3 (Feat: Mighty) (Jube's claws and fangs) [3pp]

Super-Movement 3 (Slow Fall 1, Sure-footed 1, Wall-Crawling 1) [6PP]

Super-Senses 7: (Danger Sense (Motion Sense), Low-light Vision, Motion Sense, Scent, Tracking (Scent), Ultra-hearing; Extra: Extended 1 on Motion Sense) [7pp]

Super-Senses: (Infravision, X-ray Vision (Power Modifier: Linked to Timeshift -- X-ray Vision only active when all 7 ranks of Speed are in use, IR only when Jube is Timeshifted slower than normal) [5pp]

Abilities (30) + Combat (32) + Saving Throws (10) + Skills (7) + Feats (19) + Powers (52) = 150pp

[Dr Archeville]

The cutting torch is not 1 EP. It's listed as 1 EP in the Core Book's sample Utility Belt, but that's because is is an Alternate Power for the "Utility Belt" Array. Core lists a Cutting Torch as "Blast 1, Drain Toughness 1," which would cost 3 EP. Though, really, it should be Corrosion, a 3p/rank power.

Duct tape wouldn't be Snare 1, since it can't be used at range, and a Snare 1 snare would have the toughness of paper or soil. Best to list it at 0 EP, since any mechanical benefits would be rare.

[Cubist]

The cutting torch is not 1 EP. It's listed as 1 EP in the Core Book's sample Utility Belt, but that's because is is an Alternate Power for the "Utility Belt" Array. Core lists a Cutting Torch as "Blast 1, Drain Toughness 1," which would cost 3 EP. Though, really, it should be Corrosion, a 3p/rank power.

[checks Core rulebook] Hmmm... so I should use the cost figures from the tables on pp. 135/138/139/140 as needed, pay the full number of points for the most expensive item, and pay 1 point for every other item, since all the less-expensive items will be Alternate Powers?

[Dr Archeville]

Correct! Though since almost everything on your sheet except the Cutting Torch is a 1p thing anyway, your total would be the same.

[Cubist]

Danke schœn, Dr. Archeville. With that in mind, here's the latest roster of Stuff In Jube's Utility Vest:

Contents of Jube's "utility vest": Stuff he's paying EP for

Binoculars [1EP]

Commlink [1EP]

Cutting torch (Blast 1, Drain Toughness 1 -- base power! all the rest are APs) [3EP]

Digital A/V recorder [1EP]

Ear protectors (+5 vs Dazzle (auditory)) [1EP]

Fire extinguisher [1EP]

Flash-defense goggles (+5 vs Dazzle (visual)) [1EP]

Forensics kit [1EP]

Gas mask [1EP]

GPS unit [1EP]

Handcuffs [1EP]

Lock release gun [1EP]

Mini-tracer [1EP]

Palmtop (PDA) [1EP]

Police scanner [1EP]

Rebreather [1EP]

Swiss army knife (i.e., multi-tool) [1EP]

UV 'blacklight' [1EP]

Contents of Jube's "utility vest": Stuff that's prolly not worth paying points for, but it's there anyway

Duct tape

Protein bars

Spare batteries (all kinds needed for his gadgets)

Vials of concentrated energy fluid (i.e., Rockstar/Monster/Red Bull)

The rest of the sheet seems pretty solid... I hope... so perhaps Jube is in shape for posting to the Character Bank?