Hern (PL 10) - Obscu

[Obscu]

Player Name: Obscu

Character Name: Hern

Power Level: 10 150/150

Trade-Offs: None

Unspent Power Points: 0

Progress To Bronze Status: 0/30

In Brief: When the clashes of superheroes vs super-villains spill out into the lives of civilians, eventually, some civilians are going to spill back. Hern is a hunter of reckless and dangerous supers of all orientations who is slowly, grudgingly, having to admit that sometimes the inevitable collateral damage is so much better than all the alternatives.

Alternate Identity: Daniel Isaac Hernwitz.

Identity: Secret.

Birthplace: Melbourne, Australia

Occupation: Former Bounty Hunter

Affiliations: Good.

Family: None

Description:

Age: 26 (DoB: 1985 [June 2nd])

Apparent Age: (if applicable)

Gender: Male

Ethnicity: Caucasian?

Height: 175cm

Weight: 100kg

Eyes: Green

Hair: Black

Long years of tracking, chasing, and brawling with the seediest sides of humanity in preparation for entering the super-arena have forged Hern into an athletic warrior. His short hair is going white early, and his eyebrows already are. He has a scar down the left side of his mouth from his nose to where it disappears behind his close-cropped, silver-stained beard. He has a tendency to roll his shoulders when he walks. Hern customarily wears dress pants, black shoes, shirts, and sweaters of dark reds or greens, beneath his favourite long black woolen winter coat. He wears a thin shirt of ballistic armour beneath his sweater to provide some additional protection. His belt has a strangle loop, the sort that might be used to hold a scabbard or hammer, through which is customarily stuck a strange rod or scepter, approximately 40cm long and wrist-thick. The rod is sleek and black and has an ornately carved hand-hold section in the middle, which appears to be inlaid with silver.

Power Descriptions:

Hern himself does not possess any powers beyond a predilection for stealthy, surgical strikes and excellent physical training. He does, however, possess a device specifically created to neutralise and capture super-villains (originally super-heroes as well). From one end of the rod, Hern can fire what appears to be a reverse grapnel or claw attached to a long tether.

Upon contact with a living target, the grapnel expels cables which wrap around the body and to snare the enemy. The tether, grapnel and cables are electrified by an experimental power source within the core of the device. The shocks from the weapon interfere with the nervous system of the target. This is not lethal, but it does make using powers progressively more difficult, until eventually the snared super is unable to make use of their powers at all without time to recover; thus allowing a takedown of dangerous and/or destructive opponents while interfering with their ability to cause damage.

Alternately, in close combat, the other end of the rod extends into what appears to be a thick telescopic baton not unlike those used by law enforcement officers. The baton is electrified by the self-same generator as the grapnel. Being a much smaller circuit (and, if in melee, a somewhat more urgent weapon), the baton's powered state bypasses the slow drain of the ranged tether and instead delivers much stronger jolts which, with the aid of Hern's prodigious striking arm, aim to render an enemy combatant unconscious as quickly as possible.

The special alloys of which the rod is constructed, combined with the particular frequency of energy output by the power generator, causes the device's baton and grapnel to subtly resonate in such a way as to have the capability of piercing protective armour and energy fields, an integral part of taking down super-powered opponents.

A little seen feature of the device, and one which has saved Hern's life on many occasions, is the cloaking field generator embedded in the central handle section of the rod. Powered once again by the internal generator, the device emits a field which interferes with electromagnetic fields in such a way as to render Hern not only invisible, but the interference also masks sound and other forms of detection.

This cloaking technology is often used in conjunction with the devices teleporting capacity; Retreating to safety whilst invisible so as to be able to safely whisk Hern away for some reassessment before the next encounter.

The device's generator, though self-sufficient, can only output so much energy at once. As a result, Hern may only use one of its three functions at any one time. It is built of sturdy material though, so he may of course still hit you with it.

History:

Born Daniel Isaac Hernwitz in Melbourne in 1985 to Ukrainian-Jewish migrants, Hern grew up idolising the superheroes of the world for their bravery and willingness to put themselves in danger to protect others. As he grew older, he became especially admiring of those heroes who had no magical or super powers to protect themselves with, and instead relied on their own skill and ingenuity rather than the safety of their bulletproof skin. This was, however, to change. A spate of supervillain-related-crimes rocked Australia in the early to mid 90's and Hern's initial joy at seeing the arrival of heroes to fight them turned to chagrin as the people who'd come to save everyone left devastation, injury, sometimes even death in their wake. A jaded Hern abandoned his worship of heroes to instead join the State Emergency Services to assist in cleanup and rescue, where he was further shaken to see common criminals and looters take advantage of the chaotic aftermaths of super-battles.

Eventually frustrated with cleaning up the aftermaths of battle, Hern took to fierce training, eventually learning to track and capture the street-level criminals who took advantage of the chaos in order to steal or murder. Crime decreased sharply as Hern came into his element, and he eventually had to quit the SES and his day job in order to pursue his new calling. He discovered he could make a decent, and then more than decent, living in hunting down particularly notorious criminals and terrorists who had rewards for their captures.

Hern eventually became good enough to take jobs on an international level, all the while secretly training for his ultimate goal of hunting down not those who took advantage of the collateral damage and aftermath of super confrontations, but those who caused and carried them out. His conviction would be challenged, however, as he traveled to Freedom City to begin his hunt. He decided to begin by tracking a number of superheroes and super-villains, observing their behaviour; He was just after the ones that caused devastation to civilian lives, after all, not all supers. Villains, of course, populated this list much more than heroes, but some few of the latter he deemed too destructive to allow to remain free.

As he familiarised himself with the denizens of the city, he developed a grudging respect for the heroes which harkened back to his boyhood admiration; he now saw first-hand the horrible things that super-villains tried to carry out, comprehended that left unchecked they would inflict more damage on the world than any possible aftermath of a confrontation which stopped them in their tracks.

Battling with his own inner fear that he was abandoning his mission and compromising the safety of the populace, Hern eventually decided to make his presence known to the heroes of the city and offer his aid. Hopefully, he would be able to help or guide them towards safer, more efficient conduct as regards the innocent of the city. So his story begins...

Personality & Motivation:

Hern is a dedicated protector of the small, especially minorities given his own background. He is intensely loyal, and prefers methodical planning and surgical precision to recklessly rushing into combat. He opposes wanton destruction or abuse of power of any kind, and is not above taking his team-mates to task over it. When a mission is at hand his focus on it is absolute. Outside of combat the old Daniel reemerges; loving to joke and pun, relax and do some reading or training in his down-time. The difference between 'Daniel' and 'Hern' is almost Jekyll vs Hyde in nature. Hern never smiles.

Powers & Tactics:

Faced immediately with the intimate understanding that the unpowered human body is susceptible to bullets, beams, and other weapons, Hern's preferred approach to an unfriendly situation is through stealth (either with his very impressive skills or through the use of his device). He will study his opponent from hiding, sometimes track and observe them for days to learn their routines, ferret out secrets, attempt to establish weaknesses. Only then will he strike, with a thoroughly prepared plan (complete with contingencies). He prefers to orchestrate ambushes out of the way of large civilian groupings, and will attempt a stealthy takedown using his device and the element of surprise. He is not such a zealot as to refuse to recognise the value of a tactical retreat, and will if necessary make use of his cloaking technology to get to a safe distance and hiding place, before teleporting himself to a prepared safe area.

The Scepter is keyed to Hern's DNA and as such, although it is possible to disarm him, no other may use his weapon except perhaps an identical twin (which Hern does not have).

---

Complications:

Secret: Identity.

Hatred: Collateral damage.

Reputation: Uncompromising.

Abilities: 6 + 12 + 4 + 6 + 6 + 4 = 38PP

Strength: 16 (+3)

Dexterity: 22 (+6)

Constitution: 14 (+2)

Intelligence: 16 (+3)

Wisdom: 16 (+3)

Charisma: 12 (+1)

Combat: 16 + 10 = 26PP

Initiative: +10

Attack: +8 Melee, +8 Ranged (+10 Device Melee, +10 Device Ranged)

Grapple: +11

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

Knockback: -3

Saving Throws: 3 + 6 + 5 = 14PP

Toughness: +7 (+2 Con, +2 [Armour], +3 [Defensive Roll])

Fortitude: +5 (+2 Con, +3)

Reflex: +12 (+6 Dex, +6)

Will: +8 (+3 Wis, +5)

Skills: 108R = 27PP

Acrobatics 14 (+20) [skill Mastery]

Bluff 8 (+10)

Climb 5 (+8)

Escape Artist 4 (+10)

Gather Information 13 (+15)

Intimidate 8 (+10)

Knowledge (streetwise) 7 (+10)

Knowledge (tactics) 12 (+15) [skill Mastery]

Language 1 (English [Native], Russian)

Notice 15 (+18) [skill Mastery]

Search 7 (+10)

Stealth 14 (+20) [skill Mastery]

Feats: 19PP

Feats: 19PP

Acrobatic Bluff

Attack Specialization (Device) 1

Defensive Roll 3

Dodge Focus 5

Equipment 1

Evasion 1

Improved Initiative 1

Jack-of-All-Trades

Luck 1

Power Attack

Precise Shot 2

Quick Draw 1

Skill Mastery 1 (Acrobatics, Knowledge [Tactics], Notice, Stealth)

Second Chance (Being Disarmed)

Equipment: 1PP = 5EP

Grappling Gun [super-movement: Swinging 1] 2EP

Undercover Shirt [Toughness +2, Subtle] 3EP

Powers: 28PP

Device 10 (Hunter's Sceptre, 28 Points; Flaw: Easy to lose; PF: Restricted [usable Only By Me]) [40PP]

Hunter's Scepter Array 8 (Technology, Electricity) [40PP]

Snare 7Technology; Extras: Linked [Drain 6]; Feats: Tether (700 ft)); Range: 70ft, DC 17 [15PP]

Drain 6: (Technology, Electricity; Extras: All Powers; Feats: Incurable; DC 16) [25PP]

Alternate Power:

Strike 10(Bludgeoning, Technology, Electricity; Extras: Linked [Nauseate 10], Penetrating; DC 25) [20PP]

Nauseate 10(Technology, Electricity; Extras: Linked [Nauseate 10], Penetrating; DC 20) [20PP]

Alternate Power:

Concealment 10(Technology, Electricity; Extras: All Senses (10)) [20PP]

Teleport 8(Technology, Electricity; Feats: Change Direction, Change Velocity, Easy, Turnabout; 800FT as move, 2000 Miles as Full ) [20PP]

Drawbacks: None

Totals: Abilities (36) + Combat (26) + Saving Throws (14) + Skills (27) + Feats (19) + Powers (28) - Drawbacks (0) = 150/150 Power Points

[Obscu]

Am going away to Sydney for 4 days. When I get back I'll find some space in the build for sneak attack and acrobatic bluff.

[Avenger Assembled]

Have you done these edits, Obscu?

[Obscu]

-

[Avenger Assembled]

Restricted is bought not on the powers in the device but the device itself, so you can save some points there. (Make sure to put your formatting notes around the device itself; look at some sample Ref builds like Doc's or Ecal's to see the proper HTML for device notation)

Remember that Skill Mastery on Tactics doesn't apply to Master Plan checks.

Alphabetize his feats.

[Gizmo]

His Device still isn't formatted correctly. Here's what it looks like you're trying for:

Device 9 (45 Points; Flaw: Easy to Lose; Power Feat: Restricted 2 [usable Only By Hern]) [29PP] (Hunter's Sceptre)

Hunter's Scepter Array 20 (Power Feats: Alternate Power 2) [42PP]

Base: Snare 7 (Extras: Linked [Drain 6]; Power Feat: Tether [700 ft]) [15PP] (technology)

+ Drain 6 (All Powers; Power Feat: Incurable) [25PP] (technology, electricity)

[15+25=40PP] (ranged mode)

AP: Damage 10 (Extras: Linked [Nauseate 10], Penetrating) [20PP] (bludgeoning, technology, electricity)

+ Nauseate 10 (Extras: Linked [Nauseate 10], Penetrating) [20PP] (technology, electricity)

[20+20=40PP] (melee mode)

AP: Concealment 10 (All Senses) [20PP] (technology, electricity)

Teleport 8 (Power Feats: Change Direction, Change Velocity, Easy, Turnabout; 800' Move, 2000 Miles Full Action) [20PP] (technology, electricity)

[20+20=40PP] (mobility mode)

And here's the raw formatting so you can see how to do it yourself going forward:

[b]Device 9[/b] (45 Points; [i]Flaw:[/i] Easy to Lose; [i]Power Feat:[/i] Restricted 2 [Usable Only By Hern]) [29PP] (Hunter's Sceptre)

[device][b]Hunter's Scepter Array 20[/b] ([i]Power Feats:[/i] Alternate Power 2) [42PP]

[array][b][u]AP[/u]: Snare 7[/b] ([i]Extras:[/i] Linked [Drain 6]; [i]Power Feat:[/i] Tether [700 ft]) [15PP] (technology)

[b]+ Drain 6[/b] (All Powers; [i]Power Feat:[/i] Incurable) [25PP] (technology, electricity)

[15+25=40PP] (ranged mode)


[b][u]AP[/u]: Damage 10[/b] ([i]Extras:[/i] Linked [Nauseate 10], Penetrating) [20PP] (bludgeoning, technology, electricity)

[b]+ Nauseate 10[/b] ([i]Extras:[/i] Linked [Nauseate 10], Penetrating) [20PP] (technology, electricity)

[20+20=40PP] (melee mode)


[b][u]AP[/u]: Concealment 10[/b] (All Senses) [20PP] (technology, electricity)

[b]Teleport 8[/b] ([i]Power Feats:[/i] Change Direction, Change Velocity, Easy, Turnabout; 800' Move, 2000 Miles Full Action) [20PP] (technology, electricity)

[20+20=40PP] (mobility mode)[/array][/device]

There's some room for flexibility, of course. If you prefer to have an extra space between some of those lines and so on that's not an issue. But we need to know where to look to find the PP cost of a power and we need to be able to tell at a glance what's in a Device and what's in an Array. More importantly, you'll note that you do have to pay for the Alternate Power power feat on the Array for each of its 'settings' after the first. That means that the Array costs 42PP altogether. That becomes awkward since Device gives multiples of 5PP; you either need to shave 2PP or spend 3 more. Looking at the combat caps right now, he meets offensive caps only with his Scepter's 'melee mode', at +10 Attack and +10 DC for a total of DC 25 for the Toughness Save and DC 20 for the Fortitude Save. (Difficulty Checks go in a single box at the very bottom of the sheet for ease of reference, incidentally, and his Attack Specializaion feat should say 'Hunter's Scepter' not 'Device', as more formatting things go.)

Attack: +8 Base, +10 Hunter's Scepter

DC Block:

ATTACK          RANGE      SAVE                         EFFECT  

Ranged Mode     Ranged     DC17 Reflex (Staged)         Entanged

                Ranged     DC16 Fortitude (Staged)      Drained Powers

Melee Mode      Touch      DC25 Toughness (Staged)      Damage (Physical)

                Touch      DC20 Fortitude (Staged)      Sickened

He doesn't hit caps with his 'ranged mode', since those effects are only +7 and +8 respectively. That's not bad, but it means he's considerably more effective up close. Defensively, he's still below caps since he has +10 Defense and only +7 Toughness. Just like offensive caps, the two should average out to his PL. For example, he could have +10 Defense and +10 Toughness or +13 Defense and +7 Toughness depending on your concept.

I know you were expressing some concerns about this being too difficult a build to start off with. The good news is that it's not really that complicated! You can definitely make this work. You may need to take a step back and go over the Device and Array rules again, though, looking at some in-play sheets as examples. It's likely going to require some patience, so fair warning.

[Avenger Assembled]

Don't forget about this, Obscu! We haven't.