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Psy Strike (PL 10) - Bisexuhell


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Psy Strike
Power Level: 10 (150/151PP)
Unspent Power Points: 1
Trade-Offs: None

 

In Brief: Psychic girl discovers her mother's superhero costume after her death, decides to use her powers to help people. Fast and strong, but not smart.

 

Alternate Identity: Rose Callux (Secret)
Birthplace: Freedom City

Residence: Southside, South Freedom, Freedom City
Base of Operations: Southside, South Freedom
Occupation: Works at local fast food joint
Affiliations: None
Family: No living close family; Amy Callux (Mother, deceased), unknown father

 

Description:
Age: 18 (Born 1998)
Gender: Female
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Height: 5 ' 9 “
Weight: 190lbs
Eyes: Green
Hair: Short, scruffy and dark brown.

 

Standing at roughly 5'9”, Rose looks a little bulkier than your average 18-year-old. She's quite attractive in appearance, marred only by a couple of little scars, a small one on her right cheek, and one just above her left eye, from the scrapes she's gotten into during her heroics (there are more on her body, but she's not in a rush to show everyone). She tends to dress quite casually, in t-shirts and jeans and trainers, usually in non-branded ones (they're cheaper, after all).

 

Her costume is a fairly simple spandex bodysuit covering everything below her neck. It is a deep purple colour on the body, with a lighter purple on the legs, and comes with a purple domino mask. It's a little worn out, and the colours have faded slightly.

 

History:
 

Raised by her mother, Amy Callux (her father left when she was a couple of years old), in a small house in Southside, Rose's powers started to manifest at age 6 when she levitated the tv remote over to her when she wanted to change the channel. Amy couldn't afford to send her somewhere or pay for someone to train her power set, so she decided to do it herself, in her back garden or wherever she could find space. Rose was far more interested in training than any academic study, but she was never good at that anyway, so it didn't bother her. In school, she used her powers subtly and tried to go unnoticed (but couldn't resist using them to get on the gymnastics team). She was also naturally very sociable and outgoing.

 

Her life changed when, one night, local mob boss Eddy Garcia broke the front door down and shot Amy right there in front of poor Rose. She tried to fight back using her powers, but he shrugged off her punches and threw her to the ground, laughing as he just walked away. Orphaned at age 12, the police came to take her statement and agreed to put her into foster care, but nothing happened. Maybe a file went misplaced, maybe something worse happened, but they didn't come back to put her in another home. She quietly dropped out of school, and still no-one came to even check on her. She was well and truly alone.

 

Over the next few years, she did what she could to survive. She spent a lot of her time during the day begging (and pickpocketing if she really needed it), and on a night she'd train hard. When she was 16, she managed to get a job at a fast food place. A little later that year, looking through her mother's bedroom, she pulled the right book out of her bookcase and the whole thing span around. An awestruck Rose discovered that, on the other side was a superhero costume! Alongside it was a note, addressed to her.

“Dear Rose, if you're reading this it means you've discovered it by accident. I planned to give you it for your eighteenth birthday, along with an explanantion. See, back in the day, I was a superhero. I didn't do much – I mostly operated on Southside, helping random people and foiling the odd robbery – but I helped people. I think you could take on that legacy too, help those who can't help themselves, which is why I took the time to train you. I think you should be the next Psy Strike. I love you more than anything, Rose. Signed, Amy.

PS: Try and act surprised when I show you the costume, please.”

 

Overcome with emotions, she did the only thing she thought she should – try the costume on. It fit her well, and from then on, she did the same thing her mother did – help those in need of it, even if it was just in the little corner of the world she knew.

 

Personality & Motivation:
 

Rose is a cheerful, outgoing girl with an optimistic outlook on life and humanity as a whole, despite her childhood being stolen from her. She's very confident in her abilities (almost to the point of cockiness), and will use them however she can to protect the average person. She enjoys a good fight, and is motivated by a strong moral compass and desire to help and save people. She tends to be distrusting of authority, however, especially the police, and can be far too quick to rush into battle when she sees wrongdoing.

 

Powers & Tactics:
 

In a fight, Rose tends to hit hard and fast. When fighting a group, she'll use stealth and intimidation to her advantage before knocking down as many of them as she can as fast as she can. One on one, she'll charge in and start smacking people around before they can fight back on any real level. While she does have ranged options, and limited usage of her telepathy, she prefers to fight up close and personal, unless the situation absolutely needs her to hang back.

 

Power Descriptions:
 

Her psychic powers are mutant in nature, but her movement, dexterity and strength come from her using her psychic abilities rather than due to something inherent to her genetics. When she's not using her powers subtly, they have a golden look to them – for example, her Strikes are done by covering her fists in transparent golden energy, and using them to carry something heavy gives her a golden aura around her.

 

Complications:
Wealth – Struggling: Finds it difficult to make ends meet, but at least she still owns her home.

 

Responsibility - Job: She has a job, and it is quite important to her that she keeps it considering her financial situation. If she keeps disappearing on the job, she's gonna get fired.

 

Mistrust of Authorities: Due to her past, and the way she fell through the system, she's gained an apprehension towards trusting authority figures, especially police officers. If someone tries to pull rank or speak from a place of authority, she's going to be openly wary of them.
 

Enemy – Eddie's Mob: Rose has a reputation amongst the Southside crime syndicate that killed her mother as being dangerous to their plans, mostly by virtue of operating in the exact area they work. They know her secret identity, too, as they were familiar with her mother, who used the same costume.

 

Can't Drive: Growing up poor, her mother didn't have a car, so she hasn't the faintest clue how to drive one.


Abilities: 2 + 6 + 2 + 0 + 6 + 4 = 20PP
Strength: 18/12 (+4/+1)
Dexterity: 22/16 (+6/+3)
Constitution: 12 (+1)
Intelligence: 10 (0)
Wisdom: 16 (+3)
Charisma: 14 (+2)



Combat: 8 + 12 = 20PP
Initiative: +10/+7
Attack: +10 Unarmed, +8 Melee, +4 Base
Defense: +10 (+6 Base, +4 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed

Grapple: +16 [Super-Strength] / +13 [Move Object] / +11
Knockback: -5/-2



Saving Throws: 5 + 5 + 3 = 13PP
Toughness: +10 (+1 Con, +6 Defensive Roll, +3 Protection)

Fortitude: +6 (+1 Con, +5)
Reflex: +11/+8 (+3 Dex, +3 Enhanced Dex, +5)
Will: +10/+6 (+3 Wis, +4 Enhanced Will, +3)



Skills: 40R = 10PP
Acrobatics 4 (+10)

Bluff 2 (+5)

Climb 2 (+6)

Concentration 6 (+9)

Intimidate 4 (+7)

Knowledge (Streetwise) 4 (+4)

Language (English [Native])

Notice 5 (+8)

Sense Motive 5 (+8)

Stealth 4 (+10)

Sleight of Hand 4 (+10)

Feats: 19PP
Attack Focus [Melee] 4

Attack Specialization [Unarmed] 2

Defensive Roll 3

Distract [Intimidate]

Dodge Focus 3

Grappling Finesse

Improved Initiative

Improved Trip 

Trance

Takedown Attack

Weapon Bind


Powers: 6 + 6 + 4 + 4 + 3 + 7 + 4 + 10 + 24 = 68PP

 

Enhanced Strength 6 [6PP] (Telekinetic)

 

Enhanced Dexterity 6 [6PP] (Telekinetic)

 

Enhanced Will 4 [4PP] (Psionic)

 

Enhanced Movement Array 1 [2PP Array, Feats: Alternate Powers 2] [4PP] (Telekinetic)

  • BE: Leaping 2 [x5, Running Long Jump 100', Standing Long Jump 55', Vertical Jump 25'] {2/2}

  • AP: Speed 2 [20 MPH / 250' per Move Action] {2/2}

  • AP: Super Movement [Slow Fall] {1/2}

 

Protection 3 [3PP] (Telekinetic)

 

Super Senses 7 [Mental; Danger Sense, Mental Awareness 2, Uncanny Dodge, Accurate 1, Extended 1, Radius 1] [7PP] (Psionic)

 

Super-Strength 2 [Effective Strength 28, Heavy Load 1200lb] [4PP] (Telekinetic)

 

Telepathic Array 4 [8PP Array, Feats: Alternate Powers 2] [10PP] (Psionic)

  • BE: Communication 3 [Feats: Subtle 2] {8/8}

  • AP: Illusion 5 [Visual, Auditory; Feats: Progression, Flaws: Phantasms, Limited (One Subject)] {6/8}

  • AP: Mind Reading 8 [Mental] {8/8}

 

Telekinetic Array 10 [20PP Array, Feats: Alternate Powers 4] [24PP] (Telekinetic)

  • BE: Move Object 5 [Telekinesis; Strength 25, Heavy Load 800lb, Extra: Range [Perception], Feats: Precise, Subtle, Split Attack] {18/20}

  • AP: Trip 10 [Telekinetic, Extra: Range [Perception]] {20/20}

  • AP: Strike 10 [Telekinetic, Extra: Penetrating] {20/20}

  • AP: Strike 10 [Telekinetic, Extra: Autofire] {20/20}

 


Drawbacks: (-0) + (-0) = -0PP


Total: 20 (Abilities) + 20 (Combat) + 13 (Saving Throws) + 10 (Skills) + 19 (Feats) + 68 (Powers) – 0 (Drawbacks) = 151 PP

DC Block

ATTACK               RANGE        SAVE                       EFFECT
Unarmed              Touch        DC 19 Toughness            Damage [Physical]

Move Objects         Perception   Opposed Grapple Check      Pinned/Bound

Trip                 Perception   DC 20 Strength/Dexterity   Trip

Penetrating Strike   Touch        DC 25 Toughness            Damage [Physical]

Autofire Strike      Touch        DC 25 Toughness            Damage [Physical]

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Some math errors here and there. 

 

Abilities: 2 + 6 + 2 - 2 + 5 + 5 = 18PP
Strength: 18/12 (+4/+1)
Dexterity: 22/16 (+6/+3)
Constitution: 12 (+1)
Intelligence: 8 (-1)
Wisdom: 15 (+3)
Charisma: 15 (+3)

 

15 just gives you +2, it doesn't flip over until you hit 16. I personally would take those points (which otherwise are wasted) and sink them back into Intelligence. 

 

 



AP: Strike 9 [Telekinetic, Feats: Mighty] {20/20}

 

That just costs 10 - I'd put an extra on it like Penetrating or Autofire. 

 

 

 

 

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A couple errors to point out and a couple suggestions:

 

Taking a penalty on Intelligence isn't wrong by any means but I do want to make sure you understand that it's pretty unusual for the setting. Just a little below average intelligence is way bellow average superhero intelligence so make sure that's something you want to saddle her with for character reasons and not just a place to shave a couple of points.

 

Without any powers her Grappling bonus would +3 Dexterity from Grappling Finesse, +10 Unarmed Attack = +13. With her powers she should have +6 Dexterity, +10 Unarmed Attack, +2 Super-Strength = +18. For clarity I'd notate that as "Grapple: +18 [Telekinesis]/+13". I'm not sure where "+16/+11/+21" is coming from, so let me know if I'm misreading something you've got there.

 

Under-capping her defensive bonuses and taking +8 of her Toughness bonus from Defensive Roll is a recipe for a very frustrating play experience. As a PL 10 character her Defence and Toughness bonuses should even out to +10 each. If you're having trouble sparing the points for some telekinetic Protection I'd suggest dropping a rank of Defensive Roll and giving her costume some built-in Protection as Equipment. As it stands the first time she fails a Feint or Startle roll she'll be laid out in one hit.

 

Speaking of caps, the Strike in her Telekinetic Array breaks them. Damage 9 + 4 from Strength/Mighty means a Rank 13 Effect, which is a DC 15 + 13 = 28 Toughness Save. Even if this is only meant to use her Melee Attack bonus at +8 that's too high; if she's using her Unarmed Attack bonus at +10 it's much too high! Remember, just like with Defence and Toughness, her Attack bonus and the rank of the Effect need to average out to her PL. +10 Attack means no more than a Rank 10 Effect, +8 Attack means she can go up to a Rank 12 Effect.

 

That also means that her Blast is way under caps, at just +4 Base Attack for a Rank 9 Effect. It's not strictly necessary for every effect to meet PL caps but especially on a first character it's a much better idea to make sure they do. That attack would have her effectively operating as a PL 6 or 7 character rather than PL 10. I understand from her tactics section that she prefers close quarters combat anyway but I'd still suggest either finding a way to bring this effect up to caps or dropping it entirely for now and keeping it in mind as something to buy for her down the line when you've earned more PP by posting.

 

Finally: Deflect is so bad. So bad. I know, it seems really cool! I won't get into the math or action economy in depth here but the bottom line is that it's just never going to do what you want it to do. Consider instead adding the Impervious Extra to her Toughness bonus to achieve the 'telekinetically bouncing bullets' effect, probably with Limited [Physical Attacks]. That would also give her the option to upgrade to Reflective down the line if it felt appropriate.

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I've made the changes you suggested. I'm not sure what you mean by Defense being undercapped, since the bonus is at +10 total, but Toughness is a little higher now with that Protection, which I added in as it's own power. The 16/11 thing came from me misusing Grappling Finesse and using it to literally just add a +1 bonus to it. The 21 came from that added to the +5 to Grapple bonus from Move Objects. Strike is no longer Mighty, but I have a variant with Autofire to simulate her punching really fast with telekinesis and Penetrating to simulate punching really hard with telekinesis. It is supposed to use Unarmed, since she's just enhancing her punch rather than attacking with something. Blast is gone too.

 

For Intelligence, she's below average because she hasn't been in education since she was like 12. I've bumped it up by 1, but it wouldn't make sense to take it up to 10 without reworking a lot of her backstory. I can do that, if you're really against the -1 modifier or you know people are gonna have issues with it.

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The vernacular can be a little confusing when it doubles up on word use, yeah! When we talk about 'Defensive Caps' we're talking about the collective balance between Defence Bonus and Toughness Bonus, in contrast to 'Offensive Caps' which is the same thing for Attack Bonus and Damage Bonus. (Damage Bonus would more accurately be Effect Rank because we're not always talking about Damage but Damage is a lot easier to say so there you go.)

 

Which is about to be important because now she's over Defensive Caps. I know, sorry. We're getting there!

 

A PL 10 character can have Defensive Caps averaging out to +10 each with up to a five point 'trade-off'. PL 10 Nightwing probably has +15 Defence and +5 Toughness whereas I might peg PL 10 Wolverine at +8 Defence and +12 Toughness, by way of example. Psy Strike isn't trading off at all meaning that she can have +10 Defence and +10 Toughness. Before she was under-capped with +9 Toughness, now she's over her caps with +11 Toughness.

 

Before you just knock off a single rank of Protection I should also better explain one of the suggestions I made earlier. When I said Limited [Physical Attacks] would make sense I meant specifically limiting the Impervious, not the entire Protection effect. That's getting a little more complicated, admittedly and would look something like Protection 4 (Extra: Impervious, Flaw: Limited [Impervious to Physical Attacks]) [6PP] in Psy Strike's case. By limiting the whole power you'd be making it so that when facing energy attacks - which make up roughly half of what she'd be running into - she'd be operating with just +6 Toughness. That's not wrong it's just a weakness that's going to come up an awful lot.

 

You could also buy Impervious on the part of her Toughness Bonus not coming from Protection, although that probably goes on the shopping list for upgrading her down the road rather than being a must-have at character creation. Impervious 4 is enough to stop small caliber handguns cold but not much else which seems about right for a novice telekinetic anyway! That said she'd get a lot more use out of a flat Protection 4 [4PP] than from Protection 4 (Extra: Impervious, Flaw: Limited [Physical Attacks]) [4PP] if you're picking and choosing.

 

Her Offensive Caps look good, though and the Intelligence penalty is fine. I'd typically use Intelligence to represent her overall acuity and let a lack of Knowledge and other Skills represent her lack of education but that's more of a personal preference thing than actual advice. So long as you have a good in-character reason for it and know what you're getting into I've got no problem with her having less than Intelligence 10.

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Alright, I modified it to be Protection 3, getting rid of the modifiers, and used the extra PP to buy Int up to 0, since a lack of education can be roleplayed without being a mechanical disadvantage. The alternative is to make it Protection 2 [Extra: Impervious, Flaw: Limited [Impervious to Physical Attacks]] for the same cost. Is the extra Toughness point more important than 2 Impervious vs Physical attacks?

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Absolutely. Remember that Impervious only works on Damage at a rank lower than the rank of the Impervious. Impervious 2 would stop Damage 1 and otherwise do nothing at all. Even a low caliber handgun is represented by Damage 3, making Impervious 2 very nearly useless. 

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