[M&M 2E] Tips for an Atlantean Dhamphir?

[Tegu8788]

I'm getting ready to play my first in person game, and the DM wants to run a M&M 2E. I've got a flufftastic idea for an Atlantean Dhamphir, but I need some guidance in the mechanics. I've got the Heroes Lab to help me build it, but I'm completely lacking in system mastery, and with all the options, I'm a little confused as to what the best way to arrange things are. Strength and speed are easy enough to figure out, and I think I can use Strike for a claw attack, and Regeneration for healing factors. But I'm at a loss for how to explain a bite with at that entails, weather manipulation, scary animal manipulation, hypnosis, and some of the more arcane drawbacks.

Any suggestions are welcome. I have 160 points to play with.

[Beleriphon]

I'm getting ready to play my first in person game, and the DM wants to run a M&M 2E. I've got a flufftastic idea for an Atlantean Dhamphir, but I need some guidance in the mechanics. I've got the Heroes Lab to help me build it, but I'm completely lacking in system mastery, and with all the options, I'm a little confused as to what the best way to arrange things are. Strength and speed are easy enough to figure out, and I think I can use Strike for a claw attack, and Regeneration for healing factors. But I'm at a loss for how to explain a bite with at that entails, weather manipulation, scary animal manipulation, hypnosis, and some of the more arcane drawbacks.

Any suggestions are welcome. I have 160 points to play with.

The bite probably a Drain Con (Fort resists) attack that requires a Grapple (there's a flaw that requires grappling before the power works).

Weather manipulation is more what do you want it to do? Hitting dudes with lightning is an Indirect Blast. Fog can be concealment or or the Distracting use of Environment Control. Animal manipulation (like Aquaman?) then you go with either a mind control limited to appropriate animals or even Summon limited to appropriate near by animals. Hypnosis is probably a Mind Control with the sense dependent flaw.

[Tegu8788]

Thank you. Do you have any tips for tying powers to blood levels? Vampiric and Fade don't quite feel right.

[Beleriphon]

Thank you. Do you have any tips for tying powers to blood levels? Vampiric and Fade don't quite feel right.

Power loss is the way to go, you can tailor the power loss drawback to needing to feed. If you don't feed you lose power, rather than gaining power as you feed.

[Tegu8788]

I hadn't thought if looking at it that way, but that makes a good deal of sense.

[Beleriphon]

I hadn't thought if looking at it that way, but that makes a good deal of sense.

I find the game is easier to run when you work down from full power rather than trying to work up to full power. The system doesn't easily handle increasing the strength of an effect very well, but it has the built in system of making effects less effective. Power loss is probably one of the best draw backs in the game to represent something that gets weaker without X or in the presence of Y.

The really nice thing is it isn't a hard and fast effect so you can finesse how it works a bit. You define what the power loss entails and roughly how long it takes to kick in (rule of thumb is around 24 hours). So the assumption is that under normal circumstances you don't have to worry about the power loss but if for some reason you can't feed (alone in Antarctica for example) then the power loss kicks in. You get 1 point back for an Uncommon circumstance (so you have to feed say every 2 days) 2 points back for Common circumstances (every 12 hours lets say) and 3 points back for Very Common circumstances (every 4 hours as an example).

Exactly want constitutes Uncommon, Common or Very Common is up to you and the GM.

As for other vampire weakness you want to look at the Weakness drawback. It specifically mentions vampires in its description so that's what I'd use as a start.

[Tegu8788]

I've been trying to think of how to mechanically represent being unable to enter a domicile uninvited, lack of reflection in mirrors and video cameras, the bleeding edge speed but not the sustainable running, and some thrall creation method. Minion doesn't quite feel right, and while Mind Control with the visual/auditory limit looked good, I'd like the suggestions to persist after a paper bag is placed on the targets head.

[Beleriphon]

I've been trying to think of how to mechanically represent being unable to enter a domicile uninvited, lack of reflection in mirrors and video cameras, the bleeding edge speed but not the sustainable running, and some thrall creation method. Minion doesn't quite feel right, and while Mind Control with the visual/auditory limit looked good, I'd like the suggestions to persist after a paper bag is placed on the targets head.

Some of those are Complications. You get hero points for complications. Hero points are good. The not entering homes is probably the best one for that, the others I'd just call side effects of being a vampire. There doesn't have to be an actual mechanical effect. If anything I'd make them one a 1 point custom draw back.

Quick bursts of speed can be done via teleport. With a low enough rank you can get around 50 feet or so as a move action, and you can limit it to requiring a surface to move from or to thus preventing shenanigans like teleporting from mid-air to safety.

As for the Mind Control with sense dependent means they need to be able to see/hear you to be affected, not to continue the effect. That said you might want to investigate Transform (the mental option specifically) as that allow you to do mind wipes and turn people into Renfields. I still think the Mind Control is better since you don't necessarily want the point costs of Transform nor the long term effects, that is assuming as a player. As the GM go nuts you don't have to worry about point costs at all.

[Tegu8788]

I picked up Transform for memory wiping, and I didn't realize that those Mind Control effects kept up after being instated, that's good to know. I'm a player, and despite having been given a 10 point lead in, I'm still working to get the points in. That teleportation trick may very well work, I'll have to compare the costs.

[Beleriphon]

I picked up Transform for memory wiping, and I didn't realize that those Mind Control effects kept up after being instated, that's good to know. I'm a player, and despite having been given a 10 point lead in, I'm still working to get the points in. That teleportation trick may very well work, I'll have to compare the costs.

At one rank with limited to moving between solid surfaces Teleport would cost 1 point and let you move up to 100 feet as a move action.

[Tegu8788]

That is very nice. Super-speed has those nice side effects, but it's much more expensive.

[Beleriphon]

That is very nice. Super-speed has those nice side effects, but it's much more expensive.

Super-speed is just a container. It has equal ranks of Speed, Quickness, Improved Initiative (as the feat) and two extra points for a alternate powers. It's a nice power for sure, but not necessary by any means. You could make Teleport flawed all up as an alternate power of Quickness. You'd really end up with the same thing as Super-Speed.

[Tegu8788]

I've seen that term, Container, used before, but I don't have an actual definition for it. Can you illuminate me further?

[The Rose Dragon]

A Container is a power structure (a trait that is not an effect, but modifies the acquirement of effects) that contains multiple effects (traits that allow you to perform unusual actions) that work as a single power (the collection of an effect, its modifiers and its descriptors).

For example, Alternate Form is a Container, as it doesn't give you any effects on its own, but allows you to activate or deactivate various effects together, and ties them all to the same set of activation extras and flaws. Device is also a Container, as it gives you a number of effects, all of which can be taken away thanks to the Removable flaw on the Container.

[Tegu8788]

That sounds like a good way to make almost the entire character. Is there a term I'm but seeing that will allow me to create my own container?

[Beleriphon]

That sounds like a good way to make almost the entire character. Is there a term I'm but seeing that will allow me to create my own container?

Its explained in detail in Ultimate Power.

[Tegu8788]

I'll see if I can get my hands on the book. I have the builder, the DM has all the books, but unless we are playing he's out of the way to get to.

Thanks everyone for the help, it is greatly appreciated.

[Beleriphon]

I'll see if I can get my hands on the book. I have the builder, the DM has all the books, but unless we are playing he's out of the way to get to.

Thanks everyone for the help, it is greatly appreciated.

If you have HeroLab with all of the 2nd Edition addons the Container structure is in the Powers section.

[Tegu8788]

I must not have got that it all then. I bought the standard and what I thought was all the expansion packs, but I do not find the term Container anywhere in my builder.

Would "Linked" powers function the same way?

[The Rose Dragon]

Linked Powers can work like Containers, but they are usually reserved for attacks with two different effects, such as a lightning bolt that can both Stun and Damage.

You generally don't need Containers other than Device or Alternate Form, as either of them can be modified to create most of what you can get out of Containers.

[Beleriphon]

I must not have got that it all then. I bought the standard and what I thought was all the expansion packs, but I do not find the term Container anywhere in my builder.

Would "Linked" powers function the same way?

I just checked and there are two options, and active or passive container in the Powers tab. For M&M Second Edition there are two purchases the core and the Ultimate Power update which also has all of the other books up to a certain point. If you can get a Mecha tab you have the correct options.

You might also have to click the Configure Hero choice in the Character menu (its fourth from the left after File) to turn Ultimate Power on. To do so goto Charactrer > Configure Hero > Click on the right half of the window that shows the check boxes > Makes sure Ultimate Power is checked off and click "Set Defaults" then "Yes". From now on all characters will have whatever you checked available by default. You can also change the way powers show on your output here as well.

[Tegu8788]

When I get back to my machine in 12 hours, I will do just that. I have a few more questions, about Wall-Crawling and Climb, or the Swim power and Swim skill.

[Beleriphon]

When I get back to my machine in 12 hours, I will do just that. I have a few more questions, about Wall-Crawling and Climb, or the Swim power and Swim skill.

What do you want to know?

[Tegu8788]

If you have a movement power like wall crawling, do you still have to make climb checks? I assume similar would apply for the swimming power and swimming skill.

[Beleriphon]

If you have a movement power like wall crawling, do you still have to make climb checks? I assume similar would apply for the swimming power and swimming skill.

No, you don't. Wall crawling lets you move at whatever rate the power allows as if you were walking, swimming does the same thing. Keep in mind that swimming doesn't prevent you from drowning underwater anymore than Flight prevents suffocation on the way to moon.

[Tegu8788]

Thanks for the clarification. I kinda started the game, my DM seems to prefer OOC narration to roleplaying, but that is something we can work around I hope. I appreciate all the help given, it's been very useful.