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View Full Version : DM Help M&M 3e Original Character HELP!?!? PL15-20



Surfin Bro
2015-01-21, 03:21 AM
I'm VERY new to M&M but I am really getting into it. I'm building a campaign, based off of a comic design I've had for awhile, but I need some help translating my ideas into the actual framework of M&M. The story is really long and complicated, so I won't go into it (unless requested). The main character is Tristan McCain, he is ironically called by his teammates "Crusader". I'm aiming to have him at around PL15-20, since he will be in many of my future campaigns as a (hero, anti-hero, villain, redeemed, etc.) in fact the PC's just don't know what anything about his motivations. I want his powers portrayed as effectively and efficiently as possible, and while I continue to better my understanding of mechanics, I hope to lean on the more experienced players out there.

Here is a rough-draft, completely winging it, all criticism is welcome:
He is supposed to be something of an incubus/vampire/leech, he absorbs the life essence near him in a selective subtle aura (no one on his team knows what his powers are, just that he is a wise leader, and very old and mysterious, he has infiltrated a team of "good government super-agents" who all readily accept him, unbeknownst to them that they had no say in the matter) he directly affects their hormones/biochemistry, he can cause hallucinations (illusions that are in the minds and memories of his prey, but can't project anything to affect the material world, or trick constructs, since it is only in their heads), whenever he taps into another life force he can drain them to regenerate himself, he can access his preys' memories and learn and experience whatever is in their mind, he can use that to manipulate them, but cannot mind control them, he is eternally young and beautiful for as long as he steals sentient life, and is immune to death unless a magical effect removes his soul from his body. He has amassed much knowledge, both from age and from draining his victims, he is a skilled hand-to-hand fighter, but if he is going to melee he prefers his sword, though most of the time he will defeat them in a game of wills, causing them to envision some horrific sight and hurt themselves.

Tristan McCain/Many Aliases/Called "Crusader" by teammates
Identity- Public/Many Aliases
Power Level ?
Complications: Enemy(Undisclosed but very Personal), Secret(That he is an Immortal, has many aliases, and his true intentions are never revealed), Rivalry(Friend turned enemy, think Magneto vs Xavier)

Strength-2
Agility-2
Fighting-6
Awareness-10
Stamina- 15
Dexterity-2
Intellect-5
Presence-12
Help(?) Defenses-?

Powers (This is very hard): Maybe have all of his powers require the target be "marked"
Linked-10pts-3ranks-(Communication: Mental, Subtle (2 ranks), Limited to Common Language)
Comprehend-6pts-3ranks- (Comprehend: Languages (3 ranks))

(Totally Lost Here)
Absorb Essence-135pts-15ranks- (Enhanced Trait (1 rank): Strength, Limit Fades=1 point per rank?) (Regeneration(2 ranks), Limit Source Host=0)
(Weaken (1 rank):Broad; Abilities, Continuous, Selective, Simultaneous, Progressive, Aura/Area, Resistible Fortitude(or no Save?)=8(?)
9 pts per rank x 15 ranks=135pts

Immunity-12pts- Life Support, Ageless, Disease
Immortality-10pts-20 ranks Limit Soul Separation Healing-- Limit Self, Free Action(Passive, always on, need help)
Illusionist-- Independent, Selective, Limit Resistible Will

Advantages: Attractive x2, Fearless, Diplomatic Immunity, Security Clearance(Government Agent), Status (Knight, Mystic), Billionaire, Connected, Sword-Fighting?/Martial Artist, Eidetic Memory
Origin- Knight from the First Crusade/Endowment, a curse from a wizard passed on his "calling"(think of a twisted DR. Strange)
Please include final cost of points in your build/criticism

Cazero
2015-01-21, 07:13 AM
You might want to give him some power over undead, because he looks kinda vulnerable to mindless enemies, and a necromancer is very likely to have access to both soul-extracting power stunts and mindless undead minions.

Surfin Bro
2015-01-21, 12:09 PM
Yes, I realize that he has a weakness to mindless opponents, but those encounters would be when he relies on his teammates/henchmen or his martial prowess. I am aiming for him to be PL 15-20 but I do actually really like that he has this weakness, especially since his character sheet will be hidden from the PC's, so they will have to figure out that mystery. In fact, one of the main antagonists will be a mindless construct created by his rival.

While I appreciate the response what I'm looking for is assistance from a mechanics viewpoint more than anything, flavor and weaknesses are welcome to be commented on but I'm looking for help making Crusader into a PC/BBEG rather than strengthening his weaknesses from a development viewpoint.

(Hope I didn't come off wrong, I really do appreciate your time Cazero)

Grod_The_Giant
2015-01-21, 06:17 PM
So the first thing you need to do is nail down an exact PL, because it's really important. Points probably don't matter, since this guy sounds like an NPC*, but PL will determine just about every number on his sheet in one way or another. Doing that probably depends on when and how he's supposed to fight the PCs-- solo? In a group? When they're PL 10? 12? (This post (http://www.atomicthinktank.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=24919&p=604377#p604377)should help you figure that out). For the time being, I'm going to just put "PL" in place of numbers.

*The Gamemaster's Guide tells you to do this, and it'll save you approximately one gazillion hours over the course of the campaign. Obviously you shouldn't go crazy loading up on modifiers and immunities, but in general, as long as the PL limits are correct, you don't need to worry about how many points you spent on powers for NPCs.

Second, I'm going to go over each power independently:


He is supposed to be something of an incubus/vampire/leech, he absorbs the life essence near him in a selective subtle aura
Sounds like an area Weaken effect. Something like Close Area (Burst) Weaken (Stamina) PL, Selective, Progressive, Subtle, Insidious would be a simple way of doing it. A fancier (ie, more expensive) version might be Perception-Ranged Reaction (Begin turn within 30 feet) Weaken (Stamina) PL, Selective, Subtle, Insidious), which is a lot more expensive, but is probably more effective and fitting. If it's not supposed to be a power that can drain you to nothing, you might add a Limited (can't reduce a target below half) or some such thing. Whichever one you use, you might link it to Reaction (enemy fails a save against Weaken) Healing PL, Limited (Self one), Limited (degrees of success on the healing check can't exceed the triggering target's degrees of failure on the Weaken save).

You could also use an Affliction in place of the Weaken, if you liked-- something like Affliction PL (Fatigued, Exhausted, Incapacitated; Resisted and Overcome by Fortitude), Cumulative.


he directly affects their hormones/biochemistry, he can cause hallucinations (illusions that are in the minds and memories of his prey, but can't project anything to affect the material world, or trick constructs, since it is only in their heads),
That sounds like Illusion (All Senses) PL, Independent, Resistible by Will, Selective, Subtle, Insidious. Alternately, the Illusion Power Profile introduced the idea of illusions as afflictions. Perception-Ranged Affliction PL (Figment, Phantasm, Immersion; Resisted and Overcome by Will), Cumulative/Progressive (your choice), Subtle, Insidious would be an example of that sort of effect, making first minor changes, then major changes, then asserting complete control of what the target senses.


whenever he taps into another life force he can drain them to regenerate himself
Ah, OK. Here's where we put that reaction healing I mentioned earlier, only I guess we'd change the Reaction from "enemy fails a save against Weaken" to "enemy fails a save against one of my powers."


he can access his preys' memories and learn and experience whatever is in their mind
Straightforward Mind Reading PL, Subtle, Insidious, adding on Cumulative and/or Effortless, depending on how potent you want the effect.


he can use that to manipulate them, but cannot mind control them
Hmm... Enhanced Presence, Limited to targets who've been mind read sounds like a good way of doing it.


he is eternally young and beautiful for as long as he steals sentient life
Immunity 1-2 (Aging); potentially throw on Immunity 5 (Disease, Poison, Starvation and Thirst, Suffocation). Beautiful is either pure flavor or a rank or two of the Attractive advantage. I'd handle the "as long as he steals sentient life" bit as a Complication-- it seems unlikely to come up in play.


and is immune to death unless a magical effect removes his soul from his body
Immortality (flavor appropriate value), Quirk -1: Can be permanently killed through soul drain


. He has amassed much knowledge, both from age and from draining his victims, he is a skilled hand-to-hand fighter, but if he is going to melee he prefers his sword, though most of the time he will defeat them in a game of wills, causing them to envision some horrific sight and hurt themselves.
Straightforward skills here. A broad knowledge base is easy to simulate with a high Intellect and the "Jack of All Trades" Advantage.

If you want the "claw their own eyes out" thing to be an actual power, something like this:
Perception-ranged Damage PL, Limited (Target's best close-ranged Damage effect), Variable Descriptor 1 (Target's best close-ranged Damage effect's descriptor), Resistible (Will), Subtle
is a good example of a "hit yourself" effect.


Powers (This is very hard): Maybe have all of his powers require the target be "marked"
Not sure what you mean by this... if you want his powers to only work on targets he's started to life-drain (my best interpretation), you could add Limited (Only on targets affected by my Weaken effect).

If you want to reduce points, I'd put the Illusion, Mind Reading, Enhanced Presence, and the "hit yourself" power (if you use it) in an array-- that is, pay for the most expensive one, and take the others as Alternate Effects. You could even potentially put the Life Drain aura in there, although that may not be flavor-appropriate.

Surfin Bro
2015-01-21, 08:16 PM
Thanks Grod!! I knew I could count on you! I'm on mobile right now, but I'll post a refined of the powers once I'm home. I think you answered the pertinent questions and the ball is now in my court.
I'm going to say he is PL 15 supposed to be played alongside 2-3 PL 12's at the end of the story they have to defeat him using all of the Easter eggs I dropped about him, but they will never see his sheet. Part of his team strength relies on either giving his allies courage (making the opponents look weak and feeble) or causing his enemies to attack each other (trick them into seeing things) while he feasts on their life forces.
What should his ability scores be at, is what I have good for what i described?
What about defenses, since he will be immortal and regenerative, can i skimp on dodge? (from a flavor perspective, he is too arrogant to bother dodging since he can heal, and can make them hallucinate to miss if he gets worried or thinks magic is involved, as that's his bane)
Noob questions I know, but I really appreciate the help!

Grod_The_Giant
2015-01-21, 08:40 PM
Thanks Grod!! I knew I could count on you! I'm on mobile right now, but I'll post a refined of the powers once I'm home. I think you answered the pertinent questions and the ball is now in my court.
I'm going to say he is PL 15 supposed to be played alongside 2-3 PL 12's at the end of the story they have to defeat him using all of the Easter eggs I dropped about him, but they will never see his sheet.
That's a pretty reasonable PL for a "punch in the face until he stops moving" fight. If you want a more plot-based battle, I'd treat him as a higher PL when defending against attacks not targeting his weaknesses, or give him immunities or something like that.


What should his ability scores be at, is what I have good for what i described?
Look at the benchmarks (http://www.d20herosrd.com/3-abilities). Assign as makes sense fluff-wise. Don't worry about the math-- just write down PL-appropriate numbers for his attacks, effect ranks, and defenses.


What about defenses, since he will be immortal and regenerative, can i skimp on dodge? (from a flavor perspective, he is too arrogant to bother dodging since he can heal, and can make them hallucinate to miss if he gets worried or thinks magic is involved, as that's his bane)
Sounds good to me. (Mechanically speaking, a toughness-trade is better than the alternative-- you'll always get hit sometimes, and there are auto-hit attacks in the game, but few affordable auto-dodges)