Optimizing M&M 3E Archetypes: Beginning With PL 10 Kryptonian

[gnownek99]

PL10 Paragon / 'Kryptonian'

Designer notes: Attempt to create a PL10 Paragon with all of the 'kryptonian' powers visible in Supergirl's writeup on the DC sourcebook. Powers are constructed as array so he can divert most of his power to speed or strength and achieve flight and lifting at right levels (although extreme super-strength violates PL limits and is primarily for non-combat, GM's my impose a to hit penalty for use in combat). Key advantages, senses, immunities are covered. X-ray vision and some senses require some focus and cause defenses to weaken. Heat vision can be diverted to flight, speed, strength and additional defenses letting the character reach Kryptonian extremes in strength and speed

Attributes
Strength 8/13*, Agility 0, Fighting 4, Awareness 1, Stamina 8, Dexterity 0, Intellect 1, Presence 1
* Varies with use of array, this represents typical allocation

Skills
Close Combat: Unarmed 3 (+7) , Ranged Combat: Vision/'Breath' Attacks 7 (+7), Expertise (Choose One) 4, Intimidation 4 (+5), Perception 4 (+5)

Advantages
Jack of all trades, Eidetic Memory, Extraordinary Effort

Powers

Basic Flight: Flight 6 (120 Mph), Space Travel 1 - 13 points
Basic Speed, Alternate Effect On Basic Flight: Speed 6 (120 MPH) - 1 point

Basic Super-Strength: Enhanced Strength 6, Enhanced Strength 3 (limited to lifting) -15 point

Super-Stamina: Enhanced Stamina 6, Toughness 2, Impervious Toughness 8 , Immunity 5 (Heat, Cold, Pressure, Radiation, Vacuum) - 27 Points

Basic Super-Senses: Senses 5 (Acute & extended hearing, ultra-hearing, infravision, extended vision) - 5 Points

Additional Super-Senses: Senses 8 (Microscopic vision 4, Vision penetrates non-lead concealment, extended vision 2 (for total of 3 ranks), extended hearing 2 (for total of 2 ranks) - 8 points
Combat Senses, Alternate Effect On Additional Super-Senses: Enhanced Dodge 4, Enhanced Parry - 1 Point

Heat Vision: Blast +8, Penetrating, Precise, Dynamic Base Array Effect - 26 Points (25 point array*)
Additional Flight, Alternate Effect On Heat Vision: Flight 12, Dynamic - 2 Points (Up to 24 array points)
Super-Speed, Alternate Effect On Heat Vision: Quickness 8 - 1 Point (8 array points)
Super-Running, Alternate Effect On Heat Vision: Speed 9 - 1 Point (9 array points)
Additional Super-Strength, Alternate Effect On Heat Vision: Enhanced Strength +12, Dynamic - 2 Points (Up to 24 array points)
Super-Resistance, Alternate Effect On Heat Vision: Enhanced Will 3, Enhanced Fortitude, 1, Enhanced Toughness +2 - 1 Point (6 array points)

*Array is typically arranged on Super Resistance (6 array points), Enhanced Strength 5 (10 array points), Flight 7 (14 array points). He has lift strength 16 and flight 13 in this configuration and can lift 1,600 tons and fly at 8,000 mph. Without this array he has lift strength 11 and can lift 200 tons. When the array is completely devoted to Additional Super-Strength, he has lift strength 23 and can lift 200,000 tons. Equivalent to that of Superman in the DC sourcebook.

Costs
Abilities - 29 points (including dodge +4, will +3), Skills - 11 Points, Advantages - 3 points, Powers - 103 - 146 points total

Defenses And Usual Attacks
Dodge 4/8*, Parry 4/8*, Will 4/7**, Fortitude 8/9**, Toughness 10/12** (Impervious 10), Initiative 0
* Assumes additional senses power set to combat senses
** Assumes Super-Resistance array power

Punch +7, Damage +13 (Assumes 5 ranks of Additional Super-Strength)

Punch +7, Damage +17 (Assumes 9 ranks of Additional Super-Strength, which is the max he can use while using Super-Resistance. This violates PL10 power limits by 4 ranks and the GM may want to impose a -4 penalty to hit)

Throw +0, Ranged, Damage +13 (Assumes 5 ranks of Additional Super-Strength)

Heat Vision+7, Ranged, Penetrating Damage +8 (Assumes 8 ranks of Heat Vision)
Heat Vision+6, Ranged, Penetrating Damage +6 (Assumes 6 ranks of Heat Vision, which is the max he can use while using Super-Resistance)

Options
Suggestions for the 4 remaining points:

Combat Advantages (Pick 4): Interpose, Power Attack, Move-by Attack, Improved Initiative (Increasing initiative to +4), Assessment, Uncanny Dodge (+1 to toughness)

Better Stats: Enhanced Agility 1, Enhanced Dexterity 1 (Increases Dodge, Initiative, Ranged Attack accuracy +1)

Universal Translator: Comprehend 2 (Languages 2)

Super-Scientist: Deploy Expertise skills ranks to science, Inventor Feat, Technology Skill 6 (+7)

Smasher: Ranged Combat: Thrown 6 (+6), Improvised Weapon

More Alternate Effects: Add 2 new dynamic effect to the array for 2 points each

> Super-healing, Alternate Effect on Heat Vision: Regeneration 24 (24 point array effect)

> Super-breath, Alternate Effect on Heat Vision: Move object, Area Effect, Selective 6 (24 point array effect)

>Create Ice, Alternate Effect on Heat Vision: Create, Continuous 8 (24 point array effect)

>Heat Vision 2, Alternate Effect on Heat Vision: Blast, Area - Selective 8 (24 point array effect)

>Heat Vision 3, Alternate Effect on Heat Vision: Blast 12 (24 point array effect)

>Freeze Breath, Alternate Effect on Heat Vision: Affliction, Cumulative, Area-Effect - Cone, Extra Condition, Limited (to 2nd degree) 8 (Resisted by dodge, hindered and vulnerable, defenseless and immobile, 24 point array effect)

[Sith_Happens]

Powers are constructed as array so he can divert most of his power to speed or strength and achieve flight and lifting at right levels

I wouldn't do anything weird like this unless you have a finished build somewhere you're not showing us and really needed the points. Especially considering it doesn't fit the character; I've never heard of any Kryptonian suddenly being weaker or slower just because they're in the middle of using their heat vision.


(although extreme super-strength violates PL limits and is primarily for non-combat, GM's my impose a to hit penalty for use in combat)

Or you can, you know, Limit the excess ranks to non-combat uses.

[gnownek99]

I wouldn't do anything weird like this unless you have a finished build somewhere you're not showing us and really needed the points. Especially considering it doesn't fit the character; I've never heard of any Kryptonian suddenly being weaker or slower just because they're in the middle of using their heat vision..


Yes, needed the points- PL10 is not a lot of points to have someone who can do anything superman can do... need to give up the ability to do some of those at the same time.

Although the divert energy version of the Kryptonian power works well and explains why Superman doesn't just super-speed, heat-vision all his enemies from a distance....

[Sith_Happens]

Okay, I see what's going on here. You're not trying to build a PL 10 Kryptonian, you're trying to build Superman on a 150 point budget. That's... not going to work.

[gnownek99]

Okay, I see what's going on here. You're not trying to build a PL 10 Kryptonian, you're trying to build Superman on a 150 point budget. That's... not going to work.

Think of it as one of those Daxamite minions, Kryptonian minions or white martian minions in a big Justice League/Legion of Super-heroes fight scene. Theoretically as powerful as superman/martian manhunter but not quite so in practice (if not the Justice League would be removed at super-speed). This seems pretty close.

[Sith_Happens]

Theoretically as powerful as superman/martian manhunter but not quite so in practice

You do that by taking Superman's stat-block and actually scaling everything down to PL 10.

[gnownek99]

You do that by taking Superman's stat-block and actually scaling everything down to PL 10.

Not if you read the comics a lot. Every Kryptonian is in theory, roughly superman's strength and flight speed. They just aren't as effective as him for some strange reason.

[Beleriphon]

I wouldn't do anything weird like this unless you have a finished build somewhere you're not showing us and really needed the points. Especially considering it doesn't fit the character; I've never heard of any Kryptonian suddenly being weaker or slower just because they're in the middle of using their heat vision.

Having actually built a PL10 Superman I used dynamic arrays pretty heavily, mind you I arrayed Flight and Super-Strength (ie. Strength Limited to Lifting, or Power Lifting in 3E parlance) since Superman tend to fly very slowly when lifting heavy things, or if he needs to lift a massive building he isn't flying. So it matches the genre conventions pretty well. Then you array the super-sense off of heatvision (or the other way around depending on costs) and things still work and are much less expensive.