[M&M] Devices, and Strikes, and Poisons, oh my!

[Random NPC]

I'm creating this rad dude for a game of Mutants and Masterminds.

I'm thinking of giving this guy a Dagger of Ultimate Backstabbing. My idea behind it is a guy who hits a lot and crits a lot of time, but can also deliver poison effects. I'm thinking of a device with enough power points to provide for that.

So:

- a Device with X ranks
- lots of points on Strike

So far, so good, but after that, I'm a little lost. Do I make an alternate power (Strike) that is poison and alternate save (fort)? Or should I just put enough ranks in device to give both the normal strike and the special poison strike?

Now that I'm talking about alternate save, and thinking on the same vein as D&D 4e NADs hitter... would it be a good idea to make his main strike also alternate save (fort)?

Also, bonus question. Let's say I have improved crit. What happens if I crit with this special poisoned strike? Does it increase the DC by 5 too?

[Tsotha-lanti]

It seems to me like this should be a Linked effect more than anything.

Do you have Ultimate Power? It's a lot easier to construct stuff from there...

You want a Damage effect (1) with the Poison extra (+1). That's dirt cheap.

Alternatively, Drain [Trait] (1) with the Poison extra (+1); also dirt cheap, and lets you create a poison that reduces Str, Dex, or Con instead of just dealing damage. Probably makes a lot more sense, too.

A Strike 2 (2 points) linked with Poison Drain [Trait] 10 (20 points) would work nicely for PL 10; the point isn't the Strike anyway, but you can always raise that as high as the Drain is, if you really want to be sneakily lethal. I'd just go with a lot of Sneak Attack - seems to fit your concept better. With Str +0 and Strike 2 (no sense taking Mighty), you'd take Sneak Attack 4 for +10 damage on the Strike linked to Drain 10.

This way, you make one attack roll, and the target saves separately against the Strike's damage (Toughness) and the Drain (Fortitude). So if you're not getting use out of Sneak Attack, you might just scratch your opponent, but then the Drain Constitution 10 hits them once, and then again... oops, dead opponent!

For a less lethal option, use Drain Dexterity (it's rarely as high as Strength, even in supers).

You could even make an Array out of the linked Drain, paying another 2 points and giving you the option of using Drain Con, Drain Dex, or Drain Str.

Edit: And yes, as far as I can tell, a critical hit would add +5 DC to the Drain effect, too. There's nothing that says only certain effects get it; if you make an attack roll, you get the bonus on a crit. You might need separate feats for the Strike and the Drain, though - I'm not 100% sure. If it's a Device, I think you can just take the feats for the Device (or as part of the Device, in which case they apply for all the Device's powers IIRC).

Edit again: FYI, poisons can be obscenely dangerous. Drain 10 can easily cripple targets on a single hit if they fail both saves. Consult with your GM.

[Random NPC]

It seems to me like this should be a Linked effect more than anything.

Do you have Ultimate Power? It's a lot easier to construct stuff from there...

You want a Damage effect (1) with the Poison extra (+1). That's dirt cheap.

Alternatively, Drain [Trait] (1) with the Poison extra (+1); also dirt cheap, and lets you create a poison that reduces Str, Dex, or Con instead of just dealing damage. Probably makes a lot more sense, too.

A Strike 2 (2 points) linked with Poison Drain [Trait] 10 (20 points) would work nicely for PL 10; the point isn't the Strike anyway, but you can always raise that as high as the Drain is, if you really want to be sneakily lethal. I'd just go with a lot of Sneak Attack - seems to fit your concept better. With Str +0 and Strike 2 (no sense taking Mighty), you'd take Sneak Attack 4 for +10 damage on the Strike linked to Drain 10.

This way, you make one attack roll, and the target saves separately against the Strike's damage (Toughness) and the Drain (Fortitude). So if you're not getting use out of Sneak Attack, you might just scratch your opponent, but then the Drain Constitution 10 hits them once, and then again... oops, dead opponent!

For a less lethal option, use Drain Dexterity (it's rarely as high as Strength, even in supers).

You could even make an Array out of the linked Drain, paying another 2 points and giving you the option of using Drain Con, Drain Dex, or Drain Str.

Edit: And yes, as far as I can tell, a critical hit would add +5 DC to the Drain effect, too. There's nothing that says only certain effects get it; if you make an attack roll, you get the bonus on a crit. You might need separate feats for the Strike and the Drain, though - I'm not 100% sure. If it's a Device, I think you can just take the feats for the Device (or as part of the Device, in which case they apply for all the Device's powers IIRC).

Nice.

Here's an idea. Device with Damage 2 with the Autofire extra three times, then linked with Drain 8 (PL), for a total of 24 power points

Sneak attacking that, I think I'm looking at a Toughness DC from 23 up to 31 and Fortitude DC of 18.

Am I doing it wrong?

[Dhavaer]

Nice.

Here's an idea. Device with Damage 2 with the Autofire extra three times, then linked with Drain 8 (PL), for a total of 24 power points

Sneak attacking that, I think I'm looking at a Toughness DC from 23 up to 31 and Fortitude DC of 18.

Am I doing it wrong?

Yes, Autofire is capped at the normal damage your attack would deal. 2 ranks of Strike couldn't give a damage bonus above +4.