July 2008 Archives

Next up in my character creation queue is Mutants & Masterminds from Green Ronin. Billed as "the world's greatest superhero RPG," Mutants & Masterminds takes the kernel of the D20 System and boils it down to a lightning fast, one-die rules set perfect for comic-book adventures.

Mutants & Masterminds uses a point-buy system but maintains levels as a means of balancing characters. Most of your important stats are limited to your power level. The default is Power Level 10, with 150 points to spend on stats.

I've made a lot of M&M characters, but for this build I decided to go for something a little different and base my concept off of the Absorption power. This power is peculiar; it protects you from damage by draining the energy out and letting you convert it into healing or use it to boost your own traits (even powers you don't possess). The most common use is to convert energy attacks into blasts of similar energy.

Input (real name: Landon Morley) is an experienced solo hero with the power to absorb physical and energy-based attacks. He can convert that energy into bursts of speed, use it to heal himself, or channel it back as a blast. Energy attacks come back as the same sort of energy, while physical attacks channel as nested waves of kinetic energy.

Input has decent combat training, but he lacks the bredth and depth of other heroes. Mostly, he trains with his energy blasts. In a fight, he'll hang back at first, hoping to take a hit or two, then join the fray once he's built up his super-speed and blasts. He takes a lot of risks, making sure that enemies stay focused on him, simultaneously sparing civilians and keeping his power reserves full. He's also a bit of a smart-mouth, slinging insults along with bolts of energy.

Note: Input uses the trade-off rules, lowering his maximum Defense and raising his maximum Toughness save. This isn't obvious below, but the Absorption power counts against Toughness despite not actually raising the Toughness save bonus.

Input
Power Level 10

Abilities: Str 12, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 14

Skills: Acrobatics 8 (+10), Bluff 12 (+14), Climb 4 (+5), Concentration 8 (+9), Gather Information 8 (+10), Investigate 8 (+10), Knowledge (tactics) 8 (+10), Medicine 4 (+5), Notice 12 (+13), Search 12 (+14), Sense Motive 12 (+13), Stealth 8 (+10)

Feats: Accurate Attack, All-Out Attack, Attack Specialization (Blast) 2, Defensive Attack, Dodge Focus 2, Improved Aim, Improved Critical (Blast), Power Attack, Taunt, Tough

Powers: Absorption 10 (Boost Blast; Extra: Both Types; Drawback: Weak Point; Alternate Powers: Boost Super-Speed, Healing)

Combat: Attack +10 (Blast), +6 (other), Grapple +11, Damage +1 (unarmed), Defense +8 (+3 flat-footed), Initiative +2, Knockback -1

Saving Throws: Toughness +2, Fortitude +4, Reflex +8, Will +6

Total: Abilities 18 + Skills 26 (104 ranks) + Feats 12 + Powers 51 + Combat 28 + Saves 15 = 150 pp

I've decided to make a character for every RPG I own, and I'm starting with Transhuman Space, from Steve Jackson Games. While technically a setting for GURPS Third Edition, the core book for Transhuman Space includes a copy of the Third Edition GURPS Lite rules, making it a complete (if somewhat anemic) standalone RPG.

Transhuman Space is such a huge and varied setting, it's hard to know where to start. I decided to use the GURPS Third Edition default of a 100 point character with no more than -40 points in disadvantages. This narrowed my range of options for concept down considerably, which is a good thing.

At this point range, my options were either an older, more experienced character with little in the way of transhuman enhancements (genetic upgrades, nanomods, and so on), or someone young and relatively unskilled but with the benefit of some of the settings technological advancements. I decided to go with the second choice.

In 2100, the advanced Fifth Wave nations produce a lot of educated, wealthy young people in an economy that is increasingly administered by AI and operated by telepresence. This gives many young adults a large amount of time in which they can do pretty much nothing and still get by on a few smart investments and some help from mom and dad. This is where my concept developed.

This young man (Curtis Ailesworth) was born-to-order to wealthy Fifth Wave parents in 2078. Designed with the common and fairly generic Alpha-series genetic upgrade, Curtis grew up healthy, athletic, and attractive. Virtual tutors and an accelerated curriculum left him with the equivalent of an undergraduate degree by the time he was 20, at which point Curtis decided to take some time off before finding a suitable career to occupy his middle years.

Now, Curtis spends his time traveling around Europe, enjoying the sites and soaking in the sense of history. He especially likes to visit the casinos, and he has developed a feel for some of the seedier parts of European society as well. After a few brushes with less savory types, he has taken to carrying an electrolaser and wearing light body armor.

Curtis, like nearly all Fifth Wave citizens, carries a computer loaded with a personal AI assistant, in this case, an LAI-6 named Simon. Simon serves as a combination translator, personal assistant, and business manager, handling all of Curtis's affair, both social and financial, so Curtis doesn't have to waste time thinking about any of that.

Curtis Ailesworth
ST 10, DX 12, IQ 12, HT 12
Speed 6.00, Move 6, Dodge 6

Advantages: Ally (Simon, LAI-6 in a WVI; 75 points; available almost all of the time), Alpha Upgrade, Charisma +1, Independent Income, Status 1, Wealth (Comfortable).

Alpha Upgrade: Attractive, Disease-Resistant, Longevity, No Appendix, Tabbo Traits (Genetic Defects, Mental Instability)

Disadvantages: Chummy, Honesty, Impulsiveness, Pacifism (Self-Defense Only).

Skills: Acting-12, Area Knowledge (Europe)-14, Beam Weapons (Electrolaser)-1, Carousing-12, Fast-Talk-12, First Aid-12, Gambling-12, Holdout-12, Merchant-12, Research-11, Stealth-12, Streetwise-12.

Languages: English-12.

Equipment: electrolaser pistol; 2 spare B cells; compact Small computer with DVI, VR gloves, and augmented reality, basic VR, and 3d social telepresence programs; hive pack with 1-hex surveillance dust microbot swarm; implant communicator; arachnoweave armor bodysuit (PD 2/1, DR 8/2, all but head); emergency medkit; $3,297.