Naanomi Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 I'm looking to play in my first game... my GM nixed my earlier character idea (I wasn't aware of some background in the game setting he is running), so I had to come up with something else... Chip Smitson AKA Amazing Lad of 'Captain Amazing and Amazing Boy' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chip Smitson had always been, in some way, a member of the super-hero community. The son of one of the world's most powerful psychic villainess 'Mind Mistress', when she destroyed her own mind fighting against , they decided to take in the young infant as their collective ward. His undeveloped mind possessed dangerous and unpredictable psychic abilities. The normal world was not a safe place from Chip, and so he grew up in the top-secret headquarters of ; spending much of his childhood living inside a psychic inhibitor field. As he grew, his powers stabalized and, by the age of 7, apparently faded. While psychic probing demonstrated strong psychic potential still existed, he showed no unusual abilities born from his strange lineage. Still, he was knowledgable about the super-hero community, and nearly obsessed with the super-hero world. The era of 'kid sidekicks' had mostly passed, and Chip was sent ot live with loving foster parents... though Chip was still allowed to hang around the base and was on friendly, if patronizing, terms with many of the world's greatest heros. Nearing his tenth birthday, Chips wildest dreams came true. An Amazing hero, sent from Dimension Z to protect Earth, came and (with no knowledge of Earthly heroes and villians himself) sought to take in Chip as his Ward. Chip named him 'Captain Amazing' and dubed himself 'Amazing Lad'. While Amazing Lad has no powers himself (other than being quick on a skate board, a good shot with a slingshot, and quick at hiding when danger strikes), his Encyclopedic knowledge of the Heros and Villians of the world have helped the enigmatic Captain Amazing become a world class hero! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The gimmick is, of course, that Captain Amazing is just a psychic construct, built by the powerful desire of Chip to fit in to the world of heros he grew up in. Captain Amazing will be a pretty standard flying brick build, played to the hilt with old hero cliches. What would the best way to do this build? My first thought was have the Captain be a high point duplicant/summon, and Chip's only real power to be an invisability/mind control 'ignore me, I'm just the sidekick!' power linked to when the Captian is 'out of Dimension Z'. Would this be the best way to try something like this, or would it be better to make the actual Hero be 'Captain Z', and make Chip an always present low powered 'Focus' of sorts? Or should he just be a powerful telekinetic effect with 'independent' limitation? Any help is appreciated, we start playing Sunday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killer Shrike Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 Re: Summonable Hero Very similar to this character: Answerman! For your purposes, just build Amazing Man and take Chip as a useful DNPC. Add an additional Physical Lim to Amazing Man that if Chip dies so does Amazing Man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naanomi Posted May 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 Re: Summonable Hero Interesting... and give Captain Amazing a 'dimensional transport' on a trigger of Chip calling him... to and from the dimension of 'Chip's imagination'? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killer Shrike Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 Re: Summonable Hero I wouldn't. There is no such dimension. Its just fluff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naanomi Posted May 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 Re: Summonable Hero Then what would be the best way to simulate the 'only exists when Chip calls' effect? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killer Shrike Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 Re: Summonable Hero Does it really affect play? Seems like flavor to me. When the game needs supers, there he is. How he gets there is kind of immaterial / off camera. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoutybloke Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 Re: Summonable Hero Make chip the main character, and take Amazing man as a slightly lower powered duplicate. Then give Chip a load of IPE indirect powers he can use to aid amazing man. Chips really the one doing most of the work,subconciously, with his awsome psychic powers, Amazing Man just flies, draws fire, and hits things. Alternately, if your GM is not too fussed about active point limits, you could just make Amazing man out of Images, and take the physical manifestation (Amazing Man does it) on Chips indirect powers. The key point with both of these builds is that they give the player fullcontrol over both characters, whereas with summon or taking Chip asa DNPC, one would be controled by the GM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naanomi Posted May 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 Re: Summonable Hero Does it really affect play? Seems like flavor to me. When the game needs supers' date=' there he is. How he gets there is kind of immaterial / off camera.[/quote'] No, I envision Chip getting some spotlight time... sneaking in, getting captured by the badguys, and yelling 'Help me Captain Amazing!' and *poof* he appears to save the day. I can also envision a 'My work here is done, I must return to Dimension Z to rest!' situation. Where Chip has no 'superpowers' on his own really, he is less conspicuous (no on expects the kid to be a threat) and more useful in social situations (Captain Amazing is a collection of cliche's and imagination... not much personality on him) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naanomi Posted May 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 Re: Summonable Hero Ok... so how is this for a basic rundown of Chip's powers... specific points not included, and I need to figure out how those Power groups work... remember this is one of my first characters in this system, so I may be doing it wrong. 'Bond Between Hero and Sidekick': Mind Link (5) 'Help me Captain Amazing!': Absorption (5 per Die): To Duplication 'Get 'em Captain!': Aid (10 per Die) +1 LOS Range, + Variable Effect, -1/4 Gestures, -1/4 Incantations, -2 Limited: Only on Captain Amazing 'Captain Amazing!': Duplication (1 per 5 points, +1 per 1 above total) ; Altered Duplicate +1, No Averaging -0, Difficult to Dispel +1/4, -1/4 Incantations, -1/4 Only in Heroic Identity 'Get up, Captain!': Healing (10 per die +5 Can heal limbs, +20 Resurrection) +1 ¼ Usable every turn, +1 LOS Range, + ¼ Variable Effect, -1/4 Gestures, -1/4 Incantations, -2 Limited: Only on Captain Amazing 'Ignore the Sidekick': Invisibility, Non-targeting (Sight, Sound, Smell, Mind) (25) -1/4 Linked to Duplication, -1/4 Still visible to mindless 'Skateboard': Running (2 per 1’’) -1/2 only on appropriate terrain, -1/2 RSR, OAF -1 'Trusty Slingshot': Energy Blast (5 per 1d6) -1/4 Reduced Penetration, OAF -1 'Your secrets are safe with me': Mental Defense (1 per 1) -2 Only to protect ‘Captain Amazing’ secret 'Sidekick Training: Skill (Teamwork) (As skill cost) -2 Only with Captain Amazing, -1/4 Only in Heroic Identity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killer Shrike Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 Re: Summonable Hero {shrugs} Here's a duplication construct character: Blackjack and his Luck Forms Here's a physical manifestation construct character: Mythic I wouldn't recommend Physical Manifestation for something like this; Captain Amazing sounds like he should be durable, and physical manifestations are not very. Also, w Physical Manifestation you would have SPD oriented incongruities. You could also just ask the GM to let you make a normal powered superhero and a normal powered kid and just play up the relationship as shtick. Alternately, if you just want chip to run around summoning his imaginary friend, then Summon (the power) works fine for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinecone Posted May 16, 2009 Report Share Posted May 16, 2009 Re: Summonable Hero I'd likely build it as a Summon, and give the Super an "Array" of boosts that only kick in when his "sidekick" is near... +3 w HTH, only with 5" of "Timmy"...etc I'd make him "Loyal" or better, but play up that the Capt is a seperate character... So for example a seductrive villianess could totally scam our "Hero" leaving "timmy" in danger... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice9 Posted May 19, 2009 Report Share Posted May 19, 2009 Re: Summonable Hero Summon would do it, and with a high-loyalty Summon and Mind Link, you should probably be able to play it yourself. Points should be no problem in that case - a summon of equal power will eat 2/5 of your points at most, leaving you plenty for Chip's superhero knowledge and aiding powers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naanomi Posted May 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2009 Re: Summonable Hero In the end I went with a Summon. It seemed the best way to get a 'come and go' hero without a great deal of fuss. Plus I could drop the very expensive 'resurrect Captain Amazing' power and simply summon a new one. After all, he is really just a psychic manifestation... not really summoning the *same* manifestation. Thanks for all the help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragdoll Posted May 22, 2009 Report Share Posted May 22, 2009 Re: Summonable Hero Summon's good, but it runs into potential problems with the 'number of tasks' thing built into the power. He should probably be built with a high EGO score. The side kick I mean, to maximize the number of phases the Captain can be out and summoned. I suppositioned that the sidekick could pump out another round of end to keep captain around in battle, but if you have something like: Summon 250 point alternate, Specific Being +1, and Slavishly Loyal +1, well.. it's like 15 end per summon, and 15 again to keep him around after his tasks run out. I guess one 'good thing' is at slavishly loyal, you get number of tasks = to the summoners ego, so even if the side kick had 10 ego, and Captain had a spd of 5, he could 'still' stay around and fight for like 2 turns. Still the sidekick has probably best have a lot of end, or some kind of endurance reserve. Also don't forget that a summoned creature brought in is stunned for the first phase. So when the Captain gets there, he can't act until his next phase I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naanomi Posted May 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 Re: Summonable Hero Also don't forget that a summoned creature brought in is stunned for the first phase. So when the Captain gets there, he can't act until his next phase I think. He is not stunned! He just has to say his 'I've come to save the day!' catch phrase. It is only fair to the enemy to announce his arrival... A more experienced friend of mine says that I should have built this as an Multiform... Form 1: Knowledgeable and somewhat sneaky Chip, Form 2: Brick Captain Amazing with 'cannot combine' Duplicate Amazing Lad, who (like all sidekicks) loses all his usefulness except for as an 'Aid' cheerleader. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragdoll Posted May 23, 2009 Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 Re: Summonable Hero He is not stunned! He just has to say his 'I've come to save the day!' catch phrase. It is only fair to the enemy to announce his arrival... A more experienced friend of mine says that I should have built this as an Multiform... Form 1: Knowledgeable and somewhat sneaky Chip, Form 2: Brick Captain Amazing with 'cannot combine' Duplicate Amazing Lad, who (like all sidekicks) loses all his usefulness except for as an 'Aid' cheerleader. *laughs* I love that. Very, very Four Color Golden Age. Nice Touch. =) I think sticking with summon is your best bet. According to Ghost Angel, the interpretation of what constitutes a task is up to the player and GM. So it'd be perfectly reasonable to say, one fight (or a scene if you prefer) is one task.. so he beats the baddies, and flies off with Chip to some other crime. And since the level of Slavish Loyalty gives like 10 tasks at a base EGO of 10 you're talking at least ten complete combats, or 10 days, hours, whatever. So it seems he might come and go with a pretty easy regularity. =) The Multiform's a good idea, but it's a pretty convoluted build in my opinion. Of course, if you don't use some disadvantages to summon to bring the cost down, you might have precious little room to tack on the cheerleading powers you mentioned earlier. Of course, I'm not sure what point level you're playing at, either. =) I'm just using my default 250 to talk about this. I know most folks go far higher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinecone Posted May 23, 2009 Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 Re: Summonable Hero He is not stunned! He just has to say his 'I've come to save the day!' catch phrase. It is only fair to the enemy to announce his arrival... A more experienced friend of mine says that I should have built this as an Multiform... Form 1: Knowledgeable and somewhat sneaky Chip, Form 2: Brick Captain Amazing with 'cannot combine' Duplicate Amazing Lad, who (like all sidekicks) loses all his usefulness except for as an 'Aid' cheerleader. Perfectly good way to build him...though you have to pay extra to have them differ.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naanomi Posted May 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 Re: Summonable Hero I think sticking with summon is your best bet. According to Ghost Angel, the interpretation of what constitutes a task is up to the player and GM. So it'd be perfectly reasonable to say, one fight (or a scene if you prefer) is one task.. so he beats the baddies, and flies off with Chip to some other crime. We are pretty lose with the 'tasks' thing... one task is 'Protect Chip', the rest are 'fight that guy', 'save her', etc... If I feel I need more tasks, I can always buy up my Ego with the limitation: -1/2 Only for Summoning Tasks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinecone Posted May 23, 2009 Report Share Posted May 23, 2009 Re: Summonable Hero "Burst of confidence!" (Thank gawd, Capt. Amazing is here!") +10 Ego, only within 5" of the captain... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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