Character Design Example

[cassusaevum]

Thought I'd post my initial draft of Chris's character along with some design thoughts in case anyone found it helpful.

Concept: Manipulator of machines and technology.  A "Technopath" or "Technomancer"

Resistances

Composure 3D
Fortitude 2D
Reaction 2D
Will 3D
Total Spent: 6 Dice

Aptitudes

Academia (from Super Brain) 3D
Athletics 2D
Awareness 2D
Presence 2D
Technology 3D
Total Spent: 5 Dice

Powers

Telekinesis 4D (Drawback - Machines only, -1D)
Telepathy 3D (Boost - Affects Machines +1D, Drawback - Only Affects Machines -1D)
Super Brain 3D
Total Spent: 9 Dice

Advantages & Disadvantages
Vain (Dis, -1D)
I brought this along... (Adv, 1D)
Total Spent: 0 Dice

Competency Dice: 0D

Design Notes

Having 1D in resistances is living on the edge, so I wanted to make sure that the character had at least 2D in each.  As this feels like a character who is more mental than physical, I bumped both Will and Composure up to 3D.

The core skills for the build are really Technology and Academia (which is free from Super Brain), but to give the character some versatility in times/places where powers might be difficult to use or in those situation where there isn't a lot of tech to interact with, I added a point into Awareness, Athletics, and Presence as well.  This rounds the character out a bit.  I considered Investigation over Presence, but went with Presence as a nod to Chris's play-style rather than what might be the most sensible for the character.

The Telekinesis power more closely fits some of the description Chris was giving at the table (i.e. ripping a car apart and then rebuilding it into a shield or a punchy arm or whatever).  More broadly, this will allow attacks and defense by using elements of the environment (as well as other creative uses) with a tech/machine theme.  Technology and Machinery are REALLY broad terms (I mean, technically a hammer is technology) but I think this is a "know it when we see it" kind of thing.  Because TK normally affects anything, the "only affects machines" is a clear drawback.  I bumped this up to 4 dice (a high rating) because it feels like the central pillar of the character.

An aspect that also falls under the "Technopath" umbrella is the ability to control machines.  Mind Control falls under the Telepathy power in Supers!.  It doesn't normally affect machines.  So, in this case, we're taking Telepathy, adding a boost so that it can work on machines and then adding a drawback so that it ONLY works on machines.  With this power, Chris can effectively "remote control" machines with his mind.  This is different from simply moving them with TK, as it also allows for things like communicating with machines and changing certain things.  For example, if he took control of a security camera (attacking with telepathy and reducing the will of the camera to 0) he could review and erase the footage.  Note that this does require actions... even the simplest machine has a "will" that you can think of as its programming or firewall.

Super Brain is a (pun intended) no-brainer for the character.  In addition to giving the Academia skill, Super Brain is a viable defense in most cases and can quite possibly be used offensively with a little creativity.  It can also be applied to things like solving puzzles/riddles/etc...

Chris's character sounded a bit vain (always thinking he's the smartest in the room) and that's something that perceptive people might exploit, so the Vain drawback seemed fitting.

Finally, we have the "creating technology" aspect of the character.  This, in an of itself, doesn't feel central to the theme of "technomancer" so instead of going the super-science and gadget route, I've taken "I brought this along..."  The advantage essentially allows a once-per-session gadget to come into play.  Backed by his other skills and powers, it is also thematically fitting.

This build has spent all 20 Character Creation Dice and has a competency pool of 0 Dice.  To do stunts and modify rolls, this build will have to rely on Temporary Competency Dice (or wait until experience is gained).

You'll note that the character doesn't have any "super movement" powers.  That's okay.  Neither do a lot of comic book characters and it isn't as big of a deal in SUPERS! as it is in some systems.  Even without them, his base speed is going to be 6 squares (calculated from his Athleticism and Reaction) and all of his attacks have the potential to be used at range (short range for his TK is 12 inches... range is based on power rating).  There are also power stunts that can add thinks like flight (using TK to construct a platform a la green goblin) or if it's just getting across the city, everything from taking a taxi to using telepathy to start up any car along the way and get a ride.

So, that was my thought process on this build.  As I'm going to help Julie with her Wildcat build, I'll post another of these once we're done.

[cassusaevum]

Now a look at the design of Wildcat...

Resistances

Composure 2D
Fortitude 3D
Reaction 3D
Will 3D
Total Spent: 7 Dice

Aptitudes

Athleticism 2D (More Agile than Strong 1/3)
Awareness 2D
Fighting 2D
Streetwise 2D
Total Spent: 4 Dice

Powers

3 Super Leap (Drawback Only in Hero ID) 
3 Super Senses Hearing, Sight, Smell (Drawback Only in Hero ID, Additional Senses +2)
4 Super Weaponry - Claws (Drawback Only in Hero ID, Drawback Touch Attack, Boost Extra Effect vs. Armor)
Total Spent: 9 points

Advantages & Disadvantages

Dependent (Hunter Fairchild, -1D)
Accidental Transformation (-1D)
Instant Change (1D)
Total Spent: -1D

Competency Pool: 1D

Design Notes

Wildcat is a physical character, so we upped both Reaction and Fortitude to 3D.  But Felicia's backstory is also one of perseverance and struggle, so that seemed to warrant a bump to Will as well.  

Felicia is, for the most part, a normal girl in her "non-powered" form, so we didn't put too much in Aptitudes.  While she is a student with lofty goals, she's just getting started, so there was no real need to put anything in Medicine, Tech, or Academia.  While Presence would be useful, Julie decided that Felicia just isn't very great at landing social punches.  Felicia is athletic, but not particularly strong, so we took advantage of the Trade-Off mechanic.  For Athletics rolls about agility, Felicia/Wildcat will be rolling 3 dice, but for Strength based ones, only 1 die.  Awareness, fighting, and streetwise simulate Felicia growing up poor in a bad neighborhood.  She's not a stranger to scrap, has some situational awareness, and knows which gangs operate where.

Unlike the Technomancer, Wildcat only has powers when she's in her cat form.  All of her powers therefor have the "only in hero-ID drawback."  This means that if she's in a situation where it's impossible or impractical to switch forms, she's stuck with her aptitudes.  In general, Wildcat can leap about the battlefield, has preternatural senses, and has claws that can cut through damn near anything.  Because super weaponry is, by default, both melee and ranged, she added the Touch Attack drawback (melee only).  She also added the Extra Effect vs. Armor Boost.  This means the claws are particularly effective against the Armor Power.  If the enemy defends with Armor, Wildcat rolls 2 extra dice.  From the GM side of the screen, I would likely play this as something the villains would have to learn... but once they see Wildcat tearing off chunks of armor, they'll probably switch defensive tactics.

Wildcat has a pair of disadvantages.  The first is that she has a dependent for whom she is financially and legally responsible.  The second is that under times of stress, she'll have to make a willpower roll to avoid turning into Wildcat when she otherwise might not want to.

On the advantage front, Wildcat has the Instant Change ability.  This means the switch from Felicia to Wildcat is essentially a free action.  Without this, the change would take some narratively appropriate amount of time - probably no more than a single round.

When all the math is done, Wildcat is left with a single Permanent Competency Die.  That will give her the ability to do a stunt or increase a roll (or similar) once per session without having to dip into the Threat territory.

On the movement front, while Wildcat is fast and agile, her move action with leaping will net her 11 inches.  More impressive than the Technomancer, but still nowhere near how MnM functions.  I consider this a feature and not a flaw.