"It's a curse really, I always have the time to come up with the perfect one-liner but by the time they can hear it they're already unconscious."
The Speedster - PL 10
Sex: Female
Age: 18
Height: 5'4" | Weight: 98 | Hair: Red | Eyes: Green
Role: The Goofball, the Affable One, The Heart, The Underdog
Waifu Stats
Division - Lower Welter Weight
Series - None (Archetype)
Focus - Melee, Hit and Run, Scout, Area Control
Waifu Typing - Genki, Nerdy
Strength 0, Stamina 4, Agility 6/4, Dexterity 1, Fighting 6/4, Intellect 0, Awareness 2, Presence 2
Advantages
Agile Feint, Defensive Attack, Evasion 2, Improved Defense, Improved Initiative 2, Move-by Action, Redirect, Set-up, Takedown 2, Taunt, Uncanny Dodge
Skills
Acrobatics 2 (+8), Athletics 5 (+5), Close Combat: Unarmed 1 (+7), Deception 3 (+5), Insight 3 (+5), Perception 2 (+4), Persuasion 2 (+4), Ranged Combat: Throw 6 (+7)
Powers
Speed Features: Feature 5
[b wrote:Speed Feature Options[/b]]
- Air Break: Movement 1 (Safe Fall; Platform)
- Decoy: Feature 1 (Notes: Facinate using Speed Ranks)
- Distract: Feature 1 (Notes: When fainting the Vulnerable and Defenseless penalties will instead apply to the opponents accuracy, acing as Impaired and Disabled applied to their attack checks.)
- Flawless Dodge: Feature 1 (Notes: Natural 20s will not auto hit you.)
- Inertia Resistant: Immunity 2 (Uncommon Descriptor: Own Slam Damage; Limited - Half Effect)
- Quick Reflexes: Senses 1 (Danger Sense: Vision)
- Run on Water: Movement 1 (Water Walking 1: you sink if you are prone; Platform)
- Run Up Walls: Movement 1 (Wall-crawling 1: -1 speed rank; Limited: One Move Action, Limited: While Moving)
- Running Leap: Feature 1 (Notes: Add Leaping as an Alternate Effect of Speed)
- Soft Step: Feature 1 (Notes: You are hard to see while moving. Otherw sill have to make a perception check vs DC10+speed in order to perceive you during motion.)
- Speed Tricks: Feature 1 (Notes: Purchase an Alternate Effect for Quick Attack)
- Swift Escape: Feature 1 (Notes: Succeeding the dodge save of an area affect attack by 2 or more degrees completely negates all damage provided the user has movement ranks to leave area.)
- Swift Hands (Subtle: subtle, Notes: Applies subtle to strength effects)
- Turn On A Dime: Feature 1 (Notes: Add Precise to speed.)
Speedster
. .
Defensive Roll: Protection 4 (+4 Toughness; Sustained)
. .
Evasion: Enhanced Trait 21 (Traits: Dodge +2 (+12), Parry +2 (+12), Fighting +2 (+6), Agility +2 (+6), Advantages: Agile Feint, Evasion 2, Improved Initiative 2, Move-by Action, Takedown 2, Uncanny Dodge)
. .
Quick Attack: Strength-based Damage 5 (DC 20; Accurate 4: +8, Improved Critical, Multiattack)
. .
Super Speed: Speed 10 (Speed: 2000 miles/hour, 4 miles/round)
Optional - 10pp each wrote:Module - Backgrounds
. . Affable: Enhanced Trait 10 (Traits: Presence +2 (+4), Persuasion +4 (+8), Deception +4 (+9), Advantages: Fascinate (Deception), Teamwork)
. . Animal Speed (Advantages: All-out Attack, Animal Empathy, Favored Environment: Choose Environment, Improved Critical)
. . . . Movement: Movement 1 (Slithering)
. . . . Senses: Senses 4 (Acute: Smell, Danger Sense: Hearing, Low-light Vision, Ultra-hearing)
. . Energy Channeler
. . . . Recharge: Regeneration 10 (Every 1 round; Source: Own Energy Descriptor)
. . . . Reistance: Immunity 10 (Common Descriptor: Own Energy Descriptor; Limited - Half Effect)
. . Racer
. . . . Racer: Enhanced Trait 6 (Traits: Expertise +5 (+5), Vehicles +7 (+8))
. . . . Summon Vehicle: Summon 2 (Controlled; Self-Powered)
. . Scientist: Enhanced Trait 10 (Traits: Technology +6 (+8), Expertise: Science +6 (+8), Intellect +2 (+2))
. . Scout
. . . . Enhanced Trait: Enhanced Trait 8 (Traits: Investigation +8 (+8), Perception +4 (+8), Advantages: Skill Mastery, Tracking)
. . . . Quickness: Quickness 6 (Perform routine tasks in -6 time ranks; Limited to One Task: Search Area)
. . Shinobi (Advantages: Favored Environment: Shadows, Hide in Plain Sight)
. . . . Expertise Shinobi: Enhanced Trait 6 (Traits: Acrobatics +2 (+10), Expertise: Ninja +6 (+6), Stealth +4 (+10))
. . . . Leave No Trace: Movement 1 (Trackless: Tactile 1)
. . Speed Force: Variable 1 (Action 3: reaction, Increased Duration: continuous; Uncontrolled)
. . Temporal Tourist (Advantages: Favored Foe: Well known future historical figures, Well-informed)
. . . . Chronoport: Movement 3 (Time Travel 3: any time, 50 lbs.)
. . . . Knowledge of Future History: Senses 4 (Precognition; Check Required 2: DC 11 - Memory)
Optional - 10pp each wrote:Module - Greater Speed Powers
. . Brute Force Solution: Nullify 5 (Counters: Effects that can be overcome by repeated attempts, DC 15; Broad, Feature: Can be linked to Quick Attack, Multiattack; Activation: move action, Reduced Range: close)
. . Dodging Death: Immortality 20 (Return after 3 seconds; Limited: Does not recover injuries other than killing injury, Tiring)
. . Greater Mobility: Feature 10 (Notes: Replace speed with either Flight or Teleport or purchase 10 ranks of leaping.)
. . Interpose Object: Create 10 (Volume: 1000 cft., DC 20; Feature: Hidden until interacted with, Innate, Subtle: look natural; Activation: move action, Diminished Range 2, Limited: Dependant on Objects in Area, Permanent)
. . Quick Change: Morph 3 (Removable, +20 Deception checks to disguise; Broad group; Activation 2: standard action, Notes: Disguise self to look like similar people.)
. . Quick Learner: Variable 1 (skills, Advantages: Improvised Tools; Action 2: free, Notes: Quickly pick up most skills and some skill based powers.)
. . Return to Sender: Immunity 10 (Common Descriptor: Physical Projectiles; Reflect; Limited: Reflect, Notes: This immunity only activates on successful dodge save rather than when struck.)
. . Sidestep: Teleport 2 (120 feet in a move action, carrying 50 lbs.; Reaction 3: reaction, Selective; Limited: Must be able to physically move to location)
. . Vibro-Strike: Weaken 5 (Affects: Toughness, Resisted by: Fortitude, DC 15; Affects Objects Only, Multiattack, Notes: Linked Quick Attack)
. . Whiplash: Affliction 5 (1st degree: Impaired, 2nd degree: Disabled, 3rd degree: Incapacitated, Resisted by: Fortitude, DC 15; Multiattack, Notes: Linked to Quick Attack)
Optional - 5pp each wrote:Module - Lesser Speed Powers (Free device, Removable)
. . After Images: Concealment 4 (All Visual Senses; Feature: Creates illusionary duplicates; Limited: Evasion bonuses)
. . Blitz (Custom: Add Selective, Secondary Effect, Penetrating, or Ranged, Notes: Add a +1 extra to Quick Attack)
. . Buffeting Winds: Environment 2 (Impede Movement (2 ranks), Visibility (-2), Radius: 60 feet, Advantages: Favored Environment: Maelstrom; Activation 2: standard action)
. . Don't Blink: Concealment 2 (Sense - Sight; Subtle: subtle)
. . Fast Recovery: Regeneration 5 (Every 2 rounds)
. . Living in high gear: Quickness 5 (Perform routine tasks in -5 time ranks)
. . Momentum Lifting: Enhanced Strength 5 (+5 STR; Limited to Lifting)
. . Near Miss: Healing 6 (Subtle: subtle, Triggered: 1 use - Being struck; Limited: Self, Limited: Only Damage received by trigger)
. . Outrun The Explosion: Immunity 10 (Common Descriptor: Area of Effect; Limited: Requires successful dodge check)
. . Outspeed: Immunity 5 (Custom: Slowing Effects 5)
. . Speed up Metabolism: Enhanced Trait 8 (Traits: Fortitude +8 (+12); Activation 2: standard action, Quirk: Does not affect rolls for suffocation, starvation, thirst, or resisting certain environments)
Array and Power Stunt Options wrote:Module - Quick Attack Array Options 15pp or less
. . After Image: Insubstantial 4 (Incorporeal; Concentration, Quirk: Not against surprise attacks)
. . Ambush: Affliction 8 (1st degree: Vulnerable, 2nd degree: Defenseless, DC 18; Alternate Resistance (Dodge), Increased Range 2: perception, Indirect 4: any point, any direction, Subtle: subtle, Triggered 2: 2 uses - Variable Trigger; Instant Recovery, Limited Degree)
. . Assemble: Transform 5 (Affects: Broad > Broad - Materials into Finished Product, Transforms: 25 lbs., DC 15; Uncontrolled)
. . Dervish: Damage 5 (DC 20; Reaction 3: reaction; Limited: Requires Standard Action to Maintain)
. . Disassemble: Transform 5 (Affects: Broad > 1 Thing - Object into component parts, Transforms: 25 lbs., DC 15)
. . Distraction (10pp): Perception Area Affliction 10 (1st degree: Vulnerable, 2nd degree: Defenseless, Resisted by: Will, DC 20; Perception Area: DC 20 - Sight, Selective; Instant Recovery, Limited Degree)
. . Flicker Off: Nullify 5 (Counters: Effects that can be nullified by moving them forward or backwards in time, DC 15; Broad, Multiattack, Simultaneous; Reduced Range: close)
. . Flurry of Blows: Burst Area Damage 5 (DC 20; Accurate 4 (+8), Burst Area: 30 feet radius sphere, DC 15)
. . Kansas City Shuffle: Burst Area Teleport Attack 5 (900 feet in a move action, carrying 50 lbs., DC 15; Burst Area: 30 feet radius sphere, DC 15, Attack: Dodge, Precise, Selective; Activation: move action, Tiring)
. . Quick Build: Create 7 (Volume: 125 cft., DC 17; Increased Duration: continuous, Innate, Precise, Subtle: look natural; Activation: move action, Quirk: Cannot Dismiss Object, Source: Required Materials)
. . Rewind: Healing 15 (Restorative; Limited: Self, Limited: Only injuries obtained since last turn.)
. . Scout: Remote Sensing 8 (Affects: 3 Types, inc. Visual - Vision, Tactile, Smell, Range: 1 mile; Activation: move action, Concentration, Feedback)
. . Shockwave Punch: Damage 5 (DC 20; Accurate 7: +14, Increased Range: ranged; Diminished Range 2)
. . Shockwave: Line Area Move Object 8 (6 tons; Line Area 2: 5 feet wide by 60 feet long, DC 18; Activation: move action, Limited Direction: Blowing Away, Reduced Range: close)
. . Tie Up: Move Object 5 (1600 lbs.; Increased Duration: continuous, Increased Range: perception; Limited: Grabbing and holding)
. . Yoink!: Teleport Attack 5 (900 feet in a move action, carrying 50 lbs., DC 15; Accurate 4 (+8)Attack: Dodge, Multiattack, Precise; Limited to Objects
Offense
Initiative +14
Ambush: Affliction 8 (DC Dog/Fort/Will 18)
Assemble: Transform 5, +6 (DC Dog 15)
Brute Force Solution: Nullify 5, +15 (DC Will 15)
Dervish: Damage 5 (DC 20)
Disassemble: Transform 5, +6 (DC Dog 15)
Distraction (10pp): Perception Area Affliction 10 (DC Will 20)
Flicker Off: Nullify 5, +15 (DC Will 15)
Flurry of Blows: Burst Area Damage 5 (DC 20)
Grab, +6 (DC Spec 10)
Kansas City Shuffle: Burst Area Teleport Attack 5 (DC Dog 15)
Quick Attack: Strength-based Damage 5, +15 (DC 20)
Shockwave Punch: Damage 5, +15 (DC 20)
Shockwave: Line Area Move Object 8 (DC 18)
Throw, +7 (DC 15)
Tie Up: Move Object 5 (DC 15)
Unarmed, +7 (DC 15)
Vibro-Strike: Weaken 5, +15 (DC Fort 15)
Whiplash: Affliction 5, +15 (DC Fort 15)
Yoink!: Teleport Attack 5, +15 (DC Dog 15)
Complications
Power Loss - Mobility: The Speedster often needs either free movement or a wide area to be able to fight at their best. Hindering them or rendering them immobile may render them powerless.
Reputation - Goofball: Speedsters are often the most sociable and fun loving of the heroes. As a result they are often seen as the weakest or most immature.
Weakness - High Metabolism: Such high speed often comes at the cost of an equally high caloric requirement. Speedsters often eat many times the amount a normal person does and may even quickly become fatigued due to a lack sustenance.
Languages
Native Language
Defense
Dodge 12/10, Parry 12/10, Fortitude 4, Toughness 8, Will 8
Power Points
Abilities 34 + Powers 55 + Advantages 5 + Skills 12 (24 ranks) + Defenses 14 = 120
Notes:
The Speedster archetype, a new and improved take on the pre-made character provided by the free source book.
Examples in fiction: The Flash from DC Comics, Ruby Rose from RWBY, Tracer from Overwatch, Homura Akemi from Madoka
The premier hero for mobility, agility, and anyone who just wants to go fast. The Speedster is one of the classic hero types, like the Power House it's a rather straightforward concept to grasp. Where the Powerhouse is excels in strength the Speedster excels in mobility. Quick, Agile, and often a greater focus on accuracy (or just saturation) over power the two function as opposites in many ways. While often characterized by a high running speed a Speedster can have different primary mobility power provided it's also at a high rank. Flying Speedsters are common, Teleporters are also a popular choice. Speedsters are also not limited to just their speed either, as the Speedster often dual classes with other archetypes with the most prominent being Energy Controllers and the Battle Suit.
Speedster with their quickness are often rather energetic, and thus, quite happy, affable, and friendly. They're the jokesters, goofballs, and often the "heart" of the team even more so than Paragons. They're more relatable nature often has them act as the humanizing part in a Hero team, giving a more reasonable and relatable perspective on dramatic and unbelievable events. This silly nature paired with their usual lack of destructive power and relative fragility tends to have the Speedster seen as weaker than they actually are. It's in such events that the Speedster tends to pull off their greatest moments, leveraging their speed in creative ways to pull off astounding upsets and punch well above normal weight-class or pull off otherwise impossible tasks.
Customization:
The Speedster Archetype has most of it's core requirements already met by default. Defense and offensive caps are met with 5 points of features to provide some support skills. There is 30pp of customization that's available with free reign over what can be purchased without harming the build. As speedsters often dual class there's no requirement to stick to the provided Greater and Lesser powers or the Backgrounds, powers and modules could be purchased from other archetypes to attempt to build a speedster version of them.
Customizing a Speedster is usually relatively simple, placing speed feats or additional powers onto the build as the core build itself is generalized enough to work with most things without complicated tweaking. Likewise several aspects of the Speedster build are fairly optional, the high ranks of speed may not be needed for example and some can be traded to put more points in other aspects or else placed into an array where "Top Speed" can be swapped out for "Cruising Speed" and some additional traits. Similarly a few ranks of Speed can be given flaws like Distracting or Tiring to allow a higher top speed (if lower normal speed) for really impressive distances to be covered. Speed Feats can be placed on some ranks of Speed in order to accomplish this.
Due to all the Speedsters powers being sustained at most Arrays can be built off any of them, though it is not always recommended to use core defensive traits such as Dodge, Parry, and protection in an array due to the risks involved. Such should be saved for Power stunts, if at all, and should only be traded off in small amounts or when relatively safe. But the points are available to use should the situation ever require it.
Several comon themes found in Speedsters are represented in the Backgrounds. Affable boosts their interaction ability, representing the usual trend of Speedsters often being a bit charming and lovable or roguish and guile. Animal Speed is for those speedsters who's agility is the domain of the specific animal they channel, Hares, Gazelle, Hawks, big cats, and sometimes snakes can fall into this category though the general assumption is some form of mammal. Energy controller is not a requirement for those who want to make an Energy Controller version of a speedster, but more a simple representation for one that's more Speedster than Controller, just being a more minor secondary power compared to a perhaps a blast AE and their charged speed. The usual Energy that is taken are Wind or Electricity which are usually seen as the quickest, though light and shadows are not uncommon.
Racing is an odd background for the Speedster in terms of Game mechanics, as it grants very little benefit on it's own. Some speedsters simply just often have a side job involved in some for of piloting or driving in their downtime making the benefits of this more cosmetic than mechanical. However some steps could be taken to lessen the costs of it, lowering speed such that a summoned Vehicle can grant a highter top speed could help. The Racer may also be a device user, allowing the powers to gain the Removable flaw granting 11 pp (10pp if speed is lowered to 5 which is recommended) if all powers are made Removable and thus completely paying for this background.
The Scientist is another career background that doesn't off much mechanical benefit. Some Speedsters simply have greater intelligence and gained their powers through some invention or experiment of theirs. The bonuses provided are not bad but do not synergize too well with the core aspects of the Speedster, being more of a "Just in case" benefit than something actively used. Like the Racer the Scientist could make their powers removable
in order to pay off the cost of this Background. In such a case Inventor is recommended, both as a way to provide more use to the moderate Technology skill but also as an explanation of where their Speed Suit originated from.
Scout and Shinobi both focus on adding options to the Speedster's gameplay style. The Scout being a tracker and investigator, they are able to provide some invaluable information for teams, even with dedicated investigators as they can quickly gather and locate evidence for a the more skilled investigator. Shinobi help them succeed with a different combat style, being more stealthy and capable in espionage.
Speed Force is a niche background, it represents the more absurd Speedsters who seem to regularly pull out weird tricks or abilities fairly often with often nebulous explanations on how speed can be used to achieve the affect. Fazing through solid matter, running through time, avoiding getting wet by dodging rain drops in the middle of a storm, etc. This is uncontrollable, in the hands of the GM to allow or disallow any minor ability or feature or for them to use it as a plot hook as they please. In the hands of the player it mostly serves to provide small niche features that often amount to little more than aesthetics or minor conveniences while the GM can quickly overrule anything too upsetting or powerful. In the hands of the GM it could be used to give the PC a needed feature or immunity to keep a story on track if things go wrong or as a means of starting a new plot as it spontaneously adds a new power like time travel.
Temporal Tourist is for the time manipulators, a specific breed of Speedster that isn't isn't actually fast but uses Time manipulation to make it appear so. this is often paired with alternate effects on speed or Quick Attack to represent their time powers, such as setting up an Ambush or moving objects while time is stopped.
Gameplay:
Speedsters are another pseudo-support class. They're defense and accuracy focus means they don't function as well in a frontline position as other classes. Instead they usually offer some form of tactical advantage in the middle of a fight, ensuring some foes don't run off, providing combat assistance to frontline fighters, or accomplishing important but time consuming tasks while the group acts as a shield.
Depending on the build the Speedster can function better in combat or out of it, but still tends to be more support to more dedicated builds. A Utility speedster often focuses on non-standard combat, things like social manipulation or situational obstacles like tech or investigations. A Combat speedster focuses on riskier but more rewarding combat maneouvers such as all out attack.
For role play, the Speedster is suited to those more naturally charismatic or who want to play such a character. Their silly nature and goofball attitude necessitates a player be willing to allow their character to lose face or become the butt of a joke, as a the Speedster doesn't take themselves too seriously and are more than able to laugh at themselves.
Build Notes:
Another... Not terrible build for the original archetypes. Underwhelming but functional. Other than being very far on the wrong side of the PL Shift on both ends, a system flaw more than something wrong with the build itself, there's no major issues. That and the fact it couldn't actually afford to hit the PL cap even on a max Accuracy offense. Yeah, multi attack will really help there, just get 3 degrees of success on a hit for 10 ranks of damage! I mean, it's not like you could spend the same amount of points to just buy 5 more ranks of damage to always get 10 damage anyway or anything. Digressing, just a bit of optimization and rearranging to provide a bit of customization options was really all that was needed to improve this build.
A few things needed to be shifted a bit to fit the new PP cap to allow customization, the biggest offender being Defense shifting. God, I hate how defense and Accuracy are separated into different ranges. It makes Defense cost twice as much as toughness for about half the effectiveness and how I need to buy extra ranks of accuracy just to be able to throw a knife even if the character has ludicrous knife fighting skills. It's just, UGH, those two factors are the reason why a lot of builds are just terrible to play because that design decision screws them over in both points
and effectiveness. I don't know what Batman and The Flash did to the Green Ronin team between 2e and 3e but it really pissed them off.
First thing was adding the requirements to make the build a speedster, even before trying to go for PL Caps, a defense shift and high speed. I cut off quickness as unneeded to capture the essence of a speedster in general rather than just a specific type. Defenses were lowered a bit, this was both a point save and a means to make them less likely to fold like a soggy noodle the moment
anything is able to land a hit. Speed was cut down to just 10 ranks which I felt was appropriately stupidly fast without having to spend too much on the diminishing returns of movement powers. Sure it's an exponential increase in distance covered but after about 5 ranks it usually doesn't offer much since you're unlikely to ever need to use all those ranks of speed. Hilariously the original Speedster
doesn't have agile feint to even attempt to justify such stupidly high ranks of speed. Seriously she could circle the earth in about 20 minutes.
The rest of the core build was mostly just determining what fluff really fit and needed to stay or be added. I swapped out defensive roll the advantage for Defensive Roll the power because in Green Ronin's revenge quest against Batman and Flash for whatever happened that one fateful summer they decided to make Defensive Roll the advantage one of the worst advantages possible. With someone already defense shifted and with sustained protection it kinda felt like I'd be kicking a man while they were down to make that
defensive roll while I was at it. Disappears while stunned
and disappears while vulnerable all at the low low price of exactly the same price of toughness that doesn't disappear at all?
Most of the time building this was trying to come up with good and fitting powers for customization options for the archetype. Speedsters are kinda niche and while they can pull off some absurd things it's usually a somewhat limited number of things compared to the weird stuff you see powerhouses stunt (a trend I like to call "Doing the Muscle Wizard"). It was rather annoying difficult, I didn't want to retred over the Power Profiles book and there aren't that many really unique speed feets outside of what was placed in there that would fit the point values or weren't too niche. Somewhat embarrassingly I forgot that I included the Accurate ranks in the alternate effect options and had to redo a few of them since they would have been well below caps otherwise.
When it came to concepts I decided to expand it, as once again original archetype was more an attempt to recreate a single specific example of the archetype rather than being a template to build into most versions. There's more speedsters than The Flash, most have super speed as part of a set of powers rather than just being pure speedster. Admittedly I did add a bit more "Flash" to the build with some interaction advantages but in my defense most speedsters do have some amount of charisma and trickery to them. I actually originally intended the Affable background to be named "Best Flash" because Wally West of JLU really was the best,
who doesn't remember the time he beat a villain by just sitting down and having a normal conversation with the man rather than punching him in the face.