Eldritch City (3E MM)- OOC

[RainOnTheSun]

Any thoughts on Johnny? Also, would Expertise: Criminal cover things like hotwiring cars and bypassing security systems? That's really all I want from the Technology skill, and if I don't need it it would free up some more ranks for other skills.

[Heritage367]

Still not sure about having telekinesis and telepathy on the same character, but I'm very happy with it overall.

Would you like me to do a TP only version of Dar? I could give that a shot.

[Bladewind]

Image for Inspiration - except mine is male

Robert Martyn Junior (Werespider)
PL8

Abilities
Strength 2,
Stamina 3,
Agility 0,
Dexterity 0,
Fighting 3,
Intellect 1,
Awareness 3,
Presence 2

Powers
Anansi's Progeny: (17 points)
Blood Healing: Regeneration 4 [Source – Blood,],
Mass of Spiders: Immunity 4 [Critical Hits, Poison, Disease],
Immortal: Immortality 2 [(1 week); Quirk – at least 15% of body mass must be intact],
Wall Crawling: Movement 2
Alt: Spider Leap: Flight 1 [Has to land each round]
Danger Sense, Radius Vision: Senses 2,
Untangled Webs: Comprehend 2 [Understand, Be Understood by Arachnids; Narrow (Arachnids)]
Were Spider: (36 points)
1 Million Spiders: Summon 8 [Heroic, Controlled; Loses body mass to manifest spiders (Each Rank summoned is roughly an eighth of his body mass); Mental Link]
Alt: Swarm of Spiders: Insubstantial 2 [Variable Descriptor (Spiders), Linked to Slithering 1, Sure Footed 3, Venomous Bite (Damage 8), Close Combat 5]
Alt: Spider Swarms: Summon 3 [Heroic, Controlled, Multiple Minions 3; Loses body mass to manifest spiders; Variable Descriptor (Spiders)]
Alt: Giant Spider/ Spider Creature Form: (See below)1 [ ]

Equipment
Parlour
Headquarters: Feature 10 [Dual Size (Diminutive/ Medium) (1), Toughness 6 (0), Sealed, Library, Living Space, Self Repairing, Personnel (Spiders) – 5 pts; Teleport Portal (Can open a portal from the HQ to areas within range), Manifest (Dimensional Movement, Portal (2 pts); Attuned (Mental Link with owner), Habitat (Environment suitable for spiders), (2 points); Webbing (Illusion – Tactile and Visual)]
Standard Equipment
Video Recorder (2 ep), Parabolic Microphone (1 ep), Mini Tracer (1 ep), Concealable Microphone (1 ep)

Advantages
Beginner's Luck,
Fearless,
Attractive 1,
Defensive Roll 3,
Equipment 3 [HQ],
Hide in Plain Sight,
Jack-of-all-Trades

Skills
Acrobatics (+0),
Athletics 3 (+5),
Deception 4 (+6),
Expertise: Current Events 2 (+3),
Expertise: Occult 4 (+5),
Expertise (+1),
Insight (+3),
Intimidation 5 (+7),
Investigation 6 (+7),
Perception 3 (+6),
Persuasion 4 (+6),
Sleight of Hand (+0),
Stealth 5 (+5),
Technology (+1),
Treatment (+1),
Vehicles (+0)

Offense
Initiative +0

Defense
Dodge 5,
Parry 7
Toughness 6 (Def Roll 3),
Fortitude 5,
Will 8

Power Points
Abilities 28 + Powers 53 + Advantages 11 + Skills 12 + Defenses 16 = Total 120

Complications
Dependence – Mammilian (preferably human) blood for sustenance
Horrific – The use of many of his abilities are nauseating at best, downright horrific at worst. And there is no mystical veil to shield ordinary folk from the effects.
Friend to Spiders – Spiders seem to be nearby all the time. Most of the time they're not useful, and sometimes its not so beneficial – especially when someone is arachnophobic

Design Notes
Non combat skills 3:1
Were Spider array is almost a series of Alternate Forms.
The Quirk on the Immortality is just that - a Quirk. I didn't feel it warranted a full flaw.
Equipment might seem odd - the surveillance tech at least. Except that its descriptor for something else. They function exactly like the equipment as listed, but in fact they're spiders. Whether or not they are part of his mass is irrelevant as five spiders weigh 100 grams (3.5 ounces) at most.
I don't have any Morph on this character as he doesn't actually disguise himself as a spider or spiders, its descriptor.
The Giant Spider/ Spider Creature form I think I will have to do with an alternate character sheet. It will involve Growth, which screws with the formulas on the sheet I use, however I plan to more properly stat out that line as that's where he'll have a rank or two of Morph to assume specific breeds of spiders and perhaps a rank of metamorph to sprout four additional limbs and the like.
As for the HQ, I kinda see it as a Den Realm or Pocket Universe that he has access to. With the portal and the teleport I don't plan to have him use that as a free get around town and out of tough spots card. Doing so will let others know where the actual realm is (an apartment) and moving it is a long ritual (per the ritual rules - I didn't give him the Ritual Advantage though as this is the only one he can perform). However, opening a portal into someone's home and letting webs and spiders spew out, that's the intent here.
Yes, the link that is his name line points to this post.

Background
(The first part of this is a paraphrased from memory version of a short story I read many, many moons ago.

Robert Marytn Junior was a marine corps officer, and by all accounts he took delight in inflicting pain in the name of defending his country. During a tour of duty in some god forsaken part of the Middle East, he stumbled on something that he hadn't expected and wasn't really able to process - a small cult dedicated to a spider god. This cult weren't harming anyone, and they prayed to their god for protection and bounty in their sun-scorched land. But to Martyn, they were heathens praying to a false idol and likely harboring terrorists.

So he destroyed their temple.

He laughed as the temple's priests cried out and begged him to not offend their god, to let them be. He stared those same priests in the eye as their pleas turned to curses. Grinding his cigar out in the eye of their idol he walked out of the temple. An entire town paid the price for a lone man who had hidden in their midst and was found by Martyn's men.

That evening, Martyn found his bunk covered in spider webs. Assuming a prank by his men, he took a hammock out to another tent and set up for the night. His dreams were filled with spiders of all sizes. He woke, unable to breathe from the weight of the spider that sat on his chest - only to realize it was part of the dream. Looking around in a cold sweat, he fumbled for his flashlight and saw the spider on his chest. It crawled faster than he could swat at it and as it sunk it's mandibles into his chest, he heard the curses of the priests echoing in his mind. The pain was horrendous, the burning in his veins from the venom defied description.

Over the next three days, he watched in horror as the doctors described necrosis to him and did everything they could to find an antidote. Finally, he slipped into a coma, the last thing he heard was that he'd probably lose his legs and perhaps an arm.

He woke up Stateside, expecting his limbs to be gone. But the nurse that held a clipboard and checked his vitals simply smiled and told him how lucky he had been. A full remission and recovery were made possible after the carcass of the spider that had bitten him was found in his hammock. He laughed, realizing that even in their revenge the priests of that pathetic cult had failed.

Over the next few weeks, as Martyn began to put his life back together and seek new opportunities, he began to realize that he had changed. Not metaphysically and not in his outlook, but physically. His favorite food and drink were less and less appealing. He found himself enjoying meat rarer and rarer. And the day that his girlfriend cut her hand preparing dinner everything changed.

He took her hand and kissed the cut, looking at her and smiling. She giggled at the gesture, but the giggling turned to a scream of horror as mandibles protruded from Martyn's mouth and he sank them into her wrist. He drank, and drank and drank. All that was left of her was a bloodless husk. Martyn didn't run when he had finished, he simply wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and looked up.

In a web in the corner of the room, a spider not native to the region stared at him. And Martyn's new life began.

Turns out that Martyn had an actual aunt named Nancy, and she taught Martyn about the things that go bump in the night. He learned of his new place and his new role. And he smiled.

Now Marytn protects people and provides for them, not seeking redemption for the actions of his past self. That man is gone. A predator that preys on those that prey on the weak. It's not about taking from the rich and giving to the poor. Not about the downtrodden. It's about Ananasi's Will, the Way of the Weaver and quieting things that go bump in the night.

[Bill from Accounting]

Darwin- might work, but to fit campaign concept more, less science fiction and more Thing From Elsewhere. Also, can his appearance be changed to something that can hide under a trenchcoat?

Is something like this more what you're looking for?

[Spectrum]

Bill- Yep, that would work. Spinning the concept more in the Hellboy direction.

[EpicEclipse]

Yasuko has been updated with a build! Could probably use a few tweaks and there's plenty of space for it, but really I just wanted to build up a magical swordswoman. pretty happy with it honestly.

Just a few quick clarifications since i used japanese names for lots of stuff there.... ahem... (Also, i have done the kanji for these. It was aprocess... -_-)

Hissetsu roughly means "Certain kill", basically she uses her action to focus and analyze her opponent, improving her odds of hitting.

Undō no Jiyū roughly translated to "Freedom of Movement", basically parkour.

I have the two together as an array switching between a physical focus(Undō no Jiyū) and a mental focus(Hissetsu) in battle.

And then her sword array, the main effect is just basic sword attacks, and then some specific magical sword techniques with extra effects, offset by distracting, since they take more effort to pull off. So they are stronger, but have some risk associated with their use, leaving her open.

Hisomu Saya roughly means "Hidden Sheath", and I think is a neat little bit of mechanics. I wanted her to be able to summoner her sword, but not be immune to being disarmed and having her sword form separated from her (With a possible weakening complication for prolonged separation). So the dimensional movement attack sends the sheath away, reversible brings it back.

[Heritage367]

Went ahead and did the straight telepath version of Darlene for ya; swapped TK for 3 Advantages, 3 ranks of skills and a third Affliction AP. I think she's pretty solid now.

Edit: Added her big sister as a Complication/Secret keeper/potential hostage.

[Psistrike]

Do you think it would be better for me to go with Create over Illusions for Lexi? There are some things which she can do that she can't as an illusionist and vice versa. Would it be easier in the campaign and gameplay to deal with Create over Illusions, if so I will do so, plus it will only require a minor edit to her history and such and won't affect her concept. Maybe I could take the Feature Prestidigitation that was featured in the Power Profiles: Illusions section and have it mix with her Create to go with her stage magician theme.

A feature with variable descriptor to give a small number of magic tricks, please explain, I'm interested. I really wish to hear what you mean about this, plus how you would stat it out.

With these answered I can finalize my build and background for Lexi, who is looking fun to play.

[pathfinderq1]

So I have finally chopped the concepts down to two (with two others left as reserves). Should I post capsules of the two possibilities here, or would a PM be better?

[Spectrum]

PMs are evil and should be forbidden ....

in a not so good way.

[EpicEclipse]

Here have an early Christmas gift from me. I organized a list of all submission that have builds, linking to the most recent build for those of you who keep reposting your whole build rather than editing the old one (Editing the old one is always easier so links don't need to be changed each time).

Phillip Dremmond / Flynnarrel / Vampire
Layla Bluebriar / Doctor Malsyn / Changeling
Lexi Harrington / Psistrike / Illusionist Mage
Joshua Lopex / FuzzyBoots / Spirit Medium
Johnny Janus / RainOnTheSun / Real Imaginary Friend
Darwin / BillFromAccounting / Extraterrestrial Reptile man
Darlene Lampwick / Heritage367 / Telepath
Yasuko (Yawarakai-Te) / EpicEclipse / Magic Sword in Human form
Fortinbras / Yojimbo / Frankenstein-esque Monster
Werespider / Bladewind / Werespider

[EpicEclipse]

Do you think it would be better for me to go with Create over Illusions for Lexi? There are some things which she can do that she can't as an illusionist and vice versa. Would it be easier in the campaign and gameplay to deal with Create over Illusions, if so I will do so, plus it will only require a minor edit to her history and such and won't affect her concept. Maybe I could take the Feature Prestidigitation that was featured in the Power Profiles: Illusions section and have it mix with her Create to go with her stage magician theme.

A feature with variable descriptor to give a small number of magic tricks, please explain, I'm interested. I really wish to hear what you mean about this, plus how you would stat it out.

With these answered I can finalize my build and background for Lexi, who is looking fun to play.

This is just my two cents, but you should stick with illusionist. Create is largely over-played (I'm guilty of it), and the mechanics for it are definitely more work than illusions, especially when your illusions only fit two senses out of 5 (or 6).

Create also has some pretty hefty limitations. For example you couldn't create a bunny that moves for example. Even with precise you are limited on how mobile a creation is. Illusions on the other hand can sound like ANYTHING you can imagine, and can look and move in any way you can imagine, making it far FAR more versatile if you are creative in its use. Not to mention it suits a magician better.

That being said, a single rank of precise create to be able to pull stuff out of your sleeves/pocket/hat like wand, cards, poker chips, etc, is probably plenty appropriate as well to simulate some of the up close real magic stage magicians do. Call it like... Create Props, or something

But overall, I think an illusionist is a stronger stage magician character concept than someone whose main power is creating things. Again, just my two cents.

[pathfinderq1]

Very good then...

Concept ideas- after much debate, deliberation, discord, etc. I have finally cut the list of concepts down to 2. I'll post capsule descriptions of both here, in hopes of some feedback (mostly in terms of "do they fit into this setting and game"). Once that is done, I will post a final version of whoever gets picked. Ideas are presented in order of preference (though the margin is slim).

1. Tessa- There are worlds beyond the mortal realm, the so-called "Material Plane"- some of them are quite well-known in the right circles. One of the most intriguing is called the Maze- an endless labyrinth of countless doors, which can lead to anyplace, on any world. If you know the right door, that is, and if you can access the Maze itself in the first place. For most beings, even seasoned travelers through the realms, the Maze is not always easy to reach, and knowledge of which door leads where can be a closely hoarded secret. For most people, that is- Tessa is different. For whatever reason, perhaps a quirk of her ancestry, perhaps a rare talent, Tessa can access the Maze almost effortlessly. Her ability to travel there is also notable- she can't seem to get lost, and many of the hazards which haunt the dark corners of the Maze don't seem to take notice of her. For years, Tessa was trained by her mentor, a thief and cat burglar of legendary skill who specialized in objects of occult and supernatural power. Tessa's ability made things easier, but she never seemed to take her lessons seriously, and often wished for "a normal life". Then her mentor disappeared... Since then, Tessa has begun to make her own way in the world- but she has also been searching for her teacher, a search that has led her to Eldritch City.
>Tessa's main ability is Dimensional travel (to access the Maze itself, and other places through the Maze); she can also use the Maze to teleport (though this is not fast enough to use in combat), and she has a number of senses related to her powers. In addition, she has training as a thief and burglar, and some skills related to urban exploration- her primary weakness is a lack of experience.

2. Artifact (Tasha Rabinowitz): Some people, especially in the occult community, have the Sight (or claim to). Tasha has the Touch. She has the ability of psychometry, or object reading- by touching an object, she can draw information from it, sometimes even seeing visions of what that object has "experienced". She can even sense spirits, though not those of humans (ghosts or astral projection)- instead, she can sense 'spirits of places or objects (what the Japanese call Kami- though even a favored toy might have some sense of spirit within; see Toy Story, for instance). By touching written material, she can pick up the trace energy therein, allowing her to read almost anything. Her powers have recently begun to grow- for instance she can "awaken" an otherwise placid object and make it move about under her direction. At her grandmother's insistence, she was warded and isolated from many other mystics and occult practitioners, and so she has very little knowledge of traditional magical and occult practices, or of the larger supernatural world (beyond what she has read of in books- though she has read quite a bit). She has recently completed her MLS (specializing in rare books and preservation- she loves the "old stories", and those books are far more likely to have interesting spirits). After a great deal of research, she has started a job in the library at Eldritch City University (name?), and she volunteers once a week at the EC Public Library- after years of being kept "in the dark" about the occult and the supernatural world, she has begun to delve into some very serious research...
>Tasha is primarily built on senses, various uses of Comprehend, and some skills- though I left the "ghost/spirit" niche for Binder. She has very little combat ability at this stage (primarily using animated objects as weapons or shields), and while she has a reasonable (and growing) well of arcane knowledge (spellbooks can speak to her, or at least she can 'read' them very easily), she is lacking in knowledge of true occult practices and beliefs (the sort of things a normal practitioner of the Art would learn from a mentor/teacher). Most likely to interact with other characters if they are indulging in a bit of research- or if she is...

[Spectrum]

I've closed things to new interest.

So many good choices, so many hard choices.

[EpicEclipse]

I've closed things to new interest.

So many good choices, so many hard choices.

Right? You've got 10 full builds submitted. I didn't even list the ones with incomplete submissions.