Phenomenal Paragons: Super Teams of Note: The August

I thought I'd share some of the super teams from the Phenomenal Paragons setting. Starting at the top.

The August.

Every world seems to have an analog of the "Big Three" and/or "Big Seven". This one is no different. Although it was the Big Eight. All of them powerful and experienced mega-heroes. 

The August (as in "distinguished" and "Exalted") was formed by August (as in the month) at the behest of The Magpie. The Magpie is a, supposedly, centuries old thief and assassin. The leader of an ancient society of killers that supposedly inspired Hasan ibn al-Sabbah to form his little merry band of murders; from whom we get the word "assassin". Nobody outside his society, the League of Shadows, had supposedly ever seen The Magpie and lived. They were a rumour, an urban legend, a shadow in the darkness. A mystery, wrapped in an enigma, sealed inside a puzzle box made of more complicated puzzle boxes, hidden within a secret room in the deepest darkest depths of a dimension composed entirely of riddles.

Then they pulled a bank job. Or rather they walked into a bank shrouded in a cloak of darkness, identified themselves, told everyone to lie and the floor and keep calm so they wouldn't get hurt, and then waited. The police turned up and were sent packing. The local heroes turned up and were also sent home, bloodied and bruised. But not seriously injured. just put beyond the ability to fight on. At no point did The Magpie resort to lethal force. Even when it was used against them. At every step they demanded that August be sent against them and eventually he arrived. As the most powerful being in the world walked in the front door the world's greatest assassin let their hostages escape out the fire exits. Had this all been a ruse? A plot to assassinate the world's greatest hero? For five minutes silence reigned then August left, The Magpie his prisoner. August paused long enough to explain that The Magpie had surrendered and then the two of them departed together. 

Over the next three days there were glimpsed sightings of them around the world, battling shadowy foes. And every time they'd have a new recruit. From Paris, France, they recruited the sorcerer "Quintessence". From Greece the archaeologist Artemis Argyris. From Tel Aviv the mutant known as "The Everyman". In south east asia they found Kim-Hữu Long, The Immortal Dragon. From Australia the aboriginal mentalist known only as "The Dreamer". Finally, from Area 51 in Arizona, they rescued Cosmonaut Spartak Sobol; the enigmatic Black Knight.  Soon they were eight strong, each member one of the most powerful superhumans on (or off) the planet. Then nothing. For two days they were completely incommunicado.

Then the League of Shadows attacked Rome.

A fell device appeared in St. Marks Square and shadow clad killers stalked the streets. Locals were taken prisoner and dragged to the park to await their fate. Local heroes were less powerless than simply overwhelmed. There was no hope in sight. Had this been The Magpie's plan? To remove the only people that could stop this dark deed?

As it turned out, quite the opposite. Because suddenly, when the first knife was set to fall, they were there. The eight appeared literally from thin air and set to work defeating the League of Shadows. After a battle of hours all the assassins were captured or killed, The Magpie able to take their mastery of shadows from them, and their hostages freed.

It was revealed that one of The Magpie's lieutenants had gone rogue with an insane scheme to murder 80% of the world's population with a magical ritual.  The Magpie had attempted to prevent it but with only a handful of assassins still loyal to them, and those in hiding from their former associates, they had no other choice but to enact a ridiculous scheme to recruit the most powerful beings on the planet.

No charges were pressed against them; the damage to the bank was caused by the authorities and heroes. The Magpie hadn't actually held people as hostages; they'd just presumed that was what was happening and played along.

However to get August's help they'd agreed to suffer whatever punishment the hero felt fit. So August sentenced them to a lifetime of... community service at August's side. They accepted their punishment with what might have been a smile. August then extended an invitation to the others, suggesting that they join them to battle threats to the world. They agreed and The Everyman suggested The August as their collective name.

For years they fought side by side, global champions. Then three years ago August died. Not in battle but in their sleep. Slain by a villain that had learned the greatest hero's weakness; that when he slept he was powerless.

Fortunately, or unfortunately depending upon your point of view, the villain did not live long enough to make good on whatever scheme had inspired the murder. August's wife woke and slew the killer within moments; their reflexes and anguish betraying their better judgement. Because over the years the years the friendship  between August and The Magpie had blossomed into love. They had secretly married under their civilian identities about a decade after meeting.

After August's death The Magpie chose to retire, leaving The August with a roster of only six active members. They've been seeking replacements ever since but their two founders are hard to replace.

Team Roster:

• August (Deceased)
• The Magpie (Retired)
• Quintessence 
• Artemis Argyris 
• The Everyman
• Kim-Hữu Long
• The Dreamer
• Black Knight

All be writing them all up for Heroes Unlimited and posting them here as and when.

Heroes Unlimited: Myriad Mutants: Ruzhu Zing "Lucky"

I've created a whole bunch of mutant characters as part of my Phenomenal Paragons project. Some might say I even have a plethora of phenomenal paragon mutants. But not I.

These are broadly split into two groups: The Aberrations, my X-Men/Morlocks analog, and the Ruzhu family, who are more like the Fantastic Four, if they were Chinese and numbered more than four. The Aberrations were all built as NPCs and Minor Heroes. The Ruzhu Wu were generated as PCs and based on pregenerated characters from a Feng-Shui campaign I ran years ago; The Little Pigs. I posted the trailer script for the first part on Sunday.

So now that I've shared my main mutant paragon I'm going to share the rest of my mutants here.

This little pig went to market.

Ruzhu Zing, or "Lucky" Ruzhu to his friends, is a successful, wealthy, trader at the Hong Kong stock exchange. He is honest, respected and so deep into organised crime its obscene. His elder brother, Hung, is Mountain Man of the Ruzhu Wu triad and neither brother is beyond calling on the other for leverage, impact or aid.

There is also something squirrely, or rather piggy, in the Ruzhu family tree; Zing's niece, Wei Lu, has discovered that a distant ancestor was a mutant pig. Nobody is entirely sure how that works but the evidence is in the DNA. It certainly explains the youngest Ruzhu brother, Seiyu, who seems to have reverted to a more porcine nature after his years living on the streets.

Zing has always had a mind for numbers. He jokes that they are his friends and do as he asks. When he discovered his son's genius Zing's late father, Peipei, sent him to the best schools in Hong Kong and eventually to Oxford to read Mathematics and Economics.

It was while in England that his mutant abilities first appeared. Feeling homesick he visits Chinatown in London for a bowl and two. Eventually, drunk, he staggers down to the Thames and falls in from Waterloo bridge. The shock sobers him up immediately and he discovers he can breathe underwater. He's pulled from the water by Thames River Police. Later practice reveals that he can also direct the flow of water from any source. However he keeps the discovery secret, rationalising that will distract him from his studies.

Upon his return to Hong Kong he was head hunted by the stock exchange and happily took the job they offered him.

When poor cursed Seiyu's tragedy struck him, Zing would often send juniors down to the street to find him and make donations as Seiyu always declined the direct assistance of his family.

After Peipei's murder, the four brothers were brought together to protect their family and find the killer. Eventually identifying it as a traitor within the triad, Long Dye-Daai, a Eurasian mutant with wolf genes. The brothers destroyed her drug running operation, burning down the warehouse with her in it. However she survived, sending allies to attack the brothers where they felt safest. The triad's Greedy Pig teahouse was destroyed along with one of the home of one of the brothers, Hoisum. She also almost killed Seiyu's new partner, the burlesque dancer Sandi Soy. However the brothers again fought her off and believed her killed during a battle within the derelict Cheung Sha Wan abattoir.

Afterwards the twins, Hoisum and Seiyu, took their wives and children out of Hong Kong to Ennor, where their mother, and little sister Wei-Wei, ran their own restaurant, the Happy Pig. Hoisum took over running the restaurant, letting his mother retire and Wei-Wei focus on running her talent agency. Sandi opened a new nightclub, a re-imagined version of The Naked Blade club that she had run back in Hong Kong.

Meanwhile back in Hong Kong, Hung discovered that he was a father when Long Dye-Daai returned once more. Long had abducted one of his ex-girlfriends along with her child, Hung's secret daughter Ruzhu Wei-Yun. Hung and Zing gave chase, following a "breadcrumb" trail around the globe which eventually led them to grandma's house Ennor.

There Long had kidnapped the rest of the family, planning to wipe them all out in a single strike. Her first act of which was to murder Wei-Yun's mother. This caused Wei Yun's and Hung's mutant powers to erupt, literally in Hung's case, freeing the rest of the family and alerting some of Guardian City's Masks to the situation. Against this combined might Long and her forces were overwhelmed. Long snapped and began ranting about how her allies in "The Lodge" would avenge her. However in the 6 years since her arrest she has languished in Her Majesty's Prison: Bishop's Rock with no sign of rescue and no apparent vengeance enacted against any of the Ruzhu family.

Zing returned to his job in Hong Kong. He lives with his partner of nine years, Guan Jingyi-Fen. They have a pitbull called "Brad". Zing visits his family in Ennor once a year. For about a week. Usually during the spring.

Name: Ruzhu "Lucky" Zing.
"Team": The Ruzhu Wu.
Level: 5, Mutant
Height: 5'10", Weight: lbs, Age: 45
Alignment: Aberrant
Disposition: Schemer and risk-taker; gambles with the odds and infuriatingly pulls through.
IQ 27, ME* 16, MA 13, PS* 20 (26 in water), PP* 13, PE* 15, PB 23, Spd* 30
Hit Points*: 38, S.D.C.*: 130 (230 in water), P.P.E.: 21
*varies by lunar cycle; see below.

Mutation:
Age at Eruption: 20
Cause of Mutation: Genetic Aberration
Mutant Characteristics: Broad Mutation (2 random and 1 cosmetic)
Neural: Strong Psychic Potential.
Neural: Extraordinary Intelligence. +1 perception, +5% all non-physical skills.
Feet: Webbed Toes. Double swimming speed; +15% all swimming skills.

Superpowers: Unstable Powers: Powers grow with age (further powers at levels 6, 10 & 15). 1 major power, 2 minor powers and 1 additional minor power.
Underwater Abilities: Breathe underwater, natural swimming skill, depth tolerance of 1.5 miles. Strength underwater is Extraordinary (+6 PS, carry x100, lift x200). Swimming speed x5 underwater.
Control Elemental Force: Water:

• Calm Water: 300' radius within 1000' range, 12 minutes duration. 1 full round (all attacks) to initiate.
• Create Waves: 300' radius within 1000' range, 2 attacks each.
  Small Waves: 2-8' high; Large Waves: 10-20' high; Huge Waves: 24-36' high, 84% chance to capsize small vessels, 60% chance to capsize medium vessels and 20% chance to capsize ships.
• Water Slam: 190' range, duration 7 seconds (1/2 round), 2 attacks each. Victims lose 1 attack and the initiative.
• Water Spout: up to 60' high, 3000 lbs lift, 150' range, 1 round duration, 1 attack to initiate. Those aloft at -8 to all combat rolls, or -2 if snow.
• Wall of Water: 6' thick, 30' tall, and 30' wide. 25 minutes duration. -8 to strike through. Missile weapons lose 25% of their damage and range, lasers lose 50%, fire loses 75%. Takes 2 attacks to push through, except with superhuman or supernatural strength, when it takes only one. Those moving through at speeds of 50 mph or higher spend 2 attacks and take 1d6 damage for each 50 mph of speed.
• Whirlpool: Range of 400', duration of 8 minutes. Full round action to form. 4d6 damage to everything in the water within 30', and -4 to all combat rolls.
• Airbubble: 8' radius, 190' range, 40 minutes duration, 50 SDC. Each bubble takes 3 attacks to form.
• Walk on Water: 4' radius, 50 minutes duration, 1 attack per round, half speed.
• Sense depth to within 1d6 feet, sense direction underwater, resist cold. +1000' depth tolerance, Can hold breath for 1d4+4 mins.

Lunar Strength: Strength grows and ebbs with the cycles of the moon. Always knows the lunar phase, recognises "creatures of the night" on sight, cannot become undead or were-creature, +5% bonus to astronomy.

• Full Moon: ME 26, MA 24, PS 40 (52 in water), Spd 45, SDC 190 (290 in water)
• 3/4 Moon: PS 30 (39 in water), Spd 45, SDC 160 (260 in water)
• 1/2 Moon: PS 25 (34 in water), Spd 37, SDC 145 (245 in water)
• Sliver Moon: PS 15 (24 in water), Spd 22, SDC 97 (172 in water). -1 attack per round, -2 initiative, -1 to all combat rolls and saves.
• New Moon: PS 10, PP 7, PE 7, Spd 15, Hit Points 31, SDC 65. -2 attacks per round, automatically loses initiative, combat and save bonuses are halved. No extraordinary strength or durability in water.

Bend Light: 

• Can concentrate and separate ambient light to produce lights of any colour to illuminate a 100 square foot area with sufficient light to ready by.
• Bed light around a 100 square foot area to make its contents invisible. Only those on initiative 18+ can spot the blank spot/ ripple  in the air.
• Can parry light and lasers, creating an up  to 10' diameter 'shield' anywhere within 100'. Parried light can be sent against opponents, but without any strike bonues.
• Displace their apparent positon so that anyone more than 10' way is at -3 to strike.
• Can see into the infrared and ultraviolet ranges out to 500'. 

Skills:
Natural Skills:
Charm/Impress 65%, Trust/Intimidate 80% (full moon only).

Scholastic Skills: +30%+13%

Acrobatics (Sense of Balance 98%, Highwire 98%, Climb Rope 98%, Back-Flip 98%), Advanced Maths 98%, Armourer (Field) 98%, Athletics, Basic Maths 98%, Basic Radio 98%, Boxing, Business & Finances 98%, Cantonese Language 98%, Cantonese Literacy 98%, Card Sharp 87%, Computer Hacking 98%, Computer Ops 98%, Computer Programming 98%, Concealment 83%, Cryptography 93%, Dieting, English Language 98%, English Literacy 98%, Find Illegal Weapons 89%, Gambling 98%, Gambling (Dirty Tricks) 98%, Intelligence 95%, Law (Business) 93%, Palming 88%, Pool Shark 98%, Radio Scrambler 98%, Recognise Weapons Quality 93%, Research 98%, Running, Streetwise (Con Games) 83%, Swimming 98%, W.P. Auto Rifle, W.P. Pistol, W.P. SMG, Wrestling, Writing 93%.

Secondary Skills: 

Astronomy 68%, Body-Building, Climb 88%, Cooking 53%, First Aid 83%, Hand-to-Hand Martial Arts, Pilot Automobile 83%, Pilot Motor Boat 93%, Prowl 68%, W.P. Paired Pistols, W.P. Shotgun.

Saves:
Coma/Death: +0%
Harmful Drugs/Toxins: +0
Horror Factor: +0
Insanity: +1 (+9 Full Moon)
Magic (Spells 12+, Circles/Wards 13+, Ritual 16+): +0
Poison (Lethal 14+, Non-Lethal 16+): +0
Psionics (15+): +3 (+8 Full Moon)
Possession: +2

Combat:
Initiative: +2
Attacks per Round: 2+3+1
Strike: +2
Damage: +5 (+25, full moon, +37 full moon in water; +15 3/4 moon, +24 3/4 moon in water; +10 1/2 moon, +19 1/2 moon in water; +0 1/4 or new moon, +9 sliver moon in water)
 1d4 Punch
 1d4 per 12' fall into water
 1d6 per 12' fall onto land
 1d6 Snap Kick

 1d6 Small Wave

 2d4 Acrobatic/Kung-Fu Kick

 2d4+2 Crescent Kick
 2d6 Axe Kick
 2d6+5 Water Slam
 3d6 Roundhouse Kick
 4d6 Flying Jump Kick
 5d6 Large Wave
 6d6 Jump Kick
 10d6 Huge Wave
Dodge: +3
Parry: +3
Roll with Impact: +3
Pull Punch: +3
Disarm: +2

Benchmarks:

Carry Capacity: 400 lbs (2,600 lbs in water); Lifting: 800 lbs (5,200 lbs in water).

Carry Capacity (Full Moon): 800 lbs (5,200 lbs in water); Lifting: 1,600 lbs (10,400 lbs in water).

Carry Capacity (3/4 Moon): 600 lbs (3,900 lbs in water); Lifting: 1,200 lbs (7,800 lbs in water).

Carry Capacity (1/2 Moon): 500 lbs (3,400 lbs in water); Lifting: 1,000 lbs (6,800 lbs in water).

Carry Capacity (1/4 Moon): 150 lbs (2,400 lbs in water); Lifting: 300  lbs (4,800 lbs in water).

Carry Capacity (New Moon): 100 lbs; Lifting: 200 lbs.

Stamina: Carry Max 60 minutes, 30 minutes while running or fighting. Lifting for 15 rounds (225 seconds; 3,75 minutes).

Ground Speed: 21 mph for 15 minutes (5.25 miles).

Ground Speed (Full & 3/4 Moon): 31.5 mph for 15 minutes (7.88 miles).

Ground Speed (1/2 Moon): 25.9 mph for 15 minutes (6.48 miles).

Ground Speed (3/4 Moon): 15.4 mph for 15 minutes (3.85 miles).

Ground  Speed (New Moon): 10.5 mph for 15 minutes (2.63 miles).

Swimming Speed: 780 yards per round (2,340 ft) for 15 minutes (26.59 miles).

Swimming Speed (Full Moon): 1,560 yards per round (4,680 ft) for 15 minutes (53.2 miles).

Swimming Speed (3/4 Moon): 1,170 yards per round (3,510 ft) for 15 minutes (40 miles).

Swimming Speed (1/2 Moon): 1,110 yards per round (3,330 ft) for 15 minutes (37.84 miles).

Swimming Speed (3/4 Moon): 720 yards per round (2,160 ft) for 15 minutes (24.55 miles).

Swimming Speed (New Moon): 300 yards per round (900 ft) for 15 minutes (1 mile).

Leaping Distance: 5 ft. high and 10 ft broad with a running start, 6 ft. high and 3 ft. broad from a standing start. 13 ft. high and 26 ft. broad from water with a swimming start, 7.8 ft. high and 15.6 ft. broad from a floating start.

Leaping Distance (Full Moon): 10 ft. high and 20 ft. broad from a running start, 6 ft. high and 12 ft. broad from a standing start. 26 ft. high and 52 ft. broad from a swimming start, 15.6 ft. high and 31.2 broad from a floating start.

Leaping Distance (3/4 Moon): 7.5 ft. high and 15 ft. broad from a running start, 4.5 ft. high and 9 ft broad from a standing start. 19.5 ft. high and 39 ft. broad from a swimming start, 11.7 ft. high and 23.4 ft. broad from a floating start.

Leaping Distance (1/2 Moon): 6.25 ft. high and 12.5 ft. broad from a running start, 3.75 ft high and 7.5 ft. broad from a standing start. 17 ft. high and 34 ft. broad from a swimming start and 10.2 ft. high and 20.4 ft. broad from a floating start.

Leaping Distance (1/4 Moon): 3.75 ft. high and 7.5 ft. broad from a running start, 2.25 ft. high and 4.5 ft. broad from a standing start. 12 ft high and 24 ft. broad from a swimming start, 7.2 ft. high and 14.4 ft. broad from a floating start.

Leaping Distances (New Moon): 2.5 ft. high and 5 ft. brod from a running start, 1.5 ft. high and 3 ft. broad from a standing start.

Little Pigs (trailer)

This Trailer is Rated 12 for a 15 feature.

Magical Space Dragon Nyanby Studios presents, a Niles Calder scenario...

FADE FROM BLACK

NARRATOR (VO):

"This little pig went to market."

A man in a business suit walks confidently through the Hong Kong financial district.

CUT TO:

NARRATOR (VO):

"This little pig stayed at home."

Another man, obviously the sibling of the first, cooks in a nicely appointed kitchen while his wife plays with their two children.

CUT TO:

NARRATOR (VO):

"This little pig had roast beef"

A third brother sits in a triad owned teahouse filling his face as his criminal associates feast.

CUT TO:

NARRATOR (VO):

"While this little pig had none"

A fourth brother is dressed in rags and picks his way through a refuse filled alley.

CUT TO:

NARRATOR (VO):

"And this little pig had an unfortunate accident courtesy of Mr Wolf"

An older man, beaten, bruised and evidently the father of the brothers, struggles against his bonds and stares in horror as fire spreads throughout his home.

QUICK CUT TO:

A half naked attractive woman dances on stage, wielding a Japanese Daisho, and cuts the clothes from her fellow exotic dancers with great precision.

QUICK CUT TO:

The second brother's children rush down a narrow street on skate boards as a big black car closely pursues them, its number plate reads W0LF1.

QUICK CUT TO:

A huge Eurasian woman, wearing a biker's leather jacket, a thick leather collar barely covering her scarred neck, looms out of the darkness.

QUICK CUT TO:

The second brother's wife kicks open a door, gun in hand, and flashes the badge of a Hong Kong Police Detective.

CUT TO:

NARRATOR (VO):

"Little Pigs"

The four brothers, armed to the teeth, confidently stride through the flames of a burning warehouse.

NARRATOR (VO):

"Be careful bringing home the bacon."



FADE TO BLACK

Coming: Never. Because I'm never going to get these notes sorted into a coherent whole.

Heroes Unlimited: Phenomenal Paragons: Perfidious Rex

The First Son of Argon came to Earth to conquer it and prove his right to the imperial throne of Argon. Unfortunately his information was two millennia out of date and instead of a primitive world under the rule of the Roman Empire he found a technologically advanced one. He challenged the person he believed to be the planet's monarch, the superhuman "August", and was immediately defeated. Now, years later and with August dead by another's hand, he has returned. His goal: conquest in the name of Perfidious Rex!

The fight went something like this.

This is the twelfth character in my Phenomenal Paragons series. The introduction to which is here. It is inspired by Jacob Pisson's World's Strongest series, here.

Okay this is our first, and hopefully only, alien. I don't want lots of aliens in my setting as I want to keep the focus on Earth. I have ideas for other planets and planes but I'm not ready to develop them yet. The character originates from playing City of Villains many years ago. The concept was "Anti-Superman", hence "First son of Argon" as opposed to "Last son of Krypton". Daughter didn't have the same beat and aliens; maybe they don't gender like we do.

Step 1: The Usual.

Elevens across the board. There's a note that future steps will change attributes and that all bonuses stack.

Step 2: Alien Appearance.

Now we get to a bunch of tables and sub-tables to roll on. Joy. I'm using the tables from the main rules as I've yet to find better. 

I roll a Humanoid.

I'm told to make some rolls on the mutant table. I use the improved ones I found online. I get Strong Psychic Potential (+2 ME, +20 ISP, +2 save versus Psi, Mind Control and Possession), and Forearm Blades (optional +2 die damage to any punch attacks, +10 SDC, and +1 Horror Factor when popped) which are sword like blades that are roughly the length of the character's forearm and pop out when  needed. I envision them folding out of their outside arm and extending from their wrists. I can't yet decide if they just fold out at ninety degree angles from just above the wrist or are jointed like an insect's limbs and extend forward like actual swords.

We also get a couple of rolls on cosmetic differences.We get pointed ears and purple skin.

Step 3: Physiological Changes due to Unearthly Environments.

Now we get to find out what sort of planet Argon is. I roll a Vegetation World. This is a fertile planet overgrown with plant life. Think Endor or Kashyyyk from Star Wars. A sub-table gives us no fear of heights, a +10% bonus to Acrobatics and climb as well as +2 to roll with impact.

We are 7 foot tall, 170 lbs.

All natives to vegetation worlds are natural acrobats, with a further +10% bonus. This gives us a further +2 to roll with impact. We also get the +1 to PS, PP and PE, as well as +3 SDC and a 2d4 acrobatic kick attack. We also get +10 SDC from being from a vegetation world.

Step 4: Determining Super Abilities.

Now we get to discover what sort of superpowers we get. we have multiple options, many of which just direct us to other classes. The only one unique to the alien class is racial superpowers. Which is what I should have selected. But I rolled and got Psionics.

I did this gag before too.

   

So I create another Natural Psionicist.

Yeah I know. Thankfully this one isn't a megahero. I checked.

So we get +5 ME, +2 MA, +70 ISP, and our save versus Psionics is 10+.

We get to pick 10 minor psionic powers and 3 super psionic powers. 

Starting with the latter first I go for Telekinesis (super), Bio-Regeneration, Mind Block Auto Defense (which permanently reduces our ISP by 14 points).

For the lesser powers I pick Levitation, Resist Fatigue, Sense Magic, Telepathy, Intuitive Combat,  Astral Projection, Ectoplasm, Telekinetic Leap, Telekinetic Punch, and Telekinetic Push. 

Step 5: Determine Education and Skills.

Presented with another chart, aliens having different standards of education than humans, I'm told that there are more options in a book I don't own and have no intention of buying yet. Borrowing a copy I learn that it doesn't have much in the way of options; just a few new skills and packages that use them. I hard pass for now.

Back at the main rules I pick Combat Specialist. This gives us 4 physical skills, a hand-to-hand style, 6 weapon proficiencies, a piloting skill, and First Aid. All at +10%. We also get 6 secondary skills.

For our physical skills I pick Boxing (+1 attack per round, +2 parry and dodge, +1 roll with impact, +1 PE,+2 PS and +10 SDC), Wrestling (+1 roll with impact, +2 PS, +1 PE, +14 SDC and some other stuff I'll record elsewhere), Gymnastics (+2 roll with impact, +2 PS, +1 PP, +2 PE and +7 SDC), and Juggling (+1 initiative, +1 strike with thrown, +1 parry and thrown weapon rate of fire 4 per round).

For our hand-to-hand style I invent Argonian Sword Style (+10 SDC, +2 ME, +2 PP, +1 PE, +2 strike, +1 dodge, +1 roll with impact and a critical strike from behind), which is just Zanji Shinjinken-Ryu ("Samurai" style) from Ninja's and Superspies, but with the alignment requirements reversed and the martial arts powers removed. Well okay I give them the Warrior Spirit Kata, which is where a samurai stares at his opponent for a bit and then they strike. The other guy misses and blows a gasket.

Like this. They overpressured the system.

No but seriously the character using the kata gets to parry and dodge as normal for a round but can't attack. Meanwhile their MA gets boosted (to 20 in the case of this character) and they roll to intimidate. If they succeed then their opponent is at -4 to strike. As these things go it's a fairly minor ability.

For the weapon proficiencies I pick: Sword (+1 strike, +1 parry), Energy Pistol, Targeting: Thrown (+1 strike thrown), Small Thrown Weapon (+1 strike thrown) and Grenade.

For the piloting skill I pick Pilot: Hover, given the nature of most of the vehicles we can start with.

For our secondary skills I pick Body-Building (+2 PS, +10 SDC), Running (+1 PE, +10 Spd, +3 SDC), Basic Electronics, Basic Mechanics, Wilderness Survival, and Prowling.

Step 6: Reasons for Coming to Earth.

Another chart. It doesn't have conquest listed but it does have glory hound, which is similar.

Step 7: Familiarity With Earth.

Some. All of his information is 2000 local years out of date. We get three Earth languages and literacies at 90%. I choose Latin, Greek and English.

Step 8: Equipment.

Earth Clothes/Disguises:

None. Why should they hide? They're here to rule, not cower in fear!

Special Alien Weapons:

I have a choice to roll on the ranged or melee weapon charts. I can only pick one. I choose ranged, since his sword was broken, and get a melee weapon...

Apparently there's limit to the number of right justified reaction gifs I can use in one post.

Let me just check the melee weapons... Nope, no ranged weapons hidden there.

Okay so reading deeper it's an energized weapon that can also emit energy blasts, like a blaster. As a melee weapon it does double damage. As a blaster it does 5d6 damage, has a range of 1000' and a rate of fire of 3 (1d4+1) per round. 

Meanwhile over in the melee weapons there's an energy sword, like a lightsaber, that does 5d6 damage. I decide to combine them. After losing their sword to Saitama August, the character jury rigged their blaster into an energy sword. It still works as a blaster but the power supply is hingin' aff th' bracket. Every round it is used as a blaster it gets a random number of shots, 1d4+1.

Special Vehicles:

I choose the hover platform, to go with the pilot: hover skill. It holds 1-4, travels at 90 mph and floats between 3 foot and 300 foot. I can't decide if it's like the glider from "Nausicaa, Valley of the Wind," the hoverboard thing that the Green Goblin rides in Spiderman or the flying crane-lift thing I once built in Second Life.

This?

This?

Or this?

Money:

Money is like budget right, so £120,000 in precious metals and gems.

Step 9: Everything Else.

We have 20 base SDC and our alignment is... ...6, Miscreant.

Phew! I've been designing this guy as a villain from an authoritarian world. Imagine how embarrassing it'd be if I'd rolled them up as Principled, Anarchist or something. (hides first dice roll)

Okay so on with the character sheet.

Name: unknown

Super Identity: Perfidious Rex

Level: 1, Alien.

Height: 7', Weight: 170 lbs, Age: unknown, but juvenile or young adult.

Alignment: Miscreant.

Disposition: Authoritarian arsehole who expects everyone to do as they say.

IQ 11, ME 20, MA 13, PS 20, PP 15, PE 18, PB 11, Spd 21

Hit Points: 21, S.D.C.: 97, P.P.E.: 20,  I.S.P.: 116.

Alien Traits: 

Species: Argonian. Pointed ears, purple skin, strong psychic potential, forearm blades. No fear of heights and natural acrobat.

Homeworld: Argon. A vegetation world.

Reason for Coming to Earth: Conquest (Glory Hound).

Familiarity with Earth: Detailed records from last survey, which was roughly 2000 local years ago. So some.

Skills: 

Natural Skills: Acrobatics (Sense of Balance 80%, High Wire 80%, Climb Rope 90%, Back-Flip 70%), Climbing 55% (Rappelling 55%)

Scholastic Skills: 

Argonian Language, Argonian Literacy, Basic Maths, Boxing, English Language, English Literacy, First Aid, Greek Language, Greek Literacy, Gymnastics, Hand-to-Hand Argonian Sword Style, Juggling, Latin Language, Latin Literacy, Pilot: Hover, W.P. Energy Pistol, W.P. Grenade, W.P. Small Thrown Weapons, W.P. Sword, W.P. Targeting: Thrown, Wrestling

Secondary Skills: 

Basic Electronics, Basic Mechanics, Body-Building, Prowling, Wilderness Survival.

Psionics: 

Healing Powers: 

None.

Physical Powers:

Ectoplasm (varies), Levitation (varies), Resist Fatigue (4), Telekinetic Leap (8), Telekinetic Punch (6), Telekinetic Push (4).

Sensitive Powers: 

Astral Projection (8), Intuitive Combat (10), Sense Magic (3), Telepathy (4).

Super-Psionic Powers: 

Bio-Regeneration (super) (20), Mind Block Auto-Defense, Telekinesis (super) (10+).

Saves:

Coma/Death: +6%

Harmful Drugs/Toxins: +2

Horror Factor: +0

Insanity: +3

Magic (Spells 12+, Circles/Wards 13+, Ritual 16+): +2

Poison (Lethal 14+, Non-Lethal 16+): +2

Psionics (10+): +5

Possession: +2

Combat:

Initiative: +1, +3 (intuitive)

Attacks per Round: 2+4+1

Strike: +2, (+3 sword, +5 thrown); +1 (intuitive)

Damage: +7

 1d4+7 Punch

 2d4+7 Acrobatic Kick

 2d4+7 Knife Hand or other martial arts hand strike

 3d4+7 Punch with Forearm Blade

 5d4+7 Knife Hand with Forearm Blade

 5d6 Energy Sword

Dodge: +3; +4 (intuitive)

Parry: +3; +1 (intuitive)

Roll with Impact: +5; +2 (intuitive)

Pull Punch: +0; +4 (intuitive)

Disarm: +0; +2 (intuitive)

Benchmarks:

Carry Capacity: 400 lbs; Lifting: 800 lbs.

Stamina: Carry Max 72 minutes, 36 minutes while running or fighting. Lifting for 18 rounds (270 seconds; 4.5 minutes).

Ground Speed: 14.7 mph for 18 minutes.

Swimming Speed: Can't swim.

Leaping Distance: 5 ft. high and 10 ft broad with a running start, 6 ft high and 3 ft broad from a standing start.

Background:

First son of Argon... yada yada... conquest of Earth... yada yada... picked a fight with the biggest and baddest assassin-fucker on the planet. And lost. Now, having recovered from their injuries and their opponent dead by another's hand they seek to rule the world. For Argon!

They are in complete denial that August is dead and actually really depressed. 

Projects in Motion

I'm not really a game designer and I've only ever made $1.98 from writing. I can't even get my mitts on that. But I have some gaming related irons heating in the fire. Only the first one is active and I hope to be writing about it here a some point. The last is, of course, on going.

Project Tarragon Oubliette.

Formerly DaD's RPG, I'm still working on my fantasy heartbreaker homebrew. I need a better title. I'm tempted to call it "Lucid" but I'm not entirely sure why. All that follows is highly likely to change.

I got lost with DaD's because of my tendency to get fixated on the character stuff without thinking too much about how it would all work. So I went back to first principles, stripping out the character stuff and working on the core engine.

I've settled on 3d6 for my core mechanic, rather than d20. With a higher-is-better attitude, and possible exploding dice that can be toggled depending on genre.

I'm leaning towards a heavily modified Mearls initiative dice, 1 second segments (possibly no rounds; but they'd probably be 6 seconds if I have them). Ascending AC, but I want active defence rolls rather than a passive target number, with having to defend adding 1 segment to the character's next action. But I don't want too many dive rolls. Rolling 3d6 and then deciding if you're attacking or defending with it is tempting.

I've reversed the relationship between attributes and classes when it comes to Hit Dice; size of die is based on constitution while classes give bonus hit points per level. Hit points are now called Stamina and not only are they still used to soak damage but also to fuel special abilities. When a character runs out of stamina they don't drop dead but instead start losing Vitality and rolling on the Death and Dismemberment table. Stamina increases with level but vitality equals the total of strength and constitution and only changes if those attributes do. If not killed by their injuries a character dies when Vitality hits zero.

There's also Resolve, which is stress and willpower. When resolve hits zero the character starts rolling on the Delirium and Dementia tables. I might come up with the mental equivilent to vitality; sanity, psyche, or something. The size of die used to generate resolve is based upon the character's wisdom attribute with class giving a bonus to resolve. Resolve is used to soak "psychic" damage from fear and stress but it is mostly used to power spells in the form of "Wyrd".

Magic is still Vancian at its core, with spellcasters having to memorise spells which are released when the spell is cast. Or the caster can use Wyrd to hold onto the spell while still letting its effects loose. Wyrd is also used to power supernatural abilities and spell-like talents. Some characters have naturally elevated Wyrd. Most don't, with some actually being Wyrd deficient. But that's not a problem as resolve can be turned into Wyrd at a rate of 1 to 1 per second. Although I might rename Wyrd to Source. Not sure.

Ultimately I want it to be modular, with me being able to use it for whatever genres or settings takes my fancy. Such as, below.

Project Rainbow Vamp.

In reaction to the strammash over the fascistic, homophobic and generally unpleasant fifth edition of White Wolf's Vampire I decided that there needed to be a Rainbowpunk Vampires game and it needed to be built as an OSR style game.

Rainbow-Punk is a literary genre I invented. Or at least it's one I believe I named. It is encapsulated in the phrase "Be Gay; Do Crimes", which I first heard from the TheFingerFuckingFemaleFury over on Tumblr. I've yet to write anything I'd call rainbow-punk. Probably because I'm right on the outermost edges of queer culture and I'm not familiar with it enough to do it justice.

I'm planning to use the engine from Tarragon Oubliette but change the bodywork as well as the player
and GM facing stuff so it's about gay vampires.

In the world of Rainbow Vamp (final name TBD) there are no cishet vampires. All the undead are some form of LGBTQIA+.

I  want all the powers and abilities to be in Polari, not pidgin latin or greek. Unfortunately I'm going to have to come up with words that sound like polari as the lingo just isn't there. However "Vogue" for fire control and "Remould" for shape-shifting are perfect.

This is a really difficult project for me.

Fon Choille

A few years ago I got involved with the We Are Adventurers Collective over on Tumblr. Fon Choille is the home setting for my Iconic Character, a Dhampir Assassin called Jay September-Magvyr who is better known as "The Magpie". It is a vaguely gothic setting very loosely inspired geographically by the Kingdom of Fife in Scotland. It is south of the Choille Olc, a true wilderness populated by all sorts of monsters. But, ironically, very few orcs. Fon Choille means, in the local dialect, "Below the Forest". (As opposed to "across the forest", in Latin, "Trans-Sylvania")

Fon Choille in 6 mile hexes.

For three centuries it was ruled by Duke Vilias Magvyr, the vampire lord. Then his two youngest children, Jay and Octavia, slew him, killed or scattered his surviving loyalists, nicked a lot of his stuff, and then blew up his castle with Dwerthen blasting spirit. Given the chance for home rule the populace, who are mostly of Chaladeann ancestry and thus can pick a fight in an empty room, descended quickly into petty squabbles and feuds. After a century Jay returned and took over the ruins of castle Gristocit, proclaiming themselves as duke. Their intent to return order and unity to their homeland. They succeeded after a fashion. The feuding militias joined forces against the perceived "outsider" and besieged Gristocit.

The siege lasted less than three days. On the third day a woman rode into the camp claiming that she was Magda Magvyr and she alone would liberate them from interlopers. She rode up to the castle and disappeared. Hours later the assassins descended from the castle and decimated the besiegers. The slain were impaled, as in Vilias Magvyr’s time. But the assassin’s prisoners were released and the survivors of the attack allowed to rout to Dun Duglas undisturbed.

The following morning a group of riders arrived in Dun Duglas from the castle. Their leader announced that, like it or not, Jay September-Magvyr was the rightful Duke of Fon Choille and would brook no pretenders nor rebellion. Rebellion would be met the only way the assassins knew how, with the death of the county’s leadership and replacement with people of the Duke’s own choosing. A fortnight from that day said leaders, Counts, Marquis and all were expected to present themselves to the Duke at Castle Gristocit. Those that failed to attend would be replaced.

On the given date the summoned nobles, and those who laid claim to titles, arrived at the castle. They were led through to the great hall where The Magpie sat upon a modest throne. Before them on the long table was a huge cake in the shape of the Duchy, divided into it’s counties. Each alleged count was called forward. There were more than there were counties.

“How this works is quite simple,” said The Magpie. “You have a choice between Death or Cake. If you lay claim to a county then you may come forth and claim it on the table. You will then divide it between your Marquis who will then divide it between their Barons. If there are more than one claimant to a region I will decide who gets the cake. The excess claimants will be executed. If any of you are here in error then I bid you to depart now. Before the cutting starts.”

A 1-mile hex child of the above map. Minus icons and labels.

The two maps I included here are the only surviving maps of the project. It was going to be my big world building project with dungeons, adventures and stuff. Alas my desktop PC died and took with it all my maps that weren't hand drawn. Possibly for good.

On top of that I was using ACKs as part of the world design, and struggling with it. I was able to trace the issue back to presumptions made by the designers due to their odious far right politics. I had to make so many hot fixes I might as well have used something else entirely. I'm currently toying with some things in that direction.

Castle Magvyr

The ruins of Castle Magvyr were planned to be a megadungeon. Eleven levels, numerous sub-levels, the castle and it's surrounds. It was going to be the tent-pole for Fon Choille as a whole. In theory, even if I have to restart Fon Choille from scratch I can still use Castle Magvyr.

Phenomenal Paragons

A world building exercise specifically to give me something to write about in this blog. It's both getting out of control and fighting me on every post.

Heroes Unlimited: Phenomenal Paragons: Grave Digger

Valentina Graves was only 15 when a landslide buried her alive. Suffocating in the cold wet mud something sparked within her, latent mutant genes erupting with power. She emerged from the earth forever changed.

Hello central casting? I asked for a mummified detective and you sent me a zombie! Hello?

This is the eleventh character in my Phenomenal Paragons series. The introduction to which is here. It is inspired by Jacob Pisson's World's Strongest series, here.

So I noticed that, other than Swift Justice, I hadn't posted any mutants. This is despite having created many. Jade doesn't technically count, being a super soldier by the rules. However most of the mutants I've created I've made as PCs.

So I thought I'd give you one. A mutant that is. Here we go.

Step One: The Usual.

There's no faffing around here. We're told to generate "attributes, Hit Points, alignment,

skills and education" before proceeding. Not a separate step for each. No hand holding. Just go do it and come back when you're done.

So elevens across the board. 

HP equal PE+3 (for being first level).

I roll a 1 for alignment, so Principled. 

For education I use the optional education table I've been using since Aditi. I roll up 1 year college and trade school. On the sub-table I roll Investigator/Detective.

This gives us Native Literacy, Native Language, and Basic Maths. It also gives us the Police: Basic Training program, Police: Detective program, and one choice of a Basic program. Finally we get 10 secondary skills.

Police: Basic Training gives us: Athletics (+1 parry/dodge, +1 roll with impact, +1 PS, +3 Spd, +5 SDC), First Aid, Law, a choice from Pilot Automobile or Pilot Motorcycle, W.P. Shotgun, which I replace with W.P. Blunt, W.P. Pistol which I replace with Acrobatics (It's okay I gave myself permission; 2d4 kick, +15% climbing, +5% prowl, +2 roll with impact, +1 PS, +1PP, +1 PE, +3 SDC) and Hand-to-Hand Expert.

Police: Detective gives us Bureaucracy,  Criminal Science, Computer Operations, Photography, Research, Intelligence, Interrogation, Police Procedure, Streetwise.

I'm feel indecisive regarding the basic program. I'm tempted by the Professional Athlete package but it wastes a few skill picks. So instead I go with the Basic: Explorer program as it gives similar bonuses but is a much broader selection of skills. I'm also a bit bored of optimised combat characters and most of the skills we can get are available as secondary skills. We get Climbing, Dowsing, Land Navigation, Mountaineering (+1 PS, +1 PE, +7 SDC, +10% climbing), Prospecting, Spelunking, Swimming, Wilderness Survival.

For secondary skills I pick: Cooking, Running (+1 PE, +10 Spd, +3 SDC), Body Building (+2 PS, +10 SDC), Prowl, Concealment, Palming, Sewing, Competitive Swimming (+2 dodge in water, +2 Spd, +1 PS, +1 PE, +3 SDC), Pilot Bicycle. I also use one pick to upgrade our Hand-to-Hand to Martial Arts.

Next we have a section about the age the character's mutant abilities first appeared and how they, and others around them, reacted. It's all RP fluff, and not particularly informative at that, but it does give me a breakdown of the rough age ranges where these abilities first manifest. In most cases (65%) this is between the ages of 13 an 20, with the next largest being 21 or older (25%). The smallest group are 12 or less, at only 10%. I use this data to generate a table and then roll on it. Our character is in the oldest group. I roll a d8 and add 12, for 15.

Now in my setting powers typically initially manifest one of two ways. Either through a dramatic and unexpected Eruption of power, often brought on through trauma. Or through a subtle Awakening of power. With mutants powers often bring physical changes, and even when they don't are dramatic in their expressions. Which is why there are far more Eruptions than Awakenings. Thinking through all the character's I've created for the setting I'd ballpark only around 20% have had an Awakening, and the number could be much lower. Which leaves 80% of them with Eruptions. As you can probably tell from my introductory paragraph this character is one of the latter.

Step Two: Cause of Mutation.

This step is actually a single roll on a single chart and, much to my irritation, includes an entry marked "Deliberate Experiment", which is a different character class entirely.

I pick "Aberrant Genetics" because I want to. 

I then use my favourite name generator to get the name Valentina Graves. This turns out to be prophetic.

Step Three: Mutant Characteristics.

I really wanted a gif of him going "Racism"

Or as I like to call it; "Mama's got book lungs and daddy never sleeps at night". Which would be a turn up for the books as the original chart in the main rules is as boring as toothache. Honestly the prehensile feet Jade Justice has are possibly the most exciting entry and if you are really unlucky you might have... (fake horrified gasp) ...brown skin.

Thankfully the Heroes Unlimited fandom has made at least one expanded mutation chart. Which can be seen here. It contains all the original entries and then some more. It has a central colour table with an option adjective table. So while you might still end up brown, it could be metallic brown. Sadly no book lungs. I'll be using it from here on out.

Rolling for degree of mutation we get "broad mutation" which gives us 2 random mutations and 2 cosmetic mutations.

Our first random mutation roll directs us to the Combat Mutations chart where we get Small Horns that are 2" long and give us a +2 damage to headbutts.
Our second directs us to the Animal Traits II chart where we generate Fast Metabolism. This gives us +3 PE, +1 PP, +3 Spd, a +2 save versus poisons and toxins, which are also reduced to half duration and effect. Finally the character only sleeps for 4 hours a day but needs twice as much food.

Our first cosmetic mutation is Odd Skin, specifically Mummified appearance. This gives us +20 SDC, +2 PE, +1 to any other attribute (I pick PS) and -3 PB.
Our second roll gives us Supernatural Hair, a single strand of which can support 500 lbs and cannot be cut by normal means. It is a (sickly) aquamarine colour.

Step Four: Super Powers.

I roll on the relevant chart and get 1 major power and 3 minor powers.

I roll for the major power and get Zombie Flesh. This is a weird form of invulnerability wherein the character can be injured but the injury has no effect. Shoot them and they've now got a hole through them, cut off a limb and they'll regrow it in 24 hours or just pick it up and reattach it, which takes 1d4 actions. The character is immune to physical damage, takes full damage from energy attacks, while poisons, toxins, gases and the like all do half damage/duration/effect. They regenerate 1d6 damage per round. They get +100 SDC, +50 Hit Points, +7 PS (which is superhuman), and +30% save verses Coma/Death.

For the first minor power I go for a movement power and get Super Burrowing. This lets us move 50' per round through dirt or 10' per round through rock and stone. If we want to leave a tunnel for others we move half as fast. We can excavate 40 cubic feet per minute, although reinforcing that takes 10-20 minutes. We can trap 10 cubic feet of tunnels in 2d4 minutes. Finally we can sense direction underground.

For the second minor power I roll up Nightstalking. This power makes the character a creature of the night, more capable once the sun goes down. It's a real grab bag of abilities. There's an intuitive time sense which permits the character to know when it's night, an ability to hide in shadows like an AD&D style thief, the ability to recognise the undead and other creatures of the night on sight, an immunity to being turned into undead, a bonus to tracking, navigation and prowling. More importantly 1000' night vision, +1 initiative, and Horror Factor 13. Finally, when it is night, they do extra damage and have increased SDC.

The third and final power I roll up is Tentacles of Hair. This is exactly what is sounds like. The character can animate their hair to form tentacles and use them as additional limbs. At first level they can form one tentacle but get additional ones as they level up. They get their second tentacle at third level. Each tentacle has PS and PP half that of the character. They also each have 30 SDC; +2 to strike, parry and disarm; +3 entangle and +4 dodge.+10% to palming and concealment as well s a 2d4 whip attack. Each tentacle can reach 40 feet. Every two tentacles grants +1 attack per round and two or more tentacles grant an increased chance of climbing.

But we'd previously determined that the character's hair was supernatural which means something more than just being really really strong. This means that the hair's strength can carry x300 its PS and lift x500 its PS in pounds. It's whip attack can do up to 3d6 damage and if its in a Mega Damage setting that's in Mega Damage. Likewise its 30 SDC becomes 30 MDC is that environment.

Name: DC Valentina Graves
Super Identity: Grave Digger
Team: P.R.A.T. Squad
Level: 1, Mutant.
Height: 5'4", Weight: 110 lbs, Age: 24
Alignment: Principled
Disposition: Nice, friendly, courteous and hospitable.
IQ 11, ME 11, MA 11, PS 25, PP 13, PE 20, PB 8, Spd 29
Hit Points: 73, S.D.C.: 181 (231 at night), P.P.E.: 20.

Mutant Characteristics:
Small Horns: 2" long.
Fast Metabolism: Only 4 hours sleep but requires twice as much food. Poisons, drugs and gases have only quarter their normal duration and effects.
Mummified Skin.
Supernatural Hair: A sickly aquamarine colour, a single strand of her hair can support up to 500 lbs.

Super Powers:
Nightstalking: Horror Factor 13. 1000' night vision.
Super Burrowing.
Tentacles of Hair: PS 12, PP 6. 30 SDC/MDC each. 1 tentacle. Strength is supernatural.
Zombie Flesh: Zero damage from physical attacks, half damage from energy. Effects of drugs and poisons already calculated above. Strength is superhuman.

Skills:
Natural Skills:
Digging/Tunneling/Excavation 74%, Hide in Shadows 76%, Sense Direction Underground 74%, Trap Tunnels 63%
Scholastic Skills: 
Acrobatics (Sense of Balance, High Wire, Climb Rope, Back-Flip), Athletics, Basic Maths, Bureaucracy, Climbing (Rappelling), Computer Operation, Criminal Science, Dowsing, English Language, English Literacy, First Aid, Hand-to-Hand Martial Arts, Intelligence, Interrogation, Law, Land Navigation, Mountaineering, Photography, Pilot Automobile, Police Procedure, Prospecting, Research, Spelunking, Streetwise, Swimming, W.P. Blunt, Wilderness Survival.
Secondary Skills:
Body Building, Competitive Swimming, Concealment, Cooking, Palming, Pilot: Bicycle, Prowl, Running, Sewing.

Saves:
Coma/Death: +40%
Harmful Drugs/Toxins: +5
Horror Factor: +0
Magic (Spells 12+, Circles/Wards 13+, Ritual 16+): +3
Poison (Lethal 14+, Non-Lethal 16+): +5
Psionics (15+): +0
Possession: +0

Combat:
Attacks: 2+2
Initiative: +3
Strike: +0 (+2, Hair)
Damage: +10 (+1d6 at night)
 1d4+2 Head-Butt
 1d4+10 Punch
 2d4+10 Acrobatic Kick
 3d6 Supernatural Hair Whip
Dodge: +1, (+3 water; +5 hair)
Parry: +1, (+3 hair)
Disarm: (+2 hair)
Entangle: (+3 hair)
Pull Punch: +3
Roll with Impact: +6

Benchmarks:
Carry Capacity: 5,000 lbs (3,750 lbs; hair); Lift: 7,500 lbs (6,250 lbs; hair)
Stamina: Carry for 80 minutes. Carry maximum for 40 minutes. Lift for 20 rounds.
Ground Speed: 20 mph for 20 minutes. 2.25 mph digging.
Swimming Speed: 75 yards (225 ft.) per round for 20 minutes (80 rounds).
Leaping Distance: 25 ft. high and 50 ft. broad from a running start. 15 ft. high and 30 ft. broad from a standing start.

Background:
Teenaged triathlete Valentina Graves was on a summer scholarship with the Blyghton Foundation when she was buried alive by a mudslide. The experience triggered the eruption of her mutant genes and she emerged alive but forever changed. Now resembling a horned mummified corpse she returned home to Ennor and tried to get on with her life. It wasn't too much of a shock; she'd been tested positive for mutant genetics as an infant and knew it was a possibility that trauma could cause as eruption. Choosing to live an active lifestyle had been her choice. Unable to compete any more at her chosen sport she instead decided to join the police, using her "gifts" to help people.

The press gave her the nickname of PC "Grave Digger" when she arrested a suspect after he had fled through a graveyard to evade her colleagues. Bursting out of the ground "like a zombie" to make the collar.

Having recently made detective she has been transferred into the newly formed Paranormal Resources And Tactics Squad. Bringing them up to three members.

Heroes Unlimited: Phenomenal Paragons: Road Rash (Symbiotic)

Richard O'Shea thought breaking into Ridgestar Laboratories would net him a small fortune but instead it got him an infection of Vlytetians; a symbiotic hive mind that grants Richard superhuman powers as Road Rash, the supersonic thief.

This is the tenth character in my Phenomenal Paragons series. The introduction to which is here. It is inspired by Jacob Pisson's World's Strongest series, here.

Everyone with more than two brain cells to rub together like Venom right? Marvel's ultimate anti-hero with his weird love/hate fixation on Spiderman? Sure they do. Which is why Heroes Unlimited has an entire class dedicated to the archetype.

Personally I feel Venom is a bit of a two-note villain who can't really exist without Spidey to bounce off of, but that's just me. Although the movie was good.

So. Let's get on with this then.

Step One: The Usual.

Our normal 11's across the board. It's noted that we should pencil the numbers in as they might change later. I should point out that this class is in Powers Unlimited volume 2. The second character expansion for Heroes Unlimited. I think we should know that by now, Kev.

Step Two: Hit Points & S.D.C.

Again it's the usual with Hit Points for the character. But with a random bonus which comes to +7 for us. The symbiote gets its own Hit Points, here totaling to 20, and an A.R. of 10.

For SDC we get a base of 30 for the character. The symbiote doesn't get any.

Step Three: Background & Abilities.

Where did the symbiote come from?

It was 'liberated' from a genetics lab by our hero villain. Who knows if this is where it originated.

Symbiote's Appearance.

Tiny worm-like creatures in the blood. It has no effect on the character's appearance.

Symbiote's Intelligence.

Symbiote is sentient. It has an IQ of 13, ME 14 and MA 17. It has a lifespan of 100 years.

It has the following psionic powers: Empathy, Telepathy (both of which it can use on the host for free), See Aura, Mind Block (self only), Time Sense, and Read Dimensional Portal. It has 56 I.S.P.

The host gains +1 to saves versus psionics, illusions and magic. +2 to save versus possession.

Symbiote Eats.

Normal food. It double's the amount of food the host eats.

Benefits Gained by Host.

Increased SDC: +50 SDC.

Increased Reflexes: +1 PP, +3 Automatic Dodge.

Determining Super Abilities:

2 major abilities and 2 minor abilities to do with speed...

So... For my first major power I pick Sonic Speed.

This gives us +1 attack per round, +100 SDC, +3 PE, +6 initiative, +1 strike, +3 parry, +4 automatic dodge, +6 roll with impact, +1 pull punch.

There's a bunch of stuff about damage which I'll put down in the final character sheet to save space.

Of course the main thing this power does is permit a character run at Mach 1. Which is about 767.2 mph, or Speed 1,096. Don't worry, I'm not going to start doing that in this case. The character can reach top speed in one action, creating a sonic boom. They can swim 300 mph, dive to 300 feet and have a pressure tolerance of 350'. Also add 60' height and 100' breadth to leaps with a running start.
Finally they also get 500' night vision, which is about half to a third of what they need.

My second major power is Rocket Charge. A burst of Mach 2 speed for a brief period during which time the character leaves a trail of fire and hits hard.
This lets a character run at 1,500 mph, +100 mph per level, for 1d4 rounds. So up to a minute. It then takes another 1d4 rounds for the power to recharge. It takes only 1 action to go from a standstill to top speed.
I'm treating it like an afterburner for sonic speed.
+1 attack per round, +3 initiative; +1 strike, parry and dodge. +3 roll with impact and +2 damage per 100 mph of speed.
It increases leaping distance by +20' in both height and breadth for every 100 mph of speed. Only +10' if moving under 100 mph.
Melee attacks do 2d6 damage for every 100 mph of speed, which means 30d6 at top speed just to start. There's a 80% chance to cause knockback. It costs 1 attack at under 800 mph or two attacks if faster. The character is +1 to strike but can only apply bonuses from PP.
There's also a ricochet attack which can attack up to 3 people at first level, although they have to be within 50 feet of each other and each attack is rolled separately.
Lastly there's the flame trail which follows a character for 2d6 seconds. Given that the character is travelling at 2250 feet per second this means that the trail is between 4,500 feet and 27,000 feet with an average of 15,750 feet. So that's an average of a 3 mile flaming trail that can start fires of its own. It doesn't say how much damage it does.

Shush Jack. It'll be fine. They're smart cookies.

We get +30 SDC, and only take half damage from fire and heat, unless it's magical. We can judge distances by 1d4 feet and speed by 1d6 mph.

Our first minor power is Extraordinary Prowess. It's identical in every regard to the power as described under Swift Justice.

Our second minor power is Physical Perfection. Again it's identical to its description under Ms. Fury's write-up.

Step Four: Education and Skills. 

Rolling for education we get Trade School. I immediately take the opportunity to take the Professional Thief program and double down on it. This gives us:
Locksmith, Prowl, Climbing, and Surveillance Systems.
The second pass gets us a pick of five skills. I go with:
Streetwise, Find Contraband, Pick Pockets, Safe Cracking, and Concealment.
Finally we get 8 secondary skills. My choices are:
Basic Hand-to-Hand, +2 attacks, +2 roll with impact, +2 pull punch.
Athletics, +1 parry, dodge & roll with impact; +1 PS, +3 Spd, +5 SDC.
Body-Building, +2 PS, +10 SDC.
Running, +1 PE, +10 Spd, +3 SDC.
Swimming, Business & Finance, Cooking, General Repair.

Step Five: Alignment.

6, Miscreant.

Step Six: Rounding Out.

I've been skipping this step before because, reasons. The important stuff ends up on the finished character sheet anyway. So why break the habit of a lifetime. Lets move onto the finished character sheet.

Name: Richard O'Shea.

Super Identity: Road Rash.

Level: 1, Symbiotic.

Height: 5'8", Weight: 120 lbs, Age: 23.

Alignment: Miscreant.

Disposition: Wild, cocky and overconfident. Takes unnecessary risks.

IQ 11 [13], ME 11 [14], MA 13 [17], PS 16, PP 18, PE 16, PB 19, Spd 35.

Hit Points: 33, S.D.C.: 245, P.P.E.: 20, I.S.P.: [56]

Superpowers:
Sonic Speed:
Rocket Charge:
Extraordinary Prowess:
Physical Perfection:

[Psionics: Symbiote Only]
Empathy (4), Telepathy (4), See Aura (6), Mind Block (4), Time Sense (2), Read Dimensional Portal (6).

Skills:
Athletics, Basic Hand-to-Hand, Basic Maths, Body Building, Business & Finances, Climb, Concealment, Cooking, English Language, English Literacy, Find Contraband, General Repair, Locksmith, Pick Pockets, Pilot Automobile, Prowl, Running, Safe Cracking, Streetwise, Surveillance Systems, Swimming.

Saves:
Coma/Death: +9%
Harmful Drugs/Toxins: +1
Horror Factor: +0
Magic (Spells 12+, Circles/Wards 13+, Ritual 16+): +2
Poison (Lethal 14+, Non-Lethal 16+): +1
Psionics (15+): +1
Possession: +2

Combat:
Attacks: 2+4
Initiative: +9
Strike: +3 (+4 Rocket Charge; +1 Ricochet Attack.)
Damage: +1 (+2/100mph)
 1d6 Normal Punch
 2d6 Fast Punch/Kick
 2d6+2/100mph Rocket Charge
 4d6 Superfast Punch
 5d6 Superfast Kick
 5d6 Ricochet Attack
 1d6x10 Superfast Power Punch (2atk)
 2d4x10 Superspeed Body-slam (3atk)
Dodge: +2
Autododge: +10
Parry: +5
Roll with Impact: +11
Pull Punch: +3

Benchmarks:
Carry Capacity: 160 lbs; Lifting 320 lbs.
Stamina: Carry for 64 minutes. Carry maximum for 32 minutes. Lift for 16 rounds.
Ground Speed: 24 mph; 700 mph, duration as stamina. 1,500 mph for 1d4 minutes.
Swimming Speed: 48 yards (144 ft.) per round; 300 mph for 16 minutes (64 rounds; 960 seconds)
Leaping Distance: 64 ft. high, 108 ft. broad from a sonic speed start. 4 ft. high, 8 ft. broad from a running start. 2 ft. high, 5 ft. broad from a standing start.

Background:
Richard O'Shea's lack of imagination led him to break into Ridgestar Labs; he just couldn't imagine what he would find. The lab was guarded by robots but these were all on the same power grid. Richard physically disabled it, along with all the magnetic locks. It would be day before anyone noticed. He loaded the van up with valuable looking equipment and then opened the wrong door. A mass of worm like creatures overwhelmed him, burrowing into him. By rights he should have died. But when opened his eyes he was miles away and running like a maniac. He heard voices; the worms were inside him, talking to him, giving him power to run at supersonic speeds.

They called themselves the Vlytetians, they said that they came from elsewhere, but they didn't know where or how they got to the lab. But they wanted to know and Richard was going to be their chauffeur.

Since then they traveled around looking for answers, pulling off the odd robbery to fund their travels. This has brought them to Ennor where Ridgestar have a number of facilities.

Oh, Richard lacks imagination but the Vlytetians are schemers.