Taliesin's 3E Builds: Moonstone, Binary, Rulk, Wasp, Shang

[Taliesin]

X-Man
PL15

Abilities
Strength 2, Stamina 3, Agility 3, Dexterity 2, Fighting 7, Intellect 2, Awareness 6, Presence 2

Powers
Psychic Senses: Senses 8 (Mental Awareness, Ranged and Radius Detect Life, Postcognition), Dimensional (astral plane) • 9 points
Telekinesis: Array (45 points)

○ Telekinesis: Move Object 15, Damaging • 46 points
○ Telekinetic Flight: Flight 11 (4,000 MPH), Affects Others, Ranged • 2 points
○ Telekinetic Force Field: Protection 15, Impervious, Affects Others, Sustained • 2 points
○ Telekinetic Spray: Ranged Multiattack Damage 15 • 2 points

Telepathy: Array (60 points)

○ Mental Blast: Perception Ranged Damage 15, Alternate Resistance (Will) • 61 points
○ Astral Form: Remote Sensing 19 (visual, auditory, mental), Dimensional (astral plane), Limited: physical body is defenseless, Subtle • 2 points
○ Mind Alteration: Perception Ranged Cumulative Affliction 15 (Resisted by Will; Dazed, Stunned, Transformed) • 2 points
○ Mind Control: Perception Ranged Cumulative Affliction 15 (Resisted by Will; Dazed, Compelled, Controlled) • 2 points
○ Telepathic Illusion: Illusion 12 (all senses), Resistible by Will, Selective • 2 points
○ Telepathy: Mental Communication 5; Comprehend Languages 2 (speak any, understand all); Mind Reading 15 • 2 points

Advantages
Assessment, Extraordinary Effort, Trance

Skills
Acrobatics 8 (+11), Athletics 6 (+8), Insight 6 (+12), Perception 8 (+14), Ranged Combat: Telekinesis 8 (+10)

Offense
Initiative +3
Mental Blast, Perception Ranged, Damage 15, Resisted by Will (DC 30)
Mind Alteration, Perception Ranged, Affliction 15, Resisted by Will (DC 25)
Mind Control, Perception Ranged, Affliction 15, Resisted by Will (DC 25)
Telekinetic Spray +10, Ranged, Damage 15 (Multiattack)
Telepathic Illusion, Perception Ranged, Illusion 12, Resisted by Will (DC 22)

Defense
Dodge 10, Parry 10
Toughness 18 / 3*, Fortitude 10, Will 17
*Without Telekinetic Force Field.

Power Points
Abilities 54 + Powers 132 + Advantages 3 + Skills 18 + Defenses 28 = Total 235

Complications
Acceptance: Nate Grey feels out of place as a mutant and as an exile from a different timeline.
Psychic Nosebleed Galore: Nate’s psionic powers formerly caused extreme strain upon his body. He suffered damage whenever he used his powers above rank 12, one degree for every rank. So he suffers a -1 cumulative penalty to Toughness checks for every use at rank 13, a dazed condition plus the penalty for rank 14, staggered plus penalty for rank 15, and incapacitated if he used extra effort to push his powers to rank 16. Since merging with his alternate universe self and becoming the mutant shaman, Nate no longer has this complication.

Real Name: Nate Grey

Design Notes: While powerful, Nate Grey is mostly a straightforward psychic build. One thing I do want to point out is his former Complication, Psychic Nosebleed Galore, as an alternative to using the Side Effect Flaw, which was always a tricky one to adjudicate. Having the conditions automatically applied makes things much more straightforward, and look for a formal house rule writeup for this version of Side Effect.

[Sojobo]

Question about Psychic Nosebleed Galore, Taliesin: would he receive a Hero Point every time he took Damage this way?

[Taliesin]

Yeah, that would be the idea. Lets him stunt things, for instance, which he tended to do more of in his earlier days. Once this complication is gone, his powers kind of settled and equilibrated.

[UnkindMirror]

X-Man
Telekinetic Spray +10, Ranged, Damage 15 (Multiattack)

I'm not seeing where the +10 attack check bonus is coming from.
Nate has Dex 2 and no Advantages or Skills that would apply.

Mind Alteration, Perception Ranged, Affliction 15, Resisted by Will (DC 30)
Mind Control, Perception Ranged, Affliction 15, Resisted by Will (DC 30)

Also, those should be "Resisted by Will (DC 25)"

[Taliesin]

X-Man
Telekinetic Spray +10, Ranged, Damage 15 (Multiattack)

I'm not seeing where the +10 attack check bonus is coming from.
Nate has Dex 2 and no Advantages or Skills that would apply.

Mind Alteration, Perception Ranged, Affliction 15, Resisted by Will (DC 30)
Mind Control, Perception Ranged, Affliction 15, Resisted by Will (DC 30)

Also, those should be "Resisted by Will (DC 25)"

Good catches. I always forget to tag in the combat skill and I think I just copied and pasted from Mental Blast for the other telepathy powers.

[ClassDunce]

I'm saddened, you didn't use a picture of X-Man with that awful black mesh shirt that used to wear.

[Taliesin]

Ugh. I don't even like what he's wearing now. He's always got to go barechested and show off that tat. I like his old blue and gold outfit best, but he hasn't worn that in, like, 15 years?

[Taliesin]

Red Skull
PL11

Abilities
Strength 3, Stamina 3, Agility 5, Dexterity 5, Fighting 11, Intellect 6, Awareness 5, Presence 6

Powers
Dust of Death: Ranged Progressive Affliction 10 (Resisted by Fortitude; Dazed, Stunned, Incapacitated), Easily Removable (-16 points) • 24 points

Equipment
Body Armor: Protection 4 • 4 points
Heavy Pistol: Ranged Damage 4 • 8 points
Skull Mask: Feature (gas mask) • 1 point

Advantages
Assessment, Benefit 5 (Security Clearance, Wealth and Resources), Connected, Daze (Intimidation), Defensive Roll 2, Equipment 3, Improved Initiative, Inspire, Languages 1 (English; base: German), Leadership, Ranged Attack 3

Skills
Acrobatics 4 (+9), Athletics 6 (+9), Expertise: Chemistry 8 (+14), Expertise: Military 6 (+12), Expertise: Politics 10 (+16), Insight 10 (+15), Intimidation 12 (+18), Perception 4 (+9), Persuasion 10 (+16), Ranged Combat: Guns 4 (+12), Technology 10 (+16), Vehicles 4 (+9)

Offense
Initiative +9
Dust of Death +12, Ranged, Affliction 10
Heavy Pistol +12, Ranged, Damage 4

Defense
Dodge 13, Parry 13
Toughness 9 / 7*, Fortitude 8, Will 14
*Without Defensive Roll bonus.

Power Points
Abilities 88 + Powers 24 + Advantages 20 + Skills 44 + Defenses 24 = Total 200

Complications
Enemy: The Red Skull is the eternal enemy of Captain America.
Reputation: Nazi super-criminal.

Real Name: Johann Schmidt

Design Notes: The Red Skull’s Dust of Death may be downgraded to Equipment (and the Progressive modifier possibly removed) similar to the Joker’s Venom if you want to maintain consistency, as these poisons are obviously meant to be parallels. Its signature transformation of the victim’s face into a red skull I left as a descriptor. The Red Skull often delivers the Dust of Death via a cigarette shooter or a specialized gun, allowing his Ranged Combat skill to apply.

The Many Faces of the Red Skull:

Over the course of the Red Skull’s many schemes at world domination, he has taken many forms. The mind of the Red Skull has inhabited many bodies, none so significant as a clone of Steve Rogers (and briefly, Rogers’ actual body). In this body, he possessed all of the physical attributes of Steve Rogers (Str 5, Sta 5, Agi 7, Dex 7, and Captain America’s super-soldier derived powers).

The Red Skull is also associated with his pursuit of the omnipotent Cosmic Cube. With this artifact in his possession, the Red Skull became a truly cosmic threat. He gains a slew of powers, among them Flight, Protection, Teleport, and Affliction (third degree Transformed or Controlled) all at rank 15+.

[Taliesin]

Marvel Girl
PL10

Abilities
Strength 1, Stamina 2, Agility 2, Dexterity 2, Fighting 5, Intellect 2, Awareness 6, Presence 2

Powers
Psychic Senses: Senses 9 (Mental Awareness, Danger Sense, Postcognition, Radius and Ranged Detect Life) • 9 points
Quick Change: Features 1 • 1 point
Telekinesis: Array (24 points)

○ Telekinesis: Move Object 12 • 25 points
○ Telekinetic Blast: Ranged Damage 12 • 2 points
○ Telekinetic Flight: Flight 6 (120 MPH), Affects Others, Ranged • 2 points
○ Telekinetic Force Field: Protection 8, Impervious, Sustained, Affects Others • 2 points
○ Telekinetic Reflection: Deflect 12, Reflect • 2 points

Telepathy: Array (32 points)

○ Telepathy: Mind Reading 10, Linked to Mental Communication 3 • 33 points
○ Astral Form: Remote Sensing 10 (visual, auditory, mental), Dimensional (astral plane), Limited: physical body is defenseless, Subtle • 2 points
○ Mental Blast: Perception Ranged Damage 8, Resisted by Will • 2 points
○ Mental Illusions: Illusion 6 (all senses), Selective, Resistible by Will • 2 points
○ Mind Alteration: Perception Ranged Cumulative Affliction 8 (Resisted by Will; Dazed, Stunned, Transformed) • 2 points
○ Mind Control: Perception Ranged Cumulative Affliction 8 (Resisted by Will; Dazed, Compelled, Controlled) • 2 points

Advantages
Assessment, Beginner’s Luck, Move-By Action, Trance

Skills
Acrobatics 4 (+6), Expertise: Alternate Histories 6 (+8), Insight 4 (+10), Perception 6 (+12), Ranged Combat: Telekinesis 6 (+8), Technology 6 (+8), Vehicles 8 (+10)

Offense
Initiative +2
Mental Blast, Perception Ranged, Damage 8 (Will DC 23)
Mental Illusions, Perception Ranged, Illusion 6 (Will DC 21)
Mind Control, Perception Ranged, Affliction 8 (Will DC 23)
Telekinetic Blast +8, Ranged, Damage 12
Unarmed +5, Close, Damage 1

Defense
Dodge 10, Parry 8
Toughness 10 (Impervious 8) / 2*, Fortitude 6, Will 12
*Without Telekinetic Force Field bonus

Power Points
Abilities 44 + Powers 86 + Advantages 4 + Skills 20 + Defenses 21 = Total 175

Complications
Prejudice: Mutant.

Real Name: Rachel Summers

Design Notes: Rachel is tough to pin down because her powers have varied so significantly over the years, partly due to her higher end showings from drawing upon the Phoenix Force. She likely can still use most of the listed effects even without the Phoenix Force. One stunt that remains such is Chronoskimming, which can be treated as a very rare power stunt or even a psionic “ritual,” that allows her to project a person’s consciousness into that of an alternate reality or temporal counterpart or self. It’s built as an Affliction with a third degree Controlled condition and the Affects Others, Continuous and Instant Recovery modifiers, plus Time Travel.

[Nickoli]

Great build on Marvel Girl. That much closer to completing Excalibur! Thanks for putting her together.

For her Mental Illusions power; I have it coming out to 36 points. 37 with Dynamic. Am I figuring that wrong?

What would you think about her having an extra complication for her connection to the Phoenix Force? After all, a whole bunch of aliens once crashed her family reunion and slaughtered most of them so none of her relatives could ever manifest the Phoenix.

Also, wouldn't she have tracking on her senses power? She was a hound after all.

[UnkindMirror]

Seeing Marvel Girl here and X-Man above reminds me that I really don't like having Protection as an AE of Flight on a character.
Purely for mechanical reasons, of course, it's not about whether this is an accurate depiction of the character.

Allocating even one rank of Flight will cost her two ranks of Protection, and the first combined allocation without wasted points is Flight 3/Protection 4. A minimum loss of 1 defensive PL for any Flight, 2 PL without wasting points.

[Goldar]

I love both X-Man and Marvel Girl builds, Taliesin! Very nice.

I would be interested in seeing what a 3E build looks like for Exodus. Any plans to profile him (keeps fingers and toes crossed)???

[Dufresne]

Great builds as always, Taliesin. Seeing Marvel Girl, for some reason, brought something to mind that had never occurred to me: just when is Affects Others Protection actually useful? Seems like it would only work for characters who don't already meet their PL caps.

But then, I also had another thought: it seems like it would work very well for protecting characters who are Vulnerable or Defenseless, because they have more room to trade off for Toughness! Or characters who've suffered from Weaken Toughness. A lot of times in comics you see TKers protecting fallen comrades. That's my theory, at least, I'm interested to see what your interpretation is.

[Taliesin]

Great build on Marvel Girl. That much closer to completing Excalibur! Thanks for putting her together.

For her Mental Illusions power; I have it coming out to 36 points. 37 with Dynamic. Am I figuring that wrong?

Resistible is a -1 Flaw on Illusion.

What would you think about her having an extra complication for her connection to the Phoenix Force? After all, a whole bunch of aliens once crashed her family reunion and slaughtered most of them so none of her relatives could ever manifest the Phoenix.

Also, wouldn't she have tracking on her senses power? She was a hound after all.

Both good points. Her connection to the Phoenix Force is on-and-off but bears mentioning. For her Senses, I'm not entirely sure she needs Tracking given the other functions, such as Postcognition, which can basically function as Tracking on roids.

[Taliesin]

Seeing Marvel Girl here and X-Man above reminds me that I really don't like having Protection as an AE of Flight on a character.
Purely for mechanical reasons, of course, it's not about whether this is an accurate depiction of the character.

Allocating even one rank of Flight will cost her two ranks of Protection, and the first combined allocation without wasted points is Flight 3/Protection 4. A minimum loss of 1 defensive PL for any Flight, 2 PL without wasting points.

It wouldn't be mechanically ideal--there, you'd have your offensive array, your protection, and your movement effect all separate and eat the extra cost.

I like it here for depictive reasons, as you mention, because the characters give up a little when they use their TK for other purposes. Compared to a pure telepath like Xavier who's SOL not having any telekinesis for protection, they're a bit better off.

The other option is to attach Enhanced Defense to the Flight slot so that what you lose in Toughness you make up in Defense, but that's tricky with Defense costing twice base Toughness. Even with Marvel Girl's 3 points/rank Protection, there's not much wiggle room.