WAIFU WARZ - MISC. BUILDS - THE INCREADIBLE (NON)SHRINKING MAN

Where in all of your character write ups will go.
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squirrelly-sama
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Re: WAIFU WARZ - RE:ARCHETYPE - THE ENERGY CONTROLLER CHARGES UP

Post by squirrelly-sama »

Coming up next will be the Gadgeteer.
The build is another middle ground one, bad but not TOO bad. Strangely damage shifted and having no options for customization. What really stands out are the LUDICROUS Int score and resulting stupidly high Tech and expertise scores. With such a high investigation score they also beat out the Crime Fighter archetype who's whole schtick was being a detective. All in all it looks like they tried to merge together the Crime Fighter and Power Suit. So probably the biggest thing to overcome is how the Gadgeteer is basically a specialized Crime Fighter, but actually effective. Too much so in fact. 20 Ranks of technology and Inventor? Skill mastery on top of that. I guess this is where all those newbies keep getting the idea that that's fair and balanced.
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Build Rant - Powers (Affliction, Damage, and Weaken)

Post by squirrelly-sama »

So time spent dealing with the archetypes has once again reawakened by annoyance with decisions on how 3E would be made. This time it's powers. Rather than doing it in one big post I decided to split it up. Rather than in alphabetical order I'd instead go in thematic groups ordered by what I feel is most egregious. So of course the best place to start is the Big 3. Affliction, Damage, and Weaken.

You're almost guaranteed to see at least one of these effects on a build, even with no powers Damage takes the form of strength. These are the effects you go to for offense, and every character has some form of offense. Affliction and Damage are the most common, being almost a pair and two sides of the same coin all in one. Bacon and Eggs, OJ and Apple Juice, Tomato and To-mah-to. And just like those things one is very obviously superior (Bacon, OJ, and Tomato). In this case Damage is the uncontested king of all effects and you can't talk about any other offensive powers without comparing them to Damage and seeing why they're terrible in comparison.

We'll start with Affliction. What does it do? If afflicts the target with a status effect if they fail their save. The strength of this status effect is determined by just how many degrees the target failed. The Status effect lingers until the affliction is beaten or nullified. Sounds like a decent effect. But then you compare it to Damage. Damage has a starting DC of 15+ranks to get it's first degree of success while Affliction starts out at 10+ranks, this means that it starts out with an effective -5 penalty to do anything. Even ignoring that since only the Second Degree of damage does something significant it still means that by default Damage achieves both that -1 penalty to future saves and afflicting it's own first degree status effect. This means that (if it were a normal affliction) when damage fails by 1 degree then all future saves against will have a small penalty to it, if it succeeds than it still adds that additional penalty.

Because of how DCs are determined and rolls are done you can't get actually get your full millage out of affliction. To put it simply if you have an affliction meeting a resistance of equal ranks then just over half the time (55%) it will fail. If they roll down 5-9 then you succeed by 1 degree, and so 2-4 is the range for 2nd degree, with 1 only earning 3 degrees because it's a natural fail roll. Even if you exceed their resistance by 5 ranks then you still only have a 1 in 5 shot of getting a 3 degrees of success. The only way to actually see your affliction actually work to it's fullest with any regularity is to not only stack it as high as you can but also only target people with a giant shift that makes them exceptionally weak to it. Or else buy cumulative. Damage on the other hand constantly weakens the opponent with every hit making them more likely to succumb, and those penalties stack even outside of your own attacks meaning that the penalties dealt by others will also benefit you which not even cumulative does.

Then there's the Recovery. Without recovery powers damage sticks. You get a recovery action once per scene but it's not really that good so it's unlikely to really be used or do anything if it is. Even when Damage is recovered Regeneration starts out on bruises first and when big penalties are to be recovered by either regen or healing each stage has to be recovered from. Affliction mean while has it's penalties resisted to recover from them every turn, sometimes even twice per turn, and when that save is met the Affliction is completely lifted.

And lets talk about the statuses. Hindered is worthless the same as immobile, Prone is a second tier condition despite being recoverable by move action and actually ends up being more helpful than not unless you got a buddy to attack the victim before they can get up because it means that they're not going to be hit by ranged attacks thanks to the accuracy penalty against them. Fatigue only maters because it leads to exhaustion but both are recoverable by HPs. And of all the tier 3 afflictions if it's not Controlled or Incapacitated then you're doing it wrong.

Basically Damage is an Affliction but with like 2 free custom extras to make the damage stick and lower the target's ability to resist it if it doesn't fail too hard.

Weaken is rather troublesome because it can be devastatingly good or stupidly terrible. It works by causing a save and weakening something by an equal amount points as how much the save failed by. When used against a resistance it has a somewhat decent shot of opening a giant whole in it. However there's a lot of aggravating downsides. The maximum it can lower a stat is equal to it's ranks meaning that not only is an accuracy shit punished by having a lower DC but they can't really even stack it either. The weaken penalty disappears rather quickly, healing 1 per round making it even harder to stack. This is made worse in just how weakens, it lowers PP not ranks, meaning that if you target something that costs more than 1pp per rank then you get ever diminishing results. It only targets either living beings or objects but not both meaning further investment is needed to make it more well rounded. Weaken tends to be outclassed in any situation outside of it's niche of lowering a specific resistance, by an impairment/disabling affliction, making it limited to a specific check and cumulative and it's pretty much superior in every way. And as we've established before Affliction is kinda crap.
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Re: WAIFU WARZ - RE:ARCHETYPE - THE ENERGY CONTROLLER CHARGES UP

Post by Jabroniville »

Yeah, there was a post on Ronin Army about "Is Affliction Afflicted?" because of what you mention here. It's REALLY hard to one-shot-takedown somebody with an Affliction. I've pointed out repeatedly how impossible it is to replicate Mind Control the way it works in the comics (where it's nearly always effective).

I think I would either make Affliction work like Damage (DC 15 at baseline), or make it Cumulative by default. Otherwise, it's just a BIT too weak.
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WAIFU WARZ - RE:ARCHETYPE - The Gadgeteer (PL10)

Post by squirrelly-sama »

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"Most people would ask 'Why?' should they ever entertain the thought of bio-engineering combustible lemons. Me? My first question is 'How?'..."

The Gadgeteer - PL 10
Sex: Female
Age: 18
Height: 5'3" | Weight: 120 | Hair: Brown | Eyes: Green
Role: The Genius, The Mad Scientist, The Wrench Wench, The Motor Head

Waifu Stats
Division - Lower Welter Weight
Series - None (Archetype)
Focus - Ranged, Utility and Mixed Attack
Waifu Typing - Genki, Crazy

Strength 0, Stamina 4, Agility 0, Dexterity 2, Fighting 4, Intellect 5, Awareness 4, Presence 0

Advantages
Eidetic Memory, Equipment 2, Improved Initiative 2, Improvised Tools, Inventor, Ranged Attack 6, Second Chance: Technology Check relating to expertise, Skill Mastery: Technology, Ultimate Effort: Technology

Skills
Athletics 4 (+4), Close Combat: Gadgets 4 (+8), Expertise: Chosen Field 5 (+10), Insight 2 (+6), Investigation 1 (+6), Perception 2 (+6), Stealth 5 (+5), Technology 10 (+15), Vehicles 3 (+5)

Powers
Costume: Protection 4 (Removable, +4 Toughness)

Gadgets Array
. . EMP Grenade: Burst Area Affliction 8 (Easily Removable, 1st degree: Impaired, 2nd degree: Disabled, 3rd degree: Incapacitated, Resisted by: Fortitude, DC 18; Affects Objects, Burst Area: 30 feet radius sphere, DC 18, Increased Range: ranged; Limited: Electronics)
. . Flash Bang: Perception Area Affliction 8 (Removable, 1st degree: Dazed, Vulnerable, 2nd degree: Stunned, Defenseless, DC 18; Alternate Resistance (Dodge), Perception Area: DC 18 - Sight/sound, Extra Condition, Ricochet: 1 bounce; Limited Degree)
. . Heavy Blaster Rifle: Damage 10 (Easily Removable, DC 25; Accurate: +2, Extended Range 2, Improved Critical, Increased Range: ranged)
. . Portable Force Field Projector: Create 10 (Easily Removable, Volume: 1000 cft., DC 20; Custom: Ricochet, Increased Duration: continuous, Stationary, Subtle 2: invisible; Proportional)
. . Repeating Blaster: Damage 8 (Easily Removable, DC 23; Accurate 2: +4, Increased Range: ranged, Multiattack; Diminished Range 2)
. . Stun Grenade: Cumulative Affliction 8 (Easily Removable, 1st degree: Dazed, 2nd degree: Stunned, 3rd degree: Incapacitated, Resisted by: Fortitude, DC 18; Cumulative, Increased Range: ranged)
. . Wrist Mounted Blaster: Damage 6 (Removable, DC 21; Accurate 3: +6, Custom 2: 2 points of flat extras., Improved Critical, Increased Range: ranged)
Alternative Array Options wrote:Module - Alternate Gadgets
. . Cyber Warfare: Cumulative Affliction 8 (Removable, 1st degree: Dazed, 2nd degree: Stunned, 3rd degree: Controlled, Resisted by: Will, DC 18; Affects Objects Only, Cumulative, Increased Range 2: perception, Insidious, Subtle: subtle; Distracting, Sense-dependent: Radio/Wifi)
. . Dissolving Agent: Progressive Weaken 8 (Removable, Affects: Toughness, Resisted by: Fortitude, DC 18; Accurate: +2, Affects Objects Only, Precise, Progressive; Unreliable (5 uses))
. . Energy Blade: Damage 10 (Easily Removable, DC 25; Accurate: +2, Improved Critical, Penetrating 10, Precise, Reach (melee): 5 ft.)
. . Hacking: Cumulative Mind Reading 8 (Removable, DC 18; Affects Objects Only, Cumulative, Insidious, Sensory Link, Subtle: subtle; Distracting, Limited: Computers)
. . Healing Goop: Healing 6 (Removable; Increased Range: ranged)
. . Hologram Projector: Illusion 6 (Removable, Affects: Two Sense Types - Sight, Area: 60 cft., DC 16; Independent)
. . Neuro Disruptor: Cumulative Affliction 8 (Easily Removable, 1st degree: Impaired, Vulnerable, 2nd degree: Disabled, Defenseless, 3rd degree: Incapacitated, Paralyzed, Resisted by: Fortitude, DC 18; Cumulative, Extra Condition)
. . Spy Droids: Remote Sensing 6 (Removable, Affects: 2 Types, inc. Visual - Sight and Sound, Range: 1800 feet)
. . Steam Bomb: Cloud Area Damage 8 (Easily Removable, DC 23; Cloud Area: 15 feet radius sphere, DC 18, Increased Range: ranged)
. . Steam Spray: Damage 6 (Removable, DC 21; Accurate 3: +6, Multiattack, Reach (melee) 3: 15 ft.)
. . Sticky Foam Grenade: Cumulative Affliction 8 (Easily Removable, 1st degree: Hindered and Vulnerable, 2nd degree: Defenseless and Immobilized, Resisted by: Dodge, overcome by Damage or Sleight of Hand, DC 18; Accurate 2: +4, Cumulative, Extra Condition, Increased Range: ranged; Diminished Range 2, Limited Degree)
. . Tractor Beam: Move Object 12 (Easily Removable, 100 tons)
Goggles: Senses 3 (Removable, Communication Link: Radio, Low-light Vision, Ultravision)
Hover Boots: Flight 2 (Removable, Speed: 8 miles/hour, 120 feet/round)
Optional - Pick 1 wrote:Module - Backgrounds 10pp
. . Alchemist: Enhanced Trait 10 (Traits: Fortitude +2 (+10), Will +2 (+10), Advantages: Great Endurance, Sidekick 5, Notes: Expertise: Alchemy; Exchange Technology for Expertise: Magic; Exchange Inventor for Artificer.)
. . Alien (Advantages: Benefit, Galactic Authority, Benefit, Galactic Reputation)
. . . . Immunity: Immunity 10 (Life Support; Limited - Half Effect)
. . . . Universal Translator: Comprehend 2 (Removable, Languages - Read All, Languages - Speak All)
. . Eccentric Inventor
. . . . Enhanced Trait: Enhanced Trait 6 (Traits: Awareness -2 (+2), Presence +2 (+2), Persuasion or Intimidation +8 (+8), Advantages: Fascinate (Expertise), Seize Initiative)
. . . . Questionable Priorities: Immunity 5 (Interaction Skills; Quirk: May randomly fail or backfire)
. . World's Smartest Man: Enhanced Intellect 5 (+5 INT)
. . Technopath
. . . . Broadcast: Radio Communication 1 (Sense Type: Wifi; Limited: Machines)
. . . . Comprehend: Comprehend 2 (Machines / Electronics)
. . . . Senses: Senses 3 (Acute: Detect, Analytical: Detect, Detect: Advanced Technology 1)
. . Time Traveler
. . . . Temporal Syncing: Movement 2 (Time Travel: Choose Time 2: past or future, 50 lbs.; Portal)
. . . . Knowledge of Future History: Senses 4 (Precognition; Check Required 2: DC 11 - Memory check)
. . Wealthy: Variable 1 (money, Advantages: Benefit, Wealth 4 (multimillionare); Slow, Notes: Purchase 5pp worth of Equipment, can be swapped between adventures or at GM's discretion.)
Pick 2 or More wrote:Module - Costume Upgrades 10pp
. . Augmented: Enhanced Strength 6 (Removable, +6 STR)
. . Dura-Fiber: Protection 2 (Removable, +2 Toughness; Impervious [8 extra ranks], Subtle: subtle)
. . Handy Pack (Removable)
. . . . Elongation: Elongation 2 (Elongation: 30 feet, +2 to grab)
. . . . Extra Limbs: Extra Limbs 4 (4 extra limbs, Advantages: Fast Grab, Improved Grab, Improved Hold; Projection)
. . Hazard Protection (Removable)
. . . . Immunity: Immunity 9 (Disease, Environmental Conditions (All), Poison, Suffocation (All), Advantages: Trance)
. . . . Regeneration: Regeneration 2 (Every 5 rounds)
. . Prediction Software: Enhanced Trait 13 (Removable, Parry +2 (+10), Dodge +2 (+10), Advantages: Defensive Attack, Evasion 2, Improved Aim, Improved Defense, Improved Disarm, Precise Attack (Ranged, Concealment), Precise Attack (Ranged, Cover), Uncanny Dodge)
. . Stealth Suit: Concealment 6 (Removable, All Aural Senses, All Visual Senses)
Equipment
Motorcycle

Offense
Initiative +8
Cyber Warfare: Cumulative Affliction 8 (DC Will 18)
Dissolving Agent: Progressive Weaken 8, +6 (DC Fort 18)
EMP Grenade: Burst Area Affliction 8 (DC Fort 18)
Energy Blade: Damage 10, +6 (DC 25)
Flash Bang: Perception Area Affliction 8 (DC Dog/Fort/Will 18)
Grab, +6 (DC Spec 12)
Hacking: Cumulative Mind Reading 8 (DC Will 18)
Heavy Blaster Rifle: Damage 10, +10 (DC 25)
Neuro Disruptor: Cumulative Affliction 8, +4 (DC Fort 18)
Repeating Blaster: Damage 8, +12 (DC 23)
Steam Bomb: Cloud Area Damage 8 (DC 23)
Steam Spray: Damage 6, +10 (DC 21)
Sticky Foam Grenade: Cumulative Affliction 8, +12 (DC Fort/Will 18)
Stun Grenade: Cumulative Affliction 8, +8 (DC Fort 18)
Throw, +8 (DC 15)
Tractor Beam: Move Object 12, +8 (DC 22)
Unarmed, +4 (DC 15)
Wrist Mounted Blaster: Damage 6, +14 (DC 21)

Complications
Motivation: Recognition: The Gadgeteer wants the world to know of their genius and their creations.
Power Loss - Gadgets: Many of The Gadgeteer's devices have some inherent flaw to their design that can be used to nullify or counter them with relative ease. Chemicals that are water soluble, exposed wiring on machines, weapons overheating if used too often, and other misfortunes can occasionally spring up.
Weakness - Questionable Priorities: The Gadgeteer is highly invested their creations. They take great care of their devices and are very protective of them, going out of their way to try and keep them in tip top shape. They may even prioritize their devices over their mission.

Languages
English

Defense
Dodge 8, Parry 8, Fortitude 8, Toughness 8, Will 8

Power Points
Abilities 38 + Powers 28 + Advantages 16 + Skills 18 (36 ranks) + Defenses 20 = 120 out of 150

Notes:
The Gadgeteer archetype, a new and improved take on the pre-made character provided by the free source book.
Examples in fiction: Constanze from Little Witch Academia, Hatsume Mei from My Hero Academia, Gaige from Borderlands, and Agatha from Girl Genius.

A plucky inventor the most well known example of a science themed hero, The Gadgeteer. Similar to the Crime Fighter and Battle Armor the Gadgeteer is a normal human who uses external means to bridge the gap between a normal human and a super human. While the crime fighter is more well rounded in skill and physical abilities and the Battle Suit is specialized in combat and uses a single powerful device the Gadgeteer uses a large number of inventions with a wide breadth of abilities and descriptors. The Gadgeteer is often a scientist but not always, Alchemists, hackers, and simply people who just have access to a large cache of advanced technology could qualify. This archetype build assumes the character is one of the Tinker varieties as they are the most common version by far, even if the character may not have been the origin of their devices they are still more than capable of creating devices of their own.

The Gadgeteer is often one of the pluckier, more optimistic and upbeat characters. Being self motivated with a pre-existing interest outside of their hero work gives them a focus and a goal that they are working towards unrelated to more typical heroics and may even conflict with traditional heroic ideas. They are curious and intelligent, but are not incredibly wise often having terrible social abilities, having traded of social interaction skills in favor of scientific skills and tend to make very easy to avoid mistakes by either rushing to satisfy their thirst for knowledge or just simply lacking common sense. They are proud, if not always in themselves, then in their inventions and ambitiously strive to improve ever further. They are also brave, or perhaps foolishly impulsive, not bothering to ask either 'why' or 'why not' in favor of figuring out 'How'.

Customization:
While the Gadgeteer has a wide range of abilities the archetype is not quite so broad as several made before. It's theme is often a limiting factor and Gadgeteers do not come in quite so many flavors as Crime Fighters. In a way it could be considered an off shoot of the Crime Fighter, trading more well rounded skill sets and personal ability to specialize very hard in devices. They can have different tools to deal with any occasion but not necessarily every occasion, and all these tools exist on a utility belt of sorts. Because of how it's built the Utility belt's options are removable but not the array itself, and as such every device within is it's own separate tool.

The Gadgeteer is given 2 Costume Upgrades worth 10pp each, bringing the free pp down to 10 left to spend on either another upgrade or a Background. For newbies picking at least either Dura-fiber or Prediction software should be done to raise their defenses, preferably both, but this can be foregone in favor of a more niche protections such as Hazard Protection's regeneration or the Steal Suit's ability to almost completely avoid detection.

Backgrounds are more a broad strokes attempt to mimic the various flavors of Gadgeteers. There's rich Gadgeteers like Reed Richards or Batman who have the ability to seemingly pull new equipment out of nowhere as the plot demands it. Alchemists are the more mystical variety, often favoring the more "Sciency" magical practices like Alchemy or Magitech over more mystical aspects like enchanting items or performing rituals which is more the realm of the Mystic. The Alien is an interstellar foreigner who came to a more primitive world, their genius is often only so when compared to earthlings as their devices may just be considered more mundane by intergalactic standards. Eccentric Inventors are for the more kooky gadgeteers, the mad scientists and those who enjoy role play, they have ways of roping others into going along with their actions and are often hard to convince to stop with simple things like logic and reason. The Worlds Smartest Man is... well a super genius, a straight increase to Int gives them quite a boost, allowing them to have a plethora of knowledge and disciplines as well as increase their ability to invent new items. The Technopath is for the more empowered version of the Gadgeteer, the mutants who gained some sort of technology based ability letting them have a greater understanding of it and even "speak" to machines. And time-travelers are those who have come from the future (or are from the past but have visited the future) with a major advantage of knowing most major events in history before they happen along with occasionally having information about the likely eventual fates of NPCs or other major players.

Beyond the modules there are a few other options to customize on the Gadgeteer. They usually need a specialty related to the type of inventions they make. There's general sciences but that's covered by Eidetic memory, rather they have a particular field they are much more adept in. This could be obvious scientific fields of study such as Engineering, Chemist, or Biology or it could be an expertise in the genre of devices they make such as Alien Technology, Steam-punk, or Future History.

How to Play
The Gadgeteer straddles the line between utility combatant. By default they have the fire power make an impact on the battlefield but don't have the defenses to sustain a presence on it without heavy risk. While they have a plethora of options in the form of gadgets their own ability to leverage them is often a limit, lacking more combat oriented advantages to radically shift their offense. Their utility abilities however are very strong, though tend to focus more on overcoming other technology based heroes.

A Gadgeteers best play is something like tactical support rather than a frontline fighter, having variety of offense abilities that could be the key to cracking open the opposing defense while maintaining a large number of utility and support abilities to aid allies or overcome obstacles. They can also be very useful in defending an area if given preparation time, using Inventor to create a number of traps or even jery-rig their own devices into traps.

One of the main questions that would come to mind on a Gadgeteer is "why not give away the devices", it's a logical question to ask. And while many Gadgeteers may have reasons not to, such as being protective of their devices, it being to complicated for most to use, or others there's also the meta issues of PL to consider. If the question does come up in game with no narrative or meta reasons to refuse, and the GM allows it, the Gadgeteer may give away one of the devices on their utility belt. However either if the Gadgeteer wishes to continue using their other devices in the array a Hero Point will need to be spent.

Build Notes:
I already went over some of my initial gripes in brief but I guess I'll restate them here.
In abilities it has a few inefficiencies. 3 Dex and 1 Agility were pointless additions, and while Dex is thematic to the build it doesn't need to 3 ranks and agility does pretty much nothing for the build. Intellect is just hilariously high, seriously there's being a science wiz and and then there's that, I'm pretty sure that's like Lex "Only one of like 3 beings smart enough to figure out Kryptonian DNA" Luther levels of smarts. This leads into some of the original builds unbalanced skills, 2 skills that hit the skill cap of 20 one of which is Technology which is paired with Inventor and skill mastery. The Skills also had some other oddities, having 2 redundant Expertise skills and Insight and perception being strangely high when most Gadgeteer sorts of characters tend to be about average compared to other heroes. There's also a high vehicle skill despite the character not having a vehicle or even an optional ability to purchase one. Oh, and yes, it's investigation score is so high that it blows the Crime fighter who's supposed to be the investigator of the bunch out of the water.

The power set is also a bit disappointingly shallow despite belonging to the archetype that really should have some of the most depth and variety in it's options. A single blaster with a single array option for a dazzle, not even spare points to purchase more AEs. Force Shield makes the character yet another toughness shifted build and also heavily invests way too much toughness into a sustained power which means it would disappear if he ever flinches or becomes distracted allowing even a mook being able to land a devastating blow. The Jet Pack is okay, a good mobility power and for once not at the stupidly ludicrously high ranks that other characters have but at such a level that it sort of further invalidates having a vehicle or the ability to pilot. Quick Thinking is an okay ability but given the character's Int focus it seems a questionable choice, given that mental tasks have a nebulous time frame to estimate already but that being smart really does let you just instantly solve something that would take a dumber person a couple minutes or hours already.

Before starting to rebuild this I had to think up what I wanted the concept of a Gadgeteer to be, what it covers, what sorts of heroes qualify. The answer I came up with was an inventor, a resourceful lass who isn't very personally skilled or powerful but relies on a variety of devices they have made or acquired to compensate. Who have gone the opposite direction of the Battle Armor and focused more on variety over consistent overwhelming power.

I changed the stats of the character a bit, but the biggest difference was dropping intellect to a more reasonable level. Altering the saves to level them out a bit low to give a good base to build on top of, similar to the Crime Fighter. Skills were also adjusted to be more reasonable for such an archetype with Tech being 15 ranks and only one expertise which is at 10 ranks. However I boosted Athletics, Close Combat, and Stealth to better fit what I envisioned as it seemed odd to have a human hero with no athletic abilities and a bit of stealth being somewhat useful for a squishier character. The advantages were also minorly adjusted, giving a bit more emphasis on Technology, with second chance working to give the player a better shot of doing technology checks that remain in line with their theme subtly encouraging them to RP. Lastly I gave them a vehicle, a motorbike for quick long range mobility.

Powers are the biggest change but not by much. Efficient spending just allowed a larger pool of points to play around with. Costume is now a smaller bonus to protection while the hero has been given a small boost to out of costume toughness. It's Permanent now because there's almost never a reason not to have a permanent defense. And in order to boost it's usefulness beyond the PL 8 limit it requires the optional upgrades or can specialize in other ways to make up for the lower defenses with defensive utility options that aren't effected by PL but can radically boost a characters effective defense.

Gadgets is now a tool belt of a variety of options to choose from. I made sure to include a few options that would fit less conventional Gadgeteers like Healing Goop for Alchemists and steam attacks for steam punks. Most of the AoE effects are bellow PL caps but are high enough to usually have a decent shot of still being effective. I built the array such that while the effects have various degrees of removable the AEs themselves do not. As such while the devices can be damaged or disarmed it does not remove the entire array.

I added Goggles since it didn't seem right to have a tech build without some form of senses. I also lowered the ranks of Flight, changing it to hover boots, to make it still useful in a skirmish but still gives a reason for the character to have and make use of a vehicle since it's much faster over long distances.

The backgrounds where among the last additions as I decided to give options to add flavor to the build itself rather than just boost it's devices. Alchemist was conceived while looking up example images and lead to the inclusion of more mystical characters as Gadgeteers though I tried to make sure it would be different from the future Mystic build. Alien was a little hard to design for, it's rather nebulous what it would even do and was made to fill the niche of Space Hero, so I ended up making them character a little hardier to deal with the rigors of an uncaring universe easier and a universal translator if the character does end up running into aliens. Eccentric was simply going to just be Steam Punk but I decided to generalize it more for the quirky inventors, the idea being that they're less aware but more fun, with a strange charisma about them either being surprising persuasive or intimidating in their passion for science. World Smartest Man (originally just super genius) is basically reintroducing the massive Int score from the original build in a more controlled environment and an name to appropriately show just how mind mindbogglingly intelligent they are. Technopathes are the more Super Powered version, for when a setting doesn't have people who can naturally create super tech and have this be the result of technology centered power. Time Traveler was another late entry to try and flesh out the background options, as I decided to go for a more Booster Gold style option, Precognition can be tricky but given what it's supposed to represent it could be handled without much hassle, as history may constanly be in flux allowing alterations to the past or the character may just be misinformed as to the events that actually unfolded. Lastly Wealthy, just a way to fit in a bunch of variable equipment without having to stat it all out, it would basically just allow the user to get 25 EP of stuff for a specific adventure and swap it out between games, to make Batman style play viable and affordable.
Last edited by squirrelly-sama on Sat Jun 01, 2019 8:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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WAIFU WARZ - RE:ARCHETYPE - The Martial Artist (PL10)

Post by squirrelly-sama »

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"There's a limit to what a human can accomplish, no mater how talented, no mater how hard working, there's a point where you reach an impassible ceiling. At that point you have a choice, you can either accept your limits and make the most what you have... or you can risk it all in one last mad dash to carve your way through this final barrier with your bare hands."

The Martial Artist - PL 10
Sex: Female
Age: 17+
Height: 5'6" | Weight: 12lbs | Hair: Red | Eyes: Grey
Role: Arrogant Kung-fu Gal, The Impulsive One, The Lancer, The DPS, Lightning Bruiser

Waifu Stats
Division - Welterweight
Series - None (Archetype)
Focus - Mixed Combat (Melee focus)
Waifu Typing - Genki, Tomboy, Childhood Friend, Rival, Amazon

Strength 4, Stamina 6, Agility 10, Dexterity 2, Fighting 10, Intellect 0, Awareness 2, Presence 0

Advantages
Agile Feint, All-out Attack, Defensive Roll 2, Improved Critical: Martial Arts, Improved Defense, Improved Disarm, Improved Trip, Improvised Weapon, Move-by Action, Power Attack, Redirect, Skill Mastery: Acrobatics, Takedown, Uncanny Dodge, Weapon Bind

Skills
Acrobatics 4 (+14), Close Combat: Unarmed 2 (+12), Insight 2 (+4), Perception 2 (+4)

Powers
Leaping: Leaping 1 (Leap 15 feet at 4 miles/hour)
Perfect Balance: Movement 2 (Wall-crawling 2: full speed; Limited: Upright Movement, Platform)
Speed: Speed 1 (Speed: 4 miles/hour, 60 feet/round)

Martial Arts Array
. . Echoing Fist: Strength-based Damage 4 (DC 23; Secondary Effect [4 extra ranks])
. . Flowing Fist: Deflect 12 (Reflect, Subtle: subtle; Activation: move action, Reduced Range: close)
. . Hurricane Fist: Strength-based Damage 4 (DC 23; Multiattack [4 extra ranks])
. . Ki Blast: Strength-based Damage 6 (DC 25; Accurate 3: +6, Increased Range: ranged [4 extra ranks]; Activation: move action, Tiring)
. . Pressure Point Strike: Affliction 10 (1st degree: Dazed, 2nd degree: Stunned, 3rd degree: Paralyzed, DC 20; Alternate Resistance (Dodge), Insidious, Precise, Subtle: subtle; Inaccurate: -2)
Module - Martial Arts Array Alternate Options
. . Analyze Style: Affliction 10 (1st degree: Vulnerable, 2nd degree: Defenseless, Resisted by: Will, DC 20; Increased Range 2: perception, Insidious, Subtle: subtle; Limited: vs. your attacks, Limited Degree)
. . Force Palm: Move Object 6 (3200 lbs., DC 21; Accurate 6: +12, Damaging; Limited: Knocking Away, Reduced Range: close)
. . Henge: Morph 3 (+20 Deception checks to disguise; Broad group; Limited: Effect ends if resistance roll is failed)
. . Kage Bunshin: Summon 10 (Mental Link, Sacrifice; Tiring)
. . Kawarimi - Shed Shell: Teleport 3 (250 feet in a move action, carrying 50 lbs.; Change Direction, Change Velocity, Feature: Leaves behind simulacrum, Precise, Subtle: subtle, Triggered: 1 use - On a successful Dodge)
. . Ki Charge: Healing 5 (Precise, Restorative, Stabilize; Tiring)
. . Ki Laced Muscles: Enhanced Strength 4 (+4 STR, Advantages: Fast Grab, Improved Grab, Improved Smash, Skill Mastery; Precise, Subtle: subtle; Activation 2: standard action)
. . Kiai: Cone Area Nullify 10 (Counters: Ki Effects, DC 20; Cone Area: 60 feet cone, DC 20, Innate, Simultaneous, Subtle: subtle; Reduced Range: close, Tiring)
. . Killing Intent: Affliction 10 (1st degree: Entranced, 2nd degree: Stunned, 3rd degree: Paralyzed, Resisted by: Will, DC 20; Increased Range 2: perception, Reversible, Subtle: subtle; Limited: Cannot Affect Target again after successfully resisted, Sense-dependent: Sight)
Optional wrote:Module - Background 10pp each
. . Adaptive Fighter: Variable 1 (Action 2: free, Subtle: subtle, Notes: Use points to alter one's fighting style. Used to add features to martial arts or change combat advantages.)
. . Chi Wizardry: Enhanced Trait 10 (Traits: Expertise Chi Magic+12 (+12), Advantages: Artificer, Ritualist, Skill Mastery, Ultimate Effort: Expertise: Chi Magic)
. . Exorcist
. . . . Expertise - Onmyodo: Enhanced Trait 6 (Traits: Expertise - Onmyodo +10 (+10), Advantages: Artificer)
. . . . Reishi (Affects Insubstantial 2: full rank)
. . . . Spiritual Sensitivity: Senses 2 (Counters Concealment: Spirit)
. . Hanyou
. . . . Ancestral Return: Morph 1 (+20 Deception checks to disguise; Single form; Metamorph; Activation 2: standard action)
. . . . Impure Blood: Immunity 10 (Life Support; Limited - Half Effect)
. . . . Youkai Lineage: Feature 1
. . Ikemen: Enhanced Trait 10 (Traits: Presence +2 (+2), Deception +5 (+5), Persuasion +5 (+5), Advantages: Attractive)
. . Kensei (Notes: Apply complication: Powerloss - Weapon. )
. . . . Bushido - Way of The Sword: Immunity 10 (Emotion Effects, Interaction Skills; Limited - Half Effect)
. . . . Dual Wielding: Feature 1 (Notes: Allows effects from separate items to be linked together, stacking ranks for items with the same effect. Does not allow effects to go above the PL Caps.)
. . . . Fine Control (Precise)
. . . . Iai Justsu (Subtle: subtle)
. . . . Keen Blade (Precise, Reach (melee): 5 ft.)
. . Shinobi: Enhanced Trait 10 (Traits: Ranged Combat +12 (+14), Advantages: Hide in Plain Sight, Prone Fighting, Throwing Mastery 2)
. . Shrine Maiden: Summon 10 (Heroic; Attitude: indifferent, Limited: Can only be used Once Per Day, Tiring, Notes: Summons a powerful dragon/demon/youkai/kami, however they may or maynot choose to help, opting instead to eitehr watch, leave, or even aid the enemy should they feel particularly annoyed with the circumstances of their summoning.)
. . Undying Ancient
. . . . Immortality: Immortality 18 (Return after 12 seconds; Limited: Only recovers dead and Dying conditions, Limited: Decapitation can permanently kill)
. . . . Immunity: Immunity 1 (Aging)
. . Wise Master: Enhanced Awareness 4 (+4 AWE, Advantages: Assessment, Trance)
Optional wrote:Module - Stances and Techniques 5pp each
. . After Images: Concealment 4 (All Visual Senses; Subtle: subtle; Limited: Decoy Images)
. . Breathing Technique (Advantages: Great Endurance)
. . . . Immunity: Immunity 2 (Suffocation (All); Limited - Half Effect)
. . . . Regeneration: Regeneration 2 (Every 5 rounds; Subtle: subtle)
. . Bukujutsu: Flight 4 (Speed: 30 miles/hour, 500 feet/round; Quirk 3: Remove Speed, Perfect Balance, and Leaping)
. . Flash Step: Teleport 2 (120 feet in a move action, carrying 50 lbs.; Change Direction, Subtle: subtle, Turnabout; Limited: Must be able to normally move to location.)
. . Sense Ki: Senses 5 (Accurate: Detect Ki, Danger Sense: Detect Ki, Detect: Ki 2: ranged)
. . Study the Scrolls
. . . . Expertise Martial Arts Lore: Enhanced Trait 4 (Traits: Expertise +8 (+8))
. . . . Training Trip: Feature 1 (Notes: Acts similar to the Ritual Advantage, use Expertise Martial Arts Lore to perform a ritual to temporarily add new effects to the character.)
Offense
Initiative +10
Analyze Style: Affliction 10 (DC Will 20)
Echoing Fist: Strength-based Damage 4, +12 (DC 23)
Force Palm: Move Object 6, +22 (DC 21)
Grab, +10 (DC Spec 14)
Hurricane Fist: Strength-based Damage 4, +12 (DC 23)
Ki Blast: Strength-based Damage 6, +8 (DC 25)
Kiai: Cone Area Nullify 10 (DC Will 20)
Killing Intent: Affliction 10 (DC Will 20)
Pressure Poiint Strike: Affliction 10, +10 (DC Dog/Fort/Will 20)
Throw, +2 (DC 19)
Unarmed, +12 (DC 19)

Complications
(Hanyou) Cursed Lineage: The Hanyou has the blood of youkai in their veins. While they can channel this into a transformation to gain the traits of their progenitor their personality changes as they let their demon blood take control and each use slowly erodes their own humanity pushing them ever closer to eventually becoming a youkai themselves.
(Kensei) Power Loss - Weapon: The Kensei uses a weapon to channel their powers, while they may use other weapons that are similar to their main one it may not be as effective. The Kensei's powers when used without a weapon may be impaired or be completely unusable.
(Shrine Maiden) Curse Sworn: By pacts sworn many generations past the Shrine Maiden is able to call upon a fragment of the ancient entity sealed in within them or their temple. The creature often requests offerings to keep it's favor and the seal itself requires upkeep lest it disappear.
Honor: Martial artist often follow a strict code of honor when it comes to fights and even outside them. They obeys the rules of fair-play and hospitality. Older martial artists may have other odd and restrictive personal rules.
Motivation: Recognition: Being the greatest fighter is their goal, they enter tournaments and constantly train to improve their strength.
Power Loss - Chi: Chi is the body's natural energy and what powers the Martial Artist. When fatigued the Martial Artist may also become weakened or lose the ability to use some of their powers.
Power Loss - Techniques: Many of the Martial Artists attacks and effects are designed to work on humans. Some powers may have a reduced effect or even be completely ineffectual on beings with sufficiently physiology to a normal human.

Languages
Native Language

Defense
Dodge 12, Parry 12, Fortitude 8, Toughness 8/6, Will 8

Power Points
Abilities 68 + Powers 19 + Advantages 16 + Skills 5 (10 ranks) + Defenses 12 = 120 out of 150

Notes:
The Martial Artist archetype, a new and improved take on the pre-made character provided by the free source book.
Examples in fiction: Ranma Saotome from Ranma 1/2, Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, Benders from Avatar the Last Airbender, and too many fighting game PCs to count.

A master of the way of the fist (or chosen weapon) that has gained not only mastery but has reached a point of where their skill and technique has become genuinely super human. Their fists can break through steel, kicking a hundred times in the blink of an eye, and able slash quickly enough to launch a blade of air to cut an object from a distance, simply by training their body and honing their skill. Sometimes this ability is given no explanation, simply being the results of dedication. However for many there is a source to this ability, Ki. Ki, or Chi, being the life or spiritual energy that exists in all living things, that the Martial Artist has unlocked through gaining master of their own body. And with knowledge of this unique power even greater powers are available to them as they are able to harness and use this energy to their whims.

A specialist the Martial Artist has dedicated to the art of combat, living and breathing The Art and honing themselves into human weapons. They are not necessarily violent by nature, some seeing The Art as meditation in motion and that control of the body will give them control of the spirit. To others the Art is a way of life, a purpose, and it's perfection or completion being their ultimate goal in life simply for it's own sake. The Martial Artist is proud and energetic, pushing themselves to be the best. They constantly train their bodies through sometimes insane means in order to surpass their limits. Their dedication often comes at the cost of more conventional knowledge about the world, having not the time to spare for it. That is not to say they are dim, they are often quite clever, being adaptive in a fight and working up counters and defenses against opponents they face.

The Archetype sees the most use and success in Eastern media, particularly in Manga and Anime. There are many manga based on Martial Artists, often with unique takes on how they handle powers in the setting. Where the Martial Artist and their stories shine is Fighting Games, there's an uncountable number of fighting games and their ever growing rosters of fighters. While there's those which focus on powers or some gimmick by far the most popular and largest of these are simply just martial artists punching each other or blasting each other with chi balls.

Customization
The base Martial Artist already reaches it's PL caps in both offense and Defense, allowing customization to be more free form. While there are options provided for new players there is no risk in experimenting with adding powers or more skills on the character to personalize them. The exact limits of what a martial artist may be capable of is determined by whether or not they have Ki and how that Ki may work.

In a setting without Ki the martial artist is somewhat more limited, their more esoteric effects limited to feats of strength. They leverage their strength, speed, and physical control to achieve normally impossible things such as machine gun speed blows or using air pressure to attack from a distance.

Ki however can completely change how a Martial Artist can be built. In some settings Ki can used like magic, having it's own special effects that can be learned and utilized like spells. Things like Ki Healing or summoning fire are common, there may also be a sorcery aspect to it as well combining it with eastern mysticism. Other times it functions simply as an energy source that the Martial Artist can use to either boost themselves or power blasts, effectively allowing them to function like a Energy controller.

There is 30 points free for customization, allowing for a maximum of 3 backgrounds or 6 Stances/Techniques should you choose to use them.

Gameplay:
The Martial Artist is primarily a front-line fighter. They have few support abilities, with most of those being ways to better leverage their abilities in combat. Mobility to chase down foes, high acrobatics to maneuver and feint reliably. And a few Advantages to be able to switch combat focuses to better counter foes. They are DPS who's main value is being able to adapt to the enemy's fighting style. Fighting defensively when overpowered, being aggressive on those who have a weak defense, and the ability to trip or disarm as needed to deal with weapon users.

Hero Point usage is a strong part of the Martial Artist's game play, using it to gain advantages they may needed, to Power Stunt a technique developed to counter a specific ability of the opponent, or to boost the abilities and effects of the character. These should be sprinkled about in combat, done at times when it can do the most damage like a well aimed strike hitting a chink in the armor to bust it open.

Build Notes:
The concept of The Martial Artist is something I love, a human who trained themselves to the point that they can casually punch tanks in half and shoot lasers made out of their will power. How it was executed in the handbook was probably the biggest disappoint of them all. It's probably not the worst of them but that's about all I can say in it's favor.

The original build suffers from some conceptual problems that also plagued the Crime Fighter, a refusal to use powers because it's a "normal" human, low balling abilities to try and fit vague human limits, and trying to inefficiently stuff as much as they could into the character in a way that most of it can't even be used in combination with each other or are spread so thin that their bonus is effectively worthless.

One of the easiest to spot and most damning flaws in the build that shows just how badly managed it was was the Offense scores. 4 damage and 16 accuracy, in this build that was supposed to be used by beginners and as an example of how to build a character broke one of the systems most recommended limits, the PL Shift not exceeding +/-5. He also has 16 Acrobatics and skill mastery Acrobatics but still has Instant Up, which is literally pointless thanks to that combination. Move by action but not a rank of speed, All out attack on an already incredibly accuracy shifted character, all around most of the advantages are worth very little because that have little to work with. And there's a lot of them, 31 in fact, because clearly he didn't have enough. Couldn't spend those points on a power?

This is another case where I threw out the base and started from scratch, or rather started from a different base I made before. I previously made a Martial Artist build for PL7 and decided to use that as my base instead. A bit of scaling and minor adjustments and I was quickly able to bring it up to PL 10 and then down to 120pp to allow for customization. I also ditched the concept from the original archetype that limited to being a normal human, since this is fiction, where doing tons of sit ups and weight training can allow a "normal" human to spin kick a building in half.

The build has many strength based damage effects, expressing the ways Ki can be used for attacks. As it's the user's own life force and vitality I felt comfortable also making the ranged effects also strength based. Most of the powers were ripped from common fighting game and martial arts manga moves and styles. Rapid strikes, pressure points, redirecting attacks, common martial arts moves.

The extra array options however are a bit more esoteric, with a few being added specifically to belong to specific background options. Henge and Kage bunshin are pretty much exclusive to a Shinobi background, while Analyze Style would fit more on an adaptive fighter or Wise Master.

Kage Bunshin should probably be addressed. While many GMs do not like summons I tried to build it with a bit of balance. It's tiring to avoid spamming the effect, and a normal minion and thus dazed and fairly easy to take out. It's main utility being a distraction or a proxy fighter should the Martial Artist be otherwise indisposed. While it can act as a backup or an extra body in a fight it's limitations keep it from being too big of a threat.

The backgrounds were added to show how to build common versions of the Martial Artist. The Adaptive Fighter being the more tricky types who can alter their style to always have an advantage and seem to be a practitioner of every style of martial arts. Chi Wizard for the more bare fisted Monk style build or for a dabbling mystic who's main focus is punching. The Exorcist is for the various demon and spirit hunting groups that you often see. Hanyou is built to be for those who have a powerful demon ancestry, being part youkai and able to use Metamorph to shift into a demon form. It also grants them some additional resistances as well as a point to spend on some feature appropriate for the youkai in question. Ikemen is for the more charismatic Martial Artist.

Kensei is the weapon using martial artist, the assumed weapon being a sword. Rather than making the array easily removable I decided to simplify things and make the removable portion just a power loss complication. As the skills still exist and aren't granted by the weapon itself that also didn't quite fit with how Removable functions. I added a few skill features found in swordsman, and to reach the full 10pp for a background I added the immunity to mimic stoicism and a samurai's sense of duty and honor. Shinobi is of course for ninja, however it's a bit less than what I wanted in order to fit in the 10pp limit I set for backgrounds. I had wanted to add in an expertise on there and some Steal boost but sadly couldn't fit it in. Yet another vicitm of the attack skill split. The Shrine Maiden is a miko, a priestess who's in charge of some ancient being that they can release to aid them.

The Shrine Maiden power is another one that could be problematic because it's a summon. Again I gave it limits to try and make it more balanced. In my mind how it works is as an 11th hour power, with the limits placed on it less to punish a player for consistent use and more to limit to being used and allowed to succeed when it really maters. Attitude shows the being is neutral to the shrine maiden, they aren't one to be happy to be summoned to deal with small fry or other demeaning tasks and will only offer aid should the circumstances really be dire.
Last edited by squirrelly-sama on Sat Jun 01, 2019 8:23 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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WAIFU WARZ - RE:ARCHETYPE - The Mimic (PL10)

Post by squirrelly-sama »

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"Fraud, charlatan, fake, call me whatever you want, these powers may just be an imitation but there is no rule saying an imitation cannot surpass the original!"

The Mimic - PL 10
Sex: Female
Age: 18
Height: 5'7" | Weight: 118 | Hair: Brown | Eyes: Red
Role: The Copy Cat, The Parasite, The Fickle One

Waifu Stats
Division - Welter Weight
Series - None (Archetype)
Focus - Mixed, Mirror Match
Waifu Typing - Fighty, Kamidere

Strength 2, Stamina 4, Agility 2, Dexterity 2, Fighting 2, Intellect 0, Awareness 2, Presence 4/2

Advantages
Assessment, Beginner's Luck, Defensive Roll 2, Favored Foe: Those Mimiced, Improved Initiative

Skills
Close Combat: Unarmed 4 (+6), Insight 4 (+6), Perception 4 (+6), Stealth 4 (+6)

Powers
Required - Pick 1 (60pp) wrote:
  • Assimilate Power
    . . Absorb Power: Nullify 10 (Counters: Powers, DC 20; Broad, Simultaneous; Reduced Range: close)
    . . Analyze Power: Variable 5 (Action 2: free; Limited: Powers Nullified)
  • Power - Beast Mimicry
    . . Animal Mimicry: Variable 5 (Action 2: free; Limited: Mundane Animals)
    . . . . Battle Beast - Variable Setting (15/25pp) (Powers: Natural Weapons: Strength-based Damage 2, Speed: Speed 3, Dodge +2 (+10), Parry +2 (+10), Defensive Roll 4 +2 (+4))
    . . . . . . Natural Weapons: Strength-based Damage 2 (DC 21; Accurate 3: +6, Improved Critical)
    . . . . . . Speed: Speed 3 (Speed: 16 miles/hour, 250 feet/round)
    . . Enhanced Trait: Enhanced Trait 20 (Traits: Agility +2 (+4), Fighting +2 (+4), Stamina +2 (+6), Strength +2 (+4), Awareness +2 (+4))
  • Body Snatcher
    . . Assume Form: Summon 10 (Heroic, Type (Broad): Opponents; Concentration, Feedback, Limited: Only those currently held in Envelope Affliction)
    . . Envelope: Progressive Affliction 10 (1st degree: Dazed and Vulnerable, 2nd degree: Defenseless and Stunned, 3rd degree: Paralyzed and Unaware, Resisted by: Dodge, overcome by Damage or Sleight of Hand, DC 20; Extra Condition, Progressive; Unreliable (5 uses))
  • Chimera
    . . Chimera: Variable 10 (Action 3: reaction; Resistible: Fortitude, Side Effect 2: always - Resist Backlash on reaction trigger, Uncontrolled, Notes: Mimic Powers on contact, user cannot control what abilities are mimicked.)
    . . Side Effect Backlash: Affliction 10 (1st degree: Dazed, Vulnerable, 2nd degree: Stunned, Defenseless, 3rd degree: Paralyzed, Unaware, Resisted by: Will, DC 20; Extra Condition)
  • Form Mimicry
    . . Assume Form: Morph 2 (+20 Deception checks to disguise; Narrow group; Precise, Subtle: subtle; Activation 2: standard action, Notes: Mimics the forms of Individual subject has contacted)
    . . Form Mimicry: Variable 10 (Limited: Single Subject, Limited: Must have seen powers to be mimicked used)
  • Substance Mimicry: Variable 10 (Action: move; Limited: One Type of Substance, Source: Substance to be Mimicked)
  • To The Victor
    . . Spoils of War: Variable 10 (Action: move; Limited: Defeated Foes Powers Only, Uncontrolled, Notes: Mimic powers of defeated foes, the powers that are taken from the victim are up to the GM to decide.)
  • Power Mimicry: Variable 10 (Increased Duration: continuous; Limited: Single Subject, Limited: Must make physical contact with target)
  • Power Theft
    . . Power Drain: Cumulative Affliction 10 (1st degree: Impaired, 2nd degree: Disabled, 3rd degree: Transformed, Resisted by: Fortitude, DC 20; Cumulative; Limited: Super Powers)
    . . Power Theft: Variable 10 (Action: move; Fades, Limited: Singular Subject, Limited: To those who fail Power Drain Affliction)
Optional - 10pp each wrote:Module - Backgrounds
. . Becoming the Mask: Mind Reading 10 (DC 20; Limited: Those Mimickied)
. . Consummate Actor: Enhanced Trait 10 (Traits: Presence +2 (+4), Deception +6 (+16), Persuasion +6 (+10))
. . Double Team
. . . . Enhanced Trait: Enhanced Trait 11 (Traits: Insight +6 (+20), Advantages: Inspire 5, Leadership, Set-up, Teamwork; Limited: To Those Copied)
. . . . Luck Control: Luck Control 1 (Spend on Other, Advantages: Luck 5; Custom 3: , Limited: To those copied)
. . Fake Expert: Variable 1 (imitate skills of copied subject; Action 3: reaction)
. . Formless
. . . . Elongation: Elongation 2 (Elongation: 30 feet, +2 to grab)
. . . . Immunity: Immunity 2 (Critical Hits)
. . . . Insubstantial: Insubstantial 1 (Fluid)
. . . . Senses: Senses 1 (Radius: Sight)
. . Imperfect Echo: Feature 10 (Notes: Purchase 10pp worth of a power from a seperate build.)
. . Inhuman Physiology: Immunity 10 (Life Support)
. . Nemesis
. . . . Greater Insight: Enhanced Trait 10 (Traits: Deception +6 (+16), Insight +6 (+20), Advantages: Daze (Deception), Set-up, Skill Mastery, Taunt; Limited: Subject Copied)
. . . . Mirror Match Master: Immunity 10 (Common Descriptor: Powers once Copied; Limited - Half Effect)
. . Power Hunter: Enhanced Trait 10 (Traits: Investigation +8 (+8), Perception +6 (+12), Insight +2 (+20), Advantages: Favored Foe: Assessed Targets, Tracking)
Offense
Initiative +6
Absorb Power: Nullify 10, +6 (DC Will 20)
Becoming the Mask: Mind Reading 10 (DC Will 20)
Envelope: Progressive Affliction 10, +6 (DC Fort/Will 20)
Grab, +4 (DC Spec 14)
Power Drain: Cumulative Affliction 10, +6 (DC Fort 20)
Throw, +2 (DC 17)
Unarmed, +6 (DC 17)

Complications
Addiction - Power Theft: There's a rush that comes from the sensation stealing the powers of others. The mimic may have to fight to resist the urge to attempt to take the powers of allies without permission or go to risky lengths to take the power of an opponent.
Disability - Unruly Power: Sometimes the mimic's powers are not fully under their control and as such they may randomly trigger without their knowledge or ability to resist.
Power Loss - Power Source: The Mimic often is only able to affect or copy powers of a particular descriptor and thus either have diminished effects if any at all when attempting to mimic powers outside of this niche.
Weakness - Power Complications: when copying the powers of others the mimic also copies the weaknesses associated with it. The more powers that are active at once the more vulnerable they may become.

Languages
Native Language

Defense
Dodge 6, Parry 6, Fortitude 6, Toughness 6/4, Will 6

Power Points
Abilities 32 + Powers 60 + Advantages 6 + Skills 8 (16 ranks) + Defenses 14 = 120 out of 150

Notes:
The Mimic archetype, a new and improved take on the pre-made character provided by the free source book.
Examples in fiction: Rogue from Marvel Comics, Kirby from the Kirby Series, Double from Skullgirls, Vixen from Justice League Unlimited, and Android 21 from Dragon Ball FighterZ.

A hero with great potential, the Mimic is one of the most versatile and tricky archetypes. Ordinarily a hero has a singular power, even if they can leverage it in a variety of ways they are still limited to just this one ability, the mimic on the other-hand has no such limitation. They have access to the the whole pool of possible powers at their fingertips. With little effort they can quickly access the abilities of others to use them as they wish. They are hard to predict, capable of swapping entire powersets on the fly to catch an opponent off guard, often even simply beating their opposition at their own game. There is of course a price to be paid for this amazing ability, limitations placed on it to keep it in check. From limitations on the number of powers or their staying power, to dangerous actions that need to be done to activate their mimicry, to a lack of control over their own powers. Often Mimicry is the only ability the character has, leaving them vulnerable as a mere human until they can complete the requirements to activate it.

There are various types of mimics, and the archetype can even be crossed into others. Martial artists who quickly learn and use the techniques of their opponents, Robots built to imitate the powers of the heroes, Sorcerers who can capture and copy spells, however in most crossover attempts such is better handled by the use of Hero Points. The Mimic tends to fall into one three camps; the Power Leech - those who take powers, not only gaining the abilities themselves but also remove the originator's ability to use it. The Doppelganger - who fully imitates the powers of a singular intended target. And the Power Sponge - a Mimic who contains portions various types of powers and abilities and combines them together.

Customization:
Ironically despite being one of the most "variable" characters the Mimic actually has very few customization options compared to other archetypes. The character has such freedom to alter their own character in game that building additional modules would be somewhat redundant and quickly complicate the build.

The Mimic is given a variety of Variable powers to choose one from that best represents the type of power copying they have.
Assimilate Power - A combination of Nullify and a lower rank of Variable than other options. This is for the "Blue Mage" or "Science" types who learn by picking a thing apart. This is a Mimic that is less about fully copying an enemy and more about taking the most useful abilities. Once they have nullified a power they can use it again at any time.
Beast Mimicry - The power to copy the traits of animals. Rather than morphing into new animals to use their powers this power is simply channeling the powers while remaining in a human form. The Variable is low ranked but can be changed as a free action, it also comes with an improvement to several base stats to raise the character's default to PL8.
Body Snatcher - A different form of Mimicry, rather than gaining powers themselves they instead puppet a duplicate of a target that has been captured by them. This can be interpreted a number of different ways. The Summon can be seen as the PC themselves, as shown by the feedback and concentration flaws, or they can just be a separate existence entirely which functions autonomously, each has it's pros and cons. Likewise the Envelope affliction could be seen as either a snaring effect or, if the GM allows, the PC temporarily "consuming" them.
Chimera - A volatile and somewhat unstable but very powerful Mimic. This power gives the PC the ability copy powers on contact (resistible by fortitude) allowing them to very quickly swap between power sets. However this comes with a drawback, the power is hard to control and acquiring new powers leaves the user in a very vulnerable state.
Form Mimicry - This is for the mimic who copies more than just powers, also assuming the form of their opponent. Or perhaps the other way around, allowing a person who has taken the form of a target to also gain their powers.
Substance Mimicry - One of the more reliable Mimicry Powers, the user simply takes on the properties of whatever substance they happen to be able reach. Rock, water, steel, and other forms are possible.
To The Victor - A powerful ability that is very difficult to manage at first but grows stronger over time. The User must defeat their foe in battle, exactly what counts is up to the GM, and afterwards gain an ability from their defeated foe.
Power Mimicry - The most classic example, by making contact with someone user gains the ability to use their powers with no drawbacks. They can only manage a single power set at a time but can swap between them as a standard action. This is the only Variable that is Continuous, allowing the abilities to remain active even while unconscious.
Power Theft - Another well known example. The Power Thief is able to use an affliction to weaken their target's abilities while also temporarily gaining their power. These abilities however quickly fade, how it fades is up to the GM. The most common example is by simply lowering Variable ranks until the affliction is applied again to the target, or by applying Fades to all powers copied rather than Variable itself which is easier to keep track of and reduces number crunch. At the GM's discretion more creative interpretations can also be allowed, for example by applying fade instead to the affliction, as every turn allows the target's powers to return. Or doing the inverse and lowering the ranks of effects available as the target gains more of their powers back.

The backgrounds once again aim to give options to build in the benefits some types of Mimic characters have due to the tropes they embody. Becoming the Mask allows the user to look into the mind of the one they're mimicking and fits the best on Power Leech type Mimics. Consummate Actor allows the Mimic to better deceive others and works best with the Form Mimicry option. Double Team is more a combat style, for Mimics who wish to copy the powers of their teammates and assist them. Fake Expert allows the Mimic to use the required skills the power may require to work effectively, for a more complete form of imitation. Formless is for the shapeshifting mimics.

Imperfect Echo allows the mimic to "keep" a selected ability long term to be more effective and is a good choice for Mimics who's power activation requirements may be tough to pull off the first time or come with dangerous set backs limiting it's usage. Inhuman Physiology is for those mimics who are things like Aliens or genetically engineered super weapons. And lastly is the Power Hunter, a more villainous option which is for the power thieves who seek out new prey.

One could also forgo the backgrounds entirely and simply purchase more stats so they are not as vulnerable or ranks in variable. Most can be boosted an additional 5 ranks.

Game Play:
The Mimic requires more advanced play and creative thinking than other builds, as the assets the Mimic has at any given time can change drastically in an instant. There is also a lot to keep track of as well, from building powers to keeping track of abilities. The best place to start is before even beginning the game, making sure you have a list of builds for abilities that are likely to turn up (asking the GM to create their own list for villains). The Mimic is not a build for the unprepared or those who prefer easier to handle characters. An under prepared Mimic user will simply drag the game to a halt and have to deal with constant building and rebuilding powers in the middle of a fight which is unfun for everyone involved.

There's a few general strategies to fighting as a mimic. One is support, copying useful abilities to spread them around and acting as a backup to any other character either by reinforcing their ability with a second copy or by acquiring a complementary power. The other is being a trump card, having the potential to gain a powerful game-changing ability while simultainously taking out an opponent, this requires teammates to assist in funneling a victim to the Mimic allowing them to quickly steal their power and use it against the villains. There is also a more solo option, for mimics with easier to use power copying but it once again faces the issue of there being too many options depending on the powers involved.

Build Notes:
Oh god, the original Mimic archetype. Probably the most hilariously terrible build of the lot. Seriously you can't get much worse than the build effectively being a vague archetype name, so bellow caps they can see china, and just having a massive Variable power with no direction or options given. It's like giving a child a "How to Swim" infograph poster then immediately kicking them into the deep end.

This is another one built effectively from scratch, though this time there wasn't much to actually toss out. In general the biggest thing done was coming up with the backgrounds and different ways a Mimic's power can manifest. The details of that are in the customization section. All in all a surprisingly simple build to fix up, in fact I spent more time looking up good pictures and writing up these notes than building the template.
Last edited by squirrelly-sama on Sat Jun 01, 2019 8:18 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Doctor Malsyn
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Re: WAIFU WARZ - RE:ARCHETYPE - THE MIMIC LENDS A HAND

Post by Doctor Malsyn »

Funny, I actually made an attempt at creating All for One (My Hero Acadamia) for the hell of it, and it ended up being pretty similar to your own Power Theft ability. Just with the tacked on alternative ability of giving absorbed powers to other as an affects others only variable. Tried for the life of me to work out a rules legal way of making the power permanently stolen, but couldn't mange.
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Re: WAIFU WARZ - RE:ARCHETYPE - THE MIMIC LENDS A HAND

Post by Woodclaw »

As I noted over the years M&M isn't really meant to represent power duplicators/mimics. Simply put the entire stitch of such characters is to be able to go beyond the normal caps, but this is a big no-no in this game.
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Re: WAIFU WARZ - RE:ARCHETYPE - General Discussion

Post by squirrelly-sama »

Made a small alteration to the build to add Beast Mimicry to the Mimic. It's less Beast Boy and more Vixen. As for the next archetypes, I haven't built started on the next one yet but I have the Mystic, Paragon, Powerhouse, shape shifter, and Speedster left and haven't decided if I will continue going in order or just skip to whichever one as the mood hits me.

I don't think I'll be doing the Psychic, Warrior, or Weapon Master Build since they are very much just very specific alterations of existing builds. Psychic is just a descriptor change of either the Mystic or the Energy Controller. The Warrior is just the martial artist (now at least, before it was just a 3rd rehash of the Paragon). The Weapon Master is pretty much just a Crime Fighter who happens to have a specific favored weapon and there's already an option in the new Martial Artist archetype to accommodate for more powerful weapon users. Since I'm not going to be going over them I'll just talk about them in this post.

The Psychic
It's a name that brings to mind some of the power houses of comics and games. Jean Grey, Professor X, Mewtwo, it's over powered and can do pretty much anything being the Scifi version of magic. And in generally if fits into one of two categories, the Miss Cleos and Gypsy types who are basically Mystics that rely on a variety of weird ass powers more than force and the Jean Grey Psyker types who are just Energy controls where the energy descriptor is Psychic and have tons of fire power and a couple weird effects thrown in for good measure. What we get is a build that tries to be both and fails.

None of it's offense options reach caps, a bad thing on a build that's supposed to see combat regularly. It's lacking a afflictions or other alternate attacking effects to status opponents or utility abilities which is terrible for the more supportive gypsy types. The closest to caps it gets is it's non-damaging Move Object which is PL9 and with an effect rank of 8. It's protection effect is not only entirely based in it's power but said power is sustained because of course it is. Mind Reading and Perception damage being only 5 ranks means that it falls into the same problem camp as the Crime Fighter in that it's effectively wasted points since nothing you need it to work on are going to be weak enough to fail the save. And Illusion is resisted by Will and only 4 ranks meaning that it does even worse. Lets not forget that Telekinesis is located outside of the array bloating the cost by 20pp. Even if you wanted to be able to use it outside of the array Continuous should be enough, some GMs may disagree but if you're paying a +1 extra on a modifier as normally worthless as Continuous it should be able to offer something.

The Warrior
Honestly all this build is is a slightly more versatile Paragon without the moderate toughness/power shift. I'd actually recommend it over the typical Paragon because it actually has the ability to do things the typical paragon should be able to do like have some extra senses charisma which the paragon couldn't because it wasted it's points on useless stuff. You could squeeze out the points to still have some flight by dumping the useless ability ranks. Really this build, along with the Weapon Master just looks like the designers were running out of ideas and had some sort of quota for how many archetypes they needed and decided to rehash Paragon and Crime Fighter but with a slight gimmick.

With the new Martial Arts archetype this one becomes pointless in how redundant it is.

The Weapon Master
This is basically the Crime Fighter but more combat oriented. Honestly he's a more balanced Crime Fighter but not by much. He's still under caps in a lot of ways but it's less dramatic as the Crime Fighter though he rather bafflingly has LESS toughness than the Crime fighter and has one of his defenses under caps. Seriously, what were they thinking on that? At the very least while his offense is still under caps it isn't as much so as the Crime Fighter and at effect ranks to have some sort of chance to do something. But unlike the crime fighter they actually gave this guy some powers.

Equipment was weird, sure they needed some points and so made the weapon equipment but some of those weapons have advantages on them that are indicative of the weapon's master skill with them rather than inherent to the weapons themselves. Probably the weirdest choice is that apparently Motorcycle counts as a weapon.

With the revamped Crime Fighter Build this character could easily be created using that template for those who want a Green Arrow or Deadpool style build. For those who want something like a Samurai or the other more super powered weapon masters (which the original didn't account for outside of a very generic option the Warrior template) the Martial Artist is a better option.

Anyway, I'll try and finish off the archetypes next week when I have some consecutive days off. Haven't decided where to start so if anyone has a request feel free to post. Likewise, if anyone decides to use these archetype rebuilds (or any of my builds) for in their game let me know how they turned out, maybe it's to quickly make a new character for a One Shot or a newbie being introduced and given these to help make their own character either one is welcome.
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HUSBANDO WARZ - Now For Something Completely Different - VelociPastor

Post by squirrelly-sama »

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Man of the Claw

VelociPastor - PL 8
Sex: Male
Age: 25
Height: 5'7" | Weight: 128 | Hair: Brown | Eyes: Yellow
Role: Beastly Bruiser, Team Dad, Papa Wolf

HUSBANDO Stats
Division - Light Weight
Series - VelociPastor
Focus - Melee
Husbando Typing - Priest, Feral

Strength 4, Stamina 6, Agility 6, Dexterity 0, Fighting 4, Intellect 2, Awareness 2, Presence 2

Advantages
Assessment, Benefit, Status: Pastor, Defensive Roll 2, Fast Grab, Favored Environment: Jungle, Favored Foe: Ninja, Improved Hold, Luck (Inspiration), Set-up, Skill Mastery: Stealth, Teamwork, Ultimate Effort: Insight, Uncanny Dodge

Skills
Acrobatics 2 (+8), Athletics 2 (+6), Close Combat: Unarmed 6 (+10), Expertise: Theology 8 (+10), Insight 2 (+6/+4), Intimidation 8 (+10), Perception 2 (+4), Persuasion 6 (+8), Stealth 4 (+10)

Powers
Ambush Predator: Teleport 2 (120 feet in a move action, carrying 50 lbs.; Accurate, Subtle: subtle; Uncontrolled)
Claws: Strength-based Damage 2 (DC 21; Improved Critical 3, Precise)
Clever Girl: Enhanced Trait 10 (Traits: Deception +8 (+10), Insight +2 (+6), Advantages: Assessment, Luck (Inspiration), Set-up, Teamwork, Ultimate Effort: Insight)
Leaping: Leaping 1 (Leap 15 feet at 4 miles/hour)
Speed: Speed 3 (Speed: 16 miles/hour, 250 feet/round)

Offense
Initiative +6
Claws: Strength-based Damage 2, +10 (DC 21)
Grab, +4 (DC Spec 14)
Throw, +1 (DC 19)
Unarmed, +10 (DC 19)

Complications
Enemy - Ninja
Responsibility - Pastor

Languages
Native Language

Defense
Dodge 8, Parry 8, Fortitude 8, Toughness 8/6, Will 8

Power Points
Abilities 52 + Powers 25 + Advantages 9 + Skills 20 (40 ranks) + Defenses 14 = 120

Notes:
Someone posted this on discord and I felt the need to build it.
Last edited by squirrelly-sama on Thu Jun 06, 2019 11:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: WAIFU WARZ - RE:ARCHETYPE - THE ENERGY CONTROLLER CHARGES UP

Post by squirrelly-sama »

Jabroniville wrote: Fri May 24, 2019 11:10 pm Yeah, there was a post on Ronin Army about "Is Affliction Afflicted?" because of what you mention here. It's REALLY hard to one-shot-takedown somebody with an Affliction. I've pointed out repeatedly how impossible it is to replicate Mind Control the way it works in the comics (where it's nearly always effective).

I think I would either make Affliction work like Damage (DC 15 at baseline), or make it Cumulative by default. Otherwise, it's just a BIT too weak.
The main issue with the first one is that Damage becomes redundant as it is now literally just Affliction.

In my mind the best way to rework it is to get rid of Damage and Weaken and create a sort of hybrid that combines some of the better parts of both and improve Affliction.

Affliction would need to stick, that's the most important part. By default it's a 50% chance to succeed and every round is a 50% chance to recover on average, so every extra round of it sticking around becomes expenentially more unlikely. 50% to stick, 25% to stay for 1 round, 12.5 to stay 2, ~6% to stay 3, etc. So Affliction by default should just work sort of like damage does, no ability to recover from it without healing or a the limited recovery action. Affliction conditions also should not be recoverable through advantages or maneuvers until the affliction is beaten, so Instant Up users don't just instantly recover from something like having their gravity increased 10x by standing up like nothing happened. In this case Instant Recovery should be Quick Recovery, making it so the target gets a resistance check every round and beating it is a full recovery, instant Recovery should be a tier 2 flaw given how much it nerfs an affliction. Progressive in such a case would only be able to improve the affliction if not given a quick recovery flaw. Another issue with Affliction is the inability to create a lot of powers that are very limited but do something that is obviously a tier 3 affliction, a short time stop, controlling a single limb, Paralyzing as long as eye contact is made, stuff like that. An Increase degree modifier as a +2 extra may be possible, it doesn't increase the DC but treats degrees of failure on resistance as being an extra degree higher, since it triples the base price this seems about right.

As for Damage/Weaken - This new one would be sort of like damage in that it lowers stats depending on the degree the target failed and it also has no cap on how many ranks it can lower things, however like weaken it now can apply penalties by more than 1 each time. Basically they roll to resist Damage at 10+ranks, Every degree of failure adds +1 penalty. No extra conditions, rather conditions would be added depending on about how many penalties are needed to get to 0 resistance, 1st degree status effect one about half way, 2nd degree at about 75%, 3rd degree at 100%, so attacking after that applies dying and Death occurring if it goes bellow -5 ranks. I'm torn between whether it should lower PP or ranks, Ranks would be more effective for lowering powers and abilities but maybe too strong against defenses, PP would make it somewhat laughable at lowering Powers or abilities but less likely to be a game breaker, it'd also give Impervious something to actually do. I suppose it could be a +0 extra where you can affect ranks at a DC of 10+ranks of effect or affect PP at a DC of 15+ranks of effect. Damage/Weaken can be resisted by any of the resistances (fort/tou/will) and affect any singular thing in a narrow spectrum. While it kinda seems weird at first that punching things could weaken will will or fort it makes a sort of sense, like doing a kidney punch for fort or targeting painful spots for will. It'd have the normal Broad and Simultaneous modifiers, however Simultaneous would no longer be tied to Broad.
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WAIFU WARZ - RE:ARCHETYPE - The Mystic (PL10)

Post by squirrelly-sama »

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"Well excuse me for not being able to run a 5k, when I went to college I was too busy learning how to bend reality into a pretzel for my amusement to bother with a treadmill. Until going to the gym lets you bullies physics into giving me it's lunch money I'm going to my 'dusty old tomes', thank you."

The Mystic - PL 10
Sex: Female
Age: 23
Height: 5'4" | Weight: 102 | Hair: Brown | Eyes: Green
Role: The Mysterious One, Designated Exposition Source, The Anti-Social One, the Nerd, the Bookworm, The Quiet One

Waifu Stats
Division - Welter Weight
Series - None (Archetypes)
Focus - Ranged, Harasser, Support, Utility
Waifu Typing - The Kuudere, Yandere, Bookworm

Strength -1, Stamina 2, Agility 0, Dexterity 0, Fighting 0, Intellect 2, Awareness 8, Presence 2

Advantages
Artificer, Eidetic Memory, Ritualist, Skill Mastery: Expertise: Magic, Ultimate Effort: Will

Skills
Deception 4 (+6), Expertise: Magic 13 (+15), Expertise: Occult 8 (+10), Investigation 2 (+4), Persuasion 3 (+5), Ranged Combat: Magic 12 (+12)

Powers
Levitation: Flight 1 (Speed: 4 miles/hour, 60 feet/round; Increased Duration: continuous)
. . Shadow Slip: Teleport 1 (Alternate; 60 feet in a move action, carrying 50 lbs.; Change Direction, Change Velocity; Medium: Shadows)
Magic Garb (Removable)
. . Amulet of Safety: Protection 6 (+6 Toughness)
. . Enchanted Cloak
. . . . Cloth Shield: Protection 4 (+4 Toughness, Advantages: Ultimate Effort: Toughness Save; Increased Mass 3)
. . . . Flowing Cape: Enhanced Trait 8 (Traits: Dodge +4 (+12), Parry +4 (+12))
. . Protection from Arrows: Enhanced Trait 8 (Traits: Dodge +4 (+12), Parry +4 (+12))
Voodoo and Hoodoo Array
. . Astral Projection: Remote Sensing 12 (Affects: All Types, Range: 16 miles; Subtle: DC 20+rank; Feedback, Side Effect 2: always - Real body rendered Asleep)
. . Evil Eye: Affliction 8 (1st degree: Impaired, Vulnerable, 2nd degree: Defenseless, Disabled, DC 18; Alternate Resistance (Dodge), Extra Condition, Increased Range 2: perception, Reversible; Limited Degree)
. . Evocation: Summon 8 (Heroic, Sacrifice, Type (Broad): Magical Creatures; Check Required 8: DC 17 - Expertise: Occult, Concentration, Side Effect: on failure - Summon Hostile Creature)
. . Helpful Spirits: Move Object 8 (6 tons; Increased Duration: continuous, Subtle: subtle)
. . Jinx: Nullify 8 (Counters: Magic, DC 18; Broad, Increased Duration: concentration, Subtle: subtle)
. . Spell Caster: Damage 8 (DC 23; Custom: Pick One: Area, Multi-Attack, or Secondary Effect, Increased Range: ranged, Variable Descriptor: close group - Magical Elements)
Voodoo Alt Array Options
. . Banish: Teleport Attack 8 (1 mile in a move action, carrying 50 lbs., DC 18; Attack: Dodge, Increased Range 2: perception, Precise; Limited: Objects)
. . Calling Up That Which You Cannot Put Down: Summon 12 (Heroic, Increased Duration: continuous, Innate; Side Effect 2: always - Resist Madness Affliction, Uncontrolled)
. . Conjured Shield: Create 10 (Volume: 1000 cft., DC 20; Movable, Precise, Stationary, Subtle 2: invisible; Concentration)
. . Cure: Healing 8 (Precise, Restorative)
. . Empower Familiar: Summon 8 (Heroic, Mental Link; Source: Own Familiar)
. . Gate of Safe Travel: Teleport 4 (Carry 50 lbs.; Accurate, Change Direction, Easy, Extended: 16 miles in 2 move actions, Portal; Limited to Extended)
. . Invocation: Variable 4 (Affects Others, Subtle: subtle; Concentration, Side Effect: on failure - Backlash, Notes: Power grants temporary Enchantments. All users draw from same point pool.)
. . Light of Revelation: Burst Area Senses 9 (Counters All Concealment: Sight, Counters Illusion: Sight, Detect: Traps (Sight) 2: ranged; Affects Others, Burst Area: 30 feet radius sphere, DC 19; Activation 2: standard action)
. . Madness - Eyes on The Inside: Progressive Weaken 8 (Affects: Will, Resisted by: Will, DC 18; Increased Range: ranged, Insidious, Progressive; Sense-dependent: Sight)
. . Madness - Window to The Abyss: Progressive Perception Area Affliction 8 (1st degree: Entranced, 2nd degree: Compelled, 3rd degree: Controlled, Resisted by: Will, DC 18; Perception Area: DC 18 - Sight, Progressive; Limited: Acting Eratically)
. . Mental Illusion: Illusion 8 (Affects: All Sense Types, Area: 250 cft., DC 18; Psychic, Subtle: subtle; Limited to One Subject, Reduced Range: ranged, Resistible: Will)
. . Pacifying Lunar Scent: Cumulative Cloud Area Affliction 8 (1st degree: Entranced, 2nd degree: Exhausted, 3rd degree: Asleep, Resisted by: Will, DC 18; Cloud Area 2: 30 feet radius sphere, DC 18, Cumulative, Insidious; Sense-dependent: Smell)
. . Polymorph: Progressive Affliction 8 (3rd degree: Transformed, Resisted by: Will, DC 18; Increased Range: ranged, Precise, Progressive; Limited Degree (third only))
. . Reveal Temporal Echoes
. . . . Illusion: Illusion 4 (Linked; Affects: All Sense Types, Area: 15 cft., DC 14; Independent, Precise; Limited: Imitating Past Events)
. . . . Senses: Senses 4 (Linked; Postcognition)
. . Scry: Remote Sensing 7 (Affects: 2 Types, inc. Visual - Hearing and Sight, Range: 0.5 miles; No Conduit, Precise, Subtle 2: looks normal; Concentration)
. . Turn Undead: Progressive Perception Area Affliction 8 (1st degree: Dazed, 2nd degree: Compelled, 3rd degree: Controlled, Resisted by: Will, DC 18; Perception Area: DC 18 - sight, Progressive; Limited: Undead)
. . Voodoo doll
. . . . Linking: Senses 4 (Accurate: Mental, Detect: Owner of Object Held 2: ranged; Limited: Targeting Voodoo Victim)
. . . . Puppeting: Move Object 10 (25 tons, DC 25; Damaging, Increased Range: perception, Insidious, Precise, Subtle: subtle; Limited to Minds, Source: Personal Belonging of Target)
. . Zombie Curse: Cumulative Affliction 8 (1st degree: Entranced, 2nd degree: Compelled, 3rd degree: Controlled, Resisted by: Will, DC 18; Cumulative, Increased Range 2: perception, Insidious; Limited: Requires Belonging of Target)
Optional - 10pp each wrote:zModule - Backgrounds
. . Apostle (Advantages: Connected, Contacts, Fascinate (Expertise))
. . . . Divine Protection: Immunity 10 (Common Descriptor: Evil/Miasma; Limited - Half Effect)
. . . . Voice Of God: Comprehend 2 (Extra Ranks 2; Broad Type: Chosen Pantheon)
. . From Beyond The Veil: Concealment 10 (All Senses; Limited: Mystically Ignorant or Powerless, Permanent)
. . Gypsy: Enhanced Trait 10 (Traits: Presence +2 (+4), Persuasion +4 (+9), Deception +4 (+10), Advantages: Fascinate (Deception), Skill Mastery)
. . Immortal Curse: Immortality 9 (Return after 2 hours; Feature: Immunity to Aging; Uncontrolled)
. . Keeper of The Ancient Library: Summon 3 (Increased Duration: continuous, Subtle: subtle, Notes: Summons Door that leads to Ancient Library Headquarters. 45 EP to build HQ.)
. . Magical Ancestor (Advantages: Diehard, Power Attack, Trance)
. . . . Immunity: Immunity 10 (Life Support; Limited - Half Effect)
. . . . Regeneration: Regeneration 2 (Every 5 rounds)
. . Master of Magicks
. . . . Add 2 more array options: Feature 2
. . . . Prestidigitation: Variable 1 (Action 2: free; Limited: Utility spells and features)
. . Shaman (Advantages: Animal Empathy, Favored Environment: Wilderness, Tracking)
. . . . Comprehend: Comprehend 2 (Animals - Speak To, Animals - Understand)
. . . . Enhanced Trait: Enhanced Trait -4 (Traits: Intellect -2 (+0), Awareness -2 (+6), Expertise -3 (+12), Perception +2 (+10), Athletics +5 (+4), Strength +1 (+0))
. . . . Immunity: Immunity 1 (Environmental Condition: Wilderness)
. . . . Movement: Movement 2 (Environmental Adaptation: Wilderness, Wall-crawling 1: -1 speed rank)
. . . . Senses: Senses 1 (Low-light Vision)
. . . . Speed: Speed 2 (Speed: 8 miles/hour, 120 feet/round; Limited: Favored Environment)
Optional - 10pp each wrote:zModule - Greater Traits
. . Conjuration: Create 4 (Volume: 15 cft., DC 14; Precise, Subtle: look natural)
. . Dream Magic
. . . . Dream Strider: Teleport 4 (Carry 50 lbs.; Affects Others, Extended: 16 miles in 2 move actions; Limited to Extended, Medium: Sleeping Person, Uncontrolled)
. . . . Dream Walker: Movement 2 (Dimensional: Dream Worlds 2: group, 50 lbs.; Affects Others)
. . Familiar: Enhanced Trait 9 (Advantages: Languages: Familiar's Language, Sidekick 8; Feature: Mental Comm-Link)
. . Geass: Progressive Affliction 10 (1st degree: Entranced, 2nd degree: Compelled, 3rd degree: Controlled, Resisted by: Will, DC 20; Progressive, Triggered: 1 use - Agreeing to Deal; Limited: Fulfilling Terms of Contract, Quirk: Can only be activated by trigger, Side Effect: on failure - Suffers own Geass depending on contract (persuasion check))
. . Magical Resistance: Immunity 20 (Very Common Descriptor: Magic; Limited - Half Effect)
. . Transmutation: Transform 2 (Affects: Anything, Transforms: 3 lbs., DC 12)
. . Vanishing Act: Concealment 3 (Sense - Hearing, Sense - Sight; Affects Others, Feature: Able to see Each Other, Increased Range: ranged; Passive)
. . Whispers on The Wind: Auditory Communication Perception (One Sense) 2 (Perception (One Sense): Hearing)
Optional - 5pp Each wrote:Module - Lesser Traits
. . Arcane Collection: Variable 1 (Removable; Slow, Notes: Contains 5pp worth of equipment with magic descriptors.)
. . Communion With Spirits: Comprehend 2 (Spirits - Communicate, Spirits - Medium; Innate)
. . Flying Broom: Flight 4 (Easily Removable, Speed: 30 miles/hour, 500 feet/round; Increased Duration: continuous, Subtle: subtle; Platform)
. . Magitech: Enhanced Trait 5 (Traits: Technology +8 (+10), Advantages: Inventor)
. . Protection of Spirits: Environment 2 (Impede Movement (1 rank), Radius: 60 feet; Selective, Subtle: subtle)
. . Reveal Path: Senses 7 (Accurate: Tracking, Direction Sense, Distance Sense, Extended: Tracking 2: x100, Tracking: Sight 1: -1 speed rank; Activation 2: standard action)
. . Ring of Intangibility: Movement 3 (Removable, Permeate 3: full speed)
. . Sense Magic: Senses 7 (Accurate: Detect Magic, Acute: Detect Magic, Analytical: Detect Magic, Awareness: Detect Magic, Detect: Magic 2: ranged; Activation 2: standard action)
. . Sword of Warning (Easily Removable)
. . . . Damage: Strength-based Damage 3 (DC 17; Improved Critical)
. . . . Warning: Senses 5 (Danger Sense: Mental, Precognition)
Offense
Initiative +0
Banish: Teleport Attack 8 (DC Dog 18)
Damage: Strength-based Damage 3, +0 (DC 17)
Evil Eye: Affliction 8 (DC Dog/Fort/Will 18)
Geass: Progressive Affliction 10, +0 (DC Will 20)
Grab, +0 (DC Spec 9)
Helpful Spirits: Move Object 8, +12 (DC 18)
Jinx: Nullify 8, +12 (DC Will 18)
Madness - Eyes on The Inside: Progressive Weaken 8, +12 (DC Will 18)
Madness - Window to The Abyss: Progressive Perception Area Affliction 8 (DC Will 18)
Pacifying Lunar Scent: Cumulative Cloud Area Affliction 8 (DC Will 18)
Polymorph: Progressive Affliction 8, +12 (DC Will 18)
Puppeting: Move Object 10 (DC 25)
Spell Caster: Damage 8, +12 (DC 23)
Throw, +0 (DC 14)
Transmutation: Transform 2, +0 (DC Dog 12)
Turn Undead: Progressive Perception Area Affliction 8 (DC Will 18)
Unarmed, +0 (DC 14)
Zombie Curse: Cumulative Affliction 8 (DC Will 18)

Complications
Curse Sworn: With the nature of their magic the Mystic may have sold favors to less than reputable entities in exchange for some of their own.
Fame - Supernatural Superstar: The Mystic's name carries much weight in more magical circles. While there are some fans most seek to steal their secrets for their own gain.
Mythic Weakness: Magic is a complicated and often unpredictable field. Many spells often have very strict requirements that cannot be fudged and where even seemingly imperceptible deviations can have disastrous effects.
Power Loss - Catalysts: Mystics often don't have much if any magic innate to themselves, it usually being the result of enchanted items or rituals that is brought about through hardwork rather than innate gifts. As a result they may be lost if the tools needed to use them are separated from them.
Quirk - Out of Touch: Being more focused on magical happenings the Mystic is not always up to date on modern events or technology.

Languages
Native Language

Defense
Dodge 12/4, Parry 12/4, Fortitude 6, Toughness 8, Will 12

Power Points
Abilities 26 + Powers 52 + Advantages 5 + Skills 21 (42 ranks) + Defenses 16 = 120 out of 150

Notes:
The Mystic archetype, a new and improved take on the pre-made character provided by the free source book.
Examples in fiction: Witches, Wizards, Spellcasters from Fantasy settings. Shiny Chariot from Little Witch Academia, Zatana from DC Comics, Zelda from The Legend of Zelda series.

The Mystic, the more traditional magic user and all around expert on all things arcane and paranormal. Ranging from pointy hatted broom-riding witches to dead channeling TV psychics and fortune telling gypsies, the Mystic covers the spectrum of strange and suspicious oddities. They are a mysterious and tricky class, focusing on a large number of very strange and sometimes illogical effects over simple escalating power of more battle oriented spell slingers. A trick up the sleave, an ace in the hole, with the right preparation there's few problems the Mystic can't face.

Customization
The Mystic uses many different effects, estranged by an even larger gap other archetypes. From a mind reader to a spell slinger to a summoner, the Mystic often has an array of spells and rituals that appears to be chosen almost at random. There are themes however, depending on the type of mystic one wants to play as. A cleric would have more support options like healing an nullification, a gypsy would focus on illusions and tricks, and a Witch would use many different afflictions or more esoteric effects. The Expertise of the Mystic should also be adjusted to account for this, being Occult on Gypsies, Theology or Demonology for exorcist and clerics, Performance for Bards, or a specific school of magic for witches and wizards.

At 120pp for the base build and meeting both the Defense and Offense caps with it's default options the Mystic is free to customize as the user wishes with little risk provided no existing traits are removed. One background and greater trait is recommended to add more versatility to the build with the remaining 10pp to be spent on more detailed flavor to flesh out and personalize the hero.

There's a wide array spell options provided to mix and match up at will, or to use as a resource for Power Stunts or rituals. Many are summons of various strengths and limitations and should be chosen only with the permission of the GM to determine if they are balanced for the campaign they plan to run.

Building one's own spells is also encouraged, there would be a 25pp limit to fit into the existing array making it simple to make an an effect with 8 ranks, 2 extras and 1 flat extra for most attacks.

Gameplay
With such a large pool of options it's hard to create a concrete style that would fit every Mystic type. In general however Mystics tend to lack in a little in power, not being weak but not able to use exceptionally strong attacks. While this can be compensated for it would be more prudent to simply roll with it to focus on their strengths. Their wide array of options and unpredictability is their greatest asset, as Magic can often be used to achieve just about any effect one can imagine. However while they have the potential to use any effect it doesn't mean they have the capability.

Mystics are often limited the most by their given specialization. While a broad specialized version can be made such would likely spread the Mystic a bit too thin and ironically lead to a lack of options as the array is no longer able to deal with a somewhat limited number of situations in a number of ways and instead tries to deal with a large number of situations with a substantially smaller number of options. A theme focuses, and that focus allows the Mystic to thrive instead of flounder enough to barely remain afloat.

Given their esoteric powers the Mystic often fills the niches that are missing in a team with their spells. Functioning as an investigator and problem solver for teams lacking Crimefighters, as artillery substitutes for those lacking Energy Controllers, and a provider of gadgets or means of circumventing the resources of others for teams lacking gadgeteers. In combat hey function as a sort of offensive support, afflicting or otherwise harassing the opponent to provide opportunities for more damaging teammates to score more powerful hits. A straight fight is not something the excel at but are far from considered a weakness, rather they prefer to set up advantages for themselves to secure a win.

Build Notes
The Mystic was one of the better builds available in the source book. Good offense, good enough defenses, and a large array for options. The issues it faces are just a lack of very easy to accomplish optimization to allow the PC to add the fluff they want. It also runs into the annoying problem several Archetypes seem to where it just throws you points to customize but gives no examples or options to choose from just leaving the player to build it themselves. For something like an Array that's a bit much given you could stuff just about anything inside if the points line up.

She had high fighting for a character who has no short ranged options whatsoever despite also falling undercaps in Parry. 1 rank of Agility is basically pointless with how little it matters. Dexterity is a fluff stat that worked but I took out to make room for more important traits within the limited budget available for archetypes so the PC can sprinkle on the fluff at will.

The advantages however pretty much got scrapped for a new set. Ranged Attack Skill replaced the advantage, Fearless was dropped for not really making any sense on a generic Mystic, and Trance was honestly a baffling thing to include at all. Sure the name sounds like something the Mystic would use but what it actually does is very different from what a Mystic would actually do in a trance. The new options were given to make more use of the Expertises.

The Original Mystic's power options were a bit underwhelming and also in need of a tune up to make it more efficient. Remote Sensing was rolled into the array because honestly you're never going to need or be able to use your array options while using it. Maybe with Perception Ranged effects but that's a bit cheap and not something GMs would normally allow and shouldn't be encouraged in a build for beginners to try and learn from. Levitation was a good power but I ended up cutting the ranks of it and adding an alternate movement option in a limited teleport. Mystic Shield was honestly a rather terrible power, a sustained protection effect that covers all the mystic's toughness ranks, impervious too because of course they wanted to do that instead of make it continuous so getting stunned won't instantly drop toughness to 0.

When it came to rebuilding the powers it took a lot of work trying to shift things around so it would fit within the 120pp limit I set to allow a decent amount of customization for the build causing the Mystic to undergo more Reworking than I'd initially intended. Some abilities, skills, and power ranks were sacrificed to make room.

I deconsolidated the Toughness into two devices and a couple natural ranks through stamina. Amulet of Protection is a normal permanent toughness boost while Protection from Arrows on the garb does the same for defenses. However the enchanted cloak has sustained protection (plus some extras) in an array with enhanced defenses letting the Mystic swap to whichever would be more advantageous but doesn't offer too radical a shift nor such a large bonus that being stunned would render the character a sitting duck.

It actually took a lot longer than I thought to create the backgrounds and traits for the character as I kept running into an issue I didn't much pay attention to normally in MnM that exists with how Arrays work, or rather how powers that should be in arrays but need to be outside of it to actually function properly work. Action economy is a bitch, but some things are just too gimped and there's a sad lack of options I had to place into Backgrounds and Traits that wouldn't have been better fit into the array since they cost a standard action or things that could have increased duration but would become way too expensive for the small PP limit available outside of the array. I wanted Nullifies but jesus christ does that effect suck. Not only would it's standard action cost have made it a better place in the Array (I even made an option there) but trying to get it to stick cost such a ludicrous amount of points that it would need to be so low ranked it'd never work just to fit into the 10pp limit. I feel there really should be some sort of extra or power that that can continue effect's duration when it's been swapped out of an array. There's also a sad lack of options for sustained or permanent affects that could be bought at that price that either doesn't just raise traits (and probably affect caps) or cost huge amounts of points per ranks.

This Archetype more than any other has shown me just how limiting the system can be.
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squirrelly-sama
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WAIFU WARZ - RE:ARCHETYPE - The Magical Girl (PL10)

Post by squirrelly-sama »

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"A beacon of light that stops the encroaching darkness, bringer of hope to the hopeless and Justice to the unjust. Repent for your sins evil doers, Justiza d'von Lieb Magical Mina is here to put an end to your wicked ways!"

Magical girl - PL 10

Strength 4, Stamina 4, Agility 4, Dexterity 0, Fighting 4, Intellect 0, Awareness 2, Presence 2

Advantages
Defensive Roll 2, Power Attack, Takedown, Teamwork, Uncanny Dodge

Skills
Acrobatics 4 (+8), Close Combat: Unarmed 6 (+10), Deception 2 (+4), Insight 2 (+4), Persuasion 2 (+4), Ranged Combat: Magic Attacks 10 (+10)

Powers
Pick One wrote:Combat Focus 15pp
  • Magi - The Gimmick User: Feature 15 (Notes: Spend on Magic Traits)
  • Praelia - The Brawler: Enhanced Strength 4 (+4 STR, Advantages: All-out Attack, Fast Grab, Improved Grab, Improved Hold, Improved Smash, Improved Trip, Improvised Weapon)
  • Promedias - The Balanced (Advantages: Defensive Attack, Evasion 2, Improved Defense, Move-by Action)
    . . Enhance Blast: Damage 2 (DC 23; Accurate: +2, Increased Range: ranged)
    . . Enhanced Ability: Enhanced Strength 2 (+2 STR)
    . . Enhanced Trait: Enhanced Trait 1 (Traits: Close Combat +2 (+12))
  • Sagitta - The Artillery: Enhanced Blast Damage 4 (DC 25, Advantages: Accurate Attack, Improved Aim, Improved Critical 2, Precise Attack (Ranged, Concealment), Precise Attack (Ranged, Cover); Increased Range: ranged, Precise, Stacks with: Magic Blast: Damage 6)
Magic Blast: Damage 6 (DC 21; Increased Range: ranged)
Pankratia: Strength-based Damage 2 (DC 21; Improved Critical, Variable Descriptor: close group - Striking/Magical energy)
Protection: Protection 4 (+4 Toughness)
Speed: Speed 3 (Speed: 16 miles/hour, 250 feet/round)
. . Leaping: Leaping 3 (Alternate; Leap 60 feet at 16 miles/hour)
Optional - 10pp each wrote:Module - Magic Traits
. . Analyze
. . . . Enhanced Trait: Enhanced Trait 8 (Traits: Insight +8 (+12), Perception +8 (+10); Activation 2: standard action)
. . . . Senses: Senses 4 (Acute: Detect, Analytical: Detect, Detect: Opponents Traits 2: ranged)
. . Binding Magic: Move Object 10 (25 tons; Limited: Grabbing and Holding In Place)
. . Concealing Fog: Cloud Area Concealment 2 (Sense - Sight; Affects Others, Cloud Area 2: 30 feet radius sphere, DC 12, Selective; Activation 2: standard action)
. . Flash Step: Teleport 3 (250 feet in a move action, carrying 50 lbs.; Change Direction, Change Velocity, Subtle: subtle, Turnabout)
. . Henshin: Morph 2 (+20 Deception checks to disguise; Narrow group; Psychic; Activation 2: standard action)
. . Magical Barrier: Create 8 (Volume: 250 cft., DC 18; Stationary, Tether; Reduced Range: close)
. . Magical Mascot: Enhanced Trait 10 (Advantages: Sidekick 10)
. . Magical Mirror: Deflect 10 (Reflect; Reduced Range: close)
. . Magician: Enhanced Trait 10 (Traits: Expertise +8 (+8), Intellect +2 (+2), Advantages: Artificer, Ritualist)
. . Scrying Mirror: Remote Sensing 5 (Affects: Visual Senses, Range: 900 feet)
. . Seal Evil: Nullify 10 (Counters: Dark Magic, DC 20; Increased Duration 2: sustained; Reduced Range: close, Unreliable (5 uses))
. . Shrine Maiden
. . . . Expertise Miko: Enhanced Trait 6 (Traits: Expertise +8 (+8), Advantages: Artificer, Ritualist)
. . . . Spiritual Potential (Affects Insubstantial 2: full rank)
. . . . Spiritual Sensitivity: Senses 2 (Danger Sense: Mental, Detect: Evil 1)
. . Special Attack (Custom: Add one +1 Extra to primary attack type, Notes: For Promedias reduce to 8 ranks, add Variable Descriptor - Own Attacks, and add an Alternate Effect for another Special Attack also with Variable Descriptor.)
. . Tank
. . . . Enhanced Trait: Enhanced Trait -10 (Traits: Dodge -5 (+5), Parry -5 (+5))
. . . . Protection: Protection 5 (+5 Toughness; Impervious [10 extra ranks])
. . Telepathy: Mental Communication Perception (One Sense) 2 (Perception (One Sense): Hearing)
. . Unaided Flight: Flight 5 (Speed: 60 miles/hour, 900 feet/round)
. . Well Rounded: Feature 10 (Notes: Purchase either 4 Ranks of Strength if a Sagitta, 4 ranks of Ranged damage if Praelia, 2 Ranks Each (removing Accurate Modifiers) if Promedia, or any of the above if Magi. Spend remaining points on flat extras, Alternate Effects, or Advantages related to chosen option.)
Optional - 5pp each wrote:Module - Magic Traits (Lesser)
. . Aided Flight: Flight 5 (Speed: 4 miles/hour, 60 feet/round; Custom: Platform, Winged, Sourced, or limited)
. . Bag of Holding: Feature 5 (Removable; Subtle: subtle, Notes: Reduce Mass of carried objects by one rank per rank of this feature.)
. . Evasive: Enhanced Trait 5 (Traits: Dodge +5 (+15), Parry +5 (+15), Toughness -5 (+5))
. . Experienced: Feature 5 (Notes: Purchase 5 Alternate Effects build off either Strength based damage or magic attack.)
. . Genre Conventions Pick any 5 features
Example Options wrote:
  • Anti-Pervert Defense: Feature 1 (Notes: Once per scene if the Magical Girl is grabbed they launch an attack as a reaction.)
  • Beauty Never Tarnished: Feature 1 (Notes: The Magical Girl always looks prim and proper regardless of environment or damage taken.)
  • Befriending: Feature 1 (Notes: Spend a hero point to cause damage penalties to apply to interaction checks.)
  • Bishoujo: Feature 1 (Notes: Equally attractive to boys and girls.)
  • Charming: Feature 1 (Notes: Feint with Persuasion skill.)
  • Conviction: Feature 1 (Notes: Demoralize with Persuasion)
  • Cosplay Kit: Feature 1 (Notes: Various themed disguises)
  • Death Glare: Feature 1 (Notes: Intimidation attempts are subtle)
  • Deep Ties: Feature 1 (Notes: Gain an extra complication from an extra emotional complication. Additional Hero Point only lasts for the scene.)
  • Genre Savvy: Senses 4 (Precognition; Check Required: DC 10 - Expertise: Pop Culture, Side Effect: on failure - Wrong Genre Savvy)
  • Last Stand: Feature 1 (Notes: Spend a hero point to ignore damage penalties for a single round.)
  • Medium Awareness: Feature 1 (Notes: Character occasionally breaks the 4th wall. Spend a hero point to make use of Meta information such as witnessing a flashback, knowing the source material, or being able to hear the narration.)
  • Motivate: Feature 1 (Notes: Use one presence based skill to attempt to motivate an ally. DC15 check to perform an Aid Action.)
  • Klutz: Immunity 2 (Uncommon Descriptor: Own Slam Damage; Limited - Half Effect)
  • Panty Shot: Feature 1 (Notes: Once per scene if tripped by or adjacent to a prone male the Magical girl can launch an attack as a reaction.)
  • People Person: Feature 1 (Notes: Use persuasion to detect lies and detect motive instead of insight.)
  • Plot Sense: Feature 1 (Notes: Magical Girl has a vague feeling of important events happening.)
  • Sense Killing Intent: Senses 1 (Danger Sense: Mental)
  • Sneeze: Feature 1 (Notes: Others speaking about you behind your back will cause you to sneeze)
  • Timely Arrival: Feature 1 (Notes: Spend a Hero Point to arrive at a distant scene from off screen.)
  • Tsun~: Feature 1 (Notes: Can reverse damage caused by friendly fire.)
  • Voice of Reason: Feature 1 (Notes: Once per encounter can use a presence based skill to attempt to stop combat. Make an interaction check against target, if successful target will agree to stop the fight and talk things out so long as no hostile actions are performed.)

. . Greater Mobility: Speed 5 (Speed: 60 miles/hour, 900 feet/round; Stacks with: Speed: Speed 3, Notes: Also Increase Leaping equal Amounts)
. . Inhuman Physiology: Immunity 10 (Life Support; Limited - Half Effect)
. . Quick Recovery: Regeneration 2 (Every 5 rounds; Persistent, Subtle: subtle)
. . Ribbons
. . . . Elongation: Elongation 2 (Linked; Elongation: 30 feet, +2 to grab; Limited: Extra Limbs)
. . . . Extra Limbs: Extra Limbs 2 (Linked; 2 extra limbs, Advantages: Improved Grab; Projection)
. . Shared Language: Comprehend 2 ("___" 2, Advantages: Favored Foe: Comprehend specialty, Notes: Pick either Animals, Machines, Objects, Plants, or Spirits)
. . Special Senses: Senses 5 (pick up to 5 senses, Extra Ranks 5)
. . The Power Of Love: Nullify 10 (Counters: Mental Effects, DC 20; Broad, Simultaneous; Distracting, Reduced Range: close, Sense-dependent: Sight)
Optional (limited to 1) - 25pp each wrote:Module - Magic Traits (Magi Only)
. . Ancestral Return: Summon 12 (Heroic, Innate; Attitude: indifferent, Tiring)
. . Anti-Magic: Nullify 8 (Counters: Magic, DC 18; Accurate: +2, Broad, Increased Duration 2: sustained; Reduced Range: close)
. . Bringer of Misfortune: Perception Area Affliction 8 (1st degree: Impaired, Dazed, 2nd degree: Disabled, Stunned, Resisted by: Will, DC 18; Perception Area: DC 18 - Sight, Extra Condition, Reaction 3: reaction, Subtle: subtle; Limited Degree, Side Effect: on failure - May somtimes affect self, Uncontrolled)
. . Creature Mimicry: Variable 3 (Action 2: free, Subtle: subtle; Limited: Imitating Traits of Mundane Animals)
. . Energy Manipulation: Enhanced Extra 6 (applied to magic blast; Shapeable Area: 30 cft., DC 16, Precise, Reaction 3: reaction (Entering AoE))
. . Evocatio: Summon 8 (Multiple Minions: 2 minions, Sacrifice; Tiring)
. . Flicker Time (Advantages: Seize Initiative)
. . . . Ambush: Affliction 10 (1st degree: Vulnerable, 2nd degree: Defenseless, DC 20; Alternate Resistance (Dodge), Increased Range 2: perception, Insidious, Subtle: subtle, Triggered: 1 use - On Launching Another Attack; Instant Recovery, Limited Degree, Quirk: Must be able to move to target)
. . . . Quickness: Quickness 5 (Perform routine tasks in -5 time ranks; Subtle: subtle)
. . . . Speed: Speed 5 (Speed: 60 miles/hour, 900 feet/round; Subtle: subtle)
. . Instant Expert: Variable 3 (mimic skills and skill based powers; Action: move, Subtle: subtle)
. . Magic Binds: Burst Area Move Object 8 (6 tons; Burst Area: 30 feet radius sphere, DC 18, Selective, Subtle: subtle; Limited: Holding In Place)
. . My Voice Shakes The Heart: Cumulative Affliction 8 (1st degree: Entranced, 2nd degree: Compelled, 3rd degree: Controlled, Resisted by: Will, DC 18; Cumulative, Increased Range 2: perception, Insidious; Sense-dependent: Hearing)
. . Mysteriously Masked Senpai - Senpai Kamen: Summon 8 (Heroic, Increased Range: ranged, Subtle 2: undetectable; Quirk: Insidious to user, Self-Powered, Uncontrolled, Notes: Summons Senpai Kamen, the Magical Girls designated love interest. Senpai Kamen has the following complications: "My Work Here is Done" - Senpai Kamen often only stays long enough to interupt the fight with a speach before leaving, having accomplished nothing. "Takahashi Couple" - Senpai Kamen has a complicated relation ship with the Magical Girl depending on who's in costume they can either love or hate each other.)
. . Null Magic Zone
. . . . Concealment: Concealment 10 (All Senses; Limited 2: Magic Based Senses)
. . . . Nullify: Nullify 10 (Counters: Magic, DC 20; Broad, Reaction 3: reaction; Limited: Checks vs self, Limited: Cannot Be Turned Off, Reduced Range: close)
. . Senpai and Kohai: Enhanced Trait 24 (Advantages: Sidekick 24; Feature: Call for Backup, Notes: Build a PL8 and 120pp Magical girl)
. . Shrink (Activation: Standard Action)
. . . . Enhanced Trait: Enhanced Trait -16 (Traits: Stamina -8 (-4))
. . . . Fantastic Voyage: Movement 2 (Dimensional: Tiny-verses 2: group, 50 lbs., Advantages: Favored Environment: Tiny-verses)
. . . . Shrinking: Shrinking 16 (-4 STR, -8 Intimidate, +16 Stealth, +8 active defenses, -4 size ranks, -2 speed ranks)
. . . . Smaller than the eye can see: Concealment 6 (All Aural Senses, All Visual Senses; Limited: Only Against those Significantly larger)
. . Thauma Machinalia - The Mechanical Miracle: Summon 12 (Heroic, Sacrifice; Feedback, Self-Powered)
. . The Best Defense: Enhanced Extra 8 (Reaction 3: reaction (Successful Dodge), Variable Descriptor: close group - Own Attacks)
. . The Power of Friendship: Summon 12 (Controlled, Heroic, Innate; Feedback, Limited: User unable to take own actions., Uncontrolled, Notes: Summons Enhanced Form)
. . Thief (Array)
. . . . Artful Dodger: Deflect 10 (Redirection, Reflect; Reduced Range: close)
. . . . Fake Expert
. . . . . . Fools Fortune: Variable 1 (Linked; skills and abilities needed to pass inspection; Action 3: reaction, Subtle: subtle; Check Required: DC 10 - Deception)
. . . . . . Why Yes That's Me: Morph 2 (Linked; +20 Deception checks to disguise; Narrow group; Subtle: subtle; Check Required: DC 10 - Deception)
. . . . Pickpocket: Teleport Attack 8 (1 mile in a move action, carrying 50 lbs., DC 18; Accurate: +2, Attack: Dodge, Insidious, Multiattack, Precise, Subtle: subtle; Limited: Objects)
. . . . Shadow Slip: Insubstantial 4 (Incorporeal; Precise, Subtle: DC 20; Activation 2: standard action)
. . . . Smooth Talker: Cumulative Perception Area Affliction 10 (1st degree: Impaired, 2nd degree: Disabled, 3rd degree: Transformed, Resisted by: Will, DC 20; Perception Area: DC 20 - Hearing, Cumulative, Selective; Distracting, Limited: Interaction Skills)
. . . . Sneak: Concealment 10 (All Senses; Precise, Subtle: subtle; Activation 2: standard action)
. . Tricky Fighter
. . . . Fighting Dirty: Cumulative Affliction 10 (1st degree: Vulnerable, 2nd degree: Defenseless, Resisted by: Will, DC 20; Cumulative, Increased Range: ranged, Insidious; Limited Degree)
. . . . Locate Weakness: Broad Weaken 10 (Resisted by: Will, DC 20; Alternate Resistance (no cost): Dodge, Broad: Any Trait, Increased Range 2: perception, Insidious, Subtle: subtle; Distracting, Quirk: Details of Weakness need to be shared for allies to benefit, Uncontrolled)
. . . . Smooth Talk: Cumulative Perception Area Affliction 10 (1st degree: Entranced, 2nd degree: Compelled, 3rd degree: Controlled, Resisted by: Will, DC 20; Perception Area: DC 20 - Hearing, Cumulative, Insidious; Limited: Single Target)
. . . . Sucker Punch: Weaken 10 (Affects: Toughness, Resisted by: Will, DC 20; Increased Range 2: perception, Triggered: 1 use - Launching Another Attack; Limited: Instant Recovery)
. . . . Taunt: Perception Area Weaken 10 (Affects: Awareness, Resisted by: Will, DC 20; Perception Area: DC 20 - Hearing, Insidious, Secondary Effect; Limited: Single Target)
. . Unkillable (Advantages: Diehard)
. . . . Immortality: Immortality 1 (Return after 2 weeks; Limited: Does not recover wounds)
. . . . Immunity: Immunity 3 (Aging, Uncommon Descriptor: Instant Death Effects)
. . . . Regeneration: Regeneration 20 (2 per round)
. . Unwanted Rescue: Summon 12 (Heroic, Innate; Attitude: indifferent, Uncontrolled, Notes: Summons a more accomplished Rival magical girl who must be convinced to help. This powerful backup can appear at any time and has conflicting interests with the heroine.)
. . Witch (Array)
. . . . Charm: Variable 2 (Affects Objects, Affects Others Only, Increased Range: ranged, Split: 2 targets, Subtle: subtle)
. . . . Conjuration: Create 10 (Volume: 1000 cft., DC 20)
. . . . Counter Spell: Nullify 10 (Counters: Magic, DC 20; Broad)
. . . . Magic Hand: Move Object 10 (25 tons)
. . . . Polymorph: Progressive Affliction 10 (3rd degree: Transformed, DC 20; Alternate Resistance (Dodge), Increased Range: ranged, Progressive; Fades, Limited Degree (third only))
. . . . Transmutation: Transform 3 (Affects: Anything, Transforms: 6 lbs., DC 13; Increased Duration: continuous, Increased Range: ranged; Quirk: Reversing Effect requires another use of Transmutation)
Optional - 5pp each wrote:Module - Personal Traits
. . The Boy?: Morph 1 (appear as opposite gender, +20 Deception checks to disguise; Single form, Advantages: Attractive; Uncontrolled)
. . The Chuuni: Enhanced Trait 5 (Traits: Expertise (PRE) - Anime and Manga +6 (+8), Advantages: Conspiracy Theorist - Increases Crit of insight checks, Fascinate (Expertise))
. . The Cold One: Immunity 10 (Emotion Effects, Interaction Skills; Limited - Half Effect)
. . The Cool One: Enhanced Trait 5 (Traits: Presence +2 (+4), Deception +2 (+6), Notes: Can substitute Deception boost for any other Pre based skill.)
. . The Expert: Feature 5 (Notes: Purchase 10 ranks of skills in expertise and any other relevant skill to chosen expertise.)
. . The Girly One: Enhanced Trait 5 (Traits: Persuasion +4 (+8), Advantages: Attractive, Favored Foe: Those Attracted to Her, Skill Mastery)
. . The Graceful One: Enhanced Trait 5 (Traits: Agility +4 (+8), Dodge -4 (+6), Advantages: Skill Mastery)
. . The Heart
. . . . Conviction: Feature 1 (Notes: Demoralize with Persuasion)
. . . . Enhanced Trait: Enhanced Trait 1 (Traits: Deception -2 (+2), Persuasion +4 (+8))
. . . . Moral Support: Feature 1 (Notes: Can be used on someone suffering a prolonged Will resisted effect (such as an affliction or will resisted illusion). Using your Persuasion ranks you can do a check against the effect's DC. If you succeed the victim can immediately do a free resistance check against the effect. With 2 degrees of success they gain a +2 circumstance modifier. At 3 or more degrees of success it is a +5 circumstance modifier.)
. . . . Motivate: Feature 1 (Notes: Use one presence based skill to attempt to motivate an ally. DC15 check to perform an Aid Action.)
. . . . People Person: Feature 1 (Notes: Use Persuasion instead of insight to determine motive and detect deceit.)
. . The Idol: Enhanced Trait 5 (Traits: Expertise (PRE) Performance +6 (+8), Persuasion +2 (+6), Advantages: Fascinate (Expertise))
. . The Leader: Enhanced Trait 5 (Advantages: Inspire 4, Leadership)
. . The Loner: Enhanced Trait 5 (Traits: Stealth +6 (+10), Advantages: Hide in Plain Sight, Skill Mastery)
. . The Mature One: Enhanced Trait 5 (Traits: Awareness +2 (+4), Insight +2 (+6))
. . The Popular One: Enhanced Trait 5 (Traits: Expertise (PRE) Pop Culture +6 (+8), Deception +2 (+6), Perception +2 (+4))
. . The Smart One
. . . . Enhanced Ability: Enhanced Intellect 3 (+3 INT, Advantages: Eidetic Memory; Limited: Expertise Checks)
. . . . Quickness: Quickness 2 (Perform routine tasks in -2 time ranks; Limited to One Type: Mental)
. . The Tomboy: Enhanced Trait 5 (Traits: Athletics +4 (+8), Advantages: Extraordinary Effort, Great Endurance, Improved Initiative)
Offense
Initiative +4
Ambush: Affliction 10 (DC Dog/Fort/Will 20)
Anti-Magic: Nullify 8, +12 (DC Will 18)
Binding Magic: Move Object 10, +0 (DC 20)
Bringer of Misfortune: Perception Area Affliction 8 (DC Will 18)
Counter Spell: Nullify 10, +10 (DC Will 20)
Enhance Blast: Damage 8, +12 (DC 17)
Fighting Dirty: Cumulative Affliction 10, +0 (DC Will 20)
Grab, +6 (DC Spec 16)
Locate Weakness: Broad Weaken 10 (DC Dog 20)
Magic Binds: Burst Area Move Object 8 (DC 18)
Magic Blast: Damage 6, +10 (DC 21)
Magic Hand: Move Object 10, +10 (DC 20)
My Voice Shakes The Heart: Cumulative Affliction 8 (DC Will 18)
Nullify: Nullify 10, +10 (DC Will 20)
Pankratia: Strength-based Damage 2, +10 (DC 21-25)
Pickpocket: Teleport Attack 8, +12 (DC Dog 18)
Polymorph: Progressive Affliction 10, +10 (DC Dog/Fort/Will 20)
Sagitta - The Artillery: Damage 10, +10 (DC 25)
Seal Evil: Nullify 10, +10 (DC Will 20)
Smooth Talk: Cumulative Perception Area Affliction 10 (DC Will 20)
Smooth Talker: Cumulative Perception Area Affliction 10 (DC Will 20)
Sucker Punch: Weaken 10 (DC Will 20)
Taunt: Perception Area Weaken 10 (DC Will 20)
The Power Of Love: Nullify 10, +10 (DC Will 20)
Throw, +0 (DC 19)
Transmutation: Transform 3, +10 (DC Dog 13)
Unarmed, +10 (DC 19)

Complications
Curse Sworn - Deconstruction: Being a Magical Girl isn't what it used to be. Gone are the days of bright colors and happy endings now is the era of the cynical. The Magical Girl suffers some horrid fate thanks to their occupation, maybe being forced to enter a death game with other magical girls or are doomed to eventually turn into the very monsters they hunt.
Enemy - Dark Kingdom: The most common opposition for the Magical Girl is a dark syndicate or some different otherworldly malevolent group that seeks to doom the earth.
Identity: Magical girls often have a secret identity and keep their moonlighting as a defender of love and justice under wraps.
Power Loss - Normal Girl: Most Magical Girls did not naturally gain their powers but were gifted them through some means, often requiring some sort of device to enter their empowered persona and without it they are just a normal student.
Responsibility - Student: Being a normal teen (or even pre-teen) the Magical Girl is expected to go to school, do their homework, and listen to their parents or other adults.

Languages
Native Language

Defense
Dodge 10, Parry 10, Fortitude 8, Toughness 10/8, Will 8

Power Points
Abilities 40 + Powers 24 + Advantages 6 + Skills 13 (26 ranks) + Defenses 22 = 120 out of 150

Notes:
Custom Archetype The Magical Girl. Unrelated to the 2E Mecha and Manga Archetype.
Notable examples: Any of the 50+ Pretty Cures, The Sailor Senshi from Sailor Moon, The Puella Magi from Madoka Magica, Kinomoto Sakura from Card Captor Sakura.

Magical Girls, also known as Mahou Shoujo, are one of Japan's main "hero" archetypes similar to Mecha Pilots, Sentai Teams, and Monster Tamers. They're normally young women, often school girls, who transform into more powerful and sparklier versions of themselves and armed with the powers of friendship and glittery hearts proceed to murder their way through an army of demons to save the world. It's probably one of the most well known archetypes to come from Japan, even being known (if mocked) by more mainstream media in the west. They are young defenders of love and justice, thrust into a dangerous situation as they are the only hope of fighting back a dark force mankind is not equipped to handle.

While it is probably the most popular and recognizable type the "Sailor Moon" style magical girl is not the only version of Magical Girl there is. Magical Girls are more a Genre than an Archetype, covering a bevy of different interpretations of it. Magical Knights Rayearth had young girls become magical knights after being whisked away into a fantasy land, Precure has combined Magical Girls with Battle Shounen having most if not all the Pretty Cures engaging in earth shattering fisticuffs and launching army wiping lasers. Nanoha replaces Magical Girl tropes with Mecha tropes treating the transformation like a Mecha Poower Armor with aerial dog fights taking place while everyone launches so many lasers flying everywhere they may as well be dodging drops of water in the middle of a damn hurricane. The Magical Girl Raising Project decided to take a bunch of happy idealistic magical girls trying to help the community and put them into a Hunger Games style death match. Despite the frills and copious amounts of pink, glittery, cute, and girly aesthetics Magical Girls are quite capable and as credible a threat as any hero.

There have been many takes on the Magical Girl archetype in it's long history, going back over 50 years with Himitsu no Akko-chan in 1962. From Cute Witch, to magic maidens, to magical knights, to the recognizable Sentai Variant that was popularized by Sailor Moon, and the now popular Dark and Edgy magical girls as genre has entered a new Deconstruction and Reconstruction period. Among these types there are 3 main groupings: Magical Girl Warriors - more action and fighting oriented girls, it takes queues from Shounen anime and is more popular with men. Cute Witch - More traditional fantasy style magical girls or just weaker gimick magical girls, they focus more on romance and character drama typical in Shoujo series and are aimed primarily at a female audience. Lastly is the Sentai type - Something of a mix, they're a team of specialized magical girls who work together to fight more childishly evil baddies, this is a type aimed more at younger audiences and tends to be popular with both boys and girls.

Customization:
With over 50 years of examples to choose from it's very easy to build your own unique Magical Girl with such an array of options. The Build was made to be playable as is with no further customization and so the player is free to experiment as they please. With the broadness of the archetype there's almost no wrong way to design a Magical Girl. With 30pp to spend and the defensive caps met and Offense capable enough there's little reason to not to customize the character however you see fit.

Personal Traits were added to display different ways to give the girl a sort of personality, as with magical girls personality is often a power all it's own. The Traits mimic common stereotypes and recognizable quirks that often appear in anime characters, or really in any form of media with a large core cast where persona's need to be distinct and unique while being able to play off each other. More than just skills they give the character a direction to role play and an idea of how they will react to certain situations.

Magic Traits, Lesser and Greater, are a grouping of optional power packages that can be taken to improve the character's effectiveness. This is a listing of more commonly seen powers, or useful support abilities that would need to stay active while being able to attack normally. These are meant to function in conjunction with the normal means of attack like punching and blasting and so Standard action effects were mostly avoided as those would fit better arrayed against either strength or Blast, or in linked arrays letting the Magical girl combine two separate weaker effects together.

Magi - the Gimmick. This option opens up the Magi Magical Traits, sacrificing destructive power for a single very useful trick. The cost is normally 25pp but the Magi Combat style gives 15 extra points to spend on magical traits reducing it to a more reasonable 10pp in effect. Many of these options are uncontrolled or may not be allowed by a GM so discretion is advised in picking a choice. As these are just gimmicks one could also easily build their own custom power in it's place, even taking from another hero archetype. The Magi options were balanced against a trade off of offensive power and so shouldn't be taken with options to increase the Magical Girl's default damage. The Magi Powers should also not be arrayed with other Magi powersets.

Arrays. The magical girl has a somewhat complicated offensive presence. They have two options of damage, strength and Blast, with either having between 6-10 ranks to use for Alternate effects or power stunts. This can be a number of different ways. The classic is just to use the full ranks of either Strength damage or blast to create alternate attacks fitting the theme. Afflictions for Strength, Sourced damaging move object for Blast, simple but effective options. Another way is to build Supporting Arrays where one of the attack options is placed into an array with effects that exist to support the other. Trading off some enhanced strength to increase ranks of blast, trading a weaker blast to add a linked affliction to add to strength based damage, AE off strength damage to add equal ranks of a +1 modifier to Blast. You can mix and match these for greater offensive options.

Game Play:
Once again it's another archetype that has a wide range of game play options because of it's wide customization potential. In this case we'll break it down into the 4 main combat styles provided in this build as they are the most common styles of Magical Girl problem solving. Praelia is the melee fighter, focusing on overwhelming offense in a fight with a few advantages that would be helpful such as grab bonuses to take advantage of that high strength and all out attack to get some more accuracy when dealing with more wily opponents. They have a less impressive but still threatening Blast in order to deal with ranged foes they can't reach but that can be traded for or power stunted into ways to enhance their fisticuffs.

Promedia is the balanced fighter, being decent at both ranges. They are more defensive fighters but can also be good supportive offense, acting as the second line of defense or assisting with Aid Actions. They have a weaker top power for their damage giving them a little less punch but can make up for it with versatility as they have the best options when it comes to mix and matched arrays since both their melee and ranged damage are of equal rank.

Sagitta are the magic blasters. They function similar to the Energy Controller but with a decent melee option if ever in a situation where they cannot simply try lasering their problems into submission. Sagitta allows for more precise and controlled attacks. They are the ranged support that isn't limited to just supporting. They have a greater focus on improving accuracy, while this comes at the normal trade off of power they also have Improved Aim, effectively allowing the Magical Girl to spend a standard action to set up an attack then trade off the bonus accuracy with their innate Power Attack gaining a still accurate but incredibly powerful blast.

Magi, the trickiest of the bunch. The Magi has a lot of options available to them that can change how they play. Many of the Magi options are powerful but unpredictable or reliable powers, functioning more as a back up power in case of emergencies letting the GM intervene to save the PCs if they get in too far over their heads without it being too contrived. Others are a bit situational and thus while very powerful in some situations can just as easily be completely useless in others. Magi function best in a team, usually with other Magi types to cover each others weaknesses or as a tactical asset who can function as a trump card with set up. Often the Magi Magical Girl is in a support roll of some sort.

Out of combat options are also important, not just utility abilities but the characters skills and personality. Due to the nature of Magical Girl anime the girl's out of costume life receives nearly as much attention as their in costume one. The typical Magical girl plotline often follows a forumla of the girl stumbling upon a suspicious event in their civilian identity, investigating it while still untransformed, confronting the suspected demon in disguise, and then transforming to slay evil. Naturally one would want some decent persuasion, Deception, insight, and maybe investigation to be able to go about things in the traditional manner. And given that despite their seeming episodic nature Magical Girl Anime being... an anime, they follow a much longer interconnected and continuous narrative than the traditional western comic. This means that interactions and personal relationships are important to maintain as actions from a seeming one shot often has consequences in the very next episode, and where your random unempowered classmates may just be the lead you're looking for to find and deal with a pesky to pin down demon.

Extra:
The long awaited magical girl. I really wanted to build this, and promised to do so before, but kept having such difficulty trying to make a good archetype before due to the complexity that would be involved in trying to fit in the options needed to properly model them. It wasn't until now, after training up a bit rebuilding the original archeyptes that I was able make this.

I borrowed a bit from Mecha and Manga, but not too much I believe, most of this being built off my own expansive experience with the genre and anime in general. It's always a delight to build powers based off cliche's that come from a genre, it allows you to get deviously creative in effect and function.

Magical Girl anime is a much beloved genre of mine, there's just something about seeing a seemingly innocent, cute, and non-threatening entity suddenly hand scary monsters their asses on a platter that is just fascinating. It's the same sort of appeal, if taken in a different direction, to western heroes like Rocket Racoon and kid sidekick and hero characters like Robin or the Power Puff Girls, and it's something that's getting a bit more mainstream with cutsey or simply animated shows with deeper plots and lots of violence. And likewise there's also a sort of appeal when it comes to playing with this already somewhat subversive formula bit more.

Magical Girls originated, funnily enough, from Western Media. Specifically the Bewitched TV Series from the early 60s. It was a heavy influence on both of the "First Magical Girl" series Himitsu Akko-chan and Sally the Witch. Magical girls started in with the Cute Witch type, a young girl with some magical powers in a slice of life sort of situation while regularly dealing with some random magical problem. They were children's anime, simple plots, simple concepts, but they were just the beginning. Overtime the concept matured and was experimented with, combining it with other genre. Minky Momo started as a normal cute witch style series but became famous becoming one of the firsts "Deconstructions" due to it's initial series finale having the title character (an elementary schooler) just randomly killed after getting run over by truck, they even go the extra mile and show her parents grieving over her tombstone.

The 70s saw the genre grow in mass appeal as it was starting to be marketed at both boys and girls as well as starting to see attempts aimed at older teenage audiences. And it's in the 1980s that we start seeing the more traditional transforming sparkly princess fighter of evil style of magical girl begin to emerge as well as the start of the concept of teams of magical girls, as was often the case prior the only magical girl to exist was the title character.

The 90s is where the genre really started to take off as more action elements were introduced creating the Magical Girl Warrior types with a greater focus on action. It's here that we start seeing the most well known examples of Magical Girls and the codification of their tropes truly take place. Sailor Moon introduced the world to the concept of a Sentai team of Magical girls, Magical Knights Rayearth showed how well they could mix with a traditional high fantasy setting, Card Capture Sakura showed just how to mix even the internal genre by creating a Cute Witch action series with a very strong shoujo plot. And the plethora of Generic anime that came out of the Late 90s even showed creativity with the concept, throwing magical girls into just about any other genre just to see if it could work. Magical Girl robots, Magical girl Harem comedies, Ballet dancing magical duck girls, magical girl idols singing aliens to death while transforming mecha have giant space battles, honestly if there's a story concept they probably mixed in magical girls into it at some point.

The 2000s saw the second generation of classic magical girls, the neo-classical. They distilled what worked before down to it's purest forms to create a stronger more appealing product. Ojamajo Doremi boiled down the Cute Witch genre to it's core producing a substance so disgustingly sweet that just about any scene could cause any male over the age of 12 to develop diabetus. Shugo Chara which takes the tropes of the previous generation of generic magi type Magical girls and refines it, creating an actual popular version of the normally generic schlock and letting it reach a broader audience with it's character focus which appealed to the young teenage audience it was aiming for. And the start of the legendary Pretty Cure Franchise which took the Magical Girl Warrior and turned it up to 11 without sacrificing any of the girly appeal of more traditional Magical girls, combing all the best parts of shounen action and cutesy shoujo. Magical Lyrical Nanoha does much the same, though focuses more on Mecha tropes than general fighting manga.

And the current era brings us to the Deconstruction and Reconstruction period. As with all things good and innocent there are people who want to ruin it, in the best possible way of course. This is where we get the dark Magical girl anime that seemed to relish in the tragedies that would likely occur if you thought about the concept long enough, while others simply manufacture new horrors for their bright eyed and hopeful protagonists to get completely destroyed by. While originally just an attempt to pluck apart the genre it has evolved into it's own sort of thing, as often it is less about subverting and playing with magical girl tropes and more just tossing the bright and happy concept of magical girls into a gritty dark horror/tragedy setting.

You have Madoka Magica, probably the most famous example, being a true deconstruction as shows that maybe the cute little mascot asking you to fight monsters isn't benevolent and that fighting monsters is dangerous to the point of being deadly. Magical Girl Site which is basically Madoka but with 9999% more EDGE following the story of an horrifically abused and bullied suicidal young girl who gains magical girl powers that quickly cause her to accidentally murder the bullies attempting to rape her, and despite this at least seeming like it'd turn into a cathartic blood bath the author just doubles down on the suffering as Magic is cast from life span with no way to get it back, other magical girls want to kill her for reasons, and her only friend and eventual love interest is revealed to be her long lost twin sister but only after they come to terms with being lesbian for each other. Magical Girl Raising Project starts out like a normal cute witch series for a couple episodes as girls get to randomly become Magical girls by being very good at a magical girl phone game and can turn into their avatar, then things go dark when it turns out only a limited amount of magical girls can exist so every so often the least successful magical girl just dies then things get worse as several realize that the only way to survive when there's a constant influx of new Magical Girls is to go out and just murder the competition to buy time. It should be noted that the magical girls in this show range from early 20s to preschool. But after so much darkness comes the reconstruction, Yuuki Yunna is a hero is a much more optimistic outlook, while things can get dark and the danger is real the girls are good people and love and friendship are not things to be tossed aside as only by working together can they win. And Senki Zesshou Symphogear, where magical girls grow power armor from the power of ROCK! and use it to fight eldritch abominations, the show can get dark at times but the overall tone is rather more light hearted with a focus on cool action.
Last edited by squirrelly-sama on Sat Jun 08, 2019 3:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jabroniville
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Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Re: WAIFU WARZ - RE:ARCHETYPE - THE MAGICAL GIRL "BEFRIENDS" THE OPPOSITION

Post by Jabroniville »

I swear I'm reading these, but there's SO MUCH TEXT that I keep getting ADD and forgetting to finish a paragraph and then I do some of my own builds and have to re-check from the beginning again, lol.

I remember the Big Eyes Small Mouth RPG detailing the origins of the Magical Girl genre, and even emphasizing how early on the cliche was for the girl to die saving people at the end of the series- something that was reflected in Sailor Moon's first season ending. And it also mentioned that SM was the combination of Magical Girls with Sentai, turning it into a action show.

Magic Knight Rayearth is one I've always been interested in, but it's had zero effect and impact on the West. It's too bad, because it's a close contemporary of my beloved Sailor Moon, and the show's director invented Rayearth.

Pretty Cure is apparently MASSIVELY popular in Japan, and said to be bigger than Sailor Moon ever was, though SM's pop culture influence has spread all over the world in a way that Precure's hasn't.

This also reminds me of just how little anime I've actually seen, as the local video stores (when they still existed) typically only had the Shonen stuff and the respected movies, and so I've barely even HEARD of stuff like Modoka and Precure, knowing them only by name, and being unable to even recognize their art styles.
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squirrelly-sama
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Re: WAIFU WARZ - RE:ARCHETYPE - THE MAGICAL GIRL "BEFRIENDS" THE OPPOSITION

Post by squirrelly-sama »

Jabroniville wrote: Sat Jun 08, 2019 12:14 pm I swear I'm reading these, but there's SO MUCH TEXT that I keep getting ADD and forgetting to finish a paragraph and then I do some of my own builds and have to re-check from the beginning again, lol.

I remember the Big Eyes Small Mouth RPG detailing the origins of the Magical Girl genre, and even emphasizing how early on the cliche was for the girl to die saving people at the end of the series- something that was reflected in Sailor Moon's first season ending. And it also mentioned that SM was the combination of Magical Girls with Sentai, turning it into a action show.

Magic Knight Rayearth is one I've always been interested in, but it's had zero effect and impact on the West. It's too bad, because it's a close contemporary of my beloved Sailor Moon, and the show's director invented Rayearth.

Pretty Cure is apparently MASSIVELY popular in Japan, and said to be bigger than Sailor Moon ever was, though SM's pop culture influence has spread all over the world in a way that Precure's hasn't.

This also reminds me of just how little anime I've actually seen, as the local video stores (when they still existed) typically only had the Shonen stuff and the respected movies, and so I've barely even HEARD of stuff like Modoka and Precure, knowing them only by name, and being unable to even recognize their art styles.
Yeah, sorry for the size. I am a large fan of Magical Girl anime, mostly the shounen and deconstruction ones, and sort of overloaded this with trivia in the notes. Its just that to me it seems that Magical Girls as a concept has reached a point of cultural osmosis where a lot of people know of it but have never actually seen it but still judge it based on their incomplete mental image. Basically the first thing a person who doesn't watch anime thinks of when they hear "Magical Girl" is a girl in sailor moon cosplay doing a glittery strip tease on screen then attacking tentacle monsters, their chance of victory depending on the age rating of the show which to me feels like judging western animation based on old episodes of scoobie doo.

I haven't played Big Eyes Small Mouth, but it sounds interesting. I have seen Magical Girl specific tabletop rpg called Magical Burst which is basically Madoka Magica the Table Top RPG. There's also a 3D fighter called Magical Battle Arena which is "Super Robot Wars but With Magical Girls", I tried a couple of the games on steam but they tended to suck which is sad.

I'm kind of surprised you haven't been able to find Madoka, the show was popular enough in the west to see limited theater releases for it's movie. Best scene is Mami vs Homura, which the girl who's power is ribbons and uses flintlock muskets fights magical girl version Dio Brando who has more guns than the love child of The Punisher and Deadpool. But yeah, the series should be in any video store with even a semi-decent anime collection, hell I've seen it sold more often than the Evangelion rebuild movies. If nothing else it's on Netflix.
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