Welcome to Freedom City (M&M 3e; PL10/150pp)

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Hero4hire
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Welcome to Freedom City (M&M 3e; PL10/150pp)

Post by Hero4hire »

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Welcome to Freedom City! Hope you survive the experience!

Here are some bullet points about Freedom City for those who are unfamiliar.
• People with super-powers have existed throughout Earth’s history, but
have become more prominent and numerous since the late 1930s.
Freedom City, in particular, is an epicenter for superhumans, but they
are found in other cities and places around the world.
• Nearly every sort of super-power or gimmick found in the comic books
can and does exist in the world of Freedom City. There is magic, superscience,
and aliens, lost worlds, gods, megalomaniacal supervillains, and
more. Despite this, the world on the surface is still very much like our own
and most of the history and society from our world also exists there.
• Costumed heroes and villains with superhuman powers have been
public figures since the late 1930s. The overall history of superhumans
roughly mirrors the history and trends of superhero comic books
in the real world since their introduction in the 1930s.
• Superheroes and villains have aged since their first appearances, with
the exception of some who are particularly long-lived or immortal. There
have been several distinct “eras” of superhuman activity in the world,
which resemble different periods in comic book publishing history.
• Virtually any type of character or plot from the superhero comic books
can (and probably does) exist in Freedom City. All the various superhuman
origins, powers, and themes co-exist in the setting. Any of the
origins discussed in Mutants & Masterminds are available here.
• Although everyone has heard about superheroes and villains, and
probably seen them (on TV, if nothing else), most people in Freedom
City still live fairly ordinary lives, despite the occasional invasion from
outer space or similar threat.


This will be a PL 10/150pp game using original characters.
Characters concepts with ties to Freedomverse are welcome, but I want them to be cool and *somewhat original*. For those strapped for tie-in ideas here are some ideas from 2e pdfs called Archtypes & Legacies and Street level Archtypes.
Champion of Light – successor to the Beacon.
Da Sihing – Master Lee’s top student.
Farsider Emigrant – protecting his adopted home.
DNAscendant – fortunate survivor of the DNAscent
process.
Freedom Eagle II – a classic hero soars again.
Lor Star-Captain – have starship, will travel.
Rogue Grue – freed from the Unity and defending the
freedom of others.
Scarab Reborn – reincarnation of prince Heru-Ra.
Shambala Master – questing mystic martial artist.
Star Knight – guarding the Earth from the scum of the
universe.
Ultiman Exile – using tremendous gifts for justice.
Utopian Envoy – leaving a sheltered existance for the
greater good.
Zoom Survivor – sometimes an overdose gives you
superpowers.


Anyone wanting info on those just ask...

A picture of your character is highly encouraged.

HOUSE RULES
Impervious: This works like 2e instead of 3e. Ranks are not halved, however Penetrating works like 3e.

Regeneration: Is banned. Model using Healing power with appropriate Modifiers.

Presence: Grants a free advantage per rank from this list
Animal Empathy
Attractive
Benefit (a Fitting one like Status, not Ambidexterity)
Connected
Contacts
Daze
Fascinate
Inspire
Languages
Leadership
Set-Up
Startle
Taunt
Well-Informed

Hero Point Tradeoffs:
Run into that situation where you really need a hero point, but have none left? In such instances, the GM may choose to apply the following option: a player may ask the GM for a hero point in exchange for a complication to follow immediately after that point is used. In essence, the player is “borrowing on credit” and “paying” for the hero point with the complication. Hero points acquired in this way can be spent normally.

Example: Ultramarine’s player is out of hero points and really wants to make her next shot count. So she asks the GM for a point in exchange for an immediate complication. The GM agrees and Ultramarine makes her next attack against the villain using the hero point to help ensure a hit. The overcharge on her armor’s laser shorts out some systems, however, and the GM imposes a power loss complication, saying Ultramarine’s weapon is out of commission until she can make a Technology check to bring it back on-line.

Critical Success on Initiative: A Natural 20 on Initiative rolls adds 5 to the result.

Grabs: Grabs use opposed rolls instead of static checks to succeed or escape.

ROSTER
Zero Prime / Battalion
kenmadragon / Caelus
JudgeA / Bullet Train
RainOnTheSun / Peacekeeper
Starguard Skarab
Psistrike / Imp Impossible


Submissions
Zero Prime / Battalion
kenmadragon / Caelus
JudgeA / Bullet Train
RainOnTheSun / Peacekeeper
Camus / Shambala Master
Shadowbourne / Shadowjak
T0DOSKER / Fontus
EpicEclipse / Mercy
Psistrike / Imp Impossible
Flynarrel Inga
Plan B Biohazard
Glyph Jessie Weaver
catsi563 Raptor Red
Starguard Skarab
Last edited by Hero4hire on Wed Jul 19, 2017 7:19 pm, edited 7 times in total.
kenmadragon
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Re: Recruiting: Welcome to Freedom City (M&M 3e; PL10/150pp)

Post by kenmadragon »

Well, darn with the 2e Impervious rules. No matter, I needed to tinker with my build anyways to bring it to PL 10, but expect someone who can take the "Psychic" role with a focus on TK over TP. An erstwhile relative of the Atom Family, whose powers are due to Farsider heritage.

Rather like that idea you've got for Critical Success on Initiative, that's something I have to use next time I ever run M&M.
RainOnTheSun
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Re: Recruiting: Welcome to Freedom City (M&M 3e; PL10/150pp)

Post by RainOnTheSun »

In Freedom City, with 2e Impervious and buffs to Presence, I'm inclined to try and make something like this. Someone charming and sociable who can also knock over a building. I have a background idea for it, too:

So, in the Freedom universe there's another world more-or-less run by an evil Freedom League called the Tyranny Syndicate, like DC's anti-matter Crime Syndicate of Amerika. What if I made a metahuman from that world who found a way to get to the Freedom City world? He (or she, I haven't decided yet) takes a little time to get used to being in a less dystopian world, makes a new identity and a fake background, and decides to become a hero, now that being a hero doesn't get you killed. So you've got someone hiding a major secret, who has a lot of street smarts and general world knowledge... but it's knowledge of a world that's not quite the same as this one.

I imagine having Well-Informed and knowing a lot about the dark-world counterparts of people, but not so much the people themselves.
Zero Prime
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Re: Recruiting: Welcome to Freedom City (M&M 3e; PL10/150pp)

Post by Zero Prime »

At this point I am tossing around two concepts, both closely tied to Omega and the Terminus itself.

The first would be a child born after the Invasion that cost Centurian his life, his genetic structure permanently infused with other-dimensional energies. A graduate of Claremont, I am envisioning a straight up blaster of sorts, akin to Havoc or Cyclops.

The second idea would be a reformed agent of Omega, initially trained to infiltrate the Freedom League, and betray them, similar to the Alpha Centurion fiasco. However, enamored of Earth and It's freedom from Omega's oppression, she reveals the plot implicating herself, but earning some very grudging respect from one or two key league members. For that build I'd be looking at a psychic martial artists, like Psylocke or Moondragon.

Curious what your looking at for preferred levels of trade off, +/- 2 for damage & accuracy, or would you allow up to 1/2 PL at +/- 5?
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Hero4hire
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Re: Recruiting: Welcome to Freedom City (M&M 3e; PL10/150pp)

Post by Hero4hire »

kenmadragon wrote: Mon Jul 10, 2017 8:56 pm Well, darn with the 2e Impervious rules. No matter, I needed to tinker with my build anyways to bring it to PL 10, but expect someone who can take the "Psychic" role with a focus on TK over TP. An erstwhile relative of the Atom Family, whose powers are due to Farsider heritage.

Rather like that idea you've got for Critical Success on Initiative, that's something I have to use next time I ever run M&M.
Farsider heritage sounds good. Look forward to seeing the character.
Last edited by Hero4hire on Tue Jul 11, 2017 1:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Hero4hire
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Re: Recruiting: Welcome to Freedom City (M&M 3e; PL10/150pp)

Post by Hero4hire »

RainOnTheSun wrote: Mon Jul 10, 2017 11:58 pm In Freedom City, with 2e Impervious and buffs to Presence, I'm inclined to try and make something like this. Someone charming and sociable who can also knock over a building. I have a background idea for it, too:

So, in the Freedom universe there's another world more-or-less run by an evil Freedom League called the Tyranny Syndicate, like DC's anti-matter Crime Syndicate of Amerika. What if I made a metahuman from that world who found a way to get to the Freedom City world? He (or she, I haven't decided yet) takes a little time to get used to being in a less dystopian world, makes a new identity and a fake background, and decides to become a hero, now that being a hero doesn't get you killed. So you've got someone hiding a major secret, who has a lot of street smarts and general world knowledge... but it's knowledge of a world that's not quite the same as this one.

I imagine having Well-Informed and knowing a lot about the dark-world counterparts of people, but not so much the people themselves.
Charisma brick sounds cool. I like the antiearth idea.
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Hero4hire
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Re: Recruiting: Welcome to Freedom City (M&M 3e; PL10/150pp)

Post by Hero4hire »

Zero Prime wrote: Tue Jul 11, 2017 12:59 am At this point I am tossing around two concepts, both closely tied to Omega and the Terminus itself.

The first would be a child born after the Invasion that cost Centurian his life, his genetic structure permanently infused with other-dimensional energies. A graduate of Claremont, I am envisioning a straight up blaster of sorts, akin to Havoc or Cyclops.

The second idea would be a reformed agent of Omega, initially trained to infiltrate the Freedom League, and betray them, similar to the Alpha Centurion fiasco. However, enamored of Earth and It's freedom from Omega's oppression, she reveals the plot implicating herself, but earning some very grudging respect from one or two key league members. For that build I'd be looking at a psychic martial artists, like Psylocke or Moondragon.

Curious what your looking at for preferred levels of trade off, +/- 2 for damage & accuracy, or would you allow up to 1/2 PL at +/- 5?
Background wise I would prefer the Claremont grad. I am thinking of heroes in this being "the other guys" and not so involved with the League directly.

As for trade offs. I will accept up to Half PL for concepts that call for it. Say...The Blob as a PL 10 character or a straight up Martial Artist.
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Doctor Malsyn
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Re: Recruiting: Welcome to Freedom City (M&M 3e; PL10/150pp)

Post by Doctor Malsyn »

I wad thinking of passing this by, but it never hurts to give a game some thought. I'm feeling partial towards two concepts right now that I've been bounching between.

One would be a hero with healing powers calling himself Mr. Doctor, M.D.. A somewhat more comedic character who in actuality is just a hospital janitor. Drawing inspiration from House and Scrubs there.

The other is an old character I had originally made for a Savage Worlds: Neccesary Evil game: An arcane character in the form of a solid black sphere using a simulacrum to interact with the world.
Am I dead? Am I alive? The answer may surprise you!
------------
"What a week, huh?" "Doc, it's only Wednesday."
Zero Prime
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Re: Recruiting: Welcome to Freedom City (M&M 3e; PL10/150pp)

Post by Zero Prime »

Battalion - PL 10

Strength 2, Stamina 4, Agility 4, Dexterity 0, Fighting 8, Intellect 0, Awareness 4, Presence 4

Advantages
Defensive Roll 2, Fearless, Improved Initiative, Luck [Leadership] 2, Power Attack, Ranged Attack 8, Second Chance: Mental Control

PRE-based Advantages
Connected, Benefit; AEGIS Clearance, Leadership, Well-Informed

Skills
Athletics 8 (+10), Expertise: Civics & Current Events 5 (+5), Expertise: Military Tactics & Strategy 5 (+5), Insight 6 (+10), Perception 6 (+10), Persuasion 6 (+10)

Powers
Directed Dimensional Energies: Damage 12 (DC 27, Advantages: Improved Critical 2; Increased Range: ranged)
. . Destructive Dimensional Energies: Weaken 12 (Alternate; Affects: Toughness, Resisted by: Fortitude, DC 22; Affects Objects Only, Increased Range: ranged)
. . Precise Dimensional Energies: Damage 8 (Alternate; DC 23; Accurate 2: +4, Increased Range: ranged, Multiattack)
Protective Costume & Focusing Visor (Removable)
. . Dakan Crystal Lens: Enhanced Trait 4 (Advantages: Accurate Attack, Improved Aim, Precise Attack (Ranged, Concealment), Precise Attack (Ranged, Cover))
. . Direct Neural Imaging: Senses 5 (Accurate: [Mental], Acute: -, Radius: -, Ranged: -, Advantages: Uncanny Dodge)
. . Kevlar Mesh & Ceramic Plates: Protection 3 (+3 Toughness)
Sensory Compensation: Senses 2 (Accurate: [Normal Hearing]; Sustained; Distracting)
Trained Athlete: Speed 1 (Speed: 4 miles/hour, 60 feet/round)
Trained Combatant: Strength-based Damage 2 (DC 19)

Offense
Initiative +8
Destructive Dimensional Energies: Weaken 12, +8 (DC Fort 22)
Directed Dimensional Energies: Damage 12, +8 (DC 27)
Grab, +8 (DC Spec 12)
Precise Dimensional Energies: Damage 8, +12 (DC 23)
Throw, +8 (DC 17)
Trained Combatant: Strength-based Damage 2, +8 (DC 19)
Unarmed, +8 (DC 17)

Languages
English [Native]

Defense
Dodge 11, Parry 11, Fortitude 9, Toughness 9/7, Will 11

Power Points
Abilities 52 + Powers 42 + Advantages 16 + Skills 18 (36 ranks) + Defenses 22 = 150
Complications:

Accident: Dimensional Bleed: Prolonged use of Cameron's dimensional energies, without the focusing effect of his visor, can result in a weakening of the barrier between our dimension and the Terminus. As the Terminus energy bleeds through, this can cause gravitational, or temporal fluctuations, or even a potential rift between the two dimensions, allowing Omega and his Terminus forces access to our realm.

Disability: Blind: Cameron's eyes are apertures to the Terminus, an other dimensional realm which doesn't conform to our own physics of space and time; when first discovering his powers, these destructive energies permanently damaged his eyesight, rendering him blind. He has since learned to compensate for his lack of vision, and has almost preternatural hearing acuity, however, even with his ability to maneuver through his daily routine by audio stimuli alone, he is still unable to interpret visual data of any nature. His visor and cowl are able to gather and interpret information from his surrounds, and transmit that data directly to the occipital lobe, allowing his to 'see.'

Prejudice: Child of the Terminus: When Cameron's powers initially erupted, he caused significant damage to himself, and to the school he was attending, and those events are a matter of public record. While he strives to maintain a distinction between his civilian identity and the heroic identity he forged during his time at Claremont, anyone moderately familiar with Google, who has a little time and patience can deduce his birth name, family, relatives and residence. A cause of some concern to Cameron, as his powers connection to the Terminus cause more than a little fear and prejudice in his fellow citizens.

Motivation: Responsibility: Cameron is fully aware of the nature of his abilities, and has suffered some prejudice in his life due to his connection to the Terminus. However, with the aid of staff, and faculty at the Academy he has come into his own, resolving to use his abilities as a bastion against the very source of those self same powers, the Terminus. He is committed to acting as a hero, and using his abilities to serve and protect his fellow man, despite their actions, which are, at times, motivated by fear and hate.

Power Loss: Dakan Crystals: When Cameron's abilities first developed, they caused massive internal damage to himself, and significant damage to his immediate surroundings. While he was learning to control the dimensional energies he was capable of emitting, it was discovered that Dakan crystal was able to absorb, and mitigate and focus his energies. His visor is crafted with the crystal, to ensure that he can use his abilities without any dimensional bleed, however, even a focused blast of his dimensional energies would be unable to damage something protected by the rare crystal.
Background
William and Ashley Chase had moved to Freedom City in the early 90's; the couple was overjoyed when they discovered that she was pregnant. In '93 the events of the Terminus invasion occurred, the Chase's were attempting to flee the city via Freedom Bridge. Omega and countless drones appeared in a rift of Terminus energy which washed over the traffic logged bridge. Centurion confronted the dimensional warlord, and ultimately sacrificed his life to breach Omega's armor, his dimensional anchor which allowed his forces to remain in our world. The Chase's survived the ensuing chaos, but doctors and specialists feared the long term effects of exposure to the otherworldly energies which had radiated those present at the battle of Freedom Bridge.

Cameron was born in '94, and grew up in a world protected by superheroes, the Moore Act had been repealed, a statue of the world's greatest hero stood vigil in Riverside Park, and the Freedom League was founded by the surviving heroes of the Terminus Invasion. He grew up an only child in a middle class household, with loving parents who valued family above all else. However, there were some concerns in regards to his health, he suffered from debilitating headaches, which would often culminate in seizures. Doctors and specialists were unable to diagnose the condition or provide reasonable explanations for his symptoms. During the throws of a particularly virulent seizure, a nimbus of energy seemed to surround him, until it coalesced into a solid beam focused from his eyes; this dark purple energy coursed through the examination room lancing through his father before exploding with massive force as it tore through wall.

The 911 call was routed to the AEGIS Field Office, due to it's connection to meta-human affairs, and the team that responded was led by Special Agent Jacobs. Using inhibitors typically reserved for meta-human criminals, the team was able to dampen Cameron's energy output and arranged to take him off-site to determine the origin of his power surge. As other incidents of surging powers began to happen across the country, joint research between AEGIS, ASTRO Labs and the League itself discovered the issue, exposure to Terminus energies while in utero introduces entropic energies into the cells of the fetus. The dubbed the phenomenon, Terminus Energy Mutation Syndrom, and as the diagnosis became readily available to the public, there was a backlash against, what the public would soon dub, T-Babies or just T's.

For many the T's served as a stark reminder of the losses incurred during the 2nd Terminus invasion. Some blamed the T-Babies for the loss of loved ones, others fear their power, or that they may be agents of Omega themselves. An assumption that the entropic influence of the terminus will effect the minds and morals of those affected.


Still have to pick PRE-based Advantages, likely Leadership, Status: AEGIS Clearance, Connected & Well Informed. Question though, any chance we could use Luck like the 2E version, so it's full HP's and could fuel Leadership? If not, it's no biggie, just curious. ;)

Sorry ... I love the image of eye beam blasters ... so I coupled that with the idea that your eyesight may be damaged by firing out blasts strong enough to level mountains. So I went with spatial awareness based off of the tactile sense, you can feel objects & movement around you. Tactile is base radius, and accurate, so by adding acute & ranged he can sense individuals by their spatial dimensions, but he'd be blocked by things he can't feel through. Flying over his head? Sure, it's just air ... but put him in a car with the windows up, he'd only be able to accurately judge objects & people within the car, not it's exterior as it is blocked by a physical object (ie. windows). So the blindness could certainly come up as a complication.

The Dimensional Bleed, I didn't have time to extrapolate, but it doesn't need to be Omega Drones or such coming through, it could mess with gravity, time, maybe disrupt communications, suck people into the Terminus, or shunt them to some other physical location on our dimension. So this is a complication that would likely only occur when he uses Extra Effort on his Blast array, but it is something I would leave up to the GM to invoke so it doesn't de-rail the scenario.

I'll look for an appropriate image this evening, but any thoughts or comments would be welcome.
Last edited by Zero Prime on Sat Aug 05, 2017 1:56 am, edited 5 times in total.
FuzzyBoots
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Re: Recruiting: Welcome to Freedom City (M&M 3e; PL10/150pp)

Post by FuzzyBoots »

Zero Prime wrote: Tue Jul 11, 2017 11:36 amDisability: Blind: Cameron's eyes are apertures to the Terminus, an other dimensional realm which doesn't conform to our own physics of space and time; when first discovering his powers, these destructive energies permanently damaged his eyesight, rendering him blind. He is intimately aware of the non-euclidean nature of Terminus space, and is able to identify and interpret data giving him a perfect sense of spatial awareness. However, he still struggles with certain day-to-day aspects of life which rely heavily on eyesight, reading print media, or text on any sort of electronic device, identifying color, or any number of situations requiring actual visual input.
^_^ So he's Lazer Pony?
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Hero4hire
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Re: Recruiting: Welcome to Freedom City (M&M 3e; PL10/150pp)

Post by Hero4hire »

Zero Prime wrote: Tue Jul 11, 2017 11:36 am
Still have to pick PRE-based Advantages, likely Leadership, Status: AEGIS Clearance, Connected & Well Informed. Question though, any chance we could use Luck like the 2E version, so it's full HP's and could fuel Leadership? If not, it's no biggie, just curious. ;)
No sir. I used to limit Luck in earlier games unless that was the character's main "schtick". I will, however, allow Luck to be bought specifically for Leadership.

As for a picture an alt version of Cyclops too on the nose?
This minus the bird symbol?
Image
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JudgeA
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Re: Recruiting: Welcome to Freedom City (M&M 3e; PL10/150pp)

Post by JudgeA »

Newbie here requesting info on the following inspirations: Freedom Eagle II, DNAscendant, Ultiman Exile, and Zoom Survivor. If you don't want to post them here, shoot me a PM.
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StarGuard
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Re: Recruiting: Welcome to Freedom City (M&M 3e; PL10/150pp)

Post by StarGuard »

Interested in freedom eagle and scarab reborn info please
FuzzyBoots
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Re: Recruiting: Welcome to Freedom City (M&M 3e; PL10/150pp)

Post by FuzzyBoots »

Freedom Eagle was Michael O’Connor, an engineer who invented a winged flight-suit that Nazi spies attempted to steal. He was a member of the Liberty League and father to Mayor Michael O’Connor, Jr. (who I believe was succeeded by Callie Summers in the current continuity).

Scarab was an Egyptian-themed warrior, reincarnated age after age to fight his eternal foe, Tan-Aktor, currently incarnated as Overshadow. There's a base below Pyramid Plaza that has long been abandoned.

The DNAscendants are essentially induced mutants thanks to the Labyrinth. Most are monstrous-looking and the result of people being pulled off the street for experimentation.

The Ultimen are Hyperboreans, a secret race of advanced humans with great physical prowess. Imagine Golden-Age Superman, or Hercules of Greek legend. They are traditionally sealed away from humanity, but a few have been exiled, or otherwise got out, and joined the rest of humanity. Envoy was one of the good guys. Superior was one of the bad guys. They fought on opposite sides of World War II.

Zoom is a drug that gives you super-speed for a time, but burns out your life force in the process. Someone whose body processed it more properly might retain the super-speed without the side effects.
FuzzyBoots
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Re: Recruiting: Welcome to Freedom City (M&M 3e; PL10/150pp)

Post by FuzzyBoots »

As posted on the Interest Thread, there are free resources available online.
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