Looking for a set of superhero powers

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User3
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Looking for a set of superhero powers

Post by User3 »

Okay. I'm trying to round out a cast of six superheroes, but for the life of me I can't think of a power that would be equivalent to the other five. Just so we know, superspeed is very hard to put in a narrative context and I find it boring, so it's right out.

Person #1- A magical martial artist. Not unlike Kenshiro or Son Gokou in the regular Dragonball series. His holy-powered enhanced blows, in addition to being strong enough to rip through steel, tend to mess up peoples' bodies and powers--blinding them, paralyzing a limb, causing massive hemagorring, sealing off their memories... he can also shut off many (though not all) physical-based superpowers such as super strength, having skin made of steel, or turning into a gigantic ugly dragon. Can project his fists as a ranged attack, though it's really more of telegraphing his punch through the air than a fireball. Can heal out of combat and has a version of D&D's raise dead, with all of its limitations, though it doesn't cost him XP and he can only use it on non-superpowered people.

Person #2- The carbon-based superhero I was talking about in the Pointless thread. Immune to any sort of heat and anything directly touching her skin can't be burned. Creates massive amounts of shapeable carbon at just a thought--like the size of 8 dump trucks--without even really trying.

Person #3- Has the equivalent spellcasting of a wizard and cleric capable of casting fifth level spells, only at will. Uses high level illusions and shadow magic, though without the loopholes. The more believable the illusion is to the opponent means that the more real it is.

Person #4- Has Beast Boy's powers, including the whole green makes you hardcore thing and stat replacement. Later on in the series, can turn into many mystical animals (such as Cerberus and the Maleficent Dragon) that he is aware of and is part of the human consciousness when necessary.

Any suggestions for a fifth person? Or some nerfing or later suggested powerups?
Neeek
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Re: Looking for a set of superhero powers

Post by Neeek »

Is this for a game or a story?
Oberoni
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Re: Looking for a set of superhero powers

Post by Oberoni »

You seem to be going for a team of heroes that each have a variety of powers, so non X-style stuff here.

You already have a guy that can chape, so you don't need a Martian Manhunter. Or, for that matter, a Green Lantern.

You could easily go for a psychic, a mimic-type, or a time controller.

You might also want a guy that can totally control energy. He could easily reflect most energy blasts. Maybe later in the series, either have him learn how to control the electrical energy in people's brains (mind control!). Alternately, he might learn how to control kinetic energy; not only would this lead to him being basically invulnerable, but you just might have some crazy stuff like him jumping of a building to channel the kinetic energy from his impact into a really big attack against a monster at the building's base.

You know, funky stuff like that.

Before I ramble any further, though, the important thing to ask is what sort of guy are you looking for?
User3
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Re: Looking for a set of superhero powers

Post by User3 »

This is for a story. I'm trying to teach myself how to draw, so I'm going to give comics a shot.

Alternately, he might learn how to control kinetic energy; not only would this lead to him being basically invulnerable, but you just might have some crazy stuff like him jumping of a building to channel the kinetic energy from his impact into a really big attack against a monster at the building's base.


This sounds really cool, but it'd be sort of hard to represent.

Kestrel: Time to fight the villain. Did you power up?
As-of-yet unnamed heroine: I jumped off a building five times in preparation for this battle, yes.

Before I ramble any further, though, the important thing to ask is what sort of guy are you looking for?


I'm just looking for something unique. I'm trying to rack my brain to think of another superpower, but it's no good. I already have the characters in mind, so don't bother trying to match up the superpowers and junk with personality.
Neeek
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Re: Looking for a set of superhero powers

Post by Neeek »

I recommend you have a "novice" superhero for the last spot then. They tend to bring the story together pretty well.

You might want to consider a teleporter(I've always wanted to use a guy who teleported, but his image remained for a few seconds after he disappeared) or a stealth-based character.
Oberoni
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Re: Looking for a set of superhero powers

Post by Oberoni »

Guest (Unregistered) at [unixtime wrote:1109137753[/unixtime]]
Kestrel: Time to fight the villain. Did you power up?
As-of-yet unnamed heroine: I jumped off a building five times in preparation for this battle, yes.


Oh, egads, no. Avoid powering-up in a superhero story. Leave that to DBZ.

The proper context, for example, would be some sick brute at the base of the Empire State Building just causing all sorts of collateral damage and endangering lives. We'll call this brute Brute.

The heroine tries to get in the way of Brute, but Brute is not as dumb as he looks; he laughs, explains that he knows how her power works, and that he won't be tricked into hitting her.

So, the heroine frantically looks around for a way to beat Brute. If one of her teammates is nearby, and that teammate can fly, she asks him to fly her up. The teammate asks why, but she just says trust me.

So he flies her to the top of the building and sets her down. He asks what the hell she's doing. She just asks her teammate if he believes in her.

He says "yes." She responds "Good. Don't stop me."

Suddenly, she leaps off the building. Her teammate watches her plummet towards Brute, wondering if he should go help her after all.

Meanwhile, Brute stops some of his wanton carnage, looks up, and sees a girl falling all the way down from the top of the building. He laughs, until he sees just enough of her to realize it's the heroine, and she's actually trying to land on him.

Brute pauses for just a moment, resumes laughing, and leaps out of the way at the last second. "Missed," he says with a sneer.

The heroine smacks into the pavement at terminal velocity--and immediately redirects all the kinetic energy of the impact into a concussive blast that she aims at Brute, knocking him out with one shot.

"No, I didn't," she says with a smile, as she stands up and dusts herself off.

-----------------

For extra corniness, you can have her take the elevator to the top floor, if no flying teammate is around.

-----------------

And that's just my brief idea. The idea of completely controlling how energy of any sort moves can be used pretty creatively if you try hard enough.
User3
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Re: Looking for a set of superhero powers

Post by User3 »

In a recent Mutants and Masterminds game I've been playing David Bowie.

He's sort of a Man Who Fell to Earth/Ziggy Stardust/Goblin King in Labyrinth kind of character.

He has a pocket universe where he is a god and he's inhumanly lucky.
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erik
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Re: Looking for a set of superhero powers

Post by erik »

Zang, I know it was a month ago, but I can't believe I missed this thread. Might be moot, here goes.

I like the "robin", a hero with no particular powers. Could use a techie, gun smith, iron man or somesuch.

Barring that, and wanting a "real" super hero, a pyrokinetic & electrokinetic user could be nifty. Decent utility energy manipulator, and combat evocation.
User3
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Re: Looking for a set of superhero powers

Post by User3 »

The thing is, the carbon-based superhero already pretty much has pyrokinetic and electrokinetic control. He (a he now) can shoot really powerful carbon monoxide lasers, throw extremely explosive fireballs, and set self-sustaining fires, not to mention covering himself in flame and using it to propel himself. Like Hotstreak or Solidus Snake.

As for electrokinetic control, he covers himself in carbon-based piezoelectric crystals (if he has a source of flouride) and shoots lightning.

Though, the techie idea is interesting. Something like Tron Bonne or Gizmo?
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Essence
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Re: Looking for a set of superhero powers

Post by Essence »

The fifth character should totally be the diviner/sage -- you can make him a techie with UberGoogle and/or a PSP version of the Lens from Paycheck, and drones. Drones are good. You don't really have a "pet" class in there yet.

Either drones, or a giant robot dude.
Ramnza
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Re: Looking for a set of superhero powers

Post by Ramnza »

Going off the other four characters, I guess, to me, you're missing a darker character. Sort of like the "Raven" character from Teen Titans. Someone with a mysterious, redemable quality. I like the idea of a character who has the ability to dive into other people's minds and use psionic-like abilities. :mischief:
If you're going to be focusing on teaching yourself to draw, the hand gestures alone with this character, not to mention the facial expressions, could be a challange that helps you grow as an artist.
Lago_AM3P
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Re: Looking for a set of superhero powers

Post by Lago_AM3P »

Going off the other four characters, I guess, to me, you're missing a darker character. Sort of like the "Raven" character from Teen Titans.


Nooooooo! You're going to get me on fanboy chatter all day!

Must... resist... must not talk about cyberzombie Slade...
MrWaeseL
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Re: Looking for a set of superhero powers

Post by MrWaeseL »

How about someone like Red Mage, who knows the "system" inside and out?
Neeek
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Re: Looking for a set of superhero powers

Post by Neeek »

Or She-Hulk(who used to talk to her writer)
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