Sentinels of the Multiverse Characters

[Mr. Death]

Sure, but I don't think stuff like No Pain No Gain has any meaningful effect on flavor or backstory. It's just a numerical tweak.

It does play into his willingness and ability to take hits for the team, though -- the idea that he can rack up a lot of damage to himself and keep going despite it. I will go through and see what I can trim, though.

High Fists doesn't have to be martial arts skill. It can be brute force or improbably-effective action-hero fighting or, in this case, sheer speed.

In which case, the stunt where she gets to use her Athletics to attack makes more sense, I think. Given how, in the card game, damn near everything she does aside from scientific research has to do with her speed (and her "Incapacitated" art in two out of three cases focuses on her being immobilized), I'm inclined to think, as a character, she should face significant disadvantage without her speed power -- hence the lower Fists score.

A villain discreetly puts something deadly in his dinner. There's no fight, but he ends up facing a serious physical threat. Probably not a concern in the card game, but a plausible worry in an RPG.

And since it's an Item of Power and he wouldn't be wearing it while eating, that's already kind of a "catch."

That said, there is a villain who focuses on "Infecting" the heroes, and one of the effects of the infection is the hero does irreducible damage to him or herself each turn...

The Martial Artist stunt lets you make fighting-related Assessments and Declarations with Fists + 1. This could be similar, but with gear and another skill.

I'm inclined to have it be Craftsmanship, then.

Yep. I think Taran meant the other one though.

I should familiarize myself with the custom powers more, I think.

[Sanctaphrax]

In which case, the stunt where she gets to use her Athletics to attack makes more sense, I think. Given how, in the card game, damn near everything she does aside from scientific research has to do with her speed (and her "Incapacitated" art in two out of three cases focuses on her being immobilized), I'm inclined to think, as a character, she should face significant disadvantage without her speed power -- hence the lower Fists score.

What do you mean, without her Speed Power? It's part of her, it never goes away.

And since it's an Item of Power and he wouldn't be wearing it while eating, that's already kind of a "catch."

Why wouldn't he be wearing it while eating, if it protects him from poison?

Honestly, though, I don't want to focus too much on this particular example. "Attacks that originate inside the body", like most offensive thaumaturgy, is also a +3 Catch. So's "suffocation". My point is that Toughness which comes from a layer of armour suggests a number of weaknesses that this guy could, but apparently doesn't, have. And if you're looking for optimization suggestions, I'd recommend swapping the armour-piercing Catch for one of them.

[Mr. Death]

What do you mean, without her Speed Power? It's part of her, it never goes away.

Well, for instance, one of her incapacitated arts is her with her feet frozen to the ground. Or if she's stuck in some kind of muck. Hit by some mad scientist's ray that suppresses superpowers.

Why wouldn't he be wearing it while eating, if it protects him from poison?

Honestly, though, I don't want to focus too much on this particular example. "Attacks that originate inside the body", like most offensive thaumaturgy, is also a +3 Catch. So's "suffocation". My point is that Toughness which comes from a layer of armour suggests a number of weaknesses that this guy could, but apparently doesn't, have. And if you're looking for optimization suggestions, I'd recommend swapping the armour-piercing Catch for one of them.

Okay, I see what you're saying now. I still think Armour-Piercing  should be part of the catch, since when you get down to it, the armor part is just a thick layer of steel.

[Sanctaphrax]

Well, for instance, one of her incapacitated arts is her with her feet frozen to the ground. Or if she's stuck in some kind of muck. Hit by some mad scientist's ray that suppresses superpowers.

Incapacitated art sounds like a take-out narration to me. Being stuck in muck would probably affect Fists and Athletics equally. And power suppression isn't really a thing in this game, outside of Compels and rebate Powers.

Okay, I see what you're saying now. I still think Armour-Piercing  should be part of the catch, since when you get down to it, the armor part is just a thick layer of steel.

I get what you're getting at, if I were you I'd represent that as an effect of the armour-piercing weapons rather than as a Catch? After all, a thick layer of steel isn't worthless against AP ammo.

[Mr. Death]

Incapacitated art sounds like a take-out narration to me. Being stuck in muck would probably affect Fists and Athletics equally. And power suppression isn't really a thing in this game, outside of Compels and rebate Powers.

I think I'm still going to go with the Athletics-based stunt. It just seems to fit, in my head, that someone who relies almost exclusively on speed for her attacks would have Athletics affecting her attacks rather than just a high Fists score.

I get what you're getting at, if I were you I'd represent that as an effect of the armour-piercing weapons rather than as a Catch? After all, a thick layer of steel isn't worthless against AP ammo.

How does a Catch of "Biological Attacks" sound, then?

[Sanctaphrax]

Sounds good to me.

[Mr. Death]

Okay, so it took a little longer to get back to this than I expected, but here goes, revisions to the Freedom Five.

For Paul I just swapped out the two Might stunts for another level of Strength, as you suggested. I think the other stuff for him I'd already swapped in.

Name: Paul Parsons VII, AKA Legacy
The quintessential American Hero, Paul Parsons comes from a long line of strong and courageous men who, since the time Joseph Parsons' superhuman danger sense warned of the British invasion in time to warn Paul Revere, have fought for liberty and justice in the United States and the world over. Each of the Parsons in the line added a new power, and Paul leads the Freedom Five not only with his strength and toughness, but with his inspirational presence.

Despite his power and fighting ability, Legacy's real role on the team is to defend his compatriots, taking blows so they don't have to, and galvanizing them to perform better in the field.

High Concept: America's Finest Legacy
Trouble: Family Man
Aspects: Take One for the Team; For Freedom! For America!; "You're an Inspiration, Parsons"

Skills (45 points spent):
5: Presence, Empathy
4: Conviction, Endurance, Might
3: Fists, Athletics, Alertness, Discipline
2: Resources, Scholarship, Lore, Rapport
1: Driving, Guns, Survival, Craftsmanship

Powers:
Supernatural Senses (-1): Danger Sense
Supernatural Toughness (-4)
The Catch (+1): Particular types of radiation
Inhuman Speed (-2)
Supernatural Strength (-4)
Flight (-1)
Incite Effect (-2): Courage, At Range, rolled with Presence

Stunts:
No Pain, No Gain: Extra Mild Physical Consequence
Leadership: Presence +1 to command a group, and efforts to coordinate happen one time increment faster than normal
Personal Magnetism: When rolling Presence for a passive reaction to you, add +2
Teflon Persona: Armor:1 against social attacks
The Weight of Reputation: Use Presence instead of Intimidation to scare villains

Equipment:
The Legacy Ring - A simple silver ring that's an heirloom of the Parson's family, passed down from father to son since Joseph Parsons. Aspect: "Furthering Your Father's Legacy"

Total Refresh: -18

For Tachyon, I replaced Pushing the Limits with a reskin of Supernatural Martial Arts, and added Inhuman Recovery on the basis that she lives at the speed of light, so she probably heals faster (and to give some more longevity to her powers via an extra mild consequence through healing). Also added, "Yay Government Funding!" as an aspect and Pour On The Speed! stunt.

Name: Dr. Meredith Stinson AKA Tachyon
Already an accomplished and brilliant scientist, when an experiment gone awry gave her incredible super speed, Meredith Stinson used her power to accelerate her scientific endeavors to new heights, conducting numerous experiments at once, and performing research in a fraction of the time it normally took. As a result, she's responsible for cars that get 60 miles to the gallon, cures for cancer, and establishing the first base on Mars.

While she's more at home in the lab, when Paul Parsons recruited her for the Freedom Five, she jumped at the chance -- after the government promised to fund her laboratory, of course. In battle, she's good at putting out fires, able to take out dozens of minions, create solutions to environmental hazards, or run around the world to build up momentum and deck a pesky alien warlord back into space. Pushing past her limits, however, has its price...

High Concept: The Quickest Woman Alive
Trouble: Sometimes Scatterbrained
Aspects: Processes At A Mile A Minute; More At Home In The Lab; I Wonder What This Does?; Yay Government Funding!

Skills:
5: Scholarship
4: Athletics, Alertness
3: Fists, Endurance, Discipline, Rapport
2: Resources, Lore, Craftsmanship, Driving
1: Presence, Empathy, Conviction, Guns

Powers:
Mythic Speed (-6)
Inhuman Recovery (-2)
Hyperspeed Combat (Revamp of Supernatural Martial Arts) (-1): Can use her superspeed to augment her combat abilities, with three techniques:
  Enhanced Damage (1 stress): The enhanced attack inflicts 2 additional stress.
  Whirlwind Attack (3 stress): You may apply your attack to an entire zone within its range, without a penalty or a risk of hitting yourself.
  Flurry (4 stress): Replace the enhanced attack with up to four attacks. Each of those attacks suffers a penalty equal to the number of attacks made, but all of them benefit from whatever techniques enhanced the original enhanced attack.
Overdrive (0): Uses Physical stress track for these instead of Mental.

Stunts:
Is this yours?: On a successful Athletics defense, you can forfeit your next turn to redirect the weapon rating of the attack at another target, using your Athletics roll as the attack roll.
Capable Researcher: Any scholarly research is done two time increments faster
Scientist: Physics, Particle Physics
High Quality Workspace: Personal Workspace is at Resources, rather than -2 below
Move faster, hit harder: Fists are Weapon:2 against unarmored, Weapon:1 against Armor:1, nothing against higher armor.
Move faster, hit better: Athletics modifies Fists attack rolls by +1 when sprinting between zones as a supplemental action.
Pour On The Speed!: Once per round, Tachyon can add an additional +1 when she invokes or tags an aspect related to her own speed.

Refresh: -17

For the Wraith, added a stunt to let her make item declarations at +1 with Craftsmanship, again, I'd already done some editing on her.

Name: Maia Adrianna Montgomery AKA The Wraith
A prodigy, well on her way to graduating with a double major in college at only the age of 17, Maia's life was derailed when she and her boyfriend were attacked by street thugs. Her boyfriend was killed, and she spent months recovering, after which she vowed never to be a victim again. With the help of her parents, the CEOs of Montgomery Industries, she hired martial arts masters to train her in defense, excelling in combat as much as she had in her studies. When her graduation present was to be made CEO of her parents' company so they could travel the world, she used those resources to create crime fighting equipment and gadgets, from then on patrolling Rook City from the shadows as The Wraith.

Without powers, The Wraith uses her martial arts skills and razor-sharp weaponry to take down villains and their minions with ease. Her always-present utility belt contains everything she needs to answer any problem, making her a valuable member of the Freedom Five.

High Concept: The Wraith in the Shadows
Trouble: Can I Ever Fix Rook City?
Aspects: Strike from the Shadows; High-Society Alter Ego; "The True Crimefighter Always Carries Everything She Needs in her Utility Belt"; It's a Hive of Scum and Villainy, But It's Home

Skills:
5: Weapons, Resources, Stealth
4: Scholarship, Investigation, Presence
3: Athletics, Alertness, Fists, Intimidation
2: Craftsmanship, Might, Endurance, Conviction
1: Discipline, Driving, Contacts, Lore

Stunts/Equipment:
On My Toes: Alertness+2 for initiative
Acrobat: Athletics+1 to survive fall, also to dodging if described colorfully
Jury Rigger: Repairs last two scenes longer than normal when jury-rigging
Got It In My Belt: Can roll Craftsmanship at +1 to declare the presence of a gadget on her person.
Pilot (Helicopter): Driving +1 for aircraft, +2 for helicopter
Supreme Concentration: Discipline is Fantastic whenever it would affect another skill
Redirected Force: On Fists defense, can skip next turn to turn defense into maneuver
No Pain, No Gain: Extra Mild Physical Consequence
Quick Eye: First investigation roll when on scene for deeper details happens two steps faster
Scene of the Crime: Investigation +1, arrive at conclusions one step faster on crime scene
High Quality Workspace
High Tech Toys: Use Resources to create gadgets instead of Craftsmanship
Lush Lifestyle: Can be assumed to have anything that costs up to their Resources score instead of at -2
Swift and Silent: When Skulking, moving penalties are reduced by 2
Good Arm: Can throw weapons up to two zones
Off-Hand Weapon Training: Add 1/2 of Weapon Rating of offhand weapon when attacking
Wall of Death: Can make spray attacks with Weapons

Refresh: -15 (including Pure Mortal bonus)

Gear:
Infrared Eyepiece (Aspect: I see you... [Used to boost Investigation rolls])
Throwing knives: Weapon:1
Stun Bolt: Creates aspect, 'Stunned'
Grappling Hook (Aspect: See you on the roof! [Boost Athletics climbing rolls])
Smoke Bombs (creates Aspect, Can't Hit What You Can't See on zone)
Microtargeting Computer (Aspect: Pinpoint accuracy [boost Weapons rolls and/or damage])

For Bunker, I ditched the Modular Weaponry for just the Omnicannon and made the other two guns equipment. I also added Hulking Size because looking at the art again, the suit is pretty huge.

Name: Lt. Tyler Vance AKA Bunker
A long-time member of the US Army, Vance is the latest to wear the Bunker combat suit, designed to act as its own battalion, with the armor and weaponry to match. After successfully using it on the battlefield, Vance was approached by Paul Parsons, who offered him a spot on the Freedom Five.

With an array of weapons, a modular design and thick plates of steel, Bunker's at his best when he's wading into fire and laying down tons of flak in return.

High Concept: The Indestructable Bunker
Trouble: The suit does all the work
Aspects: Still In The Chain of Command; Dakkadakkadakkadakkadakkadakkadakka; "You Call That A Hit?"

Skills:
5: Guns, Endurance
4: Alertness, Presence, Discipline
3: Conviction, Athletics, Fists, Driving
2: Intimidation, Rapport, Empathy, Survival
1: Weapons, Contacts, Investigation, Scholarship

Powers:
Item of Power: The Bunker Suit (+2)
   Supernatural Toughness (-4)
   The Catch (+3): Biological attacks
   Inhuman Strength (-2)
   Omnicannon (-2): Weapon:4+X single target attack. Player can add 1 to the weapon rating as a supplemental action each turn
   Hulking Size (-2)

Stunts:
No Pain, No Gain: Extra Mild Physical Consequence
Tough Stuff: Armor:1 against blunt blows
Target Rich Environment: Add +1 to Gun attack rolls when outnumbered
Turret Mode: Bunker secures itself and lets loose with everything it has at the cost of defense. Guns is rolled at +2 to attack, while all defenses are rolled at a -2 penalty.

Equipment
Flak Cannon: Weapon:3
Grenade Launcher: Weapon:2 zone attack

Refresh spent: -9

Swapped out Feeding Dependency for the -3 refresh variation on Blood Drinker (I'm wondering if there should be an equivalent to the Drink Blood aspect of the power -- maybe he gets a flat +1 to attack enemies who are already partly frozen?)

Name: Ryan Frost AKA Absolute Zero
Ryan Frost's promising life came to a halt when his fiancee was killed by a drunk driver. He lost all motivation, forfeiting his dream job, and drifted until he became a janitor at a chemical plant. His life took another devastating turn when an industrial accident wracked his body, leaving him unable to survive at any temperature above freezing. After several years in a chamber specially made to keep him alive, he accepted the government's offer: Join the Freedom Five in return for using a special suit that would let him walk in the world once again.

Much more cynical and bitter than his teammates, Absolute Zero can be a juggernaut on the battlefield, using his ice blasts and the heat byproduct of his suit to freeze and burn whatever gets in his way. But every time he lets out a blast of cold, he risks damaging his own life support.

High Concept: Absolute Zero
Trouble: A Danger to Himself and Others
Aspects: Not In This To Save The World; Cold as Ice; Freezer Burner

Skills:
5: Discipline, Endurance
4: Fists, Presence, Conviction
3: Athletics, Alertness, Scholarship
2: Investigation, Empathy, Rapport
1: Resources, Weapons, Might

Powers:
Thermodynamics (-4) (Sponsored Magic equivalent): Absolute Zero can make Ice or Fire effects, rolling Discipline to control, and determining power and stress through his Endurance instead of Conviction. Any Ice effect is a +1 in power.
Inhuman Toughness (-2)
Cold Eater (-3): The cold can rejuvenate and even heal Frost; once per scene, if he is hit with a cold attack of sufficient strength, he may take an immediate recovery period equal to a scene.
Supernatural Recovery (-4)
Physical Immunity (-8)
Stacked Catch (+6) (Only immune to Cold)
Fire Eater (-1): When Absolute Zero takes stress from a fire-based attack, he can reduce the stress of his next Cold-based action through Thermodynamics by 1.

Foci: Suit Gauntlets: +1 to Cold Attack Control and Power (2 slots)

Refresh spent: -16

[Sanctaphrax]

Looks good to me.

Swapped out Feeding Dependency for the -3 refresh variation on Blood Drinker (I'm wondering if there should be an equivalent to the Drink Blood aspect of the power -- maybe he gets a flat +1 to attack enemies who are already partly frozen?)

I think the Power is fine as it is, but you could add something like that if you want to.