Need Guidance: Spider-Man Build

[Orion Ultor]

One of the players of my friend's DFRPG session last night had arrived after having watched the new Spider-Man movie and all he wanted to do was play "Spider-Man". Since we couldn't figure out this week, he agreed to wait until next week, instead playing a "disposable" Uncle Ben character (as a reason for "Pete" to join the quest, after Ben dies).

Now, I had originally thought that he'd need a Mortal Scion build, but he kept insisting on a "pure"*-human build…help please?

*He's fine with a Practioner–>Wizard or Altered Human, but purely human beyond that.

[Anubissama]

Since in some continuities, Spider-Man's powers have a mystical origin, namely he is connected to the Spider Totem, a kind of animalistic deity/power that can grant people it deems worthy Spider-like abilities.

The story line introduces Ezekiel, a wealthy CEO who has similar spider powers as Spider-Man but gained them through magical rituals. There is also an antagonist, Morlun, who is a totem hunter, who hunts and feeds upon the magical power of totem bearers like Spider-Man. Later they also introduce an outer dimensional being called the Guardian which judges Totem Bearers and if it sees them unworthy of their powers it kills them. In one story where Spider-Man visited the Astral Plane, his presence attracted the attention of spider-like monsters who wanted to eat him because he was the perfect kind of food for them etc.

So there is a surprising amount of comic lore to build a whole supernatural world around a spider-themed character. The shamanism-totem angle (maybe there are other Totem bearers of other animals out there too?), the whole predatory battles you get drawn into because you are a supernatural predatory animal now, a whole arcane world upon itself which is about judging and controlling Totem Holders etc.

As for the mechanics, the easiest will be to go with the Spider Totem take, and give him a sponsored power, marked by power, and then through the sponsor give him the abilities he needs to be Spider-Man like:
- Spider Walk (obviously),
- Breath Weapon (for the nets, maybe with a stunt to add some "grapple" effect to it to simulate being caught in them),
- Echoes of the Beast or Supernatural Senses (for the Spider-sense),
- Wings (for the web-slinging when he moves around via net),
- Cloak of Shadows (for the hiding and sneaking Spidey does),
- Inhuman Speed (for the agility and reflexes Spider-Man has)
- Inhuman Strength might be also called for.

IIRC Spidey taps out around lifting a small car, so he is on the low end of Superhero Strength.

[Anubissama]

On second thought, I think an IoP would work better. We still go with the Spider Totem theme, but now his character wears a literal totem necklace that is the source of his powers. Everything else stays the same, that would give you the following build:

- Breath Weapon -2 (in the end I went with no extra stunt for a Grapple effect, it can be simulated by using the attack as a manoeuvre to give your opponent an aspect like "entangled in my webs", no stunt needed)
- Echoes of the Beast -1 (to give him an alertness bonus to simulate the Spidey-sense)
- Spider Walk -1
- Wings -1 (for sling-web shooting through the skyscrapers)
- Cloak of Shadows -1 (for spider-like sneaking around)
- Inhuman Speed -2 (for his agility)
- Inhuman Strength -2

Which gives us a refresh cost of 10, take the +2 bonus from the IoP and you end up with refresh 8. If you play Chest Deep, drop the Cloak of Shadows for example.

[Orion Ultor]

On second thought, I think an IoP would work better. We still go with the Spider Totem theme, but now his character wears a literal totem necklace that is the source of his powers. Everything else stays the same, that would give you the following build:

- Breath Weapon -2 (in the end I went with no extra stunt for a Grapple effect, it can be simulated by using the attack as a manoeuvre to give your opponent an aspect like "entangled in my webs", no stunt needed)
- Echoes of the Beast -1 (to give him an alertness bonus to simulate the Spidey-sense)
- Spider Walk -1
- Wings -1 (for sling-web shooting through the skyscrapers)
- Cloak of Shadows -1 (for spider-like sneaking around)
- Inhuman Speed -2 (for his agility)
- Inhuman Strength -2

Which gives us a refresh cost of 10, take the +2 bonus from the IoP and you end up with refresh 8. If you play Chest Deep, drop the Cloak of Shadows for example.

Thank you!

[Anubissama]

Thank you!

No problem, it was a fun thought experiment. Read up on the Spider-Man stories that touch on the mystical aspects of his powers too. Just google "Spiderman Spider Totem" or "Ezekiel Spiderman". They are basically your already prepared storyline, and can give you ideas how to make his life miserable

Also, remember to make the fact that it is an IoP come into play. Like it might get stolen, or the chain it is on may break during a fight etc. There is a reason for the +2 bonus when making your powers an IoP, this is it.

[Sanctaphrax]

A necklace seems like a +1 IoP to me.

Spiderman himself certainly has at least Supernatural Strength. You could even make an argument for Mythic. He might be on the lower end of superstrong superheroes, but that still makes him very very strong by Dresden standards.

Some level of Toughness might be fitting too.

I don't think he needs Cloak of Shadows. A decent Stealth skill ought to cover his sneakiness.

[Anubissama]

I was thinking about Inhuman Toughness, but that has to be combined with a Catch, and I couldn't think of a reasonable catch for Spiderman. Pesticides?

As for the strength, we are doing a scaling of a character, not a 1:1 transfer, so if Spiderman is low end in the Superhero world his Dresden version should also be low end for this world's standards.

On the IoP bonus, depends how cumbersome and noticeable he makes the necklace. I was thinking something along African folk art, going with the Spider Totem theme so a +2 can be justified with squinting your eyes a bit.

For the Cloak of Shadows, I guess that can be taken care of with a Stealth stunt when he is climbing the wall too.

[Taran]

Cloak of shadows doesn't fit because he can't see in the dark as far as I know.  I don't think he even needs a stunt.
He has at least Supernatural Speed IMO
Inhuman to Supernatural Strength
Definitely Toughness.  He gets thrown around a lot.  Maybe just inhuman.

Athletics and Scholarship are probably his two apex skills.  Fists would be up there too.
Then fists.  His breath weapon would be based on fists.  I know that you are doing his webs based on a totem, but you might be able to make his web-slingers an Iop.  They get crushed in combat sometimes.  If you are giving him wings, then those would be part of his Iop as well.  Breath weapons doesn't make as much sense since the webs don't do damage.

I'd do it like this:
Web spinners (-3)
+1 iop
-1 Incite effect webs(+2 to maneuvers and blocks involving web slingers)
   -1 incite restrictive (grapple with webs) or incite persistent**
   -1 ranged
-1 Wings

-2 Inhuman toughness
+1 Catch: ?
-2 Inhuman Strength
-4 Inhuman Speed**
-1 Supernatural sense*: danger sense (avoid ambush and surprise)
-1 Spider walk

12 refresh.

*He tends to get hit even after his spidey sense goes off.  I'd just give him an appropriate aspect and cover that with compels.

**Drop Speed down and drop Persistent to get down to 9 refresh.

The other option is to make the costume(or just the mask) an IoP and tie that to the Spider Totem.  That would boost it to a +2 bonus.

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These masks all have a ancient ritual mask feel to them:

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or

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or

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[Mr. Death]

Some versions also have a minor healing factor (Ultimate is specifically noted as such early in his run).

Breath weapons doesn't make as much sense since the webs don't do damage.

Sometimes they do -- in the comics he's been seen to use "web bolts" and the movies use them as well (in Spider-Man 2, specifically, he hits Doc Ock and some carjackers with a few).

[Quantus]

Some versions also have a minor healing factor (Ultimate is specifically noted as such early in his run).
Sometimes they do -- in the comics he's been seen to use "web bolts" and the movies use them as well (in Spider-Man 2, specifically, he hits Doc Ock and some carjackers with a few).

Ya, the Stingers was something they introduced back in the 90's Scarlet Spider era, along with Impact Webbing and some of the other enhanced Web options. 

Since in some continuities, Spider-Man's powers have a mystical origin, namely he is connected to the Spider Totem, a kind of animalistic deity/power that can grant people it deems worthy Spider-like abilities.

The story line introduces Ezekiel, a wealthy CEO who has similar spider powers as Spider-Man but gained them through magical rituals. There is also an antagonist, Morlun, who is a totem hunter, who hunts and feeds upon the magical power of totem bearers like Spider-Man. Later they also introduce an outer dimensional being called the Guardian which judges Totem Bearers and if it sees them unworthy of their powers it kills them. In one story where Spider-Man visited the Astral Plane, his presence attracted the attention of spider-like monsters who wanted to eat him because he was the perfect kind of food for them etc.

So there is a surprising amount of comic lore to build a whole supernatural world around a spider-themed character. The shamanism-totem angle (maybe there are other Totem bearers of other animals out there too?), the whole predatory battles you get drawn into because you are a supernatural predatory animal now, a whole arcane world upon itself which is about judging and controlling Totem Holders etc.

I thought that the whole Spider Totem thing was not that said Totemic Power is what granted the Power in the first place, but rather that these Totems (mantles, to use DF terms) sought out avatars who already resonated with an animal spirit of some kind?  That is certainly how I thought Jim presented it in his Spiderman novel, though I dont know how much that diverged from the comic cannon.

[Shaft]

Name: Peter Parker aka Spider-Man
High Concept: Amazing Spider-Man
Trouble: I'm not just a kid... I'm 15!
Background: High school nerd bit by the science bug in a big way
Rising Conflict: With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility
Other Aspects: Friendly Neighborhood superhero, Spins a web... any size, Action is his reward,

Powers (16 Spent Refresh):
Supernatural Speed: move 2 zones for free, +2 Athletics [-4]
Supernatural Strength: +2 Grapple, +6 Lifting, +3 dmg w Grapple,  +4 dmg with strikes [-4]
Inhuman Toughness: 1 armor, +2 stress [-2]
Inhuman Recovery: heal wounds at 1 level lower, heal 1 Mild pr scene [-2]
The Catch: Pure Magic and/or poisons and toxins [+2]
Spider Sense: +4 Alertness vs Surprise [-1]
SpiderWalk [-1]

Item of Power: Web Slingers [+1]
Breath Weapon (Web Fluid): [-2]

Stunts:
Acrobatics: +1 dodge to full defense
Perfect Pitcher: use Athletics for Thrown Weapons (no Speed Bonus)
Infuriate: +2 Intimidation to Taunt


Skills (48 skill points):
Fantastic (+6): Alertness (10 vs Surprise Attacks)

Superb(+5): Athletics (7 with Supernatural Speed, Full Dodge 10, Thrown Weapons 5), Endurance

Great(+4): Fists, Stealth

Good (+3): Conviction, Might (Grappling 5, Lifting 9), Scholarship, Weapons

Fair (+2): Burglary, Craftsmanship, Discipline, Investigation,

Average (+1): Contacts, Deceit, Intimidation (Taunt 3), Rapport

Stress:
-Physical OOOO[ OO ] 1 extra Mild, armor 1
-Mental OOOO
-Social OO

[Taran]

Some versions also have a minor healing factor (Ultimate is specifically noted as such early in his run).

Yeah, and easily incorporated into the stats with a high enough catch.  (Poison makes sense.  From what I can remember from the old cartoons...and the even older cartoons, sleeping gases worked on him. - not sure if that's spidey cannon or not.)  I thought poison was a +3 catch, though....

Skills (48 skill points):
Fantastic (+6): Alertness (10 vs Surprise Attacks)

Superb(+5): Athletics (7 with Supernatural Speed, Full Dodge 10, Thrown Weapons 5), Endurance

Great(+4): Fists, Stealth

Good (+3): Conviction, Might (Grappling 5, Lifting 9), Scholarship, Weapons

Fair (+2): Burglary, Craftsmanship, Discipline, Investigation,

Average (+1): Contacts, Deceit, Intimidation (Taunt 3), Rapport

Good call on Infuriate.  I'd boost his Investigation.  He's an investigative photographer after all.  And shadowing people is Investigation.  Not getting seen while shadowing is stealth.  I'd put those two skills close together.

Web spinners (-3)
+1 iop
-1 Incite effect webs(+2 to maneuvers and blocks involving web slingers)
   -1 incite restrictive (grapple with webs) or incite persistent**
   -1 ranged

Thinking about it further, grappling with webs probably isn't necessary.  Just use blocks.  tying people up is just narrating a Take-Out.   And since you can block and maneuver with Breath Weapon, it's probably cheaper to go with that power instead of Incite.  The +2 blocks is nice, though.

[Shaft]

This write up reflects him as a 15 year old kid.  As he gets older, his Investigation improves, along with other skills such as Contacts, Rapport and maybe even Resources. 

[Sanctaphrax]

I could go either way on Breath Weapon (or Natural Weaponry) for the webs. Incite Effect feels a bit more appropriate, since he mostly blocks and maneuvers with them, but given that he can end fights by webbing people up he should probably be able to make "attacks" with his webs.

But if we're going with the classic webs-as-gadgets Spider-Man, with web shooters as an IoP, then Breath Weapon is inappropriate. Items of power should never give Breath Weapon.

The Catch rating for poison depends on how known/knowable it is. Could be anywhere from +2 to +4; maybe it's on his Wikipedia page, maybe it's totally unknown even to Spider-Man himself.

Not sure what's with the pitcher stunt. Far as I can tell, Spider-Man doesn't throw stuff much.

[Shaft]

But if we're going with the classic webs-as-gadgets Spider-Man, with web shooters as an IoP, then Breath Weapon is inappropriate. Items of power should never give Breath Weapon.

I guess we'll have to disagree on your ruling on Items of Power for Breath Weapon.  You could make an amulet of Dragon's Breath or a Bow of lightning bolts or anything that allows you to throw a Wpn 2 attack using Weapons skill.

I'm using Breath Weapon as a ranged attack so he can use Thrown Weapons from the Pitcher stunt.

Not sure what's with the pitcher stunt. Far as I can tell, Spider-Man doesn't throw stuff much.

He also throws tracers.