Basic Action Super Heroes!

I'm trying to build a character I've toyed with for a while. Initially he will be an NPC, but I'd like a full suitable build because I would also like to play him myself!

The idea is he's a top secret project. The brain of a human teen has been inserted into a robotic shell. He has been built for combat. The character is capable of leaping, is faster than a standard human, and being a robot is immune to a number of problems that affect humans physically. He is skilled at using dual-swords. He's also escaped from the facility and is on the run. Oh yeah, he requires massive amounts of energy to keep himself going (my angle for introducing him is a city-wide blackout).

So that's the basic stuff. Here's where I'm struggling. This guy has been dubbed The Locust because his power is the ability to 'swarm'- essentially instantly cloning himself for a multi-hit attack. This means somewhere in the region of 10 (perhaps more) versions of himself all existing momentarily, but for a very brief amount of time. He should be able to attack several people at once, but the clone/alternate selves should disappear after a very short amount of time- think a console beat-em-up style special move, but with multiple damage to multiple opponents. It's also something that shouldn't be done more than once per session.

Ideally I'd like to keep him around 20-25 points as a street level build. Is there a way to do this? I'm not too good with this side of things so any help is appreciated!

Hi Smashismo,

Reading about your character's swarm ability my gut reaction would be to use Special Attack with the 'Arc' area effect bonus (maybe two or three points). Add the Single Use limitation and you're good to go

Swarm Attack: Special Attack 5 (+7DM), Med Burst, [Limit: Single Use]

Hey Smashismo, doktorelektron and BASHMAN's suggestion of the Special Attack is a great way to go with this ability. It would make a cool signature move The Locust and wouldn’t be too unreasonable if you let him use it more than once. Maybe change the limitation from Single Use to Tiring (which still provides a little restriction to the number of times the power can be used).

If you made the Swarm Attack (Special Attack 5) a variable power (by using the Variable enhancement) you could have him use the multiplying blitz attack to strike one opponent with maybe a +2 to hit and +3 to the damage multiplier or he could make a +4 DM attack to everyone within a Small Burst area centered upon his position (useful when the thugs pile on).

Another round his multiples could strike every opponent along a zigzagged, 8x1 square path (a Medium Arc) from his starting square!

With Tiring (limitation) he couldn’t use the power more than two consecutive pages in a row and it would bring the power cost back down to 5 points.

Swarm Attack: Special Attack 5 (up to +5DM or +5 to hit or add range/area effects), [Enhancement: Variable; Limit: Tiring]. Cost: 5pts.

From what you write I'd go with the Charges/Scene limitation (per rules 3 times per scene) or - as the character is Energy based - the Energy Cost limitation.

Also, a good way to keep point cost down would be to put the swarm attack into a multipower along with the character's regular attack. I'm guessing that when he swarms he is still using his swords so you could put his 1-on-1 sword attack in one slot and then his 'sword swarm' attack in the second slot, since he won't ever need to use both at the same time.

doktorelektron wrote:Also, a good way to keep point cost down would be to put the swarm attack into a multipower along with the character's regular attack. I'm guessing that when he swarms he is still using his swords so you could put his 1-on-1 sword attack in one slot and then his 'sword swarm' attack in the second slot, since he won't ever need to use both at the same time.

Depends. If his swords are "normal swords" and he's using Weapon Technique with them, it's not worth it to put them in a multi-power. If the swords are a power themselves, however, you have a good idea there. He could, of course, put the swarm power in a multi-power with other things, too though.

BASHMAN wrote:Depends. If his swords are "normal swords" and he's using Weapon Technique with them, it's not worth it to put them in a multi-power. If the swords are a power themselves, however, you have a good idea there. He could, of course, put the swarm power in a multi-power with other things, too though.

Yes, my bad

I was making an assumption about the swords - namely that they would probably be unique to the character in some way (twin adamantium dai-katanas or some such ) and thus would be built as a power. Of course, they could just be regular swords.