Build Fu

[tim_almasy]

Yeah, so nockergeek, I've worked up a little something for Nick's character, and considering as I always build powers first and then fill in the frame work around it, I figured I should probably show you what I was thinking as the core of the new character build before I get too far into it and have to change everything sooooo...

Comments

[nockergeek]

I like it so far, and I like the Boost Super Strength add-on to help him against grapplers. A few notes, though:

1) On the ninja example, I'd argue that the combat computer wouldn't make DS a better ninja. Rather, it should make him the anti-ninja - complete anti-stealth. What I would see for him is a bit more like:

Skills: Acrobatics, Notice, Sense Motive (Limited: Only for defeating combat bluff attempts)
Feats: Blind-Fight, Favored Opponent (Ninjas) 5, Improved Initiative 3, Uncanny Dodge (visual), Uncanny Dodge (auditory)
Powers: Enhanced Wisdom, Enhanced Dexterity (and then the standard Enhanced Attack/Defense)

He'd end up being faster than the ninja, and the combat computer would start calculating the most likely places for the ninja to hide. That, combined with a general sharpening of the senses and an improved ability to read feints and bluffs, would go a long way towards defeating the ninja's advantages.

2) It's a shame that there's not currently a way to tie a power to a successful use of the Assessment feat. It'd be interesting if an opponent could actually fake out the combat computer and either confuse it or make it come up with the wrong counter moves. However, that would be a royal pain to try to keep track of, and I don't know if we want DS to have a higher Sense Motive check than Knowledge (Tactics), so the current build idea works fine in that regard. However, I'd argue that if there's one feat that the Combat Comp should always provide (outside of anything in the Nemesis array), it's Assessment.

3) As I said on the phone, I will allow Powers-as-Feats on a case-by-case basis, and I think Deflect (Fast Projectiles) against a gun user is a good example of one I would approve.

4) I'll leave this up to you and Nick, but I would encourage most (not all, but most) of DS's attack and defense bonuses to originate from the computer. Maybe have him at +5 without it - not bad, but definitely at non-superhuman agent levels (which would fit his pre-augmentation background).

5) I'd like to see as many potential Nemesis arrays as possible pre-created for DS before we start using this build in game, just to make the swapping easier. For example - Anti-Grappler, Anti-Brawler, Anti-Finesse-Meleer, Anti-Speedster, Anti-Flyer, etc. Let me know what arrays you end up with, and I'll try to fill in for any NPCs I throw at you that don't fit any of the molds.

[kbrighton]

I imagine that most of the abilities would also be based on style of combatant too. A Close Range fighter would make it so I used mostly 'blast-type' abilities, throwing stars, etc, whereas Ranged Fighters would have me get speed boosts to move in close and hit hard, that sort of thing.