Help me play this character!! (M&M 3e)

[Iceheart2112]

So I shamelessly stole this character from Batgirl III's character list over at ronin army because a) I was looking for this exact character type and b) I have little experience building a proper character in M&M 3e that does what I want it to in an efficient way. But while I trust the sheet, I'm not quite sure what it all means and what each thing does. So I'm asking for some help explaining what these powers do and how they work.

○*Leathery Wings:*Flight 6*(120 MPH;*F:*Wings) [ 6 PP ]
○*Alternate Effect:*Lethal Predator:*Speed 3*(16 MPH);*Enhanced Advantage 2*(Takedown [2]) [ 1 PP ] Question here: when it's talking about takedown and alternate effect, what does it mean?

►*Natural Weapons*22 PP
•*Breathe Weapon*Damage 10*(E:*Area [Cone, 120'], Feature [first use per day is always reliable];*F:*Unreliable) [ 20 PP ] Pretty straightforward
○*AE:*Claw/Claw/Bite*Damage 1*(Strength-based;*E:*Multi-Attack, Penetrating [1], Reach [1], Split [1], Variable Descriptor [Pierce/Slash (1)]) [ 1 PP ] Could someone help explain a bit what each thing means? Strength based I may be able to find in the off, but the rest is confusing
○*AE:*Tail Slap*Damage 1*(Strength-based;*Extras:*Area [15' Cone], Improved Critical [1];*Flaws:*Quirk [diminished area;-1);*linked to:*Affliction 6*(Resist:*Dodge;*Recover:*Agility/Acrobatics;*Condition:*Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Prone;*Extras:*Area [15' Cone], Extra Condition;*Flaws:*Limited to Two DegreesQuirk [diminished area; -1) [ 1 PP ] Here's where I have the most questions. I understand what it's trying to do (tail slap hits and trips anything in a 15ft cone) but when I use it in game what numbers are they looking to beat or in looking to roll?

To help with the rest:
ABILITIES
Strength*(7)*Stamina*(6)*Agility*3*Dexterity*–3*Fi ghting*6*Intellect*1*Awareness*2*Presence*2

SKILLS
Athletics 1 (+8), Close Attack [Claw/Claw/Bite] 6 (+12), Expertise [History] 4 (+5), Expertise [Magic] 4 (+5), Insight 2 (+4), Intimidation 7 (+12), Perception 6 (+8)

ADVANTAGES
All-Out Attack, Benefit [Wealth] (3), Favored Environment [Aerial], Improved Critical [Claw/Claw/Bite] (1), Move-By Action, Ritualist, Startle


I really appreciate your time in helping me out. Thanks!!

[Rynjin]

So I shamelessly stole this character from Batgirl III's character list over at ronin army because a) I was looking for this exact character type and b) I have little experience building a proper character in M&M 3e that does what I want it to in an efficient way. But while I trust the sheet, I'm not quite sure what it all means and what each thing does. So I'm asking for some help explaining what these powers do and how they work.

○*Leathery Wings:*Flight 6*(120 MPH;*F:*Wings) [ 6 PP ]
○*Alternate Effect:*Lethal Predator:*Speed 3*(16 MPH);*Enhanced Advantage 2*(Takedown [2]) [ 1 PP ] Question here: when it's talking about takedown and alternate effect, what does it mean?

Alternate Effect is a 1 point Modifier that can be added to any power. It turns a power into what is referred to as an "Array" of multiple powers which can be swapped between at will, allowing you to artificially increase the amount of POwer Points you have available to purchase things. The second power must have the same or less point value as the primary power.

In this specific case, she has Flight 6 by default. As a Free action on her turn she can instead gain Speed 3, and Enhanced Advantage (Takedown), but LOSES access to her Flight 6 until she spends a free action to swap back; you get both powers at a minimal cost but can never use them at the same time.

Takedown is a common Advantage with 2 ranks (hence the [2] listed there, to denote she has both). It lets you chain attacks against mooks.

TAKEDOWN (COMBAT, RANKED [2])
If you render a minion incapacitated with an attack, you get an immediate extra attack as a free action against another minion within range and adjacent to the previous target’s location. The extra attack is with the same attack and bonus as the first. You can continue using this advantage until you miss or there are no more minions within range of your attack or your last target.

A second rank in this advantage allows you to attack non-adjacent minion targets, moving between attacks if necessary to do so. You cannot move more than your total speed in the round, regardless of the number of attacks you make. You stop attacking once you miss, run out of movement, or there are no more minions within range of your attack.

►*Natural Weapons*22 PP
•*Breathe Weapon*Damage 10*(E:*Area [Cone, 120'], Feature [first use per day is always reliable];*F:*Unreliable) [ 20 PP ] Pretty straightforward
○*AE:*Claw/Claw/Bite*Damage 1*(Strength-based;*E:*Multi-Attack, Penetrating [1], Reach [1], Split [1], Variable Descriptor [Pierce/Slash (1)]) [ 1 PP ] Could someone help explain a bit what each thing means? Strength based I may be able to find in the off, but the rest is confusing

This looks to be another array. By context I assume this is some kind of shapeshifting (flavor-wise) draconic character?

The Breath Weapon as you said is pretty straightforward. 120' cone with a Damage Rank of 10 and the Unreliable Flaw:

UNRELIABLE (-1 COST PER RANK)

An Unreliable effect doesn’t work all the time. Roll a die each round before you use or maintain the effect. On a 10 or less, it doesn’t work this round, but you’ve still used the action the effect requires. You can roll again on the following round to see if it works, although you must take the normal action needed to activate the effect again. Spending a victory point on your reliability roll allows you to succeed automatically (since the roll is then at least an 11).

Alternately, instead of having a reliability roll, you can choose to have five uses where your effect works normally, then it stops working altogether until you can “recover” it in some way (see Fades flaw for more on this). The GM may allow you to spend a victory point to automatically recover a spent Unreliable power.

Powers that are only occasionally unreliable (less than about 50% of the time) are better handled as complications (see Complications.)

Plus a 1 point Feature that makes its first use work as a standard power, only becoming Unreliable after that.

The Alternate Effect is a Natural Attack, represented flavor-wise as 2 claws and a bite attack. The Damage Rank is only 1, but it adds Strength to the damage instead, artificially inflating its damage up to your allowed Damage Rank based on your Strength stat. It is augmented by the Multiattack, Reach, Penetrating, Split, and Variable Modifiers. I'm just going to link the SRD's Modifier page here.

For the cliff notes version: Multiattack lets you either hit multiple people, or one guy multiple times (increasing effect for each successful hit), Reach increases your reach, allowing you to attack targets further away (by 5 feet), Penetrating lets you overcome ranks in a Defense that has the Impervious modifier (1 rank here essentially lowers their Impervious rank by 1), Split lets you split the effect of an ability's rank between multiple targets which...I don't think actually does anything here since this is a Rank 1 effect (and you can't have half a rank), so it's wasted points, and Variable lets you deal multiple types of damage, in this case Slashing and Piercing, in case somebody is Immune to Slashing Weapons or something.

○*AE:*Tail Slap*Damage 1*(Strength-based;*Extras:*Area [15' Cone], Improved Critical [1];*Flaws:*Quirk [diminished area;-1);*linked to:*Affliction 6*(Resist:*Dodge;*Recover:*Agility/Acrobatics;*Condition:*Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Prone;*Extras:*Area [15' Cone], Extra Condition;*Flaws:*Limited to Two DegreesQuirk [diminished area; -1) [ 1 PP ] Here's where I have the most questions. I understand what it's trying to do (tail slap hits and trips anything in a 15ft cone) but when I use it in game what numbers are they looking to beat or in looking to roll?

So:

YOU ROLL: Nothing, it is an AoE effect, so no attack roll is needed on your end.
THEY ROLL: A Dodge check to avoid the effect entirely. If they fail, they are Hindered and Defenseless, or if they fail really hard, they are Vulnerable and Prone. If they fail the Dodge check they also take damage, needing to roll a Toughness check against your damage rank (1 plus whatever your Strength stat is) or be injured depending on their degree of failure. Of note the Improved Critical does not apply to this as that block suggests it would; you never roll an Attack Roll, so cannot get a Critical Hit.

At the end of every turn, they roll an Agility or Acrobatics check to recover from the Affliction; success removes one degree of Affliction.

Hope that helps!

[Iceheart2112]

That is a phenomenal help! Thank you so much!!

[Rynjin]

Oh, missed one thing re: numbers on the Tail Slap. The DC they're looking to beat is a 16 (10+Affliction rank); so they're rolling against a DC 16 Dodge check, and DC 16 Agility/Acrobatics.

Likewise your damage rank is an equivalent of 8; Damage 1 plus Strength 7. They are then looking to beat a DC 23, as Damage effects are listed as being 15+Rank (or Rank equivalent, in this case Strength).

[Relonious]

An alternate Effect (here as AE), is an alternative mode to use the power. For example This character can either use flight or run pretty fast and use the take-down option but not both at the same time.

It can use either its Breath weapon, or claw/bite or the tail slap.

Also, keep in mind that powers are defined in M&M more like building blocks so you have to paint what these numbers means. A Damage X [area cone] can be just a burning hands spell like D&D or a fire breath or whatever, which are called descriptors. (actually your GM may ask what type of damage the breath weapon does).

The Variable extra means that an effect has different options (descriptors). So (i gather from the numbers) your close combat attack can be a claw or bite attack or combination of this due the multi-attack extra.

Bear in mind that multiattack divides your effective damage between attacks. So you can do a damage 8 attack with your bite, a double claw attack (4/4, 3/5 or any combination you wish), or double claw and bite at (2/3/3, 1/3/4 or any combination you wish).

At least that´s how i believe it worked. I hope i didn´t confuse you more.

[Iceheart2112]

Do I still add 15 to the damage rank when I multi attack? So say I split it into two claws (4/4) would that be a 19/19?

[JustIgnoreMe]

For those wondering where this is from, it’s Batgirl III’s OC from here: https://roninarmy.com/forum/atomic-t...ruiting-closed

[Relonious]

Sorry for not been clear, I post from work and I don’t have the manual on hand.

How multiattack worked on the 2nd edition was that you could split an attacks damage between several targets.

So i´m guessing it would be two or three different attack rolls and your effective damage that is 8 (*Damage 1+ Strength7) should be divided between your targets. These attack rolls probably have some penalty (I´m sorry that I don’t remember more clearly)

I found this on a fast search: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showt...ti-Attack-work

[Rynjin]

Sorry for not been clear, I post from work and I don’t have the manual on hand.

How multiattack worked on the 2nd edition was that you could split an attacks damage between several targets.

So i´m guessing it would be two or three different attack rolls and your effective damage that is 8 (*Damage 1+ Strength7) should be divided between your targets. These attack rolls probably have some penalty (I´m sorry that I don’t remember more clearly)

I found this on a fast search: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showt...ti-Attack-work

That's not how it works in 3e. Multiattack has 3 "modes" in 3rd Edition:

1.) Multiattack a SINGLE target multiple times: You roll a single attack roll. For every degree of success (up to 3) increase the DC of your Damage. EX the enemy has AC 20 and you have a Rank 10 damage effect, forcing a DC 25 Toughness save. If you roll a 20-24, the DC is still 25. If you roll a 25-29, the DC is increased by +2, to 27. If you roll a 30 or higher, increase the DC by +5, to 30.

2.) Attack multiple targets each once. You decide how many people you are hitting, and apply a -5 penalty to your attack roll per target. For example, if you have an attack at +20, and want to hit 4 targets, you roll against EACH of the targets at +0.

3.) Lay down covering fire (with a Ranged attack only). An ally of your choice gains Cover; enemies may ignore the Cover bonus to their AC, but each one that does so you get to make a free attack roll against, dealing damage as normal.

[Iceheart2112]

What is the difference between Immunity (fire damage) and Immunity (fire)? Doesn't it amount to the same thing?

[Nyt]

Immunity (Fire Damage) protects the character only from the damaging effects of fire. Immunity (Fire) would protect from any effect with the (Fire) descriptor. So if your opponent had a 'Grasping flames" attack, which would be an Affliction X, linked to damage x, with the (fire) descriptor, you would still have to roll to save against the affliction portion with Immunity (Fire Damage) but you could ignore the damage. Immunity (Fire) would protect you from the entire attack.

Hope that helps.

[Relonious]

Sorry, Iceheart2112, but after searching the book I found that my confusion was about a completely unrelated thing: Split attack.

The real answer was what Rynjin said.

[Iceheart2112]

Thanks everyone for all the help. One last thing is a bunch of math. I was reading over everything on the sheet and wanted to make sure I had everything right and was understanding the way points work. But when I was adding it all up I wasn't getting the same points as what was listed. So if you could check my math or explain where I was wrong I would very much appreciate it.

ABILITIES (She has 26 points here but I only count 24)
Strength*(7)*Stamina*(6)*Agility*3*Dexterity*–3*Fi ghting*6*Intellect*1*Awareness*2*Presence*2

SKILLS (15 points)
Athletics 1 (+8), Close Attack [Claw/Claw/Bite] 6 (+12), Expertise [History] 4 (+5), Expertise [Magic] 4 (+5), Insight 2 (+4), Intimidation 7 (+12), Perception 6 (+8)

ADVANTAGES (9 points)
All-Out Attack, Benefit [Wealth] (3), Favored Environment [Aerial], Improved Critical [Claw/Claw/Bite] (1), Move-By Action, Ritualist, Startle

POWERS (74 points)
►*Draconic Physiology*
•*Draconic Size*Growth 6*(+6 STR, +6 STA; +6 Mass, +1 Size; +3 Intimidate, –3 Defenses;*E:*Permanent, Innate) [ 13 PP ]
•*Dragon Scales*Protection 6*(E:*Impervious 6) [ 12 PP ]
•*Dragon Senses*Senses 6*(Visual:*Extended [1], Infravision [1];*Olfactory:*Accurate [2], Acute [1], Tracking [1]) [ 6 PP ]
•*Dragon Traits*Immunity 11*(aging [1], fire damage [5]) [ 6 PP ]
•*Polyglot*Comprehend Languages 4*(Understand All, Read All;*Flaws:*Limited to Broad Type [Human]) [ 2 PP ]
•*Polymorph*Morph 1*(single humanoid form;*E:*Metamorph) [ 6 PP ]
○*Leathery Wings*Flight 6*(120 MPH;*F:*Wings) [ 6 PP ]
○*AE:*Lethal Predator*Speed 3*(16 MPH);*Enhanced Advantage 2*(Takedown [2]) [ 1 PP ]

►*Natural Weapons*
•*Breathe Weapon*Damage 10*(E:*Area [Cone, 120'], Feature [first use per day is always reliable];*F:*Unreliable) [ 20 PP ]
○*AE:*Claw/Claw/Bite*Damage 1*(Strength-based;*E:*Multi-Attack, Penetrating [1], Reach [1], Split [1], Variable Descriptor [Pierce/Slash (1)]) [ 1 PP ]
○*AE:*Tail Slap*Damage 1*(Strength-based;*Extras:*Area [15' Cone], Improved Critical [1];*Flaws:*Quirk [diminished area;-1);*linked to:*Affliction 6*(Resist:*Dodge;*Recover:*Agility/Acrobatics;*Condition:*Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Prone;*Extras:*Area [15' Cone], Extra Condition;*Flaws:*Limited to Two DegreesQuirk [diminished area; -1) [ 1 PP ]

DEFENSE
Dodge*(8)*Base 8
Parry:*(8)*Base 5
Fortitude:*(10)*Base 4
Toughness:*(12)*——
Will:*(10) Base 8

My maths have it come out to 147 points spent. Even with her numbers it would still be 149 points. Did I go wrong or what?

[Iceheart2112]

So after playing around with the book, reading up on things, and putting my own little spin on the character (the dragon was just a bit too small for my tastes...hehe) I wanted to put out the final version. If you would, look over this to see if I made a mistake anywhere please. Thanks for the help earlier!

Dragon Form - 150pp

Abilities
Strength 9 Stamina 8 Agility 3 Dexterity -3 Fighting 6 Intellect 1 Awareness 2 Presence 2

Skills
Athletics 1 (+10), Expertise: History 4(+5), Expertise: Magic 4(+5), Insight 3(+5), Intimidate 8(+14), Perception (+8)

Advantages
All Out Attack, Benefit [Ambidextrous], Benefit [Wealth] 4, Favored Environment [Aerial], Improved Critical [Claw/Claw/Bite] 1, Move By Action, Ritualist, Startle

Defenses
Dodge 6, Parry 6, Fortitude 10, Toughness 14, Will 10

Powers
Draconic Physique

• Draconic Size: Growth 8 (Permanent, Innate) - 15pp
• Draconic Scales: Protection 6 (Impervious 6) - 12pp
• Draconic Immunities: Immunity (Aging, Fire Damage) - 6pp
• Draconic Senses: Senses 6 (Visual: Extended, Infravision; Olfactory: Accurate, Acute, Tracking) - 6pp
• Draconic Tail: Extra Limbs 1 (Tail) - 1pp
• Draconic Wings: Flight 6 (Wings) - 6pp
  -AE: Lethal Predator: Speed 3 (Enhanced Advantage 2: Takedown) - 1pp
• Polyglot: Comprehend Languages 4 (Understand/Read All; Can't Speak; Limited to Human) - 2pp
• Polymorph: Morph 1 (Metamorph) - 6pp

Draconic Weapons

• Breath Weapon: Damage 10 (Area: Cone 120'; Unreliable; 1st use/day Reliable) - 20pp
  -AE: Claw/Claw/Bite: Damage 5 (Str Based; Multi-Attack, Penetrating 5, Reach, Variable Descriptor [Pierce/Slash]) - 1pp
  -AE: Tailslap: Damage 1 (Str Based; Area: Cone 15', Linked to Affliction 6 [Resist:Dodge; Recover: Agility/Acrobatics; Condition: Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Prone]) - 1pp

Human Form - 150pp

Abilities
Strength 4 Stamina 5 Agility 3 Dexterity 3 Fighting 6 Intellect 1 Awareness 2 Presence 4

Skills
Acrobatics 2(+5), Close Combat [Archaic Weapons] 3(+9), Close Combat [Unarmed] 6(+12), Deception 1(+5), Expertise [History] 1(+5), Expertise [Magic] 1(+5), Insight 3(+5), Intimidate 1(+5), Perception 6(+8), Persuasion 4(+8), Stealth 2(+5)

Advantage
Accurate Attack, Attractive 2, Benefit [Wealth] 4, Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll 5, Fast Grab, Improved Defense, Improved Disarm, Improved Grab, Improved Hold, Improved Initiative 2, Improved Trip, Instant Up, Move By Action, Ritualist

Defenses
Dodge 10, Parry 10, Fortitude 10, Toughness 10/5, Will 10

Powers
Draconic Physique

• Draconic Strength: Enhanced Ability 3 (Strength; Limited to Lifting) - 3pp
• Draconic Senses: Senses 6 (Visual: Extended, Infravision; Olfactory: Accurate, Acute, Tracking) - 6pp
• Draconic Immunities: Immunity (Aging, Fire Damage) - 6pp
• Predator: Speed 2 (Enhanced Advantage: Takedown) - 4pp
• Polyglot: Comprehend Languages 6 (Understand/Read All, Speak One at a Time; Limited to Human) - 3pp
• Polymorph: Morph 1 (Metamorph) - 1pp