[IC] Rise of the Champions[M&M 3.2]

[SwordCoastTaxi]

OOC Link

Dice Rolls

Rise of the Champions!

starring

Benoojian as Bioshock!
Rook.Gamer as Quarry!
JeminiZero as Magical Girl Jenova!
RossN as Mistral!
Batcathat as Cthul-Lad!

New York City. 9 a.m. Friday morning in early June 2024. The city moves with the sound of hundreds of automobiles as the smell of exhaust chokes the hot summertime air. People are everywhere walking, jogging, riding, pet-walking and stumbling around as tourists often do. Car horns honked. People chatted at sidewalk cafes. The occasional siren. Musicians and music from myriad cultures and timelines.

It has been a wonderful week. No explosions. No alien invasions. No terroristic rampages. No supernatural armies. Not even a bank robbed. New Yorkers have been so busy "doing summer" many haven't stopped to even recognize the recent peace. But they are enjoying it for as long as they can. They subconsciously know the peace can't last forever. They know danger will return to the city. What they don't know is a new team of heroes will now rise to answer the call!

Spoiler: Character Intros

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It's Friday morning, hot and summer. Players can describe their characters, where they are and what they're doing in the NYC area. Picking a font color if you want.

[Batcathat]

Too hot, Nathan thought to himself as he crouched in the shadow of a rooftop advertisement for shampoo. And too boring.

It had been days since he had spotted as much as a robbery, much less something actually interesting. When you looked squidish enough the amount of summer time fun was rather limited, but beating someone's deserving face to a pulp was enjoyable any time of the year.

Of course, that required something to actually happen. Until such an occasion, there was little to do but tentacle target practice with pigeons.

[JeminiZero]

Jackson Cottonfield
On this bright and sunny Friday morning Jackson Cottonfield was at his usual place - working retail at Bob's Comics and Games Store, also called BCGS among the staff and regulars. It was a fairly large, brightly coloured establishment, located in some suburban shopping mall. Despite its name, it also sold other tokens of popular culture: figurines, manga, gashapons...

This being Friday morning, the weekend crowd of working fans wasn't here. But it was still the summer holiday. And so a rotating cast of teens and kids wandered in and out of BCGS throughout the morning.

A small army of assistants milled around the shop, far too many for the handful of customers which were actually browsing. The BCGS owner - the eponymous Bob - was hidden away in his backroom office, busy with WoW. It was just as well the place was overstaffed, since it allowed Jackson to occasionally slip out and engage in heroics, without raising too many eyebrows.

Jackson quietly leaned in a corner, a single earbud trailing from his left ear, where he listened in on the local radio. It was his way of keeping an ear out for potential news of interest.

He looked over the endless array of comics and ultra realistic figurines, and pondered many things. Most importantly of all, he wondered whether Magic Girl Jenova would get her own comic and figurine line.

[Rook.Gamer]

Elliot Bourne

Elliot has been dragged into the city to spend one of his first summer days off shopping with his family. At the moment he’s enjoying a small ray of sunshine in Bob's Comics and Games Store. He convinced his mother that he didn’t need to join them in the trendy clothing store down the block. His brothers are much more popular and into what they wear while Elliot is a need through a through.

Today he’s dressed in a classic faded black AC/DC t-shirt with pale blue jeans and untied canvas high tops. His sandy blond hair is a bit ruffled. He tried to sleep on the long drive into the city but brothers…

Elliot is of course completely up to date on all of his comic reading needs but he’d much rather hang out here with his own kind even if he doesn’t want to talk to anyone. He’s casually looking over the stores collection of collectibles not that he has money to spare on such things. He can dream.

[RossN]

Jesse O'Connor (Mistral)

Frankie's Pizza Palace was far from the best pizza place in New York - very far - but Jesse had a soft spot for the same place he'd been coming to since he was a kid with the faded newspaper comic strips still stuck to the wall, the ever present aroma of garlic and cheese and the music playing on a loop by an owner who stubbornly refused to recognise anyone had made music since the 70s.

Jesse had cornered his favourite booth and was chowing down into his favourite an extra large, extra hot pepperoni with extra chilli. Legend had it that finishing a whole extra large 'za would melt straight through your stomach but Jesse loved them and thanks to a metabolism that moved faster than sound he had to eat a lot.

After he finished he'd be changing into Mistral and popping out for an hour or so to see a gig in Toronto. Then after she ran back and switched to Jesse maybe an hour or two of studying (in theory Mistral could read information far quicker than she could as Jesse but it didn't make the studying part of college any more *fun*.)

Then maybe a patrol tonight catch any criminals out and about.

[Benoojian]

Things were quiet, even the government hadn't tried eliminating Rachael in weeks. She still patrolled in between courier jobs and listened to police radio, but she was almost bored. And that was bad; bored meant you weren't paying attention and not paying attention got you dead. She decided to look up some of the other young heroes she'd met since she took up this life, see if they thought this silence was suspicious as well.

[SwordCoastTaxi]

BREAKING NEWS!!!

Cellphone emergency alerts begin ringing from everywhere as reporters take to the internet, radio and television with the latest local incident!

"Well Big Apple that placid summer vacation in the city is officially OVER! Authorities are reporting a multi-vehicle accident involving a jack-knifed tractor trailer on the Brooklyn Bridge only moments ago! We've received verifiable information that the entire bridge may be declared a chemical hazard to public health and police and fire are mobilizing vehicles to block off any access to the bridge! We also have unconfirmed reports that one or more superpowered criminals are active in that area! But the nightmare New Yorkers is there are civilians trapped on that bridge! Hundreds of souls! We joked this morning that the Avengers, Fantastic Four and Spider-Man must of all went fishing together with all the quiet we were experiencing but this looks like a deadly situation for NYPD to handle alone!"

Spoiler: OOC

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If your super is going for the bridge roll Perception and Initiative please. Authorities are blocking off the bridge entry points with squad cars and fire-trucks but that won't stop your supers from getting by. If a super stops to get information make a DC11 Persuasion, Deception, Intimidation or Presence (the highest) check (you need two degrees of success to get compliance from the cops or firemen). A large pillar of black smoke rises from the middle area of the bridge's top level. One I get player comments and rolls I'll post a bridge map and more for the scene.

[JeminiZero]

Jackson Cottonfield
Jackson's nose twitched, as he caught the scent of magic. Elemental. Hard. Rocky.

It was faint, but too strong to be just background noise. The sales assistant frowned and walked around BCGS for a bit, trying to find the source. It took a while, but he eventually pinpointed it down to a sandy blond guy in an AC/DC t-shirt.

The teen seemed an unlikely source for magic. Was he unknowingly carrying some ancient trinket? Or was the teenage appearance merely a facade, a cunning disguise hiding some deeper awful truth?

Before Jackson could decide what to do, the announcement came over the radio.

We've received verifiable information that the entire bridge may be declared a chemical hazard to public health and police and fire are mobilizing vehicles to block off any access to the bridge!

Trouble. Jackson turned around and quickly searched for a co-worker. "Hey Mack, I'm going to the gents."

Mack merely waved Jackson off, too busy trying to hit on a girl to pay much attention.

Jackson put his hands in his pockets and casually sauntered out of the shop, towards the nearest restrooms - the only place in the building which wasn't covered by CCTV. Once inside, he ducked into the janitor's closet. With practised ease, he activated an invisibility field, before transforming into...

Magic Girl Jenova
From the closet, Jenova chain-teleported to the bridge before deactivating her invisibility, appearing near the blockade of squad cars and firetrucks. She was a tall, slim woman with short silver hair and shining gold eyes. She was clad in a black bodysuit, embellished with mechanical elements. These were purely for show, since Jenova was not technological in any way.

A mask covered the lower half of her face, but otherwise did little to hide her stunning beauty.

Spoiler

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If there were any other supers she recognized, she welcomed them with a victory-sign. "Greetings, it is me! Shining Azure Sparkling Star Magic Girl Jenova!"

Otherwise, she looked for a man who looked like he knew what was going on, and who would spill his guts for a pretty face. "Excuse me sir, could you tell me what is going on?"

Spoiler: ooc

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Basically, look for someone to whom Attractive would apply.

Jenova Persuasion: (1d20+0)[15] +5 if Attractive applies

[Batcathat]

Hearing the report from an open window, Nathan had leapt off the roof before the reporter had finished speaking. Half way to the ground, his tentacle arm stretched out and grabbed a balcony one building over and swung himself forward like Tarzan on the jungle's most disgusting vine.

Minutes later, he stopped on top of a building overlooking the bridge. After too long of too few asses to kick, it was tempting to just go in swinging. He peered at the smoke covering whatever was going on. Not scared, of course not, but... vary of the unknown. If he'd learned one thing since taking on the role of hobo superhero, it was that just because you can't die doesn't mean things can't hurt like hell.

Instead, he leapt off the building and landed semi-gracefully on top of one of the roughly bazillion cop cars, denting the roof but barely avoiding crushing the flashing blue lights. "Anyone wanna tell me what the hell is going on here?" Suddenly he noticed the golden-eyed woman. "You don't look like a cop."

Spoiler: OOC

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Rolling for Intimidation.

[Rook.Gamer]

Elliot took his phone out of his pocket and looked at the news alert. He then glanced around the comics shop to see others reacting or not to the same news. He casually silenced his phone and placed the figurine he was examining back on the shelf. He then turned and made his way out of the store still looking at the merchandise on his way as there was no reason to hurrry.

Once out on the street, Elliot turned left and began walking down the street looking for an empty alleyway away from street cameras. Upon finding one, after turning down several others, Elliot moves a bit quicker into the shade of the closely spaced buildings. He breaks into a run transforming as he does into the massive Quarry. Before reaching the end of the alley Quarry jumps to the top of the building and then makes his way by leaping, building to building, to the bridge.

Initiative: (1d20+6)[11]
Perception: (1d20+5)[12]

[Benoojian]

Rachael slips on a simple domino mask and strips down to her superhero costume, which is all black except for a patch with the red and white international Medic patch on the breast. She takes a moment to tie back her hair then activates her Adrenal Surge, running and jumping across rooftops at her top speed towards the bridge. She runs straight past the cops, not trusting them to help anyway. Bioshock surveys the scene for a moment, trying to determine is there's anyway she can help. If there are any paramedics at the scene yet, she will approach them rather than the cops though.

[SwordCoastTaxi]

The Brooklyn Bridge!

Spoiler: Magical Girl Jenova and Cthul-Lad

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The supers run into a couple of cops who look them over. They say a team of 4-5 supercriminals seem to be attacking a vehicle on the bridge. A security escort vehicle has been damaged and several other vehicles with it. One of the crooks is definitely "that lightning-guy Electro". NYPD is trying to get officers to the scene but they are on foot since vehicle traffic is blocked. The cops ask if MGJ is an Avenger? MGJ is also greeted by another squid-like humanoid (Cthul-Lad).

Quarry and BioShock also arrive at the bridge easily passing the EMS blockade and heading towards the emergency mid-bridge!

• As the supers approach the scene they see the villain Electro, another caped villain with a skull mask with an assault rifle, another fellow dressed in a khaki suit wearing a cowboy hat and wielding an assault rifle and two other people one make one female dressed in matching red, white and blue costumes!
• The jack-knifed truck is on its side and burning!
• A police cruiser is also wrecked and burning!
• A city bus is crashed nearby with half the bus teetering off the edge of the bridge and people inside the bus are screaming for help!
• As the supers get closer (about 33m) to the crooks the good guys can smell diesel fuel (from the tractor trailer)! It's around 9 a.m., warm and sunny with good visibility for the moment.
• just beyond the accident scene is a huge traffic jam of vehicles blocked by the crashed truck and flashing police lights can be seen about 300m away!

Spoiler: Bridge Map

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Total Length: 486.3 m.
Width: 25.9 m.
Height (above the East River): 38.7 m.
Passage: the bridge is only supposed to allow passenger automobiles, bikes and foot traffic so the tractor trailer isn't supposed to be there.
Positioning: The supers are about 33m away from the scene and I'll add them to the map once they get closer. The five crooks don't seem to have noticed the heroes yet with skull-face and cowboy hat standing near a dented white van marked "SMITHSONIAN". The crooks seem to be talking to each other and coordinating actions.[*]If I've forgotten something or you have a question please post about it OOC. Characters have a Standard action, a Move action, a few Free actions and any applicable Reactions to use.

Spoiler: Magical Girl Jenova

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She can sense a source of immense magical power radiating from the Smithsonian van.

Spoiler: Quarry

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When in contact with the bridge (standing on it is fine) he can sense another unseen person moving behind the Smithsonian van.

Spoiler: BioShock

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She can sense the crooks are uninjured and healthy. There's injured people on the city bus, an injured truck driver still in the driver's seat, an injured security guard in the Smithsonian van and another healthy human sneaking behind the van out of sight. She also gets an odd feeling about the two crooks (one male one female) wearing matching outfits: they have mutant biorhythms that are somewhat familiar to BioShock. Make a DC15 check using Intellect or Perception or Insight or her best power rank (whichever is highest) to maybe identify the two crooks. When it's your turn do whatever you think your super would do here since they seem to have surprise.

Spoiler: Combat Tracker

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Initiative:

1. Cthul-Lad
2. BioShock
3. Jenova
4. Quarry
5. Mistral (who might become a group NPC for this)

On the OOC OP there is a new Combat Tracker showing Hero points, hero condition, movement and initiative.

[Batcathat]

"Alright", Nathan said, with what would have been a smile if he still had a human mouth. "Now we're talking."

Without another word, he rushed forwards towards the villains and as he ran, he streched out his tentacle arm – before suddenly whipping it forward .

Spoiler: OOC

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Nathan is moving forward, then using his Whip it! area attack, starting at Electro and trying to include as many of them (in clock-wise order) as possible.

I'm away from my books and it's been a while since I did combat in M&M, so let me know if I made any mistakes.

[JeminiZero]

Magic Girl Jenova

Suddenly he noticed the golden-eyed woman. "You don't look like a cop."

"Well, that is very observant of you, because I'm not a cop, actually." Jenova replies with a thumbs up gesture. In the past, Cthul-Lad's tentacled appearance must have earned him the stares of bystanders. But for some reason, Jenova spoke to him like he was any other person. "I am Shining Azure Sparkling Star Magic Girl Jenova."

In response to the cop's question, Jenova shakes her head. "I'm not an Avenger either."

(OOC: Giving a chance for Cthul-Lad, or anybody else for that matter, to introduce themselves if they want.)

*****

Taking in the scene, Magic Girl Jenova decides to first rescue the screaming civilians on the bus. "Leave the bus to me!" She says to nobody in particular.

She activates her invisibility field, and disappears from sight, before silently floating forward, until she is directly over the middle of the teetering vehicle.

Spoiler: OOC

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Basically, just turn invisible and move to the bus. With inertial booster, she has 250ft/move speed which should be more than enough to cover the distance.

Next turn my plan is to use mass teleport to bring the bus to safety. It should fit within the 30ft radius burst area right?

[SwordCoastTaxi]

Round One:

Cthul-Lad's tentacle knocks Skull-face and Cowboy back a step and slaps Electro to the ground but a jolt of electricity catches the superhero's appendage!

[Rook.Gamer]

Assuming Quarry hears Jenova’s declaration about the bus he moves quickly to take up a position between the bus and Electro. His intention is to be on hand to protect the bus or assist Jenova if needed having no idea what the magic girl is planning.

Once in position he shouts at the villains, “It’s time to surrender and let us help these people!”

[RossN]

MISTRAL



Ironically the last super to arrive was one of the fastest people in the world. In the pizza parlour Jesse had hurriedly gulped down a last slice of pizza, slipped to the restroom and changed body (and gender) and outfit into Mistral.

One of the advantages of running so fast was that you could get by minor hazards like the police without being seen. Indeed the speedster heroine simply seemed to 'appear' next to Quarry, arriving at a halt in a small cloud of dust. "Sorry I'm late. What did I miss?" she asks, before gesturing at the villains. "Bad guys right?"

[Benoojian]

Bioshock activates her Adrenal Surge and sprints across the bridge to the truck, "Don't worry, I'm going to get you out safe and sound," She says to the injured driver, visually looking him over to check if the injuries are life threatening. She's distracted by the fighting and can't focus on his injuries though.

[Rook.Gamer]

OOC: Intimidation (1d20+1)[20]

Quarry looks sideways at the sudden appearance of the speedster with a smirk. I like her style, he thinks. “Yes, that would be them. They’re about to start reconsidering their life choices.”, Quarry quips as he turned his focus back to the villains at hand.

[SwordCoastTaxi]

BROOKLYN BRIDGE BATTLE!

The supers catch the villains off-guard! Cthul-Lad's attack left Skullface, Cowboy and Electro stumbling backwards several steps as their heads snapped around to see who dared to challenge them! Skullface mutters, "Who the -?!?" As Electro stood up his entire body began crackling wildly with electricity, "- They're a bunch of pigeons I'm about to turn into FRIED CHICKEN!"

Quarry and Mistral feel a sudden rush of air behind them as their golden-eyed companion Jenova vanishes with the entire city bus!

BioShock looks over the injured driver sensing he was suffering from both a dislocated arm, a broken leg and shock was setting in! He looked at the super wincing, "No I ..... I don't think imma make it!"

Standing on top of the overturned truck cab was the costumed couple staring at the newcomers! "Whooaaa lookitt that big rock guy! He's frickin HUGE! Hey! Where'd that bus go?!? Is that the Fantastic Four?!? Is that THING?!?! I can't believe we're actually doing this! I love you so much babe! Wait who's that down there creepy arou- Rachel? RACHEL ACESO!?!? OMG I can't believe it! It's me! Kayla! Remember me? From the Facility? We made it! Me and Justin!" The female crook smiled and pointed at her companion who waved, "Hey Rachel. What are you doing here?"

Skullface shouts at Cowboy, "COVER ME! I'M GOING FOR THE VAN!" and he jogged up to the disabled Smithsonian van! He gave the seemingly disabled driver in the driver's seat a look then Skullface went for the back doors!

Cowboy-hat guy spun around "And now a little music!" Automatic gunfire exploded from his assault rifle as he sprayed at Quarry, Mistral and Cthul-Lad!

Spoiler: MAP

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• Quarry, Cthul-Lad and Mistral are about 9m from Electro who is about 3m from Cowboy and Skullface.
• BioShock is about 3m from Electro but the costumed couple are standing above her on the truck (about 2m overhead). The injured driver's within arm's reach at least (pulling him from the truck would be a Standard action).
• Jenova is wherever she transported the bus to (within a mile of the bridge)
• There's a guard 'trapped' in the driver's seat of the Smithsonian Van that Skullface is focused on
• The nearby truck cab and security/police cruiser are on fire
• If a super is just talking you don't have to wait for your turn in initiative unless you're attempting a social skill check

Spoiler: Quarry, Mistral and Cthul-Lad

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Make a DC15 Dodge check: failure means you need to make a DC12 Toughness check. Success and you avoid the gunfire completely. Quarry could just stand there if he wants due to being largely bulletproof (unless the crooks are using APC rounds). The crooks were Dazed by Quarry's threat so they had limited actions. It's the supers turn to act.

Spoiler: BioShock

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To remember the powers of Kayla and Justin make a DC12 Gather Information check using INT. The two were mutants captured by the Facility like Rachel. Kayla is excitable but usually friendly. Justin is her boyfriend and is a nice guy but not that smart. Kayla developed an "okay" relationship with Rachel, but when she gets on edge Kayla can be a real "B". Justin does whatever Kayla says.

Spoiler: Success!

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She can psionically alter the memories of others. He is very powerful being able to disrupt gravity around him in destructive ways. It's Rachel's turn to take action since the duo is just talking right now.

[Benoojian]

"Kayla, Justin, I thought you two were going to lay low for a while? How is attacking a bridge full of people laying low?" She tries to heal the driver as she's pulling him out of the truck, but is too flustered by the sight of the two...friends? no, acquaintances at best. The electricity in her hands fizzles and doesn't reach the driver's injuries, "I'm a healer, I go where people are hurting and stop the pain. I never expected to find you causing it. And It's Bioshock when I'm in costume."

[RossN]

MISTRAL

Mistral looks more surprised than scared as the bullets fly by her head, one lightly grazing her left ear. The speedster instinctively reaches up and touches her ear, looking in disbelief at the blood on her fingertips.

"Hey that stings you dickweeds!" she yells back. There is a blur of motion and faster than the eye can see Mistral is suddenly up close with Cowboy Hat, hurling a flurry of fists in the villain's face!

[Rook.Gamer]

Quarry

Quarry instinctively twists to avoid the gunfire despite the low threat level of the attack.

He chuckles at himself as he turns back towards the enemy. He then quickly crosses the distance between himself and Electro and punches the charged villian.

[SwordCoastTaxi]

BROOKLYN BRIDGE BATTLE!

Kayla shrugs, "BioShock. That's cool! And we were laying low but we were so broke. Stuff cost money and we ran into Wraith over there and he hooked us up with a job yanno? It's just a quickie but it pays really good. Then we can get married and move somewhere nice yanno?" Justin looks at BioShock's situation, "You need help with the driver?"

Spoiler: BioShock

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Please make a DC20 Will check.

Mistral sudden appearance in front of Cowboy-hat guy startles him and he stumbles back indirectly helping him avoid the superhero's flurry of punches! "Whoa! You're pretty fast!"

Quarry connects just as Electro was about to attack and the punch's force sends the crook flying backwards several meters until he slams into the Smithsonian van and slumps to the ground unconscious!

Spoiler: Quarry

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He has half-immunity to electrical damage so make a DC15 Toughness check on the dice rolls thread please.

Spoiler: Map

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• Electro is OUT
• The couple are chatting it up with BioShock
• Wraith (Cowboy-hat) is battling Mistral
• Skullface is trying to access the van
• Cthul-Lad is standing by

[JeminiZero]

Magic Girl Jenova

Jenova suddenly appears on top of the bus, as she drops her invisibility field, and begins charging up the necessary mana for her next spell.

"I will now teleport you all to safety." She shouts to the passengers with a smile. "Please do not resist."

She kneels down atop the enormous vehicle, and places two fingers on her forehead. The gesture wasn't necessary, but for some reason, Jackson insisted it be done.

Spoiler: OOC

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Full Round Action: Extended Teleport the bus to safety, to a sufficiently large clearing that is behind the police barricade.

There is a deep red flash, and passengers suddenly find themselves on firm ground, not far from the bridge, the bus no longer see-sawing. She floats down next to the vehicle and does a quick check to see everything is alright.

"You should all be safe now. I'd love to stay, but I have to go make sure those crooks don't steal whatever is in the Smithsonian van."

[Batcathat]

The electric shock was bad. The bullets were worse. Nathan groaned and would've gritted his teeth if he still had any.

But nothing soothed wounded flesh and pride like some good old fashioned payback. "Hey, you cowboy m■■■■■■■■■■r", he said as he lashed out with his tentacle arm once more. "Don't you know a gentleman is supposed to hold still when a lady punches him?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Nathan is attempting to grab Cowboy Hat (keep Nathan's grab-related advantages in mind), but I'm not entirely sure how it works in combination with an area attack. Do I still have to make an attack roll to grab or is that covered under area attacks not needing attack rolls?

Assuming it works like a "regular" area attack, Nathan is also attempting to hit Skullface, I picture it like the tentacle whipping Skullface and then grabbing Cowboy Hat on the way back. If an area attack and a grab attempt are mutually exclusive, he's focusing on grabbing Cowboy Hat.