Good job soldier.

Playing around with a character to take Onyx's place when and if this fight ends. Onyx is pretty effective, but as a replacement player, I just never got a good feel for him.

My replacement character ... potentially ... looks something like this:

Name: Cyclone Man       Secret ID: John Blackhoof

Male (Shawnee descent)
Backgrounds: Mysticism (Shawnee)/Scientist (Meteorology)

Level: 2    XP: ????
Training: ????

Wt. 160
Ht. 5'10"

Str: 17  CC: 585 HTH: 1d8
End: 24  Healing: 2.8
Int: 14  DHO: 10 DD: 14
Agi: 25  ACC: +4 DMG: +3
Cha: 10

Wt. 160
BH: 4
HP: 42

MV: 66 // 856
PP: 80

Inventing Points: 2.8 Chance: 42%

Powers
H. Agility A +7
H. Endurance A +8
H. Speed 790" +26 initiative
H. Expertise +4 with Tornado attacks
Nat. Weaponry Device (Forearm blades) +3/+6
Weather Control Device - Tornado - 18 charges
   Automatically summon tornado for one action.
     Attack (Vibratory Power) R=34" D=3d6 Also High Winds

John Blackhoof was a young PhD in the University of Illinois School of Atmospheric Sciences when a letter from his grandmother arrived. She invited him to visit her home and spoke of time being short. He had not had much contact with the old woman, but sensed the urgency.

The old woman told him that he was part of a blood line of Shawnee spiritualists who had a special connection with Kako-u'hthé, the cyclone spirit. After a three-day ritual, she infused him with the ancient spirit's power.

Blackhoof was given the speed of Kako-u'hthe, or Cyclone Man, but he produced wild winds and whirlwinds when he ran. With the help of a genius friend, he devised a hi-tech harness that allows him to create whirling tornadoes with his mastery of the wind and even direct the swirling winds to attack his foes.

Although ambivalent about the history between his people and the U.S. Government, he is also eager to prove that Native Americans are "real" Americans who will defend the country against the real Red Menace.

Great character, my only concern is we have a speedster. While you character is much more the heightened speed sort of steps on Vosper power wise. I mention it because I think it is important that new characters complement the existing characters.

That is a valid concern. I've already had a conversation with Vosper's player and the GM about it.

For that matter, we also already have a vibrator too.  Uh, a master of vibration, I mean.  Oscillator!


Actually, I have NO problem with the character concept.
BUT
one of the 'deadly combos' of V&V is Height Agi + Height Speed <-- gives that superdude lots of actions & leaves all of us scratching our butts waiting to do anything.
Then again,
while 'Cyclone Man' would get *a ton* of actions every turn, he can't fly (???) and he only gets 18 shots of weather control (more than enough for average combat) and he has no defense bonuses (except Vib Def?).
BUT
he also has Height Speed and +3/+6 Nat Weaponry -- seems like a heavy striker with some ranged.

But mostly my main question was --> what was wrong with Onyx?!?!?

Cool :)

One thing to remember is that Tornado *attacks* as Vibratory Powers. He does not have Vibratory Defense and cannot pass through matter or destroy matter on a special attack. Thus the 3d6 damage since it doesn't do anything but attack for damage.

As far as Heightened Speed/Heightened Agility yes it gives him a lot of actions but he will burn through power like crazy (8-10 power per turn not including other power expenditures). Also, aside from Evasion he really doesn't have any other defenses.

I do understand Bones's wanting to make his own character, Onyx wasn't his originally so he doesn't have the history or attachment to the character.

All the points raised are valid ones.

Originally the character had a poison/venom motif instead of the Tornado one, but when I discovered that a Weather Control device can summon only one type of weather (tornadoes for a speedster seemed perfect) I found that I really liked that combo.

As originally rolled, he had Vibratory Powers, which I dropped right away because of the clash with an existing character. The GM, Vosper, and I talked about the issue of another speedster.

As for the damage, that is straight out of the rule book for Weather Control tornadoes.

As for Onyx, there is nothing wrong with him in one sense. He has a nice set of powers that have kept him up and going in this fight so far. I will admit, though, to not having a good handle on his voice or the back story. Maybe that would develop, but the GM said it would be okay to roll up a fresh character, and I love rolling up my own characters in V&V.

As long as Vosper is cool I do not see an issue.

Guys, I'd planned to retire, or take a break from, Vosper, long before Bones came up with his new charrie.  It's kismet that he rolled up a speedster even as I was planning something different.

Vos may return - if she doesn't get killed! - but I'll be playing someone else for a while.  ;)

I'm only ok with it if Bones lets me in his new game.
Ha
All good -- we could use a speedster if we lose Vosper, but we could also use a mentalist/Psi person too.

It doesn't seem like a bad character. To be honest, I'm usually more interested in the personality interactions than the powers. The blue-yellow secondary lantern and arrow comics worked because they were like a road picture, never mind that one could juggle tanks while the other was just a really good archer.

Yeah, and Onyx 1.0 had a lot of personality!  (Or was that just attitude?)

Yeah. But I don't think I can play him without running the risk of making him a comic or insulting stereotype.

Not much risk there -- he was already pretty much right there, I think.
HA

In reply to Oscillator (msg # 131):


I thought he was doong a great job with the character.

Well, the OP put a bit more "jive" in Onyx.  Which, considering the period, was fun.  But Bones plays well with anything. ;)

Me too.  I don't think I said anything negative about their roleplay.

And no doubt Bones will have some skills with his dude/dudette.

You are all being way too nice.

Since Bones is keeping and "reimagining" Onyx, I'll keep Vosper.  She can't hit the broad side of a barn, and I rolled up a powerhouse of a replacement... but I guess I just fail as a powergamer. ;)

I just like the character.  If only she could hit something.

a) level up bonus to throwing darts?
b) any chance someone at HQ could invent her a better dart?  (like give her explosive darts that she throws at the ground?  or glowing paint darts to counter invisibility?)
c) can she throw other stuff at inanimate objects?

Mmmmm....  I'm out of ideas.  HA

With that many actions, she's gotta be able to do something!

No need to keep Vosper just because I'm not using Cyclone Man ... or I don't think I am.

To be honest, I'm about to be totally out of pocket for 10 days, so maybe while I'm doing other things I might have an epiphany that makes me beg the GM to let me switch over.

So, don't hold on to Vosper just because I am probably sticking with Onyx.

Oh, yeah, and I'll see you all in June.

The big problem with Vosper isn't her bonus to hit, at +11 with whirlwind thrown darts she is only +1 lower than Poco. The problem is the dice roller is just hating the character.

The problem is --> WE MUST FIGHT THE DICE ROLLER!

"Ok team, it's time to HERO UP!"
:)

What the GM said. ;)

I like the character's personality, concept, and even powers.  But the fact she cannot hit anything (because the dice) has become a running gag.

I was frustrated enough to try switching characters, but had mixed feelings about it.  I've generated a 2nd character, but will hang on to him for now, and stick with Vos.  If Bones wants to bring in Cyclone, he can, and if that sticks I may (or may not) phase out Vos, depending on what I feel like and the alignment of the stars and planets. ;)

Her current training is in HTH Accuracy, but she's already at +11 to hit.  My plan is to have her train in HTH accuracy from now until she stops missing.  ;)