Aberrant RPG - Building a Unique(?) Nova

[Justice]

Okay, so check it,

I have this idea for a hero rattling around in my head, and I'm not quite sure the best way to put his numbers together. It's a kind of out-of-body-experience, where the "spirit" or consciousness seperates from the body and can travel about on its own. Except this consciousness has its own solid form and can punch, kick, catch, or throw things on its own. Now, this character would be able to split his consciousness between his actual body and the spirit form to varying degrees. If he concentrated soley on sensing and controlling the spirit form, his body would be left pretty much helpless, while the opposite would let the spirit to dissolve. I'm thinking maybe trying to do things with both would be multiple actions. For example, if both the physical body and the spirit form were punching someone, it'd be a multiple action just as if the guy were punching someone twice.

Some finer details that have come into my mind: the spirit form can probably float, might be able to become intangible, and would have it's own health levels. If the spirit form were "killed," it'd shut off, and the dude's body would be knocked unconscious for a time. Hmm. That might be too powerful though. Also, the spirit form always appears at the location of the character, peeling off his body (as if his spirit were leaving him, ya'see).

Hmm, yes, I think that's the gist of the man's abilities. So what would be the best way to create this guy, you think? I could always invent a power and hope it's balanced, I suppose. But Quantum Construct seems like it may be useful (or just useless enough). I've read that you can give the Construct seperate powers from the character who produces them, so would the best bet be to give the guy Quantum Construct with self-imposed limitations, and then start loading the necessary powers onto the construct? Whaddaya think?

Let me hear ya

-Justice!

[Bahamut810]

Just give him Dorm 5. First form...a frail baseline. Second form...Uber-Spirit

[ProfPotts]

Hmmm... sounds a bit like an old British comic villain called, I think, "Steve Ditto - the Astrally Projected Man" who actually 'projected' a kind of ectoplasmic version of himself that could work in unison with the original - he's from 'Bix Barton' (I think) from (again, I think... ::confused) 2000AD.

Anyway, on to the game mechanics....

... The big question is how exactly you want to play it. The simplest way would be to have the 'spirit form' as a special effect for the guy's various powers. E.g. a Quantum Bolt (or similar) would be the spirit punching an enemy, etc.. You'd probably use Telekinesis & / or Elemental Mastery to help simulate the great range of things the spirit can do: Blast would be a punch, Crush a grapple & slam, Imprison a grapple, Lethal Blast an attack with extremities formed into knives, with Propel the spirit picks up & carries the 'solid' guy, with Shield it blocks attacks against him, using Sphere it rushes around attacking everyone in the area, & a similar thing with storm. Telekinesis could simulate more precise actions, whilst ESP could be used to simulate the guy's ability to 'sense' what the spirit is sensing. You could also take the spirit, in this case, as a version of the 'anima' aberration. In this case the spirit is invulnerable to most attacks, but can be effected by Disrupt & similar powers.

Getting more complicated you could look at either Clone or Homunculus - neither of which is a perfect fit, or, as you mentioned, you could try Quantum Construct - although in this case you'd be getting a different version of the 'spirit' every time (based on successes rolled & the powers needed at that moment). The only real limit on the Q-Construct power in this case would be that you couldn't form multiple constructs.

Getting radical you could (with ST permission) design the 'spirit' as your Nova character as per the normal rules, making sure to give him enough aberrations to cause his spirit-form state (Density Dencrease or whatever) to be permanent. Then you take the guy's 'solid' body as a normal Follower or Ally, & buy a Mental Link between the two. In this way the 'solid' body is pretty much a normal Joe, & all the powers reside in the spirit.

Hope some of this sparks a few ideas for you! ::thumbsup

[Justice]

Thanks for the ideas ProfPotts. I'll probably either go with the Elemental Anima/Mastery idea or try and write up a new, more specific power (I know, the cheap, easy way out, right?)

Another question I'm concerned about is: How balanced such a power would be? And what kind of disadvantages would it take to balance out any such extreme advantages?

Or would being vulnerable to a single Megapunch be disadvantage enough?

-Justice!