LYNX (Lance Wylde)
Concept: Cryptid Clan Cat-man Power Level: 10 (150pp)
Combat: Attack +12 [Unarmed], Init +10
Defenses: Dodge +11, Parry +10, Toughness +7, Fortitude +11, Willpower +6
Abilities: STR 6; STA 7; AGI 6; DEX 2; FIG 6; INT 1; AWE 2; PRE 1
Advantages: Evasion, Hide in Plain Sight, Improved Initiative, Move-by, Skill Mastery (Stealth), Uncanny Dodge
Skills: Acrobatics 8 (+14), Athletics 8 (+14), Close Combat (unarmed) 6 (+12), Expertise (Magic) 2 (+3), Insight 6 (+8), Perception 8 (+10), Stealth 8 (+14)
Powers
Morph 1: Lynx-man Form
Feline Physique: Enhanced Stamina 3, Enhanced Strength 4, Leaping 2, Protection 2, Speed 5
Feline Senses: Senses 5 (Accurate, Acute Scent; Low-light Vision; Tracking)
Claws: Damage 1 (Penetrating 8, Strength Based)
9 Lives: Regeneration 9
Complications
Motivations–Curiosity about the world beyond the Arcadian Forest, as well as a desire to make sure the (inevitable, in his opinion) meeting of the Clans and the rest of the world goes well.
Responsibility–Prodigal Son of the Cryptids. Lynx must not reveal the existence of the Clans to those he now lives among–and some among the Clan leaders have both the interest and means to keep tabs on him.
Quirk–Not Exactly Human. Lynx is a felinoid Beast Person Cryptid who can magically take the form of a Human, not the reverse. He has a few gaps in knowledge of the world outside the Arcadian Forest, and may exhibit cat-like traits on occasion.
Backstory: The Beast Cryptid Clan youth who is now known as Lynx, like some human adolescents, went through a very rebellious phase. He was very curious about the world beyond the Clans’ lands. He devoured what little information he could pick up, and eventually befriended a Forest Service ranger, making use of his innate magical ability to take a Human form at will, to the dismay of the Clan Elders. He took a Human name, Lance Wylde, from one of the novels gifted by his new friend. Instead of slaking his curiosity, the books only increased it–and Lance ran away to join the outside world, angering many Elders. Fortunately for “Lance” quieter heads prevailed, and the Cryptid Clans just keep tabs on this prodigal.
Lance, as Lynx, mostly operates in the forest areas, aiding his Ranger comrades, but has recently expanded his “territory” to Emerald City’s outskirts, as well as learning about society by mingling in his human form, who is employeed at an Elysian National Forest campground. AEGIS is aware of Lynx (and he of the agency), but, reassured by their Forest Service contacts, is content with casual monitoring. As Lynx has become more aware of local goings-on and how the non-Cryptid world works, he has concluded that it will become impossible for the Cryptids to hide themselves from humans and metahumans, probably sooner, rather than later. Lynx intends, when that time comes, to help smooth the introductions as much as possible. Meanwhile, to keep the Clans’ secrets, he lets people assume, he’s a Stormer.
Aside from his ability to shift from cat-man to human form and back, Lynx has no magical skills, although he does have some magical aptitude and a little theoretical knowledge.
Design Notes: I have enjoyed the hints about the Crpytid Clans given by my M&M GM and the official sourcebooks, so I decided to make a Cryptid superhero. It also seemed like a good time to more thoroughly try out the Basic Hero Handbook’s (BHH)character creation templates. I used the Primal Archetype (pp. 26-7), a simplification of the Deluxe Hero’s Handbook 10th Anniversary Edition’s Totem template, and took the Carnivore Power Suite option. Using the archetype, the stats took me less than 10 minutes–it took longer to write them out for this article. I did change a few things up to get the Morph 1 power–lowering Magic Expertise, Regeneration, and Strength slightly. (Note that Lance’s stats are the same in either form, although it is of course, possible to have them differ using the Metamorph and/or Variable effects, but those are more advanced builds not covered by the BHH.)
Credits: Thanks to Empty Bacta Tank for technical editing, once again.
Artwork: © 2019 Linda Whitson
Linda Whitson
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