One fine day–I got bored, so I opened up Carrara, the 3D art software I use, and started playing. I took a photo of the street outside our house as a backdrop (less work and less RAM) and created a couple supers and a “monster” for a fight scene. And this quickie art project inspired some Mutants & Masterminds characters.
Lightning Lancer is the second of this super-trio. A few weeks ago, I introduced Obisidian, Lightning Lancer’s teammate. A well-known hero, Lancer, as fans call him, really enjoys the super-limelight. But that doesn’t make him any less heroic.
PL 10(150 points)
Name: Lightning Lancer (aka Alec Silver)
Appearance: Lancer–Blue, gold and white costume with partial face coverage (blue mask).
Abilities [34pp]
STR 0; STA 3; AGL 3; DEX 3; FGT 3; INT 0; AWE 2; PRE 3
Advantages [4pp]
Assessment, Fearless, Teamwork, Daze (Intimidation)
Skills [22pp]
Acrobatics 3 (+6), Athletics 2 (+2), Expertise: Singer 2 (+2), Persuasion 2 (+5), Investigation 1 (+1), Ranged Combat: Energy Control 5 (+8), Intimidation 7 (+10)
Powers [83pp]
Quick Change 1 (feature) [1pp]
Lightning Array [27pp]
*Lightning Bolt: Ranged Damage 12
*Ball Lightning: Burst area Damage 10, Penetrating 4
*Blinding Flare: Cumulative Ranged Affliction 12 (Resisted
by Dodge, Overcome by Fortitude; Impaired, Disabled, Unaware), Limited to Vision
Immunity: Electricity 5 [5pp]
Energy Shield: Enhanced Defenses 10 (Dodge 5, Parry 5); Impervious Protection 5, Sustained [20pp]
Lightning Form: Insubstantial 3 [15pp]
Teleport 5, Accurate, Extended, Limited-only when Insubstantial [15pp]
Offense
Initiative +3
Unarmed +0 : Close, Damage 0
Ranged +8 : Electrical Damage 12
Burst Electrical Damage 10/Penetrating 4
Defense
Dodge: 12 [4pp]
Parry: 9 [1pp]
Fortitude: 8 [5 pp]
Toughness: 3
Will: 8 [6pp]
Complications
Motivation: Thrills and recognition. You have to crave excitement to stay in this life! (And it hides the survivor’s guilt–most of the time)
Love Me or Hate Me: While Lancer is popular with the public and has a lot of fans, some law enforcement and media classify him under “Threat or Menace?”
Accident: Lancer’s powers can overload equipment or even “zap” someone nearby.
Quirk: Storm chaser
Backstory: Alec Silver and his buddies had big dreams for the band they formed in high school, Improv!, and were working to make them come true–YouTube videos, gigs ranging from school fundraising festivals to regional cons for assorted fandoms, auditioning for the “Rock Idol!” reality show. It was on the return from a science fiction con in Emerald City that their dreams ended in a vicious freak thunderstorm–blinded by the heavy rain and searing lightning flashes, his best friend, ran off the road!
Only Alec survived, found apparently ejected from the van and barely injured. The few memories he had didn’t make much sense. Rescuers called it a miracle, but it didn’t feel miraculous to him. He had to go to funerals, aching for his friends and cousin. Which had to be better than their families seeing him alive and undamaged. There was all that time he used to spend practicing and making videos with Improv!
The storm that blew over his neighborhood a few months later was much less violent than the one that destroyed Improv! but it finished changing Alec’s life. He decided to walk in the storm, not caring if he got struck by lightning or hit by a car whose driver couldn’t see him. Thunder crashed above–and Alec was one of the lightning bolts!
Becoming a hero took a while, but as Lightning Lancer, Alec has found the fame he and his high school buddies dreamed of. It is great–the fans, being able to rescue people and have his name trending on the internet for it. Sometimes, though, he wishes he could trade the powers for his old friends and they could get back to making music as Improv!…but those thoughts aren’t for adoring fans, social media, or Letters to the Editor of the paper that blames him for every power outage in a 3 state region.
Play notes: The source descriptor of Lancer’s powers is left open for player and GM to develop. Maybe Alec Silver is correct and they are related to the Silver Storm…or perhaps he was a latent mutant and the 2 thunderstorms connected with his origin story activated his powers. Perhaps he is from a line of mystics or wizards and the storm that killed his bandmates was the result of a magical battle or a ritual-gone-very-wrong.
Given his musical background, Lancer might know various musicians, some of whom might also have connections to the supers world. If part of an Emerald City campaign, there are the Longbowz, for example.
Design Notes: I wrote the stats with a little help from the Quickstart Character Generator for M&M, included in the Gamemaster’s Kit and the Deluxe Hero’s Handbook. Some items were switched out or changed and a few things added.
Techical Editing: Empty Bacta Tank
Artwork: “Super Street Fight” and “Lightning Lancer” are © 2016, Linda Whitson
Linda Whitson
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