Hyper Intelligence

[chaosnet]

I've seem a lot of data files, but outside of Reed Richards and Dr Doom I haven't seen any real Intelligence based data files.

How do I create a Hyper Intelligence character such as The Leader? Neither Richards nor Doom have Intelligence as a Power Set, but they have D10s in Specialties so is that the way to go to simulate the Hyper Intelligence?

Did a search and found nothing, so sorry if this has been brought up before. As a carrot to me, if someone could stat up The Leader (Hulk villain), that would be smashing!

Thanks!

[MidnightBlue]

Specialties seem to be the most obvious way to stat up Intelligence. A lot of Master level specialties show a high level of competency.

Of course the great thing about MHR is that there are SOOOO many ways to accomplish a theme.

You could easily build Hyper Intelligence into a power set and/or SFX as well as Distinctions and Milestones.


Now, I'm in a hurry (Heroclix Tournament in a couple of hours and I need food), but I'll throw a couple of off the cuff options out there.


Power Set - Unparalleled Intelligence
Computer Speed Reasoning (Enhanced or better Reflexes)

Physics is my Beotch! (Enhanced or better Super Strength using leverage and a targets own momentum/mass against it.)

If I were them, I'd be situated right...there! (Enhanced or better Senses using situational awareness and highly tactical/strategic thinking to know your environment.)

I memorized the maps of the area and I know where the shortcuts are! (Enhanced Speed)

That looks like a weak point, does that hurt? (some form of attack/weapon power trait as the hyper smart character figures out where to strike.)

I could also see SFX like Dangerous representing hitting weak spots...Multiple Actions/Versatile to represent multitasking and finding creative ways to work something out...really I could go on and on if I had the time.

But I think that shows a measure of how you COULD make a hyper intelligent superhero that relies mainly on that intelligence as his/her "power source" in MHR.

From a guy that has rolled and played a LOT of Hyper Intelligent TSR MSH characters, good luck finding what you want to play!

[EldritchFire]

The thing with both Dr. Doom & Mr. Fantastic is that their superpowers are not their smarts. They were the smartest people on earth before they were changed. So that's represented with master-level specialties and distinctions.

A load of things that the smart ones do can be represented by stunts or resources based on specialties. I mean, take a look at Mr. Fantastic's first milestone: FOR SCIENCE! His player can gain 4XP in one encounter by first creating a new stunt (1XP) then take out a target with one of his non-"combat" specialties (3XP).

Let's say that Mr. Fantastic wants to use his smarts to help Ben Grimm (give him an asset). That's d8 for buddy, d8 for Absent-minded professor, and 2d8 for Tech/Science master. That'd 4d8, or 2d8+1d10. Heck, spend a PP to grab the other specialty for 2d8+2d10, or 6d8! He's pretty epic by himself when being brainy, without the need for powers.

-EF

[chaosnet]

Awesome responses guys, much appreciated!

[Supplanter]

I think they're just balancing out the previous Marvel game, where Intelligence was the killer attribute.


Jim

[chaosnet]

I do like the suggestion for adding non-traditional to Intelligence effects to an Intelligence Powerset. This really gives me some good ideas.

[Doc_Nova]

This was discussed at length on the RPGnow forums. I was, and still am, a strong supporter of a Hyper-Intellect power trait. I can see its use in a number of applications and several characters (The Leader was my frequent go to example as he is described as being as intelligent as the Hulk is strong). Certainly, stunts and resources can alleviate some of the great intelligence options depicted in comics, but I fail to see why muscle gets an advantage when brains can, and should, be just as potent.

A Hyper-Intellect trait could be used usually be used for active rolls and would often be used in setting up stunts ("I'd already thought of that!", "Extensive plans", "Redundant contingencies", "Ascertain weakness", and so on), could be added to an offensive action with some narration, and could be used in reaction rolls in some circumstances (much like Strength, actually).

In the campaign I am putting together, this is one of the "officially" added available power traits (along with Stability, which is essentially Stamina for mental and emotional stress).

[MidnightBlue]

I think they're just balancing out the previous Marvel game, where Intelligence was the killer attribute.


Jim

And when you started making gadgets and tech with that Hyper Intelligence + high Resources...it got ridiculous FAST.

Man...I rolled up a guy in college, completely random, that ended up with some crazy Unearthly-Shift X Reasoning and decent resources. He made some small super-tech items in his off-mission time and sold the patents to NASA and the US Military to boost his own Resources. Then he started working on his power suit....

Mind you, the character was already a decently powered superhero BESIDES the intelligence.

Anyway...the character was roleplayed well, but ended up being one of my few exercises in power gaming. After a while, he just wasn't any fun. He was TOO good. So when the game came around for me to Judge the same group of characters, my guy built an android that could wear the suit that posed as his twin brother. The suit wearing android went on a solo career protecting "his city" while the actual man retired from the superhero biz and instead continued his inventing and funding superhero teams and projects for the greater good.

But Mind Lock, my original TSR character and very first Hyper Intelligent guy who has been transported and reimagined into every superhero gaming outlet that I have (which is a lot) has been a lot of fun...mainly by staying away from going too crazy with the invention side of things. At least by staying away from designing battle armor for himself that is.



MHR lets you make these kinds of characters in so many different ways...I just find it overwhelmingly awesome right now.

Yes...I sound like a teenage boy, but I'm stil in the honeymoon stage with this game.

Distinctions, Power Sets, SFX, Limits, Specialties, Milestones, Stunts, Push, Assets, Complications...all of these can be used to stat out a Hyper Intelligent character with very little effort. It's just a matter of personal taste in which method(s) you choose!

[Doc Hydrogen]

I gotta agree that there should be a hyper-intelligence power, or powers. There are just too many examples in the comics where characters do gain this style of power from their mutation, accidental exposure to radiation, etc, and these Power of the Mind! can often be turned off like so many other super powers.

Granted, Reed Richards and Dr. Doom are not examples of this kind, but they're out there in the Marvel Universe. Also it makes sense for a general smarty-pants character who doesn't necessarily have the training involved in a high Specialty dice, or the ability to call on Resources based on those Specialties.

There are too many canon characters that fit this particular power set / power trait for it not to exist in a Marvel game.

[MidnightBlue]

And with our help, it does exist in the Marvel game.



Actually, I remember one of the old TSR Marvel write-ups that actually did attribute Reed's super-duper intelligence to super powers.

Sure, he was smart before the accident, but his elasticity powers also affected his mind making him smarter still.

I think the Ultimate's version of the character also attributed his growing intelligence to his super powers.

With that in mind, I could see a Mr. Fantastic datafile that added an Elastic Mind power set...or something like that.

The power set would then stack with his specialties to really show him as the smartest man on the Marvel planet. [That's right...deal with it Doom!]

Just an idea.