Savage Rifts Mega-Super John Carter

Background

• Race: Human (But without the mechanical benefits)
• Iconic Framerwork: Mega-Super

The man known as John Carter was originally known as John-2000, since he lived in Module 2000. That's how names worked on Freedom Station[1], one of the handful of orbital communities that managed to survive the apocalypse. Part of the sizable percentage of the station's population that are mutant superhumans, John's power first manifested in his early teens. It turned out he was capable of metabolizing ambient energy and utilizing it to sustain and augment his body. Not only that but he could also use that energy to manipulate any matter within physical contact at the quantum level, which he discovered quite spectacularly when he phased out of his clothing at an inopportune moment. Intangibility was only the first application of his power that he mastered. He soon learned to alter how matter interacted with photons, enabling him alter his appearance or even render himself completely invisible. While impressive, at the time John didn't think his powers would change his life much beyond making some things more convenient. Little did he know that they would end up influencing his fate quite significantly.

Growing up John had always planned to become an engineer and get a lucrative job with the KLS Corporation. He was close to graduating college when something occurred that changed everything. Not just for him but for everyone in the colonies. The Arkhons had returned[2]. First encountered a few years before John was born, it seemed that a second wave of the invaders had arrived on the trail of their breathren. The Moon and the various Orbital Nations immediately put aside any conflicts with each other and joined together to oppose the common enemy.

Wanting to do his part in fighting the aliens, John volunteered for the Freedom Station Defense Force. He had intended to serve as an engineer on a ship to help the cause with his technical skills but the higher ups had other ideas. Due his mutant powers being deemed ideal for infiltration, John was soon transferred and put on the fast track to become a part of Special Ops. He received training in combat, sabotage, and bunch of other skills pertinent to the position. He soon proved to be adept at sneaking around, defeating security systems and ambushing opponents. After a rapid but intense and thorough training regimen he was put in the field.

John's activities during the war mostly involved secretly entering enemy ships and bases and gaining access to sensitive areas in order to gather intelligence and commit acts of sabotage. Many times his mission was to neutralize sentries and defense systems to prepare the way for other troops to breach the area. He was quite successful at his assigned tasks. He wasn't as good as other members of his teams in straight up fights but then the entire point of his role was to avoid straight up fights. Shooting people from behind and causing systems to fail unexpectedly were more his speed.

Then came the mission that would change his life forever. Intelligence reports said that an Arkhon scout ship was going to be sent to The Graveyard[3] to retrieve something of value. What it was exactly was unknown. That was where John came in. His mission was to secretly board the ship and ascertain what was being retrieved, then sabotage the ship's drive and defense systems on the return trip so it can be boarded and its cargo taken intact by FDF forces.

Unfortunately it turned out the scout ship's mission wasn't to retrieve some valuable tech artifact from the debris field but to rendezvous with another ship that emerged from a Rift. A ship of totally different aliens, who definitely weren't Arkhon or their Fallam slaves. The whole thing turned out to be a meet to work out some kind of deal. Preliminary talks of some sort. At least that was the gist John got from listening to the Arkhon side of the conversation. Realizing that if the Arkhons successfully managed to establish an alliance or even a trade relationship with these unknown aliens it could potentially change the course of the war for the worst, John made the decision to sabotage this parley. He went about this by hacking into the scout ship's weapons systems and opening fire on the alien vessel. Needless to say this apparent treachery on the Arkhons' part sparked hostilities in earnest between the two parties.

It ended in a draw, with both sides badly hurt. The mystery aliens managed to retreat back through the Rift they came from. Meanwhile the Arkhons' life support systems were badly damaged. The crew realized their only infinitesimal chance at survival lay in making an emergency landing on the planet below. Their hopes turned out to be in vain. Despite their best attempts to evade the Killer Satellite Network set up to contain Earth the ship took even more damage, causing all systems to fail. The ship ended up smashing into the ground and causing a spectacular explosion. The only one onboard to survive was John, who thanks to his power to become intangible was able to live through the crash and emerge from the ensuing inferno unscathed.

Now safe on the ground, John used his Holo-Communicator and knowledge of access codes to have communication satellites in low orbit relay transmissions to his superiors. They were surprised and elated that he was still alive and able to give a report. Sadly there was no way to retrieve him. Even if they opened a safe corridor through the Earth Containment Network to send a ship down it wouldn't be able to take off again. An Arkhon ship with anti-gravity technology could but the few ships they had managed to capture intact were too valuable to risk on a mission to Earth to retrieve one man. Better to keep analyzing them with the hope of reverse-engineering their technology to help win the war, then attempt a rescue.

With no hope of immediate rescue, John was left with the problem of being stranded on Earth in the middle of nowhere. Fortunately for John he had spotted a settlement during the ship's fatal descent. He started walking in the direction he thought the place was till he eventually reached civilization several hours later. Despite his attire not matching local fashions he didn't get as many looks as he expected. It turned out when you lived on a planet with Rifts spitting up strange aliens from all over the universe and beyond a human in unfamiliar armor didn't merit much notice. That and the fact they spoke American so there wasn't any language barrier meant John didn't have that hard a time carving a life out for himself. He set up shop as a freelance repairman, his tech skills proving valuable enough to earn a good living in town.

Of course, his duty as a Freedom Defense Force officer meant he wasn't just going to settle down and live the quiet life until rescue eventually came. His superiors figured that as long as he was stuck on Earth he might as well gather as much information as he could about its current inhabitants. Till now the only intelligence the space nations had about Earth was from orbital surveillance and eavesdropping on stray transmissions from The Coalition and NGR. A man on the ground was considered a unique opportunity. They'd be able to learn about potential threats that could come from the planet. Of course, that meant John would have to travel and explore, which would be more dangerous than just holing up in some city. On the bright side, there was always the chance he'd come across a spacecraft or some other way to reach orbit, so going on this mission could potentially help him as well. In any case, the FDF was willing to give whatever aid they could spare to help him succeed.

Of course he'd have to establish some sort of cover. If his true origin somehow got out he'd become one of the most hunted men on the planet. The Coalition would jump at the chance at capturing someone from space if they ever learned the space colonies existed in the first place. They'd want to thoroughly interrogate the prisoner to wring all they could about the orbital defenses which kept them grounded on Earth. Which was why he needed a plausible reason to be traveling and investigating things, as well as companions who could help keep him free and out of the hands of psychic interrogators who might stumble upon his secret while rooting around in his mind. When heard about the Tomorrow Legion it sounded exactly like the type of organization that could serve his needs. Besides, they were all about opposing the Coalition and any group who kept those nazi assholes from expanding was worth at least checking out. So he found the nearest recruiter and offered his services. In the short time he's been a member he's managed to make quite something of a name for himself, being responsible for several successful missions that dealt considerable setbacks to the likes of dark cultists, master vampires, and of course the Coalition.

Mega-Super Iconic Framework

From page 11 of Savage Rifts: Savaging Your Favorite Rifts® Ideas[4]

• Comic-Book Combat: This collection of Setting Rules from the Super Powers Companion applies to the super and his abilities, with the exception of Knockback.

• Four Color Fun: The character gains 45 Super Power Points, with a Power Limit of 15 points. The super may take Edges and Hindrances from the Super Powers Companion, subject to GM approval.

• Collateral Damage: The super gains the Reckless Hindrance, but is awarded a Benny each time his power goes out of control due to a Critical Failure. Additionally, if he uses a power in a risky manner (GM's call), the GM can award a Benny and say it went a bit wild, complicating the situation. For example, a heat ray sets the room on fire or radar sense is detected by enemy sensors.

• Enemies: Major factions have heard of the hero's unusual abilities and want to study or dissect her.

• No Race: Supers do not choose a Race.

• Reputation: The super's uniqueness makes them an occasional topic of conversation in the world. Anyone may roll Common Knowledge at -2 to know about the super, including their Thematic Problems - This increases +1 for every Rank above Novice.

• Thematic Problems: Every super has a weakness or two! Choose one Major Hindrance or two Minor ones from Dependency, Environmental Weakness, Power Negation, Transformation or Vulnerability, for no extra benefit.

• With Great Power: Depending on how they see themselves relative to the average person, the super must choose the Arrogant, Heroic or Overconfident Hinderance for no extra benefit.

Stats

Attributes

• Agility-d8
• Smarts-d8
• Spirit-d6
• Strength-d8 (d10 in KLS Infantry Medium Armor)
• Vigor-d8

Skills

• Athletics d4
• Common Knowledge d4
• Electronics d6
• Fighting d8
• Focus d10
• Hacking d6
• Language: American (Native) d8
• Language: Arkhon d4
• Notice d6
• Performance d4
• Persuasion d4
• Repair d6
• Shooting d8 (+1 Shooting and Negation of up to 2 points of penalties due to superior balance with Hammer 250 Laser Pistol)
• Stealth d6
• Thievery d4

Derived Stats

• Pace 6
• Toughness (armored): 11 (8)
• Parry: 6
• Strain: 0
• Max Strain 8

Edges

• Connections - Freedom Defense Force: Contacts provide aid or other favors once per session.
• Rich: Began with 15,000 credits, 1 roll on Body Armor Table and 1 roll on Ranged Weapons Table.

Mutant Superpowers

• Absorption: All Energy Power Types [Achilles Heel: Cold and Darkness (-1), Additional Power Types (+4), Transference (+2), Transmute (+3)]. (Cost 10) Free Soak roll vs damage from a Power Type; each Wound Soaked increases an Attribute one die type and generates an Absorption Token for the scene. Tokens add damage, Toughness, or allow a Power Stunt. (Super Powers Companion, page 48)

• Ageless (Cost 1) The hero never grows old. (Super Powers Companion, page 49)

• Chameleon (Cost 3) Assume the appearance of another creature within 2 Size levels. (Super Powers Companion, page 55)

• Doesn’t Breathe [Extreme (+1)] (Cost 2) The super doesn’t breathe at all. She isn’t affected by inhaled toxins, can’t drown, and doesn’t suffocate in a vacuum. (Super Powers Companion, page 58)

• Doesn’t Eat [Extreme (+1)] (Cost 2) The super never needs food or water and is completely immune to the effects of Hunger and Thirst. (Super Powers Companion, page 58)

• Environmental Resistance to Electricity, Fire (Heat), Radiation [2 Additional Power Types (+2), Limitation: Only to ignore background effects (-2)] (Cost 1) Hero is immune to background effects from resisted Power Types. (Super Powers Companion, page 61)

• Intangible (Cost 5) Become incorporeal but still affected by the Energy Power Type. (Super Powers Companion, page 68)

• Invisibility [True Invisibility (+2)] (Cost 10) Target is invisible (-6 to affect). (Super Powers Companion, page 69)

• Super Attribute (Strength) 2 (Cost 4) Each level increases an Attribute and its maximum by one die type. (Super Powers Companion, page 85)

• Super Attribute (Vigor) 2 (Cost 4) Each level increases an Attribute and its maximum by one die type. (Super Powers Companion, page 85)

• Super Skill (Focus) 3 (Cost 3) Buys or increases a skill & its maximum one die type per level. (Super Powers Companion, page 86)

Hindrances

Obligatory Mega-Hero Iconic Framework Hinderances in italics

• Dependency - Sufficient Source of Energy (Major): The super must consume or have contact with some sort of relatively common substance for an hour out of every 24. If he doesn't he takes level of Fatigue. An hour spent recovering with the appropriate substance restores all Fatigue caused. For John, a Sufficient Source of Energy would include things like direct sunlight, heat intense enough to potentially induce heatstroke in normal humans and radioactive environments. The energy absorbed by John's Absorption power could qualify but only if he doesn't spend at least one Transformation Token but instead lets it disperse into his body at the end of the scene. If he does so then all Fatigue will be restored an hour later after his system finishes digesting it. (Super Powers Companion, page 6)

• Driven (Minor): To find a way to get back home

• Heroic (Major): The character always helps those in need.

• Secret (Major): From A Human Civilization In Orbit.

• Reckless (Major): Anytime the character Critically Fails a roll to activate or use a power, it goes wildly out of control. (Super Powers Companion, page 8)

• Vow (Minor): To the Freedom Defense Force

Gear

Budget: 1300 Credits[5] + 2500 Starting Worth of Gear or Valubles[6] + 15,000 from Rich = 18,800

• NG-S2 Survival Pack (Weight: 20; Cost: Starting Gear)

• KLS Infantry Medium Armor (Equivalent to Huntsman Medium Personal Body Armor except for +1d Strength Augmentation) (Armor: +5; Toughness: +2; Min Str: d6; Weight: 16; Cost: Starting Gear)

• Hammer 250 Laser Pistol (Equivalent to Wilk’s 320 Laser Pistol except for Superior Balance) (Range:15/30/60; Damage: 3d6; RoF:1; AP: 2; Shots: 20; Min Str: d4; Weight: 2; Cost: Starting Gear)

• 2 E-Clips

• Holo-Display Communicator: Capable of sending and receiving a small, doll-sized holographic image, this rare and expensive system is also useful for creating 3D images of maps, diagrams, blueprints, and whatever else the user might wish to input for display. The communication system itself has a 300 mile range (2lbs, 10,000 credits).

• Repair Kit, Field: Designed for military and frontier use, this advanced tool kit holds supplies to help get machines running again. It carries quick-weld patches, a backup laser torch, scanner, extra wires, circuits and other items. It requires a Repair skill of at least d4 to use. The Field Repair Kit grants a +1 to all Repair rolls. Frequent use necessitates replenishing the supplies, per the GM (10lbs, 4000 credits).

• Dosimeter: Detects presence and amount of radiation with a Range of 5/10/20. (1lb, 200 credits)

• Multi-Optics Scope: An advanced scope with thermal, infrared and night optics. When using an Aim maneuver, it adds an additional +2 to Notice checks or to offset Range penalties. It also negates Illumination penalties and adds +1 Shooting to calibrated weapons (1lb, 3000 credits).

• Lockpicks (1lbs, 200 credits) [From SWADE page 67]

• Hand Held Computer (1lbs, 250 credits): Basically the equivalent of his iPhone. It still has apps that work offline, downloaded books, songs and movies, pictures, videos and old texts and emails. Plus if he syncs it with his Holo-Display Communicator he can get updates with the help of the FDF and an LEO comm sat. [From SWADE page 68]

• 5 "Bugs" (Micro Transmitter): 12 hours of continuous use each. (-, 30 credits each) [From SWADE page 68]

• 1000 credits

Hero's Journey

• Heroes Journey Education Roll: 1d20 18[7] Attended Good School - Three additional skill points for Smart-based skills.

• Heroes Journey Body Armor Roll: 1d20 8[8] Micro exoskeleton enhancements in the upper torso and arms give your hero a Strength die increase.

• Heroes Journey Ranged Weapon Roll: 1d20 7[9] The superior balance of this weapon allows you to ignore up to 2 points of penalties to Shooting rolls, including those from Called Shots, Cover, Illumination, Range, and Relative Speed.