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Need Guidance: Spider-Man Build

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Orion Ultor:
One of the players of my friend's DFRPG session last night had arrived after having watched the new Spider-Man movie and all he wanted to do was play "Spider-Man". Since we couldn't figure out this week, he agreed to wait until next week, instead playing a "disposable" Uncle Ben character (as a reason for "Pete" to join the quest, after Ben dies).

Now, I had originally thought that he'd need a Mortal Scion build, but he kept insisting on a "pure"*-human build…help please?

*He's fine with a Practioner–>Wizard or Altered Human, but purely human beyond that.

Anubissama:
Since in some continuities, Spider-Man's powers have a mystical origin, namely he is connected to the Spider Totem, a kind of animalistic deity/power that can grant people it deems worthy Spider-like abilities.

The story line introduces Ezekiel, a wealthy CEO who has similar spider powers as Spider-Man but gained them through magical rituals. There is also an antagonist, Morlun, who is a totem hunter, who hunts and feeds upon the magical power of totem bearers like Spider-Man. Later they also introduce an outer dimensional being called the Guardian which judges Totem Bearers and if it sees them unworthy of their powers it kills them. In one story where Spider-Man visited the Astral Plane, his presence attracted the attention of spider-like monsters who wanted to eat him because he was the perfect kind of food for them etc.

So there is a surprising amount of comic lore to build a whole supernatural world around a spider-themed character. The shamanism-totem angle (maybe there are other Totem bearers of other animals out there too?), the whole predatory battles you get drawn into because you are a supernatural predatory animal now, a whole arcane world upon itself which is about judging and controlling Totem Holders etc.

As for the mechanics, the easiest will be to go with the Spider Totem take, and give him a sponsored power, marked by power, and then through the sponsor give him the abilities he needs to be Spider-Man like:
- Spider Walk (obviously),
- Breath Weapon (for the nets, maybe with a stunt to add some "grapple" effect to it to simulate being caught in them),
- Echoes of the Beast or Supernatural Senses (for the Spider-sense),
- Wings (for the web-slinging when he moves around via net),
- Cloak of Shadows (for the hiding and sneaking Spidey does),
- Inhuman Speed (for the agility and reflexes Spider-Man has)
- Inhuman Strength might be also called for.

IIRC Spidey taps out around lifting a small car, so he is on the low end of Superhero Strength.

Anubissama:
On second thought, I think an IoP would work better. We still go with the Spider Totem theme, but now his character wears a literal totem necklace that is the source of his powers. Everything else stays the same, that would give you the following build:

- Breath Weapon -2 (in the end I went with no extra stunt for a Grapple effect, it can be simulated by using the attack as a manoeuvre to give your opponent an aspect like "entangled in my webs", no stunt needed)
- Echoes of the Beast -1 (to give him an alertness bonus to simulate the Spidey-sense)
- Spider Walk -1
- Wings -1 (for sling-web shooting through the skyscrapers)
- Cloak of Shadows -1 (for spider-like sneaking around)
- Inhuman Speed -2 (for his agility)
- Inhuman Strength -2

Which gives us a refresh cost of 10, take the +2 bonus from the IoP and you end up with refresh 8. If you play Chest Deep, drop the Cloak of Shadows for example.

Orion Ultor:

--- Quote from: Anubissama on July 09, 2017, 10:05:10 AM ---On second thought, I think an IoP would work better. We still go with the Spider Totem theme, but now his character wears a literal totem necklace that is the source of his powers. Everything else stays the same, that would give you the following build:

- Breath Weapon -2 (in the end I went with no extra stunt for a Grapple effect, it can be simulated by using the attack as a manoeuvre to give your opponent an aspect like "entangled in my webs", no stunt needed)
- Echoes of the Beast -1 (to give him an alertness bonus to simulate the Spidey-sense)
- Spider Walk -1
- Wings -1 (for sling-web shooting through the skyscrapers)
- Cloak of Shadows -1 (for spider-like sneaking around)
- Inhuman Speed -2 (for his agility)
- Inhuman Strength -2

Which gives us a refresh cost of 10, take the +2 bonus from the IoP and you end up with refresh 8. If you play Chest Deep, drop the Cloak of Shadows for example.

--- End quote ---
Thank you!

Anubissama:

--- Quote from: Orion Ultor on July 09, 2017, 12:24:00 PM ---Thank you!

--- End quote ---

No problem, it was a fun thought experiment. Read up on the Spider-Man stories that touch on the mystical aspects of his powers too. Just google "Spiderman Spider Totem" or "Ezekiel Spiderman". They are basically your already prepared storyline, and can give you ideas how to make his life miserable ;)

Also, remember to make the fact that it is an IoP come into play. Like it might get stolen, or the chain it is on may break during a fight etc. There is a reason for the +2 bonus when making your powers an IoP, this is it.

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