Gamemaster’s Guidepost: Starting Point Totals, Part Deux

In my previous take on this subject, I talked about how you might measure a campaign’s starting point total and touched briefly on cinematic characters and how they don’t exactly match up with the Basic Set’s listed total allotments. Today, I’m going to do something unusual and probably will cause a bit of infighting: I’m going to write up John McClane from the Die Hard film series. I’m going off the Action series as a “campaign frame,” but I’m not using any of those templates. Action characters are designed to work with a group of other characters and frankly, John isn’t. So to try to capture that I’m also going to be using the Ultimate Action Hero template and Action Demigod lens from Sean “Dr. Kromm” Punch’s Pyramid #3/53 Action article Buddies and Loners. Here goes:

Detective John McClane

450 points

McClane is a balding, white man in his mid to late 40’s, with a small build (though he is physically fit). He has a tattoo on his left arm and a slightly unshaven face with rumpled clothing that always looks slept-in.

ST 12 [20]; DX 15 [100]; IQ 14 [80]; HT 14 [40].
Damage 1d-1/1d+2; BL 29 lbs.; HP 16 [8]; Will 15 [5]; Per 16 [10]; FP 14 [0].
Basic Speed 7.25 [0]; Basic Move 7 [0]; Dodge 11; Parry (Brawling) 12; Parry (Knife) 11; Parry (Wrestling) 12.
6’0”; 202 lbs.

Social Background
TL: 8 [0].
CF: Western [0].
Languages: English (Native) [0].

Advantages
Combat Reflexes [15]; Daredevil [15]; Damage Resistance 2 (Tough Skin, -40%) [6]; Fit [5]; Gunslinger [25]; Jack of All Trades 1 [10]; Legal Enforcement Powers (Local – NYPD) [5]; Police Rank (NYPD) 1 [5]; Ridiculous Luck [60]; Very Rapid Healing [15].

Disadvantages
Compulsive Drinking (12) [-5];  Duty (Police Department; 15 or less) [-15]; On the Edge (12) [-15];  Supernatural Magnet (Violence Magnet*) [-15].
Quirks: Has tin in his blood (-2 reactions against those who dislike the police); King of the One-Liners; Nosy; “One Step Away From Being an Alcoholic;” Responsive. [‑5]

Skills
Acrobatics (H) DX-1 [2]-14; Armoury (Small Arms) (A) IQ [2]-14; Brawling (E) DX+2 [4]-17; Climbing (A) DX [2]-15; Computer Operation (E) IQ+1 [2]-15;  Criminology (A) IQ [2]-14;  Detect Lies (H) Per-2 [1]-14; Driving (Automobile) (A) DX [2]-15; Fast-Draw (Ammo) (E) DX [1]-15; Fast-Draw (Long Arm) (E) DX [1]-15; Fast-Draw (Pistol) (E) DX [1]-15; Fast-Talk (A) IQ+0 [2]-14; First Aid (E) IQ [1]-14; Forced Entry (E) DX+1 [2]-15; Guns (Pistol) (E) DX+5 [16]-20; Guns (Rifle) (E) DX [1]-18†; Guns (Submachine Gun) (E) DX+2 [3]-20†; Holdout (A) IQ+1 [4]-15; Intelligence Analysis (H) IQ [4]-14; Interrogation (A) IQ [2]-14; Intimidation (A) Will+1 [4]-16; Jumping (E) DX [1]-15; Knife (E) DX [1]-15; Law (Police) (H) IQ [4]-14; Observation (A) Per-1 [1]-15; Savoir-Faire (Police) (E) IQ [1]-14; Search (A) Per [2]-16; Stealth (A) DX [2]-15; Streetwise (A) IQ [2]-14; Tactics (H) IQ-1 [2]-13; Urban Survival (A) Per [2]-16; Wrestling (A) DX+1 [4]-16.
* This non-supernatural version of Weirdness Magnet represents a propensity to perpetually be in “the wrong place, right time.” If there are two warring gangs near your current location, you’ll be involved in a shootout. If you walk into a corner-side bodega, you’ll walk into it being robbed. GMs should be merciless in inflicting this disadvantage. It gives a +2 bonus vs. anyone you save the first time, but a -2 penalty if they get involved in your shenanigans again.
† Raised from default from Guns (Pistol).

Picking Over the Bones
I’m pretty sure that I covered McClane pretty well, and I was going to write something witty here about how points don’t really equate to power, but then PK went and wrote this on the forums saying it much better than I ever could:

Posted in Gamemaster's Guidepost and tagged , , .

One Comment

  1. I was going to say his stats are too high, but that would only possibly be true for the first movie. He does take down well trained soldiers (hence not mooks) with no problems in the sequels.

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