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Old 01-20-2021, 10:12 PM   #1
Otaku
 
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Default How to Build Super Strong Hands?

So, the short version is that I came up with a character concept: a criminal with super hand strength. For all I know, this is in Basic and I'm just missing it, so let me know if there are official rules and in what book. Otherwise, homebrew is fine so long as it makes sense. ;) I should clarify that I am not talking about super strong arms: just his hands. I also may be wrong about exactly what I need, so let me describe what I'd like the character to be able to do:

If something needs broken, odds are this is your guy. That includes breaking and entering; as long as grabbing and crushing with his hands or poking with his fingers can break something in the way you need, he's your guy. He's not super strong when it comes to punching, or restraining targets. He can hurt someone pretty bad if he gets them in his grip, though. Maybe he can do some funny - or even effective - tricks with a finger flick as well. I wasn't planning on his hands being super durable. Part of his shtick will be wearing hand armor, or at least some sort of hand-based gear.
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Old 01-20-2021, 11:54 PM   #2
RedMattis
 
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Default Re: How to Build Super Strong Hands?

I'd handle crushing things in your hands as an Innate Attack Crush with a limitation requiring you to be grappling your target. If there is nothing like that in the books then it is probably comparable to Contact Agent (which doesn't require grappling, but needs an exposed surface. Probably a comparable tradeoff)

For grappling people I'd just give him Lifting-ST with a limitation that it doesn't actually improve his lifting, but only assists in grappling. Since it is really just is hands that are super-strong you probably don't need to give him much. You could also just give him a really high Wrestling Skill and justify it with his Super Power.
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Old 01-21-2021, 07:53 AM   #3
AlexanderHowl
 
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Default Re: How to Build Super Strong Hands?

Its Tank Top Black Hole from One Punch Man. In general, such a character is probably going to be a 'C' list supethero, as even the characters from Great Lakes Avengers have more utility. As for the specific power, I would just turn Arm ST into Hand ST by halving the cost (+1 ST per 2.5 CP for a being with two hands) and then apply the Super ST modifier (+300%), for a final cost of 10 CP per +1 Super ST (Hands). Therefore, it would cost 100 CP to give the individual Super ST (Hands) +10/+100.
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Old 01-21-2021, 08:44 AM   #4
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Default Re: How to Build Super Strong Hands?

In Mark Skarr's Cyberpunk/Anime Supervillain game, we represented this on my PC with Arm ST (Grip Only -80%) [1/Level], applying it only to situations where he needed to hold onto something (resisting attempts to Break Free or Disarm mostly). I could see adding a Crushing IA onto that, but I didn't bother because he already had a big one with Double Knockback for "punching" people with them (they were Force Projections).
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Old 01-21-2021, 09:57 AM   #5
Otaku
 
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Default Re: How to Build Super Strong Hands?

Good ideas, all. When I have more time, I'll go though the math behind them. I wouldn't be surprised if a hybrid approach, using Hand ST for general stuff but a few Innate Attacks for "special applications" works out best. Oh, and don't let that stop others from weighing in; I'd hate to miss a great answer because I made people think this was finished and settled. There isn't exactly a deadline for this character, at least, not anything in the immediate future.

Oh, and I am embarrassed I didn't even realize this would match Tank Top Black Hole. Probably because I didn't know what "realistic" grip strength was when he was bragging, so I assumed he was just a niche athlete and not a low-level Super. At least, if I am reading the numbers correctly he'd be superhuman. While not intentional, the setting of One Punch Man is a decent stylistic fit. That is to say, things can go back and forth easily from goofy to serious.

I'm strongly leaning towards this criminal going by the name "Fred Lobster". The name didn't come first, but third (after power and criminal applications of said power). With his hand ST not coming with equally superhuman levels of Hand DR or HP, I thought he could slowly go from simple hand protection to more and more elaborate options. Then just have him be an able - but not superhuman - swimmer. He's not supposed to be a hero at all, but yeah; not impressive enough to be his own supervillain, but maybe a right (and left XP) hand man?
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Old 01-21-2021, 02:13 PM   #6
AlexanderHowl
 
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Default Re: How to Build Super Strong Hands?

Grip ST is measured in pounds of force, which is probably 6×BL or BL in psi, so Tank Top Black Hole's 2800 psi is something equivalent to BL 2800 lbs, which would be Super Hand ST 30/120 (ST 20 [100] plus Super Hand ST+10/100 [100]).
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Old 01-21-2021, 03:02 PM   #7
Jinumon
 
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Default Re: How to Build Super Strong Hands?

High Manual Dexterity in the Basic Set is basically Hand DX, and is priced at 1/4 of regular DX (5 points/level). So you could price Hand ST at 1/4 of regular ST, or 2.5 points/level.

You could also think of High Manual Dexterity as being priced at 1/3 of regular DX, as DX without the increase to Basic Speed is 15 points/level. Using that as a baseline, Hand ST would 1/3 of regular ST, or 3.3 points/level.

I'd say splitting the difference and just calling it 3 points/level is probably good.

Jinumon

EDIT: The same could be applied to Super ST; price Super Hand ST at 30% Super ST's cost.
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Old 01-21-2021, 03:26 PM   #8
Sam Baughn
 
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Default Re: How to Build Super Strong Hands?

Template Toolkit 2 has the Good Grip advantage, which is basically Bad Grip in reverse and probably relevant to such a character.
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Old 01-21-2021, 07:52 PM   #9
Otaku
 
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Default Re: How to Build Super Strong Hands?

Again, appreciating the options being presented. Due to its relevance, I wanted to highlight:

Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl View Post
Grip ST is measured in pounds of force, which is probably 6×BL or BL in psi, so Tank Top Black Hole's 2800 psi is something equivalent to BL 2800 lbs, which would be Super Hand ST 30/120 (ST 20 [100] plus Super Hand ST+10/100 [100]).
This isn't being built for a specific game, so I have a good reason to consider multiple approaches to the build. Tank Top Black Hole wasn't the inspiration for the character, but he's certainly a great point of reference. I probably should point out I wasn't planning "Fred" to have any Super ST outside of his hands. A high but technically realistic ST? Sure. I do want him to actually be a thief/rogue-ish character. It is just his super-strong hands let him take advantage of certain... shortcuts not available to his piers.
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Old 01-22-2021, 04:16 PM   #10
Plane
 
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Default Re: How to Build Super Strong Hands?

technical grappling 28 has "(Limb) Grip ST" limitation for Lifting ST for "applying to only one set or type of limbs"

which I figure benefits not just hand stuff but also other no-hands stuff you do with arms

to narrow it further to JUST one arm, I'd speculate doubling the limitation value like Damage Resistance does, from -70% to -140% although I don't know what sort of enhancements you'd add to benefit from more than the extra -10% reaching the -80% cap

DR treats "hands only" as twice the value of "arms only" (not sure if arms only protects hands too) so should that double it further to -280% ?

at that point I'm wondering if we should have something like this custom house-rule enhancement:

"Extra Level +100%"

I've thought that would be cool to have for DR too, to explain why you'd bother taking more than -80% in limitations for DR that you didn't want to take some of the four standard enhancements (force field, hardend, refleciton, absorption)

this could be part of a broader "Improved Levels" spectrum of multipliers, where you just increase the level of your advantage by a % equal to the value of the enhancement, so +100% levels (double) for +100% enhancement, +200% levels (triple) for +200% enhancement, and so on
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