Please Critique this Last Minute Character!

[Trachmyr]

Long story short, the DF game I was supposed to be in Monday night was switched to a "Walking Dead" campaign and the new group forgot to tell me. The game is "moderately Cinnematic" but minus overt Cinematic advantages and options, but also gritty and "true to the Walking Dead series". 300 Points, 50 Disads + 5 Quirks, No Wealth ads/disads, and some restrictions on Social traits. The game is set to take place about 6 months AFTER the zombies first appear.

I cobbled this together since last night, and while I have a background in my head, I haven't fleshed it out yet:

Spoiler:  

Quick Background: Born in Farmville, NC to a true trailer-trash family. Father mostly in jail, and that was a good thing. More a survivor of neglect rather than abuse. Got into lots of trouble when young, but does remember having fond memories of Hunting trips with her Uncle before he joined the service and was killed overseas. Her High-School coach helped turn her around, even after the relationship became inappropriate after she moved in with her coach. Just before graduation, her coach/S.O. became sick with cancer, and she took care of her for a year before Hospice. After her death, she needed to make a living, and Dancing was 'easy'... eventually, she was able to put herself through enough schooling to become a Paramedic, and had been at that Job for about two years before the zombies.

I want the character to be able to cover most if not all "niches", as there's only 3 players (myself incuded) plus a GM. I know one character will be an ex-gulf war soldier turned cop, but I have no idea about the other. There will also be a dozen or so "Red Shirts" that we'll have to protect.

I'd love some folks to look this over, see if there's anything critical I missed, give advice, tips, etc. Feel free to ask questions as well. I'd also like some advice for gear, it should all fit on a Motorcycle though. Especially what a real paramedic would have.

The primary firearm is also where I could use some advice... I know it needs to have Min ST < 11, Bulk -2, Recoil 2 and prefferably good damage for skull hits and high ammo capacity. It should be something that could be reasonably found amongst a couple of gun-nut's homes and gun/pawn shops. The character's high scrounging skill will give her access to some unusual items, including "Extra Powerful Ammo".

Name: Morgan Sutter

5'9", 140 pounds, age 23. Slim and toned build with a fair complexion. Dark 
brown medium-length hair, always in a ponytail. Striking steel-grey eyes. 
Dresses as your stereotypical tomboy biker. Though quite attractive, her
attitude, mussy hair and dressed down nature allows her to pass as more
of a "plain jane", that is unless she wants to stand out and has a brush handy.

Attributes [188]
ST 11 [10]
DX 14 [80]
IQ 13 [60]
HT 13 [30]

HP 10 [-2]
Will 13
Per 14 [5]
FP 13

Basic Lift 24
Damage 1d-1/1d+1

Basic Speed 7 [5]
Basic Move 7

Ground Move 7
Water Move 1

Social Background
TL: 8 [0]
Cultural Familiarities: Western (Native) [0].
Languages: English (Native) [0]; Spanish (Broken) [2].

Advantages [81]
Absolute Direction [5]
Appearance (Beautiful) [12]
Combat Reflexes [15]
Fearlessness (1) [2]
Hard to Subdue (1) [2]
Intuition (Based On Per (Own Roll)) [18]
Luck (Defensive) [12]
Resistant (Disease) (+3) [3]
Survivor (2) [10]

Perks [11]
Alcohol Tolerance [1]
Classic Features (Tomboy) [1]
Dabbler (High School Athletics) [1]
Dabbler (Honors English) [1]
Dabbler (Misspent Youth) [1]
Dabbler (Passtimes) [1]
Efficient (First-Aid) [1]
Last Man Out [1]
Left Handed [0]
Light but Erratic Menses [0]
Off-Hand Weapon Training (Shortsword) [1]
Passing Appearance (Plain Jane) [1]
Sexual Orientation (Lesbian) [0]
Sexy Pose [1]

Disadvantages [-48]
Bad Sight (Nearsighted) (Glasses) [-10]
Charitable (12 or less) [-15]
Loner (15 or less) [-2]
Pacifism (Cannot Harm Innocents) [-10]
Reputation (-2) (Homophobes; 7 or less) [-1]
Sense of Duty (Her "Crew") [-5]
Stubbornness [-5]

Quirks [-5]
Bottles-up her Emotions [-1]
Dislikes Drunks [-1]
Hopeless Romantic at Heart [-1]
Occasional Smoker [-1]
Staid [-1]

Skills [71]
Area Knowledge (Charlotte, NC) IQ/E - IQ+0 13 [1]
Area Knowledge (Pitt County, NC) IQ/E - IQ+0 13 [1]
Artist (Drawing) IQ/H - IQ-2 11 [1]
Camouflage IQ/E - IQ-2 11 [0]
Carousing HT/E - HT-1 12 [0]
	includes: +3 from 'Dabbler (Passtimes)'
Climbing DX/A - DX-1 13 [1]
Close-Quarters Battle (Bulk -2)/TL8 (Guns (Pistol)) Tech/A -  16 [2]
Computer Operation/TL8 IQ/E - IQ+0 13 [1]
Connoisseur (Literature - Horror) IQ/E - IQ-4 9 [0]
	includes: +1 from 'Dabbler (Passtimes)'
Connoisseur (Music) IQ/A - IQ-4 9 [0]
	includes: +1 from 'Dabbler (Passtimes)'
Connoisseur (TV - Dark Dramas) IQ/E - IQ-4 9 [0]
	includes: +1 from 'Dabbler (Passtimes)'
Current Affairs/TL8 (LGBT Culture) IQ/E - IQ-3 10 [0]
	includes: +1 from 'Dabbler (Passtimes)'
Dancing (Erotic) DX/E - DX+0 14 [1]
Detect Lies Per/H - Per-2 12 [1]
Diagnosis/TL8 (Triage) IQ/A - IQ+0 13 [2]
Driving/TL8 (Automobile) DX/A - DX-1 13 [1]
Driving/TL8 (Heavy Wheeled) DX/A - DX-1 13 [1]
Driving/TL8 (Motorcycle) DX/A - DX+1 15 [4]
Electronics Operation/TL8 (Medical) IQ/A - IQ+0 13 [2]
Fast-Draw/TL8 (Ammo) DX/E - DX+1 15 [1]
	includes: +1 from 'Combat Reflexes'
Fast-Draw/TL8 (Guns (Pistol)) DX/E - DX+1 15 [1]
	includes: +1 from 'Combat Reflexes'
Fast-Talk IQ/A - IQ-2 11 [0]
	includes: +3 from 'Dabbler (Misspent Youth)'
Filch DX/A - DX-3 11 [0]
	includes: +2 from 'Dabbler (Misspent Youth)'
First Aid/TL8 (Human) IQ/E - IQ+4 17 [4]
	includes: +2 from 'Survivor'
Fishing Per/E - Per-4 10 [0]
Forced Entry DX/E - DX+0 14 [1]
Gesture IQ/E - IQ+0 13 [1]
Guns/TL8 (Pistol) DX/E - DX+2 16 [4]
Guns/TL8 (Rifle) DX/E - DX+0 14 [0]
Guns/TL8 (Shotgun) DX/E - DX+1 15 [1]
Hiking HT/A - HT-1 12 [1]
Holdout IQ/A - IQ-3 10 [0]
	includes: +2 from 'Dabbler (Misspent Youth)'
Housekeeping IQ/E - IQ+0 13 [1]
Knife DX/E - DX-1 13 [0]
Knot-Tying DX/E - DX-2 12 [0]
	includes: +2 from 'Survivor'
Literature IQ/H - IQ-4 9 [0]
	includes: +2 from 'Dabbler (Honors English)'
Mechanic/TL8 (Motorcycles) IQ/A - IQ-1 12 [1]
Mounted Shooting (Guns (Pistol)/Motorcycle) Tech/H -  15 [4]
Observation Per/A - Per+0 14 [2]
Physician/TL8 (Emergency Response) IQ/A - IQ+0 13 [2]
Physiology/TL8 (Human) IQ/H - IQ-1 12 [2]
Poetry IQ/A - IQ-2 11 [0]
	includes: +3 from 'Dabbler (Honors English)'
Professional Skill (Paramedic) IQ/A - IQ+0 13 [2]
Scrounging Per/E - Per+2 16 [1]
	includes: +2 from 'Survivor'
Sex Appeal (Human) HT/A - HT+3 16 [1]
	includes: +4 from 'Appearance'
Shortsword DX/A - DX+2 16 [8]
Sports (Basketball) DX/A - DX-4 10 [0]
	includes: +1 from 'Dabbler (High School Athletics)'
Sports (Football) DX/A - DX-4 10 [0]
	includes: +1 from 'Dabbler (High School Athletics)'
Sports (Volleyball) DX/A - DX-2 12 [0]
	includes: +3 from 'Dabbler (High School Athletics)'
Stealth DX/A - DX+0 14 [2]
Surgery/TL8 (Field Surgery) IQ/H - IQ-1 12 [2]
Survival (Woodlands) Per/A - Per+1 15 [1]
	includes: +2 from 'Survivor'
Swimming HT/E - HT-2 11 [0]
	includes: +2 from 'Dabbler (High School Athletics)'
Targeted Attack/TL8 (Guns (Pistol)/Skull) Tech/H -  12 [4]
Targeted Attack (Shortsword Swing/Skull) Tech/H -  12 [4]
Tracking Per/A - Per-1 13 [1]
Weather Sense IQ/A - IQ-1 12 [1]
Writing IQ/A - IQ-3 10 [0]
	includes: +2 from 'Dabbler (Honors English)'

Stats [188] Ads [81] Perk [11] Disads [-48] Quirks [-5] Skills [72] = Total [299]

Hand Weapons
1  Large Knife (Fine)  LC:4  $40  Wgt:1  
    Swing  Dam:1d cut  Reach:C,1  Parry:9  ST:6
    Thrust  Dam:1d imp  Reach:C  Parry:9  ST:6
1  Machette (Fine)  LC:4  $500  Wgt:3  
    Swing  Dam:1d+3 cut  Reach:1  Parry:12  ST:10
    Thrust  Dam:1d-1 imp  Reach:1  Parry:12  ST:10

Ranged Weapons
1  H&K USP, .40 S&W (Ammo +P)  LC:3  Dam:3d-1 pi+  Acc:2  Range:180 / 2000  
    RoF:3  Shots:13+1(3)  ST:10  Bulk:-2  Rcl:2  $770  Wgt:2.3  Notes:[4, 6]

[Miles]

Wow, that's pretty well done. Nice mix of optimization and flavor skills for realism.

For a primary weapon, I think you should ease up on your recoil requirements, take just one shot per turn, and invest in either a high caliber hunting rifle or a shotgun. Shotgun has the edge in damage, rifle in range.

I'd siphon some points away from unarmed skills for TA: Shortsword/Skull. If you're grappling with zombies, you're already dead.

[Faolyn]

I'm not sure that Beautiful meshes well with the Tomboy and Passing Appearance. I'm guessing that you're going for a "she cleans up pretty" thing, but I think that you may want to knock the appearance down to Attractive. To me, at least, the high point cost of Beautiful means that her beauty would shine through her attempts to look plain. This is totally YMMV, though, and it doesn't really affect who she is as a character, so it doesn't matter much if you keep it or not (other than that you'd get 8 points back).

(Also, she strikes me as someone who'd have Brawling instead of Judo).

She looks great, though.

[Trachmyr]

Originally Posted by Miles

Wow, that's pretty well done. Nice mix of optimization and flavor skills for realism.

Thanks!

For a primary weapon, I think you should ease up on your recoil requirements, take just one shot per turn, and invest in either a high caliber hunting rifle or a shotgun. Shotgun has the edge in damage, rifle in range.

Here's my thought process:
While Rifle is the best for range, if I have that kinda of head-start, I'm bugging out rather than firing some shots... which in walking dead style, only serves to bring more zombies.

Shotguns can put on the hurt, and I'll have one (Standard 12ga Pump) for backup. The bonuses to hit with shotguns help absorb the Skull penalty, and she's likely to be hip shooting since that's how she learned as a child (The Pistol skill is new, she used Shotgun skill pre-zombies). But, they generally require two hands, and I like having the Shortsword as a backup.

My primary is pistol because if I have to fire, then it's probably at close range... and I have it set up to shoot while riding, so any zombie that gets in my way can be taken down to allow for an escape.

I'd siphon some points away from unarmed skills for TA: Shortsword/Skull. If you're grappling with zombies, you're already dead.

Hmmm... Zombies in the Walking Dead series rarely (if ever) defend, so I was planning on ample use of Telegraphic Attacks to soak some of the Skull penalty... but you're right, a few points there would be useful.

As for the Wrestling skills, I have to think about it (and maybe do some mock fights)... the idea is that if I'm grappled, I do have a chance to get away and stop it from being bitten, even if taken to the ground. Flexibility, Wresting at DX+1 assist in break-free attempts as does Ground Guard. But perhaps you;re right that I won't be geeting enough bang for the buck, and it certainly won't hurt the character concept to tansition to a more pure Judo style (I expect Judo throws to be a life saver).

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by Faolyn

I'm not sure that Beautiful meshes well with the Tomboy and Passing Appearance. I'm guessing that you're going for a "she cleans up pretty" thing, but I think that you may want to knock the appearance down to Attractive. To me, at least, the high point cost of Beautiful means that her beauty would shine through her attempts to look plain.

The whole point of Passing Appearance is that you're able to be taken for something that you're not... Considering that the same [1] point could get her Passing Appearance (Man), Passing Appearance (Samoan), etc, I'm not seeing a problem...

[Faolyn]

Originally Posted by Gold & Appel Inc

The whole point of Passing Appearance is that you're able to be taken for something that you're not... Considering that the same [1] point could get her Passing Appearance (Man), Passing Appearance (Samoan), etc, I'm not seeing a problem...

The description of Passing Appearance seems to indicate it's more that you tend to look androgynous, of no particular ethnicity, etc.--it's designed to prevent others' in tolerances from affecting you, not to hide your actual appearance from others (that would be the use of the Disguise skill).

But like I said, it's just my gut feeling on the matter: I personally wouldn't do it that way, but I'm not saying that it's wrong, rules-wise.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by Faolyn

The description of Passing Appearance seems to indicate it's more that you tend to look androgynous, of no particular ethnicity, etc.--it's designed to prevent others' in tolerances from affecting you, not to hide your actual appearance from others (that would be the use of the Disguise skill).

Yep, looks like I misremembered the text. In that context, however, PA (Plain Jane) would still be viable, IMHO: It exempts her from hostility over her looks due to Intolerance, Jealousy, etc.

[Trachmyr]

Originally Posted by Faolyn

The description of Passing Appearance seems to indicate it's more that you tend to look androgynous, of no particular ethnicity, etc.--it's designed to prevent others' in tolerances from affecting you, not to hide your actual appearance from others (that would be the use of the Disguise skill).

But like I said, it's just my gut feeling on the matter: I personally wouldn't do it that way, but I'm not saying that it's wrong, rules-wise.

I don't expect that it would disguise the character, but as a Plain Jane, she blends into the crowd and is less likely to be remembered in the future and hassled in the present.

Consider that when she was a 'dancer', she was one of the highest earnes there... but when she dressed in street clothes and walked out the back door, you wouldn't have expected her to work there.

Consider it to be Switchable (Needs 1 minute immediate preparation, Focus: Hair Brush) +8%, for +1 point.

---------------------------------

Based on suggestions, and a quick simulation I made the following changes:

Dropped Judo, Ground Fighting and Wrestling completely. She'll be using DX default for unarmed (I don't see her as the type to have been in many fights, boys left her alone, and girls were scared of her. Given her Pacifism (likely to have been Self-Defence Only prezombie), Charitable, Loner, etc. She's more the type to avoid fights. Postzombie, she uses a Machette. Also dropped Flexibility. Dropped two perks (Ground Guard and Style Familiarity).

Placed 1 point into Climbing, and one into Fast-Draw (Pistol), put 4 points into TA:Swortsword Swing/Skull, and added Luck (Defensive).

That leaves one more for?

[Kalzazz]

Why would she have learned to hip shoot shotguns instead of shooting from the shoulder? Most hunting I am aware of emphasizes shooting the shotgun from the shoulder (and encourages stringent practice focused on making shouldering the shotgun from carrying position to shooting position as smooth as possible)

The big thing about shotguns that is specific to them is the idea of 'leading the target' as you sweep your shotgun across the target and in front of it before you fire . . . . I think hip shooting would make this even trickier

As for gear that would fit on a motorcycle, I would ask your DM for his thoughts on motorcycling gear and armor values . . . . for instance, I wear a Fly Racing Butane jacket, but thats because they were sold out of Terra Trek II jackets

http://www.flyracing.com/product/str...59/silverblack

A motorcyclist could very logically be wearing such a thing, and it might well provide some help vs zombies. And convenient pockets!

[Trachmyr]

Originally Posted by Kalzazz

Why would she have learned to hip shoot shotguns instead of shooting from the shoulder? Most hunting I am aware of emphasizes shooting the shotgun from the shoulder (and encourages stringent practice focused on making shouldering the shotgun from carrying position to shooting position as smooth as possible)

The big thing about shotguns that is specific to them is the idea of 'leading the target' as you sweep your shotgun across the target and in front of it before you fire . . . . I think hip shooting would make this even trickier

She learned to shoot before she was a teenager, Hip Shooting is easier for weaker/younger people. I started shooting from the Hip when I was 7, I was 15 or 16 before I started to shoulder the gun... I still shoot from the hip on occassion if the target is close.

As for gear that would fit on a motorcycle, I would ask your DM for his thoughts on motorcycling gear and armor values . . . . for instance, I wear a Fly Racing Butane jacket, but thats because they were sold out of Terra Trek II jackets

http://www.flyracing.com/product/str...59/silverblack

A motorcyclist could very logically be wearing such a thing, and it might well provide some help vs zombies. And convenient pockets!

Yeah, my Jacket is at least DR2* (-1 vs. Impaling). Armor was part of the concept of going for a biker.

------------------------------------

I was thinking for the last point, a Perk: Hands-Free (Driving (Motorcycle). It would allow hands free only on straight-aways or drifts, but allows one-handed operation without penalty (thus freeing the other hand for a gun). Does this seem OK? I'm assuming this would not be a combat perk (because I don't have enough combat skills to qualify for a second perk).