Question 17

[Edgedancer he/him]

Antimatter is another problem, antimatter doesn't really explode as such it would just annihilate and release gamma radiation bursts. It'd pretty much kill everyone in the city with even a small explosion.

Which I guess further raises the question of how well he can channel the energy of and with how much finess.

[ChickenPlague he/him]

Warriormark do you simply want fancy looking explosions? Because you don't need antimatter for that.

[Mestiv he/him]

I like the idea of Morzatoths epic she should be also able to smell blood from 10km distance, like sharks

[Edgedancer he/him]

I like the idea of Morzatoths epic she should be also able to smell blood from 10km distance, like sharks

And suddenly I'm having Perfume flashbacks,

[Blaze1616 he/him]

I too have an issue with the hyper IQ power. High IQ comes with a trade off, as the increased Logos causes a decreased Ethos emotional response. Your character should have severe trouble with understanding human emotions, and he would rarely show emotion himself, if ever. This issue is exacerbated by the fact that his IQ is higher than anything ever recorded. Moreover, people with IQs that high often specialize in specific areas. For example, one area of specialization would be mathematics, and you'd be able to make difficult calculations in your head near instantly. Another area would be mechanics, where you'd be an engineering god, and though you'd still be good at math, you wouldn't be on the level that the genius who specialized in math is.

 

On that note, an observation from one of my table top campaigns in which one of the players was playing a high IQ character; you don't get any mileage out of the power unless you yourself can think of the things your character should be thinking of. A high IQ is only useful if you, the player, can come up with the ideas and thoughts that the high IQ character has. Now, I'm not trying to say you're not creative enough to make due, but let's just say the buddy of mine in the table top campaign isn't, and as a result his character just sits around watching everyone else do cool things with their powers.

 

Speaking of being difficult to play, another trait you have to remember is that the higher Logos I mentioned in the beginning of this post means your character is hyper logical. As humans that are not hyper logical, it's often difficult to imagine what and how a hyper logical being would act and react. So as a player you need to really think about how a hyper logical being would react, and not have them react on gut feelings or instincts. As an example, you mentioned that your Epic has a friend named Harkness. Well, if Harkness were in mortal danger, and will die if you don't save him, but there's also something beneficial that your Epic could get instead and as a result Harkness would die, your character definitely wouldn't be jumping to save Harkness, but would rather be mentally weighing the benefits that Harkness provides versus the benefits that this something else provides. He would then save Harkness only if his weighing of the pros and cons resulted in Harkness's life being more valuable to him. As noted, I'm not saying you lack the capacity to do this, but it's a very difficult role playing task to do so, particularly if you yourself are programmed to emotional reactions.

 

Just some things to think about.

Edited December 29, 2015 by Blaze1616

[Voidus]

I too have an issue with the hyper IQ power. High IQ comes with a trade off, as the increased Logos causes a decreased Ethos. Your character should have severe trouble with understanding human emotions, and he would rarely show emotion himself, if ever. This issue is exacerbated by the fact that his IQ is higher than anything ever recorded. Moreover, people with IQs that high often specialize in specific areas. For example, one area of specialization would be mathematics, and you'd be able to make difficult calculations in your head near instantly. Another area would be mechanics, where you'd be an engineering god, and though you'd still be good at math, you wouldn't be on the level that the genius who specialized in math is.

 

On that note, an observation from one of my table top campaigns in which one of the players was playing a high IQ character; you don't get any mileage out of the power unless you yourself can think of the things your character should be thinking of. A high IQ is only useful if you, the player, can come up with the ideas and thoughts that the high IQ character has. Now, I'm not trying to say you're not creative enough to make due, but let's just say the buddy of mine in the table top campaign isn't, and as a result his character just sits around watching everyone else do cool things with their powers.

 

Speaking of being difficult to play, another trait you have to remember is that the higher Logos I mentioned in the beginning of this post means your character is hyper logical. As humans that are not hyper logical, it's often difficult to imagine what and how a hyper logical being would act and react. So as a player you need to really think about how a hyper logical being would react, and not have them react on gut feelings or instincts. As an example, you mentioned that your Epic has a friend named Harkness. Well, if Harkness were in mortal danger, and will die if you don't save him, but there's also something beneficial that your Epic could get instead and as a result Harkness would die, your character definitely wouldn't be jumping to save Harkness, but would rather be mentally weighing the benefits that Harkness provides versus the benefits that this something else provides. He would then save Harkness only if his weighing of the pros and cons resulted in Harkness's life being more valuable to him. As noted, I'm not saying you lack the capacity to do this, but it's a very difficult role playing task to do so, particularly if you yourself are programmed to emotional reactions.

 

Just some things to think about.

I'm not sure that you could argue that High IQ is equivalent to having a lack of ethics or empathy. The Logical part is proportionately higher so it would certainly skew things in that direction but it doesn't mean they're any less able to use emotional reasoning, it is from a certain perspective just a different set of logic applied to certain axioms.

[Edgedancer he/him]

I too have an issue with the hyper IQ power. High IQ comes with a trade off, as the increased Logos causes a decreased Ethos. Your character should have severe trouble with understanding human emotions, and he would rarely show emotion himself, if ever. This issue is exacerbated by the fact that his IQ is higher than anything ever recorded. Moreover, people with IQs that high often specialize in specific areas. For example, one area of specialization would be mathematics, and you'd be able to make difficult calculations in your head near instantly. Another area would be mechanics, where you'd be an engineering god, and though you'd still be good at math, you wouldn't be on the level that the genius who specialized in math is.

 

On that note, an observation from one of my table top campaigns in which one of the players was playing a high IQ character; you don't get any mileage out of the power unless you yourself can think of the things your character should be thinking of. A high IQ is only useful if you, the player, can come up with the ideas and thoughts that the high IQ character has. Now, I'm not trying to say you're not creative enough to make due, but let's just say the buddy of mine in the table top campaign isn't, and as a result his character just sits around watching everyone else do cool things with their powers.

 

Speaking of being difficult to play, another trait you have to remember is that the higher Logos I mentioned in the beginning of this post means your character is hyper logical. As humans that are not hyper logical, it's often difficult to imagine what and how a hyper logical being would act and react. So as a player you need to really think about how a hyper logical being would react, and not have them react on gut feelings or instincts. As an example, you mentioned that your Epic has a friend named Harkness. Well, if Harkness were in mortal danger, and will die if you don't save him, but there's also something beneficial that your Epic could get instead and as a result Harkness would die, your character definitely wouldn't be jumping to save Harkness, but would rather be mentally weighing the benefits that Harkness provides versus the benefits that this something else provides. He would then save Harkness only if his weighing of the pros and cons resulted in Harkness's life being more valuable to him. As noted, I'm not saying you lack the capacity to do this, but it's a very difficult role playing task to do so, particularly if you yourself are programmed to emotional reactions.

Just some things to think about.

Yeah, that's one of the major problems with having a power like super intelligence. It's essentially a peripheral stabbed right into your characters personality. Granted, some of it could be circumvented by saying its unnatural nature means it doesn't have exactly the same consequences as a normal high IQ would cause (and it's not like reality is a point buy system with these things on the balance) but it is one that shapes the character much more than most other powers could.

[Blaze1616 he/him]

I'm not sure that you could argue that High IQ is equivalent to having a lack of ethics or empathy. The Logical part is proportionately higher so it would certainly skew things in that direction but it doesn't mean they're any less able to use emotional reasoning, it is from a certain perspective just a different set of logic applied to certain axioms.

 

Whoops, I wrote Ethos, but my brain was thinking of emotional responses. I blame my Speech class for Pavloving me into always thinking of Ethos and Pathos after Logos.

 

As for the decreased understanding of human emotions, it's a natural consequence of the heightened state of logical thinking, as often emotions aren't logical. It's a noticeable and recorded "side effect" in humans with IQs near Einstein's, and considering that this Epic's is so much higher than that, I don't see a workaround other than the hand wave that Edge suggested.

 

Saying they don't understand it might be the wrong phrase, because, as you've noted, predicting how an emotional human will react is often simply an application of known reactions to the set of circumstances. That doesn't mean that the individual truly understands, though. Understanding that someone is sad due to the loss of a loved one doesn't mean that the individual truly understands why the loss of a loved one is a saddening experience, as pure logic would dictate that there is nothing more you can do, and so you move on with your life, as time wasted is time you can't get back.

[TwiLyghtSansSparkles she/her]

Hyper-logical Epics also bring up the question of how that would interact with their being driven by fear. It's not impossible, but this Epic would look rather different from other Epics in terms of behavior. He might not even understand the fear that's driving him, while still being driven by it.

[Edgedancer he/him]

Hyper-logical Epics also bring up the question of how that would interact with their being driven by fear. It's not impossible, but this Epic would look rather different from other Epics in terms of behavior. He might not even understand the fear that's driving him, while still being driven by it.

To be fair, I'm still not sure to which an extend it is actually ruling them. The certainly is a fear at the core of their being and they seem to react badly/jumpy at bad things happening but looking at examples like Obliteration, Regalia and Fortuity I find it hard to make it the one thing that actually drives them.

[Edgedancer he/him]

Wait... Am I actually the only one besides Twi who chose a vanilla as their initial character?

Honor Spren and Mistrunner settled on vanillas but they haven't actually posted yet... and I think there were a couple ones (one or two) that had ones when this started but then quit. Then two or so that had their rending. So yeah, you're part of a pretty elite group.

[TwiLyghtSansSparkles she/her]

Wait... Am I actually the only one besides Twi who chose a vanilla as their initial character?

Comatose chose a vanilla-Epic pair as his initial characters, and the first POV we got was the vanilla's. He introduced Taylor's POV sooner than I introduced Funtimes', but that's probably because it took me so long to get inside Funtimes' head. Other than that....I think so. Kobold and Edge adopted vanillas relatively soon after introducing their Epics, and Honor Spren and Mistrunner are going to join as vanillas before too long.

Edit: Ninja'd.

Edited December 29, 2015 by TwiLyghtSansSparkles

[Voidus]

I still regret turning my vanilla into an Epic. Crazy Vanillas are more fun to write.
But crazy Epics are also fun to write and I do have just an absolutely insane number of Epic profiles that I need to characterize so I guess he was doomed from the start.

[Edgedancer he/him]

Comatose chose a vanilla-Epic pair as his initial characters, and the first POV we got was the vanilla's. He introduced Taylor's POV sooner than I introduced Funtimes', but that's probably because it took me so long to get inside Funtimes' head. Other than that....I think so. Kobold and Edge adopted vanillas relatively soon after introducing their Epics, and Honor Spren and Mistrunner are going to join as vanillas before too long.

Edit: Ninja'd.

Well you remembered Brandon, so there's that.

 

I still regret turning my vanilla into an Epic. Crazy Vanillas are more fun to write.

But crazy Epics are also fun to write and I do have just an absolutely insane number of Epic profiles that I need to characterize so I guess he was doomed from the start.

Maybe it's just everyone else that is crazy and the Pmada doesn't actually have powers. Everyone just imagined them.

I can take at least some for the Reaper Man if that would lessen your load.

[TwiLyghtSansSparkles she/her]

Well you remembered Brandon, so there's that.

 

Maybe it's just everyone else that is crazy and the Pmada doesn't actually have powers. Everyone just imagined them.

I can take at least some for the Reaper Man if that would lessen your load.

 

He's dating Taylor. Gotta feel sorry for him.  

 

Pmada is a strangely perfect nickname.  

[Edgedancer he/him]

He's dating Taylor. Gotta feel sorry for him.

 

Pmada is a strangely perfect nickname.

She's also his beard, so yeah.

 

Pmada, Evil Jesus, I seem to be getting better at these.

[TwiLyghtSansSparkles she/her]

She's also his beard, so yeah.

 

Pmada, Evil Jesus, I seem to be getting better at these.

 

A very angry, murderous beard that still has a decent singing voice.  

 

….I think that metaphor got away from me. 

 

Do Metronome! Do Metronome!  

[Edgedancer he/him]

A very angry, murderous beard that still has a decent singing voice.

 

….I think that metaphor got away from me. 

 

Do Metronome! Do Metronome!

And funnily enough, she probalby could turn into/grow herself a singing beard.

 

Please, Metronome the might does not require a nick name for he is everything and all names refer to him.*

 

*I just don't want him to feel bad about the name i would come up with.

[Stormgate he/him]

Completely random, how do you join a city? Do you PM the Gamemaster your Epics and weaknesses, then just go have fun? I have literally no clue.

[TwiLyghtSansSparkles she/her]

Completely random, how do you join a city? Do you PM the Gamemaster your Epics and weaknesses, then just go have fun? I have literally no clue.

Post the profiles here (sans weaknesses, unless you want to share) so other players in the thread can give input as to where they'd fit. Do you have an idea of where you'd like to join?

[Edgedancer he/him]

Completely random, how do you join a city? Do you PM the Gamemaster your Epics and weaknesses, then just go have fun? I have literally no clue.

More or less. It helps figuring out what you want to do with your Epic in the location first but that part is rather informal.

 

Edit: And this time I was hit by the pink pony ninja.

Edited December 29, 2015 by Edgedancer

[Stormgate he/him]

I'm thinking of using Mugshot, Neutrality, and maybe Stormgate. Do I have to have a weakness for Mugshot, though? The guy's one power is to shoot mugs. Not exactly something that you really care to neutralize.

Edit: I'm currently thinking Astoria.

Edited December 29, 2015 by Stormgate

[ChickenPlague he/him]

I'm thinking of using Mugshot, Neutrality, and maybe Stormgate. Do I have to have a weakness for Mugshot, though? The guy's one power is to shoot mugs. Not exactly something that you really care to neutralize.

Edit: I'm currently thinking Astoria.

Weakness- bottles

[TwiLyghtSansSparkles she/her]

I'm thinking of using Mugshot, Neutrality, and maybe Stormgate. Do I have to have a weakness for Mugshot, though? The guy's one power is to shoot mugs. Not exactly something that you really care to neutralize.

Edit: I'm currently thinking Astoria.

Weaknesses help flesh out Epic characters, so I would say yes. Even if it never comes into play, it will help his characterization if you know what's driving him.

[Mashadar Mistborn he/him]

I'm thinking of using Mugshot, Neutrality, and maybe Stormgate. Do I have to have a weakness for Mugshot, though? The guy's one power is to shoot mugs. Not exactly something that you really care to neutralize.

Edit: I'm currently thinking Astoria.

Yeah, you still need a weakness. Make a gigantic backstory, and the weakness kind of reveals itself.

Speaking of backstory, I'm thinking of making an epic who was raised by ocelots.

Ninja'd.. twice.

Edited December 29, 2015 by Mashadar Mistborn