Phantasm

Status: Inactive
System: Heroes Unlimited 2e/Rifts

Phantasm is essentially a rip-off of the DC Comics character of the same name. The DC character is obscure enough, however, that several of the gamers in the group at the time believed that he was an original creation of mine.

The DC character was a telekinetic by the name of Danny Chase, a member of the New Titans in the late 1980s and early 1990s, who, during the Titans Hunt storyline which killed a number of the Titans, faked his own death and created the cover identity of "Phantasm" by appropriating a bolt of brown fabric, a pair of gloves, a hockey mask, and a toy robotic voice changer, which he manipulated telekinetically. Sometimes, he would manipulate them from within, but other times he would manipulate them from a distance. Danny Chase died at the end of that story arc, while the Phantasm identity was taken over by a group of disembodied souls.

My version of Phantasm is an inner city kid whose powers manifested early on in puberty, the quintessential "98 pound weakling". I haven't used him in many games; the one that stands out is a game where everyone in it had psionic powers of some sort. I built Phantasm using the Master Psionic Power Category in Heroes Unlimited Second edition; as the game took place on Rifts Earth, I delved into the Rifts Conversion Book and nearly ended up doubling his power, raw and applied. I intended him to be almost strictly possessing physical psionic powers; the game system, however, was against me, as I ended up giving him 41 distinct psionic powers from all the categories. I almost literally ran out of powers to give him!

Joe was fairly fun to play: a super-hero in Rifts Earth. I'm not sure if I'd pull him out to play again, however. He's too powerful for most games.

Real Name: Joe Brown
Power Category: Master Psionic
Level: 7
Exp: 38,620
Needed: 50,920

Gender: Male
Age: 20
Height: 5' 4"
Weight: 98 lbs.
Eyes: Grey
Hair: Brown
Note: His teammates don't know what this guy truly looks like.

Alignment: Scrupulous
Disposition: Secretive, terribly mysterious (in costume); slacker (out of costume)
Education Level: Trade School
Cash: $200
Credits: 9,075 cr
Gold: 9 coins

IQ: 12 Perception: +1
ME: 26
MA: 9
PS: 6 Carry: 60 lbs. Lift: 120 lbs.
PP: 11
PE: 11
PB: 9
Spd: 10
HP: 45
SDC: 30
PPE: 9 (19 in Rifts)
ISP: 198 (396 in Rifts)
Chi: 11
HF: 14 (in costume)

Psionic Abilities:

Ectoplasm: Range: 70 ft.; Duration: 28 minutes; ISP Cost: Vapor: 6; Solid: 12

Ectoplasmic Disguise: Duration: 70 minutes; ISP Cost: 12; Proficiency: 68%

Float: Duration: 2 hours; ISP Cost: 8

Levitation

Range: 60 ft.

Duration: 14 minutes

ISP Cost:

small: 2

medium: 6

large: 6 per 10 lbs.

Telekinetic Acceleration Attack: Range: 110 ft.; ISP Cost: 10 for SDC, 20 for MDC; Damage: 2D4x10 SDC, or 3D6+4 MDC

Telekinetic Punch: Range: up to 1 ft.; ISP Cost: 6; Damage: 4D6 SDC

Object Read: Range: Touch; Duration: 2D6 minutes; ISP Cost: 6; Impressions: 68%; Images: 60%; Present: 50%, costs 4 additional ISP

Presense Sense: Range: 60 ft. radius; Duration: 14 minutes; ISP Cost: 4

Alter Aura: Range: Self; Duration: 7 hour; ISP Cost: 2

Telekinetic Lift: Range: Self or Touch; Duration: 14 melees / 3.5 minutes; ISP Cost: 6

Telekinetic Push: Range: Touch or 7 ft.; Duration: Instant; ISP Cost: 4; Apparent PS: 22

Super Telekinesis: Range: 100 ft.; Duration: 14 minutes; ISP Cost: 10 per 100 lbs.; Damage: 1D4x10 SDC per 100 lbs.

Telekinetic Force Field: Range: 280 ft.; Volume: 70 cu ft area; Duration: 70 minutes; SDC: 210; MDC: 175; ISP Cost: 30

Hypnotic Suggestion: Range: 12 ft.; Duration: Varies; ISP Cost: 6; Saving Throw: Standard

Telekinetic Leap: Range: Self; Duration: One melee action; ISP Cost: 8; Distance: an additional 21 ft. up, or 35 ft. across

Detect Psionics: Range: 210 ft.; Duration: 7 minutes; ISP Cost: 6

Mask ISP & Psionics: Range: Self; Duration: 70 minutes; ISP Cost: 7

Deaden Senses: Range: 160 ft; Duration: 2D6 minutes; ISP Cost: 4; Saving Throw: -1 to save

Spontaneous Combustion: Range: Touch or 10 ft.; Duration: Instant; ISP Cost: 6; Saving Throw: None

Sense Evil: Range: 140 ft.; Duration: 14 minutes; ISP Cost: 2; Saving Throw: None

Sense Magic: Range: 120 ft.; Duration: 14 minutes; ISP Cost: 3; Saving Throw: None

Telepathy

Range:

Surface Thoughts: 60 ft.

Two-Way Communication: 140 ft.

Duration: 14 minutes

ISP Cost: 4

Saving Throw: Conditional

Total Recall: Range: Self; Duration: Permanent; ISP Cost: 2

Sixth Sense

Range: 90 ft.

Duration: Until the danger passes or happens

ISP Cost: 2

Saving Throw: None

Bonuses:

+6 to init

+2 to parry

+3 to dodge

See the Invisible: Range: 120 ft.; Duration: 7 minutes; ISP Cost: 4; Saving Throw: None

Resist Fatigue: Range: Self; Duration: 3 hours; ISP Cost: 4

Mind Block Auto-Defense: Range: Self; Duration: Special; ISP Cost: Special

Invisible Haze: Range: Self/Line of Sight; Duration: 6 minutes; ISP 30; Saving Throw: Standard

Psi-Sword: Range: Self; Duration: 35 minutes; ISP Cost: 30; Damage: 8d6

In Rifts:
Death Trance: Range: Self; Duration: up to 4 days; ISP Cost: 1

Impervious to Cold: Range: Self; Duration: 140 minutes; Length of Trance: 1D4 melees prep; ISP Cost: 2

Impervious to Fire: Range: Self; Duration: 21 minutes; Length of Trance: 2D4 melees prep; ISP Cost: 4

Impervious to Poison/Toxin: Range: Self; Duration: 2 minutes; ISP Cost: 4

Mind Block: Range: Self; Duration: 70 minutes; ISP Cost: 4

Nightvision: Range: 600 ft.; Duration: 70 minutes; ISP Cost: 4

Resist Hunger: Range: Self; Duration: 6 hours; ISP Cost: 2

Resist Thirst: Range: Self; Duration: 6 hours; ISP Cost: 6

Summon Inner Strength: Range: Self; Duration: 70 minutes; ISP Cost: 4

Bio-Manipulation

Range: 160 ft.

Duration 4D4 minutes

ISP Cost: 10

Saving Throw: Standard

Blind: Victims are -9 to strike/parry/dodge

Deaf:

Victims are -6 to parry/dodge from behind

-3 to strike/parry/dodge

lose initiative on all attacks

Mute: -2 to strike/parry/dodge first melee only

Pain: -6 to strike/parry/dodge, -1 to Hit Points/MDC

Paralysis: immobilizes the victim

Stun: Victims lose next attack, speed is halved, -4 to strike/parry/dodge.

Tissue Manipulation: -1 to strike/parry/dodge

Empathic Transmission

Range: 60 ft.

Duration: 2D6 minutes

ISP Cost: 6

Saving Throw: Standard

Despair/Sorrow: 50% chance of victim surrendering; victims are -2 to parry and dodge

Confusion: victims are -3 to s/p/d, and lose initiative

Fear: 66% chance of victim fleeing in terror; victims are -3 to parry/dodge

Hate/Anger:

60% chance of victim attacking someone s/he dislikes

+1 to strike

-1 to parry/dodge

Love/Peacefulness: 60% chance to reconsider actions

Trust

Mind Bolt

Range: 100 ft.

Duration: Instant

Damage:

1D6 SDC for 6 ISP

3D6 SDC for 12 ISP

6D6 SDC for 20 ISP

2D4 MDC for 40 ISP

Bonus: +4 to strike; +8 to strike for additional 10 ISP

Scholastic Skills:: Pilot: Automobile: 87%; Basic Math: 90%; Language: American: 98%; Literacy: American: 85%; Basic Electronics: 75%; Basic Radio: 90%; Radio: Scramblers: 80%; TV/Video: 64%; Cryptography: 70%; Electrical Engineer: 75%; Basic Mechanics: 75%; Computer Operation: 85%; Computer Repair: 70%

Secondary Skills:: Hand to Hand: Expert; Auto Mechanics: 55%; First Aid: 75%; Pilot: Water Scooters: 80%; Research: 80%; Pick Locks: 60%; Ventriloquism: 40%; WP: Knife; Prowl: 45%; WP: Sword; Land Navigation: 40%

Combat Bonuses:

Attacks/Melee: 5

Initiative: +2

Strike: +2

w/ Ectoplasm: +1

w/ Knife: +1

w/ Sword: +1

w/ Teek Accel: +1

w/ Telekinesis: +3

w/ Thrown Knife: +1

Parry: +3

w/ Ectoplasm: +1

w/ Knife: +2

w/ Sword: +1

w/ Telekinesis: +4

Dodge: +3

w/ Ectoplasm: +5, automatic

Roll w/ Impact: +2

Pull Punch: +2

Damage: -3

Karate Kick: 2D4

Wheel Kick: 2D6

Backward Sweep

Critical: Natural 18, 19, or 20

Paired Weapons

Saving Throws:: vs. Psionics: 10 or better, +6 (+8 in Rifts); vs. Insanity: +9; vs. Magic: +2 (in Rifts); vs. Possession: +3 (in Rifts); vs. Horror Factor: +3 (in Rifts)

Equipment:: Costume: bolt of brown fabric made into a robe; hockey mask; ragged gloves, and a (toy) robotic voice changer; Optics band (homemade); Cell phone; Beeper; Listening device (homemade); Video briefcase (homemade); Very good credit at Radio Shack; Backpack; 2 weeks rations; Canteen; Bottled water; Mess kit; Propane burner; Sleeping bag; Analog PPE-meter

Armor:

Partial Fury Beetle Armor: MDC: 19/40; Movement Penalty: -10%; Cost: $14,000

Weapons:

Wilk's 237 Backup Laser Pistol

Damage: 3D6 M.D. per single blast, 6D6 M.D. per double blast

Rate of Fire: Standard

Range: 500 ft.

Payload:

8 double pulse shots per short E-Clip

16 double pulse shots per long E-Clip

Bonus to Strike: +2 on aimed shot

Cost: $24,000

Ammo: 2 short E-Clips ($5000 for second e-clip)

Phantasm's Bio:: Phantasm was born Joe Brown, a kid from the slums. At an early age, he discovered he had an affinity with electronic equipment. During his school years, instead of going into athletics or college prep, he opted for vo-tech school. It is during these years that his telekinetic powers first manifested.; Because of his small size and stature, Joe was picked on by nearly everyone in his classes. To help defend himself, he studied karate and judo while in school, as well as honing his telekinetic and ectoplasmic powers for subtle effects.; It was his desire to help others that started him in his super-hero career. At first, he tried being the plain-clothed vigilante with a ski mask. However, he got discouraged when the people he tried to stop did not take him seriously. Although he succeeded as often as not, he started looking for a way to make them take him seriously.; While in a toy store in a local mall, looking for ideas, he came across a toy robotic voice changer. As it was, he was in the store just as a supervillain attacked the mall. Grabbing the voice changer, he also grabbed a bolt of brown fabric and some gloves from a nearby clothing store and a hockey mask from the sporting goods store. Disguised as such, he entered the fray.; It wasn't easy, but he managed to subdue the villain. Then he faded into the woodwork. The media, having caught footage of the fight, dubbed him Phantasm. Smiling, Joe decided to keep the Phantasm identity.; Realizing that he could not hope to continue his fights alone, he sought out and joined a team of super-heroes, a group calling themselves the New Guardians, who were led by a wizard named Merlin. During this time, he managed to keep his identity as Joe Brown secret from the rest of his teammates, although he always suspected Merlin had figured it out. Phantasm was present in the battle that the New Guardians were killed. Seeing his teammate Zippo flee in terror through a portal, Phantasm followed. As the portal closed, he realized that he wasn't on his earth anymore; he was attacked by a minotaur. He managed to subdue the minotaur, shredding the brown robe in the process.; After wandering for a few days, he found himself approaching the area of Hamilton, Ontario. While there, he learned of the new world he'd found himself in. He left Hamilton after a few days, having been hired as a ranch hand for the nearby Cartier Fury Ranch. While there, tending to the fury beetles, he learned much of the way of the land. He also managed to recreate his uniform. After spending some time there, he decided to go where he could make a difference, and headed back to Hamilton. However, he lost his way and ended up in Lazlo. While in Lazlo, he works by day as an electrician, and still goes out after-hours as Phantasm.; He has recently learned of Zippo's reappearance as a mercenary for DemonBusters, and has paid his old teammate a visit. However, the two parted ways once again; DemonBusters was not for Joe. Joe has, however, wished Zippo well with his life.

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