The Golden Age of Comic Books: A Mutants and Masterminds campaign. Interest and OOC here!

[Kirby Krackle]

SUGOI MONOTAGARI, ONII-CHAN!

...

Ahem. Where was I? Oh yes. This certainly passes. The shop and the wrenchy little sister can be built at your leisure. We'll simply let the flow of the RP decide when they're needed to do some rolling. In the meantime, this fellow is ready to join in on the fun.

[Bramble Rose]

Arcane Comics Issue 1:

A New Morning Dawns (Part 1)

Bravado walked along down the street, letting the conversation flow around him. Most of the conversation was carried by three of the pegasus mares with him - Dawn Rising, Afternoon Glide, and Dusk Wing, the three stars of the team. The local papers even had their own name for them - 'The Daymares'. While they were very good individually, the three mares worked so well together that it was impossible to name one of them as an MVP - the three of them together formed a team effort that the press loved. And while he approved of teamwork - their teamwork seemed mostly for each other, leaving the rest of the team out of it. Still, it had been a good practice. He'd successfully predicted the striker's teleport mid-air headbutt and had blocked a goal, catching the coach's attention. It just stunk that he had to work twice as hard to get noticed next to the mares.

As good as practice as been, work tonight was looking to be even better. The night was finally here!

"Comon, Bravado!" Dawn broke into his musing. "Just tell them you're sick and can't come in - come to the pub with us! We'll let you buy us a round."

Bravado rolled his eyes. "As tempting as that is, I need to work in order to earn the bits to do that."

"Aw, comon. You stay at that place, you're gonna turn into an egghead!" Dusk Wing cut in. "My ma can get you a job as an assistant in her office. You can pretend to work while doing your homework, and the campus will owe her a favor. Everypony wins!"

Right. The eye-candy job. No thanks. "I'll keep that in mind if the Doc ever gets to be too much. But right now, staying on campus is a lot easier for my schdule. And tonight, I still gotta be there. Doc's doing some experiment or another and wants me to be on hoof."

There was a general murmur of complaint, but they were on their way past the science building, and Bravado turned off, his wing lifting to wave good-bye. Stone Solid gave him a pained expression as Bravado left him as the only stallion in the group, but there wasn't anything Bravado could really do about it.

Especially since he didn't want to let them know how much he LIKED this job. He sold it to them as doing the job so he could pay for college and play hoofball, but really the scholarship from hoofball was how he was paying for college so he could get these sorts of jobs.

He smiled to see the two ponies inside - another pair of student lab assistants, a pair of unicorns named Hypothesis and Test Tube. He grinned and threw his hoof up. "Hey, guys!" he said happily.

They looked at him coldly, and he suddenly felt really awkward. "Um ... guys?" he asked, pointing at his raised hoof.

"Oh, now you want to be our friend?" asked Test Tube, a frown on his face. "When no one's watching, of course."

Bravado thought about that a moment. "Um ... what?"

"Yesterday," Hypothesis said crisply, her gaze icy. "When your friends were making fun of us - you couldn't be bothered to stand up for us, then!"

Bravado felt his stomach churn. "Guys, that's just how they are. It's nothing personal. You know, pegasus ponies are just ... you know ..."

"Yeah, right. So you wouldn't mind them harassing you about being an egghead, then? You've told them about how you've got the best grades in class?"

"Um ..." Bravado hesitated, caught off guard.

"Yeah," said Test Tube. "Not interested." And he walked away, Hypothesis following close after.

"I thought we were friends!" Bravado called angrily.

"Yeah," Test Tube said bleakly. "Me too."

Bravado watched helplessly. And this day was gonna be so good.

No. He could still turn it around. He shook he head, squared his shoulders, and moved onto the lab. Science awaited.

"All right, Doc," he said as he entered, shrugging out of his letter jacket and grabbing up the lab coat. "Let's make this happen."

"Good!" she said, not looking up from the devices she was doing final calibrations on. She was wearing her own lab coat over her pale green fur, and her grey mane was pulled up in a bun to keep it out of the way. "Make sure you-"

"Wear my lab coat, yes," he said, pulling it on over his wings. "Already doing so. How's the levels?"

"Everything's in the normal range. The artifact is still quiescent, but the initial tests show everything responding as expected. And the resonances are all in harmony." She looked up to him eagerly, her eyes hidden behind the gleam over her oversized glasses. "I think tonight we're going to manage it!"

Bravado grinned eagerly, sharing her excitement. He'd only come in at the end, here, but he was completely caught up in the Doc's enthusiasm. She'd been working on this project for decades, and it was all the more important than ever for her to complete it after the events of the past few years - but it was also in the events of the past few years that she'd finally received the final ingredient she needed to make it work!

"Fetch the artifact!" cried the Doc, and Bravado headed over to the cabinet, swallowing nervously. The artifact had been quiet, but ... with discordant artifacts, who could say what was actually safe? He took the pair of tongs, undid the lock, and reached into the cabinet to remove them...

A pair of shoes. Strange, bizarre shoes with strings and flaps and way too much room for any hoof. When discovered, they'd been dancing around on their own with a tappa-taptap, and they leapt onto the first pony who came close, making that pony dance helplessly. If the unicorn squad hadn't come along to neutralize it, they might have kept dancing forever - or at least til they died...

Bravado carried the shoes over to the tank, dropping them into the glowing blue suspension fluid, and Doc closed the lid. "There," she said. "It's primed. Now, the helm."

This was easier. He put the tongs aside and hurried over to a cabinet on the other side of the room, opening it to pull out the Doc's invention - a helm, perhaps a bit bland and fitted, with an artificial unicorn horn set into it. Bravado had been amazed at the blueprints of the inner workings of the horn - the tiny crystal matrices were incredibly intricate. He'd never seen anything so complex and beautiful! The goal tonight was to take the chaos energy in the discordant artifact and, using a process pioneered by Doc Stein, convert it into unicorn magic to power the helm, giving any earth or pegasus pony the ability to cast spells like a unicorn! He brought it over to a display bust at the far end of the equipment and put it over the marble pony head.

"All right, I need you to monitor this equipment," Doc said firmly, stepping over to the containment vat, her horn taking on a soft orange glow as she prepared to initialize the transfer. "Make sure the harmonics stay within the right frequencies. Keeping everything in harmony is vital to the success of this experiment, I'm certain."

Bravado nodded, stepping over to the display behind the armored glass of the control area. He took out a clipboard to take notes if need be, and looked over the initial readings. Six dials kept track of the six most vital harmonics, and several readouts were scrolling paper through them, sway arms recording the energy levels - which were currently very low. "Everything seems ready," he said. "Recorders on. Time mark is fifteen thirty seven at .... mark!"

"Initiating first stage. Power awakening."

Doc's orange magic flowed into the system, and a hum of power thrummed through the laboratory. One of the two sway-arms started swinging back and forth, tracing a wider wave onto the scrolling paper. Inside the suspension fluid, the strange shoes started to move, silently moving through the water as they tried to dance. The magic had to be awakened in order to be transferred ... but it was safe. He was sure of it. Doc was too brilliant to make a mistake at this stage!

"All harmonics are within acceptable parameters," he said confidently, making a checkmark on the list. "Power levels are peaking."

"Excellent, then. Second stage. Initiating Transfer."

The orange glow struck the containment tank, and started to spread across the equipment till it hit the helm. The horn itself glowed just like a real unicorn's. Bravado grinned eagerly. "Hey, look! It's never done that before! Doc, you're brilliant!"

"Levels, Bravado! Watch the levels, not the helm!" But Doc was grinning openly, herself, her cheeks flushed pinkly at the compliment.

Bravado turned his attention back to the console. "The sixth dial is running a little high, but you said that might happen. Still inside the limits."

Doc continued the transfer, and Bravado started to sweat. The second swing arm swung higher and higher. "Power levels on the helm are going up ... they're hitting the upper limits of the initial test."

"All right, is the artifact's levels almost drained?"

Bravado turned to look at the other paper. "Um ... actually, the levels there have gone up, too ... and the sixth dial is edging into the yellow."

"Up? They can't both go up! You don't get energy from nothing!"

"Um ... Doc? The sixth dial is getting awful close to the red, and the levels on both the scales are still going up ... the helm's starting to hit its upper limit. Maybe you should stop the procedure?"

"I'm trying!" Doc Stein replied, her voice strained. "It's not ... the chaos magic, it's not acting as expected!"

"What?"

"After I activated it, it just started to grow! I've already tried all the standard spells for suppressing chaos magic, but I don't have the strength! I was expecting a minor artifact, but it's growing out of control!"

Bravado's jaw dropped. It ... what ... "What do I do?!"

"Get out of here! I'll hold it back as long as I can, you go to the other labs and make sure everyone gets out of the building! Then go inform the Equestria Protection Agency that there's a major discordant event at the campus labs!"

"But how will you get out?"

"Just go!"

Bravado stood there a moment, jaw dropped. The third dial, the one labeled with an 'L', was rising up into the yellow. "You're ... you're not getting out, are you?"

"It's my fault. I can't let anypony else get hurt because I screwed up. Now get that cute butt out of here!"

Bravado nodded, and darted out of the lab. "ALERT! ALERT!" he cried, but no one responded. He reached the end of the hall and grabbed the bell, starting to ring it.

Annoyed scientists started emerging from their labs. "What's going on now?" one asked. "This is a horrible time for a drill."

"This is no drill!" cried Bravado, dropping the bell. "There's a chaos event growing out of control! Everypony has to get out!"

There was that moment of disbelieving silence, then the scientists all dove back into their labs. "MY RESEARCH!" came from a dozen throats.

Bravado rolled his eyes in frustration, then ran back to the lab. Doc Stein was standing between the shoes and the helm, sweating, her knees buckling, as she struggled to keep the reaction subdued just a little more.

"OK," Bravado said, "I raised the alarm, and they ... are going to escape real soon, I'm sure! Now tell me how to help!"

Doc Stein shook her head. "I told you to get out! You can't do anything, you don't have any unicorn magic!"

Bravado's wings flared out in anger, but he couldn't really fault her logic. Unicorns definitely had the edge in fighting chaos magic ... you need magic to fight magic. That was the whole point of Doc's research...

He nodded. Well, then. "All right," he said, stepping forward.

"What are you doing?!"

He picked up the orange-glowing helm and settled it over his head. "Now I can help. Just tell me what to-"

It was like fire suddenly erupted in his head. He screamed and dropped to the floor, clutching the helm.

"What are you doing?!" Doc cried. "It's not stabilized yet, you'll fry your brains! Take it off!"

Bravado gritted his teeth and struggled back to his feet, tears streaming down his cheeks, but he didn't take off the horned helm. "We pegasus ponies might not have spellcasting, but you should know by now that we don't give up. And we don't leave our friends behind. You're too important, Doc. Now, tell me what to do!"

The third dial suddenly went up through the red, and the glass cover cracked as the L harmonics went off the scale. The sway arms for both the helm and the shoes went wild. And there was a huge explosion of light that knocked Bravado off his hooves in a blast of blinding pain.

[Kirby Krackle]

[RazorWind]

I heavily apologize for my lateness on this! I'm still busy with work and haven't had a lot of time to sit down and read through the PDFs! ><

[Bramble Rose]

Quite all right. By all means, we've all been rather idle in putting together our characters.

[Kirby Krackle]

Do villains count as "my" characters?

[RazorWind]

GOOD NEWS EVERYONE!

I am almost done.. but before I could put the finishing touches I had to leave for work, so I'm still not readiy to post. Howver I did have a question before I finalise it;

Dusty is going to be all about Combat Feats with no powers, and be a dodgy, hard hitting, trip/disarming kinda fighter, so i have plenty of feats listed.. but Redirect kinda confused me

It says that on successfully tricking an enemy you can redirect an attack that woulfve hit you and cause it to hit a target adjacent to the attacker or you. What does it mean to "trick" them exactly?

[Bramble Rose]

I'm glad you asked!

It says that on successfully tricking an opponent (see Bluff, page 42), you can redirect an attack.

And under the bluff skill, it says:

Trick: You can use Bluff to mislead an opponent into taking a potentially unwise action, such as tryingto hit you while you are standing in front of an electrical junction box or at the edge of a precipice. If your bluff check succeeds, your opponent is heedless of the potential danger and may hit the junction box or lose his balance and fall, if his attack against you fails. On the other hoof, if the attack succeeds, it might slam you into the junction box or send you flying off the edge.

[RazorWind]

Thanks for the response Bramble!

Okay... character sheet Incoming!

90 Points:

(20 On Abilities)

(5 On Skills)

(35 On Feats)

(18 On Combat)

(12 On Save)

Abilities:

Strength: 22

Dexterity: 16

Constitution: 16

Intelligence: 8

Wisdom: 8

Charisma: 10

Skills:

Acrobatics: 14

Climb: 6

Escape Artist: 3

Perform (Weapon Display): 8

Stealth: 3

Swim: 6

Feats:

Acrobatic Bluff

All-Out Attack

Attack Specialization (Twin-Iron): 6

Defensive Roll: 3

Dodge Focus: 3

Evasion: 2

Improved Critical (Twin-Iron): 4

Improved Defense: 2

Improved Disarm: 4

Improved Initiative: 2

Improved Trip

Instant Up

Move-By Action

Power Attack

Redirect

Uncanny Dodge: 1

Powers: None

Combat:

Attack Bonus: +6

Attack (Unarmed): +6

Attack (Twin-Iron): +18 (+6 from Strength, +12 from Specialized Attack: Twin-Iron)

Attacked (Ranged: +6

Grapple: +12

Defense Bonus: +6

Knockback Resist: -3

Saves:

Toughness: +3/+6 (+3 From Con, +3 From Defense Roll bonus)

Fortitude: +7

Reflex: +7

Will: +3

Equipment:

Rag-Clothing

Twin-Iron (Quarterstaff):

Damage: +8

Critical Range: 16-20 (+4 Crit Threat from Improved Critical: Twin-Iron)

Range Increment: 10ft

Bludgeoning

Additions:

Enchanted: User Bound

Masterwork

Cost: 5 EP

Minion Sidekick: None

Okay! Lemme know how that looks.. this was kinda rouhgly put togeher with my understanding so far on Hero Lab so... may have done a few things wrong.

[Bramble Rose]

Don't forget complications! Specifically, the 'normal identity' one. You get bonus points for being a badassnormal.

[Kirby Krackle]

I shall be able to review this fully tomorrow, Sunday. Assuming no hiccups, this story will be ready to begin in no time!

[RazorWind]

Alright! I eagerly await. Also gonna factor in Normal Identity later, though I thouhht you also had to have s super identity as well to get that drawback? Dusty is just Dusty!

[Kirby Krackle]

Normal identity falls not just under having your powers stripped, but your gadgetry gone as well. Tony Stark is Tony Stark but Ironman needs armor.

[RazorWind]

Ahhhh I see! So yeah in this case take away the staff and you take away Dusty's power.. you'll also end up risking having your arms yanked off as its enchantment kicks in but still, I'm sure a villain will think of a crafty way to get it away from him.

I'll make the necessary adjustments when I get home in the next few hours!

Edit: Also just realized that I cannot actually exceed +6 attack on Twin-Iron because of the current power level, so I'll have to juggle my points around.

[RazorWind]

Mkay! Got it down this time, lets try this again

90 Points:

(20 On Abilities)

(8 On Skills)

(46 On Feats)

(6 On Combat)

(15 On Saves)

(-5 on Drawbacks)

Abilities:

Strength: 18

Dexterity: 18

Constitution: 16

Intelligence: 8

Wisdom: 10

Charisma: 10

Skills:

Acrobatics: 15

Concentration: 11

Climb: 4

Escape Artist: 4

Perform (Weapon Display): 8

Stealth: 4

Swim: 4

Feats:

Acrobatic Bluff

All-Out Attack

Attack Specialization (Twin-Iron): 2

Defensive Roll: 3

Dodge Focus: 4

Evasion: 2

Improved Block: 8

Improved Critical (Twin-Iron): 6

Improved Defense: 2

Improved Disarm: 4

Improved Initiative: 4

Improved Throw

Improved Trip

Instant Up

Move-By Action

Power Attack

Redirect

Uncanny Dodge: 1

Powers: None

Combat:

Attack Bonus: +1

Attack (Unarmed): +1

Attack (Twin-Iron): +6 (+1 from Attack Bonus, +4 from Specialized Attack: Twin-Iron)

Attacked (Ranged: +1

Grapple: +5

Defense Bonus: +6

Knockback Resist: -3

Saves:

Toughness: +3/+6 (+3 From Con, +3 From Defense Roll bonus)

Fortitude: +8

Reflex: +9

Will: +5

Equipment:

Rag-Clothing

Twin-Iron (Quarterstaff):

Damage: +6

Critical Range: 14-20 (+6 Crit Threat from Improved Critical: Twin-Iron)

Range Increment: 10ft

Bludgeoning

Additions:

Enchanted: User Bound

Masterwork

Cost: 5 EP

Minion Sidekick: None

Alright! Lemme know how this one looks! If anyone has any suggestions please do feel free to say them as this is literally my first character sheet being made for Mutants and Masterminds of any edition; I'll need as much guidance as I can get. X3

[Kirby Krackle]

You figured out the system pretty well with so little questions! Impressive!

But at first glance, I'm debating as to whether or not the Twin-Iron (which is actually a cool name.) should be an enchanted equipment or a device. You may be able to put a lot of those combat feats, or something pretty dang similar, into the staff itself. Up to you, really. On the one hand, Dusty got lots of special training. On the other hand, the staff itself is pretty special. A long series of alternate powers based off Strike; like Trip, Stun, Shield, or maybe even Blast with the Ricochet feat... I dunno. I should be in bed. But it looks good!

I think my only real gripe is that having it be 'equipment' doesn't make it feel special enough. Consider for a moment Cap's Shield or Mjolnir. Super special items and iconic to their character.

[RazorWind]

That is a good point. Dusty's main source of strength is his training with his special weapon, as he is used to its weight and of course the unusual Hind-Leg stance that he uses it with. However I didn't want to pour -too- much power itno it (plus I wasn't familiar with the creation of signature devices) since the staff doesn't give him his strength or power, its simply the weapon he was trained with (admittedly it does carry sentimental value to him) and the one he is most familiar with.

Simply put: Take the staff away and he's still tasty in a fight, but with the staff he is nearly untouchable. So yeah I can see the validity in your advice; I'll look over it a little more.

Edit: Also having seen more footage of The Wonderful 101, I am more looking forward to the super hero-ing fiascoes that lie ahead.

[Kirby Krackle]

No time to dabble in my books at the moment to build a suggestion but I can however find one for you. Spoiled is a PL10 Captain America I found from his one guy on the Mutants and Masterminds boards. His work is amazing and I take zero credit for it because I am not as clever as he.

Captain America!!

by MDSnowman » Fri Oct 07, 2005 12:37 pm

Captain America

PL: 12 (180pp)

Abilities: STR: 24 (+7) DEX: 24 (+7) CON: 24 (+7) INT: 16 (+3) WIS: 16 (+3) CHA: 22 (+6)

Skills: Climb 8 (+15), Diplomacy 8 (+14), Drive 4 (+11), Intimidate 8 (+14), Knowledge [Tactics] 12 (+15), Notice 12 (+15), Sense Motive 12 (+15), Survival 8 (+11), Stealth 4 (+11)

Feats: All Out Attack, Assessment, Benefit [security Clearance], Defensive Attack, Dodge Focus (2), Elusive Target, Equipment, Fearless, Improved Block (2), Improved Trip, Improved Disarm (2), Inspire (5), Interpose, Leadership, Luck (2), Power Attack, Precise Shot (2), Startle, Takedown Attack, Teamwork (2), Ultimate Effort (Ultimate Toughness Save), Uncanny Dodge [Hearing], Weapon Break

Powers: Device 3 [star Spangled Shield – Strike 3 (Extras: Penetrating [+1]; Power Feats; Mighty, Improved Critical [2]; Alternate Power: Blast 3 (Power Feats: Accurate, Improved Critical [2]) Shield 5 9pp]

Combat: Attack +14 (+16 w/ Thrown Shield)[unarmed +7, Shield (Melee) +10;Crit 18-20, Shield (Ranged) +3; 18-20 Crit] Defense 19 [24 w/ Shield] (14 flat-footed) Init +7

Saves: Toughness +10 (10 flat-footed) Fortitude +10 Reflex +10 Will +10

Equipment: Chain Mail [+3 Toughness; 3ep], Com-link [1ep], and Binoculars [1ep]

Assuming that building a Device will save you points, and it should (An easy to lose Device with a limiter of 'Only the trained', making it cost two points per rank), you could dump the rest into more flavorful things. A hobo-pony I would imagine having ranks in Survival. Maybe the Endurance feat. This guy seems like the stockiest of the group.

Edit: Now here's questions about the Twin-Iron staff. Is this a simple Bo with heavy metal castings on each end? Maybe some ornament, if magical? Can only the trained lift it? Or can one of sufficient strength (like... 20+?) lift it but not use it, finding it too clumsy?

Edit again: The rags, as they do nothing, don't really need to be on your sheet and purchased. It's like Superman spending a point on a bow tie. Why am I getting these ideas now? I should be sleeping. And it's been three days! SHEESH I'm slow.

[RazorWind]

*Hummms in thought*

Very well, since the majority of his power comes from his staff training I'll impliment some of those feats into the staff itself, and maybe impliment a few "Special Moves" in the form of powers to go with it. Such as.. a whirlwind trip affect or vaulting dodge. I dunno, I'll think of stuff!

And the staff is bassically a bo staff that has been enchanted with the User-Bound spell that keeps it usable only to those who both are 'willingly given it' by its owner (Which in this case was the Original Stone Heart, whom gave it to Dusty before passing away) -and- are strong enough to wield it at all. If it leaves his hooves without willing consent it will suddenly become far too heavy for even somepony that strong to lift. It'd take heavy machinery to move it when it's enchantment kicks in, that or magic to counter it.

And I just put the rags on the sheet for clarity's sake, x3 I didn't factor them into the cost.

Edit: It'll take me a while to figure out all I want to so.. I'll just leave a few questions here in the meantime until I can get this finished:

What would be the best power combo to give the staff a Whirldwind Trip move?

The staff should have a reach of 10ft, what all would I need to make the Range of the Strike power further?

I'm also looking to make a Spinning Defence.. so something like a Channeled Shield would probably work there, right?

Would anypone have any suggestions for other attributes the device itself should have? Apologies for making this take a long time to get started >.<

[Bramble Rose]

So, I just want to clarify something here - even Morning Glory, who can lift several tons, cannot lift the staff?

Yeah, definitely a device.

A spinning defense would be a good option for a Shield ability, yes. I don't think you need anything to increase 'range' of five feet to 'range' of 10 feet. Range increases only matter to the points if it's from melee to actual ranged.

[Kirby Krackle]

Extended melee range exists. It's how whips work. I would add a single ranged bonus on the Strike (Mighty) Power, the first thing your device can do. From there, a bunch of Alternate Powers. Trip could have an area effect, I think Aura. Shield was discussed. Stun would be nice.

And no worries on taking too long. You've got help. Nothing but love in this thread.

[RazorWind]

I haven't worked out an actual weight to the staff but those are willingly given it will be able to lift it if they have a strength of at least 20 or so (I plan to buff up Dusty's strength to that level in the sheet when it's fully adjusted) but when the enchantment kicks in I only know it will become immensely heavier. Perhaps morning glory could lift it when it becomes that heavy? Again I haven't worked out the actual weight, but I'd imagine even if she could lift it she wouldn't be able to use it at all with how unwieldy it would be at such a weight.

I'm working on this now; still not sure how to pull it off. But I'll keep workin' on it; the shield suggestion works well, but I'm trying to figure out how to get it to be a Sustained power since that is the idea; Dusty spins his staff around himself in such a way that it forms a barrier around him, but he has to keep his efforts focused on that. I'll keep on trying!

Edit: Thinking about it again perhaps I won't go with the enchantment idea, as it seems like it'll be too weird to work out. I'll proabbly just stick with the idea of it being very heavy by default, and only those who know how to use and are strong enough to wield it will be able to use it. Dusty could still be unique in that the fighting style he incorporates with it is a long lost one and he is probably one of very few who even know it exists, let alone are trained in it.

Edit 2, The Sequel: And I just realized that the Shield power is already a sustained action by default. So that answers that question!

[Kirby Krackle]

Well, as an alternate power, you would be able to decide whether to use it as a shield or a stick. It wouldn't have to be sustained since it would last for the round of turns. Then you declare next round.

[RazorWind]

Hum... I guess I'm not sure how the Alternate Powers work. So far this is what I have:

Twin-Iron Device 3 (easy to Lose, restricted to Trained):

Strike 1 (Range 5ft, DC 21, Feats: (Attacks Specialization 2, Improved Critical 6; Extended Reach: 5ft)

Then I added alternate powers to Strike 1 (since that's what I assumed I was supposed to put them under; using Hero Lab again)

They were:

Crushing Wave (Strike 1): DC 21, Cone Area (10 ft), Full Action (Drawback), "You grip the weapon on one end and make a mighty swing with it in a cone in front of you, damaging all enemies in its swing.)

Falling Stone ((Strength Bonus) Strike 1) Feat: Stunning Attack ((I really had no idea how to apply my strength bonus to a power without using the Strength Bonus combined with the Stunning Attack Feat it's bassically just a Stun that uses his strength bonus for its DC))

Shield 4 (+4 Dodge Bonus to Defense when used), Sustained

Spinning Branch (Trip 1), Range: (10 foot burst radius) Full Action (Drawback) "Spin yourself around with your weapon held low to the ground, throwing enemies around you off balance"

[Kirby Krackle]

Alternate Powers, as illustrated on page 108. "This power is actually another power, mutually exclusive with the primary power this feat is applied to, which can't be used or maintained at the same time. For example, a Blast power with the description of laser might have a visual Dazzle as an alternate power. The same light beam can be used to damage or blind a target, just not both at once. Think of Alternate Powers as different "settings" for a power." To paraphrase. So. Now that I'm settled into the Baltimore Marriot hotel, with a nice big desk, I can cook up a little something that looks like this:

Device (Easy to lose, Limited to *something*) 3: Strike 6; Feats: Mighty, Thrown, Extended Reach 2, Alternate power: Stun 3, Trip 6, Strike (Area: Burst, Feats: Extended Range 2) 2, Strike (Area: Cone, Feats: Extended 2) 2, Shield 6.

All those options, once per turn, for the low low price of 6 power points. Bramble Rose and I are still working out the kinks of just who can use the staff and how. But yeah, that's how I would build it. It's bare bones, cheap and has lots of room to work with. So, let me know what you think.