Val CHA Cost Roll Notes 12 STR 2 11- Lift 132 kg; 2d6 HTH Damage [1] 20 DEX 30 13- OCV: 7/DCV: 7 15 CON 10 12- 12 BODY 4 11- 28 INT 18 15- PER Roll 15- 32 EGO 44 15- ECV: 11 20 PRE 10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6 14 COM 2 12- 5 PD 3 Total: 5 PD (0 rPD) 3 ED 0 Total: 3 ED (0 rED) 4 SPD 10 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 6 REC 2 40 END 5 26 STUN 0 Total Characteristic Cost: 140 Movement: Running: 6"/12" Leaping: 2"/4" Swimming: 2"/4" Cost Powers & Skills 50 Psi-Lord Powers: Elemental Control, 100-point powers 50 1) Sleep Strike: Ego Attack 8d6 (Human class of minds), Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), END 4 55 2) Mind Control 14d6 (Human class of minds), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) 50 3) Mind Scan 12d6 (Human class of minds), +10 ECV, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), END 4 55 4) Telepathy 14d6 (Human class of minds), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) 20 Mind Shield Cutting: Find Weakness 13- with Psi Lord Elemental Control; Costs Endurance (-1/2), END 3 11 Smith & Wesson Model 19 .357 Magnum: RKA 1 1/2d6, +1 Increased STUN Multiplier (+1/4); OAF (-1), 6 Charges (-3/4), Beam (-1/4), Real Weapon (-1/4) plus +1 OCV; OAF (-1), Real Weapon (-1/4), [6] 19 Mental Shields: Mental Defense (25 points total) 17 Deathlock: +25 Mental Defense (50 points total); Costs Endurance (-1/2), END 2 5 LS (Longevity: (virtually) Immortal) Martial Art: Fencing Maneuver OCV DCV Damage 5 Ballestra +2 -2 Weapon +4 DC, Half Move Required 4 Fleche +2 -2 Weapon +v/5, FMove 5 Lunge +1 -2 Weapon +4 DC Strike 4 Parry +2 +2 Block, Abort Notes: Also Karate Block 4 Prise de Fer +1 +0 Bind, 22 STR 5 Thrust +1 +3 Weapon Strike 0 Weapon Element: Blades Martial Art: Karate Maneuver OCV DCV Damage 4 Disarm -1 +1 Disarm; 22 STR to Disarm 4 Dodge -- +5 Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort 3 Legsweep +2 -1 3d6 Strike, Target Falls 4 Punch/Snap Kick +0 +2 4d6 Strike 5 Side/Spin Kick -2 +1 6d6 Strike Perks 1 Fringe Benefit: License to practice medicine 5 Money: Well Off 3 Reputation: Doctor Tachyon, a well-respected doctor and authority on the Wild Card virus (world-wide) 14-, +1/+1d6 Skills 16 +2 with All Combat 8 +2 with Psi Lord Elemental Control 2 CK: Jokertown 11- 2 CK: New York City 11- 5 Combat Piloting (small starships) 14- 2 Computer Programming (Personal Computers) 15- 7 High Society 15- 3 KS: Dance 15- 1 KS: Fencing 8- 3 KS: Flower Arranging 15- 2 Navigation (Space) 15- 3 PS: Physician 15- 3 PS: Surgeon 15- 5 PS: Violin 15- 3 PS: Zero-G Operations 13- 3 Paramedics 15- 0 TF: Personal Use Spacecraft 3 WF: Blades, Handguns, Personal Use Spacecraft Weapons 3 Linguist 4 1) Language: English (idiomatic; literate) 4 2) Language: French (idiomatic; literate) 4 3) Language: German (idiomatic; literate) 3 4) Language: Russian (completely fluent; literate) 3 5) Language: Spanish (completely fluent; literate) 0 6) Language: Takasian (idiomatic; literate) 3 Scientist 2 1) SS: Biochemistry 15- 2 2) SS: Chemistry 15- 2 3) SS: Genetics 15- 2 4) SS: Mathematics 15- 2 5) SS: Psychology 15- Total Powers & Skill Cost: 493 Total Cost: 633 200+ Disadvantages 10 DNPC: Blaise Jeannot Andrieux 11- (Slightly Less Powerful than the PC) 10 Distinctive Features: Alien Features And Mannerisms; Flamboyant Manner Of Dress (Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses) 20 Psychological Limitation: Feels A Sense Of Responsibility To Wild Card Victims (Very Common, Strong) 15 Psychological Limitation: Impulsive And Overconfident (Common, Strong) 15 Psychological Limitation: Lecherousness—Inordinately Fond Of Women (Common, Strong) 15 Reputation: Doctor Tachyon (actual reputation varies, see text), 14- 15 Social Limitation: Secret ID (Tachyon was once an KGB agent) (Frequently, Major) 15 Social Limitation: Public ID (Easily recognizable, known in most parts of the world) (Frequently, Major) 15 Susceptibility: to "Deathlock" being broken 3d6 BODY damage Instant (Uncommon) 15 Susceptibility: to "Deathlock" being broken 3d6 STUN damage Instant (Uncommon) 288 Experience Points 633 Total Disadvantage Points
Background/History: Doctor Tachyon is one of the central characters from the Wild Cards shared world series. He is an alien, a native of the planet Takis, who came to earth in 1946 in a vain attempt to prevent the release of an experimental virus (a.k.a. the "wild card virus") in to Earth's atmosphere by other members of his family. He failed in the attempt, and ended up stranded on Earth, his fellow Takisians all dead, and his own ship (a.k.a. Baby) captured by the US Government. Tachyon then spent the next few years trying to help wild card victims in the New York area before being brought before HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee) in 1950. He was then deported as an undesirable alien.
Tachyon spent the next 10 years in an alcoholic haze, wandering about Europe. He was recruited by the KGB, who gave him food, and a bed (and most importantly, drink) in exchange for information. After John F Kennedy won the 1960 election, however, Tachyon was allowed to return to the US. He came to New York's Jokertown, and lived in the gutter, drowning his guilt in sorrow in yet more booze. Finally, in 1963 the Turtle managed to bring him around, restoring his confidence and helping him pull his life together.
Vowing to cure the effects of the Wild Card virus, Tachyon founded the Blythe van Renssaeler Memorial Clinic in 1966. Here, he provided medical care for jokers and aces of all types, as well as spending time trying to devise a cure for the wild card virus. His life remained relatively stable until 1986 when he discovered his grandson, Blaise Jeannot Andrieux, who was living in Paris aiding a terrorist cell with his powerful mind control powers. Tachyon brought the 11 year old back to New York, setting himself up as the boy's legal guardian.
The version of Tachyon presented is from right about this time. He will contract the Wild Card virus from Typhoid Croyd in late 1987, and loose his right hand to Mackie Messer in 1988 at the Democratic National Convention. Eventually he will have Blaise, who has never been a stable individual, turn on him. The end result of this falling out will have Tachyon's mind placed in the body of a young, 16 year old girl, while the girl's mind is placed in his body. Blaise will then get the new, female, Tachyon pregnant before abandoning him on Earth by stealing Tachyon's personal spaceship. Tachyon then pursues Blaise to Takis, where Blaise manages to start a world war before being defeated by Tachyon, Tachyon's family, Captain Trips, and Jay Ackroyd. After all is said and done, Tachyon has a new daughter (Illyana); he’s returned to his original body; Kelly (the girl he was switched with) stays on Takis; Jay Ackroyd gets a Takisian wife, and Starshine (one of Captain Trips "friends") dies. For the full story, read Wild Cards Volume X Double Solitaire.
Personality/Motivation: Tachyon's Disadvantages are pretty simple. He's an alien, albeit a very human looking one. He dresses funny (a least, according to Earth standards), and tends to sprinkle his speech with Takisian oaths and curses. Since he's a prince, he acts like one. He can be arrogant and overconfident at times, and tends to carry himself as if he was still a Psi Lord. On the other hand, he does truly care for his patients (although deep down most joker deformities disgust him) and has run his hospital for over 30 years. His primary weakness is women, alcohol and the deep sense of guilt he has over what the virus has done to so many innocent people.
Powers/Tactics: Tachyon's powers are pretty straight forward. He can read, control, and search for minds, as well as render opponents asleep (his Ego Attack). His shields are very powerful, rendering him immune to almost every other telepath on Earth. He is also rather adept at penetrating another's mind shields (his Find Weakness). If faced with a life or death situation, all Takisian Psi Lords can erect a powerful mind shield called a "deathlock". Breaking this mental barrier (which can take a very long time, Tachyon took seven hours to do it at one point) is so traumatic the individual will usually die.
Aside from his Psi Lord abilities, Tachyon is reasonably adept at self defense. He has learned Takisian fencing, as well as Earth karate. He often carries a .357 magnum revolver when expecting trouble.
Appearance: Dr. Tachyon is a short, fine featured man with a long nose and a small pointed chin. Tachyon's hair is a metallic-red shade and falls to his shoulders, his eyes are lilac. He stands 5'3" and weighs all of 115 lbs. He is in good physical shape, and is quite strong for his size. Tachyon dresses in fancy outfits using a lot of lace, silk, and velvet. The look is reminiscent of early 1800s court dress.
Campaign Use and Designer’s Notes: The first question is “do you keep Tachyon as an alien?” He’d fit in many universes as an alien (including Marvel, DC, the CU, and so on), but not all. In any event, he works just fine as a relly, really, really powerful human mentalist (which, technically, he is anyway) who’s been around since WWII, has had ups and downs in his life, and is now trying to be a better person by running a health care clinic in the bad part of town in your campaign city. Dump the Fencing, the Deathlock, and his DF and you’re pretty much all set.
Dr. Tachyon's Hero Designer File
(Dr. Tachyon created by Melinda Snodgrass, character sheet created by Michael Surbrook)
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