MUSIC-DERIVED CHARACTER ADAPTATIONS

BIG JOHN

Val	CHA	Cost	Roll	Notes
25	STR	20	14-	Lift 800 kg; 5d6 HTH Damage [5]
13	DEX	9	12-	OCV:  4/DCV:  4
20	CON	20	13-
15	BODY	10	12-
10	INT	0	11-	PER Roll 11-
13	EGO	6	12-	ECV:  4
20	PRE	10	13-	PRE Attack:  4d6
10	COM	0	11-

8	PD	3		Total:  8 PD (0 rPD)
6	ED	2		Total:  6 ED (0 rED)
3	SPD	7		Phases:  4, 8, 12
9	REC	0
40	END	0
38	STUN	0		Total Characteristic Cost:  87

Movement:	Running:	6"/12"
		Leaping:	5"/10"
		Swimming:	2"/4"

Cost	Powers & Skills
2	"Gave A Mighty Shove":  +5 STR; Only To Lift (-1), Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -1/2), END 2
12	"Huge Right Hand":  HA +4d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2), 
	Extra Time (Full Phase, -1/2), Side Effects, Side Effect occurs automatically whenever Power is 
	used (-5 DCV; -1/2)

	Perks
3	"You Didn't Give No Lip To Big John.":  Reputation:  Not A Man To Be Trifled With (MineWorkers 
	And Other Townsfolk) 14-, +3/+3d6

	Skills
10	"Sent A Louisiana Fella To The Promise Land":  +2 with HTH Combat
	 
2	CK: New Orleans 11-
3	Climbing 12-
7	"Grabbed A Sagging Timber":  Hoist 13-
0	Language:  English (idiomatic; literate)
2	PS: Coal Miner 11-
2	TF:  Common Motorized Ground Vehicles
1	WF:  Axes, Maces, Hammers, and Picks
44	Total Powers & Skills Cost
131	Total Character Cost

75+	Disadvantages
15	Distinctive Features:  "A Giant Of A Man" (Not Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable 
	By Commonly-Used Senses)
0	Normal Characteristic Maxima
20	Psychological Limitation:  Quiet And Shy (Very Common, Strong)
10	Reputation:  "sent a Louisiana fella to the promise land", 14- (Miners and Townsfolk)
10	Social Limitation:  "Nobody seemed to know where John called home" (unknown past is subject to 
	rumors and speculation) (Frequently, Minor)
1	Experience
131	Total Disadvantage Points

Description: Big "Bad" John stands six foot six inches and weighs 245 pounds, none of it fat or flab. He just drifted into town one day and took a job in the coal mine, saying little to anyone and keeping mostly to himself. No one knows where he comes from, although there has been speculation—the most popular of which having him come up out of New Orleans after killing a man in a fist fight over a woman. This story, coupled with his size, made John a man others gave a wide berth too and respectful (albeit fearful) treatment.

John met his end when the mine collapsed. He held up a cracking support timber long enough for 20 men to escape, but before they could return with jacks and more support timbers, John's strength gave away and the mine fully collapsed.

Big John is found in the song Big Bad John by Jimmy Dean. He's another Dark Champions/Pulp Hero character who's origin makes him suitable for a wide range of settings. His origin and background is open-ended and GMs could fill it in with a wide range of options. He could come from New Orleans (as I have done here) and he could be Hunted by the police for the murder of a man in the Big Easy. Coming out of New Orleans he could be a longshoreman or a fisherman, or could have been involved in more shady occupations.

Big John's Hero Designer File

(Big Bad John created by Jimmy Dean, character sheet created by Michael Surbrook)


Return to Music-Derived Character Adaptations.