Sixth member of the Syracuse Seven hero team, who are gradually being ported over from the Tiny d6 Supers system. A mysterious shapeshifting gangbuster with some shady connections.
Justifier
Justifier is largely a mystery even to their teammates, and to criminals they're a terrifying legend. Whoever they are, their ability to infiltrate all but the most closely-knit gangs and operations drives crooks to a paranoid frenzy that probably does more damage to them than anything the vigilante could accomplish alone. Much more of a lone wolf than a group player, Justifier does maintain a tentative membership on the local hero team for times when they've finished their investigations and decide that some backup is needed to deal with a supervillain threat or an unusually large or well-equipped gang.
It's pretty common for Justifier to vanish for long periods of time, and is really more of an associate team member at best - or shady ally at worst. Most likely has other things going on outside of the local area. Agent Augur may know more details (he's hard to keep secrets from) but isn't saying anything other than to vouch for Justifier as reliable.
Description: Can look like anyone, anytime. Uses stealth and imitation to infiltrate the enemy until ready to strike. May mimic another hero to confuse and intimidate foes. Often duplicates whoever they're speaking to. Has a multitude of other forms for use as disguises, ranging from inconspicuous civilians to uniformed police to costumed criminal henchmen. No one knows if there's a "real" form behind the masks.
Gender: Unknown Age: Unknown Height: Variable Eyes: Variable
Hair: Variable Skin: Variable Build: Variable
Background: Law Enforcement Power Source: Unknown Archetype: Shadow
Personality: Lone Wolf Health (G/Y/R): 28/21/10
Powers: Shapeshifting d10, Intuition d8, Gadgets d6
Qualities: Criminal Underworld Info d10, Stealth d10, Finesse d8, Insight d8, Investigation d8, Undercover Crimebuster d8, Fitness d6
Status: Green (28-22) - d8 / Yellow (21-11) - d8 / Red (10-1) - d8
Abilities:
Green
Evade & Counterattack (R) When you would be dealt damage, roll a die based on your current GYRO zone. Use a d4 in Green, a d6 in Yellow, and d8 in Red. Reduce the damage you take by that roll, then Attack another target using the same roll.
Principle of Stealth (A) Overcome to infiltrate somewhere or avoid detection. Use your Max die. You and your allies each gain a Hero Point. Minor twist: What evidence of your presence did you leave behind? Major twist: What just happened to identify you as an obvious threat? RP: You always know the most efficient method to enter or leave a location.
Principle of the Underworld (A) Overcome a problem related to your knowledge of the criminal underworld or using one of your contacts. Use your Max die. You and your allies each gain a Hero Point. Minor twist: What shady detail causes others to distrust you? Major twist: Are you guilty of what you're being arrested for? RP: You have a variety of contacts within the criminal underworld and organized crime.
Shadow Ploy (A) Attack using Stealth. Remove one physical mod, Hinder a target using your Min die, or maneuver to a new location in your environment.
Yellow
Face-Changer's Combo (A) Attack using Shapeshifting. Use your Min die on one target, your Mid die on a different target, and Boost using your Max die.
Seen Their Records (A) Attack or Overcome using Criminal Underworld Info. Boost yourself using your Min die.
Shared Info (A) Boost all nearby allies using Gadgets. Use your Max + Mid dice. Hinder yourself using your Min die.
Red
Decoy Husk (I) Once per issue, if you would go to zero Health, roll Shapeshifting + Stealth + your Red status die. Your Health becomes that number.
I Know Your Secrets (I) When taking any action using Criminal Underworld Info, you may reroll your Min die before determining effects.
Practiced Moves (I) When you use an ability action, you may also perform any one basic action using your Mid die from the same roll.
Out
Distraction (A) Boost an ally by rolling your single Stealth die.
Tactics
Justifier is an expert infiltrator and investigator with many contacts on the shady side of the law, but their talents don't lend themselves to fighting powerhouse supervillains head-on. Despite that, they do have a lot of versatile abilities available right from word one. In Green, Shadow Play gives them a broad menu of useful options while handing out some damage, and Evade & Counterattack is an excellent defensive reaction that also delivers some damage out of turn. Principle of Stealth makes Justifier very good at avoiding notice while sneaking around, and Principle of the Underworld helps locate elusive criminals and uncover their plans before they begin.
In Yellow they have Face-Changer's Combo for combined offense and bonus generation, which can easily deal with a minion or two while also granting a strong Boost to Justifier or an ally. Their Boost game is even stronger when using encrypted commo bugs with Shared Info, and Seen Their Records offers another multipurpose Attack/Overcome option plus a small self-Boost - although it usually requires a solid bonus or two to really be effective.
In Red, Justifier adds three inherent abilities. I Know Your Secrets makes any ability with Criminal Underworld Info in the pool far more effective. Decoy Husk is a once per session second chance to stay in a fight. Practiced Moves offers even better action efficiency.
Distraction provides a steady supply of bonuses even when Justifier has been knocked Out of action.
Design Notes
The Tiny d6 version of Justifier actually ported over pretty well, although I'm not sure they'd be great to play in the SCRPG without some harder-hitting allies (which the Syracuse Seven does include). I did manage to build a hero who models all the original's traits though, and if anything this one is even more versatile, with much better Shapeshifting and a solid array of Overcome options. Their dice have a radical skew toward qualities instead of powers, while their three powers are all quite broad and easy to justify in many pools. Conceptually, their Gadgets are mostly small, easily concealed spy-fi toys like shared commo bugs for team coordination, trackers and tracers, signal interceptors, decoders and wiretaps. Intuition is just that, gut feelings and subconscious cues from years of experience and healthy paranoia. Shapeshifting lets them quickly adopt new forms and maintain them long-term, although they're best at human shapes (including specific individuals) and rarely use animal or inanimate forms for more than a momentary trick.
Justifier acts as the team's primary investigator and intel-gatherer, as well as planning and executing any stealth missions the group needs to carry out. They're also fond of Overcoming to duplicate the appearance of minions, lieutenants or even villains during combat to confuse things, and may imitate a teammate as a further distraction in a pinch. Justifier also has a fearsome reputation amongst the criminal subculture, especially mundane groups like organized crime families and gangs. Despite their law enforcement background, it's not clear if they were (or are) an actual police officer or if they just display extensive familiarity with police procedures and protocols. It's quite possible Justifier has simply infiltrated various departments and agencies the same way they've penetrated criminal organizations and derives their knowledge from there.
Their most exploitable weakness is the drive to protect the innocent at all costs, even if it means a criminal must go unpunished for now. Justifier is pretty bad at dealing with hostage situations and must always try to rescue endangered civilians. Criminals get no such consideration, and can simply be left to their fate.
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