So just what is an Adept, anyway?

For those of you who haven’t played Mass Effect, there are two answers to that question.

The short answer: Adepts are space wizards, and one of six classes in the game.

The long answer: Adepts are individuals with Biotic potential who have spent most of their lives learning and practicing how to create and control mass effect fields using a combination of implants, conscious nerve control, and pockets of Element Zero in their bodies. In humans, this requires exposure to Element Zero in the womb, and the results are inconsistent at best – more often than not, either nothing happens or horrible debilitating diseases do.

This means that on some level, any human with biotic potential has a history rooted in tragedy. Most of them appeared after a series of terrorist attacks were executed on Element Zero reactors throughout a number of human colony worlds. About 1 in 10 of the children born afterward showed useful biotic potential, but that ignores the ones who died early – or the lucky few who were unaffected.

Element Zero creates its strange mass effects when stimulated by electric current, hence the intense training required to master biotics. All biotics are very disciplined (in their way), and tend to require a massive amount of calories compared to their peers. Most of them end up in the military for at least some stretch of time, because the military is one of the few organizations that can afford to pay for their training.

As a side effect of using their powers, biotics burn through a lot of calories – the Alliance military provides all of their biotics with a special energy drink to consume after battles, and rations their daily calorie intake about 1000 calories higher than more traditional soldiers.

Alexander Bourne

Alexander Bourne is a deliberately crafted mystery. A charming and powerful biotic, Bourne has set about befriending the locals on the Citadel and claims to be considering a career C-Sec (Citadel Security). Little is known about who he was back in the Terminus systems or what he did before his arrival, and he prefers it that way. As far as most computer systems are concerned, Alexander Bourne simply doesn’t exist – beyond the legal necessities of identification, of course.

He’s trying to avoid mercenary work for the moment while he works through the C-Sec application process, but there’s no telling how long he’ll be able to keep it up. Sadly, half a lifetime in the Terminus systems doesn’t lend itself well to legitimate work.

He is charming, though his strange mechanical eyes are unnerving for some. His confidence is obvious, as is his competence. He will befriend anyone who will talk to him – human, quarian, turian, asari, salarian – but spends most of his time with “the downtrodden,” many of whom have come to look to him as a protector of sorts. And whether by his biotic powers or his twin M-6 Carnifex Hand Cannons, they are well protected indeed.

Tactics

Bourne fights using either his Biotic powers or – if a more subtle approach is needed – his twin pistols. He tends to avoid using his flight ability in battle, because doing so would require him to lower his defenses. If confronted by large numbers of foes with little chance of collateral damage, Alexander will use Shockwave to buy himself some breathing room. Against single targets where subtlety is not an issue, he prefers to use warp fields or batter his enemy with pieces of the environment (Damaging Move Object). He will not hesitate to take advantage of the terrain to drop enemies off cliffs or down shafts, either.

In a team setting, Bourne will act to protect his teammates as much as possible, shielding them with large barriers if necessary. He sometimes is a bit of a showboat, however, and enjoys showing off with his powers or his gunplay.

Alexander Bourne is a Power Level 8 character for Mutants and Masterminds 3E, built using the standard 15 points per power level. He was created using Hero Lab. You can download the character sheet below.

Hero Lab – Alexander Bourne, Human Adept

For those of you who would rather just see the stats, the statblock is below. Enjoy!

Alexander Bourne, Human Adept – PL 8

Abilities

Strength 2, Stamina 1, Agility 4, Dexterity 2, Fighting 5, Intellect 2, Awareness 2, Presence 2

Advantages

Benefit, Ambidexterity, Benefit, Cipher 2, Equipment 5, Extraordinary Effort, Independent Aim, Inspire, Power Attack, Quick Draw, Ranged Attack 5

Skills

Acrobatics 1 (+5), Athletics 2 (+4), Deception 2 (+4), Expertise: Criminal 2 (+4), Insight 6 (+8), Perception 3 (+5), Persuasion 5 (+7), Ranged Combat: Biotics 2 (+4), Ranged Combat: Guns 5 (+7), Technology 1 (+3), Vehicles 1 (+3)

Powers

Active Biotics

Large Scale Barriers: Create 8 (biotic, Volume: 250 cft., DC 18; Selective; Concentration, Diminished Range)

Mass Effects: Move Object 6 (biotic, 3200 lbs., DC 22; Damaging, Improvised Weapon; Diminished Range, Notes: Pull, Throw, Warp, Crush, Slam, Etc.)

Reave

Blast: Blast 4 (Linked; biotic, DC 19)

Block Regen: Nullify 4 (Linked; Counters: Regeneration, DC 14)

Healing: Healing 4 (Linked; Limited: Personal Range)

Shockwave

Damage: Cone Area Damage 5 (Linked; biotic, DC 20; Cone Area: 60 feet cone)

Move Object: Cone Area Move Object 6 (Linked; biotic, 3200 lbs., Advantages: Improved Trip; Cone Area: 60 feet cone; Limited Direction: Away., Reduced Range: close)

Gunplay (Advantages: Benefit, Ambidexterity, Independent Aim, Quick Draw)

Optical Upgrades: Senses 1 (Analytical: Vision)

Passive Biotics

Levitation: Flight 2 ([0 active, 8/8 PP, 2/r], biotic, Speed: 8 miles/hour, 120 feet/round)

Personal Barrier: Force Field 8 ([8 active, 8/8 PP, 1/r], biotic, +8 Toughness)

Translation Circuit: Comprehend 2 (Languages – Understand All, Languages – You’re Understood)

Equipment

M-6 Carnifex Hand Cannon (Heavy Pistol), M-6 Carnifex Hand Cannon (Heavy Pistol), Omnitool (Audio Recorder, Cell Phone (Smartphone), Flashlight, Multi-tool), Universal Translator [Translation Circuit: Comprehend 2, Languages – Understand All, Languages – You’re Understood]

Offense

Initiative +4

Blast: Blast 4, +9 (DC 19)

Block Regen: Nullify 4, +9 (DC Will 14)

Damage: Cone Area Damage 5 (DC 20)

Grab, +5 (DC Spec 12)

M-6 Carnifex Hand Cannon, +12 (DC 19)

M-6 Carnifex Hand Cannon, +12 (DC 19)

Mass Effects: Move Object 6, +9 (DC 22)

Move Object: Cone Area Move Object 6 (DC 16)

Throw, +7 (DC 17)

Unarmed, +5 (DC 17)

Complications

Enemy: The Blue Suns: Alexander ran afoul of the mercenary group called the Blue Suns awhile back, and developed a bit of a taste for giving the organization a hard time.

Motivation: Acceptance: Alexander Bourne has considered joining up with C-Sec on several occasions, if he thought they would consider his application.

Power Loss: Biotic Powers: Must be able to gesture.

Relationship: Bourne has a number of “associates,” back on Omega who one might go so far as to call friends, but has made a few real friends on the Citadel, including the C-Sec officer called Ganthet. Most of the “duct rats,” and “downtrodden,” can be counted among his friends as well.

Secret: Alexander used to work for the Shadow Broker.

Languages

English

Defense

Dodge 7, Parry 6, Fortitude 4, Toughness 9, Will 9

Power Points

Abilities 40 + Powers 36 + Advantages 15 + Skills 15 (30 ranks) + Defenses 14 = 120
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