Favorite Retired Characters

[torjones]

Given Flatline's recent thread on banned characters, I thought I might pose a similar question.

What are your favorite characters that had to be retired because they got too powerful for the game? Tell us about them, go ahead and brag a little!

Did you ever get to bring them out of retirement for a higher power level game?

Ever have to retire them a second time?

In answer to my own question, I've got to say that my own personal favorite character was the one I put a character tribute to in Lemuria, Sakura Hayase.

She started life as a Neo-Human with an emphasis on technological skills (back before RUE, pretty certain that she wouldn't be considered a legal character any more). The GM I was playing with at the time allowed multi-classing with our own custom house rules, so I eventually picked up Cyber-doc, then got interested in this whole "Magic" thing, and realized that she was also a Spatial Mage. During all of this, great amounts of adventuring went on, she learned about a lot of different types of technology, and accumulated a substantial stock pile of funds. Having acquired a pre-rifts naval ship, we refitted her, included a factory and began producing a series of arms that she had invented, based upon improvements to several of the different types of tech that the group had come across during those adventures. She marketed a new particle wave rifle and pistol to North America. She invented a heavier version of it. She invented a six-barreled version for mounting on vehicles and stationary defenses. As a cyber-doc, she created a new, full conversion cyborg shell based upon the VF-2SS SAP, only 6' tall. She developed body armor that could be augmented by those same "FAST" packs that the borgs used, turning them into light power armor. All of it, weapons, armor, accessories, cross-compatible.

After one of the players was playing a GiGi pilot, Sakura developed a robot-slave for the character. Basically, a rapid transport hovercycle robust enough for a Glitter Boy/Glitter Girl to ride into combat. It could then transform into a fire support combat bot to support the Glitter Trooper. (things like point defense are useful additions really...) In a real emergency, it would also take a wounded pilot and evac them to a medical station.

By this time, the arms business was doing very well, and she had a rather dedicated staff working for her. She ran into several situations where larger numbers of troops were needed, and she had been forced to hire mercenaries on those occasions. She decided that it was unnecessary to continue spending money on mercs, and formed her own Merc Company. Since it would hardly due for her troops to be using some other manufacturer's weapons and armor, she issued her own gear, and developed new lines of power armor, 4 male and 4 female versions of ground armor specialized to certain battlefield roles, 4 similarly specialized suits that were flight capable. Each of those lines of power armor was available in standard and samurai variants.

Of course, everything at this point was made off of a cloaking version of glitter armor (think predator cloak). Armed with particle wave technology, backed up with copious amounts of mini-missiles, and glitter-cloak armor, they were a highly-devastating force to be reckoned with, and what ultimately led to her being retired the first time.

I got to bring her out of retirement when the group I was playing with switched to a higher power level game, and she was allowed to provide her mercenary company as planetary security for a battle-group seeing action in a universe not unlike phase world.

She acquired a fleet of her own, and won engagements left and right that she shouldn't have been capable of, a la Honor Harrington style, her subordinates started worshiping her, and as a Neo-Human, she wasn't opposed to this. It eventually lead to her achieving God-hood, and eventually needing to be retired a second time.

Have yet to have a chance to play her a third time.

Sakura Hayase, Goddess of Technology and War. Ally of Zandragal and Thoth. Intergalactic Arms Dealer (Hayase Aeronautical Industries) and thorn in Naruni's side. Creator Deity for the Kowe. (A furry, two foot tall, magically adept species you might recognize from a certain popular movie. You're not really a god until you've created your own race... )

[Alrik Vas]

Yeah, Alrik was a 11th Spec Ops/4th Worldly Martial Artist. He had a samurai rune sword (the basic variety), a TW soultwist blade a buddy made for him, a SMG from AU (6d6md per burst, had DU rounds for double damage on ammo swap), had all the goodies for never being ambushed (6th sense, ultra-ear/filter, zanishin circle) and could get SN PS and become MDC with chi nonsense. I don't really get to play him anymore, but he appears from time to time in games (generally not directly involved). Oh, i had a moded NE-4 that could discharge all 10 rounds in a single attack, but the action would jam and i'd have to clear it before i could reload...though there were times that saved my bacon.

I played him mostly in pick-up games, so he's had a...well...wide assortment of adventures. he used to fight alongside dragon hatchlings, battle magus, former crazy cyberknights...but never juicers. I pretty much see juicers as the scum of humanity.

[Myrrhibis]

Have 2:

Melena Alys'ka of the Jages clan: TA LLW. She started as my NPC when the PC group needed a magic-user &/or a "gm mouthpiece". Due to the group's power level & her class she had a rune weapon. Nothing at first, that made her OMG Awesome, except that it was *fun* to play a higher level mage, of a race that in theory had access to a LOT of spells. Later on, the new GM (one of my players) asked if I'd be willing to co-run her along w my existing PC b/c we needed a mage. Later on, she was pulled out of retirement again when we deliberately played a "high-level for S&Gs adventure in Hell" where everyone was Level 14-20.

Damiri of the Ragi clan... she's a homemade conversion of an alien race from CJ Cherryh's "Foreigner" series - the Atevi. Using one of the races in AU as the physical base; she's a Unprincipled->Scrupulous mix of Master Assassin & Headhunter Assassin. I worked w/ the GM & another player, who both were also familiar w/ the books, to come up w/ statline & skill-set that worked.
She's probably my favorite character in 25 years of playing PB games b/c she was so alien. I incorporated the manner they speak English (very formal modes of address, even among 'familiar' people) and a very different way of looking at the world due to Assassination being a perfectly legal & acceptable manner of handling things - after you've filed Intent, as well as their society.
She ended up being part of that L20 Trip through Hell. Being 7ft tall, and stated to be quite stronger than humans - she could use some serious BFGs. And deal some mean HtH combat as well. Don't ask her to use much high-tech though, or speak foreign languages.
--Huzzah for RIFTS being perfect for importing our favorite books/tv/movies.

[MaxxSterling]

I had an awesome Ley Line Walker that became a God, the GM obviously was not canon.

[Akashic Soldier]

Talos Walker. He saved the multiverse through his incredible power of running away, pleading for his life, and seducing/befriending the henchwomen of demonic lords and arranging betrayals so that once great demon kings were replaced by succubus and similar female demons that he'd already earned brownie points with. Kinda lame when you break it down to a few lines like that, but all the more remarkable when you realize he was a 3rd level Bard among 7th-9th level characters. Stupid AD&D 2e and only getting experience from killing.

[Crow Splat]

Our characters seldom retire of their own accord. More often they are forced into "early retirement." However, the ones that do go the distance live on in various cameo appearances in future campaigns.

One perennial favorite is Abdul the butcher. Abdul is often encountered by newer players or ones who have gotten a bit too confident in their abilities. Some have even likened him to genie only instead of rubbing a lamp to summon him, one must only say that their character is unbeatable within earshot of the GM.

Abdul is an elf samurai that has undergone juicer conversion. He is seen wielding either the daisho of the samurai or a pair of juicer chainsaws. When not showing individuals just how "unbeatable" they are, he can be found venturing throughout North America or working as the doorman at the Black Paladin, a den of ruffians in the free city if Horn.

[nilgravity]

None of my characters are retired because I'm now the GM and they've become NPCs. I've even imported a few characters from other games. One of my best NPCs is an old character of mine who was mantis themed and the ruler of China (the game was sort of a RP version of risk or axis and alies). In my rifts campaign he's a Mantis man Madhaven mutant who has dubbed himself the ruler of Chinatown. Though they have run into at least two of my old characters my players have yet to try to fight one, though they tend to be the most colorful NPCs. I tend to play eccentric characters.

[guardiandashi]

Our characters seldom retire of their own accord. More often they are forced into "early retirement." However, the ones that do go the distance live on in various cameo appearances in future campaigns.

One perennial favorite is Abdul the butcher. Abdul is often encountered by newer players or ones who have kitten a bit too confident in their abilities. Some have even likened him to genie only instead of rubbing a lamp to summon him, one must only say that their character is unbeatable within earshot of the GM.

Abdul is an elf samurai that has undergone juicer conversion. He is seen wielding either the daisho of the samurai or a pair of juicer chainsaws. When not showing individuals just how "unbeatable" they are, he can be found venturing throughout North America or working as the doorman at the Black Paladin, a den of ruffians in the free city if Horn.

I do believe My former GM does have my char show up on occasion in his current group. basically "Alecia DeVreis goddess of high tech warfare" (never could really pin down which Pantheon she really was a part of, in our campaigns she kind of worked with both the Norse, and the Greek/roman gods) she was both an interdimensional arms dealer on her own, and a "sales Rep" for the GM's char, (Alecia was less willing to issue credit than Kara was, altho they both tended to want C.O.D. Kara tended to give somewhat better rates on materials for trade) Alecia also tended to go in for "exotic" and heavy equipment more than Kara did, IE kara sold a lot of guns, body and power armor, not so many robot vehicles, Alecia sold a few guns, and power armor suits, but tended to sell heavy "robot vehicles" primarally bettlemechs, (on rifts) and occasionsl star ships and fighters but they tended to be VERY pricy

[Alrik Vas]

One perennial favorite is Abdul the butcher. Abdul is often encountered by newer players or ones who have gotten a bit too confident in their abilities. Some have even likened him to genie only instead of rubbing a lamp to summon him, one must only say that their character is unbeatable within earshot of the GM.

Abdul is an elf samurai that has undergone juicer conversion. He is seen wielding either the daisho of the samurai or a pair of juicer chainsaws. When not showing individuals just how "unbeatable" they are, he can be found venturing throughout North America or working as the doorman at the Black Paladin, a den of ruffians in the free city if Horn.

That reminds me of the time i beat the living tar out of an invulnerable super hero type with my character. The guy was like, "But i'm invincible!" as he writhed on the ground in a pile of broken bones and regret.

I shrugged and said, "Well, maybe you should have told me before the fight..."

[Crow Splat]

Yeah most of the times that I bring him out is when we get a player that comes from a gaming background where they can win every fight and retreat is never the only option. Generally it's a non-lethal encounter that ends with the player being warned that they are a small fish in an ocean of sharks.

Although some veteran players like to square off against him to see if they can go the distance. Those fights are always exciting and a fair amount of credits always change hands amongst the spectators.

[Alrik Vas]

Yeah, I'm waiting for a GM with the gumption to run a game with Alrik again...fun to play, he's such a *******...