Costume SOS: Psychic Character

[pawstruck]

Hi everyone,

 

Simply put, if I could pick a superpower IRL, it'd be psychic... but I've never been able to realize this in CoX. I don't think I have a narrow enough idea of what a psychic character could look like. 

 

I know I don't want the "literally a brain" type of hero, e.g. the floating-head-in-a-jar thing.

 

One concept I've kicked around is the Dao/Logos/Chain of Being/whatever idea. So the character might have a mutation that allows him to see/interact with the pattern underlying all of reality, allowing him to manifest his thoughts as energy. (Okay, so it's not great. Open to suggestions.) I've also thought of a soul/mind that wouldn't quite stick in its body all the way for whatever reason, allowing it to project itself.

 

Anyway, I've always wanted a psychic character but can't get anything flavorful enough costume-wise. Help?? :)

[Snarky]

30 minutes ago, pawstruck said:

I don't think I have a narrow enough idea of what a psychic character could look like. 

 

You have hit the nail on the head.  You need to get specific about what HAS TO BE part of your character.  Then you can start shopping for what fits.

 

You can write something totally original, use concepts inspired by fiction (or real life!), or use in game lore.  Did you know the Family Consigliere get their powers from special batches of Superadine?  There are a lot of groups with psychic powers in the game.  Any of these groups could be used as a jumping off point for a character backstory.

 

Narrow down what you want, then shop for the foot that fits the slipper.

[Coyotedancer]

Mine is a Madness Mage. So... yeah. Spiky, scary armor and glowing eyes when he's in "Serious Business" mode.

 

When he isn't in serious business mode? He's just some cute, auburn-haired guy with round glasses and a tendency to be a little overdressed for the pizza joint he's checking out. XD 

 

 

 

Edited April 14, 2022 by Coyotedancer

[MangoKulfi]

Street clothes are a good option for psychics.  If you've ever seen the psychic movies "The Dead Zone" or "Scanners" those movies are sweater-fests.

 

You can also have a monster costume as an alternate for when the psychic beast can't be contained anymore.

[Lazarillo]

28 minutes ago, MangoKulfi said:

Street clothes are a good option for psychics.  If you've ever seen the psychic movies "The Dead Zone" or "Scanners" those movies are sweater-fests.

To sort of expound on ideas from this, in the CoX setting, psychic powers are actually "naturally" occurring.  It's a talent that anyone can hypothetically awaken and train (though some might have more natural ability with it, like many talents).  So in some ways, a sort of street-clothes vigilante could work surprisingly well, especially if you had a character that wanted to be more subtle about it, or have a more "neighborhood vigilante"-type characterization.

[Without_Pause]

I had a character with a t-shirt with a chess piece on it, blue jeans, and a backwards cap. The character was named Outsmart. They were a Mind/dark dom. The character got rerolled, but I can see using that look elsewhere. I sort of have with previous characters. If you want to keep it "natural" as possible, there are a number of natural power sets which would work. I mean, a Mind/traps Controller who is a former or wanna be Fool Us(TV show) contestant who goes around using his mental and physical tricks to be a hero in Paragon,

[ZorkNemesis]

One of my psychic types is basically a succubus.  I figure succubi tend to be the types that can manipulate the thoughts and emotions of their targets since they subsist on lust and all that jazz.  Hell, CoT succubi are capable of using psychic attacks themselves.  She follows the magic bill: demonic skin and features, revealing magical outfit, horns, glowing eyes, all that.  Probably not the idea you want but it's one I roll with.

 

I admit I don't actually have a lot of psychic characters myself, the only other one I have is basically a sea monster.  But thinking about other psychics, I agree with the whole street clothes look as many psychics are often unassuming and generally don't have anything showing off that power unless it's the aforementioned swollen brain type.  Following your idea, an alternate costume that would look sort of like an astral projection might be worth considering.

[Magnificus]

I am afraid I steal from comics sometimes, and this has been the case for my psychics and many mutants. Pink often appears along with either white or black.

[srmalloy]

20 hours ago, pawstruck said:

I know I don't want the "literally a brain" type of hero, e.g. the floating-head-in-a-jar thing.

I took that route with my Psi/EM Blaster Umstvenniy Ulan ('Умственный Улан' -- 'Mental Lancer') who volunteered for a 'total cyborg' program after an accident during a mission that left her paralyzed; she went through several increasingly-sophisticated bodies, disdaining the use of cosmetic alterations that would make her look more 'natural'. Her current body uses the 'cyborg' costume pieces; it's not a particularly innovative appearance, but it conveys the sense of a body constructed for functionality, not esthetics:

 

[DougGraves]

My recommendation for making a character is take two things and blend them.  One thing is cliche.  A mix is great.

 

Pirate and ballerina mixed are much more interesting than just pirate or just ballerina.

 

So you can add psychic to something else - psychic mummy, psychic belly dancer, psychic soldier, psychic boxer, etc.

 

Or pick something that could have psychic powers - ghost, fortune teller, alien, etc. - and then add something else to the mix.  Martian private detective?

[Terenos]

You can also think about the emotional state of the psychic. Are they a stable person or have their powers made them go a little (or a lot) crazy - this can inform face choices and color palettes.

 

I also like adding small details to characters with more subtle powers or "street clothes" costumes like tech pieces on the head (maybe it shields them from obtrusive thoughts), separate glove styles (maybe that's where their secondary power comes from), chest details, and back ornaments. Sometimes it's the little details that can make a character stand out for you if you're having trouble.

[SeraphimKensai]

I have a Dark Armor Super Strength Tanker that the theme is an Endless Nightmare that is a psychic manifestation in the real world and goes on an unstoppable rampage while the psychic is sleep walking. When he wakes he costume changes into a modest 150lbs 5'6" college dropout that has never known amgood night's sleep as he has endless nightmares each time he falls asleep.

 

You can roll up anything to be psychic in this game.

[Magnificus]

8 hours ago, DougGraves said:

My recommendation for making a character is take two things and blend them.  One thing is cliche.  A mix is great.

 

Pirate and ballerina mixed are much more interesting than just pirate or just ballerina.

 

So you can add psychic to something else - psychic mummy, psychic belly dancer, psychic soldier, psychic boxer, etc.

 

Or pick something that could have psychic powers - ghost, fortune teller, alien, etc. - and then add something else to the mix.  Martian private detective?

 

There was a Morrison / Doom Patrol character, The Man of Muscle Mystery, Flex Mentallo, a Charles Atlas based character that uses psychic powers by striking poses and flexing his muscles.

 

Still *I* want to to play a pirate ballerina!!

 

edit

 

So I made one. Not psychic though sorry.

Edited April 16, 2022 by Magnificus

[pawstruck]

Exceptional creative tips; you guys are great.

 

I'll keep working on it and post something here if I'm happy with what I come up with.

 

Also, I'll keep checking the thread, so if anyone has more to add please feel free. This is truly an archetype that I feel is rarely done uniquely... although there are some great ideas here!

[Troo]

i like spectrum pieces with auras over the top for the unexplained or super natural then pick a thematic chest symbol

 

attached costume and a starting point for a Psi Mental blaster.

11PSI11.costume Blaster - Psychic Blast - Mental Manipulation.mxd

[GreyScribe]

I like the idea of a psychic hero/villain that is a mental projection of an ideal form or concept.

 

Here is a couple of variants for a Shield/Psi Melee Tanker avatar of justice:

 

avatar.costumeavatar.powerCust

 

I've found the Headless  or Floating Globe option is good for exploring non-human or otherworldly character concepts when paired with various head auras.  Depending on the concept or form you want to explore with your character then you can build from there.

[pawstruck]

This proved quite difficult, even with y'all's advice.

 

In the end, I had this idea of a sort of "psychic astronaut" character. Since there are so many psychics in CoH, it's not unreasonable to think that someone would be needed to fight evil at a mental/spiritual level... I'm thinking by exploring the true final frontier: Man's thoughts, dreams, and etc.

 

Still open to suggestions on this one.

 

What I like about it:

1. It seems like a somewhat unique combination, and I've never seen an astronaut in-game

2. The glows definitely convey psychic-ness

3. The chestpiece is cool and it fits with the helmet ^_^

 

What I wish it did better:

1. Can't decide on a back detail, if any

2. Every fifth person in Atlas Park is using Spectrum pieces - EDIT - Spectrum also feels very otherworldly, and I'll probably try to make a "more human" costume down the road.

3. Psychic Blast isn't really telepathy, but whatever...

4. I have never played Psychonauts, but I can't get the title out of my head, so I hope I'm not plagiarizing it... and I can't think of a good name for the character.

 

 

🙂

Edited April 19, 2022 by pawstruck

[DougGraves]

Nice, clean look.  I also rarely see astronauts in game.  I have my own Major Tomorrow.

 

Edited April 19, 2022 by DougGraves

[pawstruck]

14 minutes ago, DougGraves said:

I have my own Major Tomorrow.

 

Really cool character. Love the hair color and style, it fits perfectly.

 

Okay, now I'm just getting greedy... taking Doug's suggestion and the name Astroknight, I give you a creation that could only exist in City of Heroes... Now there's just the question of writing something that I'll find reasonable as a backstory for a psychic-astronaut-knight...

 

 

 

So I'm not sure I like this better than his previous iteration. More is not always more, I realize. But it's something to think on, anyway... accepting any votes! 😛

Edited April 19, 2022 by pawstruck

[Lazarillo]

14 minutes ago, DougGraves said:

I have my own Major Tomorrow.

The abdomen looks like Chaos Leather but the upper arms don't.  Curious what you're using?

[ZorkNemesis]

55 minutes ago, Lazarillo said:

The abdomen looks like Chaos Leather but the upper arms don't.  Curious what you're using?

 

Hard to tell with the Resistance shoulders, might be Robot Arm 2 with Tech or something underneath.

[Clave Dark 5]

6 hours ago, pawstruck said:

1. It seems like a somewhat unique combination, and I've never seen an astronaut in-game

2. The glows definitely convey psychic-ness

3. The chestpiece is cool and it fits with the helmet ^_^

1.  I take umbrage at that, I have at least two!  I won a costume contest with one of them in fact (not at home or I'd post a picture).

2.  Yes.  Spectrum does get a bit abused; I just made a nearly full-Spectrum'ed new toon and realized he was fairly generic while I was standing near Ms. Liberty.  Ah well...

3.  That looks great!  Which means I'm stealing it for one of my astronauts.

[DougGraves]

15 hours ago, Lazarillo said:

The abdomen looks like Chaos Leather but the upper arms don't.  Curious what you're using?

 

It's the chaos leather

[oedipus_tex]

A psychic as

17 hours ago, pawstruck said:

 

Really cool character. Love the hair color and style, it fits perfectly.

 

Okay, now I'm just getting greedy... taking Doug's suggestion and the name Astroknight, I give you a creation that could only exist in City of Heroes... Now there's just the question of writing something that I'll find reasonable as a backstory for a psychic-astronaut-knight...

 

 

 

So I'm not sure I like this better than his previous iteration. More is not always more, I realize. But it's something to think on, anyway... accepting any votes! 😛

 

 

A psychic astronaut you say?

 

I'd have a hard time not naming him Space Ghostradamus. 

 

[Gobbledigook]

You could go a Psychic Sidekick and have a retro costume.

 

 A vagabond type character cursed with Psychic abilities he can't control..... The Demented Man.