Stranger than Fiction?

[BentonGrey]

Howdy guys, how in the WORLD should I handle Phantom Stranger's powers?

[tommyboy]

With gloves on! :P
Thank you, I'll be here all week, try the veal.
*ahem*
Honestly, in a Mod I wouldn't have him as playable at all as a 'combat' type character. As an expository device, or transport or for recruiting,maybe.
But as far as I know his whole shtick is to be 'mysterious' and show up mysteriously. I don't think he has 'powers' as such, but can do whatever a writer requires. Which does not make for an FF friendly character.

[laughing paradox]

Maybe you can have him as the Angelic Ally, who comes in to assist your character when they are low on health.

If that's the case, give him a few, but powerful, moves. Mostly magic.. en exile attack.. an energy blast. No melee.. I don't think I've seen him use his fists.

[BentonGrey]

Haha, thanks Tommy! :P  In his early comics he used his fists quite a bit, although he had great powers besides those.  He was able to fire energy blasts, dispel illusions, and other stuff, but the mysterious nature of his powers do make them really hard to nail down.

As to his being an FF-unfriendly character, I'd rather agree Tommy, and I have no intentions of making him playable in a campaign (at the moment) but I just feel that I should have him in the roster for completion sake.  Maybe someone else will want to use him.  The Angelic Ally is a very intriguing option, LP.  If I were actually to employ him in a mod, as more than a narrator, that is, I think that would work pretty well.

[bearded]

As mysterious as the character himself. He has demonstrated enormous powers and capabilities, the exact origin of which is undetermined. He can travel enormous distances in a very short period of time, such as to the JLA Watchtower and Apokolips, as well as to mystical dimensions, such as Heaven, Hell and the realm occupied by the Quintessence. He can fire energy bolts of great force, can dispel magic, reveal illusions and survive in space unharmed. His power seems to be limited by unspecified parameters, since in many cases, despite his obvious capabilities, he claims he is not allowed to end a crisis directly, only to guide others to take the necessary actions (a restriction which conveniently allows the Stranger to guest-star in virtually any title without becoming a deus ex machina whose actions would immediately end the story).

As noted above, in Day of Vengeance #2, the Stranger managed to survive an intense battle with the Spectre, despite being transformed into a rodent; indeed, it was strongly implied that the Spectre transformed the Stranger so, rather than killing him outright, because even the Spectre's near-omnipotent power would be insufficient to kill the Stranger. The Stranger proceeded to demonstrate changing himself back under his own power and allowing his pseudo-teammates, Shadowpact, to see the battle taking place between Shazam and The Spectre.

Contrary to impressions that some may receive, the Phantom Stranger does not wear a mask; instead, his eyes are almost constantly cloaked by the shadow of his hat.

http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Phantom_Stranger_-_Powers_and_abilities/id/1843261
what i would give him is alteration at extreme magnitude, energy bolts, and teleportation and group teleportation.
or...since he can only guide characters, give him hypnosis, to 'guide' ppl.  probably dimension shift as well.
more guidance type powers i suppose.  enrage, life heal, etc.

[pr1983]

what i would give him is alteration at extreme magnitude, energy bolts, and teleportation and group teleportation.
or...since he can only guide characters, give him hypnosis, to 'guide' ppl.  probably dimension shift as well.
more guidance type powers i suppose.  enrage, life heal, etc.

yeah, thats what i'd go for too... lots of support type powers rather than offense...