Claim the Sky
It's hard to be a hero when you look like a villain. The man dubbed "Ruthless" by the press has a nest of writhing tendrils barely concealed beneath his shirt. When he's agitated, the tendrils burst forth with ferocious anger. Ruthless, whose real name is Malcolm Hughes, has been branded a monster, a menace, and a violent criminal despite the fact that he works hard to make sure that he never harms anyone. In fact, when possible, he strives to save people in danger and help those in need. But he must do it while always staying one step ahead of the authorities. He hates the name Ruthless.
Mightier and quicker than an average human, the outlaw hero's tendrils are stronger than steel but as flexible as octopus arms. He uses them to quickly move between locations, control his surroundings, and batter those attacking him.
Genetic mutation is the source of Ruthless's powers, but it was likely an engineered mutation. By whom, not even Ruthless knows.
Motive: Clear his name, protect the innocent
Environment: Anywhere
Health: 40
Damage Inflicted: Major wound (10 points)
Armor: 1
Movement: Short; long when his tendrils are deployed
Modifications: Speed defense as level 8 due to tendrils
Combat: Ruthless can attack everyone within immediate range as his action with battering tendrils, which he can deploy as part of any other action. If he focuses on a single target and makes a successful attack, he can grab it and hold it physically helpless until it can escape with a successful Might defense roll. If he chooses, Ruthless can squeeze a held target for a major wound (10 points) each round. He can hold up to four targets at once in this fashion.
Ruthless can use his tendrils to directly manipulate the area around him up to a short distance in all directions. Within this area, anything he could do with his hands he can also do with his tendrils. Given that his tendrils are much stronger and can affect a larger surface area than his hands, he can accomplish even greater feats, such as holding a collapsing bridge together, creating a net, or forming a shield that eases Speed defense tasks for dozens of people under or behind it.
Interaction: Ruthless assumes that any heroes he meets are interested only in apprehending him. Likewise with the police or BASTION. If a superhero convinces Ruthless that they're not out to get him, he can be made into a loyal ally—albeit one always on the run.
Use: A fight between Ruthless and a villain who can fly (or at least stick to the sides of buildings, like Worm) has stopped downtown traffic as everyone watches.
GM Intrusion: A mass of tendrils catches a character and inadvertently throws them into the path of a speeding car or at something else dangerous.