Eric Grotto (Awaiting Review)

by **Eric Grotto** August 11th 2016, 4:42 pm

Eric Grotto
"There's my life, then there's the things I do for other's lives."

Basic Biography

Real Name: Eric Grotto
Renegade/Hero/Villain Name: None
Title: Martial Arts Trainer/Vigilante/Former UFC Middleweight Champion of the World/Former WBA Middleweight Champion of the World/Millionaire Philanthropist
Alignment: Lawful Good
Age: Twenty-One
Gender: Male
Race: Caucasian
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Green
Height: 6'2
Weight: 180
Blood type: A-

The Looks

Eric is a healthy, muscled, and relatively handsome man. He is clean-shaved, and well-groomed; thanks to his money, he can afford to buy the best of everything, and to pay others to groom him to relative perfection.

His eyes are green, and his hair is brown.

Eric's costume is relatively austere. It consists of a white, hooded, set of combat armor, and a white mask. He wears boots. Billy-clubs can be seen in his hands, or strapped to his legs. His right gauntlet is bigger than his left.

The Legacy

Personality:

Eric is ambitious, passionate, and fun-loving. He is a bookish, and reclusive person at heart--although he has always enjoyed honing his physicality. He values the law, and is a devoted Christian. That said, he also values what is right, and feels like he would be wrong in not trying to make a difference with his powers.

History:

Eric was born into a lower-class family. He was raised by a loving mother, and a caring, and respectable father.

It was some time before Eric discovered his powers. He did so, when he convinced his father to let him try out for football. Needless to say, he quickly became a small-town star. He used his powers to learn to be an expert quarterback, and to read and predict the defense of opposing teams.

Eric began to realize, that he wasn't just a naturally gifted athlete, when he aged into his teen years.

He could hit home runs, by simply watching a baseball practice, or two. He could dunk a ball, by watching it being done once. Eric knew that his extreme aptitude wasn't normal, even for the supremely physically gifted.

He began to test the limits of his powers in his sophomore year of high school. No matter what physical activity he tried, he excelled in it. The simpler the sport, and the more skilled those he could watch were, the quicker that Eric found that he mastered it.

He couldn't figure out anything on his own. If he practiced a sport at home, then he progressed at the pace of every other athlete. However, if he could train with a team, then it always took little time for him to be keeping up with the best of said team.

Eric loved being the best. He loved learning new things, even more. Every new skill he acquired gave him a kind of small high, and every time he heard people talking about him after a game, his heart soared.

Eric enjoyed making people happy, and he loved winning for them.

The one sport that Eric found was more difficult than the rest was wrestling. With its many holds, and its many intricacies, it took even Eric a while to build and polish his ground-fighting skills. Eventually, however, he became a high-school national-champion in wrestling, as well.

Despite being the pride of his town, and even being recognized by teen athletes across the country, Eric's fame couldn't pay the bills for his family. His father worked hard, and his mother had a job, as well, but money was always tight for the Grotto household. Every time his parents smiled when he won some sports award, it made Eric happy, but he also recalled their frowns from when they looked at their bills.

Despite living the dream of every high school teen, Eric found that his success was hollow in a way. All his varsity letters, couldn't help his family, at all.

For a time, Eric quit sports, and worked a job to help support his family. Eventually, however, he realized that working a minimum wage job was only a band aid for his family's financial problems. When he graduated, he resolved to find a way to take care of all his family's needs forever, and this time he began to believe that his powers could help to do so.

Because he had quit sports, before his senior year, Eric had not been offered any spots on any college teams. Still, he knew that there was money in professional athletics--enough money to set himself, and his family, up for life.

Eric was eighteen, when he walked into his local boxing gym--boxing was easy to get into, and it promised great spoils to skilled prizefighters. The coaches ignored Eric at first, and trained him only sparingly. It didn't matter to Eric, he didn't need training, he needed to watch others train.

When Eric's powers allowed him to acquire technique equal to that of the best in his gym, the gym's trainers began to notice him, just as Eric had suspected they would. The boxing coaches quickly began to train Eric, and to teach him how to condition his body. Once he had brought his body up to the level of fitness needed, Eric's coaches allowed him to began to fight in local bouts.

Eric was a national golden glove champion a year after he first started boxing. This achievement earned him a spot on the United State's Olympic Boxing Team. No one could believe that a nineteen year old, who had only boxed for a year could make it to the Olympics.

Eric believed in himself, however, and he believed in his goals to help his family. Training with the Olympic team pushed his physicality to new heights, and allowed him to mimic the skills of the best amateur boxers that the United States had to offer.

When the Olympics came, Eric brought home the gold medal for boxing. He wasn't done, however; the Olympics was only his ticket to fame and wealth.

Eric's victory at the Olympics allowed him to easily find a pro-boxing trainer, who was willing to take him on as a student. The more he was allowed to train with the best, the better Eric became.

Eric began his pro-boxing career with a large following. The nineteen-year old prodigy did not disappoint his fans, and he never lost a single fight. Fans aside, it was still a year before he got his first title shot.

Eric won the WBA middleweight belt not by a knock-out, but by points. He did win, however.

Eric defended his title multiple times, but when his fans began to grow bored of seeing him win, time and time again, Eric knew that he needed to do something new. Eric wanted to know without a shadow-of-a-doubt, that he would never have to worry about money again.

Eric began fighting in the UFC at the age of twenty. There was a lot for him to learn, and it was rocky at first, even with his powers. Still, with his boxing and wrestling background he managed to get a few fights under his belt. As with every time Eric fought a skilled opponent, he got better with every fight.

Thanks to his fame as a boxer, Eric was quickly lined up to fight the current UFC MIddleweight Champion.

In the months leading up to the second title fight of his life, Eric scoured the globe in search of every fighting style that could help ensure his victory. His efforts did not fail him, when the time for his fight came, and he won the title.

Eric defended his UFC title only twice, before retiring. He had the money that he needed to set his family for life, and to set himself for life. He had also gained enough wealth to extend a helping hand to others outside his circles.

Eric was always fortunate, and always blessed, and it always bothered him. He had satisfied his need to serve something other than himself, for a time, by fighting to free his family from debt and labor. He even began training other fighters, as a way to help young-hopefuls to pulls themselves up in life, as he had.

Eventually, he began to seek even more ways to help other people. He wanted to use his powers to aid others, just as his powers had aided him to have a better life.

It was purely by chance that Eric saw a superhero save a young-girl one night. As he had done for his entire adult life, Eric mimicked another to help someone other than himself. Eric became a vigilante.

The Powers and Weaknesses

Powers

Empathetic-Reflex Mimicry:

Eric was born with the ability to see, understand, and mimic any physical action. If he see's someone do something once, then he can then do the same movement exactly as they had. It's even possible that Eric could induce a heart-attack in himself, if he was able to observe how a heart spasms when someone is having one.

Superhuman-Reflexes:

Eric's reflexes are superhuman. This allows him to engage even speedsters in combat to a extent. Eric's reflexes can allow him to dodge even a bullet, if he see's it coming.

Fighting Prowess:

Eric has used his abilities to mimic the fighting styles and skills of some of the best fighters on the planet. This has allowed Mr. Grotto to develop his own mixed, and diverse fighting style.

What Eric couldn't learn by watching his opponents on the mat, ring, and in the octagon, he has sought out and learned through other avenues.

Eric's fighting style is a varied mash-up of boxing, hop-gar, kung-fu, bjj, jujitsu, karate, krav-maga, American freestyle, and more.

Depending on the situation, he may use traditional blade, or blunt weapons, or just his body to resolve conflicts.

Eric possesses fighting skill that is well-above the level of any human, or champion fighter. He has studied and mimicked the styles of dozens of champions, masters, and expert fighters. Thanks to his powers, his body can seamlessly combine the styles of some of the best fighters to have ever lived.

Eric's extensive training routine, and use of his fighting skills, keep him at a high level of fitness.

Acrobatic Capability:

Eric possesses a range of acrobatic maneuvers, that he can call upon. This allows him to maneuver around the city, and to perform complex and effective feats of flexibility, and balance in combat.

Wealth:

Eric is the former WBA and UFC Middleweight Champion of the world. He was undefeated, before he retired. Eric made his fortune by being the best. But, it was through employing the right people to make clever investments, and by having enough capital to recover when said employees don't make clever investments, that Eric has become a multi-millionaire.

Weakness(es)

Human Physicality:

While having the power to mimic any action, down to the smallest muscle fiber's movement, Eric is human. He does not possess any superhuman traits, aside from his reflex mimicry and his enhanced reflexes.

He could, for example, watch a battle between two superhumans take place. He would be able to replicate the superhumans' movements, within the limits of a normal human's body, but not their powers.

Line of Sight:

If Eric can't see, then his powers are effectively rendered useless. His mimicry is based upon sight, his fighting skills only work upon what he can see, and he can only use his reflexes when he see's something threatening to prompt him to react. If someone can blind Eric, obscure his vision, or even just turn off the lights, then he's just as vulnerable as any human.

This really exemplifies, that despite his incredible martial prowess, and his copy-cat powers, that Eric is mostly human--he's not a demigod, he's not a supernatural powerhouse. Eric is just Eric, even when he's in a mask.

Overconfidence:

Due to always being able to best most of his opponents, Eric has a tendency to become overconfident when fighting. It's not so much arrogance, as it is a sheer ignorance to the fact that some fighters may indeed simply outclass him. This can cause him to underestimate his competition, and to be reckless.

Morality:

Eric will not kill, it hurts him to lie, and he hates looking and feeling like a dirty person. This can limit his options, and can prove a serious detriment to him in combat.

Public-Figure:

Due to his past/current fame, Eric is forced to be very careful, when it comes to keeping his superhero identity under wraps.

RP Mechanics

RP Mechanic(s):

Fame:

Eric has fans and anti-fans alike, having been a high-profile athlete. His name can open doors, as can his wealth, and his connections.

Police Connections:

As his vigilante alter-ego, Eric has made connections with certain members of the police force.

Millionaire Philanthropist:

Eric donates his time, money, and name to help those in need.

Musical Savant:

Thanks to his reflex mimicry, Eric can play multiple instruments, and can easily pick up new musical talents by watching others.

Items/Minions

Combat Armor:

Eric has used his fortune to purchase a custom costume. He wears a white set of combat armor, that can all but nullify most forms of concussive force. The armor covers his entire body, save for his head, which he conceals with a hood and a mask.

Weakness: While neutralizing concussive force, any piercing damage, bullets, and knives can all easily cut through Eric's armor. Once pierced, the plates and fabric of Eric's armor is compromised, causing it to be effectively useless, until it is repaired.

Billy-Clubs:

Eric fights with two billy clubs.

Utility Belt:

Eric wears a white utility belt around his waist. There are multiple pouches all around this belt, in which a number of useful, mundane items can be found. Eric carries lockpicks, burner phones, and cash in the belt.

Weakness: The belt can ripped from Eric's waist, or otherwise damaged. It has only decent durability.

Small Rebreather:

In his utility belt, Eric carries a small rebreather. It is capable of providing him oxygen above, or below water.

Weakness: The rebreather can easily be knocked from his mouth, and has a limited supply of oxygen. (Three-Post-Duration)

Mini-Electromagnet:

In order to wipe cameras, and other devices of any compromising recording, Eric carries a handheld electromagnetic emitter in his utility belt.

Weakness: The emitter can only effect mundane technology, and has a range of only ten feet. It can not be weaponized in any way.

Data-Pad:

In the left wrist of his suit, Eric has a touch screen monitor, that he can use to control his radio transmitter, taser knuckles, and to track his tracers. The data-pad can also be used as a mini-computer, and can connect to the internet.

The data-pad is usually covered by Eric's gauntlet, but said gauntlet can be opened to reveal the data-pad.

Weakness: The data-pad is very fragile, and can easily be broken when its not covered. It is vulnerable to EMP attack.

Tracers:

Eric carries small, adhesive GPS tracers in his utility belt. They can be affixed to a person, or object, and Eric can then trace them from any computer, device, or phone that he has installed the proper program into.

Weakness: The tracers are small, and easily missed. That said, they are about the size of someone's finger tip. If discovered, they are easily destructible.

Smoke Pellets:

Eric carries a number of smoke pellets in his utility belt. They create a large cloud of black smoke.

Weakness: The pellets' smoke clouds dissipate seconds after being deployed, limiting their use somewhat.

Shurikens:

In his belt, Eric carries a limited number of shurikens. He will not use them in a lethal manner. Some of the shurikens are sharp, and some of them are blunted.

The shurikens are released from Eric's utility belt, via spring loaded ejector.

Weakness: The shurikens have a limited range.

Radio Transmitter:

In his cowl, Eric wears a radio transmitter. He can scan police frequencies, or communicate with his allies by using the transmitter as a two-way radio of sorts.

Weakness: When Eric uses the transmitter, his hearing is impaired, and essentially only capable of being used for whatever he is listening to on the transmitter.

Arsenal of Mundane Weapons:

While Eric does not generally carry them, he does own an arsenal of mundane, bladed and blunt weapons.

Weakness: The weapons are made of normal materials, and only as weak or strong as all mundane weapons are.

Grappling Gauntlet:

Eric utilizes a gauntlet, that can fire a grappling hook. The hook is strong enough to pull him to the top of a building.

Weakness: Eric can only carry himself with his grappling hook. The weight of his armor, weapons, and body, pushes the limits of the hook's weight-capacity, as is.

Taser Knuckles:

Eric can electrify the knuckles on his gauntlets, enough to injure even superhuman combatants.

Weakness: The taser knuckles have a limited charge. The high amount of voltage needed to damage a superhuman opponent requires that Eric wear a micro-battery, that appears to be a belt-buckle. The battery can only sustain minimal use (one-post-duration), before burning out.

Additionally, if something damages their battery, then the taser knuckles become useless.

Physical Priority
(You are to put these physical attributes in order from 1 to 4. 1 is the highest priority, 4 is the lowest.)
Agility 3
Endurance 1
Reaction 2
Strength 4

by **Thorgron** August 11th 2016, 5:50 pm

Hello hello Mr. Grotto, welcome to the site! I've got to say I enjoy the concept of the humble roots defender type of character so good on you. That said, there are some edits that need to be made to get this app ready for your first RP here.

First off is the history. While yes, you have a basic outline there of the event of his life it currently seems a little bare bones. There is clearly a story in there and I want to know more about Eric Grotto. Things like how he discovered his powers, what attracted him to fighting let alone professional fighting considering his ability would make it laughably easy, where in his past does the drive to help others come from. To top it all off this guy is a champion fighter in multiple arenas and already retired before he could even drink! There is soooooo much more that you can add in to that history to really give us a sense of who this guy is and what makes him tick. I'm looking forward to seeing what gets added.

Now on to powers. His second two are fine as is, we've had more than a few characters of impressive fighting experience and wealth. The first power however presents a bit of a problem. While cool, it presents the opportunity for you to get into the range of something I call "approved god-modding" if I were to let this slide through unedited. As it is, this ability could be used as justification for Eric to start auto-dodging attacks he has no business even seeing let alone reacting too. As it reads currently, after someone fights him once, they will almost certainly never beat him again. That said you have two options; Option 1: you edit down the scale of this power so that it is simply adaptive muscle memory without the subconscious reading and predicting of opponent's movements, Option 2: you make the power (specifically the part about him predicting an opponents moves and subconsciously gaining information he doesn't consciously register) permission based, so if you enter a topic you and the other RPers will discuss and agree upon what extent his abilities work on their characters. I'd go with the second option personally considering most of us won't say no to a permission based power working to its fullest extent unless there's a very good in character reason for it. At the same time if someone thinks the ability is a little unfair, it allows you and that RPer to come to a compromise on how that ability functions in relation to their character, opening up more RP options for you. I'd also like to say that him having adaptive muscle memory and serious superhuman reflexes is completely okay. It's the predictive part of his ability that pushes it across the line from acceptable to needing to be permission based.

Now, that we've addressed powers lets take a look at weaknesses. You're first weakness is perfectly fine and honestly necessary for me to feel comfortable with Eric having his ERM as it means that he won't be copying super strength or a technique that can only be performed if the user has a certain ability. The second weakness however will need to be changed into different a weakness. The second weakness essentially adds no further limitations to the character that being physically human doesn't address. It also seems to contradict the way the power works considering he doesn't have to consciously register seeing something performed for his ability to kick in.

And finally we move on to items. All of them but the billy clubs (unless they are especially durable or possess some other non-mundane trait) will each need one weakness applied specifically to them. So maybe the grappling gauntlet can't carry the weight of Eric and another person, maybe the armor is not particularly effective against piercing weapons. These are just examples, but as I said there will need to be a weakness for at least the suit, the grappling gauntlet and the tasers.

And that should just about do it. I'd like to say I do really enjoy the potential fun this character has both in and out of fights and I look forward to RPing in a thread with him. I hope I haven't overwhelmed you too much. Happy editing! Smile

by **Eric Grotto** August 11th 2016, 9:59 pm

I hope that's better. I tried my best to work with all your points. Hopefully, I fixed everything. Smile

by **Thorgron** August 15th 2016, 8:12 am

Alright, I see that you've made some extensive edits to this, including the addition of more than a few new items. And from the looks of it most of this now checks out. The only thing that I can see now in need of tweaking is your second weakness, Reflexive Fighting. This is a man who has never lost a boxing match, defended a UFC title twice and has trained in a plethora of martial arts. His fighting style is clearly not that predictable or so easily baited. So I would suggest you change that weakness to something more limiting to him.

Other than that, the rest of the app looks good. So either edit that weakness or come up with a better one and you should be all set! Smile

by **Eric Grotto** August 15th 2016, 3:12 pm

Bump. Thank you so much, for taking the time to read the word-wall, and for considering if everything was balanced!

by **Thorgron** August 15th 2016, 3:27 pm

Sight is a good one, a little inherent though definitely exploitable.

Anyways, approved until stated otherwise! Smile

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