The Good Word: Be reasonable.

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The Good Word: He uses the weak.

The Good Word: Jekyll & Hydes are We

His Airness

MICHAEL JEFFREY “AIR” JORDAN (circa “The Last Dance,” 1998) Male Human Legendary Strong Ordinary 1/Strong Hero 4/Fast Ordinary 2/Fast Hero 2/Dedicated Ordinary 2/Dedicated Hero 1/Charismatic Hero 3; CR 9 (14); LA +1

Medium Humanoid (height 6’ 6”, weight 216 lb.); Age 35

Init +6; Senses (core) Listen +7, Search +1, Spot +7; Senses (house) Listen/Spot +15, Search +1
Languages English

Defense 23, touch 14, flat-footed 21; Dodge (+2 Dex, +11 class)
hp 92 (15 HD); Mas 14
Fort +10 (+2 vs fatigue checks between periods), Ref +8, Will +7
Action Points 12
          Note: Defense and hp numbers above are effective in terms of basketball playing potential. Defense in a “real” fight only has a +5 class bonus (Def 17 instead). Hit points when in a real fight are reduced by 30 (15 HD x 2 Con mod; 62 instead).

Speed 35 ft.
Melee unarmed strike +5 (1d6+2 nonlethal, 20) or
Melee by weapon +4
Ranged 2-pt basketball (+1 DefR) or free-throw shot +13 or
Ranged 3-pt basketball shot +12 or
Ranged fadeaway +14 (-1 DefR for 3-pt) or
Ranged turnaround fadeaway +14 (+/-1 DefR for 2-pt/3-pt) or
Ranged by weapon +4
Space 5 ft. by 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Base Atk +2 (eBAB +10); Grp +14 (+15 on slam dunk)
Atk Options Coordinate, Inspiration, Point Blank Shot
Special Qualities basketball signature (“turnaround fadeaway”; costs 1 feat), legend traits (1)

Abilities Str 15 (13), Dex 15, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 14 (13), Cha 12
'(-)' indicate original ability scores.
Allegiances greatness, himself, good, basketball, Chicago Bulls; Rep +7; San 62
Feats Acrobatic, Alertness, Brawl, Confident, Dodge, Heroic Surge*, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Simple Weapons Proficiency, Weapon Focus (fadeaway), Weapon Focus (slam dunk)
* Bonus feat selected from Legend template
Skills (core) Balance +21, Bluff +9, Diplomacy +7, Drive +8, Gamble +8, Intimidate +14, Jump +25, Knowledge (business) +4, Knowledge (current events) +3, Knowledge (tactics) +4, Listen +7, Profession (businessman) +10, Read/Write English, Sense Motive +7, Sleight of Hand +9, Speak English, Spot +7, Swim +4, Tumble +6
Skills (house) Athletics +19 (+8 on Jump), Control +20 (+1 on Balance), Drive +8, Gamble +8, Knowledge (business) +4, Knowledge (current events) +3, Knowledge (tactics) +4, Perceive +13 (+2 on Listen, Spot), Persuade +18 (+2 on Intimidate), Profession (businessman) +10, Read/Write English, Sneak +9, Speak English, Tumble +6
Talents (Strong Hero) Extreme Effort, Improved Extreme Effort
Talents (Fast Hero) Increased Speed
Talents (Dedicated Hero) Skill Emphasis (Jump)
Talents (Charismatic Hero) Coordinate, Inspiration
Starting Occupation Athlete (+1 on Balance, Drive, Jump as permanent class skill; Brawl)
Possessions (total weight 4.5 lb.) uniform (Bulls jersey & shorts; 2 lb.), Air Jordan sneakers (1 lb.), professional basketball (1.5 lb.)
Wealth Bonus +23

Basketball Abilities
Position: Shooting Guard
Handedness: Right
Energy Level: High
Location Proficiencies: All
Offense: +27
Defense: +27
Dunk/Lay-up (contested): +40 (core), +42 (house); uncontested dunk is automatic unless two natural 1s; lay-ups may automatically impose -5 on defensive player (@ DC 39, +25 to base)
2-pt Shot (@ +13) %: 75
Fadeaway: +31 (core), +33 (house)
Turnaround Fadeaway**: Can only be done from left/right post, or against 1 opponent; treat success margins as 8 points lower; ignore -1 penalty for 2-pt
Free Throw %: 95 (90 after 1 period, 85 after 2 periods, 80 after 3 periods)
Pass: +16
On-ball/Pass Steal: +17/11 (core), 17 (house)
3-pt Shot %: 35
** Unique specialty

D20 Basketball Rules

Levels/Effective BAB/Def/Hit Points, etc.
Professional athletes whose careers are strictly confined to the disciplines of their sport(s) do not progress in the same way as conventional heroic characters do. Much of their ability and exploits are on display in a specific capacity that is not tested by the more random and varied rigors of a standard “adventuring career.” Due to this, any heroic levels gained while maintaining a professional athlete’s career are only “effective levels” in a broader game sense. Only levels attained as an Ordinary character, as detailed in the core rulebook, will provide base attack bonuses for the purposes of melee/ranged effects, although the effective heroic levels will still add to those features and actions which would promote the abilities exemplified by an athlete dedicated to their specific discipline (e.g., effective BAB would still add to a basketball player’s jump shot, but not their attacks with a firearm, etc.). Furthermore, effective hit points are calculated including all standard measures, but for “real” combat purposes will be reduced by an amount equal to the character’s HD times any Con modifier (i.e., even a -2 Con mod would reduce a pro athlete’s effective hit points by HD x 2). Finally, class bonus to Defense is reduced by 1/2 when calculating for “real” combat situations. Similarly, instead reduce the character’s CR by 1/2 their heroic levels outside of their sports discipline.

eBAB 6+ grants specialty; must burn feat slot(s) for unique speciality (“signature move”)
eBAB 7+ grants ability proficiency in all shot locations
eBAB 8+ grants ability to attract multiple defenders
eBAB 9+ grants ability to ignore contested shots from single defender
eBAB 10 grants ability to attract and ignore contested shots from multiple defenders

Shot Chart

* Natural only
** Reduce 2-pt base DefR (-2 to -5) by half eBAB (max 10), rounded down
Note: Increase upper end of DefR for bonuses by Point Blank Shot, Weapon Focus feats, etc., on a 1:1 basis

eBAB         2-pt DefR        %          3-pt DefR          %           FT Def         %
0               16-20              25          15, 20*            10          16+             25

Dex            2-pt DefR        %          3-pt DefR          %           FT Def         %
+1              16-20              30          15, 20*            10          16+             30
+2              16-20              30          15, 20*            10          16+             35
+3              16-21              35          15-16, 20*       15          15+             45
+4              16-21              35          15-16, 20*       15          15+             50
+5              16-22              40          14-16, 20*       20          14+             60

1-4             15-25           35-50        20-22            10-20       14+           40-55

+1              15-25           40-55        20-22            15-20       14+           45-60
+2              15-25           45-60        20-22               20         14+           50-65
+3              15-26           50-65        20-23               25         13+           60-75
+4              15-26           55-65        20-23               25         13+           65-80
+5              15-27           60-70        20-24               30         12+           75-90

5+**       1[0/3]-25         65-75        20-23               25         12+           70-95

+1           1[0/3]-26        70-85        20-24               30         12+           75-95
+2           1[0/3]-27        75-85        20-25               35         12+           80-95
+3           1[0/3]-28        75-90        20-26               40         12+           85-95
+4           1[0/3]-29        75-95        20-27               45         12+           90-95
+5           1[0/3]-30        75-95        20-28               50         12+              95

Shot attempt is a d20 roll plus eBAB+Dex mod, the result of which must either fall between the DefR or surpass the Def, as normal; Point Blank Shot only counts toward 2-pt shots

Energy Levels: High, Mid, Low; High level players receive +2 bonus on Fort saves vs. fatigue between consecutive periods (DC 15; if failed, electing to rest 1 period removes fatigued condition), but take a cumulative -2 penalty on free throws for every consecutive period played; Mid level players receive no bonus/penalty; Low level players must roll twice, taking the lower result on each fatigue check between periods, but may increase their DefR on either 2-pt or 3-pt shots by +1

Shot locations: [2-pt] paint, left/right post, high post; [3-pt] left/right wing, straight away; position/handedness determines location proficiencies as follows: Centers (paint, post matching handedness); Forwards (post of choice, wing matching handedness); Guards (wing matching handedness, wing or left/right post of choice); shot attempts from non-proficient locations require 2 rolls, accepting only the worse result

Offense vs. Defense (Making shots/Contesting): Defensive player must be adjacent to affect shot; opposed Balance/Control (+2 synergy bonus on offense for 5 ranks in either Bluff, Intimidate, Sleight, Tumble; on defense for 5 ranks in either Intimidate, Sense, Sleight, Tumble); offense wins by 5 or less and defense is > shooter's Def, shot is contested and offensive player must roll shot attempt twice, taking the worse result; defense wins by > 5 and defense is > shooter's Def, shot is deflected/blocked (may then make opposed Grapple to steal); shot with 2+ defenders in location imposes -4 on shot roll and +/-4 on DefR (unless Precise Shot, which ignores shot penalty and -4 on DefR); offense wins by > 10, shot plus foul

Dunk/Post-up: Breakaway/uncontested one-handed dunk is Jump/Athletics DC 13 (for 7+ footers), 18 (for 6+ footers), 24 (for 5+ footers), +2 two-handed, +15 if moved < 20 ft; opposed Jump/Athletics+Grapple check, if contested (if defensive player is shorter, must roll twice, taking worse result); offense wins > 10, dunk plus foul; natural 1 on dunk must be rerolled, if natural 1 again, dunk misses

Lay-up: As dunk, except DCs are 10 (7’), 14 (6’), 18 (5’), no two-handed or movement-based difficulty; offensive player may intentionally increase base lay-up DC by increments of 5, each increment imposes a cumulative -1 on defensive player

Fadeaway: Must have 8+ ranks in Balance/Control; requires adjacent defensive player; first, opposed Jump/Athletics (w/same synergy bonuses as offense vs. defense); if successful, treat all success offense margins as if they were 5 points lower (i.e., shot is contested only if checks match, etc.), but the shot’s DefR is adjusted -1 for 2-pt, -2 for 3-pt, contested or not

Free Throws: Attempts following a “hard foul” (when fouled by a defensive player with a higher Str mod) suffer a -2 penalty; “clutch” attempts (during the final moments of a game decided by 2 points or less) suffer a -2 penalty

Passing: Ranged attack (+2 synergy bonus for 5 ranks in Bluff, Sleight, Tumble) vs. Def 6 (standing recipient), Def 10 (moving recipient); passer must contend with cover bonus to target’s Def when passing into “traffic” (recipient is covered by 1+ defenders, +2 to +7); move action w/i 30 ft. (otherwise standard action); ball’s range increment for passes is 15 ft.; may skip pass to recipient w/i 30 ft. as reaction, add +4 to Def; if pass fails, recipient may still catch the errant pass by spending their next move action and succeeding on a Reflex save, DC equals Def

On-ball/Pass Steal: On-ball (“rip”) is Initiative + Sleight of Hand check (+2 synergy for 5 ranks in Sense, Tumble) vs. opposing offense roll, must be adjacent, failure by > 5 results in a foul; stealing a pass is a readied move action (must be w/i 10 ft of passer or “passing lane”) with a Sense Motive check (+2 synergy for 5 ranks in Balance, Sleight, Tumble) vs. pass result, but assess a -1 penalty for every other player between the player attempting the steal and the passer, failure results in loss of action and any recovery to contest the offensive player with two rolls on the defensive, taking only the worse result