MOVIE-DERIVED CHARACTER ADAPTATIONS
VINCENT
Val CHA Cost Roll Notes 15 STR 5 12- Lift 200 kg; 3d6 HTH Damage [1] 18 DEX 16 13- 16 CON 6 12- 18 INT 8 13- PER Roll 13-/15- 16 EGO 6 12- 20 PRE 10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6 7 OCV 20 6 DCV 15 3 OMCV 0 5 DMCV 6 4 SPD 20 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 5 PD 3 Total: 5 PD (0 rPD) 4 ED 2 Total: 4 ED (0 rED) 6 REC 2 32 END 3 11 BODY 1 28 STUN 4 Total Characteristics Cost: 127 Movement: Running: 14m/28m Leaping: 4m/8m Swimming: 4m/8m Cost Powers & Skills 10 Double Tap: Autofire (2 shots; +¼) for up to 60 Active Points of RKA,Both Shots Must Be At Same Target (-0); OIF (handguns ofopportunity; -½) 30 Necksnap: HKA 2d6, Attack Versus Alternate Defense (All Or Nothing; defense is rigid rPD on the neck, or anything else that prevents the neck/head from being turned or twisted; +1), Does BODY (+1); Must Target The Head (-1), Must Follow Grab (-½), No STR Bonus (-½), END 9 11 "I Do This For A Living!": Physical Damage Reduction, 50%; STUN Only (-½), Must Be Aware Of Attack (-¼) 2 Fast On His Feet: Running +2m (14m total), END 1 2 Observant: +2 PER with Normal Sight Martial Arts: Special Forces Training Maneuver OCV DCV Effect 4 Block +2 +2 Block, Abort 4 Choke -2 +0 Grab One Limb; 2d6 NND 4 Dodge -- +5 Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort 4 Elbow/Knee Strike +2 +0 5d6 Strike 4 Kidney/Joint Strike -2 +0 HKA 1 ½d6 4 Strike +0 +2 5d6 Strike 5 Takeaway +0 +0 Grab Weapon, 25 STR to take weapon away 3 Takedown +1 +1 3d6 Strike; Target Falls 2 Weapon Element: Blades, Clubs Perks 5 Money: Well Off Talents 3 Played By Tom Cruise: +1/+1d6 Striking Appearance (vs. all characters) Skills 20 Does This For A Living: +2 with All Attacks 6 Five Shots In 1.39 Seconds: +2 with Handguns 16 Mozambique Drill: +8 versus Hit Location Penalties with Handguns 3 "Albert Riccardo, Assistant US Attorney": Acting 13- 3 Breakfall 13- 3 "Here's 300 Down": Bribery 13- 2 "Whenever I'm Here, I Can't Wait To Leave": CK: LA 11- 3 Computer Programming 13- 3 "How Long Have You Been Driving?": Conversation 13- 3 Fast Draw: Handguns 13- 3 "Because I Said So": Persuasion 13- 3 "I Am A Cool Guy With A Job I Contracted To Do": PS: Contract Killer 13- 10 Five Shots In 1.39 Seconds: Rapid Attack 3 Shadowing 13- 3 Stealth 13- 3 Streetwise 13- 3 WF: Small Arms, Blades, Clubs 3 Scholar 2 1) "Have You Heard Of Rwanda?": KS: Current And World Events 13- 2 2) "I Do This For A Living": KS: Tradecraft 13- 3 3) "I Read About This Guy...": KS: Assorted Facts And Trivia 14- 3 4) "Where Did Miles [Davis] Learn Music?": KS: Jazz 14- 2 5) "You Know Your Policy... Will Cover The Damages": KS: Law 13- Total Powers & Skill Cost: 203 Total Cost: 329 275+ Matching Complications (50) 10 Distinctive Features: Style (Not Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Large Group) 15 Hunted: Contractors And Employers Frequently (Mo Pow; NCI; Watching) 10 Psychological Complication: Critical And Derisive Of Those Who Play It Safe (Common; Moderate) 15 Psychological Complication: Sociopathic Indifference To Others (Common; Strong) 15 Social Complication: Secret ID (prefers his anonymity) (Frequently, Major) Total Complications Points: 50 Experience Points: 54
Background/History: A contract killer-for-hire, Vincent was born in Gary, Indiana. His mother died during childbirth, and as a young boy Vincent either spent time with his alcoholic and abusive father, or in a series of foster homes. When he was twelve, Vincent finally had enough, and killed his father. Little is known about Vincent’s life after that. He entered the military at some point (probably right after high school), and served eight to twelve years in the special forces (branch unknown). Afterwards, he became attached to a private military contractor, and has worked in “the private sector” for the last six years.
Personality/Motivation: Vincent is a classic sociopath. He kills without a second thought or remorse, defining his actions as “taking out the garbage.” Of course, his victims in the film Collateral are actually witnesses (and one Federal prosecutor) testifying in a drug case, meaning they’re not exactly garbage. That said, Vincent is indifferent to the facts about the case, he only knows he has a job to do and he intends to do it right.
As a sociopath, Vincent also seems to have slight psychopathic tendencies. He seems to revel in his freedom and in his status as someone outside of normal human morals and standards. He constantly derides those who live staid lives, who never do anything on a whim or different. He loves jazz, for example, probably because of its inherent improv nature, and states “It’s off melody. Behind the scenes. Not what’s expected.” When things go south, he’s quick to adapt, to decide what needs to be done to get back on track, and can be relentless and uncompromising in getting what he needs. However, the one thing he won’t do is show his face to a client. For him, his anonymity is one of his greatest weapons and he doesn’t reveal his identity to anyone.
Quote: “We gotta make the best of it. Improvise. Adapt to the environment. Darwin... I Ching. Whatever. We got to roll with it.”
“I should only kill people after I get to know them?”
Powers/Tactics: Skilled with both firearms and hand-to-hand combat, Vincent is more than a match for the average thug or bodyguard. At one point, he executes two potential muggers with five shots in less than 1.5 seconds. In doing so, he uses what’s known as the Mozambique Drill, which is a double-tap to the chest followed by a third shot to the forehead. In order to perform the aforementioned execution scene seen in Collateral, Vincent had to use a Multiple Attack. He used Double Tap versus target number one, Double Tap versus target number two, and then a single shot to target number two’s forehead. This is a -4 to Vincent’s OCV. Presuming he put his levels into OCV, this gave him a starting OCV of 11 (12 if using his H&K USP [see below]) and a final OCV of 8. Presuming his targets had DCVs of 4, this means he needed a 15- to hit each one; 17- if his sudden pistol draw took them by surprise and resulted in their having a 1/2 DCV. This should allow him to make all three shots with ease.
Vincent is also skilled in hand-to-hand combat, and as you would expect from an ex-special forces operative, he technique is brutal and to the point. He tends to block attacks first, in order to get close to a foe, then finish them with brutal elbow and knee strikes. He’s also seen performing a takeaway on one foe, grabbing his attack’s baton and then beating his assailant with his own weapon. Vincent also performs a strike to the side of the knee to disable a man, and puts another into a chokehold to use him as a shield in order to get close to his final target.
About the only flaw in Vincent’s combat repertoire is his reliance on the Mozambique Drill. This is what saves taxi-driver (and protagonist) Max in the final confrontation. Vincent’s three shots hit the metal center divider of a door, while Max’s shots go through the windows on either side.
Appearance: Apparently in his later thirties or early forties, Vincent has silvery-gray hair and a close-trimmed beard. He stands 5’7”, weighs a very fit 160 pounds, and dresses in an expensive gray suit.
Designer’s Notes: Vincent is from the Michael Mann film Collateral. Played by Tom Cruise, he’s only the second villain character Cruise has played (the first being Lestat in Interview with the Vampire.) The character is rather chilling to watch, as Cruise plays him with utter indifference and cold-blooded efficiency. Curiously, however, his time with Max (played by Jamie Foxx) seems to effect him emotionally, explaining why Vincent doesn’t simply shoot Max and stuff him in the trunk, Vincent’s possible remorse at killing jazz musician Daniel, and Vincent’s reaction upon meeting Ida, Max’s mother.
Although not really mentioned in the film, the material under Vincent’s background was revealed in the making of documentary included with my copy of the film. And, per Michael Mann, Vincent’s speech about his father (and killing his father) is a rare moment of total honesty from the hitman.
During the film, Vincent does most of his work with an H&K USP in .45. He executes Daniel with a Ruger Mark II with an extended silencer.
H&K USP Compact: +1 OCV, 2d6 RKA, +1 STUN, 8 shots, 2 extra magazines.
(Vincent created by Stuart Beattie and Michael Mann, character sheet created by Michael Surbrook.)
“Hey Max... A guy gets on the MTA here in LA and dies. Think anybody will notice?”
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