Whiskey/Falar:
I thought Surge III would be tough to pull off, especially not in a karma build, but I honestly didn't find the Surge cost to be all that problematic for this character. I guess I could buy up Logic if I had more starting karma, but I didn't feel I needed too many positive qualities, and the negative qualities aren't too borthersome. The character can't afford to drop to Resources D and there is not much more stuff the character needs to start with (I think). Additionally, I think that the Impaired Attribute NQ makes going Surge III easy... this character could impair Strength, Logic, Charisma, Body,and Willpower without affecting the build - picking 3 would get 24 karma worth of negative Surge qualities. That, and maybe one more flavorful changeling negative quality and you can get the 30ish karma of changeling positive qualities if desired.
Strange/Marcus:
Thanks! ;-) My character posts are mostly just to get the ideas out of my head. Most don't work great as PCs, but I often find some NPC/Contact concepts out of them. I have been thinking a lot about more mixed technological/magical concepts and blended archetypes, and more novel team dynamics that cover basic ground but in less typical ways.This character could have been an ork with eight limbs, a poison bite, and spidersilk and called it a day, I am hoping I made it less crazy than that though. I think of him more of a former go-ganger with some weird quirks. Cool bike, cool jacket, color changing hair, and a charming elven smile that reveal less charming but still intriguing fangs. He's brooding, but not above a good time.
Celendon:
Any ideas to help increase longevity?
I get oddly excited when I think I make an all C priority character workable, but I am not tied to that. Doing the priority switch Gradivus recommends is a good idea. There are definitely optimizations to make with adept powers/mentor spirit. I didn't want to go Raven but it might be most efficient. Shark might be for the +2 unarmed bonus, but I don't know how helpful killing hands is to Spiderbite, as his primary attacks aren't intended to do typical kinetic/strength-modified damage (shock gloves for stun damage and the biting needs to do just any damage for the poison effects--though, if spitting venom is an unarmed attack it may be a better way to go because the venom only requires contact). I don't like going berserk either. I also never thought I would make a character with an Increased Limit power, but this character needs one (base physical limit is 4). I think the fun of a magical cybered changeling is that there are a lot of options to pull from to add to and tweak the character (Surge qualities, adept powers, 'ware, etc).