Overview
Knuckles the Echidna has lived in solitude on the floating Angel Island for as long as he can remember, fulfilling his duty as guardian of the Master Emerald. Now that it's been shattered and the pieces strewn across the World Tree, he must use his phenomenal strength and mystic senses to track them down before anyone can use the power inside the shards for nefarious purposes. But it won't be easy, as Knuckles is naive in the ways of the world outside his island, and slow to forge friendships.
Perks
Powerhouse: Immense strength, speed, and durability.
Knuckles has a lot of physical power packed in his small frame. He can punch through robots, lift and throw boulders many times his own size, run at highway speeds, and take punishment that would flatten the average person. He's one tough monotreme.
Energy Radar: Can detect nearby mystical energy and living beings like a radar.
Due to his attunement to Chaos and lifetime of solitude, Knuckles has learned to sense living things and mystical energy in a manner similar to radar. While it can't pinpoint the exact position, he can tell the direction and approximate distance of such things within roughly the area of a city block, or further if he concentrates on a specific 'signal'.
Adventure Archaeologist: Adept at puzzle solving, avoiding traps, and finding (or making) entrances.
Knuckles spent his life exploring the caves and ruins on his island, developing a knack for finding entrances into secure areas like secret doors or tunnels, solving puzzles, and avoiding traps. Or, y'know, he can just dig his way in or break down a wall if he needs to.
Survivalist: Experienced at survival in deserts, jungles, and tropical zones.
In exploring his island, Knuckles learned the many ins and outs of finding shelter and food, as well as avoiding danger, in its varied biomes. Deserts, jungles, and tropical areas are like a second home to him.
Ring Portals: Uses ancient technology to open portals and access Vines.
Using a collection of the mysterious golden rings of his world, Knuckles can activate one of the many ancient "goalposts" scattered around Angel Island by his ancestors to force open portals to other parts of his world, or even access the World Tree's Vines. This method is inefficient and takes time to gather the rings required, and the portals lead more to the "general vicinity" of the intended destination rather than anything precise. Still, it's often faster than walking.
Knuckle Claws: Can use claws for burrowing and climbing as well as combat.
The oversized claws on Knuckles's... er, knuckles, are every bit as tough as the rest of him. Not only do they function as effective weapons, but also can be used to climb walls and quickly dig through the ground.
Gliding: Able to glide long distances and make soft landings.
Knuckles has mastered the art of gliding by using his dreadlocks to capture air currents, allowing him to cross long distances unhindered by terrain as long as he has somewhere high to start from. He can also use this skill to slow falls for safer landings.
Super Knuckles< Plot Edge >: Flight, afterimages, earthquake-inducing strength, water breathing.
With the power of the seven Chaos Emeralds, Knuckles can transform into Super Knuckles, enhancing his abilities many times over. His already formidable strength becomes enough to cause earthquakes with a single blow, he can move fast enough to leave afterimages, and he can survive virtually anything as long as the transformation lasts. His attunement to nature also makes him a focal point for its energy, allowing him to launch lightning bolts and fireballs directly from his body, or heal others with a touch, as well as breathing underwater like a fish. However, the amount of energy this form consumes is tremendous enough that he can only maintain it for a few minutes at most, and the Chaos Emeralds are flung across the world by the dispersal of chaotic energy when the transformation ends.
Complications
RttRoT: Aggressive, direct, and not very patient.
(Rougher than the Rest of Them): Knuckles has a tendency for aggressive behavior, a very blunt approach to problems, and a remarkable lack of patience.
SLLSaI: Difficulty adapting to modern civilization.
(Streaking Lights, Loud Sounds, and Instinct): Knuckles still isn't used to civilization away from Angel Island. The sights and sounds of city life confuse and annoy him, making it difficult for him to focus on any tasks or find his way around without a guide.
JBiMWRoO: Slow to trust strangers, does not form friendships easily.
(Just Believe in Myself, Won't Rely on Others): Due to his lifelong isolation, Knuckles does not trust strangers easily, and it takes a while for him to form bonds of friendship. This may also have something to do with being tricked by literally the first person he ever talked to.
IHNSTaWS: Utter confidence in himself, to a fault.
(I Have No Such Things as Weak Spots): Despite any evidence to the contrary, Knuckles believes he has no weaknesses that can be taken advantage of. His utmost confidence in his abilities can easily lead him to underestimate a situation, or blunder right into a trap.
DAoHbGtTH: May be wary, but naive and easily manipulated.
(Don't Approve of Him but Got to Trust Him): Knuckles has learned somewhat since his first encounter with Eggman, but the truth remains that he is very naive in the ways of the world outside Angel Island. Those with persuasive skills or sufficiently logical arguments can manipulate him rather easily, especially by exploiting his gaps in knowledge (such as modern civilization). He does learn, though... eventually.