Trollthumper's Cave

[trollthumper]

Gorilla Soldier

Jungle tactics? Yes, I may have some experience.

Power Level: 10 (150 PP)

Trade-Offs: None

Abilities: 4 + 2 + 6 + 4 + 6 + 4 = 26 PP

Strength: 22/14 (+6/+2)

Dexterity: 12 (+1)

Constitution: 20/16 (+5/+3)

Intelligence: 14 (+2)

Wisdom: 16 (+3)

Charisma: 14 (+2)

Combat: 12 + 12 = 24 PP

Attack: +6 (+10 Strike, +10 Ranged) [+5/+9 Growth]

Defense: +10 (+6 Base, +4 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed [+9/+5 Growth]

Initiative: +1

Grapple: +12/+8

Knockback: -5/-2/-1

Saving Throws: 6 + 7 + 4 = 17 PP

Toughness: +11/+5/+3 (+6 Protection, +2 Growth, +2 CON)

Fortitude: +10/+8 (+2 CON, +2 Growth, +6)

Reflex: +8 (+1 DEX, +7)

Will: +7 (+3 WIS, +4)

Skills: 52r = 13 PP

Acrobatics 6 (+7)

Climb 6 (+12/+8)

Diplomacy 6 (+8)

Gather Information 6 (+8)

Intimidate 8 (+10)

Knowledge (tactics) 8 (+10)

Notice 8 (+11)

Sense Motive 4 (+7)

Feats: 19 PP

All-Out Attack

Attack Focus (Ranged) 4

Attack Specialization (Strike) 2

Benefit (use Knowledge [tactics] for Intiative)

Dodge Focus 4

Evasion

Master Plan 2

Move-By Action

Power Attack

Startle

Uncanny Dodge (auditory)

Powers: 3 + 12 + 15 + 13 + 1 + 2 + 5 = 51 PP

Additional Limbs 2 (Power Feat: Innate) [3 PP]

Armor, 15 PP Device (Hard-to-Lose) [12 PP]

Immunity 4 (suffocation, heat, cold) [4 PP]

Protection 6 [6 PP]

Strike 4 (PF: Mighty) [5 PP]

Cannon, 25 PP Device (Easy-to-Lose) [15 PP]

Base: Blast 11 [22 PP]

Alternate Power: Stun 11 (Extras: Range [Ranged], Flaws: Action [Full-Round]) [22 PP]

Alternate Power: Corrosion 11 (Extras: Range [Ranged]; Flaws: Action [Full-Round], Affects Objects Only) [22 PP]

Alternate Power: Snare 11 [22 PP]

Growth 4 (Extra: Duration [Permanent] [+0]; Power Feat: Innate) [13 PP]

Speed 1 (10 MPH, 100 ft/move action) [1 PP]

Super-Movement 1 (Swinging) [2 PP]

Super-Senses 5 (Accurate Acute Tracking Scent, Low-Light Vision) [5 PP]

Abilities (26) + Combat (24) + Saving Throws (17) + Skills (13) + Feats (19) + Powers (51) - Disadvantages (0) = 150 PP

---

Wow, is it June again already? We all know that means - Pride Month is back. And at the request of certain other personalities on this board, let's start off with Monsieur Mallah. Monsieur Mallah was a member of the Brotherhood of Evil, the archnemeses of the Doom Patrol, the DC superteam dedicated to handling the weirdest crap in the universe. He was uplifted from the state of general gorillahood by the Brain, a - big surprise - supergenius brain in a jar. The two faded into the background when the Doom Patrol was seemingly destroyed, at least until Grant Morrison's weird-ass run (yes, I know, "Grant Morrison" and "weird-ass" are a redundancy). There, they came back for one issue to try to get revenge on the resurrected them by stealing Robotman's swanky new body... and upon success, they promptly confessed their love for one another. They blew up soon after (just go with it), but when they came back after Infinite Crisis, it was just accepted that yes, a genius supervillain and the ape he uplifted could find love together and it would be totally natural. Just don't think too hard about how that relationship expresses itself.

So here he we have a guerrilla gorilla (booo). Like the >Gorilla Druid, there's a lot bound up in the standard gorilla package - faster than average speed, enhanced senses, and of course, the size. After that, there's not much left over, but there was enough to give this guy a fairly competent soldier package. He's more of an enhanced gorilla, relying on exoskeleton-esque armor and a BFG like something out of a blend between Planet of the Apes and the Starship Troopers novel. He's got a real head for tactics and the standard suite of soldier training, handling himself on many terrains, and his gun gives him several non-standard - and non-lethal - solutions for dealing with his targets.

So, how did this ape get onto the battlefield? Maybe he was one of >Gorilla Island's top soldiers before he mustered out of the ranks and decided to see the world, driven by wanderlust and a need to protect the downtrodden. Maybe he was human once, stumbling on mystical powers that gave him enhanced strength and fortitude, and accepting them without checking the fine print. Or maybe he was so badly damaged on the field of battle that he accepted a Hail Mary pass to stay alive, not quite knowing where he'd end up. If you want to keep the element of Monsieur Mallah's sexuality, it might be... tricky. The first option at least works - homosexual behavior has been observed in gorillas - but for the latter two, there will no doubt be issues.

[trollthumper]

Living Weapon

Trust me, I know what I'm doing. Mostly.

Power Level: 10 (150 PP)

Trade-Offs: +2 ATT/-2 DMG

Abilities: 8 + 6 + 8 + 2 + 6 + 4 = 34 PP

Strength: 26/18 (+8/+4)

Dexterity: 16 (+3)

Constitution: 30/18 (+10/+4)

Intelligence: 12 (+1)

Wisdom: 16 (+3)

Charisma: 14 (+2)

Combat: 24 + 12 = 36 PP

Attack: +12

Defense: +10 (+6 Base, +4 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed

Initiative: +3

Grapple: +20/+16

Knockback: -5/-2

Saving Throws: 2 + 5 + 5 = 12 PP

Toughness: +10/+4 (+4 CON, +4 Enhanced CON)

Fortitude: +10/+6 (+2, +4 CON, +4 Enhanced CON)

Reflex: +12/+8 (+3 DEX, +4 Enhanced Reflex, +5)

Will: +8 (+3 WIS, +5)

Skills: 56r = 14 PP

Acrobatics 8 (+11)

Bluff 8 (+10)

Diplomacy 6 (+8)

Intimidate 6 (+8)

Knowledge (pop culture) 4 (+5)

Knowledge (tactics) 8 (+9)

Notice 8 (+11)

Sense Motive 8 (+11)

Feats: 16 PP

All-Out Attack

Benefit (use Knowledge [tactics] for Initiative)

Challenge (Fast Feint, Fast Taunt) 2

Dodge Focus 4

Master Plan 2

Move-By Action

Power Attack

Takedown Attack 2

Taunt

Uncanny Dodge (audio)

Powers: 12 + 8 + 12 + 6 = 38 PP

Enhanced Constitution 12 [12 PP]

Enhanced Strength 8 [8 PP]

Hidden Reserves, 8 PP Array (Power Feats: Alternate Power 4) [12 PP]

Base: Applies Range [Ranged] to Unarmed [8 PP]

Alternate Power: Applies Autofire 1 to Unarmed [8 PP]

Alternate Power: Applies Drain Toughness 8 to Unarmed [8 PP]

Alternate Power: Healing 2 (Extras: Action [Free], Flaws: Personal) [8 PP]

Alternate Power: Enhanced Reflex 4 [4 PP] + Enhanced Feats 4 (Instant Up, Up the Wall, Evasion 2) [4 PP]

Showstopper, 10 PP Device (Easy-to-Lose) [6 PP]

Applies Extended Reach 2 [10 feet], Improved Critical 2, Improved Disarm, Incurable, Penetrating 2, Split Attack, and Weapon Break to Unarmed [10 PP]

---

Pride Month continues with Shatterstar, everyone’s favorite relic of the Nineties. Shatterstar is a refugee of Mojoworld, one of those “bread and circuses†alternate futures/universes so popular in speculative fiction. He was born for gladiatorial combat, built with enhanced physical capabilities, cognitive function, and a few other special tricks for the battlefield. He eventually escaped Mojoworld with the intent of joining up with the X-Men to overthrow its tyrannical overlord. He never ended up with the main team, but did end up with X-Force, the mutant special ops team and another grand Nineties thing. While there, he had a good friendship going with Rictor, and there were strong hints that there was something more. The subtext went to text during Peter David’s X-Factor run, when Shatterstar reunited with Rictor and promptly kissed him right on the lips. This led to Shatterstar’s former author, Rob Liefeld, throwing a minor fit, claiming Shatterstar had been designed as asexual and would be going back to that once he got to writing the character again. Joe Quesada, in a moment of cool, said, “Ha ha, good luck with that.â€

This is a character built to handle his stuff as a frontline combatant. He’s good with his fists and solid as a rock, but shows an emphasis on dodging attacks rather than taking them. He’s equally good with blade, fist, and gun, but favors a blade that gets practically daiklave-ish in its dimensions. Like Shatterstar, he’s got a reserve of energy that can be “projected†when necessary, most likely bioelectrical. This force can be channeled through his body to allow for enhanced reflexes or healing, or it can be extended through his sword as either a blast or a force that can cut through anything. He knows his way around the battlefield, but doesn’t know much else – though as he’s bred for entertainment, he knows something about pop culture.

Where did he come from? Well, we’ve got >our own Objectivist-themed Mojoworld; perhaps he’s a champion of the ring who ran when he lost the favor of the ring by showing mercy to someone who hadn’t “earned†it. If you want to go for the “stranger in a strange land†aspect without going all Hunger Games, he could be one of >New Freedom’s top agents, recently defected after realizing there was life beyond his part of Antarctica. Or he could just be your average kid who’d digested too many wuxia movies and decided to try his hand at aikido classes… only to realize that he picked them up really quickly, and soon got control over his chi.

[trollthumper]

Vibration Controller PI

What do you know. You can teach an old dog new tricks...

Power Level: 10 (150 PP)

Trade-Offs: +5 ATT/-5 DMG, +5 DMG/-5 TOU

Abilities: 10 + 4 + 10 + 4 + 6 + 4 = 38 PP

Strength: 20 (+5)

Dexterity: 14 (+2)

Constitution: 20 (+5)

Intelligence: 14 (+2)

Wisdom: 16 (+3)

Charisma: 14 (+2)

Combat: 18 + 16 = 34 PP

Attack: +9 (+15 Unarmed)

Defense: +15 (+8 Base, +7 Dodge Focus), +4 Flat-Footed

Initiative: +6

Grapple: +20

Knockback: -2

Saving Throws: 3 + 5 + 4 = 12 PP

Toughness: +5 (+5 CON)

Fortitude: +8 (+5 CON, +3)

Reflex: +7 (+2 DEX, +5)

Will: +7 (+3 WIS, +4)

Skills: 92r = 23 PP

Bluff 12 (+14)

Computer 12 (+14)

Diplomacy 8 (+10)

Gather Information 8 (+10)

Investigate 8 (+10)

Intimidate 8 (+10)

Knowledge (civics) 4 (+6)

Knowledge (current events) 8 (+10)

Knowledge (streetwise) 8 (+10)

Notice 8 (+11)

Sense Motive 8 (+11)

Feats: 22 PP

All-Out Attack

Attack Specialization (Unarmed) 3

Challenge 2 (Fast Feint, Fast Taunt)

Contacts

Dodge Focus 7

Evasion 2

Improved Initiative

Move-By Action

Power Attack

Skill Mastery (Bluff, Computer, Gather Information, Sense Motive)

Taunt

Uncanny Dodge (audio)

Powers: 14 + 7 = 21 PP

Tectonic Mastery, 10 PP Array (Power Feats: Alternate Power 4) [14 PP]

Base: Links Drain Toughness 5 (Extras: Affects Objects) [10 PP] to Unarmed

Alternate Power: Applies Range [Ranged] [5 PP] and Autofire 1 [5 PP] to Unarmed

Alternate Power: Applies Area Burst (Extra: Selective Attack) [10 PP] to Unarmed

Alternate Power: Links Trip 5 (Extra: Selective Attack) [10 PP] to Unarmed

Alternate Power: Burrowing 5 (25 MPH, 250 ft/move action) [5 PP]

Super-Senses 7 (Tremorsense Extended 2 [100 feet], Detect Weakness [Flaw: Limited to Objects]) [7 PP]

Abilities (38) + Combat (34) + Saving Throws (12) + Skills (23) + Feats (22) + Powers (21) - Disadvantages (0) = 150 PP

---

Well, we did Shatterstar last time, so now we’re going to take a look at his bestie-turned-boyfriend, Rictor. Rictor originally turned up in the original X-Factor book, where the original X-Men decided a brilliant cover for finding new mutants would be to pose as a squad dedicated to hunting down mutants. Just go with it, the rest of the world did. He was one of the earlier mutants picked up by the team, rescued from an effort by a terrorist group to use him as an earthquake machine. After X-Factor shifted focus to a government-led team, Rictor went on to join X-Force, where he ended up getting along quite well with Shatterstar. He drifted for a while after that, but returned to X-Factor – now a mutant private investigation team led by Jamie Madrox – after losing his powers due to the Scarlet Witch’s cosmic brain fart. For most of his time with the team, Rictor was depressed, as he’d effectively lost what he viewed as a connection to the earth. A few things changed that – first, he dedicated himself to detective work so that he could help the firm out while the others did the heavy hitting. Second, he ran into Shatterstar again, and the two pursued a relationship. And third, Wanda eventually blew back into town, realized she’d screwed up, and gave Rictor back his powers. So yay for happy endngs!

I figured I could have made Rictor just a standard vibration controller (yes, yes, get your “Oh myâ€s out of the way), but I figured this would be an interesting chance to explain one of the more popular comic book tropes – the depowering. This is what happens when a character loses what makes them superhuman, either temporarily or permanently. As a result, they go through a gigantic identity crisis, trying to figure out what good they are if they can’t trounce the bad guys and save people. This may lead to a lesson where they realize they can still make a difference without their powers – Rictor learned it, and Powers centers on a detective who was, until somewhat before the series begins, a Superman equivalent. Or they may try desperately to get powers through whatever means (Rictor had a bunch of Terigen crystals shoved in him at one point)… or just gain them through the powers of editorial (so, Jubilee’s a vampire now, huh?). Hence this guy is built as someone who’s just gotten their powers back. They had plenty of time to learn how to take care of matters with their wits and their fists, so the ability to cause earthquakes with a footstep is both a bonus and something of a party trick. It does make the blows a bit more nasty, however.

So where did he get these powers from before losing them? Well, scientific experiments are always a fun answer – maybe an attempt to create a speedster by focusing on molecular acceleration resulted in some nasty side effects, the cure for which produced something rather unexpected. Maybe, like Rictor, they were just a kid growing up on the mean streets, going from would-be street fighter to something more noble when he realized just how nasty his blows could be. Could be there’s something mystical to it – maybe he’s a son of Poseidon whose powers extended more towards tectonics than water control. Whatever the case, he lost his powers – for recent events, as a side effect of the Hot Zone, for more distant events, in the Terminus Invasion – and spent a lot of time as a detective/PI/rescue worker before somehow getting back in the game. And he’s learned a few tricks while he was down with the mortals…

[trollthumper]

Giant Robot Pilot

Nice to meet you eye to eye.

Power Level: 10 (150 PP)

Trade-Offs: -3 DEF/+3 TOU

Abilities: 4 + 4 + 4 + 6 + 4 + 4 = 26 PP

Strength 30/14 (+10/+2)

Dexterity 14 (+2)

Constitution 22/14 (+6/+2)

Intelligence 16 (+3)

Wisdom 14 (+2)

Charisma 14 (+2)

Combat: 12 + 12 = 24 PP

Attack: +6 (+4/+10 Gear Suit, +10 Ballistics)

Defense: +9/+7 (+6 Base, +3 Dodge Focus, -2 Growth), +3 Flat-Footed

Initiative: +2

Grapple: +8

Knockback: -10/-5/-1

Saving Throws: 5 + 5 + 6 = 16 PP

Toughness: +13/+6/+2 (+2 CON, +7 Protection, +4 Enhanced CON)

Fortitude: +7 (+2 CON, +5, +4 Enhanced CON)

Reflex: +7 (+2 DEX, +5)

Will: +8 (+2 WIS, +6)

Skills: 52r = 13 PP

Craft (mechanical) 8 (+11)

Diplomacy 4 (+6)

Intimidate 8/12 (+10/+14)

Knowledge (tactics) 8 (+11)

Knowledge (technology) 8 (+11)

Notice 8 (+10)

Sense Motive 8 (+10)

Feats: 11 PP

All-Out Attack

Dodge Focus 3

Improved Grab

Improved Pin

Inventor

Master Plan 2

Power Attack

Uncanny Dodge (auditory)

Powers: 60 PP

Armature, 75 PP Device (Hard-to-Lose) [60 PP]

Ballistics, 20 PP Array (Power Feats: Accurate 3, Alternate Power 3) [26 PP]

[array]Base: Blast 10 [20 PP]

Alternate Power: Damage 10 (Extras: Targeted Area Blast) [20 PP]

Alternate Power: Stun 10 [20 PP]

Alternate Power: Impervious Toughness 10 [10 PP] + Applies Autofire 1 to Unarmed [10 PP]

Enhanced Feats 6 (Attack Focus [Melee] 6) [6 PP]

Growth 8 [24 PP]

Immunity 9 (life support) [9 PP]

Protection 7 [7 PP]

Super-Senses 3 (Sonar) [3 PP]

Abilities (26) + Combat (24) + Saving Throws (16) + Skills (13) + Feats (11) + Powers (60) - Disadvantages (0) = 150 PP

---

So... two things. One, I kinda fell behind on the whole Pride Month thing, due to work and other things. But, I've decided to extend it to Pride Season. So, I will be working on LGBT-themed builds for the rest of the summer. All that, however, is on hold briefly because the apocalypse has been cancelled. While giant robots aren't necessarily a huge element of superhero comics, they've been a steady staple of what we might consider "superhero adjacent" media, ranging from mecha warfare to Super Sentai (which, technically, is superheroes with giant robots). And hey, when Marvel was having Godzilla show up in its comics in the Seventies, they came up with a giant robot meant to clean its clock. And with Pacific Rim arriving in theaters and giving us the fanboy dream of seeing giant robots fight giant monsters, I thought it would be a good idea to pay homage to the mech jockeys.

Technically speaking, this build isn't much different from your standard Battlesuit, save for economy of scale. Growth is expensive, and this character tops out somewhere around 16 feet. He's not going to be a multi-story Jaeger, but he's a good fast striker capable of dancing around most kaiju. And like any giant robot, he's got a good number of onboard weapons systems. Originally, I was planning on having the systems be somewhat separate from the robot - some media have created the idea of a psychic/mystical bond that aids the pilot in operating the mecha, so this would have been an example of weaponizing that. However, that also proved expensive, which is why it's now part of the standard armaments. Though there's quite the wide variety of armaments there, ranging from a rail gun to a lightning cannon to targeted explosives to enhanced plating. The pilot is somewhere around PL5.5 on the streets, which isn't bad but doesn't necessarily mean he can handle giant bad guys on foot. Then again, he doesn't need to - the suit is remarkably easy to summon. Aside from that, he's equally skilled in field maneuvers and crafting, meaning he can pilot his rig and maintain it.

So, how did he get into the game? Perhaps he's one of the veteran observers of Kaiju Island, who's been sent on missions around the world to put down the monsters that manage to escape - or which get dragged away by parties wanting to use them as weapons. Maybe he's some aspiring crafter who made this whole thing in his backyard and took it for a whirl when Gigantosaur showed up on the coast. Or maybe it's not a robot - maybe someone found an enchanted suit of armor, made by a craft god, that could grow tall enough to take on the Titans. Whatever the origin, remember - size does matter.

[trollthumper]

Possessor

 

 

Ever wanted to walk a mile in someone else's shoes?

 

Power Level: 10 (150 PP)

Trade-Offs: None

 

Abilities: 2 + 4 + 4 + 6 + 6 + 4 = 26 PP

Strength 12 (+1)

Dexterity 14 (+2)

Constitution 14 (+2)

Intelligence 16 (+3)

Wisdom 16 (+3)

Charisma 14 (+2)

 

Combat: 10 + 12 = 22 PP

Attack: +5

Defense: +10 (+6 Base, +4 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed

Initiative: +2

Grapple: +6

Knockback: -5/-1

 

Saving Throws: 5 + 5 + 6 = 16 PP

Toughness: +10/+2 (+2 CON, +8 Protection)

Fortitude: +7 (+2 CON, +5)

Reflex: +7 (+2 DEX, +5)

Will: +9 (+3 WIS, +6)

 

Skills:  56r = 14 PP

Bluff 10 (+12)

Diplomacy 8 (+10)

Gather Information 8 (+10)

Knowledge (behavioral science) 6 (+9)

Knowledge (current events) 6 (+9)

Notice 8 (+11)

Sense Motive 10 (+12)

 

Feats: 14 PP

Challenge (Fast Feint, Fast Taunt) 2

Dodge Focus 4

Eidetic Memory

Evasion 2

Move-By Action

Second Chance (mind control)

Taunt

Uncanny Dodge (mental)

Well-Informed

 

Powers: 8 + 44 + 6 = 58 PP

 

Force Field 8 [8 PP]

 

Hijack, 40 PP Array (Power Feats: Alternate Power 4) [44 PP]

Base: Possession 10 [40 PP]

Alternate Power: Mental Blast 10 [40 PP]

Alternate Power: Dazzle (visual) 10 (Extras: Range [Perception], Action [Move]) [40 PP]

Alternate Power: Paralyze 10 (Extras: Range [Perception]) [40 PP]

Alternate Power: Mind Reading 10 (Extras: Sensory Link) [20 PP] + Mental Transform 10 (memories) [20 PP]

 

Super-Senses 6 (Accurate Acute Radius Ranged Mental Sense) [6 PP]

 

Abilities (26) + Combat (22) + Saving Throws (16) + Skills (14) + Feats (14) + Powers (58) - Disadvantages (0) = 150 PP

---

And after something of a hiatus, Pride Season continues. This time, we're covering Karma, one of the New Mutants and one of the first openly lesbian characters in comics. Xi'an Coy Manh was a refugee of the Vietnam War (one of those plot elements that I'm not sure has been fully updated), whose powers of mental possession first flared while trying to protect her father, a colonel in the South Vietnamese Army, from ambush. Unfortunately, her uncle had similar powers, and he was much more of a dick about using them. After fleeing for America with what was left of her family, Karma saw her younger siblings kidnapped by said awful uncle, and came to the X-Men's attention when they effectively played psychic chess against one another using the Fantastic Four as playing pieces. Xi'an joined the New Mutants, eventually got her siblings back and saw her uncle destroyed. She then faded into the background, taking a job as a librarian at the University of Chicago - and eventually revealing that she had been crushing on Kitty Pryde for some time. When the number of mutants went radically downwards, Karma eventually reteamed with the other former New Mutants, taking the field again. 

 

Possession isn't exactly a heroic superpower - like Mind Control, it brings to mind images of a cruel despot who uses the human form as a flesh puppet, subsuming the soul so that they can do whatever they like to the host body without fear of any lasting repercussions. But the X-Men have always run the gamut of psychic powers, and Karma always tended to use her power practically in battle rather than to go joyriding. This build uses the default core book build for Projection, where a more accurate Karma build would likely apply the Projection Flaw to represent how Karma's original body goes slack while she's riding someone else, but I thought it would be interesting to have more points to use in exploring the many faces of body hijacking. And this psychic knows how to use her talents - she can pop in just long enough to wreck the place, can exert just enough control to snatch one sense, can cause the nervous system to lock up temporarily, and can even leap on the target's train of thought and derail it. Unlike my other big telepathy builds, I figure this psychic has just enough telekinesis to fashion a protective barrier, but not enough to actually inflict physical damage. 

 

So odds are her powers are most likely psychic in origin - what motivated her to be a hero? Maybe she did originally abuse her powers, only to learn a swift lesson in the consequences of driving down the minds of others and vowing to only use them for good. There's the regretful possibility that this might not be her original body - maybe her powers first flared when she sustained fatal injury, and her mind jumped into the body of a person who was brain dead but on life support, leading to some thorny issues down the road. Then again, maybe it's not an issue of the mind as much as it's an issue of the soul. Perhaps a horrific case of demonic possession, eventually resolved through exorcism, resulted in a soul that's tethered to the body but still free to roam around. Add on some Astral Form and a few holy powers, and you've got a former victim of possession willing to give the demons as good as they gave her. 

[trollthumper]

Voodoo Cowl

 

 

 

There are many invisible things in the night. You've drawn their notice. I bet you feel foolish now, don't you?

 

 

Power Level: 10 (150 PP)

Trade-Offs: +5 ATT/-5 DMG, +5 DEF/-5 TOU

 

Abilities: 10 + 6 + 10 + 4 + 4 + 6 = 40 PP

Strength 20 (+5)

Dexterity 16 (+3)

Constitution 20 (+5)

Intelligence 14 (+2)

Wisdom 14 (+2)

Charisma 16 (+3)

 

Combat: 20 + 16 = 36 PP

Attack: +10 (+15 Melee)

Defense: +15 (+8 Base, +7 Dodge Focus), +4 Flat-Footed

Initiative: +3

Grapple: +20

Knockback: -2

 

Saving Throws: 2 + 4 + 6 = 12 PP

Toughness: +5 (+5 CON)

Fortitude: +7 (+5 CON, +2)

Reflex: +7 (+3 DEX, +4)

Will: +8 (+2 WIS, +6)

 

Skills: 68r = 17 PP

Acrobatics 6 (+9)

Diplomacy 4 (+7)

Gather Information 8 (+11)

Intimidate 10 (+13)

Knowledge (arcane lore) 8 (+10)

Knowledge (theology and philosophy) 8 (+10)

Notice 8 (+10)

Sense Motive 8 (+10)

Stealth 8 (+11)

 

Feats: 25 PP

All-Out Attack

Attack Focus (Melee) 6

Challenge 2 (Fast Demoralize, Fast Startle)

Dodge Focus 7

Evasion 2

Move-By Action

Power Attack

Ritualist

Skill Mastery (Intimidate, Knowledge [theology and philosophy], Notice, Sense Motive]

Startle

Uncanny Dodge (audio)

Well-Informed

 

Powers: 4 + 3 + 13 = 20 PP

 

Armor, 5 PP Device (Hard-to-Lose) [4 PP]

Impervious Toughness 5 [5 PP]

 

Baton, 5 PP Device (Easy-to-Lose) [3 PP]

Applies Extended Reach 2 [10 feet], Improved Disarm, Improved Trip, and Weapon Bind to Unarmed [5 PP]

 

Sevis Lwa, 10 PP Array (Power Feats: Alternate Power 3) [13 PP]

Base: Applies Autofire 1 [5], Improved Critical 2, and Penetrating 3 to Unarmed [10 PP] “Ogoun’s twice-forged bladeâ€

Alternate Power: Applies Vampiric [5 PP] and Links Drain Toughness 5 [5 PP] to Unarmed [10 PP] “the hungry knife of Erzulie Dantorâ€

Alternate Power: Teleport 3 (1000 ft, Extras: Accurate, Power Feats: Easy) [10 PP] “crossing of Legbaâ€

Alternate Power: Super-Senses 10 (Darkvision, Detect Ghosts Ranged, Detect Spirits Ranged, Detect Magic Ranged) [10 PP] “Maman Brigitte’s watchful eyesâ€

 

Abilities (40) + Combat (36) + Saving Throws (12) + Skills (17) + Feats (25) + Powers (20) - Disadvantages (0) = 150 PP

---

Long time no see, huh? Well, back to an old favorite, I suppose. Empress was a Young Justice character who didn't get much of a showing afterwards - which is a shame, really. Anita Fite (yes, I know) was the daughter of Donald Fite, a government agent who dealt with superhero matters. Along side his partner Ishido Madd (yes, Fite 'n' Madd - look, it's a Peter David comic, puns happen), they'd given Young Justice a good deal of grief - but Anita had been inspired by the example of the team, and decided to join up after Arrowette left the team to pursue a normal life. Empress was, for the most part, your standard Cowl-type - gymnastics, baton, costume with angry eyes - except for a few things. One, due to reasons of plot, she got a fragment of the Anti-Life Equation stuck in her head, giving her mind control powers. And two, she practices voodoo. And since religion = magic, she got powers from that, too. 

 

So here's our homage to a hero who maybe could've been used better. Like most Cowls, she has a focus on mundane tactics - stealth, acrobatics, and scaring the pants off of crooks. She's got armor that will keep off small arms fire, and a baton that will deliver a nice impact. But she's also a mambo in training, and has managed to get a few blessings from the loa. Nothing outrageous, and stuff generally in keeping with a Cowl - from Ogoun and Erzulie Dantor, nastier weapons; from Legba, the ability to walk between crossroads; and from Maman Brigitte, the ability to see the invisible and read magic. She also has Ritualist, if you need to whip something up on the fly. 

 

So, which came first - the voodoo, or the street fighting? Maybe she's a mambo who saw a relative die at the hands of petty criminals, and asked the loa to bless her as she took her crusade to the streets. Maybe when she was just starting as a vigilante, she saw something she couldn't explain and turned to religion - an unconventional one, but potent all the same. Or maybe she actually is one of the loa, or at least recognizes a particular one as her met tet. Erzulie Dantor, the angry mother who favors knives, might be a good choice to take up a Cowl's place in the world...

[trollthumper]

Blood Mage

 

 

 

All right, suckers, here's lesson number one: blood is life. Keeps us moving, keeps them moving, keeps glittery pretty boy corpses moving. And, like any life, it can get shaped - and cut off - with the right amount of pressure.

 

 

Power Level: 10 (150 PP)

Trade-Offs: None

 

Abilities: 4 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 6 + 4 = 24 PP

Strength 14 (+2)

Dexterity 12 (+1)

Constitution 14 (+2)

Intelligence 14  (+2)

Wisdom 16 (+3)

Charisma 14 (+2)

 

Combat: 12 + 8 = 20 PP

Attack: +6 (+10 Hematurgy)

Defense: +10 (+4 Base, +6 Dodge Focus), +2 Flat Footed

Initiative: +5

Grapple: +24/+8

Knockback: -5/-1

 

Saving Throws: 6 + 5 + 5 = 16 PP

Toughness: +10/+2 (+2 CON, +8 Protection)

Fortitude: +8 (+2 CON, +6)

Reflex: +6 (+1 DEX, +5)

Will: +8 (+3 WIS, +5)

 

Skills: 56r = 14 PP

Concentration 6 (+9)

Diplomacy 4 (+6)

Intimidate 8 (+10)

Knowledge (arcane lore) 10 (+12)

Knowledge (life sciences) 4 (+6)

Medicine 8 (+11)

Notice 8 (+11)

Sense Motive 8 (+11)

 

Feats: 12 PP

All-Out Attack

Challenge (Fast Startle)

Dodge Focus 4

Power Attack

Ritualist

Second Chance (physical transmutation)

Startle

Uncanny Dodge (mental)

Well-Informed

 

Powers: 36 + 8 + 11 + 9 = 64 PP

 

Hemalurgy, 30 PP Array (Power Feats: Accurate 2, Alternate Power 4) [36 PP]

Base: Enhanced Strength 16 [16 PP] + Impervious Toughness 10 [10 PP] + Super-Strength 2 [4 PP]

Alternate Power: Blast 10 (Extras: Vampiric, Range [Perception]; Flaws: Action [Full-Round]) [30 PP]

Alternate Power: Blast 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Fortitude], Range [Perception]; Flaws: Action [Full-Round]) [30 PP]

Alternate Power: Healing 10 (Extras: Total) [30 PP]

Alternate Power: Nauseate 10 (Extras: Range [Ranged]) [30 PP]

 

Protection 8 [8 PP]

 

Regeneration 11 (Recovery Bonus 3 [+5], Bruised/Unconscious 3 [No Action], Injured/Staggered 3 [1 minute], Power Feats: Persistent, Regrowth) [11 PP]

 

Super-Senses 11 (Mental Detect [blood] Accurate Acute Radius Ranged, Postcognition [Flaw: Limited to Source of Blood]) [9 PP]

 

Abilities (24) + Combat (20) + Saving Throws (16) + Skills (14) + Feats (12) + Powers (64) - Disadvantages (0) = 150 PP

---

This build actually came about due to the eccentricities of Chat. At some point, Raveled suggested an alien wizard build; for some reason, this drifted to a build where the alien in question was Lobo. And while the idea was more to focus on thaumaturgy, I remembered that Lobo has control over blood - not only can he regenerate from a bloody streak on the wall, he can create copies of himself from his own blood. So came the idea, "What if Lobo was a member of Clan Tremere?" Now, blood manipulation is one of those powers that's considered quite icky - good guys don't exactly play around with the stuff, and the grotesque puppetry that comes with it has made villains in shows like Avatar: the Last Airbender. Heck, the inspiration for this build is one of the most dickish, underhanded clans in Vampire, which is really saying something. But, individuals like Bloody Mess also show that there's heroic potential in the power, so let's go ahead and explore it.

 

This is really meant to be a tenacious bastard. Not only does he have standard Toughness and Defense caps, but he's got Impervious Toughness and Regeneration, reflecting mastery over his own blood and body. Many of the other Hematurgy powers may be "party tricks" after that, but they're still useful ones - and of course, many of them come from the Path of Blood. But it's not all hideous, gory attacks - sometimes he's able to affect someone's blood oxygen levels so they're not at their best, or even heal others through perfect understanding of their maladies. He's also got some insight from blood, enough to read the past and know when he's being ambushed (unless, of course, the attackers are dry, dead zombies). He can also be a scary individual, because do you want to screw with the sorcerer with blood on his hands?

 

How'd they come to this power? Maybe they were lined up as a blood sacrifice by some very nasty cultists, only the ritual went really, horribly wrong and resulted in the power transferring straight to their blood. Maybe they're an alchemist who managed to imbalance their humors in the best possible way. Or maybe they are a vampire - in which case, the build's gonna need a bit of adjustment to allow for Immunity (fortitude), among other things. Or, if you don't want to affect it that much, maybe some sort of magical law means they must burn blood to manipulate blood - meaning they will need to keep their levels up in they want to stay breathing...

[trollthumper]

Mastermind's Atavisms

 

 

 

 

Quote

You do not realize how far we have come, how far we have to go. Too long have we clung to ignorance, to fallacy, to all our tribal urges. Come. See what happens to primitives...

 

Mastermind remembers. He has seen the course of human civilization, from the rise of agriculture to the splitting of the atom. He has seen knowledge gained and wisdom lost. His brain contains the writings of Alexandria, languages living, dead, and forgotten, and sciences man has yet to rediscover. But most importantly of all, it holds how things were before. Before he was selected by the Preservers, reduced to genetic pulp, and forced to reconstruct himself in their glorious memory banks. When he was mortal, feeble, and desperately pursuing a meal that would get him and his tribe through the day. He remembers those primitive politics - the need to fit, the need to be of worth, and the constant fear of being exiled to the Beyond. And the Beyond was not a place to be. It was a place of cold, of beasts, of darkness. 

 

He remembers these attitudes well - and he hates them. They're souvenirs of a time he wishes he could erase, a weaker man who was destroyed and reforged by greater beings. And yet, he sees the same patterns that drove his life, repeated again and again amongst humanity. For all that his "brethren" have built their towers high and clothed themselves in fine garments, they're still the same screeching, deluded savages, one bad day away from barbarism. They need to be reminded of what they pretend to have left behind. 

 

As he has walked amongst the world, Mastermind has selected individuals who have proven exceptional, one way or another. He has come to them in their darkest hours and offered to help them embrace their true potential. Whether or not that's a good thing depends on the outlook of the individual - few have complained, after all. But once they are remade in his gestation tanks, they are powerful, vital, and sworn to his agenda. They have walked the world in his shadow, helping to carry out his agenda.

 

Mastermind respects his Atavisms - though he would never call them that to their face. Still, he's not been entirely truthful with them. He does want them to help uplift humanity - at least, as he envisions "uplifting" humanity. But there is a piece of psychic programming in each one, inculcated when they were reforged by Preserver technology. On the day of his greatest revelation, he shall trigger that programming, and the Atavisms shall lay waste to the old world. They shall run through it like terrible demons, slaying all who cross their path. To the world, it shall be a warning, a reminder of the perils of savagery. And when the dust has cleared and the blood has dried, he shall stand tall, and spread the message. Embrace evolution... or go extinct.

 

The Beast:Mathis Vermeulen was an officer in the Force Publique, tasked with ensuring the production of rubber and other commodities in the Congo Free State. Those native villagers who could not meet the rubber quota were punished with death, and Vermeulen's punishments were legendary in the grandeur. Villages were laid to waste, and executed natives were displayed in ways that not only became dark legends, but ensured that neighboring villages would meet quota and have a measure of safety - at least, until he got bored. It was in the burning embers of a village that Mastermind came to him, offering him a chance to make the "savages" see his way while exercising his bloody desires. Vermeulen accepted it, throwing away his loyalty to the crown and swearing fealty to Mastermind. In his time since then, he's wandered the world, focusing more on bloody and carnal desires than any grand agenda. Mastermind keeps him in reserve, however, happy to unleash him if something needs to be destroyed swiftly and messily. 

 

The Fire: Genevieve Charbonneau was an early nuclear physicist, following in the footsteps of Marie Curie. Her research into uranium and its radioactive yield was ahead of its time, and had she managed to publish her works, she would have dominated the age. However, a simple experiment went horribly wrong, resulting in a criticality accident that exposed her to fatal levels of radiation. As she lay dying of poisoning, Mastermind appeared to her, offering to save her and grant her the chance to be the light for a new age. Since taking the bargain, Charbonneau has dedicated most of her extended life to studies, working on new designs and glorious engines for Mastermind's new age. But every so often, she is called upon to sabotage some dread experiment, and leave humanity a warning of the forces they meddle with. 

 

The Withering:Zheng Tuoba was a government official in the last days of the Ming Dynasty, trying to prevent unrest in a time when the world was falling apart. Peasants pushed against the empire, trying to find succor as famine spread through the region. Tuoba was tasked with directing the military, ensuring that the uprisings would be put down without furthering the desire for rebellion. While his position brought him glory and riches, these offered no safety as plague gripped the capital. Weakened and dying, he gladly accepted Mastermind's offer for more life. Tuoba puts his experience from life to good use, helping to ensure that the population remains healthy for Mastermind's grand plan - and helping to prune populations who have no use in his better world. 

 

The Darkness: They called Elizabeth Magritte an infernalist, and sentenced her to die. She was no such thing - she would never pledge herself to any power, divine or infernal. To her, magic was merely a tool to be used, a way of remaking the world. But when Mastermind came to her on the eve of her execution, offering her the chance to truly plumb the unknown, she made her first pledge. Magritte sticks to the darker corners of the world, exploring and studying the occult populations and practitioners of Earth. She is there to serve as Mastermind's understanding of the strange science that men mistake for magic - and, in time, to destroy its "artifacts," for when he finds a way to fully incorporate its principles into his perfect world. 

 

---

As has been discussed, many of the figures of Freedom City are riffs on existing comic book characters. As such, Mastermind, one of our most powerful bad guys, is something of a blend of Ra's al Ghul, Vandal Savage, and Apocalypse. He's somebody who wants to shape the world to fit his visions - like Ra's and Apocalypse, he wants what he thinks is a better tomorrow, but that better tomorrow is going to involve a lot of blood. Now, one of the more recurring features for Apocalypse is that, while he's often behind the scenes, he usually acts through proxies. Either there's Mister Sinister, there to champion eugenics and perv on Scott and Jean, or the Horsemen, there to wreak havoc. 

 

And, well, like Apocalypse, it makes sense that Mastermind would want proxies for some of his schemes. But it's a bit weird that Apocalypse - who comes from when ancient Egypt was just starting to be a thing - would choose the Four Horsemen from the Revelation of St. John of Patmos to be his heralds. It's a thematic note, sure, but it's still an odd one. So, when I thought about what Mastermind might choose as figures of terrible might, I thought about how he was a caveman before the Preservers pulped him down to the core. And while he might hate the days when he was a savage, he'd remember the things he feared in those days... and view them as emblematic of the "primitive instincts" of mankind. So, here you've got the beast that lurked outside the camps, the fire that fell from the skies, the withering that came with age/winter/disease, and the darkness that held death. 

 

Where Mastermind likes to stay in the background, these guys are the "blunt instruments," usually there to destroy things or carry out blunt-force plans on his behalf. That's not to say they don't have their own schemes to pursue on their free time, especially The Withering and The Darkness. They're all, for the most part, loyal to Mastermind -- though in time, one of them might think that they're more suited to be the herald of a new humanity than that guy...

[trollthumper]

Robotic Symbiote

 

 

Intelligence: Binary. Synthesis: Complete. Force: Direct.

 

Power Level: 10

PP: 150

 

Attributes: 2 + 4 + 4 + 6 + 4 + 4 = 24 PP

Strength 12 (+1)

Dexterity 14 (+2)

Constitution 14 (+2)

Intelligence 16 (+3)

Wisdom 14 (+2)

Charisma (+2)

 

Combat: 12 + 12 = 24 PP

Attack: +6 (+10 Melee)

Defense: +10 (+6 Base, +4 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed

Initiative: +6

Grapple: +11

Knockback: -5

 

Saving Throws: 6 + 5 + 6 = 17 PP

Toughness +10/+2 (+2 CON, +8 Protection)

Fortitude +8 (+2 CON, +6)

Reflex +7 (+2 DEX, +5)

Will +8 (+2 WIS, +6)

 

Skills: 64r = 16 PP

Computers 8 (+11)

Diplomacy 8 (+10)

Gather Information 6 (+8)

Intimidate 10 (+12)

Knowledge (galactic lore) 8 (+11)

Knowledge (technology) 8 (+11)

Notice 8 (+10)

Sense Motive 8 (+10)

 

Feats: 16 PP

All-Out Attack

Attack Focus (Melee) 4

Challenge (Fast Startle)

Dodge Focus 4

Evasion

Move-By Action

Power Attack

Startle

Uncanny Dodge (audio)

Well-Informed

 

Powers: 6 + 47 = 53 PP

 

Comprehend 3 (Electronics 2, Languages 1) [6 PP]

 

Alternate Form 9.4 [47 PP]

Datalink 5 (250 feet, PF: Machine Control) [6 PP]

Cybernetic Enhancements, 20 PP Array (Power Feats: Alternate Power 2) [22 PP]

Base: Damage 9 (Extras: Autofire 1 [10], Power Feats: Mighty) [20 PP]

Alternate Power: Damage 9 (Extras: Alternate Save [Fortitude], Power Feats: Mighty) [20 PP]

Alternate Power: Stun 10 [20 PP]

Protection 8 [8 PP]

Regeneration 5 (+3 Recovery Bonus [+5], Bruised 3 [No Action]) [6 PP]

Super-Senses 5 (Accurate Radius Ranged Radio Sense, Danger Sense [audio]) [5 PP]

 

Abilities (24) + Combat (24) + Saving Throws (17) + Skills (16) + Feats (16) + Powers (53) - Disadvantages (0) = 150 PP

---

One of the more interesting pairings in comic book history was Cypher and Warlock. One was a young X-Man with the ability to intuit any language. This was later blown up to make him an expert at body language and weak points, but back in the day, he was just good at talking and hacking. The other was a member of a techno-organic all-consuming race that decided he didn't want to absorb lesser species into the collective, and instead ran to Earth for asylum. Together, they made one hell of an odd bromance, with Warlock occasionally merging with Cypher to give him a degree of combat capability. Both died during their run on New Mutants, but were eventually resurrected... sort of. First, Warlock's viral structure and Cypher's DNA were merged into a being called "Douglock," which had memories of both but was kind of a hodgepodge of the two. Douglock eventually turned out to be a fully-resurrected Warlock trying to keep something of Cypher alive - and then Cypher, like any good X-Man, was brought back from the dead. And so were the best buddies reunited. 

 

So, here's a build based on Cypher and Warlock working together at their best. Like Cypher, there's a knack for languages, computers, and diplomacy. Like Warlock, there's a techno-organic shell that wraps around the puny flesh body to assimilate the fleshy ones. Warlock in the comics is kind of unlimited in his shapechanging capabilities, but I decided to focus here on the "consuming" nature of his species. He can alter his fingers into serrated claws, or he can inject the target with a nanotech virus that goes right for the organs. Or he can deliver a blow powered up by his own supercharged bioelectricity. He's also capable of self-repair, tougher than the average human, can hear radio, and can tap into any machine. There are plenty of avenues for growth - perhaps give him Morph to reflect a mastery over flesh, Super-Movement to represent adapting the machinery for traversing walls or forming whip-like tendrils, and so forth.

 

So how did man and machine come together? Well, there's always the popular nanotech accident, with a scientist at first thinking he "just" got superpowers out of it until he realizes the nanite colony in his flesh is alive. There's also the possibility that SETI finally got something, and the signal sent through instructed our top scientists to build a diplomat like this guy - and after taking a look and seeing how far Earth has to go, he decided to team up with one of the fleshy ones and fight crime. There's also a darker possibility. There is an all-consuming force out there, that likes to convert living beings into computronium in the name of forming a greater consciousness. Perhaps this guy is one of the relay points that managed to break free - but still hears the Communion in the back of his head...

[trollthumper]

Magical Agent

 

 

 

 

Quote

Ah, yes. By the command of Al-Hazred and the invocation of Gloriana, you shall be banished from these shores for a year and a day, under penalty of your entire nervous system ripping itself out and doing the tango. You have 24 hours to comply, after which, sucks to be you. Next time, find someone else's backyard to call down the unspeakable in.

 

Power Level: 10 (150 PP)

Trade-Offs: None

 

Abilities: 0 + 4 + 4 + 6 + 6 + 4 = 24 PP

Strength 10 (+0)

Dexterity 14 (+2)

Constitution 14 (+2)

Intelligence 16 (+3)

Wisdom 16 (+3)

Charisma 14 (+2)

 

Combat: 12 + 12 = 24 PP

Attack: +6 (+10 Invocations)

Defense: +10 (+6 Base, +4 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed

Initiative: +6

Grapple: +6

Knockback: -5

 

Saving Throws: 5 + 5 + 6 = 16 PP

Toughness: +10/+2 (+2 CON, +8 Force Field)

Fortitude: +7 (+2 CON, +5)

Reflex: +7 (+2 REF, +5)

Will: +9 (+3 WIS, +6)

 

Skills: 100r = 25 PP

Bluff 8 (+10)

Computers 12 (+15)

Concentration 8 (+11)

Diplomacy 6 (+8)

Disable Device 8 (+11)

Gather Information 6 (+8)

Language (English [base], Arabic, Russian, Chinese, Enochian)

Knowledge (arcane lore) 8 (+11)

Knowledge (current events) 4 (+7)

Knowledge (technology) 8 (+11)

Knowledge (theology and philosophy) 6 (+9)

Notice 8 (+11)

Sense Motive 8 (+11)

Stealth 6 (+9)

 

Feats: 15 PP

All-Out Attack

Benefit (Security Clearance)

Challenge (Fast Feint)

Dodge Focus 4

Evasion

Improved Initiative

Move-By Action

Power Attack

Ritualist

Skill Mastery (Computers, Knowledge [arcane lore], Notice, Sense Motive)

Uncanny Dodge (audio)

Well-Informed

 

Powers: 8 + 26 + 12 = 46 PP

 

Force Field 8 [8 PP]

 

Invocations, 30 PP Array (Flaws: Unreliable, Power Feats: Alternate Power 4, Accurate 2) [26 PP]

Base: Mind Control 10 (Extras: Conscious) [30 PP] "oath of service"

Alternate Power: Concealment (all sense types) 10 (Extras: Affects Others) [30 PP] "hand of glory"

Alternate Power: Nullify Magic 10 [30 PP] "counterspell.exe"

Alternate Power: Damage 10 (Extras: Area Burst, Alternate Save [Will], Selective Attack; Flaws: Sense-Dependent [visual]) [30 PP] "invoking the basilisk"

Alternate Power: Blast 10 (Extras: Area Shapeable) [30 PP] "controlled summoning of CALESCENT FOXTROT"

 

NecronomiPad, 20 PP Container (Easy-to-Lose Device) [12 PP]

Buys off Unreliable Flaw on Invocations [10 PP]

Super-Senses 10 (Detect Magic Accurate Analytical Extended 2 [100 ft.] Radius, Radio) [10 PP]

 

Abilities (24) + Combat (24) + Saving Throws (16) + Skills (24) + Feats (16) + Powers (46) - Disadvantages (0) = 150 PP

---

So, a while back, AA encouraged me to make a Magical Agent build. And there was only one way my mind could go with something like that. Charles Stross's The Laundry Series takes place in a universe where most of the stuff from the Cthulhu Mythos is real, but with a few twists. For one thing, "magic" is actually a higher set of mathematical equations that manages to attract the attention of things from outside; as the protagonist puts it, "the many-angled ones live at the bottom of the Mandlebrot set." This made sorcery a very risky and very inaccurate trade until Alan Turing, of all people, managed to solve P for NP and revolutionize computational demonology. For another thing, nearly every government in the world knows the gribbly exists, and has their own means of trying to control it. Britain's attempt is The Laundry, first founded to deal with the Nazis' attempts at occult engineering (which were horrible, to say the least) but continuing on to the present day. The series' protagonist is Bob Howard, one of those aforementioned computational demonologists who got drafted into the organization when his attempt at a simple program almost leveled Wolverhampton. He starts the series as an IT guy for the Laundry until he's eventually shoved into field duty, dealing with the stranger aspects of occult espionage. 

 

This guy is more influenced by Bob than your standard image of a spy. While he's got his share of tradecraft, most of his skill set is aimed at hacking and tech. But that does give him an edge in this age of cyberespionage, and may likely see him sent into spy on the Foundry when he's not dealing with the Brotherhood of the Black Goat. He's got a solid stable of Cthulhu-esque magic that's also in line with the series, from invisibilty glamours to geases to counterspells to the controlled summonings of Brown Notes and fire vampires (the Laundry tends to give wacky code names to everything). Like in the Laundry, ritual magic is possible and can yield great effects, but it sucks at your lifespan in the long term and stands a greater chance of ending it via accidental summoning of the Face-Eaters from Mars in the short term. Hence why this Agent's electronic grimoire both allows him to detect magic and control the side-effects of his invocations. He can still cast without it, but it might not be pretty. 

 

So how'd he get into this? Like Bob, he could have been someone accidentally dabbling in the territory where Clarke's Third Law and Niven's Third Law get in a pissing contest, and ended up drafted into the interests that deal with such a thing before he set anything on fire. Maybe a veteran cyberintelligence agent found DeVermisMysteriis.pdf on BitTorrent, clicked it by accident, and got his head pumped full of unspeakable knowledge that he plans to put to use in the best way possible. Maybe a cultist saw the light and decided to defect, putting their intelligence of the horrible to good use in service to the state. Either way, this Agent is skilled at summoning the horrible in order to defend the good. 

[trollthumper]

Matter Master

 

Let me show you a thing or two about transformation...

Power Level: 10 (150 PP)

Trade-Offs: 150 PP

Attributes: 0 + 4 + 4 + 6 + 4 + 4 = 22 PP

Strength 10 (0)

Dexterity 14 (+2)

Constitution 14 (+2)

Intelligence 16 (+3)

Wisdom 14 (+2)

Charisma 14 (+2)

Combat: 12 + 12 = 24 PP

Attack: +6 (+10 Alkahest)

Defense: +10 (+6 Base, +4 Dodge Focus)

Initiative: +6

Grapple: +6

Knockback: -5/-1

Saving Throws: 6 + 5 + 6 = 17 PP

Toughness: +10 (+2 CON, +8 Force Field)

Fortitude: +8 (+2 CON, +6)

Reflex: +7 (+2 DEX, +5)

Will: +8 (+2 WIS, +6)

Skills: 72r = 18 PP

Bluff 8 (+10)

Concentration 8 (+11)

Craft (chemistry) 8 (+11)

Diplomacy 6 (+8)

Gather Information 6 (+8)

Knowledge (arcane lore) 8 (+11)

Knowledge (physical sciences) 8 (+11)

Medicine 4 (+6)

Notice 8 (+10)

Sense Motive 8 (+10)

Feats: 14 PP

All-Out Attack

Artificier

Challenge (Fast Feint)

Dodge Focus 4

Improved Initiative

Power Attack

Quick Change

Ritualist

Skill Mastery (Craft [chemical], Gather Information, Knowledge [arcane lore], Notice)

Uncanny Dodge (audio)

Well-Informed

Powers: 47 + 8 = 55 PP

Alkahest, 40 PP Array (Power Feats: Accurate 2, Alternate Power 5) [47 PP]

Base: Shape Matter 10 [40 PP]

Alternate Power: Disintegration 10 (Flaws: Affects Objects Only) [40 PP]

Alternate Power: Transform 10 (liquids to solid state) [40 PP]

Alternate Power: Drain Toughness 10 (Extras: Range [Ranged], Targeted Area Burst, Selective Attack) [40 PP]

Alternate Power: Snare 10 (Extras: Targeted Area Shapeable, Constricting) [40 PP]

Alternate Power: Blast 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Fortitude], Range [Perception]) [40 PP]

Force Field 8 [8 PP]

Powers (22) + Combat (24) + Saving Throws (17) + Skills (18) + Feats (14) + Powers (55) - Disadvantages (0) = 150 PP

-----

We skipped it last year, but June has come around once again, so you know what that means. That's right - Pride Month. A month devoted to builds reflecting the LGBT contingent of superheroes in comics (and, maybe, other media). But hey - we haven't exactly been fair about reflecting the "T" part of that. There really haven't been many trans heroes over the history of comics, and while it's getting better, the field is still sparse. So, let's start with one of the first trans superheroines, Coagula. It takes a lot to make Grant Morrison's run on Doom Patrol look tame and subdued, but Rachel Pollack did her damnedest when she took the reins after him. One of her first introductions to the team was the character of Kate Godwin, a transwoman working as a prostitute who got her powers as a side effect of a dalliance with Negative Man (who was going by Rebis, as he was an alchemical hermaphrodite formed from Larry Trainor, his therapist Eleanor, and the Negative Entity - again, Grant Morrison). She gained the power to transmute any solid to liquid, and vice versa, and thus took her hero name from the alchemical phrase "solve et coagula." Deciding to try her hand at superheroing, she puts on a frog mask, encounters the Doom Patrol while they're fighting a man with a supertech Swiss army codpiece, and uses her powers to take out his device in an obvious emasculation metaphor. There is nothing I can add to that. 

 

So, here's someone who can do all of that and more. I realize I tread on this territory with my Alchemical Super-Scientist before, but here, I decided to focus more on the dissolution and resolution parts. She's probably got a greater mastery of her powers than Coagula did at her outset, which means she's able to capture an object when it's in a colloid state and fix it before it falls apart entirely. Either that, or she can make it strong and solid, make it melt and run, or make the very earth itself rise up and seize you. As for her Blast, well... she's not all that good at using her powers on flesh, but she can make the body seize up in all the wrong ways, just for a little bit. She also knows her way around the sacred art of alchemy, capable of making both short works and prepared potions, while also keeping an ear to the ground for other arcane whispers. 

 

How did she get all this mastery? Perhaps she completed the Magnum Opus, only to find herself transformed into the true celestial self she had always envisioned, becoming a walking Philosopher's Stone. Maybe she got slipped something strange at a party that ended up affecting her on multiple levels, turning her into a living catalyst. Whether or not you want to make her trans is up to you, but transformation is one of the better themes for trans characters with powers. Unlike illusions or shapeshifting, there's no real sense of the "trans deceiver" trope; instead, a character has become something they were meant to be, and is able to bring that change to the rest of the world around them. 

 

Edited June 2, 2015 by trollthumper

[trollthumper]

Aztec Sorceress

 

It's not all blood and heart-ripping, dear. There's life, the stars, and the great engines of the universe... and the occasional bit of blood and heart-ripping.

 

Power Level: 10 (150 PP)

Trade-Offs: None

 

 

Attributes: 2 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 6 + 4 = 24 PP

Strength 12 (+1)

Dexterity 14 (+2)

Constitution 14 (+2)

Intelligence 14 (+2)

Wisdom 16 (+3)

Charisma 14 (+2)

 

 

Combat: 12 + 12 = 24 PP

Attack: +6 (+10 Nahual Blessings)

Defense: +10 (+6 Base, +4 Dodge Focus)

Initiative: +2

Grapple: +7

Knockback: -5/-1

 

 

Saving Throws: 5 + 5 + 5 = 15 PP

Toughness: +10/+2 (+2 CON, +8 Protection)

Fortitude: +7 (+2 CON, +5)

Reflex: +7 (+2 DEX, +5)

Will: +8 (+3 WIS, +5)

 

 

Skills: 76r = 19 PP

Bluff 6/10 (+8/+12)

Concentration 8 (+11)

Disguise 6 (+8)

Diplomacy 8 (+10)

Gather Information 4 (+6)

Intimidate 8/12 (+14)

Knowledge (arcane lore) 8 (+10)

Knowledge (history) 4 (+6)

Knowledge (theology) 8 (+10)

Language (Spanish [Base], English, Nahuatl)

Notice 8 (+11)

Sense Motive 6 (+9)

 

 

Feats: 11 PP

All-Out Attack

Challenge (Fast Demoralize)

Contacts

Dodge Focus 4

Power Attack

Ritualist

Skill Mastery (Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge [theology], Notice)

Uncanny Dodge (audio)

 

 

Powers: 6 + 8 + 35 + 8 = 57 PP

 

 

Comprehend 3 (Animals 2, Spirits 1) [6 PP]

 

 

Jaguar Throw, 10 PP Container (Hard-to-Lose Device) [8 PP]

Protection 8 [8 PP]

Enhanced Skills 2 (Bluff 4, Intimidate 4) [2 PP]

 

 

Nahual Blessing, 30 PP Array (Power Feats: Accurate 2, Alternate Power 5) [37 PP]

Base: Obscure 5 (visual, 100 ft.) + Move Object 10 [30 PP] “Tezcatlipoca’s winds”

Alternate Power: Blast 10 (Extras: Targeted Area Shapeable) [30 PP] “Tlaloc’s displeasure”

Alternate Power: Ward Against Spirits 10 (Extras: Damaging, Flaws: Action [Full-Round]) [30 PP] “open the bone gate”

Alternate Power: Emotion Control 10 (Extras: Targeted Area Shapeable) [30 PP] “Tlazolteotl’s invitation”

Alternate Power: Snare 10 (Extras: Regenerating) [30 PP] “Xipe Totec’s bounty”

Alternate Power: Flight 5 (250 MPH) + Dazzle 10 (visual, Extras: Targeted Area Shapeable, Flaws: Range [Touch]) [30 PP] “Quetzalcoatl’s ascension”

 

 

Super-Senses 8 (Detect Magic Ranged Analytic, Detect Spirits Ranged Radius) [8 PP]

Abilities (24) + Combat (24) + Saving Throws (15) + Skills (19) + Feats (11) + Powers (57) - Disadvantages (0) = 150 PP

----

Next up on our list of queer individuals of power is Lord Fanny, from Grant Morrison's weird-ass magnum opus The Invisibles. Lord Fanny isn't a superhero so much as she is an occult freedom fighter against the grand conspiracy that wishes to snap its jaws shut on all reality. She's also hard to get a bead on, when it comes to the LGBT spectrum. See, she was born the only boy in a family where all the women were sorceresses in service to the Aztec gods - and, when her mother died without siring a daughter, her grandmother decided to raise her as a girl. Fortunately, she was happy with the arrangement, and, when she reached puberty, was initiated into the ways of sorcery. It being the Nineties, the series is a bit weird on what Fanny is, exactly (besides fabulous). She's raised as a girl,  and is referred to by divine entities as a "boygirl," and is referred to as trans by other characters... but she's also referred to as a drag queen by still other characters (her allies, not detractors), appears out of "drag" several times, and seems to wear the Lord Fanny persona as a mask, somewhere between a drag queen and ritual magician. It might be best to classify her as "genderf**k" and leave it be. 

For Fanny's powers, I decided to blend the more outlandish comic book style of magic with Aztec gods and the talents of a nagual. She doesn't quite shapeshift, but she does have an outstanding rapport with animals and spirits. She also emulates some of Fanny's magic tricks from the book - opening a door to Mictlan to get rid of a particularly annoying spirit, calling down a hailstorm to paralyze a military base - and pays homage to her pantheon. From Quetzalcoatl, she gets the winds and the brightness of Venus; from Tezcatlipoca, she gets more wind and the night; from Tlaloc, she gets the rains; from Mictlantecuhtli, she gets the gates to the underworld; from Tlazolteotl, she gets control of human vice; and from Xipe Totec, she gets the crops. She also has a fetching jaguar robe and knows how to put on her makeup, because you've still gotta work it. 

Now, the very heart of the concept makes it tricky to play as a hero in a four-color setting - the Aztec pantheon doesn't have a good reputation, for that whole "blood sacrifice makes the sun keep soaring" reason. It's easy to say that the Aztec faith was much more complex than that, that it had its heroes and charitable points, and that gods like Quetzalcoatl were practically saintly - but it's still a faith that had at least a dozen ways to ritualistically slaughter people, practiced by an empire that would occasionally war on its neighbors to make sure there was enough blood to keep the gods happy. So how does this work? Maybe the pantheon decides it needs a new champion and a new way - to their minds, this is the Sixth World, when the system of blood sacrifice that kept the sun turning is outmoded and there is a new force keeping the sun up. Maybe a young girl of Mexica heritage finds an old codex, invokes the old gods, and finds herself commanding them as much as they command her, trying to get them to get with the program of the modern world. Or maybe the creatures of the older or other worlds, such as the tzitzimime, start breaking through, and the gods wake from their slumber to empower a champion who will make sure this world doesn't get drowned or blown away like the others. It's possible to play up the uglier roots of the early faith, while trying to have it grow in a more positive direction. 

 

Edited June 6, 2015 by trollthumper

[trollthumper]

Mythic Hero

 

Oh, you breathe fire, do you? Do you know how many things I've killed that breathe fire? By Hades, the ones that shoot fire out of their mouths are routine by now...

Power Level: 10 (150 PP)

Trade-Offs: None

Abilities: 10 + 4 + 10 + 2 + 4 + 8 = 38 PP

Strength 20 (+5)

Dexterity 14 (+2)

Constitution 20 (+5)

Intelligence 12 (+1)

Wisdom 14 (+2)

Charisma 18 (+4)

 

 

Combat: 12 + 12 = 24 PP

Attack: +6 (+10 Melee, +10 Aegis, +10 Hero’s Bow)

Defense: +10 (+6 Base, +4 Aegis)

Initiative: +2

Grapple: +15

Knockback: -10/-2

 

 

Saving Throws: 4 + 5 + 5 = 14 PP

Toughness: +10/+5 (+5 CON, +5 Great Beast’s Skin [10 Impervious])

Fortitude: +9 (+5 CON, +4)

Reflex: +7 (+2 DEX, +5)

Will: +7 (+2 WIS, +5)

 

 

Skills: 64r = 16 PP

Bluff 8 (+11)

Diplomacy 6 (+9)

Gather Information 4 (+7)

Intimidate 8 (+11)

Knowledge (arcane lore) 4 (+5)

Knowledge (history) 6 (+7)

Knowledge (theology and philosophy) 8 (+9)

Language (Greek [base], Latin, English, Spanish, Etruscan)

Notice 8 (+10)

Sense Motive 8 (+10)

 

 

Feats: 12 PP

All-Out Attack

Attack Focus (Melee) 4

Challenge (Fast Feint, Fast Demoralize) 2

Evasion

Move-By Action

Power Attack

Takedown Attack 

Uncanny Dodge (audio)

 

 

Powers: 18 + 12 + 15 + 1 = 46 PP

 

 

Aegis, 30 PP Container (Easy-to-Lose Device) [18 PP]

Immunity 2 (critical hits) [2 PP]

Features (Indestructible) 1 [1 PP]

Shield 4 [4 PP]

Divine Protection, 20 PP Array (Power Feats: Accurate 2, Alternate Power 1) [23 PP]

Base: Damage 5 (Extras: Targeted Area Burst, Selective Attack; Power Feats: Improved Block, Improved Critical 2, Improved Disarm, Mighty) [20 PP]

Alternate Power: Paralyze 10 (Extras: Range [Perception], Flaws: Sense-Dependent (visual), Action [Full-Round]) [20 PP]

 

 

Great Beast’s Skin, 15 PP Container (Hard-to-Lose Device) [12 PP]

Protection 5 (Extras: Impervious 10) [15 PP]

 

 

Hero’s Bow, 25 PP Container (Easy-to-Lose Device) [15 PP]

Legendary Quiver, 20 PP Array (Power Feats: Accurate 2, Alternate Power 3) [25 PP]

Base: Damage 5 (Extras: Range [Ranged]; Power Feats: Mighty 5, Penetrating 5) [20 PP] “Golden Hind-horned arrows”

Alternate Power: Drain Toughness 5 (Extras: Range [Ranged], Targeted Area Cone, Power Feats: Mighty 5) [20 PP] “Hydra’s blood arrows”

Alternate Power: Damage 5 (Extras: Range [Ranged], Vampiric; Power Feats: Mighty 5) [20 PP] “Stymphalian-fletched arrows”

 

 

Immunity 1 (aging) [1 PP]

Abilities (38) + Combat (24) + Saving Throws (14) + Skills (16) + Feats (12) + Powers (46) - Disadvantages (0) = 150 PP

---

Time to get mythical. I'm sure we all know who Hercules is, so we're dealing with his Marvel equivalent. For years, Hercules sort of bounced along the periphery of the Marvel titles - he was rival/bro to Thor, served on the Avengers a few times, but mainly, he was kind of there. It wasn't until World War Hulk that he really stood out, choosing to stand with the (rightly pissed-off) Hulk instead of siding with the Avengers. In the aftermath, he got two things - a teen sidekick, in the form of supergenius Amadeus Cho, and his own title. Herc's stories dug into his role in the Greek pantheon (as well as explaining why he uses the Roman name - would you like a constant daily reminder of the goddess who cursed you to murder your wife and children?), divine scheming amongst the gods that saw Athena claim the title of highest of the gods before selling reality out to Amatsu-Mikaboshi, and Herc dying, coming back, and getting depowered. It was also during this time that the title dug into other aspects of Herc's myth, such as his sexual identity. It's never made fully explicit, but much is made of how other classical heroes view Cho as Herc's possible "eromenos" (and Cho's slight discomfort at that prospect). Then, at Herc's funeral, several of his past lovers step forward to ask all who've spent a night with him to come forward and share their tales - and Northstar suddenly remembers he has somewhere else he really needs to be. There was also the alternate universe-hopping title by Herc author Fred Van Lente that showed Herc in a committed relationship with - of all people - Wolverine. So, I'd say he counts. 

This build of Herc is based on his run after the Chaos War event. While Herc saved the day, he also had most of his divine blessings revoked, leaving him as a strong, tough guy. To make up for it, however, he did have access to an armory compiled from years of heroing. As such, this hero's build reflects items from both Herc's labors and Greek myth in general - arrows tipped with the horns of the Golden Hind, arrows tipped with the blood of the Hydra, arrows fletched with the feathers of the Stymphalian Birds, the hide of the Nemean Lion, and Athena's Aegis. He's also pretty strong and tough on his  own - not peak human yet, as he relied quite a bit on his divine blessings, but he'll get there. He's still got the immunity to aging, but that's about it - put him down, and he may very well stay down.

Why's this hero of myth making an appearance now? It may be that he's passed through the world for years, hidden and keeping to himself, only to decide to come out of the shadows and make it as one of these new fangled "super-heroes." Maybe he's been on ice for years, frozen under a magical enchantment that was just recently cracked. Maybe he's been flushed out of hiding by foes of ancient myth, such as Typhon and Echinda or agents of the Titans. And hey - this doesn't necessarily need to be Hercules. Gilgamesh has his share of epic adventures and homoeroticism as well...

 

Edited June 12, 2015 by trollthumper

[trollthumper]

Dimension-Hopping Paragon

Where we going today? And how fast we gonna get there?

Power Level: 10 (150 PP)

Trade-Offs: None

[Abilities: 8 + 2 + 8 + 4 + 6 + 4 = 32 PP

Strength 30/18 (+10/+4)

Dexterity 12 (+1)

Constitution 30/18 (+10/+4)

Intelligence 14 (+2)

Wisdom 16 (+3)

Charisma 14 (+2)

Combat: 12 + 12 = 24 PP

Attack: +6 (+10 Melee)

Defense: +10 (+6 Base, +4 Dodge Focus)

Initiative: +5

Grapple: +22/+14

Knockback: -10/-2

Saving Throws: 4 + 5 + 5 = 14 PP

Toughness: +10/+4 (+4 CON, +6 Protection [Impervious 10])

Fortitude: +8 (+4 CON, +4)

Reflex: +6 (+1 DEX, +5)

Will: +8 (+3 WIS, +5)

Skills: 48r = 12 PP

Diplomacy 8 (+10)

Gather Information 4 (+6)

Intimidate 8 (+10)

Knowledge (cosmology) 8 (+10)

Knowledge (current events) 4 (+6)

Notice 8 (+11)

Sense Motive 8 (+11)

Feats: 18 PP

All-Out Attack

Attack Focus (Melee) 4

Challenge (Fast Demoralize, Fast Startle) 2

Dodge Focus 4

Evasion

Improved Initiative

Move-By Action

Power Attack

Startle

Uncanny Dodge (audio)

Well-Informed

Powers: 22 + 12 + 9 + 7 = 50 PP

Enhanced Constitution 12 (Extras: Impervious 10) [22 PP]

Enhanced Strength 12 [12 PP]

Super-Strength 3 (Power Feats: Countering Punch, Groundstrike, Shockwave) [9 PP]

Traveller, 6 PP Array (Power Feats: Alternate Power 1) [7 PP]

Base: Flight 3 (50 MPH) [6 PP]

Alternate Power: Super-Movement 3 (Dimensional Movement 3, Extras: Affects Others, Flaws: Action [Full-Round]) [6 PP]

Abilities (32) + Combat (24) + Saving Throws (14) + Skills (12) + Feats (18) + Powers (50) - Disadvantages (0) = 150 PP

---

Pride Month continues with trying to round out the most recent lineup of the Young Avengers, nearly all of whom are at least a 2 on the Kinsey Scale. America Chavez is, in many ways, what would happen if the people who wrote Wonder Woman could just be honest about what happened on Themyscira. She comes from the Utopian Parallel, a paradisical world populated entirely by women. It wasn't entirely without strife - her mothers died trying to protect it from some great multiversal threat and keep it the paradise she was promised - but it was nigh perfect. And also quite boring. Hence why America took off across the multiverse, going on a grand tour. When she first touched down on Earth-616, she ended up drafted into the Teen Brigade to fight some sort of grand threat - but the main thing that came of it was a fight with Kid Loki that saw her banished into a back corner of the multiverse. Which wasn't a huge problem for a dimension hopper, but was annoying. So she wasn't too happy to end up teaming with Loki on the Young Avengers, but was also aware that there were greater things at stake and she couldn't just leave things be. And, while she had an unfortunate fling with a douche-bro named the Ultimate Nullifier, she eventually realized it was just a phase, and decided to go the way of her people. 

In many ways, this build is a standard Paragon - but there's nothing wrong with that, of course. Sometimes, you do need somebody who's good at punching things. What makes this hero stand out is that the same ability that lets her fly also allows her to rend a hole in the fabric of space. And, with her power set, she can easily take others along for the ride. She's also well-traveled - she knows something of the ways of the cosmos, even if she doesn't exactly have a knack for languages (which is a problem if she ends up on the Earth where the Mexica run everything). And, of course, she knows something about holding her own in battle beyond just punching things.

Where did she come from, exactly? Maybe, like America, she's from a paradise dimension that's just a little too peaceful, and decided to punch her way through the walls of reality until she found something that entertained her. Maybe she's an exile from her own dimension, sent out by way of an accident and given powers by the same cosmic energy that created Centurion. As a cruel joke, she has the ability to hop back to nearly anywhere - except her home plane, which she's having trouble finding. Or maybe she's a refugee. Maybe she found something in the borders between reality, something that took a taste to her - and something that she's running from as fast as she can, hoping she can lose it in the labyrinth of reality. 

 

 

[trollthumper]

Early Queer Occultist

 

Quote

Trust me, dearie, this old queen has plenty of tricks!

Power Level: 10 (150 PP)

Trade-Offs: None

 

Abilities: 2 + 4 + 4 + 6 + 6 + 4 = 26 PP

Strength 12 (+1)

Dexterity 14 (+2)

Constitution 14 (+2)

Intelligence 16 (+3)

Wisdom 16 (+3)

Charisma 14 (+2)

 

Combat: 12 + 12 = 24 PP

Attack: +6 (+10 Sorcerous Spectrum)

Defense: +10 (+6 Base, +4 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed

Initiative: +2

Grapple: +7

Knockback: -5/-1

 

Saving Throws: 5 + 5 + 5 = 15 PP

Toughness: +10/+2 (+2 CON, +8 Force Field)

Fortitude: +7 (+2 CON, +5)

Reflex: +7 (+2 DEX, +5)

Will: +8 (+3 WIS, +5)

 

Skills: 88r = 22 PP

Bluff 8 (+10)

Concentration 8 (+11)

Diplomacy 8 (+10)

Escape Artist 8 (+10)

Gather Information 8 (+10)

Knowledge (arcane lore) 8 (+11)

Knowledge (current events) 4 (+7)

Knowledge (pop culture) 4 (+7)

Knowledge (theology and philosophy) 4 (+7)

Language (English [Base], Spanish, Portuguese, Latin, Enochian)

Notice 8 (+11)

Sense Motive 8 (+11)

Sleight of Hand 8 (+10)

 

Feats: 14 PP

All-Out Attack

Challenge (Fast Feint, Fast Taunt) 2
Contacts

Dodge Focus 4

Evasion

Power Attack

Ritualist

Skill Mastery (Bluff, Knowledge [arcane lore], Notice, Sense Motive)

Taunt

Uncanny Dodge (audio)

 

Powers: 8 + 37 + 4 = 49 PP

Force Field 8 [8 PP]

 

Sorcerous Spectrum, 30 PP Array (Power Feats: Alternate Power 5, Accurate 2) [37 PP]

Base: Animate Objects 10 [30 PP] “Weyan’s Blessing of Life”

Alternate Power: Healing 10 (Extras: Total) [30 PP] “Phoros’s Enkindling Healing”

Alternate Power: Blast 10 (Extras: Targeted Area Cylinder, Selective Attack; Flaws: Action [Full-Round]) [30 PP] “Sirrion’s Surging Sunlight”

Alternate Power: Snare 10 (Extras: Targeted Area Shapeable) [30 PP] “Ghorummaz’s Encroaching Nature”

Alternate Power: Nullify Mental Influence 10 (Extras: Area Shapeable) [30 PP] “Abriddon’s Cleansing Harmony”

Alternate Power: Astral Form 6 (20 miles) [30 PP] “Heshem’s Liberation of Spirit”

 

Super Senses 4 (Detect Magic Ranged) [4 PP]

 

Abilities (26) + Combat (24) + Saving Throws (15) + Skills (22) + Feats (14) + Powers (49) - Disadvantages (0) = 150 PP

---

Today is a very historic day, and it called for a Pride Month build. So, I decided to go all the way back into the history of gay heroes - the dark, misguided history of gay heroes. Many people like to call Northstar the first out gay superhero - he was a rather established character before he came out of the closet, he was written as gay from the start, and he got plenty of press when he came out. But he wasn't. The first was Extrano, a Doctor Strange-style gay sorcerer who debuted in the New Guardian title (yes, the one that gave us Snowflame) that came out of Millennium. There was... a lot of trouble going in. The New Guardians were a stereotypically multicultural team (the Japanese guy was made of computers, the Aborigine girl was linked to the Dreamtime, the Chinese girl was linked to the Dragon Lines, etc) who were the products of an experiment into the next phase of human evolution. As part of that, their superhero duty was equal parts fighting evil and eugenics, as they were meant to pass on their genes to the new generation and lift us up the evolutionary ladder. The fact that three of the men on the team were a plant person, a cyborg with no apparent external genitalia, and a gay man wasn't supposed to be a barrier here. And hoo, boy, was Extrano gay. He looked like a Peruvian Paul Lynde, called himself "auntie," and camped it up all over. But, he was a first stab at gay heroes, he was a hero, and he had plenty of room to grow.

 

Then, two issues into his series, he got AIDS.

 

See, the role of the New Guardians was known to certain parties who wanted to keep humanity just where it was. One of them sent an AIDS-infected vampire, the Hemo-Goblin (I know) to attack the team, infecting quite a few of them with HIV and thus making "passing along genetic stock" a very risky proposition. So, two issues into his great debut, the first gay superhero is closely associated with AIDS. There's a reason Extrano faded into obscurity. But... this isn't the first time I've covered a regrettable gay hero here. And he is a part of gay comics history. So... let's do this.

 

Like the original Extrano, this guy was a stage magician before he got actual power, hence the high ranks in Escape Artist and Sleight of Hand. As for the actual magic, well, I figured I'd go for the same misguided yet well-meaning instinct that gave us a gay superhero named Freedom Ring. This sorcerer's spells calls on some of the magical powers unique to the Freedomverse, and are themed after the colors of the rainbow flag - red for Life, orange for Healing, yellow for Sunlight, green for Nature, blue for Serenity/Harmony, and violet for Spirit. There's also the ability to sense magic and a good variety of languages. If you want to throw extra powers on him, there are colors that have fallen out of use on the rainbow flag - there's turquoise, for Magic/Art (ooh, maybe a Nullify Magic) and hot pink for... Sexuality. Maaaaaybe leave that one aside. 

 

As written, this character can easily be played straight (ha ha) - not necessarily a heir to the Master Mage, but a stage magician who managed to pull off the greatest trick of his career and earn the esteem of six magical patrons at once, having to juggle their agendas while still generally doing good for the world. But would an Extrano figure make a good choice for the first gay hero in the Freedomverse? Short answer no, long answer nooooooooooooo. But... he could easily be an early gay hero. One of the few who kicked open the closet, was brash and fabulous, and took no crap from anybody. An interesting way to explore such a figure would be the way the Dakotaverse explored Seventies-era Luke Cage through the figure of Buck Wild - with more staid gay characters accepting him as an ally and influence while also looking askance and going, "Really?" Because, in all honesty, while we view the Extrano figures as stereotypes, the more flamboyant gay characters do play key roles in gay history. After all, the Stonewall Riot kicked off because a drag queen decided she had enough of this crap and just punched a cop in the face. And, while some of the more "butch" gays among us have memories of cringing every time we saw a sparkly queen prance across the screen, there are gay kids like that, and they need role models like everyone else, people who show them they can make something of themselves, even if everyone else thinks they're an effeminate fruitcake. We are nothing without our kings and our queens - and while we should demand not to be shown as stereotypical queens all the time, we should recognize that the queens some of us shy from are the queens others of us draw strength from.