Sunday, December 27, 2015

Bruce Banner—The Hulk

It's been a fair while since we put out a real Avenger, but the Hulk is certainly an easier one to do then, say, Stark (I'm sorry guys, he has a lot of suits I have to make for him). The Hulk is also one of the only Marvel heroes we've seen thus far that utilize the Gimmick Hindrance, and is fairly unique in that aspect.

He is also unique in being the only main Avenger who has changed actors between films, and the only character in the larger MCU whose first movie seems to only be semi-canonical, as the character of Banner is written to have a totally different personality and altered skill-set. As such, some aspects of Norton's Banner, like his hand-to-hand capabilities and his charismatic presence, may be tuned down to be more in line with the modern Ruffalo Banner. Hulk hasn't been altered too terribly much.


Name: Bruce Banner
Race: Human
Experience: 55 (Veteran)
Agility d8; Smarts d12; Spirit d6; Strength d4; Vigor d6
Pace 6; Parry 5; Charisma 0; Toughness 5
Hindrances: Bad Eyes, Loyal, Pacifist (m), PovertyWanted (M)
Edges: Luck, Scholar (Biochemistry & Nuclear Physics), First Strike, Barbaric Blood
Skills: Fighting d6, Investigation d8, Knowledge (Biochemistry) d10, Knowledge (Computers) d8, Knowledge (Medicine) d6, Knowledge (Nuclear Physics) d12, Knowledge (Portuguese) d4, Notice d6, Repair d4, Stealth d4, Streetwise d8
Inventory: Glasses, Pulse Tracker

Bruce Banner was a respected biochemist and nuclear physicist, working at Culver University. In 2005, Banner and his then-girlfriend were recruited to work on a top-secret military program under the guise of radiation resistance (though it was actually another attempt at replicating Erskine's serum), under the watch of General Ross (Banner's girl's father). A few months into the project, Banner was so confident in his research that he used himself as the first test subject, but the process went horribly wrong. Now, whenever Bruce gets angry, excited, or his heart rate simply goes high enough, he transforms into the mindless powerhouse, the Hulk!


Name: The Hulk
Race: ???
Experience: 55 (Veteran)
Power Level: Deity (90 PP)
Agility d8; Smarts d4; Spirit d8; Strength d12+10; Vigor d12+4
Pace 6; Parry 7; Charisma –8; Toughness 30 (6)
Hindrances: Bloodthirsty, Clueless, Gimmick, Illiterate, Loyal, Weakness (m—Sound)
Edges: Arcane Background (Super Powers), Berserk, Brawny, Take the Hit, Brawler, Frenzy, Sweep, Mighty Blow, Combat Reflexes
Skills: Climbing d12, Fighting d10, Intimidation d10, Notice d4, Swimming d8, Throwing d6
Powers:
  • Armor +6 (3): Tough skin.
  • Attack, Melee (10): Damage Str+2d6, Climb, Focus, Heavy Weapon, Lethal, Multiple Attacks.
  • Fear –2 (3): Scary, Terror.
  • Fearless (2): It's the Hulk. You don't scare him.
  • Growth (7):  Level 3 (Size, Strength, and Toughness +3), Monster.
  • Immune to Poison/Disease (2): Gamma-strengthened immune system.
  • Leaping (6): Level 5. Leaps 32" vertically, 64" horizontally. Bounce.
  • Regeneration (8): Level 4, rolls to heal every minute.
  • Speed (4): Pace 24, –1 to hit.
  • Super Attribute (32): Strength +10, Vigor +6.
  • Toughness +10 (13): Hardy.
After his first transformation, the military began to chase Banner, looking to control Hulk for their own purposes. After realizing what the Hulk could do, Bruce went into hiding, fleeing the country and leaving behind everything to make sure the Hulk did as little damage as he could. Bruce was international for five years, learning to control his pulse as best he could until he could find a cure for his condition.

After failing to concoct an antidote himself, and being found again by the military, he decided to meet with the anonymous Mr. Blue, finally re-entering the country. Unfortunately, he ended up back at Culver University, trying to find any information he could about the experiment that transformed him, but the military intercepted him and unleashed the Hulk again, and this time the world finally saw the Hulk publicly for the first time. After a very short clash with Captain Blonsky and his knock-off serum, he escaped and made it to New York, meeting Mr. Blue (Samuel Sterns), who found a temporary suppression for the Hulk.

Shortly after this, Banner was captured, but released shortly to deal with Blonsky, now an enormous monster trashing Harlem. After a brief rematch, Blonsky was apprehended and the Hulk escaped. In this time, he learned to control the Hulk to a degree, able to steer him in the right direction and summon him when he needed.

Banner made it to Calcutta, where he hid for another two years before Natasha Romanoff found him, recruiting him for S.H.I.E.L.D. to track down the tesseract using gamma radiation signatures. He was brought aboard the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier and given a lab, but due to Loki's schemes, the Hulk was once again triggered aboard the helicarrier. Thor fought to subdue the Hulk, keeping him from trashing the entire carrier. Hulk was eventually knocked out by falling from an exploding F-16 into the ground. He shortly arrived back in New York to assist the other Avengers in repelling the Chitauri invasion.

After this, Banner went into S.H.I.E.L.D. protection, befriending Tony Stark and working solely in R&D. In addition, he worked with Stark to create a new Iron Man armor, just in case the Hulk went out of control someday. He occasionally assisted the other Avengers in "Code Green" events, aiming the Hulk at HYDRA or other important targets. After recovering Loki's scepter from HYDRA, he and Stark worked to create the Ultron A.I. to help defend the earth from any other world-ending events. This went wrong and Ultron went mad. In a mission to intercept Ultron in South Africa, the Hulk was unleashed upon a small African city by Scarlet Witch, forcing him to be subdued by Stark.

Because of this, while he assisted in transferring JARVIS into the Vision, and in rescuing Romanoff and the Sovokian civilians, Banner has gone back into hiding, fearing the Hulk once again. His whereabouts are unknown to the Avengers.

Power Stunts:
  • Energy Control (6): Fire/Heat, Large Burst Template. Limitation (–1, nullify only). Hulk claps his hands together so hard, the shockwave can put out almost any fire.
  • Earthquake (2): By slamming his fists into the ground, the Hulk can create a crack in stone and earth that can trip up his enemies.
—DoctorBoson

Monday, December 21, 2015

The Warriors Three

And today we have Thor's loyal troupe: the Warriors Three, fighters that have been with Thor for centuries and fight by his side battle after battle. These men are formidable and powerful.

That said, they are also NPCs, and they really don't have a notable role in the story other than to support Thor a couple of times, and their personalities haven't really been fleshed out. All Asgardians are considered to be at least Street Fighters with Super Karma just due to their biology, but they lack the Major Hindrance to grant it to them as per the rules. Luckily, NPCs don't have to be built like PCs.


Name: Fandral (Wild Card)
Race: Asgardian
Power Level: Four Color (45 PP)
Agility d10; Smarts d6; Spirit d8; Strength d12+5; Vigor d10
Pace 6; Parry 8; Charisma 2; Toughness 19 (6)
Hindrances: Loyal, Quirk (Cocky)
Edges: Arcane Background (Super Powers), Attractive, The Best There Is (super strength), Counterattack, Improved Frenzy, Combat Sense, Brawler
Skills: Fighting d10, Notice d8, Riding d4, Taunt d8
Inventory: Asgardian armor (Armor +6, negate 4 ballistic AP), asgardian foil (Str+d4+2, AP 2, Parry +1)
Powers:
  • Attack, Melee (4): Damage Str+d6, Multiple Attacks.
  • Leaping (2): Level 2. Leaps 4" vertically and 8" horizontally.
  • Regeneration (5): Level 3, rolls to heal every 10 minutes. Limitation (–1, Level 1 against Frost Giant decay).
  • Speak Language (1): Written Word. Limitation (–1, only works on creatures from the Nine Realms). (All-tongue.)
  • Speed (2): Pace 12.
  • Super Attribute (22): Agility +1, Strength +8, Vigor +2.
  • Toughness +6 (9): Hardy. (Dense asgardian physiology.)
Swift, graceful, and suspiciously reminiscent of a certain adventurer from Sherwood Forest, Fandral is cocky, but his skill as a fighter and his natural agility let him put his money where his mouth is. Fandral is extremely charming and somewhat handsome, but when he's called to the battlefield, all the women in Asgard couldn't stop him.

Well... probably.


Name: Volstagg (Wild Card)
Race: Asgardian
Power Level: Four Color (45 PP)
Agility d6; Smarts d6; Spirit d6; Strength d12+6; Vigor d10
Pace 6; Parry 6; Charisma 0; Toughness 20 (6)
Hindrances: Loyal, Obese
Edges: Arcane Background (Super Powers), The Best There Is (super strength), Take the Hit, Frenzy
Skills: Fighting d10, Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Riding d4, Taunt d6
Inventory: Asgardian armor (Armor +6, negate 4 ballistic AP), asgardian great axe (Str+d10+2, AP 4, Parry –1)
Powers:
  • Attack, Melee (4): Damage Str+d6, Multiple Attacks.
  • Leaping (2): Level 2. Leaps 4" vertically and 8" horizontally.
  • Regeneration (5): Level 3, rolls to heal every 10 minutes. Limitation (–1, Level 1 against Frost Giant decay).
  • Speak Language (1): Written Word. Limitation (–1, only works on creatures from the Nine Realms). (All-tongue.)
  • Speed (2): Pace 12.
  • Super Attribute (22): Agility +1, Strength +8, Vigor +2.
  • Toughness +6 (9): Hardy. (Dense asgardian physiology.)
With a belly full of jolly and an axe of asgardian metal, Volstagg is a seasoned adventurer and warrior. The strongest and thickest of the Warriors Three, he accompanies Thor in battle across the Nine Realms. To him, the only thing more satisfying than the thrill of battle is the feast that comes after a glorious victory.


Name: Hogun (Wild Card)
Race: Vanir
Power Level: Four Color (45 PP)
Agility d8; Smarts d8; Spirit d6; Strength d12+5; Vigor d8
Pace 6; Parry 7; Charisma 0; Toughness 18 (6)
Hindrances: Loyal
Edges: Arcane Background (Super Powers), The Best There Is (super strength), Counterattack, Quick Draw, Marksman
Skills: Fighting d10, Notice d6, Riding d4, Throwing d8
Inventory: Asgardian armor (Armor +6, negate 4 ballistic AP), asgardian mace (Str+2d6, AP 2, ignores 1 point of cover/shield penalties), asgardian knives (Str+d4+2, 3/6/12)
Powers:
  • Attack, Melee (4): Damage Str+d6, Multiple Attacks.
  • Leaping (2): Level 2. Leaps 4" vertically and 8" horizontally.
  • Regeneration (5): Level 3, rolls to heal every 10 minutes. Limitation (–1, Level 1 against Frost Giant decay).
  • Speak Language (1): Written Word. Limitation (–1, only works on creatures from the Nine Realms). (All-tongue.)
  • Speed (2): Pace 12.
  • Super Attribute (22): Agility +1, Strength +8, Vigor +2.
  • Toughness +6 (9): Hardy. (Dense asgardian physiology.)
While not technically an asgardian, Hogun is one of the vanir, inhabitants of Vanaheim. These people, though somewhat technologically stilted, are close cousins to asgardians physiologically. Hogun in particular spent much time among asgardians and eventually moved there, befriending Thor and the rest of the Warriors. He is a quiet, wise, and extremely capable warrior, fiercely loyal both to his people and to his friends.

The Warriors Three all reside in Asgard, though Hogun was last seen on Vanaheim helping his people rebuild after the Marauder raids.
—DoctorBoson

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Chan Ho Yin—Scorch

One of our first characters from ABC's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Hardly the most interesting, but he also only appears in one episode and that makes him notoriously easy to put numbers to.


Name: Chan Ho Yin (Wild Card)
Race: Human
Power Level: Pulp Hero with Super Karma (20 PP)
Agility d6; Smarts d8; Spirit d8; Strength d4; Vigor d6
Pace 6; Parry 4; Charisma 0; Toughness 5
Hindrances: Arrogant, Poverty, Vengeful (m)
Edges: Arcane Background (Super Powers), The Best There Is (attack, ranged)
Skills: Fighting d4, Knowledge (English) d8, Notice d6, Shooting d6 (attack, ranged only), Stealth d6
Powers:
  • Attack, Ranged (8): Range 12/24/48 or Cone Template, Damage 2d10, RoF 1, AP 2. Enhanced Damage. (Fire blast.)
  • Deflection (5): –6 to hit with ranged attacks. Requires Activation. (Wall of fire.)
  • Energy Control (5): Heat/Fire.
  • Resistance (1): Fire. +4 to resist effects, +4 Toughness. 
  • Super Skill (1): Shooting +2. Limitation (–1, attack, ranged only).
Chan Ho Yin was born in Hong Kong, and followed his idol Harry Houdini performing street magic. One day, he discovered his pyrokinesis after setting a towel on fire; the origins of his power are unknown. Yin was discovered by S.H.I.E.L.D. and placed on The Index, told to keep his abilities under wraps.

Recently, though, he was approached by a woman offering to increase his power and bring him fame, suggesting the name Scorch to sway him. Scorch was injected with Extremis, enhancing his abilities, and his heat-resistant blood platelets kept him from overheating as other Extremis users had done.

After a day or two of tests, Centipede drained the platelets from Chan's blood for their own serum and left him to be recovered by S.H.I.E.L.D. enraged by the Extremis and his own inflated ego, Yin went after Agent Coulson, May, and any Centipede scientists left in the building. Though using his powers left him in great pain, he went on a rampage until he detonated due to the Extremis (with a little extra juice injected by Agent May).
—DoctorBoson

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Matthew Murdock—Daredevil

I just finished watching Marvel's Daredevil on Netflix for the second or third time now, and it's probably one of my favorite entries in the MCU to date, as well as giving us our first truly street-level character.

EDIT: I've tossed together a set of patch notes with the newest season of Daredevil finally released. You can find it here.


Name: Matthew Murdock
Race: Human
Experience: 130 (Legendary)
Power Level: Street Fighter with Super Karma (35 PP)
Agility d10; Smarts d8; Spirit d8; Strength d6; Vigor d8
Pace 6; Parry 8; Charisma 2; Toughness 10 (4)
Hindrances: Blind, Heroic, Poverty, Vengeful (m), Vow—no killing (m)
Edges: Arcane Background (Super Powers), Alertness, Attractive, Brave, Fast Healer, Martial Artist, Acrobat, Improved First Strike, Counterattack, Traceur, Scholar (Law), Nerves of Steel, Marksman, Level Headed, Improved Frenzy, Two-Fisted, Combat Reflexes, Quick Draw.
Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d10, Intimidation d8, Investigation d6, Healing d4, Knowledge (Law) d8, Notice d12, Persuasion d8, Stealth d10, Throwing d10.
Inventory: Daredevil armor (Armor +4, Armor +2 if hit with a Raise), billy club (Str+d6, 3/6/12).
Powers:
  • Awareness (4): Ignores obscurement penalties and Gang Up bonus. Limitation (–1, requires a Notice roll at –4 to work against creatures with no heartbeat for the remainder of the scene). (Heightened senses radar.)
  • Danger Sense (1): Limitation (–1, Notice roll is made at –4 against creatures with no heartbeat). (Heightened senses radar.)
  • Heightened Senses (5): Super Senses (Hearing, Smell, Taste, Touch), Tracking. Spatial Sense. Limitation (–2, if this power is negated, all non-Device powers are negated as well).
  • Regeneration (2): Level 1. (Mystical meditation.)
  • Super Attribute (4): Agility +2. (Exceptional equilibrium.)
  • Super Edge (2): Fast Healer. (Mystical meditation.)
  • Super Skill (8): Fighting +2, Healing +1, Notice +3, Throwing +2. (Stick training.)
  • Uncanny Reflexes (4): –2 to hit. (Heightened senses and enhanced balance.)
Billy Club (Switchable)
  • Attack, Melee (4): Damage Str+d6, Multiple Attacks. Device (–2, billy club). Switchable (primary).
  • Attack, Ranged (1): Range 3/6/12, Damage Str+d6, Thrown. Device (–2, billy club).
with
  • Attack, Melee (2): Damage Str+d6, Grapple, One Arm, Reach 2. Device (–2, billy club).
  • Swinging (1): Strong Line. Device (–2, billy club).

As a boy in Hell's Kitchen, Matt Murdock was a bright young man. His father was a boxer but never wanted his son to fight, insisting his use his head instead of his hands, and Matt was supportive of his father, trying to encourage him and stitch him up after bad boxing matches. In fact, Matt wanted to help anyone that needed it, and at nine years old, Matt pushed a man out of the way of an oncoming truck, saving his life and having his eyes burned out by chemicals in the process. In the following months, the rest of Matt's senses intensified exponentially: his hearing, smell, touch, taste, and balance were heightened immensely. Soon after this, however, Matt's father was murdered for winning a match that he was supposed to lose.

Matt was left at an orphanage until he was found by Stick—a blind old man that trained Matt in martial arts and helped him to use his senses more effectively in combat. He became expert combatant, able to take on a dozen men at a time and come out on top, albeit with a fair number of cuts and bruises. He was taught meditative techniques to help him heal quickly, and his senses are so strong that he can feel the impression of ink to read words on a page, or hear the heartbeat of people to tell if they're lying or not.

Matt got too attached, however, and Stick left him before completing his training. Matt kept training on his own as he went through college, studying law and meeting his best friend, Foggy Nelson. After graduating top of their class, they went to intern at the prestigious firm Landman & Zack, almost landing a job before leaving due to a moral dispute.

Moving back into Hell's Kitchen, that night Matt heard a man doing some seriously messed up things with his daughter, and after being unable to deal with this in the confines of the law Matt took it into his own hands to persuade the man to stop. This began Matt's vigilante days (in a badass black costume), as he listened to the streets to find criminals and horrible people, sometimes going from place to place interrogating to find larger crime rings. At the same time, Matt worked with Foggy to found their new firm, Nelson & Murdock, hoping to make a difference in Hell's Kitchen as defense attorneys.
Vigilante Suit (Armor +1, Armor +0 if hit with a Raise)
Their first client was Karen Page, a woman who was being framed for murder due to discovering a money laundering operation of the Union Allied Construction. Matt and Foggy took her into their care, and Matt donned the suit to protect her when she went back to her apartment to retrieve the data from the UAC files. Shortly after, he met Claire Temple, a nurse that would stitch him up when he was wounded after being beaten nearly to death by the Russian mob. 

The investigation of the local gang activity and Union Allied began to unravel a conspiracy led by Wilson Fisk, taking control of the entire Hell's Kitchen area. After a series of brutal interrogations, smashing through the Russian mob, and being framed as a terrorist by Fisk, a battle with the red ninja Nobu left Matt so battered that he nearly died, and likely would have had Foggy not discovered that he was the man in the mask. Shortly following this, Matt "persuaded" Fisk's armorer to make him a suit to avoid that kind of damage again, and releasing one of Fisk's old corrupt cops to bring Fisk's empire tumbling to the ground. He used his new suit (and the sweet batons that came with it) to beat Fisk down and allow him to be subdued for the police to put him behind bars.

For the next year or so, Matt worked to help keep the streets clean, while he, Foggy, and Karen worked to keep Nelson and Murdock afloat. While negotiating with a new client, however, he was put on the trail of a ruthless killer that was sweeping through Hell's Kitchen and annihilating criminals that he came across. He tracked the man down and kept him from assassinating his new client, but after a drawn out fight, the man drew a pistol and knocked Matt out in one shot.

More will be added as I gain the time to type out Matt's encounters in S2.

He has one new custom Edge:

Traceur
Requirements: Novice, Agility d8+, Strength d8+, Climbing d6+
Traceurs are practitioners of parkour, the activity of moving from one point to another as efficiently and quickly as possible. They are equally comfortable in natural surroundings as in urban areas.
These runners are unaffected by Difficult Ground and are always able to move up to their full Pace, even over rough ground, ice, or swamp. They also gain a +2 to Strength rolls made to jump either for height or distance as well as Climbing rolls. Traceurs may add +2 to Agility rolls to maintain their balance as well during Chases, both for their maneuvering roll and to avoid any obstacles.

Daredevil has always been one of my favorite superheroes and I can't wait to see where they take him next!
—DoctorBoson