Captain Marvel ________________________________
Dex: 14 Str: 20 Body: 14
Int: 4 Will: 10 Mind: 7
Infl: 4 Aura: 7 Spirit: 7
Initiative: 37 Hero Points: 85
Powers:
Flight: 14
Invulnerability: 18
Superspeed: 13
Systematic Antidote: 10
Advantages: Connection: Justice League International (Low), Insta-Change; Lightning Reflexes
Drawbacks: Alter Ego (Controllable); Secret Identity
Alter Ego: Billy Batson
Motivation: Upholding the Good
Occupation: Television Reporter
Wealth: 4
Source: 3rd Edition Rulebook, page 161; Justice League Sourcebook, page 35; 2nd Edition Background/Roster Book page 42
also see: Captain Marvel Junior, Mary Marvel
Rogues: Black Adam, Doctor Sivana, Mister Mind
affiliation(s): Justice League of America
Ed's Notes: I would change his Connection to Justice League of America (High). The only difference between the version is that the 2nd Edition did not include (in the game) Alter Ego as a Drawback. The 3rd Edition Rulebook incorrectly lists his initiative as 35. I've included the corrected value here. Also, he and Black Adam are pretty much tailor made for:
Drawback: Arch-Enemy (Black Adam)
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| First Appearance: Whiz Comics #2 (February, 1940) |
I know you are simply reprinting what you have on hand, but Captain Marvel is one of the trickier characters to do correctly and I think that DCH never quite got him right. The misconceptions are mainly in his Effect value attributes. For one his STR is on par with any of Superman's incarnations, so it should be higher. I gauge it at 24 APS simply because the Big Blue Boy Scout is the flagship character. Next, his WILL is too low. Given the Wisdom of Solomon he should be able to process and make deductions at a far greater rate than his current build allows. I would bump his WILL up to 20 to reflect the Wisdom of Solomon. Additionally, the Wisdom of Solomon grants him access to the Occultist Skill, but this is hardly ever used. Blood of Heroes, though I hate referencing it, has a modifier for such frequently forgotten abilities based on the cost of Burnout. Essentially on when the dice give a number less than the value can you use the ability, otherwise it is "forgotten." And lastly, Captain Marvel is a Mystical Powerhouse, his Mystic Attributes should be way higher. He can entreat with potent mystical forces as the Champion of the Wizard, and be recognized by them for his potency. Upping his INFL, AURA, and SPIRIT wouldn't be a bad thing.
ReplyDeleteI don't disagree with anything you've said here. (And LIGHTNING, Mystic Linked, with the attendant Limitations, might be called for as well.) And IIRC there was a Dragon (?) Magazine write up for Cap that was pretty close to what you're describing. (It was also missing the Lightning, however. Lol) And given the number of times he's given Supes a run for his money in the comics? Yeah, again, I agree. BUT... You are also correct in that this blog is meant to be a repository of PUBLISHED DCH information, wherever possible. So here we are. (Valor and Laurel Gand have similar problems, being 2nd Edition Characters that are inferior to the 3rd Edition's "Typical Daxamite.") All valid suggestions however!
DeleteI've come into appreciating Captain Marvel much later in life, which is a shame since he's such an interesting hero. Did his Lightning Attack come about much later as an actual weapon? It seems strange that multiple listings as late as 3rd edition would leave it absent, so I'm wondering if Billy using it as a weapon is something that came up in the Iron Age moreso than Silver and Bronze age?
ReplyDeleteThanks for putting this database together. Really enjoying it. Though, I have to agree with a previous post that Cap Marvel's attributes are too low. I know they are straight from the original Mayfair Card, but there is ample evidence & discourse to validate them being higher.
ReplyDeleteWe went through this discussion in another DC Mayfair Database back in the early 2000s (I am dating myself). The consensus was that Cap should have attributes & powers that allow him to not only hold his own w/Supes but from time to time get the better of him.
Dex: 14 Str: 24 Body: 16 (was agreed on by most, although I made an argument for exactly equal to slightly higher strength)
We gave him a power reserved of 6 that could be used for intelligence, will, mind etc to reflect the "Wisdom of Solomon"
His flight should be at least 15 as he is able to reach escape velocity
Sealed systems as well.
Again, I know you created this as a repository for published Mayfair data. I just want folks to know that there was an overwhelming number of us that thought Cap was too low. That actually included some of the creators of the original Mayfair Game (who wrote as much) in a few of the books.
That said, this is awesome.