Showing posts with label Outsiders. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Outsiders. Show all posts

Major Victory

Major Victory
________________________________
Dex:   7   Str:   4   Body:    5
Int:   4   Will:  4   Mind:    4
Infl:  5   Aura:  5   Spirit:  5
Initiative: 19  Hero Points:  50

Skills:
Martial Artist: 7 
Vehicles (Air, Land, Water): 6

Advantages: Connections: Force of July (High), American Security Agency (High); Lightning Reflexes

Drawbacks: Miscellaneous Drawback (see “Leading With His Chin” below), Serious Irrational Hatred of perceived enemies of the U.S. government.

Alter Ego: William "Bill" Vickers
Motivation: Upholding the Good
Occupation: Government Agent
Wealth: 6

Equipment:
COSTUME [Str: 14, Body: 10, Flight: 8] Limitations:  Suit emits a glowing light equivalent to a Flash of 2 AP's when Flight or Str is used.

FORCE OF JULY JET [Str: 10, Body: 11, Flight: 9, Radar Sense: 18, Radio Communications: 13, R#: 02] Bonus: Radio Communications are scrambled.



Source: Adapted from Writeups.org

foe of: The Outsiders



Ed's Notes: For fuck's sake, does he also ejaculate bald eagles when he beats off?! This guy would actually be PERFECT is today's world of Paranoid Right Wing Jingoistic extremism. SMH. To be clear... The Force of July is nominally a Super-hero team, but... Yeah, no. They're Right Wing extremists. Fasicsts basically. They make Guy Gardner, Agent Liberty and General Glory look nuanced by comparison.


There is a section in his write-up on Writeups.org that I have been trying like mad to summarize or simplify and I just can't. I give up. And I want to include it if for no other reason than it really gives the player some useful material when it comes to role-playing Major Victory. This is copy-and-pasted from the "Leading with his chin" section of his write-up on Writeups.org. Treat as a Serous Irrational Attraction if the player tries to deviate from this:

Leading With His Chin
Major Victory’s notable tactical weakness is his tendency toward full frontal assaults. For the most part, this is represented in role-playing by his common use of combat Maneuvers such as Pressing the Attack (which increases his offensive ability at the cost of defensive deficits) and by spending his Hero Points exclusively on AV/EV instead of OV/RV.

He is also very likely to spend the maximum number of HPs possible at the very start of any fight, which makes him initially appear somewhat more powerful than he actually is but also means his performance degrades rather quickly in extended fights or when he has several battles in close succession.

For instance, many of his feats of strength took place at the start of fights and seemed to involve HPS.

Major Victory also suffers a -2 CS to his OV versus Maneuvers that redirect his attacks or otherwise use his own strength against him, such as Throws and Dupes.

This imprudent mindset extends to Major Victory’s strategies as well. He tends to have his team members confront others on a one-to-one basis even when he has the opportunity to deploy more people and outnumber the opposition. There is also a noted failure to coordinate his people’s efforts.


This poor tactical management is the reason that Major Victory lacks both the Leadership Advantage and the Military Science (Command) Skill (unlike most leaders of superteams in the DCU) and probably goes a fair way toward explaining the string of failures that defined the Force of July.


First Appearance: Batman and The Outsiders Annual #1 (1984)

Lady Liberty

Lady Liberty
________________________________
Dex:   4   Str:   2   Body:    3
Int:   5   Will:  6   Mind:    6
Infl:  4   Aura:  4   Spirit:  5
Initiative: 13  Hero Points:  40

Powers:
Poison Touch: 8
Energy Blast: 10
Flame Project: 6
Telekinesis: 8

Skills:
Weaponry (Exotic): 7 

Bonuses: Poison Touch has Normal Range

Limitations: Powers do not have AV's. Use Dex of Weaponry as applicable; Telekinesis is Diminishing; Miscellaneous: Telekinesis has a visible effect: a yellow glowing field with black "Kirby crackles"


Advantages: Connections: Force of July (High), American Security Agency (Low)

Alter Ego: unknown
Motivation: Seeking Justice
Occupation: Government Agent
Wealth: 6

Equipment:

Torch of Liberty [Body: 8] Note: Has no Powers of it's own, but can channel all of her Powers, allowing use of Weaponry instead of Dex as their AV.

Tabula Ansata [Body: 9, EV: 2] Note: Can act as a Shield or blunt weapon.



Source: Adapted from Writeups.org

foe of: The Outsiders



Ed's Notes: Of everyone in this ridiculous groups of Right Wing Whacko's, Lady Liberty far and away has the most ridiculous costume. She may actually have the most interesting power Set though, although... she's next useless if you take the Torch away. As with the rest of the Force of July, she has a heroic motivation, but I'd tend to use her as an antagonist exclusively.



First Appearance: Batman and The Outsiders Annual #1 (1984)

Silent Majority

Silent Majority
________________________________
Dex:   4   Str:   3   Body:    4
Int:   4   Will:  3   Mind:    3
Infl:  3   Aura:  3   Spirit:  3
Initiative: 13  Hero Points:  30

Powers:
Energy Absorption: 8
Power Reserve: 8
Split: 8

Bonuses: Split Power does not cause loss of AP's, even in the event of one of the Splits. Duplicates can also Split, but only 8 duplicates can be made in total, unless one or more is augmented by Power Reserve.

Limitations: Energy Absorption does not prevent RAP's of damage from being taken. Power Reserve only applies to Split. Power reserve starts at 0 and is fueled by Absorbed Energy. RAP's of Energy Absorbed automatically generate that many additional Splits.


Advantages: Connections: Force of July (High), American Security Agency (Low)

Drawbacks: Serious Irrational Attraction to giving one-word answers to any question.

Alter Ego: unknown
Motivation: Seeking Justice
Occupation: Government Agent
Wealth: 6



Source: Adapted from Writeups.org

foe of: The Outsiders



Ed's Notes: He CAN outnumber you... But... 8 mooks is still... just a bunch of mooks. With a (few) weapon(s) (or the Martial Artist Skill) he might be a threat. If you were dumb enough to do a team attack Energy Blast, there could suddenly be a certified SHITLOAD of these guys... But then... a shipload of 
mooks is still...


First Appearance: Batman and The Outsiders Annual #1 (1984)

Mayflower

Mayflower
________________________________
Dex:   4   Str:   2   Body:    3
Int:   4   Will:  3   Mind:    4
Infl:  3   Aura:  4   Spirit:  3
Initiative: 11  Hero Points:  30

Powers:
Poison Touch: 8
Flight: 6
Plant Control: 8
Plant Growth: 8
Speak With Plants: 8

Bonuses: Speak With Plants allows Mayflower to inform Mayflower of damage to plant life within the radius of the Power, including the type of damage.

Limitations: Miscellaneous: Chemical Attack is not emitted by Mayflower herself but rather an Plant Growth-enlarged flower spraying pollen; Miscellaneous: Flight can only be used if Mayflower has a clump of plant life to ride on; Speak With Plants does not allow communication beyond what is described under bonuses.

Advantages: Connections: Force of July (High), American Security Agency (Low)

Drawbacks: Exile (England, Forced); Miscellaneous: Is psychically bonded to the plants she controls. If a plant she is animating takes damage, she suffers a Mental Bashing attack using the RAP's against her plant as AV/EV and her Int/Mind as OV/RV.

Alter Ego: unknown
Motivation: Seeking Justice
Occupation: Government Agent
Wealth: 6



Source: Adapted from Writeups.org

foe of: The Outsiders



Ed's Notes: So... She's flying Poison Ivy, basically? Could make for an interesting lookout / perimeter security guard. But not worth much up close. As with the rest of the 
Force of July, hero motivation, but I can really only see using her as a low-level antagonist.


First Appearance: Batman and The Outsiders Annual #1 (1984)

Sparkler

Sparkler
________________________________
Dex:   5   Str:   2   Body:    3
Int:   3   Will:  3   Mind:    4
Infl:  2   Aura:  3   Spirit:  3
Initiative: 12  Hero Points:  25

Powers:
Air Control: 8
Energy Blast: 7
Flight: 6

Limitations: Air control can only be used to create “vacuums” (super-heated air that is impossible to breathe.) This works just like the standard use of Air control to create vacuums, with two differences: Flame Immunity can be added to RV, and the attack can only do Bashing Damage. Use of his power creates a bright light, visible up to 6 AP away. This has no use in combat, but may complicate stealth.

Advantages: Connections: Force of July (High), American Security Agency (Low); Lightning Reflexes

Drawbacks: Age (Young)

Alter Ego: unknown
Motivation: Thrill of Adventure
Occupation: Government Agent
Wealth: 4



Source: Adapted from Writeups.org

foe of: The Outsiders



Ed's Notes: His outfit looks like the bastard child of Robin's and Evel Knievel's! Write-ups gave him the Flash Power at 6 AP's, but then with the same Limitation above. So I left it off. Even with the Heroic Motivation, think of every Young Republican you've ever met... Yeah, this guy would be as bit a douche as all of them; Brainwashed and with a cult-like admiration for Major Victory. (Like Batman and Robin only with homoerotic undertones...)


First Appearance: Batman and The Outsiders Annual #1 (1984)

Halo

Halo
________________________________
Dex:   6   Str:   3   Body:    5
Int:   5   Will:  9   Mind:    6
Infl:  7   Aura:  8   Spirit: 10
Initiative: 18  Hero Points:  70

Powers:
Attraction/Repulsion: 4
Energy Blast: 8
Flash: 4
Flight: 4
Heat Vision 9
Suspension: 8
Warp: 8

Limitations: Except for Flight, only one Power can be used at a time.

Advantages: Connections: Batman (Low),  Outsiders (High)

Alter Ego: Gabrielle Doe, Violet Harper
Motivation: Upholding the Good
Occupation: Student
Wealth: 4



Source: Adapted from 1st Edition Batman Sourcebook, page 27
affiliated with: Outsiders 



Ed's Notes: The other original member of the Outsiders (along with Black Lightning) who never got written up in 2nd or 3rd Edition.  This would be a great established character for someone to play over a longer series of campaigns. She has several low-rated powers that could stand to be bumped up a bit. Also, each power is tied to a specific color of the spectrum, except Flight, which is tied to ALL of them, and there is one color (Violet) for which no power has yet been established. So there is a ready-made slot for the character to put literally ANY power in that they want, without explanation, limited only by the Hero Points they have to spend. (And maybe a subplot, where they "discover" it.) So... a LOT of potential paths for the character to develop along. And just for the record, the Color/Power Associations are as follows:

Red: Heat Vision
Orange: Energy Blast
Yellow: Flash
Green: Suspension
Blue: Warp (Light Only?)
Indigo: Attraction/Repulsion
Violet: Unknown
White (all): Flight

I'm not sure if her Suspension Power could be used on others, and the 1st edition doesn't say it can be, but that would be pretty cool - another potential improvement that a PC could make to the character. Another potential subplot/complication, if the PC and GM wants to pursue it: Originally (Year One) She would have had Drawback: Miscellaneous: Is a complete amnesiac.  And if the PC's were to find a way to cure her of this she might regain the Power: Recall: 10, that she had as a child, representing her photographic memory. (I'm assuming a rating "10" which is 2 less than Batgirl's, which sounds right to me, but maybe the player can decide how many AP's they want to spend on it, if they want to play it that way. (The reward for the resolution of such a subplot could be enough Hero Points to pay the base cost and some AP's, and then the PC could add to those as they wish.)

One last thing... The 1st Edition write-up lists her Warp power as "Warp (Light Only)." And I don't know exactly what that means. The Warp power is essentially unchanged throughout all three editions, so... "light only?" WHY? How would that actually be USED then? If any has a sense of this from the comics, please let me know in the comments.

Black Lightning

Black Lightning
________________________________
Dex:   7   Str:   5   Body:    6
Int:   7   Will:  5   Mind:    6
Infl:  8   Aura:  5   Spirit:  5
Initiative: 24  Hero Points:  85

Powers:
Lightning: 12

Skills:
Martial Artist: 7

Advantages: Connections: Batman (Low),  Outsiders (High); Scholar (English language, teaching)

Drawbacks: Attack Vulnerability, -2 CS vs. Cold; Secret Identity

Alter Ego: Jefferson Pierce
Motivation: Upholding the Good
Occupation: High School Teacher
Wealth: 5


Source: Adapted from 1st Edition Batman Sourcebook, page 25
affiliated with: Outsiders 



Ed's Notes: One of the two original Outsiders to have never been written up in 2nd or 3rd Edition. And of, course, in the 1970's and 1980's if you were a Superhero who happened to be black, you were contractually obligated to include the word "Black" in your name. (Because DIVERSITY, but also TOKENISM!) At least the costume has improved since back them. I gave him "Secret Identity," because, if he's a teacher, his student's lives would be at risk if it was widely known that he was also Black Lightning.  I can't verify this in game terms, however, as the "Secret Identity" Drawback didn't exist in the 1st Edition. (Even Batman, the most famous "Secret Identity" in all of comics doesn't have it!) But it makes sense for this character, so I've added it. (Please feel free to let me know if you don't think it applies, based on the comics - or the TV show!)

Shakedown

Shakedown
________________________________
Dex:   4    Str:  11  Body:    9
Int:   3    Will:  6  Mind:    5
Infl:  4    Aura:  4  Spirit:  6
Initiative: 11  Hero Points:  35

Powers:
Earth Control: 12
Skin Armor: 4

Advantages: Connection: Masters of Disaster (High)

Drawbacks: Serious Irrational Attraction to Windfall

Alter Ego: Unknown
Motivation: Mercenary
Occupation: Mercenary
Wealth: 4



Source: 2nd Edition  Background/Roster Book, pages 86
foe of: The Outsiders




Ed's Notes: The muscle of the group.  Good support character, good tank. (At least as far as these guys are concerned.) Too bad they never saw fit to stat out Windfall, huh? Complete the team? Show the one he's so hung up on? Kind of annoying, Mayfair. Just sayin'!

New Wave

New Wave
________________________________
Dex:   7    Str:   4  Body:    5
Int:   5    Will:  5  Mind:    6
Infl:  7    Aura:  4  Spirit:  5
Initiative:19/20 Hero Points: 45

Powers:
Acid: 8
Fog: 8
Water Freedom: 8
Self Link (Water Control): 10

Skills: 
Thief: 6

Advantages: Connection: Masters of Disaster (High); Leadership

Drawbacks: Serious Rage

Alter Ego: Becky
Motivation: Psychopath
Occupation: Leader of the Masters of Disaster
Wealth: 4



Source: 2nd Edition  Background/Roster Book, pages 85-86
foe of: The Outsiders




Ed's Notes: So... The leader of the MASTERS OF DISASTER is... "Becky?!" As in oh-my-god-look-at-her-butt BECKY?!  Actually, as the members of this team go, she's pretty bad ass.

BTW... I love this line. +50 Hero Points to any player who gives me the set up to use it:



Heatstroke

Heatstroke
________________________________
Dex:   6    Str:   3  Body:    4
Int:   4    Will:  4  Mind:    4
Infl:  4    Aura:  4  Spirit:  4
Initiative: 14  Hero Points:  25

Powers:
Flame Being: 5
Flame Project: 7
Flame Immunity: 5
Flight: 8

Advantages: Connection: Masters of Disaster (High)

Drawbacks: Serious Irrational Attraction to Coldsnap; Attack Vulnerability: -4 Column Shifts versus cold.

Alter Ego: Joanne
Motivation: Mercenary
Occupation: Mercenary
Wealth: 4



Source: 2nd Edition  Background/Roster Book, pages 85-86
foe of: The Outsiders




Ed's Notes: OK. I take back everything I said about their relationship over on Coldsnap's entry. ;)

Coldsnap

Coldsnap
________________________________
Dex:   6    Str:   4  Body:    5
Int:   4    Will:  4  Mind:    4
Infl:  4    Aura:  4  Spirit:  4
Initiative: 14  Hero Points:  25

Powers:
Cold Immunity: 5
Icing: 5
Ice Production: 7

Advantages: Connection: Masters of Disaster (High)

Drawbacks: Serious Irrational Attraction to Heatstroke; Attack Vulnerability: -4 Column Shifts versus heat.

Alter Ego: Darrel
Motivation: Mercenary
Occupation: Mercenary
Wealth: 4



Source: 2nd Edition  Background/Roster Book, page 85
foe of: The Outsiders




Ed's Notes: So... This guys a sub, right? I mean... Big crush on a girl made out of his Kryptonite? I mean... We knows who's going to be wearing the pants there, so to speak, am I right?  

Kobra

Kobra
________________________________
Dex:  10   Str:   5   Body:    6
Int:  11   Will: 11   Mind:   12
Infl:  9   Aura:  8   Spirit: 10
Initiative: 34  Hero Points: 110

Skills: *linked
Acrobatics: 8
Charisma: 12
Gadgetry: 9
Martial Artist: 10*
Military Science: 11*
Thief: 10*
Vehicles: 10*
Weaponry: 10*

Advantages: Connections: Financial Community (High), Most World Governments (Low), Underworld (High); Genius; Intensive Training; Iron Nerves; Leadership; Lightning Reflexes

Drawbacks: Secret Identity

Alter Ego: Unknown
Motivation: Power Lust
Occupation: Would-be World Conqueror
Wealth: 20

Equipment:
KOBRA ARMOR [Body: 11, Str: 8, Flash: 9, Fog: 6, Poison Touch: 9, R#: 2, 10 AP ABC Omni-Gadget built-in] Limitations: Str: 8 applies to gauntlet's grapple-line.  Flash and Poison Touch are gasses fired in into the faces of (and only usable on) targets that he has tangled in said grapple-line. Armor includes a radio transceiver, rated at 12 AP's

THE ARK [Body: 14, Int: 7, Flight: 12, Force Field: 5, Heat Vision: 10, Radar Sense: 20, Recall: 15, Super Hearing: 14, Thief (Stealth): 14, 16 AP Laboratory, 12 AP ABCD Omni-Gadgets (x4)]



Source: Whos' Who, 3rd Edition; 2nd Edition Background/Roster Book, page 84; Batman Role Playing Game, page 146

foe of: Batman, Outsiders
also see: Eve, Mooks



Ed's Notes: Wow, finally a villain who isn't approximately Batman's equal, but actually IS, and arguably even superior in some ways, all without being super-human. Impressive.  Oh, and if it's not obvious, "The Ark" is his massive air-ship. 2nd Edition sources omit all information about The Ark, and leave out many of his armor's capabilities.  The BM RPG additionally omits his Acrobatics skill, does not link any of his skills, and gives him just 80 Hero Points.