DC Second Stringers of all Sizes

BentonGrey · March 18, 2007, 10:29:02 AM

Howdy guys, I'm working on the Doom Patrol, and seeing as I've seen exactly 1 book with them even mentioned, I could use a little help. I know the basics about their powers, but should I set them up? Obviously Elasti-Girl is the easiest, but I could use some advice about Negative Man and Mento. I suppose Robotman is just super strong and tough?

Panther_Gunn · March 18, 2007, 04:58:02 PM

I don't remember if you were looking for the classic (Pre-Crisis) version or what I take to be the current, rebooted version, but I'll give you what I've got out of the Who's Who:

Elasti-Girl: (just for clarification) Able to stretch any part of her body individually, or collectively. Growing to gigantic size increases strength & mass, with an equal change when she shrank to tiny (but not microscopic) size. Superb athlete w/fair hand-to-hand knowledge.

Mento: helmet harnesses & amplifies Dayton's latent psychokinetic capabilities; levitate objects, project illusions, and fire a mental blast that can have either a mental or physical effect.

Negative Man: An energy being that can be released at will, no apparent consiousness, subject to commands by Trainor. Trainor can mentally monitor what the being "sees" & "hears". The being has superhuman strength, fly at speed of light, create explosions, and pass through any solid object except lead. Trainor is in danger of dying of the being does not return within 60 seconds.

Robotman: "ceramic metal"; superhuman strength, move at great speed; can magnetize feet to walk up metal walls.

BentonGrey · March 30, 2007, 02:07:30 PM

Thanks PG, that's a help, but I've finally gotten around to finishing the team, and I could use some suggestions about how to deal with Negative Man's 60 second time limit. I've got ephemeral right now, and inner being, but I need something more accurate.

On an unrelated note, I was trying to flesh out Goldface a little (no pun intended), and I was thinking about how, in JLU, he turned people to gold with a touch. How could I simulate that? I know someone had a way to do Gray Gargoyle's stone touch, I just don't remember how.

JKCarrier · March 30, 2007, 05:12:24 PM

For Negative Man, I gave him Astral Projection, and then gave the astral form Borrowed Time, so if you leave it out too long, he gets KO'd. That's pretty harsh, though, so Ephemeral might be a little more reasonable.

For Goldface, you could do a Transmute swap... set it to turn the target into a generic gold statue. Dr. Mike's "Papa Legba" example character has something like this.

Panther_Gunn · March 30, 2007, 05:23:36 PM

Quote from: JKCarrier on March 30, 2007, 05:12:24 PM
For Negative Man, I gave him Astral Projection, and then gave the astral form Borrowed Time, so if you leave it out too long, he gets KO'd. That's pretty harsh, though, so Ephemeral might be a little more reasonable.

For Goldface, you could do a Transmute swap... set it to turn the target into a generic gold statue. Dr. Mike's "Papa Legba" example character has something like this.

I was just about to suggest something similar on both counts! :P

I was going to as how you were planning to have Negative Man do things. The easy (and possibly cheesy) way to do it would be to just have him as the FX for some form of attack. No worrying about being seperated, in that case. If you go with Shapechanger, I was wondering if some combo of Accidental Change (on the energy being), triggered by Out Of Energy, and somehow have Borrowed Time drain his Energy instead of Health. I'm not sure how Involuntary Form would work with Shapechanger, and having Accidental Change on a Temporary Form, though.

For Goldface, I was *gonna* say to have a male_basic and a female_basic gold statue, and have the game use the appropriate one by determining what mesh the character was using, but so many meshes don't use either "male" or "female" in the mesh name, that wouldn't really work.

UnkoMan · March 31, 2007, 12:39:53 AM

That Goldface thing? That's exactly what I gave to my Golden Girl character.

If you download her character you'll have my reskin of the snowman mesh all golden and install instructions.

BentonGrey · March 31, 2007, 01:10:12 AM

Thanks for the responses guys, and all the good ideas! I think that Astral Projection is perfect for him, that's just what I need.

Unko, where can I find that?

BentonGrey · March 31, 2007, 11:26:51 AM

Alright guys, another random rogue, Hector Hammond. What can he do, how should he do it?

Panther_Gunn · March 31, 2007, 11:36:18 AM

Quote from: BentonGrey on March 31, 2007, 11:26:51 AM
Alright guys, another random rogue, Hector Hammond. What can he do, how should he do it?

Well, I know he's got a big head.....so he wears big hats! :lol:

Seriously, here's the salient points of what they had in Who's Who (and it's rather sparse, surprisingly).

Exposure to a fallen meteor caused him to evolve. His "current" (as of the printing) form was with the big head, and totally immobile (hence the chair in the mesh someone made), but his enhanced brain power allows him to gain temporary control over "lesser, weaker minds", as well as some degree of TK. He could create amazing futuristic weaponry (presumably assembled by TK, or mind-controlled minions), and has even occasionally usurped temporary control over GL's ring. However, the illustration in the entry shows him blasting Hal with a beam from his head, while sitting in his seat, so whether he could form mental blasts as well is another possibility (perhaps it was some form of TK beam).

There was also an intermediate version of him that had the big head, but still had full mobility. I'm not sure what powers he had by then. He played with the meteor again to get immortality (and got it), but at the price of being immobilized.

I'd give him TK, perhaps Private Army (of mind-controlled minions, possibly with some futuristic weapons), and access to all of the mental-type powers (Hypno, Blank, Rage, and perhaps a high Stun attack). I'm not sure how to simulate the control over Hal's ring, though.

BentonGrey · April 01, 2007, 10:01:36 AM

Thanks PG, that's pretty much along the lines I was thinking, but the mind-controlled minions didn't occur to me, good idea.

Now I'm working on Per Degaton and The Key. Now, I've got some ideas about the Key, mixing the modern and classic version, but I don't know much about what Per Degaton has at his disposal. I think it's mostly just futuristic weaponry, huh?

For The Key, I'm thinking of giving him a teleport power called 'dimensinal travel,' and an exile power that traps opponents in other dimensions. I'm goning to give him escapist, and an energy blast or two from his keygun. Any other ideas?

Jakew · April 01, 2007, 08:42:43 PM

I remember Per Degaton had these throwing discs which could age their target ... ie he used one on Hourman which expended the hour his power lasted, leaving him powerless.

Panther_Gunn · April 02, 2007, 02:56:59 PM

The Key & Per Degaton?? Man, how obscure are you planning on getting? If you start up a hero file for Patchwork Man or Brother Power, I quit! ;) :D

The Key: As a master scientist, just about any sort of device is possible, as long as it has some relation to keys, keyholes, or locks. And yes, he does/did use "interdimensional warps". He did have apsycho-chemical that allowed him to control the actions of others, through a "keyboard", but it was ingested. Perhaps you could assume that he's made an injectible form of the chemical, to allow for some Mental states. He was also fond of using a large number of underlings (Key-Men), so again, Private Army might be good, or even Summoner, as he can "unlock" gateways to teleport them in.

Per Degaton: He's a bit harder, as all the info I've got on him is in Who's Who, and one story arc of JLA where he stole Russian nukes from Cuba on Earth Prime to use in WWII on Earth 2. According to the Powers section, he didn't have any, but was a brilliant criminal strategist with some skill at hand to hand. As a lab assistant to two different groups working on time travel, advanced weaponry (that he may or may not understand how to repair/replicate) is about the only thing I can think of. As just a random hero file, he might be difficult to represent; however, scripted into a mod, he could be a force to be reckoned with.

Interesting little tidbits about Per Degaton: The second lab he worked at was run by a Professor Malachi Zee. The predictions of an alien Professor Z in the far future led to the founding of Project O.M.A.C. (don't think DC has tied these two together, Post-Crisis, but I thought it was an interesting coincidence)

The artist for PD in the Who's Who was Todd McFarlane, before he really took off with Spider-Man.

BentonGrey · April 02, 2007, 06:56:00 PM

Haha, well, I tried to provide a good sampling of each of the hero's rogue's galleries....unfortunately, some have better rogues than others. If you're interested, I've got a (mostly) complete character list in my mod thread. Thanks for all the help Panther, and you too Jakew.

Does anyone have any clue what the 'Keymen' looked like?

Panther_Gunn · April 03, 2007, 03:22:36 AM

Quote from: BentonGrey on April 02, 2007, 06:56:00 PMDoes anyone have any clue what the 'Keymen' looked like?

You have *no* idea how hard & deep I had to dig for this one. Apparently, there are *no* images to be found on the web of them, at least by Google. Luckily, I remembered that I had this issue at one time, and went in search of it. From what I can tell by the bio bits I've read online (which all link to the same wikipedia article, that boils down his 15 years of history up to this point as "several run-ins with the JLA", and then expounds on everything that's happened with him since '97 :huh:), this was from his last Pre-Crisis appearance (Spring '81). The Key-Men were barely even in the story, and seemed to only serve as general lackeys & cannon fodder. These are the best shots I could get of them, for proper skinning. What they were actually capable of, anybody's guess. According to the wiki, they've been replaced with robots recently.

BentonGrey · April 03, 2007, 07:01:17 AM

Haha, yeah, that's why I asked, I had searched Google and found nothing. Thanks for going to all that trouble, man! Would you mind posting those images with a request for them in the DC Request Thread?

So, let me get this straight, the guys in the pictures were human? But his modern troops are robots? Hmm...I think I'll probably go with the robots in my building-in.

BentonGrey · April 05, 2007, 08:34:14 PM

Okay, I've got another one for y'all, the Manhunter Robots. I've read their wiki article and checked their RPG stats, but I think they look WAY too strong (they have a shift-z endurance!), so how do you set these guys up? I'd like your average GL be able to take a few of them at a time.

:EDIT: Also, Animal Man...can he use more than one ability at a time, or is he like Vixen? I can't find anything that says one way or the other.

:EDIT2: Another one, does anyone know about Devilance the Pursuer?

UnkoMan · April 10, 2007, 09:10:23 AM

Animal Man can use more than one ability, as far as I know. He used to have to be near an animal, then was upgraded to any animal on a planet, even those of extinct animals. Unless he's on another planet, then he needs to use alien animals. Currently, however, he can just use any animal in the entire universe. So in the tradition of DC characters he should be pretty much unstoppable by this point. I mean, Superman's technically an animal, right? Anyhow...

It'd be cool if you could find a way to give him knowledge of being fictional that he aquired in Morrison's run. I'm not sure how you would do that though.

Scorpion13mk2 · April 10, 2007, 11:05:39 AM

I have some ideas for Per Degaton.

He would have some very basic attacks and what not, a pistol, a knife, a basic punch, but he would also have a high level summoner attribute, so he could call forth things from time, like say a Tyrannosaurus, or a futuristic robot.

Also, perhaps a teleportation power would be a good idea too, to simulate him traveling thorugh time and reapparing in a different spot.

Just some suggestions.

BentonGrey · April 10, 2007, 04:38:41 PM

Scorp, that's a great idea about the summoner. I really love the idea of seeing a huge T-Rex get ported into a battle alongside mech-men and some other robots.....sorta' awesome. Good ideas!

Thanks Unko, that's what I've been waiting to hear, it'll make it a good deal easier to make him. Ha, I don't care for that kind of meta thing too much, pluse, I haven't a clue how I'd re-create that! :P

UnkoMan · April 11, 2007, 11:55:44 PM

Too bad, since now how will you do a sweet Ambush Bug? Whom, by the way, you totally need to add if you haven't already.

BentonGrey · April 12, 2007, 06:49:08 PM

Someone else has suggested it, and actually provided me with the info on him....I suppose I need to actually add him to my list, huh?

BentonGrey · April 22, 2007, 10:53:59 AM

Okay, here's a new one, Lonar the Wanderer....what can he do and who is he? I've got zero info on this fella'.

BentonGrey · April 23, 2007, 03:25:34 PM

Ohh, and I forgot to add in the Ultimen, and even though there was a topic about this once, I believe it has disappeared since then. How do y'alls files look on these kids?

C'mon guys, should I just clone Black Lightning, Giganta, Red Tornado, and Beast Boy? Didn't someone do FX for Downpour? Where can I find the white animal skins for Shifter? I've got the albino cat and T-rex from Revenant's site, but I believe there were more.

:EDIT: Well, maybe y'all can help with this, I've recently taken a slight interest in Red Tornado, any suggestions for clever ways to utilize his powers?

:EDIT: Yet another edit, Vandal Savage and T.O. Morrow...any ideas guys?

CF Kane · April 29, 2007, 09:41:00 AM

Since you asked for input on making the Metal Men hero files, I'll try to help out.

In one continuity the Metal Men were created when William Magnus accidentally transfered the minds of his brother, sister-in-law, two colleagues, a janitor and a pizza-delivery guy into blank robot bodies; but I just found out that this idea was scrapped in the events of Infinite Crisis. So, they're all robots that take on the properties of the elements they're named after, both physically and emotionally. I'm not sure if Cybernetic Brain is applicable but I have yet to see any reason why not.

All of them are shape-shifters, which is why I used the Sandman and Plasticman meshes when I skinned them. But I think the most interesting thing you can do with them involves utilizing their elemental properties. Every Metal Man reflects the properties of its element. So Gold can conduct electricity (They did this in Crisis on Infinite Earths), Lead can block radiation, Iron can be magnetized, etc. I'm sure if you page through a book on chemistry (or even Wikipedia's Periodic Table), I'm sure you can think of something creative.

BentonGrey · April 29, 2007, 10:13:07 AM

Thanks CF, I appreciate the feedback, I think I've got the idea. Fortunately the herofiles I used had something along those lines!

UnkoMan · April 29, 2007, 03:29:05 PM

Okay, so... The Ultimen. I think your cloning those heroes is actually the perfect idea. Wind Dragon did start to make things colder, so maybe you could some of his wind attacks of the cold variety, but still focus on knockback.
I'd also probably give them all hot tempered, and maybe something to represent how they are all dying slowly. A modified borrowed time or degenerative perhaps?

Maybe Shifter and Downpour could have some sort of symbiotic relationship, also. They get energized in each other's presence. Downpour could also maybe have something like sandstorm (or whatever attribute turns your body into a whirling mass of pain), but with the FX swapped to the whirlpool. I'd probably give him pressure blasts and junk.

Jakew · May 01, 2007, 06:57:26 PM

Vandal Savage:

Here's his wiki powers entry: Immortality, Superhuman physical attributes, genius level-intellect, Excellent combat skills, Schooled in millennia of history, warfare and science.

Plus, I'd add low-level healing factor, a high level of endurance, heavy lifting, hand to hand, and maybe leadership attributes.

TO Morrow:

No special powers, however he is a very talented inventor as well as being well versed in robotics. His utilization of future technology has allowed him to make a wide range of technological achievements.

I'd give him a power that could stun or power drain pretty much any character, plus a summon ability for his androids (I think someone did one at www.alexff.com ... someone else also did the various Red Tornado androids).

BentonGrey · May 01, 2007, 07:08:38 PM

Thanks Jakew, that's actually a pretty good help. I've already added both of these guys, but I think I'll give Savage some leadership abilities, and that power drain attack for Morrow is a great idea!

BentonGrey · May 03, 2007, 12:01:49 PM

Okay guys, Kirby fans unite! I need info on 4th World characters, specifically:

The Forever People
Lonar the Wanderer
Fastback

I ESPECIALLY need help with Lonar, as I know nothing about him, and can't find anything anywhere. I have enough to work with on the others, but he's a ghost as far as wikipedia is concerned!

Jakew · May 03, 2007, 06:55:15 PM

I think Lonar is just a straight up, no-frills superstrong warrior type.

Fastbak has superspeed, superstrength, and can fly.

The Forever People, from Wiki:

Dreamer has psionic powers, with which she can create illusions. She has also been able, like other New Gods, to sense fluctuations within the Source.

Big Bear has superhuman strength and can mentally alter the density of objects.

In addition to his leadership skills, Mark Moonrider also has a Megaton Touch, which allows him to shoot bolts of energy from his hands

Serifan has no super powers, but he dresses like a traditional cowboy and always carries "cosmic cartridges" for his six-shooters which possess numerous specific functions.
Although all of the cartridges have never been catalogued, those seen in action have uses such as being able to generate an anti-gravitational force, create force fields, tune the wielder into the "cosmic Harmony" that is linked to the Source, and, in the case of the "Blue Cartridge", allow Deadman to merge with a "Follower" and have a body of his own once again.

Vykin has magnetic powers which allow him to attract or repel to objects of either iron or steel. He also has an innate talent with machines and electronics.

The Infinity-Man's powers were never fully cataloged other than having some direct link to the Source. He was shown capable of flight, super-strength, enhanced vision powers, and the ability to negate gravity and convert it into a repulsive force.