Hopeless Loser and Merciless Metal Hunters

[BentonGrey]

I'm working on the Sentinels now, and I've got what I think is a pretty solid build, but I'm wondering if I need anything else.  What do your sentinels look like?  These are based on the 3rd and 4th generation machines and from how they appeared in the X-Men TV show.:

Spoiler

Stats:
     Strength:     7    Extraordinarily Strong
     Speed:        4    Fast
     Agility:      4    Agile
     Endurance:    7    Extraordinarily Hardy
     Energy:       5    Very Powerful

Attributes:
     Cybernetic Brain             
     Strange Visitor               
     Ponderous                     
     Heavy Footed                 
     Charged                       

Powers:
     sentinel stomp (Melee):
             DamageType:          Crushing
             Magnitude:           High
             Energy Point Cost:   None
             Stun:                Low
             Knockback:           None
             Swiftness:           Normal
             Arc:                 No Arc
             Level:               4
             Animation Name:      melee_2                       
             Attached FX Name:    mechanical_smash             

     energy beam (Ranged - Beam):
             DamageType:          Energy
             Magnitude:           Medium
             Energy Point Cost:   None
             Stun:                Low
             Knockback:           Medium
             Velocity:            Fast
             Range:               Long
             Accuracy:            High
             Level:               4
             Animation Name:      ranged                       
             Attached FX Name:    microwave_microwavebeam       

     energy blast (Ranged - Beam):
             DamageType:          Energy
             Magnitude:           Very High
             Energy Point Cost:   Minor
             Stun:                Medium
             Knockback:           High
             Velocity:            Fast
             Range:               Long
             Accuracy:            Extreme
             Level:               4
             Animation Name:      ranged                       
             Attached FX Name:    aff_xbeam_red                 

     grappling cables (Melee):
             DamageType:          Stasis
             Magnitude:           High
             Energy Point Cost:   Trace
             Stun:                None
             Knockback:           None
             Swiftness:           Fast
             Arc:                 No Arc
             Level:               4
             Animation Name:      melee_3                       
             Attached FX Name:    killarilla_wipcrack           

     robotic body (Passive Defense):
             Block Type:          Normal
             Success Rating:      Rare
             Level:               4
             Animation Name:                                   
             Attached FX Name:    microwave_absorbradiation     
             Damage Blocked:      Crushing
                                  Piercing
                                  Energy
             Defense Flags:       Always Active
             Attacks Blocked:     Melee
                                  Ranged
                                  Area

     knockout gas jets (Ranged - Cone):
             DamageType:          Radiation
             Magnitude:           None
             Energy Point Cost:   Trace
             Stun:                Extreme
             Knockback:           None
             Velocity:            Normal
             Angle:               Medium
             Range:               Medium
             Level:               4
             Animation Name:      ranged                       
             Attached FX Name:    poison_spray                 

     sentinel smash (Melee):
             DamageType:          Crushing
             Magnitude:           Extreme
             Energy Point Cost:   Trace
             Stun:                Very High
             Knockback:           None
             Swiftness:           Normal
             Arc:                 No Arc
             Level:               4
             Animation Name:      melee_1                       
             Attached FX Name:    order_punishment             

Hopeless Loser material below:

Spoiler

Howdy guys.  I've been working on my Marvel mod, and as is my wont, I've been finding second stringers to round out my villains.  I've always loved underdogs, so I like giving more obscure characters a role in the stories I tell.  Lately I've been working on Iron Man's villain, the Melter, but I've run into a problem.  Basing the character largely on what I've seen him do in the comics and what information I've been able to find on the internet, I can't make this loser a threat to Iron Man.  He's a glass cannon, so he hits hard, but one shot from the Unibeam and he's pretty much toast.  Do y'all have any suggestions for how I could make this fellow more of a threat while still being relatively faithful to what he's supposed to be able to do?
Stats:
     Strength:     3    Normal
     Speed:        4    Fast
     Agility:      3    Normal
     Endurance:    4    Hardy
     Energy:       4    Powerful

Attributes:
     Light Speed                   
     Wall Climbing                 
     Weak Minded                   
     Unheroic                     
     Body Armor (10 points)

Powers:
     melters melee  (Melee):
             DamageType:          Crushing
             Magnitude:           Low
             Energy Point Cost:   None
             Stun:                None
             Knockback:           None
             Swiftness:           Normal
             Arc:                 No Arc
             Level:               4
             Animation Name:      melee                         
             Attached FX Name:    libertylad_onetwo             

     acid melting ray (Ranged - Beam):
             DamageType:          Acid Burn
             Magnitude:           High
             Energy Point Cost:   Trace
             Stun:                Medium
             Knockback:           None
             Velocity:            Normal
             Range:               Long
             Accuracy:            Extreme
             Level:               4
             Animation Name:      ranged_12                     
             Attached FX Name:    generic_beam02               

     heat melting ray (Ranged - Beam):
             DamageType:          Heat
             Magnitude:           High
             Energy Point Cost:   Trace
             Stun:                Low
             Knockback:           None
             Velocity:            Normal
             Range:               Long
             Accuracy:            Extreme
             Level:               4
             Animation Name:      ranged_12                     
             Attached FX Name:    aff_radpistol_orange         

     rad melting ray (Ranged - Beam):
             DamageType:          Radiation
             Magnitude:           High
             Energy Point Cost:   Trace
             Stun:                Low
             Knockback:           None
             Velocity:            Normal
             Range:               Long
             Accuracy:            Extreme
             Level:               4
             Animation Name:      ranged_12                     
             Attached FX Name:    microwave_microwavebeam       

     disruption ray (Ranged - Beam):
             DamageType:          Disrupt Object
             Magnitude:           High
             Energy Point Cost:   Trace
             Stun:                None
             Knockback:           None
             Velocity:            Normal
             Range:               Long
             Accuracy:            Extreme
             Level:               4
             Animation Name:      ranged_12                     
             Attached FX Name:    pinstripe_denistymaximization

     melting ray (Ranged - Beam):
             DamageType:          Energy
             Magnitude:           Medium
             Energy Point Cost:   None
             Stun:                None
             Knockback:           None
             Velocity:            Normal
             Range:               Long
             Accuracy:            High
             Level:               4
             Animation Name:      ranged_12                     
             Attached FX Name:    aff_radpistol_red             

     armored costume (Passive Defense):
             Block Type:          Normal
             Success Rating:      Rare
             Level:               4
             Animation Name:                                   
             Attached FX Name:                                 
             Damage Blocked:      Radiation
                                  Crushing
                                  Piercing
                                  Energy
                                  Fire
             Defense Flags:       Always Active
             Attacks Blocked:     Melee
                                  Ranged
                                  Area

     wide beam ray (Ranged - Cone):
             DamageType:          Energy
             Magnitude:           High
             Energy Point Cost:   Minor
             Stun:                None
             Knockback:           None
             Velocity:            Normal
             Angle:               High
             Range:               Long
             Level:               4
             Animation Name:      ranged_12                     
             Attached FX Name:    generic_cone_radiation       

     melt equipment (Ranged - Beam):
             DamageType:          Power Null
             Magnitude:           High
             Energy Point Cost:   Minor
             Stun:                Medium
             Knockback:           None
             Velocity:            Normal
             Range:               Long
             Accuracy:            Extreme
             Level:               4
             Animation Name:      ranged_12                     
             Attached FX Name:    aff_radpistol_red             

[hoss20]

I looked all over trying to find some kind of update that showed he started wearing some kind of armor or something, but couldn't find anything. How about using the Resilient attribute (+30 health) or Physical Resistance (half damage from physical attacks)? If you run out of spots for attributes, maybe give him a passive defense instead. That way he won't seem overpowered compared to what he should be, but at least, still has a chance of resisting some damage and lasting a bit longer in combat. He's definitely a guy who works better in a team where he can fire away while someone a little more sturdy can be at the forefront.

[DrMike2000]

Characters like Melter (with no defences) are always a problem in the comics, but in a fixed narrative you can gloss over their shortcomings.
In a game you can't.

I'd give him an edge in a story mod to make him competitive.

Say he's nicked some experimental force field thing that gives him some hefty defences, actually making him a serious threat. But its unstable, and over time it starts sparking and wearing out?
While its up, Iron Man can't hurt him significantly, but can knock him around to stop him from firing at him. Stand still near him while hes invulnerbale and you're pretty much toast because his attacks do hurt. So it becomes a game of keeping the Melter busy and off his feet in between windows when the field sparks out and you can knock him out.

[Xenolith]

Are you creating the early melter or the later melter?  In the first issue with the melter, IM didn't have any fancy repulsor beams, so he had to get close.  That's where the melter was at an advantage.  His iron melting beam could make short work of IM.  Tony had to build a suit out of aluminum to trick the melter into running away. 

Later, in the 70's, the melter was pretty much done as a villain when IM's armor kept improving.  There was an issue where the melter and the blizzard teamed up.  Using their powers in conjunction, the duo were able to stress IMs armor and nearly won the fight.  This was a bit weird though, because the melter's ray melted iron, it wasn't a heat ray.  It may have been by the time the 70s rolled around...i forget.  The melter was also kind of armored, so you could give him some body armor or something.

I don't know anything about the most recent incarnation.

If you are thinking about the iron melting ray melter then you could set his power up to do a ton of damage to "metal" targets with the AI options.  I also like Dr. Mike's idea.  he was a scientiest, so maybe he figured out how to build a force field. 

[Outcast]

Maybe you can give him additional Melting machines. Like the cloning beam constructs on top of buildings which Dejavu used. Or you could have the setting be more of a trap for IronMan, with Melter having all the advantages in the map/ field/area. Or go like Green Goblin and give IronMan a sadistic choice between saving some civilians while fighting Melter? Or something similar. 

[BentonGrey]

Hey guys, thanks for a lot of great suggestions!  I think the thing that has really struck me with what y'all have said is that the Melter is, after all, an inventor.  So, it isn't too far-fetched for me to tweak his M.O. to make him a bit more durable.  Your suggestions about how to rig a mission to make him formidable are great as well.  I'm actually using him in an Avengers story, so he won't be going up against Iron Man directly, but I'll keep those in mind to make him dangerous to the rest of the Assemblers.  One of my goals in my mods is to make characters fun to plaly in the Danger Room, so making him objectively tougher is important to me.

[BentonGrey]

I'm working on the Sentinels now, and I've got what I think is a pretty solid build, but I'm wondering if I need anything else.  What do your sentinels look like?  These are based on the 3rd and 4th generation machines and from how they appeared in the X-Men TV show.:

Spoiler

Stats:
     Strength:     7    Extraordinarily Strong
     Speed:        4    Fast
     Agility:      4    Agile
     Endurance:    7    Extraordinarily Hardy
     Energy:       5    Very Powerful

Attributes:
     Cybernetic Brain             
     Strange Visitor               
     Ponderous                     
     Heavy Footed                 
     Charged                       

Powers:
     sentinel stomp (Melee):
             DamageType:          Crushing
             Magnitude:           High
             Energy Point Cost:   None
             Stun:                Low
             Knockback:           None
             Swiftness:           Normal
             Arc:                 No Arc
             Level:               4
             Animation Name:      melee_2                       
             Attached FX Name:    mechanical_smash             

     energy beam (Ranged - Beam):
             DamageType:          Energy
             Magnitude:           Medium
             Energy Point Cost:   None
             Stun:                Low
             Knockback:           Medium
             Velocity:            Fast
             Range:               Long
             Accuracy:            High
             Level:               4
             Animation Name:      ranged                       
             Attached FX Name:    microwave_microwavebeam       

     energy blast (Ranged - Beam):
             DamageType:          Energy
             Magnitude:           Very High
             Energy Point Cost:   Minor
             Stun:                Medium
             Knockback:           High
             Velocity:            Fast
             Range:               Long
             Accuracy:            Extreme
             Level:               4
             Animation Name:      ranged                       
             Attached FX Name:    aff_xbeam_red                 

     grappling cables (Melee):
             DamageType:          Stasis
             Magnitude:           High
             Energy Point Cost:   Trace
             Stun:                None
             Knockback:           None
             Swiftness:           Fast
             Arc:                 No Arc
             Level:               4
             Animation Name:      melee_3                       
             Attached FX Name:    killarilla_wipcrack           

     robotic body (Passive Defense):
             Block Type:          Normal
             Success Rating:      Rare
             Level:               4
             Animation Name:                                   
             Attached FX Name:    microwave_absorbradiation     
             Damage Blocked:      Crushing
                                  Piercing
                                  Energy
             Defense Flags:       Always Active
             Attacks Blocked:     Melee
                                  Ranged
                                  Area

     knockout gas jets (Ranged - Cone):
             DamageType:          Radiation
             Magnitude:           None
             Energy Point Cost:   Trace
             Stun:                Extreme
             Knockback:           None
             Velocity:            Normal
             Angle:               Medium
             Range:               Medium
             Level:               4
             Animation Name:      ranged                       
             Attached FX Name:    poison_spray                 

     sentinel smash (Melee):
             DamageType:          Crushing
             Magnitude:           Extreme
             Energy Point Cost:   Trace
             Stun:                Very High
             Knockback:           None
             Swiftness:           Normal
             Arc:                 No Arc
             Level:               4
             Animation Name:      melee_1                       
             Attached FX Name:    order_punishment             

[Mystik]

i always wondered if there was a way to give sentinels a power that would only affect my mutant characters

[laughing paradox]

i always wondered if there was a way to give sentinels a power that would only affect my mutant characters

You can for

In the hero folder, you can alter the m25ai file and add a subtype at the bottom, putting "mutant" for your character.

Here's an example (bold for emphasis):

Spoiler

['x storm',
   ["target enemy",
      'weakness_ranged_crushing',
      'weakness_ranged_electrical',
      'weakness_ranged_cold',
      'not blind',
      'weakness_melee_crushing',
      'weakness_direct_electrical',
      'weakness_area_electrical',
   ],
   ["timer", 'auto',
      'TUseRemedy()',
      "TFleeMelee(mindist='short',movetype='fly',time=0.88)",
      'TFleeMelee(type="any",subtype="emitting_damage",time=0.88)',
      "TActiveDefenseFFSelf(subtype='ranged_crushing or ranged_piercing or ranged_acid or ranged_electrical')",
      "TArea('lightning burst',time=1.79)",
      "TDirect('lightning bolt',time=2.59)",
      "TArea('fog',time=1.79)",
      "TRangedCone('winter winds',time=2.0)",
      "TRanged('lightning beam',time=2.39)",
      "TRanged('whirlwind',time=1.39)",
      'TWeatherControlHail()',
      'TWeatherControlRain()',
      'TWeatherControlLightning()',
      "TMelee('punch',time=1.2)",
      'TMoveTo(mindist=\'medium\' ,subtype="not emitting_damage",time=0.88)',
   ],
   ['subtype',
       'mutant',
       'female',
   ],
]

Then in the Sentinel's m25ai, you can change an attack power with the subtype being 'mutant'. It should only target those you tagged as mutants with that power. You can also use this manipulation for other factors, such as male or female, or in the Target Enemy section.

Example:

Spoiler

['sentinel',
   ["target enemy",
      'mutant',
      'weakness_ranged_fire',
      'weakness_ranged_energy',
      'weakness_melee_crushing',
      'weakness_ranged_electrical',
   ],
   ["timer", 'auto',
      'TUseRemedy()',
      "TFleeMelee(mindist='short',movetype='fly',time=2.0)",
      'TFleeMelee(type="any",subtype="emitting_damage",time=2.0)',
      "TRanged('electron beam',subtype='mutant',time=1.27)",
      "TRanged('stun ray',subtype='mutant or flying',time=1.04)",
      "TRanged('heat ray',time=1.27)",
      "TMelee('smash',time=1.8)",
      "TDisruptObject('disintegrator ray',time=1.59)",
      'TThrow(pickup_time=3.04,throw_time=3.0)',
      'TLand()',
      'TMoveTo(mindist=\'medium\' ,subtype="not emitting_damage",time=2.0)',
   ],
   ['subtype',
      'robot',
      'metal',
   ],
]