If Dr Destroyer really WAS Gone...

[Hermit]

Okay, Destroyer takes out Detroit in 92' and makes it look like he was killed as well. Officially, he has returned with a vengeance; the whole 'death' a ruse.

BUT... what if he had bit it? What if he miscalculated? What if some hero nearby sensed him about to teleport away and held on for dear live to disrupt Destroyer's escape?

Who would be top dog villain then?

Who would be heading the list for UNTIL? Which mastermind would be closest to conquering the planet? Who would make superheroes in the CU gulp at the mention of their name?

So put in your opinion for the runner up who would be king, if Dr. D was D-ceased ;)

[OddHat]

Top Villain With A Chance: Menton. He has everything he needs to succeed, good sense of tactics, great raw power, and he could take over PSI any time he felt like he needed backup.

Top Villain Who Isn't Trying: Tellios. Almost as much of a technical edge as Destroyer, and without the self-defeating grandstanding. Happy to partner with other mega-contenders. In a partnership with Menton would be almost unstopable.

Top Villain Who Could Win Any Time He Felt Like It: Takofanes could wipe us all out any day according to his write-up, with just one shift of his VPP. Heck, he wouldn't have to leave his bedroom to do it. He could turn over in his big black sheeted skull encrusted bed, pick up the still living head of his greatest enemy that he uses as an alarm clock, wipe out all life on Earth, and then hit the snooze button (well, snooze eye) and roll back over for an extra fifteen minutes.

Top Villain We'd Like To See: Dr.Foxbat.

[GamePhil]

Originally posted by OddHat
Top Villain Who Could Win Any Time He Felt Like It: Takofanes could wipe us all out any day according to his write-up, with just one shift of his VPP.

Actually, he can't: he's still looking for the spells that will allow him to do it.

Hey, if a player came to me with that -1/2 Limitation I'd hit him with the same restriction, why not the CKC characters?

[OddHat]

Originally posted by GamePhil
Actually, he can't: he's still looking for the spells that will allow him to do it.

Hey, if a player came to me with that -1/2 Limitation I'd hit him with the same restriction, why not the CKC characters?

We'd all best hope you're right. ;)

With Spell Research 17-, Magic Skill 30-, Arcane & Occult Lore 25-, Theurgy 25-, and 4 overall levels, it's only a matter of time before he wakes up from a funny dream about eating his pillow only to discover that Earth is gone. :D

[Dr. MID-Nite]

My vote goes to Menton as well. he can control most people without even leaving his penthouse suite.....and almost no way to pin most crimes on him unless he allows it. Piss him off and he just mind screws those nearest to you or manipulates the politicians into making you the most hated man alive. As far as direct confrontation, that metal paralysis powers shuts down almost any opponent. Malachite/Teleios is a good runnerup with their scientific know how.

Rob

[Lord Liaden]

The above suggestions make good sense, especially within the context of the official CU, but I'm going to back a dark horse here and vote for the late, lamented Professor Muerte. If anyone would know where Albert Zerstoiten had his secret bases and kept his backup armor and other toys, it would be his former protege/sometime partner, Hernan Cortez. If Dr. Destroyer really were gone and his property left unguarded, I'd expect. Prof. Muerte to be in like a shot to scavenge from them. Not to mention equipping his Terror Inc. troops with weapons from Destroyer's agent's arsenal.

That would be a nasty suprise for PCs the next time Muerte showed up. And Scorpia might have been more hesitant to betray the Prof if he had that kind of juice.

(What can I say, I like legacy villains, like Baron Zemo Jr. or the Hobgoblin. Besides, Teutonic masterminds are a dime a dozen; how many Hispanic ones can you remember? Equal opportunity for megalomaniacs, says I!) ;)

[Dauntless]

Are we talking Earth based foes? How about Tyrannon...he makes Takofanes and DD look like whimpering little school girls (at least in the old 4th edition write up, he was what....something like 8,000 points?).

I agree about Menton though, I think he secretly already controls most things behind people's backs without them even knowing. In effect, he pretty much already can have the world if he wants to, including women, money and political power. What more could a guy want?

[Hermit]

Originally posted by Lord Liaden


(What can I say, I like legacy villains, like Baron Zemo Jr. or the Hobgoblin. Besides, Teutonic masterminds are a dime a dozen; how many Hispanic ones can you remember? Equal opportunity for megalomaniacs, says I!) ;)

Oh dear, now we need a thread for non Teutonic meglomaniacs :)

[GamePhil]

Originally posted by Dauntless
Are we talking Earth based foes? How about Tyrannon...he makes Takofanes and DD look like whimpering little school girls (at least in the old 4th edition write up, he was what....something like 8,000 points?).


Not the way I remember him: he was vastly more points, but in some ways vastly underpowered. Any of his duplicates would be outpowered by the current Big Villains, and even in groups I don't remember him having anything that could allow him to overcome said BV. I've played characters that could use a few Tyrannons as badmitton birdies.

It's all the old Duplication's fault. Made him look more powerful than he was. Now he'll probably be a lot tougher for a lot less.

[Tempuswolf]

The evil Teehee from Backworld, Hauhau (pronounced high pitched and glottal like Reinfield's laugh).

[Bartman]

Originally posted by Dauntless
Are we talking Earth based foes? How about Tyrannon...he makes Takofanes and DD look like whimpering little school girls (at least in the old 4th edition write up, he was what....something like 8,000 points?).

Closer to 40,000. Of course all but a couple thousand was in Duplication. But even his base form was rather obscene. Fortunately he had some vicious lims/disads that prevented him using his full potential. But direct confrontation with the Tree Throne was unthinkable. And once you add the other 887 forms he was a bad mofo.

[death tribble]

I go along with the Menton argument. But please can we ditch the Tyrannon thing ? My least favourite villain.

Mechanon might also be the new numero uno.

[Spectrum]

I'd have to go with Menton as well. But I think Foxbat is a pretty strong contender too. :)

[Lupus]

Gigaton looks in his old boss' wardrobe and discovers a couple of spare suits. Neat-o.

In my game, I'm tossing up whether D's dead or not. In either case, there's a bunch of old Dr Destroyer tech lying around that got sold off by not-quite-loyal underlings. After all, they don't know that D's still alive, and D can't really stop all of it without making people realise he's alive. Besides, such travesties as Destroyer tech being released... that just adds convincing weight to the ploy. So when Destroyer tech starts getting taken over by Mechanon... though I am considering having the good doctor be foresighted enough to build in a virus that attacks Mechanon as soon as he tries to examine the tech. That could lead to some interesting plots.

'Course, I haven't actually started running yet... but it'll be kewl when I get around to it. Promise.

[TheQuestionMan]

It's all about choice ( Heard this before have we :) ) .

Dr.Destroyer died when he tried to fake his death and devistated the city , heroes and superheroes arrayed against him .

Criminals and Supervillians around the world raced to scavenge whatever Dr.Destroyer technologies . Some of his own Commanders try to take his place , fake his Survival , and carry on . UNTIL and the World's government join in as well everyone competing for the prize .

While the Doctor was a formost scientist and inventor . His own psychological quicks kept him from succeeding . Could a fake an imposter succeed where he had failed .

Hmmm ...

[Broblawsky]

I gotta agree with OddHat. Menton and Teleios are not only two of the most powerful villians on the planet besides Destroyer, their powers are complementary (Menton has mind-power and Teleios has man-power) and they plan and fight intelligently. More importantly, their goals aren't mutually exclusive: Teleios just wants to use mankind as a research subject, and Menton probably wouldn't be bother by that idea. If they were to team up, they'd be pretty much unstoppable; heck, the two of them could take Destroyer even if he was in the picture.

That being said, Takofanes could wipe out Mankind by yawning, without even shifting his entire VPP - he could probably do it in under 60 CP.

[steriaca]

Originally posted by Lord Liaden
The above suggestions make good sense, especially within the context of the official CU, but I'm going to back a dark horse here and vote for the late, lamented Professor Muerte. If anyone would know where Albert Zerstoiten had his secret bases and kept his backup armor and other toys, it would be his former protege/sometime partner, Hernan Cortez. If Dr. Destroyer really were gone and his property left unguarded, I'd expect. Prof. Muerte to be in like a shot to scavenge from them. Not to mention equipping his Terror Inc. troops with weapons from Destroyer's agent's arsenal.

That would be a nasty suprise for PCs the next time Muerte showed up. And Scorpia might have been more hesitant to betray the Prof if he had that kind of juice.


I agree with Lord Liaden. That is, asuming that the bad profesor is still alive. Professor Muerte is the most logical one to scroung the old Doctor Destroyer tech.

But here is an ideal...what if it is Muerte inside the armor of Doctor Destroyer? I mean, we can not see the bad doctor's face in his spiffy new armor. Prehaps he has an advance voice change unit in the mask?

Or, barring that, Destroyer has a few clones loose, and one of them asumes the mantel of the bad doctor? Or, like I once sergested for Prof. Muerte, a special helmet which trasfers memories and personality to others when it is put on, and can not be taken off? There are many ways for Doctor Destroyer to get revenge from the grave (asuming that he is truly dead in your campain world).

[Klytus]

Originally posted by TheQuestionMan
Could a fake an imposter succeed where he had failed .


As opposed to a real imposter?

[steriaca]

Originally posted by Klytus
As opposed to a real imposter?

Would a clone count as a real imposter?

[Hermit]

Originally posted by Klytus
As opposed to a real imposter?

I think he just left a comma out. :)

[Tech]

Originally posted by Klytus
As opposed to a real imposter?

Aw, you beat me to posting that line. :)
I don't think Dr. Destroyer could have clones, according to his origin.

[Hermit]

Originally posted by TheQuestionMan
It's all about choice ( Heard this before have we :) ) .

Dr.Destroyer died when he tried to fake his death and devistated the city , heroes and superheroes arrayed against him .

Criminals and Supervillians around the world raced to scavenge whatever Dr.Destroyer technologies . Some of his own Commanders try to take his place , fake his Survival , and carry on . UNTIL and the World's government join in as well everyone competing for the prize .

While the Doctor was a formost scientist and inventor . His own psychological quicks kept him from succeeding . Could a fake an imposter succeed where he had failed .

Hmmm ...

You know, if I recall (And not to ruin it for anyone) but

SPOILER BELOW



"Day of the Destroyer" ended up showing just how dangerous even a fake Dr. D could be ;) and I loved that adventure...

so good idea.

[Polaris]

Assuming that we are excluding Istvatha V'han from this (how could we not choose her as the one you would not a war with), I would have to agree with the people that are saying Menton is the next big bad. His ability to mind control leaders, other powered people, etc makes him a huge threat. You don't need a lot of strength if you can mind control Grond. You don't need a lot of money if you can mind control Bill Gates or some other person with super wealth. You don't really even need a lot of expertise in various areas if you can mind control experts to help you with various tasks when needed. You don't really need political power if you can mind control political leaders.

Polaris

[Peregrine]

I'd say that if you can mind control political leaders, you have political power...

[OddHat]

Originally posted by Peregrine
I'd say that if you can mind control political leaders, you have political power...

All of this assumes that, in a world with telepaths and mind controllers, the governments of the world wouldn't already be employing as many (relatively) law abiding telepaths as they could to keep officials "free."

Of course (a) the next logical plot hook is the corupt NSA-Psionics Division taking power for themselves and (b) a level of paranoia that makes McCarthy look like a walk in the park.

This is one of those places where you're not meant to look too closely in a four-color campaign. ;)

[Kristopher]

One problem with this Menton thing is that some shadowy government agency would find and train an invisible-to-psi assassin to put a bullet through Menton's head, or develop the technology to allow one of their "normal" assassins to do so.

[assault]

Originally posted by OddHat
All of this assumes that, in a world with telepaths and mind controllers, the governments of the world wouldn't already be employing as many (relatively) law abiding telepaths as they could to keep officials "free."

This links up with the Dr Destroyer in the UN thread: it's easier to mind control / replace / generally mess with Third World governments than ones that can afford lots of telepaths and whatnot.

Once you get to places like Nauru and Kiribati, it's just a matter of which mind controller is running the place this week. That is, unless Australia and New Zealand are bankrolling their psionic security... Hmm, now there's a game...

Alan

[Kristopher]

Originally posted by OddHat
This is one of those places where you're not meant to look too closely in a four-color campaign. ;)

That's the problem with 4-color.

It's like an old western movie set. Don't look behind the buildings, there's nothing there.

[steriaca]

Yes, Menton and Teleios will proably be the ones who would take over the top spot if the bad doctor, hell forbid, ever crokes for good. But the main question is, who can replace the bad doctor when we are talking about mass destruction, the guy eveybody fears, walking atomic bomb just waiting to explode type of villian.

While I don't know exactly who would take over, the nominies are:

1) Menchanon: Let's face it, nothing is scaryer than a robot looking to decerate his home with a few million human corpses.

2) Holocost: Power wise, he is on his way to scaryvill. Unforcently, he still needs a full plan and agents to make him a full blown evil mastermind.

3) Gravitar: Powerwise, she is the second most feared being on the planet. Forcently, her ideals about controling the Earth are still on the small side.

4) Eurostar: Individuly, thay are on the small scale. But together, thay have been known to slaughter thousans, and even some superheros.

5) Terror Incorprated: See Eurostar above for reasion. Lower on the list because, well, the group is defunked...so far.

6) Grond: The four-armed terror. Forcently, he is not intrested in controling the Earth. Grond want to be left alone. Grond smach if not left alone. (Of course, New Millimum Grond was made smarter than normal, so imagion Flowers For Grond...give him supersmarts sundenly, and watch him become extremly dangerous).

So, to make a long post longer, who would you pick for the next 'most dangerous supervillian'?

[Lupus]

Originally posted by steriaca So, to make a long post longer, who would you pick for the next 'most dangerous supervillian'? Rakshasa. Without a doubt. Dude probably already has plans in place to take over Destroyer's resources in case of D's demise. A couple of Destroyer duplicate robots, loyalists in each and every base... he'd take over the incredible army and the amazing technology. Some of the organisation would probably fall apart, but... you'd get an extremely smart and extremely devious spy getting the setup of his dreams. No-one would be safe.