Character: John Carter of Mars

[Susano]

Before anyone asks, I do not intend, at this time, to do any more Barsoom character sheets. At some point I may try for a generic green martian, or character sheets for banths, calots, and whatnot, but right now I don't have the time or energy. If anyone else wants to submit such items, go right ahead!


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[Lord Liaden]

Very impressive, Susano. You've obviously done your research, as always.

Are you still open to input? If so, I'm wondering if you really want Carter's "Took Heart At The Sound Of My Voice" ability to embrace both his extra Presence, and the Presence Aid Talent? Does seem like a bit of overkill to me.

[Susano]

Very impressive, Susano. You've obviously done your research, as always.

Are you still open to input? If so, I'm wondering if you really want Carter's "Took Heart At The Sound Of My Voice" ability to embrace both his extra Presence, and the Presence Aid Talent? Does seem like a bit of overkill to me.

I am open to input. I was debating the PRE effects, and ended up leaving it as is.

[Susano]

I have eliminated the Talent and left the PRE bonus. Revised character sheet has been posted.

[Supreme]

That is one faithful adaptation. I've always been a big ERB fan. And yes, Superman did indeed have an influence on Superman. Ever notice that Carter's Martian home is Helium and Superman's home planet is Krypton? There's a reason.

[Susano]

That is one faithful adaptation. I've always been a big ERB fan. And yes, Superman did indeed have an influence on Superman. Ever notice that Carter's Martian home is Helium and Superman's home planet is Krypton? There's a reason.

Thank you, Supreme.

[Susano]

I recently plugged m John Carter of Mars character sheet into Hero Designer and corrected all the of the build and math errors.

Enjoy!

JOHN CARTER OF MARS

Val	CHA	Cost	Roll	Notes
15/25	STR	5	12-/14-	Lift 200 kg/800 kg; 3d6/5d6 HTH Damage [1/2]
20/25	DEX	30	13-/14-	OCV:  7/8/DCV:  7/8
20	CON	20	13-
14	BODY	8	12-
10	INT	0	11-	PER Roll 11-
20	EGO	20	13-	ECV:  7
20	PRE	10	13-	PRE Attack:  4d6
16	COM	3	12-

8	PD	5		Total:  8 PD (0 rPD)
8	ED	4		Total:  8 ED (0 rED)
4/5	SPD	10		Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12/3, 5, 8, 10, 12
7	REC	0
40/50	END	0
32	STUN	0		Total Characteristics Cost:  115

Movement:	Running:	6"/12"
	Leaping:	15"/30"
	Swimming:	4"/8"

Cost	Powers & Skills
	Martial Arts:  Brawling
	Maneuver	OCV	DCV	Damage
3	Armlock	-1	-1	Grab Two Limbs, 25 STR /35 STR for 
				holding on
4	Choke Hold	-2	+0	Grab One Limb; 2d6 NND
4	Duck/Sidestep	--	+5	Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort
5	Good, Old American [Punch]
		-2	+1	7d6/9d6 Strike

	Martial Arts:  Swordsmanship
	Maneuver	OCV	DCV	Damage
3	Cut	+2	+1	Weapon Strike
4	Ceduto	+0	+0	30 STR to escape Bind
4	Froissement	-1	+1	Disarm; 25 STR/35 STR to Disarm roll
5	Leaping Strike	+1	+0	Weapon  +v/5; FMove
5	Lunge	+1	-2	Weapon +4 DC Strike
4	Parry	+2	+2	Block, Abort
4	Prise de Fer	+1	+0	Bind, 25 STR/35 STR
4	Riposte	+2	+2	Weapon +2 DC Strike, Must Follow Block
0	Slash	-2	+1	Weapon +4 DC Strike
5	Thrust	+1	+3	Weapon  Strike
0	Void	--	+5	Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort

7	Earthman's Muscles:  +10 STR, Only On Mars (+0); No Figured 
	Characteristics (-1/2)
10	Earthman's Muscles:  +5 DEX, Only On Mars (+0); No Figured Characteristics (-1/2)
15	"Took Heart At The Sound Of My Voice":  +30 PRE; Only To Inspire Friends And 
	Allies (-1)
10	Earthman's Muscles:  +1 SPD, Only On Mars (+0)
5	Earthman's Muscles:  +10 END, Only On Mars (+0)
82	Martian Telepathy:  Telepathy 6d6, Invisible Power Effects (Fully Invisible; +1/2), 
	Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2); Normal Range (-1/4) plus Telepathy 6d6, Invisible 
	Power Effects (Fully Invisible; +1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2); Only to 
	Achieve +20 "Target Cannot Detect Telepathy" (-1/2), Normal Range (-1/4)
21	Unreadable Mind:  Mental Defense (20 points total), Hardened (+1/4)
5	"My Own Blade Caught The Flying Weapon":  Missile Deflection (Thrown Objects)
12	Reduced Gravity Leaping:  Leaping +10" (3"/15" forward, 1 1/2"/7 1/2" upward), Only 
	On Mars (+0), Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), END 1
2	Strong Swimmer:  Swimming +2" (4" total), END 1
5	"Not Aged Apparently A Moment":  LS  (Longevity: Immortal)
15	"Almost Coincidentally...":  Luck 3d6

	Perks
10	Contact:  Kantos Kan, Commander of the Helium Navy (Contact has access to major 
	institutions, Contact has significant Contacts of his own, Contact has very useful Skills or 
	resources, Contact is slavishly loyal to character) 12-
11	Contact:  Tars Tarkas, Jeddak of the Tharks (Contact has access to major institutions, 
	Contact has significant Contacts of his own, Contact has very useful Skills or resources, 
	Very Good relationship with Contact) 14-
8	Contact:  Thuvan Dihn, Jeddak of Ptarth (Contact has access to major institutions, 
	Contact has significant Contacts of his own, Contact has very useful Skills or resources, 
	Very Good relationship with Contact) 11-
15	Woola the Calot:  Follower (75-point base)
15	Fringe Benefit:  Jeddak of Jeddaks; Warlord of Mars
5	Fringe Benefit:  Thark Chieftain
12	Reputation:  Greatest Swordsman on Mars (all of Barsoom) 14-, +4/+4d6

	Talents
20	"I Was Ever A Good Hand With Animals":  Animal Friendship
6	"His Weapon Grazed My Side":  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
29	Martian Telepathy:  Danger Sense (immediate vicinity, out of combat, Function as a 
	Sense) 13-
10	Swordmaster:  Deadly Blow:  +1d6 (any circumstances, any HTH weapon)

	Skills
25	"Finishing My Man With No Effort:  +5 with HTH Combat
4	"Terrific Right [Cross]":  +2 OCV with Good, Old American [Punch]
4	"With A Single Cut Struck Down Two":  +2 OCV with Sweep
10	"Excellent Reasoning Facilities":  +2 with Intellect Skills

3	Acting 13-
3	Climbing 13- (14-)
3	Combat Piloting 13- (14-)
0	Concealment 8-
0	Conversation 8-
0	Deduction 8-
10	Defense Maneuver I-IV 
3	"My Disguise Was... Complete":  Disguise 11-
3	"Manners Are Perfect":  High Society 13-
2	KS: Animals of Barsoom 11-
2	KS: Myths And Legends Of Barsoom 11-
0	Language:  English (idiomatic; literate)
1	Language:  Marentina (basic conversation; literate, literate only)
4	Language:  Martian (completely fluent; literate)
3	Navigation (Air, Land) 11-
3	Oratory 13-
0	Paramedics 8-
2	PS: Prospector 11-
2	PS: Confederate Calvary Officer 11-
2	PS: Jeddak 11-
5	"Horsemanship... Was A Marvel And A Delight":  Riding 14- (15-)
0	Shadowing 8-
3	Stealth 13- (14-)
10	"All The Years I Have Roamed The Five Continents And Their Encircling Seas":  Survival 
	(Marine, Temperate/Subtropical, Tropical, Desert, Mountain) 11-
3	Tactics 11-
3	TF:  Riding Animals, Small Rowed Boats, Thoat
3	"Thoroughly Familiar With The Mechanism Of Every Known Make Of Flier On 
	Barsoom":  TF:  Martian Air Vehicles
3	Tracking 11-
9	WF:  Common Melee Weapons, Early Firearms, Martian Common Melee Weapons, 
	Martian Small Arms, Off Hand
3	Traveler
1	1)  "Lived And Fought For Years Among The Sioux":  CuK: Sioux Culture And 
	History 11-
1	2)  AK: Barsoom 11-
1	3)  AK: Virginia 11-
1	4)  CK: Helium 11-
1	5)  CuK: Barsoom Customs And Culture 11-
1	6)  CuK: Thark Customs 11-
521	Total Powers & Skills Cost
636	Total Character Cost

200+	Disadvantages
10	Distinctive Features:  'White' Skin, Black Hair, Gray Eyes (Concealable; Noticed and 
	Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)
10	DNPC:  Carthoris 11- (Slightly Less Powerful than the PC)
20	DNPC:  Dejah Thoris 14- (Normal)
15	Hunted:  Assorted Enemies 11- (As Pow, Harshly Punish)
20	Psychological Limitation:  Code Of Honor:  "I Cannot Stand The Sight Of Cowardly 
	Injustice And Persecution"/Gentleman's/Martian (Common, Total)
15	Psychological Limitation:  "I Love A Good Fight Too Well" (Common, Strong)
20	Psychological Limitation:  Loves Dejah Thoris (Common, Total)
5	Psychological Limitation:  "Never Have I Been Much Of A Ladies' Man" (Uncommon, 
	Moderate)
10	Unluck: 2d6
320	Gentleman of Virginia Bonus
636	Total Disadvantage Points

OPTIONS
35	"May Traverse The Trackless Voids At My Will": Extradimensional Movement (any 
	location in the Solar System)

Background/History:
"I am a very old man; how old I do not know. Possibly I am a hundred, possibly more; but I cannot tell because I have never aged as other men, nor do I remember any childhood. So far as I can recollect I have always been a man, a man of about thirty. I appear today as I did forty years and more ago, and yet I feel that I cannot go on living forever" -- So does John Carter, Gentleman of Virginia, describe himself. And aside from his scant information, we know next to nothing about his origins, where he comes from, how old he is, or where he was born. He has lived in Virginia for some time, and has been a member of the Carter family for well over 150 years. He fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War, as a captain of a unit of calvary, afterwards heading west with an old friend to look for gold in the Arizona mountains.

Running afoul of Indians, Carter's friend is killed and he is forced to seek refuge in a small cave. While there, John is overcome by strange fumes, and collapses, to awaken naked and defenseless on the moss-covered floor of a dead sea on the planet Barsoom, better known to the people of Earth as Mars!

Captured by the ferocious six-limbed green men of Barsoom, who stand nearly 15 feet tall, John quickly wins their respect by killing a chieftain with a single punch to the jaw. Still later he kills a second green man in a duel over who will claim the beautiful Dejah Thoris, princess of Helium. Eventually winning free of the the green man, John returns to Helium with Dejah Thoris, becoming a prince of that city as well as the husband of Dejah Thoris, the most beautiful woman on all of Barsoom.

John will stay on Barsoom for ten years, before being forcibly returned to Earth. He will remain on Earth for another decade, finally returning to Barsoom by apparently willing himself there. He will only return to Earth once more, to pass on some of his story to a relative, before returning to Barsoom forever.

As you may guess, this is a highly condensed summary of the first three Mars novels. In true Pulp-Era fashion, John Carter's life on Mars is one of constant adventure, with duels, fights, captures, escapes, chases, and full-scale pitched battles. He travels all over Barsoom, meeting with just about every race still left on the planet, befriending some and fighting many more.

Personality/Motivation:
Carter is very much the idea of a proper Southern Gentleman. He does not lie, not even to save himself from certain death, will not see a woman harmed (for the most part), has no liking for cowards, liars, braggarts, or fools, will not abandoned a friend, and has a strong sense of right and wrong. He also adheres to the Martian Code, which means a man does not lie (instead he says nothing), that a man does not kill a woman (women may fight and kill woman, while men fight and kill men), and that one must meet a foe with matched weapons (i.e. if a man springs at you barehanded, can't simply shoot him with the revolver in your hand). Of course, there come times when some of these "rules" are overlooked, and Carter has not so much as lied, as not told the exact truth, and has used firearms to kill men armed with hand-to-hand weapons.

John Carter is also very much a man of action. He cannot stand to sit idle, and has a great deal of wanderlust in him. He enjoys traveling the world of Barsoom, especially as it is a dangerous place, with both men and monsters to fight at any time. Naturally, since John loves a good fight, and is hard pressed to stay out of one he sees occurring (especially of the odds aren't even), he can often be found in the thick of any conflict.

There is one important note about John, however -- he is not the sharpest tool in the shed. This is not to say he is in idiot (he's not), but that he suffers from writer-induced obliviousness at times. He can be amazingly dense, especially if women are involved. He also seems to be unable to recognize painfully obvious disguises, as well as plot points that just about scream "this is important!" Thus, his INT of 10 (some have said he should have an 8), but to reflect his ability to think in a pinch, I have given him two Levels with Intellect skills.

Quote: "I do not believe that I am made of the stuff which constitutes heroes, because, in all of the hundreds of instances that my voluntary acts have placed me face to face with death, I cannot recall a single one where any alternative step to that I took occurred to me until many hours later. My mind is evidently so constituted that I am subconsciously forced into the path of duty without recourse to tiresome mental processes. However that may be, I have never regretted that cowardice is not optional with me."

Powers/Tactics:
"Quick have I always been to decide and act" -- This sentence pretty much sums up John Carter in a fight. He tends not to think too much about what he needs to do, he simply does it. Often this means drawing his sword and leaping into the thick of things, a plan, when coupled with his impressive physical skills, is usually enough to see things through. John also feels the best defense is a good offense, and will often go on the attack at times when others might considerer waiting.

Due to his origins as an Earthman, John Carter's physical abilities on Barsoom are nothing short of astounding. He states he can make leaps of 150' in length (and 30' in height), and is stronger, more agile, and has more endurance than any (humanoid) native of Barsoom, up to and including the green men. He has killed a green man with a single punch, stunned a 15' tall white ape with a punch, fought off upwards of four (or more) armed men at once (this number will grow in later books), and will eventually become the greatest swordsman of two worlds (Earth and Barsoom).

Not only is John Carter physically skilled, but he has gained a number of unique talents during his stay on Barsoom. First of this is the ability of Martian Telepathy. John (and everyone else on Barsoom) is telepathic, although with most people this power is limited to communication purposes only. However, John can read thoughts (mostly surface ones), and has used this power occasionally to pick up important clues. This power also has alerted him to danger, although the threat must have a mind behind it. He is also utterly immune to any telepathic probes from his fellow Martians.

His skill with animals extended to the native life of Barsoom, allowing John to tame both savage thoats and make a permanent friend and ally of Woola the calot, who is utterly devoted to John and has literally traveled halfway around the world to carry out his commands. At the same time, he is also able to inspire great devotion in his friends and allies, and his simple arrival on the battlefield is often enough to hearten allied forces to fight that much harder.

This character sheet does not include any of John's weapons. He normally carries a long sword, a short sword, and at least one dagger. He may also carry a radium pistol (or two), a radium rifle, and a hatchet.

Appearance:
"...yet I well remember the tall, dark, smooth-faced, athletic man whom I called Uncle Jack. [...] He was a splendid specimen of manhood, standing a good two inches over six feet, broad of shoulder and narrow of hip, with the carriage of the trained fighting man. His features were regular and clear cut, his hair black and closely cropped, while his eyes were of a steel gray, reflecting a strong and loyal character, filled with fire and initiative. His manners were perfect, and his courtliness was that of a typical southern gentleman of the highest type."

According to Burroughs, everyone on Mars goes about "naked" wearing only a heavily decorated weapons harness of leather and metal fittings. Seeing as Burroughs was writing in the early 20th Century, his definition of "naked" may not have been the same as ours, but you never can tell.

Designer's Notes:
Here he is, John Carter of Mars, one of the first (and greatest) Pulp heroes. This character sheet is taken from the first three novels of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Mars novels: A Princess Of Mars, The Gods Of Mars, and The Warlord Of Mars. I've tried to include as much as I could, based on any comments or hints dropped in the course of the stories. Of course, I must admit that Edgar Rice Burroughs was not the world's most consistent writer. There are many points where it seems John forgets powers he's used before, or offhandedly mentions a skill he's never used before, or seems to use again. Still, the books are a rollicking ride though a world that gets more and more fantastic with each page -- Edgar Rice Burroughs may not be the greatest storyteller in the world, but he sure is inventive, with a vivid imagination. Oh, and let's give credit where credit is due, love or hate the John Carter stories, and/or Edgar Rice Burroughs' skill as a writer, it can be argued that Superman's distant roots lie in John's exploits on Mars, meaning John Carter is the distant father of the entire superhero genre.

(Captain John Carter created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, character sheet created by Michael Surbrook)

[TheQuestionMan]

(Captain John Carter created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, character sheet created by Michael Surbrook)

Great stuff, wish I could REP you.



LOL

QM

[Susano]

Great stuff, wish I could REP you.



LOL

QM

Thanks, QM.

[OddHat]

Another very good write up, though I'd say Carter's strength and jumping are really tricky to guess. Sometimes he's casually pulling metal bars out of prison windows and killing giants with a single punch; other times he's trapped at the bottom of a pit and can't remember he can jump at all. Was it in Warlord of Mars when he had a rope hanging in front of him and a braille note saying "follow the rope", and sat there for two pages saying "What could that possibly mean?"

If I used him, I might give him a bit more STR, but (to borrow your phrase) "Writer Induced Obliviousness" as a Common, Strong psych lim.

[Vondy]

Very Nice. I've always liked pulp science fantasy.

[AmadanNaBriona]

Arrgh.
Much like my tangential comment about Lankhmar on your Conan thread...

Another thing I'll look for when I dig into my storage unit is the reams and reams of notes and ilustrations I did for my Barsoom JI game back in the late 80's.

Radium gun write ups, Barsoomian fliers, just about every critter & race that appeared in the whole series (barring a couple from other planets late in the series), geography and society notes, weapon and combat notes...

We think WAY to much alike sometimes.

[keithcurtis]

Another very good write up, though I'd say Carter's strength and jumping are really tricky to guess. Sometimes he's casually pulling metal bars out of prison windows and killing giants with a single punch; other times he's trapped at the bottom of a pit and can't remember he can jump at all. Was it in Warlord of Mars when he had a rope hanging in front of him and a braille note saying "follow the rope", and sat there for two pages saying "What could that possibly mean?"

If I used him, I might give him a bit more STR, but (to borrow your phrase) "Writer Induced Obliviousness" as a Common, Strong psych lim.

I suggested something like this the first time the writeup was posted. Carter is an awesome fighter, strong, loyal and brave. But he's about as bright as the inside of a coal mine. He consistently fails to see the most obvious things in front of him. He can't remember the length of a martian year in martian days (He lived there a whole decade). He can't figure out who the jumping kid with lighter skin in his cell could possibly be. He's dense, dense, dense. But Issus, I love the guy. He always comes through in the end, even with a whole planet against him.

Keith "I still live!" Curtis

[McCoy]

May I also suggest that the disads included a code of honor, will only respond to an attack with an equal or lesser weapon, and that the Radium pistol be statted out?

[keithcurtis]

May I also suggest that the disads included a code of honor, will only respond to an attack with an equal or lesser weapon, and that the Radium pistol be statted out?

Perhaps that attitude should be rolled into the existing Martian code of honor, since only the lowest of villains would ever think of doing otherwise.

Keith "Spawn of a Calot!" Curtis