Human Torch Durability?

[dean day]

While researching the Torch for my characters thread I came a cross this entry at the Marvel Wiki.

 

• Superhuman Durability: The Human Torch is surprisingly, and extremely durable. He was able to shake off a punch from Gladiator,^[117] and has taken multiple punches from Namor.

 

When did this become a thing? I have read FF all the way past the Byrne run (thats admittedly a long time ago) but I dont really remember him being written as super durable, yes his flaming aura protects him from things like bullets and he has a damage shield for sure, but super durability? 

 

Whats your thoughts on this? 

[LoneWolf]

Not sure what your sources is, but could they be talking about the original Human Torch?  He was after all an android so being extremely durable might make sense.    

[dean day]

Its the Marvel Wiki, no its the FF Torch, Johnny Storm.

[Hugh Neilson]

Practically, most Supers, regardless of whether "durability" is part of their power suite, seem to take some pretty heavy hits with no lasting damage.

[Christopher R Taylor]

I think part of his durability is that when he is fully enflamed, he's made of fire.  That is, he's not entirely tangible so some attacks just pass through him (like bullets, melting), and others don't really hit him all that solid.  Damage Reduction, in other words.

[LoneWolf]

The marvel wiki lists human torch as aways being flaming.  If you look at the top under pyrogenesis it states he has the ability to transform his pody into plasma.  It also references his the molecules his body is made of not only generate energy but also have larges store of latent chemical-energy bonding energies.  Basically his molecular structure has been altered.  In game terms he has a decent PD & ED and some resistant defense.

[dean day]

15 hours ago, Christopher R Taylor said:

I think part of his durability is that when he is fully enflamed, he's made of fire.  That is, he's not entirely tangible so some attacks just pass through him (like bullets, melting), and others don't really hit him all that solid.  Damage Reduction, in other words.

 

I like that, it makes sense for him when hes literally a body of flame.

14 hours ago, LoneWolf said:

The marvel wiki lists human torch as aways being flaming.  If you look at the top under pyrogenesis it states he has the ability to transform his pody into plasma.  It also references his the molecules his body is made of not only generate energy but also have larges store of latent chemical-energy bonding energies.  Basically his molecular structure has been altered.  In game terms he has a decent PD & ED and some resistant defense.

I will go with a bigger ED than PD I think but not too large and go also with damage reduction as Christopher suggested.

[unclevlad]

Yep.  I have a home-grown power called Diffuse Body, that lowers the character's density...it's a variation on APG's alternate desolid.  The big benefit...6E...is 1 PD/1 ED damage negation per level of the power, and it gives a bonus to Contortionist.  (So you can't pass through anything solid, which is something I dislike about the APG power, but you can slip through cracks.)  

 

I also figure I can justify damage reduction with this, on a basis like LoneWolf suggests.  The stun from a bullet is based on a shock wave;  these amorphous body structures allow the notion that those waves don't transmit well.  

 

On one character idea, I actually went with energy absorption, with the acts as a defense advantage, rather than straight ED.  Might not apply to Johnny tho.

[Sketchpad]

While he's Flame On, Johnny should have some heightened defense, maybe some Damage Reduction (particularly for Heat), Flight, and, of course, a Damage Shield. In some stories, he's also slightly Desolild too. There have been some comics where Johnny's gotten some power boosts, and that may be what the article is referring to. The previous story to the current had Johnny consistently radiating heat and flame due to something Doom had done. He's recently returned to his normal self, only with a porn 'stache.