4th ed Stretching Charater

[Ninja-Bear]

Hellos All,

 

I have an unusual request. Are there any “official” as in printed Characters (wether good or evil) that are written as a Stretching character. I never ever ran across one at least not in the Enemies books that I have. Just wondering 💭 f there was any. 

 

[Grailknight]

I know there's one in European Enemies.

[Ninja-Bear]

9 minutes ago, Grailknight said:

I know there's one in European Enemies.

Name per chance? And thanks.

[Grailknight]

I think Noose.

[Stanley Teriaca]

I believe the name of the villain from European Enemies is named Doppelganger. She can stretch and shape shift. And she is not limited to human forms either.

[Duke Bushido]

5e's Ultimate Metamorph has several power examples-- I honestly cannot remember if there is a full character sheet or not.  If no one here knows for certain, I will check it tomorrow (heads for bed now; I have done too much research for my own queation in another thread.  They eyes aren't what they used to be. 

 

 

[Lord Liaden]

7 minutes ago, Duke Bushido said:

5e's Ultimate Metamorph has several power examples-- I honestly cannot remember if there is a full character sheet or not.  If no one here knows for certain, I will check it tomorrow (heads for bed now; I have done too much research for my own queation in another thread.  They eyes aren't what they used to be. 

 

No need, Duke. Ninja-Bear was asking for 4E stretcher examples.

 

There is another one in the 4E version of Champions of the North:  A-Man, aka "the Amorphous Man," a reserve member of Canada's Sentinels superhero team(s). Fairly versatile elastic-body power set, but rather low-powered.

 

Sanctuary, as updated to 4E in Classic Enemies, has a character named Yu'Genothrax who's an amorphous Lovecraftian horror, except it's benevolent and rather shy. It has a fair amount of Stretching which it uses to reach through air vents in Sanctuary, and apply its touch-based Powers.

 

The 4E incarnation of King Cobra's COIL organization, as presented in Champions Presents #2, includes a few Coil-gene serpent-man mutates with minor amounts of Stretching, including the King himself, Russ "Stretch" McMasters of COIL's Alpha Squad, and their enemy Slithern. Continuing the snake motif, Python, who for 4E is a high-ranking member of VIPER (and is written up in that group's source book), also has moderate Stretching.

 

I'd have to do research to determine if there are others, but I'm not up for that tonight.

Edited January 31 by Lord Liaden

[Ninja-Bear]

9 hours ago, Duke Bushido said:

5e's Ultimate Metamorph has several power examples-- I honestly cannot remember if there is a full character sheet or not.  If no one here knows for certain, I will check it tomorrow (heads for bed now; I have done too much research for my own queation in another thread.  They eyes aren't what they used to be. 

 

 

Thanks for the input. (I do have the Ultimate Metamorph) I know that there are plenty of examples of other popular comic book character types. I’m just curious as if there was any Stretchers in 4th Ed. 

[Duke Bushido]

I will try to find time to crack a few books over the next couple of weeks--  at this point, I am curious, too!

 

 

[assault]

Have you got Golden Age Champions? I think there's at least one in there. The British guy in the Expatriates supervillain group maybe?

My copy is in a pile somewhere at the moment, so I can't check.

[Christopher R Taylor]

There's one in the adventure Atlas Unleashed called Recoil

 

I think the GAC character Assault has in mind is Long John Sliver.  There's also Origami Girl but she's more a shape shifter

Edited February 1 by Christopher R Taylor

[Ninja-Bear]

3 hours ago, Duke Bushido said:

I will try to find time to crack a few books over the next couple of weeks--  at this point, I am curious, too!

 

 

Well if your cracking some books then I’ll extend it to 3rd and previous editions.

1 hour ago, assault said:

Have you got Golden Age Champions? I think there's at least one in there. The British guy in the Expatriates supervillain group maybe?

My copy is in a pile somewhere at the moment, so I can't check.

I do and mines buried too 😂. Plus me and the misses are going away for a vacation. 

 

[assault]

8 hours ago, Christopher R Taylor said:

I think the GAC character Assault has in mind is Long John Sliver.  There's also Origami Girl but she's more a shape shifter

 

Exactly these characters.

[Ninja-Bear]

Thanks everyone so far!

[Duke Bushido]

Well I must say...

 

I've got a lot of books.

 

Anyway. Nothing,in 1e, nothing (so far) in 2e, though I'm bouncing between 2 and 3 (nothing there yet, either).

 

Anyway,I am going to,bed.

 

 

 

[Duke Bushido]

Almost forgot:

 

a

Atlas Unleashed (3e)  p28., Character's name is Recoil.   

 

 

That is the onlt rhing I have found thus far.

 

 

[Duke Bushido]

Okay, I put this in the wrong thread a few minutes ago.  Sorry

 

 

The search so far:

 

Including third party stuff like dual- and triple-statted modules from other game systems, magazine adventures and write-ups, etc- anything actually put to paper that has managed to somehow still be in my collection (which includes pretty much _everything_ except some of the 5e stuff I havent managed to wrangle: that stuff was coming out faster than I earn money, I am afraid...

 

Anyway:

 

I have four more 3e sources to look through, but my eyes are tired.  Foing through everything up till  that point, there are four (five?  I think just four) published characters with stretching.  There is a full-on plastic man type in Atlas Unleashed.

There is a character with 1" of stretching to represent a long weapon.  There is a caharcter with 2" stretching to represent a longer weapon.  There is a character with 2" stretching to represent a prehensile tail.

 

There are several shapeshifting characters.  The 2e write-up of Changeling has a list of powers and characteristics bought with a 1/4 limitation "requires appropriate form" and a high-level Disguise skill as a super-skill (which is pretty much how I do it). 

 

 

Those written up after Champs II but before Champs III have a power pool with a limitation (1/2) that they can only pull powers and characteristics appropriate to the form, and a high-level disguise skill.  (No explanation of why the same,limitation is now worth a bigger bonus on a framework that makes the powers cheaper anyway and allows pretty much _every_ power, so long as you can justify it.  I put it down to power creep myself).of whom before Champs III are written up with a power pool that requires an appropriate form.

 

Those written up after Champs III have a power pool (only powers appropriate to the form, still 1/2), Shapeshift (22 pts), and Disguise as a super skill.

 

One from each of the second and third category have Mimicry; one from the last category has Acting.

 

It is interesting to me that _none_ of them have instant change, though Waxman (from an adventure published in a magazine--  was it White Dwarf?  spacegamer?  Doesnt matter--  anyway, it mentions specifically that he wears baggy clothes because his costume doesn't change when he does.  (He also seems to only shift into other people).

 

None of the shapeshifters have stretching, though.

 

Don't fret: I am still as curious as you; I will continue my reading. 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 5 by Duke Bushido

[Duke Bushido]

Still,not what you are looking for, but 4e: Alien Enemies, p58 under the scenario titled "The Hatchling:"

 

Case 39 has 12 extra limbs and 10" Stretching.  

 

 

[Duke Bushido]

Even the Kraken in 4e Atlantis _does not have stretching_!  Growth?  Yes.  Extra limbs?  You lnow it!  Stretching?,  nah--  doesn't seem right, apparently.....

 

Even Allies had exactly _one_ instance of stretching, and it was to represent a weapon (again).  

 

On a related note:

 

Dude, you made read Mighty Morphi--  uh..,,Zen Team-- all over again.

 

That hurts a bit.

 

Still in the "A" section of 4e, and still looking, but no more tonight.

 

However, I think I now understand where my "stretching prejudice" may have come from (not all, but _most_) characters I have built with stretching have the power via cybernetic limbs, with various limitations on thie flexibility).

 

 

[Duke Bushido]

@Ninja-Bear:

 

  Not finished with everything 4e, but thus far the rwcommendation for A-Man seems to be the beat bet, but also look at Ooze in Creatures of the Night (4e).

 

Not done by a long shot (going through them alphabetically; "Creature of the Might" is a long way from "Zodiac Conspiracy"),but as I havent read through most od it on twenty years or so, this flimsy excuse to refresh myself came along at a reasonably time, I think...

 

 

Keep you posted on any other finds.

 

 

[Duke Bushido]

Okay, tonight's finds include,one from that famously tone deaf publication, 4e's European Enemies.

 

Page 54.  Doppelganger might be what you are looking for, Sir.

 

Moving on to High Tech Enemies, p 85 check out Goop.  Honestly,it looks like a re-issue of the power set given to the Ooze, but hey- it is an example, nonetheless.

 

 

 

 

[Duke Bushido]

On 1/30/2024 at 8:14 PM, Grailknight said:

I think Noose.

 

On 1/30/2024 at 9:13 PM, Stanley Teriaca said:

I believe the name of the villain from European Enemies is named Doppelganger. She can stretch and shape shift. And she is not limited to human forms either.

 

You are both correct, but Noose has only 5" of stretching, amd apparently,just her arms (the better to choke you with, My Dear...).

 

 

Anyway, @Ninja-Bear, two more I found in 4e (forgive how long this ia taking; there is a _lot_ of 1e through 4e material to read through, even just for Champions.  The possibility of  shapeshifters in Fantasy means that for completeness, I will probably have to re-read through that, too.)

 

Anyway:  Kingdom of Champions (do you know just how hard it is to see "gaol" and not have a hyper-rabid Brazilian sports caster scream "GOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!!!" inside your skull?  Now imagine the book you are reading _insisted_ on this as part of its flavor.... )

 

Anyway, 4e, Kingdom of Champions p155:  Nightmask.  Minor shapeshifter (I know: not what you are looking for, but bear with me) who can look like anyone.   Yes; that is done regularly with shapeshifter.  However, he was when it clicked that all "chameleon" shapeshifters accomplish this with Disguise- not as a skill, but as a power.  If it wasn't for Dark Champions (You know: no super Powers, but _dannn_, look at the voodoo that actually works!) We find Disguise  used,as a power more than as an actual skill.  This is really a 'nothing' in the scheme of what you are looking for, but I feel vindicated for proposing this no matter hiw many times it gwts ahot down.    you know: sharp minds think alike; soft minds run together- I'm pretty happy either way. 

Anyway, je is immediately followed by Wolfbairn, who Multiforms between two specific shapes and precedes by Hag, who....

 

Wow.

 

Somebody really overthought this....

 

Or rather, really deeply discounted it by literally _stacking_ frameworks...

 

Anyway:

 

She starts the way I have always donw shapeshifters that actually become other things:  a laundry list of powers with a variant of OIHID: "Only in Appropriate Form," amd claims a -1/2 for this limitation.

 

That doesn't seem "cost effective" enough, so there is an empty Multipower rack in there which also takes a limitation "all slots require an appropriate animal form," into which these various powers can be placed.  Fortunately, the author took the liberty of pricing these powers in such a way that, when placed into the empty Multipower, they pick up a few extra dice or inches or other effect because- well, the points are spent, and at this price level, that means I get more.

 

That still comes out seriously expensive, especially if I want a lot of skills amd magic stuff, so why don't I place this multipower laundry list of skills, powers, and abilities into a Multiform, and cut 80 percent of the cost right off?

 

At any rate, while it may be "book legal," so was PlanetMan.  If this character sheet landed on my table, it would be ceremoniously introduced to the Zippo of Shame Hiding almost as fast as the Harbinger of Bullets, but that really isnt a reflection on anything but personal standards, I suppose.

 

Dr. Samaine is on p 159, but he is just a chameleon-type shapeshifter, and not truly pliable.

 

For that, we skip ahead to The Mutant File and on p84 we find Flex, who comes off as a low-powered Plastic Man type.  Honestly, take his base and sprinkle in a couple of select abilities from The Ooze, and I believe you could build a terrifyingly-effective villain able to stand toe to toe with an entire team of 4e supers.

 

Gonna run; still tons of reading to do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Duke Bushido]

Okay, I am almost done with everything for Champions 4e.  Going through the actual books and HERO Plus e-books (alphabetically; only three or four books left- just finished Shadows of the City. That leaves a couple of books and a couple of gamer magizne articles before hitting up the Adveturers Club magazines.  I save2s those for last because not wberythinf in them,was exclusively super-HERO stuff.  Thought I moght be able to segue into doing Fantasy HERO up through 4e that way.

 

 

So far...  Well, there isnt exactly _nothing_ (which you can see, if you are still following along),  but there certainly isn't much.

 

Even the San Angelo books had nothing to offer, even though they, too, seem to have suffered from the ludicrous notion of "well, you just _have_ to have a fish guy" yet no objectively-much-cooler super-pliable character....

 

In spite of hanging out for decades and periodically dabbling in my old age,I dont think I will ever really understand comic book fans or what makes Aquaman cool....

 

 

 

[Christopher R Taylor]

You know what makes Aquaman cool?  Um... nothing.  I like the character Jason Mamoa plays, but he's not Aquaman and he's not a superhero.  He's just a dudebro with powers.  Namor is a lot more interesting because he's such an arrogant jackass.  You can make an interesting water guy but not Aquaman.

[Duke Bushido]

Well said!