Characters of "Substance"

[Supreme]

I think this subject has overlap with both Bricks, Energy Projectors, and Metamorphs: characters whose power(s) stem from having a body made of some particular material. The most obvious example is Colossus of the X-Men. He can transform his body into a body of "living steel." Great, he's a brick. But there must be a near-inifinte set of other useful substances to become. How about a character made of copper? How about a character made of mercury?

 

Any ideas? These don't have to be metals or even pure elements.

[Logan D. Hurricanes]

Re: Characters of "Substance"

 

You mean like The Metal Men? Or Metamorpho?

 

 

Edit: Both of which are long time favorites, btw.

[MitchellS]

Re: Characters of "Substance"

 

I once played an energy blaster called Whisper. She was made of living sound [ex-rockstar groupie who had an amplifier accident ].

 

I've always had the idea of creating a character called Deja Vue who would actually be living memory. He is a mentalist who was brought into existence by a strong memory [maybe a collective memory] and uses people's psychies against them.

[Logan D. Hurricanes]

Re: Characters of "Substance"

 

Something to check out:

 

The Periodic Table of Comic Books

[Roy_The_Ruthles]

Re: Characters of "Substance"

 

liquid nitrogen would be freezing powers, copper electricity (by amplifying static electricity or something)

 

living flame is easy and been done.

 

living electric charge to have anti-electronic powers (nickname "charlie charge")

[yamamura]

Re: Characters of "Substance"

 

6'6" tall heroine made out of living metal named Platnium is one I played under GURPS.

[Guzalot]

Re: Characters of "Substance"

 

How about a character made of mercury?

LOL, I just submitted one to Kirby for his PBEM. Since mercury is very low friction he can "skate" at high speed. Plus, of course, he's heavy and malleable. Kind of a cross between Quicksilver and Reed Richards. Of course, mercury is a natural conductor so he's vulnerable to electrical attacks.

[pinecone]

Re: Characters of "Substance"

 

One of the very old AC's had a adventure that had several "Elementalists" including a "mercury elemental" as the leader...I remember a NND autofire attack and they were planning to steal nerve gas...we're talking mid 80's here back when I was in the Army.....I think Andy Robinson may have written it.....

[Supreme]

Re: Characters of "Substance"

 

LOL' date=' I just submitted one to Kirby for his PBEM. Since mercury is very low friction he can "skate" at high speed. Plus, of course, he's heavy and malleable. Kind of a cross between Quicksilver and Reed Richards. Of course, mercury is a natural conductor so he's vulnerable to electrical attacks.[/quote']

I thought that with lower electrical resistance, the charge would move through you depositing less energy, thus providing you with protection -- like damage reduction. Am I wrong?

[Guzalot]

Re: Characters of "Substance"

 

I thought that with lower electrical resistance' date=' the charge would move through you depositing less energy, thus providing you with protection -- like damage reduction. Am I wrong?[/quote']

I'll confess I do not know, I'm a computer tech not an electrician. I may have to revise the character concept somewhat if that's true.

[Guest Black Lotus]

Re: Characters of "Substance"

 

I thought that with lower electrical resistance' date=' the charge would move through you depositing less energy, thus providing you with protection -- like damage reduction. Am I wrong?[/quote']

 

Correct. Any substance through which an electrical current passes can be referred to as a "load". The greater the resistance of that load -- measured in "Ohms" -- the less electricity makes it "out the other side" of that load. In effect, more resistance = absorb more electricity; 0 Ohms would mean all current passes harmlessly through the thing that has 0 Ohms (no resistance).

 

- BL, Avionics Tech

[JTesla]

Re: Characters of "Substance"

 

Although this is perhaps not what you are looking for, I’ve always been interested, in a game sense, in what are often referred to as "Para-Elementals." Smoke, mud, magma, or really any substance that is a combination of two others. It would allow for stereotypical power sets that are broader based.

 

EDIT added "in a game sense" so you didn't think I was some weirdo that went out and played in the mud while smoking.

[bigdamnhero]

Re: Characters of "Substance"

 

I've always had the idea of creating a character called Deja Vue...

 

Seems like I've heard that idea before...

 

 

Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

bigdamnhero

"Saw that coming."

[Marketeer]

Re: Characters of "Substance"

 

Try a being composed of an abstract concept, like

 

"Thought", or "Hope".

 

Still brings to mind several possibilities for appropriate powers, while refreshing the "body of X" trope.

[nexus]

Re: Characters of "Substance"

 

How about a character that is literally "made out of time".

[Chromatic]

Re: Characters of "Substance"

 

My character in Zornwil's game has over a dozen forms, each one being a sort of gestalt pseudo element. There's the "human" form, Hamlet Laughton,

his "base" form or true alien form, a sort of energy being,

the original "stone" statue form, a completely inert yet indestructable (good for being used to bash other things),

an "ice" statue form, which can melt if external heat is applied into water (and then offer some movement),

a mercurical sphere form, with highly reflective surface,

a multi-faceted crystal form, that has very sharp edges and allows others to see around corners (and can reflect certain energies like a prism),

a dust form, the dust is highly psycho-active and causes horrible nightmares if breathed (and can only be spread by external forces and create a cloud of darkness),

an acidic cloud form,

a flaming head of death, well actually, it can appear as just about anything, but essentially it's a floating animated flaming image,

a micro-scopic, mono-pole sphere collective form,

a sticky, gooey putty form,

a clockwork golem form, which requires another character to wind it up for each turn of actions

and two others that I have writen up, but have yet to show up in the game.

 

The basic premis has been that as the character becomes more and more proficient with his form changing ability, the forms themselves have gained autonomy. The last form that has appeared has had the most controlled actions thus far, the clockwork golem. But it also requires another character to spend a full phase doing nothing else but winding it up and then only lasts for 6 phases before becoming inert again.

 

Over the years of the campaign, I've really enjoyed coming up with creative and interesting builds that didn't duplicate other powers in from other forms. It's allowed for a remarkably versatile suite of abilities that don't detract from the other players capabilities (and in fact many of the forms are designed to specifically help out the other characters in the game. ie the crystal form was to help the mentalist "see" around corners without being in harm's way)