Meet the Enemy of the Fab Four- Cataclysm

[Hermit]

Someone sent me a PM asking for more info on Cataclysm, and if I had a sheet written up, etc. While I confessed it was basically a Dr. Doom homage and not ness the best one at that, It occured to me with all the help folks on these boards have given me for my campaign, the least i could do would be to offer her up for your own use if you so chose. Feel free to fold, spindle, or mangle her as befits your campaign.

 

As set up, she can give a heck of a fight against a super team, but without back up will probably lose. Having her behind the scenes, only to be faced near the end of a story line is probably best imo. She's no push over, but she's no Dr. Destroyer either (Because 30d6 Energy Blasts are just... tacky! )

[Hermit]

For those without HD

 

Cataclysm

Val Char Points Total Roll Notes

10 STR 0 10/35 11- / 16- HTH Damage 2d6/7d6 END [1]

14 DEX 12 14/24 12- / 14- OCV 5/8 DCV 5/8

18 CON 16 18/28 13- / 15-

12 BODY 4 12 11-

40 INT 30 40 17- PER Roll 17-

18 EGO 16 18 13- ECV: 6

25 PRE 15 25 14- PRE Attack: 5d6

4 COM -3 4 10-

 

 

5 PD 3 5/27 5/27 PD (0/22 rPD)

5 ED 1 5/27 5/27 ED (0/22 rED)

3 SPD 6 3/6 Phases: 4, 8, 12/2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12

10 REC 8 10

36 END 0 36

35 STUN 9 35

6" Running 0 6"

2" Swimming 0 2"

2" Leaping 0 2"/7" Total Characteristics Cost: 117

 

Cost Powers END

64 Weapons Born of Genius: Multipower, 80-point reserve, (80 Active Points); all slots Only In Villain Identity (-1/4)

6u 1) Force Beam: Energy Blast 9d6, Double Knockback (+3/4) (79 Active Points); Only In Villain Identity (-1/4) 8

5u 2) Fusion Pulse: Energy Blast 16d6 (80 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -1/2), Only In Villain Identity (-1/4) 16

6u 3) High Intensity Radiation Burst: Energy Blast 7d6, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), No Normal Defense (LS: Safe Enviroment- High Radiation; +1) (79 Active Points); Only In Villain Identity (-1/4) 3

6u 4) Laser: Killing Attack - Ranged 2d6+1, +1 Increased STUN Multiplier (+1/4), Armor Piercing (+1/2), No Range Modifier (+1/2) (79 Active Points); Only In Villain Identity (-1/4) 8

6u 5) Neuro Scrambler: Drain DEX 4d6+1, Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per Minute; +1/4), Ranged (+1/2) (75 Active Points); Only In Villain Identity (-1/4) 7

6u 6) Photon Bomb: Sight Group Flash 9d6, Does Knockback (+1/4), Explosion (+1/2) (79 Active Points); Only In Villain Identity (-1/4) 8

5u 7) Sonic Spread: Energy Blast 8d6, Area Of Effect (9" Cone; +1) (80 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Only In Villain Identity (-1/4) 8

3u 8) Wrapper Coils: Entangle 5d6, 5 DEF (Stops A Given Sense Group Sight Group) (60 Active Points); 6 Charges (-3/4), Cannot Form Barriers (-1/4), Only In Villain Identity (-1/4) [6]

 

16 Armor Power Reserve: Endurance Reserve (100 END, 10 REC) (20 Active Points); Only In Villain Identity (-1/4) 0

10 Com Helmet: Radio Perception/Transmission (Radio Group), Concealed (-2 with Radio Perception/Transmission PER Rolls) (12 Active Points); Only In Villain (-1/4) 0

8 Compensation Failsafes: Power Defense (10 points) (10 Active Points); Only In Villain Identity (-1/4) 0

15 Escape Program Alpha: Teleportation 6", No Relative Velocity, Safe Blind Teleport (+1/4), Trigger (Activating the Trigger requires a Zero Phase Action, Trigger requires a Turn or more to reset; Power activates if unconcious or unable to move; +1/4), Armor Piercing (+1/2), MegaScale (1" = 100 km; +3/4), Can Be Scaled Down 1" = 1km (+1/4) (66 Active Points); 1 Charge (-2), Can Only Teleport To Fixed Locations (-1), Only In Villain Identity (-1/4) [1]

3 Lair Arrival Points: Teleportation: Fixed Location (3 Locations) 0

28 Jet Boots: Flight 20", Position Shift, x4 Noncombat (50 Active Points); Restrainable (-1/2), Only In Villain Identity (-1/4) 5

21 Mechanical Muscle Augmentation: +25 STR, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (37 Active Points); No Figured Characteristics (-1/2), Only In Villain Identity (-1/4)

11 Neurological Stress Shunt: +10 CON (20 Active Points); No Figured Characteristics (-1/2), Only In Villain Identity (-1/4)

36 Power Armor: Armor (12 PD/12 ED), Hardened (+1/4) (45 Active Points); Only In Villain Identity (-1/4) 0

17 Rapid Response and Accuracy Programs: +10 DEX (30 Active Points); No Figured Characteristics (-1/2), Only In Villain Identity (-1/4)

24 Reflex Enhancer: +3 SPD (30 Active Points); Only In Villain Identity (-1/4)

17 Personal Radar: Radar (Radio Group), Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees), Telescopic: +2 (21 Active Points); Only In Villain Identity (-1/4) 0

8 Psychic Screen: Mental Defense (14 points total) (10 Active Points); Only In Villain Identity (-1/4) 0

20 Protective Force Field: Force Field (10 PD/10 ED), Costs END Only To Activate (+1/4) (25 Active Points); Only In Villain Identity (-1/4) 2

11 Inertial Dampener: Knockback Resistance -10" (20 Active Points); Linked (Protective Force Field; -1/2), Only In Villain Identity (-1/4) 0

8 Reinforced Lenses: Sight Group Flash Defense (10 points) (10 Active Points); Only In Villain Identity (-1/4) 0

15 Self Contained Enviroment: Life Support (Safe in High Pressure; Safe in High Radiation; Safe in Intense Cold; Safe in Intense Heat; Safe in Low Pressure/Vacuum; Self-Contained Breathing) (19 Active Points); Only In Villain Identity (-1/4) 0

75 Fruits of her Genius: Variable Power Pool (Gadget Pool), 60 base + 15 control cost, (90 Active Points); all slots Can Only be changed in the Lab (-1/2), OIF (Must have at least -1/2 of Focus Lim; -1/2)

 

Perks

100 Vehicles & Bases

3 Money: Savings and Ill Gotten Goods

 

Talents

5 Eidetic Memory

3 Lightning Calculator

 

Skills

6 +2 with Multipower

3 Computer Programming 17-

3 Cryptography 17-

3 Demolitions 17-

3 Electronics 17-

3 Inventor 17-

2 KS: Super Heroes 11-

2 KS: Supervillains 11-

2 Language: Greek (fluent conversation)

2 Language: Latin (fluent conversation)

3 Mechanics 17-

3 Paramedics 17-

3 Security Systems 17-

3 Scientist

2 1) SS: Alternative Energies 17- (3 Active Points)

2 2) SS: Biology 17- (3 Active Points)

2 3) SS: Chemistry 17- (3 Active Points)

2 4) SS: Dimensional Engineering 17- (3 Active Points)

2 5) SS: Physics 17- (3 Active Points)

1 6) SS: Psionics 11- (2 Active Points)

2 7) SS: Robotic Engineering 17- (3 Active Points)

9 Systems Operation (Communications Systems, Environmental Systems, Medical Systems, Dimensional Sensors, Medical Sensors, Sensor Jamming Equipment) 17-

3 Tactics 17-

6 Weaponsmith (Biological Weapons, Chemical Weapons, Energy Weapons, Incendiary Weapons, Missiles & Rockets) 17-

 

Total Powers & Skills Cost: 633

 

Total Cost: 750

 

600+ Disadvantages

10 Distinctive Features: Facial Scars, Burns, and deformity (Easily Concealed; Always Noticed and Causes Major Reaction; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

15 Hunted: Fab 4 8- (As Pow, NCI, Harshly Punish)

20 Hunted: PRIMUS 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Harshly Punish)

10 Physical Limitation: Frustrated Creator (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)

Notes: While brilliant beyond words in most cases, Cataclysm has a -3 penality against INT rolls that involve creativity, artistry, or innovation. At her level of INT, this isn't much of a hinderance perhaps, but as plots and plans are her forte it does come up a lot. Super heroes may foil her plans just by thinking of an original solution.

15 Psychological Limitation: Hates the Fab 4 with a white hot passion that engulfs her very soul. (Common, Strong)

20 Psychological Limitation: Superiority Complex (Can be manipulated by those who appeal to it) (Very Common, Strong)

15 Psychological Limitation: Utterly Ruthless in pursuit of Science or Revenge (Very Common, Moderate)

15 Reputation: Insane Super Genius and Foe of the Fabulous Four!, 11- (Extreme)

10 Rivalry: Professional (Brainwave), Rival is Less Powerful, Rival is a Player Character, Seek to Harm or Kill Rival, Rival Aware of Rivalry

10 Susceptibility: Kelvarite (unshielded), 1d6 damage per Turn (Uncommon)

10 Susceptibility: When confronted by sight of her own face, 2d6 damage Instant (Uncommon)

 

Total Disadvantages Points: 150

[Hermit]

Stats, bah! Here's the good stuff

 

Background/History: Journal Entry: A-120

As my plans for retribution approach fruition, I can not help but think of that fateful day that first set me on this path. The living frozen moment of cosmic inequity where three ignorant fools lead by their emulous friend sought to kill me.

I should have known what “Stevie” was planning. Just the thought of that little red haired wart makes even my normally cool demeanor boil. The calculations I had were perfect, pristine, and exacting to the slightest detail. Her insistence otherwise was clearly a carefully contrived ruse on her part to allow herself to be proven innocent later after she had murdered me and taken my position for her own. I measured the Kelvarite samples, I quantified the radium and kilowatt output. How could it have gone wrong? Think of the good I could have done, fossil fuels obsolete in our time! Stevie was a mere aide, I a scientist. She was gifted, but hardly comparable to my own intellect. So, you see, the only logical conclusion, the only sane rationale for the accident is that it was no accident. She wished me dead.

I remember every moment. The warning lights, her assuring me all was on schedule, as she stood safely behind the screen. Her friends gathered there ready, no doubt with a cover story for her when the authorities arrived. Think on it. THINK! A playboy of the uppercrust, a police officer of the bomb squad no less, and a computer expert capable of wiping out any signs of her tampering… she couldn’t have chosen a better team for the cover up. I’ll give the little harpy that much!

But why do I linger? The results are obvious, if twisted by a gullible media. My face deformed, my career in shambles. Even my reasonable attempts to gather my own unique form of, shall we say, “Worker’s Compensation” denied… for after assembling what I would need to convince a corrupt city government to loosen its purse strings, who should arrive to stop me but four handsome, strapping figures bursting with innate power! I had lost everything, they had gained it, and more…

They should at least have been blinded DAMN THEM!!

 

But I digress, at least knowledge of this injustice has given me focus. Though I originally dubbed myself Cataclysm to show what had occurred in my life, the puerile little minds of the press missed the meaning entirely. Now, I see that I must indeed bring a Cataclysm to this world if I am to achieve my goals. Like a wildfire upon a forest choked by undergrowth, I must burn away the obstacles to perfection, and the biggest weeds of all are the Fabulous Four. Any world that would be fooled by them clearly needs the guidance of genius, and who better than I?

Now, my latest experiment is at last ready to run, and I will have the means to destroy them at last. I do not believe it will fail, and even if it does, it will be a temporary set back at best. I WILL eventually win.

I am, after all, the hero in this little tale.

 

End Journal Entry

 

Personality/Motivation: Cataclysm was once a hubris ridden woman who overestimated her intellect. Now, she IS as smart as she thinks she is, but even more arrogant, and, of course, completely crackers. Megalomania is now the cardinal foundation of her mindset, with pillars of vindictiveness and ruthlessness aplenty built upon it. Delusional, she rationalizes her failures as part of some vast conspiracy against her, and her every selfish desire as fully justified in the ‘greater scheme of things’.

Her schemes are varied, but stunted. There is little artistry in them; quite a few are variations of what other super villains have tried (though she would be outraged at any who suggested such). She can overcome this with effort, and struggles to do so with some success. Ask her to design a new death trap, she has a chance, ask her to compose a sonnet, and she may kill you for taunting her with her handicap.

Chief among her schemes is the destruction of the Fabulous Four, particularly Stevie aka “Brainwave” who she is convinced was the true culprit behind the incident which gave them super powers and left her deformed. The truth, of course, is vastly different. Cataclysm’s intellect, though damaged, was greatly boosted by the explosion, and yes, it really was her mistake in calculations that lead to this. The Truth, however, is something Cataclysm will never accept.

One last thing Cataclysm can not accept is to gaze upon her own appearance, so angered by she is it that if forced to do so, she suffers a sudden and instant shock for a moment as the trauma revisits her. She could, possibly, even pass out from it.

 

Quote: “The world is about to trade one inequity for another, I will finally get the revenge I deserve, and this city’s pathetic populace is about to get a better ruler than IT deserves.”

 

Powers/Tactics: Professor Rochelle Peters was smart before, now she is a genius in the ranks of such august scientists as Dr. Destroyer, Teleios, and Dr. Silverback. While she lacks the breadth of some of them, she is gaining, and rapidly. Futher, she has photographic memory (albeit twisted through the lens of madness) and can crunch numbers as quickly as any computer.

The products of her genius are many, including a set of power armor that is full of more weapon choices than an UNTIL squadron. Most powerful of these is a fusion pulse, but it is a drain on her power reserve, so she is more likely to use her force beams, radiation bursts, or sonic spread when the time has come to harm her foe. Of course, sometimes the best offense is preceded by making a foe helpless for the killing blow. Photon Bombs, eye covering Wrapper Coils, and the nerve disrupting scrambler serve that purpose admirably. Her defenses and means of transport maybe much more limited, but surely shouldn’t be ignored. Especially her fail safe to escape in case all is lost, teleportation technology set to whisk her away when she goes unconscious or immobile for too long.

To reflect the difficulty in keeping her from getting a new set of armor, her powers are bought with Only in Villain Identity instead of an OIF focus. If a GM finds this either too harsh (thinking it could be taken away thus she deserves the full OIF), or too lenient (if she hardly ever goes out in secret ID, what’s the point of giving her a limit at all?) they should feel free to change it as suits her use.

Sadly for Cataclysm, once her foe is down, her tactics are quick to vanish like mist in the heat of her arrogance. She doesn’t just want them down, she wants them to suffer, or at least understand their fate before the end.

 

Campaign Use: Cataclysm is custom made for my campaign, and as a Dr. Doom homage not intended to be particularly original. However, if you wish to use her for your own campaigns, you might have a lot of fun with her nonetheless. My own suggestion would be to make her your own, or at least your players’ own. If you can involve them in her origin, even if it isn’t THEIR characters’ origin, it will allow them to replace the Fabulous Four as chief object of her hatred, and give them all you ever wanted in a hunted minus the pretty face. Whether they tried to save her, or somehow ARE actually to blame for situation by accident won’t matter. Cataclysm will blame them, the city, anything or anyone but herself and mentally rewrite history to make that fit. She’s unswayable.

Even if you decide not to go this way, she might be harassing your player characters just as practice to test on them what she plans to use on the F4. Science, mad or otherwise, costs money, and takes supplies. Any high tech corporation or government project with technology Cataclysm wants or needs is just asking to be robbed. Besides, she would tell herself, she’d use it ever so much more wisely than them. Heck, if one of your PCs is a respected scientist in either identity, they might find their home/place of work/base the target for a raid.

Don’t forget, this sheet is just a guideline. Give her as many followers (perhaps robots, empowered thugs, or mercenary villains) as you think she needs to keep your players character’s occupied. If you want her more powerful, particularly enough to keep up with a team assault on her, I suggest damage reduction and increased Speed. Down powering should be easy, shave her multipower for starts.

 

Appearance: Rochelle was never a knock out, but now she’s a horror. Her cheekbones permanently fused lower than any human being’s should be, scars forever burned into her face, and her left eye an off color milky white does not, in whole or part, produce a pleasant visage. The wisps of hair left are short and plaster to her head like white wizened worms. Her body is remarkably fit, but when seen out of armor, one can tell she is no longer completely symmetrical.

Rarely will any see this, she spends most of her time encased in her high tech armor, a mix of bronze and gold in coloration under a purple cloak and cowl. Her voice, while obviously feminine, has a echoing quality due to her sealed helmet that seems to rebound with even more venom than the original pronouncements she makes.

 

Really, the woman should have PS: Sneering on a 17 or less.

[Hermit]

Re: Meet the Enemy of the Fab Four- Cataclysm

 

Oh, and here's a HERO machine pic of what she might look like.

 

(note to self: This multiple post presentation does wonders for post count)

[Enforcer84]

Re: Meet the Enemy of the Fab Four- Cataclysm

 

She can sneer through a full helmet!

[Hermit]

Re: Meet the Enemy of the Fab Four- Cataclysm

 

She can sneer through a full helmet!

 

Not hard to do with the indirect advantage on your sneering skill.

 

(Yay, my creation has one fan... err, one response )

[Greatwyrm]

Re: Meet the Enemy of the Fab Four- Cataclysm

 

I didn't give her a full read-through, but I don't see any followers or henchfolk. I'd figure a weapon oriented inventor would have some andriod followers. Probably nothing but speed-bumps to a real super, but more than enough to hassle the local P.D. while she attends to her evil deeds.

[Hermit]

Re: Meet the Enemy of the Fab Four- Cataclysm

 

I didn't give her a full read-through' date=' but I don't see any followers or henchfolk. I'd figure a weapon oriented inventor would have some andriod followers. Probably nothing but speed-bumps to a real super, but more than enough to hassle the local P.D. while she attends to her evil deeds.[/quote']

 

Yeah, I mentioned that in the Campaign Use section for a similar reason. A lot of her points are in perks/etc so it is easy to mistakenly assume she can take on a whole super team singlehandedly. Some muscle, robotic or otherwise, would surely be a good plan. Given her rep, I'm sure many would be reluctant to work for her though.

[assault]

Re: Meet the Enemy of the Fab Four- Cataclysm

 

I'd figure a weapon oriented inventor would have some andriod followers. Probably nothing but speed-bumps to a real super' date=' but more than enough to hassle the local P.D. while she attends to her evil deeds.[/quote']

 

"It was only a robot, not the real Cataclysm!"

 

I'm actually considering creating a Doom homage of my own. The joke would be that the players either never actually meet the "real" villain, or else the "real villain" isn't a villain, or even superhuman(!) at all, but what the PCs have actually been fighting are basically just the robots, acting by themselves...

 

Kind of like if Dr Destroyer really turned out to merely be Mechanon.

 

Hmm... Maybe Dr D really _is_ dead, after all...

[Hermit]

Re: Meet the Enemy of the Fab Four- Cataclysm

 

"It was only a robot, not the real Cataclysm!"

Yeah, but Brainwave would likely figure that out in the first mental attack.

Darn mentalists...

 

I'm actually considering creating a Doom homage of my own. The joke would be that the players either never actually meet the "real" villain, or else the "real villain" isn't a villain, or even superhuman(!) at all, but what the PCs have actually been fighting are basically just the robots, acting by themselves...

Very cool. Puppet Masters must have their puppets after all.

[Enforcer84]

Re: Meet the Enemy of the Fab Four- Cataclysm

 

Yeah, but Brainwave would likely figure that out in the first mental attack.

Darn mentalists...

 

Very cool. Puppet Masters must have their puppets after all.

Nah, Cataclysm, being as brainy as she is would give them a neuro net that emulates the human mind to the degree that Brainwave might be fooled long enough for the robot to take her out.

[Hermit]

Re: Meet the Enemy of the Fab Four- Cataclysm

 

Nah' date=' Cataclysm, being as brainy as she is would give them a neuro net that emulates the human mind to the degree that Brainwave might be fooled long enough for the robot to take her out.[/quote']

 

True... of I might just have the robot lie about being 'telepathically cloaked' and see if Brainwave's player figured out the real deal

[yamamura]

Re: Meet the Enemy of the Fab Four- Cataclysm

 

I think Denver Mason could of done a better job;) Great character Hermit.

[Michael Hopcroft]

Re: Meet the Enemy of the Fab Four- Cataclysm

 

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Hermit again.

Darn! I can't help but think "This is how Stan Lee SHOULD have done Dr. Doom!". Not that the King of Latveria isn't a great character (and a mass of contradictions -- a benevolent ruler in his own realm who is fixated on an ultimately pointless revenge and will use every means fair and foul to obtain it....)

[Hermit]

Re: Meet the Enemy of the Fab Four- Cataclysm

 

Darn! I can't help but think "This is how Stan Lee SHOULD have done Dr. Doom!".

Whoa,

Let us not go crazy here.

 

My work is but an echo before the swirling greatness that "The Man" and "The King" forged.

 

Though I'm glad you liked

Not that the King of Latveria isn't a great character (and a mass of contradictions -- a benevolent ruler in his own realm who is fixated on an ultimately pointless revenge and will use every means fair and foul to obtain it....)

Darn tootin.

I have another Doom homage somewhere, a powered armor prince of an Eastern European country who has been mislabled "Imperial" by the American Press. Imperial is in America to study sciences, and is a super hero in his own right. He has noblise Oblige and a touch of haughtiness, but is meant to be everything that is best about Doom.

 

Well, meant being the operative word. 350 points goes fast.

[assault]

Re: Meet the Enemy of the Fab Four- Cataclysm

 

Warning: thread hijack ahead!

 

Last night, purely for my own amusement, I was fiddling about with a bit of a timeline for the FF and Doom, trying to work out how old they were and so on.

 

Reed and Ben presumably were in their early twenties during WWII, so they would have been in their early forties in 1961. Presumably, Doom would have been about the same age.

 

That raises the question: where was Doom during WWII? If he was "raised by Gypsies", as I recall was stated somewhere, presumably he didn't fight on the fascist side, at least not voluntarily. It would be easy enough to explaining him studying in the US after the war, or even before, I suppose, but there's a question as to the educational opportunities available to Roms prior to WWII, in most of Eastern Europe. Presumably there's a bit of a story about how he got around that. The "raised by" element may have been a factor.

 

It's possible, incidentally, that he could be younger than Reed. It's likely that Reed could have attended college both before he joined the Army (and OSS), and afterwards. Doom may have known him during either period.

 

The timeline gets interesting when you think about Sue and Johnny's ages. I would put Sue at around 21 or so (legal adult), and Johnny still in his teens. Johnny's fine, but Sue apparently ends up marrying someone twenty years old than her... That's not unknown, of course, but it might explain her interest in Namor. But then, he's probably older than Reed!

 

If Reed and Ben really are a lot older than Sue and Johnny, their initial differences in power levels become explicable in game terms. Reed and Ben have racked up a whole bunch of experience points!

 

All this stuff provides some neat ideas for Silver Age characters, IMHO. It adds flavour that more modern characters can't really have, unfortunately.

 

I'm very tempted to do a Silver Age period piece sometime. Reading all this stuff about Hermit's game is just reinforcing this.

 

Curse you, Hermit, I WILL have my revenge!

[Hermit]

Re: Meet the Enemy of the Fab Four- Cataclysm

 

Curse you' date=' Hermit, I WILL have my revenge![/quote']

 

Let me know how that works out for you.

 

 

And nice post btw

[assault]

Re: Meet the Enemy of the Fab Four- Cataclysm

 

Let me know how that works out for you.

 

 

Just watch out for swashbuckling Australian ninjas!

 

And don't think boobytrapping your chandeliers will save you.

 

---

 

I finally got around to seeing the FF movie the other day. It's been on for a few weeks now, but I hadn't been able to make the time to go see it. (I haven't seen Sin City yet, for similar reasons.)

 

Assault, of course, started surfacing in my brain during the fight between Ben and Doom. It was good to see a decent brick fight on the screen.

 

Seeing Julian McMahon playing Doom was interesting. Now we've had an Australian Doom, an Australian Wolverine, an Australian Hulk and an Australian Agent Smith. Hmm...

 

It's giving me ideas about Evil Australian Masterminds. Let's see... A good villains should be wealthy, powerful and evil. Who has Australia produced in the Real World that could serve as a model?

 

Well, that's pretty obvious. Clearly an Australian Evil Mastermind would be a media baron, and would probably be named Fox...