Captain Atom?

[Snake Gandhi]

So, supposedly I'm going to be in a game soon (I say supposedly because this is like the 5th time a game was going to start and it fell through before the first session) and the GM wants me to be the leader of the group. I stopped him before he could say "like Superman' because my last 3 characters where Superman style flying bricks and I'm tired of playing those. So we thought about what other type of hero could be the leader and rolemodel figure, and I just blurted out 'Captain Atom." as we where watching JLU at the time and Cap and Superman where fighting some guy. The GM says go for it, so there I am.

 

Now, anyone here know anything about Captain Atom? I've only seen him in JLU and his recent mini where he goes to the Wildsorm U. From what I can tell, he can use his energy to pump himself up to the point where he can trade punches with Superman and Majestic, he can absorb and project energy, and he can vary the type of energy he can project (Variable SFX would be my guess). Anything I'm missing?

[Pendaran]

Re: Captain Atom?

 

He can do light molecular manipulation. Well, not light, he did change Maul back into Jeremy when he fought the Wildcats.

 

He can also manipulate existing energy, he can fly, and his blasts have been powerful enough to knock out a GL, which considering it was Hal, not a small thing.

[Chuckg]

Re: Captain Atom?

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Atom

[Radar]

Re: Captain Atom?

 

He also has an uncontrollable EDM through time (and space?) when he absorbs energy beyond a certain upper limit.

[Bloodstone]

Re: Captain Atom?

 

In addition to the stuff people have already mentioned, he's demonstrated fairly high end invulnerability and some super strenth. I'm not actully sure how strong, fast or durable he's really supposed to be. He squared of against Mr Majestic and did pretty well. Majestic is pretty close to superman in overall power, though Supes is a bit stronger and Majestic is (IMO) a much better trained fighter...

 

I like his military mentality, even if it goes a bit over the top sometimes...

[LoresLost]

Re: Captain Atom?

 

Energy Manipulation, No mater the type. He is a Quatum manipultor to be exact. In otherwords he got one BIG cosmic VPP. He is limited by his imagination on his power use, and since he is a comicbook Military type he usually expresses himself through the use force bolts.

 

Also In the Wildstorm story the good Captain taps every connected database on earth, through a payphone.

[Vorsch]

Re: Captain Atom?

 

So instead of playing a super strong, super tough brick with ranged energy attacks you play......

 

a super strong super tough brick with ranged energy attacks.

 

[JmOz]

Re: Captain Atom?

 

First of all I disagree (Strongly) with the VPP comment, he is a blaster

 

The thing about his Super Strength is that it is an add on like Superman's Heat Vision is an add on.

 

Basic Powers are all OIHID

 

Flight

LS: Space Worthy

EB (Probably would do it as a MP, even though I can't remember him honestly deserving one)

Armor instead of FF

EDM Through time, NCC, it's set off when he absorbs to much energy, projects him through the future. An atomic bomb sent him from the 60's to the present

Flight

Super strength

 

It should be mentioned that in at least one story it is stated he is one of the 3 most powerful beings on earth (Him, superman, MAjor Force)

[Inu]

Re: Captain Atom?

 

Is he the one who got killed in Kingdom Come and wiped out Kansas?

 

That's one heck of a disad. Explains why he went orbital in JLU episode 1, when his suit got breached.

 

(Side effect, affects environment, occurs upon taking BODY, something like that.)

[Thia Halmades]

Re: Captain Atom?

 

The best example I've seen of Captain Atom is in the superfight vs. Big Blue, where he held his own for an extensive period of time. Were I to build him based on that fight, and aware that he's capable of many of the same things Supes is. According to the Wiki I got the impression that he's a sentient mass of energy, so I'd have to assume he's a radiation accident hero, formerly Captain Nathaniel Adams.

 

For his powers set, I'd go with some of the following:

 

Flight (doi). He flies, in fact, he also Glides, but I doubt you'd need to buy both. His feet are rarely on the ground. This is both in character and a power mechanic.

 

EB (doi). His EB seems to be part of a VPP because he can change the nature of the radiation at will; I'm not sure what the best way to model this is. If he can flip to Red Sun radiation (thus bypassing some of Superman's defenses) we all wondered if he didn't also have the capacity to convert to Green Kryptonite radiation, which would've ended that fight REAL quick. I'm more than willing to take suggestions on how to build "changing radiation type" EB.

 

Super Strength. He's strong. w00t.

 

Damage Reduction/Decent DEF - he can survive direct hits from Superman. I don't know that he's on par with Big Blue in the ability to take a hit, but he's certainly tougher than the average hero.

 

Energy Absorbtion - as it sounds, he doesn't seem to take damage from energy based attacks. I'm assuming that the energy he absorbs is converted to END for his own fuel. In the same episode referenced earlier, he's hit with an Energy Based Entangle and simply adjusts and absorbs it. So among his primary suite of powers, Absorbtion is rather high on his list.

 

Various Life Supports, I don't know enough to comment on this one.

 

EDM as Time Travel based on how far over his END of energy he absorbs, according to the Wiki (although I don't know if it's a power with NCC, or if it just happens when the plot demands it).

 

Lots of psych lims, generally all involving duty and his code of honor. Again, I don't know enough about the character to go into much more detail, this is just based on the episodes I've seen him in.

[megaplayboy]

Re: Captain Atom?

 

In his comic they did toy with the idea of giving him powers similar to Dr. Manhattan(the irony of which is not lost on me).

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Captain Atom?

 

The best example I've seen of Captain Atom is in the superfight vs. Big Blue' date=' where he held his own for an extensive period of time. Were I to build him based on that fight, and aware that he's capable of many of the same things Supes is. According to the Wiki I got the impression that he's a sentient mass of energy, so I'd have to assume he's a radiation accident hero, formerly Captain Nathaniel Adams.[/quote']

 

IIRC, he was framed and court martialled. His sentence was commuted in exhange for participating in an experiment. He was in a pod of alien supermetal, and an A Bomb was set off outside. That triggered the metal's "absorb too much - hurtled through time" quirk, and fused the metal to his body. I think the initial jump was in the 15 to 20 year range, I think.

 

For his powers set, I'd go with some of the following:

 

Flight (doi). He flies, in fact, he also Glides, but I doubt you'd need to buy both. His feet are rarely on the ground. This is both in character and a power mechanic.

 

EB (doi). His EB seems to be part of a VPP because he can change the nature of the radiation at will; I'm not sure what the best way to model this is. If he can flip to Red Sun radiation (thus bypassing some of Superman's defenses) we all wondered if he didn't also have the capacity to convert to Green Kryptonite radiation, which would've ended that fight REAL quick. I'm more than willing to take suggestions on how to build "changing radiation type" EB.

 

Variable Special Effects?

 

Super Strength. He's strong. w00t.

 

Damage Reduction/Decent DEF - he can survive direct hits from Superman. I don't know that he's on par with Big Blue in the ability to take a hit, but he's certainly tougher than the average hero.

 

Energy Absorbtion - as it sounds, he doesn't seem to take damage from energy based attacks. I'm assuming that the energy he absorbs is converted to END for his own fuel. In the same episode referenced earlier, he's hit with an Energy Based Entangle and simply adjusts and absorbs it. So among his primary suite of powers, Absorbtion is rather high on his list.

 

Huge ED as well.

 

Various Life Supports, I don't know enough to comment on this one.

 

EDM as Time Travel based on how far over his END of energy he absorbs, according to the Wiki (although I don't know if it's a power with NCC, or if it just happens when the plot demands it).

 

Pretty much full suite LS, in my opinion. He can survive in space, and I think he consumes energy, not calories.

 

As for EDM, don't most Supers' powers just happen when the plot demands it?

 

Lots of psych lims' date=' generally all involving duty and his code of honor. Again, I don't know enough about the character to go into much more detail, this is just based on the episodes I've seen him in.[/quote']

 

He's career military. "Captain" is a real rank (secret ID Captain Nathanial Adams). In the comics, he had DNPC's in the form of his family he jumped away from.

[Chuckg]

Re: Captain Atom?

 

Note also, at the end of the 'Janus Directive' storyline in SUICIDE SQUAD, Captain Atom destroyed Kobra's giant orbiting spaceship by vaporizing it. In a thermonuclear event large enough that people like Firestorm were scrambling like hell to get miles away from the blast radius(*) before zero time.

 

So if Captain Atom takes some time to wind up "wave motion gun" style, he can let off a No Range Explosion (that he has Personal Immunity to, natch) of literally strat-nuke proportions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(*) Fortunately, being up in space and all lets you have room to throw these kinds of booms around.

[BlackSword]

Re: Captain Atom?

 

Also, if Captain Atom's containment suit gets ruptured he explodes. He usually has time to get away from the fight so he doesn't nuke his allies, but its always a possibility.

 

In the first Justice League Unlimited cartoon this happens. He flies up, explodes, scientist are able to get his 'lifeforce' back together and insert him in a new suit.

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: Captain Atom?

 

Also, if Captain Atom's containment suit gets ruptured he explodes. He usually has time to get away from the fight so he doesn't nuke his allies, but its always a possibility.

 

In the first Justice League Unlimited cartoon this happens. He flies up, explodes, scientist are able to get his 'lifeforce' back together and insert him in a new suit.

 

Random note:

The JLU Captain Atom is somewhat different from the comic book source material. In JLU, he's a sentient mass of nuclear energy in a containment suit and is, predominantly, a nuclear energy projector (see: USPD, Radiation Powers). The original comics version is still human, but is wrapped in a metallic 'Quantum Shell' and has a lot more powers (and, of course, is more powerful). Which one you're modelling can have some effects on the character in question.

 

We now return to your regular thread, already in progress.

[Inu]

Re: Captain Atom?

 

The 'explode when ruptured' thing might also figure into the Superman fight... when gauging his toughness levels, remember that (even though unstated) it's always possible that Superman was holding back in order to avoid the chance of rupturing the suit.

 

As I said, unstated... but it's reasonable enough to say that his level of PD may be lower than the scene may indicate.

[Supreme Serpent]

Re: Captain Atom?

 

Well, are you trying to build "Captain Atom" directly? Or are you trying to build a character reminiscent of Captain Atom?

 

If the latter, it's a lot easier - armor and LS defined as suit (but no focus if can't take off), massive radiation powers. Season to taste. No need to worry about specific details of what the original can or can't do.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: Captain Atom?

 

True story, SS, but I think (think, without going back) the original question was "How would you build JLU's Captain Atom?" However, the Snake has a great point - we're just spitballing one Hero's history and powers based on inference. If you don't want to run the risk of being a walking nuclear reaction waiting to happen, you may want to forgo the whole suit/explody thing.

 

*ponders*

 

How the heck do you model that? OH, smack. TRIGGER. "If the suit is ruptured (by taking twice its own BODY) Capt. Atom will detonate in a massive (dramatic level dice) explosion. Capt. Atom is not immune to this effect."

 

So - how would you model the suit?

 

I'd almost argue it's an OIF suit that has to be specifically targeted, otherwise he'd be going up like a roman candle in any supers fight, and he takes tremendous punishment which the "suit" is clearly not absorbing. I don't know how you would model it so he's taking appropriate damage (Atom can be KO'd, we saw Supes do it) without hurting the suit, unless you model the suit as an armor with normal DEF; like a suit of Plate Mail you'd have to be specific in targeting it.

 

Hrm.

[LoresLost]

Re: Captain Atom?

 

First of all I disagree (Strongly) with the VPP comment, he is a blaster

 

I used a VPP because in his own series he had monstorous ability to do some nasty things. His attacks are expressed as EB but when he sat down and thought it out he can do some nasty stuff.

 

The example in his present limited series of him tapping every computer on Earth, at once, through a payphone is a use of a VPP.

 

As Megaplayboy also mentions they where going a Dr. Manhatten direction with him as his own series ended. And they use him when they want Dues Ex Machina and don't want the Spectre envolved

 

Edit: corrected spelling errors I noticed. Man I need a proof reader for my posts.

[Supreme Serpent]

Re: Captain Atom?

 

As Megaplayboy also mentions they where going a Dr. Manhatten direction with him as own series ended. And they use him when they want Dues Ex Machina and don't want the Spector envolved

 

[derail] For some odd, unknown reason, upon reading this I immediately got a flash image of Ambush Bug as the next Spectre. Antennae and all. [/derail]

[Arac-4105]

Re: Captain Atom?

 

Just to add to the confusion,

In the comic, he encounters a sword specially modified to cut through anything. This sliced into his armored shell and the explosion was roughly equivalent (according to the comic) to a hand-grenade or land mine. Since this was in issues 7 & 8, I can only assume he's grown more powerful over time.

The reason I bring this up is that to 'heal' this injury, he transformed into his 'secret ID'. He's apparently able to switch in and out of the Captain Atom powers.

[Hawksmoor]

Re: Captain Atom?

 

Let us not forget that Captain Atom is a redux of Dr. Manhattan as per DCs buy out/absorbtion of Charlton Comics. Ya think the seminal Watchmen was the only thing to come of that?

 

Nope.

 

DC also got the Blue Beatle.

 

Hawksmoor

[Logan D. Hurricanes]

Re: Captain Atom?

 

Let us not forget that Captain Atom is a redux of Dr. Manhattan as per DCs buy out/absorbtion of Charlton Comics. Ya think the seminal Watchmen was the only thing to come of that?

 

Nope.

 

DC also got the Blue Beatle.

 

Hawksmoor

You're thinking of George Harrison.

 

Ted Kord was the Blue Beetle.

 

[Snake Gandhi]

Re: Captain Atom?

 

Well, are you trying to build "Captain Atom" directly? Or are you trying to build a character reminiscent of Captain Atom?

The latter, an homage to the Captain.

 

Thanks for all the advice folks, very helpful indeed. From the sounds of things, it looks like building him as a demibrick with a big Radiation Multipower. Say, decent defenses (more ED than PD), Flight, some Damage Reduction, full suite of LS, and the Multipower. For the Multipower, looks like so far it should have,

 

*EB, Variable SFX

*Absorbtion, Energy, to End

*+Str and +PD so that he can go blow for blow with the big shots, at least for a while

 

Anything else sound appropriate? (I don't have USPD yet). Probably add the 'absorb to much energy and get thrown through time and space' thing as Extra Dimensional Movement with a Trigger "if he absorbs to much energy". Its basically a plot device, don't need to get really specific with it.

 

I like his attitude from what I've seen. He's a military guy, and has an inate respect of the government. I think I'll keep that aspect of his personality, it'll be neat, and different from most other supers I've played.

[Supreme Serpent]

Re: Captain Atom?

 

A friend of mine had a radiation-powered character write up that included a "transform: radioactives to inert materials" defined as absorbing all the radiation. Handy power for a super to have, when one sometimes runs into villains with a-bombs, overloading nuclear power plants, etc.