Build Me A Villain Team

[Metaphysician]

Re: Build Me A Villain Team

 

I really don't see Eclipsar filling that roll. She's too monomaniacal.

[MitchellS]

Re: Build Me A Villain Team

 

I was talking about Eclipse from Evil Unleashed. She's the Rogue clone with a touch of Mystique.

[Hermit]

Re: Build Me A Villain Team

 

Well, my own idea was that perhaps, much like Eurostar claiming it was going to force Europe into unity (but most of the members not really caring) that this Legion of Evil might use an excuse, which only some of the members believed, to rationalize their own take over attempts.

 

Scott's comment on no Aliens in the leadership position struck me as funny given my own vocal laments on alienaphobic GMs (though I know they have their reasons) and my mind went down that direction.

 

 

So, without further ado

The Lords of the Earth

The Lords of the Earth are a team that proudly pronounce their goal of taking over the world... all the better to protect it from alien incursions. How, they ask, can such a divided world with such diverse governments possibly stand against the next stellar empire when (not if) it looks upon the planet with hungry eyes? Only a united planet, one with a single ruling body, has a chance of success. World Conquest is thus a means to an end, one they will not compromise on.

 

The membership is as follows:

The Golden Hood (aka Invictus)- Wearing a golden hood that conceals his features, the 'leader' of the Lords of the Earth is secretly Invictus. Unknown to his team mates, Invictus has gathered them together merely to hedge his bets. He hopes to eventually betray them all by arranging for their defeat in his 'heroic' identity. However, should he somehow successfully conquer the world in his new villainous one, well, that seems a short cut to many things he wanted anyway, doesn't it? As a grand manipulator, he's quite aware that the 'outsider' is always a convienent target of fear and hatred, and who could be more outside than aliens from the stars? As the Golden Hood he persuades both the public and his team mates alike that 'they' are coming, after all, aren't some of 'them' already here? It doesn't matter that Ironclad and Firewing aren't even on the same side, let alone the same species, they're 'aliens' and can be easily be lumped together.

 

Devastator- Tired of 'sneaking about', Devastator enjoys using his power in a direct fashion, and what could be more direct than aiding fellow supervillains in world conquest? What's more, by now, Devastator is aware that his tech, like all of the Warlord's tech, has part of its origins in the stars. So maybe there is something to this whole "Alien invasion" thing after all? Besides, the Golden Hood has promised him protection from the Warlord, and there's definitely strength in numbers.

 

Howler- Howler was easily convinced to join up, and is putty in the Golden Hood's hands. However, this group is just too ruthless for her tastes, too willing to kill, but just as Witchcraft of the Champions is willing to use her deadlier weapons on demons and other extra dimensional beings, Golden Hood has bypassed this by assuring Howler that not only are aliens "not people, and isn't it HUMAN life that matters?" but that those who fight them are 'working for the enemy, perhaps even implanted with slugs to control them..." and while she still doesn't wish to do any killing herself, she's slowly coming to accept it when others do so. Her superstitions are actually respected somewhat by Golden Hood (after all, at least half of him shares a few old beliefs himself).

 

Tachyon- Tachyon has grown more powerful over the years, and fills the much needed 'brick' niche while at the same time providing both a fast getaway option for the team, and his own skills as a professional astronomer. He really couldn't give a damn about the planet per se, but the Golden Hood has taken advantage of his scientific curiousity. After all, won't they need the very best technology to take over the world? And if they DO meet aliens, won't said aliens have never seen devices and sciences just itching to be borrowed?

 

Vector- Small time mind, big time paranoia and superspeed; like Howler, Vector's delusions have turned him into easy prey for Golden Hood's silver tongue. The Speedster now knowsthat aliens are behind his problems and out to get him. Thank god the Golden Hood is onto them. Vector wears quickly on most of the member's nerves, except for Howler. It would appear the two are developing a romance, mind you it is a neurotic laden conspiracy fest of a romance doomed to end when Vector abandons Howler in a time of need, but it is a romance. Golden Hood has seriously considered dropping Vector and seeking out Raya De Plata to replace him.

 

Zorran the Artificer- Zorran was not invited, but rather helped himself into the membership when he realized how useful the team might be in his own long term ambitions. In his own occult studies, he has learned somethings he finds disturbing. Zorran knows there were beings known as Elder Worms, that apparently did come from space, and even have an agent on this planet. He intends to rule this world himself one day, and doesn't need ancient evils from beyond the stars mucking up his designs. The really big revelation has come from learning that the Empyearans were altered by an ancient alien race. Zorran craves immortality as much as the next Lemurian, indeed, if he can find out HOW the progenitors granted it and learn how to duplicate the gift via his magics, his people would bow down to him willingly, and he, and not that usurper would rule it. He doesn't know who's behind the Hood, but he plans to see where this is going, kill the original Golden Hood one day when he's no longer useful, and then put a construct in its place if he doesn't just flat take over. For now, the Golden Hood has to tolerate his presence due to some of the valuable aid Zorran has lent them.

 

Reserve members:

Mecassassin- Mechassassin has been brought in more than once. He's the best, he knows it, and the Golden Hood appreciates that and pays well. However, Mechassassin has refused to join on "full time" because he likes to keep his options open, and, truth to tell, he's not terribly impressed by some of the other unstables on the team.

 

Shrinker- A petty person, Shrinker's thin skin is the main reason the Golden Hood has not offered her full membership. Her attitude could be at least as damaging to team play as Vector's, and she's not nearly as easy to manipulate. She has, however, been inticed more than once to aid them in 'humiliating the idiotic simpletons who call themselves heroes'.

 

Notes and Thoughts on the team: Eventually, this incarnation of the team will crumble like a cracker, but in the short term (particularly if the suggestions to make some of the members more powerful in the 'Campaign use' sections of their write ups are used) the Lords of the Earth could cause a lot of damage. Under the pretense of taking over the world for its own good, grandeiose and ruthless plans will be the norm, and even superheroes maybe fooled into thinking the Golden Hood is sincere. If he sees himself in a losing situation, Invictus may rapidly turn the tables on his former lackeys by switching costumes or whatever, and then stealing the victory and the credit for the defeat of the Lords from the PCs. That's assuming the team doesn't break before then, or Zorran doesn't replace him.

 

Almost as inevitable though, is that some one else will claim the mantle "The Golden Hood" and form The NEW Lords of the Earth which may have some of the same members, and some new ones besides.

[Metaphysician]

Re: Build Me A Villain Team

 

I was talking about Eclipse from Evil Unleashed. She's the Rogue clone with a touch of Mystique.

 

Oops, sorry. Only Eclipse I knew about was the member of the Crowns of Krim, so I assumed it was a mispelling.

[Chimpira]

Re: Build Me A Villain Team

 

The problem I keep running into is the personality conflicts. I start to put together a team but all the pieces that you would need to make a world beating team is just not there.

 

I can not find a mentalist worth a darn that is not a hero or a Medina. (Unless you count the leader of Lemuria and he would not do it. Unless he was like leading them) I can not find a suitable leader that would gel well with the group. (Molyna keeps popping up but he would work as a second because he does not want to stand out and if this is a high profile team then he would not likely be a party to it. He is a spy master first and a supervillian second. I was thinking of using him in the role of tactician but as support not really on the front lines).

 

I do not know.

 

Holocaust would not work because of his personality. I think an important key to a butt kicking team would be that they respect each other at a certain level. They may not like or completely trust each other but they must have a measure of respect for the others abilities.

 

Man, I drool over Panzer but he would not pair with anyone that is not really a neo-nazi. I think I might be able to cobble something together but I know that it would not really stand up unless I forced it a little.

 

Hey are you sure this is not just a test to prove why the villians have not taken over the world?

 

The only thing I know is that I would have Taipan in reserve.

[MitchellS]

Re: Build Me A Villain Team

 

Holocaust would not work because of his personality. I think an important key to a butt kicking team would be that they respect each other at a certain level. They may not like or completely trust each other but they must have a measure of respect for the others abilities.

I don't find that fact that Holocaust is a psychopathic killer to be much of an issue. Heck, you never see the Joker having problems finding people willing to work with him.

[Starlord]

Re: Build Me A Villain Team

 

...and wouldn't it be spiffy if the story of how this villain group got together was told in CU2.

[ThothAmon]

Re: Build Me A Villain Team

 

I don't have the majority of the 5th edition universe books. Taking from older books I'd choose:

 

Primary

 

Firewing - natural leader (Classic Enemies)

 

Black Paladin - scheming leader wannabe (Classic Enemies)

 

Durak - uber brick (Classic Enemies)

 

Mind Slayer - female psychokinetic psychopath (Mind Games)

 

People's Commando - professional killing machine (Classic Organizations)

 

Mechassassin - ruthless technician (Classic Enemies)

 

Secondary

 

Menton - sneaky addition by, and on behalf of, the good Doc, who would want a mole in this lot (Classic Organizations)

 

Jaunt - teleporter support (Enemies Of San Angelo)

 

Keeping any villain team together is a tough prospect. Although the above are all suitably villainous (with perhaps the exception being Jaunt) the personality conflicts could be massive (e.g. Durak vs People's Commando).

 

I have to agree with Scott's POV that there has never been a world-class villain team. Most of the time I've used pick-and-choose published villains alongside home-grown villains. The published teams just don't cut it. In defense I must say that I'm picky and rarely use any pre-gens without modification.

[Starlord]

Re: Build Me A Villain Team

 

I don't have the majority of the 5th edition universe books. Taking from older books I'd choose:

 

Primary

 

Firewing - natural leader (Classic Enemies)

 

Can't see Firewing being a leader, doesn't fit him in any way.

 

 

Also, Gravitar is listed as a master villain so I'm not sure why she keeps being put on the team. Also, Holocaust as a leader would only seem to fit if the team was an all-mutant affair and occasionally had a pro-mutant agenda to it.

 

However, the Mechassassin suggestions for leader are perfect.

[MitchellS]

Re: Build Me A Villain Team

 

Also' date=' Gravitar is listed as a master villain so I'm not sure why she keeps being put on the team.[/quote']

Because she's Holocaust's on-again/off-again girlfriend.

 

Also, Holocaust as a leader would only seem to fit if the team was an all-mutant affair and occasionally had a pro-mutant agenda to it.

Holocaust has no mutant issues. You must be thinking about someone else. The first paragraph under Campaign Use talks about him often hiring villains to help with his plans.

 

However, the Mechassassin suggestions for leader are perfect.

Mechassassin's personality makes him more of a hireling then a learder-type.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Build Me A Villain Team

 

I don't find that fact that Holocaust is a psychopathic killer to be much of an issue. Heck' date=' you never see the Joker having problems finding people willing to work with him. [/quote']

 

It's not so much that Holocaust is a psychopathic killer; it's that he's monumentally arrogant and condescending to everyone, has no patience or self-restraint, is vain and easily manipulated by flattery, and flies into a rage (literally Enraged) over the slightest insult.

 

And I don't think that many people actually will work with the Joker. He has few problems finding people - mostly low-grade thugs - to work for him, because he pays well. Those thugs tend not to live to retirement, though.

[Enforcer84]

Re: Build Me A Villain Team

 

Let me look through my books later... this sounds fun.

[Supreme Serpent]

Re: Build Me A Villain Team

 

And I don't think that many people actually will work with the Joker. He has few problems finding people - mostly low-grade thugs - to work for him' date=' because he pays well. Those thugs tend not to live to retirement, though.[/quote']

 

There's a reason the Legion of Doom recruited the Riddler and Scarecrow instead.

[proditor]

Re: Build Me A Villain Team

 

There's a reason the Legion of Doom recruited the Riddler and Scarecrow instead.

 

Yeah, the JLU show had been legally constrained from using Joker thanks to "The Batman" cartoon. Or so the rumor goes at least.

[proditor]

Re: Build Me A Villain Team

 

Mechassassin's personality makes him more of a hireling then a learder-type.

 

What about as Team tactical/field leader though?

 

Not in charge, making the big plans, but the guy who knows how to arrange the players on the field and make it work.

 

My current PC group uses this, so it tends to be something I consider from time to time.

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: Build Me A Villain Team

 

What about as Team tactical/field leader though?

 

Not in charge, making the big plans, but the guy who knows how to arrange the players on the field and make it work.

 

My current PC group uses this, so it tends to be something I consider from time to time.

 

I went the same route with my "Brotherhood of Evil Mutants" homage team Midnight. The public leader of the team (a rather well spoken brick) was in fact the teams "war leader", who was second in the chain of command behind the mastermind, a mentalist who was predominantly a support character, powerwise.

[MitchellS]

Re: Build Me A Villain Team

 

What about as Team tactical/field leader though?

 

Not in charge, making the big plans, but the guy who knows how to arrange the players on the field and make it work.

 

My current PC group uses this, so it tends to be something I consider from time to time.

I just don't see it for Mechassassin. He is Deathstroke, the world's greatest assassin. He'd work for someone short time if the pay is good but I don't see him working as a full-time member of a group. His agenda isn't to rob banks or beat up heroes, IMO.

[Chimpira]

Re: Build Me A Villain Team

 

Yeah a lot of problem with building a world beating team with the material. I personally feel the team should not be a one off. I think that to make it work, we would have to force it a little bit. Take Holocaust, he has been at this since 1983. In the two decades he has been trying to rule, there is a chance that he could have a midlife crisis and figure out that his way has not been working for him and try a different approach.

 

Personally if I wanted a tacticain I would REALLY want Utility but that code versus killing Total stands between me putting him on a team like I want.

 

I would really like to utilize The Monster as he would make a very nasty opponent and fill the killing machine slot very nicely but come on it is The Monster.

 

The Gemini Man would make a deadly addition to the team but he got that whole thing going in Vibora Bay.

 

So forth and so on.

 

I have a wish list that is impossible to fill. The abilities could all mesh to make a world beater but the personalities do not. Also from my perspective I would arrange a world beating team much like a very good Hero team. That means they would have contacts that they exploit and access to information on the heroes that they will face as they fight them during combat and a support structure that would allow them to concentrate on the big things.

[proditor]

Re: Build Me A Villain Team

 

I just don't see it for Mechassassin. He is Deathstroke' date=' the world's greatest assassin. He'd work for someone short time if the pay is good but I don't see him working as a full-time member of a group. His agenda isn't to rob banks or beat up heroes, IMO.[/quote']

 

Ah, but he does need those annoying daily "bits" to throw in his suit so that it keeps functioning. What if that's part of his "pay" on this team?

[OddHat]

Re: Build Me A Villain Team

 

You know, if you really want a team of world beaters, you can always use The Defilers.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Build Me A Villain Team

 

I just don't see it for Mechassassin. He is Deathstroke' date=' the world's greatest assassin. He'd work for someone short time if the pay is good but I don't see him working as a full-time member of a group. His agenda isn't to rob banks or beat up heroes, IMO.[/quote']

 

Despite the name, he's not just an assassin. According to his background text, he's worked more than once as part of a team, both as a leader and a follower. He's also been security chief and agent trainer for several master villains. More than anything Craig Vandersnoot is a consummate professional, taking on any of these jobs if the pay is right. And Holocaust, for example, can afford to pay very well indeed.

 

I agree with those who hold that Mechassassin would make an excellent field commander, bringing tactical savvy which Holocaust lacks. Maybe he wouldn't stay with the team for the long haul, but for the purpose of this challenge does he really need to? We're riffing on the Masters of Evil here, and they've certainly had a rotating membership over the years.

[MitchellS]

Re: Build Me A Villain Team

 

Despite the name, he's not just an assassin. According to his background text, he's worked more than once as part of a team, both as a leader and a follower. He's also been security chief and agent trainer for several master villains. More than anything Craig Vandersnoot is a consummate professional, taking on any of these jobs if the pay is right. And Holocaust, for example, can afford to pay very well indeed.

 

I agree with those who hold that Mechassassin would make an excellent field commander, bringing tactical savvy which Holocaust lacks. Maybe he wouldn't stay with the team for the long haul, but for the purpose of this challenge does he really need to? We're riffing on the Masters of Evil here, and they've certainly had a rotating membership over the years.

Are you remembering his 4E write up or his 5E one? The only mention of any of that in 5E is that he's worked as a security chief and military trainer for some master villains.

 

I'm not saying he can't be on the team. I'm just saying that he would seem to be short-term rather then long. And he doesn't seem to have much interest in supervillainy. Only money.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Build Me A Villain Team

 

You know' date=' if you really want a team of world beaters, you can always use The Defilers.

 

As I've said before, very cool group. Sadly, the request from the Bennie is for official 5E CU villains.

 

I'll tell you this, though: since the CU has Kings of Edom and Elder Worms, there's no reason why it can't have the Worm Scepter, so I say bring back The Seven Horsemen! Now there was a scary pack o' mofo's!

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Build Me A Villain Team

 

Are you remembering his 4E write up or his 5E one? The only mention of any of that in 5E is that he's worked as a security chief and military trainer for some master villains.

 

My mistake. His CKC "Campaign Use" text suggests that "He works well with groups, whether as a leader or follower." Not that he had done so in continuity. I misremembered, sorry.

[MitchellS]

Re: Build Me A Villain Team

 

My mistake. His CKC "Campaign Use" text suggests that "He works well with groups' date=' whether as a leader or follower." Not that he had done so in continuity. I misremembered, sorry. [/quote']

The point is, if you are looking for a 1-2 shot team then anyone can work as members. I assumed the point was to pick people that would work together over a period of time.