CHAR: Doctor Atomic

[Powerhouse]

Hello everyone. As you may or may not remember, I've always wanted to finish up my homage to Silver Age teams. I decided to get started back up and get it done already

 

Most of the characters will have two forms: the 350 pt beginning Silver Age and the end of the Bronze Age 750 pt form. My Superman homage, Doctor Atomic, though will have another form, the late Silver Age 1450 pt to represent a take on a Pre-Crisis Superman.

 

I'm posting a very rough draft of the character sheet followed by some comments. Please feel free to peruse and make suggestions. Thank you.

[Powerhouse]

Re: CHAR: Doctor Atomic

 

Player:

 

Val Char Cost

100 STR 90

26 DEX 48

60 CON 100

40 BODY 60

23 INT 13

25 EGO 30

30 PRE 20

14 COM 2

 

40 PD 20

40 ED 28

8 SPD 24

32 REC 0

120 END 0

120 STUN 0

 

6" RUN 0

2" SWIM 0

20" LEAP 0

Characteristics Cost: 435

 

Cost Power

100 Atomic Powers: Multipower, 100-point reserve

10u 1) Atomic Blast: Energy Blast 20d6 (100 Active Points)

10u 2) Atomic Blast II: Energy Blast 16d6, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4) (100 Active Points)

10u 3) Atomic Blast III: Energy Blast 10d6, Area Of Effect (5" Radius; +1) (100 Active Points)

10u 4) Atomic Drain: Drain CON 6 1/2d6, Ranged (+1/2) (97 Active Points)

10u 5) Atomic Field: Drain CON 5d6, Area Of Effect (5" Radius; +1) (100 Active Points)

10u 6) Atomic Shield: Drain CON 3d6+1, Damage Shield (+1/2), Area Of Effect (One Hex; +1/2), Continuous (+1) (99 Active Points)

5u 7) Atomic Powered Punch: Energy Blast 11d6+1, Hole In The Middle (+1/4), Explosion (Cone; -1 DC/2"; +1/2) (100 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Limited Power Power loses about a fourth of its effectiveness (Only affects grounded targets; -1/4), Gestures (Must punch ground; -1/4)

7u 8) Induce Radioactivity: Major Transform 5d6+1, Improved Target Group (Any radioactive material; +1/4) (100 Active Points); Requires A Science Skill: Nuclear Physics Roll (-1/2)

7u 9) Transmutation: Major Transform 3d6+1, Improved Target Group (One element into another; +1) (100 Active Points); Requires A Power Skill Roll: Atomic Tricks (-1/2)

4u 10) Atomic Powering: Succor END 20d6 (100 Active Points); Limited Power Power loses about two-thirds of its effectiveness (Only to nuclear powered devices; -1 1/2)

100 Atomic Flight: Multipower, 100-point reserve

10u 1) Atomic Flight: Flight 50" (100 Active Points)

9u 2) Atomic Flight Crusing Speed: Flight 30", Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (90 Active Points)

2u 3) Atomic Flight Overdrive: Flight 10", MegaScale (1" = 1 km; +1/4) (25 Active Points)

5u 4) Atomic Powered FTL: Faster-Than-Light Travel (2 Light Years/minute) (50 Active Points)

50 Atomic Phasing: Desolidification (affected by Magic, argonite, lead), Costs END Only To Activate (+1/4) (50 Active Points)

13 Atomic Powered Speed: +2 SPD (20 Active Points); Costs Endurance (-1/2)

98 Atomic Fission: Duplication (creates 1349-point form) (270 Active Points); Side Effects, Side Effect occurs automatically whenever Power is used (loses 25 active points from strength, Atomic Powers MP, AND Atomic Tricks VPP; -1), Costs Endurance (-1/2), Extra Time (Full Phase, Only to Activate, -1/4)

150 Atomic Tricks: Variable Power Pool, 100 base + 50 control cost, Powers Can Be Changed As A Zero-Phase Action (+1) (200 Active Points); Limited Power (Can not be used to augment existing powers; -1/2), Limited Effect (must has a puesdo-scientific explanation based on Doctor Atomic's powers; -1/4), Limited Power (Maximum active points based on power Doctor Atomic uses to create effect; -1/4)

40 Atomic Hardened Skin: Damage Resistance (40 PD/40 ED)

20 Atomic Hardened Skin: PD and ED Hardened (20 Active Points)

10 Atomic Hardened Skin: Lack Of Weakness (-10) for Normal Defense

30 Radiation Resistance: Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 75%, Limited Power Not against Argonite (+0) (60 Active Points); Limited Power Only against Radiation (-1)

22 Atomic Powered Physiology: Life Support (Eating: Character does not eat; Safe in High Pressure; Safe in High Radiation; Safe in Intense Cold; Safe in Intense Heat; Safe in Low Pressure/Vacuum; Self-Contained Breathing)

15 Radiation Resistance: Power Defense (30 points) (30 Active Points); Limited Power Only against radiation attacks (-1)

18 Radiation Sense: Detect A Single Thing 14- (no Sense Group), Discriminatory, Analyze, Range

Powers Cost: 775

 

 

Cost Skill

3 Computer Programming 14-

3 Conversation 15-

3 Criminology 14-

3 Electronics 14-

3 KS: Superhuman World 14-

2 Navigation (Space) 14-

3 Oratory 15-

3 Paramedics 14-

3 Persuasion 15-

3 Tactics 14-

21 Power 20-

3 Teamwork 14-

3 Scientist

3 1) SS: Nuclear Physics 15- (4 Active Points)

2 2) SS: Physics 14- (3 Active Points)

2 3) SS: SubATomic Physics 14- (3 Active Points)

9 +3 punch, grab, or haymaker

12 +4 with Atomic Powers

Skills Cost: 84

 

Cost Perk

12 Reputation: Popular Superhero (A large group) 14-, +4/+4d6

3 Well-Connected

25

5 Fringe Benefit: International Police Powers

5 Fringe Benefit: Membership: Sentinels of Justice

80 Vehicles & Bases

Perks Cost: 130

 

Cost Talent

3 Lightning Calculator

20 Universal Translator 14-

Talents Cost: 23

 

Total Character Cost: 1447

 

Pts. Disadvantage

25 Susceptibility: Argonite, 3d6 damage per Phase (Uncommon)

20 Psychological Limitation: Code vs Killing (Common, Total)

20 Psychological Limitation: Code of the Hero (Very Common, Strong)

10 Psychological Limitation: Tries to outthink normal opponents rather than hurt them (Common, Moderate)

15 Hunted: The Mad Doctor Murdock 8- (As Pow, NCI, Harshly Punish)

10 Hunted: Nuclear Nightmare 8- (As Pow, Harshly Punish)

10 Hunted: Rogue's Gallery 8- (As Pow, Harshly Punish)

10 Dependent NPC: Scientist Girlfriend 11- (Normal; Useful Noncombat Position or Skills)

15 Social Limitation: Secret ID (Frequently, Major)

15 Reputation: Heroic Superhero who will help anyone, 14-

Disadvantage Points: 150

Base Points: 200

Experience Required: 1097

Total Experience Available: 1097

Experience Unspent: 0

[Powerhouse]

Re: CHAR: Doctor Atomic

 

Regarding the above:

 

1. Power level- I'm thinking about bumping him up to 120 pt str and MP. It seems REALLY high (especially if everyone else is around 750 pts) but Pre-Crisis Superman was pretty obscenely overpowered.

 

2. The Atomic Tricks VPP is pretty much a plot device power. Superman used to (and still does) some pretty far out things like dispersing tornadoes by flying around them in a counter direction, create diamonds with his bare hands, tunnel down through the earth, etc. This VPP is intended to replicate those tricks as the writer uses Doctor Atomic's existing powers in new ways. So he COULD disperse a tornado with his flight but the maximum active point would be based on the inches of flight that he could use. His transform from coal to a diamond (even assuming that he doesn't use his other transform powers) would go as high as his strength, etc.

 

3. The atomic fission power is great for protecting his secret ID (no Doctor Atomic robots, sorry) and also is used to later depower him (basically his fissioned half becomes the Anti-Doctor Atomic and is destroyed. But it leaves him with half his powers. That, along with some judicious pruning, gets him down in points as the writers make the character easier to challenge just as the Superman writers did in the late 70's.

 

I don't like how it's written up though. The endurance per phase is just too high. Someone had suggested this:

Wouldn't this be Costs Endurance (-1/2; Costs End during entire time); 1 CC (5 minutes = -3/4; or 20 minues = -1/2)? [same total limitation, just using the rules that are already there]

 

It sounds great but my heromaker software won't reproduce that. Any ideas?

 

Thank you everyone for you time and input.

[Doc Samson]

Re: CHAR: Doctor Atomic

 

Fun read, repped.

[Arkham]

Re: CHAR: Doctor Atomic

 

He needs about another 260 STR, only for lifting -2, 1 continuous charge for 1 minute or so. Just enough so that with effort, he can stand between two colliding earth-sized planets and push them apart with pure brute force.

 

One of my favorite Silver-age brick tricks is a rediculous amount of stretching, OIF Building or Mountain of Opportunity representing him picking up a building or mountain, hitting someone with it, then putting it back, unharmed.

[Powerhouse]

Re: CHAR: Doctor Atomic

 

Nice idea Arkham, thanks. I played with the character little more and right now it goes like:

 

Early Silver Age: 350 pts

Late Silver Age: 1650 pts!

Bronze Age (after getting depowered and the writers decided to make him a little more "down to earth"- 900 pts and hoping to drop a little more.

 

It's definitely an interesting exercise since I am trying to make him look at least a little bit grown organically as many experienced characters are. As many know, often a 350pt + 300 exp character can look much different from a character built with 650 initial points.

 

The GREAT thing is that I think I've finally nailed the backstories and personalites of Doctor Atomic, Crimson Archer (my Batman/Green Arrow/Hawkeye homage) and Athena (Wonder Woman/Captain Marvel/Thor). It's a GREAT deal of fun and I hope to get it all together finally for a thread presenting the team not only in their early incarnations but also their high powered (700-800 pt) Bronze Age varieties.

 

Thanks everyone for reading so far and please make comments and suggestions. Thank you!

 

[Metaphysician]

Re: CHAR: Doctor Atomic

 

Is he supposed to be massively more vulnerable to physical attacks than energy attacks?

[Doc Samson]

Re: CHAR: Doctor Atomic

 

Is he supposed to be massively more vulnerable to physical attacks than energy attacks?

 

If I'm reading it right, the DR is only against radiation.

[Metaphysician]

Re: CHAR: Doctor Atomic

 

*blink* Your right.

 

Makes for an awefully fragile Superman analog. . .

[Powerhouse]

Re: CHAR: Doctor Atomic

 

Is 40PD/ED really that fragile? That said, it IS a character who is a Silver Age Superman (although even that can be a bit of a moving target). This said, and nothing that his defenses do not do much against special attacks, I added in his latest build 50% physical and energy DMG reduction (resistant). I also boosted his strength to 120 or 125 and active powers to 125 I think. Heck, that might not even be enough!

 

I guess it depends also on the power levelsd of everyone else. At this point in time, the other characters I think will be about 750 pts so I don't want Doctor Atomic to COMPLETELY overwhelm them... or would that be appropriate?

 

Hmm...

 

Right now, the way it works, for my silver age team, is:

 

1. beginning of silver age: everyone at 350 pts

2. end of silver age: Doctor Atomic at around 1600 pts (everyone else would be around 650 I guess but no one else I statted for this period)

3. Bronze age: Doctor Atomic around 800-900 pts, everyone else at 750 pts.

 

And as always, thank you everyone for responding and I look foward to more.

 

Edit: regarding power levels, for me at least, the strongest person is the modern era of my world clocks in at around 80-85 str (like Tyr or Doctor Atomic if he shows up) although a few monster types (or the Hulk analog) are at 90-95. 100 str is kinda my bench mark for unattainable strength unless you're a cosmic deity. I got it from the Champion stats where Grond maxes out at 90 (although the new Ripper can hit 100 briefly) and anyone at 70 str or above just seems in the elite levels.

[Metaphysician]

Re: CHAR: Doctor Atomic

 

The problem is, with only 40/40 defense, its not that hard to ping him to death. For example, all it takes is four 20d6 hits to KO him, sans recoveries. . . or more importantly, about ten hits with 15DC attacks. So unless you want Dr Atomic hosed if he faces a bunch of vehicles at once hosing him with 30mm cannons or the equivalent in ray guns. . .

 

( especially since his DCV is only 9 )

[Powerhouse]

Re: CHAR: Doctor Atomic

 

The problem is, with only 40/40 defense, its not that hard to ping him to death. For example, all it takes is four 20d6 hits to KO him, sans recoveries. . . or more importantly, about ten hits with 15DC attacks. So unless you want Dr Atomic hosed if he faces a bunch of vehicles at once hosing him with 30mm cannons or the equivalent in ray guns. . .

 

Some good points have been made to be sure, In part, it depends on how powerful he should be treated as and how powerful are his enemies. If his own attackers are 20DC (and I have since increased to about 25 DC but just looking at the original at this moment), should 4 be enough to KO him, i.e. someone at his power level? Or is that out of character for such this concept?

 

( especially since his DCV is only 9 )

 

Assuming that he doesn't use his speed to dodge but yeah, Silver Age Superman doesn't dodge- he stands there and takes it... probably yawning while he's at it because he's THAT DARN TOUGH! And I think that is what you are getting at- how tough should this man of uranium be?

 

I think it's also what is in your mind when you think "Silver Age Superman" and for me in part is that's Doctor Atomic is clearly the most powerful hero in the world and he does those wierd things that break the laws of physics. He doesn't juggle planets but he does lift mountains and takes the hits that makes even fellow heroes wonder "how can he still be standing...."

 

So, do you think that adding the 50% damage reduction is enough? It would certainly extend his stamina and with his other defenses, and high con, he'd be almost impossible to con stun. I just won't want him to be SO powerful that no one can face him, period. Otherwise, his enemies are so powerful that (at least some, others simply use their brains) that no other hero can even come close.

 

In the end, definitely some great points and some considerations are there. I wonder if it might not be a bad idea to add the damage reduction but drop the con to 50 (so that he isn't impossible to con stun if the attack is REALLY powerful) but also boost the STUN and Endurance to match what he has now or even a little higher.

 

Again, not trying to be critical at all since you made some great points. Thanks again.

[Metaphysician]

Re: CHAR: Doctor Atomic

 

Thats what I'd favor: drop the Con down to 50, or even 45, and add 50%-75% damage reduction.

[Clonus]

Re: CHAR: Doctor Atomic

 

The problem is' date=' with only 40/40 defense, its not that hard to ping him to death. For example, all it takes is four 20d6 hits to KO him, sans recoveries. . . or more importantly, about ten hits with 15DC attacks. So unless you want Dr Atomic hosed if he faces a bunch of vehicles at once hosing him with 30mm cannons or the equivalent in ray guns. . .[/b']

 

Some good points have been made to be sure, In part, it depends on how powerful he should be treated as and how powerful are his enemies. If his own attackers are 20DC (and I have since increased to about 25 DC but just looking at the original at this moment), should 4 be enough to KO him, i.e. someone at his power level? Or is that out of character for such this concept?

 

Again, not trying to be critical at all since you made some great points. Thanks again.

 

Superman's staying power often wasn't all that great versus people who could deal out as much damage as he could. It's just that he almost never ran into anyone who could deal out as much damage as he could.

 

Two things however. I'd lower the CON and raise the Recovery. And I'd remove the imaginary material vulnerability and instead make him vulnerable to cadmium.

[Metaphysician]

Re: CHAR: Doctor Atomic

 

Yeah, but you don't have to go that high to reach the point where attacks hurt someone with 40/40 defense. And especially given that Dr Atomic doesn't have the same "one shot kill" capacity Dr Destroyer has. . .

[Powerhouse]

Re: CHAR: Doctor Atomic

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Yeah, but you don't have to go that high to reach the point where attacks hurt someone with 40/40 defense. And especially given that Dr Atomic doesn't have the same "one shot kill" capacity Dr Destroyer has. . .

 

A little thread raising of the dead but that's ok since it's all gonna get posted once I FINALLY write up the Sentinels of Justice (still working on Crimson Archer's origin since I have to transfer it from head to paper but fortunately it's an improvement over the crap I posted originally).

 

Anyway, just noting that in my world, the Doctor D analog wouldn't hit as heavy as he does in the Champions Universe. Probably top out around 120-125 (I'm more a writer than a GM admittedly but I HATE the concept of Dr. D just pointing and blowing away the Superman level heroes in one shot. Dr. D could take down the top two hero teams but more because he has the brains, prep work, and support than simple raw power but he's got THAT too!).

 

So Doctor Atomic at 40/40 might not be too bad but I'm gonna add in the DMG reduction and reduce Con per Metaphysician- it'd work well.

 

Can't wait to get these write ups done. I just want it ALL ready before I post. Doctor Atomic has the most writeups (three) for Early Silver Age, Late Silver Age, and Bronze Age. Others include:

 

Silver Age/Bronze Age: Athena, Crimson Archer, my solar powered centurion of the stars (going through names now), Hornet, the Stranger, Glamour, and Blue Bolt.

 

Bronze Age: Sea Warrior (TEMP NAME, I SWEAR), Black Eagle, Dragon, and Nightingale, Tyr

 

Modern Age: Dragon and Nightingale.

 

I'm sure I'm missing a few people in there... you get the idea though. Add in some bases and vehicles and it's like... whew! I'm kinda sorry I didn't get these done before the New Champions book came out since it would have been fun to have my Silver Age team out there first. Oh well...

[Grimble]

Re: CHAR: Doctor Atomic

 

I like the whole idea you've got going on. I can't wait to see your other Silver-Age analogs! Also the other versions of Doctor Atomic...once you get his uber late silver-age version to your liking.

 

 

Grimble