Character: "Black Magic" M-66

[Susano]

Years ago (and I do mean "years ago") I started doing conversions from popular media to HERO. The first two I did (and I'm not sure which came first) was Battle Angel and the M-66. Well, I finally have gotten to them in my quest to convert all 450-475+ adaptions on my website to 5th Edition. So, here's the 5th Edition version of the M-66. Note the color text hasn't been changed much from the original write-up, which is why it might seem sparse and/or primitive compared to what I try to do know. But hey, I had to start somewhere. Enjoy.

 

M-66

ANTIPERSONNEL AUTOMATIC INFANTRY ROBOT

Val	CHA	Cost	Roll	Notes
40	STR	30	17-	Lift 6400 kg; 8d6 HTH Damage
26	DEX	48	14-	OCV: 9 / DCV: 9
10	CON	0	11-
15	BODY	10	12-
18	INT	8	13-	PER Roll 15-
0	EGO	0	--	ECV: N/A
20	PRE	10	13-	PRE Attack: 4d6
10	COM	0	11-
13	PD	30		Total: 13 PD (13 rPD)
13	ED	36		Total: 13 ED (13 rED)
6	SPD	24		Phases: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
10	REC	0
0	END	-10
--	STUN	--
Total Characteristics Cost: 186

Movement:	Running: 12" / 24"
Leaping: 15" / 30"
Swimming: 0"
Tunneling: 2"

Cost	Powers & Skills
Martial Arts: Hard-Wired Combat Skills
weapons
Maneuver	OCV	DCV	Damage
5	Block	+1	+3	Block, Abort
4	Dodge	+0	+5	Dodge vs All, Abort
5	Snap punch/kick	+1	+3	8d6 strike
4	Punch	+2	+0	10d6 strike
5	Kick	-2	 +1	12d6 strike
3	Use art with clubs, claws, and staff

135	Eye Laser: Multipower, 135-point pool
9	1) Single Shot: RKA 3 1/2d6, Armor Piercing (+1/2), No Range Modifier (+1/2); 
No Knockback (-1/4), END 11
8	2) Constant Burn: RKA 3d6, Penetrating (+1/2), Continuous (+1), No Range 
Modifier (+1/2); Extra Time (Full Phase; -1/2), No Knockback (-1/4), END 13
8	3) Sweep: RKA 3d6, Area Of Effect (Line, Nonselective; +3/4), No Range 
Modifier (+1/2); No Knockback (-1/4), END 10

23	Claws: HKA 2 1/2d6 (5d6+1 with STR); Reduced Penetration (-1/4), Restrainable (-1/2), 
END 4
18	Self-Destruct Charge: RKA 5d6, Explosion (+1/2), Trigger (Body = 0; +1/4), One 
Charge, Never Recovers (-4), No Range (-1/2), Reduced Penetration (-1/4), Side Effect 
(M-66 Takes Full Damage From Attack; -1), Trigger Has An Activation Roll Based On 
Negative BODY (-1/2)
15	Robotic Body: Does Not Bleed
45	Robotic Body: Takes No STUN
39	Robotic Body: Damage Resistance (13 PD/13 ED)
45	Robotic Body: Life Support: Total
4	Heavy: Knockback Resistance (-2")
12	Robotic Legs: Running +6" (12" Total), END 2
7	Robotic Legs: Leaping +7" (15" Total), END 2
-2	Too Heavy To Swim: Swimming: -2" (0" Total)
19	Claws: Tunneling 2" through 5 DEF material, END 1
23	Audio/Visual Sensors: Enhanced Perception: +2 with PER with all Sense Groups, 
IR Perception (Sight Group), HRRH
24	Internal Power Supply: End Reserve: 120 END, 12 REC

Talents
3	Computer Brain: Ambidexterity

Skills
20	Skill Levels: +2 Overall
3	Acrobatics 14-
3	Breakfall 14-
3	Climbing 14-
3	Concealment 13-
3	Disguise 13-
3	KS: Boobytraps (design & placement) 13-
3	Shadowing 11-
3	Stealth 14-
3	Tracking 13-
2 	WF: Clubs, Staff Weapons
510	Total Powers & Skills Cost
698	Total Character Cost

75+	Disadvantages
15	Hunted: Government Forces (Mopow, Watching) 14-
5	Physical Limitation: Weighs Around 880 lbs (I, S)
15	Physical Limitation: Machine Intelligence (F, G)
15	Physical Limitation: Mute (I, F)
5	Physical Limitation: No Sense Of Smell, Taste, Touch
10	Reputation: dangerous killing machine (extreme) 8-
558	Killer Robot Bonus
698	Total Disadvantage Points

Background/History:

M-66 comes from Masamune Shirow's manga "Black Magic" (originally released by Eclipse). There is also an anime by the same name (US Renditions put out a subtitled version, Manga Entertainment has produced a dubbed version). I based my design on the anime, since that is my only source.

 

As far as I can tell, M-66s are experimental combat machines quite capable of tackling a unit of about 20 soldiers (or more) and winning. One of these killed a large bear with out much trouble and another pitched a HUMVEE-like vehicle across a road with ease. The STR, DEX & SPD values were based on these actions (presuming that the soldiers were competent normals on par with VIPER & UNTIL agents). The Armor value was based on the fact that these things were almost totally immune to rifle fire. (13 too high? Drop it down to 10 or 11 DEF, but I don't feel it should go any lower.).

 

Personality/Motivation:

The M-66 doesn't really have a personality, per se. Instead, it's "Machine Intelligence" Physical Limitation basically means the M-66 uses an advanced "fuzzy logic'' decision-making program when operating. Effectively, the M-66 acts almost like an AI. But, the M-66 doesn't have any everyman skills, can only do what it is programmed to do, ignores *everything* in order to achieve it's objective and has a set series of actions it will perform if it's mission fails or if it doesn't receive any new orders (such as burrowing it's self to avoid detection). Insert the speech from "The Terminator" here: "It can't be reasoned with!! It kills!! That's *all* it does!"

 

Powers/Tactics:

An M-66 has pretty standard robot powers. It doesn't take any STUN, doesn't have an EGO, and so on The martial arts would seem to be hard-wired maneuvers programmed into the machine. The weapons elements were included because at one point, one of them picks up a length of pipe (?) and uses it like a staff. I tossed in clubs since it seemed to make sense. The laser built into it's left eye is powerful enough to shoot down a large aircraft and can be swept across a series of targets (hence the Area of Effect advantage on the third slot).

 

If reduced to a certain damage level, the M-66 will self-destruct, detonating it's armored skin (which is comprised of several thousand 'rifle darts'). If an attack reduced the M-66 to below 0 Body, then the Trigger has an activation roll. Reducing it to -1 gives on a 15- roll, -2 means 14- (and so on). Although this effect doesn't appear in the anime, I included because it seemed to make sense.

 

The skills are based on actions seen in the anime. The M-66s have no real joints and seem to be able to crawl as well as they walk, can climb trees with ease, and can sneak around in the dark *really* well! The disguise part means the M-66 will attempt to find and dress itself in some sort of concealing clothing to avoid detection if needed (in the anime, one wrapped itself in a cloak). Ambidexterity is included, since one had an arm shot off and it didn't seem to slow it down much. Although I didn't include it, an argument could be made for the M-66s having Defense Maneuver as well.

 

Appearance:

An M-66 is about 6 feet tall and seems to weigh about 800 pounds (it's heavy enough to bend metal stair risers under it's own weight). The machines are white, with black sheathing covering the forearms. The hands are tipped with long (and sharp) claws. The head is topped with white "hair" that functions as a cooling aid. Two versions appeared in the "Black Magic" anime, one had short hair and generally looked male, while the other had hair to it's waist and generally looked female.

 

(M-66 created by Masamune Shirow, character sheet created by Michael Surbrook)

[OddHat]

Bravo!

 

Also, congrats on finishing updating the conversions.

[Susano]

Originally posted by OddHat

Bravo!

 

Also, congrats on finishing updating the conversions.

 

Thanks. But finished? Oh, not by a longshot... Oh, wait, I did write-him up!

 

Actually, I'm probably down to my last... oh.... 30 or so.

 

Then I start on some fresh projects.

[NuSoardGraphite]

STR:40?

 

Are they really that strong?

 

Admittedly, its been a few years since I've seen that anime (and the manga as well) but I don't remember them doing anything that would put them at STR:40. STR:30, definately, STR:35 maybe, but not quite 40.

[Susano]

Picks up a Humvee (STR 30-35 to do so) and hurls it across a road (requires STR 40 or so to do that!).