Design the Hero (long post)

[badger3k]

After going through the elemental control "debate" in the hero forum, I decided to look up one of the characters mentioned. His writeup was interesting and I was curious to see how people might design him.

 

I am, of course, referrring to Reed Richards - Mr Fantastic. Personally, although I like the character, and grew up on the FF (including the cartoons), I think his power is ridiculous. Stretchy/elastic guys have always seemed like a stupid idea to me. Just my opinion.

 

Anyway, I figured I'd retype his power limits, and see what people make. Whether its just the power or a whole character, I would just like to see what people make out of the same words - it's more of a viewpoint than mechanic thing. Use whatever you want - design him (or just his powers) as you would put him into your campaign - so use whatever rules you use in your games.

 

Here goes (the long part, my editing to remove what is hopefully nonessential info). All information taken from the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, Deluxe Edition, Vol 2 (#8) - July 1986. pp 53-55. All rights etc are Marvels (or whatevers appropriate):

 

"Mr Fantastic possesses the normal human strength and build of a man of his age [edit - unknown - he used to be in WW2 with the OSS, but I'm sure that's been changed by now, maybe even by then)], height (6'1") and build (he's also 180 lbs) who engages in moderate regular exercise."

 

"Known superhuman powers: Mr Fantastic possesses the ability to convert the mass of his entire body into a highly malleable state at will. In such a state he can stretch, deform, expand, or compress his entire body or parts thereof into an contiguous shape he can imagine. He can extend his limbs, torso, or neck great distances: the maximum length he can distend before his body segments become painful is about 1,500 feet. (Although he can extend discrete body parts, such as a single finger, an ear, or an eye, he seldom if ever isolates such parts in his elongations). He can also extend his body in two directions, creating a canopy parachute, or sheath, its thickness determined by the extent of its distension. He has compressed his body into the shape of a solid sphere, a cylinder, a cube, a toroid, and a rectangular prism: he can assume the shape of any solid that he can envision claerly of a volume no greater than 1.7 cubic feet (a sphere about 18 inches in diameter). He can generate thin-walled shapes that enclose great volumes of space. Mister Fantastic can flatten himself to the thickness of an average sheet of typing paper (.0035 inch) or narrow himself to a diameter small enough to pass through the eye of a #10 beading needle (about .045 x .06 inches). How his body's respiration and circulatory systems function at these distorted extremes is as yet unkown. Mister Fantastic can alter his form in a manner of seconds, often much less (depending on the complexity of the shape), and revert to his normal humanoid shape within a similar time. The greater the distance he stretches, or the more extended the size of the object he becomes, the weaker his overall strength becomes."

 

"Due to the great malleability and elasticity of his molecular structure, Mister Fantastic is able to absorb the impact of any type of man-made balistic projectile by deforming his body along the path of the projectile's trajectory at the point of initial impact. After his body abosrbs the kinetic energy of a ballistic projectile's impact, he can expel the object back along its trajectory by flexing like a trampoline if he is adequately braced. He can enclose and absorb the energy of a large explosive, on the order of 8 to 12 pounds of TNT (excluding exotic, high density explosives). Such shocks to his system are physically exhausting.

 

"Mister Fantastic's transformations to a malleable state is reflexive and nearly instantaneous: if he was at his normal form and taken unaware by machine gun fire, his body would still absorb the bullets' impact through radical deformation. Mister Fantastics skin is virtually impervious to laceration or punctures unless he willfully relaxes his reflexive control over small areas of his body. In that case, scalpels and ordinary needles can penetrate his skin."

 

Whew - no editing except about his strength. Like I said, I'm curious to see what people make of that particularly his limitations and abilities. No rules except your own campaigns'. Thanks in advance for any responses.

[badger3k]

No takers?

 

Was going to post what I put together, then my friend returned my USPD - which has the approrpiate powers already there. Kinda makes my questions moot, since they powers are pretty well covered. Only question I might have then would be the power level or framework (or differing construction than the book).

 

All right, so here's a few more on his limitations, to be more specific - the description says he loses strength the further he stretches. Since he can stretch 250" noncombat, what about a "str reduced by range" limitation - we can't use the regular one, since at -1 dc per 4" would drop him to 0 STR in no time. I gave him 15 STR to begin with, so how about a -1/4 limitation that drops STR down to 10 at 100", 5 at 200", and 3 at 250". Or would a (-0) modifier be better since such ranges will probably not be used very often?

 

Then there's the missile reflection - the USPD has a good idea, but I'd add the need to be braced for large missiles/objects (-1/4 perhaps, depends on utility), and the need for room behind the character (for the body to flex) - say "character must not be against an object/person" or "character must have hex behind him empty to use reflection" at -1/4.

 

Damage reduction is likewise good, but I'd change it to two forms - both resistant, but something along the lines of 75% vs body only, and 50% (or 25%, depending on defenses in the campaign) vs stun, both limited to PD. ED damage reduction would be lower, and all one type. I split the PD for his resistance to knives and sharp objects.

 

The ability to cover (and absorb) explosions could work as a force wall (covers 2" or 6 hexsides), I also thought of supress or dispel, but that doesn't have the same feel. A suppress or dispel of fire powers could relfect the ability to enclose someone/thing and smother out flames, however. Life support usable on others to reflect an air sustaining sphere is possible too.