Nucleon

Re: Why Kill At All? Coming back to this quite surprising snapshot of comic litterature; I think Morningstar, by his attitude, have no confidence in what lays Beyond. Nucleon's guess is that Morningstar believe his actual life to be the sole usage of his cosmic essence. That must be extremely depressing for a mortal one. Each day brings you closer to... well... nothingness. Nucleon, for one, believes otherwise. And He is not particularly religious. The greatest loser in this story? The Bomber. May redemption rain down over him.

Re: Why Kill At All?

Re: Design a ME Team Then Ayib Al Salil it will be. Is it Nucleon or does that have a nice ring to it? And thanks.

Re: Design a ME Team

Re: Design a ME Team In regards to your comments, here is how Nucleon's project is shaping up: Exactly. Well, they're shapen up to be notably powerful (from 425 to 600 pts), enough to be independant from their own governments; some of them might even be seen as too heretic by the most orthodox elements of the region. They are to sing a song of their own, not sing along with the Establishment's. Up to here, they will be a team on short-notice assembly, a bit like Marvel's Defenders; They will not be as good as a team as they are individually -but that might change. No problems here. Good idea. Here is what Nucleon has thought so far; you might recognize an idea or two from yours: Prince Ayib (his real name -didn't find any suitable codename yet) is an All-Arabic prince and a possible heir to the Barhadim (an imaginary nation in Nucleon's campaign) throne. He is a modern, progressive Muslim who want his people to do better by themselves instead of being coerced to. A skilled swordman, a master thief and a great communicator, Ayib will be the cornerstone of this team. His first follower is his personal Astrologer and man of science (didn't find a suitable name here neither, maybe a variation on "Vizier"), a darker fellow with divinatory and illusionary powers, and a good alchemist to boot. Together they will take over the palace of a defeated fanatical muslim cult on a small Red Sea island, palace that will become the group's informal base of operations. Shortly after that, and using "Vizier"'s foresight, they will deliver a woman sentenced to death because of her "dealing with the demons", making them parias in this particular country. The said woman (named "Dervish" for now) is in fact a powerful ghost summoner and a mystic mentalist. Thus equipped, the trio can now take on the Scourge of Iran, an enigmatic being of rock and sand that's wreacking havoc there. With "Dervish's" telepathic powers, they learned that the said being, Erdamon, is a banished noble from a subterannean civilisation, attacked by that contry's conventional forces as a monster. He becomes the group's shifting brick. Having a crush on Ayib, they could not prevent Jaida from joining the group; A spunky african speedster mutant with a following, oversized panther, Jaida maybe the least noble member of this group, but she is indeed seen as a godly tool in her native Somalia. Finally, one day the team just couldn't hold their own in a battle against powerful ancient automatons near Tunisia; but the young archeologist that alerted them founded the legendary Herald staff, a tool of the first dynasty of Pharoahs, and a huge powersource from an alien nature; As the need arise, the Archeologist calls in the power of the staff, becoming Anthot, the Herald, and the energy-manipulating powerhouse the group needed. Ennemies will include many characters that I have seen in this very thread. Mamluk, gigantic Scimetar-wielding warrior, will be one of them. The team's apparence should inspire awe; Variably dark of skin, clad in rich golds and stunning whites, with an air of natural nobility about them, the Pillars of Faith -their actual name- will be forces to contend with.

Re: Design a ME Team

Re: Design a ME Team Women in Arabic culture and lore are often portayed as having divinatory talents, among others traits. I don't think there would be a problem regarding a woman in the group; In the most extreme cases, she may not lead or represent the group, however. Mmmh, a bit corny... But there is a great tradition of Arabic swashbuckling rogues and charmers, favored by fate. Maybe a less caricatural version of AK -whitout the carpet. The Original Johnny Thunder! What about Walid Thunder? Yes, verily, at a time where Eastern science ruled; I would like an Astrologer and Illusionnist master of knowledge -or maybe a mystic warder and conjuror. Great Idea. Yes, something like that... a modern-day Sindbad. Nucleon wonders what an Arabic-inspired powered armor would look like...

Re: Design a ME Team Thanks for the link. Nucleon thought He was the first to visualize the ME, birthplace of humankind, as a superheroic environment, but He has been foiled! Just a minor setback. The heroes despicted on this link have both a foot in the past and another one in the future, halfway between tradition and modernity. They're great and Nucleon hopes for their success in the Arabic market. Noble comicdom ideals are universal.

Nucleon bids you hello mortals! He needs Help! Help Him with your tremendous imagination powers and create a Middle Eastern combat team, would-be heroes but as of now a tense third party my players are going to encounter as part of their current global adventure. They should be a team of 5-7 NPCs, of respectable power and should (as all heroes that are not American...) have some cultural traits that reflects their environment, but Nucleon would like these elements not to be too caricatural. He would also like culturally meaningful names, if you can. The area they would guard goes from Egypt to Iran, comprising the Arabic peninsula as well as North Eastern Africa. Nucleon don't ask for complete Character sheets; A simple concept description for each, with the occasional temperamental or origin quirks should suffice. A small paragraph should do it, or even a one-liner if your communicating skills are that efficient. He would also like a brief description of this team' structure, bases, ressources and vehicule if they have such perks. Are they religious integrists? Do they seek to liberate their people from modern-day tyrants? Are they progressists or do they favor old ways and traditions? Thanks in advance, Mortals!

Re: Batman vs Midnighter

Re: Batman vs Midnighter That would be more Appolo. The Midnighter is more seen like the surviving one, in many Authority arcs.

Re: Why Kill At All? Under his secret guise, Nucleon frequents political, naval, history and social boards, where He is serious enough for two. When he comes here, it is with the very same spirit He has when He goes to His weekly gaming session. Nucleon finds comfort that way, leaving "real world" pretenses behind on what is basically a leisure board. You should relax and do the same, mortal. Works wonders. May Nucleon suggest you Kingdom Come? Coming from such a four-colour company as DC, this critically acclaimed serie is all about these choices you're writing about -just tell your comic dealer Nucleon sent you.

Re: Why Kill At All?

Re: Could your Champions character beat... Mmmhh. Very intersesting. Alas, Nucleon is a GM, and have no personal character apart from the ridiculously powerful being that bears His name. However, he's got a menagerie of other, lesser characters we would like to put against the Marvel Icon, namely four members of the Guardians, the iconic All-American supergroup of His universe. (Nucleon would likely make a version of Cap with less Physical Characteristics and more SLs and PSLs and CSLs, but he shall take yours anyway, because it is well-made and Cosmic Lazyness.) First Containder; Whipcord, Whips and lines-using feminist martial artist, ±430 pts, in a urban setting; A very mobile fight, as Whipcord takes adventage of the range of her whips and her swinging movement to harass a character clearly superior to her in term of brawn, if not in martial habilities; But by superior polyvalency and cunning, Cap got her cornered, and accepts her honorable surrender. 1-0 for Cap. Second Fight; Cap vs Great Wolf (± 500 pts), Native shapeshifter and protector of the central plains (where the fight takes place); He is also clearly superior to Cap in both skills and Characteristics, but his animal mind when transformed does not make him too tough an opponent for Cal to decipher; After taking the 3-4 hards blows of the Man-Beast, Cap still resists and place blow his opponent didn't saw coming, and so Great Wolf runs away, impressed. This one goes to Cap per default; 2-0 for Winghead. Third Fight; Cap now fight Athelus (± 525), All-American sport athlete, Wrestling specialist and giant-sized brick -and a jovial fellow overall, in a suburban parking lot. Athelus is surprised at first of Cap's habilities, taking a few painful blows; He changes tactics however, and start throwing things around like cars and dumpsters. As a result, Cap is unbalanced due to knockback, so using his huge size, Athelus can now grab him, and as so many adversaries caught in Athelus grasp, Cap does not escapes. He still leads 2-1, though. Fourth and Final match; Cap vs Vanguard at the feet of Lady Liberty, flag-suit himself and possessor of True American Radiance, at ± 700 pts. An all-aroung complete opponent, Vanguard is super-strong, manipulates energy and flies, which makes hime quite a match for ol' Winghead, who still deflects his blasts, however. Understanding the nature of his opponent, Vanguard then floods Cap's sense with bright light (Area effect Flash), which works because Cap expected another beam. Blinded, Cap then falls to Vanguard's Opti-Beam, a signature beam that requires Flash Defense for his target to resist (AVLD). Cap falls from there on. So it is a draw, 2-2.

Re: Batman vs Midnighter True, and quite nicely said BTW. Nucleon abhors gratuitous killing and over-arrogance in comics (or any such relents of the Iron Age), but strangely enough, He happen to like the Authority. A lot. It must be the marginal philosophy, the mega scale of the events, or the sheer shock factor. It never leaves one stoic. The Authority is the anti Comic Code Authority. That being said, Nucleon does not think that the fight would be so quick, nor necessarly on the side of the Mightnighter. Let Him explain why: Whatever the Mightnighter carries in augmentations, he does not seem so bend on gadgeteery like Batman is. So, Bat have some purpose-built ranged weapons over Midnighter; Gas, explosive charges, batarangs... Now put these along with the possibility that Midnighter's computer may not be able to sense threats that are not directly aimed to him, such as a brick wall crumbling down on him, the effect of an explosive batarang that registered on Midnighter's computer as "a miss". Batman won't need any computer to conclude, fast, that he cannot take on the Midnighter directly. At this point, the fight will become strategic and in this game, Bats is IHO superior to his rougher clone. Plus, it's comics; Human imagination must triumph over the mechanized logics of machine, don't forget that!..

Re: Why Kill At All?

Re: Iyo: The Most Underrated Or Underused Character In Comics

Re: Why Kill At All? Mmmh, Nucleon ponders: Why would you send somebody to a place/state you have but very few idea about? All that for getting rid of him/her on the here and the now. It's like putting stuff into a locker without you knowing where it leads. Ah, I think we are closer to the problem. It must be kind of hard for an un-killeable mutant armed with nothing but Evenantium claws not to kill. In other words, when one's only tool is a hammer, he tends to see all problems he encounter as nails. Althought giving the guy the same kind of treatment he himself gave to so many does have a pleaseant ring of Talion justice, Nucleon sees it for the vicious circle it is. Couldn't we transform the guy into some vegetal, passive lifeform? Cosmic-friendly Nucleon tends to think that killing, or any other act of destruction of life, is solution by amputation; What is gone can't grow back. Each killing of the Cosmic Essence of Life leaves a void behind. (And we must avoid Void; He is Nucleon's arch-ennemy!) It's all coming down to the mask, like Green Arrow said in Identity Crisis. For their part, they messed with poeple's mind. The ethical problem stays; only difference, better the evil you know... Quite Nicely, thanks.

This thread is a kinda branch of the loonng "How do you feel about Heroes who kill" one, wherein the opinion that "killing is okay to save many future victims" is largely represented. Well, I think killing, in most cases, is but on option, and I am not being moralistic here, hear me well. For you puny Humans, Death is the great beyond. Your myriad religions all have failed to prove you what is waiting for you beyond, says Nucleon. So why would someone would send another one there? What is your assurance that said ennemy is not better off now that he is dead? What if he really got to get his 92 virgins, for instance? So, you're a hero facing a quite lethal threat; Capture is not the point here: Concussive damage, Entangles, Gas, Mental holds... everything may work. Then... ... Then, if you're conscious and a standard, you may believe in salvation for your fallen foe. You can also believe in reparation, or any such noble ideals. You're a "real" hero. If you're more expeditive, or radical, what about Dismembrement? Brainwash or mental wipes (like what happenned in DC's Identity Crisis), Cryogenic Detention? Or if one is sick enough, why not torture? A lot more liberating for one's angst, Nucleon would think. In a comic book setting, all these solutions are as "final" as death anyway. So why kill at all in this genre?

Re: The Essential Bad Iron Age What amazes me about that age are the head-to-hand proportionnal ratios; Often the character had a head the size of his thumb. Smallish, wide, pointy faces, lost amidst a heap of shoulder pads and muscles. Heroes/Vilains whitout any concepts; Thinly-related suits of powers, with a generic names and guns, and katanas, and then some more guns. And the attitude. Oh man, the attitude. One un-necessary gem from my "please steal me" pile: Black Flag no2, by Dan Fraga, Maximum Press (a creature of Rob Liefeld). Everything's there; aformentionned archetype with arm hair, white eyes, and Mr Fraga's signature, shredded clothing. I mean, shredded a lot, at the very start of a mission. The team is made out of Raiden, about which I have seen little, Rascal, an agile guy with guns, Geisha (Jee, what a concept, eh?), the mandatory, scantily-clad chick with swords and stuff, and Sniper, the bad-ass, stoned face no-bullshit stoic leader with humongous (and ridiculous) guns. Fraga, however, was full of energy and one could feel that he just loved his (crappy) art, you've got to give him that...

I think your write-up is good (I like the part where he connects with the original Maine armor), but he should not continue calling himself "the Maine". That denomination was given to a particularly loser vilain (who likes "cheaps, ill-fitting suits" in his secret ID), referring to the accidental explosion of a battleship in Cuba's harbour, which caused the USA-Spain war in the late 1800s. The original Maine was such a smash because of that loser/unreliable aspect; Your hero certainly isn't. My advice would be to try a less loser name, such as "Monitor" (or "Merrimack" for a southen flavor), because most great American ships either have states names, or establishment ones ("Constitution", "Congress", etc). But hey, this is only my opinion...

Hi, mortals. Althought Nucleon is omniscient, He needs a little help to classify the various comic ages: So there He turns to you, whose opinion is for me essential, for advice (or more precisily guidelines) to know what exactly are, in terms of era, costumes, philosophy and ideals, a given age of Comics. What defines the Golden, Silver and Bronze age of comics? And what about the comics that are printed right now? How do we call the Comic age we're living out? Many thanks, all of them in advance.

Thanks Thanks guys, and some more thanks to the Emerged and Mayday. Now this campaign is taking a more precise shape. I won't tell here what I'm going to do (vecause many of my players may lurk), but I do admit that your advices will be put to exercise. What I can say is this; In the aformentionned vilain campaign I GMed, the players were really stranded between uncertain deeds and hiding. What I did at that point was sending them into an alternate universe. In that universe, the heroes they knew all turned redemptors, united and took the world over, to transform it into an over-organized, totalitarian society where crime was brutally repressed. There, the players were seen by the oppressed populace like "the last rebels", becoming, ironically, heroes.

Nucleon bids you hello. I'm planning a new campaign and I was discussing its tone with several players, and we're considering the players as Villains. Part of it is we've played numerous campaigns in quite a rich universe, now densely populated by (many of) the former PC heroes, that over the ages has taken its part of vilainy. The Vilain buisness opportunities demands are beginning to expend. And besides, it's a different game. I've DM only one such campaign to date, and what I must say, is that the Super-Villains' leader must have some long-term goal, unless the become cheap mercenaries. Any comments or, better yet, advice?

Re: Re: Who's the baddest mutha in your campaign? Huh, and that's it? More, more!