Jab’s Builds! (Lawnmower Man! Samus Aran! Metroids!)

[Jabroniville]

THOR, GOD OF THUNDER (Dargo Ktor)
Created By: Tom DeFalco & Ron Frenz
First Appearance: Marvel Age Annual #3 (Jan. 1987)
Role: Future Thor, Flying Brick
Group Affiliations: The Rebels
PL 12 (208)
STRENGTH 15 STAMINA 14 AGILITY 2
FIGHTING 7 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE 2 AWARENESS 1 PRESENCE 2

Skills:
Close Combat (Unarmed) 2 (+11)
Expertise (Rebel Fighter) 2 (+4)
Insight 6 (+9)
Intimidation 10 (+14)
Perception 3 (+6)
Ranged Combat (Hammer) 4 (+10)
Ranged Combat (Lightning) 4 (+10)
Treatment 7 (+9)

Advantages:
Benefit (Status- God), Diehard, Great Endurance, Improved Critical (Hammer), Power Attack, Ranged Attack 4, Takedown

Powers:
"Immortal Aesir"
Power Lifting 5 (50,000 tons) [5]
Impervious Toughness 11 [11]
Regeneration 2 (Feats: Regrowth) [3]
Immunity 10 (Aging, Starvation & Thirst, Heat, Cold, Disease, Fatigue Effects) [10]
Immunity 4 (Drowning & Suffocation, Poison, Pressure) (Flaws: Limited to Half-Effect) [2]

"Mjolnir" (Flaws: Easily Removable) (Feats: Indestructible, Restricted 2- Those Worthy) [47]
"Weather Control" Environment 6 (1,000 feet) (Impede Movement, Visibility) (12)
Movement 1 (Space Travel) (2)
Flight 1 (4 mph) (2)

"Lightning Bolt/Hammer Line" Damage 12 (Extras: Area-Line 120ft. +3) (47) -- (56)

• AE: "Lightning" Blast 14 (Feats: Improved Critical 2, Indirect- From Above, Penetrating 6) (37)
• AE: "Hammer Smash" Strength-Damage +2 (Feats: Penetrating 6) (8)
• AE: "Hammer Throw" Strength-Damage +1 (Feats: Penetrating 6) Extras: Ranged 16) (23)
• AE: "Hammer Spin" Strength-Damage +2 (Extras: Area- 15ft. Burst +16/+1/2) (29)
• AE: "Air Control" Move Object 16 (Flaws: Concentration) (16)
• AE: "Groundstrike" Affliction 13 (Dodge; Hindered/Prone) (Extras: Area- 30ft. Burst) (Flaws: Limited Degree, Instant Recovery, Limited to Grounded Targets) Linked to Damage 13 (Extras: Area- 30ft. Burst) (Flaws: Limited to Objects) (17)
• AE: Movement 3 (Dimensional Movement 3) (Extras: Portal +2) (12)
• AE: Deflect 12 (12)
• AE: Flight 11 (8,000 mph) (22)

-- (72 points)

Offense:
Unarmed +9 (+15 Damage, DC 30)
Hammer Smash +7 (+17 Damage, DC 32)
Hammer Throw +8 (+16 Ranged Damage, DC 31)
Lightning Bolt +13 Area (+13 Damage, DC 28)
Lightning +10 (+14 Ranged Damage, DC 29)
Initiative +2

Defenses:
Dodge +9 (DC 19), Parry +9 (DC 19), Toughness +13 (+14 Belt, +6 Impervious), Fortitude +14, Will +7

Complications:
Relationship (Beta Ray Bill & Eric Masterson)- The three are "Hammer Brothers". Presumably they do not also fight Super Mario.
Power Loss (All Powers)- If removed from Mjolnir for more than one minute, Dargo will transform back into human form.
Enemy (Demonstaff)- Dargo recruits his two "Hammer Brothers" in order to fight off Demonstaff.
Responsibility (Unworthy)- Dargo believes that he is unworthy to wield Mjolnir.
Relationship (Salla- Wife)

Total: Abilities: 86 / Skills: 46--23 / Advantages: 10 / Powers: 74 / Defenses: 15 (208)

-ah, so this is the guy from the "Thor Corps" Marvel Card from Series III. Despite doing a set based around Marvel Cards many years ago, I think I skipped him over somehow. I didn't even realize this was his name. Dargo Ktor hails from the year 2587 (more than four-hundred years after 2099), a time when "The Corporation" rules the world, and New York lies in ruins. A rebel clan discovered Mjolnir and, telling stories about the heroes of old, figured one of them would gain the powers of the greatest of them all- Thor. When Loki was hired to attack the rebels, Dargo, who'd always believed himself to be unworthy, grabbed the hammer and was empowered. He fought the Corporation, and Loki turned on its chairman, killing him. Dargo threw the hammer into the void so the worthy owner would get it back, but found it again.

-Years later, he was tricked by Zarrko the Tomorrow Man, a time-traveling Thor villain, into fighting Eric "Thor" Masterson in the '90s, all in order to use their two Mjolnirs to power a time machine that could let him rule all time. Beta Ray Bill was alerted to the battle, and arrived with Stormbreaker and stopped the brawl. Saying they were all worthy "Hammer Brothers", they forged the world's manliest team-up and fought Zarrko as "The Thor Corps". Zarrko pulled Thor enemies from all across time in order to stop the Thors, but made the mistake of including Loki in their number. Loki was like "Um, no" and defeated Zarrko himself. He blew up Zarrko's time-ship, nearly killing the other Thors, so Bill sent them all to their own time.

-This was immortalized in a Marvel Cards Series III: Team-Ups card called Thor Corps., making this one-off seem like a pretty big deal. Dargo later reappears to help his Hammer Brothers and fight a guy named "Demonstaff". They have to bring Demonstaff's wife back to him, but she rejects him- the villain then gives up. The character has not reappeared.

-Dargo is basically Thor scaled down to PL 12- even as a comparative rookie (though he ends up with four years in the biz- hitting 2591 in his timeline eventually), he's much pricier than a normal PL 12 would be.

[Sidious]

RE: Dargo
There was mounting speculation at the time that he was a descendant of Eric Masterson. The essence of Thor being passed down through the generations.

Which would make sense since Thor was trapped in Eric's mind at the time. Of course now with him being free it just becomes another alternate Timeline.

[Spam]

I love when you post some old, obscure character and I'm all, "I recognize that pic from when I was like 8 years old!"

[Goldar]

I love when you post some old, obscure character and I'm all, "I recognize that pic from when I was like 8 years old!"

Yes, me too!

Except, in this instance, I don't know Servitor in the above pic.

[Jabroniville]

DEMONSTAFF (Gorko)
Created By: Tom DeFalco & Ron Frenz
First Appearance: The Might Thor #440 (Dec. 1991)
Role: One-Off Villain

-Demonstaff hails from Dargo Ktor's future time of 2591. He's named Gorko, and was obsessed with exploring other planes of reality, becoming increasingly-distant from his wife Ellene. An accident with the equipment mutated him, and attempts to fix it caused Ellene to get lose in a dimensional rift. Going mad, Gorko became the villain "Demonstaff" and blamed his employer for the problems, later having him killed. He was briefly seen in the scramble of "Thor's Foes" summoned by Zarrko the Tomorrow Man, but showed up for real later, fighting Dargo. He forced the Thors to find Ellene, promising he'd kill Dargo's wife otherwise. He later discovered that he'd been responsible for his own accident (thanks to time travel), and that Ellene had fallen out of love with him. Ultimately, the two go into another dimension together, rekindling their romance.

-His powers are pretty vague- Reality Warping, plus a Staff which could use nearly any form of energy, typically for Shields & Blasts. He also had a lot of Dimensional Travel & Control stuff, and was probably super-strong.

[Jabroniville]

Woah- Sif looks EPIC.

SIF
Created By: Stan Lee & Jack Kirby
First Appearance: Journey into Mystery #102 (March 1964)
Role: Love Interest, Action Girl
Group Affiliations: Asgard
PL 11 (156)
STRENGTH 10 STAMINA 10 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 10 DEXTERITY 3
INTELLIGENCE 2 AWARENESS 3 PRESENCE 3

Skills: 
Acrobatics 5 (+9)
Athletics 2 (+12)
Close Combat (Unarmed) 2 (+12)
Expertise (Asgardian Warrior) 10 (+12)
Insight 3 (+6)
Intimidation 5 (+8)
Perception 5 (+8)
Stealth 2 (+6)

Advantages:
Accurate Attack, Assessment, Benefit (Goddess), Benefit (Attack Instead of Deception to Feint), Defensive Attack, Diehard, Evasion, Great Endurance, Improved Critical (Sword), Improved Disarm, Improved Smash, Improved Initiative, Quick Draw, Ranged Attack 3, Set-Up, Takedown 2, Teamwork

Powers:
Impervious Toughness 3 [3]
Immunity 5 (Aging, Starvation & Thirst, Heat, Cold, Disease) [5]
Immunity 4 (Drowning & Suffocation, Poison, Pressure) (Flaws: Limited to Half-Effect) [2]

"Sif's Blade" (Flaws: Easily Removable) [5]
"Blade" Strength-Damage +2 (Feats: Improved Critical, Penetrating 4) (7) -- (8 points)

• AE: Movement 2 (Dimensional Travel 2) (4)

Offense:
Unarmed +12 (+10 Damage, DC 25)
Sword +10 (+12 Damage, DC 27)
Initiative +8

Defenses:
Dodge +11 (DC 21), Parry +12 (DC 22), Toughness +10 (+2 Impervious), Fortitude +11, Will +8

Complications:
Responsibility (Asgard)
Relationship (Thor, Beta-Ray Bill, Eric Masterson)- Sif has a thing for powerful guys, it seems. She's off-and-on with the former, but was with the latter two briefly.

Total: Abilities: 90 / Skills: 32--16 / Advantages: 20 / Powers: 15 / Defenses: 15 (156)

Sif in Mythology: Sif is the wife of Thor- she's said to have had the most beautiful long, blonde hair in existence, but lost it thanks to Loki, who had to make her a golden headpiece made instead. Scholars suggest that her hair symbolizes wheat or fertility, but there's no real agreement, and the character may not have a real role beyond "Thor's Wife".

Sif- Romantic Interest of All Male Thors:
-Contrary to the passive non-character in the myths, Marvel's version is quite interesting- she's basically a Warrior Goddess with a Sword who beats people up in addition to mooning over Thor (or whoever wields the Hammer- this girl has MIGHTY high standards). Rather than be Thor's wife, she's essentially who replaced Jane Foster (once Marvel cut loose some of its "Token Female Love Interest" characters in the '60s) as a Recurring Love Interest- they make up and break up on a near-constant basis, and she has a tendency to hook up with whoever currently wields the power of Thor anyways.

-Sif is Heimdall's sister, and a companion of Thor and Baldur since childhood. Reflecting the most-famous myth about her, her golden hair (similar to most Asgardians) was turned black after Loki cut it and replaced it with enchanted hair made by the dwarves. She appears suddenly when Jane Foster is cast out of Asgard by Odin and has her memories wiped, allowing Thor & Sif to meet up once more, and eventually they fall in love. She joins him in battle against Ulik, the Circus of Crime and others, essentially turning into a Romantic Ass-Whupping Duo, though it has to deal with things like Thor's continuing feelings for Jane, and Red Norvell's attempts at getting with Sif. Walt Simonson seems to use the character much less than his predecessors.

Sif Meets Bill:
-Years later, Sif meets up with Beta Ray Bill, and the two become attracted to each other during the course of a battle. She later confesses that her love is platonic, and she starts chasing after Eric Masterson, who is now wielding the powers of Thor. She makes a deal with Mephisto to save "Thor's Soul", which results in a skanked-out 1990s costume, and she eventually splits amicably with Eric. For years after this she does nothing, and eventually dies in Ragnarok with the others, as the Asgardians die one by one. She is resurrected with the others, but remains a minor character- she does manage a short-lived solo run in Journey Into Mystery when the "Loki" arc preceding it ends, but that run was basically doomed from the beginning, as the book was winding down.

-All in all, Sif seems to be this weird case where she's one of Marvel's first "Ass-Kicking Females", yet is pretty much always defined by her current love interest- she hasn't been romantic with Thor since the early 1980s at the latest, and she's hopped between Bill and Eric Masterson since then, and is largely a minor character. Even the Sif character in the Thor films hasn't really lit a fire under the concept, especially since we're getting a new Valkyrie anyways.

Sif's Skills:
-Sif is a PL 11 Swordfighter archetype, said to be the second-best swordswoman in Asgard except for Brunnhilde (aka The Valkyrie). She has quite a few Combat Advantages for a super-strong woman, and makes frequent use of Accurate Attack, making her one of the better Goonsweepers on Asgard.

[Yojimbo]

Mongoose is an odd fit in Thor's rogue's gallery at any time post-1970. But I think he was a deliberate call-back to Cobra, who like Mr. Hyde, was one of the first supervillains that Thor ever fought. Animal-theme, fast and wily, but clearly no match for Thor in a straight-up fight. That sounds like something DeFalco would do, anyway.

[greycrusader]

Oddly, Sif once again re-enforces what I said about the Warriors Three (or Balder, Heimdall, or any of the other Asgardians really, except for the villains like the Enchantress); she's portrayed as powerful and capable, and has been around as a character for decades, but almost never DOES much of note in the stories, or receives any real focus.

The exceptions have been the Thor supporting cast which aren't drawn from actual myth (Amora falls into that category, along with Malekith, Kurse, Beta-Ray Bill, the "pseudo-Thors" like Masterson, etc.) and Valkyrie-but the one which really got play in the Defenders was only tangentially connected, being an amnesiac woman with the power-set, not actually Brunhilde.

This is almost certainly because, first, all the Asgard-based stories are almost certainly going to have THOR as the focus, with Loki as the antagonist, and the other major players default to Odin or Hela, and second, the Asgardians are mostly this huge bunch of brightly colored warriors with the same power sets and speech patterns as Thor, without much in the way of backstories. They're not the same level of nobodies as Namor's cast of Atlanteans (one of the reasons Namor faltered after the mid-1970s, excepting Byrne's fairly successful run), but no one is really interested in them.

Another curious bit I noticed while you've been doing these builds, Jab, is how they point out a couple minor failings of the game mechanics-the Asgardians use enchanted weapons ALL THE TIME-but they're all mostly REALLY super-strong too, so to avoid breaking PL limits, such builds have to saddle the weapons with the Inaccurate flaw or find creative ways to reflect their "hitting power" without actually adding to the damage inflicted. I had to do the same when I wrote up an "official" villain for publication (a revived Norse half-giant berserker), making the weapon add Penetrating to his STR damage, an Affliction when he pounds the ground with his maul, etc.

The other was with the female Code Blue officer, the jacked-bodybuilder chick; she's STR 4, which makes sense for the character as portrayed, but this puts her on the same level as Captain America, even though he SHOULD be clearly stronger than just about any non-enhanced human being, except for someone much larger and heavier. But the system isn't "grainy" enough to reflect that, so guys and gals like Cap have to have things tacked on like doing extra unarmed hitting damage, or ultimate effort with Str-rolls, etc. And of course, there's the whole "peak human" being defined as Str 5-6 in the handbooks, which is simply absurd-the strongest people in the world (who are mostly all on various steroids and PEDs) cannot lift 800 lbs over their heads-the friggin' record of all time is below 600 lbs, and that is lifting it ONCE and then almost collapsing from the effort.

Ah well.

All my best

[Jabroniville]

Yeah, the game mechanics are funny that way- guys can't really overload the PL system, so everyone is made worse with gear than unarmed, or they lack the accuracy you'd think a centuries-old warrior would have.

[Jabroniville]

From staggering Thor to being one-shotted by Scourge. THIS is why I like to keep PLs lower.

MEGATAK (Gregory Nettles)
Created By: Doug Moench & Alan Kupperberg
First Appearance: Thor #328 (Feb. 1983)
Role: Jobber Villain
Group Affiliations: None
PL 7 (124)
STRENGTH 1 STAMINA 2 AGILITY 1
FIGHTING 6 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE 3 AWARENESS 3 PRESENCE 2

Skills: 
Close Combat (Unarmed) 1 (+7)
Deception 5 (+7)
Expertise (Industrial Spy) 4 (+7)
Insight 2 (+5)
Perception 3 (+6)
Stealth 5 (+6)
Technology 2 (+5)

Advantages: 
Equipment (Costume, +3 Toughness), Ranged Attack 7

Powers:
"Electrokinesis"
Flight 5 (60 mph) [10]

"Electrical Aura" Energy Aura 7 (28) -- [32]

• AE: "Electrical Constructs" Blast 7 (Extras: Area- 15ft. Shapeable +1/2) (18)
• AE: Blast 7 (Feats: Split) (15)
• AE: "Control Machines" Affliction 7 (Tech Skill of Creator; Dazed/Compelled/Controlled) (Extras: Ranged, Cumulative) (Flaws: Limited to Machines) (14)
• AE: "Drain Electricity" Affliction 7 (Toughness; Fatigued/Exhausted/Incapacitated) (Extras: Ranged, Cumulative) (Flaws: Limited to Machines) (14)
• AE: AE: "Electrical Beings" Summon 4 (Extars: Horde, Multiple Minions +2) (20)

Offense:
Unarmed +7 (+1 Damage, DC 16)
Constructs +7 Area (+7 Ranged Damage, DC 22)
Blast +7 (+7 Ranged Damage, DC 22)
Drain Electricity & Control Machines +7 (+7 Ranged Affliction, DC 17)
Initiative +1

Defenses:
Dodge +6 (DC 16), Parry +6 (DC 16), Toughness +2 (+5 Costume), Fortitude +5, Will +3

Complications:
Motivation (Greed)
Power Loss (Electricity)- Megatak is vulnerable to power drains, and won't have ANY powers if he's in an area without electricity. So if he's in the desert or something, he's screwed.

Total: Abilities: 36 / Skills: 22--11 / Advantages: 7 / Powers: 62 / Defenses: 8 (124)

-Megatak is a horrible one-shot villain using a "Tron"-type gimmick of a guy who was an industrial spy looking to steal video game secrets, but accidentally got put into the game or whatever, and now he controls electricity. He created some constructs, fought Sif for a while, and then got his ass kicked by Thor. You'd think a Thor guy would be TOUGH, but no- his constructs and powers were drained right away by the much-more-powerful God of Thunder, and Megatak and his stupid-ass "M"-based costume (the worst letter-based costume I've EVER seen, and that's saying something) was out cold. A little while later, he was prepping for a comeback, but one "Pum-SPAK" later, and that was it for Megatak- he was a victim of the Scourge of the Underworld.

-Megatak would have stayed like that forever had a modern-day writer decide to undo EIGHTEEN of these idiots's deaths in a Punisher book, as The Hood returns them to life as part of a spell. Megatak is thus resurrected, beating up Punisher's hacker friend Harry. He later shows up as a goon in the "Savage Six", a band of Crime Master's guys trying to kill Flash "Venom" Thompson.

-Megatak has the fundamentals of a good villain, with a Summon Minion thing going for him, an Aura, a Blast, Shapeable Constructs, and the ability to Control or Drain Electrical things. Problem is, it's all at PL 7 levels, and all he did was hold off some Gods for a bit, until they were able to whup him. He's got some Industrial Spy-type Skills, but he sucks otherwise.

[Jabroniville]

I love when you post some old, obscure character and I'm all, "I recognize that pic from when I was like 8 years old!"

neat! That's how I feel about Weapon: PRIME and dinks like that .

[Gamebook]

In regards to magic weapons jacking up the PL, I just let it happen in my builds. PL isn't everything, what the powers actually are is important too. Many of my badass normal characters are PL10 but there is no way I would expect them to win a straight fight against many of my PL10 superheroes. I regard sticking to my concept as the most important thing and if that means the PL goes to 12 or 13 for a character that isn't a top-tier super then so be it.

With normal human strength I find that I can model it easily enough under the existing M&M rules. I am just really strict about it, almost no-one gets Strength 4, and certainly no female character who isn't somehow enhanced. Many people I just set at Strength 0, which is actually quite fit and strong. I train with weights regularly and am quite muscular but I reckon I am only Strength 1 myself.

[Ken]

Sif-ly irresistible.

I'd take her over Natalie any day.

[Jabroniville]

TYR
Created By: Stan Lee, Larry Lieber & Jack Kirby
First Appearance: Journey Into Myster #85 (Oct. 1962)
Role: Side Character
Group Affiliations: Asgard
PL 11 (142)
STRENGTH 11 STAMINA 12 AGILITY 2
FIGHTING 9 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE 1 AWARENESS 1 PRESENCE 3

Skills:
Deception 3 (+6)
Expertise (Aesir Soldier) 8 (+9)
Insight 3 (+4)
Intimidation 7 (+10)
Perception 3 (+4)

Advantages: 
Close Attack, Diehard, Equipment (Asgardian Sword & Shield +1), Great Endurance, Improved Critical (Sword), Power Attack, Ranged Attack 5, Takedown

Powers:
"Immortal Aesir"
Power Lifting 1 (100 tons) [1]
Impervious Toughness 5 [5]
Immunity 10 (Aging, Starvation & Thirst, Heat, Cold, Disease, Fatigue Effects) [10]
Immunity 4 (Drowning & Suffocation, Poison, Pressure) (Flaws: Limited to Half-Effect) [2]

Offense:
Unarmed +10 (+11 Damage, DC 26)
Sword +10 (+12 Damage, DC 27)
Initiative +2

Defenses:
Dodge +9 (+10 Shield, DC 19-20), Parry +9 (+10 Shield, DC 20-21), Toughness +12 (+3 Impervious), Fortitude +12, Will +5

Complications:
Responsibility (Asgard, Odin)
Rivalry (Thor)- Tyr is jealous of the attention Thor gets, and because of his relationship with Sif.
Disabled (One-Handed)

Total: Abilities: 78 / Skills: 24--12 / Advantages: 12 / Powers: 29 / Defenses: 11 (142)

Tyr in Mythology: Tyr, also called Tiwaz (a generic term for "God"), is the God of War of Norse Mythology, but is generally believed to have been one of those cases where an old God was replaced with newer ones, as Thor & Odin both overtook him in popularity. From him we get "Tiw's Day". He lost a hand to the Fenris Wolf, who refused to be bound by a magical chain unless a God placed his arm in the wolf's mouth- Tyr made the sacrifice, and the enraged wolf de-handed him. One story features him being slain by Garm during Ragnarok.

-Tyr in the Marvel Comics was a mercurial, dangerous God, and once betrayed Asgard to Loki, but was himself betrayed and beaten. He later came back and aided Asgard, largely as a backgrounder. During the Siege, he is possibly killed, and has to be rescued by Danielle Moonstar from soul-eating Ex-Valkyries. Eventually, he begins working for Hela, and finally confesses his love for her- an unspoken attraction had existed between the two.

-Powerful, but not as much as Thor (he is handily beaten by Thor, even while wielding some legendary Mace with Mjolnir-like powers which is eventually broken by Thor in combat), Tyr is a rough customer, but fits a PL 11 build.

[Jabroniville]

In regards to magic weapons jacking up the PL, I just let it happen in my builds. PL isn't everything, what the powers actually are is important too. Many of my badass normal characters are PL10 but there is no way I would expect them to win a straight fight against many of my PL10 superheroes. I regard sticking to my concept as the most important thing and if that means the PL goes to 12 or 13 for a character that isn't a top-tier super then so be it.

With normal human strength I find that I can model it easily enough under the existing M&M rules. I am just really strict about it, almost no-one gets Strength 4, and certainly no female character who isn't somehow enhanced. Many people I just set at Strength 0, which is actually quite fit and strong. I train with weights regularly and am quite muscular but I reckon I am only Strength 1 myself.

With mine, I wouldn't mind PL 12-13 Norsemen if the comics reflected that. But Sif and the Warriors Three aren't depicted as being so far beyond the level of, say, Spider-Man (usually a PL 11).