Jab’s Builds! (Miss Piggy! The Swedish Chef! Sweetums! Gonzo!)

Where in all of your character write ups will go.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24695
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Giant Sloth

Post by Jabroniville »

Image

GIANT SLOTH
Role:
Special Mount
Mount For: Ulk
PL 8 (60)- Minion Rank 4, Sidekick Rank 12
STRENGTH
8 STAMINA 8 AGILITY 0
FIGHTING 8 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -4 AWARENESS 0 PRESENCE -3

Skills:
Expertise (Survival) 4 (+4)
Intimidation 12 (+9 Size)
Perception 4 (+4)

Advantages:
All-Out Attack, Diehard, Extraordinary Effort, Fast Grab, Fearless, Improved Critical (Claws) 2, Improved Grab, Startle, Takedown

Powers:
"Animal Senses" Senses 3 (Acute & Extended Scent, Extended Hearing) [3]

"Large-Sized" Growth 3 (Str & Sta +3, +3 Mass, +1 Intimidation, -1 Dodge/Parry, -3 Stealth) -- (12 feet) (Feats: Innate) (Extras: Permanent +0) [7]
Strength-Damage +0 (Feats: Reach) [1]

Offense:
Unarmed +8 (+8 Damage, DC 23)
Initiative +0

Defenses:
Dodge +3 (DC 13), Parry +6 (DC 16), Toughness +8 (+10 Harness), Fortitude +8, Will +5

Complications:
Disabled (Animal)- Megatheriums cannot speak to humans, nor use their paws to easily manipulate objects.
Rivalry (Other Males)- Megatherium probably duel other males for mating rights.

Total: Abilities: 22 / Skills: 20--10 / Advantages: 9 / Powers: 11 / Defenses: 8 (60)

GIANT SLOTH HARNESS- 17 Equipment Points
Seats:
One (seated behind a large ice shield)
Armour: Protection 2 (Large ice-shield & harness- largely covers Rider) (2)
Weaponry: Three Medium-Sized Blasters (Blast 5- Multiattack) (15)

-Throwing in one of the "Ice Age" critters, here's Ulk the Neanderthal Caveman (a neanderthal in the show, but an ape-man something-or-other in the toys) and his Giant Sloth mount. It's a good bit smaller than the Megatherium could grow (which was borderline elephantine in scale), but still a huge creature. It's got some humorously-tiny armaments given its size, though- three tiny cannons were all they could put on it, plus a giant Ice Shield? The "chest piece" is used either as a separate shield or as a part of the armor, since the animal has bipedal and quadrupedal stances. It is second-largest of the Ice Age creatures, being bigger than even the Saurolophus or Pachycephalosauurs toys.

-He's a bit expensive online (about $100+), with two versions- one with stripes on the belly, and one without- the latter is the rarer, Smithsonian Museum variant.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24695
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Killer Wart Hog

Post by Jabroniville »

Image

KILLER WART HOG
Role:
Special Mount
Mount For: Zar
PL 8 (51)- Minion Rank 6, Sidekick Rank 11
STRENGTH
7 STAMINA 7 AGILITY -1
FIGHTING 6 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -4 AWARENESS -1 PRESENCE -3

Skills:
Expertise (Survival) 5 (+4)
Intimidation 11 (+10 Size)
Perception 2 (+1)

Advantages:
All-Out Attack, Improved Critical (Unarmed), Improved Initiative, Last Stand, Power Attack

Powers:
"Animal Senses" Senses 3 (Acute & Extended Scent, Low-Light Vision) [3]
"Animal Physiology" Speed 2 (Total 3) [2]

Growth 3 (Str & Sta +3, +3 Mass, +2 Intimidation, -2 Dodge/Parry, +1 Speed) -- (12 feet) (Feats: Innate) (Extras: Permanent +0) [7]

"Swine Rage" (All Powers- Flaws: Fades)
Enhanced Strength 1 [1]
Enhanced Stamina 1 [1]

Offense:
Unarmed +6 (+7 Damage, DC 22)
Raging Unarmed +6 (+8 Damage, DC 24)
Initiative +3

Defenses:
Dodge +3 (DC 13), Parry +5 (DC 15), Toughness +7 (+8 Raging, +9-10 Harness), Fortitude +10 (+11 Raging), Will +3

Complications: 
Disabled (Animal)- Wart Hogs cannot speak to humans, nor use their hooves to easily manipulate objects.
Rivalry (Other Males)- Like moost hoofed animals, Wart Hogs must compete with other males for mating rights.
Temper- Wart Hogs are heavily-prone to outbursts, and will charge the first thing that annoys them.

Total: Abilities: 10 / Skills: 18--9 / Advantages: 5 / Powers: 14 / Defenses: 13 (51)

KILLER WART HOG HARNESS- 26 Equipment Points
Seats:
One Rider (weird saddle up high)
Armour: Protection 2 (large metal "bubble" saddle) (2)
Weaponry: Flame Thrower (Damage 8- Area- 60ft. Line +2) (24)

-"Megachoerus Latidens" is the species name for the line's Killer Wart Hog, an unusual choice- ancient pig relatives grew MUCH larger than today's, but they're so odd-looking they basically appear like predatory Super-Hyenas as much as anything. It's the lowest-level of the Ice Age Mounts, and is basically my Dire Boar build but faster. Interestingly, his rider is Zar, a CRO-MAGNON Caveman instead of a Neanderthal like Ulk & Grom, the riders of the Giant Sloth & Wooly Mammoth. Though the toy looks identical.

-As a toy, it actually doesn't look bad- the whole "Laser attached by rubber hoses" thing looks much better than you'd think, and the "Killer Pig" look is actually rather fearsome given the extended jaw of the beast. He's not QUITE cool enough to justify the "Woolly Mammoth"-level cost of the creature, though- he's actually QUITE over-priced on eBay.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24695
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Sabre-Toothed Tiger

Post by Jabroniville »

Image

SABRE-TOOTHED TIGER
Role:
Special Mount
Mount For: Kub
PL 9 (103)- Minion Rank 7, Sidekick Rank 21
STRENGTH
6 STAMINA 7 AGILITY 3
FIGHTING 9 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -4 AWARENESS 1 PRESENCE -2

Skills:
Acrobatics 2 (+5)
Athletics 3 (+9)
Expertise (Survival) 9 (+10)
Intimidation 10 (+9 Size)
Perception 9 (+10)
Stealth 7 (+7)

Advantages:
Accurate Attack, All-Out Attack, Chokehold, Diehard, Extraordinary Effort, Fast Grab, Fearless, Follow-Up Strike, Great Endurance, Improved Critical (Teeth) 3, Improved Hold, Improved Initiative, Prone Fighting

Powers:
"Animal Senses" Senses 5 (Low-Light Vision, Acute & Extended Scent, Extended & Ultra-Hearing) [5]
Speed 2 (8 mph) [2]
"Natural Weapons- Claws" Strength-Damage +1 [1]
"Giant Sabre-Teeth" Strength-Damage +2 (Drawbacks: Inaccurate) [1]
"Cold-Based Hunter" Movement 1 (Environmental Adaptation- Cold) [2]

"Spotted/Tan Coat" Enhanced Skills 4: Stealth 4 (+11) (Flaws: Limited to Plains & Grassland) [1]

"Natural Size" Growth 2 (Str & Sta +2, +2 Mass, +1 Intimidation, -1 Dodge/Parry, -2 Stealth) -- (10 feet) (Feats: Innate) (Extras: Permanent +0) [5]
Strength-Damage +1 [1]
Protection 1 [1]

Offense:
Unarmed +9 (+7 Damage, DC 22)
Claws +9 (+8 Damage, DC 23)
Teeth +7 (+10 Damage, DC 25)
Initiative +7

Defenses:
Dodge +7 (DC 17), Parry +8 (DC 18), Toughness +7, Fortitude +9, Will +9

Complications: 
Disabled (Animal)- Cats cannot speak to humans, nor use their paws to easily manipulate objects.

Total: Abilities: 32 / Skills: 40--20 / Advantages: 15 / Powers: 19 / Defenses: 17 (103)

SABRE-TOOTHED TIGER HARNESS- 22 Equipment Points
Seats:
One Rider (back saddle)
Armour: Protection 1 (small saddle) (1)
Weaponry: Double-Pronged Cannons (Blast 7- Multiattack) (21)

-Kub, another Cro-Magnon (one who actually appeared in the show, albeit with a totally different appearance than the toy's Ape-Man), rides the Sabre-Toothed Tiger (known as the Smilodon in more-correct terms- the name is dumber, but its full scientific name actually means "Knife-Toothed Devastator", which is absolutely AWESOME). Note that one of those would be a HORRIBLE mount, because not only are you riding something with butcher-knives attached to its face that would EAT YOU, a cat's back is shockingly-poor for riding- their spines basically bend, stretch and bow like an accordian when running, meaning that you'd be flying ALL OVER THE PLACE in your saddle. There's a reason only a few animals were ever trained as mounts, and horses are the most-common one: Their backs are pretty straight at any kind of gait. But feel free to ignore all that, because riding a freaking 1,000-lb. CAT makes you a bad-ass to the extreme.

-The toy is the smallest and simplest of the "Ice Age" set, with a harness so small you can't even really ride it. It's the only one of the four you can get for fairly cheap- less than $100. It's still a well-made replica, at least.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24695
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Woolly Mammoth

Post by Jabroniville »

Image
Image

WOOLY MAMMOTH
Role:
Special Mount, Large Monster
Mount For: Grom
PL 8 (53)- Minion Rank 4, Sidekick Rank 11
STRENGTH
8 STAMINA 9 AGILITY -1
FIGHTING 4 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -4 AWARENESS 2 PRESENCE -3

Skills:
Close Combat (Unarmed) 4 (+8)
Expertise (Survival) 5 (+7)
Insight 1 (+3)
Intimidation 9 (+8 Size)
Perception 3 (+5)

Advantages:
All-Out Attack, Diehard, Extraordinary Effort, Fast Grab, Fearless, Improved Critical (Unarmed), Improved Grab, Startle, Takedown

Powers:
"Animal Senses" Senses 3 (Acute & Extended Scent, Extended Hearing) [3]
"Tremor-Detecting Feet" Senses 4 (Accurate Ranged x2 Touch) (Flaws: Limited to Half-Effect) [2]
"Trunk" Extra Limbs 1 [1]
"Arctic Creature" Movement 1 (Environmental Adaptation- Arctic) [2]

"Natural Size" Growth 5 (Str & Sta +5, +5 Mass, +2 Intimidation, -2 Dodge/Parry, -5 Stealth) -- (18 feet) (Feats: Innate) (Extras: Permanent +0) [11]
Strength-Damage +1 (Feats: Reach) [2]
"Thick Layer of Skin" Protection 1 (Extras: Impervious 5) [6]

"Animal Senses" Senses 3 (Acute & Extended Scent, Extended Hearing) [3]
"Tremor-Detecting Feet" Senses 4 (Accurate Ranged x2 Touch) (Flaws: Limited to Half-Effect) [2]
"Trunk" Extra Limbs 1 [1]

Offense:
Unarmed +8 (+9 Damage, DC 25)
Initiative -1

Defenses:
Dodge +3 (DC 13), Parry +6 (DC 16), Toughness +10 (+3 Impervious), Fortitude +11, Will +6

Complications: 
Disabled (Animal)- Elephants cannot speak to humans, nor use their feet to easily manipulate objects. Their trunks can, however, but not to the extent of human hands.
Rivalry (Other Males)- Elephant Bulls must duel other males for mating rights.
Weakness (Poor Vision)- Elephants have poor eyesight, and often miss things unless directly in front of them, and close by. This makes them easy to startle or sneak up on, and makes them wary of small creatures that make great deals of noise (no really- the Mythbusters proved they don't like mice).
Temper- Elephants are notoriously ornery (especially males). Some are prone to sudden charges, however most are "bluffs".

Total: Abilities: 10 / Skills: 22--11 / Advantages: 9 / Powers: 33 / Defenses: 16 (73)

WOOLY MAMMOTH HARNESS- 28 Equipment Points
Seats:
One (large saddle on top)
Armour: Protection 1 (large saddle and harness) (1)
Weaponry: Two Saddle Blasters & Two Rocket Launchers (Blast 9- Multiattack) (27)

-The Mammoth is another Ice Age critter, about the size of an Asian Elephant, and was the biggest powerhouse of that part of the line. He had the full walking function, a large-ish harness and a Neanderthal rider, but truth be told, I found the whole armature to be a bit plain. And really, who puts only ONE RIDER on a mount that size? The similarly-scaled Triceratops & Torosaurus both had TWO riders- this felt like they were just cheaping out on this one. Not a bad Mammoth toy when it's unclad, at least. I still don't have the guns for the stupid thing- I bought him in the same lot that got my the Chasmosaurus, Brontosaurus and a few others, so I took what I could get. I have no idea what guns even fit him, either- I think they might be unique. Oh well- he looks fine without it.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24695
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Re: Jab's Builds! (Dino-Riders- Diplodocus! T-Rex! Brontosaurus!)

Post by Jabroniville »

And that's it for Dino-Riders! I just have the other episode reviews to post, plus an extra project I did regarding the series.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24695
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Re: Jab's Builds! (Dino-Riders- Diplodocus! T-Rex! Brontosaurus!)

Post by Jabroniville »

Episode Ten: Rasp's team builds some giant laser cannons, which Krulos then puts on the new toy- Kentrosaurus. This creates some pollution that poisons dinosaurs, which pisses Yungstar off SEVERELY, causing him to lose "The Path" and become more violent. His telepathy falters, and the others (mostly Mind-Zei) put him right, explaining that "it is true we must fight the Rulons- but there is no point in fighting them, only to become Rulons ourselves". Ah, that old chestnut. I always liked Norman's answer in Mighty Max- "If you kill him, you'll become just like him!" "... I'm okay with that. *kills guy*" But it's a nice sentiment that you can actually see the point of- filling one's heart with hatred can be a self-destructive impulse. Of course, Yungstar seems to solve the problem by just meditating and making it better- he doesn't have any watershed moment or think to himself or anything. He just meditates and he's better by the next scene.

The episode has a notable brawl between the Kentrosaurus & Edmontonia, which square off pretty evenly (though the Kents are MUCH bigger in this show than they were in real life), using all of their weapons (tail buzzsaws, a giant buzzsaw AROUND the Edmontonia, lasers, etc.). The two Rulons mainly used here are Krok and SKAB, oddly enough- Skab is just a Lokus recolour, and not an actual toy. Quite weird. It's also notable that Krulos has spent the last few episodes on a Triceratops instead of the T-Rex, probably because they didn't want to over-use it- it's SUCH a game-changer in fights that it could get overexposed and dominate the plot too much.

Episode Eleven:
"Enter the Commandos"- never mind that we've seen them already. Christy Marx, who did a lot of work on G.I. Joe, was a natural here. Somehow, three Ant-Men are enough to haul down a seven-ton Triceratops!! Faze makes his debut as a sniper-ish dude with Jack Nicholson's voice (did they get Shipwreck's VA to do this? I already recognize TMNT's Leonardo as several voices here). The Rulons are stealing Triceratops eggs so they can super-age them and end up with a HUGE army of the beasts, so the Commandos go off to save the day (Questar notes that Astra is so focused that he often does this, claming that all down-time should be spent hunting Rulons). And despite NOT HAVING ANY DINOSAURS, they absolutely kick the CRAP out of a Rulon Raiding Party, with Glyde beating a half-dozen Pteranodon Cavalry Guys by himself, while Faze sends a giant Missile to blow up some Triceratopses (seriously, that was a HUGE explosion- how on Earth could they have survived?). Questar's team arrive to save the day when Krulos (WITH T-Rex this time) attacks and nearly kills the Commandos, but nobody really harps on the lesson here.
Last edited by Jabroniville on Tue Jan 30, 2018 6:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24695
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

My Own Dino-Riders!

Post by Jabroniville »

So I was bored at work one day a couple of years ago, and figured I'd do some "FanFic"-style Dino-Riders set-ups, using dinosaurs that hadn't appeared in the line before. Just the kind of stuff seven-year-olds make when they want to envision "cool toys" and the like :). I tried to follow some of the "rules" of the line, like an appropriate number of saddles and guns for each creature, and each side getting a counterpart to the other.

THERIZINOSAURUS HARNESS- 36 Equipment Points
Seats:
Two Riders (One on Each Side; One Higher Than The Other)
Armour: Protection 2 (harness covers much of torso) (2)
Weaponry: 2 Arm Scythes (Damage +2), Cannon Pod (Blast 8), Shock-Stick Pod (Affliction 8- Dazed/Stunned/Incapacitated, Cumulative) (34)
* The Therizinosaurus, de-wussified by giving it arm blades and even blades on the BRAIN BOX.

IGUANODON HARNESS- 52 Equipment Points
Seats:
Two Riders (One on Each Side)
Armour: Protection 2 (harness covers much of torso) (2)
Weaponry: Sword (Affliction 8- Dazed/Stunned/Incapacitated, Cumulative), Shield (Defenses +2), Two Pod Cannons (Blast 8 each) (50)
* Counterpart to the Therizinosaurus, the Iguanodon takes the "Thumb Spikes" concept and upgrades it to a literally Giant Knight, using melee weapons comprised of equipment.

CARNOTAURUS HARNESS- 34 Equipment Points
Seats:
One Rider (Back Saddle)
Armour: Protection 2 (harness covers much of torso) (2)
Weaponry: Horned Brain Box (Damage +2), Dual Cannons (Blast 9- Multiattack), Chest Grapplers (Extra Limbs 2), Net Tosser (Snare 8) (32)
* Another Rulon monster, specializing in melee combat.

PARASAUROLOPHUS HARNESS- 51 Equipment Points
Seats:
One Rider (Side Saddle)
Armour: Protection 2 (harness covers much of torso) (2)
Weaponry: Sonic Amplifier Beside Crest (Affliction 8- Dazed/Stunned/Incapacitated, 60ft. Cone, Cumulative), Saddle Cannon (Blast 9), Dimorphodon (Minion 2) with Bomb (Ranged Burst 8) (49)
* The Valorians gain the most famous Hadrosaur, sporting a unique weapon (a Sonic Amplifier) and an Assistant Dino in the Dimorphodon- I always liked bits like that).

ALLOSAURUS HARNESS- 84 Equipment Points
Seats:
Three Riders (Back Stand and Two Side Pods)
Armour: Protection 2 (harness covers much of torso) (2)
Weaponry: Over-The-Shoulder Stand Cannon (Blast 8), Leg Blades (Damage +1), Gattling Guns on Pods (Multiattack Blast 8 each), Bladed Whip Launcher (Blast 4 Linked to Snare 8) (82)
* The Rulons gain a "lesser T-Rex" in their arsenal- a cool-looking dino that slightly-poorer coulds could afford.

ALBERTOSAURUS HARNESS- 48 Equipment Points
Seats:
Three Riders (Side Saddles and Back Pod)
Armour: Protection 2 (harness covers much of torso) (2)
Weaponry: Back Pod Twin Lasers (Blast 8), Saddle Sniper Rifle (Blast 10- Extended Range, Distracting), Saddle Cannon (Blast 9), Magnet Launcher (Affliction 8- Impaired/Disabled/Inacapacitated- Ranged, Limited to Technology) (46)
* Unsuaully, the Valorians gain a paint-swap of a Rulon Carnosaur. I gave each of them a "unique weapon"- in this case, a Magnet Launcher to destabilize enemy technology.

TERROR BIRD HARNESS- 19 Equipment Points
Seats:
One Rider (Back Saddle)
Armour: Protection 1 (small harness) (1)
Weaponry: Ripper Talons (Damage +2), Missile Launcher (Blast 8) (18)
* Eschewing the Deinonychus for each side, these characters gain large birds, similar to the "Ice Age" line.

MOA HARNESS- 20 Equipment Points
Seats:
One Rider (Side Saddle)
Armour: Protection 1 (small harness) (1)
Weaponry: Maser Beam (Blast 9), Under Lasers (Blast 4- Multiattack) (19)
* Eschewing the Deinonychus for each side, these characters gain large birds, similar to the "Ice Age" line.

TERROR BIRD HARNESS- 19 Equipment Points
Seats:
One Rider (Back Saddle)
Armour: Protection 1 (small harness) (1)
Weaponry: Ripper Talons (Damage +2), Missile Launcher (Blast 8) (18)
* Eschewing the Deinonychus for each side, these characters gain large birds, similar to the "Ice Age" line.

SPINOSAURUS HARNESS- 143 Equipment Points
Seats:
5 Riders (Frill Side Platform, Two Side Chairs, Tail Chair, Back Pod)
Armour: Protection 2 (large harness covers most of torso; sail covers) (2)
Weaponry: Frill Missile Launchers (Ranged Burst 9), Platform Cannons (Blast 7- Multiattack), Chair Gatling Guns (Blast 10- Multiattack Each), Claw Gloves & Chainsaw (Damage 8- Multiattack), Spiked Tail (Damage +2), Tail Dual Cannons (Blast 9- Multiattack), Back Pod Ion Cannon (Blast 12) (141)
* The Rulons gain another giant Carnosaur toy- one even LARGER than the T-Rex.

BRACHIOSAURUS HARNESS- 319 Equipment Points
Seats:
18 Riders (Chest Deck, Command Pod for Two, Tail Chair, Two Side Pods for Six Each)
Armour: Protection 2 (harness covers most of the back and part of the front) (2)
Weaponry: 5 Missile Launchers (Blast 10- Area), Two Neck Double-Guns & Leg Cannons (Blast 10- Multiattack), Command Pod Guns (Blast 8), Tail Guns (Blast 9- Multiattack), Pod Cannons (Blast 12- Two on Each Side), Back Missile Launcher (Blast 12- Burst), Three Archaeopteryx (Minions 6) with Time Bombs (Blast 12- Burst, Triggered) (317)
* Naturally, the Brontosaurus needs an "upgrade"- a Brachiosaurus tall enough to handle a "Chest Deck", two side-pods, and numerous other chairs. Plus of course three "Helper Dinos".

TERROR BIRD HARNESS- 19 Equipment Points
Seats:
One Rider (Back Saddle)
Armour: Protection 1 (small harness) (1)
Weaponry: Ripper Talons (Damage +2), Missile Launcher (Blast 8) (18)
* Eschewing the Deinonychus for each side, these characters gain large birds, similar to the "Ice Age" line.

* I also though of an upgrade to the "Commandos" the show was so in love with- rather than make them "Crappy G.I. Joes", I stuck them with Dinosaur Helpers, making them suck less.

STEGOCERAS HARNESS- 19 Equipment Points
Seats:
None
Armour: Protection 1 (small harness) (1)
Weaponry: "Tri-Cannon" Blast 6, "Land Mind Dropper" Blast 8 (Triggered) (18)
* In the "Protoceratops/Placerias" zone is Stegoceras.

RAPTOREX HARNESS- 6 Equipment Points
Seats:
None
Armour: Protection 1 (small harness) (1)
Weaponry: "Strap Cutters" Damage 5 (5)
* The Raptorex (a "dubious name" for a human-sized tyrannosaurid that may just be an infant of another type) gets a "tactical" weapon- shears designed to cut the straps that connect the armor to the dinosaurs.

EUROPASAURUS HARNESS- 67 Equipment Points
Seats:
Three (Pilot Stand, Side-Pod, Rear Seat)
Armour: Protection 2 (harness covers the back and sides) (2)
Weaponry: Pilot Stand Guns & Neck Guns (Blast 6- Multiattack), Rear Cannons & Tail Guns (Blast 8- Multiattack), Missile Launcher (Blast 8- Area), Side Pod Cannon (Blast 8), Electrified Opposite Side (Aura 7- Limited) (65)
* The miniature Sauropod would make for a fun "Triceratops-Sized" figure.

ANKYLOSAURUS HARNESS- 46 Equipment Points
Seats:
Two (Two Covered Side Pods)
Armour: Protection 2 (harness covers the sides and part of the back armor, plus legs) (2)
Weaponry: Pod Guns x2 (Blast 5- Multiattack), Massive Cannon (Blast 11), Net Launcher (Snare 8), Battering Ram (+3), Tail Club (Damage +1) (44)
* I always felt it somewhat unjust that the line's only Ankylosaurus was such a tiny figure- this one is based more off of the real version, gaining an armored harness that fits around the legit armor of the creature.

LIOPLEURODON HARNESS- 106 Equipment Points
Seats:
4 Riders (Claw Seat, Rear Pod, 2 Front Pods)
Armour: Protection 1 (covers most of the belly) (1)
Weaponry: 6 Front Cannons (Blast 10- Multiattack), Pod Guns (Blast 6- Multiattack), Twin Torpedo Launchers (Blast 9- Burst), Rear Guns (Blast 6- Multiattack), Claw Seat (Damage 10), 1 Ichthyosaur Minion (Minion 4) with Bombs (Blast 8- Burst) (105)
* A monstrous creature, the Liopleurodon would be another "Centerpiece" for the line.

MOSASAURUS HARNESS- 129 Equipment Points
Seats:
15 Riders (Neck Pod, 2 Side Long-Pods, Rear Pod, Belly Pod)
Armour: Protection 1 (covers most of the belly) (1)
Weaponry: Neck Pod Twin-Guns (Blast 5- Multiattack), Long-Pod Missiles x2 (Blast 11- Multiattack), Rear Pod Torpedos (Blast 9- Burst), 4 Fin Cannons (Blast 6), Belly Pod Guns (Blast 6- Multiattack), Magnetic Arm (128)
* The Mosasaurus would be the smaller, Valorian counterpart to the Rulon Liopleurodon.

MEGALODON HARNESS- 82 Equipment Points
Seats:
3 Riders (2-Seat Back Pod, Belly Pod)
Armour: Protection 1 (covers most of the belly) (1)
Weaponry: Belly-Blade (Damage 12), Belly-Pod Gatling Gun (Blast 9- Multiattack), 6 Extendable Scythe-Blades on Sides (Damage 8- Multiattack, Reach 2), 6 Laser Guns on Sides (Blast 10- Multiattack), Twin Side-Cannons (Blast 11), Buzzsaw Tail (Damage 10- Multiattack) (81)
* When you get a chance to make an armored Giant Shark covered with blades, you take it.

ELASMOSAURUS HARNESS- 99 Equipment Points
Seats:
4 Riders (3-Part Belly Pod, Rear Pod)
Armour: Protection 1 (covers most of the belly) (1)
Weaponry: 2 Neck Torpedo Launchers (Blast 8- Burst), 4 Flipper Twin-Guns (Blast 6- Multiattack), Twin Ion Cannons (Blast 9- Multiattack), 4 Lasers (Blast 8- Multiattack), Rear Torpedo Launcer (Blast 7- Burst) (98)
* The Valorians' counterpart to the Megalodon, the Elasmosaurus is the most iconic undersea Giant Reptile, but smaller than the others. The 3-Part Pod on the bottom would access different weapons, giving it some versatility.

* I also though of an upgrade to the "Commandos" the show was so in love with- rather than make them "Crappy G.I. Joes", I stuck them with Dinosaur Helpers, making them suck less.

Valorian Commandos: Dimorphodon, Troodon, 3 Compsognathus (they're SUPER-tiny, so he gets three easily-lost toys), Ornitholestes, Archaeoceratops
Rulon Commandos: Velociraptor, Coelophysis, Psittacosaurus, 3 Microraptors, Nyctosaurus
Jabroniville
Posts: 24695
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Re: Jab's Builds! (Dino-Riders- Diplodocus! T-Rex! Brontosaurus!)

Post by Jabroniville »

Episodes Twelve: SWEET! The Brontosaurus episodes! These were HUGE amongst my friends and I at the time. This is probably the single-most-flagrant use of "BUY OUR TOY" I've ever seen in a 1980s Merch-Based toon, as they basically go all-out talking about this thing. Proclaimed as "the largest dinosaur on Earth" (quite odd, considering that there were rumors of Ultrasaurs & Supersaurs by this time, never mind that Brachiosaurus was actually larger, too. Or that Brontosaurus is actually called APATOSAURUS because scientists were forced to choose the lame other name due to nomenclature rules), Brontosaurus, master of stealth that it is, had eluded everyone's sight for weeks, but was finally discovered sneaking up on Khameelian (how on EARTH did he miss that?! HE'S THE SURVIVALIST!). The Rulons & Dino-Riders get into a laser battle over it, but it finally goes off with our heroes.

More Merch-based stuff- Turret shows all of the possible armaments for the thing (based off of unused designs for the toys), then goes into detail about how awesome their mobile command centre/base on the thing's back will be. And soon, the Rulons invade Valorian Camp and the Tyrannosaurus Rex & Brontosaurus get into a Laser Battle! HELL yes! Questar refuses to let Turret test their unproven S.T.E.P.-Powered Super Laser against the numerous enemies, but he does it anyways, saving the day. Questar is PISSED at Turret for doing so, and then it's revealed that Questar had been feeding information to Krulos himself! Krulos looks on and chuckles evil-like while the Valorians discover their leader is a traitor.

Episode Thirteen: Questar refuses the Valorian test to discover his loyalty because it'd leave the team vulnerable (we get a huge shot of multiple Valorians, proving there's some other women around), and exiles himself to avoid breaking up the unity of the squad. Of course Krulos then attacks, and the disagreeing triumvirate of leadership (Gunnur, Ikon & Mind-Zei) lead to the Brontosaurus being captured and Brain-Boxed. Questar returns in time to save the non-captured stragglers (ie. the named characters), and everyone basically goes "yeah, that was totally just a Krulos trick!". They rescue the captured Valorians (thanks to the Spotlight-Stealing Commando Team), but Questar figures out that it's just a lure for another Rulon trap, so he had a plan in place: they lure the Rulons themselves into an ambush with Ewok-style log traps and ropes and junk, which defeats most of the Rulons. Krulos repeatedly uses the Particle Beam Cannon, breaking it, and soon it's him (vs) Questar, alone.

Questar's all "this is MY fight!" and sure enough gets his ass kicked by the super-strong Rulon Commander, but he judo-tosses him and cracks the fishbowl-headgear, which forces Krulos to run away (Questar refuses to kill him, since they don't actually want to win the war or anything. I mean, at LEAST capture him! It's still better than when She-Ra saved Hordak's life and then deposited him DIRECTLY ONTO HIS THRONE). The Brontosaurus is freed from Rulon control without having mattered too much. This very much felt like a Season/Series Finale, and I assumed it was as a kid. I was OBSESSED with this show, but clearly didn't see the next one...

Episode Fourteen: "In the Ice Age". Okay, this is weird; the animation is TOTALLY DIFFERENT, with different outlines and colour-style, despite having the same basic design on all the characters. It's a HUNDRED times better, too. The Dino-Riders finally reactivate their S.T.E.P. Crystal device, but the Rulons attack (with the new Quetzalcoatlus toys, complete with more elaborate designs). The Pachyrhinosaurus (without the toy's armour) is there with the Commandos (sigh...) as they teleport into the future (the Ice Age) to avoid being captured. They decide to 'port back after they grab some new animals to use in the war, coming across the Sabre-Toothed Tiger, Killer Wart Hog & Megatherium in short order. The evil caveman Grom gets angry at these "strangers", and tries to kill them. The Pachyrhinosaurus appears unfazed by the ICE AGE WEATHER, and the Commandos themselves apparently wear suits that can automatically adjust for the cold (I guess they have Equipment Points left over to do that).

With Glyde injured by a deliberate Mammoth Stampede, the Commandos meet the very human-like Kub, who brings them to his tribe, who conveniently all speak English. They're Cro-Magnons, fighting the Neanderthals in Grom's tribe, who are all hairier and uglier. Astra teaches them to make shields and use tactics, and soon Faze cannibalizes the Brontosaurus' harness to make weapons for their new mounts, and Grom is defeated. The Commandos (with a healed Glyde, given doctor-style care by Maya, the Cro-Magnon girl) return to the past with Kub and Grom in tow, and defeat the Rulons. Everyone is all "yup, they're gonna be back", while Grom runs off to parts unknown. A very weird episode that lacked a lot of drama- in particular, the Commandos are very poor characters. See, while the Dino-Riders are generally from the Box O' Stereotypes, at least they HAVE personalities. These dudes are just the same guy five times over, all reacting in pretty much the same way, with Astra a bit more leader-ly and Khameelion being a bit of a know-it-all dork.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24695
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Kill Bill

Post by Jabroniville »

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The movie is all storytelling and no story. The motivations have no psychological depth or resonance, but are simply plot markers. The characters consist of their characteristics. Lurking beneath everything, as it did with "Pulp Fiction," is the suggestion of a parallel universe in which all of this makes sense in the same way that a superhero's origin story makes sense.

"Kill Bill, Volume 1" is not the kind of movie that inspires discussion of the acting, but what Thurman, Fox and Liu accomplish here is arguably more difficult than playing the nuanced heroine of a Sundance thumb-sucker. There must be presence, physical grace, strength, personality and the ability to look serious while doing ridiculous things.
-Roger Ebert's **** Review


KILL BILL:
-Kill Bill was a pair of movies released by Quentin Tarantino in the 2000s, meant to be one feature, but split into two when it proved to be four hours long. Homaging, well, EVERYTHING, it was Tarantino's biggest hit yet, and was heavily inspired by stuff he saw in the 1970s, like Blaxploitation, Kurosawa and Western films. Heavy inspiration was taken from Lady Snowblood (a Japanese film in which a woman kills off the gang who murdered her family) and The Bride Wore Black (a 1968 French film that featured... a vengeful bride crossing the names of a gang who crossed her off of a list).

-These were actually my first Tarantino movies, and were great fun- the first is basically All Stylistic Fighting, where all we get is that "The Bride" (as she's known until the second film) wakes up in a hospital after having been gunned down by her former employer/lover, and his band of baddies. Desperate for vengeance, she heals herself out of sheer force of will (naturally, with giant close-ups of her feet, because this is Tarantino), and moves in on the bad guys one-by-one. As they've since split apart and live very different lives, this becomes a bit easier.

-Heavily, HEAVILY stylistic, these films succeed in part because Tarantino has the CHARACTERS take the subject matter very seriously, while he himself does not. So a woman single-handedly killing almost eighty-eight people by herself doesn't make your eyes roll, because he KNOWS that's unrealistic and instead just puts you into the style of it- its over-the-top violence (endless limb-chopping, eyes being pulled from skulls, etc.) going alongside some goofy pop tunes and the most bad-ass "Walking Sequence" music in history (Battle Without Honor Or Humanity).

-The second film is slower and more cerebral than the first, and is altogether not nearly as memorable in a cinematic way (there's more introspective stuff, Origin Stories, and conversations- the first film is Just Killing- it's hard to top the "Crazy 88" scene). The music is nothing I remember at all, and I LOVED the first volume's soundtrack (crossing every genre imaginable). But it creates a heckuva great story all in all, and even though I've only seen the second one once (in theatres), I can still quote MANY scenes.
Jabroniville
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Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Re: Jab's Builds! (Dino-Riders- Diplodocus! T-Rex! Brontosaurus!)

Post by Jabroniville »

Hey, check it out! I found pictures of someone's not-nerdy-at-all Dino-Riders collection! Along with some other ultra-masculine toys!

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Jabroniville
Posts: 24695
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

The Bride

Post by Jabroniville »

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The Bride defeats the 88 superb fighters (plus various bodyguards and specialists) despite her weakened state and recently paralyzed legs because she is a better fighter than all of the others put together. Is that because of the level of her skill, the power of her focus, or the depth of her need for vengeance? Skill, focus and need have nothing to do with it: She wins because she kills everybody without getting killed herself. You can sense Tarantino grinning a little as each fresh victim, filled with foolish bravado, steps forward to be slaughtered.
-Roger Ebert


THE BRIDE (Beatrix Kiddo, aka Black Mamba)
Played by:
Uma Thurman
Role: The Hero
Group Affiliations: The Deadly Viper Assassination Squad
PL 10 (209)
STRENGTH
3 STAMINA 5 AGILITY 6
FIGHTING 13 DEXTERITY 5
INTELLIGENCE 2 AWARENESS 4 PRESENCE 4

Skills:
Acrobatics 8 (+14)
Athletics 10 (+13)
Deception 2 (+6)
Expertise (Assassin) 10 (+12)
Insight 4 (+8)
Intimidation 8 (+12)
Investigation 4 (+8)
Perception 4 (+8)
Sleight of Hand 2 (+7)
Stealth 6 (+12)
Vehicles 2 (+7)

Advantages:
Accurate Attack, Agile Feint, All-Out Attack, Assessment, Chokehold, Daze (Intimidation), Defensive Attack, Diehard, Equipment 2 (Hattori Hanzo Sword), Fast Grab, Fearless, Grab Finesse, Great Endurance, Improved Critical (Sword) 2, Improved Defense, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative 3, Improved Smash, Improved Trip, Improvised Weapon, Instant Up, Languages 2 (Various), Last Stand (Ignores All Damage For 1 Round w/ HP Spent), Power Attack, Prone Fighting, Quick Draw, Ranged Attack 7, Seize Initiative, Startle, Takedown 2, Tracking, Ultimate Toughness Save, Uncanny Dodge, Weapon Break

Powers:
"One-Inch Punch" Features 1: May Use Full Strength in Enclosed Spaces [1]
"Eye Pluck" Affliction 8 (Toughness; Impaired Vision/Disabled Vision/Transformed to Eyeless) (Extras: Continuous +3) (Flaws: Limited to One Eye At a Time) (Inaccurate -3) [13]
"Five-Point-Palm Heart-Exploding Technique" Weaken Stamina 10 (Fort; Dazed/Stunned/Dying) (Feats: Triggered- Takes Effect After Five Steps) (Extras: Progressive +2) (Flaws: Distracting) (Inaccurate -3) [18]

Equipment:
"If in your journey you should encounter God, God will be cut." Strength-Damage +4 (Feats: Improved Critical 2) (Extras: Penetrating 4) (10)

Offense:
Unarmed +13 (+3 Damage, DC 18)
Hattori Hanzo Sword +13 (+7 Damage, DC 22)
Eye Pluck +7 (+8 Affliction, DC 18)
Heart-Exploding Technique +7 (+10 Weaken, DC 20)
Initiative +18

Defenses:
Dodge +14 (DC 24), Parry +15 (DC 25), Toughness +5, Fortitude +6, Will +10

Complications:
Motivation (Killing Bill)- Bill and his Deadly Viper Assassination Squad once murdered The Bride's entire wedding party, and mortally-wounded her. All because she left them suddenly, and got married.
Relationship (Daughter)- The Bride was devastated at the realization that she'd lost her baby, and was stunned into immobility upon discovering that she was alive.
Enemy (Bill, O-Ren Ishii, Elle Driver, Budd, Vernita Green)

Total: Abilities: 84 / Skills: 60--30 / Advantages: 46 / Powers: 32 / Defenses: 17 (209)

-The Bride is the main character of Kill Bill, played by Tarantino's "Muse", Uma Thurman (though, unlike some directors, he doesn't over-use his Muse). As many of his favorite films use female protagonists gaining revenge, so too does this one. She was a pregnant, retired assassin who had her wedding party gunned down horribly for abandoning the group- the man she loved, Bill, fired a final bullet into her brain after she confesses "it's YOUR baby...". She awakens in a coma many years later (Bill had refused to finish her off, citing past feelings and "I owe her"), slowly recovering the use of her legs after executing a hospital worker who was selling her comatose body for sex. Then she goes and exacts "bloody satisfaction".

-It's kind of artful how they play with the character- we don't learn her origins, just that she joined Bill's group and was trained by the stereotypical Old Chinese Master, Pai Mei. We never see her assassinate people, which allows us to see her as the heroine when she's probably as bad as most of her colleagues were. And of course, all of her victims were evil people themselves- murderers, gansters and assassins alike. And through her feelings for her child (her late fiancee is basically ignored) and her sheer hatred for these people, we see her as sympathetic. Even though her final act in the first film is to torture and maim an already-injured woman (she slices off her arm as the first part of her rampage against the Crazy 88), letting Bill know "the extent of my mercy" as he "looks upon your deformed body".

-Uma Thurman herself just slays it with the role. She can make a character who says relatively little mean a lot, like The Man With No Name who inspired the character. Thurman is peculiar in that her career has two peaks, both largely created by Tarantino's work- this one and Pulp Fiction. Unfortunately, a lack of good roles came her way in both cases- she used to be an infamous example of the "Hollywood Hype Machine" failing people (starlets in particular), as she was hyped as "The New It Girl", leading to me coining the phrase "It Girl Curse", as EVERYONE who got this name (see Gretchen Mol for another) soon had their career go down in flames. In both cases for Thurman, a series of bombs and disappointments (despite the love it gets now, Gattaca lost a crap-ton of money when it was released, for example) ended her buzz. And now she's rather old- most actresses get stuck playing "The Mom" between 35 and 50, and don't get to play "Grandmother" roles until much later.

-The Bride is an impressive specimen to say the least. Her ranged attacks are good enough to kill a trained assassin with a thrown knife, she can punch her way out of a casket six feet under ground, and she takes out three highly-trained assassins in melee combat. But of course her BIGGEST feat is in the destruction of the Crazy 88- demolishing them one after another (after taking out their top fighters in the opening brawl), slaughtering some, maiming others (she disallows them reclaiming their limbs- "They now belong to me!"), and sparing a final one because he's super-young (she gives him a spanking and sends him on his way). For such a character, only PL 10 will do, really. I mean, killing Mooks in M&M is pretty easy, especially with Takedown- but EIGHT-EIGHT? Then killing their boss?

-Without the esoteric Asian Martial Arts techniques, she'd STILL come out to an impressive PL 10 (177). However, I left those in, as they're major features of the character we'd soon see- she does the "Eye Pluck" in a "Blink and you'll miss it" bit in the first film, but pulls it out again in the second (in a much bigger scene). And of course the Five-Point-Palm Exploding-Heart-Technique ends the second movie. In both cases, these are highly-inaccurate attacks, especially against major martial artists- hence, she keeps the techniques secret, bluffing her opponents into thinking she's helpless.
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Re: Jab's Builds! (Dino-Riders- Diplodocus! T-Rex! Brontosaurus!)

Post by Shock »

Jabroniville wrote: Tue Jan 30, 2018 9:07 am Hey, check it out! I found pictures of someone's not-nerdy-at-all Dino-Riders collection! Along with some other ultra-masculine toys!
Your kids must love playing with all that stuff :mrgreen:
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Ares
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Re: Jab's Builds! (Dino-Riders- Diplodocus! T-Rex! Brontosaurus! Kill Bill!)

Post by Ares »

Jabroniville wrote: Tue Jan 30, 2018 12:08 am Image
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COMMANDO TEMPLATE
Role:
G.I. Joe Knock-Offs, Spotlight Stealing Squad

-The Commandos were seen from time-to-time on the show, and were generally knock-offs of G.I. Joe, which was a huge deal at the time (this being the late 1980s). Astra, a humorless leader-type, was in charge with his cool Spear & Shield combo, leading Glyde (Paratrooper Glider-Guy), Faze (Long-Ranged Artillery), Bomba (Demolitions like land mines), and Khameelian (hidden scout)- they had their own episode of focus, and a couple were background assist-guy in other episodes, but also showed up to dominate the "Ice Age" episode, which was rather annoying- the rest of the cast may have been selections from the Wall O' Stereotypes, but at least they had PERSONALITIES. These guys were just a squad of same-minded military dudes who rarely lost at anything.
The Commandos were a sign to me that the company making the show/toys were mishandling the property. You have a series about aliens fighting a war using dinosaurs who have armor, lasers and missiles strapped to them. Why in the world would you want to focus on a group of guys whose whole schtick is that they fight without using dinosaurs? That's be like releasing a line of Transformers that couldn't actually transfor- . . . oh wait.

I also think one thing they could have done to save on toy cost would have been to leave out all of the motorized walking features several toys came with. I can't speak for everyone, but as a kid I never used the motorized features in nearly any toy I owned. It would have been less expensive to build, way less expensive to buy, and kids could have bought more of them. Win win.
Jabroniville wrote: Mon Jan 29, 2018 9:04 am Image
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TYRANNOSAURUS REX
Role:
Special Mount, Elite War Platform, Giant Monster
Mount For: Krulos, Bitor (Antor Recolour) & Cobrus (Rasp Recolour)
PL 11 (108)- Minion Rank 8, Sidekick Rank 22

... how do you make a T. Rex more awesome? By sticking ten tons of body armour on him, strapping about a dozen lasers on top of THAT, give him an evil helmet, and giant grappling claws (A T-Rex who can DO PUSH-UPS and MAKE A BED? HE IS INVINCIBLE!!)! Frick, even his FEET have weapons on them! This was the mightiest toy ever, and probably my favourite overall action figure (though it was sold years ago during a Garage Sale... stupid teenage years not being nostalgic enough), and is overall just bad ass. I've seen some custom re-paints that made it look like the cartoon version instead of the more-plain "Grey & Green" look the toy had, and they're pretty sweet, too. Had the toy line gone into the mid-90s, we'd probably have seen a comparable Spinosaurus or Giganotosaurus, but alas, T-Rex would be one of comparatively-few predators to make the toyline.
This thing deserves to be on Heavy Metal album covers. Seriously, it's like they just kept slapping 'awesome' onto the most iconic dinosaur of all time and didn't know when to stop.

"Hey Bob, there's a problem with the T-Rex's leg armor."
"What's wrong with it, Alex?"
"There's no weapons on it."
"Alex, we've slapped every possible weapon on this thing we can think of. What could we possibly put on the legs?"
"Buzzsaws."
"Buzzsaws?"
"Yeah, so that if anyone even gets close to it, the T-Rex can kick them and the saws on its legs can slice them to bits."
" . . . you MAD GENIUS, this is BRILLIANT! Make it happen!"
"Can do!"
"I just hope the cartoon guys don't screw this up!"
"My heart is as light as a child's, a feeling I'd nearly forgotten. And by helping those in need, I will be able to keep that feeling alive."
- Captain Marvel SHAZAM! : Power of Hope (2000)

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Jabroniville
Posts: 24695
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Vernita Green

Post by Jabroniville »

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VERNITA GREEN (Copperhead, aka Jeanne Bell)
Played by:
Vivica A. Fox
Role: Disposable Villain
Group Affiliations: The Deadly Viper Assassination Squad
PL 9 (138)
STRENGTH
3 STAMINA 4 AGILITY 5
FIGHTING 13 DEXTERITY 5
INTELLIGENCE 2 AWARENESS 4 PRESENCE 4

Skills: 
Acrobatics 7 (+12)
Athletics 8 (+11)
Close Combat (Edged Weapons) 2 (+15)
Deception 6 (+10)
Expertise (Assassin) 8 (+10)
Insight 3 (+7)
Intimidation 3 (+7)
Investigation 4 (+8)
Perception 4 (+8)
Sleight of Hand 1 (+6)
Stealth 6 (+11)

Advantages: 
Accurate Attack, Agile Feint, Defensive Attack, Equipment 2 (Pistol +4), Fast Grab, Grab Finesse, Improved Critical (Knife), Improved Defense, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Improvised Weapon, Instant Up, Languages 1 (A Few), Prone Fighting, Quick Draw, Ranged Attack 3, Takedown

Offense:
Unarmed +13 (+3 Damage, DC 18)
Pistol +8 (+4 Ranged Damage, DC 19)
Initiative +9

Defenses:
Dodge +12 (DC 22), Parry +13 (DC 23), Toughness +4, Fortitude +5, Will +7

Complications:
Relationship (Lawrence & Nikkia)- Under her new identity, Vernita has married a doctor and given birth to a daughter.
Enemy (The Bride)

Total: Abilities: 80 / Skills: 52--26 / Advantages: 21 / Powers: 0 / Defenses: 11 (138)

-First killed in the first movie (though in one of those odd stylistic bits, she's killed SECOND in reality, and we see O-Ren's death via flashback, thus spoiling it early), Vernita Green opens her door, spotting her old rival (with a CLASSIC "70s Music" stinger), and they brawl through the living room. Then, when Vernita's daughter comes home, both women immediately stop and reassure her that everything's okay, making sure she's gone before starting anything else- there are rules for this sort of thing. Vernita argues with The Bride, suggests she receive mercy, explains some of her backstory (she retired voluntarily from the Squad, rather than running away like the Bride did), makes a deal to engage in a knife fight elsewhere to settle the score, and the suddenly pulls a pistol out of a cereal box and SHOOTS at her, causing The Bride to throw a knife through Vernita's chest, pinning her to the cupboard. Young Nikkia having seen this, The Bride gives a simple explanation, says Vernita had it coming, and suggests that they can still deal with it if she's still mad in twenty or so years.

-Vernita is thus the least-explained or developed person in the story- we get no backstory, and she gets no moments with any characters other than The Bride and her daughter. Poor Vivica A. Fox is thus given the least to work with in the story, and goes down the easiest- she actually looks rather pathetic, equalling The Bride in a surprise combat, but failing to shoot her at near point-blank range and getting one-shotted as a result. Too bad- Fox had a serviceable career as "The hot girl in all those Black Movies" in the early '90s, but has largely disappeared.

-Less capable than The Bride, but still rather devastating (few characters last as long in a direct fight, and Bill calls her "the best fighter with an edged weapon" that he has ever seen), Vernita is a poor shot, but probably has the best Deception of the group- successfully hiding her true personality, and nearly getting The Bride with a sneak attack. She's a PL 8 all over, but becomes a PL 9-10 with knives or improvised weapons, and has PL 8.5 to Parry.
Last edited by Jabroniville on Wed Jan 31, 2018 5:37 am, edited 1 time in total.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24695
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Crazy 88

Post by Jabroniville »

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CRAZY 88 MEMBER- RANK & FILE
Role:
Mooks
Group Affiliations: The Crazy 88, The Yakuza
PL 4 (47)
STRENGTH
1 STAMINA 2 AGILITY 3
FIGHTING 4 DEXTERITY 2
INTELLIGENCE 0 AWARENESS 0 PRESENCE 0

Skills: 
Acrobatics 2 (+5)
Athletics 2 (+3)
Close Combat (Unarmed) 1 (+5)
Deception 5 (+5)
Expertise (Yakuza) 4 (+4)
Intimidation 3 (+3)
Perception 4 (+4)
Sleight of Hand 2 (+4)
Stealth 1 (+4)

Advantages:
All-Out Attack, Defensive Attack, Equipment 2 (Sword +3), Ranged Attack 3

Offense:
Unarmed +5 (+1 Damage, DC 16)
Swords +4 (+4 Damage, DC 19)
Initiative +3

Defenses:
Dodge +5 (DC 15), Parry +6 (DC 16), Toughness +2, Fortitude +3, Will +0

Total: Abilities: 24 / Skills: 24--12 / Advantages: 7 / Powers: 0 / Defenses: 4 (47)

CRAZY 88 MEMBER- ELITE
Role:
Mooks
Group Affiliations: The Crazy 88, The Yakuza
PL 5 (61)
STRENGTH
2 STAMINA 3 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 5 DEXTERITY 2
INTELLIGENCE 0 AWARENESS 1 PRESENCE 1

Skills: 
Acrobatics 2 (+6)
Athletics 2 (+4)
Close Combat (Unarmed) 1 (+6)
Deception 5 (+6)
Expertise (Yakuza) 6 (+6)
Intimidation 3 (+4)
Perception 4 (+5)
Sleight of Hand 4 (+6)
Stealth 1 (+5)

Advantages:
All-Out Attack, Defensive Attack, Equipment 2 (Sword +3), Ranged Attack 3

Offense:
Unarmed +5 (+1 Damage, DC 16)
Swords +4 (+4 Damage, DC 19)
Initiative +3

Defenses:
Dodge +6 (DC 16), Parry +7 (DC 17), Toughness +3, Fortitude +4, Will +1

Total: Abilities: 36 / Skills: 28--14 / Advantages: 7 / Powers: 0 / Defenses: 4 (61)

-The Crazy 88 (who number... a bit less than eight-eight. Bill says "they just thought it sounded cool.") are O-Ren's cadre of warriors, designed to rule Tokyo with an iron fist and overwhelm her enemies with sheer numbers. And it would have worked, too... except that one of them was The Bride. And so she cuts them down, one-by-one, severing limbs, pulling out eyes, and slashing & stabbing young would-be criminals, leaving only a tiny handful alive.

-Crazy 88 members are usually either PL 4 or PL 5- nowhere near enough to take down a PL 10 Swordswoman, especially if she has two ranks of the "Takedown" Advantage.
Last edited by Jabroniville on Wed Jan 31, 2018 5:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
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