Jab’s Builds! (Beaker! Sam Eagle! Miss Piggy! The Swedish Chef!)

Where in all of your character write ups will go.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Amigo

Post by Jabroniville »

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AMIGO
First Appearance:
Shining Force Gaiden I
Class: Magical Creature
Role: Floating Jellyfish Alien, Blaster, Pokemon, The Tank Healer
Weapons: Unarmed
PL 9 (165), PL 10 (165) Nullify
STRENGTH
1 STAMINA 8 AGILITY 3
FIGHTING 6 DEXTERITY 1
INTELLIGENCE 3 AWARENESS 2 PRESENCE 3

Skills:
Athletics 3 (+6)
Perception 3 (+5)
Persuasion 2 (+5)
Ranged Combat (Spells) 6 (+11)

Advantages:
Improved Aim, Improved Critical (Ice) 2, Ranged Attack 4

Powers:
"Aura 4" Healing 12 (Extras: Area- 250ft. Burst +4, Selective) (Flaws: Unreliable- 5/day) (72) -- [79]
  • AE: "Aura 1" Healing 4 (Extras: Area- 15ft. Burst +1/2, Selective) (14)
  • AE: "Aura 2" Healing 4 (Extras: Area- 30ft. Burst, Selective) (Flaws: Unreliable -1/2- 8/day) (14)
  • AE: "Aura 3" Healing 8 (Extras: Area- 30ft. Burst, Selective) (Flaws: Unreliable- 5/day) (24)
  • AE: "Hellblast 1" Blast 2 (4)
  • AE: "Hellblast 2-4" Blast 6 (Extras: Multiattack) (18)
  • AE: "Boost" Enhanced Strength 2 & Ranged Damage 2 (Extras: Affects Others, Ranged) (Flaws: Unreliable- 5/day) (10)
  • AE: "Dispel" Nullify 10 (Extras: Broad & Simultaneous- Magical Powers) (30)
Flight 2 (8 mph) [4]

Offense:
Unarmed +6 (+1 Damage, DC 16)
Hellblast +11 (+2-6 Ranged Damage, DC 17-21)
Nullify +10 (+10 Ranged Nullify, DC 20)
Initiative +3

Defenses:
Dodge +8 (DC 18), Parry +8 (DC 18), Toughness +8, Fortitude +10, Will +7

Complications:
Responsibility (Flying Mage)- As a flying spellcaster, Amigo will draw the most enemy attacks after Nick.
Phobia (Violence)- Amigo hates violence, being terrified of getting hurt. She travels with the Shining Force to avoid enemies.
Power Loss (Magic- MP)- All Magic requires a base level of "Magic Points" to cast- Unreliable spells thus stack, so casting them multiple times can also prevent other spells from working.

Total: Abilities: 54 / Skills: 24--7 / Advantages: 7 / Powers: 83 / Defenses: 14 (165)

-Amigo is a creature similar to Domingo, and is found as a Secret Character in the battle following Randolf's arrival, hiding in a bush on the far right of the screen. A super-fragile Level 5, you can build her up into an Aura-using healer, gaining Aura 1-4, Hellblast 1-4, Boost 1-2 & Dispel. This means that unlike Domingo, who was an offense-based caster, she is a heavy-duty Healer, only PL 8.5 with the "Hellblast" spell, and PL 10 with Nullify.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Ian

Post by Jabroniville »

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IAN
First Appearance:
Shining Force- Final Conflict
Class: Swordsman/Hero
Role: The Main Hero
Weapons: Swords
PL 11 (180)
STRENGTH
3 STAMINA 4 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 11 DEXTERITY 1
INTELLIGENCE 1 AWARENESS 3 PRESENCE 3

Skills:
Athletics 5 (+8)
Deception 2 (+5)
Expertise (Soldier) 8 (+9)
Insight 3 (+6)
Intimidation 2 (+5)
Perception 4 (+7)
Persuasion 6 (+9)

Advantages:
Equipment 2 (Sword +3-5, Armor +2), Fearless, Improved Critical (Swords) 2, Improved Defense, Improved Initiative, Inspire, Leadership, Power Attack, Ranged Attack 2, Teamwork

Powers:
"Egress!" Teleport 10 (Extras: Area- 500ft. +5, Selective, Extended Only +0) (Flaws: Limited to Last Town Visited, Tiring) (60) -- [64]
  • AE: "Bolt 1" Blast 4 (Extras: Area- 15ft. Burst +1/2) (Flaws: Unreliable -1/2- 8/day) (8)
  • AE: "Bolt 2" Blast 7 (Extras: Area- 30ft. Burst) (Flaws: Unreliable- 5/day) (14)
  • AE: "Bolt 3" Blast 10 (Extras: Area- 30ft. Burst) (Flaws: Unreliable- 5/day) (20)
  • AE: "Bolt 4" Blast 12 (Flaws: Unreliable- 2/day -2) (Ranks 11-12 Limited to Toughness 8+ troops) (4)
"The Sword of Hayja" (Flaws: Easily Removable) [11]
Strength-Damage +8 (Extras: Penetrating 10) (18 points)

"White Ring" (Flaws: Removable) [8]
Protection 2 (Extras: Impervious 8) (10 points)

Equipment:
"Swords" Strength-Damage +3-5

Offense:
Unarmed +12 (+3 Damage, DC 18)
Sword +12 (+6-8 Damage, DC 21-23)
Sword of Hayja +11 (+11 Damage, DC 26)
Initiative +9

Defenses:
Dodge +11 (DC 21), Parry +13 (DC 23), Toughness +4 (+6 Armor, +8 White Ring), Fortitude +6, Will +9

Complications:
Responsibility (Shining Force's Leader)- As the leader of the Shining Force and someone important to many other characters, Ian is always targetted first by the enemy. Creatures that may choose any opponent will nearly always choose to attack him.

Total: Abilities: 60 / Skills: 30--15 / Advantages: 13 / Powers: 83 / Defenses: 9 (180)

-Ian is the Max/Nick of Shining Force: Final Conflict, oddly joining the Shining Force after the first battle (Mead the Knight leads that one). Here, he fights on behalf of the heroes, and it's said that his father is Kane, the brother of Max! Stats-wise, he's pretty much just Nick.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Odd-Eye (Gaiden)

Post by Jabroniville »

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ODD-EYE
First Appearance:
Shining Force- Final Conflict
Class: Devil
Role: Uber-Unit
Weapons: Swords, Laser Eye
PL 9 (101)
STRENGTH
5 STAMINA 6 AGILITY 3
FIGHTING 10 DEXTERITY 1
INTELLIGENCE 1 AWARENESS 2 PRESENCE 2

Skills:
Athletics 2 (+7)
Expertise (Soldier) 7 (+8)
Insight 3 (+6)
Intimidation 6 (+8)
Perception 5 (+6)
Persuasion 3 (+5)

Advantages:
All-Out Attack, Equipment 1 (Sword +3, Armor +1, Shield +1), Improved Critical (Sword), Power Attack, Ranged Attack 3, Startle

Powers:
"Laser Eye" Blast 12 (Fears: Accurate) (Flaws: Unreliable) [13]

Equipment:
"Sword" Strength-Damage +3

Offense:
Unarmed +10 (+5 Damage, DC 20)
Sword +10 (+8 Damage, DC 23)
Laser Eye +6 (+12 Ranged Damage, DC 27)
Initiative +3

Defenses:
Dodge +8 (+9 Shield, DC 19), Parry +10 (+11 Shield, DC 21), Toughness +6 (+7 Armor), Fortitude +6, Will +7

Complications:
Secret (Enemy)- Odd-Eye has ambitions of his own involving the son of Mishaela.

Total: Abilities: 54 / Skills: 26--13 / Advantages: 8 / Powers: 13 / Defenses: 9 (101)

-Oddler from Shining Force II reappears one game early, as a "Devil" named Odd-Eye. The last character to join, he acts like a living Laser Eye, blasting out with it. It costs no MP, but is random. After the team succceeds in killing Mishaela, Odd-Eye runs off with her & Darksol's son, Mephisto, and becomes the character in the sequel.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Shining Force III

Post by Jabroniville »

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SHINING FORCE III:
-The final true game in the "Shining" continuity, Shining Force III came out in 1997 for the ill-fated Sega Saturn, far too late to make a difference in the Next Generation Console Wars- it was easily trumped in popularity by the PlayStation's Final Fantasy VII, never having had a chance. The game actually came out in three separate scenarios in Japan, but overseas we only got the first one, meaning that the full story is known to very few. A Tactical RPG like the others, it has the same unit types.

SCENARIO 1: You play Synbios, a young lord from the Republic of Aspinia, which ceceded from the larger Empire of Destonia. A religious cult foments a war between the two nations, and a new Shining Force must be created. Along the way, you meet Medion, the Prince of Destonia, who is the main character of...

SCENARIO 2: Now you are Medion, who works with Synbios to uncover the Cult. He is the youngest of three brothers, and the only one who realizes the truth. Finally, he is forced to fight an Aspinian force led by Julian, the main character of...

SCENARIO 3: Julian is now the main character- a mercenary appearing as a secondary character in the first two "Scenarios", he is effectively the true Main Character of Shining Force III. His true mission is to kill Galm, one of the Vandals- an ancient race of beings, for the death of Julian's father. He is thought dead in "Scenario 1" after briefly joining Synbios' Shining Force, but washes ashore in "Scenario 2", fighting alongside Medion. Julian soon discovers that the religious cult, the Bulzome Sect, is trying to kill a child who will become a new God. Julian thus takes it upon himself to protect the child.

Finally, in the last bit of "Scenario 3", Synbios and Medion's forces join up with Julian's, and they all fight the Sect of Bulzome, himself an ancient Vandal and the true orchestrator of the conflict.

The Rosters:
SCENARIO 1:
Hero: Synbios (Prince of Aspinia), Julian (Mercenary, Hero of Scenario 3)
Knight: Dantares (Synbios's friend & right hand, with green & white armor), Cybel (an honorable lady Centaur who joins to restore her honor after being cut off an unable to help in a battle)
Mage: Masqurin (Cheeky & mischievous fanservicey Elf Girl with Blaze, Attack & Bolt spells), Noon (an Elf with braids, using Freeze, Bolt & Desoul)
Priest: Grace (a Kyantol, very calm & polite but resolutely Anti-Bulzome; uses Heal, Antidote & Aura)
Archer: Hayward (green-haired)
Warrior: Obright (blue-bearded and burly), Horst (heavily armored with a horned helmet)
Monk: Irene (white & pink armor), Kahn (dark-skinned and wearing an odd bucket-helmet, he fights the Vandals)
Bird Man: Eldar (long-beaked white Birdwoman), Fynnding (a brown Bird Man who joins for the final battle)
Bow Knight: Justin (blue-haired with green & orange armor)
Ninja: Hagane (blue-clad deserter of the Monoichi Clan and on the run; uses Sleep, Attack & Desoul), Murasame (wears purple; joins during a battle but leaves afterwards, rejoining only later; uses Blaze, Slow & Resist)
Other: Penn (a half-hatched Penguin who hatches after being given to a hen; he runs away and later joins the Force), Ratchet (a Goblin scientist in a steam-powered robot suit), Frank (Wolfling)

SCENARIO 2:
* This game is more of the same, but drops Warriors entirely, apparently.

Hero: Medion (third son of Emperor Domaric of Destonia; the son of the Emperor and an affair with a commoner), Julian (Mercenary, Hero of Scenario 3)
Knight: Donhort (Knight from Aspinia; freed from jail by Medion), Arthur (a disillusioned knight tired of war)
Mage: Syntesis (an Elf childhood friend of Medion's), Hedoba (David's Elven lover)
Priest: Uryudo (another friend of Medion & Syntesis)
Archer: David (Hedoba's lover), Bernard, Garosh, Jade
Monk: Hera
Bird Man: Zero (younger brother of Scenario 1's Eldar)
Bow Knight: Walz
Ninja: Hazuki
Other: Penko (a half-hatched Penguin like Penn), Rock (an Imperial Beast-Man), Robby (ancient Robot found in a tomb), Pappets (a young human who grew up in the forest and can talk to animals)

SCENARIO 3:
* This game re-introduces the Samurai, and adds a bunch of unique classes. You see "Generals" (more well-rounded Warriors who can use any weapon) and "Innovators", who are akin to Gods, and all very unique units.

Hero: Julian (Mercenary)
Knight: Donhort (from Scenario 2)
Mage: Brigit (Elven Mage and friend of Isabella; blonde girl with two cones on her head), Mariki (Elven Mage cursed by Bulzome into fighting you, but Gracia's "Blessing Light" cures her. Uses Ice & Darkness Magic)
Priest: Isabella (Medion's half-sister; joins only if Edmund does not)
Archer: Kate (one of the original four characters)
Monk: Unoma (Irene's Sensei; no magic)
Samurai: Jubei (human who lost his village to the Imperials, and joins you for revenge)
Innovator (like a God): Gracia (the Holy Child born to fight Bulzome; casts mighty spells that cost a ton of MP), Rollie (Unicorn who joins if you spare Goriate's life in battle; becomes an "Innovator" like Gracia), Thousand (White Dragon who attacks you, but Cyclops talks him down)
General: Edmund (Aspirian traitor to Destonia, but is betrayed and left for dead; joins or fights you depending on your "Scenario 2" actions. Uses all weapons, and casts Antidode & Hell Blast), Produn (Aspinian General who joins in Medion spares Stella, Produn's lover, in "Scenario 2", and if you manage to win a fight against him without killing him, as Medion's mother- to whom Produn is indebted- is spared; casts Blaze & Slow), Spiriel (female General of Destonia possessed by Basanda in "Scenario 1"; joins you if spared in "Scenario 2")
Other: Pendolf (a half-hatched Penguin like Penn), Honesty (Pegasus Knight from Destonia who deserts them), Cyclops (Dragonman/Human hybrid who can talk to dragons- uses glove-based weapons), Leon (Beast-Man attacked by border guards; NPC at first, but joins you if you save him in battle), Turk (Goblin riding an Ogre into battle; acts like the "Tank" characters and uses a bow), Primrose (a Fairy Mage who can also fly), Harold (Elven Tank Driver from Aspinia; high toughness & attack, but low agility)
Last edited by Jabroniville on Wed May 13, 2020 8:56 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Re: Jab’s Builds! (Kiwi! Devil King Zeon! Shining Force Gaiden!)

Post by Jabroniville »

And that does it for my Shining Force builds!! Probably longer than I’d typically spend on just one subject that was so minor, but I always wanted to stat up this game series.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Re: Jab’s Builds! (Kiwi! Devil King Zeon! Shining Force Gaiden!)

Post by Jabroniville »

Okay, so the next batch is four dudes from Jeff Parker's run on Hulk, which consisted of getting some enemies for the Red Hulk. Unfortunately, info is a bit sparse and I can't really give stats for them, but I can do mini-bios.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Zero-One

Post by Jabroniville »

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Ah, okay- she's a fanservice character. This is totes just "drawing a naked lady and then not adding nipples".

ZERO/ONE (Dr. Parul Kurinji)
Created By:
Jeff Parker & Gabriel Hardman
First Appearance: The Hulk #25 (Nov. 2010)
Role: Science Villain
Group Affiliations: None

-Zero/One was the mega-villain of Jeff Parker's "Red Hulk" run in Hulk, giving herself a techno-virus created by M.O.D.O.K.- Red Hulk interrupted the process, turning Parul Kurinji into a machine. Desiring to reshape the world as she had been reshaped, she targeted the Red Hulk as a major obstacle and sought to kill him- she empowered the Black Fog as a minion, then teamed up with rival "M.O.D.O.K. Superior" to fight The Serpent's forces during Fear Itself. She used Techno-Zombies to attack Red Hulk, Red She-Hulk & Machine Man when they invaded her base, but Machine Man broke her control over her minions with his techno-powesr, leaving her to flee the battle.

-Zero/One can reshape her limbs into weapons, Blast away, create Force Fields, fly, and phase "out of sync" with reality, making herself undetectable and immaterial, which lets her see others' pasts.
Last edited by Jabroniville on Wed Aug 03, 2022 1:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Black Fog

Post by Jabroniville »

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BLACK FOG (Real Name Unknown)
Created By:
Jeff Parker & Gabriel Hardman
First Appearance: The Hulk #32 (June 2011)
Role: Serial Killer
Group Affiliations: None
PL 11 (192)
STRENGTH
8 STAMINA 8 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 12 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 0 AWARENESS 0 PRESENCE 2

Skills:
Deception 3 (+5)
Expertise (Criminal) 4 (+4)
Intimidation 7 (+9)
Perception 4 (+4)
Stealth 4 (+8)

Advantages:
Defensive Roll 2, Equipment (Twin Swords +2- Split), Evasion, Fast Grab, Improved Critical (Unarmed) 2, Startle

Powers:
"Black Fog"
Teleport 10 (Feats: Change Direction) (Extras: Accurate, Easy, Extended +2) Linked to Concealment (Vision) 2 (Extras: Attack, Area- 15ft. Cloud) [69]
"Teleporting Attack" Strength-Damage +0 (Extras: Multiattack 10) [10]
Regeneration 6 (Feats: Regrows Limbs) [7]
Senses 1 (Infravision) [1]

Offense:
Unarmed +12 (+8 Damage, DC 23)
Swords +12 (+10 Damage, DC 25)
Teleporting Attack w/ Swords +12 (+10 Damage, DC 25)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +10 (DC 20), Parry +12 (DC 22), Toughness +8 (+10 D.Roll), Fortitude +8, Will +4

Complications:
Motivation (Killing)- Black Fog is a serial killer.
Power Loss (Stealth)- Black Fog glows brighter the more he teleports, ruining his stealthiness.

Total: Abilities: 76 / Skills: 22--11 / Advantages: 8 / Powers: 87 / Defenses: 11 (192)

-Black Fog is a for created to fight the Red Hulk, and was a serial killer stalking the streets of Hyderabad, India. Finally captured and imprisoned, he was frequently tortured, maimed and scarred by the families of his victims, with the prison's officials and guards looking the other way. He was recruited by Zero/One in her feud with the Red Hulk, and giving cybernetic limbs and super-powers to replace the ones he'd lost. He killed Rulk's LMD allies and cut him a few times before being disabled and fleeing. In their next fight, "M.O.D.O.K. Superior" drove him off, trying to protect something he'd created. He teamed up with Red Hulk and others a few times on Zero/One's orders, but turned on her once Machine Man deactivated her controls over his systems. He let her live as thanks for breaking him out of jail. He continued his serial killing exploits in India, and hasn't been seen for a while.

-Black Fog teleports via a thick, obscuring black fog, and uses it to Multiattack foes to death. He has regenerative powers and can regrow body parts that've been blown off (such as when M.O.D.O.K. Superior blew a hole through his chest). I assume he has a degree of super-damaging powers given he can cut the Red Hulk. The more he teleports, however, the brighter he glows, causing him to be more easily-found. He uses a combination of Multiattacking and his own Stealth to overwhelm even powerful opponents.
Last edited by Jabroniville on Wed Aug 03, 2022 1:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Omegex

Post by Jabroniville »

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OMEGEX
Created By:
Jeff Parker & Ben Olivier
First Appearance: The Hulk #29 (March 2011)
Role: Kill-O-Bot
Group Affiliations: None

-The Omegex was created by a race that meant for it to be a "Destroyer"-like armor to keep them alive- it didn't work. Powered by the life forces of those it killed, the Omegex went crazy and started killing "all potential threats" to its creators, which to the Omegex meant everybody. Finally it attacked the Watchers, who repelled the thing. It spent centuries trying to find them, only detecting a sliver of their energy when the Red Hulk punched Uatu, and thus Omegex attacked Rulk in a huge fight. The first time, Rulk & Black Fog teamed up against it, and in the second, it nearly killed Rulk until he turned back into Thunderbolt Ross and thus Omegex lost the energy signature- it then voluntarily disintegrated, assuming its target was dead. Kind of an ass-pull right there.

-Omegex showcased enough strength and durability to match the Red Hulk in a fight (though took some damage from Black Fog), never tired, could track energy signatures, and used Tractor Beams to draw things towards him.
Last edited by Jabroniville on Wed Aug 03, 2022 1:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

General Fortean

Post by Jabroniville »

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GENERAL FORTEAN (Reginald Fortean, aka Abomination III)
Created By:
Jeff Parker & Gabriel Hardman
First Appearance: The Hulk #30.1 (May 2011)
Role: Ironic Villain (Human Soldier hunting down Thunderbolt Ross)
Group Affiliations: None

-General Fortean was one of the soldiers assigned to help Thunderbolt Ross fight the Hulk, and became one of the most trusted men there. He swore revenge when Ross was thought killed by the Red Hulk, and quit the army to join a bunch of Ross' other men in hunting the monster, who of course turned out to BE Ross. This made him a bit of an ironic villain- Ross getting his own "Thunderbolt Ross" hunting him down and wanting him dead. Wearing Redeemer armor, he actually beat Rulk a few times, but his damaged armor meant he couldn't hear Ross reveal his identity. He chased down Ross repeatedly over Jeff Parker's run on the book, generally mistrusting him and poisoning him with nano-mines that'd kill him if he took human form again. Eventually he kinda just stopped being used as the creators moved on.

-Fortean reappeared in 2019 or so hunting down the regular Hulk, using enhanced Redeemer armor to wipe out a bunch of people on the "Gamma Flight" space station, wiping out Absorbing Man, Titania, Dr. Samson and Sasquatch. Stealing the empty shell of the Abomination used by Rick Jones to become "A-Bomb", he teleports away and merges with it, becoming the 2nd/3rd Abomination. Hulk & Samson soon attacked Fortean, and Samson was KILLED apparently, and Fortean grew so psychotic and uncontrollable he began killing his own men (and melted away part of the Hulk's face and torso) with acid spew. His own men mutinied against him, and he and the Hulk killed each other, sending their souls to the "Below-Place", where Hulk, controlled by his "Joe Fixit" persona, snuck up behind Fortean and broke his neck, killing him (again?).

-As Abomination III, Fortean was Hulk-level strong and tough, had claws on his fingers, and sprayed an Acid powerful enough to melt down even the Hulk, negating his healing ability. Likely a PL 13-14 Powerhouse, all in all. The Redeemer armor is a Powersuit of varying levels, and was apparently upgraded during his run.
Last edited by Jabroniville on Wed Aug 03, 2022 1:22 am, edited 2 times in total.
Jabroniville
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Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Re: Jab’s Builds! (Kiwi! Devil King Zeon! Shining Force Gaiden!)

Post by Jabroniville »

And next up, something I've been wanting to re-post for a bit- Marvel's Russians!

First up will be the Black Widow, then it'll be some of her side characters and I'll move on to the Winter Guard (or whatever it's called in each era of comics) and various other Russian heroes & villains! And yes, I re-read the bizarre one-off Soviet Super-Soldiers #1 for this set :)!
Jabroniville
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Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

The Black Widow

Post by Jabroniville »

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THE BLACK WIDOW II (Natalia Romanova, aka Natasha Romanoff)
Created By:
Stan Lee, Don Rico & Don Heck
First Appearance: Tales of Suspense #52 (April 1964)
Role: Miss Fanservice, Femme Fatale, Lady Spy, Skillmonkey, The Hero's Girlfriend
Group Affiliations: The Avengers, The KGB, The Thunderbolts, The Lady Liberators, S.H.I.E.L.D., The Champions
Avengers Grade: B-Level
PL 9 (191)
STRENGTH
3 STAMINA 4 AGILITY 7
FIGHTING 12 DEXTERITY 6
INTELLIGENCE 3 AWARENESS 4 PRESENCE 4

Skills:
Acrobatics 8 (+15)
Athletics 8 (+10)
Close Combat (Unarmed) 3 (+15)
Deception 9 (+13, +18 Attractive)
Expertise (Spy) 13 (+16)
Expertise (History) 3 (+6)
Expertise (Dancer) 1 (+8)
Insight 5 (+9)
Intimidation 2 (+6)
Investigation 4 (+8)
Perception 6 (+10)
Persuasion 5 (+9, +14 Attractive)
Ranged Combat (Widow's Bite) 1 (+14)
Sleight of Hand 6 (+12)
Stealth 7 (+14)
Technology 3 (+6)
Vehicles 2 (+8)

Advantages:
Accurate Attack, Attractive 2, Beginner's Luck, Benefit (S.H.I.E.L.D. Clearance), Chokehold, Contacts, Daze (Deception), Defensive Attack, Equipment 4 (Spy Gear), Evasion 2, Fascination (Deception), Grab Finesse, Improved Aim, Improved Critical 3 (Unarmed, Widow's Bite, Gun), Improved Defense, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Jack-of-All-Trades, Languages (Many), Power Attack, Precise Attack (Ranged/Cover), Quick Draw, Ranged Attack 7, Skill Mastery 2 (Spy, Deception), Taunt, Tracking (Sight), Ultimate Skill 2 (Spy, Deception), Uncanny Dodge, Well-Informed

Powers:
Immunity 1 (Aging) [1]

Equipment:
"Widow Gear" Spy Gear (4)
"Widow's Bite" Blast 5 (Extras: Multiattack) (15) -- (16)
  • AE: "Widow Line & Suction Cups" Movement 3 (Swinging 2, Wall-Crawling) (6)
  • AE: "Tear Gas Pellets" Affliction 5 (Fort; Dazed & Vision Impaired/Stunned & Disabled/Incapacitated) (Extras: Ranged, Extra Condition) (15)
Offense:
Unarmed +15 (+3 Damage, DC 18)
Widow's Bite +13 (+5 Ranged Damage, DC 20)
Tear Gas +5 Area (+5 Ranged Affliction, DC 15)
Initiative +11

Defenses:
Dodge +14 (DC 24), Parry +14 (DC 24), Toughness +4, Fortitude +7, Will +8

Complications:
Relationship (Various)- Black Widow has dated a lot (I mean, she's old). Most recently, it was Bucky Barnes. She dated Daredevil for a while, too, and was a love interest for Hawkeye. She was married to the original Red Guardian.
Reputation (Femme Fatale)- Many people still don't entirely trust Natasha, based off of her history as a spy.
Enemy (Yelena Bolova)- The second Black Widow has attempted to kill Natasha in the past.
Disabled (Infertile)- Soviet interference with her genetics have left Natasha unable to have children.

Total: Abilities: 86 / Skills: 86--43 / Advantages: 44 / Powers: 1 / Defenses: 17 (191)

The Black Widow- Sexy Soviet Spy Turned Heroine:
-Natasha Romanov has had a weird run in comics. Initially being a Sexy Lady Spy archetype in the James Bond vibe (but with an evening gown & veil as a "costume"), she quickly defected to the United States and fell in love with Hawkeye, finally joining The Avengers. She didn't get her now-iconic black catsuit until 1970, six years after she'd debuted. But then... well, being a relatively-unattached (she & Clint split up pretty quickly) super-hot chick can have negative effects on your relationship status in the Marvel Universe. To prove this point, Widow was basically known for being hooked up with various heroes over the years, as various writers can given the male character they wrote a token "Super-Hot Hero Girlfriend" in the Widow. She got a brief solo run in one of those half-books, and was a sidekick for a four-year chunk of Daredevil history (ending around the time of Frank Miller when he resurrected the series as a gritty crime drama and not a generic hero book), she was the leader of The Champions, etc. And then all of a sudden after years of non-pushes and being ignored she's a big star thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe! Life in comics is weird.

Silver & Bronze Age Black Widow:
-Natasha Romanov (a "Russian-sounding" name if their ever was one- "Natalia Romanova" is more likely if she were real) debuted as a non-costumed, black-haired Soviet spy in the pages of Iron Man in 1964, sharing a name with a forgotten Golden Age character. She attempts to bring back Ivan "Crimson Dynamo" Vanko, but Vanko & Natasha's partner (named Boris... yes, the pair were literally named "Boris & Natasha" in their debut- she is named for the Rocky and Bullwinkle character) are killed in the battle. She became a bit of a recurring antagonist- leading on the archer, Hawkeye (who's in love with her), they fight Iron Man, and she later gains some high-tech stuff right before falling for Hawkeye for real and defecting to the United States! The character doesn't really be a subject of focus (Hawkeye moves on and joins the Avengers after Widow is hospitalized) until 1970, when she gains a new costume (first seen in Spider-Man), with long red hair- this almost immediately becomes her iconic look, and she never truly strays from it! She features in half of Amazing Adventures #1-8, a 1970s book (sharing pages with the Inhumans), where we learn a tiny bit about her past, though the book was cancelled after less than a year. Here we meet her middle-aged chauffer Ivan Petrovich, who was her adoptive father of sorts after the death of her mother.

-After this, Natasha immediately popped up in the Daredevil book, in the post-Silver Age years and before Frank Miller showed up- here, she was Matt Murdock's sexy, somewhat-capable girlfriend, paired up with him frequently for a period of about four years on DD's title. Writer Gerry Conway confesses it was because he was a big fan of hers, and figured she'd have interesting chemistry with DD, though most of the issues I've read feature her getting Damsel-In-Distressed against a series of Jobber Villains. But still, fifteen issues were titled Daredevil and the Black Widow, so that's something. However, the later writers pretty quickly phased her out (she felt that being a "sidekick" was negating her identity), leading to...

The Champions- The Widow Gets Forgotten:
-The Champions was a goofy, mostly-forgotten book that was basically "Hey- let's throw together every character we're not using onto a team, regardless of how much sense it makes!")- in it, the Widow became the only female team leader at Marvel, leading a squad of unused side characters like Hercules, team guys from a cancelled book (Angel & Iceman), and the mid-tier Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze). The book ran for seventeen issues before being cancelled, and is largely a footnote. The character spends most of the '80s not really doing anything- Elektra gets to play the "Sexy Dangerous Woman" card instead, though Natasha joins the Avengers off and on. She was briefly in a George Perez series in Marvel Fanfare, and was one of the members of the early '90s Avengers team when I first got into comics, so I always kind of associated her with the team (even though she hadn't ever been on it much). She has the unfortunate status as the leader of the horrid "Leather Jacket" Avengers phase, which nearly 86'd her standing with that team, and she ultimately became a minor recurring character by the 1990s. She'd show up as a guest star or for a Limited Series most of the time, really, and things only got worse when Marvel pushed a NEW Black Widow- Yelena Belova, who appeared in a bunch of books sold mostly on the photorealistic art used for the covers. Somewhere along here, someone posited that she had part of the "Super-Soldier Serum" and had Peak Human Abilities, but this hasn't been a thing for twenty years.

Natasha Becomes A Thing Again:
-Then, suddenly, the Widow got a push again! Well, sort of. She was a back-up star on the Mighty Avengers Bendis/Cho book (for like five seconds), and was the "Super Hero Girlfriend" of Bucky Barnes/Captain America, playing up an old relationship she had with the "Winter Soldier". But Marvel soon shifts her backstory around, revealing her past in the "Red Room", where Soviet spies were trained. Ivan Petrovich gets de-emphasized in her history, and she's now a brainwashed killer in her original form, and only "breaks" that later on. This also creates the idea that she's actually VERY old- something used to justify her being a Soviet agent when that's almost thirty years ago in our time. This was around when Marvel REALLY fell in love with the notion of Black Ops/Superspy stuff, and of course when SCARLETT JOHANSSON played her in Iron Man 2, and suddenly Natasha was wanted again! Off and on, she would appear on Avengers books, and often be seen doing wetwork and dirty deeds "too clean" for other heroes- Jon Hickman's uber-Avengers arc barely used her at all, but had a gag where she executed a bunch of HYDRA goons when she & Julia Carpenter were trying to get some information out of them.

-She even got ongoings! Well, sometimes. I mean, EVERYONE was getting ongoings at this time. One by Nathan Edmonson & Phil Noto was really good, actually, though I just remember the great art. It was VERY light on characterization and real depth. Most of these would last a year or two and change nothing, as the character herself is a very "blank slate" upon which writers would project whatever they needed- she's a snarker or a grim spy! She was on a couple Avengers squads, too, but then was KILLED during Secret Empire, and the one walking around since was actually an immediately-revealed CLONE who just had Natasha's personality placed onto her... so really it's just Natasha.

-This was largely when she was the ultimate Supporting Character in much of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where she was never given her own starring vehicle (unlike almost everyone else who wasn't already on a team), but was kind of the "glue" of the Avengers for a bit there. Her biggest focus ended up being in Endgame, where she of course sacrifices her life to save the universe, bringing all the heroes together. And FINALLY got her own movie, which is a Prequel, because she's dead. This means that Marvel's Natasha is kind of in stasis- the character is still around, with most people acting like she's the same one they've always known (it's also likely many writers don't even realize she's dead), but at any minute they could just swap her out for Yelena Belova (who's also appearing in the movie). So a "holding pattern" for several months is probably the smartest course of action.

The Black Widow As A Whole:
-Therein lies an interesting issue with Natalia (the more correct name, apparently- it's a less-familiar form of "Natasha". And Romanova is a female's last name- Romanoff is only used for dudes): She's not so much a great character, but much like Wonder Woman, exists as this random-personality Symbolic Character- a symbol of the Cold War and Sexy Lady Spies everywhere. This means that she's often been seen as a sultry, evil spy, a noble woman, a flirty (but useless in a fight) partner to Daredevil, and more. In the Noto series, she's gotten even WEIRDER, talking in modern slang (I just CAN NOT imagine Natalia Romanova saying "Dude, seriously"), while being guilt-ridden for a past full of assassinations (which didn't seem to bother her for like thirty years of continuity beforehand). She was perfect for the movies, because while some of the guys had wild origins that required full movies to elaborate upon, she was just "Trains Hard; Is A Spy" and that's simple and easy- it made her an iconic Avenger when she literally never was at any point prior, jumping ahead of earlier Avengers like the Wasp, the Scarlet Witch, and more!

The Black Widow's Abilities:
-Yeah, I knew this one was gonna be pricey. I mean, Skillmonkeys are REALLY expensive in 3rd Edition, and Natalia/Natasha (nobody can make up their mind) is THE iconic "Spy" character in all of comics, and that's the one job that defines "Skillmonkey" better than any other. And the Widow's GOOD... she can lie, sneak and cheat with the best of them, and surpasses all comparable characters (Black Cat has a very similar schtick). Her fighting skills put her a notch above characters generally seen as awesome in melee (Domino, The Punisher, Bucky-Cap), despite her relatively low Strength score (I don't see her lifting over 200 lbs., but I pushed it higher thanks to some ill-defined fluff about her being partially Super-Soldiery). And I think it's fitting that she's among the most expensive and skilled characters around, yet is only PL 9 overall- she's good, but is usually the weak link in every book she's in. She was Daredevil's weaker partner all through his series, she's lesser than Bucky-as-Cap, and she was weaker than every other Avenger when she was on the team. She's still very CAPABLE, mind you, she's just not that powerful (PL 9.5 with the Widow's Bite, PL 9 in melee). A +5 Multiattack Blast is the best thing she's got, despite being a great fighter who's nigh-impossible to hit.

-Regarding her actual capabilities, I find the Widow to be one of the very DEFINITIONS of an overrated character in terms of credibility. We're expected to buy her as a top-tier Human-Level Fighter, but she's nothing more than a Sidekick to most heroes. Moreover, when she was Daredevil's "partner", she was basically a useless Damsel in Distress, constantly being captured or beaten by villains! She was low-tier throughout her entire career, but then all of a sudden somebody half-assedly writes in that she has PEAK HUMAN ABILITIES? That is GARBAGE, and is so unused these days (it's not even treated like a power in any modern book I've ever read) that I ignore the Official Handbook completely and leave it out- she's your standard +3 Damage human being (still pretty high for a lady martial artist).
Last edited by Jabroniville on Wed Jan 26, 2022 8:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Davies
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Re: The Black Widow

Post by Davies »

Jabroniville wrote: Thu May 14, 2020 9:54 pm -Natasha Romanov (a "Russian-sounding" name if their ever was one- "Natalia Romanova" is more likely if she were real) debuted as a non-costumed, black-haired Soviet spy in the pages of Iron Man in 1964, sharing a name with a forgotten Golden Age character. She attempts to bring back Ivan "Crimson Dynamo" Vanko, but Vanko & Natasha's partner (named Boris... yes, the pair were literally named "Boris & Natasha" in their debut- she is named for the Rocky and Bullwinkle character)
Partly; the other half of her name comes from an equally appropriate source -- in Ian Fleming's From Russia With Love, James Bond encounters and romances (and in the book has his neck saved by) a Russian agent named Tatiana Romanova. The book came out in 1957, with the movie out in 1963.

Ironically, Natasha Fatale is not Russian, being of mixed German-American and Wallachian ancestry, as her parents were Count Dracula and Axis Sally.
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drkrash
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Re: Jab’s Builds! (Shining Force Gaiden! The Black Widow!)

Post by drkrash »

Black Widow is one of my favorite Marvel females. I think it's just because she is, for me, the archetype of the catsuit lady spy.

I do prefer her in her (increasingly infrequent) superhero mode rather than her morally grey deep operative.
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Goldar
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Re: Jab’s Builds! (Shining Force Gaiden! The Black Widow!)

Post by Goldar »

Nice Widow profile and really good pics er, picked!

Yeah, as to Natasha's strength level, it was about 300 pounds back in the early '80's (old Handbook perhaps?), but one Handbook in the 2000's stated she could lift 500 pounds. Is this from her Russian SS variant serum or extreme training?

When BW teamed up with DD in the '70's, she did get in some good hits, kicks and blasts. She was often drawn with a lot of muscles, especially on the covers. She even tried to take down Nekra by herself during Nekra's debut (but failed). By the early '80's, Marvel did seem to tout Natasha as the top female fighter, knowing boxing, akido, Judo, Karate and Savate.
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