RUGAL BERNSTEIN
First Appearance: King of Fighters '94
Game Appearances: King of Fighters '94-95, '98, 2002, XV (33% of series), Capcom (vs) SNK 1 & 2
Role: KoF's Iconic Boss, Crimelord
PL 10 (204)
STRENGTH 4
STAMINA 4
AGILITY 6
FIGHTING 12
DEXTERITY 5
INTELLIGENCE 4
AWARENESS 3
PRESENCE 4
Skills:
Acrobatics 8 (+14)
Athletics 8 (+12)
Close Combat (Unarmed) 3 (+15)
Deception 6 (+10)
Expertise (Arms Dealer) 8 (+12)
Expertise (Martial Arts) 10 (+14)
Insight 4 (+7)
Intimidation 6 (+10)
Perception 5 (+8)
Persuasion 2 (+6)
Ranged Combat (Chi) 6 (+14)
Advantages:
Benefit 4 (Wealth), Great Endurance, Improved Critical (Unarmed) 3, Improved Critical (Wind Slice) 2, Improved Critical (Kaiser Wave) 2, Improved Critical (Genocide Cutter) 3, Improved Initiative 2, Ranged Attack 3, Startle, Takedown 2, Uncanny Dodge
SNK Fighting Style: Accurate Attack, All-Out Attack, Defensive Roll, Extraordinary Effort, Fast Grab, Improved Defense, Improved Hold, Improved Trip (Throw), Power Attack, Takedown, Withstand Damage (Block)
Powers:
"Martial Artist" Strength-Damage +1 [1]
"Dark Barrier" Deflect 12 (Extras: Reflect) (24) -- [27]
- AE: "Reppuken!- SNK Sliding Blast" Blast 6 (Reduced Defenses -1, Diminished Range -1) (9)
- AE: "Kaiser Wave!" Damage 7 (Extras: Area- 60ft. Cone) (Reduced Defenses -2, Diminished Range -1) (9)
- AE: "Genocide Cutter!" Strength-Damage +4 (Feats: Reach) (Inaccurate -1) (4)
Offense:
Unarmed +15 (+5 Damage, DC 20)
Genocide Cutter +11 (+9 Damage, DC 24)
Wind Slice +14 (+6 Ranged Damage, DC 21)
Kaiser Wave +7 Area (+7 Damage, DC 22)
Initiative +14
Defenses:
Dodge +15 (DC 25), Parry +15 (DC 25), Toughness +4 (+5 D.Roll), Fortitude +8, Will +8
Complications:
Motivation (Greed & Power)
Enemy (Heidern, Kyo Kusanagi)
Responsibility (Orochi Power)- Gifted Orochi power almost on a whim by Goentiz, Rugal fails to realize that only one of the bloodline can control it.
Responsibility (Poor Loser)- Though he funds the tournaments to find worthy opponents, Rugal takes defeat poorly- he frequently attempts suicide attacks or blows up his entire base.
Weakness (Predictability)- SNK Characters cannot simply "spam" out the same attack over and over again, as the opponent will expect the attacks, and be ready for them (and a counterattack). The third time they try the same technique (or same combo of techniques) in a short span, they will be at -2 to Accuracy, AND to his Active Defenses in that round. All will decrease by 2 every successive round the same move is done.
Total: Abilities: 84 / Skills: 72--36 / Advantages: 24 + 11 / Powers: 28 / Defenses: 21 (204)
Rugal- KoF's Best Boss:
-The
King of Fighters series notably uses a new Final Boss just about every time, killing off the old guy and cycling him out. And they re-use design concepts a lot, leaving many of them rather same-y and forgettable. But RUGAL? Rugal, everyone remembers. It's RUGAL who got into four
KoF games and
Marvel vs. Capcom, not Goenitz, Orochi or any of the cape/trenchcoat crowd.
-Rugal Bernstein was the iconic Final Boss of
King of Fighters '94, and reappeared in the follow-up in 1995, making him one of the only SNK Bosses to come back for a second top spot. The character just instantly became a classic- his stylish business suit made him fit the "SNK Style" of fashion-plate characters, the '90s hair and mustache stood out, he had a pet freakin' panther, and HOLY FREAKING CHRIST was he difficult to beat!! The first round was against the man while wearing a coat, and he didn't fight as hard, but round two was against him at full power- the dude's moves had insane priority, took off TONS of damage, and more or less left even the best of gamers screaming and swearing in defeat. They started calling it an "SNK Boss" around this time for a reason- Rugal ANNIHILATED teams of guys. In particular, his Genocide Cutter (aka the most bad-ass move name EVER) took off so much damage that if he used it more than a couple of times, you were doomed. My own experience with fighting him was of great frustration- you could him him easy enough, via jumping in with big kicks, as he usually didn't bother blocking those... but you still had to deal with his offense, and it took a ton of damage to break him down.
Rugal's Backstory:
-Rugal's initial story was that he was just an evil arms dealer, going around in an aircraft carrier named Black Noah. And, like a true super-villain, when he defeated people, he would preserve their bodies in liquid metal for his trophy room (EPIC!). He even slaughtered an army base full of people, including the wife & daughter of Heidern, future leader of the Ikari Warriors. It was later revealed that he lost an eye after surviving an attack from Goenitz, the minion of Orochi. Impressed, Goenitz gave him some of the Orochi power.
-The founds the 1994 King of Fighters tournament in order to find worthy opponents- he defeats Saisyu Kusanagi and forces the man to fight on his behalf. However, Kyo Kusanagi and his friends win the tournament and end up defeating Rugal- the maddened villain blew up Black Noah and hid away. He gains a cybernetic limb and has Saisyu as his Sub-Boss in the 1995 tournament, getting a new look (red pants and a black shirt- this look never took off, and most future games showcase the original design). Defeated once more, Rugal attempts to use the Orochi power, but is consumed by it, and dies.
-Rugal, because of his style, character and legendary difficulty, ends up being the most popular
King of Fighters boss by a long ways. Reappearing in the second game, he also shows up in
KoF '98 and
2002 (the "Dream Match" games), and was the only boss chosen from
Capcom vs. SNK, appearing in both as a potential Final Boss. And thanks to time travel shenanigans, Rugal has FINALLY made a canonical return, as both Rugal & Omega Rugal are found in
Kof XV, Rugal himself as a Sub-Boss.
Rugal's Abilities:
-Rugal is only PL 10 in the original game, despite his legendary status, primarily because he's upgraded later and still loses, and other
KoF Bosses are supposed to be above him. He uses both Geese & Krauser's special moves (I made the Kaiser Wave an Area Attack to differentiate them here, otherwise it'd be PL-breaking by being more accurate), then the terrifying Genocide Cutter, a lightning-fast kick that would take off 70% of your energy or so. His Dark Barrier reflecting projectiles with a green haze perhaps represents an early concept that had him using an ability to copy everyone else's moves- this is similar to Athena Asamiya's attack.
OMEGA RUGAL (Rugal Bernstein)
First Appearance: King of Fighters '95
Game Appearances: King of Fighters '95 only
Role: Upgraded Final Boss, Crimelord
PL 11 (205)
STRENGTH 4
STAMINA 4
AGILITY 6
FIGHTING 12
DEXTERITY 5
INTELLIGENCE 4
AWARENESS 3
PRESENCE 4
Skills:
Acrobatics 8 (+14)
Athletics 8 (+12)
Close Combat (Unarmed) 5 (+17)
Deception 6 (+10)
Expertise (Arms Dealer) 8 (+12)
Expertise (Martial Arts) 10 (+14)
Insight 4 (+7)
Intimidation 6 (+10)
Perception 5 (+8)
Persuasion 2 (+6)
Ranged Combat (Chi) 6 (+14)
Advantages:
Benefit 4 (Wealth), Great Endurance, Improved Critical (Unarmed) 3, Improved Critical (Wind Slice) 2, Improved Critical (Kaiser Wave) 2, Improved Critical (Genocide Cutter) 3, Improved Initiative 2, Ranged Attack 3, Startle, Takedown 2, Uncanny Dodge
SNK Fighting Style: Accurate Attack, All-Out Attack, Defensive Roll, Extraordinary Effort, Fast Grab, Improved Defense, Improved Hold, Improved Trip (Throw), Power Attack, Takedown, Withstand Damage (Block)
Powers:
"Martial Artist" Strength-Damage +1 [1]
"Dark Barrier" Deflect 12 (Extras: Reflect) (24) -- [27]
- AE: "Gravity Smash!" Blast 7 (Reduced Defenses -1, Diminished Range -1) (11)
- AE: "Dark Genocide!" Strength-Damage +1 (Extras: Multiattack 6) (Flaws: Distracting) Linked to Affliction 6 (Toughness; Dazed & Vulnerable/Stunned & Defenseless) (Extras: Extra Condition) (Flaws: Limited Degree) (Inaccurate -1) (9)
- AE: "Genocide Cutter!" Strength-Damage +4 (Feats: Reach) (Inaccurate -1) (4)
Offense:
Unarmed +17 (+5 Damage, DC 20)
Dark Genocide +16 (+6 Damage & Affliction, DC 21 & 16)
Gravity Smash +14 (+7 Ranged Damage, DC 22)
Genocide Cutter +13 (+9 Damage, DC 24)
Initiative +14
Defenses:
Dodge +15 (DC 25), Parry +15 (DC 25), Toughness +4 (+5 D.Roll), Fortitude +8, Will +8
Complications:
Motivation (Greed & Power)
Enemy (Heidern, Kyo Kusanagi)
Responsibility (Orochi Power)- Gifted Orochi power almost on a whim by Goentiz, Rugal fails to realize that only one of the bloodline can control it.
Responsibility (Poor Loser)- Though he funds the tournaments to find worthy opponents, Rugal takes defeat poorly- he frequently attempts suicide attacks or blows up his entire base.
Weakness (Predictability)- SNK Characters cannot simply "spam" out the same attack over and over again, as the opponent will expect the attacks, and be ready for them (and a counterattack). The third time they try the same technique (or same combo of techniques) in a short span, they will be at -2 to Accuracy, AND to his Active Defenses in that round. All will decrease by 2 every successive round the same move is done.
Total: Abilities: 84 / Skills: 74--37 / Advantages: 24 + 11 / Powers: 28 / Defenses: 21 (205)
-As Omega Rugal, Rugal imbues himself with Orochi Power and becomes more difficult to defeat, though he loses the Reppuken & Kaiser Wave, dropping them for a Multiattack move.