Matt's Mutant & Masterminds Character Thread, Now Featuring The White Dot!

[MattBlack]

And now, an NPC!

Majestico

Landon Renard was a farmboy raised a few miles from Midvale, Kansas. He had a quiet unassuming life until one day he found he had incredible powers of strength, speed, and invulnerability! It’s believed he represents the next step in human evolution. He’s turned down membership in the Freedom Legion, instead deciding to focus on planetary defense. “Aw, shucks, you’ve got a whole universe that needs help; you leave Earth to me!”

Nothing to see here. Nope.

All of the above is pure baloney, outside of the fact that his real name is Landon Renard and he’s from Kansas. A bit of a dullard and a wash-out, instead of taking responsibility for his own failures, he would blame others, the many aliens now living on Earth being a popular scapegoat. He eventually found his way into a number of xenophobic groups. While not particularly gifted, he spouted the anti-alien rhetoric with vigor. This brought him to the attention of Majestic, which is sadly still around in the 26th century, and even more paranoid and further in the shadows than they were in the 21st century.

Landon and others were to be test subjects wherein various humans would be exposed to radical gene therapy, trying to imbue abilities culled from a variety of alien prisoners that Majestic had experimented on over the years. Landon was the only survivor.

Majestic hopes to use “Majestico”, as their agents in the media have dubbed him, as both PR for their radical anti-alien agenda and as perhaps a deep cover agent. After all, if Majestico were to volunteer to help the Freedom Legion on a mission that threatened the Earth, and most of the members had tragic accidents, well, then…

Landon is a bigot and a bully. He’s unimaginative in the use of his abilities, and quickly runs if he feels outnumbered or outmatched. If need be, he’ll have several Majestic agents with him, but he cares nothing about their safety. After all, HE is the big hero and representative of the best Earth has to offer, right?

Statistics

Power Level 13
Attributes
Strength 15
Stamina 15
Agility 4
Dexterity 4
Fighting 11
Intellect 0
Awareness 2
Presence 3

Skills- Deception 6 (+9), Expertise: Majestic Operations 6 (+6), Intimidation 10 (+13), Perception 6 (+8)
Advantages- Benefit 2 (Majestic Member)
Powers
Invulnerability- Immunity 10 (Life Support), Impervious Toughness 15 (25 points)
Majestic Flight- Flight 14 (32,000 MPH), Movement 2 (Space Travel 2) (32 points)
Majestic Speed- Enhanced Advantages 5 (Improved Initiative 5), Quickness 5 (10 points)

Defenses
Dodge +11
Fortitude +15
Parry +11
Toughness +15
Will +8

Totals- Attributes 108 + Skills 14 + Advantages 2 + Powers 67 + Defenses 12 = 203

Complications
Motivation: Bigotry

Easily Shaken Should an opponent successfully Bluff, Feint, or Demoralize Majestico in combat, he loses the Impervious modifier to his Toughness for the remainder of the scene in addition to any other result.

Careless, Reckless, and Selfish As noted above, Majestico really doesn’t care about collateral damage. This can be used against him, or rather more accurately any allies that may be with him. Any attempts at using any sort of Redirect maneuver against him and his allies receive a +5 circumstance modifier.

As an NPC, while Majestico obeys the caps set by his Power Level, point totals are whatever the GM feels appropriate. Likewise, the GM is encouraged to give Majestico anything else that may be needed for the course of an adventure, like ranks in Equipment or Minions.

[MattBlack]

Dr. Mayhem PL11

John Jackson gained incredible intelligence as the result of a lab accident in the 1970s. He became a friend, then rival, then enemy of Gladius, the son of the famed hero Centurion. Jackson blamed Gladius for his failures and set about to prove he was right all along, but as Dr. Mayhem! Many battles were had, and many schemes were foiled.

And then it all went wrong.

During a temporal experiment, Dr. Mayhem knocked himself outside of the timestream. When he got back, he found that Gladius had been erased from the timeline following a battle with a rogue Timekeeper. Dr. Mayhem himself would have been erased; as it stood now, no one remembered him.

Dr. Mayhem has since spent the years following trying to master time travel enough to “fix” things and return his old foe to the timestream, so then he can then administer ultimate defeat to Gladius and EVERYONE will remember.

He’s had numerous run-ins with the Freedom League, especially since Centuria joined. He’s also had a few battles with the new Liberty League, as they have a member who just might be his old foe, though being a scientist, Dr. Mayhem is determined to put the team through rigorous observation before drawing any conclusions.

As of late, he’s found himself journeying to the 26th Century on numerous occasions, for several reasons. First, he feels that Tomorrow Girl, powered by temporal energy, “stole” the power from him, and he wants to get it back. Second, since the 26th century is the most common era where the Clockwatcher resides, Dr. Mayhem frequently tries to steal the time traveler’s equipment for study, that his own inventions might be more precise and stable. Finally, there’s the Centurion of the era.

Dr. Tomorrow believes that the Centurion of the 26th century was the incarnation of the Centurion that was supposed to go to the alternate timeline known as Erde, but never did. The Clockwatcher vehemently disagrees with this hypothesis, but then he vehemently disagrees with Dr. Tomorrow about quite a bit. Dr. Mayhem likewise scoffs at Dr. Tomorrow’s beliefs. He feels that maybe, JUST maybe, that the Centurion of the future is actually his foe Gladius, returned to the time stream. This of course ignores quite a bit about the Centurion’s personal history, but then Dr. Mayhem ignores a lot of things that are inconvenient to him.

No matter what era he’s in, Dr. Mayhem is a dangerous man, obsessively pursuing his goal of obtaining mastery over time itself.

Powers & Abilities
Dr. Mayhem’s greatest power remains his brilliant mind. He’s a technological genius, able to whip up a variety of gadgets should the situation call for it. He’s fashioned a suit of battle armor that puts him on an even playing field with the various heroes he often faces.

Finally, his research into time has born SOME fruit- he’s managed to reverse the aging process on himself (albeit slightly) and halted it. He will now never get older than he is right now. He literally has all the time in the world to pursue his goals.

Any time travel devices he might have are best handled as a plot device. He builds an unreliable machine before the start of a particular adventure to get where he needs to go, and then goes about causing trouble.

Playing Dr. Mayhem
Dr. Mayhem is a brilliant and driven man. He’s also aloof, arrogant, and condescending to anyone he feels is not his equal, and that’s most people not named “Gladius”.

Statistics

Attributes
Strength 0/ 11 (With Armor)
Stamina 2
Agility 1
Dexterity 1
Fighting 8
Intellect 11
Awareness 6
Presence 4

Skills - Close Combat: Unarmed 3 (+11), Deception 8 (+14), Expertise: Physical Sciences 10 (+21), Insight 12 (+18), Notice 10 (+16), Ranged Combat: Blast 9 (+10), Technology 10 (+21), Vehicles 8 (+9)
Advantages - Accurate Attack, Eidetic Memory, Improvised Tools, Inventor, Jack-Of-All-Trades, Power Attack
Powers
Battlesuit (Removable -19, 74 points)

• Offensive Array- Ranged Damage 12, Alternate Effect: Dazzle 12 (25 points)
  Enhanced Hydraulic Musculature- Enhanced Strength 11 (22 points)
  Propulsion System- Flight 12 (8,000 MPH) (24 points)
  Armor- Immunity 10 (Life Support), Protection 12 (12 points)

Weather The Storms Of Time- Immunity 1 (Aging)

Defenses
Dodge +8
Fortitude +6
Parry +8
Toughness +14
Will +8

Attributes 66 + Skills 35 + Advantages 6 + Powers 75 + Defenses 13 = 195

Complications
Motivation: Obsession

Arrogance

*Dr. Mayhem first appeared in Freedom’s Most Wanted for Mutants & Masterminds 2nd Edition.

[MattBlack]

Moodlight, PL 8 120 points

Emeri Lumen is an empath with the curious ability to generate various types of light that can have a multitude of effects. Being a helpful sort, she decided to attend one of the Freedom Legion try-outs. Before she actually auditioned, she spent a lot of time talking with the other people there, offering words of encouragement to those who needed a pep talk, words of solace and comfort to those who got turned away, and hearty congratulations to those who got accepted.

When it was Emeri’s turn, she did her best but… Well, she’s still getting the hang of her powers, and Metalla assured her not to worry, Colonel Colossus’ vision was sure to come back in a few hours. She didn’t let it get her down though. After thanking the assembled judges, she went back to doing what she was doing before, talking to others and generally just being friendly and helpful. She didn’t think anyone would notice, but someone did.

After everyone had left, Emeri was about to leave when she was approached by Professor Danger. The professor told her that maybe Emeri was doing exactly what she needed to be doing, gave her a pat on the back, and left. Emeri pondered this kind but cryptic advice. The next day, she contacted some of the other people who had been rejected. Emeri thought that maybe there should be a support group for those like her who had potential but just needed some encouragement. Thus, the Legion Replacements was born.

Powers & Abilities
Moodlight can read people’s auras, seeing their moods and general health as colored swirls around their bodies. More than that, she can produce a spectrum of lights. A rainbow burst can overcome people with certain emotions (though she has no control WHICH emotion), a green energizing light that heals, a blue light that can reduce temperatures significantly, and a yellow blinding light. She can also surround herself with a purple protective aura.

More than that, however, Moodlight is a genuinely kind, thoughtful, and perceptive young lady, which might be her greatest ability.

Playing Moodlight
Moodlight is very good at crowd control, though she has to be careful, as some of her powers will affect everyone in range. She has little in the way of focused offensive abilities, not that she’d care to use those if she had them.

She’ll definitely try to coordinate efforts, using her various Advantages to tell allies of a foe’s capabilities or aiding them with Teamwork or Set-Up.

Statistics

Attributes
Strength 0
Stamina 0
Agility 2
Dexterity 2
Fighting 0
Intellect 2
Awareness 2
Presence 2

Skills- Insight 16 (+18), Perception 10 (+12), Persuasion 14 (+16)
Advantages- Assessment, Fascinate (Persuasion), Inspire 5, Leadership, Set-Up, Teamwork
Powers
Aura Reading- Senses 3 (Detect Emotional & Physical State, Acute, Ranged, Visual & Mental) (5 points)
Light Powers (Array, 27 points)

• Spectrum Of Emotions- Burst Area Cumulative Affliction 8 (Impaired, Disabled, Incapacitated), Resisted & Overcome By Will, Selective, Sense-Dependent (Sight), Variable Descriptor (Emotions), Quirk (Doesn’t Choose Which Emotion The Subject Is Overcome By, -1 point) (24 points)
  Green Light Of Healing- Ranged Energizing Healing 6 (1 point)
  Blue Light Of Chill- Environmental Control 8 (Extreme Cold) (1 point)
  Yellow Light Of Dazzling- Burst Area Cumulative Affliction 8, Resisted By Dodge, Overcome By Fortitude, Visually Impaired, Visually Disabled, Visually Unaware; Limited To Vision (1 point)

Purple Light Of Protection- Sustained Protection 8, Sustained Enhanced Dodge & Parry 8 (24 points)

Defenses
Dodge +8
Fortitude +6
Parry +8
Toughness +8
Will +10

Complications
Motivation: Doing Good Moodlight believes that the universe would be a better place if everyone were open and honest about their feelings, so she tries to use her powers to encourage that.

Quirk: Fear Of The Dark She’s a little scared of the dark, and it doesn’t help that she hasn’t really figured out a way to use her powers to provide soft light that doesn’t blind everybody.

[MattBlack]

Yeti Girl, PL 8 120 points

Garla is from a species of hirsute humanoids. Some scholars theorize they’re related to Cholaxans, others believe that the Preservers took sasquatches from Earth, not unlike they did with humans. (The fact that Garla’s people can speak gives credence to the latter theory.) Regardless, Garla, like the rest of her kin, is very large and strong. Living in the polar ice, Garla exhibited strength even far beyond that of her peers. Wanting to put her strength to good use, she traveled to Earth to audition for the Freedom Legion. There, she learned the truth.

Garla’s exceptional strength only reaches full power when she’s in freezing temperatures. Otherwise, while she’s still strong, she’s outclassed by many. Not being discouraged, she decided to join the Legion Replacements. She’s a stalwart member of the team.

Powers & Abilities
Yeti Girl is strong, even stronger in cold weather, which she is immune to.

Playing Yeti Girl
Yeti Girl plays the “big sister” to her smaller allies. Even when it’s not frigid, she’s still not one to mess with, and uses her size and intimidating demeanor to protect those that can’t protect themselves.

Statistics

Attributes
Strength 8*
Stamina 8*
Agility 4
Dexterity 2
Fighting 8
Intellect 1
Awareness 2
Presence 2

Skills- Athletic 8 (+16), Intimidation 6 (+10*)
Advantages- Diehard, Fast Grab, Favored Environment (Cold), Great Endurance, Improved Hold, Improved Initiative 2, Interpose, Set-Up, Startle, Tracking
Powers
Large Frame- Growth 4, Permanent, Innate (+4 Strength & Stamina, +2 Intimidation, -2 Dodge & Parry, -2 Stealth) (9 points)
Cold Weather Warrior- Immunity 10 (Cold Effects), Enhanced Strength 6 (400 tons, Limited To Lifting, Limited To Cold Weather), Penetrating & Multiattack on Strength Damage 8 (Limited To Cold Weather), Impervious Toughness 8 (Limited To Cold Weather) (25 points)

Defenses
Dodge +8*
Fortitude +8*
Parry +8*
Toughness +8*
Will +8

*Includes Growth Modifier

Complications
Motivation: Responsibility Being well over 7 feet tall, Yeti Girl learned early on that smaller people than her tend to be much more fragile. As such, she believes in using her might for good.

Ugh, It’s Hot Yeti Girl does not do well in warmer climes, picking up levels of fatigue and exhaustion when the temperature is 80 degrees or higher. She immediately recovers when she exposed to freezing temperatures.

[MattBlack]

Some more characters to come, these inspired by the SW6 Legion, but first, BACK STORY!

The Alpha Cluster
One day, the Freedom Legion got word that agents of Vorgol The Conqueror were looking for something called “The Alpha Cluster”. Intelligence reports suggested that no one knew exactly what the Alpha Cluster was, perhaps not even the Conqueror himself, but if Vorgol wanted, the Freedom Legion decided that he definitely should not have it.

The search lead them to a moon not far from the planet Tyr. In the caverns below, they found an ancient temple. Inside the temple, there was an incredibly advanced scientific facility of some sort. It was unclear if it was left by the Preservers or a more contemporary power.

There was little time for speculation, however, as the team was stunned by the most incredible discovery thus far- stasis pods containing what appeared to be younger versions of several Freedom Legion members!

It was then that Vorgol’s agents arrived. During the ensuing battle, the stasis pods open, and those within joined the battle. After some confusion, both teams of Legionnaires banded together to repel the invaders, and then returned to Earth.

The Freedom Legion is currently investigating the origins of these “new” members. The Clockwatcher is “reasonably sure” they’re not from the past, though that still leaves quite a few possibilities. In the meantime, the "ACs ", as they have come to be known, are settling in, getting to know the newer members, and are trying to wrap their heads around the choices their older selves have made.

So, Who Are The ACs?
Essentially, whoever the GM or the players want to be. This was thought up as an out to make playable versions of other Legion members, like Professor Danger, Solarflare, or the Centurion II. It would be a little trickier to justify characters like Dr. Metropolis, the Clockwatcher, or Star Knight, but if you’ve got a good idea for it, do it!

Where Did The ACs Come From?
Finding out where they came from should be a big part of a Legion campaign, if the decision to use them is made. Some options-

• Time Travel- Remember, the Clockwatcher said “reasonably sure”. The ACs could be pulled out from time.
  Alternate Timeline- The ACs could have been pulled from a parallel universe, perhaps one very similar to Earth-Prime of the 26th Century.
  Clones- There are many, may ways of duplicating people in Mutants & Masterminds, and any of the options can explain the ACs. Genetic cloning, mystic homonculi, quantum duplicates, etc. It’s even possible that the older versions are the clones and the ACs are the originals!
  Grue Sleeper Agents- As detailed in the Cosmic Handbook, the Grue can create sleeper agents so convincing that not even the sleepers themselves are aware of their true nature! Should the GM go this route, make sure the players are on board with this. While it presents great role-playing opportunities, not everyone may be on board with their character concept being a lie.

[MattBlack]

Elementress AC

San T’Ker was nearly burned as a demon on her home planet of Byrgh because of her mutant powers before being saved by the Freedom Legion. She attended Claremont Academy, graduated with honors, and served the Legion with pride. However, she grew disenchanted that the Legion wasn’t more proactive in helping those like her. Eventually, the philosophical rifts grew too great, and she left the team. She fell into despair before falling in with the Unification Movement, rising up in the ranks to become the public face of the religious group, providing a beatific smile to distract from the Unifiers’ more unsavory actions.

The Elementress that was found in the so-called “Alpha Cluster” wants nothing to do with that. While she still wants the Legion to do more, she’s yet to become cynical. She’s quite frankly horrified at what’s happened to her older self, and has recommitted herself to the Legion and it’s goals. Many of the newer members (well, new to her, anyway) have similar outlooks, and the hope is that history will not repeat itself this time.

Powers & Abilities
Elementress can transmute any element with a touch, and these changes are permanent until she decides to undo them. There’s also a glimpse of the religious leader her “other” became; the AC Elementress can turn on the charm, though she’s not nearly as persuasive as Prime Unifier San.

Lastly, the AC Elementress has picked up a trick that Prime Unifier San does NOT have; she can transmute her skin with a protective coating, becoming diamond, rock, ceramic, or basically anything she needs to protect herself at any given time. She revels in this newfound ability, as she believes this is a sign that she is absolutely not the same person that became the Prime Unifier.

Playing Elementress
San is, at this point in her life, still an optimist. She sees herself as a catalyst for change, both figuratively serving as an inspiration and quite literally, thanks to her powers. She’s still very outspoken about injustice, and how some C.O.P. member planets will abuse rules and persecute marginalized groups with little to no reprisal or consequences from the C.O.P. governing body. The best thing she can do, then, is to use her status in the Freedom Legion to raise awareness when she can.

She’s reluctant to tell others, but she is absolutely terrified of Prime Unifier San, both the actual person and what she’s capable of, and what she represents. As such, she does as much as she can to distance herself from that outcome. She’s become more distant from the Freedom Legion members she used to associate with, primarily Chiller and Solarflare, instead preferring the company of the newer members, as well as her fellow ACs.

In combat, her transmutation ability makes her an incredibly versatile and capable combatant. She can turn a floor into slick glass or an opponent’s armor into solid stone. She’s really only limited by her knowledge of science and her imagination. She’ll also liberally use Extra Effort and Hero Points to come up with stunts on the fly, making explosions or clouds of gas.

Statistics

Attributes
Strength 0
Stamina 1
Agility 1
Dexterity 2
Fighting 1
Intellect 1
Awareness 2
Presence 3

Skills- Close Combat: Unarmed 10 (+11), Deception 8 (+11), Expertise: Science 4 (+5), Intimidation 4 (+7), Persuasion 8 (+11) (17)
Advantages- Accurate Attack, Defensive Attack, Improved Disarm, Inspire
Powers
Alchemical Skin- Sustained Protection 8, Sustained Impervious 9, Variable Descriptor 1, Noticeable -1 (17 points)
Transmutation- Continuous Transform 9 (Anything To Anything) (54 points)

Defenses
Dodge +11
Fortitude +8
Parry +11
Toughness +9
Will +12

Complications
Motivation: Acceptance San loves that the Freedom Legion represents a collection of unique individuals like herself and celebrates those that are different.

Mysterious Origin Like the other ACs, there is still some question about how Elementress came to be.

Pyrophobia It’s not something she talks about very often, but her experiences on her home planet Byrgh left her with a fear of fire. She’s made strides in overcoming it, but she still has a ways to go. Whenever in the presence of fire or flames, she’s considered Dazed, in addition to any other conditions she may be affected by. The Dazed condition ends immediately when she gets further away or the fires get extinguished.

The adult version of Elementress, Prime Unifier San, is detailed in The Cosmic Handbook from Green Ronin Publishing

[MattBlack]

Novaheart AC

The Huoshans, inhabitants of the gas giant Tratarus, have a reputation for being extremely reclusive. Understandable, given that, because of their ability to generate extreme amounts of super-charged plasma. unscrupulous types throughout the galaxy have attempted to use Huoshans as living batteries. So, it came as some surprise when Tratarus petitioned to join the Confederation Of Planets and send one of their own to the Claremont Academy for training and eventual membership into the Freedom Legion.

Taral Nrox, whose name translates to “inner star” is an exceptionally powerful Huoshan. He studied hard at Claremont and, upon graduation, joined the Freedom Legion. There, he became a sort of friendly rival to Casey Leeds, the Centurion, as both were the most powerful members at the time. After a few years, Novaheart, as he became known, retired from active duty and returned to Tratarus, first becoming a Senator, and then being named as the Tratarus ambassador to the C.O.P. General Assembly.

Novaheart was one of the Legionnaires found in the “Alpha Cluster” and is very much like he was before getting into politics. He continues to be a powerful force by the Freedom Legion. Representatives from the Tratarus government have been keeping tabs on him with ever increasing frequency, to ensure that his actions are in keeping with the public image of Ambassador Nrox, something which rankles Novaheart a bit. As long as he keeps helping people and being a decent person, then there shouldn’t be a problem, right?

Powers & Abilities
All Huoshans are immune to fire and radiation and can survive the vacuum of space. They also can generate plasma, allowing for flight and blasts of energy. Novaheart is an exceptional example, as his plasma is much more powerful than average. He’s even figured out a way to use it to enhance his own physical might. And while all Huoshans are made of a sort of organic metal, Novaheart is extremely durable even by the standards of his species.

Novaheart has a pool of 20 power points which he can split up between his Plasma Vision and Strength Attribute.

Playing Novaheart
Novaheart enrolled in Claremont and joined the Freedom Legion as he wants to protect his people, ensuring that no Huoshan is ever exploited again. His time in the Freedom Legion has seen him expand that view to include all sapient beings.

Despite his good nature, Novaheart does have a bit of a competitive streak and is at times a bit of a show-off, often challenging other Legionnaires to a race or an arm-wrestling contest.

In combat, he’ll use his Assessment advantage to get a good read on the situation, determining is the best option for battle is his Plasma Vision or just hammering away at foes with strength. He’s also quick to throw himself in front of allies to protect them.

Statistics

Attributes
Strength 0/ 10
Stamina 8
Agility 2
Dexterity 0
Fighting 2
Intellect 0
Awareness 1
Presence 1

Skills- Close Combat: Unarmed 8 (+10), Insight 4 (+5), Perception 4 (+5), Persuasion 4 (+5), Ranged Combat: Vision 10 (+10)
Advantages- Assessment, Favored Environment (Storms), Interpose
Powers
Huoshan Durability- Immunity 30 (Fire Effects, Life Support, Radiation Effects)
Organic Metal- Protection 4, Impervious 12
Plasma-Charged (Dynamic Array)

• Plasma Vision- Ranged Damage 10 (Dynamic, 21 points)
  Plasma Powered Might- Sustained Enhanced Strength 10 (Dynamic, 2 points)

Plasma Propulsion- Flight 8

Defenses
Dodge +8
Fortitude +8
Parry +8
Toughness +12
Will +8

Complications
Motivation: Responsibility Novaheart feels it’s his duty to protect people.

Anything You Can Do… As noted, Novaheart can be a bit competitive, and he’ll try to match or exceed (though only slightly) his teammates. This has on occasion gotten him into trouble.

Mysterious Origin

[MattBlack]

The Nightstalker AC

Una Hunt was born in the Atlas Mountains outside of Emerald City. One of the Unhumans, descendants of the Fomorians, Una was born with a unicorn horn growing out of her forehead. As she got older, she learned it could absorb magic, which she then could use to project blasts of soulfire. The Cryptid Clans, many of whom were supernatural, taught her about responsible use of her abilities, but she also learned that there were many supernatural beings who preyed upon others. So, when she was old enough, she decided to live up to her last name, becoming the Nightstalker, the scourge of evil mystics and demons.

Her activities eventually brought her to the attention of the Freedom Legion, who invited her to join. While possessed of a rebellious, independent streak, she was a dedicated and determined member. Eventually, her skills in the arcane grew that she was appointed Master Mage of Earth, and she retired from active duty to attend to those responsibilities and also to become co-headmaster of the Claremont Academy with the Centurion.

The Nightstalker was one of the “Alpha Cluster”. When told what the “other” Nightstalker was doing, she said, “HA! No, seriously, what I am up to nowadays? … You’re not kidding. sigh Balor’s Eye…”

Powers & Abilities
Una’s horn can automatically absorb magical effects directed at her, which she can then project back as an arcane energy that attacks the spirit rather than the body. She can also wreathe herself in a protective magical aura and detect magical effects at a distance.

She’s a skilled investigator and occultist, though the AC incarnation of the Nightstalker is at the stage of her career where most of her magic requires lengthy rituals.

Of course, more than anything, many of the Freedom Legion would argue that her greatest ability is to stare down the most disconcerting horror from beyond and proceed to just decimate it with her scathing, sarcastic wit.

Playing The Nightstalker
Those who know of the period of Earth’s heroic history referred to as “The Iron Age” say that Nightstalker would have fit into that era like a glove. She’s cocky and quick-witted, loving to play the role of the mysterious outsider, though secretly she loves being part of a team; she realizes that there are many threats that the Freedom Legion is not prepared to handle, and she will always have their backs.

At this stage, the Nightstalker is best suited for missions that either have a known supernatural element or ones where she can put her skills to good use, sneaking around and gathering intelligence.

Statistics

Attributes
Strength 2
Stamina 2
Agility 2
Dexterity 0
Fighting 2
Intellect 2
Awareness 4
Presence 2

Skills- Close Combat: Horn 10 (+12) Deception 10 (+12), Expertise: Magic 10 (+12), Investigation 10 (+13), Ranged Combat: Magic 12 (+12), Stealth 8 (+10)
Advantages- Fearless, Improved Initiative 2, Ritualist, Second Chance (Nullfiy), Taunt
Powers
Magical Awareness- Senses 2 (Detect Magic, Ranged) (2 points)
Mystic Shield- Sustained Protection 8
Soulfire- Ranged Damage 8, Alternate Resistance Will, Fades, Limited To The Lesser Of Effect Rank Or Absorbed Energy Rank (8 points)
Unicorn Horn- Nullify Magic 8, Broad, Reaction, Simultaneous, Close Range, Limited To Self (32 points), Strength Based Damage 2 (2 points)

Defenses
Dodge +10
Fortitude +8
Parry +10
Toughness +10
Will +12

Complications
Motivation: Mission The Nightstalker is driven to find and stamp out supernatural threats wherever they might arise.

Rebellious Styling herself as a “dark terror of the night”, Una is still learning how to play with others.

Mysterious Origin

[MattBlack]

Kid Cortex AC

Karras Orlin was a mentat from Starhaven who trained at Iapyx Academy. The Starhaven government, desperately wanting to join the C.O.P (even though technically Starhaven isn’t a planet, it’s the moon formerly known as Europa) sent Karras to Earth to join the Freedom Legion. Karras was a cocky sort, always preening. “Most people are worried about what other people think. I KNOW what other people think, so I’ve got a leg up.” Despite his assertions, he DID care what other people thought and was always trying to present himself in the best light.

The Freedom Legion changed that. Spending so much time with people whose thoughts were selfless and heroic rubbed off on him, and he gradually became what he had pretended to be for so long- a hero and a good man. This was proven when Legion The Mind Virus returned after centuries (see Freedom’s Most Wanted for M&M 2e). Kid Cortex gave his life to stop the threat, and is now regarded as one of the greatest Legionnaires.

When told of that, the Kid Cortex found in the Alpha Cluster said, “Huh. Well, I’m not dead now, so that works out for everybody!”

Powers & Abilities
Kid Cortex is a powerful telepath, able to read minds and project powerful mental blasts.

Playing Kid Cortex
Kid Cortex is still a cocky smart-aleck, but his time with the Legion has tempered that. The older Legionnaires and his fellow ACs are very protective of him, given what happened to the original, and he is absolutely not above playing to their sympathies to get favors. (This works like a charm on Chiller, but Professor Danger sees right through him every time.) He does wonder if he has the moral character to do what the original Kid Cortex did should the situation ever call for it, and he hopes he never has to find out.

Statistics

Attributes
Strength 0
Stamina 1
Agility 1
Dexterity 0
Fighting 0
Intellect 2
Awareness 4
Presence 2

Skills- Insight 6 (+10), Perception 6 (+10), Persuasion 8 (+10)
Advantages- Uncanny Dodge
Powers
Mental Blast- Perception Ranged Damage 8, Alternate Resistance: Will (32 points)
Mental Detection- Senses 5 (Detect Minds, Ranged, Acute, Accurate) (5 points)
Reinforced Bodysuit (Removable, -2 points)

• Movement 1 (Sure-Footed), Protection 8

Predictive Defense- Enhanced Dodge 9, Enhanced Parry 10, Not Against Opponents Immune To Mental Powers (17 points)
Telepathy- Mental Communication 5 (20 points), Linked To Mind Reading 8 (16 points)
Translate- Comprehend 3 (Speak, Understand, Understood) (6 points)

Defenses
Dodge +10
Fortitude +8 (7)
Parry +10
Toughness +9
Will +12

Complications
Motivation: Community Kid Cortex finds he likes being around heroes and how it makes him a better person. He’s afraid that if he’s ever separated from the team he’ll once again become a selfish jerk.

Mysterious Origin

[MattBlack]

Taking a break from new characters a bit to go back and clean up some of the earlier characters. Here’s a newer version of Crimson Girl.

Statistics

Attributes
Strength 2
Stamina 2
Agility 2
Dexterity 0
Fighting 2
Intellect 2
Awareness 5
Presence 2

Skills- Close Combat: Unarmed 4 (+6), Insight 6 (+11), Perception 6 (+11), Persuasion 8 (+10)

Advantages- Defensive Roll 2, Ultimate Effort (Will Saves)

Powers
Mental Blast- Perception Ranged Damage 4, Alternate Resistance Will (16 points)

• Psychic Vampirism- Perception Ranged Cumulative Affliction 4 (Fatigued, Exhausted, Incapacitated), Resisted And Overcome By Will, Linked To Healing 4, Energizing Only, Self Only (1 point)

Morbian Senses- Senses 4 (Accurate Hearing, Danger Sense: Auditory, Darkvision) (4 points)

Predictive Defense- Enhanced Dodge & Parry 10, Quirk (Not Against Opponents Immune To Mental Powers, -2 points) (18 points)

Telepathic Translation- Comprehend 3 (Languages), Affects Others, Perception Area (Hearing), Noticeable (Glowing Red Eyes For Everyone In The Translation Field) (11 points)

Telepathy- Mind Reading 5 Linked to Area Mental Communication 5; Noticeable (Glowing Red Eyes For Herself And Who She’s In Communication With, -1 point) (19 points)

Vampiric Feeding- Regeneration 5 (Source Blood), Immunity 1 (Aging, Half Effect) (3 points) Weaken Stamina 3 (Resisted By Fortitude, Grab-Based, Limited to One Rank Per Round) (1 point)

Defenses
Dodge +12
Fortitude +6
Parry +12
Toughness +4/ +2
Will +14

[MattBlack]

And now, updated Dijan The Umbral.

Statistics

Attributes
Strength 1
Stamina 2
Agility 1
Dexterity 2
Fighting 2
Intellect 2
Awareness 2
Presence 2

Skills- Deception 8 (+10), Insight 6 (+8), Perception 5 (+7), Persuasion 3 (+5), Ranged Combat: Shadow Control 8 (+10), Stealth 6 (+7)
Advantages- Agile Feint, Move-By Action, Taunt
Powers
Shadow Bands (Removable -18, 72 points)
Darkflight- Flight 10, Movement 3 (Space Travel 3) (26 points)
Shadow Control (20 point array)

• Blinding- Ranged Cumulative Affliction 10, Resisted By Dodge, Overcome By Will; Visually Impaired, Visually Disabled, Visually Unaware (20 points)
• Dark Blast- Ranged Damage 10 (1 point)
• Darkness- Ranged Cloud Area 2 (30 feet), Concealment Attack 4 (Visual) (1 point)
• Shadow Constructs- Create Shadow Constructs 10 (1 point)
• Shadow Lifting- Move Object 10 (1 point)

Shadow Shield- Immunity 10 (Life Support), Protection 10, Impervious 12 (32 points)
Shadow Sight- Senses 2 (Darkvision) (2 points)
Translator- Comprehend 3 (Speak, Understand, Understood) (6 points)

Defenses
Dodge +8
Fortitude +9
Parry +8
Toughness +12
Will +11

And now, some more backstory, as I felt I needed a Watsonian explanation for how Dijan differs from some of the other Blackguards.

Exposition!

To this day, Rojan Lhar fumes at the betrayal and abandonment committed by the Blackguards. How could they have turned on him? How did they wrest away control of the Nightstone? The answer hides in the shadows.

Taarvon the Undying is a powerful being who seeks to depose Omega. He’s motive are not noble, however, as once he’s in charge of the Terminus, he seeks to replace the Doom-Coil’s purpose from spreading Entropy to spreading darkness and shadows.

When Omega granted Blackstar the original shadow-bands, Taarvon felt personally slighted. After all, shadows were HIS domain, and HE was the undisputed master of them. But then he saw an opportunity.

Unbeknownst to Rojan Lhar, Taarvon began using his mastery of shadows to whisper to the former Star Knight. It was his voice that lead Lhar to the Nightstone, and his whispers that held the secrets of fashioning the shadow bands. Likewise, it was he who guided and instructed the Blackguards on how they might divest themselves of Rojan. Omega could have his pawn, Blackstar, for now Taarvon had the makings of an army, one he hoped might one day rival Omega’s Annihilists.

When someone possessed of great ambition puts on the shadow bands, the bands bond with the wearer, making removal exceedingly difficult without the bearer’s consent. Once bonded, Taarvon has greater access to the person’s psyche, his whispers coming in more clearly to their mind, and can even (on occasion) peer through their senses, completely unknown. With one exception, the Blackguards are completely unaware of this.

The Blackguard who recruited Dijan Fekt made a miscalculation of the young man’s character. Dijan is not terribly ambitious compared to other Blackguards. While they are motivated by desire for power, lust, greed, or what have you, Dijan merely wanted independence and security. The shadow bands are a bit of an extreme means to achieve said goals, but they work for him. The result of this is that while Dijan can be more easily separated from his bands than other Blackguards, he is also not as easily to manipulate by Taarvon.

Taarvon was not disappointed however. Once Dijan joined the Freedom Legion, he saw an opportunity. It’s one thing to have an army, it’s another thing to have a general in that army who is connected with one of the strongest forces in the galaxy. So what if Taarvon can’t directly tempt and beguile Dijan into wanting more? There are other ways to bring him over to shadows. He can send other Blackguards to cajole and seduce him, and failing that, power simply corrupts, and Dijan has been given a lot of power. It may take some time, but Taarvon can wait.

He is called “The Undying”, after all.

I LOVE that new picture. He totally looks like he should be hanging out with other Legion Of Superheroes Members from the 70s, like Karate Kid and Tyroc.

[MattBlack]

And now, an updated Sun Sobek. Much like Dijan, the stats on his first write-up were laughably bad.

Statistics

Attributes
Strength 4*/ 8*
Stamina 8*
Agility 4
Dexterity 0
Fighting 4
Intellect 1
Awareness 2
Presence 0

Skills- Close Combat: Flail 4 (+8), Expertise: Magic 4 (+5), Intimidation 4 (+6*), Ranged Combat: Light Powers 10 (+10)
Advantages- Fearless, Interpose
Powers
Jereid Physiology- Stremgth Based Damage 1 (Claws), Growth 4 (+4 Strength & Stamina, +2 Intimidation, -2 Dodge & Parry, -4 Stealth; Permanent, Innate), Impervious Protection 2, Regeneration 1, Senses 1 (Low-Light Vision), Swimming 1 (17 points)
The Flail Of Light (Removable -17 points; Indestructible, Feature: Disguise, Feature: Restricted; 68 points)
Blessing Of Horus (Array)

• Horus’ Fury- Ranged Damaged 10 (20 points)
  Horus’ Light- Ranged Cumulative Affliction 10, Resisted By Dodge, Overcome By Fortitude; Visually Impaired, Visually Disabled, Visually Unaware (1 point)
  Light Of Ra- Environment 10 (Daylight) (1 point)
  Sobek’s Strike- Strength Based Damage 4, Improved Critical 2, Improved Disarm, Reach 1, Penetrating 12 (1 point)

Blessing Of Thoth- Comprehend 3 (Speak, Understand, Understood) 6
Enhanced Advantage: Improved Intiative
Feature 1 (Instant Change)
Hawk’s Flight- Flight 10 (20 points), Movement 4 (Dimensional Travel 2- Divine Dimensions; Space Travel 2) (28 points)
Might Of Horus- Enhance Strength 4 (8 points)
Protection Of Ra- Immunity 10 (Life Support), Impervious Toughness 8
Defenses
Dodge +8*
Fortitude +8
Parry +8*
Toughness +10*
Will +12

*Includes Growth Modifier

[MattBlack]

Ms. Magus Version 2

While it doesn’t feel like I changed all that much, she’s a lot more fine tuned now. With the exception of Stamina, I dropped all physical attributes, because her shapeshifting can compensate for that. I also dropped the Magic down slightly. This allowed me to boost her Will significantly, and also improve the skills somewhat and, most importantly, give her a little more competency in the way of Advantages. Finally, I went ahead and actually gave definitive Alternate Effects for her Magic Array. I originally left it blank, wanting to give the theoretical player a degree of customization, but then I figured, “Well, that’s what her Variable power is for!” I went with effects that could NOT be easily accomplished with Grue shapeshifting.

Statistics

Attributes
Strength 0
Stamina 2
Agility 0
Dexterity 0
Fighting 0
Intellect 1
Awareness 4
Presence 2

Skills- Deception 10 (+12), Expertise: Magic 10 (+11), Insight 6 (+10), Perception 6 (+10), Ranged Combat: Magic 10 (+10)
Advantages- Fearless, Improved Intiative 3, Ritualist, Skill Mastery (Expertise: Magic), Trance
Powers
Grue Shapeshifting- Morph 3 (Humanoids), Variable 6 (Physical Traits) (57 points)
Grue Telepathy- Comprehend 2 (Understand, Understood), Mind Reading 6 (Close Range), Weaken Will 6 (16 points)
Magical Adept (Array) (23 points)

• Mystic Blast- Ranged Damage 10 (20 points)
  Mystic Wind- Cone Area Damaging Move Object 10, Close Range, Limited To Pushing Away (1 point)
  Mystical Sending- Mental Communication 5 (1 point)
  Scrying- Remote Sensing 5 (Auditory, Mental, Visual; 900 feet) (1 point)

Defenses
Dodge +0
Fortitude +2
Parry +0
Toughness +2
Will +12

[MattBlack]

Super Junior, Version 2

I probably didn’t really need to fix him all that much, as he seemed to be quite competent the first go round. I dropped Fighting a bit and reallocated those points to Close Combat, and that freed up a good bit to add to Advantages and tweak defense just a bit further.

Statistics

Attributes
Strength 4
Stamina 3
Agility 7
Dexterity 2
Fighting 10
Intellect 1
Awareness 3
Presence 2

Skills- Acrobatics 13 (+20), Athletics 9 (+13), Close Combat: Unarmed 6 (+16), Deception 6 (+10), Insight 5 (+10), Perception 5 (+10), Persuasion 10 (+14)
Advantages- Agile Feint, All-Out Attack, Assessment, Defensive Attack, Die Hard, Fascinate (Persuasion), Fast Grab, Great Endurance, Improved Grab, Improved Hold, Improved Trip, Instant Up, Languages 1 (English, Galacta), Power Attack, Prone Fighting, Redirect, Set-Up, Skill Mastery (Acrobatics), Takedown
Powers
Knife-Edged Chop- Penetrating 4 On Strength Damage, Limited To Attacks With Bare Hands (2 points)
Master Of 1,004 Holds- Enhanced Advangtage (Chokehold) Variable Descriptor 1 (2 points)
Quicker Than A Hiccup- Leaping 1, Movement 3 (Sure-Footed, Safe Fall, Wall-Crawling), Feature: Can Use Agility Instead Of Strength For Grappling Checks (8 points)
Tougher Than A Two Dollar Steak- Protection 3
Defenses
Dodge +14
Fortitude +10
Parry +14
Toughness +6
Will +10

[MattBlack]

Updated Mycelia.

Dropped Stamina entirely, because with her Immunity, Regeneration, and now Immortality powers, she doesn’t really NEED a Stamina score outside of Toughness, which is easily handled by adding ranks of Protection. Her other saves were pretty good before, but I tweaked them a bit.

Summary

Attributes
Strength 2
Stamina 0
Agility 3
Dexterity 2
Fighting 2
Intellect 3
Awareness 4
Presence 1

Skills- Close Combat: Unarmed 8 (+10), Expertise: Xenobiology 8 (+11), Perception 8 (+12), Treatment 6 (+9)
Advantages- Diehard, Improved Smash, Languages 1 (Galacta, Mycanoid Native), Weapon Break
Powers
Mycanoid Physiology-Immortality 1 (1 month, 2 points), Immunity (Fortitude Effects) (30 points), Regeneration 5 (5 points), Protection 10 (10 points)
Spore Powers (Array)

• Spore Cloud- Cloud Area Affliction 10 (Resisted & Overcome by Fortitude, Fatigued, Exhausted, Incapacitated) (20 points)
• Healing Spores- Cloud Area Restorative Healing 5 (1 point)
• Spore Breath- Cone Area Progressive Weaken Stamina 5 (1 point)

Decompose- Weaken Toughness 10, Only Affects Objects, Limited to Non-Living Organic Matter (5 points)

Defenses
Dodge +10
Fortitude +0
Parry +10
Toughness +10
Will +12

[MattBlack]

You know her, you love her, it’s the revised White Dot!

Statistics

Attributes
Strength 0
Stamina 2
Agility 1
Dexterity 0
Fighting 0
Intellect 8
Awareness 1
Presence 1

Skills- Expertise: Physics 10 (+18), Perception 10 (+11), Ranged Combat: Portals 10 (+10), Stealth 6 (+7), Technology 12 (+20)
Advantages- Defensive Roll 2, Eidetic Memory, Improved Initiative, Improvised Tools, Inventor, Skill Mastery 2 (Technology, Expertise: Physics)
Powers
Rapid Thinking- Quickness 4, Limited To Mental Tasks (2 points)
Speed Of Thought- Feature: Uses Intellect Instead Of Agility For Initative (1 point)
Technopathy- Comprehend 2: Machines (4 points)
Portal Gauntlets (Removable -17 points, 68 points)

Defensive Portals- Sustained Enhanced Dodge & Parry 10, Sustained Protection 3 (23)
Portal Space-Feature 2: Extradimensional Storage Of Mass Rank (200 lbs.) In Materials (2 points)
Portal Shenanigans (24 point Array) (26 points)

• Portal Intercept- Deflect 8, Reflect, Redirect (24 points)
  Apport- Ranged Teleport Attack 10 (1 point)
  Portal Blast- Ranged Damage 9, Variable Descriptor 1 (Elemental Effects), Improved Critical, Indirect 4 (1 point)

Portal Movement (Array) (28 points)

• Personal Portal- Accurate Teleport 8 (1 mile), Change Direction, Change Velocity, Turnabout (27 points)
  Space Teleportal- Movement 3 (Space Travel 3, Portal) (1 point)

Translator- Comprehend 3 (Speak, Understand, Understood) (6 points)

Defenses
Dodge +11
Fortitude +8
Parry +10
Toughness +7/ +5
Will +12

[MattBlack]

Updated Kid Asteroid.

The big change here is I made him faster and gave him options to plow into enemies like a cannonball.

Statistics

Attributes
Strength -1*
Stamina 3
Agility 2
Dexterity 1
Fighting 0
Intellect 0
Awareness 2
Presence 1

Skills- Athletics 14 (+12*), Close Combat: Slam Attacks 10 (+10) Perception 6 (+8), Stealth +6*
Advantages- Agile Feint, Evasion 2, Languages 1 (Galacta, Drik Native), Leadership, Move-By Action, Set-up, Skill Mastery (Athletics), Takedown 2, Teamwork, Uncanny Dodge
Powers
Drik Physiology- Senses 2 (Danger Sense, Ultra-Hearing); Shrinking 4, Innate, Permanent (+2 To Dodge, Parry, +4 Stealth, -1 Strength, -2 Intimidation) (11 points)
Fast As A Comet- Flight 10, Immunity 12 (Life Support, Own Slam Damage), Movement 2 (Environmental Adaptation- Zero Gravity, Space Travel 1) (36 points)
Little Meteor- Enhanced Dodge 8, Enhanced Parry 8, Protection 5, Comet Wake (Reaction Line Area Damage 5, Limited to Directly Behind You, Variable Descriptor 1) (44 points)

Defenses
Dodge +12*
Fortitude +10
Parry +10*
Toughness +8
Will +10

*Includes Shrinking Modifier

[MattBlack]

Tomorrow Girl, Version 2.

Not as many changes as others, but I did give her some Silver Age style strength tricks.

Statistics

Attributes
Strength 10
Stamina 10
Agility 2
Dexterity 0
Fighting 2
Intellect 2
Awareness 2
Presence 2

Skills- Close Combat: Unarmed 8 (+10), Insight 4 (+6), Perception 6 (+8), Persuasion 4 (+6)
Advantages- Interpose, Second Chance (Strength Checks)
Powers
Girl Of Tomorrow- Enhanced Strength & Stamina 10
Might Of Tomorrow (Array)

• Deja Vu Punch- Secondary Effect 10 On Strength Damage
  Knock You Into The Middle Of Next Week- Close Range Burst Area Selective Move Object 5, Limited To Flinging Away, Linked To Strength Damage

Tempo Change-O!- Feature 1: Instant Change
Temporal Senses- Senses 5 (Danger Sense: Mental, Ranged Accurate Temporal Awareness, Time Sense)
Time Flies- Flight 10
Tomorrow Never Dies- Immunity 10 (Life Support), Impervious Toughness 10

Defenses
Dodge +8
Fortitude +10
Parry +8
Toughness +10
Will +10

[MattBlack]

So, today I went to my brother’s house for Thanksgiving. I usually bring some M&M books for my 2 nephews to look at, and they enjoy them. So, I decided to print up about 12 Legion characters and see what they thought. The 11 year old liked Kid Asteroid. The 9 year old liked Bramble, Super Junior, and Zero Lad. My 2 year old niece though she did show some interest in the pictures of Kid Asteroid and Jetblast Jaguar, but then she became more interested in the paperclips I was using and I suddenly decided to not let her near the pages, as paperclips + toddler = BAD IDEA. She did pick up the copy of the Superteam Handbook that I brought, though, and seemed quite fascinated with that.

I then fired up the phone and showed them quick glimpses of other characters I had done. And then we get to The Lonesome Duck.

9yo: What are his powers?
Me: *Tries to think up and interesting and innovative way of describing it and… I got nothing … He’s a cartoon duck who’s also a cowboy.
9yo: *With complete earnestness That’s like the best powers ever.

[MattBlack]

Zero Lad, Version 2.

Statistics

Attributes
Strength 1
Stamina 3
Agility 2
Dexterity 1
Fighting 2
Intellect 2
Awareness 2
Presence 2

Skills- Acrobatics 6 (+8), Close Combat: Unarmed 8 (+10), Deception 8 (+10), Insight 8 (+10), Investigation 6 (+8), Perception 6 (+8), Persuasion 6 (+8), Stealth 10 (+12), Technology 4 (+6)
Advantages- Assessment, Connected, Contacts, Hide In Plain Sight, Well-Informed (5)
Powers
Probability Manipulation- Enhanced Advantage: Luck 5, Luck Control 4, Affects Corporeal 4 (21 points)
Zero Mass- Passive Concealment 4 (All Visual Senses), Sustained Immunity 10 (Life Support), Limited To While Insubstantial; Insubstantial 4, Precise, Reaction; Flight 1

Defenses
Dodge +8
Fortitude +10
Parry +8
Toughness +3
Will +10