Masters of the Universe

[Akahige]

I'd like to discuss adapting the characters from "Masters of the Universe" for GURPS. If this has been covered already, or if this is the wrong place to talk about this, please inform me. Thank you. :)

My goal is to design the characters as they first appeared in the original mini-comics, and perhaps expand from there at a later date. I've invented partial stats for most of the first two waves, and I'd like to hear your opinions and/or suggestions. Shall I post my list?


-- Matt Jozwiak

[LoneWolf23k]

I think we're going to have to wait for GURPS Powers to come out before we can cover MotU, seeing how powerful that series' characters are...

[Akahige]

So that's a "no" then? (I really don't think there's anything in MotU that the Basic Set can't cover.)

[LoneWolf23k]

Originally Posted by Akahige

So that's a "no" then? (I really don't think there's anything in MotU that the Basic Set can't cover.)

Well, technically that's true, but GURPS Powers is designed to handle high-cost type characters like the one from that show.

Still, if you're going to try converting the Masters of the Universe cast to GURPS, get ready to put in high point costs for everyone. He-Man alone must have an incredible Strength score, and Skeletor is a powerful Mage. Although I haven't read the mini-comics, I was a fan of the old cartoon show, and an even bigger fan of the more modern cartoon (which featured much cooler villains, including a Skeletor who could pull off Wuxia style swordsmanship)..

[Nikolai]

Originally Posted by Akahige

Shall I post my list?

Well, by all means - please do so!
(I think it really isn't necessary to sort of ask for permission for something like this... ;-)

It may be true that some stuff in the upcoming Powers would help design MotU characters, but it's certainly possible to do it with just the Basic Set.
There are discussions about various conversions (for which Powers would help but is not a necessity) like Jedi knights from Star Wars all over this board.

[Akahige]

Masters of the Universe (c. 1982)

Battle Cat
male tiger?
green fur, orange stripes
Attributes: ST 25; DX 13; IQ 4; HT 11. <-- higher HT?
Secondary Characteristics: SM +2; Speed 6; Dodge 9; Move 13. <-- higher Move?
Advantages: Combat Reflexes [15]; Damage Resistance (1) [5]; Night Vision (5) [5]; Sharp Claws [5]; Sharp Teeth [1]; Temperature Tolerance (1) [1].
Disadvantages: Domestic Animal [−30]; Quadruped [−35].
Skills: Brawling (E) DX +2 [8]; Mount (A) DX [2]; Stealth (A) DX [2]; Swimming (E) HT +2 [4].
Equipment: Armor/saddle.

Beast Man
male humanoid
orange fur
Attributes: ST 19; DX 13; IQ 8; HT 15.
Secondary Characteristics: Speed 7; Dodge 10; Move 7.
Advantages: Brachiator [5]; Damage Resistance (1) [5]; Fur [1]; Sharp Teeth [1]; Temperature Tolerance (1) [1].
Disadvantages: Bestial [−10]; Monstrous [−20].
Skills: Acrobatics (H) DX [4]; Climbing (A) DX (+2) [2]; Innate Attack (Beam) (E) DX [1]; Survival (jungle) (A) Per [2]; Whip (A) DX [2].
Equipment: Armor; whip; wrist-mounted beam weapon [2¾]. Wrist-mounted beam weapon provides Innate Attack (1d burn) with the gadget limitations Breakable (DR 5 machine, repairable, SM −4, −35%) and Can Be Stolen (−10%).

He-Man
male human caucasian
light skin; blond hair; blue eyes
Attributes: ST 20; DX 12; IQ 10; HT 17.
Secondary Characteristics: Speed 7.25; Dodge 10; Move 7.
Advantages: Higher Purpose (defend Castle Grayskull) [5].
Disadvantages: Honesty [−10]; Pacifism (cannot harm innocents) [−10].
Primary Skills: Brawling (E) DX +2 [4]; Broadsword (A) DX +1 [4]; Shield (E) DX +2 [4]; Two-Handed Axe/Mace (A) DX +1 [4].
Secondary Skills: Driving (hovercraft) (A) DX [2]; Pilot (light airplane) (A) DX [2]; Riding (tiger) (A) DX [2].
Background Skills: Area Knowledge (Eternia) (E) IQ [1]; Survival (jungle) (A) Per [2].
Equipment: Force field garment [87½]; great axe; shield; strength garment [89]. Force field garment provides Damage Resistance (5) (Partial, vitals, −30%) and Damage Resistance (30) (Force Field, +20%), both with the gadget limitations Breakable (DR 5 artifact, repairable, SM −3, −30%), Can Be Stolen (−10%), and Unique (−25%). Strength garment provides Damage Resistance (5) (Partial, vitals, −30%), Lifting Strength +30, and Striking ST +30, all with the gadget limitations Breakable (DR 5 artifact, repairable, SM −3, −30%), Can Be Stolen (−10%), and Unique (−25%).

Man-at-Arms
male human caucasian
light skin
Attributes: ST 17; DX __; IQ __; HT __.
Advantages: Weapon Master (all) [45].
Primary Skills: Axe/Mace (A) DX +2 [8].
Secondary Skills: Pilot (light airplane) (A) DX [2].
Background Skills: Survival (plains) (A) Per [2].
Equipment: Armor; mace.

Man-E-Faces
male humanoid
Attributes: ST 11; DX __; IQ __; HT __.
Disadvantages: Split Personality [−15].
Skills: Beam Weapons (Pistol) (E) DX [1]; Performance (A) IQ [2].
Equipment: Beam pistol; cybernetic disguise implant [21]. Cybernetic disguise implant provides Elastic Skin and Mimicry, both with the gadget limitations Breakable (DR 3 machine, repairable, SM −5, −30%).
Notes: This one’s stretching it a bit — there’s really no good reason for an actor to be covered in heavy bionic gear. Dispense with the bulky helmet and give him a bionic or holographic disguise.

Mer-Man
male humanoid
blue-green skin
Attributes: ST 15; DX __; IQ __; HT __.
Advantages: Amphibious [10]; Gills [10]; Nictating Membrane (1) [1]; Night Vision (9) [9]; Pressure Support (1) [5]; Sharp Teeth [1].
Disadvantages: Cold-Blooded [−5]; Monstrous [−20].
Skills: Broadsword (A) DX [2]; Swimming (E) HT [1].
Equipment: Armor; broadsword.

Ram Man
male human caucasian
light skin
Attributes: ST 16; DX __; IQ __; HT __.
Advantages: Rapid Healing [5].
Disadvantages: Gullibility [−10]; Overweight [−1].
Skills: Axe/Mace (A) DX [2]; Running (A) HT [2].
Equipment: Armor; axe.

Skeletor
male humanoid
light blue skin; glowing red eyes
Attributes: ST 15; DX __; IQ __; HT __.
Advantages: Magery (0) [5].
Disadvantages: Callous [−5]; Horrific [−24]; Megalomania [−10].
Skills: Broadsword (A) DX [2]; Staff (A) DX [2].
Equipment: Armor; staff.

The Sorceress
female human?
green skin?

Stratos
male human
light skin; black hair
Attributes: ST __; DX __; IQ __; HT __.
Skills: Innate Attack (Beam) (E) DX [1]; Flight (A) HT [2].
Equipment: Armor; jet pack & wings [20]; wrist-mounted beam weapon [2¾]. Jet pack & wings provide Flight with the gadget limitations Breakable (DR 5 machine, repairable, SM −2, −40%) and Can Be Stolen (−10%). Wrist-mounted beam weapon provides Innate Attack (1d burn) with the gadget limitations Breakable (DR 5 machine, repairable, SM −4, −35%) and Can Be Stolen (−10%).

Teela
female human
light skin; brown hair; blue eyes
Attributes: ST 12; DX __; IQ __; HT __.
Primary Skills: Shield (buckler) (E) DX +2 [4]; Staff (A) DX +1 [4].
Secondary Skills: Riding (horse) (A) DX [2].
Background Skills: Area Knowledge (Eternia) (E) IQ [1].
Equipment: Armor; buckler; staff.

Trap Jaw
male humanoid
light green skin
Attributes: ST __; DX __; IQ __; HT __.
Advantages: Sharp Teeth [1].
Disadvantages: One Arm (Mitigator, −50%) [−10].
Skills: Innate Attack (Beam) (E) DX [1].
Equipment: Cybernetic arm [2½]. Cybernetic arm mitigates One Arm and provides Innate Attack (1d burn) with the gadget limitations Breakable (DR 5 machine, repairable, SM −2, −40%) and Can Be Stolen (−10%).
Biography: Trap-Jaw was a wanted criminal in another dimension, who escaped his pursuers through a portal Skeletor was creating to enter Castle Grayskull. This accidental thwarting of Skeletor’s plan resulted in Trap-Jaw controlling the mysterious powers of the castle, until a joint effort by both He-Man and Skeletor brought him down. The defeated Trap-Jaw was then taken captive by Skeletor.
Notes: Without his bionic equipment, Trap-Jaw would have only one arm and possibly no hands or legs. It is assumed that his bionic jaw is a permanent addition.

Tri-Klops
male human
light skin; black hair; blue/green/red eyes
Attributes: ST 16; DX __; IQ __; HT __.
Advantages: Weapon Master (bastard sword) [20].
Disadvantages: Blindness (Mitigator, −65%) [−17½]; Code of Honor (mercenary) [−5].
Skills: Broadsword (A) DX +1 [4].
Biography: Tri-Klops is a mercenary who was plucked from another dimension by Skeletor. Though initially hostile, Tri-Klops eventually agreed to solve Skeletor’s problem by eliminating He-Man. After easily defeating several of He-Man’s friends, Tri-Klops engaged the hero himself and nearly succeeded in his task. However, He-Man proved to be the stronger, and the defeated Tri-Klops was soon spirited away by Skeletor.
Equipment: Armor; bastard sword; cybernetic helmet [68]. Cybernetic helmet mitigates Blindness and provides 360° Vision, Affliction (Blindness, +50%; Vision-Based, +150%), Damage Resistance (3) (Limited, eyes/skull only, −70%), Hyperspectral Vision, Protected Vision, and Telescopic Vision (3), all with the gadget limitations Breakable (DR 3 machine, repairable, SM −7, −25%) and Can Be Stolen (−10%).

Zodac
male humanoid
medium skin
Attributes: ST 11; DX __; IQ __; HT __.
Skills: Beam Weapons (Pistol) (E) DX [1].
Notes: Zodac is probably the least-used character in the original canon, appearing in just one second-season story. His title is rather vague, but probably means he’s a bounty hunter rather than a peace keeper (especially since he was later listed among the evil warriors).

[The Benj]

What is Beast-Man's Innate Attack (Beam) skill for?

[Silverblade]

I think in the fist few mini-comics in the series, he could fire an energy blast from his hand/bracelet.

Back when MotU consisted of He-Man, Man-at-Arms, Teela, Zodiac, Skeletor, Mer-Man and Beast-Man.

The core group, if you so wish. Beast Man lost that ability later on when new figuers came out. In the very beginning, the mini-comics were a lot "darker" than the following, and Beast-Man was a lot more "beastish", a ruler of monstrous beings. Later on he lost much of his intellect and his powers...

Browse through this, to see it.

[Akahige]

Quite right. And if you look carefully at the original Beast Man figure, you can see some sort of object running across the knuckles on one of his hands. The same goes for Stratos (who used the same molds). If I remember correctly, the object looks like several triangles pointing between the knuckles.

Since both Beast Man and Stratos used wrist-mounted beam weapons in the first few mini-comics (c. 1981-82), I presume this detail is what represents the weapons (though I don't know which came first).

I'll be updating the message above that lists the characters. Let me explain a few things about why I chose what I have so far...

For all characters, ST is 5 higher than the minimum required for their main weapon (as packaged with the toys). For those weilding a staff, I used the higher ST listed under two-handed sword. Teela has 2 less ST because she's a woman (at least for the upper body).

Beast Man has the stats of a gorilla, with +1/2/3/4 to DX/IQ/HT/ST. These might change once I learn the new racial templates for GURPS Fantasy. Similarly, others like Mer-Man and Stratos might have templates applied on top of their weapon-based ST.

Zodac only appeared once, but he looked somewhat muscular, so maybe the beam-weapon +5 minimum might be too low.

Trap-Jaw didn't look particularly muscular in his mini-comic debut, so I might set his ST at 11, just like his Innate Attack were a beam pistol instead of built into his arm.

HT and DX are a complete mystery to me. He-Man's HT is 17 because that's the highest needed to make perfect Longevity rolls, though I haven't listed that advantage.

If Man-at Arms has weapon master, then shouldn't He-Man have "Trained by a Master" since he helped train the young prince adam? Even if He-Man did not benefit from Man-at-Arms instruction, wouldn't the powers gifted from his word also bestow great skill?