[Supers] GURPS Unofficial Handbook to the Marvel Universe, Reboot Edition

[Phil Masters]

Originally Posted by tbrock1031

Daughter of Mephisto? Not likely.

I suspect that someone was suffering a bad case of the Miltons there. In Paradise Lost, Death is the child of Satan and Sin.

[Otaku]

Originally Posted by tbrock1031

I actually don't know what died to birth her. It's hard to say exactly what was going on all those billions of years ago, but seeing as how Marvel has sentient nebula (e.g. Cloud of the New Defenders) and stars, it's not wholly inconceivable for there to be some form of life flitting in and out of existence in the primordial chaos.

Perhaps I took something literally I should not have:

Originally Posted by tbrock1031

It's pretty much going to be established that she was formed probably seconds after the Big Bang happened, not actually born of demons.

Emphasis added. Your world, you have Death "born" when you wish.

Originally Posted by tbrock1031

And "Me Grimlock say Dinobots rule!"

Yes but "I Grimlock* say that it is tedious hearing arguments about whether I Grimlock should have a vertical or more horizontal posture, more or less feathers and more mundane minutiae."

Okay, now that I am done embarrassing myself with a lame attempt at continuing the joke, my point is that while there are some great things one can do, they often don't require actual time travel (and some versions of the Dinobots don't). Now when you get to Beast Wars which is supposed to be set in Earth's prehistory... sell, who needs outside examples: Marvel does it often enough with their own material. XD

*Primax -408.24 Epsilon version ;)

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by Otaku

...
Emphasis added. Your world, you have Death "born" when you wish.
...

There are all sorts of hypothetical forms of life in the real world. Self propagating magnetic fields on a magnetar where objects the size of atoms may act like cells and entire lifetimes whizz by in less than a second.
Why not ultra hot quantum sea foam when/where physics as we know it simply did not work and forms of life impossible today existed?
It's far less wacky than anything else in Marvel, truth be told.

[William]

The genius loci of the formless chaos that preceded the universe.

An entity surviving from a previous universe.

An entity embedded in the pre-inflation cosmic soup, torn apart by inflation.

A transient AI program that sputtered in the static of the EM from the early universe and vanished.

A Boltzmann brain.

The Demiurge, dying as their work was completed.

Someone existing backwards in time, splatting up against the wall at the beginning of time. (Leaving Death to mope around bored for billenia before something else evolved to die the normal way.)

[Otaku]

Since it has had two replies on the matter:

Yes there are many things you can have that existed and then died so that Death could be justified as existing only a few seconds after the Big Bang. My point was that you had to insert such things and that once you do you lock down certain story elements, which can bite you in the butt later. Long as tbrock1031 is aware of it, it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

I mean we are talking Marvel Comics; you know how much of the canon story I have to ignore/filter through personal canon in order to enjoy? A lot; one of the reasons I stopped reading them before I cracked down on my entertainment spending. ;)

[Phantasm]

METEORITE

Real Name: Ned Lathrop.
Occupation: Government agent, former professional criminal.
Identity: Known to the authorities.
Legal Status: Citizen of the United States with a pardoned criminal record.
Other Aliases: None.
Place of Birth: Unrevealed.
Marital Status: Single.
Known Relatives: None.
Group Affiliation: Freedom Force.
Base of Operations: Washington, DC.
History: Not much is known about Meteorite before his first appearance.

He, along with the rest of the team that would come to be known as Freedom Force, first came to public attention when they attempted to rob an armored car in Washington, DC, only to have their efforts thwarted by Captain America and his partner-in-training, Bucky, who were there to testify in front of the Senate Committee on Superhuman Affairs (see Bucky; Captain America; Freedom Force).

While sitting in a federal prison awaiting trial, Meteorite and his teammates were given the option to become government agents under the direction of Department of Homeland Security agent Valerie Cooper as an alternative to SHIELD's Sentinel program, in exchange for having the charges for their armored car robbery dropped (see SHIELD; Sentinels). Accepting, Meteorite and the others were given the name Freedom Force.

As a member of Freedom Force, Meteorite has come into conflict with the Renegades and Captain America, the latter in a case of mistaken intentions while both were investigating the Serpent Squad (see Renegades; Serpent Squad).
Height: 6' 1".
Weight: 220 lbs.
Eyes: Blue.
Hair: Brown.
Uniform: Blue bodysuit, red gloves, black boots, black belt; formerly included a black domino mask (which didn't hide his identity).
Strength Level: Meteorite possesses the normal human strength of a man his age, height, and build who engages in moderate regular exercise. Using his powers to increase his own density, he gains superhuman strength able to lift (press) an observed 25 tons.
Known Superhuman Powers: Meteorite is a mutant with the ability to increase his body's density, presumably by drawing mass from the same extradimensional source as size-changers such as Ant-Man, granting him superhuman strength and durability, the exact limits of which are unknown; at present, he has proven able to upend an armored car with little effort and shrug off police handgun fire.

In addition, Meteorite is able to negate the effect of gravity to levitate and move rock – including asphalt and concrete, but not steel beams – through the air. He has been observed lifting a roughly fifteen foot diameter disc of six feet thick rock, which can weigh up to an estimated 100 tons, and moving it up to 30 miles per hour while he and his teammates are on it. He must remain in physical contact with the rock to counter the effects of gravity on it.

965 points
Attributes: ST 12 [20]; DX 11 [20]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 11 [10].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 1d-1/1d+2 (2d+1/4d+1; 17d/19d); BL 29 lbs (106 lbs; 5,249 lbs.); HP 12 [0]; Will 10 [0]; Per 10 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Speed 5.50 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]; Dodge 8.
Languages: English (Native) (Native Language) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Western [0].
Advantages: Damage Resistance 15 (Reflexive, +40%; Switchable, +10%; Tough Skin, -40%; Mutant, -10%) [75]; DHS Rank 4 [20]; Super ST +11/+150 (Switchable, +10%; Elemental: Gravity, -10%; Mutant, -10%) [429]; Telekinesis 41 (Extended Duration (×10), +40%; Melee Attack: Reach C, -30%; Persistent, +40%; Specific: Rock/Stone/Asphalt, -50%; Mutant Psionic, -10%) [185]; Telekinesis 9 (Extended Duration (×10), +40%; Melee Attack: Reach C, -30%; Persistent, +40%; Specific: Rock/Stone/Asphalt, -50%; Super-Effort, +400%; Mutant Psionic, -10%) [185].
Perks: Skintight Outfit [1].
Disadvantages: Bully (9) [-15]; Code of Honor (Criminal's) [-5]; Duty to Department of Homeland Security (12) [-10]; Low Self-Image [-10]; Social Stigma (Criminal Record) [-5].
Quirks: Affects a Really Bad Fake North Jersey Accent [-1]; Chauvinistic [-1]; No Sex Drive [-1]; Not Until My First Cup! [-1]; Scruffy-Looking [-1].
Skills: Brawling (E) DX+3 [8] – 14; Forced Entry (E) DX+1 [2] – 12; Guns/TL8 (Pistol) (E) DX+1 [2] – 12; Intimidation (A) Will+2 [8] – 12; Law (Federal) (H) IQ-2 [1] – 8; Lifting (A) HT+0 [2] – 11; Running (A) HT+0 [2] – 11; Streetwise (A) IQ+0 [2] – 10; Swimming (E) HT+0 [1] – 11; Throwing (A) DX+0 [2] – 11; Wrestling (A) DX+1 [4] – 12.
Starting Spending Money: $4,000 (20% of Starting Wealth).

Role-Playing Notes:
Of all of Freedom Force, Meteorite is the most thuggish. He appreciates that he now has legal license to push folks around, but no real loyalty to anyone but his teammates.

Design Notes:
1. DHS Rank is derived from Social Engineering: Pulling Rank, based off using the Department of Homeland Security as a 20-point Patron with an assistance roll of 9 or less. It does not affect his Status.
2. I went with "Meteorite" rather than "Lifter" for his name because of the two names he's used in the comics I thought it was the better one. The Resistants had some really good names in their line-up (and a few generic ones... I'm looking at you, Quill).

[Phantasm]

I asked in the sorcery.net #gurps IRC channel as to who to do next. Among the various clueless-to-who-owns-what-characters and blatant comically-missing-the-point responses (Superman and Batman were both asked for), the one that people broke down and agreed that I absolutely had to do was the Punisher.

So here's the Punisher at the start of his vigilante career, his first year on the job. Remember that the year of the Reboot is 2010, which puts him pushing 40 as he starts out....


PUNISHER

Real Name: Franklin Castle.
Occupation: Vigilante; former police officer, former soldier.
Identity: Publicly known.
Legal Status: Citizen of the United States with no known criminal record, wanted for various crimes by the FBI and several state law enforcement agencies across the United States.
Other Aliases: None known.
Place of Birth: Queens, New York.
Marital Status: Widower.
Known Relatives: Wife (name unrevealed, deceased), son (name unrevealed, deceased), daughter (name unrevealed, deceased).
Group Affiliation: None; receives equipment from the international organization called the Punishers.
Base of Operations: Mobile.
History: In 1989, Frank Castle enlisted in the United States Marine Corps straight out of high school. When the Gulf War happened in 1990-91, his unit was one of the first sent over, and performed beyond expectations, remaining active over in Kuwait and Iraq throughout the entire war.

After twenty years of service, including a few years as a drill sergeant, Frank, now holding the rank of Gunnery Sergeant, retired from the Marines and moved with his wife and two children to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he joined the city police force. In his first year on the force, he was approached by men representing one of the city's crime lords, who attempted to recruit him into their ranks. Flatly refusing their offer, Frank found his attempts to bring their boss to justice hampered by officers on the force that were already on the crime lord's payroll.

Frank made a large enough nuisance to the city's organized criminals that attempts on his life were made. The last and most disastrous was a car bomb meant to kill him but instead killed his wife and children. Following their funeral, Frank resigned from the police force, which the crime lords believed would bring his crusade to a halt.

They were wrong.

One week after the funeral, Castle was visited at his home by a woman who explained that Castle's crusade and recent loss had drawn the attention of her organization. She claimed that this organization, which she left unnamed, would help provide him with the tools and support that would let him punish those who had taken his loved ones from him. She presented him with a gift as a sign of good faith: a shirt made from lightweight ballistic fabric with a white skull pattern on it.

Castle then began by walking into the mansion of the crime lord who had ordered his death and killing everyone present, save the maids and the crime lord's young son. Since then, Castle has become known in the press and law enforcement circles as the Punisher, as he has continued his crusade against organized crime by moving from city to city and killing the local crime lords, while leaving the spouses and children unharmed. It has recently been revealed that the organization supplying him is known as the Punishers, and may have leaked the name 'Punisher' to the press for Castle. Castle himself is currently unaware of the organization's name, though he has begun to investigate reports of other folks with the Punishers' trademark skull-print shirt.
Height: 6' 1".
Weight: 200 lbs.
Eyes: Brown.
Hair: Black.
Uniform: Black bodyshirt with a white skull pattern, black pants, black belt with white buckle in the form of a skull, boots; often wears a black trenchcoat.
Strength Level: Frank Castle possesses the normal human strength of a man his age, height, and build who engages in intensive regular exercise.
Known Superhuman Powers: None.
Other Abilities: As a war veteran Castle possesses the typical skills of a soldier of his exceptional caliber. He is an expert marksman with all conventional weaponry and a skilled hand to hand combatant. His time in the police has honed his investigative ability.
Weapons: Frank normally carries a pair of machine pistols, a pump-action police shotgun, and a large bowie knife. He has been known to use a wide variety of weaponry from pistols and assault rifles to anti-tank rockets, depending on the situation and what he can get ahold of.
Paraphernalia: Frank's bodyshirt is made from an advanced lightweight ballistic fabric that resembles normal cloth until it is struck by bullets, at which point it hardens. This shirt is the same fabric developed by AIM and Stark Industries for superhuman and police SWAT armors (see AIM; Stark Industries). The Punisher also occasionally wears a heavier ballistic fabric vest painted with the same white skull.
Vehicles: The Punisher owns a large van which operates as his mobile command center. This van has had its sides reinforced with additional armor. He also has a motorcycle he uses when the van will be too obvious.

"May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't."
– General George S. Patton



stats in next post

[Phantasm]

Punisher (continued from previous post)

547 points
Attributes: ST 12 [20]; DX 13 [60]; IQ 12 [40]; HT 14 [40].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 2d-1/3d+1; BL 29 lbs; HP 15 [6]; Will 13 [5]; Per 14 [10]; FP 14 [0]; Basic Speed 7.00 [5]; Basic Move 7 [0]; Dodge 12.
Languages: English (Native) (Native Language) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Middle Eastern [1]; Western (Native) [0].
Advantages: Ambidexterity [5]; Born Soldier 2 [10]; Combat Reflexes [15]; Danger Sense [15]; Enhanced Dodge 1 [15]; Foresight 1 [10]; Foresight (Ambushes) 1 [5]; Gunslinger [25]; Hard to Kill 2 [4]; Hard to Subdue 2 [4]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Patron (The Punishers; Equipment: No More Than Starting Wealth, +50%) (9) [30]; Resistant to Poisons/Toxins (+3) [5]; Single-Minded [5]; Striking ST +7 [35]; Temperature Tolerance 1 [1]; Unfazeable [15]; Very Fit [15]; Very Rapid Healing [15]; Wealth (Comfortable) [10].
Perks: Armorer's Gift (Rifle) [1]; Armorer's Gift (SMG) [1]; Cool Under Fire [1]; Courtesy Military Rank 2 [2]; Cross-Trained (Pistols) [1]; Cross-Trained (Rifles) [1]; Cross-Trained (SMGs) [1]; Improvised Weapons (Brawling) [1]; Infinite Ammunition (Quasi-Realistic Ammo) [1]; Off-Screen Reload [1]; Off-Hand Weapon Training (Pistols) [1]; Off-Hand Weapon Training (SMGs) [1]; One-Armed Bandit (Shotgun) [1]; Pistol-Fist [1]; Special Exercises (Striking ST +7) [7]; Style Familiarity: MCMAP [1]; Sure-Footed (Uneven) [1]; Tap-Rack-Bang (Rifle) [1]; Tap-Rack-Bang (Shotgun) [1]; Tap-Rack-Bang (SMG) [1]; Wall o' Lead (Rifle) [1]; Wall o' Lead (SMG) [1].
Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Soldier's) [-10]; Enemy (Law-Enforcement Agencies) (9) [-20]; Enemy (Organized Criminal Cartels) (12) [-40]; Obsession (Eliminate Organized Crime) (6) [-20]; On the Edge (12) [-15]; Pacifism (Cannot Harm Innocents) [-10]; Stubbornness [-5].
Quirks: Bloody Mess [-1]; Loner By Choice [-1]; Quick and Efficient [-1]; Scruffy-Looking [-1]; Stop Having Fun, Guys! [-1].
Skills: Body Language (Human) (A) Per+0 [2] – 14; Brawling (E) DX+3 [8] – 16; Breath Control (H) HT-1 [2] – 13; Camouflage (E) IQ+1 [1] – 13*; Climbing (A) DX+0 [2] – 13; Criminology/TL8 (A) IQ-1 [1] – 11; Current Affairs/TL8 (Headline News) (E) IQ+2 [4] – 14; Current Affairs/TL8 (People) (E) IQ+2 [4] – 14; Detect Lies (H) Per+0 [4] – 14; Driving/TL8 (Motorcycle) (A) DX-1 [1] – 12; Explosives/TL8 (Demolition) (A) IQ+1 [4] – 13; Fast-Draw (Ammo) (E) DX+1 [1] – 14†; Fast-Draw (Knife) (E) DX+1 [1] – 14; First Aid/TL8 (Human) (E) IQ+3 [8] – 15; Forced Entry (E) DX+1 [2] – 14; Gunner/TL8 (Machine Gun) (E) DX+1 [2] – 14; Guns/TL8 (Grenade Launcher) (E) DX+2 [2] – 15‡; Guns/TL8 (Light Anti-Armor Weapon) (E) DX+2 [2] – 15‡; Guns/TL8 (Light Machine Gun) (E) DX+4 [4] – 17‡; Guns/TL8 (Pistol) (E) DX+4 [4] – 17‡; Guns/TL8 (Rifle) (E) DX+5 [8] – 18‡; Guns/TL8 (Shotgun) (E) DX+5 [8] – 18‡; Guns/TL8 (Submachine Gun) (E) DX+5 [16] – 18; Hiking (A) HT+0 [2] – 14; Intelligence Analysis/TL8 (H) IQ-1 [2] – 12; Intimidation (A) Will+2 [8] – 15; Judo (H) DX+1 [8] – 14; Jumping (E) DX+1 [2] – 14; Knife (E) DX+1 [2] – 14; Law (Philadelphia Criminal) (H) IQ-1 [2] – 11; Leadership (A) IQ+1 [1] – 13§; Lifting (A) HT+0 [2] – 14; Lip Reading (A) Per-1 [1] – 13; NBC Suit/TL8 (A) DX+0 [2] – 13; Observation (A) Per+0 [2] – 14; Parachuting/TL8 (E) DX+0 [1] – 13; Psychology (Human) (H) IQ+1 [8] – 13; Public Speaking (A) IQ+0 [2] – 12; Research/TL8 (A) IQ+0 [2] – 12; Running (A) HT+0 [2] – 14; Savoir-Faire (Military) (E) IQ+3 [2] – 15§; Savoir-Faire (Police) (E) IQ+0 [1] – 12; Scrounging (E) Per+2 [1] – 16§; Shadowing (A) IQ+1 [4] – 13; Soldier/TL8 (A) IQ+4 [8] – 16; Stealth (A) DX+1 [4] – 14; Strategy (Land) (H) IQ+0 [4] – 12; Streetwise (A) IQ+1 [4] – 13; Survival (Desert) (A) Per+0 [2] – 14; Survival (Mountain) (A) Per-1 [1] – 13; Survival (Woodlands) (A) Per-1 [1] – 13; Swimming (E) HT+0 [1] – 14; Tactics (H) IQ+2 [4] – 14§; Teaching (A) IQ+0 [2] – 12; Throwing (A) DX+1 [4] – 14; Tracking (A) Per+0 [2] – 14; Traps/TL8 (A) IQ+1 [4] – 13; Weather Sense (A) IQ+0 [2] – 12; Wrestling (A) DX+1 [4] – 14.
Techniques: Double-Loading (Fast-Draw (Ammo)) (A) def+2 [2] – 14; Dual-Weapon Attack (Guns (SMG)) (H) def+4 [5] – 18; Elbow Strike (Brawling) (A) def+2 [2] – 16; Knee Strike (Brawling) (A) def+1 [1] – 16.
Starting Spending Money: $20,000 (50% of Starting Wealth).

* Defaulted from Survival (Desert).
† Includes +1 from Combat Reflexes.
‡ Defaulted from Guns (SMG).
§ Includes +2 from Born Soldier.

Role-Playing Notes:
Frank is a man driven to avenge the deaths of his wife and children by waging a war on organized crime. He knows what he's doing is likely to be the death of him, and he knows he's gotta be at least a little messed up in the head to do what he does. He doesn't care, though, as he figures one day he'll be reunited with his loved ones.

Design Notes:
1. I got some flack when writing this up for not making the Punisher a Vietnam veteran like his mainstream counterpart. Note, however, that a 'Nam veteran in 2010 would probably be pushing 70. Making him a Desert Storm veteran at least keeps him, in the timeframe of the Reboot, around 40, which isn't a bad age for a veteran, although he's likely to be slowing down as age hits him.
2. The organization, the Punishers, providing Frank with his initial gear as well as additional gear and intelligence as needed was inspired by a pic of an Asian woman cosplaying as Lynn Michaels, the "Lady Punisher". (I may one day stat her up, too.)
3. Part of me wanted to just give him Gun! (DX/WC) or condense the Guns skills to just "Light Anti-Armor Weapons", "Pistols", and "Rifles", as per the one Pyramid article. I decided not to do the latter due to not really knowing how the various Perks from Gun-Fu being condensed would have worked, particularly for the machine pistols.



Edit: Added Striking ST +7 and prerequisite Special Exercises Perks, giving him more striking power than his ST and physique would indicate.

[chandley]

Originally Posted by tbrock1031

Punisher (continued from previous post)

505 points
Attributes: ST 12 [20]; DX 13 [60]; IQ 12 [40]; HT 14 [40].

Frank is a pretty beefy guy, you dont think he can manage ST 14? ST 12 isnt even all that strong a guy at the gym...

Design Notes:
3. Part of me wanted to just give him Gun! (DX/WC) or condense the Guns skills to just "Light Anti-Armor Weapons", "Pistols", and "Rifles", as per the one Pyramid article. I decided not to do the latter due to not really knowing how the various Perks from Gun-Fu being condensed would have worked, particularly for the machine pistols.

Power-Ups 7 Wildcard Skills suggests that perks that require specialization by skill can specialize by Wildcard skill (Guns! for example), and can then be applied to any use of the Wildcard skill that would make sense (So Off-Hand Training (Guns!) is dual SMGs and dual Pistols, but probably not dual Miniguns unless you really crank his ST up). You would also be able to dump all the cross-trained perks, obv.

[Phantasm]

Originally Posted by chandley

Frank is a pretty beefy guy, you dont think he can manage ST 14? ST 12 isnt even all that strong a guy at the gym..

I had an eye towards the more recent MAX title, which had him rather... well, take a look.

I'm trying not to give him Leifeldian or even proto-Leifeldian proportions....