[SUPERS] My Unofficial Handbook to the DC Universe

[aesir23]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

A minor note, but on Batman:TAS Mr Freeze is voiced by the wonderful Michael Ansara and should be given Voice to reflect this.

HaHa! I agree it's a masterful vocal performance.

But even so, his voice is distorted by the glass dome of his armor, and is naturally a little monotone from lack of emotion. Which is all as it should be, of course--but not worth a GURPS reaction bonus.

[Otaku]

Originally Posted by aesir23

However, if anyone has a request for a particular Bat-Villain they'd like to see, let me know. Maybe you can pique my interest.

Given our discussion about "background" elements needed for Super-villains to keep functioning, perhaps the Batman: The Brave And The Bold version of The Calculator? Apparently his mainstream counterpart is a more "serious" version of this, referred to by Wikipedia (...yay?) as the villain's equivalent to Oracle. While not a big name, I must confess that it strikes me as useful for someone starting up a campaign to have him handy... perhaps more useful than some of the big names because you might intentionally be avoiding having your players running into them (or at least at a level where you need fully worked out character sheets).

[Phantasm]

This character might require a complete reworking rather than being built by the comics, but I'd love to see your take on Julian Day, the Calendar Man.

Also, Solomon Grundy and Man-Bat are two Non-Villain Antagonists I'd like to see. I consider Grundy a bat-antagonist due to - when I read Batman: Year One - he lived in the sewers of Gotham.

[aesir23]

Originally Posted by tbrock1031

This character might require a complete reworking rather than being built by the comics, but I'd love to see your take on Julian Day, the Calendar Man.

Also, Solomon Grundy and Man-Bat are two Non-Villain Antagonists I'd like to see. I consider Grundy a bat-antagonist due to - when I read Batman: Year One - he lived in the sewers of Gotham.

In James Robinson's excellent Starman (starring Jack Knight) they had the idea that Solomon Grundy came back as a very different person each time he comes back to life--so in that comic he comes back as a child-like innocent and he becomes an Ally, a hero. But the whole time there's a tragic implication that some day he's going to wake up in the swamp again as an evil monster.

That's the version of Solomon Grundy I was planning to write up. But, as much as I LOVE Jack Knight (Starman was, IMHO, the best monthly superhero comic of the 1990s until it's cancelation in 2001), there might not be enough interest on this board to make it worthwhile to write up and post all of his allies from Opal City. I'll have to think on it.

Man-Bat would definitely be fun to design, I'll definitely consider that.

As for Julian Day...I liked him in The Long Halloween, but he doesn't stand out to me.

[aesir23]

Villain: Ra's Al Ghul
Alias: The Demon's Head, real name unknown.

Allies and Affiliations: The League of Assassins.

Ra's Al Ghul was born about 600 years ago to desert nomads in Egypt. His people didn't share or appreciate his love of science and reason, so he left them behind to study. During his first life-time, Ra's became one of the most skilled physicians of his day. He saw first hand the devastation of the bubonic plague on Cairo.

Ra's was an adult when he discovered his first Lazarus Pit. He studied the compound with in and, using his knowledge of alchemy, was able to understand how to take advantage of this weird natural phenomenon in order to prolong his life. He went on to study ancient texts and speak with explorers to locate more of these pits.

Ra's has since used the pits to live for centuries. He watched first hand as the human race has destroyed much of the natural beauty of the world, and threatens to overwhelm the planet with its unending demand for resources.

During his long life, he's amassed a tremendous amount of power and influence--creating the vast criminal network known as "The Demon" and taking for himself the name Ra's Al Ghul= "The Head of the Demon". The most well-known and well-understood aspect of The Demon is The League of Assassins, sometimes called "The Demon's Claw" or "The Demon's Fang". The primary purpose of The League of Assassins is to serve and protect Ra's Al Ghul, but they also take contracts on paid assassinations--turning them into a profitable enterprise as well.

In addition to The League of Assassins, Ra's is often accompanied by a manservant and personal bodyguard named Ubu. This isn't a single individual--rather it's a position, whenever a current Ubu dies or fails at his duties, another Ubu is selected from among the ranks of the League.

When Batman first encountered Ra's Al Ghul it was in the Batcave after Ra's had already ascertained his secret identity. Ra's is one of Batman's most brilliant and dangerous villains. Over the years he's developed impressive martial arts skills and is one of the greatest living swordsmen--if not the greatest. He's also the only living person who remembers the lost secrets of alchemy.

However, Ra's doesn't want to kill Batman--he's chosen "The Detective" (as he calls him) to marry his daughter take over as his eventual successor.

Name: Ra's Al Ghul

Attributes [380]
ST 14 [40]
DX 16 [120]
IQ 18 [160]
HT 16 [60]

HP 14
Will 18
Per 18
FP 16

Basic Lift 39
Damage 1d/2d

Basic Speed 8
Basic Move 8

Ground Move 8
Water Move 1

Social Background
TL: 8 [0]
Cultural Familiarities:
Languages: Arabic (Native) [0]; Berber (Native) [4]; English (Native) [4]; French (Native) [4]; Hindi/Nepali (Accented) [2]; Japanese (Native) [4]; Mandarin (Native) [4]; Russian (Accented) [2]; Spanish (Accented) [2].

Advantages [378]
Ally (League of Assassins) (50% of starting points) (9 or less; Group Size (11-20); Minion) [24]
Ally (Talia Al Ghul) (50% of starting points) (9 or less) [2]
Ally (Ubu) (50% of starting points) (12 or less; Minion) [6]
Combat Reflexes [15]
Gadgeteer (Focused: Alchemical Potions) [20]
High Pain Threshold [10]
Independent Income (5) [5]
Language Talent [10]
Rank: League of Assassins (7) [35]
Reawakened (Long Life) [10]
Trained By A Master [30]
Very Fit [15]
Very Rapid Healing [15]
Wealth (Multimillionaire 3) [125]
Weapon Master (Swords) (a small class of weapons) [30]

Perks [6]
Style Familiarity (Fencing - Transitional French School) [1]
Style Familiarity (Karate - Te) [1]
Style Familiarity (Kenjutsu) [1]
Style Familiarity (Taijutsu) [1]
Weapon Adaptation (Cavalry Saber with Rapier) [1]
Weapon Adaptation (Smallsword with Rapier) [1]

Disadvantages [-45]
Callous [-5]
Curious (12 or less) [-5]
Enemy (Batman) (Equal in power to the PC) (9 or less) [-10]
Enemy (Sensai) (Equal in power to the PC) (9 or less) (Rival) [-5]
Fanaticism (Nature) [-15]
Obsession (Return the earth to a more natural state.) (Long-Term Goal) (12 or less) [-10]

Quirks [-2]
Proud [-1]
Vow (Let The Detective live, so that he may marry my daughter and take over my work.) [-1]

Skills [243]
Acrobatics DX/H - DX+0 16 [4]
Alchemy/TL8 IQ/VH - IQ-1 17 [4]
Archaeology IQ/H - IQ-1 17 [2]
Area Knowledge (World) IQ/E - IQ+2 20 [4]
Astronomy/TL8 (Observational) IQ/A - IQ+0 18 [2]
Autohypnosis Will/H - Will+0 18 [4]
Bind Weapon (Rapier) Tech/H - 18 [2]
Blind Fighting Per/VH - Per-3 15 [1]
Body Control HT/VH - HT-1 15 [4]
Body Language (Human) Per/A - Per+0 18 [2]
Breath Control HT/H - HT+0 16 [4]
Broadsword DX/A - DX+2 18 [6]
Chemistry/TL8 IQ/H - IQ-2 16 [1]
Climbing DX/A - DX-1 15 [1]
Cloak DX/A - DX+0 16 [2]
Counterattack (Rapier) Tech/H - 20 [6]
Counterattack (Two-Handed Sword) Tech/H - 18 [6]
Cryptography/TL8 IQ/H - IQ-2 16 [1]
Detect Lies Per/H - Per-1 17 [2]
Diagnosis/TL5 (Human) IQ/H - IQ+0 18 [4]
Escape DX/H - DX+0 16 [4]
Esoteric Medicine Per/H - Per+0 18 [4]
Exotic Hand Strike (Karate) Tech/A - 18 [1]
Expert Skill (Natural Philosophy) IQ/H - IQ-2 16 [1]
Fast-Draw (Sword) DX/E - DX+2 18 [2]
includes: +1 from 'Combat Reflexes'
First Aid/TL5 (Human) IQ/E - IQ+2 20 [4]
Games (Sport Rapier) IQ/E - IQ+0 18 [1]
Guns/TL8 (Musket) DX/E - DX+0 16 [1]
Guns/TL8 (Pistol) DX/E - DX+0 16 [1]
Guns/TL8 (Rifle) DX/E - DX+0 16 [1]
Hand-Clap Parry (Karate) Tech/H - 13 [6]
Hidden Lore (Lazarus Pits) IQ/A - IQ+2 20 [8]
History (Near Eastern) IQ/H - IQ-2 16 [1]
Hypnotism (Human) IQ/H - IQ-2 16 [1]
Judo DX/H - DX+2 18 [12]
Jumping DX/E - DX+1 17 [2]
Karate DX/H - DX+2 18 [12]
Knife DX/E - DX+1 17 [2]
Leadership IQ/A - IQ+0 18 [2]
Linguistics IQ/H - IQ-2 16 [1]
Lip Reading Per/A - Per-1 17 [1]
Mental Strength Will/E - Will+2 20 [4]
Mind Block Will/A - Will+2 20 [8]
Naturalist (Earth) IQ/H - IQ+2 20 [12]
Navigation/TL8 (Land) IQ/A - IQ+0 18 [2]
Observation Per/A - Per+0 18 [2]
Occultism IQ/A - IQ+0 18 [2]
Parry Missile Weapons DX/H - DX+0 16 [4]
Pharmacy/TL8 (Herbal) IQ/H - IQ-2 16 [1]
Physician/TL5 (Human) IQ/H - IQ+0 18 [4]
Poisons/TL8 IQ/H - IQ+0 18 [4]
Power Blow Will/H - Will+0 18 [4]
Pressure Points (Human) IQ/H - IQ+0 18 [4]
Pressure Secrets (Human) IQ/VH - IQ-2 16 [2]
Psychology (Human) IQ/H - IQ-2 16 [1]
Rapier DX/A - DX+4 20 [16]
Roll with Blow (Judo) Tech/H - 18 [3]
Sensitivity Per/VH - Per+0 18 [8]
Shadowing IQ/A - IQ-1 17 [1]
Shortsword DX/A - DX+0 16 [0]
Stealth DX/A - DX+2 18 [8]
Streetwise IQ/A - IQ-1 17 [1]
Survival (Desert) Per/A - Per+0 18 [1]
Swimming HT/E - HT+0 16 [1]
Tactics IQ/H - IQ+0 18 [4]
Teaching IQ/A - IQ-4 14 [1]
includes: -3 from 'Callous'
Throwing DX/A - DX-1 15 [1]
Thrown Weapon (Knife) DX/E - DX+0 16 [1]
Thrown Weapon (Sword) DX/E - DX+2 18 [4]
Two-Handed Axe/Mace DX/A - DX-1 15 [1]
Two-Handed Sword DX/A - DX+2 18 [8]

Stats [380] Ads [378] Disads [-45] Quirks [-2] Skills [243] = Total [960]

[aesir23]

World-Feature: Lazarus Pits

The lazarus pits are a strange alchemical brew that bubbles up from deep inside the earth's crust in specific places around the globe.

They were discovered by Ra's Al Ghul, and he has worked hard to find and secure every Lazarus Pit on earth. Since each pit can only be used once, Ra's takes no chances with their defense. If the PCs find a Lazarus Pit, it is almost certainly going to be swarming with ninjas from the League of Assassins.

The Pits work as follows:

If a person who has been seriously wounded (0 HP or Less), or recently Died (within the last 6 hours) is fully submersed into the Lazarus Pit for 1 minute, the Lazarus Pit has a regenerative effect--The character is brought to full HP and all crippling injuries are healed as if the character had Regrowth. Dead characters are resurrected. Furthermore, all effects of Aging are reversed and the character is returned to the physical state they were in at the age of 30.

This healing process causes temporary insanity--characters healed in a lazarus pit are treated as though they have Berserk, Bloodlust, and Total Amnesia for 25-HT rounds after being removed from the pit (minimum 5).

If, however, a healthy person is submerged in a Lazarus Pit, they take 3d-1 Toxic Damage every round for as long as they are submerged and for 20-HT rounds afterwards. Nobody has yet survived this fate.

Submersing a person who has been dead for more than 6 hours has an unpredictable effect determined by GM fiat--possibilities range from: Resurrection is successful but the subject gains permanent new mental disadvantages to the subject returning as a rotting zombie.

Once a Lazarus Pit has been used once, to heal or kill, it loses it's potency and becomes a fairly mundane poison. Treat as Arsenic (B439), except it's a contact Agent.

New Skill: Hidden Lore (Lazarus Pits)

Hidden Lore (Lazarus Pits) IQ/Average (No Defaults)

This skill covers knowledge of the locations and uses of Lazarus Pits. Roll against this skill to know if there is an unused Lazarus Pit in a specific region, and generally where it is. Roll against this skill also to use a Lazarus Pit for any purpose apart from a simple healing or resurrection.

If you wish to make an educated guess at the location of an undiscovered Lazarus Pit you may roll against Hidden Lore (Lazarus Pits) -4, or Geology -6, if the Lazarus Pit was known to the ancients you may roll at Archaeology -6 or an appropriate History specialty at -5. However, none of these rolls may be attempted without at least 1 point in Hidden Lore (Lazarus Pits).

New Perk: Knowledge of a Lazarus Pit
You know the location of a single unused Lazarus Pit. This Perk is most common among members of the League of Assassins tasked with the protection of said pit.

[aesir23]

Villain Affilliation: The League of Assassins
Current Membership: Ra's Al Ghul, Talia Al Ghul, David Cain, Lady Shiva, The Sensai, Ubu, Merlyn the Archer, The White Ghost, countless faceless ninjas.

Former Members: Bane (briefly), Cassandra Cain (brainwashed).

Formed by Ra's Al Ghul with three purposes, to protect his person, to protect and defend the lazarus pits, and to make a profit selling murder, The League of Assassins includes many of the world's most skilled killers.

There involvement in any scheme is a matter that any hero will take seriously.

[Otaku]

So should I take this as a "no" for The Calculator? ;)

I didn't realize Lazarus Pits were a one-time-use. ^^'

[Phantasm]

Originally Posted by aesir23

World-Feature: Lazarus Pits

...

If a person who has been seriously wounded (0 HP or Less), or recently Died (within the last 6 hours) is fully submersed into the Lazarus Pit for 1 minute, the Lazarus Pit has a regenerative effect--The character is brought to full HP and all crippling injuries are healed as if the character had Regrowth. Dead characters are resurrected. Furthermore, all effects of Aging are reversed and the character is returned to the physical state they were in at the age of 30.

How long was Jason Todd dead before he was dropped in a Pit?

[aesir23]

Originally Posted by Otaku

So should I take this as a "no" for The Calculator?

Not at all! I overlooked your post before. I do plan to make The Calculator, I just see him as a Birds of Prey villain rather than a Bat villain.