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

[Phantasm]

Updated Cap's bio once again, expanding on ideas tossed forth.

The hardest part I had to deal with is "if he was married with children, where are they now?" Peggy was easy enough to deal with, though I might have killed her off a bit prematurely. I hope people like the name I gave his son, whose present status I want to say will likely be a Year Two plot point. o/`


Edit: Also, just updated the stat sheet once again, this time with optimization advice offered above.

[Infornific]

Originally Posted by tbrock1031

They are! Some of this stuff I hadn't considered, to be honest.


Hmm... I don't want to put his stats too much higher, to be honest, but you're right about IQ possibly being higher than 11. 12 seem about right? I don't want to give him an IQ higher than that, due to him not really being a "super-brain" like some of my IQ 13+ chars. (although I haven't actually touched on any true "super-brains" yet... MODOK is the first in my queue).


To be honest, I treat half of his Extended Lifespan cost as a UB covering those. (Same with Unaging; half that cost is being adept at the lower technologies, able to use TL-dependent skills from any of the relevant TLs without penalty.)


Hmm... kids and grandkids for Cap. I hadn't considered that, to be honest. I want to say that he avoided it after a time, but ... hey, maybe he and Peggy actually hooked up after the war. ;) (Also, I wrote the bio back in ... '07? '08? Almost a decade has passed since it was written... damn.)

What disads did you have in mind for his feelings of alienation? It's a good idea, one that fits the character. The new Bucky could be helping him break out of the alienation funk he'd been in for the last few decades.


I'm not so sure he kept up to date on his military hand to hand styles, to be honest. I had him traveling all over for a time (maybe after he and Peggy split?), so maybe Sambo and Krav Maga would have been learned. Maybe.



Hmm... his '85 OHOTMUDE entry states 800 lbs bench-press for Cap. There's several others in that series that press half a ton that are considered stronger (though not as experienced). Maybe he got stronger in the comics after the later bouts of serum troubles?

Glad you liked the idea about Cap's family. Regarding IQ, I know you tend to lowball more than others. While I wouldn't put him at the peak, I could see a case for 13 or 14 simply based on decades of accumulated experience and knowledge without physical decline. You might look at the Born Tactician Talent - I could see Cap having a couple of levels of that, again justified by experience.

I like giving him Fist!. Especially with all the experience he has in this reboot.

Regarding ST, I think it's from what I googled. Frankly I think it's something that varies from writer to writer. I know the old TSR Marvel game had his Strength at "Excellent" (around GURPS 20) for most of its run but bumped it to "Remarkable" (more or less GURPS 32) toward the end. The tricky part is that he's shown taking down much stronger opponents - not sure how you'd do that in GURPS.

Not sure how to handle alienation as a Disadvantage. Loner doesn't sound right, though maybe with a high Self Control roll. Chronic Depression or On the Edge, again with a high Self Control roll, representing that he has trouble caring any more though he knows he should. Chronic Pain from cumulative injuries. Guilt Complex from being aware of all the times he failed. Maybe even some variation of Stress Atavism where he sometimes loses his higher tech skills. Acting skill so people think he's the same old Cap. That may be a lot emotionally darker than you want to make the character, of course. But that might fit - Bucky is trying to bring Cap back to the world. That also suggests the presence of Bucky might act as a Mitigator for these Disadvantages.

If you're using Unaging as partly a UB, that's fine. I just figured being comfortable with multiple eras of technology would be a useful schtick for him.

Also, was Cap always 18 when he joined up? For some reason I assumed he was in his 20s.

[Phantasm]

Originally Posted by Infornific

Glad you liked the idea about Cap's family. Regarding IQ, I know you tend to lowball more than others. While I wouldn't put him at the peak, I could see a case for 13 or 14 simply based on decades of accumulated experience and knowledge without physical decline. You might look at the Born Tactician Talent - I could see Cap having a couple of levels of that, again justified by experience.

I like giving him Fist!. Especially with all the experience he has in this reboot.

Regarding ST, I think it's from what I googled. Frankly I think it's something that varies from writer to writer. I know the old TSR Marvel game had his Strength at "Excellent" (around GURPS 20) for most of its run but bumped it to "Remarkable" (more or less GURPS 32) toward the end. The tricky part is that he's shown taking down much stronger opponents - not sure how you'd do that in GURPS.

True. I wanted Cap to be "extremely strong" without edging into "clearly superhuman". Able to bench-press a ton (GURPS 32) is just out; even half a ton is pushing it. ST 22-23-ish is clearly "stronger than your average bear" without being "OMGWTFBBQ SUPERHUMAN!". It's a balancing act and a judgement call I had to make.

As for his IQ, I agree his IQ should account for experience, but I really don't want to lump him in with some other characters whose IQ are in the 13-14 range. Talents, as you say, may be viable; I'll have to dig through Power-Ups 3 to see what fits.

Originally Posted by Infornific

Not sure how to handle alienation as a Disadvantage. Loner doesn't sound right, though maybe with a high Self Control roll. Chronic Depression or On the Edge, again with a high Self Control roll, representing that he has trouble caring any more though he knows he should. Chronic Pain from cumulative injuries. Guilt Complex from being aware of all the times he failed. Maybe even some variation of Stress Atavism where he sometimes loses his higher tech skills. Acting skill so people think he's the same old Cap. That may be a lot emotionally darker than you want to make the character, of course. But that might fit - Bucky is trying to bring Cap back to the world. That also suggests the presence of Bucky might act as a Mitigator for these Disadvantages.

Yeah, I'm still not sure which disads a kind of alienation would be, though as you say a combination of Guilt Complex, Chronic Depression, and On The Edge might just work.

Originally Posted by Infornific

If you're using Unaging as partly a UB, that's fine. I just figured being comfortable with multiple eras of technology would be a useful schtick for him.

Note that many of his skills are at TL7 (and one at TL6) as opposed to TL8. I don't see him having trouble with some tech, but clearly he'd be more comfortable with the others. But other than using Extended Lifespan/Unaging as being at least a partial UB, I'm not sure how to handle stuff like that, particularly as Perks are "by skill". He doesn't have Low TL as he's not challenged with TL8 gear. I figure "TL familiarity penalties being a non-issue" can be rolled into the aging advantages easily enough, though.

Originally Posted by Infornific

Also, was Cap always 18 when he joined up? For some reason I assumed he was in his 20s.

I'm going by his first appearance in the comics - 1938 - being when he received the treatment. I don't recall off-hand when he was born, but 1920-ish, being from the post-WWI baby boom, seems likely. (Quite possibly, his father served in WWI, though that's pure speculation on my part.) In the MCU, yeah, he didn't join up until early-20s, but then again they were dealing with Chris Evans who is in his '30s and with a war that was already going on for years; I think First Avenger started in '42 or so? They made him older to account for all that.

[aesir23]

Originally Posted by tbrock1031

True. I wanted Cap to be "extremely strong" without edging into "clearly superhuman". Able to bench-press a ton (GURPS 32) is just out; even half a ton is pushing it. ST 22-23-ish is clearly "stronger than your average bear" without being "OMGWTFBBQ SUPERHUMAN!". It's a balancing act and a judgement call I had to make.

For the record, I think you made the right call here. Cap should be able to win a gold metal in most Olympic events, but just barely. He's supposed to be "peak human" not superhuman.

[Otaku]

Originally Posted by aesir23

For the record, I think you made the right call here. Cap should be able to win a gold metal in most Olympic events, but just barely. He's supposed to be "peak human" not superhuman.

"Peak human" tends to be a confusing term. Most of the time I see it used to describe someone who is at the maximum recorded [insert trait] for human, but sometimes it is used to mean the peak of what the human body could hypothetically accomplish within its basic design specs. I think Cap has always been officially the former but sometimes is written like the latter, where he is a low level "superhuman", but its all stuff that leaves him still clearly human.

[Phantasm]

BOOMERANG

Real Name: Fred Meyers.
Occupation: Mercenary, costumed criminal, former professional athlete.
Identity: Known to the authorities.
Legal Status: Dual citizen of Australia and the United States with a criminal record in the States.
Other Aliases: None.
Place of Birth: Melbourne, Australia.
Marital Status: Presumably single.
Known Relatives: None.
Group Affiliation: Occasional member of Batroc's Brigade, former member of an unnamed minor league professional baseball team.
Base of Operations: Mobile.
History: Fred Meyers was born in Australia but moved with his parents, at least one of whom was an American citizen, to the States as a young kid. As a youth he soon discovered a passion for baseball and growing up developed an incredible pitching arm. He attended college on baseball scholarships and was recruited into a minor league team affiliated with the New York Mets. After a year, however, he was suspended for accepting bribes. Upset, he was soon recruited by the unscrupulous industrialist Justin Hammer and given the identity of Boomerang along with related paraphernalia which , which included a number of boomerangs designed by Hammer's R&D department (see Hammer, Justin). In this guise, he originally fought Iron Man but was defeated, but was released on bail soon after (see Iron Man). Realizing that he was unused to throwing his now signature weapon, he retreated to the Australian Outback for a month of intense self-training.

As Boomerang, he has fought Captain America, Iron Man, Iron Fist, Spider-Man, and Daredevil, and occasionally hired by Georges Batroc as a member of Batroc's Brigade (see individual entries). He was last seen escaping from the Ryker's Island prison facility during the jailbreak led by the Rhino (see Rhino).
Height: 5' 11".
Weight: 185 lbs.
Eyes: Brown.
Hair: Brown.
Uniform: Blue and purple bodysuit with two large boomerangs strapped to the chest and two on the back, purple gloves, blue boots, blue belt with a series of boomerangs stored on it, purple cowl with a boomerang motif on the forehead.
Strength Level: Boomerang 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: Boomerang is a skilled athlete with an incredible pitching arm, able to hurl objects such as baseballs and his boomerangs at incredible speeds and strength.
Weapons and Paraphernalia: Boomerang carries an undisclosed number of boomerangs, including the ones on his uniform, several of which are rigged with explosives or given sharp edges for cutting. Boomerang's boots have miniature rockets in them to provide him lift, using technology Hammer stole from Stark Industries, but because he lacks flight stabilizers he doesn't use them for sustained flight (see Stark Industries).

340 points
Attributes: ST 12 [20]; DX 13 [60]; IQ 11 [20]; HT 13 [30].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 1d-1/1d+2; BL 29 lbs.; HP 12 [0]; Will 12 [5]; Per 12 [5]; FP 13 [0]; Basic Speed 6.50 [0]; Basic Move 6 [0]; Dodge 10.
Languages: English (Native) (Native Language) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Western [0].
Advantages: Ambidexterity [5]; Combat Reflexes [15]; Fit [5]; Flight (Gadget/Breakable: DR 10, -10%; Gadget/Breakable: SM -5, -10%; Gadget/Can Be Stolen: Forcibly Removed, -10%; Low Ceiling: 10 foot ceiling, -20%) [20]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Imbue 2 (Limited Skill Access: Three Skills, -40%) [12]; Natural Athlete 2 [20]; Signature Gear (Consumable: Specialty Boomerangs) [2]; Striking ST +6 (One Attack Only: Throwing Arm, -60%) [12]; Wealth (Comfortable) [10]; Weapon Master (Thrown Weapons) [35].
Perks: Acceleration Tolerance [1]; Citizenship (Australia) [1]; Dirty Fighting [1]; Eye For Distance [1].
Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Mercenary's) [-5]; Greed (12) [-15]; Overconfidence (12) [-5]; Pacificm (Reluctant Killer) [-5]; Social Stigma (Criminal Record) [-5].
Quirks: Bad With Names [-1]; Dislikes Crocodile Dundee Jokes/References [-1]l Dual Identity; Rule-Breaker [-1].
Skills: Arching Shot (Thrown Weapon (Stick)) (VH) DX+0 [8] – 13; Boxing (A) DX+1 [4] – 14; Breath Control (H) HT+1 [2] – 14*; Far Shot (Thrown Weapon (Stick)) (VH) DX+0 [8] – 13; Jumping (E) DX+2 [1] – 15*; Mathematics/TL8 (Applied) (H) IQ-1 [2] – 10; Parry Missile Weapons (H) DX+1 [8] – 14; Physics/TL8 (Aerodynamics) (H) IQ+1 [8] – 12; Piloting/TL8 (Light Airplane) (A) DX-1 [1] – 12; Returning Shot (Thrown Weapon (Stick)) (VH) DX+0 [8] – 13; Running (A) HT+1 [1] – 14*; Savoir-Faire (Mafia) (E) IQ+1 [2] – 12; Sports (Baseball) (A) DX+1 [1] – 14*; Streetwise (A) IQ+1 [4] – 12; Survival (Desert) (A) Per+0 [2] – 12; Throwing (A) DX+1 [1] – 14*; Thrown Weapon (Stick) (E) DX+7 [24] – 20; Wrestling (A) DX+1 [4] – 14.
Starting Spending Money: $8,000 (20% of Starting Wealth).

* Includes +2 from Natural Athlete.

Role-Playing Notes:
At the start of his career, Boomerang is a man who is bitter at the world. He has since accepted that it was his own fault for being suspended from his first love, baseball, and in fact has begun to enjoy working as a costumed mercenary.


Returning Shot (DX/VH)
Ranged Enhancement Imbuement Skill
Requires: Imbue 2
This Imbuement skill grants a second attack with a ranged weapon as it doubles back to the attacker should the first attack be dodged. This second attack is often a Deceptive Attack, but this is not an absolute, as it attacks from an unexpected angle.

Note: I'm still working out the fine details for this skill, but the idea is that he can throw his 'rangs in such a manner that they return for a second attack from the rear should his initial attack miss. I chose Imbue 2 as that's the same level as Arching Shot, Bank Shot, and Guided Weapon. In a way, it duplicates Guided Weapon, but only for a return hit.

[Infornific]

Originally Posted by tbrock1031

Returning Shot (DX/VH)
Ranged Enhancement Imbuement Skill
Requires: Imbue 2
This Imbuement skill grants a second attack with a ranged weapon as it doubles back to the attacker should the first attack be dodged. This second attack is often a Deceptive Attack, but this is not an absolute, as it attacks from an unexpected angle.

Note: I'm still working out the fine details for this skill, but the idea is that he can throw his 'rangs in such a manner that they return for a second attack from the rear should his initial attack miss. I chose Imbue 2 as that's the same level as Arching Shot, Bank Shot, and Guided Weapon. In a way, it duplicates Guided Weapon, but only for a return hit.

I'm wondering if you're making this more complicated than it needs to be. It might be simpler to call it a Deceptive Attack and if the target fails to dodge but would have dodged without the penalty, rule as a special effect that the 'rang came back. The effect in game terms is simply that his throws are hard to dodge - maybe just stick with that.

[Phantasm]

CARTER, SHARON

Real Name: Sharon Carter.
Occupation: Government agent.
Identity: Sharon Carter does not use a dual identity.
Legal Status: Citizen of the United States with no known criminal record.
Other Aliases: "Kate".
Place of Birth: Unrevealed.
Marital Status: Single.
Known Relatives: Marguerite "Peggy" Carter (great-aunt, deceased), Steve Rogers (great-uncle by marriage), James Rogers (first cousin once removed, presumed deceased).
Group Affiliation: SHIELD; ally of Captain America.
Base of Operations: SHIELD's New York City branch office.
History: Many of the details of Sharon Carter's early life are as yet unrevealed. She is the grand-niece of Peggy Carter, the late wife of Captain America, and grew up being told tales of her famous great-uncle (see Captain America).

As an adult, Sharon decided to enter law enforcement. Due to her familial relations, while attending the FBI Academy she was recruited into SHIELD, becoming one of their top special agents (see SHIELD). She would often take the name "Kate" when performing undercover investigations.

When Captain America returned to active duty, Sharon was assigned to work with him as his official SHEILD liaison. Sharon was at first apprehensive about working with her "Uncle Steve" (as she called him), but was surprised to discover how young he remained – the two had not actually met since she was a young child. This soon turned towards a bit of resentment as he would actively try to shield her from harm, until she released "the fabled Carter temper" at him, giving him a piece of her mind about his overly-protective treatment. Since then, the two have tried to work as equals, with Sharon assisting in helping train Cap's new partner, Rikki Buchanan, the new Bucky (see Bucky).
Height: 5' 8".
Weight: 135 lbs.
Eyes: Blue.
Hair: Blond.
Uniform: None.
Strength Level: Sharon Carter possesses the normal human strength of a woman her age, height, and build who engages in intensive regular exercise.
Known Superhuman Powers: None.
Other Abilities: Sharon Carter is a skilled hand to hand combatant, having been trained in ABA Bando, Hwa Rang Do, and Jeet Kune Do, and a marksman with conventional firearms. She is also skilled at operating undercover during investigations.
Weapons and Paraphernalia: Sharon often wears a vest made of a lightweight advanced ballistic fabric underneath her normal shirt; her pants and jacket are usually made of the same fabric. Her SHIELD-issued service pistol is a Glock 22 chambered for the .40S&W round, normally loaded with APHP (armor-piercing hollow-point) ammunition, a hollow point round with a tungsten core for penetrating armor. (Against "soft" targets, like unarmored people, the round acts like a standard hollow point, while against armored "hard" targets, such as body armor or vehicular plating, the round acts like an armor-piercing round.)

As a SHIELD agent, Sharon has access to a wide variety of weapons and technical gear designed to locate, capture, and restrain superhuman targets.

515 points
Attributes: ST 13 [30]; DX 13 [60]; IQ 12 [40]; HT 13 [30].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 1d/2d-1; BL 34 lbs.; HP 13 [0]; Will 14 [10]; Per 14 [10]; FP 13 [0]; Basic Speed 6.50 [0]; Basic Move 6 [0]; Dodge 10.
Languages: English (Native) (Native Language) [0]; Latin (Accented) [4]; Spanish (Accented) [4].
Cultural Familiarities: Western [0].
Advantages: Ambidexterity [5]; Appearance (Beautiful) [12]; Combat Reflexes [15]; Craftiness 2 [10]; Extra Attack 1 [25]; Fit [5]; Gunslinger [25]; Hard to Kill 2 [4]; Hard to Subdue 2 [4]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Legal Enforcement Powers 2 [10]; Natural Copper 2 [20]; Rapid Healing [5]; SHIELD Rank 4 [20]; Smooth Operator 2 [30]; Social Chameleon [5]; Unfazeable [15]; Wealth (Comfortable) [10].
Perks: Controllable Disadvantage (Bad Temper) [1]; Controllable Disadvantage (Callous) [1]; One-Task Wonder (Electronics Repair/TL8 (Security), Disabling Only) [1]; Style Familiarity (ABA Bando) [1]; Style Familiarity (Hwa Rang Do) [1]; Style Familiarity (Jeet Kune Do) [1].
Disadvantages: Charitable (12) [-15]; Code of Honor (Hero's) [-10]; Duty (SHIELD) (12) [-10]; Pacifism (Cannot Harm Innocents) [-10]; Sense of Duty (Friends and Family) [-5]; Stubbornness [-5].
Quirks: Constantly Trying To Set Up Captain America On Dates With Her SHIELD Co-Workers [-1]; Infatuated With Captain America [-1].
Skills: Acrobatics (H) DX+0 [4] – 13; Acting (A) IQ+3 [2] – 16*†; Boating/TL8 (Motorboat) (A) DX+0 [2] – 13; Body Language (Human) (A) Per+2 [2] – 16†; Carousing (E) HT+4 [2] – 16†; Climbing (A) DX+0 [2] – 13; Criminology/TL8 (A) IQ+2 [4] – 15‡; Detect Lies (H) Per+2 [1] – 16†‡; Driving/TL8 (Automobile) (A) DX+0 [2] – 13; Electronics Operation/TL8 (Security) (A) IQ+0 [2] – 12; Electronics Operation/TL8 (Surveillance) (A) IQ+0 [2] – 12; Escape (H) DX+0 [4] – 13; Fast-Draw/TL8 (Ammo) (E) DX+1 [1] – 14§; Fast-Draw (Knife) (E) DX+1 [1] – 14§; Fast-Draw (Pistol) (E) DX+1 [1] – 14§; Filch (A) DX+0 [2] – 13; First Aid/TL8 (Human) (E) IQ+0 [1] – 12; Guns/TL8 (Grenade Launcher) (E) DX+1 [2] – 14; Guns/TL8 (Pistol) (E) DX+2 [4] – 14; Guns/TL8 (Rifle) (E) DX+2 [3] – 14#; Guns/TL8 (Submachine Gun) (E) DX+2 [3] – 14#; Holdout (A) IQ+1 [1] – 13*; Intelligence Analysis/TL8 (H) IQ+2 [4] – 14‡; Interrogation (A) IQ+2 [1] – 14‡¥; Intimidation (A) Will+2 [2] – 16†; Judo (H) DX+2 [12] – 15; Jumping (E) DX+0 [1] – 13; Karate (H) DX+2 [12] – 15; Karate Sport (H) DX-1 [1] – 12¤; Knife (E) DX+1 [2] – 14; Lip Reading (A) Per+0 [2] – 14; Observation (A) Per+2 [2] – 16‡; Pickpocket (H) DX+0 [4] – 13; Running (A) HT+0 [2] – 13; Savoir-Faire (Dojo) (E) IQ+2 [1] – 14†; Savoir-Faire (High Society) (E) IQ+2 [1] – 14†; Savoir-Faire (Mafia) (E) IQ+2 [1] – 14†; Savoir-Faire (Police) (E) IQ+5 [2] – 17†‡; Sex Appeal (Human) (A) HT+5 [1] – 18†∫; Shadowing (A) IQ+4 [2] – 16*‡; Skiing (H) HT-1 [2] – 12; Stealth (A) DX+2 [2] – 15*; Streetwise (A) IQ+4 [2] – 16†‡; Swimming (E) HT+0 [1] – 13; Throwing (A) DX-1 [1] – 12; Thrown Weapon (Knife) (E) DX+1 [2] – 14; Wrestling (A) DX+2 [8] – 15.
Techniques: Acrobatic Stand (Acrobatics) (H) def+5 [6] – 13; Back Kick (Karate) (H) def+4 [5] – 15; Head Lock (Judo) (H) def+3 [4] – 15; Kicking (Karate) (H) def+2 [3] – 15; Slip Handcuffs (Escape) (H) def+5 [6] – 13; Sweeping Kick (Karate) (H) def+3 [4] – 15.
Starting Spending Money: $8,000 (20% of Starting Wealth).

* Includes +2 from Craftiness.
† Includes +2 from Smooth Operator.
‡ Includes +2 from Natural Copper.
§ Includes +1 from Combat Reflexes.
# Defaulted from Guns/TL8 (Pistol).
¥ Defaulted from Intimidation.
¤ Defaulted from Karate.
∫ Includes +4 from Appearance.

Role-Playing Notes:
Sharon is a confidant woman who is said to have nerves of steel. She has a deep attraction for Steve, which she knows is not right, given he's her great-uncle (by marriage), and deflects this by constantly trying to find him a date from among her co-workers at SHIELD. (As an April Fool's gag, she once suggested one of her gay male co-workers, just to gauge his reaction.)

Design Notes:
1. SHIELD Rank is derived from Social Engineering - Pulling Rank, based off using SHIELD as a 20-point Patron with an assistance roll of 9 or less.
2. As I was starting this entry, I realized that I had wrote myself into a potentially squicky corner by having Sharon, Cap's long-time love interest in the comics, be the grand-niece of his late wife, Peggy. Hence Sharon pulling what Natasha was doing in Winter Soldier, constantly trying to set him up.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by tbrock1031

...
2. As I was starting this entry, I realized that I had wrote myself into a potentially squicky corner by having Sharon, Cap's long-time love interest in the comics, be the grand-niece of his late wife, Peggy. Hence Sharon pulling what Natasha was doing in Winter Soldier, constantly trying to set him up.

I don't understand where the squick would come from. They aren't related according to Western cultural standards.
Are they considered so in your particular subculture?

Comic book characters are usually a heck of lot more literally incestuous.
I can understand an all American "uncle" from the 40's seeing it as icky though.

[Phantasm]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

I don't understand where the squick would come from. They aren't related according to Western cultural standards.
Are they considered so in your particular subculture?

Comic book characters are usually a heck of lot more literally incestuous.
I can understand an all American "uncle" from the 40's seeing it as icky though.

I personally don't find it squicky, for the very reason you state - they aren't blood-related. I know some folks, however, that find relations between third step-cousins by marriage to be squicky. I was trying to keep things relatively decent, playing on the unspoken tension between them than actually having them act on it.