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

[Phantasm]

TASKMASTER

Real Name: Unrevealed.
Occupation: Martial arts instructor, trainer of criminals.
Identity: Known to the authorities.
Legal Status: Citizen of the United States with a criminal record.
Other Aliases: None known.
Place of Birth: Unrevealed.
Marital Status: Single.
Known Relatives: None.
Group Affiliation: Head of his own training academy for criminals.
Base of Operations: Weehawken, New Jersey; formerly Queens, New York.
History: The full origins of the man known as the Taskmaster is unknown. He claims to have discovered his ability to perfectly replicate the fighting moves of anyone he sees on the first try, which he refers to as "photographic reflexes", while in his youth, which led him to try his hand as a costumed mercenary.

As an adult, Taskmaster fought alongside a number of other criminals and mercenaries against the team known as the Shadowguard on a number of occasions before disappearing from public view. The public and authorities initially believed he had retired, and in a way he had. Instead of taking the full risks himself, Taskmaster opened up a martial arts dojo in Weehawken, New Jersey, across the Hudson River from Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, where he began to train the next generation of criminals and mercenaries. Among those known to be graduates of his "academy" are Crossbones and Diamondback, both of whom have fought Captain America on numerous occasions (see Captain America; Crossbones; Diamondback). He also seems to have a rivalry with Georges Batroc, the reason for which is presently unknown (see Batroc, Georges). In addition to his Weehawken dojo, he owns a number of other dojos around the tri-state area which he uses to recruit new talent.

Taskmaster first came into direct conflict with the Captain America when the Captain's young protege, Rikki Buchanan, a former juvenile delinquent, was approached to join one of his "satellite academies" in her native Queens (see Bucky). Bucky was personally tutored for a short time by Taskmaster, but when she was asked to commit a crime to proceed to the next lesson, she rebelled and turned her knowledge of his activities over to the Captain and his SHIELD liaison, Sharon Carter, who moved in to apprehend Taskmaster (see Carter, Sharon; SHIELD).

Bucky and Carter soon traced Taskmaster's main operations to his New Jersey dojo. Expecting that they'd run into a number of advanced trainees as well as facing Taskmaster himself, Captain America hired Batroc, Diamondback, and the Swordsman to assist in bringing Taskmaster to justice (see Swordsman). Taskmaster fought and held off both Captain America and Batroc at the same time using their own moves against them before being arrested.

While in prison, Taskmaster was approached by SHIELD director Henry Gyrich to assist in training a new special SHIELD agent, whose name was never revealed (see Gyrich, Henry Peter).

Taskmaster was last seen cleaning up his Weehawken dojo, having apparently been released on bail, presumably with Gyrich's aid. His plans for future activities are unknown.
Height: 6' 2".
Weight: 220 lbs.
Eyes: Brown.
Hair: Brown.
Uniform: Blue-black bodysuit with brown lower sleeves and collar, white gloves, white boots, white hooded cloak that is brown on the inside, white full-face mask with a skeleton motif, brown belt and bandoleer with a number of pouches.
Strength Level: Taskmaster possesses the normal human strength of a man his age, height, and build who engages in intensive regular exercise.
Known Superhuman Powers: Taskmaster possesses an apparently unique ability known as "photographic reflexes", enabling him to replicate any movement he sees, either in person or from video footage, while in the realm of his physical capability. This latter part means that while he has studied and replicated Spider-Man's acrobatics, he cannot perform them at the same speed (see Spider-Man).
Other Abilities: Taskmaster is a superb hand to hand combatant and a marksman with all conventional firearms. He has also become a very effective teacher.
Paraphernalia: Taskmaster has been known to use a number of weapons, including but not limited to a steel broadsword, a round circular throwing shield with a similar weight and design as Captain America's (though nowhere near as durable), a pair of batons, and a selection of personal handguns.
Limitations: Taskmaster claims his photographic reflexes have interfered with other parts of his memory; he claims he only remembers his own name by looking at his driver's license on a regular basis, and did not remember teaching Diamondback. He claims the only reason he remembers his rivalry with Batroc is because he remembers Batroc through remembering his moves. Whether there is any truth to these claims is uncertain.

720 points
Attributes: ST 14 [40]; DX 14 [80]; IQ 11 [20]; HT 14 [40].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 1d/2d; BL 39 lbs.; HP 14 [0]; Will 12 [5]; Per 12 [5]; FP 14 [0]; Basic Speed 7.00 [0]; Basic Move 7 [0]; Dodge 11 (14).
Languages: English (Native) (Native Language) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Western [0].
Advantages: Ambidexterity [5]; Combat Reflexes [15]; Enhanced Block 3 (Accessibility: Only When Using ModAb, -10%) [14]; Enhanced Dodge 3 (Accessibility: Only When Using ModAb, -10%) [41]; Enhanced Parry (All Parries) (Accessibility: Only When Using ModAb, -10%) [27]; Extra Attack 1 (Accessibility: Only When Using ModAb, -10%) [23]; Gunslinger (Accessibility: Only When Using ModAb, -10%; Alternative Ability, ×1/5) [5]; Hard to Kill 3 [6]; Hard to Subdue 1 [2]; Heroic Archer (Accessibility: Only When Using ModAb, -10%; Alternative Ability, ×1/5) [4]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Modular Abilities (Super-Memorization) (3 1-point slots) (Physical Only, +50%; Trait-Limited: Perks Only, -40%; Savant, -10%) [24]; Modular Abilities (Super-Memorization) (4 12-point slots, 2 5-point slots) (Physical Only, +50%; Trait-Limited: Skills (and Techniques) Only, -10%; Savant, -10%) [266]; Perfect Balance [15]; Trained By A Master (Accessibility: Only When Using ModAb, -10%; Alternative Ability, ×1/5) [6]; Very Fit [15]; Weapon Master (Varies) (Accessibility: Only When Using ModAb, -10%) [32].
Perks: Cloaked [1].
Disadvantages: Absent-Mindedness [-15]; Amnesia (Partial) [-10]; Code of Honor (Pirate's) [-5]; Hidebound [-5]; Overconfidence (12) [-5]; Social Stigma (Criminal Record) [-5].
Quirks: Bad With Names [-1]; Closet Fan (The Hunger Games) [-1]; Vague Answers [-1]; Will Train Anyone If Paid [-1].
Skills: Acrobatics (H) DX+2 [8] – 16*; Climbing (A) DX+0 [1] – 14*; Electronics Operation/TL8 (Media) (A) IQ+1 [4] – 12; Electronics Repair/TL8 (Security) (A) IQ+1 [4] – 12; First Aid/TL8 (Human) (E) IQ+1 [2] – 12; Hiking (A) HT-1 [1] – 13; Judo (H) DX+2 [12] – 16; Jumping (E) DX+0 [1] – 14; Karate (H) DX+2 [12] – 16; Lifting (A) HT-1 [1] – 13; Running (A) HT-1 [1] – 13; Swimming (E) HT+0 [1] – 14; Teaching (A) IQ+1 [4] – 12; Throwing (A) DX+1 [4] – 15; Urban Survival (A) Per+1 [4] – 13; Wrestling (A) DX+2 [8] – 16.
Starting Spending Money: $4,000 (20% of Starting Wealth).

* Includes +1 from Perfect Balance.

Role-Playing Notes:
Taskmaster is typically overconfident in his ability to fight anyone using their own moves against them. He also suffers from periodic memory loss, which sometimes manifests itself as him appearing somewhat scatterbrained as a result.

[Infornific]

Interesting take on Taskmaster but I see a few problems.

1. Alternative abilities take one turn to change, so he'd need to pause between combat styles. That does not seem to reflect the character as written.

2. Super memorization has the same issues.

3. Skill levels seem low - he should be able to duplicate skill levels of Captain America et al - around 25.

Possible solutions:

To reflect skills, use some sort of Cosmic type Modular abilities (only to duplicate physical skills observed) with one slot for a 36 point wild card skill. Make it so he can switch instantly from skill to skill.

Add in +10 DX (only to duplicate DX based skills he's observed.

So he could switch from Fist!-25 to Bow!-25 to Move-25! etc as needed.

For Advantages, either just bite the bullet and buy him a laundry list of physical learnable Advantages or take Weaponmaster (All) as a Wild Card power and draw all other advantages from that.

Possibly add in Enhanced Time Sense, Cosmic, Combat only, Only against foes he's studied - he will automatically act first if he knows his opponent's moves, even against Quicksilver or Spiderman.

I'd go with ST 15 and a higher IQ but that's me. I can think of a few other refinements but that might be getting too fussy.

[Phantasm]

All good thoughts on Taskmaster, but I'm wondering just how many "seconds" a panel is in comics when in combat. I'm remembering one issue of Avengers Academy when he was shown using three different peoples' moves in three successive panels, but there was clearly time between the panels as both his and his opponent's positions and postures were greatly different from the previous panel; obviously, there was fighting we didn't see. I'm also not entirely sure if "taking an Evaluate maneuver" and "switching between TBaM and WM" can be distinguished by an outside observer.

I also don't see him as changing his studied styles mid-combat, either. He's more likely to hang back and study before engaging, letting his henchmen attack first.

It's not a perfect fit, true, but I'm not trying to stay 100% true to the comics (that's pretty much impossible).

[Phantasm]

CERBERUS

Real Name: Cerberus.
Occupation: Guard dog.
Identity: Cerberus's existence as anything other than a mythological figure is unknown to the general public.
Legal Status: Property of Hades.
Other Aliases: Hound of Hades, Hound of Hell.
Place of Birth: Unrevealed.
Marital Status: Single.
Known Relatives: Typhon (father), Echidna (mother), Lernean Hydra, Orthrus (brothers, deceased), Chimera (sister, deceased), Sphinx (niece, deceased), Nemean Lion (nephew, deceased), Gaea (grandmother). For more details on his extended family tree, consult Hesiod's Theogeny and other works.
Group Affiliation: Denizens of the Underworld.
Base of Operations: The underworld realm of Hades.
History: Born of monsters, Cerberus would have been consigned to life as yet another monster to be slaughtered by the ancient heroes had it not been for his cousin, Hades, who treated the giant three-headed dog with respect (see Hades). Hades placed Cerberus under his protection in exchange for Cerberus's services as the watchdog of his realm, the ancient Greek underworld. Only twice is Cerberus known to have relaxed in his duty: once when Orpheus persuaded Hades to restore the mortal's wife to life, and once when he was taken out of the underworld by Hercules as part of the demigod's Twelve Labors (see Hercules).

The latter incident has been related by both Hercules and Hades's wife, Persephone, as follows: Hercules had been ordered by his cousin Eurystheus, King of Tiryns, to deliver Cerberus to him as Herc's twelfth and final Labor (see Persephone). Descending into the underworld, accompanied by Athena and Hermes, Herc was welcomed as a guest by his uncle and half-sister (Hades and Persephone, respectively) and given every hospitality (see Athena; Hermes). Hades did not want Cerberus harmed, and Cerberus agreed to be carried to the surface world if Hercules could succeed in defeating him in unarmed combat. Hercules not only succeeded, but treated the hound with such respect afterward, including releasing Cerberus and accompanying him back to the underworld the moment the Labor was complete that the two soon formed a close friendship which continues to this day.

Cerberus was on hand to greet Hercules and his half-sister, Nyssa Savakis, when the two visited the Greek underworld (see Savakis, Nyssa). Nyssa was scared of Cerberus at first, but the giant dog soon won over her affections.

Presumably Cerberus remains the ever-watchful guard dog of Hades's realm.
Height: 5' 6" at the shoulder.
Length: 8' 10".
Weight: 4500 lbs.
Eyes: Varies, commonly depicted as blue, green, or red.
Fur: Black.
Other Distinguishing Features: Cerberus has three heads.
Uniform: None.
Strength Level: Cerberus possesses superhuman (supercanine?) strength. Using two of his heads in unison, he is able to effectively lift (press) up to 80 tons.
Known Superhuman Powers: In addition to his strength, Cerberus has superhuman durability. His physical form is such that he can run at up to 50 miles per hour. His three heads permit him to look and pay attention in almost any direction at the same time. He otherwise has all the typical features and senses of a canine, albeit one much larger than most.

Like all Olympian deities, he is immune to all terrestrial diseases and poisons/toxins, and does not age.
Other Abilities: Unlike many of his siblings, Cerberus has a human-level intellect and is not instinctively afraid of fire.

1,141 points
Attributes: ST 46/332 (No Fine Manipulators, -40%; Size, -10%) [115*]; DX 12 (No Fine Manipulators, -40%) [24]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 14 [40].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 5d+2/8d-1 (34d/36d); BL 423 lbs (22,178 lbs/11 tons); HP 46 [0]; Will 13 [15]; Per 13 [15]; FP 14 [0]; Basic Speed 6.50 [0]; Basic Move 6 [0]; Dodge 10.
Languages: Ancient Greek (Native) (Native Language) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Mount Olympus [0].
Advantages: Appearance (Handsome) (Impressive, +0%) [12]; Claws (Blunt Claws) [3]; Combat Reflexes [15]; Damage Resistance 30 (Hardened 1, +20%; Tough Skin, -40%) [120]; Danger Sense [15]; Discriminatory Smell [15]; Enhanced Move (Ground) 2 [40]; Enhanced Tracking 2 [10]; Extra Attack 2 [50]; Extra Head 2 [30]; Fit [5]; Hard to Kill 3 [6]; Hard to Subdue 3 [6]; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards [30]; Injury Tolerance (Damage Reduction /3) [75]; Night Vision 6 [6]; Patron (Hades) (12) [30]; Regeneration (Regular: 4 HP/hr) [25]; See Invisible (Spirits) (Magical, -10%) [14]; Social Regard (Feared) 3 [15]; Super Jump 1 [10]; Super ST +13/+300 (No Fine Manipulators, -10%; Size, -10%) [455]; Teeth (Sharp Teeth) [1]; Ultrahearing [5]; Unaging [15].
Perks: Fur [1]; Limited Camouflage (Shadows) [1]; One-Way Fluency (Understands English) [1]; One-Way Fluency (Understands Modern Greek) [1]; One-Way Fluency (Understands Latin) [1]; Patience of Job [1].
Disadvantages: Cannot Speak [-15]; Chummy [-5]; Colorblindness [-10]; Gluttony (12) [-5]; Hidebound [-5]; Low TL -4 [-20]; Quadruped [-35]; Social Stigma (Valuable Property [-10]; Stress Atavism (Moderate) (12) [-15]; Stubbornness [-5]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25].
Quirks: Attentive [-1]; Enjoys Pretending to be a Dumb Mutt Hound Dog [-1]; Lonely [-1]; Nosy [-1].
Skills: Animal Handling (Dogs) (A) IQ+2 [8] – 12; Area Knowledge (Hades and Tartarus) (E) IQ+4 [12] – 14; Body Language (Human) (A) Per+1 [4] – 14; Brawling (E) DX+3 [8] – 15; Filch (A) DX+0 [2] – 12; Intimidation (A) Will+1 [4] – 14; Lip Reading (A) Per+0 [2] – 13; Mount (A) DX+0 [2] – 12; Observation (A) Per+1 [4] – 14; Shadowing (A) IQ+2 [7] – 12†; Stealth (A) DX+2 [8] – 14; Sumo Wrestling (A) DX+2 [8] – 14; Survival (Mountain) (A) Per+0 [2] – 13; Swimming (E) HT+0 [1] – 14; Tracking (A) Per+1 [4] – 14; Urban Survival (A) Per-1 [1] – 12.
Features: Born Biter 2 [0]; Ordinary Tail [0].
Starting Spending Money: $0

* Includes Super ST +13/+300
† Defaulted from Observation.

Role-Playing Notes:
Cerberus is dedicated to his role as the watchdog of Hades, ensuring that no one exits the realm without express permission. Despite – or perhaps because of – his position, he is very lonely, as there are very few beings in Hades who are not shades of the dead.

He is very friendly with Hercules, as Herc – when he visits – always brings him a large snack (the last time was a 50 ton crate of Kibbles & Bits).

[Phantasm]

PRIMUS

Real Name: Primus.
Occupation: Presently unknown; formerly a pawn of a few professional criminals and subversives.
Identity: Primus does not use a dual identity; his existence is known to the authorities but not the general public.
Legal Status: Property of Advanced Idea Mechanics; has obtained paperwork to establish "James Primus" as a naturalized citizen of the United States with no criminal record.
Other Aliases: James Primus.
Place of Creation: An AIM facility in northern New Jersey.
Marital Status: Inapplicable.
Known Relatives: Inapplicable.
Group Affiliation: Occasional ally of Baron Zemo and the Mad Thinker.
Base of Operations: Mobile.
History: Primus is the creation of noted scientist Arnim Zola, founder and leader of AIM, created from living tissue and given both the ability to think creatively and – either by accident or design – a greater amount of free will than most of Zola's other creations (see AIM; Zola, Dr. Arnim).

At first, Zola planned to use Primus to impersonate Nick Fury, an agent of the CIA who had clashed with AIM forces in the past, in order to lure Captain America, who Fury had recently worked with and who the Captain trusted, into a trap (see Captain America; Fury, Nick). However, Primus's childlike curiosity got the better of it and it started to question – some might even say 'pester' – Zola about not only details of the plan that didn't pertain to its role but also the reasoning behind the trap. Zola, however, did not feel inclined to share, and instead ordered Primus to "shut up and go away!"

Primus left the complex where it had been created, and soon came across Baron Zemo, who was looking to form an alliance with Dr. Zola and AIM against Captain America (see Baron Zemo). Taking the appearance and mimicking the voice and mannerisms of Dr. Zola, Primus assisted the Baron against the Captain, until the truth came out. Taking pity on Primus, in whom he saw a potentially noble spirit, Captain America talked it down, convincing it that Zemo did not have its best interests in mind. Primus then left the area, taking on a more generic male human appearance and deciding to take the name "James Primus" to learn more about humanity and his place in it.

Primus was later seen working with the Mad Thinker, gathering information on the X-Men, though his later activities remain unknown (see Mad Thinker; X-Men).
Height: Variable, prefers to stay 6' 4".
Weight: 350 lbs.
Eyes: Variable, usually brown.
Hair: Variable, originally none.
Skin: Chalk white, can alter to any color.
Uniform: None.
Strength Level: Primus possesses superhuman strength enabling him to lift (press) up to five tons.
Known Superhuman Powers: Primus was designed as a metamorph, who possesses the ability to alter his height, proportions, shape, and facial features into any form he desires. Regardless of the shape he takes, his mass remains the same.

His unique bio-android form possesses superhuman strength and resilience. He is able to harden his skin to rock-like consistency, while his malleable form is able to deflect bullets and energy blasts, or allow them to pass harmlessly through him.

1,294 points
Attributes: ST 25/86 [60*]; DX 12 [40]; IQ 11 [20]; HT 14 [40].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 2d+2/5d-1 (10d/12d); BL 125 lbs. (1,479 lbs.); HP 25 [0]; Will 12 [5]; Per 14 [15]; FP 14 [0]; Basic Speed 6.50 [0]; Basic Move 6 [0]; Dodge 10.
Languages: English (Native) (Native Language) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Western [0].
Advantages: AI (Not Reprogrammable) [42]; Alternate Identity (Legal) [5]; Ambidexterity [5]; Body Alteration Talent 4 [20]; Combat Reflexes [15]; Constriction Attack [15]; Damage Resistance 45 (Flexible, -20%) [180]; Doesn't Breathe [20]; Doesn't Eat or Drink [10]; Double-Jointed [15]; Extra Arms 4 (Extra-Flexible, +50%; Long +1, +100%; Switchable, +10%) [104]; Extra-Flexible Arms (Switchable, +10%) [11]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards [30]; Injury Tolerance (Damage Reduction /10) [150]; Mimicry (Voice Library, +50%) [15]; Morph (Active Change, +20%; Cosmetic, -50%; Mass Conservation, -20%; Unlimited, +50%; Alternative Ability, ×1/5) [20]; Regeneration (Regular: 1 HP/hr) [25]; Regrowth [40]; Stretching 2 [12]; Striker (Crushing; Limb) (Alternative Attack, ×1/5) [1]; Striker (Cutting; Limb) (Alternative Attack, ×1/5) [2]; Striker (Impaling; Limb) (Alternative Attack, ×1/5) [2]; Super ST +9/+70 [360]; Telecommunications (Cable Jack) [5]; Telecommunications (Radio) [10].
Perks: Striking Surface (Switchable) [1].
Disadvantages: Curious (9) [-7]; Gullibility (12) [-10]; Pacifism (Reluctant Killer) [-5]; Unusual Biochemistry [-5]; Status -1 [-5]; Wealth (Poor) [-15].
Quirks: Broad-Minded [-1]; Distractible [-1]; Literal-Minded Tangents [-1]; Responsive [-1]; TV Junkie [-1].
Skills: Acting (A) IQ+1 [4] – 12; Camouflage (E) IQ+1 [2] – 12; Disguise/TL8 (Human) (A) IQ+3 [1] – 14†; Forced Entry (E) DX+0 [1] – 12; Guns/TL8 (Pistol) (E) DX+0 [1] – 12; Lip Reading (A) Per-1 [1] – 13; Lockpicking/TL8 (A) IQ+1 [4] – 14; Mimicry (Speech) (H) IQ+1 [8] – 12; Observation (A) Per-1 [1] – 13; Search (A) Per-1 [1] – 13; Shadowing (A) IQ+1 [4] – 12; Stealth (A) DX+0 [2] – 12; Streetwise (A) IQ+1 [4] – 12; Wrestling (A) DX+1 [4] – 13.
Techniques: Impersonate (Mimicry (Speech)) (A) def+3 [3] – 12.
Features: Sterile [0].
Starting Spending Money: $800 (20% of Starting Wealth)

* Includes +9/+70 from Super ST.
† Includes +4 from Body Alteration Talent.

Role-Playing Notes:
Primus is in many ways a still a child, reacting to the world with a sense of wonder and a still developing moral compass. At present, he is seeking out his place in the world. If he was to gain a good mentor, it is possible he could one day join a team such as the Avengers; lacking that, or worse under the influence of men like Baron Zemo or Doctor Doom, he could possibly become a veritable menace to the world.

[Phantasm]

Well, on the plus side, my not-a-wiki site now scales the <iframe> containing the entry page to the height of the actual entry, rather than forcing a size and requiring a scroll bar to see the rest of it if the entry goes long.

On the down side, however, I'm kinda in a bind as to which character to do next. I've currently got the following on my "to-do" list for Captain America's and Hercules's casts, respectively:

Captain America: Falcon, Professor Power, Rattler, Scarecrow, Slither, Maximilian Zaran, Dr. Arnim Zola, the Serpent Squad entry, and ULTIMATUM.

Hercules: Dionysus, Hera, Eris, Hades, Athena, Hebe, Persephone, Zeus, Griffin, Man-Bull, Warhawks. (Also possibly the other major Greco-Roman gods not already covered, but they're more back-burner as I mostly don't see them having any actual impact.)

Thoughts on who to handle next?

[chandley]

Originally Posted by Phantasm

Well, on the plus side, my not-a-wiki site now scales the <iframe> containing the entry page to the height of the actual entry, rather than forcing a size and requiring a scroll bar to see the rest of it if the entry goes long.

On the down side, however, I'm kinda in a bind as to which character to do next. I've currently got the following on my "to-do" list for Captain America's and Hercules's casts, respectively:

Captain America: Falcon, Professor Power, Rattler, Scarecrow, Slither, Maximilian Zaran, Dr. Arnim Zola, the Serpent Squad entry, and ULTIMATUM.

Hercules: Dionysus, Hera, Eris, Hades, Athena, Hebe, Persephone, Zeus, Griffin, Man-Bull, Warhawks. (Also possibly the other major Greco-Roman gods not already covered, but they're more back-burner as I mostly don't see them having any actual impact.)

Thoughts on who to handle next?

Tough call... I think I fall down on the side of Captain America (especially Falcon) as his cast is more generally useful to more games. But I love me some gods, so I do look forward to them :)

[Phantasm]

Probably last one this year...

ZOLA, DR. ARNIM

Real Name: Dr. Arnim Zola.
Occupation: Scientist, subversive.
Identity: Known to the authorities.
Legal Status: Citizen of Switzerland with an international war criminal record, legally deceased; has legal paperwork identifying himself as his own son, also with Swiss citizenship, with no criminal record.
Other Aliases: Arnim Zola, Jr.
Place of Birth: Bern, Switzerland.
Marital Status: Single.
Known Relatives: None.
Group Affiliation: AIM, formerly NASA and the Nazi Germany Hydra science division.
Base of Operations: Unrevealed.
History: A scientific prodigy born in Switzerland, Arnim Zola earned his first doctorate at age 15. By the time the National Socialist (Nazi) Party gained power in Germany, Zola had obtained his third Ph.D., all in various fields. It was this genius that led him to being recruited into the Hydra Science Division by the Red Skull (see HYDRA). Zola is credited with many of the scientific advancements Hydra developed during the war, but in 1945 he defected to the Allies, citing disillusionment with the vision of the Nazi regime. Among his many achievements was the development of genetic creations – most of which were made from his own genetic sequence – which he could then temporarily transfer his mind into.

Although convicted of war crimes for his actions in Hydra, Zola was recruited into NASA in the early 1950s. Upon leaving NASA, he founded a corporation along with a number of other scientists, Advanced Idea Mechanics, intending to use it as a front to secretly subvert the United States and her allies into a technocracy, with himself in charge (see AIM).

In the 1970s, Zola was diagnosed with being in the terminal stages of lung cancer. Having solved the telomere loss problem decades before, he cloned a younger body for himself and transferred his mind into the new body, leaving his old one to go into a coma and die of the cancer. Now touting himself as his own son, Zola continued to lead AIM.

Because of AIM's criminal and subversive actions, Zola has come into conflict with Captain America and CIA operative Nick Fury on several occasions (see Captain America; Fury, Nick). He has been "killed" on at least two occasions, but each time transferred his mind to another cloned body. He has also come into conflict with the renegade "living computer" MODOK, who has taken control of many of AIM's facilities (see MODOK).
Height: 5' 6".
Weight: 150 lbs.
Eyes: Brown.
Hair: Brown.
Uniform: None.
Strength Level: Arnim Zola possesses the normal human strength of a man his physical age, height, and build who engages in regular exercise.
Known Superhuman Powers: Zola's only superhuman power is his ability to transfer his mind to one of any number of younger clones. Each cloned body has a transmitter implanted in his brain which permits him to upload his mind – intellect and memories alike – to an AIM mainframe, which then downloads his mind into the prepared cloned body. The exact number of clones he has available for emergency transfers is unknown.
Other Abilities: Zola is a multidisciplinary scientific genius, though he tends to focus on the biological sciences, including genetic manipulation and cloning. He has also become a capable administrator.

487 points
Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 10 [0]; IQ 15 [100]; HT 12 [20].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10 [0]; Will 13 [-10]; Per 13 [-10]; FP 12 [0]; Basic Speed 5.50 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]; Dodge 8.
Languages: English (Native) [6]; French (Native) [6]; German (Native) (Native Language) [0]; Italian (Native) [6].
Cultural Familiarities: Western [0].
Advantages: High TL +2 [10]; Merchant Rank 8 [40]; Natural Scientist 4 [40]; Omnilingual [40]; Possession (Mind Swap, +10%; Puppet Only, -30%; Psionic, -10%) [70]; Puppet Group [10]; Single-Minded [5]; Status 5 [0*]; Wealth (Multimillionaire 1) [75].
Perks: Controllable Disadvantage (Callous) [1]; I Lived It! (TL6+) [1].
Disadvantages: Compulsive Rhetoric (12) [-5]; Delusion (Minor; "I am the smartest man alive.") [-5]; Dependent Group (Clones; built on 0 or fewer points) (6) [-15]; Enemy (MODOK) (9) [-20]; Pacifism (Reluctant Killer) [-5]; Social Stigma (Criminal Record) [-5].
Quirks: Careful [-1]; Devout Believer (Technocratic Ideals) [-1]; Imaginative [-1]; Needs Reading Glasses [-1]; Upset He Still Needs Reading Glasses [-1].
Skills: Administration (A) IQ-1 [1] – 14; Beam Weapons/TL10 (Pistol) (E) DX+2 [4] – 12; Bioengineering/TL10 (Cloning) (H) IQ+5 [16] – 20†; Bioengineering/TL10 (Genetic Engineering) (H) IQ+5 [24] – 20; Biology/TL10 (VH) IQ+5 [12] – 20‡; Electronics Operation/TL10 (Scientific) (A) IQ+0 [2] – 15; Guns/TL10 (Pistol) (E) DX+2 [4] – 12; Inventor! (WC) IQ+1 [36] – 16§; Leadership (A) IQ-1 [1] – 14; Mathematics/TL10 (Applied) (H) IQ+3 [2] – 18‡; Science! (WC) IQ+1 [36] – 16§.
Starting Spending Money: $,4000,000

* Includes +2 from Wealth and +3 from Merchant Rank.
† Defaulted from Bioengineering/TL10 (Genetic Engineering).
‡ Includes +4 from Natural Scientist.
§ Conditional +4 from Natural Scientist when substituting for a relevant skill.

Role-Playing Notes:
Zola is patient and meticulous, yet quietly arrogant in his belief that all others are not as intelligent as he is. He is motivated first by his belief in technocracy, then by his need for revenge against those who have thwarted his plans. His plans are generally elaborate and full of misdirection; GMs using him as the villain mastermind in their games should be reminded to sprinkle their plans with several red herrings. And with his ability to transfer his mind between bodies, one can never be sure if his death, should it occur, is truly the last they've seen of Arnim Zola.

In his long life (lives?), he has never overcome his inability to kill directly. He has no qualms ordering underlings to kill for him, however.

One of the biggest questions in Zola's history regards where he earned his High TL and learned the TL10 versions of his Biology and Bioengineering skills.

[Phantasm]

Updated a few characters. Most of these add a custom "Enhanced ST" meta-trait (Lifting ST + Striking ST in equal levels), and a few add No Signature to DR. Some have both.

Abomination - added Enhanced ST.
Absorbing Man - Replaced Extra ST with Enhanced ST.
Ape-Man - Replaced some of his ST 30 w/ Enhanced ST +10, also trimmed his Techniques somewhat.
Ares - Added Enhanced ST to boost him from bench-press 80 tons to 100 tons; added No Signature to his DR.
Beast - Consolidated his Lifting/Striking ST into Enhanced ST.
Black King - Added No Signature to his two DR stats.
Black Queen - Added No Signature to her DR.
Blastaar - Added Enhanced ST, and No Signature to his DR.
Blob - Added No Signature to his DR.
Luke Cage - Added some Enhanced ST. (Still need to add No Signature to his DR.)
Doctor Octopus - Consolidated his mechanical arms' Lifting/Striking ST into Enhanced ST.
Frenzy - Added No Signature to DR.
Hercules - Added Enhanced ST to boost him from bench-press 80 tons to 100 tons; still need to add No Signature to DR.

I would have updated more, but I had to completely reinstall Windows7 on my computer, and now it refuses to install GCA for some reason.

Edit: Finally got GCA reloaded; had to kill my antivirus to do it, though.

[DreadDomain]

Originally Posted by Phantasm

Updated a few characters. Most of these add a custom "Enhanced ST" meta-trait (Lifting ST + Striking ST in equal levels), and a few add No Signature to DR.

Why No Signature on DR?

It might be what you are looking for but Enhanced ST's cost seems way to high especially since it is only accessible while Super ST is in effect. Consider Hercules, for the point spent on Enhanced ST 35, he could have raised his Super ST by an extra +8 for a total of +21/+7000. A much better deal than the +0/+35 Enhanced ST provides.