Thursday, July 12, 2012

Marvel Hero-brew: Iron Golem

Isaac Irons was an ordinary eleven year old kid. He went to school, did his homework, played videogames, etc. Then, everything changed when his mutant powers were activated. All of the metal in a 25 yard radius, including those in the bodies of Isaac and the surrounding civilians, shot from their sources into the air and fell like metal needles. It was a grizzly sight, one that Isaac can still remember to this day.

Isaac found himself non-corporeal; a mutant without a body and practically a ghost. He tried to reach out for help, frightening those that could hear him. Isaac quickly learned to remain silent. With no body, the ability to phase through walls, and no need to eat as he used to know it, Isaac did the only thing he could do: learn. He spent time reading over shoulders and watching the interactions between people.

As time went on, Isaac learned that he could move small pieces of metal with his mind. He used a small penny to help in his continued reading without the need to look over the shoulders of others. Eventually, this ability grew, and so did the public's recognition of his presence. There was worry that someone was building robotic drones to scare the local population. In truth, it was Isaac trying to build the proper body for himself.

It had been five years since his genetic awakening, and he finally had a body again. Isaac settled on a street sign, poorly spray painted white, to represent his head and used coins to simulate facial expressions. Random chunks of metal were fused together to create floating gauntlets and boots. Forgoing his former life at first, Isaac used a new identity to those who came to him. Drawing upon his Jewish heritage, Isaac became the Iron Golem.

Iron Golem, Isaac Irons [Secret]
Solo d6, Buddy d8, Team d10
Distinctions
Ghost Teen, Small Voiced, Violent Awakening
Power Sets
Non-corporeal Magnet
Magnetic Control d8, Intangibility d12, Invisibilty d10

SFX: Area Attack- Add a d6 and keep an additional effect die for each additional target.
SFX: Invulnerable- Spend 1 PP to ignore physical stress or trauma unless caused by mystical attacks.
SFX: Multipower- Use two or more Non-corporeal Magnet powers in a single dice pool at -1 step for each additional power.
Limit: Difficult Recovery- Add Intangibility die to the opposing roll when others try to recover your physical stress.
Limit: Moody- Earn 1 PP and step up emotional stress caused by doubt, guilt, or self-worth by +1.
Limit: Mutant- Earn 1 PP when affected by mutant-specific Milestones and tech.
Limit: Mutually Exclusive- Shutdown Non-corporeal Magnet to activate Golem Shell. Shutdown Golem Shell to activate Non-corporeal Magnet.

Golem Shell
Enhanced Strength d10, Superhuman Durability d10

SFX: Unleashed- Step up or double any Golem Shell power for one action. If the action fails, add a die to doom pool equal to the normal rating of your power die.
Limit: Incorporeal- Shutdown Golem Shell after taking physical stress or trauma. Convert the physical stress or trauma to emotional stress or trauma. Golem Shell cannot be reactivated until the emotional stress or trauma is recovered.

Specialties
Medical Expert, Science Expert, Tech Expert, Psych Master

Milestones
Socially Awkward
With five years of silence behind him, can Isaac overcome his problems with social interaction?
1XP ...when you say something that unintentionally causes the room to grow silent.
3XP ...when you manage to carry a conversation without stuttering or making people uncomfortable.
10XP ...when someone falls in love with you or when you give up on ever finding love.

Silent Learner
Having spent years as a silent observer, can Isaac now put what he has learned to good use?
1XP ...when you use a specialty outside of combat to help someone in need.
3XP ...when you are accused of spying on someone, and you did.
10XP ...when you use your ghost-like nature to accomplish a goal that immediately leads to the team succeeding or failing in the Event.

Designer Notes: I began creating this character using the random character generator pdf that is available on the Margaret Weis website. After realizing I was doing it wrong (my bad), I started over. I liked what the random generator had given me at that point, so I used it as a base. I knew what the character was, and how it would act in a comic book universe, so I used that knowledge to properly build the character. Iron Golem was the end result.

As a side note, when Irons enters combat he uses his magnetism to create his Golem Shell which has a strong primate resemblance akin to the Mega Man Yellow Demon. The eye is represented with a flashlight and the street sign used in his "civilian mode" becomes a chest plate.

Edit 7/13/12: Added "OR ___" to the 10XPs of each milestone. Subtractions and additions made to SFX and Limits of both power sets.
Edit 7/14/12: Upped the die step for Golem Shell's Strength trait.

1 comment:

  1. I really like the idea!

    You might be able to slim the first power set considerably by adding and "Incorporeal" limit to Golem Shell. (Activate the limit to shut down the shell.) Depending upon the setting and your character lore, Isaac may be immune to physical damage but gets frustrated if his shell is destroyed (converting physical stress to emotional stress).

    Likewise, perhaps constructing a powerful body takes time? In a transition scene, a new body could be created like a resource, but replacing a body in-game would be a asset that could be stepped up as he adds to it. (I would still charge the PP to make an on-the fly body last more than a round).

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