Woodclaw's 2E - Hercules, Iolaus, Xena, Gabrielle

[Woodclaw]

(well actually there are also Mime and Changeling, but knowledge of them is limited at best).

I wouldn't even worry about Mimic, since the Exiles version of him seems to have buried the memory of the 616 version (Dark Reign notwithstanding). Changeling helped further one of Xavier's greatest "jerk" moves ever, though, so you might not want to pass him up.

Which was more or less my plan, Mimic position was never too clear, some people consider him an X-man other don't (usually citing that he wasn't a mutant - which was never a issue in my opinion, ask Moira MacTaggart). Same for Changeling, while many authors address him as the first X-man to die on the line of duty his position was never clarified.

Lorna might not be on many people lists for the hottest X-woman ever, but given that she has natural green hairs I think that Distracting looks might be an appropriate addendum

I've heard quite a few male geeks in my age group confess to having a comics-crush on her, actually. Which is funny, since green hair rarely has that effect in real life.

Nothing here but a statement of support for that Polaris build Woodclaw. Like Havok, I always liked the character and have often groaned over the poor way she's written. About the green hair...while it inspires comic crushes in some fans and as Geekery points out, that rarely translates to real life...look at the girls who go for the "green hair" look in the RW. Poorly done tattoos, hideous wardrobe, usually out of shape (tricep wings are especially unattractive on young people) and a vocabulary that could make a truck driver blush.

Not exactly in the same league as Miss Dane.

On a personal note I don't like green hairs (or generally hairs dyed in unnatural colors) because they really look out of place on many people. For this reason I was never really able to picture how Lorna will look in real life.

By the way Horsenhero you have almost described one of my friends (not to mention the owner of the local comic book store), just soften the angles. Some years ago she dyed her hairs blue, not a smart move since Evangelion was the big hit of the moment, as a consequence we called her Ayanami for a while.

Keep 'em coming Woodclaw. They're fantastic.

Thanks, I hope that the second team will work out that well.

[Woodclaw]

The first class of X NEVER, EVER MARKS THE SPOTis over, now it's time to start the second with some exchange students.


The Banshee is a tough son o' the auld sod and me jaw's had enough time to recover! I'm ready for ye again!

Banshee
Sean Cassidy

Power Level: 10 (156pp)

Abilities: STR: 14 (+2), DEX: 16 (+3), CON: 16 (+3), INT: 14 (+2), WIS: 14 (+2), CHA: 16 (+3)

Skills: Bluff 5 (+8), Climb 3 (+5), Craft (mechanical) 3 (+5), Diplomacy 4 (+7), Drive 3 (+6), Gamble 2 (+4), Gather Information 7 (+10), Investigate 6 (+8), Knowledge (civics) 4 (+6), Knowledge (history) 3 (+5), Knowledge (tactics) 6 (+8), Language 3 (French, German, Irish gaelic; Native: English), Notice 5 (+7), Perform (keyboards) 4 (+7), Perform (singing) 2 (+5), Pilot 3 (+6), Profession (Law Enforcement) 5 (+7), Search 4 (+6), Sense Motive 6 (+8), Stealth 3 (+6), Swim 3 (+5)

Feats: Attack Specialization 2 (Banshee's howl), Attack Specialization 1 (pistols), Benefit 1 (Interpol security clearance), Connected, Defensive Roll 2, Dodge Focus 4, Equipment 3, Favored Environment 3 (Airborne), Inspire 2, Jack-of-All-Trades, Move-by Action, Power Attack, Rallying Cry, Taunt, Teamwork 1

Powers:

Banshee's howl (Array 15; PF: Alternate power 5; Drawback: 35pp)
- Base power: Sonic blast (Blast 10; Extra: Area [burst, targeted])
- AP: Sonic scream (Damage 10; Area [cone, targeted])
- AP: Sonic spear (Damage 10; PF: Progression1 [area]; Extra: Area [line, targeted], Penetrating; Drawbacks: Full power)
- AP: Nauseate 10 (Extra: Area [cone, targeted])
- AP: Stun 10 (Extra: Area [cone, targeted])
- AP: Wail (Dazzle 10 [auditory]; Extra: Area [cone, targeted]; Flaw: Range 1 [touch])

Flight 5 (250 mph; Flaw: Distracting; 5pp)
Immunity 11 (Sonic effects, Black Tom's powers; 11pp)
Sonar (Super-senses 7 [Accurate (all auditory senses), Extended 1 (all auditory senses), Ultra-hearing]; 7pp)

Equipment: Pipe (0ep), Military commlink (as Commlink plus Subtle 1 [scrambler]; 2ep), Frilled costume (Protection 3 [subtle 1] + Immunity 2 [heat & cold, Half-effect] + removes the Distracting flaw from Flight; 10ep)

3ep in mission equipment

Combat: Attack +6 (+8 pistols, +10 Banshee's howl); Damage +2 (Unarmed), or by power/weapon of choice; Defense +9/+12 Airborne (+3 Flat-footed); Initiative +3

Saves: Toughness +8/+5 without costume (+6/+3 Flat-footed), Fortitude +6, Reflex +5, Will +6

Drawbacks: Power loss (all powers but Immunity [If unable to spend HP on Extra effort]; -3pp), Power loss (all powers but Immunity [If unable to scream]; -6pp)

Abilities 30 + Skills 21 (84 ranks) + Feats 25 + Powers 58 + Combat 22 + Saves 9 - Drawbacks 9 = 156

Complications: Enemy (Black Tom Cassidy - possibly many others from his Interpol days), Guilt (never was a good father to Theresa), Love (Moira MacTaggart), Responsibility (head of the Cassidy clan)


good ol' Sean is possibly one of my favourite X-men - which is unsurpring I have a soft spot for old and tough warhorses since Transformers G1 - while he is one of the most underused mutants of all times he is quite an asset for the team, bringing a good share of experience and skills, not to mention some useful contacts

over the years Sean has lost his powers multiple times, usually due to the strain of overusing them. Since all but his Immunity are parts of the sonic scream I decided to list the power loss as a whole rather than individually

the immunity to his own powers and Syrin's powers are wrapped up into his sonic immunity

the sonic spear is Sean's most devastating trick, since he rarely use it - unless he is mad or out of options - I made it slightly uncontrollable. On occasional basis he had also power-stunted a even more devastating Corrosion effect

speaking of tricks, some sites listed a the ability execute a mind control trick among Sean's arsenal, I have no memory of it so I decided to relegate it to a power stunt effect (I'll probably do the same with Gambit's hypnosis)

in the team economy Sean is pretty much a platoon sergeant to Ororo or Scott, he isn't the one who call the shots, but he is the one who keep the team going

[Horsenhero]

Nice build Woodclaw. A little touch o' the irish. Seriously, a well put together version of one of my favorite X-Men. It's highly annoying (to me) that Sean got killed off to introduce Vulcan. Yech. Worthless trash. I am so glad they killed him in War of Kings.

[Woodclaw]

Nice build Woodclaw. A little touch o' the irish. Seriously, a well put together version of one of my favorite X-Men. It's highly annoying (to me) that Sean got killed off to introduce Vulcan. Yech. Worthless trash. I am so glad they killed him in War of Kings.

Well it's written Vulcan, but it's spelled "what in hell were you thinking?". I mean, fine there is a third Summer brother - which is already something out of place, since both Claremont and Shooter admited that the 's' at the end of Mr Sinister quotation was a misspelling - but really, that guy is in the Silver Surfer class of power and can control mind and can damage Havok and Cyke while they can't do anything to him... wow, I thought that Nate Grey was an overkill, but at least his powers has the failsafe of consuming his body.

[Woodclaw]

X NEVER, EVER MARKS THE SPOT continues with yours truly little, mean, hairy canuck.


Jubilee: Who died?
Wolverine: YOU did, ya little pain in my ass! Scared the life half outta me!

Wolverine
Logan (James "Logan" Howlet or Logan Creed depending on continuity and personal preferences)

Power Level: 11 (182pp)

Abilities: STR: 20/24 (+5/+7), DEX: 16 (+3), CON: 24 (+7), INT: 14 (+2), WIS: 18 (+4), CHA: 16 (+3)

Skills: Acrobatics 5 (+8), Climb 3 (+8), Concentration 6 (+10), Craft (mechanical) 4 (+6), Drive 5 (+8), Handle Animal 9 (+12), Intimidate 7 (+10), Knowledge (history) 5 (+7), Knowledge (streetwise) 6 (+8), Knowledge (tactics) 7 (+9), Knowledge (theology & philsophy) 8 (+10), Language 6 (Japanese, Russian, Spanish, 3 at GM choice; Native: English), Notice 5 (+9), Pilot 3 (+6), Profession (Soldier) 4 (+8), Search 3 (+5), Sense Motive 4 (+8), Sleight of Hand 2 (+5), Stealth 6 (+9), Survival 7 (+11), Swim 3 (+8)

Feats: All-Out Attack, Animal Empathy, Attack Focus 2 (melee), Attack Specialization 1 (Claws), Beginner's Luck, Blind-Fight, Connected, Diehard, Dodge Focus 3, Equipment 2, Improved Initiative 1, Last Stand, Power Attack, Rage 1 (5 rounds), Sneak Attack 1, Startle, Stunning Attack, Takedown Attack 2, Tough 1, Weapon Break

Powers:

Claws (Strike 2; PF: Improved critical 1, Mighty, Subtle 1 [retractable]; Drawbacks: Lethal only; 4pp)
Feral instinct (Mind shield 6; Flaw: Limited (while raging); 3pp)
Immunity 4 (Disease, Enviromental condition 2 [cold & heat], Poison; Flaw: Half-effect; 2pp)
Longevity (Feature 1; 1pp)
Regeneration 13 (Bruised/Injured [1 round], Staggered [5 minutes], Disabled [20 minutes], Resurrection [5 hours, not if beheaded or suffering major spinal trauma]; PF: Regrowth; Drawbacks: Power loss [against Murasama blades; -1]; 13pp)
Super-senses 5 (Danger sense [olfactory], Extended 1 [normal hearing], Scent, Tracking 2 [scent]; 5pp)

Adamantium laced skeletron (Container 3 [passive]; 15pp)
- Claws coating (adds Penetrating 5 to Claws damage)
- Immunity 2 (Critical hits)
- Density 2 (STR +4, Impervious protection 1; Extra: Duration 1 [continuous]; Flaw: Permanent)
- Protection 1 (Extra: Impervious)

Equipment: Cigars (0ep), Military commlink (2ep)

Vehicle: Motorcycle (Medium; STR: 15; TOU: +8; Speed 4 [100 mph]; Features: Off-road capable; 9ep)

4ep in mission specific equipment

Combat: Attack +7 (+9 Melee, +11 claws); Damage +7 (Unarmed), +9 (claws), or by weapon of choice; Defense +12 (+5 Flat-footed); Initiative +3

Saves: Toughness +10 (Impervious 2), Fortitude +10, Reflex +7, Will +8/+14 (mind shield)

Drawbacks: Vulnerable (electricity [common, +50% DC]; -3pp), Vulnerable (magnetics [uncommon, +50% DC]; -2pp)

Abilities 48 + Skills 27 (108 ranks) + Feats 26 + Powers 43 + Combat 32 + Saves 11 - Drawbacks 5 = 182

Complications: Amnesia, Berserker, Enemy (a lot), Responsibility (X-kids sensei/Jubilee father figure), Rivalry (Scott Summers)

since Logan's powers makes the field uniform completly redundant I decided not to include it in the build

during the years Logan's regeneration was affected in various ways by different things (Carbodanium ingestion, for Kirby's sake), I decided to keep only his vulnerability to Murasama blades and write the rest out as plot device effects. As far as I know, there are only three Murasama blades; one is the Clan Yashida's sword of honor, one is the Black Blade in possession of Silver Samurai and one is in Logan's possession - the last one completly negates his regeneration - since it was made with a part of Logan's own soul - the others might negate or reduce it at GM call

Logan is 1PL over the majority of the X-team given his longer experience, general badassitude and the Adamantium skeletron, unfortunatly this also makes him vulnerable to electrical and magnetic attacks, not to mention slower to regenerate

an adamantium stripped Wolvie will obviously lose the container - making him one PL lower - and both his drawbacks, the Regeneration power will be boosted up to the following. The final cost will be the same

Regeneration 22 (Recovery bonus 2, Bruised/Injured [no rest], Staggered [1 minutes], Disabled [5 minutes], Unconscious [1 round], Resurrection [5 hours, not if beheaded or suffering major spinal trauma]; PF: Persistent, Regrowth; Drawbacks: Power loss [against Murasama blades; -1]; 23pp)

[Jabroniville]

Nice Banshee & Wolverine there. I never appreciated Banshee as a kid (his DAUGHTER, however... RrrrOW...), seeing him as a boring fuddy-duddy character, so imagine my surprise when I finally got those Essential X-Men collections- Banshee was awesome! Magneto flat-out said he was the only X-Man worthy of talking to him, he was regularly the most powerful character, and he had some nice character bits with Moira MacTaggart as well. Then they went and de-powered him not a BIT before The Dark Phoenix Saga, aka the epic to end all epics...

Banshee being left out of that story (and all successive X-books for years afterwards during the Byrne/Claremont prime & the Byrne/Romita years as well) meant that he was left out of the DEFINING X-tale, and he never quite recovered as a character. The hottest-selling era for the X-Men was around that time, so he missed out on all of it just by a few months. Then later writers never bothered to include him on the 90s "Strike Force" team split, and he was just a boring mentor on "Generation-X". Poor wee bastard.

[Woodclaw]

Nice Banshee & Wolverine there. I never appreciated Banshee as a kid (his DAUGHTER, however... RrrrOW...), seeing him as a boring fuddy-duddy character, so imagine my surprise when I finally got those Essential X-Men collections- Banshee was awesome! Magneto flat-out said he was the only X-Man worthy of talking to him, he was regularly the most powerful character, and he had some nice character bits with Moira MacTaggart as well. Then they went and de-powered him not a BIT before The Dark Phoenix Saga, aka the epic to end all epics...

Banshee being left out of that story (and all successive X-books for years afterwards during the Byrne/Claremont prime & the Byrne/Romita years as well) meant that he was left out of the DEFINING X-tale, and he never quite recovered as a character. The hottest-selling era for the X-Men was around that time, so he missed out on all of it just by a few months. Then later writers never bothered to include him on the 90s "Strike Force" team split, and he was just a boring mentor on "Generation-X". Poor wee bastard.

Thanks Jab, I always suspected that Claremont lacked a good plan for Banshee and eventually saw him as out of place with the X-men, I mean the rest of the team was made of youngsters (aside from Logan who at the time was still the ultimate man of mystery), leaving Sean as the only old-timer around. While he later had his moments during the Muir X-men affair, the fact of being left out of Dark Phoenix Saga, Day of Future Past etc. pretty much never left him.

Generation X was a book I was pretty confliceted about, the basic premise was sound and having Sean as the new professor seemed logical at the time. Still it was badly written, I hated half of the new guys (Synch and M over the rest) and until the last issues the whole thing seemed a bad rip-off of a high-school comedy.

[Horsenhero]

As I said...love the Banshee build. Good Wolvie too, but, I suffer from "Wolverine overload backlash syndrome" and while I loved him in the beginning, if I never saw the character again for about 10 years or so...I'd be happy.

The Generation X book looked like it had some interesting characters, besides featuring Banshee (an all-time fave). Chamber, Husk and Skin all looked pretty cool to me, but, the fact that soooo much of the book seemed to revolve around Jubilee was a dealbreaker for me. I cannot stand Jubilee.

[JoshuaDunlow]

I have to add my own two cents about Banshee, i've always liked him myself. And i think you did pretty good on wolverine too, though i hate going between the penetrating claws vs. corossion debate about his claws.

[Woodclaw]

Fist thanks for the kudos.

As I said...love the Banshee build. Good Wolvie too, but, I suffer from "Wolverine overload backlash syndrome" and while I loved him in the beginning, if I never saw the character again for about 10 years or so...I'd be happy.

The Generation X book looked like it had some interesting characters, besides featuring Banshee (an all-time fave). Chamber, Husk and Skin all looked pretty cool to me, but, the fact that soooo much of the book seemed to revolve around Jubilee was a dealbreaker for me. I cannot stand Jubilee.

Skin was personal favourite of mine, doing so much with such a crappy power takes major skill, Chamber and Husk never cut the deal but I recognize them as good characters, now I don't want to start a debate, and I surely recognize that the book was a little too Jubes-centric, I was used to liek Jubilee as Logan's unlikely sidekick, I hated her in Gen-X.

I have to add my own two cents about Banshee, i've always liked him myself. And i think you did pretty good on wolverine too, though i hate going between the penetrating claws vs. corossion debate about his claws.

My personal consideration for choosing Penetrating were:

1. Logan's claws rebounded against Colossus's skin unless he pierced them right through or had a lucky shot, this sounds like a case of Penetrating vs Impervious to me
2. Corrosion is a crazy powerful effect and requires a lot of control, plus I wanted a semi-playable Wolvie, not a fricking God-Sue with claws

[Horsenhero]

No debates over character likes and dislikes from me Woodclaw. The world has room for all different flavors...even, regrettably, the occasional Mary-Sue....Bub.

[Jabroniville]

Never heard of the "corrosion claws" debate before. It seems odd to me- Corrosion is explicitly suited for acid-type attacks or things with dissolving properties. If Claws are Corroding, then so are knives, swords, axes, etc., as they all 'theoretically' reduce the Toughness of whatever they hit... but isn't that what the "Bruised/Injured" descriptor is for?

Course, I'm not a fan of the "Corroding Lightsaber" either, and that seems to have been latched onto by all the statters here. Just 'cuz Qui-Gonn did it to some door in Episode I doesn't mean they all have to be retrofitted with that type of attack :).

[Geekery]

Well it's written Vulcan, but it's spelled "what in hell were you thinking?".

Really? I've been pronouncing it "God Mode Sue" this whole time.

I mean, fine there is a third Summer brother - which is already something out of place, since both Claremont and Shooter admited that the 's' at the end of Mr Sinister quotation was a misspelling - but really, that guy is in the Silver Surfer class of power and can control mind and can damage Havok and Cyke while they can't do anything to him... wow, I thought that Nate Grey was an overkill, but at least his powers has the failsafe of consuming his body.

And here's the part I don't get. If Sinister knew about him, and had been obsessing over using Summers DNA to create an uber-mutant just like Vulcan, how is it that Sinister never made a move against him? Or did he, and I missed it?

Let me congratulate you on Wolverine's point-matched modular healing settings. Some people don't like the bone claws, but I'm old enough to remember when they first retconned the claws off of his gloves and into his arms.

[Woodclaw]

Never heard of the "corrosion claws" debate before. It seems odd to me- Corrosion is explicitly suited for acid-type attacks or things with dissolving properties. If Claws are Corroding, then so are knives, swords, axes, etc., as they all 'theoretically' reduce the Toughness of whatever they hit... but isn't that what the "Bruised/Injured" descriptor is for?

Course, I'm not a fan of the "Corroding Lightsaber" either, and that seems to have been latched onto by all the statters here. Just 'cuz Qui-Gonn did it to some door in Episode I doesn't mean they all have to be retrofitted with that type of attack .

There a couple of old Wolvie builds burried in the depths of this forum (one of those places were a geek mind should never go for the sake of its own sanity) that listed the claws as Corrosion base on an assumption like "they're coated with the strongest metal in the world so they should be able to slash through everything". Personally I files this assumption under the same label as having Emma Frost diamond skin fireproof.

About the lightsaber I'm partial to the corrosion solution, not because of the scene in Episode I, but rather because a lightsaber is practicly a meter-long plasma stream kept inside a magnetic field, practicly a bottled solar flare. As such corrosion doesn't seem too far away, but maybe it's just me.

[Woodclaw]

Well it's written Vulcan, but it's spelled "what in hell were you thinking?".

Really? I've been pronouncing it "God Mode Sue" this whole time.

I think that's another possible pronunciation, sorry but I'm from the other side of the pond.

I mean, fine there is a third Summer brother - which is already something out of place, since both Claremont and Shooter admited that the 's' at the end of Mr Sinister quotation was a misspelling - but really, that guy is in the Silver Surfer class of power and can control mind and can damage Havok and Cyke while they can't do anything to him... wow, I thought that Nate Grey was an overkill, but at least his powers has the failsafe of consuming his body.

And here's the part I don't get. If Sinister knew about him, and had been obsessing over using Summers DNA to create an uber-mutant just like Vulcan, how is it that Sinister never made a move against him? Or did he, and I missed it?

I don't want to go into that discussion, for me Vulcan is one of those continuity accident that doesn't exist, period.

Let me congratulate you on Wolverine's point-matched modular healing settings. Some people don't like the bone claws, but I'm old enough to remember when they first retconned the claws off of his gloves and into his arms.

I admit that matching the cost was a pure accident, but a very welcomed one. About the claws... well as far as I can tell they retconned them at least three times:

• At first they were part of the gloves
• Then they were a mechanical extra from Weapon X (which explained why Logan kept them while the rest of his powers were nullified)
• Then they were coated bones he had from the start

My big question is, if extra body parts (like the claws) are not nullifieable, why when the High Evolutionaly distrupted all the mutant powers in the world Logan kept the claws but angle losed the wings (or rather the feathers) and kurt reverted back to human? Really why?