Kreuz Control: Carapax, Grayven, Mentallo, Rymyr

[Ares]

I like the concept of Power Temp. Wonder if he ever ditched a team to go play a gig?

I love the concept as well, and was kind of disheartened when they made him more shallow and self-obsessed. The idea of a hero who fills in for hero teams who are suffering personnel shortages is genius to me. A proper hero would become an excellent team player. I could especially see that kind of guy being the star of his or her own book. Ability wise either an Iron Man type who can customize his armor for what the team needs or a Ben 10 style multi-form shifter would probably work best.

[Kreuzritter]

Jun-Go

PL 10 (150)

Abilities (48)
STR 8 AGI 8 FIT 8 AWA 2
STA 8 DEX 4 INT 0 PRE 2

Powers (44)
better, stronger, faster: Enhanced STR +4, Enhanced STA +4, Enhanced AGI +4, Enhanced FIT +4, Speed +2, leaping +2 (36)
raised by super-animals: comprehend +2 (animals), movement +2 (safe fall, swinging) (8)

Advantages (10)
agile feint, animal empathy, improved disarm, improved initiative, improved trip, move-by action, takedown 2, tracking, uncanny dodge

Skills (26/52)
acrobatics +6
athletics +6
close combat: unarmed +4
expertise: survival +10
insight +6
investigation +6
perception +6
persuasion +4
stealth +8

Defenses (22)
TOU +8 DODGE +12 FORT +10 PARRY +12 WILL +10

complications
motivation - protector: Jun-Go won't let anyone suffer the fate of his animal friends
planetary poachers: Jun-Go lost his animal friends to the Shaktar Vaa'n slave traders

Total
abilities 48 + powers 44 + advantages 10 + skills 26/52 + defenses 22 = 150

ranked #13 in the online vote, as a child, Jun-Go was lost and alone in the Wild Lands, a strange and wondrous region of central Africa protected by super-powered animals, who raised young Jun-Go and had him drink from the secret springs that would make him strong. they lived peacefully there, until the Spiketroopers of the Shaktar Vaa'n slave trade came and abducted the super-animals, leaving Jun-Go alone and devastated. on that day, Jun-Go vowed to get stronger, to never let that tragedy happen again. Somehow, he heard of the wildguard auditions, and showed up just in time for another attack by the Shaktar Vaa'n

Why He Didn't Make The Cut

because as it turns out, that WASN'T Jun-Go, but rather the raid's leader, Mortoc Vekk, Prince of the Shaktar Vaa'n collective, who had assumed Jun-Go's form to scout the auditions in advance and pick out a suitable prize' for himself to personally take as the latest addition to his harem. Ultimately, Wildguard's top twenty humiliated Vekk, trapping him inside of his own suspension pods, filled with a paralytic neurotoxin before freeing his captives as his ship left earth.

Unfortunately, Vekk didn't flee empty-handed. our heroes missed the six pods that weren't in the main holding bay of Vekk's ship

but that, is a story for another time...

[Kreuzritter]

Crag Langley

PL 10 (150)

Abilities (22)
STR 14 AGI 2 FIT 2 AWA 2
STA n/a DEX 2 INT 0 PRE 2

Powers (74)
coming through: Burrowing +2 (extra: penetrating +1) (4)
hopefully immortal: Immortality +2 (flaw: limited-enough pieces to reassemble -1) (2)
never skip leg day: Leaping +4 (4)
power of living rock: Immunity +30 (fort), Protection +14 (extra: impervious +1) (58)
strong as stone: Enhanced STR +8 (16)

Advantages (10)
all-out attack, chokehold, fast grab, improved grab, improved hold, improved initiative, interpose, move-by action, takedown 2

Skills (18/36)
Athletics +4
close combat: unarmed +4
expertise: pop culture +8
intimidate +8
insight +4
perception +4
ranged combat: throw heavy objects +4

Defenses (16)
TOU +14 DODGE +6 FORT n/a PARRY +6 WILL +10

complications
motivation - responsibility: Crag uses his strength to help others

Total
abilities 22 + powers 74 + advantages 10 + skills 18/36 + defenses 16 = 150

ranked 25 in the online vote, Crag Langley apparently looks stupid in a shirt

Why He Didn't Make The Cut

While Crag was a serious powerhouse and a team player, during the rescue mission he was unfortunately shattered from the waist up. at last reporting, the team was able to gather most of his pieces and it was believed he could eventually be restored to life if they were put back together again

[Tattooedman]

I love the concept as well, and was kind of disheartened when they made him more shallow and self-obsessed. The idea of a hero who fills in for hero teams who are suffering personnel shortages is genius to me. A proper hero would become an excellent team player. I could especially see that kind of guy being the star of his or her own book. Ability wise either an Iron Man type who can customize his armor for what the team needs or a Ben 10 style multi-form shifter would probably work best.

I was thinking a power mimic would do as well.

[SilvercatMoonpaw]

I love the concept as well, and was kind of disheartened when they made him more shallow and self-obsessed. The idea of a hero who fills in for hero teams who are suffering personnel shortages is genius to me. A proper hero would become an excellent team player. I could especially see that kind of guy being the star of his or her own book. Ability wise either an Iron Man type who can customize his armor for what the team needs or a Ben 10 style multi-form shifter would probably work best.

I was thinking a power mimic would do as well.

Somehow that strikes me as too easy: sure, someone who have have almost any power sounds logical, but in terms of actual story you probably want someone with a limited power-set who has to be creative so the series can be about their struggles to be adaptive rather than how they simply slot into the team splash page.

Or maybe that's just my Inner Critic talking.

[Kreuzritter]

Aqua-Chica

PL 10 (150)

Abilities (32)
STR 0 AGI 4 FIT 2 AWA 2
STA 4 DEX 2 INT 0 PRE 2

Powers (68)
hydro manipulation: array (33)
- hydrokinesis: move object +10 (extra: range +1, flaw: limited-water only -1) [20]
- wet floor: affliction +10 (extras:dazed & vulnerable/prone & stunned, dodge resists, fort overcomes, extras: cumulative +1, burst area +1, extra condition +1, range +1, flaw: limited degree -1, limited-targets must be on ground/surface -1) [30]
- tidal wave: Move object +10 (extras: cone area +1, damaging -1, flaws: range -1, limited-away only -1) [20]
- Waterblast: Damage +10 (extra: range +1) [20]
hydromorph: Insubstantial +1, protection +6 (extra: impervious 10), immunity +3 (cold/pressure/drowning), movement +1 (environmental adaptation-underwater) (26)
waterspout: leaping +2 (2)
Waterslide: Speed +6 (alt effect: swimming +6) (7)

Advantages (2)
improved initiative, move-by action

Skills (20/40)
athletics +6
expertise: ocean +6
expertise: pop culture +8
insight +6
perception +6
ranged combat: hydro-manipulation +8

Defenses (28)
TOU +10 DODGE +10 FORT +10 PARRY +10 WILL +10

complications
motivation - recognition: Aqua-chica wants to become a famous heroine
squeaky clean: Aqua-Chica is a compulsive neat freak

Total
abilities 32 + powers 68 + advantages 2 + skills 20/40 + defenses 28 = 150

ranking a respectable #20 in the online vote, Aqua-Chica's a neat freak who left in tears when she was cut from the running following the rescue mission

Why She Didn't Make The Cut

when the aliens attacked the auditions, Aqua-Chica had been in the Auditorium for her audition with the producers when the roof collapsed. But, she was more concerned with washing the dust off of herself than the producers who had been trapped in the rubble. only the all-hands-on-deck nature of the rescue mission kept them from bouncing her on the spot

[Ysariel]

Barbazon

That is... actually a really really good ersatz Wonder Woman costume, minus the heels. I love red/white/gold better than WW's color scheme, too. A solid 3 out of 4 stars. Also, expertise: screenwriter on a mythic warrior woman? I guess I can see an Amazon writing the script for the next big sword-and-sorcery action flick.

[Kreuzritter]

Scattermane

PL 10 (150)

Abilities (56)
STR 6 AGI 6 FIT 6 AWA 2
STA 6 DEX 0 INT 0 PRE 2

Powers (22)
cat's eye: senses +8 (accurate/acute/ranged scent, low light vision, ultrahearing) (6)
cat's claws: damage +2 (str-based, extra: improved crit, precise) (4)
fastest cat alive: movement +2 (wall-crawling, water walking, flaw: limited-only while running -1), speed +10 (12)

Advantages (12)
agile feint, improved initiative, language 2 (english, swahili, leonine native), move-by action, startle, takedown 2, tracking, uncanny dodge

Skills (30/60)
acrobatics +6
athletics +6
close combat: unarmed +8
expertise: survival +10
insight +6
intimidation +8
investigation +6
perception +6
stealth +8

Defenses (30)
TOU +6 DODGE +14 FORT +10 PARRY +14 WILL +10

complications
fast and the furry-ous: Scattermane is an obvious cat-man in a furry loincloth
motivation - exemplar: Scattermane has come to america as his people's ambassador

Total
abilities 56 + powers 22 + advantages 12 + skills 30/60 + defenses 30 = 150

ranked #31 in the online vote, Scattermane is from a hidden tribe of lion men, their ambassador to the outside world

Why He didn't Make The Cut

honestly, its a good question. good powers, distinctive look, constant manservice, etc.. but, this was the early 2000's and furry culture was then only just starting to be recognized, and not in a good way.

[Ysariel]

Romancer

These puns are incredible. I am now inspired to make a necrophiliac villain called the Nec-Romancer.

Kreuz is very, very sparing with his use of Attractive. So when someone is given Attractive 2 you know for sure they can put the moves on.

[Kreuzritter]

Night Harpy

PL 10 (150)

Abilities (40)
STR 10 AGI 4 FIT 4 AWA 2
STA 10 DEX 2 INT 2 PRE 2

Powers (50)
night-flier: Flight +8 (16)
nocturnal: senses +2 (darkvision) (2)
super strength: Enhanced STR +8, Enhanced STA +8 (32)

Advantages (10)
assessment, fast grab, fascinate (intimidation), hide in plain sight, improved initiative, move-by action, startle, takedown 2, uncanny dodge

Skills (30/60)
acrobatics +6
close combat: unarmed +6
expertise: night life +6
expertise: streetwise +8
insight +6
investigation +6
perception +6
intimidation +8
stealth +8

Defenses (20)
TOU +10 DODGE +10 FORT +10 PARRY +10 WILL +10

complications
motivation - justice: Night Harpy is a dark avenger of the night

Total
abilities 40 + powers 50 + advantages 10 + skills 30/60 + defenses 20 = 150

the other hero to rank #39 in the vote (sharing the spot with Flatfoot), Night Harpy combines the classic hero niches of 'flying brick' and 'grim nocturnal vigilante'

Why She Didn't Make the Cut

While not as excessive as an earlier contestant, Night Harpy is clearly a heroine of the 90's Iron Age mold, and not what the producers were looking for