Breccia
2014-03-07, 04:52 PM
So during the downtime I started thinking about appropriate comparisons to OotS characters in other media. The idea, at first, was to set up some "who would win in a fight" matchups, a la DeathBattle and Deadliest Warrior, that could be fun to discuss -- hardly a new concept, but a topic of conversation perhaps. Typically, in such matchups, the competitors are
(a) roughly equal in "level". No http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0A0LEO-4iGw/T9tjVpK6l1I/AAAAAAAABZE/kqI__4TrSsE/s640/toby.JPG]Toby ( [url) vs Godzilla[/url] fights.
(b) comparable in some way. People pair up such matches as Superman vs Hulk because of their strength, or Al Capone vs. Jesse James because both were crime lords.
But the more I got into it, the more I realized the fun wasn't necessarily in the matchup itself, but in deciding who would be the competitor in the first place. Digging through movies, comics, TV and classic literature for someone that would make an even, interesting fight could be the topic itself, rather than who would win. It'd certainly allow for more options.
So here, then, are my six picks for level-appropriate challenges for the OotS.
Roy Greenhilt
-- large, muscular human male
-- typically uses a two-handed sword, but proficient in many weapons and uses them occasionally
-- leads a team of misfits: an arcane spellcaster, a thief, etc.
-- quite strong, but also smart and charismatic
-- knowledgeable in several fields, including magic, but does not use magic personally
-- in his first big public adventure, took down a powerful sorcerer and his minions
Matched up with:
Conan the Barbarian
http://www.comicbookreligion.com/img/c/o/Conan_the_Barbarian.jpg
This one was a relatively straightforward pick. Conan has plenty of solo accomplishments in the short stories by Robert Howard, but in a few led a team. In his movies, for example, he teams up with Akiro the wizard, Subotai the archer, and Valeria the twin dagger-using criminal. Sound familiar? While not specifically versed in Knowledge/Engineering, Conan does have skill points in things you might not normally assume, including speaking many languages, and routinely display tactical/commanding skill. Oh, and oddly enough: Conan's creator had routine contact with H. P. Lovecraft and originally even set Conan in Lovecraft's universe. So, at some point, he might have come to blows with a giant tentacle god-like monstrosity, capable of devouring the world.
Haley Starshine
-- agile, athletic attractive redhead human female
-- is not herself supernatural
-- excellent with ranged weapons, including accuracy and multiple shots
-- trained in sneak attacks
-- familiar with gadgets and mechanical devices (such as wands and traps)
-- her father taught her much about the criminal underworld, but she went her own way
Matched up with:
Barbara Gordon, Batgirl
http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20111103195225/batman/images/b/b1/2062307-batgirl2011_large.jpg
Obviously Batgirl isn't an archer, but her skill with the Batarang and grappling hook are unquestionably good. While trained by Batman for stealth, her father taught her much of the ways of crime -- from the other side of the bars than Ian Starshine, of course. Batgirl can pick locks, disarm explosives, and has a bag of holdi*cough* utility belt loaded with various tools as needed. Oh, and her boots match her outfit, and neither are lime green.
Durkon
-- short, prominent facial hair, highly recognizable speech pattern
-- uses a hammer in combat
-- is in it to save the world from a great evil force
-- can grow to great size for added combat power
-- can meld into stone walls
-- has access to a very wide variety of abilities, including flight, lightning attacks and protective effects, but can't have them all at the same time
Matched up with:
Super Mario
http://files.gamebanana.com/img/ico/sprays/mario_with_hammer_3.png
I'll admit, this one took me the longest. Mario's been going against Bowser (and other foes) for over a generation. Just as the list of spells Durkon can prepare is the widest of the entire party (even more than V can have due to class and school restrictions), Mario has used more different powerups than any other character in video game history, ever -- but never had access to them all in the same game. The hammer, of course, is iconic, dating back to Donkey Kong (that was him, right?) as are the mushrooms that cause him to grow. Flight suits, (shrink) lightning, and protective stars are also somewhat common. And Super Paper Mario can slip into a 2D world, moving through cracks and along walls. Unfortunately, Durkon didn't have a blue shell when he needed it most.
Vaarsuvius and Blackwing
-- robed magician and speaking bird familiar, who don't always agree
-- caster has limited sense of humor, bird does
-- is not averse to using spells on associates
-- massive magical powers (not quite world-shaking), including walls of fire, disintegration, energy blast, mind control and restraints
-- was a reptile that one time
-- bird is trusted enough to carry mission-critical items
-- made a deal for ultimate power that turned out poorly, and had to take a time-out
Matched up with:
Sorcerer Jafar and Iago
http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120319181127/aladdin/images/5/56/Jafar.png
I couldn't find anyone I liked that was a divorcee and/or androgynous, but other than that, Jafar and Iago fit. Jafar was the cold, calculating vizier bent on obtaining the Genie's lamp, and Iago was Gilbert Gottfried with feathers. Jafar had limited magical power until he used his second wish to become "the most powerful sorcerer in the world" and it worked out quite well. He was immediately able to unravel the magic carpet, force Jasmine and the Sultan to bow to him, and would face Aladdin with a wall of fire and shapechanged into a serpent. However, when he was tempted with access to even more power, he used his third wish to become a genie himself...and was summarily trapped in his own lamp, and tossed into the Cave of Wonders.
Elan
-- slim blond human male
-- definitely quirky, and sees the world a different way
-- fights with a single small blade and a unique verbal-based fighting style, but is not a combat monster
-- spent extensive time on ships (more than anyone else in the Order)
-- limited experience with magic
-- is routinely mocked by his associates
-- in a relationship with a beautiful woman way smarter than he is
-- had an evil brother who kept coming back, but is always thwarted
-- has the absolute oddest collection of items in his pants
Matched up with:
Guybrush Threepwood
http://i.neoseeker.com/n/4/news_img_21154_0_thumb.png
This one was obvious, and has been mentioned before. There is no doubt that pun-duelling and insult swordfighting are less about the physical blade as the verbal barbs. Guybrush has used magic, especially voodoo, in the past, and while he doesn't have a puppet-god or girdle of identity crisis, he has stored giant Q-tips, grog that can melt steel, and live birds ("that's the second-biggest duck I've put in my pants!"). Almost as important, Ghost Pirate LeChuck, Threepwood's nemesis, was once revealed to be none other than Guybrush's younger brother! Which...might or might not have been a joke, but still. What the Governor of Melee Island sses in him, the world might never know. Regardless, both "Celestial Tree Sloth attack!" and "Look behind you! A three-headed monkey!" remain incredible battle cries to this day.
Belkar Bitterleaf
-- short, bald, athletic
-- fights with two short stabbing weapons, normally of questionable use, deadly in his hands
-- part of a team, but frequently ignores orders, challenges leadership, and has deep-seeded emotional problems
-- not a law-abiding citizen
-- does not use magic, limited use of gadgets
-- easily provoked to violence and enjoys combat
-- trained in stealth
Matched up with:
Raphael the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle
http://www.voxboxcomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-raphael.jpg
In the original comic series (rather than, say animated kids' shows) Raphael is easily the most violent of all the Turtles. He has fallen victim to battle rage, entering a frenzied berserker-like state, sometimes due to threats on his family. When the comics started, he was characterized as hot-headed, competitive, sarcastic and stubborn. Over time, his character has become less aggressive and more sociable, but he is still noticeably more likely to start a fight (or end one) than his brothers. Oh, and he was bitten by a vampire once.
What are your picks? There's a ton of fictional characters out there. Which of them would be a fair challenge to the Order's members?
(a) roughly equal in "level". No http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0A0LEO-4iGw/T9tjVpK6l1I/AAAAAAAABZE/kqI__4TrSsE/s640/toby.JPG]Toby ( [url) vs Godzilla[/url] fights.
(b) comparable in some way. People pair up such matches as Superman vs Hulk because of their strength, or Al Capone vs. Jesse James because both were crime lords.
But the more I got into it, the more I realized the fun wasn't necessarily in the matchup itself, but in deciding who would be the competitor in the first place. Digging through movies, comics, TV and classic literature for someone that would make an even, interesting fight could be the topic itself, rather than who would win. It'd certainly allow for more options.
So here, then, are my six picks for level-appropriate challenges for the OotS.
Roy Greenhilt
-- large, muscular human male
-- typically uses a two-handed sword, but proficient in many weapons and uses them occasionally
-- leads a team of misfits: an arcane spellcaster, a thief, etc.
-- quite strong, but also smart and charismatic
-- knowledgeable in several fields, including magic, but does not use magic personally
-- in his first big public adventure, took down a powerful sorcerer and his minions
Matched up with:
Conan the Barbarian
http://www.comicbookreligion.com/img/c/o/Conan_the_Barbarian.jpg
This one was a relatively straightforward pick. Conan has plenty of solo accomplishments in the short stories by Robert Howard, but in a few led a team. In his movies, for example, he teams up with Akiro the wizard, Subotai the archer, and Valeria the twin dagger-using criminal. Sound familiar? While not specifically versed in Knowledge/Engineering, Conan does have skill points in things you might not normally assume, including speaking many languages, and routinely display tactical/commanding skill. Oh, and oddly enough: Conan's creator had routine contact with H. P. Lovecraft and originally even set Conan in Lovecraft's universe. So, at some point, he might have come to blows with a giant tentacle god-like monstrosity, capable of devouring the world.
Haley Starshine
-- agile, athletic attractive redhead human female
-- is not herself supernatural
-- excellent with ranged weapons, including accuracy and multiple shots
-- trained in sneak attacks
-- familiar with gadgets and mechanical devices (such as wands and traps)
-- her father taught her much about the criminal underworld, but she went her own way
Matched up with:
Barbara Gordon, Batgirl
http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20111103195225/batman/images/b/b1/2062307-batgirl2011_large.jpg
Obviously Batgirl isn't an archer, but her skill with the Batarang and grappling hook are unquestionably good. While trained by Batman for stealth, her father taught her much of the ways of crime -- from the other side of the bars than Ian Starshine, of course. Batgirl can pick locks, disarm explosives, and has a bag of holdi*cough* utility belt loaded with various tools as needed. Oh, and her boots match her outfit, and neither are lime green.
Durkon
-- short, prominent facial hair, highly recognizable speech pattern
-- uses a hammer in combat
-- is in it to save the world from a great evil force
-- can grow to great size for added combat power
-- can meld into stone walls
-- has access to a very wide variety of abilities, including flight, lightning attacks and protective effects, but can't have them all at the same time
Matched up with:
Super Mario
http://files.gamebanana.com/img/ico/sprays/mario_with_hammer_3.png
I'll admit, this one took me the longest. Mario's been going against Bowser (and other foes) for over a generation. Just as the list of spells Durkon can prepare is the widest of the entire party (even more than V can have due to class and school restrictions), Mario has used more different powerups than any other character in video game history, ever -- but never had access to them all in the same game. The hammer, of course, is iconic, dating back to Donkey Kong (that was him, right?) as are the mushrooms that cause him to grow. Flight suits, (shrink) lightning, and protective stars are also somewhat common. And Super Paper Mario can slip into a 2D world, moving through cracks and along walls. Unfortunately, Durkon didn't have a blue shell when he needed it most.
Vaarsuvius and Blackwing
-- robed magician and speaking bird familiar, who don't always agree
-- caster has limited sense of humor, bird does
-- is not averse to using spells on associates
-- massive magical powers (not quite world-shaking), including walls of fire, disintegration, energy blast, mind control and restraints
-- was a reptile that one time
-- bird is trusted enough to carry mission-critical items
-- made a deal for ultimate power that turned out poorly, and had to take a time-out
Matched up with:
Sorcerer Jafar and Iago
http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120319181127/aladdin/images/5/56/Jafar.png
I couldn't find anyone I liked that was a divorcee and/or androgynous, but other than that, Jafar and Iago fit. Jafar was the cold, calculating vizier bent on obtaining the Genie's lamp, and Iago was Gilbert Gottfried with feathers. Jafar had limited magical power until he used his second wish to become "the most powerful sorcerer in the world" and it worked out quite well. He was immediately able to unravel the magic carpet, force Jasmine and the Sultan to bow to him, and would face Aladdin with a wall of fire and shapechanged into a serpent. However, when he was tempted with access to even more power, he used his third wish to become a genie himself...and was summarily trapped in his own lamp, and tossed into the Cave of Wonders.
Elan
-- slim blond human male
-- definitely quirky, and sees the world a different way
-- fights with a single small blade and a unique verbal-based fighting style, but is not a combat monster
-- spent extensive time on ships (more than anyone else in the Order)
-- limited experience with magic
-- is routinely mocked by his associates
-- in a relationship with a beautiful woman way smarter than he is
-- had an evil brother who kept coming back, but is always thwarted
-- has the absolute oddest collection of items in his pants
Matched up with:
Guybrush Threepwood
http://i.neoseeker.com/n/4/news_img_21154_0_thumb.png
This one was obvious, and has been mentioned before. There is no doubt that pun-duelling and insult swordfighting are less about the physical blade as the verbal barbs. Guybrush has used magic, especially voodoo, in the past, and while he doesn't have a puppet-god or girdle of identity crisis, he has stored giant Q-tips, grog that can melt steel, and live birds ("that's the second-biggest duck I've put in my pants!"). Almost as important, Ghost Pirate LeChuck, Threepwood's nemesis, was once revealed to be none other than Guybrush's younger brother! Which...might or might not have been a joke, but still. What the Governor of Melee Island sses in him, the world might never know. Regardless, both "Celestial Tree Sloth attack!" and "Look behind you! A three-headed monkey!" remain incredible battle cries to this day.
Belkar Bitterleaf
-- short, bald, athletic
-- fights with two short stabbing weapons, normally of questionable use, deadly in his hands
-- part of a team, but frequently ignores orders, challenges leadership, and has deep-seeded emotional problems
-- not a law-abiding citizen
-- does not use magic, limited use of gadgets
-- easily provoked to violence and enjoys combat
-- trained in stealth
Matched up with:
Raphael the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle
http://www.voxboxcomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-raphael.jpg
In the original comic series (rather than, say animated kids' shows) Raphael is easily the most violent of all the Turtles. He has fallen victim to battle rage, entering a frenzied berserker-like state, sometimes due to threats on his family. When the comics started, he was characterized as hot-headed, competitive, sarcastic and stubborn. Over time, his character has become less aggressive and more sociable, but he is still noticeably more likely to start a fight (or end one) than his brothers. Oh, and he was bitten by a vampire once.
What are your picks? There's a ton of fictional characters out there. Which of them would be a fair challenge to the Order's members?