Doomsday Man
(Profile #1 - Early)
Context
An overwhelming Marvel Comics robot. It fought the Silver Surfer in 1970, and Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers) in 1977.
Its career didn’t stop there. But in 1977 it became a different character, best covered in a different profile.
Sequence
If, after you’ve read this profile, you want to see what happened next, there are two profiles you need to read :
- Destructor (Kerwin Korman) to catch up on some backstory, then…
- … Doomsday Man (Kerwin Korman) for how the Doomsday Man evolves.
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Background
- Base Of Operations: Formerly a remote island in the Pacific. Then an A.I.M. base hidden under the South Bronx.
- Height: 10’3” (3.12m). Weight: 3572 lbs. (1620 Kg.).
Powers and Abilities
The Doomsday Man is practically indestructible. It can operate even on the harshest planets, and possibly on the surface of a G-type star ).
Its strength nearly matches its indestructibility.
Energy jets provide propulsion when immersed, and might provide flight capabilities in low-gravity conditions.
It is further equipped with powerful, state of the art energy cannons. This includes lasers in its arms, and a photonic nullifier in its mouth.
The Doomsday Man prefers its arm lasers (in DC Heroes terms, Laser Beam) to its photonic nullifier (Energy blast). The latter eats more energy and has a much longer cycle time. But against powerful opponents, such as the Silver Surfer, the nullifier provides an alpha strike.
The robot has a comprehensive combat programming. It is fast, accurate and as good a tactician as any soldier.
The Doomsday Man is presumably powered by a built-in nuclear reactor.
History (part 1)
The project started in 1969, after the US sent a man to the Moon. Enthusiasm was high. It was thought that space exploration would reach other planets within mere years.
The goal was to create an all-powerful robot. It would be able to operate on any hostile world, and protect doughty astronauts against any threat.
The research team was headed by the renowned genius, doctor Kronton.
We will be invincible
Somehow, Kronton’s team ended up building far more powerful a robot than projected. No weapon in the US’s arsenal could damage it.
The scientists and the military agreed that the robot was too mighty. The tiniest odd that it would go rogue was too much. One of those lobbying for getting rid of the unstoppable juggernaut was USAF liaison Major Carol Danvers.
(It is possible — as an educated guess — that Kronton’s robot was in part based on the “Invincible Red Robot” designed by Dr. Banner).
Abort ! Abort !
Since the robot couldn’t be dented by any weapon, it was locked up in a massive bunker on a Pacific desert island. All accesses were then permanently sealed.
The island had at least one other high-security bunker. This Blockhaus held a cobalt bomb, also deemed too powerful to be ever used.
Mere weeks later, movement was detected within the bunker. The US summoned an emergency session of the UN Security Council, and some information leaked. Tabloids dubbed the unclear entity that had the US so worried the “Doomsday Man”.
Surfing with the alien
The matter attracted the attention of the Silver Surfer, then exiled to Earth. While the Cold War prevented a political consensus, Kronton recognised that the shiny alien might be Earth’s only chance lest the Doomsday Man go amok.
Meanwhile, the Doomsday Man grabbed the cobalt super-bomb and torpedoed off toward the US.
But the intrigued Surfer made Kronton confess that it was all a scheme. The genius wanted to use the robot and the bomb to ransom off the planet.
The Doomsday Man reached the US, but the Surfer opened a bottomless chasm under it. As Kronton irrationally attempted to save his robot, he was accidentally killed by the thrashing mechanical behemoth as it fell.
Mourning Kronton, the Surfer closed the pit then disposed of the cobalt bomb.
Adνеrtisеmеnt
History (part 2)
The Doomsday Man survived this – but without Kronton controlling it, the robot was aimless.
Fittingly, the construct was recovered by A.I.M.. But even an organisation famed for its ventures with such incredibly dangerous technologies as the Cosmic Cube or the Super-Adaptoid was wary of the Doomsday Man.
Therefore, they decided to expend it against a mysterious space launch in the US.
A.I.M. loaded the robot into a remote-controlled ICBMIntercontinental ballistic missile. and shot it toward Cape Canaveral. However, Ms. Marvel intercepted the missile in space. From her memories as Carol Danvers, she immediately recognised the Doomsday Man.
She destroyed the ICBM, but the robot wasn’t fazed by the crash.
The Doomsday Man then attempted to kill Ms. Marvel – presumably as per A.I.M. programming. But the half-Kree, half-Human heroine remembered enough to suspect that Kronton had built some sort of failsafe as part of his secret plan.
Secret failsafe
With her super-senses, she did spot a tiny seam at the base of the robot’s skull. This wasn’t in the schematics that she had inspected as Danvers.
Reasoning that it must have been an addition by Kronton to control the Doomsday Man, she punched through the much thinner metal. There, a sensor pack had been replaced by another computer.
Ms. Marvel eventually deactivated the hulking robot using her discovery. She then blacked out from the hits the Doomsday Man had landed.
(Presumably, there was a less… forceful way to access the hidden computer, but Ms. Marvel lacked the time to find it.)
Korman
The thunderous fight was observed by the Destructor (Kerwin Korman). Korman was after the remnants of the Psyche-Magnitron, found in the cavern where the fight had just taken place.
He did find it, but a tremendous explosion buried everything but Ms. Marvel. Korman was thought vaporised, and the inert Doomsday Man lost under tons and tons of rock and debris.
Those assumptions were held as true for decades… but would ultimately be proved wrong.
Personality
Kronton’s many warnings about the D.M. gaining free will were apparently lies.
The Doomsday Man seems to be a normal, taciturn robot who does what it’s programmed to. It only speaks to announce its orders in a mechanical voice, as any good robot is wont to do.
It is an intelligent tactician, and was likely programmed to face all conceivable dangers on alien planets. The Doomsday Man fights calmly and analytically. It has all the time in the world, and cannot be damaged.
When faced with flying opponents, its first choice is to throw nearby objects. The Doomsday Man has a great throwing arm, and an eye for aerodynamically-viable objects.
When attempting to box in a more mobile opponent, it herds its foe with attacks that are deliberately slow and imprecise but still have to be avoided.
DC Universe Adaptation
(This section proposes ways of using this character in DC Universe stories).
The Doomsday Man would have been a Superman and later a Supergirl villain.
Perhaps it was built by Kronton using salvaged Kryptonian technology, making it super enough to withstand even the Man of Steel.
DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Doomsday Man
| Dex: 05 | Str: 18 | Bod: 19 |
| Int: 03 | Wil: 03 | Min: //// |
| Inf: 04 | Aur: //// | Spi: //// |
| Init: 013 | HP: 020 |
Powers:
Cold immunity: 04, Energy blast: 18, Flame immunity: 06, Growth: 04, Laser beam: 15, Self-Link (Gadgetry): 19, Swimming: 10
Bonuses and Limitations:
- Energy blast can only be used once every 10 Phases (used a d10 to keep track).
- Growth is Always On and Already Factored In.
Skills:
Weaponry (Own weapon systems, Thrown projectiles): 06
Advantages:
Life Support (Full).
Connections:
None.
Drawbacks:
Distinct Appearance.
Motivation:
None.
Occupation:
Robot.
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DC Adventures RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Doomsday Man (Early) — Averaged PL 15
| STR | STA | AGL | DEX |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 20 | 02 | 01 |
| FGT | INT | AWE | PRE |
| 03 | 00 | 00 | ∅ |
Powers:
I, indestructible robot ● 99 points ● Descriptor: Robotic, armoured
– No physiology, no mind — Immunity 60 (Fortitude and Will effects).
– Impregnable armour — 16 Ranks of Impervious Toughness, Ultimate Effort (Toughness).
– Space-proofed — Immunity 10 (Half-effect from both cold and heat/fire).
– Immense strength — Enhanced Strength 3, Limited 1 to Lifting Only.
– Underwater propulsion unit — Swimming 9.
I, killer robot ● 29 points ● Descriptor: Technology
Array :
- Arm lasers — Ranged laser Damage 14.
- Mouth cannon — Ranged energy Damage 15, Limited 2 (can only be used every 10th round).
Combat Advantages:
Interpose, Ranged Attack 8, Ultimate Effort (Toughness).
Other Advantages:
Great Endurance.
Skills:
Close Combat (Unarmed) 4 (+7), Perception 2 (+2), Ranged Combat (Thrown object) 1 (+10).
Offence:
| Initiative +2 |
| Unarmed +7, Close, Damage 15 |
| Thrown objects +10, Ranged, Damage by object |
| Arm lasers +9, Ranged, Damage 14 |
| Mouth cannon +10, Ranged, Damage 15 |
Defence:
| Dodge | 07 |
| Fortitude | N.A. |
| Parry | 08 |
| Toughness | 20 |
| Will | N.A. |
Complications:
- I, giant robot The Doomsday Man is huge.
- Failsafe The Doomsday Man has at least one hidden shutdown failsafe. But one needs detailed knowledge of the robot to locate those.
Powers Levels:
- Trade-off areas Attack/Effect PL 12, Dodge/Toughness PL 14, Parry/Toughness PL 14, Fort/Will PL X.
- Points total 224. Abilities 72, Defences 10, Skills 4, Powers 128, Devices 0, Advantages 10. Equiv. PL 15.
Notes
To average the PL I’ve arbitrarily considered that the Fort/Wil trade-off was an equivalent of PL20. Having this guys ends up at the same PL as the official Superman sounds about correct.
Uncapped Scale
Indeed ! Apply the following if using the Uncapped Scale:
- Strength becomes 18, ditch the Lifting Strength.
- Stamina becomes 26.
- Damage for the mouth cannon becomes 18.
- Attack/Effect trade-off becomes 13, Dodge/Toughness 17, Parry/Toughness 17, the PL for the points total becomes 17, so averaged PL is about 17.
Source of Character: Marvel Universe.
Helper(s): Darci.