Firestrike
Context
Heavy Mettle is an obscure Marvel Comics criminal team. They fought the New Warriors during the short, somewhat obscure 1999 run of their book. Firestrike is one of the team’s leaders, as well as a capable operative.
Heavy Mettle are a convenient, low-powered bunch that is easy to use in your own stories. If you’re looking for opponents for beginner and/or low-powered heroes, they are quite handy. And they’re obscure enough that you can develop them to fit the campaign.
Background
- Real Name: Dalton Beck.
- Marital Status: Unrevealed.
- Known Relatives: None.
- Group Affiliation: Former member of Heavy Mettle (and possibly of the Silvermane Family).
- Base Of Operations: Formerly New York City.
- Height: 6’ Weight: 185 lbs.
- Eyes: Blue Hair: Reddish brown.
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Powers and Abilities
Beck is a proficient athlete and fighter, in excellent physical shape and quite muscular. He also seems to have FDNY firefighter training. He’s charming and charismatic, and seems experienced at using those assets to pick women up.
I would assume his college major was in chemistry, though he hasn’t demonstrated this sort of scientific knowledge on-panel.
The Firestrike costume is armoured and thermally insulated, with flamethrowers and a jetpack. It’s quite basic and could have been produced by a number of sources. Still, Madame Menace sounds like a good bet.
Smart and college-educated, Beck understood the basics of running a team. He kept Heavy Mettle well-trained, in excellent physical shape and tactically well-coordinated. While they did not match the New Warriors in raw power, they got results through preparation and teamwork.
History
Dalton Beck is the son of a firefighter in New York City. Both his parents always wanted him to be a firefighter too. After graduating from college, Beck joined the FDNY as an arson investigator. He was stationed with Engine Company 42.
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However, he also had connections with the Silvermane family of the Maggia. Whether he was a wise guy or an associate is unclear. But in any case Beck was put in charge of Heavy Mettle, a team of special operatives working for Joe Silvermane.
In 1999, young heroes called the New Warriors begun interfering with Silvermane business. Since Beck’s FDNY job allowed him to approach the Warriors, he was tasked with stealing the armour worn by one of them – Turbo (Michiko Musashi). The smooth, handsome Beck decided to seduce her. He would then murder her by surprise in her civilian identity.
Seduction
Beck started dating Turbo. Meanwhile as Firestrike he led Heavy Mettle and clashed once with the New Warriors. As he and Turbo were caught in a subway bombing, he helped the inexperienced heroine handle the situation and rescue the passengers, earning her trust.
Musashi did reveal her secret identity to him. Beck kept a stolen handgun ready, waiting for an opportunity.
However, Beck had unwittingly fallen in love with Musashi. Thus, he was unable to execute her. When she discovered that he was Firestrike he refused to fight her, surrendering and offering his unconditional cooperation to put Silvermane behind bars. Dalton hoped to convince Musashi that he had renounced his criminal past.
Beck’s intel allowed the New Warriors to defeat the rest of Heavy Mettle. He even entered the fight to help Turbo against Blackwing. Still angry over his betrayal of her trust, Turbo nevertheless turned him in to the police when they took Heavy Mettle into custody. Beck was sent to Sing Sing .
Protection
The case against Silvermane was too thin. Therefore, the District Attorney made a deal with Beck – his testimony against a reduced sentence and entering the Witness Protection Program. Dalton announced this to Mickey Musashi the first — and last — time she agreed to answer his calls and come see him in prison.
Beck then fulfilled his part of the deal during the trial, before entering the WPP. After the government made Beck disappear Turbo came to feel regrets, wondering whether she had done the right thing.
Description
See illustrations.
Personality
As Dalton he’s a charming and easy-going hunk. He’s a tad bitter than his parents never let him be something else than a firefighter, and appreciated that Mickey saw him as a person and not just an uniform.
His epiphany over renouncing his criminal career seemed to have been as genuine as those get. If comic book tropes hold true, he might later reappear as a hero masquerading as a villain for some Federal sting operation.
Quotes
“Surprise. You guys really aren’t very good at this stuff, are you ? We’re Heavy Mettle, and this is the easiest ambush we ever set up.”
(Beginning to put the moves on Turbo) “But since we’re getting personal, I’ve got a personal question for you… how do you like your coffee ?”
“As soon as she trusts me, I’ll make my move… and then her alien armor is all yours.”
“Sorry to disappoint you, Speedball, but I’m just trying to do the right thing. That’s all. The man you want is named Joe Silvermane, and he’s got an operation planned for later tonight.”
“Then don’t say anything, Mickey. Just promise me something. When you remember me, remember this — this moment here…. where I finally did the right thing.”
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Firestrike
| Dex: 04 | Str: 03 | Bod: 04 | Motivation: Mercenary |
| Int: 04 | Wil: 04 | Min: 04 | Occupation: Arson investigator ; mercenary |
| Inf: 03 | Aur: 04 | Spi: 04 | Resources {or Wealth}: 004 |
| Init: 011 | HP: 020 |
Skills:
Acrobatics (Climbing, Dodging)*: 04, Charisma (Persuasion): 04, Detective (Clue analysis): 02, Medicine (First aid): 03, Vehicles (Land): 03, Weaponry (Firestrike weapon systems): 05, Weaponry (Firearms): 03
Advantages:
Expertise (Arson investigation techniques, generally used to boost Detective (Clue analysis)), Familiarity (Pickup Techniques, FDNY techniques).
Connections:
Formerly Underworld (Low), Heavy Mettle (Low), Joe Silvermane (Low), NYFD (Low). Now none.
Drawbacks:
Secret ID (both before and after the Witness Protection Program).
Equipment:
FIRESTRIKE SUIT [/STR/ 07 /BODY/ 08, Cold immunity: 02, Flame immunity: 04, Flame project: 08, Flight: 06, Limitation: Flame Project has a Range of but 03].
Game Stats — DC Adventures RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Firestrike — Averaged PL 7.4
| STR | STA | AGL | DEX | FGT | INT | AWE | PRE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 (06) | 02 (06) | 01 | 02 | 04 | 02 | 01 | 01 |
Devices
Firestrike light power armour ● 41 points (Removable) ● Descriptor: Technology
– Power armour — Enhanced Strength 5.
– Armour, goggles, filters, etc. — Enhanced Stamina 4, Protection 4), Immunity 4 (Cold, Pressure, Drowning, Toxic atmosphere).
– Fireproofed — Impervious Protection 4, Impervious Enhanced Fortitude 4 (both Limited 3 to Fire/Heat), Immunity 1 (Environmental heat).
– Flamethrowers — Ranged Fire Damage 7 (Diminished Range 2).
– Flight 5.
Combat Advantages
Close attack 1, Grabbing Finesse, Power Attack, Ranged attack 2.
Other Advantages
Attractive, Connected.
Skills
Athletics 3 (+4), Deception 3 (+4), Expertise (Arson investigator) 4 (+5), Expertise (Criminal) 4 (+5), Expertise (Firefighter) 4 (+5), Insight 3 (+4), Perception 3 (+4), Persuasion 1 (+2), Ranged combat (Firestrike armour) 3 (+7), Treatment 4 (+6) (Limited 2 to Revive and Stabilise), Vehicles 2 (+4) (Limited 2 to common land vehicles).
Offense
| Initiative +1 |
| Unarmed +5, Close, Damage 1 |
| Unarmed whilst armoured +5, Close, Damage 6 |
| Flamethrowers +7, Ranged (Diminished 2), Damage 7 |
Defense
| Dodge | 7 | Fortitude | 10*/6 |
| Parry | 6 | Toughness | 10*/2 |
| Will | 4 |
* With armour
Complications
- Mercenary Heavy Mettle members serve the underworld for money.
- Redemption/enemy Firestrike decided to reform by betraying the Maggia.
Power levels
- Trade-off areas Attack/Effect PL 7, Dodge/Toughness PL 9, Parry/Toughness PL 8, Fort/Will PL 7.
- Point total 106. Abilities 28, Defences 15, Skills 15, Powers 0, Devices 41, Advantages 7. Equiv. PL 8.
Source of Character: New Warriors v2 (Marvel Universe).
Helper(s): Darci.