Mind-Wave
Context
This obscure villain had but one primary appearance, in a 1976 Daredevil issue. But he’s… okay ?
He’s a bit Silver AgeSuper-hero comics from the late 1950s to the early 1970s., but he works fine against street-level heroes. Especially if one has psychic abilities.
Though for some reason I find that he has more of a DC Universe vibe than a Marvel one.
Advertisement
Background
- Real Name: Erik Gelden.
- Known Relatives: None.
- Group Affiliation: None.
- Base Of Operations: Mobile aboard the Think-Tank.
- Height: 5’11” (1.80m). Weight: 180 lbs. (82 Kg.).
- Eyes: Unrevealed. Hair: Unrevealed.
Powers and Abilities
Mind-Wave is gifted with extra-sensory perception. Primarily, the power to read unprotected minds.
This allows him to predict his opponents’ actions, countering their plans and fighting moves. But he couldn’t, for instance, scan Daredevil’s mind to learn his secret identity.
He also has well above-average strength, and is in excellent shape.
We have the technology
Mind-Wave supplements his psychic abilities with technology – primarily psychotronicsElectronic equipment that amplify or protect from psychic powers. and weapons.
We’ll assume here that he’s an adept psychotronician but buys the rest. It’s not clear in the story.
Assets include :
- His signature helmet. It significantly augments his ESP, which seems to be weak otherwise.
- Variant helmets for his henchmen. These turn people with traces of psychic abilities into weak telepaths.
- Laser or heat ray small arms for himself and his henchmen.
- His key asset is his Think-Tank, detailed below.
Mind-Wave’s henchmen, the “ESPer-ts”, are not particularly capable. But he can telepathically coordinate their fire if they have their helmet on.
There were between four and eight such guys during the 1976 encounter.
Think-Tank
The Think-Tank is a large treaded vehicle with :
- A powerful laser cannon.
- Multiple radars.
- A paralysis beam.
The Think-Tank can be controlled telepathically, and can “perceive” its environment through sensors. Mind-Wave can give it orders and coordinate its attacks much like he can enhance other ESPers.
The Tank thus has some sort of silent artificial intelligence or expert system. Or heh, it might be the equivalent of a RoboBrain™ platform.
The Think-Tank is usually operated manually by a crew of three (Mind-Wave and the two ESPer-ts in the frontal bubbles), since telepathic control requires concentration.
Though it *looks* like a tank, the Think-Tank doesn’t seem seriously armoured. Daredevil (Matthew Murdock) could smash open one of the crew bubbles using a steel bar.
Mind-Wave was also careful not to face an organised NYPD response. Presumably, copious .223 FMJ fire would be sufficient to damage the Think-Tank.
Tales from the crypt
During his return as an undead, Mind-Wave seemed far weaker and dumber. Though he boasted that he was a “mind-melter”, he never used any mental powers.
He was also decades out of date.
History
Mind-Wave said that he plied his criminal looting activities through many different countries.
He clashed with the Marvel Universe version of Uri Geller several times, always defeating him and evading the authorities. It is thus possible he’s Israeli.
In 1976, Mind-Wave came to New York City to pillage Wall Street banks and jewellery stores. Daredevil attempted to stop him, but Mind-Wave got away.
The District Attorney then had Daredevil meet Uri Geller, and the two teamed up to defeat Mind-Wave at long last.
Though Mind-Wave eventually recovered his freedom, he seemingly never returned to prominence. One suspects that having lost his psychotronic helmet, his Think-Tank, etc. had been too crippling a blow.
To die, perchance
Ten years later, Mind-Wave was one of Scourge’s victims at the Bar With No Name.
However, in 2009, the Hood (Parker Robbins) used Dormammu magic to reactivate the Scourge’s victims as undead operatives.
He told them that their murderer had been the Punisher (Frank Castle), whom he was trying to eliminate.
The resurrectees’ attack against Castle was done disguised as the Avengers, using Mirage (Desmond Charne)’s illusion powers. But that didn’t work at all.
The undead Mind-Wave was left crippled in a back alley, booby-trapped with a grenade. When others came in it detonated, seemingly incinerating him.
Adνеrtisеmеnt
Personality
A pompous criminal, prone to villainous mental speeches and valuing discipline and coordination.
He’s confident, focused, and uninterested in pointless battles.
Mind-Wave is a thief and would-be lord among men, not a killer. He never kills anybody, not even dangerous and recurrent opponents, and went out of his way to develop a paralysis beam weapon.
Quotes
“An interesting plan, scarlet clown. However, any plan is virtually useless against Mind-Wave — for every thought is clearly heard through my helmet — and therefore, silently counter-acted !”
“One chance, Geller. Join with me ! Become my partner ! We are not unlike each other… and we are far different from the others ! We stand above… and we are superior to the rest. Speak, Geller ! What do you say ?”
DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Mind-Wave
| Dex: 04 | Str: 04 | Bod: 04 |
| Int: 05 | Wil: 04 | Min: 05 |
| Inf: 04 | Aur: 03 | Spi: 04 |
| Init: 013 | HP: 030 |
Powers:
Danger sense: 03, Detect (ESPers): 03, Enchantment: 04, Enhanced Initiative: 15, Mind probe: 04, Telepathy: 03
Bonuses and Limitations:
- Danger Sense only works against dangers from sapientCapable of intelligent reasoning. beings without active APs of Mind Blank, Mind Field or similar.
- To use Enchantment or Enhanced Initiative, Mind-Wave must score at least one RAP of Mind Probe on his target during this Phase. However, this specific Mind Probe roll can be done as an Automatic Action.
- Enchantment can only be used on persons he’s currently in telepathic contact with, and must be renewed every Phase.
- Enchantment is limited to DEX, Evasion, Martial Artist, Weaponry, and comparable Accuracy Subskills.
- Enchantment cannot bestow more APs than what Mind-Wave rolled as a Mind-Probe Dice Action for that Phase.
- Enhanced Initiative has a 2 APs Area of Effect, but requires a current telepathic with the recipients.
- APs of Mind Blank, Mind Field and the like are doubled as OV and/or RV against Mind Wave’s Mind probe and Detect (-1).
- Mind Probe is limited to superficial thoughts.
- Telepathy only works with other ESPers (-2) and does not allow him to initiate psychic combat (-1).
Skills:
Accuracy (see below): 12, Evasion: 12, Gadgetry: 04, Scientist: 04, Vehicles (land): 04, Weaponry (Heavy, firearms): 04
Bonuses and Limitations:
- Accuracy and Evasion both are Powered Skills, and both are Contingent Upon Mind Probe.
- To use Accuracy and/or Evasion, Mind-Wave must score at least one RAP of Mind Probe on his target during this Phase. However, this specific Mind Probe roll can be done as an Automatic Action.
- Accuracy can support armed and unarmed attacks, as long as the RAPs from Mind Probe are there.
- Evasion can only be applied against the attacker against whom Mind Probe RAPs were scored.
Advantages:
Expertise (Psychotronics).
Connections:
None demonstrated.
Drawbacks:
None demonstrated.
Motivation:
Power Lust.
Occupation:
Criminal.
Wealth:
007
Equipment:
- MIND-WAVE HELMET (shell and visor) [BODY 04, Enhance (RV against Critical, Devastation and doubles): 01 (cap is 06), Enhance (Unarmed RV): 02 (cap is 07), Enhance (Structural RV): 01 (cap is 06), Enhance (Facial attacks RV): 01 (cap is 05), Shade: 01].
- MIND-WAVE HELMET (psychotronics) [Enhance (Danger sense): 05 (cap is 09), Enhance (Detect (ESPers)): 02 (cap is 06), Enhance (Telepathy): 02 (cap is 05), Enhance (Mind probe): 06 (cap is 10)
- Laser pistol [BODY 02, Laser beam: 06].
- THINK-TANK [STR 10 BODY 12 INT 03, Laser beam: 12, Paralysis: 09, Radar sense: 10, Running: 05, Vehicles (self): 02, Weaponry (self): 03, Advantage : considered to be an ESPer, Limitation : Paralysis has a Range of but 02. When attacked in melee with a hard surface, the transparent bubbles have a BODY of 06].
Design notes
A good chunk of the stats is arbitrary from lack of material.
“ESPer” in this story seemed to meant any person with some psionic potential. Presumably, in the vast majority of cases it’s too thin to be quantifiable in DCH terms.
We run into a conditional Initiative case (it only works against one person).We prefer avoiding that, but with predictive telepaths there’s often no choice.
The MIND-WAVE HELMET is written up in two parts to keep the notation clear. But it is a single Gadget.
Since the HELMET is one of his core assets, I gave it full detail. If you want less detail, just replace the shell and visor stats with BODY 04, Skin armour: 01 and Shade: 01.
He doesn’t actually do anything as an undead. Therefore, no attempt at stats.
The ESPer-ts
Mind-Wave’s uniformed henchmen are low-level ESPers.
They help Mind-Wave operate the Think Tank (until Mind-Wave starts operating his tank telepathically) and act as infantry when needed, usually to loot the theatre of operation.
Mind-Wave coordinates them telepathically. Both to give silent orders and to give them a view into an opponent’s mind when needed, thus allowing them to predict their adversaries’ moves (Enhanced initiative, Enchantment).
Use run-of-the-mill street thugs stats, plus the following gear :
- ESPer HELMET [BODY 05, Shade: 01, Telepathy: 02, Limitations: Telepathy only if wearer is psionically sensitive, only works with other sensitives, cannot initiate combat].
- Laser rifle [BODY 02, Laser beam: 06].
Source of Character: Primarily Daredevil v1 #133.
Helper(s): Darci. His Marvunapp entry for pointing out that a real name had been given for him in the OHOTMU.