Context

DNAgents was one of the more notable 1980s indie super-hero comics. It started publication in 1983, with Eclipse Comics. A good part of their fame back then came from being created by writer Mark Evanier .

They are quite easy to use in a wide variety of settings, perhaps even as Player Characters .


Background

  • Marital Status: Single.
  • Known Relatives: N/A.
  • Group Affiliation: DNAgents.
  • Base Of Operations: Matrix Corporation.
  • Height: #‘#” Weight: 260lbs. Age: 5, appears to be 18.
  • Eyes: {Color} Hair: {Color}


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Powers and Abilities

Lucius Krell came up with the Human Tank concept himself, as he is often proud to admit. Consequently, this DNAgent was built for sheer strength. Concurrent with his development, Matrix engineer were working on Tank’s special armor and weaponry. Maximum protection and maximum firepower were the operative phrases in their design.

Titanium bone sheaths were surgically fitted to his arms, legs and spinal column to give his body greater durability for lifting, carrying and throwing massive objects. This plus his heavy, bulky armor puts a great strain on his cardiovascular system. So a regulator was installed within Tank to alert him when he is pushing his physical limits.

His body armor includes a pair of “blasters”, which seem to be large-bore, automatic weapons mounted on his wrists. For commando-style mission, he also carries a pair of grenades.


History

The DNAgents are artificial life forms developed by a shadowy corporation called Matrix Corporation. They have been grown in a vat for five years, and their minds were programmed by Matrix. However, they are extremely close to being humans, and have their own free will and personality.

The DNAgents were designed to be a commando squad that could take care of Matrix’s dirty work, from espionage to paramilitary action. Tank is the brick  of the lot. He excels and long-range engagements as well as in close combat.

At the very end of the series, the DNAgents were captured by Matrix. They were put back into the vats for future use, after Matrix convinced the public that everything to do with the DNAgents was just a big media hoax.


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Description

A colossus. Tank’s armor is shiny and metallic, the armor plates covering his upper torso, head and arms. The rest of the armor is a khaki metallic mesh. His helmet leaves his mouth area bare, and he wears red tinted goggles over his eyes.


Personality

Tank finds himself torn between devotion to the DNAgents and a fascination with his human ex-girlfriend, Casey. Other team members sometimes get the feeling that Tank doesn’t devote himself to the team as much as he should and he often feels very guilty over this. Reluctantly, he’s a big brother figure for Sham.


DC Universe History

In the DCU, the DNAgents would either have been developed by S.T.A.R. Labs or Lexcorp as enforcers protecting the interests of the organization. If they’ve been developed by Lexcorp, you may wish to increase their power to bring them on par with the technology used in the Team Luthor battlesuits.

Also, there was actually an issue of Tales of the Teen Titans where a DNAgents-like group (the RECOMbatants) showed up, only to sacrifice themselves at the end issue (in that month’s issue of DNAgents, a Titans-like group, Youngblood, showed up, dying in a similar manner).

If worked into the DCU, they take the place of the RECOMbatants, but managed to save the day without having to sacrifice themselves.



Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG

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Tank

Dex: 03 Str: 09 Bod: 06 Motivation: Mercenary
Int: 05 Wil: 06 Min: 06 Occupation: DNAgent
Inf: 06 Aur: 05 Spi: 06 Resources {or Wealth}: 006
Init: 016 HP: 050

Powers:
Invulnerability*: 06, Systemic antidote: 06

Bonuses and Limitations:
Systemic antidote only works against disease (-2).

Skills:
Martial artist: 06, Vehicles (land): 06, Weaponry (“blasters”): 08

Advantages:
Rich Friend (Matrix), Immortality.

Connections:
Matrix (Low), DNAgents (High) .

Drawbacks:

  1. Misc : Tank cannot perceive the stress he puts on his cardiovascular system, and must rely on his regulator to tell him when to slow down. Treat this as a Major Burnout on STR (with the added disadvantage that it automatically activates the phase after he Pushes). If a Burnout happens, he must spend not take any strenuous action for the next 1d6 phases.
    If he doesn’t have his regulator, he’ll take 1d10 RAPs of Killing Damage 1d6 phases after the Burnout happens.
  2. Misc: Highly dependent on Matrix, who doesn’t always has his best interests at heart (10 pts).

Equipment:

  • TANK BODY ARMOR [/BODY/ 09, Projectile weapons: 07, Radio communications: 10, Shade: 02, includes his regulator].
  • ARMOR-PIERCING SHELLS [BODY 02, Sharpness (Projectile weapons): 05, Ammo: 02, Ammunition load for TANK BODY ARMOR].
  • CUSTOM MOTORCYCLE [STR 06, BODY 12, Running: 07, Thermal vision: 06, R#2].
  • Grenades (x2) [BODY 02, Bomb: 07, R#3, Grenade drawback].

By Jack Herman for FGU (V&V writeup, most texts) and Sébastien Andrivet (DCH adaptation, additional texts).

Source of Character: DNAgents comics (Tank and the DNAgents were created by Mark Evanier).

Helper(s): Perry Holley.