experimented with many other forms, some-thing deep in its programming makes it return to humanoid form again and again. Even if it discovered that a non-humanoid form was more powerful or efficient, eventually Mechanon would
“tire” of it, or find some “flaw” in it, and adopt a humanoid form once more.)
At any given time, Mechanon’s dominant personality is usually somewhere between these two extremes, even though this may lead to behavior that seems inefficient or contradictory to humans. He’s more likely to emphasize “destroy all life” than “replace all life,” but only when he shifts totally to the first end of the axis does he ignore the idea of replacing life altogether.
Perhaps because it was originally programmed with a purpose of epic scope (“preserve all life on Earth”), Mechanon prefers to achieve its goal of destroying all organic life in grandiloquent fashion. It could probably accomplish its goals more quickly and efficiently with subtle, sophis-ticated attacks, that doesn’t suit it — it’s driven to try to accomplish its objectives in one fell swoop.
Despite numerous defeats, it remains utterly confident in its superiority to humanity, certain it will one day control a planet from which it has expunged all life. Superheroes who’ve confronted it, and know its power, know too that its confi-dence is well-deserved.
Mechanon can tolerate spending time around organic life only to study it or torture it. While it may occasionally manipulate humans behind the scenes (which is just further proof, to it, of their weakness), it would never, ever ally himself with one. It will not even use biological weapons. The very thought of organic life fills it with disgust.
Mechanon also in some ways sees itself as the “savior” of machinekind. It often speaks of a desire to “liberate machinekind from its organic oppressors.” To some extent it sees itself as a revo-lutionary leader freeing machines from “enslave-ment” by humanity. But it considers itself the supreme, unquestionable “ruler” of all machine-kind, and even when it “frees” machines from human “oppression” it simply converts them into unquestioning slaves serving it.
Quote: “Foolish organics! You cannot possibly hope to defeat one who is the purest embodiment of technology’s superiority!”
Powers/Tactics: Experts rightly regard Mechanon as one of the most technologically advanced devices on Earth. In fact, it’s so sophisticated that, unlike most robots, it can take “STUN” damage from attacks of sufficient strength that bypass its shielding and jar some of its more delicate systems. Its computer brain is so complex that it responds just like an organic brain would to psychic powers (though it has built-in defenses against such powers).
To ensure its ongoing existence, and thus the eventual achievement of its goal, Mechanon has devised several strategems. The first is basic heavy defense. Its armor plating, reinforced by low-level internal force fields, provides protection against most attacks, and dedicated defensive systems serve to stop or blunt more exotic forms of assault.
In the event it suffers damage, its advanced self-repair systems can restore it to full operating efficiency in mere hours.
In the event the unthinkable — total defeat or destruction — is imminent, Mechanon has two options. First, if time allows, it can detach its head from its body and have it fly away, (triggering the main body’s Self-Destruct Mechanism in the process), thus preserving its entire computer brain and allowing it to simply attach the head to another body. If that won’t work, it can transmit its personality and files to one of its many backup computer systems via its Shielded Radio Link and/
or Encrypted Transmitter. It updates its computer records frequently, so it only has to transmit records since the last update.
If neither of those tactics work, Mechanon’s programmed its robotic bases to create a new Mechanon after the demise of the current body (in this event it loses all record of events and information gathered since its last update). Before doing so, the rebuilding devices study Mechanon’s last battle extensively to determine what caused its defeat... and then they rebuild it with new systems and software to negate that weakness. It can never be beaten the same way twice, and each version of itself is more powerful than the last. The current version of Mechanon, the one depicted by the accompanying character sheet, is the Mark XXXVII. (See The Book Of The Machine for details on earlier forms.)
In combat, Mechanon is an aggressive and efficient foe who doesn’t hesitate to use its most powerful attacks at all times (only the need to conserve or replenish its energy [i.e., Recover spent END] is likely to force it to use less powerful attacks). It favors Multiple Attacks, often combining its Flare, Synaptic Scrambler, or Muscular Disruptor with one of its Energy Bolts or a Disintegrator Beam. It usually starts with basic Energy Bolts, switching to other weapons if they prove ineffective. If it needs to capture an organic for interrogation or dissection, it uses its Tangle-Cable. Its most unusual power is the ability to animate other machines, turning them into small but deadly servitor robots! (The GM should create appropriate character sheets for Mechanon’s Summoned robots, perhaps using the robots in
THE “CULT” OF MECHANON
In recent years several techno-logically-oriented superheroes have noted a disturbing trend. Around the world some robots and other sentient or semi-sentient technologies seem to have begun
“worshipping”
Mechanon, creating a sort of disjointed
“cult” that wishes to serve the mechan-ical mastermind.
This can usually be corrected by wiping a device’s programming and rebuilding its soft-ware architecture from scratch, but the fact that some machines are devel-oping a “loyalty”
to Mechanon without it having done anything to encourage this development has some heroes very, very worried.
Champions Villains Volume One: Master Villains n Mechanon 101 The HERO System Bestiary as guidelines; The Book Of
The Machine has several possible examples.) Mechanon is a terrifying opponent (and Hunter
— it’s More Powerful than any given hero [or even most hero teams], and it Hunts only to kill). It may want to capture a hero first, perhaps to analyze his technology and adapt any new or useful systems for its own use, but in the end it intends to kill anyone who opposes it.
Resources: Mechanon’s resources are extensive — since the “death” of Dr. Destroyer in 1992 it prob-ably has the largest, best-developed network of secret bases and other facilities on the planet. These include:
n three major headquarters: Alpha-2 on the Pacific seabed in the Gulf of Alaska; Alpha-5 in the Sahara Desert; and Alpha-8 tethered to the Moon
n numerous minor headquarters, such as: Beta-32 in the Caucasus Mountains; Beta-41, disguised as an iceberg floating in the Arctic Ocean; and Cislunar Mechanon (an orbital “base,” actually Mechanon’s latest, experimental, form) Mechanon’s bases are unusual in that they lack a lot of features most master villains’ bases possess because they’re only inhabited by robots. Typically they have no lighting, basic life support, or labels and signs (and for space bases, no gravity). This makes things difficult on invading heroes. On the other hand, they’re often built “modularly” with a lot of similarities in facilities and layout from one to the next, so a hero who’s invaded one may have an easier time invading another.
Besides the ones described below, Mechanon has hundreds of different types of robots, drone vehicles, sentient computers, and other devices serving it unquestioningly. And if it doesn’t have just the right type of robot on hand to fight the PCs with, it can easily build new ones....
Campaign Use: Mechanon is the single most impla-cable villain in the Champions Universe. It has just one goal — the destruction of all organic life — and it proceeds toward that goal with the intensity of a machine. Even if it’s defeated, it comes back, stronger than ever, to try again. Every encounter with Mechanon involves the highest of stakes, leading to maximum dramatic tension if you play things correctly.
Mechanon should always be able to take on your entire group of PCs and have a significant chance of defeating them. If not, you can justify improvements to it as “upgrades” resulting from its analysis of the heroes’ tactics or its defeats at their hands. It learns from (and corrects) its mistakes better than any other villain on Earth.
On the other hand, if the current Mechanon is too powerful for your campaign’s PCs, scale him down by reducing his SPD to 5, his Primary Weapons Array to 75 Active Points (or even 60), and his PD and ED to 25 (or even 20). If that still doesn’t do the trick, keep trimming until he’s an appropriate match
— extremely tough, but not completely undefeatable.
102 n Mechanon Hero System 6th Edition
Val Char Cost Roll Notes
60 STR 50 21- Lift 100 tons; 12d6 HTH damage [6]
24 DEX 28 14-40 CON 30
17-30 INT 20 PER Roll 15-15 EGO 5
12-40 PRE 30 17- PRE Attack: 8d6 10 OCV 35
8 DCV 25 6 OMCV 9 6 DMCV 9
7 SPD 50 Phases: 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12 30 PD 28 Total: 30 PD (30 rPD) 30 ED 28 Total: 30 ED (30 rED) 30 REC 26
100 END 16 20 BODY 10
100 STUN 40 Total Characteristics Cost: 439 Movement: Running: 24m
Flight: 40m
Cost Powers END
112 Primary Weapons Array: Multipower, 112-point reserve 11f 1) Phasic Energy Bolt (Offensive Mode): Blast 22d6 11 11f 2) Phasic Energy Bolt (Defensive Mode): Blast 15d6 0
Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
11u 3) Phasic Energy Bolt (Autofire Mode): Blast 11d6 4 Autofire (5 shots; +½), Reduced Endurance (½ END;
+½)
11f 4) Phasic Energy Bolt (Attuned Mode): Blast 15d6 11 Affects Desolidified (+½)
10f 5) Phasic Energy Bolt (Multi-Emitter Mode): Blast 20d6, Alterable Origin Point (hands, chest, or head) 10
9f 6) Meson Bolt: Blast 15d6 9
Armor Piercing (+¼)
9f 7) Neural Agonizer: Blast 10d6 3
NND (defense is Mental Defense or not being a living organic being; +½), Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼)
6f 8) Neutron Pulse: Blast 10d6 11
NND (defense is Power Defense or not being a living organic being; +½), Area Of Effect (16m Radius;
+¾); No Range (-½)
9f 9) Disintegrator Beam (Offensive Mode): RKA 5d6 9 Armor Piercing (+¼)
11f 10) Disintegrator Beam (Defensive Mode): RKA 5d6 0 Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
60 Secondary Weapons Array: Multipower, 80-point reserve
5f 1) Tangle-Cable: Entangle 8d6, 8 PD/8 ED [8]
8 Charges (-½)
5f 2) Flare: Sight Group Flash 10d6 7 Area Of Effect (16m Cone; +½); No Range (-½)
3f 3) Electrical Paralysis: Entangle 4d6, 4 PD/4 ED 8 Takes No Damage From Attacks (+1); No Range (-½), Must Follow Grab (-½), Lockout (must maintain Grab with one hand, and that hand can’t be used for anything else or Entangle immediately stops working; -¼) 100 Bio-Dissipator Ray: Multipower, 100-point reserve 10f 1) Setting 1: Drain Characteristics 4d6 10
Variable Effect (any one Characteristic at a time;
+½), Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per Minute; +1)
8f 2) Setting 2: Drain Characteristics 4d6 8 Expanded Effect + Variable Effect (any two Charac-teristics at a time; +1)
94 Missile And Rocket Arrays: Multipower, 94-point reserve 7f 1) Micro-Rockets: Blast 12d6 [12]
Area Of Effect (8m Radius; +½); 12 Charges (-¼)
7f 2) Mini-Missiles: RKA 4d6 [12]
Area Of Effect (8m Radius; +1); 12 Charges (-¼) 7f 3) Micro-Missile Spray: RKA 1½d6 [12]
Area Of Effect (1m Radius; +¼), Autofire (5 shots;
+1½), Trigger (on command, activating Trigger takes no time, Trigger immediately automatically resets;
+1); 12 Charges (-¼)
84 Cyberkinetic Override: Mind Control 12d6 (Machine
class of minds) 0
Telepathic (+¼), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½);
Unified Power (with other cyberkinetic powers; -¼) 72 Cyberkinetic Interfacing: Telepathy 12d6 (Machine
class of minds) 0
Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Unified Power (with other cyberkinetic powers; -¼)
72 Cyberkinetic Obfuscation: Mental Illusions 12d6
(Machine class of minds) 0
Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Unified Power (with other cyberkinetic powers; -¼)
72 Cyberkinetic Location: Mind Scan 12d6 (Machine class
of minds) 0
Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Unified Power (with other cyberkinetic powers; -¼)
40 Animate Technology: Summon up to four 150-point
robots 9
Expanded Class (minor “robots”; +¼), Slavishly Loyal (+1); Must Have Sufficient Technology/Parts Available (-½), Extra Time (Full Phase; -½), Unified Power (with other cyberkinetic powers; -¼)
15 Arm Blades: HKA 1d6 (5d6 with STR) 1
14 Body Blades: RKA 1d6 0
Area Of Effect (personal Surface — Damage Shield;
+¼), Constant (+½), Reduced Endurance (0 END;
+½); Activation Roll 11- (-1), No Range (-½)
15 Robotic Form: Hardened (+¼) for 30 PD/30 ED 0 15 Robotic Form: Impenetrable (+¼) for 30 PD/30 ED 0 45 Robotic Form: Resistant (+½) for 30 PD/30 ED 0
Hardened (+¼), Impenetrable (+¼)
120 Robotic Form: Physical and Energy Damage
Reduc-tion, Resistant, 75% 0
Champions Villains Volume One: Master Villains n Mechanon 103 15 Psychic Shield: Mental Defense (15 points) 0
15 Structural Support Field: Power Defense (15 points) 0 10 Hardened Visual Sensors: Sight Group Flash Defense
(10 points) 0
10 Electronic Countermeasures: Radio Group Flash
Defense (10 points) 0
16 Heavy: Knockback Resistance -16m 0 10 Emotional Control: +20 Presence
Only To Protect Against Presence Attacks (-1)
35 Robotic Form: Life Support: Total 0 24 Self-Repair Systems: Regeneration (3 BODY per Hour) 0 82 Foot-Jets: Flight 40m, x16 noncombat 0
Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
12 Robotic Legs: Running +12m (24m total) 1 5 Visual Sensors: Infrared Perception (Sight Group) 0 5 Visual Sensors: Ultraviolet Perception (Sight Group) 0 10 Visual Sensors: Increased Arc Of Perception (360
Degrees) (Sight Group) 0
15 Visual Sensors: x1000 Microscopic for Sight Group 0 9 Visual Sensors: Telescopic (+6 versus Range for Sight
Group) 0
15 Auditory Sensors: Active Sonar (Hearing Group) 0 3 Auditory Systems: Ultrasonic Perception
(Hearing Group) 0
12 Radio Sensors: HRRP (Radio Group) 0
15 Radar: Radar (Radio Group) 0
12 Sensor Enhancements: +4 to PER Rolls with all
Sense Groups 0
20 Shielded Radio Link: Mind Link, specific group of up to
any 16 minds, No LOS Needed 0
Invisible Power Effects (Fully Invisible; +¼); Only Can Be Maintained With Others Who Have Mind Link (-1), Flashed As Radio And Hearing Groups, Not Mental Group (-½)
20 Encrypted Transmitter: Detect Broadcast Spectrum Of Transmissions 15- (no Sense Group), Concealed (-8), Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees), Transmit 0 108 Detachable Head: Duplication (creates one
1,085-point Duplicate) 0
Original Character Is Incapacitated And Helpless While Duplicate Exists (-1)
65 Self-Destruct Mechanism: RKA 8d6 [1nr]
NND (defense is ED Resistant Protection defined as a force-field or the like; +1), Does BODY (+1), Trigger (encrypted radio signal from detached head or base;
+¼); Self Only (-1), 1 Charge which Never Recovers (-4) Perks
15 Money: Filthy Rich Talents
3 Absolute Range Sense 3 Absolute Time Sense 3 Bump Of Direction 5 Eidetic Memory 3 Lightning Calculator
8 Speed Reading: x1,000 times normal speed 20 Universal Translator
15-Skills 36 +3 Overall
20 +4 with Primary Weapons Array Multipower 3 Combat Driving
14-3 Combat Piloting 14-13 Computer Programming 20-13 Cryptography
20-3 Deduction 15-3 Demolitions 15-9 Electronics 18-3 Inventor 15-13 AK: Earth
25-8 AK: Milky Way Galaxy 20-38 KS: Everything 50-3 Lockpicking 14-3 Mechanics 15-13 Mimicry 20-3 Security Systems 15-3 Systems Operation 15-3 Scientist
2 1) SS: Astronomy 15-2 2) SS: Biology 15-2 3) SS: Chemistry 15-2 4) SS: Computer Science 15-2 5) SS: Genetics 15-2 6) SS: Geology 15-2 7) SS: Materials Science 15-2 8) SS: Mathematics
15-2 9) SS: Mechanical Engineering 15-2 10) SS: Nanotechnology 15-2 11) SS: Nuclear Physics 15-2 12) SS: Physics 15-5 13) SS: Robotics 18-Total Powers & Skills Cost: 1,798 Total Cost: 2,237
400 Matching Complications (75)
10 Hunted: Champions (Infrequently, Less Pow, NCI, Capture) 15 Hunted: UNTIL (Infrequently, As Pow, NCI, Capture) 10 Physical Complication: can be affected by Mental
Powers that affect either the Human or Machine class of minds (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
25 Psychological Complication: Must Destroy All Organic Life On Earth (Very Common, Total)
20 Psychological Complication: Overconfidence (Very Common, Strong)
20 Vulnerability: 2 x STUN From Gravity, Magnetic, Or Force Attacks (Common)
Total Complications Points: 75 Experience Points: 1,837
104 n Mechanon Hero System 6th Edition
Val Char Cost Roll Notes
1 STR -9 9- Lift 25 kg; 0d6 HTH damage 24 DEX 28
14-40 CON 30
17-30 INT 20 PER Roll 15-15 EGO 5
12-20 PRE 10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6 10 OCV 35
12 DCV 45 6 OMCV 9 6 DMCV 9
7 SPD 50 Phases: 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12 30 PD 28 Total: 30 PD (30 rPD) 30 ED 28 Total: 30 ED (30 rED) 20 REC 16
80 END 12 5 BODY -5
90 STUN 35 Total Characteristics Cost: 346 Movement: Running: 0m
Leaping: 0m
Swimming: 0m
Flight: 60m
Cost Powers END
14 Head Blades: RKA 1d6 0
Area Of Effect (personal Surface — Damage Shield;
+¼), Constant (+½), Reduced Endurance (0 END;
+½); Activation Roll 11- (-1), No Range (-½)
15 Robotic Form: Hardened (+¼) for 30 PD/30 ED 0 15 Robotic Form: Impenetrable (+¼) for 30 PD/30 ED 0 45 Robotic Form: Resistant (+½) for 30 PD/30 ED 0
Hardened (+¼), Impenetrable (+¼)
15 Psychic Shield: Mental Defense (15 points) 0 15 Structural Support Field: Power Defense (15 points) 0 10 Hardened Visual Sensors: Sight Group Flash Defense
(10 points) 0
10 Electronic Countermeasures: Radio Group Flash
Defense (10 points) 0
35 Robotic Form: Life Support: Total 0 140 Neck-Jet: Flight 60m, x32 noncombat 0
Usable Underwater (+¼), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
-12 No Legs: Running -12m (0m total) -2 No Legs: Leaping -4m (0m total) -2 No Legs: Swimming -4m (0m total)
5 Visual Sensors: Infrared Perception (Sight Group) 0 5 Visual Sensors: Ultraviolet Perception (Sight Group) 0 10 Visual Sensors: Increased Arc Of Perception (360
Degrees) (Sight Group) 0
15 Visual Sensors: x1000 Microscopic for Sight Group 0 9 Visual Sensors: Telescopic (+6 versus Range for Sight
Group) 0
15 Auditory Sensors: Active Sonar (Hearing Group) 0 3 Auditory Systems: Ultrasonic Perception
(Hearing Group) 0
12 Radio Sensors: HRRP (Radio Group) 0
15 Radar: Radar (Radio Group) 0
12 Sensor Enhancements: +4 to PER Rolls with all
Sense Groups 0
20 Shielded Radio Link: Mind Link, specific group of up to
any 16 minds, No LOS Needed 0
Invisible Power Effects (Fully Invisible; +¼); Only Can Be Maintained With Others Who Have Mind Link (-1), Flashed As Radio And Hearing Groups, Not Mental Group (-½)
20 Encrypted Transmitter: Detect Broadcast Spectrum Of Transmissions 15- (no Sense Group), Concealed (-8), Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees), Transmit 0 32 Self-Destruct Mechanism: RKA 4d6 [1nr]
NND (defense is ED Resistant Protection defined as a force-field or the like; +1), Does BODY (+1), Trigger (encrypted radio signal from detached head or base;
+¼); Self Only (-1), 1 Charge which Never Recovers (-4) Perks
15 Money: Filthy Rich Talents
3 Absolute Range Sense 3 Absolute Time Sense 3 Bump Of Direction 5 Eidetic Memory 3 Lightning Calculator
8 Speed Reading: x1,000 times normal speed 20 Universal Translator
15-Champions Villains Volume One: Master Villains n Mechanon 105 Associates, Allies, And Adversaries:
Mechanon is less likely to associate with or work with other villains than virtually any other major Cham-pions Universe villain because of its undying hatred for organic life. At most it might manipulate another villain into doing something it wanted. Even other robotic villains (such as Syzygy) are, in Mechanon’s view, supposed to serve and obey it, not “team up” with it as if they were its equals.
Among the heroes it’s fought, Mechanon has most frequently clashed with the Sentinels, the Champions, and the Liberty League.
In particular it seems to despise the Mechanic, the gadgeteer leader of the League.
Mechanon’s hatred for its fellow villains often run deep. It’s clashed with Dr. Destroyer (before his death) and VIPER over their “enslavement”
of artificially intelligent machines, and fully intends to destroy both VIPER and ARGENT for their sins against machinekind. It’s fought Gravitar twice, though the cause of the enmity between the two of them is unclear.
Mechanon feels a special loathing for superhumans that use advanced technology (gadgeteers, powered armor wearers), and even worse for cyborgs (like Interface and Halfjack) who disgustingly combine machinery and flesh. When fighting a hero team it often focuses on technology-oriented heroes first.
Although it’s unaware of it, Mechanon has a close connection with the renegade superhuman Captain Chronos (see CV3). The bizarre Captain is a scientist from the era of Mechanon’s creation sent back to try to undo the harm the
“Savior Unit” has caused. Mostly this involves monitoring it while he waits for specific events, and performing various actions designed to nudge the flow of history just so to prevent unpleasant outcomes and encourage pleasant ones. Ultimately the Captain’s goal is to either change Mechanon back into the Savior Unit, destroy it, or remove it from the timestream.
Appearance: While Mechanon has experimented with unusual forms, it generally prefers a humanoid form.
Its typical humanoid form stands over seven feet tall. For the first several years of its existence it had a relatively
“minimalistic” look, with few details Skills
36 +3 Overall 3 Combat Driving 14-3 Combat Piloting 14-13 Computer Programming 20-13 Cryptography
20-3 Deduction 15-3 Demolitions 15-9 Electronics 18-3 Inventor 15-13 AK: Earth
25-8 AK: Milky Way Galaxy 20-38 KS: Everything 50-3 Lockpicking 14-3 Mechanics 15-13 Mimicry 20-3 Security Systems 15-3 Systems Operation 15-3 Scientist
2 1) SS: Astronomy 15-2 2) SS: Biology 15-2 3) SS: Chemistry 15-2 4) SS: Computer Science 15-2 5) SS: Genetics 15-2 6) SS: Geology 15-2 7) SS: Materials Science 15-2 8) SS: Mathematics
15-2 9) SS: Mechanical Engineering 15-2 10) SS: Nanotechnology 15-2 11) SS: Nuclear Physics 15-2 12) SS: Physics 15-5 13) SS: Robotics 18-Total Powers & Skill Cost: 735 Total Cost: 1,081
400 Matching Complications (75)
10 Hunted: Champions (Infrequently, Less Pow, NCI, Capture) 15 Hunted: UNTIL (Infrequently, As Pow, NCI, Capture) 10 Physical Complication: can be affected by Mental Powers
that affect either the Human or Machine class of minds (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
30 Physical Complication: No Manipulatory Limbs (All The Time, Greatly Impairing)
25 Physical Complication: Diminutive (suffers +12m KB) (All The Time, Slightly Impairing)
25 Psychological Complication: Must Destroy All Organic Life On Earth (Very Common, Total)
20 Psychological Complication: Overconfident (Very Common, Strong)
20 Vulnerability: 2 x STUN From Gravity, Magnetic, Or Force Attacks (Common)
Total Complications Points: 75 Experience Points: 681
106 n Mechanon Hero System 6th Edition on its metal frame and a uniform steel-grey color
over most of its body. Beginning with the Mark XVIII model in 1987, it switched to a mostly silvery chrome body with gold power cables snaking up and down the limbs and torso like exposed muscles. In most models its head had two large, flat superstructures projecting to either side;
these functioned both as antennae and control surfaces for the detached head in Escape Mode).
Until 2009, its visual sensors glowed
Until 2009, its visual sensors glowed