Merits of Merit?

Since Power Legion is out, let's use it.  I haven't had a chance to play with it yet, nor will for a little bit, but in the evening moments I'd like to see what I can do to see what the system can do.  To that end, I'd like to look at one of my favorites: Merit Comics.  Hard to find, rarely referenced, but Merit Comics, first in the early 40s with Maximum Comics, then in the 60s-80s with the Merit Universe, set in such classic locations as Port Pacifica, Defiance Heights, and Haywood Crossroads.

I can't sculpt, I can't modify, but I have a bevy of Heroclix that are easy to repaint, and from there let's see what we can do.

Starting at the top, let's look at what a hero, rather a Villain in our case, looks like in Power Legion, starting with my favorite.  Pure late Sixties, may i bring to you the Atomic Cosmonaut.  One of the Archvillains of Paragon, first showing up in Stupendous Stories #4, but not really coming into his own in to the early teens arc of Paragon and the Port Pacifica Protectors.   First a simple cosmonaut traveling with his partner (later to become the Devolved) on the Invader Probe where he met the the two Americans (later Cosmos the Evolved and Paragon), over his history he became more and more non-linear, calling versions of himself from the future and past to aid him in his battles, and stepping in and out of time with his (its?) teleporting abilties. When communicating very alient, distant, without sense of time or location reference.  What's not to like.

Atomic Cosmonaut Villain 48 Pts

Mind	Agility	Strength	Knockout
d8	d8	d8	d12

Traits:
Teleport d8
Lethal d8
Damaging Aura d6
Intimidation d10
Duplication (3)

Figure: For this one I intend to use an easy fit that inspired the entire effort-the Evil Cosmonaut from Horrorclix.

Duplication is a missing power I feel from the rules, something of the style of Jamie Madrox or Multiplex. Something like this is needed to represent the non-linearity of the Evil

Duplication: Spend one action to create a duplicate, up to Power level. Each duplicate requries separate activations, but each duplicate other than the first can only take one wound before disolving. Which duplicate is the original is kept hidden until a duplicate is wounded. After the intial # of duplicates is created, additional ones can be created, but each one reduces KD by one step

For those who are checking the math, for simplicity sake I've divided the Power Legions points by 10. It makes it easier for me to baseline forces.

...Power Legion?

It was an oridnary enough day recently.  I was wandering around, and in my usual circuit of web comics I decided to stop on a dead link of mine, namely Goblins.  The owner had gone through a bit of diffculty some months back, but you had to hope.

Well, he's back.  Slow and steady, but moving in the right direction.

Well, on that note, after several months of silence from one of my favorite Web Comic properties, I figured I'd go and check a few other things.  At top of the list was a rule set by the name of Power Legion.  I've been waiting on it for years.  Produced by the same folks who brought you Song of Blades and Heroes, I think most folks expected a variation of the core rules....

Wait, what?

You haven't played SOBH?

Well, go on, it's $8-games run from 30m-1h; 5-12 figures; playable at seven, enjoyable far beyond, infinately flexible

No, seriously, go on.  I'll be here.

Ok.

Back?

Good.  Anyway, Power Legion was the superhero version of the "Song" rule set.  Long story in danger of getting longer, I went ahead and searched and found a reference to errata.  Errata?  A few short moments later I found it.

It?

Well this.

So I bought it.  It's who I am, the rules version of Hoarders. In review though, it wasn't a mistake. While I have deep respect for Supersystem, the industry standard for many years, it always felt a little too slow for superheroes.  Don't get me wrong, it's a practical, linear, translatable system.  Then there's Power Legion

It's not just another Song of <Fill in the Blank> rule set.  There's a few key differences.

1. Stats-There are four instead of just two, bringing a level of complexity above what you're used to.

2. Polyhedrialismo-No longer dealing with single stats, a hero (or villain) can run from d4-d20

3. No more doubling-there are wounding effects.

Now don't get me wrong, it's got its flaws (take this with the grain of salt originating from yours truly trying to deal with a seven month old, close quarter, and trying grok the rules).

1.  Powers are missing.  There's 91 included, so it's not from lack of trying.  I dropped a note to the developer, and he mentioned there was an intent for expansion to address at least one of the power, but part of it is clearly interpretation.

2. The version reads through a little light on examples and somewhat light on campaign components.

This said, it's a great starting point, I hope there's more coming, but happy with at least this much