EvilSanta

I am in exactly the same place as you, only maybe a month or so on - I have my WS and I'm at 25. I'd echo the previous post - plasma's guide has been a great help.

I've found slotting to be expensive and easy to get wrong. Forms come with four powers most of which need slotting on top of the powers you pick

I focused on putting slots into the form powers - Nova and Dwarf. My playstyle from 6 - 20 was largely that of blaster. From 20 - 25 it's been about the same, although you can now double mire, which when they both hit can make a massive difference to your DPS. I say massive, but these things are relative of course.

I have tanked when the main tanked faceplanted, and in a small team with experienced players. I haven't figured out how the taunt works, since you aim it at a target but I'm pretty sure it pulls more than one mob away (more experience players can sort me out here)

Anything else...? um, get macros to switch forms, you'll be doing it a lot if you want to get the most out of the AT

Thanks for the feedback - although I see my slotting got totally screwed up - 3 slots for swift? I should be shot! I'm not dedicated enough to amass the inf you've been talking about - so does this make the combo unplayable for me do you think?

Hey

I'm trying out a fire/DA scrapper - and I've looked for a guide or build but without much success. I guess the build is too end heavy to be popular. Which makes me want to play one even more! ANyway - proposed build is below. I'd welcome comments and feedback

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.4006
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Level 50 Magic Scrapper
Primary Power Set: Fiery Melee
Secondary Power Set: Dark Armor
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fitness
Ancillary Pool: Body Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Scorch -- (A)(3)(9)(19)(39)(43)
Level 1: Dark Embrace -- (A)(5)(11)(46)(50)
Level 2: Fire Sword -- (A)(3)(9)(15)(37)(43)
Level 4: Murky Cloud -- (A)(5)(11)(31)
Level 6: Cremate -- (A)(7)(7)(15)(37)(43)
Level 8: Hasten -- (A)
Level 10: Combat Jumping -- (A)
Level 12: Swift -- (A)(13)(13)
Level 14: Death Shroud -- (A)
Level 16: Dark Regeneration -- (A)(17)(17)(19)
Level 18: Health -- (A)(34)(40)
Level 20: Super Jump -- (A)(21)(21)
Level 22: Fire Sword Circle -- (A)(23)(23)(25)(36)(42)
Level 24: Stamina -- (A)(25)(31)
Level 26: Incinerate -- (A)(27)(27)(34)(37)(42)
Level 28: Cloak of Fear -- (A)(29)(29)(31)
Level 30: Obsidian Shield -- (A)(34)(40)
Level 32: Greater Fire Sword -- (A)(33)(33)(33)(36)(40)
Level 35: Oppressive Gloom -- (A)(36)
Level 38: Soul Transfer -- (A)(39)(39)
Level 41: Build Up -- (A)(42)
Level 44: Cloak of Darkness -- (A)(45)(45)(45)(46)(46)
Level 47: Conserve Power -- (A)(48)(48)(48)(50)(50)
Level 49: Focused Accuracy -- (A)
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- (A)
Level 1: Sprint -- (A)
Level 2: Rest -- (A)
Level 1: Critical Hit



<font class="small">Code:[/color]<hr /><pre>| Copy &amp; Paste this data into Mids' Hero Designer to view the build |
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You are searching StrangeDaze.net, your one stop shop for all things Sarah Strange

Forums/News/Have you guys seen this???

Postedby: Incandescant
Guys, have you see this? Posted on Herophobic.com by their chief resident [censored]-hat editor. He’s claiming to have video surveillance of DP and SS’s last meeting at the Portal Corp and he’s posted a link to the file

Postedby: Ghostriderz
WHAT?! Un-fricking-believable! I can’t get at it through the firewall – what’s the deal?

Postedby: Incandescant
It’s really grainy, like it was shot from like a mile away and then max zoomed. Oh and there’s no sound

Postedby: Ghostriderz
Screw the quality! I want details? Are they fighting or snogging?

Postedby: Incandescant
Bit of both, actually

Postedby: ViralBlackMarket
Fake

Postedby: Eyeteeth
[Fake] QFT

Postedby: LotusPosition
I dunno. Looks pretty real to me

Postedby: Webby Fication
Really? Have you seen the angle of those rocks? Look at the shadow – it’s obviously been matted on after. If the sun was behind them, the shadow would be at right angles to the rock, not below!

Postedby: Incandescant
Oh man, there you go with those rocks again. Last time it was Palm Trees in Cuba…

Postedby: Tubthumping
[Palm Trees in Cuba] Actually, Puerto Rico. Or was it Costa Rica? Wasn’t it the flying fridge thing?

Postedby: Eyeteeth
OK, the admins have run the file through Depth Charge 2.0. Nothing to report.

Postedby: HeeBGeeB
Inatthedeepend.com have posted a transcript. Although there’s no sound, they’ve given the file to lip reading experts and they’ve extrapolated the conversation, as far it goes.

Postedby ViralBlackMarket
[given the file to lip reading experts] Or so they say.

\newSession
New Session window. Terminal open.
\Meta Search “Deius Pax Sarah Strange final meeting herophobic”;
&lt;Search Executing: No file found&gt;
\Solstrike
&lt;Solstrike AI is now online&gt;
A.I Reports: Your file is currently locked and offline. Your command?
\Rendition();
A.I Reports: Your command lacked sufficient argument(s). Your Command?
\Rendition(forceful; -confirmation; noprotocols)
A.I Reports: Understood: Rendition complete. Fingerprint size (estimate): 1/100th ms.
\EndSession

Welcome to StrangeDaze.Net. Your one stop shop for all things Sarah Strange
You are searching: File transcript
One Entry: DP/SS Film bootleg file transcript.

Note from the Admins: The file has seen heavy usage and, tbh, we’re not used to it so it might take a little while to download – but stick with it as it’s definitely worth it, especially since the actual film has now returned to the Ether(Net).

&lt;Grabbing file… please be patient&gt;

Thanks so far - plan to take Kin Crash in JB for KB protection, may even go so far as to slot an IO. I've had a think about what you said about hasten, and amended as below. It does mean no pulverize till 44 and I assume no epic (or 2 spaces for epic at end)

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.4006
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Level 43 Mutation Tanker
Primary Power Set: Fiery Aura
Secondary Power Set: War Mace
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fitness

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Blazing Aura -- (A)
Level 1: Bash -- (A)
Level 2: Fire Shield -- (A)
Level 4: Healing Flames -- (A)
Level 6: Jawbreaker -- (A)
Level 8: Consume -- (A)
Level 10: Combat Jumping -- (A)
Level 12: Plasma Shield -- (A)
Level 14: Hasten -- (A)
Level 16: Swift -- (A)
Level 18: Build Up -- (A)
Level 20: Super Jump -- (A)
Level 22: Health -- (A)
Level 24: Stamina -- (A)
Level 26: Acrobatics -- (A)
Level 28: Whirling Mace -- (A)
Level 30: Fiery Embrace -- (A)
Level 32: Rise of the Phoenix -- (A)
Level 35: Shatter -- (A)
Level 38: Crowd Control -- (A)
Level 41: Clobber -- (A)
Level 44: Pulverize -- (A)
Level 47: [Empty]
Level 49: [Empty]
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- (A)
Level 1: Sprint -- (A)
Level 2: Rest -- (A)
Level 1: Gauntlet



<font class="small">Code:[/color]<hr /><pre>| Copy &amp; Paste this data into Mids' Hero Designer to view the build |
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wouldnt mind some input on my planned fire/mace build. Here's what i've got so far - although I'll point out that at this point i'm actually only lvl 7

I know BA is end heavy at low levels, but I like it nonetheless

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.4006
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Level 40 Mutation Tanker
Primary Power Set: Fiery Aura
Secondary Power Set: War Mace
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fitness

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Blazing Aura -- (A)
Level 1: Bash -- (A)
Level 2: Fire Shield -- (A)
Level 4: Healing Flames -- (A)
Level 6: Jawbreaker -- (A)
Level 8: Consume -- (A)
Level 10: Combat Jumping -- (A)
Level 12: Plasma Shield -- (A)
Level 14: Swift -- (A)
Level 16: Health -- (A)
Level 18: Build Up -- (A)
Level 20: Super Jump -- (A)
Level 22: Stamina -- (A)
Level 24: Acrobatics -- (A)
Level 26: Pulverize -- (A)
Level 28: Whirling Mace -- (A)
Level 30: Fiery Embrace -- (A)
Level 32: Rise of the Phoenix -- (A)
Level 35: Shatter -- (A)
Level 38: Crowd Control -- (A)
Level 41: Clobber -- (A)
Level 44: [Empty]
Level 47: [Empty]
Level 49: [Empty]
------------
Level 1: Brawl -- (A)
Level 1: Sprint -- (A)
Level 2: Rest -- (A)
Level 1: Gauntlet



<font class="small">Code:[/color]<hr /><pre>| Copy &amp; Paste this data into Mids' Hero Designer to view the build |
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Welcome! You are searching StrangeDaze.net. The one stop shop for all things Sarah Strange.

Search: Jackaspades
Found: 1 Entry: Jack A’ Spades
Similar Entries: James Andrew Spade, Jack Of Spades, Jack A Spades, Spring Heeled Jack, Jack Spade Jnr, Jack Shovel, Flaming Jack Spades

James (“Jack”) Andrew Spade Jnr was born to an impoverished and unremarkable immigrant family that made their way to Paragon City at the turn of the last century from Europe. At that time, Paragon was going through something of a building boom and so it was that Jacks father, James Snr was soon earning a regular (albeit small) income as a construction worker.

Jack was educated at home as were many of his peers and joined his father on site at the tender age of ten. Between them, they were the major breadwinners of a family that now included Jacks two younger sisters and an infant brother.

While living on the poverty line is by no means an easy way to survive, there is little else of Jack’s early life to note. There were no family tragedies to speak of, Jacks father managed to avoid the corruption in the construction industry that was rife at that time.

Things changed when Jack was appointed as a foreman on the 13th Street subway Station.

The incident at 13 Street is now well documented and details can be found elsewhere on StrangeDaze.net so a full reprint is not necessary here. In summary however, James and his team of 12 were digging in one of the foundation pylons when they fell through what has since been classified as a dimensional pocket.

Even now, some 70 years later, there is still speculation as to where this “pocket” led. But most agree that is likely to have been on some other earth. Jack himself would only say that it took him “somewhere hot and full of screaming dead people.” Unfortunately, when Jack emerged some 68 years later, these “screaming dead” followed Jack through into Paragon, triggering an invasion sensationalised in the popular press as “Night-Haunt of the long knives” and “Demons over State Street”. It also saw the creation of the first ever copywrited slogan used by a hero – Deius Pax’s “Undead or Alive, you’re coming with me”

At the height of the “invasion” Jack accompanied the mystic Sarah Strange back through the portal in order to seal it where they found and fought some kind of powerful being: “We skipped the fiddle contest and went straight to me battering him over the head w’me spade” He later recalled.

He also became something of a Sarah Strange supporter and the two of them worked together on a number of occasions: “You have no idea, no idea, what she does for this place,” he once said following the media attack on Strange’s involvement in the disappearance of Deius Pax “and you’re better off not knowing.” He added.

In action Jack’s body generates massive amounts of heat, a throwback no doubt to his time spent “elsewhere”. His weapon of choice is the spade he used to fight the denizens of the portal to such great effect: “It got me out of hell,” he once commented “so I think it’ll help me here.”

Welcome! You are searching StrangeDaze.Net. The one stop shop for all things Sarah Strange.
You are viewing Forum topics/Lifestory/Origen
4 posts

Posted by: LotusPosition: So um hey, my first post here so be kind! LoLz… anyway I’m confused by the orgin thing. I mean, does SS get her powerz from magic or what?
Posted by Incant: Nah, she was made – that makes her a techie
Posted by Eyeteeth: It’s the subject of some debate – you can find other posts here, here and here. You might argue that her powers come from within – ie: natural
Posted by ArdentFan: No debate, she’s a magicka. Pure and simple. That business with Jackaspades at 13th street should have ended the debate once and for all. She sealed a portal to hell… to HELL people! And with a binding SPELL. If that’s not magic, what is?
Posted by Eyeteeth: We’re not talking about the powers Sarah uses, we’re talking about where she gets them from…

Welcome! You're searching StrangeDaze.Net, the home for all things Sarah Strange!
&gt; Search: Sarah Strange
**RETURN** Entry 1, 1 Entry
Sarah Strange


Sarah Strange is the child of an unlikley pairing - the stage magician Julian Carter and Sidhe, The Forsworn Queen of the Fey. By now many know that Carter was the secret identity of Adam Eldritch, the Arch-Mage defender of Pangea (the magical plane on which Earth sits) and Sidhe's reputation undoubtably proceeds her.

In the early eighties, the Crey Corporation were busy using stolen Ritki technology to advance their Eugenics programme. An offshoot of this work led to a project known only as "Eight" (presumedly a side-swipe at the number of days of creation). The Crey 'Eight' programme was essentially an artificial life project and forerunner to GENIE, taking small samples of doner DNA and using them to build fully functioning humans or "Drones". Unfortunately the technology of the time was unable to sustain the drones for long and the programme ultimately failed. But not before it was compromised.

Inch-High Super-Spy, working on contract for Lord Recluse stole large portions of the programme files before Crey mothballed it. Recluse's motives for acquiring the data this way are unknown but can be guessed at. Arachnos resources were poured into the progamme while doner DNA was acquired from target sources.

Throughout long and illustrious careers, many superhero's unknowingly leave tiny bits of themselves lying around: Hair, blood, saliva. Getting hold of these "personal affects" can be as easy as searching ebay or contacting ardent fans and Arachnos is well practiced in the art of getting what it wants.

It is said that six variants were produced before a viable drone remained. In the case of the seventh, it wasn't the technology that kept the fetus alive, but something else - a powerful magical field - that protected and strengthened the as yet unborn child, right from the very moment of it's chemical conception.

She was christened "Strange" by the Arachnos Lab Techs and grew at a predigious rate, both in physical maturity and power, with abilities similar to both her parents. From her father she gained the power to influence the mind, from her mother, the power to manipulate weather systems to her benefit. Arachnos kept their strongwilled prodigy in check with a routine including drugs and hypnosis which, when coupled with the constant input of propaganda from growing up inside an Arachnos base, led to her becoming a very loyal soldier.

It was during an outting to rob a bank in Paragon City that things started to go wrong. In the ensuing fight, Strange went up against the hero Deius Pax. She was outmatched, and fell before the Scrappers magical blade, "Albion". He called on her to surrender, leveling Albion an inch from her face when something happened. DP would later recall that it was "like two bars of plutonium comin (sic) together" and the resulting explosion knocked them both unconscious.

Five days later, Strange awoke in an Arachnos military hospital seemingly nonetheworse for her encounter. But something was amiss. The magical field that had protected her from birth was now interfering with her powers, often with chaotic results. Her mentors in Arachnos put this down to the means of her birth and saw it as the early onset of her chemical degradation, like the 6 drones that proceeded her. Her fieldwork lessened as she became more of a danger to herself and her teammates, until she was finally declared unfit for duty.

It is said that Recluse himself ordered her sent to a distant observation post in Croatoa while Arachnos attempted the recovery of samples from Deius Pax blade for analysis "or she blows up" as he reputedly added to her transfer form. Strange, apparantly, cleared a mile of woodland in her rage at this "betrayal".

At some point during her time in Croatoa she made contact with the Cabal, or they with her. It is unlikely that a being has magical as she was would go unnoticed by any of the denizens of that magical place, let alone the Witches of the Cabal. There are conflicting stories to what happened next - sources in Arachnos say that Strange was kidnapped. Independent observers say that she simply walked out. Either way, she disappeared and would never work for Arachnos again

Strange spent 2 years locked away with the Cabal while they tried to understand her nature and powers. In the end though, they were unable to control her any more than Arachnos was. They did provide her with an important clue: the name of her father. The Tools Of Fate have since commented that "Pangea reached a crucial decision gate at this time". Some have speculated that by this the Tools are referring to what might have occurred had the Cabal provide Strange with the name of her mother (although Deius Pax commented in his TV Christmas Special that "The Tools are full of what makes the grass grow greener")

By this point however, Adam Eldritch was long since gone, lost in the Infinite War almost a decade previously. The Simulcra left behind to protect his secret identity however, evidentally recognised something in the young woman (although in typical Adam Eldritch style it has never said what). Much of the information that follows has only one source: Daniel Pauls exposee "Strange Days: A biography, An Enigma" which has now largely been debunked, following the revelation of a key source being a down and out alcoholic and compulsive liar.

"For six days the pair talked and read passages of her father's journal before she looked into the De Vries mirror..." (Critics have noted the authors precise use of language here. It is not known she was allowed to look or forced to look.)"...what she saw she's never revealed. Whatever it was, it burned bright enough to put a brand around her left eye and bleached almost all of the colour out of the rest of her."

The next day, "Sarah Strange" (she allegedly took the name "Sarah" from a one word entry in her father's journal against the date she was created) used her powers to full effect to prevent an armed robbery at the First National Bank in Steel Canyon.

She is referred to by a variety of titles in the media, "Startling Supernatural" being the current alliteration of choice although she's seen other less glamourous names throughout her as yet short lived celebrity status. She's best known for the brief on-again off-again marriage with her former foe, Deius Pax (DP himself refered to her as "Hot" and "Freaky" depending on where their relationship was).

Naturally enough, the gutter press made a big deal of her being the last person to see him alive before he disappeared with now infamous headlines such as "Like Father, Like Son(in law)" and "Strange end for Hero". She herself has never commented, although it was recently widely reported that she returns to Peregrine Island on the anniversary of her husbands disappearance.

Little else of her private life is known, although it is suspected that she is an active member of the Super Group "Rise" and it's been reported she spends time buying and selling items of magical power.

In terms of looks, Sarah's street wear favours older clothes. She wears 7th cavalry trousers, 1960's workers boots a leather duster she found in her father's things and, as she struggles with bright light, tinted glasses. She often users her powers of illusion to effectively hide her true self, particularly when she summons her phantom army and foe's can have a hard time telling her from the decoy's. Although she seems unable or unwilling to hide the scar around her eye left by the De Vries mirror. She also has a travel form that resembles some form of winged demon.

Ill/Storm Lvl 40

Here's my build:

Hero Plan by Mids' Hero Designer 1.4006
http://www.cohplanner.com/

Level 43 Magic Controller
Primary Power Set: Illusion Control
Secondary Power Set: Storm Summoning
Power Pool: Fitness
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Speed
Ancillary Pool: Psionic Mastery

Hero Profile:
------------
Level 1: Blind (A)
Level 1: Gale (A)
Level 2: O2 Boost (A)
Level 4: Deceive (A)
Level 6: Snow Storm (A)
Level 8: Swift (A)
Level 10: Steamy Mist (A)
Level 12: Hover (A)
Level 14: Health (A)
Level 16: Freezing Rain (A)
Level 18: Phantom Army (A)
Level 20: Hurricane (A)
Level 22: Stamina (A)
Level 24: Fly (A)
Level 26: Spectral Terror (A)
Level 28: Hasten (A)
Level 30: Thunder Clap (A)
Level 32: Phantasm (A)
Level 35: Tornado (A)
Level 38: Lightning Storm (A)
Level 41: Indomitable Will (A)
Level 44: Mind Over Body (A)
Level 47: [Empty]
Level 49: [Empty]
------------
Level 1: Brawl (A)
Level 1: Sprint (A)
Level 2: Rest (A)
Level 1: Containment



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I'm coming up on 41 and I thinking about Ancillary pools. I'm torn between Cold (hibernate and thematic) and Psionic (seems like good defenses). Mez protect is more of a concern to me, since its very rare that mobs get through my pets and storm defences to engage me in melee. Is there much between them?

I also wouldnt mind some suggestions on the remaining 2 powers...

So i've been unable to login since the patch. I get the ole' checksum error which seems to have started because of my AV - Nod32.

<ul type="square">
Anyway, I added CoH to the exclusions list. Reran the patch. Checksum error

I deleted the checksum and lock files. Reran the updater, CHecksum error

I deleted the updater, downloaded the last EU updater I could find. CHecksum error

I raised a ticket. Renamed the piggs and data files. Reran the EU updater. Checksum error

I deleted the install, installed from DVD, EU Updater, Checksum error

I searched the HDD and registry for all COx and CityO files. Removed them. Deleted the install. Reinstalled from DVD. Ran the EU updater per the excellent post I found somewhere else here. Checksum error.[/list]
I've now just downloaded a clean EU Updater and run that. 2.5g patch now being applied...

Any thoughts, hints or ideas at this point greatly appreciated. I'm just shy of 35 on my Ill/Storm Trolly and wants me Tornado!

Started playing again after a considerable break - and a couple of the funny conversations between me and a fellow player inspired the following interconnected (kinda) stories. The format's not great but anyway, enjoy.

***

One: Redundant

It wasn’t the best of vantage points, on the roof of a low tenement not a hundred yards from their target building, but they hadn’t been noticed – yet.

Which in itself was odd. Spotlight was, well, ‘big boned’ to quote his mother and then there was his armour which glistened a myriad of colours in the sun - something that you’d expect well paid mercenary guards to notice – particularly if you were paying. Although, as his slight companion had pointed out, from this distance he probably resembled a billboard.

In comparison Spotlight’s associate, the not-so-good Doctor Smith, was everything you’d expect from a psychopathic genius with a penchant for robotics. Pale, drawn and emaciated to the point of looking like a hunger-striking convict. So there was no chance he’d be spotted. He was the kind of person to whom you’d say: “you need to get out more” if you saw him on the street. Only you’d say it very quietly incase one his walking-gun-platform-come-robots heard you and decided to take exception.

His army of five robots was another matter, all flashing lights and noisy clanking. They lurked on the roof like uncomfortably bored children, jostling for the closest position to their master. And that was before you counted the humming, floating force field projector that took the worst parts of an ice-cream hungry wasp and one of those bagless vacuum cleaners. Spotlight tried to swat it away:

“I’m gettin’ the strangest feeling of dej-vu, Doc,” Spotlight said shielding his eyes against the sun. He looked around before continuing, “we been here before?”
“Um…?” Smith barely looked up. He was, as Spotlight had pointed out earlier too busy fitting a doo-dad to his watchmacallit:
“There. Done.” Smith grinned “And now the world will tremble…”
“That’s great doc,” interrupted his companion, grabbing Smith’s jaw mid-monologue and turning it toward the building they were staking out: “but have we been here before?”
Smith looked annoyed, but focused on the building ahead of him:
“Yes.”
“Huh? What?”
“Yes, we’ve been here before. This is the office block we kidnapped that mewling brat from. Razorfiend’s daughter.”
“Oh yeah. I thought it looked familiar.” Spotlight fell silent,
“Wait. Isn’t this the place we took that blueprint from? For the backpack?”
Smith rubbed his chin thoughtfully: “Why yes, I think it is.”
“What the hell? What did they do, take out a want-ad? Now available for Weddings, bar-mitzvah’s and hiding the kidnapped daughter of your arch-enemy?” Spotlight chuckled and slapped Smith on the back
“Er… yes. I think that’s standard procedure.”
Spotlight stopped mid-laugh.
“What?”
Smith sighed and pulled a copy of Rogue Isle Protector from an inside pocket. He flicked through the well-thumbed copy to the wanted section. After a second he stopped and read:
“To Hire: Nightclub with excellent panoramic views of the city via a spacious bar area. Large accessible office space on second floor with good lines of sight and wide corridors leading to strong choke points. Excellent for reunion parties, Christmas events and hiding stolen military grade equipment. Phone 555..”
“You gotta be kidding me.” Spotlight pulled the paper away and looked down the list:
“Newly available: Reclaimed section of city sewers with easy access from basement of partially demolished office block. Just the place to grow your secret cult of snake men… ”
He cast his eye down the list of five or so places and nodded.
“Mmm. I see. Well, I guess it’s a free market.”
“Indeed.”
“Actually, now I come to think on it, you’d think there’d be more.”

Smith didn’t answer. Instead he triumphantly thumbed the recently fitted doodad. Above them, the sky filled with the rumbling of jets accompanied by smoke and flame
“Jeez Doc, why don’t you just yell over to the guards while you’re at it..” He stopped short as the the latest addition to their army touched down
“Doc… what they hell is that?”
Doctor Smith grinned in that way that only Mastermind’s can:
“Just a little something I’ve been working on. An assault droid – it’s has an impressive…”
“Doc, am I mad or does that thing bare more than a passing resemblance to me?”
Smith, fumbled with his welding goggles:
“I admit that some of the external features are based on your physiology but that’s all – it’s actually a much more complicated machine than you…” Smith stopped short, but his companion said nothing:
“Well, I wouldn’t say that you were totally redundant – I’m sure that you have many useful qualities." He paused and then added: "And you have some obsolete ones too."
Spotlight raised an eyebrow:
“Oh I gettit. It’s a replacement for me then huh?”
Neither of the men noticed that in the bots jostling for position, they had all lined up on one of the roofs main supporting beams. Well, they did notice - at the point it broke under the weight.
Without warning, the roof of the building suddenly gave way, sending the entire group tumbling down into the ruins of the apartment. Moments later, Smith found himself pinned under the weight of his now dysfunctional Assault Bot. Spotlight loomed out of the dark:
“Useful qualities, huh Doc?”
The wind had been knocked from Smith’s lungs and his voice came in short rasps:
“Yes well… maybe… it could use… some work.”
Spotlight used the oversize stone baseball bat he carried as a lever and catapulted the remains of the large robot into a nearby wall.
“Yeah, like your interpersonal skills.”

Two: Lift Work

“What the hell are you doing?”
Spotlight was currently adopting a position similar to that of an apple grown inside a box, and was uncomfortable. Very uncomfortable.
“Have you read this sign?” Came his companions reply from somewhere out in the lobby. It was, like the man himself - annoying. British. But then most good Masterminds were. It was in their blood.
“No… what sign?” The brute managed to contain his anger much better than he contained the aerials protruding from his helmet, which suddenly sprang out and penetrated the side of the lift.
“The sign that says ‘maximum weight 5 persons.’”
“So?”
“Well, me, plus the force field generator, the three drones and the two protectors is more than 5 persons.”
“And?!”
“I have to send the drones up one at a time with me, make them wait in the lobby, come back down get the next… and it’s… problematic.”
“Problematic.” Spotlight sighed in quiet resignation and would have run a hand over his face. If he could have moved.
“Yes. The drones programming is essentially fairly rudimentary. You know, attack, kill, maim… and well, they keep following me back down.”
“SMITH! You’re a freaking masterMIND! Figure it out!”
“Well I’m sorry I didn’t think to programme my battle droids to handle lift work!” The little man snapped in reply
“Goddamit, I swear if I have to come out there.!!!..” The brute snapped back, his muscles bulging. Somewhere metal creaked, something machine like groaned and both lifts as well as a goodly part of the lobby exploded in a gazzilion different directions.
A large hand appeared out of the debris cloud and grabbed hold of the metal head of one of the drones. A split second later the robot disappeared upwards through the lift shaft.
“Problem solved.” A satisfied Spotlight said from the hole where the lifts had been.
“I’m not sure you should have done that.” Said his companion, taking a step back.
“Why?” came the nonchalant reply. “That’s a little something we Americans like to call affirmative action.”
“And that whistling noise,” Said Smith putting his head on one side “is something we educated masses like to call ‘gravity’.”
Spotlight looked confused, looked up and saw the robot falling towards him, holding onto what looked like… an enormous steel weight…The brute braced himself for the inevitable head-smashing pain:
“Aw [censored].”

Moments later, the two were walking up the stairs, followed by a procession of clanking robots. One of the robots was struggling to navigate without a head, which even now one of the Protector bots was endeavouring to repair. If it could have shouted “For the love of God, just stand still” at the headless Drone, it probably would have. Unfortunately for it, it couldn’t but it bore the annoyance with supreme indifference.

“Could they make any more noise?” Spotlight breathed between clenched teeth
“They could, but would it be heard over your whinging?” Smith retorted
The brute laughed:
“You’re alright for Brainiac, Doc.”
“You’re not bad yourself… for a meat shield”
“Speaking of which, thanks for the bubble back there.”
“Well, actually, the force field was for the robot.”
“Which is why it made useful protection”
“Yes, well, next time if you could avoid trying to use the head of one of my robots as some kind of indestructible helmet I’d be grateful.”
“Sure. And just let your robot and a large chunk o’ steel smash my head in?”
Smith looked briefly at his companions head before replying: “Well, it wouldn’t have done any lasting damage.”
“Maybe next time I’ll just grab you.”
There was a long pause
“Doc, why are your robots all pointing guns at me?”

Three: Shocker

“Well that was fun, remind me not to shower straight after fighting the ‘show” Spotlight muttered as he stepped from the shower room, rubbing a large towel through his hair. After a moment he stopped rubbing and gingerly touched a hand to his head – there was a short sharp snapping noise and the brute yelped
“Dammed static. Whaddya doing?”
Doctor Smith was deeply engrossed in the contents of a six foot long bag he’d laid out on a workbench.
“Mmm? Oh, what? This?”
Spotlight wandered off, and flicked at the bag with his towel – it fell away to reveal a Freakshow gunner. Spotlight jumped:
“What the hell doc? Where did you get that freak?”
“It’s one of…” He looked down the corpses broken body until he found what he was looking for, a hole the size of a football in the body’s lower stomach. It was neatly cauterised:
“One of mine, thank god. Otherwise… well, can you imagine the smell?” He wrinkled his nose “No, I don’t suppose you can.”
Spotlight ignored the insult and peered at a set of long nose pliers protruding from the corpses chest:
“What are you doing, Doc?”
“Well, there technology isn’t without merit, even if it is a little primitive.” Smith replied, pushing his blast goggles up to the point from where they seemed to continually slip.
“Primative? Jeez, this guys can bring themselves back from the dead, Doc, which incidentally is their only redeeming feature – you know, pound em to death and they come back for a second helping. Anyway, I’ve never seen anything you make do that.”
Smith looked stunned for a second. When spoke he sounded huffy:
“Well, they don’t technically die and anyway, I’ve not tried – my speciality is robotics not cybernetics” He pushed the brute out of the way and started pulling at the pliers
“Hey, keep you whatevers on doc, I meant nothing by it. You still trying to get the Lazarus chip to work outside the host?”
Smith nodded, and rubbed his temple distractedly: “Can’t stabilise the core – all the chips are dead, if you’ll forgive the pun, on arrival. It’s very curious.”
“Maybe the freaks carry some of the stabilisation functions somewhere else…”
The Doctor shook his head
“I’ve run full diagnostics I’d have found it by now…”
“Not if those functions were carried biologically. Course being dead they’d have to be in the lower brain functions – programmed if you will into the subconscious or primitive nerve centres of the brain.”
Smith took half a step back and raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Spotlight stared at his companion for a moment before picking up on the look
“Aw hey, look, I’m sick of you assuming I’m an idiot because I’m big and I like a fight. I have an IQ of 200 last time I checked. How about you?”
Smith stared at the ceiling half closing an eye before responding:
“Last time I was tested I finished their so called test in 10 minutes, including pointers on how they might rewrite most of it and then spent the remaining 50 minutes fashioning a small robot from a calculator, a pen, the clock they were timing me with, a dozen paperclips and easily removable parts from the desk. I then used it to kill the exam’s invigilator and make my escape.”
Spotlight nodded, pausing briefly: “Figures.” He pointed to himself: “Hulk smash…. Watch QVC… drink beer.” He wandered toward the fridge
“You do that – go drip water elsewhere,” Smith said, shooing Spotlight away “Rather than over the body of something that conducts elec…”
Suddenly something pulsed, sending a wave of contorting pain down Dr Smith’s arm – he was rooted to the spot as electricity coursed through him and out across the floor.
“Help!” He managed to get out between electrically welded shut teeth. Three droids immediately jumped forward to assist their master, but as they drew closer two of them had their power was sucked out of their eye sensors and into the corpse. A third, for reasons best known to itself, spontaneously started to breakdance in a non-to-helpful manner. Or the closest a walking gun platform can come to breakdancing anyway.

“Doc!” Spotlight yelled running forward. A bolt jumped at the brute, but he dodged and instead it smash into the refrigerator, burning a hole through the door and superheating the beer:
“Oh man…” Spotlight moaned, turning to look at steam spewing fridge. He attention returned to Smith as something beeped loudly on his companions arm.
“Oh..”
“What Doc?”
“… caltrops… malfunction…”
Spotlight looked at his bare feet
“Oh you gotta be kidding me.” He managed just as the device on Smith’s arm fired, scattering shrapnel across the floor.
“Sure. Of course.” He muttered in a resigned kind of way. “Point your arm at me!” He yelled at Smith. Smith managed a quizzical kind of look, no mean feat for someone channelling the better part of the lower east side power grid.
“Point … Your… Arm… At … Me!” Spotlight shouted again “I’d rather be hit with electricity than tear my feet to shreds.”
Smith shrugged his shoulders, at least mentally, and pointed a finger – it was all he could move.

An elegonated blast of electrical energy, like a slow motion lightening bolt, struck the brute square in the chest and he was hurled like paper doll into a stack of discarded robot parts. It was, from Smith’s perspective at least, quite satisfying. It was also the only time in his life that Smith briefly considered what his life would have been like with a different profession.

All around him, monitors dimmed and made that noise computers do when they are drained of power. Seconds later he felt rather than saw the build up of an electrical field which started to grow around the corpse, gaining in strength and humming in that way electric fields do just before the vaporise everything in a half city block radius.

Piles of droid bits erupted from a corner of the warehouse as Spotlight got back on his feet, towel and hair smoking. Bolts of electrical energy jumped and pulsed through the air, but this time the bounced off the brute’s skin, ploughing through the next nearest conductor – in this case, the TV

“Goddamit!” Spotlight said in disgust “Gym equipment happy hour was next up!”

He looked over at his companion and saw the gathering field of energy. Then in split second, he’d sprinted for the door.

If he could have moved, Smith would have raised a fist at the back of his disappearing companion – instead, all he could do was watch his remaining drone breakdance badly while regretting not fitting static shielding around the main CPU cores.

Then suddenly, the entire warehouse plunged into darkness and Null found he could move again - he slowly sloped to the floor his arms and legs making involuntary jerking movements. Moments later he was joined by Spotlight – and both sat in silence, gently smoking.
“How … how did you…” Smith managed after a moment, his teeth visible in the darkness as tiny electrical sparks danced between them
Spotlight held up the remains of the main breaker box he’d torn from the wall:
“Hulk smash” he replied, with a grin.