Welcome to Hyper Score Marvel where every week I use Hypercorps 2099 to put together an iconic hero or villain from the world’s most popular superhero universe! Unlike Street Fighter D&D, this series is for both the Pathfinder players out there and D&D 5E groups as well.

By request this week we have Axel Asher, a character integral to one of the major DC/Marvel crossover arcs! If you have a favorite character you’d like to see, please comment and let me know. Tune in next week for a character I am personally reticent to build (because I dislike him) but since this is by request, I cannot deny–Wolverine. :p

Also if you spot a way this can improve, share the info! I’m on Twitter @MikeMyler2, Facebook, Google+, and you can leave messages below the post. Thanks!

AXEL ASHER (Access)

AXEL ASHER           CR 18—XP 153,600
Male human aristocrat 7 [hs 10; hypernaut 2/parallel 2]
LG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +11; Senses Awareness +2

DEFENSE
AC 38, bullet 28, touch 23, flat-footed 34 (+9 armor, +5 deflection, +3 Dex, +1 dodge, +5 hyper, +5 natural)
hp 121 (7d8+44+42); Hyper Bonus +5
Fort +12, Ref +10, Will +12
Defensive Abilities fortification 60%; DR 6/—; Immune dazed, sickened, stunned

OFFENSE
Speed 45 ft.
Melee unarmed strike +10/+5/+0/-5 (1d3+5 bludgeoning)
Hyper Spell-Like Abilities (CL 17th; concentration +22)
5/day—jester’s jaunt, litany of escape
5/day—dimension door, hostile juxtaposition
5/day—plane shift (Marvel and DC Universes only), teleport (hyper flaw: tiring)
3/combat—amalgamation (range 340 ft., Will DC 21; hyper flaw: uncontrolled dimensional toxicity)
10/combat—cosmic awareness [as natural seeker] (area 170 ft., range 2 miles, DC 17; hyper flaw: uncontrolled dimensional toxicity)

STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 16, Con 20, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 14
Hyper Dexterity 1 (Dexterous Footwork), Hyper Constitution 3 (Hyper Endurant, Hyper Fortification, Hyper Tough)
Base Atk +5; CMB +5; CMD 34
Feats Alertness[B], Combat Expertise, Dodge[B], Fleet, Improved Unarmed Strike[B], Iron Will, Persuasive, Skill Focus (Knowledge [local]); Hyper Feats Extra Attribute Trait, Extra Hyper Attribute [2], Parallel Access, Toughness
Skills Appraise +8, Awareness +2, Bluff +12, Diplomacy +14, Intimidate +12, Knowledge (history) +8, Knowledge (local) +14, Knowledge (nature) +9, Knowledge (religion) +5, Search +3, Sense Motive +12
Languages Chinese, English
SQ hyper attack 3, hyper initiative, hyper focus 5/day, hyper life, hyper mortality, hyper rest
Combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds; Other Gear +5 chain shirt, amulet of natural armor +5, ring of protection +5

COSMIC AWARENESS Axel is able to sense the presence of beings and objects in the universes that are somehow of importance to him for whatever reason.
NATURAL SEEKER (Hypernaut power from FAMOTH)
Tier 1    Action standard Save varies
Effect You have a preternatural talent for finding things. You are able to use any of the following spell-like abilities as constant spell-like abilities (though only one at a time): detect aberration, detect animals and plants, detect chaos/evil/good/law, detect magic, detect poison, detect psychic significance, detect radiation[TG], detect secret doors, detect snares and pits, detect undead, diagnose disease, object reading, and technomancy[TG]. By spending a full-round action making a DC 20 concentration check, you can use detect mindscape, detect thoughts, locate object, or locate weakness as a hyper spell-like ability.

AMALGAMATION (New Hypernaut Power)
Tier 3    Action full-round Save Will
You can choose two humanoids within range and if both fail their saving throw (which is rolled twice, taking the worst result), merge them into one amalgam form. This amalgam form possesses the race traits, class abilities, equipment, feats, hyper bonuses, hyper powers, languages, and special qualities of both original creatures, using the highest attributes, base attack bonus, movement speeds, skill ranks, and base saving throws between them. All effects and spells currently targeting the original creatures end when the amalgam is formed. You can also use this ability to target an amalgam and split it into its original creatures. You have no control over the actions of an amalgam form though you can naturally sense their location. The amalgam’s CR increases by +2 if the original creatures had the same CR or by +1 if one of the original creatures had a CR 3 or more greater than the other original creature.

NEW HYPER FLAW
Uncontrolled Toxicity: If Axel stays in one place too long (generally 3d4+4 hours) he causes spontaneous crossovers to occur–creatures from the Marvel Universe are randomly transported to the DC Universe and vice-versa for every span of time that passes before he moves to a new location.

SOME NOTES ON AXEL

Whew! What a tough build! I know that Axel can also do some time travel, but I’m tossing that at GM fiat because it would require bringing in Mythic Adventures and he’s already still too weak at the knees for being CR 18 (although I did try to toughen him up and boost his AC, I think he’ll still get whomped if not used at great range). Still as a plot device (which is what Access is!) he should do you fine and could make for a VERY interesting inclusion into your game–want to amp up the power level for a side quest and know which DC or Marvel heroes and villains your players like best? Introduce Axel, browse the growing list of Hyper Score Marvel builds (maybe grab a few things from Hypercorps 2099 to stand in, available in both Pathfinder or 5E OGL), merge them together, and wreak havoc until the great crisis is averted!

 

Axel Asher (Access)

Medium humanoid (human, hyper), lawful good
Armor Class 18 (cosmic awareness)
Hit Points 130 (20d8+40)
Speed 45 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
10 (+0)	14 (+2)	15 (+2)	14 (+2)	15 (+2)	13 (+1)

Saving Throws Dex +6, Int +6, Wis +6, Cha +5
Skills Athletics +4, History +6, Insight +6, Persuasion +5, Stealth +6
Senses passive Perception 12
Languages Chinese, English
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)

Amalgamation. Axel chooses two humanoids within 300 feet and if both fail a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw made with disadvantage, they are merged into one amalgam form. This amalgam form possesses the race features, class features, attacks, equipment, feats, hyper bonuses, hyper powers, languages, and proficiencies of both original creatures, using the highest ability scores, proficiency bonus, and movement speeds between them. All effects and spells currently targeting the original creatures end when the amalgam is formed. Axel can also use this feature to target an amalgam and split it into its original creatures. Axel has no control over the actions of an amalgam form though he can naturally sense their location using his cosmic awareness. The amalgam’s Challenge Rating increases by +2 if the original creatures had the same Challenge Rating or by +1 if one of the original creatures had a Challenge Rating 3 or more greater than the other original creature.
Cosmic Awareness. Axel senses the direction of creatures and objects that are somehow important to him as long as one of these creatures or object is on the same plane of existence. If the creature or object is in motion, he knows the direction of its movement. He also increases his AC by 6.
Dimensional Bounce (Recharge 1–4). Axel can spend a bonus action to teleport to any location within 150 feet.
Dimensional Step (Recharge 6). Axel can spend an action to teleport to any location as the spell teleport.
Plane Shift. Axel can spend an action to cast plane shift but is only able to access the Marvel Universe and DC Universe. Once he has used this feature, he cannot do so again for 1 minute.

ACTIONS
Unarmed. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 (1) bludgeoning damage.

REACTION
Dimensional Swap. When an attacker that Axel can see hits him with an attack, he can use his reaction to switch places with one creature he can see within 30 feet (other than the attacking creature). Axel appears in that creature’s space and the creature appears in his space, suffering all of the attack’s damage (and any other effects of the attack).

SOME NOTES ON AXEL’S 5E BUILD

This is another instance where there’s just no equivalent resource structure and I went for a straight monster build rather than force it out of the given system of 5E (even 5E with Hyper Score rules included). Incidentally this would work just as well for Mr. Mxyzptlk–just change him to Small sized, add a bunch of Dexterity to increase AC, swap cosmic awareness for true sight, and switch amalgamation for wish once per round.