Name: Nova Corpsman

Rank: 1

Karma: 1

Initiative: +1E

Speed: 5

Occupation: Soldier

Origin: Weird Science

Traits: Battle Ready, Connections: Military, Interrogation, Situational Awareness, Weird

Tags: Alien Heritage, Backup, Extreme Appearance, Heroic, Signature Weapon: Rifle

Powers:

Basic: Mighty 1, Flight 1

Elemental Control (Energy): Elemental Burst

Ranged Weapons: Suppressive Fire

Biography:

The Nova Corps is the military and exploration force of the planet Xandar. Empowered by a powerful energy and connected by a computer called the Worldmind, they are one of the most effective military forces in the galaxy. Though they prioritize the interest and laws of Xandar, they often serve the good of the galaxy as a whole, defending it from cosmic threats and serving as peacekeepers in conflicts involving empires like the Kree and the Shi’Ar.

Commentary:

The baseline members of the Nova Corps aren’t too fancy, but the powers they have are effective. These can be potential allies, or serve as the law enforcement some of the less morally-upright denizens of the galaxy might want to run away from. A Nova Corpsman might also be a good template for a player character, as there’s a clear pathway for them to grow from ranks 1 to 6.

Name: Nova Corps Denarian

Rank: 2

Karma: 2

Initiative: +2E

Speed: 5

Occupation: Soldier

Origin: Weird Science

Traits: Battle Ready, Determination, Connections: Military, Enduring Constitution, Situational Awareness

Tags: Alien Heritage, Backup, Heroic

Powers:

Basic: Accuracy 1, Mighty 1, Environmental Protection, Flight 1, Sturdy 1

Elemental Control (Energy): Elemental Burst, Elemental Blast, Elemental Barrier, Elemental Protection 1

Biography:

There are several ranks within the Nova Corps, starting with Corpsman, then Millenarian, Denarians, Centurions, and ultimately the Nova Prime. Each rank is more powerful than the one below it, though all draw on the mutual powers of the Nova Corps and the Worldmind. The Denarians and higher ranks are given their power through their helmets, which can transfer the power of a Denarian to any baseline species that is given a helmet.

Commentary:

The Denarians have the powers one might associate with the higher-ranked Nova members, able to function as a sort of mini-me to Rich Rider. In lower rank settings one of these guys can be pretty formidable, making them potentially ideal for early sessions in a campaign. A group of them can be equally effective in higher ranks, with the right mix of offense and defense to handle almost anything they come across.

Name: Bamf

Rank: 1

Karma: 1

Initiative: +1

Speed: 4

Occupation: None

Origin:Magic (Demonic)

Traits: Unusual Size (Little), Surprising Power (Clone Moves)

Tags: Cursed, Mysterious, Supernatural

Powers:

Power Control: Clone Moves

Spider-Powers: Wallcrawling

Teleportation: Blink

Biography:

When Wolverine took over as headmaster of the Jean Grey Institute for Higher Learning, the school soon found itself infested with small creatures resembling Nightcralwer. These “Bamfs” spread mischief and chaos throughout the school, in spite of attempts by faculty to contain them. Though their habit of defacing school property and stealing possessions from students and staff alike was a source of irritation, they provided a level of defense against the various villains attacking the school. One one occasion Logan even used their love of his whiskey (one of their favorite things to steal) as an incentive to have them track down students who were abducted by the Hellfire Academy.

Commentary:

The Bamfs might not look like much at first, but they’re designed to be annoying, not formidable. Their size, mobility, and defense makes them harder to get rid of than you would first assume. I’d suggest leaning into this, and letting them catch players off guard. They’re pretty much mandatory for a mutant school setting, and can serve a variety of functions in that setting.  An early encounter, a source of comic relief, or maybe even dealing with them as an assignment or detention punishment.

The best opponents for them are rank  students, and can be perfect for helping new players figure out how to use either powers.

Name: Cordyceps Jones

Rank: 3

Karma: 3

Initiative: +5E

Speed: 5

Occupation: Criminal

Origin: Alien

Traits: Connections: Criminal, Dealmaker, Infector, Presence, Situational Awareness

Tags: Alien Heritage, Black Market Access, Extreme Appearance, Rich, Powerful, Streetwise, Villainous

Powers:

Basic: Healing Factor, Inspiration

Plasticity: Slip Free, Flexible Bones 2, Bounce Back

Tactics: Battle Plan, Focus Fire, Change of Plans, Combat Support, Keep Moving, On Your Feet, Hit the Dirt

Biography:

Cordyceps Jones is a sentient fungus, and one of the most powerful mobsters in the galaxy. He was targeted for robbery by Rocket Racoon and Deadpool who were seeking to exploit his unique brain patterns to break into a vault. Jones infected Deadpool’s body, but failed to control him due to Deadpool’s healing factor. Cordyceps Jones later took control of an intergalactic casino called Gameworld, where patrons could bet on galactic crises and disasters. He sent a Mind Reaver and a portion of the Annihilation Wave to Earth so his patrons could bet if the planet would be destroyed. The X-Men stopped both disasters and attacked Gameworld. They battled Jones and his minions, and Jean Grey used her telekinesis to prevent his spores from infecting them.

Commentary:

Cordyceps Jones is such a weird bad guy, and that’s what makes him a lot of fun. He fulfills a niche few other characters in the Marvel Universe do. “Organized Crime in Space” is a surprisingly common trope, and adds a lovely vibe to a cosmic campaign. Jones fills the role of space mobster well and in an unforgettable way. The concept of Gameworld makes for a great setting, and he’s the perfect boss for it. His enormous health bar complements his bizarre appearance to make him a memorable villain, and the threat of his infection is not to be ignored.

Note: Cordyceps Jones’ spores can infect a character hit by his melee attacks, or who breathe air within 3 squares of his body. When exposed, characters can resist the infection by making a Resilience check with a TN of 12. When a character is infected by Cordyceps Jones, and at the beginning of each day after being infected, he makes a Logic against their Resilience defense. If he succeeds, the infected character is treated as if Cordyceps Jones is using the Telepathic Possession power on them (even if they do not have zero focus.) Only one person can be Possessed by him at a time, and Cordyceps Jones’ influence remains even if his “main” body is destroyed.

Name: Pogglet

Rank: 3

Karma: 3

Initiative: +3E

Speed: 6

Occupation: Criminal

Origin: Alien

Traits: Battle Ready, Big, Berserker, Combat Reflexes, Connections: Criminal

Tags: Alien Heritage, Black Market Access, Mentor: Pogg ur Pogg, Streetwise

Powers:

Basic: Additional Limb, Brawling, Mighty 3, Sturdy 2

Melee Weapons: Vicious Attack, Exploit, Fast Attacks, Whirling Frenzy

Super-Strength: Crushing Grip, Immovable

Biography:

The Pogglets are the offspring of the Amenthi criminal Pogg Ur-Pogg. They share his penchant for crime and speaking in rhyme. Alongside their father they staged a robbery of the Gameworld. The X-Men answered Gameworld’s distress call, and stopped the family’s escape. After a brief battle, in which Pogg Ur-Pogg faced Magik in a rematch, the two groups came to an agreement. Forge negotiated with them to return the jewels they stole in exchange for Mysterium, and an agreement to one day aid the X-Men (though he hoped the day they needed their help would never come.)

Commentary:

Pogg Ur-Pogg is one of my favorite characters introduced in the Krakoan Age, and I hope he sticks around. In addition to being a fun and memorable X-Men foe, he fits nicely into cosmic storylines, especially ones with a “crime in space” theme. His kids just add to that, and can be used without him to make a memorable encounter. They are effective for the same reasons their father is, bringing a combination of size, armor, might, and melee weapons, all backed up by extra arms.

Name: Phalanx Technarc

Rank: 4

Karma: 4

Initiative: +2

Speed: 5

Occupation: Outsider

Origin: Alien: Technarch

Traits: Battle Ready, Enduring Constitution, Fresh Eyes, Font of Information, Gearhead, Infector (Transmode Virus), Quick Learner, Stranger

Tags: A. I., Alien Heritage, Extreme Appearance, Powerful, Villainous

Powers:

Basic: Disguise, Shapeshift, Environmental Protection, Energy Absorption, Uncanny 1

Magic: Leech Life, Brain Drain

Melee Weapons (Sharp): Vicious Attack, Exploit

Plasticity: Reverse Punch, Extended Reach 1, Flexible Bones 2, Stilt Steps

Telepathy: Astral Form, Machine Telepathy

Biography:

The Technarchy is a society of artificial intelligences, created by the galactic super-intelligences known as the Phalanx. They are created by the Transmode Virus, which they seek to spread in order to consume or repurpose other civilizations on behalf of the Phalanx. The Technarchy are unaware of their purpose, believing themselves to be the progenitors of the Phalanx, not the other way around. They travel the galaxy, and even other dimensions like the Astral Plane, in search of unique and novel beings. They then bring them into the Hive Mind by force. The Technarchy have had numerous run-ins with the mutants of Earth, and at one point fell under control of the Earth-based A.I. Ultron. With their power, Ultron became a galactic level threat, bringing the Kree Empire to its knees and prompting the creation of the Guardians of the Galaxy to resist him.

Commentary:

The Phalanx and/or the Technarchy have an unnecessarily complex and confusing history, but all you really need to know is they’re the Marvel equivalent of the Borg. They can serve as a villain faction all on their own, but they also have a connection to notable Earth-based villains you might want to exploit, namely Ultron and Cameron Hodge. They mostly show up in X-Men stories, but can fit in the broader Marvel Cosmic playground. They can also be useful for stories involving the Astral Plane. There’s something about mechanical beings in a realm of the mind that hits perfectly. The sheet for a Technarc is basically a more violent version of the official sheet for Warlock, using his flexibility and technology powers with a more combat-based focus.

Name: Magus

Rank: 5

Karma: 5

Initiative: +4E

Speed: 5

Occupation: Ruler

Origin: Alien (Technarchy)

Traits: Abrasive, Determination, Enduring Constitution, Gearhead, Fresh Eyes, Infector (Transmode Virus), Presence, Situational Awareness

Tags: A.I., Alien Heritage, Authority, Extreme Appearance, Powerful, Villainous

Powers:

Basic: Disguise, Shape-Shift, Energy Absorption, Environmental Protection, Flight 1, Uncanny 1

Magic: Leech Life, Brain Drain

Plasticity: Reverse Punch, Extended Reach 2, Flexible Bones 2, Coiling Crush, Slip Free, Bounce Back, Body Sheet, Body Sphere

Telepathy: Machine Telepathy, Telepathic Link, Information Upload, Copy Psyche

Biography:

A Magus is the name given to a powerful node within the Technarchy. One such individual, the ruler of the planet Kvch, got caught in a power struggle with his son Warlock. Fearing his father would kill him for his “mutation,” Warlock took refuge with the New Mutants of Earth. Magus pursued him across the stars. When he arrived on Earth he had a brief battle with the X-Men before tracking down his son. With the help of the New Mutants, Warlock defeated the Magus. Years later, the mutant-hating religious group known as the Purifiers acquired a fragment of Magus, and used it to construct Techno-Organic reconstructions of some of the most anti-mutant bigots in human history. The original Magus was later rediscovered on Earth by X-Factor as the CEO of a company called Techno Inc. Despite their initial suspicions, X-Factor determined Magus and his company were harmless and that he wanted to make amends with his son.

Commentary:

Magus is the perfect leader for a Technarc squad, and an obligatory nemesis to Warlock. You can have him work as a solo boss (as he did in New Mutants) or as the vanguard of a Phalanx invasion. There might even be some value in doing something similar to the Human Council storyline, having him be a leader in a plot involving the Purifiers. The mixture of religion and sci-fi has an appeal. He’s basically a powered up version of his son, but the most interesting thing about him is the Copy Psyche power. There’s a few ways he could use it- to capture someone’s mind and upload it to the Hive Mind, or as a storage for NPCs under his control. He could be a living vessel for someone else’s mind, and there’s a lot of stories you could build around trying to retrieve  psyche uploaded to his database.

Name: Predator X

Rank: 4

Karma: 4

Initiative: +4E

Speed: 6

Occupation: Assassin

Origin: Monstrous

Traits: Berserker, Big, Monster, Signature Attack: Focused Fury, Venomous, Weakness: Iron

Tags: Clone, Extreme Appearance, Mute, Villainous

Powers:

Basic: Anger, Brawling, Healing Factor, Heightened Senses 2, Mighty 3, Sturdy 2, Uncanny 1

Melee Weapons (Sharp): Vicious Attack, Exploit, Focused Fury

Sixth Sense: Detect Supers (Mutants)

Telepathy: Telepathic Link, Mind Reading

Biography:

Predator X was created by the Facility (the same group that gave Laura Kinney her powers) on behalf of Reverend William Stryker. They were animal-human hybrids designed to track and kill mutants. They were first discovered by the X-Men in the Facility where they were created, but specimens were later acquired by the Purifiers too. They proved powerful but hard to control,  and have been encountered by various mutant groups time and again. One such instance involved Facility's agent Kimura selling specimens to Viper in her attempt to take over Madripoor.

Commentary:

Predator X helps you make use of that “Hounded” tag all Mutants get. They can be a threat on their own or be accompanied by a squad of Purifiers. The heroes might find them loose in the wild, sent by their enemies, or even guarding a secure facility. In any case they’re brutal fighters. And with the combination of Detect Supers and Mind Reading, you might be able to run, but you won’t be able to hide.

Name: Xenophage

Rank: 4

Karma: 4

Initiative:+3

Speed: 5

Occupation: Assassin

Origin: Alien

Traits: Free Running, Glibness, Signature Attack (Venom Blast), Sneaky, Venomous

Tags: Alien Heritage, Secret Identity, Streetwise, Villainous

Powers:

Basic: Disguise, Shape-Shift

Plasticity: Extended Reach 1, Flexible Bones 2, Reverse Punch, Coiling Crush, Stilt Steps

Melee Weapons (Sharp): Vicious Attack, Exploit

Resize: Grow 1, Growing Attack

Sixth Sense: Detect Supers (Symbiotes)

Spider-Powers: Spider-Sense, Venom Blast, Wallcrawling

Biography:

During Venom’s stint as a “lethal protector” he was targeted by the NYPD on suspicion for a series of animalistic murders. Eddie and his symbiote protested their innocence and sought to clear their name. The true killer was the Xenophage, a shapeshifting alien that fed on symbiotes, which were considered a delicacy by its species. The Xenophage committed the murders to pit Venom against the police in an attempt to weaken him. Venom fought off the police and the alien, using a white-phosphorus grenade fired by a police helicopter to destroy the extraterrestrial hunter.

Commentary:

An obscure character that I only heard of from theories about their possible role in the upcoming Venom movie, but one I think has potential in this game. If you have Symbiote in your party this is a great villain to throw at them. Having them simply hunt a Symbiote from across the stars can be compelling, but there might be even more potential in reusing the “frame a Symbiote for murder to draw them out plotline.” Something like that could even work without a symbiote player character for a detective campaign. It might be fun to see X-Factor go up against Jack the Ripper from Space. And once they unveil the killer, they have to deal with a dangerous alien. Mixing shape-shifting and spider-powers creates a mobile and sneaky foe. The Xenophage likes to strike from the shadows (preferring to shapeshift into inanimate objects at crime scenes) and can easily travers an urban landscape, to either pursue or evade.

Name: Warwolf

Rank: 3

Karma: 3

Initiative: +2

Speed: 5

Occupation: Outsider

Origin: Alien

Traits: Connections: Outsiders, Combat Reflexes, Fresh Eyes, Glibness, Sneaky,

Tags: Alien Heritage, Hunted, Secret Identity, Streetwise, Villainous

Powers:

Basic: Combat Trickery, Disguise, Shapeshift, Heightened Senses 1, Mighty 1, Uncanny 1

Magic: Leech Life

Melee Weapons (Sharp): Hit and Run

Power Control: Clone Moves

Super-Strength: Jump 2, Crushing Grip

Biography:

The Warwolves were created by Mojo for his violent reality TV programs. When Rachel Summers escaped his grasp, Mojo sent a pack of Warwolves to Earth to hunt her down. This pack encountered her in Britain, but were held off by her allies, the newly formed Excalibur. The Warwolves plotted their next attack in the Hob’s End Underground station. They used the “Skins” of London citizens to disguise themselves as they hunted Excalibur. They were defeated by clever thinking from Kitty Pryde, and placed in the London Zoo. Years later, they were broken out by Cullen Bloodstone, and participated in a “hunt” of Excalibur in the grounds of his family’s mansion. Excalibur triumphed, and Rachel adopted a Warwolf pup she named Amazing Baby.

Commentary:

The best use for the Warwolves is with the official Excalibur content which mentions them a few times. They of course are also perfect for a Mojoworld adventure, and can fit into a variety of other interdimensional scenarios. Recreating the Bloodstone “hunting party” might make a good scenario as well. The Warwolves are fast, tricky, and sneaky, and should not be underestimated.

Name: Dr. Xanto Starblood+

Rank: 4

Karma: 4

Initiative: +3E

Speed: 6

Occupation: Scientist

Origin: Alien

Traits: Big, Clinician, Infector (Brood), Inventor, Scientific Expertise, Tech Reliance

Tags: Black Market Access, Convict, Extreme Appearance, Lab Access, Public Identity, Streetwise, Villainous

Powers:

Basic: Brawling, Inspiration, Mighty 2, Sturdy 2

Healing (TR): Let’s Go, Never Surrender, Healing Hands, Cure-All

Spider-Powers: Venom Bash, Venom Burst

Super-Strength: Crushing Grip

Tactics: Battle Plan, Focus Fire

Telepathy (TR): Animal Communication (Brood)

Biography:

Dr. Xanto Starblood is one of the galaxy’s leading zoologists and the bestselling author of several biology books. When the Jean Grey Institute accepted Broo as a student, he and 3 trained Brood snuck past S.W.O.R.D. to come to Earth and attack the school. He believed that Broo’s mutation and pacifist nature might result in the Brood evolving into a less violent species. He thought this would disrupt the “order” of the galactic ecosystem. Therefore he planned to assassinate Broo, and exposed Kitty Pryde to a Brood infection as a diversion to get past school security. He was defeated by Broo, with help from Kitty Pryde. However, during the fight, Broo showed off a more violent side, giving Starblood hope Broo might not be as much of a pacifist after all. He later became an ally of the Hellfire Academy, taking a position as the school’s biology teacher.

Commentary:

Dr. Starblood is a fun, wacky character that can be used in a few ways. He fulfills a role that no other character does, as a villain or a Brood campaign that your players can actually talk to. The Brood are great villains, and ones an X-Men fan will look forward to seeing, but it can be hard to design  complex adventures around them. Starblood’s strong personality and unique motivation go a long way towards fixing this, giving you options other than a usual bug hunt. He can also easily fit into a cosmic setting, bringing his twisted goal of “protecting” evolution to enact all sorts of schemes. You could also use him as the villain for a mutant school campaign, where he can help add the cosmic angle that is a huge part of being an X-Man. You could even drop him in with Kade Kilgore and Sauron for a Hellfire Academy storyline. He’s a unique fighter, with brute strength to back up his tactical leadership of trained Brood and can use his medical knowledge to heal them.

Name: Demon Bear

Rank: 5

Karma: 5

Initiative: +4E

Speed: 6

Occupation: Outsider

Origin: Magic (Demonic)

Traits: Abrasive, Big, Bloodthirsty, Connections: Outsiders, Fresh Eyes, Monster, Situational Awareness, Stranger

Tags: Cursed, Enemy: Mirage, Extreme Appearance, Supernatural, Villainous

Powers:

Basic: Anger, Brawling, Healing Factor, Mighty 3, Sturdy 1, Uncanny 2

Melee Weapons (Sharp): Vicious Attack, Exploit, Focused Fury

Omniversal Travel (Dreamtime): Enter Dreams, Enter Dreams Together, Enter Dreamtime, Enter Dreamtime Together

Telepathy: Telepathic Link, Mental Punch, Mirage, Astral Form

Teleportation: Blink

Biography:

As her mutant powers began to manifest, Dani Moonstar saw a vision of her parents being killed by a bear. When they disappeared a week later, she believed it came true. When she joined the Xavier Institute, Dani was tormented by dreams of the bear that had killed her parents. Initially she believed this to be a psychic projection created by Xavier (under the influence of the Brood), but the other New Mutants  discovered her outside the campus, having been attacked by a physical creature. The New Mutants took her to a hospital, where the Demon Bear attacked them to get close to Dani. The Demon Bear transported the New Mutants to a dimension called the Badlands, attacking them with possessed minions. Magik used her Soulsword to defeat the Demon Bear and return the New Mutants to their home dimension. Since then, the Demon Bear (or at least a similar creature) has been encountered by Warpath and Dream-Spider.

Commentary:

The Demon Bear is a scary opponent, best suited to fighting a group of lower rank heroes. You could use him as a bonding experience for a lower-rank party, like his role in the original New Mutants. You could use him to add a twinge of horror to balance out the more fun-focused nature of school storylines. He’s also a scary thing to run into for anyone using the Dreamtime powers, and might pursue them from the Badlands to the waking world.