Name: Secret Empire Agent

Rank: 2

Karma: 2

Initiative: +1

Speed: 5

Occupation: Spy

Origin: Magic (Sorcery)

Traits: Battle Ready, Connections: Espionage, Leverage, Sneaky

Tags: Black Market Access, Signature Weapon: Pistol, Sorcerous, Secret Identity, Streetwise, Supernatural, Villainous

Powers:

Basic: Discipline 1

Illusion: Invisibility

Magic (Sorcery): Flames of the Faltine, Bolts of Balthakk, Mists of Munnopor

Ranged Weapons: Double Tap

Teleportation: Blink, Teleport 1

Biography:

The Secret Empire was a covert criminal organization, whose agents were identified by numbers codenames. The group was actually created by Baron Strucker, as a way to collect clandestine power and draw attention away from Hydra. The Secret Empire eventually achieved independence from Strucker and became a major player in the criminal underworld. The group clashed with heroes including Moon Knight, Hulk, and the X-Men. Captain America had a prolonged struggle against the Secret Empire, at the end of which it was revealed that their leader, Number One, was a high-ranking member of the presidential administration. As Captain America confronted Number One in the Oval Office, Number One committed suicide. Disillusioned with a country that would allow such an individual to achieve so much legitimate power, Steve Rogers forsook the Captain America identity and went by “Nomad.” The Secret Empire remained on the fringes of the underworld, participating in a scramble for the Omega Drive alongside Hydra, A.I.M., and Agence Byzantine. It deployed agents who had taken up sorcery, but failed to retrieve the drive from Daredevil.

Commentary:

This sheet might seem a little odd if you haven’t read that one Daredevil storyline that shows the Secret Empire has been getting into sorcery. I think this helps differentiate them from other criminal groups in the Marvel Universe, and translates to a useful character profile. There aren’t nearly enough low-rank magic user sheets, which could be useful to a lot of combat encounters. You could have these guys be bad guys on their own, or reinforce a storyline involving Hydra or street-level criminals by adding a touch of magic. They favor a sneaky, mobile approach to combat, making them a change of pace for low-rank parties of heroes.  

Name: Encoder

Rank: 1

Karma: 1

Initiative: +1

Speed: 5

Occupation: Spy

Origin: High-Tech (Android)

Traits: Connections: Espionage, Leverage, Surprising Power: Clone Moves, Tech Reliance

Tags: A.I., Black Market Access, Secret Identity, Villainous

Powers:

Basic (TR): Disguise, Mighty 1, Sturdy 1

Power Control (TR): Clone Moves

Biography:

The Encoders were sophisticated Life Model Decoys who created a shadow organization within the highest ranks of S.H.I.E.L.D. These L.M.D.s were encoded with programmed copies of the minds of deceased S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, absorbing their skills and knowledge but capable of independent consciousness. The entire Executive Council was composed of Encoders, and they began to gradually replace more and more S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and ran the organization according to their own goals. The Encoders needed one last element to achieve their goals for world domination. Due to imperfect design, they aged quickly and eventually died. The leader of the Encoders, the Deltite, formed a religious order with himself as a messianic figure, promising a cure to their short lives. This was the Infinity Formula, which they would need to retrieve from the blood of Nick Fury.

Commentary:

The Encoders are best suited to a very low-ranked campaign, perhaps with a focus on espionage and conspiracy.They’re pretty much perfect for a party of new S.H.I.E.L.D. recruits. Having them slowly replace NPCs the party has interacted with over the course of a campaign can make for a brutal surprise, and combat with them can take a similarly nasty turn as they copy the players’ powers.

Name: Deltite LMD

Rank: 2

Karma: 2

Initiative: +1

Speed: 5

Occupation: Leader

Origin: High Tech (Android)

Traits: Combat Reflexes, Presence, Surprising Power (Lightning Actions), Tech Reliance

Tags: A.I., Authority, Enemy: Nick Fury. Powerful, Secret Identity, Worshiped, Villainous

Powers:

Basic: Inspiration, Mighty 1 (TR), Sturdy 1 (TR)

Super-Speed: Lightning Actions (TR)

Power Control: Clone Moves (TR), Copy Ability (TR)

Tactics: Change of Plans, Battle Plan

Biography:

The Deltite was an L.M.D. that became self-aware and desired control over those it believed created it, S.H.I.E.L.D. It was employed as a basic laborer by S.H.I.E.L.D., who was unaware that it was really created by Arnim Zola on behalf of Baron Strucker, as was the Deltite itself. It secretly stole L.M.D. files of the personalities of Nick Fury, Tony Stark, Baron Strucker, and more. It began secretly replacing the deceased S.H.I.E.L.D. agents with L.M.D.s created in its own image, using a training program called “Project: Delta” as cover. The Deltite quickly assumed total control of S.H.I.E.L.D., completely undetected. It began spreading its influence to Hydra, A.I.M., and the Roxxon Corporation. The Deltite promised the others a path to immortality by stealing the Infinity Formula, but was secretly planning to keep this immortality for itself. As its plan neared completion, it sent out the “Ascension Call” as the Ecoders activated and began setting a complex trap for Nick Fury. He was the key to their plan, and the only person who could stop them. Forced to fight against his own organization and unable to trust anyone, Nick Fury nonetheless managed to unravel the conspiracy and defeat the Deltite by leading a revolt of the Encoders when he exposed the Deltite’s true intentions.

Commentary:

If you haven’t read the Nick Fury vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. miniseries, I highly recommend it. The first (and in my opinion, best) of the “S.H.I.E.L.D. has been infiltrated and under the control of villains for years” stories, and I think a lot of that is thanks to its excellent villain. Doing a straight adaptation of that series is a pretty good template for a low-rank espionage campaign, and the Deltite is a great Big Bad for any low-rank adventure. The scope and scale of his conspiracy is daunting, and can make sure a campaign that starts grounded has high heights to reach.

Name: Man-Killer

Rank: 4

Karma: 4

Initiative: +3E

Speed: 5

Occupation: Military

Origin: High Tech (Android)

Traits: Battle Ready, Connections: Military, Combat Expert, Combat Reflexes,  Fearless, Iron Will, Situational Awareness, Tech Reliance

Tags: A.I. , Black Market Access, Mentor: Madame Hydra, Mute, Villainous

Powers:

Basic (TR): Accuracy 2, Environmental Protection, Mighty 2, Slow-Motion Dodge, Sturdy 2

Ranged Weapons (TR): Snap Shooting, Weapons Blazing, Slow-Motion Shoot Dodge, Dance of Death

Super-Strength (TR): Clobber, Smash, Ground-Shaking Stomp, Jump 2, Immovable

Biography:

The Man-Killer was a  powerful android employed as the personal bodyguard of Madame Hydra. It was equipped with superhuman strength and could fire close-ranged missiles from its chest. It defended Madame Hydra during her first encounter with Captain America, and was destroyed when Captain America used his shield to block the missile launchers in his chest, causing them to detonate from within its body.

Commentary:

The Man-Killer is best suited to being a bodyguard to a mid-rank Hydra villain, able to take hits for them and deal out punishment to opponents. It’s proficient at close and ranged combat, and its durability ensures it will stay in the fight. He can move around the battlefield with ease, and choose between targeting multiple foes at once or focusing on a specific adversary.

Name: Ameridroid

Rank: 4

Karma: 4

Initiative: +3E

Speed: 25

Occupation: Military

Origin: High Tech (Android)

Traits: Battle Ready, Combat Reflexes, Gearhead, Inventor, Situational Awareness, Tech Reliance, Unusual Size: Huge

Tags: A.I., Enemy: Captain America, Lab Access, Mentor: Red Skull, Villainous

Powers:

Basic: Accuracy 2

Shield Bearer: Shield 3, Shield Deflection, Shield Bash, Hurled Shield Bash, Hurled Shield Deflection, Do This All Day, Brace for Impact, Shield Wall, Rico-Shield, Hurled Shield Block

Super-Strength (TR): Clobber, Smash, Ground-Shaking Stomp, Crushing Grip

Biography:

The Ameridroid was a robot created in the image of Captain America, but 12 feet tall. It was programmed with the consciousness of Lyle Dekker, a scientist who worked for the Red Skull. Dekker sought revenge against Captain America for foiling a sabotage operation he had planned during World War II, and attacked him. However, the android came to realize that its actions were futile, and even if it were to destroy Captain America it would never again be able to interact with society. Captain America convinced it to lay down its weapons and become a force for good. However, the Ameridroid was influenced by a mysterious figure called the “Teacher” who had edited its memory. The Teacher convinced the Ameridroid that its condition was the result of malicious actions by Captain America instead of Lyle Dekker’s own choices. The Ameridroid again battled Captain America, but he helped the android remember the truth and unveiled the Teacher as the Red Skull. The Ameridroid turned on the Skull and the two fell into an array of machinery, which destroyed the Ameridroid.

Commentary:

The Ameridroid of a memorable foe, it’s striking design complementing a profile with a lot of defensive options. His Shield abilities are almost as strong as the real Captain America, but his size and super-strength options give him more damage-dealing potential. The themes of A.I. corruption in his storyline means he might be just at home in a robot-focused campaign as a Hydra-focused one.

Name: Mechagorgon

Rank: 3

Karma: 3

Initiative: +2

Speed: 6

Occupation: Criminal

Origin: High Tech (Android)

Traits: Battle Ready, Big, Connections: Criminal, Combat Reflexes, Tech Reliance

Tags: A.I., Backup, Black Market Access, Streetwise, Villainous

Powers:

Basic: Additional Limb (TR), Environmental Protection (TR), Sturdy 2 (TR)

Melee Weapons (Sharp): Vicious Attack, Exploit, Fast Attacks, Hit and Run

Plasticity (TR): Extended Reach 1

Spider-Powers (TR): Spider-Sense, Spider-Dodge, Wallcrawling

Biography:

Mechagorgons were spider-like mechs operated by Hydra agents. They were equipped with multiple legs that ended in blades. They were utilized against Iron Fist when he began investigating Wai-Go Industries, which was a front for Hydra. They were also used to evaluate the combat abilities of Hydra’s new ally against Iron Fist, the Steel Serpent.

Commentary:

The Mechagorgon is a fun design, and I’m surprised it hasn’t been used more often in comics. It’s a big spider-mech for Hydra Agents to use, what’s not to love? Adding one or two of these to a fight with smaller Hydra goons is a great way to spice up an encounter, especially in the early stages of an adventure.

Name: The Fourth Sleeper

Rank: 4

Karma: 4

Initiative: +3E

Speed: 6

Occupation: None

Origin: High Tech (Android)

Traits: Battle Ready, Big, Iron Will, Signature Attack (Supernova), Situational Awareness, Tech Reliance

Tags: A.I.,  Mentor: Red Skull, Mute, Villainous

Powers:

Basic: Brawling, Energy Absorption (TR), Mighty 3 (TR), Sturdy 2 (TR)

Elemental Control (Force) (TR): Elemental Burst, Elemental Blast, Supernova

Phasing (TR): Phase Self, Quick Phase, Phase Walk

Super-Strength (TR): Clobber, Smash, Crushing Grip, Quick Toss

Biography:

The Sleepers were a series of powerful androids created by Red Skull during the last days of World War II. When it became clear that the Allies would win the war, he buried the Sleepers with the intent of reactivating them later against his enemies. The first three Sleepers were activated one by one in the present day by the Skull’s agents. They battled Captain America on their own and ultimately combined into a single form. They were defeated by Captain America, but the Skull’s plans were not over yet. He activated the Fourth Sleeper, which was under his personal control with a soni-crystal. This robot was a “living volcano,” designed to phase into the earth crust and use its kinetic power to cause seismic disruptions. As it battled Captain America, Sharon Carter managed to get the soni-crystal out of the Red Skull’s hands and shattered it, causing the robot to disintegrate.

Commentary:

The Fourth Sleeper is a durable, powerful opponent, with some powers your party might not be expecting. The combination of Phasing and Elemental Control give it some creative strategy options, and Signature Attack: Supernova can hit a whole party with a  lot of damage. On top of that, it has some classic super-strength stuff to fall back on. The Sleeper can work as a lone opponent or as a powerful minion for the Red Skull.

Name: Steel Serpent

Rank: 3

Karma: 3

Initiative: +3

Speed: 5

Occupation: Criminal

Origin: Special Training

Traits: Combat Reflexes, Connections: Criminal, Determination, Signature Attack: Focused Strike, Surprising Power: Energy Absorption

Tags: Black Market Access, Enemy: Iron Fist, Streetwise, Supernatural, Villainous

Powers:

Basic: Energy Absorption, Heightened Senses 1, Mighty 2

Martial Arts: Do This All Day, Brace for Impact, Fast Strikes, Chain Strikes, Focused Strike, Leg Sweep, Flying Double Kick, Attack Stance, Defense Stance, Counterstrike Technique, Untouchable Position

Biography:

Davos was the son of Lei Kung the Thunderer, the greatest martial artist in the mystical city of K’un-Lun. He was determined to follow in his father’s footsteps and become the Iron Fist, but lost the position to Wendall Rand, son of the city’s leader Yu-Ti. Davos accused Yu-Ti of bias and went to challenge the dragon Shou-Lao. Despite determining the dragon’s weakness, he was unable to defeat it and succumbed to the pain of his own injuries. He was exiled from the city and vowed revenge against Wendall, and later his son Daniel. When Danny Rand became the Iron Fist, Davos became his nemesis, taking the name Steel Serpent and using his own Chi Augmentation to rival the techniques of Iron Fist. After failing in several attempts to absorb Iron Fist’s Chi powers, he was chosen by the Crane Mother to lead a campaign to assassinate Iron Fist. He allied with the Hydra front Wai-Go Industries in an attempt to lure Iron Fist out, first trying to kill him and then drawing him into a tournament against the Immortal Weapons.

Commentary:

Iron Fist’s nemesis is powerful in the same way that both of the Iron Fist profiles are: very good at doing one thing. Like the, he can deal a lot of damage with Focused Strike, but he has some more outside-the-box options than most martial artists. Energy Absorption in particular should give a street-level party a moment of pause.

Name: Chronosaurus Rex

Rank: 4

Karma: 4

Initiative: +3E

Speed: 6

Occupation: Military

Origin: High-Tech (Battlesuit)

Traits: Battle Ready, Big, Connections: Military, Gearhead, Piloting, Situational Awareness, Tech Reliance

Tags: Extreme Appearance, Signature Weapon: Submachine Gun

Powers:

Basic (TR): Accuracy 2, Flight 1, Mighty 2, Sturdy 2

Super-Strength (TR): Clobber, Smash

Ranged Weapons (TR): Double Tap, Stopping Power, Snap Shooting, Weapons Blazing

Omniversal Travel (Time) (TR): Time Travel, Instant Replay, Time Travel Together, Time Travel Other

Biography:

The suit of armor known as Project: Backtrack was created as the personal project of Hydra scientist Cole, which became a personal obsession of his. He was determined to create a suit of battle armor capable of time travel. He succeeded, but before he could test it Ines Harper, the young daughter of Hydra agents, stole it. In an attempt to get her father to leave Hydra, Ines used the armor to go back in time. During a battle, which attracted the time traveling heroes Peter Parker and Cindy Moon, as well as the contemporary Ben Parker, the suit was damaged by Hydra agents. The heroes, as well as Ines, managed to retrieve the armor from Hydra and used its remaining abilities to go back and convince Ines not to steal it in the first place, destroying the device before it could be used and erasing the timeline.

Commentary:

This is kind of a weird and obscure character, but I think there’s a few ways to use it. You could go the “steal my villain father’s suit of armor” as a heroic player character, or have this be a top-secret project for Hydra villains. It’s a good way to boost up the threat level of a Hydra cell, and gives them ways to be involved in a more complex time travel story as well.

Name: Sensational Hydra

Rank: 4

Karma: 4

Initiative: + 3E

Speed: 5

Occupation: Military

Origin: Alien (Skrull)

Traits: Battle Ready, Combat Reflexes, Connections: Military (Hydra), Sneaky, Public Speaking, Presence Situational Awareness

Tags: Alien Heritage, Alternate Form (Dragon), Authority, Extreme Appearance, Secret Identity, Villainous

Powers:

Basic: Disguise, Shapeshifting, Flight 1, Mighty 1

Elemental Control (Fire): Elemental Burst, Elemental Blast

Shield-Bearer: Shield 3, Shield Bash, Hurled Shield Bash, Shield Deflection, Hurled Shield Deflection, Do This All Day

Plasticity: Extended Reach 1

Biography:

A powerful Skrull set up an identity as a high-ranking Hydra agent as part of a complex plot to weaken the defenses of earth from within. Alongside a handful of loyal Skrull operatives, he rose through the ranks of the organization and assumed the identity of a flamboyant terrorist known as the “Sensational Hydra.” In this guise he led several Hydra attacks, which attracted the attention of Captain America. The Skrull then ordered several public assassination attempts against Captain America, all of which were designed to fail. As the public noticed, the Skrull then assumed the form of Captain America, warning the public of a Skrull infiltration. He carefully spread paranoia among American citizens that Skrulls were anywhere and everywhere, A witch-hunt spread across the nation, leaving chaos in its wake. The Sensational Hydra’s final plan involved “unmasking” the President and Congress as Skrulls, leading a misguided armed uprising against the American government. This was foiled by the real Captain America, who revealed his doppelganger had started the whole panic in the first place and defeated him with the aid of the Avengers and the Fantastic Four.

Commentary:

The best way to use this sheet is to copy his evil plan from the comics, which can be a great thing to build a campaign around. You could even use some of the new Mutant Reputation rules to represent Skrull Paranoia. The Sensational Hydra can be a  good villain to bridge between acts one and two of a campaign. You heroes start in a more grounded battle against Hydra, and as they fight them, uncover a grander conspiracy, which leads to an interstellar conflict with the Kree Empire. His abilities as a Captain America doppelganger make for a difficult opponent, and his tendency to turn into a weird dragon-like creature can catch your players off guard if they’re just expecting an evil version of Captain America.

Name: Alexa Lukin

Rank: 4

Karma: 4

Initiative: +3E

Speed: 5

Occupation: Spy

Origin: Magic (Sorcery)

Traits: Connections: Espionage, Dealmaker, Leverage, Presence, Situational Awareness

Tags: Black Market Access, Powerful, Rich, Sorcerous, Secret Identity, Supernatural, Villainous

Powers:

Magic (Sorcery): Shield of the Seraphim, Dispel Spell, Summon Portal, Leech Life, Crimson Bands of Cyttorak

Illusion: Illumination, Flare, Darkness, Invisibility

Telepathy: Telepathic Link, Fool, Mirage, Memory Blip, Edit Memory

Telekinesis: Telekinetic Manipulation, Telekinetic Grab

Biography:

Alexa Lukin was the wife of Aleksander Lukin, the Soviet General responsible for unleashing the Winter Soldier in the present day. Alexa was a member of the “Night Witches,” a secret division of Soviet operatives during World War II. She was recruited by Peggy Carter to join the Daughters of Liberty, and became a talented sorcerer. In the present day, she teamed up with Selene Gallio to resurrect her deceased husband. She used the chaos left by Hydra’s takeover of the United States to form the Power Elite, a secret cabal of influential villains that achieved positions of legitimacy in American society. This included making Selene the head of a Commission for Faith-Based Initiatives, Wilson Fisk as Mayor of New York, and Baron Strucker as warden of the Myrmidon prison facility. Other members included Norman Osborne, Zeke Stane, Taskmaster, and General Thaddeus Ross. Her ultimate goal was control of a massive network of legitimate and clandestine power alongside her resurrected husband. Aleksander was restored by Selene, but so was the copy of the Red Skull’s mind that existed inside him. As the personality of the Red Skull took more and more control over Lukin’s body, Alexa came to see it as a valuable tool for gaining power, a price worth paying for revenge against America.

Commentary:

Aleksander Lukin is one of the most influential enemies Captain America has ever had, but his wife might be even more dangerous than the creator of the Winter Soldier. She’s incredibly smart and likes to work in the shadows, but in a fight her magical powers are nothing to sneeze at. She’s not the best in the world at dealing damage, but has tons of ways to disrupt or hinder her opponents. There’s a few ways to use her, as a partner for her husband and/or the Red SKull, or you could use the Power Elite as your villain group. In either case she has her tendrils in every aspect of power, legitimate and criminal.

Name: Cindy Moon (Earth-65)

Rank: 5

Karma: 5

Initiative: +3

Speed: 5

Occupation: Scientist

Origin: High Tech

Traits: Combat Reflexes, Inventor, Scientific Expertise, Fresh Eyes, Presence, Sneaky, Stranger, Tech Reliance

Tags: Authority, Backup, Black Market Access, Enemy: Ghost-Spider, Enemy: Silk, Enemy: Spider-Woman, Lab Access, Villainous

Powers:

Basic: Additional Limb (TR), Iconic Weapon (Righteous Glove: Grants an Edge when using Power Control powers), Flight 1 (TR), Mighty 2 (TR)

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

Omniversal Travel (Dimensional) (TR): Dimension Travel

Plasticity (TR): Extended Reach 2

Power Control (TR): Copy Ability, Dampen Power, Copy Power, Swipe Power, Clone Powers, Shut Down Powers

Shield-Bearer (TR): Shield 1, Shield Deflection

Biography:

Like her Earth-616 counterpart, the Cindy Moon of Earth-65 attended a demonstration of a particle accelerator, and encountered a spider irradiated by its energies. However, she was not bitten by the spider, and therefore did not receive mutagenic superpowers. This caused her to become obsessed with what could have been, She used the money her family got from suing Oscopr for the incident to invest in research to recreate these powers. This attracted the attention of S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Jesse Drew, who had been bitten by an alien spider. Cindy promised to cure his radiation poisoning, and blackmailed him into stealing S.H.I.E.L.D.’s research. She founded her own covert organization, S.I.L.K., and turned her attention to Earth-65’s Gwen Stacy. This triggered a conflict between S.I.L.K. and Gwen, as well as the Jessica Drew and Cindy Moon of Earth-616. In battle against these Spider-Women Cindy used a device called the Righteous Glove that allowed her to mimic the abilities of various superheroes and villains from Earth-616.

Commentary:

I love how a lot of Earth-65 characters are mashups of classic Marvel characters. Silk being her world’s equivalent of Baron Strucker is one of the more surprising examples of this, but one that works very well. She’s the perfect villain for a multiversal adventure, especially one focused on Spider-characters. Pretty much any Hydra character sheet can be used to represent S.I.L.K. agents from Earth-65. She’s an incredibly flexible opponent, having copied a ton of powers and with room to copy even more.  Almost all of them are Tech Reliant, so breaking her gauntlet might be a more effective approach than trying to beat her outright.

Name: Momentary Princess

Recommended Rank: 1-4

Category: None

Size: Little

Range:N/A

Reach: N/A

Damage Multiplier: N/A

Effect: Grants Intuition and Precognition 1

Description: A large, egg-shaped gem that glows with blue light.

History: The Momentary Princess was a device containing archives of history created in 2048. It was sent back in time to Leipzig, appearing every 30 years starting in 1897. In World War II it was discovered by Baron Strucker, who saw visions of himself leading Hydra. As it reappeared throughout history it has been targeted by the Howling Commandos, Fenris, and the Marauders. Gambit was one of the few able to get his hands on it, seeing a family connection to the object's discovery and creation.

Commentary: This can be a good MacGuffin and a vehicle to introduce visions of the future to a plotline. The party could seek it out for their own use, or merely seek to keep it out of the hands of a villain.