Mercer
| Strength 7c |
Agility 5d |
Intellect 3x |
Willpower 7d |
| Hand Size: Edge: |
4 (25) 2 |
Origin:
As are his fellow Renegades, Mercer has no special powers to speak of, but he can hardly be considered 'normal' by any definition of the term. He's an expert combatant and enjoys his work, whether he's fighting for the angels or for the bad guys.
Powers:
(none)
Hindrances / Augmentations:
(none)
Equipment:
Grenades (i): while on the job, Mercer typically has at least one of these devices pinned to his vest. He can fling them anywhere within the normal range, at which point they will explode to inflict intensity 10 damage to all within near missile distance of where they detonate.
Kevlar Vest (s): one functional item he retains from his days as a Cobra Viper, Mercer still bears his bright red, bullet-resistant vest. This item provides his torso intensity 8, or +2, protection against conventional, physical injuries - from bullets to knives.
Knife (s): Mercer knows you can't always rely upon your favorite sidearm, no matter how much easier that may be. He thus carries a blade as a backup, which is made from m.s. 12 materials, and can be used to inflict his Strength +2 slashing damage in melee.
Sidearms (a): Mercer carries several of these hand cannons on his person, all of which can be used to inflict his Agility +4 n damage when firing a single shot, raised to his Agility +5 win hen he fires them in a semi-automatic spread of gunfire.
While his backup gun has no other special properties, his signature piece is also equipped with a silencer. This device reduces the report of his gunfire to a intensity 1 level of sound, which keeps most people from knowing he's firing it unless they're at close range.
Skills:
Boxing (s): Mercer has always been good with his fists, and has had that tendency backed up with years of martial training. He can divide his pre-card play action score between two unarmed attacks per exchange, the last of which will occur as a contingent action.
Brawling (s): Mercer isn't a nice guy, and his hand-to-hand style tends to reflect this. As such, whenever he reduces a target to zero (0) Cards or Health in melee, Mercer will drop them into a comatose state, representing how dirty he fights.
Guns (a): a talent he learned in the Army way back, which was reinforced during years as a Viper, this skill represents Mercer's ability to fire most conventional firearms. Whether it's a standard, semi-automatic, or fully automatic rifle or pistol, Mercer can use it at a reduced difficulty
Military / United States and Cobra (w): Mercer has served as a member of the United States Army as well as doing his time as a Cobra Viper. To say he knows all about the military mindset and functioning in a martial environment would be something of an understatement.
Contacts:
Mercer has few contacts to speak of. He can definitely rely upon his fellow Renegades for assistance in any matter, as they're tightly-knit and used to getting their hands dirty. Though technically a Joe, Mercer isn't on good terms with the vast majority of the team.
Calling:
Repentant, with secondary callings of Demolisher and Vengeance: Mercer regrets his time with Cobra, though he served that organization out of necessity. It gave him some bad habits, though, and he likes to take them out on his former teammates whenever possible.
Costume:
Mercer's first costume mainly consists of old Viper uniform bits. It includes a black pair of leather boots, blue trousers with gray trim, a black leather belt, a red Kevlar vest with various pouches and a holster attached, one black glove (right hand) and a digital wrist watch (left hand).
Personality:
Mercer is abrasive, secretive, and aggressive, traits you don't normally think of in the form of a GI Joe operative. Of course, being an ex-Cobra Viper who the Joes make use of for valuable intelligence on his former teammates, they'll tolerate him and his attitude - if barely.
Real Name: Felix P. Stratton, Grade E-5 (equivalent)
Occupation: mercenary, ex-terrorist
Legal Status: citizen of the United States with an impressive criminal record
Marital Status: single
Alias(es), if any: Richard S. Cecil
Group Affiliation: GI Joe, the Renegades (GI Joe sub-team), former member of Cobra
Height: 6' 1"
Hair: light brown
Eyes: blue
Weight: 202 lbs
Other Distinguishing Characteristics: Mercer featrues an anti-Cobra tattoo on his left arm, and wears a full beard and moustache on occasion.
Story:
Mercer was originally an ordinary member of the Army back in the day, content to do his duty for his country until tragedy struck. When he couldn't afford the medical bills for an ill family member, Mercer was instead recruited into the higher paying forces of Cobra.
Mercer did his time with them for a few years, even serving as one of their elite Vipers. However, he eventually grew discontent with their inherently evil philosophy, and made his escape from Cobra Island one night in a stolen hydrofoil.
Seeing the opportunity Mercer represented, the GI Joe team got ahold of the man for its own purposes, thinking to use his extensive knowledge of Cobra activity to its own advantage. The problem with this was that most of the Joes couldn't work well with him.
So, Mercer 'vanished' from the Joes' roster in time, only to resurface randomly alongside two other misfits the Joes tends to keep on the payroll. This team, the Renegades, is yet another of Sergeant Slaughter's 'elite' groups, goons he took it upon himself to hammer into soldiers.
By any means necessary.
So though the Joes don't like working with Mercer, he nonetheless helps them out alongside his fellow Renegades, often engaging in 'off the books' missions the normal team can't afford to get caught doing. And when dealing with Cobra, the Renegades get a lot of dirty work.
The Renegades aren't always active though - just the opposite, really. So when not working covertly for Uncle Sam, Mercer tends to do mercenary work, though he avoids working for completely unscrupulous clients for the most part... it reminds him of Cobra too much.
(Historical Divergence)
When the Joes were deactivated for a time, Mercer embraced his merc work fully, though upon the group's subsequent reactivation he serves as a reserve member of that organization. He is called upon from time to time to help the Joes on missions when no one else is available.
Even if his teammates hate the idea of working with him. But they do respect his sheer ability, not to mention his insight into the behavior of Cobra's countless goons. Sometimes that's almost enough for them to ignore his terrorist history and his surly attitude.
Almost.
1991 Variations
Equipment:
Chain Mail Armor (s): for some reason, Mercer took to wearing chain mail armor on his right arm in 1991. This gives his arm the same protection his Kevlar vest provides his chest against physical attacks, and increases his melee damage with that arm by +2.
Machine Guns (a): supplementing his preferred sidearms, Mercer may fire a single shot with these weapons to inflict his Agility +4 in damage, a short burst of such to inflict his Agility +5 in damage, or fire continuously to inflict his Agility +6 in damage.
Stanford Rocket Launcher (i): Mercer has added this devastating weapon to his arsenal recently, mostly because he's one of the few Joes strong enough to lug it and its ammunition around. Its projectiles inflict intensity 10 damage to all within near missile range of where they hit.
Costume:
Mercer's second GI Joe uniform is different than his first. It includes a black pair of leather boots, blue trousers with red trim, a black leather belt, a black, red, and silver Kevlar vest with various pouches attached, black gloves, and, oddly, a chain mail right arm sleeve.
2006 Variations
Equipment:
Machine Guns (a): supplementing his preferred sidearms, Mercer may fire a single shot with this weapon to inflict his Agility +4 in damage, a short burst of such to inflict his Agility +5 in damage, or fire continuously to inflict his Agility +6 in damage.
Costume:
Mercer's third GI Joe uniform is another all-new affair. It includes a brown and white camouflage vest, blue jeans, a brown leather belt, brown leather boots, brown and white camouflage shin and thigh pads, a black bandoiler, and a black thigh holster for a sidearm.
2011 Variations
Equipment:
Machine Guns (a): supplementing his preferred sidearms, Mercer may fire a single shot with this weapon to inflict his Agility +4 in damage, a short burst of such to inflict his Agility +5 in damage, or fire continuously to inflict his Agility +6 in damage.
Shotgun (a): for closer combat, Mercer sports this weapon. He can fire birdshot with it to inflict his Agility +4 in damage in a sixty degree arc, buckshot to inflict his Agility +5 in damage to adjacent targets, and slugs to inflict his Agility +6 in damage to a single foe.
Costume:
Mercer's fourth costume is almost identical to his first. It includes black leather boots, black knee pads, black leather gloves, a black leather belt, blue jeans, and a red Kevlar vest with various pouches and a holster attached, worn over a red sleeveless shirt.
2018 Variations
Equipment:
Machine Guns (a): supplementing his preferred sidearms, Mercer may fire a single shot with this weapon to inflict his Agility +4 in damage, a short burst of such to inflict his Agility +5 in damage, or fire continuously to inflict his Agility +6 in damage.
Shotgun (a): for closer combat, Mercer sports this weapon. He can fire birdshot with it to inflict his Agility +4 in damage in a sixty degree arc, buckshot to inflict his Agility +5 in damage to adjacent targets, and slugs to inflict his Agility +6 in damage to a single foe.
Costume:
Mercer's Marauders costume is a variation on his first. It includes black leather boots, light green knee pads, blue leather gloves, a black leather belt, light green, dark green, and brown trousers, and a brown Kevlar, pouch- and holster-laden vest, worn over a blue sleeveless shirt.
Extra Goodies:
GI Joe directories featuring a version of Mercer:
| 1987 | 1991 | 2006 | 2011 | 2018 |
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