Laser-Vipers
| F Gd 10 |
A Gd 10 |
S Ty 6 |
E Gd 10 |
R Ty 6 |
I Gd 10 |
P Gd 10 |
Res Ex 20 |
Pop Ty -5 |
| Health: Karma: |
36 26 |
Origin:
Cobra's Laser-Vipers are normal humans, aside from dressing up in an outlandish uniform to commit high tech terrorism, that is. Though they wield undeniably advanced gear with which to commit their crimes, Laser-Vipers possess no super-human powers to speak of.
Known Powers:
(none)
Limitations / Enhancements:
(none)
Equipment:
Helmet: wielding high-power energy emitters on each side of their head, Laser-Vipers wear heavy duty headgear. These large helmets provide their heads Good (10) protection against physical and heat assaults, and offer their wearers' vision Screened Senses of like capability.
Laser Cannons: rigged up on a powerful battery backpack, these twin cannons flank the head of Laser-Vipers in the midst of their work. They inflict Good (10) Armor Piercing Energy damage each, though the overall damage Laser-Vipers inflict is boosted +1 CS if both are used.
The trick with these directed energy weapons is that they have a short range, thanks to atmospheric dispersal. For every area separating a Laser-Viper from their target, the damage they can inflict is reduced by 1 CS, whether they're using only one of their cannons or both.
Though their direct danger radius is small, Laser-Vipers can incur devastating damage by 'lighting up' targets with their laser beams. Sure, they won't do damage if they're far enough away, but these beams act as a perfect means for other Cobras to home in on their targets.
Quirks:
(none)
Talents:
Advanced Guns: their claim to fame, Laser-Vipers are capable of handling all manner of directed energy weapons with ease. Whether wielding their laser cannons, or items such as an ionic blaster, disintegrator rifle, or sonic disruptor, Laser-Vipers do so with a +1 CS bonus.
Engineering: while the physical demands of the job are hard enough, Laser-Vipers must also become accredited engineers, if they are not already. Thanks to this essential occupational skill, Laser-Vipers may add a +1 CS to FEAT rolls required when building things.
Guns: all Cobra operatives have the ability to wield firearms in combat, and Laser-Vipers are no exception to this rule. They may discharge any standard, semi-automatic, or fully automatic rifle or pistol as if their Agility was +1 CS higher than is listed above.
Martial Arts type A or B: furthermore, Laser-Vipers are well-versed in the art of self-defense. They either wield type a, allowing them to Slam or Stun foes regardless of their comparative Strength or Endurance, or b, granting them a +1 CS to hit in unarmed combat.
Military: all Cobra operatives possess this talent, even if the organization they belong to isn't a real military. It nonetheless has a structure, however Byzantine, and Laser-Vipers are taught how to effectively fight in groups, if they somehow haven't been previously.
Contacts:
The Laser-Viper corps are often given a hard time, discounted as simply 'waving flashlights around' in the midst of a fight. But when they call down precision airstrikes after having the nerve to keep a laser lock on targets while taking enemy fire, other Cobras can't help but notice.
So while they may get guff, Laser-Vipers are nonetheless held in high regard by their fellows, and can generally rely upon them for assistance under most circumstances. It depends, ultimately, on how well-liked an individual Laser-Viper is to his or her compatriots.
Costume:
The original Laser-Viper ensemble includes a dark gray, long-sleeved shirt, belt, and trousers, black leather boots, blue leather gloves, blue web gear to secure their battery back packs in place, and a dark gray mask worn beneath a steel bucket helmet with a black visor.
Notes:
It takes a special kind of Cobra to become a Laser-Viper. For one thing, prospective candidates for the Laser-Viper corps require pinpoint accuracy coupled with steady hands, for reliably aiming lasers manually at any distance is folly without both of these characteristics.
Furthermore, a considerable amount of backbone is necessary to do their jobs. They're the guys that have to stand up and 'paint' their foes with targeting beams until ordnance fired by Cobra air support can vaporize them, after all - usually while taking concentrated enemy fire.
On top of all that, prospective candidates for this corps need to be an accredited engineer, whether before their Laser-Viper training commences or in the midst of it. Naturally, this is a stumbling block for many Cobras, because let's face it, most Cobra operatives aren't all that bright.
Any Cobra who has these qualities can likely earn themselves a Laser-Viper uniform and pay. And while most of them do appreciate the pay, it takes a special kind of Cobra to fill this niche. The members of this terrorist organization aren't well known for being team players, you know.
2001 Variations
Equipment:
Knife: though they didn't carry one previously, Laser-Vipers recently started hauling blades with them in a boot sheath. Made from Remarkable (30) m.s. materials, they can either be used to cut through items of up to like m.s., given enough effort, or to inflict Edged Attack damage in melee.
Laser Rifle: this time around, Laser-Vipers carried a much smaller laser rifle, instead of their twin cannons. Much lighter, it allowed them better mobility in the field. Of course, this weapon still inflicts Good (10) Armor Piercing Energy damage per deadly blast.
Costume:
The second Laser-Viper ensemble is completely different, and is comprised of a long-sleeved blue shirt under a red vest, blue trousers supported with red belts along the legs, black leather boots and belts, a black sheath, red leather gloves, a red face mask, and a blue helmet.
2003 Variations
Equipment:
Wraith Suit: the primary benefit of being a member of the Python Patrol, other than the further increase in pay, is that Laser-Vipers are given a wraith suit. This ensemble makes them invisible to infrared scanners and radio wave detectors with Amazing (50) ability.
Costume:
The third Laser-Viper outfit is a variation on the first. It consists of a black and red Pythonized, long-sleeved shirt, belt, mask, and trousers, black leather boots, gold leather gloves, pouches, and web gear, and a golden bucket helmet with a black visor.
2017 Variations
Equipment:
Laser Pistol: in the event that the use of their main weapon isn't viable, Laser-Vipers now carry a spare in a handy hip holster. They can discharge this much smaller weapon to inflict Typical (6) Armor Piercing Energy damage, up to six times per charge.
Laser Rifle: Laser-Vipers once again carried a much smaller laser rifle in 2017, instead of their twin cannons. Much lighter, it allowed them better mobility in the field. Of course, this weapon still inflicts Good (10) Armor Piercing Energy damage per deadly blast.
Costume:
The fourth Laser-Viper ensemble is like the first, and includes a dark gray, long-sleeved shirt, mask, and trousers, a light gray belt and holster, black leather boots, blue leather gloves, blue web gear to secure their battery packs, and a steel bucket helmet with a black visor.
Extra Goodies:
Cobra directories featuring a version of Laser-Vipers:
| 1990 | 2001 | 2003 | 2017 |
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