Have a supervillain in a grounded world, where no one has actual super powers. However, I want this guy to absolutely have a huge advantage over my heroes when it comes to tech and such. What are some "powers" one could obtain with the right technology and biohacking? We've already seen how Richard Browning in real life has created a jet suit. In regards to weapons on his suit, what could my supervillain get that is technically realistic, albeit costly? Would love to have something with magnets, and maybe some specialized contacts or something that lets him see in the dark (this is the part that become more fiction than anything). For what it's worth, his name is Iron Owl. He's intelligent, I want him to really have an advantage in the dark, he wears a suit of iron, and he can fly (jet suit). Perhaps some sort of projectiles, like owl claws that shoot out at people? Just looking for ideas that would truly put him up there with some actual superheroes. I want him to feel unstoppable to my regular heroes.
I take it firearms are off the table. Which is a shame because they truly fit the parameters of grounded tech and huge advantage. Also when you say a suit of iron I imagine you mean an alloy containing iron? A straight iron suit probably wouldn't work out well for the hero, and isn't so high-tech. Anyway maybe you'll find some of these interesting? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directed-energy_weapon
Bionics - superhuman abilities gained through electromechanical implants. Some may remember The Bionic Man and The Bionic Woman - the 1970s TV shows, which were based on Cyborg, by Martin Caidin
"The Bionic Man" ... wasn't. The name of that show was The Six Million Dollar Man. It starred Lee Majors.
Hey, those are actually pretty cool. In particular, I think the LDAR (long-distance acoustic device), the active denial system, the pulsed energy projectile, and electrolaser are the coolest. Wonder how much of a realism leap it'd be to retrofit my villain's suit with some of this technology. Heat ray (active denial system) or PEP (pulsed energy projectile) could be used to incapacitate and torture, the electrolaser could be used as a lethal weapon, and LDAR could also be used to incapacitate/confuse. Perhaps his night vision is literally just lightweight night vision goggles that he can toggle on and off on his helmet. Flying would be through something like Browning's jet suit. So, you have a guy that can disorient you with sound waves, make you feel like you're on fire with microwaves, kill you with an electrolaser, all while having an advantage in the dark and being able to fly. And if the PEP was used instead of the heat ray, you'd still get to inflict pain, but also emit a shockwave that could knock your opponent down. Have the suit be bullet, fire, and pierce-proof, and now we're talking. That's a guy I'd be terrified of.
Also, since this recommendation is so awesome, have any ideas in regards to anything surrounding magnetism?
Honestly, no idea what Iron Man's powers actually are, so it definitely could be similar. I essentially am just looking to create the most unstoppable, non-super hero while still being realistic with it.
Well, Iron Man can fly, shoot off energy blasts, and is bulletproof. Without his suit though, he's just a guy. How about the ability to hack any computer on the planet? Imagine if someone could take control of any CCTV camera, any self-driving car... and any computer controlled weapon system.
To me, that kinda moves into the realm of unrealistic. The tech here seems like it could one day make its way into militaristic use (some of it already has), and I don't think it's a huge leap of faith to assume that years of technological advances could see it being able to be deployed in a sort of exosuit for soldiers (ignoring the costs for a moment). And I guess in regards to powers, then, he'll be similar, but I feel like it's hard not to be if we're talking realistic tech enhancements.
I like the ideas that you are coming up Frigocc; this sounds like an interesting character. I don't think the magnets will work with an iron suit however; they will simply stick to the suit. Can you imagine his magnetic gloves getting stuck to his crotch? What if he had electromagnets, that can be turned off, and a titanium suit which isn't magnetic? Giving him an advantage in the dark is easy; he just needs inferred goggles. This technology already exists. Owls are silent predators. To tie into the owl theme, what if he had a personal cloaking device or an invisibility field? That would be quite dangerous for the heroes.
Respectfully, the character you are describing essentially IS Iron Man: an ordinary mortal who can put on a suit of high-tech armor with an arsenal of high-tech weaponry. If you really aren't familiar with Iron Man, then you need to watch some of the movies and get acquainted with his toys, because otherwise you may find yourself in copyright or trademark hell.
That is excellent point. I could only see this working as a Marvel Comic. You would need to be a Marvel Comic writer before even trying this. But if this is a Marvel Comic you need to explain why Marvel needs an evil version of Iron Man. I went over to the Marvel Database and found 1692 entries in the "Armor user" category. What are you bring to the table to make this different?
@frigocc Transhumanism and Immortality - YouTube Isaac Arthur is an amazing channel. Watch this particularly starting at 6.30. Axon and the Myelin Sheath is the super power you are looking for. This post is part of a 42-part series Cyborgs, Android Transhumanism & AI. Hope it helps MartinM
Why iron and not steel? Or titanium? Or carbon fibre (which is 5 times stronger than steel by weight)? As for Iron Man:
I've seen all the movies, but I'm saying I don't remember exactly what his weapons were -- just their general functions. I'm sure they're probably similar, but I chose to add some of the specific weapons I found through this thread due to the fact that they're more realistic. Actually, I thought some of these were kinda cool because my grandfather used to work for Raytheon's Special Microwave Devices Operations, where some of the research and development of these weapons were first begun. As for copyright or trademark, I don't think that'll be an issue. The weapons, while similar, are probably not the same, and their names, backgrounds, motivations, etc. are completely different. Though, I'm definitely going to change my character's name, especially since he is not wearing Iron. I wanted something with an Owl theme, but it's hard to find good names that aren't already taken.
The vibes I'm getting from OP are that his hero(es) are closer to the Defendor and Super end of the spectrum rather than the marvel end of the spectrum as far as context goes. This Owl character seems more like a guy in a clunky suit than Stark in a Sleek Magical Outfit. Pop culture's unrealistic notion of 'suit man' will lend credence, contrast to the OP's character. I could be wrong, though: can't read his mind of course. Owl themed heroes are pretty commonplace. Even though the hero's MO is different, his description made me think of Nite Owl from Watchmen. That said basically every hero theme has been thought of and now lives some comic book basement. Personally I would still spend some more time brainstorming that hero's branding, see if something more unique comes up.
Yeah, that's kinda what I was trying to get at. Sure, a high-tech suit may sound similar to someone like Iron Man, but there's no plot armor here, or any magic/mystical/unrealistic elements here. Wanting it to be completely grounded. I mean, sure, this dude can "fly," for example, but it's not like Iron Man flying, just enough to give him a tactical advantage. As for the identity of the superhero, I actually agree. Was initially going for a sorta owl theme here, mostly due to it being appropriate for the original, highly different story, but now, I feel like he should have a tech-y name that still sounds like a superhero (and not a supervillain, so nothing harsh). Can't seem to figure out any good names, though.
What if he has that internet implant thing that Elon Musk is trying to make? Like, it's SO CREEPY!! But could be totally scary. Add Google Glass to this and you have a monster.
