Viper Villain
Real Name: Jordan Stryke.
Occupation: Professional mercenary, former advertising executive.
Identity: Known to the authorities.
Legal Status: Citizen of the United States with a criminal record.
Other Aliases: Jordan Dixon.
Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California.
Marital Status: Divorced.
Known Relatives: Leonard (alias Eel, brother); ex-wife (name unrevealed).
Group Affiliation: Serpent Squad.
Base of Operations: Mobile.
First Post-Reboot Appearance: CAPTAIN AMERICA #
History: As a young man, Jordan Stryke started his career as a junior copy writer for an advertising firm, working his way up through the ranks over the years to become a mid-level account executive. As time went on, he became convinced the public would buy anything if it was advertised properly. It is not known when he got the idea to become a costumed mercenary.
When he was contacted by his brother Leonard regarding the gambling debts Leonard had racked up, Jordan's slick tongue convinced his brother to become a costumed criminal to raise funds. Leonard took the identity of the Eel, with Jordan secretly funding the creation of the Eel's uniform. Encouraged by this, he kept track of the Eel's career while making contact with a number of other snake-themed criminals and mercenaries. Taking the name of the Viper, he busted his brother out of prison to join the team he dubbed the Serpent Squad.
As the leader of the Serpent Squad, Viper led the team in several corporate espionage missions before coming into conflict with Captain America, who had been asked to investigate. Viper got away by shooting the Captain's young partner, Bucky, in the back with a reportedly fast-acting lethal poison, then offering the antidote in exchange for his freedom. The Captain reluctantly agreed, but while his back was turned the Viper shot the Captain with the same venom.
The Serpent Squad again came into conflict with Captain America not long after, this time when the Squad was being investigated by the government team Freedom Force. Viper nearly convinced one of Freedom Force, the serpentine Slither, to defect to the Serpent Squad, and instigated a fight between Captain America and Freedom Force over it. However, the Captain and Freedom Force's field leader, Crucible, managed to set aside their differences long enough to work together to capture most of the Serpents, including Viper. Following that, Viper was sent to prison.
Viper was later seen, ironically in full costume with prison orange over it, during the prison break led by the Rhino, alongside the other Serpents who had been imprisoned. He has since been seen looking up information on other serpent-themed costumed mercenaries and criminals.
Age: 32.
Height: 5' 11".
Weight: 175 lbs.
Eyes: Unrevealed.
Hair: Unrevealed.
Uniform: Padded two-tone green bodysuit, green full-face cowl, black gloves, black boots, black belt with a green buckle.
Strength Level: Viper possesses the normal human strength of a man his age, height, and build who engages in moderately intensive regular exercise.
Known Superhuman Powers: None.
Other Abilities: Viper is skilled at manipulation of the media for advertising purposes. He is also a skilled hand to hand combatant, a nimble athlete, and a good shot with his wrist-mounted dart shooters.
Weapons and Paraphernalia: Viper uses a pair of gauntlets which he uses to shoot darts tipped with a variety of poisons. His right gauntlet also has an eight-inch long retractable poison-tipped blade.
375 points
Attributes: ST 13 [30]; DX 13 [60]; IQ 12 [40]; HT 13 [30].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 1d/2d-1; BL 34 lbs.; HP 13 [0]; Will 12 [0]; Per 12 [0]; FP 13 [0]; Basic Speed 6.50 [0]; Basic Move 6 [0]; Dodge 10.
Languages: English (Native) (Native Language) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Western (Native) [0].
Advantages: Business Acumen 3 [30]; Combat Reflexes [15]; Fit [5]; Flexibility [5]; Hard to Kill 3 [6]; Hard to Subdue 3 [6]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Merchant Rank 4 [20]; Talker 3 [15]; Wealth (Wealthy) [20].
Disadvantages: Callous [-5]; Compulsive Rhetoric (9) [-7]; Odious Personal Habit (Speaks In Business Jargon) -1 [-5]; Overconfidence (9) [-7]; Social Stigma (Criminal Record) [-5].
Quirks: Careful [-1]; Dual Identity [-1]; Imaginative [-1].
Skills: Acrobatics (H) DX-1 [2] – 12; Administration (A) IQ+3 [2] – 15*; Boxing (A) DX+1 [4] – 14; Brainwashing/TL8 (H) IQ IQ-2 [1] – 10; Chemistry/TL8 (H) IQ+0 [4] – 12; Climbing (A) DX+2 [1] – 15†; Diplomacy (H) IQ+2 [2] – 14‡; Fast-Draw (Knife) (E) DX+1 [1] – 14§; Fast-Talk (A) IQ+4 [4] – 16‡; Forced Entry (E) DX+0 [1] – 13; Guns/TL8 (Wrist Gun) (E) DX+3 [8] – 16; Holdout (A) IQ+1 [4] – 13; Intelligence Analysis/TL8 (H) IQ+0 [4] – 12; Jumping (E) DX+0 [1] – 13; Knife (E) DX+1 [2] – 14; Leadership (A) IQ+2 [8] – 14; Lifting (A) HT-1 [1] – 12; Lockpicking/TL8 (A) IQ+0 [2] – 12; Market Analysis (H) IQ+3 [4] – 15*; Merchant (A) IQ+3 [2] – 15*; Observation (A) Per+0 [2] – 12; Poisons/TL8 (H) IQ+0 [4] – 12; Professional Skill (Advertiser) (A) IQ+2 [8] – 14; Propaganda/TL8 (A) IQ+8 [20] – 20*; Psychology (Human) (H) IQ+2 [2] – 14‡; Public Speaking (A) IQ+0 [2] – 12; Running (A) HT-1 [1] – 12; Savoir-Faire (High Society) (E) IQ+3 [1] – 15‡; Savoir-Faire (Mafia) (E) IQ+3 [1] – 15‡; Shadowing (A) IQ+0 [2] – 12; Stealth (A) DX+1 [4] – 14; Streetwise (A) IQ+0 [2] – 12; Swimming (E) HT+0 [1] – 13; Tactics (H) IQ+0 [4] – 14; Throwing (A) DX-1 [1] – 12; Thrown Weapon (Dart) (E) DX+1 [2] – 14.
Starting Spending Money: $17,900 (20% Starting Wealth, minus cost of armor).
* Includes +3 from Business Acumen.
† Includes +3 from Flexibility.
‡ Includes +3 from Talker.
§ Includes +1 from Combat Reflexes.
Role-Playing Notes:
Viper is a con man at heart, holding most of the world in contempt over how easily people can be persuaded by mass media. A sociopath, he'll kill without mercy if the situation warrants it. He has an annoying habit of bantering as a salesman or con artist while in combat, which grates on everyone's nerves but his brother's, and tends to treat mission briefings as marketing seminars. Despite all that, he's developed into a decent leader. He likely has greater plans for the Serpent Squad than a mere squad of costumed mercenaries.
Design Notes:
1. Viper's uniform is meant to consist of a Reflex Tactical Vest (Ultra-Tech, p. 173) over the chest, with a Reflex Suit (Ultra-Tech, p. 172) covering the rest of the body.
2. It's quite likely that this Viper – not Sidewinder – will expand the Serpent Squad into the Serpent Society.