Lex Luthor

[Ultimo]

So, I was looking at creating a nemesis for my Superman-themed character, and of course, the logical choice is to make a character based on Lex Luthor.

 

However, I'm debating about what sort of character to make him, and thought I'd see what people thought.  My first notion is to make him a Mastermind, bots and force fields, but as I think about it, I'm not sure that's really Luthor's style.  He's much more personally involved, and uses more gadgetry than the Mastermind does.

 

What do you all think?  What class and power sets would Luthor use?

 

(I know an AE character doesn't have to follow class limitations, but I always try to make them consistent with the classes... in part because I sometimes end up making playable versions, but mostly because it seems more "fair" to me that the enemies follow the same rules as the players.)

[biostem]

10 minutes ago, Ultimo said:

What do you all think?  What class and power sets would Luthor use?

Well, if you wanted to go with his power armor incarnation, something like an energy blast (tinted green)/invulnerability sentinel could work.  He also has private security forces, so a mercs/traps MM could also work.

[Ultimo]

I'd originally planned to give him the energy blasts from the Epic pool, to simulate his armour, along with Tough, Weave, Maneuvers and maybe Combat Jumping and Hover for Defense.  Roll in the Bots and Force Fields, and he's pretty durable...

 

It's just that I'm not sure he "feels" like Luthor, if you take my meaning.

Think about Luthor in the JLAU, when did he ever use robots to attack anyone?  In that awesome episode where he teamed with the Injustice Gang... he also never used bots or anything like them.  It's really what made me reconsider making him a Mastermind.  I've considered using some variation of traps/devices, but I find them REALLY underwhelming... at least, for a player character.  Perhaps as an AE character it would be different, but I suspect he'd be KOed before he could deploy anything of use.

[Yomo Kimyata]

I’m not going to say this is Lex Luthor, in your eyes, but I tend to use Time Manipulation as a proxy for superior planning, or even luck.

[smnolimits43]

i would think radiation for kryptonite.  Perhaps Mastermind, Robots/Radiation.

[biostem]

33 minutes ago, Ultimo said:

I'm not sure he "feels" like Luthor

That's why I suggested going with a Sentinel.  Take Mace Mastery if you want to give him a bit of extra gear to utilize, as well as a "disposable" robot/cannon fodder.  Having gotten several sentinels to 50 + incarnates, I can vouch for them being extremely durable once you also factor in set bonuses, and Luthor can go toe-to-toe with Superman while in his armor, at least for short stints...

[Ultimo]

I seem to remember him using two pistols in the last episode of JLU, but the animations are awful in the game.  Having said that, what's the Devices set like for Blasters?  How durable can a Blaster be made with pools and such?

[Ultimo]

So... I've recreated the character with Beam Rifle/Devices... so far, I'm liking it better.  We'll see as he goes.

 

[Ultimo]

Well, he fits better into the mad scientist version of Luthor... which is FINE.  In fact, that's the version of the character I grew up with, so I'm happy with that.

 

Having said that, he IS rather squishy.  The idea is that at later levels he can "resemble" his armoured self.  This is my plan for the character, what say you all?

 

[/img]
View This Build In MRB

 

(Ok, this isn't how I expected the build to get posted...)

 

 

Edited September 14, 2023 by Ultimo

[biostem]

7 minutes ago, Ultimo said:

Having said that, he IS rather squishy.

If you go mace mastery, you can improve his defense via scorpion shield.

[Ultimo]

1 minute ago, biostem said:

If you go mace mastery, you can improve his defense via scorpion shield.

Ya, but I wanted something like a personal energy blast from his epic pool... something his battlesuit would provide as opposed to his beam rifle.  The setup I posted offers around 14.5% defense and 46.4% resistance to smashing/lethal, 30% to energy.  That's with SOs.  I expect with IOs or sets, it would only get better.  I would have liked a PFF, but that's more of a Dr. Doom thing, less so a Luthor thing.

[biostem]

1 hour ago, Ultimo said:

Ya, but I wanted something like a personal energy blast from his epic pool... something his battlesuit would provide as opposed to his beam rifle.  The setup I posted offers around 14.5% defense and 46.4% resistance to smashing/lethal, 30% to energy.  That's with SOs.  I expect with IOs or sets, it would only get better.  I would have liked a PFF, but that's more of a Dr. Doom thing, less so a Luthor thing.

There are a few mace attacks, but I get your point.

[Ultimo]

Yep, I've redesigned him a couple of times, but I'm much happier with him as a Blaster.  The Devices set is WAY better than Traps, and the beam rifle just suits his Mad Scientist vibe.

 

Much happier with him like this.  I appreciate the feedback!

[BrandX]

Dual Pistols!  Because I remember him with dual pistols in JLU 🙂

 

 

[Ultimo]

6 hours ago, BrandX said:

Dual Pistols!  Because I remember him with dual pistols in JLU 🙂

 

 

I thought of that, but I don't think the flippy goofy style of the dual pistols animations really work for him.

[Ultimo]

Just an update.

 

I'm loving this character, he's an absolute blast to play, and does capture the "feel" of Lex Luthor pretty well.

Someone pointed out to me that Trip Mines can be placed more than once, so I can lay a long line of them to blow enemies up as the come, or just put a bunch right in front of me to alpha strike almost anything to death.

 

Still tinkering with the build a bit, though...  It's the effort to make the "armoured" version of Luthor using Epic pools that's proving most challenging.