Hi all! A quick good luck to our opponents, and a thank you to batdude and the judges (whoever they end up being).
🙂
....
Digi’s Post #1:
This is intended mainly to accompany our initial write-up. I won’t be responding to too many of my opponents’ comments just yet.
Part I. Defining Adam Warlock
This is to dispel some falsehoods about Adam, and also to define his power levels and abilities for those who are unfamiliar with him. If you are unfamiliar with Adam at all, read this. And if you are familiar with him, hell, read it anyway….it’s a good time.
The first thing I want to address is the Soul Gem, because I see too much of “Adam’s worthless without his soul gem”. You’d be shocked how little the gem actually does for him. Karmic blasts, used as kind of a psi-bolt, come from the gem. I won’t be using those. And he does his “soul suck” technique with it. That’s about it. As a SOUL gem, it doesn’t aid in his strength, durability, telepathy, energy powers, teleportation, fighting skills, etc. And he’s even shown powers like the soul-link completely without the gem.
The gem dampens his natural powers, but doesn’t really add a ton except the soul-suck and karmic blast. For tournament purposes, Adam is much better off without it.
The second thing: A lot of the confusion surrounding Warlock involves his various “incarnations”. There are 3 main stages he went through.
A. The “Him” era
B. Powers and abilities with the soul gem
C. Powers and abilities post soul gem
During the “Him” era, Warlock had considerable strength and telekinetic powers, in addition to some basic energy powers. Contrary to what most believe however, he carried much of this into his mature, post-soul-gem stage (more on that later).
Some examples of his power:
Telekinetically stopping Mjolnir dead in its tracks:
http://img215.imageshack.us/my.php?image=tk1yh5.jpg
Brawling with Thor (sans tk shields):
http://img215.imageshack.us/my.php?image=thorfight1jn2.jpg
Most people think Warlock lost this inherent strength/durability, but that’s not the case. Currently, Warlock’s “base strength” is about 40 tons. But that’s misleading, because he amps it with his tk powers and his energy powers (much like power cosmic). In any case, no one with Class 40 strength could do this to Drax the Destroyer:
http://img206.imageshack.us/my.php?image=drax21my4.jpg
http://img155.imageshack.us/my.php?image=drax22qp5.jpg
…Drax has tangled with Hulk, Thor, Thanos, etc. and had good showings. Warlock’s every bit in their class.
His durability is up to snuff, surviving re-entry while unconscious, falling to Earth, and walking away unharmed:
http://img221.imageshack.us/my.php?image=durability1ii7.jpg
And he has some good energy projection…
Both concentrated: http://img80.imageshack.us/my.php?image=energy1wb3.jpg
And omni-directional: http://img407.imageshack.us/my.php?image=energy2io2.jpg
But none of this gets to the heart of who Adam Warlock is, because despite these attributes, he’s not a traditional brawler.
AW is a brilliant tactician who it’s nearly impossible to out-smart in battle. He uses his skill, speed, teleportation abilities, and intelligence to win fights without making it a “slugfest”. So if Souja/MM were expecting to go heads-up with, say, Juggs against Warlock (or other teams with their brawlers for that matter), they’re sorely mistaken. Warlock is one of the most elusive people in the entire tournament, and won’t be an easy target, or easy fight, for anyone.
In this fight, for example, every one of those attacking him have amped their bodies to be Warlock’s superior. But with speed, skill, teleportation, and cunning he takes them out with ease:
http://img180.imageshack.us/my.php?image=skills11sc6.jpg
http://img180.imageshack.us/my.php?image=skills12qi9.jpg
http://img180.imageshack.us/my.php?image=skills13gj4.jpg
…and yeah, he had his gem. But all he uses it for is an energy blast, which could have been easily reproduced by his own powers.
There are other, less anonymous, people he does the same thing to. Drax, Magus, Quasar (twice), etc. He has proved himself time and time again to be in their class, both because of his overall power level as well as his intelligence in how he uses those powers. He is one of, if not the best, strategic mind in all of Marvel. And there is no one you would rather have leading a team into battle than him….not Cap, not Thanos, Doom, Midnighter, Reed, etc. No one.
Part II. Warlock and Thor in the Actual Battle
A. Warlock (and SP) vs. Cpt. Atom
It’s essential that you read Scoob and I’s initial write-up first, because I can’t recount all the details in each of my posts.
Basically, however, Thor will be fighting BRB and Warlock will be double-teaming Cpt. Atom with SP(Surfer). Scoob’s dealing with the SP aspect of it. We’ll be ignoring Juggernaut until we’re ready to deal with him. His lack of flight/mobility will mean we have the numbers advantage. So we’ll be determining the match-ups, not Souja/MM.
Due to our prep strategy, Warlock has a surfboard and knows how to use it:
http://img207.imageshack.us/my.php?image=board1oq3.jpg
http://img441.imageshack.us/my.php?image=board2ei4.jpg
He also has enough power cosmic to coat himself in a silver armor, increasing his strength and durability. Imagine someone of Warlock’s skill, intellect, and power with Surfer’s speed and durability. Got that image? Scary powerful, isn’t it?
Due to the soul-link with Surfer:
http://img518.imageshack.us/my.php?image=soullink4li4.jpg
http://img518.imageshack.us/my.php?image=soullink5ei5.jpg
…he also knows that he can mentally command the board to “stick” to others.
For example: http://img154.imageshack.us/my.php?image=board1qq3.jpg
http://img154.imageshack.us/my.php?image=board2ae4.jpg
So he’ll direct the board at Cpt. Atom, stick him to it, and basically have Atom completely off-guard the entire fight. Imagine Warlock’s board streaking toward Warlock as it carries Atom, directly into this punch:
http://img155.imageshack.us/my.php?image=drax22qp5.jpg
…..add the huge advantage of the board to Warlock’s power, skill, and intelligence, and you begin to see that Warlock alone could take Atom down. Of course, it’s a moot point because he’ll have help with Atom from Surfer(SP), but that’s Scoob’s task.
Atom will be flying around against his will with the board, and Warlock is already more skilled than him. He’ll never touch Adam, and will be worn out through a combination of the board and Warlock’s own powers.
……
B. Warlock vs. Juggernaut
This isn’t really a contest. Our initial write-up deals with the exact plan. I’ll quote it here:
Step 1: Teleport behind him: http://img221.imageshack.us/my.php?image=magusfight1tf4.jpg
Step 2: Remove his helmet using the element of surprise, his superior speed and fighting skills, and his telekinetic powers: http://img222.imageshack.us/my.php?image=magusfight7rc8.jpg
http://img222.imageshack.us/my.php?image=magusfight8gm6.jpg
Step 3: Telepathically shut him down: http://img182.imageshack.us/my.php?image=soultrick3rb1.jpg
Juggs is in no position to even touch AW, let alone do anything to harm him. And despite his vast durability and strength, Souja/MM don’t have a telepath on the team. And because he can’t fly and is basically an immobile piece of crap, he won’t be able to take part in the battle. Warlock can wait until whenever he wants to take out Juggs…but it will most likely be once we’ve beaten Cpt. Atom or once Thor beats BRB.
And if by some unlikely chance Souja/MM find a way to get Juggs involved in the battle, they still don’t have a telepath, and Warlock will still be able to do this to Juggs at nearly any point in the battle.
…
C. Thor vs. BRB
I don’t really want to post a bunch of Thor feats. Because what’s the point? He and BRB are almost exact equals.
But.
Thor now has power cosmic from Surfer because of our prep (please see original write-up for more). So Thor has a board too, as well as an upgrade to his strength/durability because of the cosmic power. The board gives him another weapon, or if he uses it to fly he’ll have a speed advantage.
Thor = BRB
Thor + Surfboard > BRB
Thor + Board + 10% of Surfer’s power >>>>> BRB
If I need to, I’ll match Souja/MM scan for scan with what Thor is capable of doing. But it’s really not necessary. Thor wins, plain and simple.
Part III. Summary
1. Warlock is skilled, incredibly intelligent, and as powerful as any herald.
2. He has a board to use as a weapon, and a silver power cosmic coating (like Surfer’s) to increase his strength and durability even more.
3. Thor has the same, plus some of Surfer’s power. He’ll easily take down BRB.
4. Warlock’s a telepath, a teleporter, and much more skilled than Juggs. He’ll take him out whenever he wants.
That’s all I got for now. Hope you guys are enjoying this.