Insect-based/themed Powers

I'm thinking of a Henshin Hero. For now, we call him Insect Arsenal.

If you're familiar with Kamen Rider OOO, then my idea is somewhat similar in how the hero uses his powers. Otherwise, here's how it goes - Insect Arsenal is a transforming hero who utilizes robotic insects (loosely-termed, since he includes arachnids) as motifs. That is, he transforms into a suit with insect-themed armaments. He starts off with Ant and Grasshopper, and later on he gains more. He has no "base" form so essentially he transform as Ant Arsenal instantly, or Grasshopper, and so on.

Now the gimmick comes with him having his insect powers split into three components: the arm, the body, and the leg (hence my Kamen Rider OOO reference). At first he can't mix and match (as in when he goes Ant Arsenal, it's Ant Arm-Body-Leg set), but later on he can. Generally, arm components affect the arms, body components affects the torso or sometimes a passive ability, while leg components affect the legs.

So now I need help in filling out the bug-themed powers with each part. Maybe you guys could help me out? Additional insect suggestions or maybe help me fill in the blanks? So far I got...

Ant: Arm component gives him strong armored arms with blades at the forearm, I'm thinking something like that of a mandible split into two. Body component gives him super strength. Leg component is something I'm having a hard time thinking - since super speed will make this form pretty broken.

Grasshopper: I can't think of anything for Arm. Body gives him lightweight armor and flexibility at the cost of defense. Leg gives him super jumping legs and his kick allows him to knock enemies far away.

Spider: This one I have fully thought out. Arm allows him to shoot web strings. Body grants him two pairs of robotic arms that mimic the current arm component. Leg allows him to stick on surfaces.

Bee: I want this one to avoid mimicking Spider Arm component, but I can't think of anything for Arm other than shooting clusters of sticky substances. Body allows high speed, hard control flight. Leg gives him a spike on both sides of his legs which can be unleashed to perform a piercing kick.

Firefly: Arm allows concussive blasts of energy. Body allows moderate speed, full control, silent flight. Leg allows illumination as well as flashing enemies with blinding light.

Scorpion: Arm adds pincers which are strong enough to cut metal. I have no idea what to do for its body though. Leg adds a stinger tail which acts like a whip.

Stag Beetle: This one is a full defense Arsenal. Arm creates gauntlet shields on the forearms. Body puts a stag horn on the helmet and gives him a strong, sturdy shell. I don't know what to put for his Leg.

edited 21st Jul '12 6:44:46 AM by Ookamikun

Ant leg - Can leave invisible footprints as a way to leave a trail or mark important objects.

Grasshopper arm - I'm reminded of the notorious eating abilities of locusts.

Bee arm - Some sort of sun- and flower-themed tracking device?

Not sure about the other two. Scorpion could be armoured but more lightly than the stag beetle.

The Revolution Will Not Be Tropeable

Suddenly I almost spat coffee at super eating.

First off, I think there is a flaw in the design that leads to the difficulty with arm abilities - namely that insects don't typically have 'arms' per say. As such, I would propose that instead of armour pieces being arms, body and legs, they should be head, upper torso (body + arms) and lower torso (pelvis + legs) to reflect the standard three body segment structure of insects (head, torso, abdomen).

Also, might I suggest having the odd useless/joke power as one of the armour pieces. Hence, why your character is first driven to try mix-and-matching his sets to begin with. For instance, some insects (e.g. butterflies, flies, etc) have their taste buds located on their feet. Meaning, if your guy had this power on his lower limbs, he'd taste everything he walked on. This would be a possible source of comedy.

Example of power sets:

Bee: 360 degree vision (compound eyes on head), flight mode (wings on body), foot spikes (good for kicks, mimics stingers)

Ant: super smell/pheromone detection (antennae on head), arm blades (to mimic mandibles), force field (on pelvis to mimic the antibiotic secretion of the metapleural gland, which is unique to ants) OR wall crawling (for legs since ants tend to climb walls better than spiders anyway) - relatively versatile attack-based combat

Grasshopper: constant hunger (head), invisibility to mimic the grasshopper's camouflage (upper body), super jumping (lower body) - essentially an infiltration mode with an uncontrollable appetite

Rhinoceros Beetle: nigh invulnerable helmet (only protects head), impenetrable body armour + added strength (body), unbreakable stance (i.e. can't be knocked down or moved by someone else) (for legs) - defensive combat

Dust Mite: becomes really small (head), super strength (upper body), super reflexes or speed (lower body/legs) - good in tight spaces

Generally, my suggestion would be to look up The Other Wiki's articles on different insects for inspiration; namely to see what makes that insect unique and/or interesting.

edited 21st Jul '12 9:18:22 AM by peasant

The "arm" is more of a weapon thing really. Legs are generally mixed offense/defense, while body is more of a defense.

Scorpion and Mites are arachnids, not insects.

Technically they aren't bugs either because bugs actually have specific criteria but most people won't call you out on it. You could call them arthropod powers if you wanted to be accurate.

I'd say research will be your friend, not necessarily to get things right, but because there are so many cool powers that creepy crawlies have to draw inspiration from.

Mantises would be a pretty obvious choice, they can have some fun martial arts abilities. And Bomadier Beetles shoots hot chemicals from it's abdomen, so that won't be two hard to turn into cool super powers.

Put me in motion, drink the potion, use the lotion, drain the ocean, cause commotion, fake devotion, entertain a notion, be Nova Scotian

Yes, I know they're not insects, hence "loosely".

I am already thinking for the dragonfly and the bombadier. There'll be this secondary hero/ine who, instead of changing components, has a projectile weapon with insect motifs that shifts depending on the weapon mode. Dragonfly is the "rifle" mode, Bombadier is the "bazooka" mode, and Hornet is the "dual pistol" mode.

I think that peasant's Head/Thorax/Abdomen concept works better. After all, he's most likely going to be wearing some kind of ridiculous insect-based headgear anyway; why not make it useful?

edited 21st Jul '12 12:29:20 PM by SalFishFin

Hmm so maybe head affects arm parts too then?

Also I'm sorta avoiding the head/body/leg combo because it sounds a bit too Kamen Rider OOO :P

I had in mind something more like a lathe or acid drill that could be used to 'eat through' metal and armour. :P

The Revolution Will Not Be Tropeable

Ooh I see :P

"Ant: Arm component gives him strong armored arms with blades at the forearm, I'm thinking something like that of a mandible split into two. Body component gives him super strength. Leg component is something I'm having a hard time thinking - since super speed will make this form pretty broken."

Ants aren't very fast.

In fact, ants' biggest strength is being social insects. So maybe give him some power related to that. What if he can use ant form to do Doppelgänger Attack? Or else do mind control, or maybe command actual ants?

"Grasshopper: I can't think of anything for Arm. Body gives him lightweight armor and flexibility at the cost of defense. Leg gives him super jumping legs and his kick allows him to knock enemies far away."

Arm - glider pseudo-wing things. Grasshoppers don't just jump well, they half-fly. Their wings give them much further jumps and the ability to change direction in mid-air (seriously, watch grasshoppers hop, it's really neat).

"Bee: I want this one to avoid mimicking Spider Arm component, but I can't think of anything for Arm other than shooting clusters of sticky substances. Body allows high speed, hard control flight. Leg gives him a spike on both sides of his legs which can be unleashed to perform a piercing kick."

Why would bee shoot sticky stuff? Bees don't really do that.

As for neat bee-related powers, how about seeing ultraviolet? It would seem like a bit of a joke power at first, but it could be useful in some situations (eg it would make most artificial lights look totally different from sunlight, so he could see the way to escape from an underground compound by ultraviolet leaking in).

If I'm asking for advice on a story idea, don't tell me it can't be done.

I'm not gonna lie. I Read That As "Incest-based".

Hmm maybe make Ant leg more on surface walking, like make him walk on water? And good idea for the grasshopper arm, I'll add that! So for bee, it's more of ultraviolet flashlight?

The only time that is possible is in Fushigi Yugi :P

The ultraviolet vision was what I was thinking of with the sun-and-flower-themed tracking device idea I mentioned before. :P Yours might be more broadly useful, though.

The Revolution Will Not Be Tropeable

Ahh I see. Still, nice to see support-type abilities :P

I think homing missle mode suits hornet better, but that's just my opinion.

╮(╯_╰)╭

There is a type of termite that squirts corrosive acid out of its head. You must use this somehow. The other parts of the arsenal could, I don't know, burrow through wood or something, but the acid thing is top-notch.