| “ | I had two choices. Go to the hospital or follow up on my own. I decided to trust Psyche to her her job-- --while I did mine. Justin was found here. Why? Who was he after? What could possibly have brought him here? And whoever did this... why leave Justin alive? Why not kill him?
It's a message. Someone wanted me here... it can't be. It shouldn't be. But there's no doubting what this means.[1] |
„ |
| “ | My days in costume have been over for quite a while... Three knee surgeries, fused vertebrae, a shoulder that's been separated so many times it's ready to fall out of the socket... ...I just can't do it anymore... I can't answer the bell.[1] | „ |
Summary
Michael White, better known as Back Alley Brawler was the son of a gang enforcer. He joined the Paragon City police force to try and make a difference. When he realized that was not getting the job done he adopted the name and costume of a hero. He fought in the streets and alleys, of the city, all through the late 70's and the 80's. He briefly went into retirement after that, but came back out to help with the Rikti war.[2]
One of the most veteran heroes in Paragon City, the Brawler is in semi-retirement, training the next generation of heroes. Though he rarely goes into the field these days, his power and fighting skills are still as potent as ever.[2]
Powers and Stats
Tier: 8-C
Key: Base
Name: Back Alley Brawler,[3][2] Michael White,[3] Grandpa[1]
Origin: City of Heroes[3][2]
Age: Early 60s as he is noted repeatedly to be out of his prime,[3][1][2] and was in the police force prior to the late 1970s[2] until the current time of 2011[4]
Classification: Human,[3][2] Retired Hero[3][2]
Powers and Abilities:
Superhuman Physical Characteristics (Even the most basic of people in City of Heroes can kick around massive heavy machinery by walking[2]), Acrobatics (can perform flips in order to make his attacks stronger[3]), Martial Arts, Explosion Manipulation (Has arrows on him that can explode[5]), Weapon Mastery (Back Alley Brawler is a surprisingly good user of baseball bats,[5] his gauntlets,[5] knives,[5] using arrows as melee weapons,[5] etc), Non-Physical Interaction (All individuals in City of Heroes can punch out Ghosts, Slimes, Elementals, etc.[2]), Vibration Manipulation/Status Effect Inducement (Via Hand Clap,[2] and Foot Stomp[2]), Rage Power (Via Rage[2]), Status Effect Inducement (Via Invincibility among other powers[2])
Fire Manipulation/Explosion Manipulation/Status Effect Inducement/Energy Projection/Deconstruction/Darkness Manipulation/Life Manipulation/Ice Manipulation/Temperature Manipulation/Poison Manipulation/Electricity Manipulation/Energy Manipulation/Mind Manipulation/Telekinesis/Radiation Manipulation/Statistics Reduction/Fragrance Manipulation/Earth Manipulation/Extreme Temperatures/Sound Manipulation/Air Manipulation/Water Manipulation/Social Influencing/Vibration Manipulation/Soul Manipulation/Fear Manipulation/Smoke Manipulation/Chi Manipulation/Broadway Force/Possession/Petrification/Crystal Manipulation/Paralysis Inducement/Illusion Creation/Portal Creation/BFR/Gravity Manipulation/Spatial Manipulation/Light Manipulation/Plant Manipulation/Fungus Manipulation/Forcefield Creation/Pain Manipulation/Sleep Manipulation/Time Manipulation/Acid Manipulation/Magnetism Manipulation/Adhesive Manipulation (Back Alley Brawler, Via both his Invulnerability for attacks and his status as a Hero-Class Enemy/Ally for status effects, resists nearly everything in City of Heroes.[2])
Attack Potency: Building level (Superior to those who can "strike with all the power of a lightning bolt",[6][2] can literally make lightning clouds to use lightning to strike opponents,[7][2] and can make lightning strike from the sky.[8][2] As an on and off member of the Freedom Phalanx and one of their frontline fighters, Back Alley Brawler should be comparable to Positron who can overwhelm Black Scorpion[9] who can Utterly destroy tanks in one hit.[10] Fought Captain Mako[11][Note 1])
Speed: Speed of Sound Movement Speed (One of the travel powers available to fodder heroes and villains is called Speed of Sound.[2] Comparable to, but slower then Synapse, who can outrun Missiles[12]), Massively Hypersonic+ Combat Speeds and Reactions (Can tag those who can dodge lightning within a cloud[2])
Lifting Strength: At least Class M (While depowered, Statesman lifted and threw a giant Clockwork,[12] and Back Alley Brawler should be comparable as one of the pinnacles of natural heroes[1])
Striking Strength: Building level
Durability: Building level
Stamina: Peak Human (Stayed standing after being impaled through the back by an arrow,[5] Can fight dozens of opponents without rest and go through three separate raids to search for Protean[5])
Range: Standard Melee Range physically,[5] Several Meters with shockwaves,[2] Tens of meters by throwing things[2]
Standard Equipment: His gauntlets[5][1]
Genius (Michael White has an ingenius perception of the world around him, to the point of it being one of the main points about him made.[3] Casually figured out exactly which area an individual was beaten and that it was a message.[3] Easily figured out that he'd be overwhelmed with an extreme amount of numbers in only two minutes at a glance.[3]
Genius (Lesser Heroes then Michael can clear Arachnos bases full of hundreds of soldiers on their own,[2] Of which even basic Wolf Spiders are put through "Rigorous Training" to even be cleared for field duty[13] and can harm heroes.[2] Is a member of the Surviving Eight, which means he was one of only eight heroes who survived in the Rikiti War on Paragon City, which required him to fight hundreds if not thousands of individuals who could harm him at a time.[14] Can tag those who can dodge literal rain or explosions at point blank or psionic attacks[2])
Standard Tactics: Back Alley Brawler is just that; a brawler. Preferring Close Quarters engagements with only his two hands, Back Alley Brawler is a powerful street fighter who uses his environment to his advantage, and has no fear of playing dirty or killing.[5]
Weaknesses: Physically, Back Alley Brawler has deteriorated significantly in his decades of on and off hero work[1]
Notable Attacks/Techniques:
| Boss Abilities |
|---|
Point Blank Area of Effect, High Damage(Smash/Energy), Foe Knockback. A Power Punch attack that knocks opponents down.
Light Smash Damage, Foe Disorient. You have been Disoriented.
A Super Strength Punch is a powerful pummeling attack, and it may knocks foes off their feet.
Point Blank Area of Effect, High Smash Damage, Foe Disorient, Knockback. You have been Disoriented.
Melee, Extreme Smash Damage, Foe Hold, Knockup Back Alley Brawler has hit you with a Knockout Blow. You are Held.
Ranged, High Damage(Smash), Foe Knockback. You are able to tear up a chunk of ground beneath your feet and Hurl it at an enemy. This attack is close ranged, deals moderate damage, and can knock foes back.
Point Blank Area of Effect, High Damage(Smash), Foe Knockback. Back Alley Brawler can use their superior leg strength to stomp the ground, quaking the earth itself. This is a localized attack against everything in melee range.
Melee, High Smash/Energy Damage, Foe Disorient. You have been Disoriented.
Melee, Extreme Damage(Energy/Smash), Foe Disorient. Total Focus is complete mastery over Energy Melee. This is a very slow, but incredibly devastating attack that can knock out most opponents, leaving them Disoriented. Due to the exhausting nature of Total Focus, recharge time is very long.
Back Alley Brawler can activate this power to increase his maximum Hit Points for a short time.
When you toggle on this power, you become Unyielding. You are more resistant to Knockback, Sleep, Hold, Immobilize, Disorient effects, and Smashing, Lethal, Fire, Cold, Energy, Negative Energy and Toxic damage.
Auto, Point Blank Area of Effect, Team +Damage. While this power is active, you and your nearby teammates deal more damage.
Self Resistance, Prot, +Recovery. When you activate this power, you not only become extremely resistant to most damage, but also to Disorient, Immobilization, Hold, and Sleep effects. Endurance recovery is also increased. |
| Super Strength |
|---|
Using your superior leg strength, you can Stomp your foot to the ground, quaking the earth itself. This is a localized attack against everything in melee range.
You can clap you hands together with such force that you create a deafening shockwave. This shockwave can knock back nearby foes, and they have a chance to become Disoriented due to the shock to the inner ear. Hand Clap deals no damage.
A slow but devastating attack, the Haymaker has a great chance of knocking your opponents down.
You are able to tear up a chunk of ground beneath your feet and Hurl it at an enemy. This attack deals high damage, and can knock foes back and even drop them out of the air if they are flying.
A quick jab that deals minor damage, but has a chance of Disorienting the target, especially if coupled with other attacks.
You can perform a Knockout Blow on your opponent. This punch does extreme damage and has a great chance of Holding your target.
Your Super Strength Punch can deal a moderate amount of damage, but most of all can knock your opponent off their feet, unable to attack again until they stand up.
A Rage comes over you, sending you into a berserker fury. While Raging, your damage and chance to hit are dramatically increased. However, when your Rage subsides, you are left with reduced Defense, drained of some of your Endurance, and your attacks are substantially weakened. This crash can be mitigated by using the Unrelenting power from the Presence pool.
Taunts a foe, and some nearby foes, to attack you. Useful for pulling villains off an ally who find themselves in over their head. Taunted foes tend to ignore other Heroes and focus on you for quite a while, so use this power cautiously. A To Hit check is required to Taunt enemy players, but is not needed against critter targets. |
| Invulnerability |
|---|
You can activate this power to increase your maximum Hit Points for a short time.
Your body is naturally durable, as a result you have higher hit points and endurance, you are also naturally resistant to toxic damage. This power is always on and costs no Endurance.
You are naturally resistant to the environmental damage and always take less Fire, Cold, Energy, Negative, Psionic and Toxic Damage as well as Debuff effects which reduce your speed, endurance or recovery. This power is always on and costs no Endurance.
While this power is active, for each nearby foe in melee range you receive a bonus to Defense against all attacks but Psionics (Scrapper only), and a bonus to your chance to hit. This power is most effective while fighting multiple opponents. The first foe you engage in melee grants the highest Defense bonus, and up to 10 foes can contribute to your Defense and ToHit Bonus.
While this power is active your defenses are reinforced, increasing your Defense against all attacks but Psionics. Your attacks are also reinforced, allowing you to ignore some of your target's Defense.
You are naturally resistant to the elements and always take less Fire, Cold and Toxic damage. You are also resistant to Slow effects. This power is always on and costs no Endurance.
You are naturally resistant to Psionic, Energy and Negative Energy damage, as well as Debuff effects which reduce your endurance or recovery. This power is always on and costs no Endurance.
You are naturally tough and inherently resistant to Smashing and Lethal damage as well as Defense Debuff effects. This power is always on, and costs no Endurance.
When you toggle on this power, you become highly resistant to Smashing and Lethal damage.
Your thickened skin makes you much tougher to hit and resistant to Defense Debuff effects. This power is always on and costs no Endurance. Tough Hide offers no protection to Psionic attacks.
When you activate this power, you not only become extremely resistant to most damage, but also to Disorient, Immobilization, Hold, Knockback and Sleep effects. Endurance recovery is also increased. Unstoppable costs very little Endurance to activate, but when it wears off you are left exhausted, and drained of almost all Health and Endurance.
When you toggle on this power, you become Unyielding. You are resistant to all damage, as well as Knockback, Sleep, Hold, Immobilize, and Disorient effects. |
- ↑ Scales to 0.59 tons as he fought Captain Mako who is comparable to Black Scorpion who can Utterly destroy tanks in one hit
Notable Matchups
Victories:
Losses:
Inconclusive:
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Top Cow Comics Issue #8
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 2.22 2.23 2.24 2.25 City of Heroes Gameplay
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 Top Cow Comics Issue #7
- ↑ Galaxy City
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 Top Cow Comics Issue #9
- ↑ Electricity Assault power
- ↑ Storm Summoning Power
- ↑ Storm Blast Power
- ↑ Top Cow Comics Issue #3
- ↑ Who Will Die: Part 7
- ↑ Who Will Die: Part 4
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Top Cow Comics Issue #1
- ↑ Wolf Spider Description
- ↑ Rikiti Warzone Lore
Discussions
| Discussion threads involving Back Alley Brawler |