Skill Challenges have been one of the hottest topics when it comes to the 4th Edition of Dungeons & Dragons, but up to last week we weren’t really sure how most of you feel about them. In our last Inquisition Dave finally asked about them, and 56% of you voted that you have run/played in Skill Challenges and enjoyed the mechanic. 21% of you said that you have not played in a SC yet, but plan to soon while 15% have played/run one and didn’t like them at all. A healthy 5% of you are not sure at all what you think about Skill Challenges, and the last 3% haven’t played in one and never plan to! Thankfully 0% of our readers chose “I don’t use skills” because surely all of you use your sweet bow-hunting and nunchuk skills on a regular basis.
A while back, over two years ago it seems, we had an epic showdown Inquisition between Ian McKellen and Ian McKellen…errr, I mean between Gandalf the White and Magneto! The mysterious White Wizard ending up kicking considerable ass in the poll, but it generated some interesting debate about who would actually win in a fight. There are so few opportunities to match an actor against themself such as this, that when a more recent example came up I just coulnd’t resist.
[poll id=”129″]
Here we have Zachary Quinto vs. Zachary Quinto! His premier role as the villain Sylar in the aptly named tv show Heroes vs. young Spock from the new Star Trek movie.
It should be no secret that I am no fan of Heroes, but dislikes aside I’ve always thought Quinto made an excellent looking (if not terribly emo and lame in action) villain. Sylar is a superpowered serial killer who hunts other superpowered humans and steals their powers.
On the other side we have the young version of our old friend Spock, logical and emotional all over again. He really needs little introduction, but his vulcan and human heritage makes him a real threat to contend with, oh and the vulcan neck pinch is a real kicker too!
Who do you think would win in the fight, and why?
Sylar is nearly immortal, he can manipulate objects with his mind, hear owls swooping from miles away, cannibalize people to steal their powers (much like Megaman), and also he’s nearly immortal. Not being able to die is a huge plus in this match-up.
Spock is highly logical, somewhat emotional, can pinch people’s necks and is smart enough to stay away from Sylar and just blast him from space.
In a fair match where both opponents are aware of and relatively close to each other, Sylar wins. But if Spock spies his evil goatee-less counterpart from low orbit, he can make quick work of Sylar with a few proton torpedoes. I’m willing to bet that if you explode Sylar, he won’t be able to regenerate.
But, who knows. Maybe it’s just a tie in that case.
Either way, I’m happy to have landed FIRST COMMENT on the first actor v. actor match-up since I came here. Oddly enough, McKellan v. McKellan was the first article I ever read on Critical Hits. Ah, memories.
Sylar by a mile. Four words tell the tale: telekinetic Vulcan neck pinch.
Also, with Sylar being a shapeshifter now, the vulcan neck pinch would be wholly ineffective.
Battle of wits? Spock. But epic showdown? Sylar, no question.
.-= Graham´s last blog ..Damn you, Dave! You and your… logic… =-.
All of this just contributes to my hatred of Heroes. Immortal? Really? Did the writers just decide to snooze their way through doing anything creative on that show? 😀
“Hey, this guy needs a power…”
“Let’s just make him everything, that’s easier than coming up with any specifics now.”
@Bartoneus –
No, he just took the power of the Cheerleader. Since the healers constantly regenerate, they don’t age.
As such, people with regeneration (now including Sylar) are effectively immortal.
.-= Graham´s last blog ..Damn you, Dave! You and your… logic… =-.
@Graham: AAAOOOH GOD! It’s burning my brain! Please, stop!
🙂
I really wanted to vote for Spock, but come on… Sylar has super powers. Spock, while highly intelligent, can’t throw fire and ice, explode with nuclear power, etc, etc…
So, favorite character of Quinto’s? Spock. Win in a fight? Sylar…
BTW, the Sylar character didn’t ruin Heroes for me. That was Peter Patrelli. I could see the writers in the conference room… “Oops… We made the character too powerful… I know! Let’s make him dumb!”
I think Peter’s problem is that he absorbed the power of someone who had the unfortunate ability of supernatural gullibility.
Sylar wins in a mutant-vs-Vulcan showdown. Duh.
However, there’s no reason for Sylar to kill Spock, since Spock doesn’t have mutant powers. Sylar is very opportunistic, he really doesn’t make long-term plans or use much strategy. Which will give Spock the opportunity to offer, “Why don’t you let me transport you down to planetside where those other mutants that have powers you like are?” And then lock Sylar in transport stasis. Game, set, match.
@Toldain –
That depends on whether “Neck Pinch” or “Being a Vulcan” would be considered mutant abilities, I suppose.
.-= Graham´s last blog ..Damn you, Dave! You and your… logic… =-.