Red Dog
| Strength 9c |
Agility 3c |
Intellect 3x |
Willpower 7d |
| Hand Size: Edge: |
4 (25) 2 |
Powers:
(none)
Equipment:
Fighting Stick (s): David's preferred weapon (when he's not just charging or punching someone) is a long fighting stick with a knobby end. He can use this instrument to inflict his Strength +4 in damage - or even throw it to inflict his Agility +3 damage instead.
the Joe-Com (i): this is a new device given to all Joes since the group's reactivation. This high-tech wristband functions as an audio/video transceiver with various other goodies built in to help a soldier on the go, and is described in greater detail in its own equipment entry.
Semi-automatic Pistol (a): though he prefers to smash things into oblivion, David does carry a sidearm with him into battle. He can fire this weapon to inflict his Agility +4 damage with a single shot, raised to his Agility +5 damage in a semi-automatic spread.
Hindrances:
(none)
Skills:
Boxing (s): David has always been able to fight - he didn't need the military to help him out there. He may divide his pre-cardplay action score between two unarmed melee attacks, the last of which will occur as a contingent action.
Clubs (s): David is adept with the use of a fighting stick, or most other clubs for that matter. Whenever he's wielding one in combat, whether in melee or when throwing one, he may attack using a club at one difficulty level lower than is normally necessary.
Marksmanship (a): while he's not really inclined to shoot anything, David has learned the hard way how to handle firearms. Whether he's got a standard, semi-automatic or fully automatic rifle or pistol in hand, David may fire it at a reduced difficulty.
Military / United States (w): not his first career choice by any means, David has nonetheless become a part of the military machine thanks to the efforts of Sgt. Slaughter. Having had the S.O.P. pounded into his head the hard way, David can now function effectively in a martial unit.
Sports / Football (a): though he's a Joe now, if unofficially, David got his start in professional football. He should receive a reduced difficulty on any football related action, whether he's just playing the game or has to answer rules or statistical questions about the game.
Calling:
Demolisher, with a secondary calling of Soldier: David never intended to enlist in the Army, though he finds he enjoys it in general. But then, he gets to blow up all kinds of people and break all kinds of things, all while pulling a steady paycheck!
Costume:
David's Gi Joe uniform is... unconventional. It includes a red football jersey with cutoff sleeves and a white number '1' on the front, all over a white T shirt, blue jeans, black leather boots, black gear webbing, tan leather gloves, a tan headband, and a tan necklace with shark teeth on it.
Personality:
David is a loud and temperamental kind of guy, which is sort of why he didn't make it in professional football. He's not averse to taking risks however, and will gladly undertake just about any job put before him... as long as he gets to wreck something along the way.
Real Name: David Taputapu, Grade E-5
Occupation: infantryman, former professional football player
Legal Status: American national with no known criminal record
Marital Status: single
Alias(es), if any: none
Group Affiliation: Gi Joe, Renegades (Gi Joe sub-team)
Height: 6' 4"
Hair: black
Eyes: brown
Weight: 250 lbs
Other Distinguishing Characteristics:
Story:
David is an American Samoan who got his start in professional football, though his career did not last nearly as long as he would have liked. You see, the first time someone trod on this barefoot kicker with his cleats, he got himself - and his helmet - broken up pretty badly.
Sacked repeatedly for unnecessary roughness, David wandered away from pro sports to instead work as a Hollywood stunt man. He was pretty good at this though, since it mostly involved running into things and breaking stuff so that the precious actors didn't have to.
Eventually, David got himself noticed by the Gi Joe recruitment team, possibly in no small part thanks to the Fridge. Seeing that David was like unto a freight train - one who could be an amazing soldier if only he had a bit of discipline - they scooped him up fast.
Convincing David to enlist, they put him under the command of Sgt. Slaughter, who was busy whipping two other misfits like David into shape: Mercer and Taurus. These three eventually became Slaughter's Renegades, a trio of 'black book' operatives the Joes could use when all else failed.
The thing with David though is that he isn't really all that disciplined. Sure he's survived the Sarge's tender ministrations, and has had military protocols and procedures hammered into his head the hard way, but he's still a veritable destructive force of nature.
The renegades nonetheless like to keep David around, 'cause he's handy in a pinch. Whenever there's anything blocking the Renegades' path, they usually just wind David up, point him at the obstacle, and simply wait for the inevitable dust to clear before moving on.
He continued his work with the Renegades for the duration of the Gi Joe team's original incarnation, returning to various high-risk jobs when the Joes folded in '94. He hasn't worked with the team much ever since, though he's usually happy to answer the call when they need him.
They usually only do this when Cobra shenanigans grow totally out of control, like they did during the second Cobra Island Civil War, and of course World War III itself, when those intransigent terrorists came this close to finally conquering the entire planet!
Extra Goodies:
Return to the Renegades main page!
Gi Joe directories featuring a version of Red Dog:
| 1987 |