F Gd 10

A Gd 10

S Ty 6

E Gd 10

R Ex 20

I Gd 10

P Gd 10

Res Ex 20

Pop Sh 0

Health: Karma:

36 40

Origin:

Like the majority of the other Joes, Zap is a normal human, one who has no super human powers of any type. Instead, he simply wields the advanced weaponry provided by the G.I.Joe team when he joins them in the fight against oppression and tyranny.

Known Powers:

(none)

Equipment:

Bazooka: primarily, Rafael's main offensive weapon is a bazooka, which he can load with all manner of ordinance. For the most part, he uses it in demolitions work or when targeting enemy vehicles, so it is most often loaded with shells that inflict Incredible (40) Shooting damage per hit. He can only fire this bazooka once before it needs to be reloaded; this takes one full turn to accomplish.

Body Armor (v2): Rafael's second uniform is basically a black, padded affair, adorned with metal gauntlets and steel boots / knee pads. All of this combines to effectively offer him Good (10) protection against both physical and energy attacks of all varieties. It may look kind of bulky and unwieldy, but it works, and that's all that matters.

Helmet: a wise precaution for somebody that causes explosions for a living, this helmet offers Rafael Good (10) protection to any attack that hits him anywhere on his head besides his face. If in a combat situation, Rafael will have this item on at all times, in order to minimize any undue risk to his person due to firing his bazooka at an opponent.

Pistol: as a backup weapon, Rafael most likely carries a regular issue pistol, in the event that he either runs out of shells or is menaced by an enemy while trying to reload his bazooka. This pistol can inflict Typical (6) Shooting damage per shot, and can be fired nine times before its clip needs to be changed; he likely carries several of these clips as well.

Sonic Cannon (v2): utilized later in his career, this piece of advanced weaponry generates tightly focused sound waves that can be fired at a target to inflict Remarkable (30) Force or Energy damage, depending on the gun setting. This device is energized by a large power pack mounted on Rafael's back, and can fire ten shots before it needs to be recharged.

Quirks:

High-Stress Capacity: Rafael is always a cool one, no matter how severe or dangerous the situation has become and regardless of the panic that may be demonstrated by others. As such, he receives a +2 CS to any FEAT roll required for him to 'keep his cool' at any point.

Talents:

Advanced Guns: after serving with the Joe team for about ten years, Rafael eventually received training in the use of advanced energy weapons, such as the sonic cannon he currently wields. He uses these devastating weapons as if his Agility was +1 CS.

Demolitions: while still studying engineering principles, Rafael has applied his training so far towards understanding how to take things apart. He can use explosives to efficiently destroy structures and vehicles as if his Reason score was +1 CS in rank.

Guns: Rafael has been trained by the military to safely and effectively fire a gun - any standard, projectile gun - as if his Agility score were +1 CS. This can be anything from a pistol or an M-60, but Rafael can still use it effectively.

Marksman: in addition to his basic gun training, Rafael can utilize all manner of heavy artillery in battle. When utilizing mortars, bazookas, or other long-range destructive implements, Rafael resolves his FEATs as if his Agility were +1 CS in rank.

Military: wishing to become an engineer, Rafael enlisted to get good training from the Army. As a side effect of this, he has become well-versed in military protocols, and can rely on the Military as one of his contacts. Furthermore, they have provided him all of his current talents.

Contacts:

As one of the original G.I.Joes, Rafael can undoubtedly count on his oldest team-mates, as well as the rest of the Joe team as a whole should he need help. Furthermore, as a member of the United States Army, he can likely receive aid from them if he finds himself in need of it on a mission.

Costume:

Rafael's first costume consisted of a basic, generic Army green field outfit, along with a green belt, a brown shoulder harness (for his backpack full of ammo and supplies), and brown boots. His uniform was adorned with various pockets and pouches to store any odds and ends he needed on a mission.

His second uniform is a black padded outfit, adorned with thick metal gauntlets and knee pads / boots. Also, on his chest Rafael wore a sort of bazooka ammo belt, as he had four rounds strapped right onto his torso, presumably since the power pack for his sonic cannon took the place of his old backpack.

After hooking back up with the Joe team in the late nineties, Rafael returned to his original uniform, if slightly altered. His long sleeved shirt adopted a camouflage pattern, he donned black boots instead of brown ones, and his shoulder holster also changed from brown to a black hue.

Personality:

Rafael is a humorous, fun-loving type of guy, one who likes to make his work more enjoyable by making light of most situations. He even maintains his light-hearted demeanor while working with his explosives, never getting nervous even when he's merely seconds from having them blow up in his face.

Real Name: Rafael J. Melendez, grade E-4 (later E-7)
Occupation: G.I.Joe bazooka soldier
Legal Status: American citizen with no known criminal record
Marital Status: single
Alias(es), if any: none
Group Affiliation: G.I.Joe

Height: 5' 9"
Hair: black
Eyes: brown
Weight: 160 lbs
Other Distinguishing Characteristics: Rafael has a pencil thin moustache.

Story:

Born in New York City, Rafael always dreamed of becoming an engineer, possibly to participate in the creation of the gigantic structures around him. Regardless, he studied engineering with the Army, as their engineers are quite talented, and eventually made his way into the Army Ordinance School. There he learned everything he knows about armor piercing weaponry.

Excelling in his chosen area, Rafael was eventually recruited into the newly-forming G.I.Joe team, and as Zap, he provided his services as both a bazooka trooper and as an explosives expert. This expertise came in especially handy when the insane Commander Wingfield attempted to start World War 3 with a nuclear bomb he intended to detonate in rural Montana.

With the aid of Grunt, who held the heavy components in place while he worked on the bomb, Rafael managed to deactivate the device before it could destroy the Joes and everything else within miles of the blast. Rafael also did his part when the G.I.Joe team had to protect a special space shuttle launch from Cobra's wrath, as it contained a satellite that could ferret out their secret underwater launch facilities.

While he participated in several additional missions, Rafael was eventually taken off active duty, assigned to the administration of the G.I.Joe team when it became totally self-contained. This relative inactivity lasted until the secret location of Cobra's American headquarters, the town of Springfield, was discovered. Every Joe, including Rafael, was brought in for the attack on this town.

After this, Zap continued on in his administrative role, though a large part of his duties came to involve the creation of the Joes' new headquarters in Utah, as well as the recruitment of new members onto the team. At some point, however, Rafael received training in the use of advanced energy weapons, and was given the use of a potent sonic cannon for a time.

At any rate, times change, and the G.I.Joe team was eventually disbanded, as Cobra seemed to become an entity that they were no longer necessary to deal with. This inactivity lasted for a few years, after which time the team was once again assembled to battle the legions of Cobra. In fact, Rafael was one of the very first Joes to hook back up with the group anew!