how to i copy an entire character?

I want to have many stick figures fighting, with different colors so on. but how can i simply copy one character and then modify it individually? so all the bodyparts and all the laryers? just all the stufff? i know you can duplicate the entire folder, but then you have still the same instances of objects, not duplicates of the object. so that means if you want to modify them you automatically modify the other character. i know i can make a duplicate of each object and then  switch the original ones in the copied layers for the new duplicates and then go into each duplicate and change the color, but that takes way too long when you just want a couple of soliders on the screen and give one a hat or something. thanks for helping:)