Superteam Origins

[farik]

So when you're starting a new Super campaign which type of origin do you prefer for your players team to have.

Shared Origin:(TMNT or Rising Stars) all the characters share a common origin event so they've known each other and become heroes together.

Common Origin: (X-Men or Gen13) all the characters share a common cause for their powers so even though they don't know each other initially they share some common ground.

Diverse Origin/planned alliance: (League of Extra-Ordinary Gentleman) the characters don't know each other or have a common origin but some agency or individual has deliberately formed them into a group

Diverse Origin/happenstance alliance: (JLA or Avengers) other than being a popular group of characters you don't have a reason to be together except to create a tactical advantage or at best promote a common ideal

I get the impression Diverse Happenstance is most common even though that seems rather are in actual comics.

[AtomicGladiator]

Originally posted by farik

Shared Origin:(TMNT or Rising Stars) all the characters share a common origin event so they've known each other and become heroes together.

Common Origin: (X-Men or Gen13) all the characters share a common cause for their powers so even though they don't know each other initially they share some common ground.

Diverse Origin/planned alliance: (League of Extra-Ordinary Gentleman) the characters don't know each other or have a common origin but some agency or individual has deliberately formed them into a group

Diverse Origin/happenstance alliance: (JLA or Avengers) other than being a popular group of characters you don't have a reason to be together except to create a tactical advantage or at best promote a common ideal

I get the impression Diverse Happenstance is most common even though that seems rather are in actual comics.

Have attempted the Shared Origin once, and the campaign lasted only two or three sessions. The PC's designed their characters specifically as a team, covering others weaknesses, etc. But ultimately, those weren't the characters they wanted to play, and the campaign died.

Also have used the Diverse/Happenstance in couple of long-lived campaigns. The players brought the characters they wanted to play, the GM shoehorned them into a team by circumstance, and things clicked.

The new campaign we're starting now is Diverse/Planned in nature. The players develop their own characters and background, but an agency brings them together and creates a common purpose for them. We'll see how long this one goes.

[aylwin13]

The team that has been put together for my campaign (if it ever really gets rolling) is Diverse Origin/planned alliance. It is a diverse group of heroes who came to Detroit to battle Dr Destroyer, or after the battle to help build Millennium City. They rose from the ashes of Detroit, hence their name: The Phoenix Legion.

[Ghost who Walks]

Original team was everyone who showed up to stop the mystical monster that appeared. Big fight, monster beaten, and the most experienced Hero invited everyone to his place for a barbecue. Things caught on from there.

Every group since has been related to them in someway.

I once played in a short lived campaign where all the Heroes met in the emergency room (trashed in individual encounters by Shamrock). Tired of being beaten up, they decide to pool their powers and take him down. That was probably the most funnest origin story.

[lemming]

I've been in a few Shared Origin games, but everyone had diverse backgrounds.
Mostly Diverse.

[Hermit]

I actually have no preference ... but it does seem easier to do 'Diverse Origin/Planned alliance' for my players. They love patrons. Go fig.

[Supreme Serpent]

Due to everyone usually wanting diverse types of characters, we usually end up with diverse/happenstance.

Have done a few common origin games before. Some mutant games, some all-"men of mystery" groups.

Shared origin - done it a few times, but usually doesn't last as a concept, even if the campaign does. Start out with 3-4 characters all with one linked origin (same accident gave them powers, etc), but then it gets watered down as new players come into the game, people switch characters, etc. If you know for a fact that you will have the same group and everyone's happy with their characters for an extended period, it can work well. Otherwise, it will just be an interesting start for a group that will end up as another "type" later on.

Hmm...gave me an idea for my gaming group, linking back to the "player or GM?" thread. We have several games going on at once. Maybe as campaigns "die", we hold off on starting new ones until every GM ready to start up again. Then we each make 4-5 character ideas, and the GM's and players decide which characters would make the best groups, and the GM's decide which group they want in their game...would allow you to tweak them slightly to make common origins, etc, get the mutants together in one group...

Nah, it'd never work. :(

[AtomicGladiator]

Originally posted by Supreme Serpent
Nah, it'd never work. :(

Ain't it the truth.

[Blue]

Which would I prefer? A shared origin.
Which do I actually run? Happenstance.

I find that letting people make their own backgrounds and origins gives them greater opportunity for creativity. I know that's what I want when I'm a player.

[Solomon]

Last two times, I tried a Shared Origin but the end result was a Diverse/Planned anyway.

Last time, I asked my players to generate characters with only mutant powers. I got:

A mutant speedster (so far so good).

A cloned supersoldier.

A ninja.

A werewolf. Or a god. I'm not sure as of yet.

A gadgeteer.

An alien.

:rolleyes:

[Chromatic]

Most of the shared origin games have been accepted joke or humor oriented. (excessivly powerful characters, goofy back story, or outright ripoff).

There was one Dundracon we all wrote up turtle anthromorphic martial artists. The idea was to find a startup game in the common room and ask the GM to play.

potentail player 1: Hey I've got this martial artist I'd like to play in your game. He uses sai.
pp2: Oh I have a martial artist too. Mine uses a staff.
pp3: Hey I was gonna bring in my martial artist, he's a weapons specialist too--uses katana.
GM: sure, I have room for 5 more players.
pp4: always room for another martial artist right?
pp5: Here look at mine, he's kind of different though, he's actually a giant turtle.
pp1 through pp4 all together: Hey so is mine!

da dump bum!

Sadly, none of us could find a willing dupe to GM the game

[Ghost who Walks]

Originally posted by Solomon
Last two times, I tried a Shared Origin but the end result was a Diverse/Planned anyway.

Last time, I asked my players to generate characters with only mutant powers. I got:

A mutant speedster (so far so good).

A cloned supersoldier.

A ninja.

A werewolf. Or a god. I'm not sure as of yet.

A gadgeteer.

An alien.

:rolleyes:
Let me figure out this shared origin...

The Alien, who decided to visit Earth as part of a fraternity prank, breaks into the laboratory of the Gadgeteer. There, the Gadgeteer is cloning the body of his great uncle (twice removed), the Super Soldier. Unfortunately, the Ninja has been hired by the Werewolf to rob the Gadgeteer. The Werewolf hopes to use the stolden valuables to help his friend from Kidnergarten, the Mutant, who had to leave school in the first grade, because he was a Mutant who wouldn't fall asleep during nap time.

However, the Gadgeteer, wakes up in the middle of the night, and catches the Alien and Ninja in his kitchen, where they are attempting to steal his fruit loops.

When the Gadgeteer turns on the lights, the ninja is blinded due to his night vision goggles. The Alien, believing the Gadgeteer is a member of the Star Guard, promptly surrenders.

The Gadgeteer then hired the Ninja to capture the Mutant and Werewolf, while the alien is kept under guard by the Cloned Supersoldier. The Alien's spaceship disappears from where it was parked on the steet, in front of the fire hydrant.

Once everyone is in his living room, the Gadgeteer will make his "We shall all band together or I will turn over my security camera video to the police" speech. Presto, the Champions are reborn!

See, a perfectly reasonable, shared, origin. :)

[Southern Cross]

I prefer the last poll option.Given the sheer bulk of character concepts in the superhero genre,plus player creativity,it's probably the most common team origin anyway.

[Vorsch]

My latest game was to be a mutant ala X men type game, shared source of power, my youngest player 13, who likes the matrix way to much, submited one of the white twins from revolutions as his character when asked how this was a mutant origin, he calmy explaned that his character was a mutant kid who liked the matrix way to much and at puperty displayed the ability to change/duplicate powers of other superbeings even imagianary ones. but he likes this one so much he cant shift to any other or even his original form. Go figure?

Players play what they want to play, i know that now.

in case any one is interested

White Wraith

30 str 20
30 dex 60
30 con 40
15 bod 10
10 int 0
10 ego 0
18 pre 8
18 com 4
20 Pd 14
20 Ed 14
6 spd 20
12 rec 0
60 end 0
50 stun 5

Cha 197

Powers

Rc Ap
15 15 Ec Wraith form
25 40 Desolidification 4 end
10 30 Flight 10" 0 end, only when desolid
15 30 Levels dcv +6 costs end ( no lim as in EC) Combat phaseing
10 30 Heal 6d6 only when desolid

9 super leap 15" total
3 ambidexterity
3 ageless
5 Damage resistance 5pd 5 ed ( seams to take damage but is cosmetic, "we are getting agrevated")
5 instant change
5 night vision 11<
skills

20 Martial arts strike block dodge grab throw
18 Martial levels +6
1 swords
1 staff
1 axes
1 knives
1 battons/nightstick
1 spear
3 acrobatics 15<
3 breakfall 15<

Cha 200ish
Pow 100 ish
skill 50

Vorsch