New to this Genre

[taxboy4]

Hi a player in my Group is mooting a game of Dark Champions, I take it it is quite dangerous (I mean F Hero is dangerous with swords??)

Any hints for a new player?

xx

Baz

[OddHat]

Hi a player in my Group is mooting a game of Dark Champions, I take it it is quite dangerous (I mean F Hero is dangerous with swords??)

Any hints for a new player?

xx

Baz

It's as dangerous as the GM chooses to make it.

Survival hints:

6PD/6ED Combat Luck + at least a 12 body will do a heck of a lot to keep you alive. Add in +3" running, only to run away from danger (3 points) and the Passing Dodge Martial Maneuver, and you can get out of quite a lot of trouble. Luck, Danger Sense, levels in DCV, super skills that help with escapes, etc. all come in handy.

If your GM will let you budget 1/3 of your starting points on Luck and Defenses, you'll be fine.

[taxboy4]

It's as dangerous as the GM chooses to make it.

Survival hints:

6PD/6ED Combat Luck + at least a 12 body will do a heck of a lot to keep you alive. Add in +3" running, only to run away from danger (3 points) and the Passing Dodge Martial Maneuver, and you can get out of quite a lot of trouble. Luck, Danger Sense, levels in DCV, super skills that help with escapes, etc. all come in handy.

If you're GM will let you budget 1/3 of your starting points on Luck and Defenses, you'll be fine.

Sounds good, esp the running away part...

[Blue Jogger]

You could always try...

Super Nervous Dodge, +6 DEX, Only to give +2 DCV (-1/2), 12 points.
Physical Limitation: Really Nervous (5 points)

[RDU Neil]

As dangerous as the GM wants it to be is true.

Just like Champions/Supers... the genre of Dark Champions is open to a lot of interpretations.

You could play very low point level, trained normal types, no powers or Combat Luck or any of that... and you'll find that engaging in combat is painful and deadly, just like in real life.

You could play super powered guys who just have a nasty attitude where you have decent levels of power, and use it to kill normal badguys like eating potato chips, and that's not so deadly for the PCs.

You could play super crime fighters like Batman/Nightwing/Daredevil, and not have much killing at all, as you beat up muggers and kidnappers, etc.

You could have "super agents" who have lots of skills and equipment and probably combat luck and big guns, and can be very effective, but still have to worry about getting shot too many times.

Very important (as with almost all of Hero System games) to talk, as a group with the GM and all players equally participating, about exactly what kind of game you intend with Dark Champions. Make sure everyone is on the same page with character construction, concepts, power levels, etc. Helps to avoid issues after the game starts.

Good luck.

[Toadmaster]

Stay out of the way of the bullets. :)

[Nightfly]

Nightvision glasses & a martial art.

[Wombat]

.50 Cal snipers rifle, Penalty Skill Levels for range, Concealment, Stealth, Body Armor

[cutsleeve]

Use cover.

You dont need alot of ammo if you can shoot accurately.

Kevlar is your friend.

Always remember 7.62 nato is considered to be armor peircing.

Always get in the last shot.

[Nightfly]

Combat Driving (or at least TFs) for cars & motorcycles should be helpful.

- Edited for spelling typo

[Zeropoint]

Find cover first, then worry about returning fire.

A pistol is a weapon to use when you can't get a long gun (shotgun or rifle).

If you're fighting fair, you're not really fighting.

When in doubt, grenade it out.

Zeropoint

[Eosin]

RDU hit the nail on the head. Having said that, if it is a gunbunny game as opposed to a Batman like game then use body armor and protect the head. 2d6 RKA to 3-5 will take out nearly any DC character unless the roll is pretty low.

Range levels are DCV in disguise. That can work for you or against you.

Play smart team work. You will get stunned at somepoint and have some nasty waiting on you with a SMG or Semi-Auto shotgun and if your buddy does not smoke them then they will be picking up chunks of you.

If you wear body armor at somepoint in time someone, somewhere will be using an AF, AP round - kill him fast.

DC is fun (to me) precisely because sloppy combat can drop you fast and combat is always dicey.

[NightStick]

DC is fun (to me) precisely because sloppy combat can drop you fast and combat is always dicey.

I agree with Eosin wholeheartedly! Combat is a No-Brainer. :stupid:

If you're sloppy, you're dead. It's quite simple. Cover first, then return ACCURATE fire! :rockon:

And remember, Combat Luck is your friend! :winkgrin:

[Rapier]

Hi a player in my Group is mooting a game of Dark Champions, I take it it is quite dangerous (I mean F Hero is dangerous with swords??
I had similar problems. We'd been playing Champions and occassionally FH for YEARS. We all got tired of saving the world...yet again (YAWN).

We decided to make a switch and play a "Buffy Hero" game. Characters are between 150 and 250 points. A single close power effect (sometimes multiple powers but all tightly grouped around a single SFX), NCM, equipment etc. The first few games were rather bloody. People kept losing limbs and bleeding to death. Even between adventures people were looking at SIGNIFICANT periods of time to heal back to full BODY.

I posted a bit on the boards here and picked up LOTS of good stuff. Combat Luck is a must. It gives you a bit of natural rDEF which makes a big difference. Also stress that most characters have some sort of martial arts or CSLs. This allows them to concentrate on defensive maneuvers or avoid being hit (after all some big demon with claws or some little spit of a guy comes at you with a sword and all you are wearing is a house coat you had better be dodging). Allow simple limited armour (2 rDEF leather jackets). Fantasy Hero also has a bit in it (a Talent I think) called Fast Healing. It isn't quite Regen, but much juicier than regular healing time.

I've also taken the trouble to design a "Healing Room" off the Council chambers. The room has a small Regen with Side Effects (END Drain and an Aging Transform).

Once we tweaked the characters a bit and changed our combat methods (straight up heroic characters are not meant to stand there and soak up damage like Champions characters), things settled down a great deal. Things are still fairly bloody...a zombie with a sword still dishes out some damage, but it no longer severs limbs every other turn.