What flawed hero do you play?

[Hermit]

What major vice or flaw do you find yourself playing in your champions characters, if any? A matter of degress applies. A character can be centered around a flaw, or just have a touch of it.

Some that seem to come up:
The Lecher- Torn between getting laid and saving the city, this hero will figure "I THINK the city could last for another half hour.. at least!" This character tends to be vulnerable to seduction like butter is to a hot knife.

The Lush/Junkie- Showing up drunk at your team meeting is considered bad form, and no one wants to save the world with a hangover. While acholism has been covered in the comics (and well) before and so has drug use (Demon of the Justice Machine comes to mind) it's still one that is tricky to use in game scenerios and avoided by many.

The Loser- Maybe he's lazy, maybe the character thinks without a costume and powers, he or she is nothing. It could be a lack of training or qualification for a real job. He may lament his state openly, or silently, or make excuses.

The Punk- Anti Social, rude, and in your face, often just for the purpose of being in your face. Other times, there's a reason, but it's still not handled well Maybe it's displaced anger, maybe the character's father just never took his child to the wood shed often enough.

The Sell Out- Whatever color the costume, this character is all about the green. Ca$h, be it insisting on being paid for saving the city, or merchandising image and selling T shirts. This character is greedy and while no crook, is shameless about getting it legally.

The Psycho- Most super humans have issues, this character has a life long subscription. In short, the character is insane. To what degree varies, but if you enjoy mutlipe personalities, fugue states, or hallucinations, this flawed hero is for you.

The Gloryhound- "Make them remember my name" This character wants to live forever in the history books, and live big in the headlines. Driven to constantly get attention, the Gloryhound steals the thunder of others around him/her. They'll go far for a sound bite.

The Cold One- Seems to have no flaws, except having less empathy than a rock. Unmoved by those in emotional suffering, and a cold 'grow up, deal with it' attitude to the walking wounded, even when the hurt IS justified, this character maybe respected for his/her effectiveness, but is rarely liked.

Other- Something I missed.

Or none ... happy go lucky well adjusted "thanks a lot but I'm fine" kind of guy/gal? :)

[JeffreyWKramer]

I've played gloryhound and psycho characters in the past. I've also played several who are show-offs who don't really try to steal anyone else's thunder, but they pretty much demand attention for themselves. Malleable Man has tendencies in that direction.

I've also played a fair number of overconfident, super-impulsive and daredevil sorts, who habitually act without thinking.

In DnD, I've played a fair number of cold ones, usually LN fighters and monks.

[Klytus]

How about the under-confident "I'm not so sure I'm ready for this 'super-hero' business" character?

[Hermit]

How about the under-confident "I'm not so sure I'm ready for this 'super-hero' business" character?

Mm, might be a varation of loser, but I really should have put it in. Good catch.

Oh, folks, multiple choice allowed on that poll

[Blue]

Anthem's baggage relates to her father. Aside form that she's well adjusted. Her past only pushes her to be better.

Audra Blue could be considered a junkie of sorts. She esacpes everything constantly by plugging into the 'net, where she has control of reality. She's got real control issues in regards to actual reality, and they drive her to her agoraphobia.

Uncle Slam has seen it all and done questionable things. He's currently as normal a guy as you can get for a campaign icon.

Lucretia, whom I play as an NPC these days, is a reformed junkie. As part of her undercover work in internatonal spy circles, she picked up a drugn habit that kept her in a spiral for six months after she'd already taken down the big bad guy she'd been working. There's not a day she doesn't think about shooting up. She's the classic good person with a bad habit that she'll never truly defeat.

It's other games (Fantasy, Gothic, etc.) where I deploy the lechers, sadists, and other freaks.

[RDU Neil]

Definitely gravitate toward "The Cold One" in my characters. We are talking characters who regularly engage in violence. I don't think you can play such characters without becoming detached and cold.

Now some may play up the campy kind of superhero violence that is all flash, and no substance... but I've no stomach for those games. The point of it being, whether you are throwing a punch, firing a gun, or your eyes light up with crimson fire... you are engaging in violence... the intentional harming/killing of another, destruction of property... and that is serious business. It's not something to be done casually or with a light heart. Violence is life altering, and to be able to engage in it again and again, requires some level of ruthlessness and cold heartedness. If you actually enjoy it, find it appealing... well, then you are crossing over into the Psycho bit, IMO.

[Supreme]

Other: Negligent Parental Figure

Both of my last two characters had young nieces who were adopted after the birth parents were killed. In the first case, the niece gained super-powers as Pennant the fiesty side-kick of Champion (side-note: side-kicks work great when they're bricks). Pennant's penchant was to wait until Champion knocked someone prone, reducing their DCV, so she -- with her tiny OCV -- would have a chance of hitting them. Unfortunately, she often missed and often used move-throughs which -- when they failed -- resulted in her knocking herself out. I got chided for not training her better and allowing her to pursue such a dangerous lifestyle. Freedom Fighter's niece was a DNPC, not a follower. FF also (tried to) keep his ID secret from her, but kept having to run out on her in the middle of the night to fight the Nazis (he was rich enough to hire a live-in nanny, he was also a defense contractor which allowed him to cry "classified" whenever asked about where he was going). The other players chided me about constantly abandoning little Maggie Morgan, including less than an hour after she was kidnapped and then rescued by the Justice Brigade.

[Beetle]

Black Arrow, my first and most beloved character was the underconfident/loser type. And she had the (lack of) Ego to prove it! By the end of her use as a character, she had grown to the point where she was leading the team.

[Zed-F]

Soulbarb is not just cold. She can also be downright mean, especially to those who cross her. She has a vengeful streak a mile wide and a yard deep. But she also tries to be a just person; if someone crosses her, the punishment will fit the crime, and she won't unleash it until she's at least reasonably sure she's got the right target.

One of my favourite characters ever (heroic fantasy, not superhero) is the underconfident type. In fact, in-game she has recently been given ample reason for her underconfidence, to the point where she's now a borderline suicide case and refuses to use her magic. Unfortunately (or fortunately) she naturally regenerates, so so far she hasn't come up with a way she can actually kill herself successfully. Kind of sad, actually...

[Kim T.]

My character, Fury, is a huge gloryhound. At least, that's how I always seem to end up playing her. I think it's more my gaming personality flaw coming out. lol

[GestaltBennie]

Hermit! You know Omega needs an "all of the above" option.

Scott Bennie

[Speedball]

I voted "other," since Speedball is--predictably, a heroin junky.

And then I realized that 1) lush included "junky" and 2) I'm unobservant.

Of course, when I say I play him, I really ought to say in the past tense, since I can't find a convenient game to join in the the biggest city in the country! (not that I'm bitter)

[pinecone]

I happen to like flawed characters so I voted Lecher,lush,punk and CMF....sometimes they're more than one!...like say Fury the bar fighter cosmic.....

[Killer Shrike]

Hype, my favorite speedster, is extremely abrasive and hyperactive, and unbelievably impetuous. He'd probably be a sub type of the "Psycho" category. He's not literally psychopathic, but he is definitely unbalanced.



You didnt put it on the list, but a lot of my characters fall into the "Dedicated" concept. They typically all have some belief or stance that guides their mentality and from which they will not waver. Some people equate it to the "Paladin" mindset, but it's not just limited to that one instance.

[BNakagawa]

Mittens is a cowardly hypochondriac - that fights crime!

[yamamura]

The fun seeker, not into is for Glory or the Thrill but just because it is fun to dress up and fight crime.

G

[caris]

Adonis is a letch. Well, actually Adonis is more of the "I desperately want to be loved and confuse sex with love" school. Actually, a lot of my characters tend to be like that. I'm probably using RP to explore my inner slut.

[Worldmaker]

The Shield is cold as ice. And not just any ice, but that ice found in Antarctica, over Lake Vostok. The deep, cold ice.

Uncle Sam's biggest flaw is he accepts the word of those in authority without question, because this is America dagnabbit!

[Just A Guy Name]

Heh, I waffled by choosing Loser, Punk, Cold, and None. Unflawed was the last archetype I played (actually, more like 'dedicated', as KS described).

[BcAugust]

Strangely, my two champions characters have oppisite "flaws"

Cyrande is caught up in holding to the standerds of her world's past, she doesn't think much of the future or present.

Nox lives for now and the future, and doesn't bother to look at her past, which is really going to come back and bite her.

Oh, yeah, and both of them are convinced their teammates are helpless and need to be protected.

[Madstone]

My favorite flaw is the outcast, one who feels removed from the others. Unlike cold, they want to be sympathetic, but something prevents it.

From the poll choices: gloryhound, cold, lush.

Overconfident and competitive disads seem to pop up again and again. I think they will, too, until I get a chance to explore them. (Got a ton of characters that never see play--themes are often repeated in variation.)

[Witch Doctor]

Does Downs Syndrome count as an issue?
My character, Professor Plum, has Downs.

My other character, Fantasia, is a fish out of water and a novice with powers bigger than she can safely control most of the time.

[OddHat]

I typically play either Duty Bound characters or characters that opperate under a subtle but fundamental misinterpretation of reality.

[Soulcatcher]

My favorite character flaw involves an internal struggle of good vs evil. This can be the character questioning themselves about whether what they are doing is good or evil. It can also revolve around whether they think thay are good or evil or in between. The emotional challenges of moral concepts and the corruptibility of power often flow through my characters. The external struggle of good and evil is often reflected in an internal emotional struggle within my characters. My characters are often on a journey of self-discovery. This journey can often have major impacts on their psyche and selfconfidence depending upon the realizations that they make. The struggle of good and evil is a concept that I like to examine and explore in and with my characters.

[JmOz]

What major vice or flaw do you find yourself playing in your champions characters, if any? A matter of degress applies. A character can be centered around a flaw, or just have a touch of it.

Some that seem to come up:
The Lecher- Torn between getting laid and saving the city, this hero will figure "I THINK the city could last for another half hour.. at least!" This character tends to be vulnerable to seduction like butter is to a hot knife.

The Lush/Junkie- Showing up drunk at your team meeting is considered bad form, and no one wants to save the world with a hangover. While acholism has been covered in the comics (and well) before and so has drug use (Demon of the Justice Machine comes to mind) it's still one that is tricky to use in game scenerios and avoided by many.

The Loser- Maybe he's lazy, maybe the character thinks without a costume and powers, he or she is nothing. It could be a lack of training or qualification for a real job. He may lament his state openly, or silently, or make excuses.

The Punk- Anti Social, rude, and in your face, often just for the purpose of being in your face. Other times, there's a reason, but it's still not handled well Maybe it's displaced anger, maybe the character's father just never took his child to the wood shed often enough.

The Sell Out- Whatever color the costume, this character is all about the green. Ca$h, be it insisting on being paid for saving the city, or merchandising image and selling T shirts. This character is greedy and while no crook, is shameless about getting it legally.

The Psycho- Most super humans have issues, this character has a life long subscription. In short, the character is insane. To what degree varies, but if you enjoy mutlipe personalities, fugue states, or hallucinations, this flawed hero is for you.

The Gloryhound- "Make them remember my name" This character wants to live forever in the history books, and live big in the headlines. Driven to constantly get attention, the Gloryhound steals the thunder of others around him/her. They'll go far for a sound bite.

The Cold One- Seems to have no flaws, except having less empathy than a rock. Unmoved by those in emotional suffering, and a cold 'grow up, deal with it' attitude to the walking wounded, even when the hurt IS justified, this character maybe respected for his/her effectiveness, but is rarely liked.

Other- Something I missed.

Or none ... happy go lucky well adjusted "thanks a lot but I'm fine" kind of guy/gal? :)

I play the haunted hero (The guy who is haunted by his past failers)

[bblackmoor]

My characters are often emotionally damaged in some way. One of my earliest characters, Frank Jameson, was a chain-smoking, takes-no-guff ex-Fed who hated dogs so much he'd spend time shooting them if he thought he could get away with it. One of my current characters, Blueshift, is a speedster who had an emotionally abusive childhood followed by some torture and brainwashing at the hands of Project Genesis, which left her an emotional train wreck. She has recovered from the worst of it: she does have feelings, a sense of humor, and real affection for her friends, but she's uncomfortable revealing her feelings to others, and comes across as cold, or at least aloof, and a bit humorless.

[mattingly]

I prefer the naive/optimist/rose-colored-glasses flaw. Somewhat oblivious to the world around them, and gives me a chance to question the morality of my teammates while still setting myself up for the eventual let-down/fall from grace.

[Cinniuint]

Have played a few pranksters in champions. I usually go for the clever, tricky to pull off kind of pranks like those of CalTech and MIT. One character had 4 levels of shrinking always on, which helped. That character was also rather naive. A case of roleplaying my personality.

In fantasy, I tend to play politicians. Characters that manipulate everyone to their own (not evil, but self-serving and nation-serving) ends. They tend to make very useful NPCs when I retire them.

Have also played a few with significant physical limitations and the social limitations that derive therefrom. One character had no eyes which was only a minor (5 pnt.) limitation for a telekinetic with a ranged sense of touch.

I voted other fault.

["No matter how subtle the wizard, a knife between the shoulder blades will seriously cramp his style" -- Steven Brust]

[Hermit]

Hermit! You know Omega needs an "all of the above" option.

Scott Bennie
HA! Ain't that the truth :D

[mangahunterd]

My favorite CU character was called Seeker. He got his powers from a Scarab that implanted itself when he found a secret crypt in Egypt while on an expedition with his father. Becasue of this his family kept him under wraps so he had no social skills and lost himself to studying egyptology to see if he could figure out what the scarab was. His parents were later killed and suddenly he had control of this huge estate when he was in college. He had started a Goth band and eventually became quite popular. He became addicted to heroine and had quite a hard time kicking the habit. Unfortunately for him the scarab manifested powers at about the same time so wheh he would lose control he tendee to bring down teh house (the scarab was an artifact that was given to the Guardian of the Pharaohs which basically made him a gnarly fighter +50 Str and some other neat things...) He had a public ID and was harangued for a long time by the press but after cleaning up he wasn't in the spotlight as much. So to compensate he started doing insane stunts and taking on other supers to gain attention from the media. He is a pretty fun character to play

[TheEmerged]

I tend to play "burnt boy-scouts" or "bitter as heck bastards", myself.

[Karma]

My character's tend toward the 'punk' type. In your face, abrasive, constantly getting on other's bad side. Of course every one is also loyal as all get out to their team-mates, even the ones they have only moments ago been dissin'.
And of course their team-mates are usually just as loyal to them, which helps giving the number of fights they cause.

[zornwil]

I just finished describing Blazing Arrow in another thread, the one regarding a Native American super. He's similar to others in one way - "clueless". I sometimes play heroes who are kind of clueless in one way or another. Otherwise vices vary a lot.

[farik]

Kenneth Clarke is an escapist addicted to his alternate identity.

Husky is a Glory Hound and a compulsive liar

[Mutant for Hire]

Hermit, you forgot an important category:

Alienated/Outcast

There can be a number of reasons for it. For characters such as Cyclops, there's the fact that his powers are out of control and he's stuck permanently with his visor to keep him from hurting those around him. Rogue can't physically touch anyone else.

And then there are those like the Martian Manhunter, the last of their kind, or the survivor of a terrible childhood that has left them scarred for life and unable to deal with normal society.

[bblackmoor]

Hermit, you forgot an important category: Alienated/Outcast

I assumed that fell under the category of "The Cold One". The poll doesn't cover people's reasons for their behavior, just the observable effects, right?

[Kristopher]

Maybe that's the poll's flaw...

[Houston GM]

Here are some of mine that fit the "Other" category.

The Driven Fanatic
While sometimes overlapping with The Cold One, the fanatic is capable of sympathizing with your plight ... as long as it doesn't interfere with his cause.

While the fanatic supports a cause that is good and just, he is willing to sacrifice anything to further this cause. He's willing to give his life. He's willing to give your life. (He knows you'd understand, if he just had time to fully explain why this was necessary for the greater good.)

These characters frequently have very heroic and very brief careers (depending on whether they're more willing to sacrifice themselves or those around them).

The Charming Politician
The same idea as Cinniuint described. They're friendly; they're likeable; they seem to be perfectly well adjusted. They're just doing a good job of getting everyone to further their own hidden agenda.

The Eternal Child
This flaw fits many of the Fae. They're not young; they're even worldly. But somehow they manage to maintain a perpetual childlike demeanor despite everything they've seen and done. My Eternal Child PC was incapable of seeing cause and effect. He could understand that an angry dragon was dangerous, but never realized that exploring a dragon's lair might entail some personal risk. He was also incapable of learning from his mistakes.

"I'm going to go look around the wizard's tower while you guys fix dinner."

I do not recommend this character flaw to anyone who is strongly attached to their character. You will live in interesting times and come to the attention of powerful people.

[Northstar]

Madstone had mentioned the outcast as an archetype... which is one more than a few of my characters have been or bordered on.

Of my two favorites, one is named Shade, who is a reformed criminal and hovers somewhere between the outcast & the cold one... though my intention with him is to see him continue to 'warm up' a bit with character development.

The other, whose name is the same I selected for my userID here, is definitely a very noble good guy. However, he is a bit of a private person and cherishes his space, and can have adverse reactions when it is invaded too much. The character is also a musician in his unmasked ID, and I've enjoyed portraying the stress he feels as both roles bring him increasing amounts of attention. (I'm a sucker for tension in RPG scenarios. My players are usually all on medication. ;) )

[Stormraven]

Guardian is a lush - alcoholic, and she has fallen off the wagon.

Checkmate is cold. Most of the times I've played him, people wonder if I'm playing a robot. Logic, and only logic, determines the decisions he makes.