Background Cliches

[Supreme]

You've read them. You've probably even written them. Now, let's hear 'em. Tell us the most over-used elements from a super-hero campaign background that you have personally witnessed. I'll start.

1. The first super-hero is from the pre-war period and is a patriotic flying brick modelled after Superman (who was not very patriotic back then, btw).

2. Super-heroes are given the bum's rush during the mid-50s McCarthy era.

3. Mutant registration acts.

[Chuckg]

> 3. Mutant registration acts.

Our DM has a personal promise of his players that if he ever goes down that path, we are detonating his planet. :)

[Blue]

Gaining powers through radiation exposure

[Hermit]

4. Nosey reporter possible love interests

I can't throw stones mind you, I've used this one. :)

[Chuckg]

5. Their primary interface with the goverment is an officious bureaucratic foil. Honest, just more of a hindrance than a help.

I'm using this one right now. :)

[Lightray]

6. The government is running a top-secret super-soldier program. Which produces one (or more) PC heroes and one (or more) NPC villains.

This one is in-progress in my own campaign. :)

[Supreme Serpent]

Supers existed and participated in major conflicts in the past (WWII, Cold War) but their actions primarily cancelled each other out, leading to historical outcomes identical to the "real world".

Pretty standard issue. Played in those games, ran those games. Someday I'd love to play in/run a long Champions campaign starting w/the 1930's or WWII and have the world drastically diverge more and more from our timeline as the game progresses.

[Savinien]

Supers existed and participated in major conflicts in the past (WWII, Cold War) but their actions primarily cancelled each other out, leading to historical outcomes identical to the "real world".

Pretty standard issue. Played in those games, ran those games. Someday I'd love to play in/run a long Champions campaign starting w/the 1930's or WWII and have the world drastically diverge more and more from our timeline as the game progresses.

Building this campaign now... It isn't easy though, and matching my vision with potential players seems to be a sincere hindrance.

BoT: Used to be a villian but realized his error after a short incarceration. Now, he uses his powers for good.

[Blue Jogger]

7. Magic, Superheroes, Aliens, etc.. have always existed, but up to this point, hidden in a elaberate conspiracy of lies and half-truths. Until they are exposed by the heroes.

[Whitewings]

8. At least half of all super-beings seem to need a long course of psychotherapy.

9. Even if they don't need therapy, most of them have some kind of serious trauma attached to their origins.

[proditor]

10. Some bizarro uber-powerful race of humans that were tweaked by aliens and now either reside in secrecy on Earth or one of the nearby planets.

[Supreme]

6. The government is running a top-secret super-soldier program. Which produces one (or more) PC heroes and one (or more) NPC villains.

This one is in-progress in my own campaign. :)
Actually, what I've observed is that the "heroes" turned out by this program are always villains beneath the veneer and engage in viciously brutal and politically incorrect human rights violations. The only "heroes" from these programs are the maverick "anti-heroes" who defect.

[Supreme]

10. Some bizarro uber-powerful race of humans that were tweaked by aliens and now either reside in secrecy on Earth or one of the nearby planets.
Hurm... That one's actually rather new to me. It might be interesting to see the cultures that spring up from the people who comprise these colonies, particularly from the time periods they came from: 1950s world, 1800s world, etc.

[Chuckg]

Actually, what I've observed is that the "heroes" turned out by this program are always villains beneath the veneer and engage in viciously brutal and politically incorrect human rights violations. The only "heroes" from these programs are the maverick "anti-heroes" who defect.

Captain America is an anti-hero who defected? Did I miss an issue?

(Edit -- not to mention, in the 5th edition CU, all but one of the PRIMUS Silver Avengers...)

[Chuckg]

Hurm... That one's actually rather new to me.

Marvel Universe -- Eternals, Inhumans, Deviants.

Champions Universe -- the Empyreans.

[proditor]

Marvel Universe -- Eternals, Inhumans, Deviants.

Champions Universe -- the Empyreans.Ayup, that's who I meant. Glad I'm not the only one who reads about the weirdos of Marvel. ;)

[proditor]

Oh, I almost forgot one that tends to be more RPG cliche in general.

11. Parents? They: blew up/were cut to ribbons/disowned me/Died while saving me from a savage Narwhal...etc, etc.

I've been in many many games where my PC was the "weirdo" because he had a living family that were pretty normal.

[dbsousa]

Captain America is an anti-hero who defected? Did I miss an issue?

(Edit -- not to mention, in the 5th edition CU, all but one of the PRIMUS Silver Avengers...)

You missed the 70's, apparently. Not the issues, but the decade, wherein exposes the President of the United States as the United States as Enemy Number one of the USA, and sees him commit suicide...

(source (http://www.steveenglehart.com/Comics/Captain%20America%20153-167.html) )

[OddHat]

Hurm... That one's actually rather new to me. It might be interesting to see the cultures that spring up from the people who comprise these colonies, particularly from the time periods they came from: 1950s world, 1800s world, etc.

I'm guilty of using that one all the time. :) One of my favorites.

[Chuckg]

*makes a mental note to design Dr. Pain's parents*

Yes, that does happen a bit.

In the campaign I'm playing in (New Sentinels), the family scorecard is:

Horus-Re -- immortal 60,000-year-old demigod. Has long since outlived both his divine father (lack of worship) and his mortal mother. His DNPC (which he doesn't get points for, as it's another player character) is Starguard.

Starguard -- has two healthy parents that she couldn't remember having for the first 40 sessions due to amnesia. Still hasn't gotten up the nerve (or opportunity) to go back home yet. Not taken as DNPCs.

Microman II -- is an android. His 'father' (creator), Dr. Daniel Collins, is still alive and well. Taken as DNPC.

Princess Cyrande -- is the daughter of the Phazor of Malva, who is also alive and well. ... she and him just don't get along very much. It has something to do with his being an utterly decadent, corrupt, debuached, and near-immortal alien despot. :) /Definitely/ not her DNPC.

Warp -- gets along with /his/ father (Franklin Stone of Advanced Concepts Industries) about as well as Cyrande gets along with hers. His mother died in the Battle of Detroit. His uncle Steven Barlowe, his mother's brother, is his former legal guardian and trusted advisor. Uncle Steve is a DNPC, his father is a Contact.


In the campaign I'm DM'ing (Aegis), the scorecard is:

Alexander Valor -- is half-Empyrean. Both his aged father and his immortal mother are alive and well, but since they're in Arcadia and he's wandering the world, he doesn't see them very often. Not taken as DNPCs.

Diomedes -- his elderly parents are retired and live in the 'burbs. He visits frequently. They count as DNPCs.

Peregrine -- parents dead due to (IIRC) a mundane automobile accident, not tied to origin story. No siblings. DNPC is his almost-fiancee.

Nox -- [classified]. The player took a Mystery Origin, and they haven't found out in play yet. :) No DNPCs.

Malleable Man -- IIRC, status of parental units is TBD (the player hasn't decided yet, and as it hasn't come up in play yet, the continuity is still in flux there -- hey, if it's off-stage and has never yet affected game play, that means I can Schrodinger it if I have to.) Has one older sister, a Chicago police detective, as his DNPC.

[Chuckg]

You missed the 70's, apparently. Not the issues, but the decade, wherein exposes the President of the United States as the United States as Enemy Number one of the USA, and sees him commit suicide...

I know the Secret Empire arc, yes. (Although Number One's being Nixon was never explicitly referred to in the comic, merely talked about later by the author, IIRC.)

However, my point stands -- at no time did Cap become an anti-hero or defect.

[dbsousa]

I know the Secret Empire arc, yes. (Although Number One's being Nixon was never explicitly referred to in the comic, merely talked about later by the author, IIRC.)

However, my point stands -- at no time did Cap become an anti-hero or defect.

Immediately following this arc, he abandons the costume, calls himself Nomad, and wanders the land like Kane from Kung Fu. How much more anti hero do you want?

He never did defect, though.

[Chuckg]

> Immediately following this arc, he abandons the costume, calls himself Nomad,
> and wanders the land like Kane from Kung Fu. How much more anti hero do
> you want?

He never changed his moral standards or methods in the slightest -- he just got a new costume and took a trip to find himself. I don't call that 'anti-hero'. Anti-heroes are guys like Wolverine and the (early) Punisher.(*)



(*) The current Ennis Punisher isn't even an anti-hero anymore, he's just a psychopath.

[dbsousa]

> Immediately following this arc, he abandons the costume, calls himself Nomad,
> and wanders the land like Kane from Kung Fu. How much more anti hero do
> you want?

He never changed his moral standards or methods in the slightest -- he just got a new costume and took a trip to find himself. I don't call that 'anti-hero'. Anti-heroes are guys like Wolverine and the (early) Punisher.(*)



(*) The current Ennis Punisher isn't even an anti-hero anymore, he's just a psychopath.

OK, fair enough.

[Supreme]

Captain America is an anti-hero who defected? Did I miss an issue?

(Edit -- not to mention, in the 5th edition CU, all but one of the PRIMUS Silver Avengers...)
We're talking about gaming background cliches. And sorry, but I never read any of the CU material.

[Whitewings]

12. Most female supers are major exhibitionists.

[paigeoliver]

12. Most female supers are major exhibitionists.

How about most female characters in most rpgs. D&D has chainmail bikinis and leather thongs. Science fiction has golden bikinis! =)

[Hypnotoad, the]

13. Hero/heroine's biggest enemy happens to also be their mother/father/parental unit.

I'm using this one right now in designing my magician, who happens to be Tyranon's daughter, just so we can have the following exchange.

TYRANON: I am your FATHER!

MY PC (rather flatly): No...no that can't be...that's impossible...how does a tree get it on?

Now one might think the concept of having such an outrageous origin for the sake of such a flippant exchange is wasteful and silly, but what can I say? I like wasteful and silly :)

[Supreme]

Okay, we're getting a little too much into character cliches and not background cliches. We're also going off into the deep end about Captain America/Nomad. Make your down dang thread, boys!

[Doug McCrae]

Orson Welles famous 1938 Halloween hoax is real - alien invaders genuinely did land at Grovers Mill. The superheroes that arrive separately to repel this invasion form a superteam. This is used in CU and also independently by Big Willy, the GM of our Golden Age Golden Heroes campaign. And in this random bloke's superhero universe (http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shire/8641/GOLDNAGE.doc) that I just googled. Three's a bit too many for my liking. I'm calling cliche.

[Mantis]

14. Powers from Genetic Mutation manifesting during adolescence.

15. "On my planet, everyone has armored skin and fires laser blasts from their fingers. Everyone who flies, that is. The ones who swim under the oceans have armored scales and fire laser blasts from the jewel embedded in their forehead, but they can still breathe in air just fine, thank you."

[Doug McCrae]

I'd say elements derived from the publishing history of comic books - the first superhero being a strong guy who debuts in 1938 or a lull in the 1950s - don't count as cliches.

That 50s lull being due to McCarthyism OTOH, does count as a cliche. It's been used in Watchmen, Wildcards, probably Superfolks I'm guessing and, of course, Champions Universe.

[Red Knight]

I've lost count..... but..

#) One day while searching a grandfather's house, the would-be hero stumbles across an old locked chest.. Being the good grandson that he/she is.. You force open the lock and find a strange glowing amulet... the rest is history!!

Going back to the issue of family being the main nemesis.... In the campaign, I'm currently playing in... my character's father is one of the wealthiest men in the country AND the leader of a secret order determined to capture my character's hero Id or destroy him.
Talk about issues!!!

[OddHat]

I've lost count..... but..

#) One day while searching a grandfather's house, the would-be hero stumbles across an old locked chest.. Being the good grandson that he/she is.. You force open the lock and find a strange glowing amulet... the rest is history!!

Yup, used this one as well. :)

[Christougher]

17) PC hero is sent back in time to prevent some ugly future from occurring. [Guilty]

[Chaosliege]

An ongoing theme in many of our older games included the "evil conglomerate headed by an uber powerful super in disguise".

[Agent 13]

Orson Welles famous 1938 Halloween hoax is real - alien invaders genuinely did land at Grovers Mill. The superheroes that arrive separately to repel this invasion form a superteam. This is used in CU and also independently by Big Willy, the GM of our Golden Age Golden Heroes campaign. And in this random bloke's superhero universe (http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shire/8641/GOLDNAGE.doc) that I just googled. Three's a bit too many for my liking. I'm calling cliche. Four. In my old universe, the events of the Second War of the Worlds indirectly led to the creation of superhumans.

[OddHat]

#18: You'd rather work 60 hours a week at a stressful job than actually earn millions in a sport or industry where your power is valued. Bonus: Despite having a full time job, you are able to disapear at any time of day to deal with Evil, and even if you spend weeks on Alien worlds your boss would never dream of firing your unreliable arse.

[Kristopher]

12. Most female supers are major exhibitionists.



How about most female characters in most rpgs. D&D has chainmail bikinis and leather thongs. Science fiction has golden bikinis! =)


I steadfastly avoid "Howler Syndrome".

[Publius]

Gaining powers through radiation exposureadd "... or some other freakish event (chemical spill, bite by genetically enhanced spider, etc.)"

p.s. I don't think this one got numbered.

#19 (or 20). Some uncommon/rare genetic component makes one person possess superpowers after said radiation exposure while another individual without this "X Factor" just gets radiation sickness and dies.

[Worldmaker]

Orson Welles famous 1938 Halloween hoax is real - alien invaders genuinely did land at Grovers Mill. The superheroes that arrive separately to repel this invasion form a superteam. This is used in CU and also independently by Big Willy, the GM of our Golden Age Golden Heroes campaign. And in this random bloke's superhero universe (http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shire/8641/GOLDNAGE.doc) that I just googled. Three's a bit too many for my liking. I'm calling cliche.


Guilty as charged myself.


Here's one: Atlantis is real, sits at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, and is populated with aquaman-style amphibious humans.

[transmetahuman]

1. Atlantis existed, and some remnant of it or its people still does

[Edit: Beat me to it, Worldmaker!]

2. Top Nazis were occultists/mages.

3. Islamic countries, and/or China, tend to kill their mutants/metahumans/paranormals.

[Kristopher]

At this point, I think every basic origin for superpowers has been used at least once. Godhood, genetics, accidents, bestowed powers, alien origin, etc, etc...what's left? It's not like you're going to come up with something entirely new. It's a bit unfair label any one origin "cliched" when they've all been done before.

[dbsousa]

X) The hero of every tall tale, old work of heroic fiction, and early mythology actually existed. stories about Zorro, the Scarlet Pimpernel, Pecos Bill, and Hercules are essentially historically accurate.

[Whitewings]

How about most female characters in most rpgs. D&D has chainmail bikinis and leather thongs. Science fiction has golden bikinis! =)Actually, those are pretty scarce in the source fiction. Scantily-clad superheroines, on the other hand... Look at the late 70s/early 80s Legion for excellent examples.

[proditor]

At this point, I think every basic origin for superpowers has been used at least once. Godhood, genetics, accidents, bestowed powers, alien origin, etc, etc...what's left? It's not like you're going to come up with something entirely new. It's a bit unfair label any one origin "cliched" when they've all been done before.I think the cliche comes in how you apply that origin, not in using it as a base. I'm rather proud of my clone with genetically granted powers who was made by Telios during a new period of blackouts, but thinks he is really the janitor for the League of Super Teens from the 30th century who got all of their powers (Only one at a time though) from a strange beam of light while cleaning their museum and was subsequently sent back in time to make sure that the future would be safe....WHEW! It's a fun quirky background on the surface with a very serious underlying series of plothooks for the GM to work with. Is he a cliche? Heck, he's a freakin' amalgam of rip-offs. But he works and he avoided stomping cliches mostly because he had that weird dual BG.

[Lightray]

An ongoing theme in many of our older games included the "evil conglomerate headed by an uber powerful super in disguise".
Yep, got that one. Although since I restarted that campaign the Monster Labs have been reformed (apparently) by the supposed clone of the founder... and now the heroes are semi-allied with the reformed do-gooding company.


Here's one: Atlantis is real, sits at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, and is populated with aquaman-style amphibious humans.
Got that one too, 'cept it's at the bottom of the Mediterranean.

X+1) Supervillain teams with a common origin develop "theme" powers. You rarely see a group of 4 villains with identical powers, but how many times is there 1 earth guy, 1 fire guy, 1 water guy, and 1 air guy?

[Publius]

At this point, I think every basic origin for superpowers has been used at least once. Godhood, genetics, accidents, bestowed powers, alien origin, etc, etc...what's left? It's not like you're going to come up with something entirely new. It's a bit unfair label any one origin "cliched" when they've all been done before.I agree wholeheartedly. But being exposed to radiation (in the original example) or some other potentially deadly stimulus simply is a very common element in most superhero fiction. I didn't say it was bad or anything. Heck, I use a lot of these. I've had settings before that used a genetic factor for basic superhuman abilities and they were activated through a rather complex scientific procedure. All supers were "made" as a result, not gained through accidents (as my present campaign setting uses almost exclusively). That creates a whole different vibe.

Some of the others (like registration) are being actively discussed in the campaign setting by NPC politicians in the background. There are a lot of issues involved, and there is an active debate to that effect. Do I "agree" or "disagree" with its functionality/rationality/practicality? Who cares, lots of stuff happens in the real world that I don't like or think is irrational/unconstitutional/impractical. I just wanted to draw the players into that situation (through an upcoming event in whihc their actions will be made very public) and see what happens. In other words, make them pivotal on how that situation will turn out.

Scantily-clad superheroines, on the other hand... Look at the late 70s/early 80s Legion for excellent examples.Yeah MAN! :thumbup: Most excellent! Oops. :o Bad cliche! Bad!

[nexus]

Backworlds seem to be popular. Whats good is bad, whats bad is good. Alternate universes in general.

[Moody Loner]

I like just not explaining.

Some characters, it just happened, and it's not like he's going "Crap! I'm a MUTANT!!"

[Fenixcrest]

Mysterious glowing stones that give off an incomprehensible radiation field, often triggering superpower manifestation. Kryptonite, Kelvarite, etc.

[Super Squirrel]

Guilty as charged myself.


Here's one: Atlantis is real, sits at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, and is populated with aquaman-style amphibious humans.
I'll add... that worship Triton.

In which case, I'm guilty.

[nexus]

Agencies that straddle the line between terrorist groups and organized crime and have a seeming obession with a particular motif. So much so that they run it into the ground using it for their squad types, uniforms, supers, vehicles, everything. Their name is often an ancronym. These agencies will often have apparently endless access to extremely high tech arms and armor while the police and conventional military forces of the world use standard issue hardware at almost all times. Many times these groups will be deemed to be such threat a unique internationl intelligence and/or law enforcement force will be formed almost specifically to deal with them.

[Super Squirrel]

King Shardik brought down the killing blow from his sword onto a powerful demon as the demon ripped his very soul from his body. The soul tried to infuse itself back to its body but because King Shardik has placed all of his magic into his sword, it grabbed the wrong body. Thus the Sword Shardik was born.

I don't recall seeing that origin story before. :)

[winterhawk]

Each comics age seems to have common origin trigger based on the cutting edge science of the time:

Golden Age - Chemicals: Jay Garrick Flash, Hourman, The Human Bomb, Captain America, The Joker

Silver Age - Atomic Energy: Spider-Man, The Hulk, Captain Atom

Bronze Age - Gentics: The X-Men (I know they got their start in the SA, but this is when they became a phenonmenon)

Iron Age - Nanotech: The Engineer from The Authority (I don't read much 'true' Iron Age stuff, so this is the only example I got)

[Enforcer84]

Character comes from a city of intelligent animals.

[OddHat]

All powers come from a guy named Dave.

[Brandi]

Silver Age - Atomic Energy
Bronze Age - Gentics
Iron Age - Nanotech

Strangely enough, the movie version of the Hulk combines all three.

[rbezold]

:weep: But I LIKE background cliches! I couldn't run a cornball/tongue-in-cheek golden age campaign without them!

[Red Knight]

Personally, I like some of the characters from Astro City...

Samaritan... A normal guy that was sent back in time to avert a major, humanity smashing event. The process of sending him back super-charged him and made him Superm...err...Samaritan.

The Confessor.... a Vampire trying to atone for his sins.... so he dressed up in priestly attire and has a big cross on his chest. The pain of the cross kept him on the straight and narrow.

Interesting ideas if you ask me...

Of course.... the fall into the cliche catagories too.

[Enforcer84]

Cliche'd backgrounds? How about a street corner with Rosie's Bar on one end?

[The Watcher]

Warp -- gets along with /his/ father (Franklin Stone of Advanced Concepts Industries) about as well as Cyrande gets along with hers. His mother died in the Battle of Detroit. His uncle Steven Barlowe, his mother's brother, is his former legal guardian and trusted advisor. Uncle Steve is a DNPC, his father is a Contact.
Actually, Uncle Steve wasn't Warp's legal guardian, just the executor of his mother's will and estate, who basically kept Warp's inheritance in trust until he was eighteen and kept it out of his father's hands. He's also not a DNPC but a Contact instead.

Oh, and not only is Warp's father a Contact, but he's a Hunted (Watching Only) as well.

[Metaphysician]

Personally, I like some of the characters from Astro City...

Samaritan... A normal guy that was sent back in time to avert a major, humanity smashing event. The process of sending him back super-charged him and made him Superm...err...Samaritan.

The Confessor.... a Vampire trying to atone for his sins.... so he dressed up in priestly attire and has a big cross on his chest. The pain of the cross kept him on the straight and narrow.

Interesting ideas if you ask me...

Of course.... the fall into the cliche catagories too.

They, but they also add new and interesting elements.

Then again, Astro City = good, more or less by definition.

[JmOz]

Orson Welles famous 1938 Halloween hoax is real - alien invaders genuinely did land at Grovers Mill. The superheroes that arrive separately to repel this invasion form a superteam. This is used in CU and also independently by Big Willy, the GM of our Golden Age Golden Heroes campaign. And in this random bloke's superhero universe (http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shire/8641/GOLDNAGE.doc) that I just googled. Three's a bit too many for my liking. I'm calling cliche.


Not my world: They landed in england about 50 years earlier...

[JmOz]

I'll add... that worship Triton.

In which case, I'm guilty.

Or Neptune/Posseiden

[Lightray]

Or Neptune/Posseiden
Or Oceanus & Tethys.

[Moody Loner]

All powers come from a guy named Dave.

Okay, I'll bite:

<font size=+1><b>Dave</b></font>

Player:

<table cellpadding="0" border="0"><tr><td align="right"><font size=2><b>Val </b></font></td><td><font size=2><b>Char </b></font></td><td><font size=2><b>Cost</b></font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>10 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>STR</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>10 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>DEX</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>10 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>CON</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>10 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>BODY</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>10 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>INT</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>10 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>EGO</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>10 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>PRE</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>10 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>COM</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td><font size=2></font></td><td><font size=2> </font></td><td><font size=2></font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>2 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>PD</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>2 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>ED</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>2 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>SPD</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>4 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>REC</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>20 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>END</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>20 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>STUN</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><td><font size=2></font></td><td><font size=2> </font></td><td><font size=2></font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>6" </font></td><td><font size=2><b>RUN</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>2" </font></td><td><font size=2><b>SWIM</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>2" </font></td><td><font size=2><b>LEAP</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr></table><b>Characteristics Cost:</b> 0

<table border="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td align="right"><b>Cost </b></td><td><b>Power</b></td><td align="right"><b>END</b></td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">237 </td><td><b><i>Source of All Power: </i></b>Major Transform 30d6 (Normal to Random Super, Death of Dave, "Anti-Dave".), Inherent (+1/4), Personal Immunity (+1/4), IPE, Source Only (Fully Invisible; +1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2), AOE (180" Radius; +1), MegaScale (1" = 1,000 km; +1) (2250 Active Points); 1 Charge which Recovers every 1 Season (-3 1/2), NCC (-2), Activation 8- (-2), Always On (-1/2), All Or Nothing (-1/2) </td><td valign="top" align="right">[1]</td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">13 </td><td>LS (Longevity: 800 Years; Safe Environment: Zero Gravity; Safe in High Pressure; Safe in High Radiation; Safe in Intense Cold; Safe in Intense Heat; Safe in Low Pressure/Vacuum) </td><td valign="top" align="right">0</td></tr></table><b>Powers Cost:</b> 250






<b>Total Character Cost:</b> 250

<table cellpadding="0" border="0"><tr><td align="right"><b>Val </b></td><td><b>Disadvantages</b></td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">20 </td><td>Normal Characteristic Maxima </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">5 </td><td>Physical Limitation: Cant carry a tune in a bucket (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">5 </td><td>Physical Limitation: Flat Feet and sinus headaches (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">5 </td><td>Physical Limitation: Nearsighted[Needs Corrective Lenses] (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">15 </td><td>Psychological Limitation: Doesnt Hurry (Very Common, Moderate) </td></tr></table>
<b>Disadvantage Points:</b> 50

<b>Base Points:</b> 200
<b>Experience Required:</b> 0
<b>Total Experience Available:</b> 0
<b>Experience Unspent:</b> 0

No background yet, it's late.

Do you think 30d6 is enough? :)

[OddHat]

Okay, I'll bite:

<font size=+1><b>Dave</b></font>

Player:

<table cellpadding="0" border="0"><tr><td align="right"><font size=2><b>Val </b></font></td><td><font size=2><b>Char </b></font></td><td><font size=2><b>Cost</b></font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>10 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>STR</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>10 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>DEX</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>10 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>CON</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>10 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>BODY</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>10 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>INT</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>10 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>EGO</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>10 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>PRE</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>10 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>COM</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td><font size=2></font></td><td><font size=2> </font></td><td><font size=2></font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>2 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>PD</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>2 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>ED</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>2 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>SPD</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>4 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>REC</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>20 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>END</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>20 </font></td><td><font size=2><b>STUN</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><td><font size=2></font></td><td><font size=2> </font></td><td><font size=2></font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>6" </font></td><td><font size=2><b>RUN</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>2" </font></td><td><font size=2><b>SWIM</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr><tr><td align="right"><font size=2>2" </font></td><td><font size=2><b>LEAP</b></font></td><td><font size=2>0</font></td></tr></table><b>Characteristics Cost:</b> 0

<table border="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td align="right"><b>Cost </b></td><td><b>Power</b></td><td align="right"><b>END</b></td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">237 </td><td><b><i>Source of All Power: </i></b>Major Transform 30d6 (Normal to Random Super, Death of Dave, "Anti-Dave".), Inherent (+1/4), Personal Immunity (+1/4), IPE, Source Only (Fully Invisible; +1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2), AOE (180" Radius; +1), MegaScale (1" = 1,000 km; +1) (2250 Active Points); 1 Charge which Recovers every 1 Season (-3 1/2), NCC (-2), Activation 8- (-2), Always On (-1/2), All Or Nothing (-1/2) </td><td valign="top" align="right">[1]</td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">13 </td><td>LS (Longevity: 800 Years; Safe Environment: Zero Gravity; Safe in High Pressure; Safe in High Radiation; Safe in Intense Cold; Safe in Intense Heat; Safe in Low Pressure/Vacuum) </td><td valign="top" align="right">0</td></tr></table><b>Powers Cost:</b> 250






<b>Total Character Cost:</b> 250

<table cellpadding="0" border="0"><tr><td align="right"><b>Val </b></td><td><b>Disadvantages</b></td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">20 </td><td>Normal Characteristic Maxima </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">5 </td><td>Physical Limitation: Cant carry a tune in a bucket (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">5 </td><td>Physical Limitation: Flat Feet and sinus headaches (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">5 </td><td>Physical Limitation: Nearsighted[Needs Corrective Lenses] (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing) </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">15 </td><td>Psychological Limitation: Doesnt Hurry (Very Common, Moderate) </td></tr></table>
<b>Disadvantage Points:</b> 50

<b>Base Points:</b> 200
<b>Experience Required:</b> 0
<b>Total Experience Available:</b> 0
<b>Experience Unspent:</b> 0

No background yet, it's late.

Do you think 30d6 is enough? :)

:rofl: :thumbup: :cheers:

And thus a New Universe is born.

[Supreme]

"All powers come from a guy named Dave."

Yeah, the "all powers come from ___" background is another one (getting ready for the thread to get derailed into the unified origins vs diverse origins argument). All powers come from a mutative, recessive gene or from some super-substance (years before Smallville someone I know wrote a campaign in which all powers come from Kryptonite mutations).

[death tribble]

Gaining powers through radiation exposure
Yes been there, done that

6. The government is running a top-secret super-soldier program. Which produces one (or more) PC heroes and one (or more) NPC villains.
Yes and it usually fails. Algernon files (M+M) has this as well

14. Powers from Genetic Mutation manifesting during adolescence.
Yes. Stary Cats and Darklight/Electralite in the Protectors

#18: You'd rather work 60 hours a week at a stressful job than actually earn millions in a sport or industry where your power is valued. Bonus: Despite having a full time job, you are able to disapear at any time of day to deal with Evil, and even if you spend weeks on Alien worlds your boss would never dream of firing your unreliable arse
Went into space and then got fired. Had to get new job. Eventually became liaison to Superteam for Govt.

Here's one: Atlantis is real, sits at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, and is populated with aquaman-style amphibious humans.
Yes. Dreadnought was Namor

2. Top Nazis were occultists/mages.

3. Islamic countries, and/or China, tend to kill their mutants/metahumans/paranormals.
Hexenmeister had the Spear of Destiny which was the spear used against Christ on the cross.
Africa did this.

X+1) Supervillain teams with a common origin develop "theme" powers. You rarely see a group of 4 villains with identical powers, but how many times is there 1 earth guy, 1 fire guy, 1 water guy, and 1 air guy?
Heroes and villains

Agencies that straddle the line between terrorist groups and organized crime and have a seeming obession with a particular motif. So much so that they run it into the ground using it for their squad types, uniforms, supers, vehicles, everything. Their name is often an ancronym. These agencies will often have apparently endless access to extremely high tech arms and armor while the police and conventional military forces of the world use standard issue hardware at almost all times. Many times these groups will be deemed to be such threat a unique internationl intelligence and/or law enforcement force will be formed almost specifically to deal with them.
Cobra and Viper and the ITF and Shatter.

We had an anti-mutant one as well.

[starblaze]

Captain America is an anti-hero who defected? Did I miss an issue?

(Edit -- not to mention, in the 5th edition CU, all but one of the PRIMUS Silver Avengers...)

There was a story arc in Captain America where a secret government program claimed that they were behind the super soldier project that created CA. They demanded that either he work directly for them or give up the identity of Captain America. Steve Rogers decided not to work for them and actually turned in his shield and suit.

The program in question then recruited John Walker to be the new Captian America but he turned out to be mentally unbalanced after awhile and Steve eventually took back his mantle.

[Chuckg]

And it was all a lie and the Red Skull was secretly behind the whole thing, thanks to a few paid-off government bureaucrats who were put up to making the claim. (As per CAPTAIN AMERICA #350).

[starblaze]

> Immediately following this arc, he abandons the costume, calls himself Nomad,
> and wanders the land like Kane from Kung Fu. How much more anti hero do
> you want?

He never changed his moral standards or methods in the slightest -- he just got a new costume and took a trip to find himself. I don't call that 'anti-hero'. Anti-heroes are guys like Wolverine and the (early) Punisher.(*)



(*) The current Ennis Punisher isn't even an anti-hero anymore, he's just a psychopath.

Yes, but he's fun!

[st barbara]

To "Whitewings" I could say that "St Barbara" is a MINOR exhibitionist, but as she is over 18 I suppose that she isn't a minor. (Although in SOME parts of the world she still couldn't vote, which could classify her as a minor !)

[Samuraiko]

9. Even if they don't need therapy, most of them have some kind of serious trauma attached to their origins.

"I always think it adds resonance to a hero's mission to have some defining element of tragedy in his background, don't you?" - Joker to Batman, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker


So true, so true...

Ironically enough, the same event both started my PC on that path to superhero-dom and turned her twin sister into a Villain of icky proportions.


How about most female characters in most rpgs. D&D has chainmail bikinis and leather thongs. Science fiction has golden bikinis! =)

Hence the reason I threw convention out the window when I designed Midnight's costume... a slightly modernized "Shadow" (the radio drama/pulp fiction character) with a black bodysuit instead of his shirt-pants-suspenders. Now granted, she does have a very nice body, but she'd only show it off if she took off the trenchcoat and only had on the bodysuit underneath... No flashing cleavage for THIS chick!

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko

[proditor]

"I always think it adds resonance to a hero's mission to have some defining element of tragedy in his background, don't you?" - Joker to Batman, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker


So true, so true...

Ironically enough, the same event both started my PC on that path to superhero-dom and turned her twin sister into a Villain of icky proportions.



Hence the reason I threw convention out the window when I designed Midnight's costume... a slightly modernized "Shadow" (the radio drama/pulp fiction character) with a black bodysuit instead of his shirt-pants-suspenders. Now granted, she does have a very nice body, but she'd only show it off if she took off the trenchcoat and only had on the bodysuit underneath... No flashing cleavage for THIS chick!

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko

Michelle
aka
SamuraikoIt's always nice when you get pleasantly surprised by your players on the cliches. Of the 3 women in "Justice Inc." the only one who wears a "revealing" costume is Mach. And by revealing, I mean she has bare arms. Ultraviolet wear a full neck to toes costume that was...let's use the word inspired..by Kyle's original Green Lantern costume. Mystic wears a costume similar to Witchcraft's, and Mach wears a neck to toes body suit that leaves her arms bare. Yeah, UV and Mach both wear the ubiquitous bulletproof spandex derivative, but no cleavage, no leg.

[Agent 13]

Cliche'd backgrounds? How about a street corner with Rosie's Bar on one end? Don't know about that, but more than a few "bar/coffee shops/restaurants where all the heroes go" have popped up int the last decade.

[zornwil]

First a general comment - the campaign I've run the last few years is unique for me in that in fact it was finally inspired by mainstream comics DIRECTLY, specifically via the X-Men first movie. I had deliberately avoided many mainstream "cliches" (not sure all of these are cliches, but anyway...) but that movie inspired me to embrace the whole "mutants and society" ones. So far I've been very happy, the players seem to be enjoying it as well. Then again, I really twist things a lot in some ways, or at least so I'm told (I really am not conscious of a lot of that, it's just idiosyncratic to me), so it ends up being a reasonable synthesis, not stale - or people are just being very kind!

Re the list I've seen so far, here's the ones I've embraced for this campaign, to one degree or another:

1. The first super-hero is from the pre-war period and is a patriotic flying brick modelled after Superman (who was not very patriotic back then, btw).
- pretty much, although I'd like to comment a bit - my world begins just after WW II, when superhero comics were fading in popularity (though certainly Superman was around in comics) and voila, the first superhero actually IS Superman; but unlike in the comics, he's rather quickly killed by a Lex Luthor-type who figures out his invulnerability and just kills him. He wasn't around long. Spiderman, btw, is in the first wave of supers, arising just after Superman. He predates the comic book character, and, of course, the comic book character never exists. In fact, comics are more about pirates and cowboys now, a la Watchmen. In my prior campaign, this was true as I built the world history directly on the comics.

3. Mutant registration acts.
- oh yeah, big-time, like I said, I wanted to miimic some aspects of Marvel mutant scenarios; this is a HUGE issue in the campaign world, and this ties into the McCarthy era in that in fact this arose directly out of that. Not in my prior campaign at all, though.

4. Nosey reporter possible love interests
- sure, why not! I can't recall if I did this in my prior campaign.

5. Their primary interface with the goverment is an officious bureaucratic foil. Honest, just more of a hindrance than a help.
- Not quite, kind of. The bureaucrat is actually helpful; another liaison who works with him isn't a bureaucrat at all but rather a former field operative who wishes he still were one (and tries to get out as much as he can), but he's a real jerk and isn't too helpful; however, he's actually sincere and has no counter-agenda, although he dislikes "freaks" (mutants), but he really cares about his country and tries to do a good job. We did not do this at all in my prior campaign.

6. The government is running a top-secret super-soldier program. Which produces one (or more) PC heroes and one (or more) NPC villains.
- Sort of, certainly the gov't has created and will create supers; the way this has manifested is that the European Union funded an android development that has gone horribly wrong, and instead ended up creating an android who seeks the death of all mutants - he's modelled after and is called Vision! Didn't really do this at all in my prior campaign.

7. Magic, Superheroes, Aliens, etc.. have always existed, but up to this point, hidden in a elaberate conspiracy of lies and half-truths. Until they are exposed by the heroes.
- Ummmmm, kind of, at least the PCs think so, and SOME of this is true, and some of this is not! But I won't say more as it detracts from the ultimate back-story, which they are not yet fully aware of (or they may be but are staying in-character and not ruining the plotlines, which is what I more strongly suspect) Definitely true in my prior campaign.

8. At least half of all super-beings seem to need a long course of psychotherapy.
- Ha, oh yeah! But I think this is actually more realistic than many things in the comics, personally. I mean, really, imagine what it would take to be a costumed vigilante with super-powers!? Definitely true in all prior campaigns.

10. Some bizarro uber-powerful race of humans that were tweaked by aliens and now either reside in secrecy on Earth or one of the nearby planets.
- More or less, yes. Not so much in my prior campaign, although a bit.

11. Parents? They: blew up/were cut to ribbons/disowned me/Died while saving me from a savage Narwhal...etc, etc.
- Surely, yup, although not really in my prior campaign. In my oldest campaign, though, it was also true.

14. Powers from Genetic Mutation manifesting during adolescence.
- Often, keeping with the X-Men theme, although we haven't explored this too much directly, but it is well-known to all and is linked to many origins. I really can't recall how much this came up in prior campaigns, it wasn't anything I thought about much.

15. "On my planet, everyone has armored skin and fires laser blasts from their fingers. Everyone who flies, that is. The ones who swim under the oceans have armored scales and fire laser blasts from the jewel embedded in their forehead, but they can still breathe in air just fine, thank you."
- Ha, yeah, a little of that, though not so much in prior campaigns.

17) PC hero is sent back in time to prevent some ugly future from occurring.
- Interestingly, this is one of the few that I did a lot in my prior campaign (as well as going forward to the future to fix something that affected the past), but have not and am not sure if I'll ever do in this campaign.

- Here's one: Atlantis is real, sits at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, and is populated with aquaman-style amphibious humans.
- Mu, not Atlantis, and it's in the Pacific. But basically, yes, that idea. Didn't do this in prior campaigns.

Backworlds seem to be popular. Whats good is bad, whats bad is good. Alternate universes in general.
- I have not done this, but I DO intend to, particularly now that we have a dimension-travelling PC.



Now, there's a near-cliche nobody brought up that is important to the background, but I can't say as it relates back to what I was saying above about something the PCs and possibly players aren't aware of. As stated, I think the players are but are letting it go for the fun of the game. But this is as much as I'll say. If you're really interested you can PM but I do want to keep it secret, that's the fun part.

[Karma]

13. Hero/heroine's biggest enemy happens to also be their mother/father/parental unit.


Check this one out

Enemy: I am your father

Hero: I know but *I* am also *your* father, thanks to a time travel episode a few weeks ago.

Enemy: Noooooo

The "You are your own grandfather" is a time honored cliche in any setting that allows time travel.

[Blue Jogger]

Speaking of alternate dimensions. How about the cliche, we're not demons we're actually creatures from another dimension that you have confused with these "demons" just because we have horns or pointed ears, bat-like wings, emit flame, an sometimes even a tail. We're just misunderstood, really.

Oh, and everyone is like that, even though some of us can mask our features using something that you would consider magic. But it makes perfect sense if you understand 7th dimension geometry.

[Moody Loner]

Check this one out

Enemy: I am your father

Hero: I know but *I* am also *your* father, thanks to a time travel episode a few weeks ago.

Enemy: Noooooo


Lazarus Long's internal monolgue? :)

Yeah, I know it doesn't quite fit. I'm making a funny.

[zornwil]

Speaking of alternate dimensions. How about the cliche, we're not demons we're actually creatures from another dimension that you have confused with these "demons" just because we have horns or pointed ears, bat-like wings, emit flame, an sometimes even a tail. We're just misunderstood, really.

Oh, and everyone is like that, even though some of us can mask our features using something that you would consider magic. But it makes perfect sense if you understand 7th dimension geometry.
Similarly, there's the cliche of magic being abundant but somehow nobody believes in it. I have that! (PS - well maybe not "abundant" but it's not quite so rare; of course like with most cliches there's a reason for this, but, still, it is a cliche by now)

[st barbara]

To "Proditor" Is "St Barbara" the ONLY character who has a series of costumes depending on the season ? (Summer : Two piece aerobic work out suit with utility belt and ankle length boots, Spring/autumn : Olympic style gymnast leotard plus Utility belt and boots, Winter : Warm top and tracksuit pants worn over top of summer costume). Oh yes, add anti-flash glasses to this description. All costumes have a royal blue background with bursts of colour representing fireworks explosions !

[Kristopher]

Seems to me that she has her Summer and Spring/Autumn outfits backwards...


I've always tried to avoid the fanboy fantasy outfits on the female characters I create, unless it really fits the character in question. Heck, most of them don't even wear any spandex.

[st barbara]

To "Kristopher" I don't think so. Summer is one of those two piece outfits that girls wear for aerobics, tight short shorts, tight top that give support but shows off a lot of skin. Spring/autumn is a one piece leotard like that worn by gymnasts at the Olympics

[Kristopher]

To "Kristopher" I don't think so. Summer is one of those two piece outfits that girls wear for aerobics, tight short shorts, tight top that give support but shows off a lot of skin. Spring/autumn is a one piece leotard like that worn by gymnasts at the Olympics


IIRC, those have nothing at all to cover the legs.

I don't think of a woman's "aerobics outfit" as tight short shorts.

**shrug**

[Agent 13]

I don't think of a woman's "aerobics outfit" as tight short shorts. Perhaps he's thinking about a different kind of workout than you are.

[st barbara]

TO "Kristopher" No they don't cover the legs, or the arms for that matter. I think of an aerobics outfit as those lycra shorts and top things, very tight and stretchy. What image did you have in mind when I said "aerobics outfit" ?

[Kristopher]

It's rare, IME, to see a woman do aerobics in an outfit that doesn't somehow cover her legs.

[OddHat]

It's rare, IME, to see a woman do aerobics in an outfit that doesn't somehow cover her legs.

When I was training in public gyms, I'd often see women training in outfits that didn't cover their legs. Maybe it comes down to the gym where you train?

[Samuraiko]

When I was training in public gyms, I'd often see women training in outfits that didn't cover their legs. Maybe it comes down to the gym where you train?

Dunno about other gals on here, but while working out at the U of Arizona rec center, I wore a black tank top under a U-Arizona football jersey, sweatpants, and high top Converse sneakers.

Doing yoga at home, it's usually a loose t-shirt and sweat-shorts, working out barefoot.

Then again, if I had a body like Elle MacPherson or one of those chicks, I'd be wearing spandex too. But I know my limitations.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko

[Red Knight]

I don't bother with the cliche's as much as I try hard to avoid making copies of existing characters. Alas... I usually fail... I played a power armored hero named Manga (Samurai motif on armor) which was an Iron Man wannabe and now I play a "Power Stone" wielding hero that is a chromatically challenged Green Lantern.

I think that it was said before.. With all the comics that are out there... it is very difficult to truly avoid all cliches ... I have found that with most characters you can point a finger back and say.... That is like ____________.

[st barbara]

The image that I always had for that outfit was the sort of costume that you see people wearing in those "World Aerobics Championship" type competitions. While they might be wearing tights on their legs they didn't LOOK as if they were to me, hence I didn't include them. What can I say, If you've got it, flaunt it !

[st barbara]

To "Red Knight" It IS kind of difficult to avoid characters that can be construed as "copies" of existing comic book characters. Heck the various comic companies themselves seem content to do "versions" of each others characters from time to time ! (e g "The Squadron Supreme" looks like Marvel's take on the "Justice League")

[st barbara]

TO "Samuraiko" That's the great advantage with imaginary characters, they can have any sort of body that their creator wants ! "St Barbara" is built like an Olympic gymnast. Her creator (apart from being male) doesn't look like an Olympic anything, being middle aged and rather sedentary in my habits !

[Agent 13]

I sense... what's the phrase I'm looking for?


fanboy fantasy outfits
Yeah, that'd be it.

[Wanderer]

As regards the "revealing costume" clichè, I've always deemed it a more-or-less justifiable consequence of the fact that all superhumans appear to develop a perfect physique (optimized metabolism, secondary sexual feautres enhanced just to the right point, even body faculties unrelated to superpowers peaked to the levels of top athletes) as a side-effect of metahuman "awakening" (maybe the activation of the X-factor or use of superpowers optimizes metabolism) AND having superpowers likely causes a massive boost in self-confidence.

After all, how many comic book superhumans (of both genders) do you know that aren't drawn like top-tier sex symbols (the ones that are not meant to have the "rejected by humanity" and "messy social mundane life" recurring subplots, that is) ?

[Marketeer]

As regards the "revealing costume" clichè, I've always deemed it a more-or-less justifiable consequence of the fact that all superhumans appear to develop a perfect physique (optimized metabolism, secondary sexual feautres enhanced just to the right point, even body faculties unrelated to superpowers peaked to the levels of top athletes) as a side-effect of metahuman "awakening" (maybe the activation of the X-factor or use of superpowers optimizes metabolism) AND having superpowers likely causes a massive boost in self-confidence.

After all, how many comic book superhumans (of both genders) do you know that aren't drawn like top-tier sex symbols (the ones that are not meant to have the "rejected by humanity" and "messy social mundane life" recurring subplots, that is) ?

One sub-cliche that I've seen used to justify the phenomenon, at least for the classic "mutation as evolution" schtick, is the increased physical attractiveness is some kind of pushed "progressive evolution"--ie, that the mutations are on some level geared towards generating a genetic advantage.

This raises the possibility that mutants have been *created* by some force, but hey, players like mysteries.


:)

[megaplayboy]

One sub-cliche that I've seen used to justify the phenomenon, at least for the classic "mutation as evolution" schtick, is the increased physical attractiveness is some kind of pushed "progressive evolution"--ie, that the mutations are on some level geared towards generating a genetic advantage.

This raises the possibility that mutants have been *created* by some force, but hey, players like mysteries.


:)

The most amusing riff I saw on this was a comic that said that the skin-tight costumes tended to mildly stimulate the supers' erogenous zones, which optimized their physical capabilities(i.e., being mildly horny makes you a stronger super) Can't remember the series--there was a superman ripoff called Victor(whose secret ID was a gym rat), and a woman wearing a green costume.

[Agent 13]

The most amusing riff I saw on this was a comic that said that the skin-tight costumes tended to mildly stimulate the supers' erogenous zones, which optimized their physical capabilities(i.e., being mildly horny makes you a stronger super) Can't remember the series--there was a superman ripoff called Victor(whose secret ID was a gym rat), and a woman wearing a green costume. The comic was Hero Alliance (from Innovation, I believe). The perpetually passionate green-garbed girl in question was named Golden Guard.

It was a halfway decent comic, but it was bogged down with too much fanservice (say it with me now - fanboy fantasy outfits) and angsty grimngrit. (I preferred Sentry from the team's line-up, myself.)

[Tamashii2000]

Cliche: Magic, it exists, there are demon's/eldar gods that want to eat the earth for lunch and there is also one sorcerer/ess who is the greatest magic user on earth who's sole job is to prevent that from happening, normaly with NO help from the various magic using supers that also seem to run about.

(aka Doctor Strange)

[Kristopher]

(say it with me now - fanboy fantasy outfits)


You appear to like my phrasing on that... :)

[Worldmaker]

Cliche: Magic, it exists, there are demon's/eldar gods that want to eat the earth for lunch and there is also one sorcerer/ess who is the greatest magic user on earth who's sole job is to prevent that from happening, normaly with NO help from the various magic using supers that also seem to run about.

(aka Doctor Strange)

Yeah, but its a great way to allow one PC to shine.

[Wanderer]

One sub-cliche that I've seen used to justify the phenomenon, at least for the classic "mutation as evolution" schtick, is the increased physical attractiveness is some kind of pushed "progressive evolution"--ie, that the mutations are on some level geared towards generating a genetic advantage.

This raises the possibility that mutants have been *created* by some force, but hey, players like mysteries.


:)

Following this line of thought (not too much unlikely, after all, if one expouses the mutation/deliberate genetic engineering origin for superpowers, IMO the best explanation, that and/or psionics/unconscious reality manipulation), one might hypothesize that revealing/skintight costumes are the expression of an unconscious heightened drive to mate, especially with their own kind. Notwithstanding the lingering influencies of Comic Code, I've always got the distinct feeling supers must have somewhat of an heightened sex drive: optimized, healthy bodies + physically active, high-risk lifestyle + body-conscious dress code + celebrity

[Samuraiko]

TO "Samuraiko" That's the great advantage with imaginary characters, they can have any sort of body that their creator wants ! "St Barbara" is built like an Olympic gymnast. Her creator (apart from being male) doesn't look like an Olympic anything, being middle aged and rather sedentary in my habits !

Well, God knows that Midnight (my character) looks nothing like me. Maybe our heights are the same, but that's it. I'm 5'8", chestnut/auburn/silver hair, hazel (green-gold) eyes, and a little overweight. Whereas Midnight is 5'8", rich auburn hair, jade green eyes, and a fabulous body. She is also incredibly graceful and coordinated, while I am an avowed klutz of the first water.

But as you so rightly remarked earlier, if you've got it, flaunt it!

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko

[st barbara]

To "Samuraiko" 5'8" ! The problem with being 5'2" is that you have to look UP to almost everyone !

[Samuraiko]

Hey, it took me a while to appreciate being 5'8". Most guys can't look down on me.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko

[Worldmaker]

Hey, it took me a while to appreciate being 5'8". Most guys can't look down on me.


Its a good thing to see that you don't allow being so short to stifle your good attitude. :D

[Samuraiko]

Hey, it was a stretch playing a short character in the "Five Rings" campaign, I had the hardest time getting my mind around the idea that I was just over five feet tall.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko

[Zeropoint]

I don't know what it's like to be short, but I can tell you that being 6'4" is no picnic. I can't find clothes that fit everywhere, most modern cars don't have enough headroom, even in the front seats, I've lost nickel-sized pieces of skin from my head to low-hanging valves, and I'm developing a permanent slouch from walking around my ship.

Zeropoint

[zornwil]

I don't mind being 5'6", but I will say this - in the most senior management positions, people are disproportionately tall. Being looked up to physically in some ways extends further, particularly (to be fair) if you have the skills; I think there's an inherent advantage in society at that point against people with the same skills but who are shorter. This isn't any sort of bitterness or such - heck, I'm quite happy as far as the status of my positon and I actually do NOT want a promotion, I'm as far up in my career as I intend to go. I just have noted this. It's natural enough - for many eons size was an indicator of one's health and physical power.

[Worldmaker]

I don't know what it's like to be short, but I can tell you that being 6'4" is no picnic. I can't find clothes that fit everywhere, most modern cars don't have enough headroom, even in the front seats, I've lost nickel-sized pieces of skin from my head to low-hanging valves, and I'm developing a permanent slouch from walking around my ship.


I'm 6' even, which is not too bad, but get this: my shoulder-tip to shoulder-tip measurement is 35 and 1/2 inches. Most shirts I buy off the rack to fit my shoulder width I have to then roll the sleeves on.

[OddHat]

I don't mind being 5'6", but I will say this - in the most senior management positions, people are disproportionately tall. Being looked up to physically in some ways extends further, particularly (to be fair) if you have the skills; I think there's an inherent advantage in society at that point against people with the same skills but who are shorter. This isn't any sort of bitterness or such - heck, I'm quite happy as far as the status of my positon and I actually do NOT want a promotion, I'm as far up in my career as I intend to go. I just have noted this. It's natural enough - for many eons size was an indicator of one's health and physical power.

That's why I ritually mount and dominate my taller co-workers and managers. Sure, they call the police and I get fired, but I've established my primal dominance, and that's what counts.

Ook.

[zornwil]

That's why I ritually mount and dominate my taller co-workers and managers. Sure, they call the police and I get fired, but I've established my primal dominance, and that's what counts.

Ook.
Well that was an unexpected response!

:rofl:

Okay, enough now from me, I should acknowledge I just realized this is the Champions forum, sorry to have gotten into real-life reflections on height and such.

[Bengal]

King Shardik brought down the killing blow from his sword onto a powerful demon as the demon ripped his very soul from his body. The soul tried to infuse itself back to its body but because King Shardik has placed all of his magic into his sword, it grabbed the wrong body. Thus the Sword Shardik was born.

I don't recall seeing that origin story before. :)


Universe X vol 1 explains that the Absorbing Man was created in much the same way.

[lemming]

Well, God knows that Midnight (my character) looks nothing like me. Maybe our heights are the same, but that's it. I'm 5'8", chestnut/auburn/silver hair, hazel (green-gold) eyes, and a little overweight. Whereas Midnight is 5'8", rich auburn hair, jade green eyes, and a fabulous body. She is also incredibly graceful and coordinated, while I am an avowed klutz of the first water.

But as you so rightly remarked earlier, if you've got it, flaunt it!
Hmm, I've played 5' (not counting a random pixie) to 8'2" for PCs. Come to think of it, the only character that I put at my height is nothing like me.