Your Favorite Secret Identity professions

[Hermit]

In the Super Hero Genre, a good chunk (probably even the majority) of Supers have secret identities... and day jobs. Are there any you folks tend to take more than others? Why? I've seen some players who seem to go for businessman every time. Another I know has about 80% of her characters as students in either High school or college.

So, just how many mild mannered reporters, playboy millionares, and government liasons do you folks have your stables de character? :)

[Briguy123]

Secret ID's I have used in the past include a college student, a doctor, an olympic athelete, a photojournalist, a stock broker, and a patient at a mental hospital. The last was a character in a short lived Dark Champions campaign.

[Asperion]

While I usually do not use either a secret or public identity, on the occassions that I do I tend to vary them greatly. Sometimes they are in professions that will allow the character to quickly get into the action, or at least hear about what is going on without raising questions the majority of the time the secret identity has nothing to do with the adventuring persona. Two professions that I particually like playing are either someone involved in law enforcement or being an educator, if not a student. The non-adventuring persona usually does not go into a profession that would draw attention to the adventuring persona.

[Bartman]

Lets see some I have used are doctor, scientist (various), corporate exec, lawyer, deep cover CIA operative, stock car driver and several playboy millionares.

[badger3k]

Archeologist, lawyer, doctor, vetrinarian, college professor (and student of the same), psychologist, reporter, private detective, big game hunter, solder-of-fortune/mercenary, government operative (secret ID known to govt), millionaire is always good. Anything that either allows time to adventure (soldier and police officer had trouble in getting character to scene sometimes, but can make interesting character role-playing possibilities). We even had one who was a garbage collector.

[Fireg0lem]

The only character I've played with a secret ID was a janitor

[Stray Cat]

The two most commonly used professions I've used for my characters are college students and professors.

Colossus, who will get some play this weekend, is a college student who has a ton of familiarity-level professional skills. He's worked many places. He's been a waiter, gardener, pool attendant, dog catcher, taxi driver, construction worker, fast food cook, and carpenter. He's taken some acting classes at the university too recently. And he's even sold some of his photography to the local rags. The problem is that he's soo unreliable that he can't keep a job long. Something about attendance and punctuality and leaving in the middle of a shift... :rolleyes:

Cat

[Rachel]

Let's see . . .

A reclusive millionaire widow
A concert pianist
A dancer
A huntress
A singer in a rock band

I either go grim, or artsy. :)

[megaplayboy]

I still kinda like the one taken by Nighthawk of the Squadron Supreme: President of the United States:D

[lemming]

Most of my characters don't have secret IDs.
Thought the professions have been:
Detective
Lawyer
Rock Singer/Guitarist
Millionare (and just thought, the money is old, but no idea where it ever came from)
Agent for SWORD (my campaign's version of Primus or Shield)
Student
Adventurer/Artist/Theif
Head of Casino Security

The rest had being a superhero as a profession.

[JmOz]

Cop, Student, Full-time hero, Scientist, a number of Titans of industries, teacher, soldier.

My favorite character started off asa beat cop, then upgraded to detective, then finaly (when his ID was compromised) was put in charge of a team of PA and low meta cops

[Alex Raven]

One of my character's secret IDs was a Catholic priest.
Another was a university geologist.

The priest was a reincarnation of the Son of Satan...

[MoonHunter]

Some of favorites
High School Student x8
College Student x3
Police Officer x2
Inpatient at a psychiatric hospital x1 (A mentallist/ astreal character)
State Supreme Court Judge x1
Homeless x1

Others have been rocket scientist, cpa, and writer.

[Magmarock]

And I have had a wide variety of professions for my PCs too:

Rock star
Assistant DA
Defending attourny
Private Investigator
Police officer
FBI Profiler
ex CIA agent
Flowershop owner
Tarot reader (Owned own occult shop)
Librarian
Reporter
Photographer
Computer programmer
Secretary
Waitress
Fastfood cashier
Gas station attendant
and the list goes on...

About 70% of my PCs (and NPCs) have Public IDs, the rest are Private IDs. I might have made one or two characters with Secret IDs, but I can't remember what they were... wait, one was into low-level politics, I think.


Mags

[ch0wyunf47]

I've played a lot of secret ID chars, and there definitely is a common thread amongst them: All but one have been really smart. I think the lowest INT i've ever played was an 18 (and the sad part was he was the 'dumb' one of the party. Silly 'ol astro-physicist).

Well, the 'dumb' one was a soldier sent from the future to prevent something from happening... to make it somewhat original he was an Ape with robot arms. He was a lot of fun.

Me likey them smarty-pants.

[Jhamin]

Players in my games have been:

-Nightclub Singer
-Bartender
-Drummer in a band
-Absent Minded Professor
-European Diplomat

[GenreFiend]

Some have included:
Student (high-school and college)
Retired Athlete
Millionaire
Security Guard
Reporter
Photographer
Test Pilot
Test Pilot hired specificly to try out the suit of power-armor
that gave him his powers.
Priest

[OddHat]

My characters tend to have no secret ID and/or public IDs; juggling two or more jobs is something I've had to do in real life, and gaming is all about escape for me. ;)

That said, my players have used;

Doctor
Lawyer
Police Officer
Bar Hostess
Student (by far the most popular choice)
Stripper
Psychologist
Private Eye
Mercenary (close to a public ID here)
Active or Retired Military
Idle Rich (popular choice)
Reporter
Freelance Writer
Homeless Person
Car Mechanic

[The Mad GM]

college student (had some familiarity with this one)
college professor
homeless guy
reporter for a tabloid
geriatric patient (he could temporarily become young and powerful again, claimed it was his grandson who inherited his powers)
janitor for miscatonic u
archaeologist
winner of a lottery
retired cop
private detective
black panther in zoo
scientist
romance novelist (specializing in superhero bodice rippers)

[Siberian Tiger]

Originally posted by Fireg0lem
The only character I've played with a secret ID was a janitor

Hong Kong Phooey ?

[The Mad GM]

Some others that my friends have played:

novitiate(?) (the step before becoming a nun)
rock star
model
manager of a chinese restaurant
bounty hunter
mercenary
stage magician (guess what his powers were based on)
mime (he died early)
comic book artist
divinity student
small rodent
CEO of high tech company
draftsman

[ParitySoul]

I remember someone once playing a profesional stunt driver.

I like playing either scientists/students or a stage muscian.

[Ghost Archer]

Private Detective/ School head master
Ex-burglar Billionaire
Former Law student turned Teacher
Private Detective
Surf bum turned student

[Kaeto]

Coroner
Prostitute
Private Investigator
Electronics Buisness Owner
Oceanographer
Accountant

[DocMan]

Let's see...

I've had a Millionare playboy,

A Professor doing reasearch at the local University,

My speedster character made his living stuffing envelopes at home for about 5 different companies. His friends all thought he was a drug dealer.

And I have a character who was a linguist, but is now a fugitive.

Doc

[pinecone]

One of my favorites was "Homeless"...hey being hunted by aliens is tough,they blew up my house!.......I also liked being a freelance writer...I make my own hours and I have an excuse to be almost anywhere and/or ask questions about anything....

[Mayday]

Lawyer
District Attorney
Army Spec Ops personnel
College Student
Catholic Priest (as portrayed by an android)
Corporate CEO/Inventor
Model
Geologist
Biologist
Botanist
Engineer
Author of very disturbing novels where everyone dies gorily
Girls Summer Camp Counselor
Babysitter
Professional Baseball player (minor leagues)
Concert Pianist
Mercenary/Bounty Hunter
Geneticist
Professional Thief

[Mayday]

I had a homeless person once. Everyone thought she was off her medication (which she was), but she had touch precog, psychometry and was being hunted by an "invisible to normal sight" demon stalker that always knew where she was, it just walked slow. (But not slow enough)

My other homeless guy was immortal. He had no memory and was first seen falling off a bridge only to be eaten by a giant shark.

[Kolava]

Cute and fuzzy pet with all it's powers linked to "only in heroic identity"

It's oh so huggable, until evil rears its ugly head.

Then....it's still oh so huggable (but with cosmic power up to wazoo)

[Speedball]

My favorite character is a homeless junky who used to be a carny. The guy's not had the easiest of lives.

[Space Cadet]

Originally posted by Alex Raven
One of my character's secret IDs was a Catholic priest.
Another was a university geologist.

The priest was a reincarnation of the Son of Satan...

Now that's positively twisted.

As far as Secret IDs I've used for my characters go, the most recent
character (a battlesuit trooper) was a millionaire inventor and a
patriot who'd designed and built a suit of powered armor called
Minuteman.

Space Cadet :cool:

[Blue Jogger]

My most twisted one that I haven't used yet was actually a Public ID, Stage Magician.

The twisted part is using Images when the police or the press shows up. When they see the unconscious demon, "Nah, it's a puppet, if ya look closely ya can see the strings."

[Siberian Tiger]

In campaigns I've run the player's secret ID's have tended to be fairly typical ie computer programmer, private detective, businesswoman, student.

Also had a Russian diplomat and a fair number of characters employed by the government / military

However the one that has been the most interesting has been a vigilante whose day job is a police officer. Got very interesting when he was assigned to the anti-vigilante task force ! [This was about eight years ago - long before DC did it with Nightwing / Dick Grayson]

[Doug McCrae]

Originally posted by The Mad GM
geriatric patient (he could temporarily become young and powerful again, claimed it was his grandson who inherited his powers)
The Reverse Captain Marvel!

[Doug McCrae]

I tend not to have a secret ID at all. My main character, Dog Girl, was a full-time superhero. The only PC of mine that I can recall having a job was a researcher for London Weekend Television.

[Kolava]

Dog girl? Now we're talking....assuming we aren't talking about some sort of shadow-skulking mutant:eek:

Did she live in like..."the Dog ____" (any location except house, since that'd be corny) and went about an everyday life in full view of the public until stuff happened that required superpowers? I've always wondered how that would work...a "powerpuff girls" sort of set-up, with no Secret ID whatsoever (not even a costume change)

[Spectrum]

The only time I played using secret ID, was vigilante ninja whose day job was a computer programmer.

[lemming]

Originally posted by Spectrum
The only time I played using secret ID, was vigilante ninja whose day job was a computer programmer.
You should check my last post (http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=136577#post136577) in way of the ninja

[mattingly]

A werewolf whose Secret ID was a Professional Wrestler! Imagine the shock when the characters corner the werewolf and force him to transform back to his human self, only to be faced with The Mighty MacGuffin himself!

[Crimson Arrow]

The most common one I have used is scientist. It explains gadgeteers, power armour types and radiation/weird energy/chemical exposure.

[Maccabe]

Lets see;
Lawyer
High school gym teacher
College professor
Teenage gang leader
Occult Shop owner
Hippie/Radical
Rabbi

[Thirdbase]

Let's see:

Stage Magician, with a public ID and legal name change to Blackrune.
Ex Soviet scientist, hiding in the US illegally as a College Proffesor.
College Student
College Professor, grandson of the Nazi scientist that built the first battlesuit.
Professional Superhero (x3).
Surfshop owner, and former Pro Surfer.
Fithly rich bachelor.
Research Professor.
Auto Mechanic.

[zornwil]

As I think of it, most have been jobless and homeless, though almost never with any related disads or advantages (it tends to cancel out, they can make ends meet and have the skills to do so but it requires some effort). That's odd, never really realized that consiously. Will have to change it next time. Those who haven't been have been in nondescript marginal jobs. For those who have been jobless/homeless, one was a punk living among friends and the street, one was an artist living in ad-hoc arrangements, and one lives off the land.

[Pensativa]

a college student who started her own computer software company after graduating (a partnership between hero and secret ids), then sold said company to another character

a college recruiter / professional fund-raiser

a nightclub singer

a zoo-keeper

[tmutant]

My favorite is the scientist/inventor who makes his own powers, either gadgets, or (more frequently) powered armor. Other than that, I lean towards mutants with distinctive features and public I.D.s. I did have a brick with magical armbands that gave him his power. He had neither secret, nor public I.D.

[Shadow Warrior]

Two of my favourites were a martial artist who worked as a waiter in his parents' Chinese restaurant in Birmingham (UK) and a mentalist who hosted a late night cable TV chatshow called Mysteries of the Mind.

[Haerandir]

Out of the characters I've actually played (and thus have full write-ups for), I've done:

Academic/Scientist (usually researcher, inventor or student, not teacher/professor)
Stage magician
Firefighter
Air Force test pilot
Movie stunt man
Ex-con
Private detective
Retired CIA agent

The only real repeat profession has been student. I guess that's the one I default to.

My current character doesn't really have a profession. Mostly he just works whatever minimum-wage job he can get for as long as he can before his extracurricular activities or a sudden need to hide from his hunteds get him fired. Fortunately he's got Life Support & Instant Change. If things get really dire, he can subsist indefinitely and always have clean clothing. ;)

When possible, I like to tailor my background to the campaign I'm in. In several campaigns, I've been part of a government-sponsored group, in which case the only restriction on my background is how it ties in with my character's origin. In others, knowing that everyone else in your group is playing a penniless drifter may influence whether you will decide to play your billionaire playboy battlesuit character ("Looks like it'll be up to me to pay for everything...") or your fish-out-of-water alien martial artist ("We're all broke! Today's adventure: Acquire and eat lunch without committing any felonies...").

[st barbara]

I've always liked "St Barbara's" profession. "Model" ! It covers such a multitude of meanings ! (Snicker !") The idea of a supermodel superheroine appeals to me as well, although I guess that such a character would have to have a "public I D". The idea of say, Elle Mc Pherson in a skin tight outfit waring a mask and NOT being recognised just seems SO silly !

[Tim]

Originally posted by st barbara
I've always liked "St Barbara's" profession. "Model" ! It covers such a multitude of meanings ! (Snicker !") The idea of a supermodel superheroine appeals to me as well, although I guess that such a character would have to have a "public I D". The idea of say, Elle Mc Pherson in a skin tight outfit waring a mask and NOT being recognised just seems SO silly !

If Elle McPherson was in a skintight outfit, she wouldn't need teh mask. NO one would look at her face. ;)

[pinecone]

Ohh...I just remembered my all time favorite...I played a machine gun toting vigilante who in his "deep cover" ID was the Viper nest leader for Concord,CA.....amazing how he always knew what Viper was up to.......

[Sapphire_Steel]

Hmm, for me Lawyers like She-Hulk or Daredevil... though legal assitants as well.

(And no Im not one and know the profession is vilified-but we are talking about ina world where justice is not contreolled by cash flow and people becomelawyers to see justice served.. right?)

Close enough to ther law to know it, to see it and to work with it.. thats Why I pick Lawyers.

(Both defense and DA)

[JohnTaber]

One PC in my game from the past was a mild mannered glass repairman. The PC was called Shard. He got a lot of business by sticking around after fights... ;)

[JohnTaber]

One PC in my game from the past was a mild mannered glass repairman. The PC was called Shard. He got a lot of business by sticking around after fights... ;)

[Vanguard00]

Let's see...past secret ID occupations have included:

Photojournalist (National Enquirer type stuff)
Owner and CEO of a high-tech firm
Bartender
DJ
Mechanic
Musician
Accountant
Policeman
Mercenary / Bodyguard type
Sales clerk (at a K-Mart ripoff called S-Mart)
Housewife
Student
Maintenance Engineer


Sometimes I like the idea of trying to find a way to keep from getting fired...or in one case, finding another job after my GM had my character fired for missing too many shifts. Other times I go with the comic staple of having a "freelance" type of job. It depends on what the character wants to do when I make him/her.

[st barbara]

True "Tim", but Elle would still be recognised, regardless of what portion of her anatomy people were looking at!

[Hermit]

I've wanted to make a mentalist who's "Job" is a professional stage Hypnotist :)

[John Desmarais]

Originally posted by Hermit
In the Super Hero Genre, a good chunk (probably even the majority) of Supers have secret identities... and day jobs. Are there any you folks tend to take more than others? Why? I've seen some players who seem to go for businessman every time. Another I know has about 80% of her characters as students in either High school or college.

So, just how many mild mannered reporters, playboy millionares, and government liasons do you folks have your stables de character? :)

Personal favorite for character's I've played - Congressman.

John D.

[AnotherSkip]

Character 1
A Taoist Monk
a Reporter
a Temporary
PS: Roleplayer 11-
PS: Yard Dog 11-
PS: File Clerk 11-

Character 2
PS: Roleplayer 11-
PS: Acapella Singer 12-
PS: Yard Dog 11-
PS: File Clerk 11-
PS: Temporary 11-
PS: Mail Clerk 11


not surprisingly Roleplayer (though not an actual working cover) is _very_ frequent along with the other ones. but then ones based on me have a lot of similarities :)

[Hermit]

Some of my own characters that are current:
History Teacher
Comic Book Artist (He now works on his own book ;) )
Escape Artist and Stage Show magician
Bueracrat and Corp mouthpiece, now unemployed
Architect