Horror Hero:Killer Cars, opinions wanted

**nexus** · Mar 28th, '04, 01:52 PM

I am planning on doing a write up for "Christine" from the Stephen King novel of the same name. I wanted to ask, in the opinions of the various board members what would be the best approach. Writing up a car and giving it an AI "Brain" or writing up a fully fledged character and giving it disadvantages and limitation to reflect that, in many ways, she's a car.

**Lord Liaden** · Mar 28th, '04, 03:41 PM

To use some HERO metagaming terminology: Does Christine ever seem to take any STUN from damage done to "her" in the novel or the movie (whichever version you're basing this off of)? If so, I'd use standard Character rules. If she only ever seems to take BODY (battered and tattered, but rolling on relentlessly) the Vehicle/AI rules would be most appropriate. Not to mention easier to build: just find the most pertinent published car stats and season to taste.

**Tempuswolf** · Mar 29th, '04, 02:23 AM

I would build it as a character, since it plays the role of a character in the story. An AI with programs seems a poor fit. Take the physical stats from HSVS and the mental ones from a Bestiary's demon, throw in some Regeneration, voila a Plymouth Fury from Hell.

**Captain Obvious** · Mar 29th, '04, 06:13 AM

Regeneration, only when running in reverse (-1)

**Intrope** · Mar 29th, '04, 08:43 AM

Originally Posted by Captain Obvious

Regeneration, only when running in reverse (-1)

Actually, IIRC Christine's Odometer went backwards (not the car itself) and it regenerated as this occurred. (And I think the radio had to be on, as well--always playing music not actually on the air? It's been a long time since I read the book or saw the movie...)

Add some mental powers to corrupt the 'owner'. Also, it had a rivalry(!) with the driver's love interest as I recall; used it's sinister prescense to drive her off at one point.

For that matter, it also physically corrupted the 'owner' (his backbrace). And note that while Christine could not initially act on her own (except in very limited ways) by the end she was completly self-controlled (her driver was dead before the end of the battle).

**Captain Obvious** · Mar 29th, '04, 03:48 PM

No, there was a time or two when it was up on jacks running in reverse to regenerate, so it didn't actually go anywhere, but it was still running in reverse.

**Major Tom** · Apr 1st, '04, 07:26 PM

How about the other "auto from Hell" movie -- The Car? Now there
was a mean machine if ever there was one.

Major Tom

***Sketchpad*** · Apr 2nd, '04, 03:20 AM

Originally Posted by Major Tom

How about the other "auto from Hell" movie -- The Car? Now there
was a mean machine if ever there was one.

Major Tom

I love that movie! That Devil-Driven Lincoln Continental was awesome!!

**ghost-angel** · Apr 2nd, '04, 07:31 AM

I would write it up as a normal character with physical limitations and the automaton rules of Take No Stun. This allows the free thinking plotting and manipulation that the car did.