Support for Low Level Supers style Dark Champions

[nexus]

There are four different flavors of "street" supers/crimefighters presented in Dark Champions: Vigilante Crimefighting, DC: TAS, Iron Age Champions, and Street-Level Champions. You seem to be focusing on the one that is least like what you want and then complaining that you're not getting what you want.

Well, that's not what I meant. "Iron Age Champions" is something different all together IMO, its not street level at all. Its mentioned in Dark Champions I would imagine because of its darker tone. Street Level Champions got the same general treatment as "Dark Champions: The animated series" that I saw some mention, but it was treated with a slightly condescending edge when it was mentioned. It doesn't change my concern that "Street Level Champions" isn't going to get much, if any real support. I use "The animated series" subtitle for one of the genres as the most visible example of the change in tone in refering to dark, street level games that include powers. But I'll check out the DC:TAS book when it comes out and see if it does provide a more balanced (IMO) outlook. And if it doesn't, I'll just be disappointed, not like I'll toss my Champions and DC collection.

[Andrew Cermak]

Street Level Champions got the same general treatment as "Dark Champions: The animated series" that I saw some mention, but it was treated with a slightly condescending edge when it was mentioned.

No, it wasn't. There's nothing condescending about taking a genre that's based on comic-books or a cartoon series and acknowledging that it is like a comic book or a cartoon series.

You're projecting.

[Chuk]

The Batman is pretty good ... kind of dark in some ways and does a great job of reinvisioning the core characters ... mind you it's not B:TAS, but it's still pretty damn good

Best thing about it is the theme song, by The Edge.

EDIT: The show's good too, but the theme song is really good.

[nexus]

No, it wasn't. There's nothing condescending about taking a genre that's based on comic-books or a cartoon series and acknowledging that it is like a comic book or a cartoon series.

You're projecting.

That's your opinion and being such there's pretty much no way to argue with it, so I'll let it drop.

[Andrew Cermak]

That's your opinion and being such there's pretty much no way to argue with it, so I'll let it drop.

You could quote an example of a condescending sentence from the text in question. I can't find one.

[tgrandjean]

Not to totally derail the thread, I just wanted to make a few comments on The Batman.
First, great theme song.
Second, interesting animation style. Semianime-ish, exaggerated features, edgey feel. It's not for everyone, but I do like it. TAS did a better job as far a feel, but this is a younger, edgier Bats; one that doesn't have a handle on everything and is trying to figure this whole hero thing out.
Third, the characters are interesting. Picture the usual roster viewed through a funhouse mirror. Alfred is ex-SAS. The Penguin as a martial artist (?). Catwomen as moreso but now add a slice of gadgeteer. Bane is.... Bane.
The only real flaw that I see in the series is that it sometimes seems to have fallen into a rut. Most episodes tend to run; The villain commits a crime, Bats has used his detective skills (or police scanner, take your pick) to locate the villain, a fight insues. Bats gets his butt kicked (stalemate at best), goes back to the lab, has some angst combined with a demonstration of tech skill, then proceeds to track down the villain and kick their teeth in.
Not bad as a rule, but episode after episode?

[nexus]

I'll have to check this show out.

[Goradin]

I liked 4 E dark champions better than 5E.

[Hawknight]

I too liked 4th better than 5th, but Hudson City got way fleshed out and that was a great thing. No matter what edition, there is usable stuff from both to combine and form Voltron, err the best game possible.

[Killer Shrike]

Kind of a pointless thread resurrection...it was 7 years dead after all.

That out of the way, they're two different products. "DC" for 5th Edition is really Action HERO or Modern HERO. The title Dark Champion was recycled for marketing purposes, and like all such marketing driven decisions it made little sense and just created false expectations.

There are people that bough DC expecting an updated version of 4e's DC, and were perhaps disappointed. There are people who would really enjoy the product for running Action HERO type games who never looked at the product because it's branded as a Champions product. Oh well, water under the bridge at this point.

Personally, I think 5th Edition Dark Champions is a great product, and the Hudson City source book is one of the best city supplements I've ever seen for any game.


Also, my own MetaCyber setting is proof that you can mix street and superhuman using the material...here's the page where I mine the supplement for the setting, including character re-imaginings for LIBRA:

Meta Cyber - Dark Champions

[kahuna's bro]

Currently, Dark Champions seems to be revamped (or defined, I guess might be the proper word) as the "action movie style" for Hero which is good enough, except I'm more a fan of Dark Champions as just that, low level supers dealing with more "realistic" but occasionally powered crime such as Daredevil, early Spiderman, Punisher, occasionally Batman without even the "kiddifying" that is done for animated series versions of these characters. Fourth Edition DC seemed to have more information about that style of play while Fifth almost ignores it favor of modern day action. Is there going to be any support for street level supers in upcoming products for Dark Champions?

would the wuxia level from ninja HERO fit as low level super powers?