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Agents of PRIMUS


Steve

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The old 4th Edition PRIMUS sourcebook is one of my favorites, so I'm thinking of using it as the basis for my next Champions Universe campaign, updating things in it to 6th Edition and perhaps borrowing elements from 5th Edition VIPER and Marvel's "Agents of SHIELD" to flesh it out.

 

I'm thinking that starting PRIMUS agents upgraded with Cyberline would probably work at 225 points. VIPER would be the primary enemy.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions or past experiences with running super agent-level games?

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I really like the PRIMUS book, and it wouldn't be hard to adapt to the current official setting, since several elements from the older setting are mentioned as having carried over.

 

In the 5E/6E CU PRIMUS, most of their agents are not enhanced by Cyberline; only the Avengers are mentioned as using it. To me that makes sense -- there are distinct drawbacks to the Cyberline process, and if I were running PRIMUS I wouldn't want my entire fighting force to be susceptible to them. Not to mention limiting my recruitment only to those people who are genetically compatible with the process. For my own 5E CU games I declared that agents who are responsive enough to Cyberline to be physically augmented, but not to a superhuman degree, are inducted into the Iron Guard powered-armor force.

 

However, for your campaign it occurs to me that the fraction of PRIMUS recruits who fall into the above category of compatibility could make up elite combat squads assigned to the most dangerous missions, and who are shuttled around the country to where they're needed. That would assure your PCs are always in the thick of exciting action, and doesn't limit you to one base of operation.

 

FYI, Shelley Chrystal Mactyre, who wrote the PRIMUS source book, also wrote articles in Digital Hero #s 2 and 6, updating and expanding the agency for the 5E continuity. DH# 37 includes an article by John Ivicek Jr. writing up a superhero-class team working for PRIMUS, "Response Force 1."  If you haven't seen those issues you may find them useful, even though DH stuff isn't considered "official" until it appears in a published book.

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However, for your campaign it occurs to me that the fraction of PRIMUS recruits who fall into the above category of compatibility could make up elite combat squads assigned to the most dangerous missions, and who are shuttled around the country to where they're needed. That would assure your PCs are always in the thick of exciting action, and doesn't limit you to one base of operation.

That's pretty much my current plan, to have the PCs be part of an elite squad. I may have their home base in Millenium City, but I'm not certain yet. I could keep it floating, maybe setting it on something mobile instead. A plane is the most mobile, but using a submarine might work too.

 

I've eliminated UNTIL in my version of the CU, so PRIMUS is now the main SHIELD-equivalent organization, dealing with matters worldwide but funded by the US.

 

Thanks for the article references!

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While a newly-minted group of Silver Avengers is still a possibility, I think using 225-250 point agents is my preference. Since the 4th Edition Cyberline-enhanced agents were built on 200 points, an increase to 250 points for 6th Edition is probably better instead of going to 225.

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To see if 250 points would be better than 225 for starting PRIMUS characters, I rebuilt Assault Agent Terry Kestler under 6th Edition (page 59 of the PRIMUS book).

 

She worked out to be exactly 250 points with only one minor tweak. I gave her Scholar to reduce her point total by two points.

 

I'm thinking of giving her three points of Lightning Reflexes and an 18 DEX instead of the 21 DEX she currently has and then using the saved three points for one level of Striking Appearance.

 

I'll probably rebuild one or two more of her fellow agents to see how the numbers work out.

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