Mr. R Posted July 1, 2020 Report Share Posted July 1, 2020 Over in RPGnet a Superseed column proposed an idea of supers in a steampunk world. I'd like to make a few examples of this but I would like a few ideas to prime my creative pump to get started . I am thinking to using Mr. Bennie's Gestalt to get a few ideas. Also what power level would you suggest (I am thinking 40 AP with up to 1/4 advantages for attacks, 15/15 defenses OCV/DCV 7 w/ up to +2 skill and spd 4 for average) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted July 1, 2020 Report Share Posted July 1, 2020 Digital Hero #39 includes "War of the Worlds: Champions," a 30-page campaign mini-book (for Hero 5E) building on the concepts and events from H.G. Wells's classic novel, but without the deus ex machina of Terrestrial microbes wiping out the Martians. It's 1902, and the Martian invaders have landed in Britain. Their war machines wield devastating heat rays, and "black smoke" which is lethal to the vast majority of human beings. However, in a very small percentage the black smoke isn't lethal, but instead triggers the development of superhuman powers. These new superheroes lead the fight against the invaders, along with regular troops sometimes armed with advanced (steampunk) weapons and equipment designed by the rare black smoke mutates who develop superhuman intelligence. The DH article includes a timeline of events leading up to the default start date for a campaign; several Package Deal templates for common backgrounds from that era in Britain; write-ups for several steampunk weapons and gadgets, and one vehicle; full write-ups for the Martians and four of their war machines; and four sample British superheroes. Spence 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted July 1, 2020 Report Share Posted July 1, 2020 The art in that article is by our own D.T. "Sketchpad" Butchino. In the book it's B&W/greyscale, but here's a colored version of one of the superheroes, the mighty Britannic. BTW that "cape" is a Union Jack flag recovered from the ruins of London after attack by the Martians. Christopher R Taylor and Lawnmower Boy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steriaca Posted July 1, 2020 Report Share Posted July 1, 2020 One could imagine steam powered power armor. It would be big, heavy, can't jump well, can't stand being tipped, must be careful the water doesn't run out or the fire doesn't go out... Or you can hand wave that stuff and just have a steam powered power armor. And it would fit better if I called it armour... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted July 1, 2020 Report Share Posted July 1, 2020 One of the sample heroes in the article I mentioned is a mutated genius who designed and sometimes wears just that kind of armour, although it's not that finicky. Her nickname is "Stella Stovepipe." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tjack Posted July 1, 2020 Report Share Posted July 1, 2020 For inspiration you may want to know that DC comics had a universe of their heroes set in Victorian times. It sprang from the mini-series Gotham by Gaslight. It shouldn’t be too hard to find some examples on the DC Fandom .com site. If you need help finding the right site let me know. EDIT I found the spot. Go to DC Fandom.com Earth 19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steriaca Posted July 1, 2020 Report Share Posted July 1, 2020 Gaslight Batman isn't that different than normal Batman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandmastergm Posted July 1, 2020 Report Share Posted July 1, 2020 Here's Michael Surbrook's character Grenadier for that particular game setting. I actually came up with a HERO adaptation and conversion of the Kerberos Club. Darren Watts worked on a conversion to HERO for the setting but it was cancelled. Ges Seeger also came up with his own adaptation as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tjack Posted July 1, 2020 Report Share Posted July 1, 2020 1 hour ago, steriaca said: Gaslight Batman isn't that different than normal Batman. If you look at the stats, no there’s not much difference. I was saying that the look of the DC characters drawn for that era might give Mr. R some inspiration for ideas of his own. Lord Liaden 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grailknight Posted July 1, 2020 Report Share Posted July 1, 2020 Anime gives the best example I've encountered. If you haven't watched Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood, check it out. Tech level is late gaslight(closer to WW1) and the magic is not so powerful that men with guns can't compete with all but the most powerful characters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninja-Bear Posted July 1, 2020 Report Share Posted July 1, 2020 11 hours ago, steriaca said: One could imagine steam powered power armor. It would be big, heavy, can't jump well, can't stand being tipped, must be careful the water doesn't run out or the fire doesn't go out... Or you can hand wave that stuff and just have a steam powered power armor. And it would fit better if I called it armour... The Juggernaut or later editions Dreadnought! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tjack Posted July 1, 2020 Report Share Posted July 1, 2020 26 minutes ago, Ninja-Bear said: The Juggernaut or later editions Dreadnought! Remember the Maine!!!! Lord Liaden 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninja-Bear Posted July 1, 2020 Report Share Posted July 1, 2020 22 minutes ago, Tjack said: Remember the Maine!!!! Perhaps Steampunk tech works better? 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DShomshak Posted July 1, 2020 Report Share Posted July 1, 2020 I'm sure that Ken Hite outlined a Victorian/steampunk superhero setting in one of his Suppressed Transmissions columns for Pyramid magazine. After all, he pulled off an Elizabethan "Diamond Age" cyberpunk setting with nanites conjured by Dr. John Dee; compared to that, steampunk supers is easy. Dean Shomshak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tjack Posted July 1, 2020 Report Share Posted July 1, 2020 39 minutes ago, Ninja-Bear said: Perhaps Steampunk tech works better? 😂 With all respect to whoever wrote him up for the Big Blue Book, a rusty wheel powered by a three legged hamster with a heart murmur would work better. ——————————————————————————————————————————————— One of the meanest tricks I ever pulled on my players was to go through the Asesinos with a big black marker and cross out most of their disads, up their damage and run them at the group. Some (most) of the players had all the Enemies books and couldn’t keep from using that knowledge in-game. Getting their butts handed to them by a team they thought they’d blow thru taught them to keep their minds on the game and out of the books. DShomshak 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmjalund Posted July 1, 2020 Report Share Posted July 1, 2020 Isn't this where the PCs lie to their DNPCs to make them think they are going crazy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spence Posted July 2, 2020 Report Share Posted July 2, 2020 21 hours ago, Lord Liaden said: Digital Hero #39 includes "War of the Worlds: Champions," I didn't realize that was there. I picked up all the Digital Hero available in the store, but I just haven't been able to read them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted July 2, 2020 Report Share Posted July 2, 2020 IMHO that article is more than worth your time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steriaca Posted July 2, 2020 Report Share Posted July 2, 2020 8 hours ago, dmjalund said: Isn't this where the PCs lie to their DNPCs to make them think they are going crazy? Not that Gaslight, silly. Othoe it is set in the same period. And I hear the play was good with Vincent Price as the husband... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wcw43921 Posted July 2, 2020 Report Share Posted July 2, 2020 13 hours ago, Tjack said: Remember the Maine!!!! Augusta's The Capital!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spence Posted July 2, 2020 Report Share Posted July 2, 2020 Back to the OP. All my suggestions are 5th or 4th edition based. I'd suggest taking a look at the Western Hero for rules info and equipment since that takes place in the same time period. Pulp Hero is also a great resource, it may be set in 1935. But it still contains equipment and material unchanged from the late 1800's. For flavor there are a lot of RPG and source books out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninja-Bear Posted July 2, 2020 Report Share Posted July 2, 2020 Spence I wasn’t joking about Dreadnought. It would be perfect for steampunk just change its radioactive source to something more steampunky and really the Maine too can be steampunk both based on their respective art work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spence Posted July 2, 2020 Report Share Posted July 2, 2020 4 minutes ago, Ninja-Bear said: Spence I wasn’t joking about Dreadnought. It would be perfect for steampunk just change its radioactive source to something more steampunky and really the Maine too can be steampunk both based on their respective art work. I agree with you. There are more than a few villains that could steampunked. Black Harlequin with clockwork toys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. R Posted July 3, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2020 After all this I have a few ideas A proper young lady and her spirit/genie friend A young clairvoyant who must meddle in what she sees A young man who can summon fire A mysterious master of HTH fighting Ninja-Bear 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steriaca Posted July 3, 2020 Report Share Posted July 3, 2020 8 hours ago, Mr. R said: After all this I have a few ideas A proper young lady and her spirit/genie friend A young clairvoyant who must meddle in what she sees A young man who can summon fire A mysterious master of HTH fighting A young man who is a master of disguise. A gentleman thief with a heart of gold and a sense of justice. Not law, justice. (Think Lupin the 1st). A young woman unsure of her past and carries a semi-magical doodad which allows her to ignore physics in one area, and who is being chased by villains. (Think Nadia and the Secret of Blue Water). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.