Dark Champions or regular ?

[Lorehunter]

Epiphany

Michael’s father was dying. Although he could hear the sirens approaching Michael knew they would never get there in time. Around them lay the bodies of 4 young men, still breathing but unconscious. Nearby knelt 2 young girls quietly crying as they held each other. Above,distant clouds scuttled across the dark night sky. As the sirens grew closer, the sound of the other young men retreating into the night grew more and more distant. A chill wind, barely a whisper, tugged at some peeling handbills stapled to the nearby telephone pole with its single street light. Michael held his father and asked, “Why?”

 

His father took Michael’s hand in his own and said, “Evil triumphs when good men do nothing.”

 

With those words Michael was left alone in the world. The police arrived. Paramedics noisily joined them only moments later. They questioned the girls, then they questioned Michael. They learned that Michael’s father had been a Preacher and that they had been working at a local soup kitchen️. After helping clean up and close for the night the two men had started walking back to their small tenement on Skid Row. As they had been walking they had heard the crying of the girls and the laughing of the young men. Michael’s father had not hesitated as he turned toward the scene and walked quickly toward them. He had gotten quite close before the thugs had noticed him. 

 

“Get the f#$# outta here before I lose my patience, ese!”

 

His father did not preach in any of the local churches, nor did he preach from a soap box on the corner. No, his father had always followed the adage that actions speak louder than words and that if one wanted to spread the Word one needed to exemplify that by following those Words and showing others the Way. Michael’s father had never “preached” to the masses, never berated them for their sins; he had merely been there for those who needed an ear to listen to them, a shoulder to cry on, or a hand to help lift them back up. 

 

Michael’s father had not even slowed as he raised his arm and with a swift straight blow to the man’s face laid him out flat on the ground. At the time, Michael had thought there had been a passing car or something, because at the moment his father had struck the man there was a brief flash of light followed by a slight smell of ozone and sulphur. The remaining young men were at first stunned by the preacher’s actions. It was less the punch itself, but more the single-minded surety and speed with which it had been carried out. Here was a man that despite being outnumbered 8:1 showed no sign of fear or even concern. In that moment he seemed to grow larger, become “more”. He did not get any bigger like some of those supers that grew to giants when fighting crime but he became, well, just “more” like there was someone else there in the same place and the two entities were occupying the same space. On top of that, Michael could have sworn there was a slight nimbus of golden light surrounding his father's chest and arms as if a light were shining on him.

 

The thugs ignored the girls and closed on Michael’s father. It was dark and things were moving fast so Michael was not sure, but to him it looked like the thugs also changed slightly. They became darker, bulkier and less distinct like they were dissolving into smoke or something equally ridiculous sounding. Michael suddenly could smell rotting meat or something somewhere nearby. Michael had never seen his father fight, never seen him even raise his voice in anger let alone make a violent action of any type. Now he watched, stunned and wide-eyed as his father engaged the 7 remaining men. He could never remember afterwards what exactly happened -- only that in a few short seconds, his father had laid out 3 more of the men before being stabbed. At least, Michael had certainly thought at the time that they had stabbed his father nothing else but a knife could have caused the gaping cuts and slashes.

 

“NO!” he screamed as he ran toward the scene. The other thugs saw Michael charging them and ran. The girls also seemed to shrink back at Michael’s approach seeming to fear him as much as the thugs that had attacked them but were too shocked by all that had happened to actually run. Michael ran to his father’s side and held him. The blood. There was so much blood. How could so much blood come from one person. Michael looked down into the slowly dimming blue eyes of his father and asked, “Why?”

 

His father took Michael’s hand in his own and in a barely audible voice told him, “Evil triumphs when good men do nothing.”

 

Michael’s world exploded and shattered. In the next moment of time the Universe was born, stars made and died, worlds created and destroyed, life flourished and perished and for one very brief instant Michael understood. “God” was not some great puppeteer pulling all the strings of Creation following the machinations of some Grand Plan. He was a Creator allowing each person the freedom to become the best they could if they so chose. If they found the Path within them to Goodness, and they followed it, not for some reward at the end but because it was the right thing to do, then they would grow, become better, more than what they had been. They would become, in their own way, part of the Divine, they would “return to God.” He now understood the freedom that had been given to humans allowed them to choose whether or not they would succumb to their baser instincts or rise above them. Rise up to help their fellow beings, to improve the world around them, and to work against the constant tide of corruption and evil. Humans could give in to their inner demons and become monsters or they could learn to defeat those monsters and show others how to walk the Path so that they too could fight and defeat the monsters that stalked in the darkness. In that moment he understood all the things his father had done and not done. He realized his father had become “more” than he had been. His heart exploded with pain at his loss and pride in his father. In that moment Michael had an epiphany.

 

The following week an elderly couple were walking home after closing their small corner store for the night. Dark clouds scuttled across the night sky. As they walked a group of young thugs emerged from the shadows. They had not been there a moment before and seemed to take shape from the very darkness itself. From one of the alleys came the smell of rotting meat and garbage.

 

“Hey old man,” said one. “You speak-a-da-Engrish?” The others cackled like hyenas at their leader’s callous joke.

 

The couple hunched in upon themselves in a vain attempt to pass by unnoticed, to escape what they knew was coming. “We don wan annee truble,” the old man said in broken English.

 

“Well maybe trouble wants you,” the thug sneered. As he advanced, the shadows seemed to grow thicker around him, obscuring his face. His outline seemed to become less rigid, more amorphous. The couple cowered in terror at whatever they saw approaching them.

 

A sound. Feet moving swiftly but with so little noise it seemed like the sound wind might make if it could run. Like each footfall was the gentlest of kisses to the hard earth. The earth barely having time to register the contact before their secret lover had fled, only to alight a fraction of a second later in a new spot further along. Whoever it was, they were quickly closing the distance between themselves and the shadowy figures. A figure passed beneath a single streetlight and the glow of the light appeared to cling to them even as they left the lamp behind. As tho the light wanted more than anything to be with them. Even if for only a moment. Now, like a glowing meteor it crashed amidst the villainous thugs and with each blow it rained down upon them, starbursts of light invaded the depths of the shadows. The shadowy figures of the thugs tried to strike back but their fists and “knives” struck the nimbus of light surrounding the stranger and were rejected as if they were unworthy to be in the light.

 

As quickly as it had started, it was over. The shadows that had seemed to cling to the young men drew back and dispersed out into the night leaving their bodies on the ground. The stranger turned to the elderly couple and inquired if they were ok. They said they were and thanked their savior. He simply said they were welcome and turned to leave. As he walked away they asked, “Why?”

 

He called back over his shoulder as he passed under the single street light, “Evil wins when good men do nothing.”

Preacher Man.HTML

[Grailknight]

First off, this is a very nice character. I like the concept and it seems to fit the world he's in which seems to have magic and evil hiding just beneath the veneer of our normal world. Great intro story but I'd use Epiphany as his Hero name.

 

I'd say Dark Champions in concept and tone but Champions in power level.  If his force field were outside the Multipower, he'd be one of the more powerful heroes in the CU. He definitely too strong for anything but the highest end Dark Champions campaigns. Mobsters, street gangs, James Bond style spy agencies and even Daredevil level cults like The Hand can't threaten this guy normally and would have to mount major operations to challenge him.

 

The Summon is probably too much even if it doesn't fight but just gives knowledge and advice. You don't realize how powerful a large Flash is until, you use it for a second or third time in a combat(There's a reason they are incredibly rare in the source material even). HA against Power Defense?( Just this would have me grasping my Black Marker of Doom as a GM).

 

If he's inline with your GM's expectations and the rest of the PC's everything's fine. If you're the GM, this guy should be the legendary protector of the city, known only in whispers and shadows of awe or dread in any Dark Champions Campaign.

[Lorehunter]

Ok - thanks - was thinking DC because of the themes and flavor but was not sure because of the power level. I guess I need to start scaling my characters back a bit. No game/GM just me spitballing. So for something like Champions Online he is good as is but for something more street level I need to ditch the Summon and scroll the powers way back - got it.

3 hours ago, Grailknight said:

You don't realize how powerful a large Flash is until, you use it for a second or third time in a combat(There's a reason they are incredibly rare in the source material even)

You right. I have never actually played (never had a group) just make characters so they are out of my mind and stop talking to me. 🤫

[Mr. R]

What is the redifined Combat Luck?  Seems you are giving him CSL DCV only, vs everything.  That usually costs 5pts/ level and you have 12 levels?  That should cost 60 pts and you have it at 24?  So he has a DCV of 17?  WOW!   Hey Grailknight can I borrow that Black Marker of DOOM?

 

If you are going normal Combat Luck which for 24 pts gives 12/12 pd/ed then if you add the 20/20 FF this places him WELL above any campaign set (Like 42/42 total)  YIKES!

 

The stats are OK for Dark Champions, but like GK said, scale back powers.  Aim for 40 active points.  This could give you a 6-8 d6 HA (total 10-12 d6 with the Mart. Arts) which is A LOT of damage for a DC campaign.  

 

 

[Lorehunter]

Oops. Didn't think that through. You are right of course. Fixing.....

Thank you for the input.

[Terminax]

It could work quite well for a more Bronze/Iron Age Champions game in addition to a more upscale Dark Champions game save for the high redefined combat luck. Depends more on your GM's tastes than ours though.

[Lorehunter]

Ok - took all your advice and made adjustments. No GM these are just characters rolling around in my head and I have a problem with power drift. The rules (Champions Complete) set a Super Hero campaign at 400 pts with 75 in Complications but from what I have been seeing here and with personal messages it seems like the old (when I first started playing) guidelines of 250 pts with 100 Complications (Disads for total of 350) seem to be more in keeping with the majority of power levels in various campaigns. Maybe I should set these as my current parameters?

 

 

Epiphany.HTML

Thanks again for everyone's input. It really helps my stay on an even keel.

[Grailknight]

Like some of the changes.

 

Once again I question the HA against Power Defense. I'd break that into two powers, a HA with affects Desolid and an AVAD Blast against Power Defense.  Desolid enemies shouldn't have high defenses and adding STR and Martial Arts to an AVAD hits all my cheese buttons.

[Lorehunter]

The idea was that this was something he could use when he needed to against more otherworldly opponents who likely will have Power Def. and the character would not use it when the result would be a smear on the wall. It would fall more into a RP thing than a power limitation. I suppose I could put a Limitation "Does not work vs Non-Powered beings" or some-such.

 

Maybe a "Code against Killing Humans" Psychological Complication ?

[Grailknight]

It's perfectly safe to use vs normals. As written it can't do BODY(or KB) to anything. Once you add AVAD, it becomes a STUN only attack and needs the Does BODY Advantage to inflict BODY damage.

 

Martial Arts plus HA is one of the most efficient ways to stack damage in Hero. But you don't always see the thing you're creating as overpowered until you have some more experience with the system. As written, with an Offensive Strike, you'd do 8d6 with Affects Desolid and AVAD and 7d6 if you add Does BODY. That's an 80 point active power in the first case and a 105 point active power in the second. That's more in the range of mid-to-high level Super Heroes not Dark Champions.

 

Look at the final results more than the point cost. It's possible to write a relatively ineffective power for a great many points also.

[Lorehunter]

Got it.

Maybe instead of a HA+ a naked advantage would be better?

[Amorkca]

I'm currently playing in a dark champions style game.  Its based on The Boys Universe, so violence is a thing...

 

We are students, and we started with 265 points.  We are currently at 304.  Max damage output on one of the players is 17d6 - includes a haymakered EB.

 

I really like your character concept!

 

_____________________________________________

 

So the Redefined Combat Luck raises his DCV from 5 to 9.  Presuming 5 OCV is the norm (which is low btw) he would get hit 2/3 of the time.  He does have a strong Force Field but would take 12 stun on average from a 12d6 attack.  This this means quite often he will get Stunned as he only has a 13 Con.

 

Against thugs he would be very powerful; not so much vs equally powered villains.  If you Take the villains from CC and run a mock combat between each one of them vs your character; you'd have a good idea of how well he would work in a standard champions game.

 

Perhaps buy your characteristics as part of your Unified limitation to give you more to work with?

 

Also, at your current build, if you attack with any of your powers you have no FF available.  Perhaps remove the Difficult to dispel but keep your total MP at 94.  So you have room to reallocate points and not be skewered.

 

Just my two cents worth!

 

Is there supposed to be a picture? Cause that's not showing up for me.

 

I presume this is a 6th Edition character because of your mentioning CC.

[Lorehunter]

Yes pic. but just a pencil drawing headshot of a guy looking out from under a straight brimmed pilgrim type hat.

Yes 6e.

Your 2¢ was just what I was looking for. When I make characters they are entities in my head talking and interacting. I put them to paper (so to speak) without regard to how they would work in any particular situation, just how to get the effect I see. I post them here for the balancing of a outside observer. No GM, no game, yet. 😉

[Amorkca]

Would you be willing to post your HDC file?

 

[Grailknight]

Testing against the CC Villains is a great idea, Amorkca. They're fairly balanced for a typical starter campaign. But keep in mind that they are written for a standard Supers campaign and not Dark Champions.

 

Lorehunter, you character is not over powered so much as tuned to a concept. As a Dark Champions street level character, he's quite powerful. In a standard Supers campaign, he's actually fine and maybe a little too frail. The reason I suggested breaking your attack into two different ones was to actually make it more powerful. The HA with affects Desolid would have to bought at 6-8d6 to keep it in the 10-12 DC range but it would be your go to attack and the the AVAD Blast would be your nonlethal option. Plus with both attacks being smaller, you'd have points left to run part of your Defenses. As it is you have a really high active point attack that's doesn't do what you seem to want. If your own Power Defense is typical of the things that have it, then it's quite weak.

 

 

[Lorehunter]

Ahhh, I see now. Thanks for the tip.

Happy to post the HDC but it will have to wait until morning. Good night for now. 👋

Edited April 12, 2021 by Lorehunter
auto-correct mistake I missed

[Lorehunter]

Ithink I did this the way you asked for Amorkca....

Second file is a formate I got from the Download Area

Epiphany.hdc Epiphany2.HTML