Ideas for a short (4-hour) one shot for a group of new players

[RPMiller]

Hey all, it has been ages since I posted here, kind of dropped out of the roleplaying scene due to life and other hobbies, but I'm hoping you all can help me out. My son wants to introduce his friends to Hero System to show them that there is more than just class-based systems like D&D available and how Hero can do anything. He is going to use pre-generated heroes for them to play from the Book of Templates, but doesn't know what to run as a one shot to introduce them to the system. He is new to GMing Hero as well, but has played with me GMing so knows the general gist of how it works. He doesn't want to go overboard with this one shot because he wants it to go relatively fast and be somewhat easy to work through the mechanics. I tossed around some ideas, but I haven't come up with anything I would consider solid. My best thought was grab an Enemies group out of one of the books and do the stereotypical bank robbery scenario.

 

I'll add that they will be playing remotely over the Internet, so they have to work around those aspects too.

[Duke Bushido]

Someone wrote a Viper scenario "Build a Better you.". It is totally usable as a four-hour session; I used it as an underpinning (combined it with a different into that I posted here called the Boneyard Scenario, then tossed in two or three other bits and a red herring and turned it into a campaign for the youth group that lasted an entire school year, so I am going to say that it is pretty flexible. 

 

 

[RPMiller]

Where is that? Here in the forums or in the vault? I'd definitely like to check that out.

[Khymeria]

1 hour ago, RPMiller said:

Hey all, it has been ages since I posted here, kind of dropped out of the roleplaying scene due to life and other hobbies, but I'm hoping you all can help me out. My son wants to introduce his friends to Hero System to show them that there is more than just class-based systems like D&D available and how Hero can do anything. He is going to use pre-generated heroes for them to play from the Book of Templates, but doesn't know what to run as a one shot to introduce them to the system. 

 

I'll add that they will be playing remotely over the Internet, so they have to work around those aspects too.

Hey, I wrote the Book of Templates and this is pretty much the reason why, so new players could latch on. If they are using something like Roll20 I have tokens I colored from a lot of older products and happy to help them out however I can. I play on Discord and Roll20 since pandemic and The Island of Dr. Destroyer is a pretty good “get the group together adventure” but not a one-shot. Do you have any older products? I might have updated them for my game. Are they using Book of Templates I or II or both? If one of them want a character that isn’t listed let me know, I will build them one.  

[RPMiller]

5 minutes ago, Khymeria said:

Hey, I wrote the Book of Templates and this is pretty much the reason why, so new players could latch on. If they are using something like Roll20 I have tokens I colored from a lot of older products and happy to help them out however I can. I play on Discord and Roll20 since pandemic and The Island of Dr. Destroyer is a pretty good “get the group together adventure” but not a one-shot. Do you have any older products? I might have updated them for my game. Are they using Book of Templates I or II or both? If one of them want a character that isn’t listed let me know, I will build them one.  

REALLY!?! That is really awesome of you. Thank you. Yeah there was a request for Squirrel Girl, Agent Coulson, and I think the Question. I had suggested that they think of comic/movie characters they are familiar with so that they would have a good launching pad for knowing what they could do even if all the scary numbers don't make sense. LOL I'll ask him what they will be using. I know for sure they use Discord in some capacity, but not sure if they use it for gaming per specifically. I'll get back to you.

58 minutes ago, Duke Bushido said:

Someone wrote a Viper scenario "Build a Better you.". It is totally usable as a four-hour session; I used it as an underpinning (combined it with a different into that I posted here called the Boneyard Scenario, then tossed in two or three other bits and a red herring and turned it into a campaign for the youth group that lasted an entire school year, so I am going to say that it is pretty flexible. 

 

 

I saw a mention of it being added to the "Free Stuff" section, but went I went to the store I didn't see it, so perhaps it is in a different place, or I missed it when searching?

[Khymeria]

Do that. I will mock these up just for kicks no matter what. 

[Lord Liaden]

2 hours ago, Duke Bushido said:

Someone wrote a Viper scenario "Build a Better you.". It is totally usable as a four-hour session; I used it as an underpinning (combined it with a different into that I posted here called the Boneyard Scenario, then tossed in two or three other bits and a red herring and turned it into a campaign for the youth group that lasted an entire school year, so I am going to say that it is pretty flexible. 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, RPMiller said:

Where is that? Here in the forums or in the vault? I'd definitely like to check that out.

 

It used to be offered for free on the Hero Games website, and thanks to the Internet Archive Wayback Machine, you can still download it: https://web.archive.org/web/20070401234700/http://www.herogames.com/FreeStuff/mods.htm

 

If you'd be willing to spend a small amount of money ($2.50 US), there are several Champions adventures in Digital Hero written for convention games, which would fit your situation very well. Most of them include NPCs, character artwork and maps. I'll offer suggestions if you're interested.

[RPMiller]

10 hours ago, Khymeria said:

Do that. I will mock these up just for kicks no matter what. 

Okay, I got some responses for you. His group is looking to play: 

• Flash/Quick Silver
• Kitty Pride
• Spider-Man
• Squirrel Girl or Phil Coulson (If not him then She-Hulk)
• The Question or Beast

And for the game they are using Discord and Foundry VTT

9 hours ago, Lord Liaden said:

 

 

It used to be offered for free on the Hero Games website, and thanks to the Internet Archive Wayback Machine, you can still download it: https://web.archive.org/web/20070401234700/http://www.herogames.com/FreeStuff/mods.htm

 

If you'd be willing to spend a small amount of money ($2.50 US), there are several Champions adventures in Digital Hero written for convention games, which would fit your situation very well. Most of them include NPCs, character artwork and maps. I'll offer suggestions if you're interested.

Awesome! Thanks LL for finding that. I'll grab it straight away.

 

I'm 100% interested, especially since I think I have many of them from back in the day.

[Khymeria]

2 hours ago, RPMiller said:

Okay, I got some responses for you. His group is looking to play: 

• Flash/Quick Silver
• Kitty Pride
• Spider-Man
• Squirrel Girl or Phil Coulson (If not him then She-Hulk)
• The Question or Beast

 

Mercurial Speedster in Book of Templates II is a good representation of 400 point speedster and how an irritable scion of the master of magnetism might look.

Intangible Teenager in Book of Templates I will give you Kitty. Combine with the Dragon Familiar for 400 point total and that is a pet dragon.

Arachnid Guy in Book of Templates I will give you a feel for a certain Congenial Local Webhead on 400 or 500 points. 

Acrobatic Ape Man in Book of Templates I is a take on one of my favorite comic characters, the furry blue or not yet furry blue guy. 

But, I will see what I come up with for Squirrel Girl. I don't know if she can beat Thanos on 400 but we shall see. 

[Lord Liaden]

 

Squirrel Girl couldn't beat Thanos on 4000 points, except by writer fiat.

 

 

3 hours ago, RPMiller said:

 

I'm 100% interested, especially since I think I have many of them from back in the day.

 

Well, since you have many, I'll start with a list of all the Champions adventures in DH:

 

 

VIPER'S FOLDING NEST: VIPER has discovered the technology for the highly sought "teleport escape." But the technology did not come alone, and its price is perhaps too high even for VIPER... DH 1, PAGE 48

YOUR HOROSCOPE FOR: AQUARIUS : An ice-themed Champions adventure, just the perfect thing for such cold weather. DH 7, PAGE 26

INFECTIOUS ENTHUSIASM: This complete adventure even includes the heroes, and is suitable to run as a convention game for beginners to Champions. DH 9, PAGE 34

YOUR HOROSCOPE FOR: GEMINI: Super-villains on sale - buy one, get one free. Oh, wait, those villains are actually evil opposites of your heroes…DH 10, PAGE 21

UNEARTHED MECHANA: Villainous toys aren’t the only opponents in this adventure for a team of standard Champions superheroes. DH 12, PAGE 41

YOUR HOROSCOPE FOR: SCORPIO: Giant scorpions terrorize the city, but who is the all-American couple that keeps turning up along with them? DH 17, PAGE 22

FORCED EVOLUTION: A madman is threatening to turn the entire city into animal-men under his control. Can the city's Vindicators team stop him? DH 17, PAGE 28

AND THERE WAS BLOOD EVERYWHERE!: A giant blur on the satellite photo of Africa leads to unthinkable horrors for your Champions team. DH 24, PAGE 12

TSUNAMI: This Champions adventure sets your heroes against a group of villains planning to destroy the city in a gigantic wave. DH 27, PAGE 30

PROJECT: PREDATOR : Amnesiac mutants try to escape their captors and remain free in this mutants-on-the-run convention game. DH 29, PAGE 23

MURDER ON MONSTER ISLAND : Giant monsters of the world have been shipped off to Monster Island, under the supervision of Bureau 17. DH 32, PAGE 31

THROUGH A MIRROR DARKLY: The real Champions have been replaced by their evil counterparts. Your team of heroes is sent to the rescue. DH 38, PAGE 28

WAR OF THE WORLDS: CHAMPIONS : It’s 1902, and the Martians have invaded. Your steampunk superheroes are the last hope of humanity! DH 39, PAGE 34

CHAINS OF DOOM: Nazi gold, alchemy, legendary dwarves, occult schoolgirls, the mafia... What more could a Champions adventure need? DH 40, PAGE 20

 

 

Of that group, my top recommendations for your purpose would be "Infectious Enthusiasm" (just substitute your group's PCs for the included pregens) and "Unearthed Mechana," but most would be suitable. "And There Was Blood Everywhere!" is probably too mature and gruesome. "Project Predator," "Murder on Monster Island," and "War of the Worlds: Champions" are likely too setting-specific.

[RPMiller]

51 minutes ago, Khymeria said:

But, I will see what I come up with for Squirrel Girl. I don't know if she can beat Thanos on 400 but we shall see. 

This is exactly what I told my son. She may be far too powerful for a new player to play. LOL

16 minutes ago, Lord Liaden said:

INFECTIOUS ENTHUSIASM: This complete adventure even includes the heroes, and is suitable to run as a convention game for beginners to Champions. DH 9, PAGE 34

AND THERE WAS BLOOD EVERYWHERE!: A giant blur on the satellite photo of Africa leads to unthinkable horrors for your Champions team. DH 24, PAGE 12

Of that group, my top recommendations for your purpose would be "Infectious Enthusiasm" (just substitute your group's PCs for the included pregens) and "Unearthed Mechana," but most would be suitable. "And There Was Blood Everywhere!" is probably too mature and gruesome. "Project Predator," "Murder on Monster Island," and "War of the Worlds: Champions" are likely too setting-specific.

I just checked and have both these books, so yay. These are all 20-somethings, so there is zero concern about mature themes.

[Christopher R Taylor]

The product Champions Begins is specifically designed for introducing new players (and even a new GM!) to Champions.  Its based on VIPER's Nest and is a tutorial style introduction.  It might be something he could use.

[RPMiller]

12 minutes ago, Christopher R Taylor said:

The product Champions Begins is specifically designed for introducing new players (and even a new GM!) to Champions.  Its based on VIPER's Nest and is a tutorial style introduction.  It might be something he could use.

Yup! I grabbed that yesterday and passed it along as a possible consideration. It looks like a much longer session than 4 hours though, but I definitely passed it along in case he wants to use it in another session or three.

[Christopher R Taylor]

Yeah its probably 2-3 sessions to run all the way through

[RPMiller]

Okay, so we settled on Infectious Enthusiasm, thanks @Lord Liaden, and I'm going to GM it so my son can play and learn from my example. We've got 6 players instead of the 5 for the scenario, so I'm going to turn one of the good guys into a bad guy since the players are using their characters from Book of Templates. The characters they want to play are:

• The Flash or Quicksilver - Mercurial Speedster
• Kitty Pryde - Intangible Teenager + Dragon Familiar
• Squirrel Girl or Phil Coulson or She-Hulk
• The Question or Beast - Acrobatic Ape Man
• Raven
• Dr. Strange or Hawkeye - Awesome Archer

 

 

So, does anyone have example characters for the missing ones? @Khymeria, thoughts? I'm going to look through the Book of Templates to see if any of those are in there.

By the way, we are going to play this Saturday late afternoon.

 

[Duke Bushido]

12 hours ago, RPMiller said:

.

By the way, we are going to play this Saturday late afternoon.

 

 

 

Just remember:

 

The easiest way to put together a four-hour session is to plan a thirty-minute one. 

 

 

[RPMiller]

29 minutes ago, Duke Bushido said:

 

 

Just remember:

 

The easiest way to put together a four-hour session is to plan a thirty-minute one. 

 

 

That is so honestly true!! LOL

[Lord Liaden]

13 hours ago, RPMiller said:

Okay, so we settled on Infectious Enthusiasm, thanks @Lord Liaden, and I'm going to GM it so my son can play and learn from my example. We've got 6 players instead of the 5 for the scenario, so I'm going to turn one of the good guys into a bad guy since the players are using their characters from Book of Templates. The characters they want to play are:

• The Flash or Quicksilver - Mercurial Speedster
• Kitty Pryde - Intangible Teenager + Dragon Familiar
• Squirrel Girl or Phil Coulson or She-Hulk
• The Question or Beast - Acrobatic Ape Man
• Raven
• Dr. Strange or Hawkeye - Awesome Archer

 

 

So, does anyone have example characters for the missing ones? @Khymeria, thoughts? I'm going to look through the Book of Templates to see if any of those are in there.

By the way, we are going to play this Saturday late afternoon.

 

 

For She-Hulk, my suggestion would be to base the character on the Experienced version of the "Jade Fury Brute" from Book of Templates I, but strip out all the rage-based Power upgrades, and adjust Skills to reflect Jen Walters' legal background.

 

For Raven, I recommend starting with this Fifth Edition write-up based on the animated Teen Titans series, from the great Surbrook's Stuff website (very worth exploring by any Herophile who hasn't yet).

 

Obviously, both of these options will require more effort than the Book of Templates to prepare for the players.

[Christopher R Taylor]

I am eyeing Infectious Enthusiasm for the beginning of a campaign arc product.  It has a nice, easy, quick and fun feel.  And it leads into the overall meta story for the campaign arc.

[RPMiller]

8 hours ago, Lord Liaden said:

 

For She-Hulk, my suggestion would be to base the character on the Experienced version of the "Jade Fury Brute" from Book of Templates I, but strip out all the rage-based Power upgrades, and adjust Skills to reflect Jen Walters' legal background.

 

For Raven, I recommend starting with this Fifth Edition write-up based on the animated Teen Titans series, from the great Surbrook's Stuff website (very worth exploring by any Herophile who hasn't yet).

 

Obviously, both of these options will require more effort than the Book of Templates to prepare for the players.

Excellent suggestions, LL! Much appreciated. It has been ages since I gamed, so thank you for the reminder about Surbrook's Stuff. Indeed that is a great source. I may just run with Raven as is. Honestly, this is just a one-shot and if they like it then my son will start an actual campaign, so spending time bringing everything into alignment with 6e, would be overkill I think. I just want them to all have some fun and see that Hero is nothing to be afraid of.

[Lord Liaden]

9 hours ago, Christopher R Taylor said:

I am eyeing Infectious Enthusiasm for the beginning of a campaign arc product.  It has a nice, easy, quick and fun feel.  And it leads into the overall meta story for the campaign arc.

 

I would love to see someone extract the fourteen Champions adventures from DH, tidy them up to make them 6E compatible (not much to do beyond updating character sheets), and publish them as a single volume. That's exactly the kind of product so many of our fellow Herophiles repeatedly assert that they want and need. All the adventures are quality product, with nearly everything included to run them "out of the box" with minimal setup.

[Duke Bushido]

On 3/1/2023 at 2:48 PM, Khymeria said:

 

But, I will see what I come up with for Squirrel Girl. I don't know if she can beat Thanos on 400 but we shall see. 

 

STR: 12

Animal follower (a squirrel) 

Language: Squirrel

38O pts Luck

Dump the rest into END. 

 

(suggested by my daughter, a fan of the character) 

 

 

[Mark Rand]

Squirrel Girl's character sheet is on Mike Surbrook's site.

[Christopher R Taylor]

It is tough to build her because she always wins, but almost always off screen, so you don't get to see how.

[RPMiller]

6 hours ago, Mark Rand said:

Squirrel Girl's character sheet is on Mike Surbrook's site.

Super helpful! Thanks!