Next BLANK Hero RPG Book...

[Lord Liaden]

Ugh. I hope not. I understand that series has many fans, but I find those things so creepy and disgusting, I can't stomach watching it. 🤮

[xenoz]

A Kaiju Hero book could include:

- Kaiju, of course.

- Mecha kaiju, naturally.

- Heroes like Ultraman who grow to giant size and fight rampaging kaiju.

- Heroes like the Super Sentai/Power Rangers who pilot giant robots to fight kaiju.

- Benevolent kaiju like Gamera (as he eventually became) and sometimes Godzilla.

- Heroes (and villains) who can transform into kaiju (the recent Kaiju No. 8 manga, and even more recent anime, is an example of this).

- Maybe an alternate universe Japan setting where kaiju are very common and the country has adapted to life with kaiju. This could mean fortifying cities due to regular kaiju attacks, as well as accommodating friendly kaiju and people who can become kaiju as they coexist with the rest of the population.

Just some suggestions.

[Christopher R Taylor]

Me either, its just nasty.  But its a variant on the "get the bad guys who are 100 feet tall" genre

[Sketchpad]

I would gladly take a new Cyber Hero or Horror Hero. But I would love to see a new Danger International or an updated Post Apocalypse Hero.

[xenoz]

If all of my suggestions above were to be included in similar capacities, the book would pretty much become Tokusatsu Hero. Tokusatsu is the technique-cum-genre encompassing live action movies/series featuring kaiju, mecha and Japan's unique brand of superheroes. All three can overlap in a given tokusatsu show. Outside of Japan, tokusatsu's super robots (as opposed to real robots) and superheroes have much less prominence than kaiju, which have experienced a modest rise in popularity in recent years. There's probably a decent amount of interest in "realistic" mechs, too. Given that this is the case, I would suggest:

1) Writing a good deal of material for kaiju, a moderate amount for realistic mechs (since this could be a book of its own) and maybe throw in a small segment for super robots and tokusatsu superheroes.

2) Designing the setting for kaiju-centric campaigns while including suggestions for modifying this setting to accommodate the inclusion of the other stuff, to varying degrees and combinations.

Super robots and tokusatsu heroes could probably be excluded entirely without losing much, if any, potential interest. Most HS players would probably prefer to use Champions-style supers anyway and already have enough material to transplant. Still, there's the chance that a not-insignificant portion of HS players are fond of super robots like Voltron and Transformers and/or flashy heroes like the Power Rangers, so the inclusion of such material might get some appreciation. In a small capacity, it certainly wouldn't hurt either.

Edited April 21 by xenoz

[Stanley Teriaca]

I agree. Power Rangers and Transformers have there own RPGs (along with GI Joe and My Little Pony, all using the same system). It's already out there, and our game system is as good as Essence 20 is. Right guys? Right?

[Christopher R Taylor]

Well it comes down to how you write up the rules and the system.  Anything that covers giant monkeys would necessarily cover giant robots and just plain giant people.  The rules necessarily cross over to different concepts and platforms that are similar, and it would be simple to add those in, and silly not to.  What makes a game that runs Godzilla also runs Big O.  So you show how to do that in the same book, to make it as broad an appeal as possible and cover what else is reasonable.

[Stanley Teriaca]

1 hour ago, Christopher R Taylor said:

What makes a game that runs Godzilla also runs Big O.  So you show how to do that in the same book, to make it as broad an appeal as possible and cover what else is reasonable.

I'm shocked that someone remembers The Big O.

[Christopher R Taylor]

I liked that show, even though it had basically the same plot every time.  The mystery of what happened to the world was interesting to me and I was curious what his maid really was.

[Stanley Teriaca]

On 4/20/2024 at 5:43 PM, xenoz said:

A Kaiju Hero book could include:

- Kaiju, of course.

- Mecha kaiju, naturally.

- Heroes like Ultraman who grow to giant size and fight rampaging kaiju.

- Heroes like the Super Sentai/Power Rangers who pilot giant robots to fight kaiju.

- Benevolent kaiju like Gamera (as he eventually became) and sometimes Godzilla.

- Heroes (and villains) who can transform into kaiju (the recent Kaiju No. 8 manga, and even more recent anime, is an example of this).

- Maybe an alternate universe Japan setting where kaiju are very common and the country has adapted to life with kaiju. This could mean fortifying cities due to regular kaiju attacks, as well as accommodating friendly kaiju and people who can become kaiju as they coexist with the rest of the population.

Just some suggestions.

Sounds more like Tokosatsu Hero (Tokosatsu is the Japanese word for live action special effects, and is used to describe live action giant monsters, robots, and things like Ultraman, Super Sentai [known to us as Power Rangers] and other similar shows...heck even the live action Sailor Moon show falls under Tokosatsu and there is no giant robot or monster in sight).

 

And forgive me, I did misspell Tokosatsu.

[Lord Liaden]

8 hours ago, Stanley Teriaca said:

 

And forgive me, I did misspell Tokosatsu.

 

You wouldn't be your endearing self if you didn't.

[xenoz]

11 hours ago, Stanley Teriaca said:

Sounds more like Tokosatsu Hero (Tokosatsu is the Japanese word for live action special effects, and is used to describe live action giant monsters, robots, and things like Ultraman, Super Sentai [known to us as Power Rangers] and other similar shows...heck even the live action Sailor Moon show falls under Tokosatsu and there is no giant robot or monster in sight).

I know, you must not have seen this comment I posted afterwards.

 

On 4/21/2024 at 4:34 PM, xenoz said:

If all of my suggestions above were to be included in similar capacities, the book would pretty much become Tokusatsu Hero.

[Stanley Teriaca]

1 hour ago, xenoz said:

I know, you must not have seen this comment I posted afterwards.

 

I probably did miss it. 

[Christopher R Taylor]

I really wish I had the understanding and experience to do War Hero, I really want that book to be out but I have spent zero time in uniform and have never experienced combat, even personal combat.  I'm not qualified.  But its a source book I would love to see put out and run and play games in.  I got Recon by Palladium and it was great.

 

Surely someone with experience and understanding can get this done.

[Khymeria]

6 hours ago, Christopher R Taylor said:

I really wish I had the understanding and experience to do War Hero, I really want that book to be out but I have spent zero time in uniform and have never experienced combat, even personal combat.  I'm not qualified.  But its a source book I would love to see put out and run and play games in.  I got Recon by Palladium and it was great.

 

I am in the same boat, I never served but I my father was career so military stuff was always around. I loved Recon and Behind Enemy Lines and I played a special ops campaign in GURPS long ago where  we were all a different branch of special forces. It was like G.I. Joe without the oh so good cheesiness of the villains. 

 

[Sketchpad]

So @Khymeria, can you give us more info on Justice, Inc: Violent Vigilantism in the Great Depression?

[Khymeria]

17 hours ago, Sketchpad said:

So @Khymeria, can you give us more info on Justice, Inc: Violent Vigilantism in the Great Depression?

Of course I can. At least somewhat. The emphasis will be on building up the Empire Club as a detailed organization, with four locations detailed and suggestions, ideas, and tips on building your Empire Club in Peoria or Puxatawney or wherever you want. I have scraped through previous editions to gather scraps of info on Empire Club and want to hold true to those nuggets of info, while expanding on them. If anybody reading knows of any obscure mentions of Empire Club let me know. 
 

Now, like with Victorian Hero I am prone to mixing up some history with fiction, in that case literary and in the case of Justice Inc.  it is radio, serials, and the pulps of course. To that end, we are going to look at things more episodic, the cliffhanger. Setting a trigger to reset at the end of an episode (that point is hopefully decided on by GM previously with an edge of the seat ending to get you back in the theater next Saturday matinee feel. 
 

So real world gangsters and spies, who are clearly bad guys in the setting and can be mowed down by without moral qualms by most PCs, especially Nazis, mixed with Fu Man Chu and colorful megalomaniacs. Dark Champions slams into the crime fighting pulp. 
 

The focus like Victorian Hero, will be on PCs that are in the Normals ranges, rather than high point supers. Talents that are easily explained away as skill and quirks over cosmic blasts. Being able to take a punch because you have a thick skull like Homer Simpson and the ability to miraculously dive from an exploding vehicle, roll to safety, and come up with your fedora still on. 
 

I plan on getting into vehicles and highlighting chases, combats, and excitement. A template for a wheelman is in the works who can be a barnstormer or a bootlegger, but a whiz with vehicles. This is usually an additional skill but I want to highlight it as an awesome thing to have for a group of heroes. In the 1940 serial of The Green Hornet, Kato can throw a punch but the way he controls the Black Beauty at those speeds is missed in the story. I have created the Lincoln Zephyr with some crimefighter options, as well as The Comet, a very fast airplane that has an amazing history, that of course I share with you. I also created the auto gyro already for taking off and landing in your personal aircraft in downtown Manhattan or London. 
 

There is a lot more and I will share the gadgets, the mystic stuff (this is more than you would think), the villains, the real world characters, and everything else as we go along. Get sneak peaks on Patreon. I’m going to get back to writing now. But remember “the weed of crime bears bitter fruit.”
 

 

[Stanley Teriaca]

It should have a chapter on "Building A Better Deathtrap", all about how to do a thrilling 'continue next week' senerio for your heroes to survive...next week of course.

[Sketchpad]

3 hours ago, Khymeria said:

Of course I can. At least somewhat. The emphasis will be on building up the Empire Club as a detailed organization, with four locations detailed and suggestions, ideas, and tips on building your Empire Club in Peoria or Puxatawney or wherever you want. I have scraped through previous editions to gather scraps of info on Empire Club and want to hold true to those nuggets of info, while expanding on them. If anybody reading knows of any obscure mentions of Empire Club let me know. 
 

Now, like with Victorian Hero I am prone to mixing up some history with fiction, in that case literary and in the case of Justice Inc.  it is radio, serials, and the pulps of course. To that end, we are going to look at things more episodic, the cliffhanger. Setting a trigger to reset at the end of an episode (that point is hopefully decided on by GM previously with an edge of the seat ending to get you back in the theater next Saturday matinee feel. 
 

So real world gangsters and spies, who are clearly bad guys in the setting and can be mowed down by without moral qualms by most PCs, especially Nazis, mixed with Fu Man Chu and colorful megalomaniacs. Dark Champions slams into the crime fighting pulp. 
 

The focus like Victorian Hero, will be on PCs that are in the Normals ranges, rather than high point supers. Talents that are easily explained away as skill and quirks over cosmic blasts. Being able to take a punch because you have a thick skull like Homer Simpson and the ability to miraculously dive from an exploding vehicle, roll to safety, and come up with your fedora still on. 
 

I plan on getting into vehicles and highlighting chases, combats, and excitement. A template for a wheelman is in the works who can be a barnstormer or a bootlegger, but a whiz with vehicles. This is usually an additional skill but I want to highlight it as an awesome thing to have for a group of heroes. In the 1940 serial of The Green Hornet, Kato can throw a punch but the way he controls the Black Beauty at those speeds is missed in the story. I have created the Lincoln Zephyr with some crimefighter options, as well as The Comet, a very fast airplane that has an amazing history, that of course I share with you. I also created the auto gyro already for taking off and landing in your personal aircraft in downtown Manhattan or London. 
 

There is a lot more and I will share the gadgets, the mystic stuff (this is more than you would think), the villains, the real world characters, and everything else as we go along. Get sneak peaks on Patreon. I’m going to get back to writing now. But remember “the weed of crime bears bitter fruit.”

 

So would you say it's a kind of modern reinterpretation of the old Justice Inc boxed set? Kind of like a Pulp Hero for 6th ed? Or would you say it's more focused? So far, as a fan of the original Justice Inc., I'm intrigued. 

[Khymeria]

1 hour ago, Stanley Teriaca said:

It should have a chapter on "Building A Better Deathtrap", all about how to do a thrilling 'continue next week' senerio for your heroes to survive...next week of course.

I plan on having a part about death traps and some sample ones. It is so iconic that not to include it would be a crime. 

[Khymeria]

1 hour ago, Sketchpad said:

 

So would you say it's a kind of modern reinterpretation of the old Justice Inc boxed set? Kind of like a Pulp Hero for 6th ed? Or would you say it's more focused? So far, as a fan of the original Justice Inc., I'm intrigued. 

That is a great question, and I think that because Justice Inc. lies squarely in the Pulp genre this has created some confusion. It is a modern interpretation of the Old Justice stuff, but not just an update. That was produced at a different time in gaming when things were usually a lot smaller. I am going to expand on what was laid out before me, fill in the cracks of the story where the details have not been given already. I am going to do my absolute best not to rewrite what has been given but expand it out. The Empire Club will run more like a full fledged secret operation than some big hotels for agents to meet up. I want to give the reader the bases mentioned in Justice Inc. located in San Francisco (where I call home), New York City, London, and Hong Kong in more detail with support staff to aid the heroes. The San Francisco base has already begun to worked up including the staff, and facts about the location at the time. Like why the Empire Club chose that neighborhood, and why San Francisco for a headquarters over Los Angeles that had Hollywood up and coming at the time? (San Francisco pretty much ignored prohibition). Who administrates and runs the day to day operations? It is a heroic level game, so does the London base perhaps have a chap that is good with building gadgets? These will be the large bases that control regions. Then I want to include a whole bunch on making your own bases where you want them. Big city kids have all the fun but small towns are perfect targets for saboteurs and bank robbers. Okay, so that should cover your first sentence.

 

It is a pulp game but much more focused than what you would find detailed let's say in the Pulp Hero for 5th Edition (a must have book for Hero fans of any genre). Obviously there will be archeology covered as missions. There is a great archeology mission for Justice Inc. called Carolina Caldwell and the Quest for the Golden Idol from Adventure Quarterly #24 that is right in this wheelhouse, and would be fun to update. But, much of this will lean more on the guns, the poverty, mooks, goons, saboteurs, domino mask style heroes, violence that heroes make no apologies for and likely the cops don't hassle them for (unless you take that in a Complication or such). The kind of game, in a time, where when a hero said on the street, "I will stop you Nazis" and got in a fistfight, patriotic passerby rolled up their sleeves and knuckled up for their country. But poverty was there, and tragedy. Many of the heroes will be scarred from WWI, a bit older, and a bit broken. I like to think of it as taking Pulp Hero and smashing it with Dark Champions, and then upping the action to a nice respectable level. Like with Victorian Hero, I have the blessing of a lot of public domain to work with and history itself, so there is a lot of meat on the bone there, but I want to leave room for a mystic and a bare knuckle boxer to team up and both feel like they belong in the setting. So we can have Tommy guns and dynamite, but still want to leave room for clouding the minds of men or smashing behind the curtain ridiculously over the top spymasters. I want to be able to have heroes stop a counterfeiting operation in Baltimore or recover the McGuffin in the Lost City of Somewhere I Just Made Up.

Edited May 9 by Khymeria

[Sketchpad]

13 minutes ago, Khymeria said:

That is a great question, and I think that because Justice Inc. lies squarely in the Pulp genre this has created some confusion. It is a modern interpretation of the Old Justice stuff, but not just an update. That was produced at a different time in gaming when things were usually a lot smaller. I am going to expand on what was laid out before me, fill in the cracks of the story where the details have not been given already. I am going to do my absolute best not to rewrite what has been given but expand it out. The Empire Club will run more like a full fledged secret operation than some big hotels for agents to meet up. I want to give the reader the bases mentioned in Justice Inc. located in San Francisco (where I call home), New York City, London, and Hong Kong in more detail with support staff to aid the heroes. The San Francisco base has already begun to worked up including the staff, and facts about the location at the time. Like why the Empire Club chose that neighborhood, and why San Francisco for a headquarters over Los Angeles that had Hollywood up and coming at the time? (San Francisco pretty much ignored prohibition). Who administrates and runs the day to day operations? It is a heroic level game, so does the London base perhaps have a chap that is good with building gadgets? These will be the large bases that control regions. Then I want to include a whole bunch on making your own bases where you want them. Big city kids have all the fun but small towns are perfect targets for saboteurs and bank robbers. Okay, so that should cover your first sentence.

 

It is a pulp game but much more focused than what you would find detailed let's say in the Pulp Hero for 5th Edition (a must have book for Hero fans of any genre). Obviously there will be archeology covered as missions. There is a great archeology mission for Justice Inc. called Carolina Caldwell and the Quest for the Golden Idol from Adventure Quarterly #24 that is right in this wheelhouse, and would be fun to update. But, much of this will lean more on the guns, the poverty, mooks, goons, saboteurs, domino mask style heroes, violence that heroes make no apologies for and likely the cops don't hassle them for (unless you take that in a Complication or such). The kind of game, in a time, where when a hero said on the street, "I will stop you Nazis" and got in a fistfight, patriotic passerby rolled up their sleeves and knuckled up for their country. But poverty was there, and tragedy. Many of the heroes will be scarred from WWI, a bit older, and a bit broken. I like to think of it as taking Pulp Hero and smashing it with Dark Champions, and then upping the action to a nice respectable level. Like with Victorian Hero, I have the blessing of a lot of public domain to work with and history itself, so there is a lot of meat on the bone there, but I want to leave room for a mystic and a bare knuckle boxer to team up and both feel like they belong in the setting. So we can have Tommy guns and dynamite, but still want to leave room for clouding the minds of men or smashing behind the curtain ridiculously over the top spymasters. I want to be able to have heroes stop a counterfeiting operation in Baltimore or recover the McGuffin in the Lost City of Somewhere I Just Made Up.

 

Awesome! Sounds like a good time. I look forward to seeing the finished book. 

[IndianaJoe3]

I think that Cyber Hero is due for a reboot.