Split Character Creation

[StGrimblefig]

An idea that I had for my perpetually-in-development Champions campaign:

 

Because I REALLY want to have the characters be "real people" as much as possible, I am considering splitting character creation into 2 phases -- one for their "normal" life, and the other what happens when/after they got superpowers.

 

A little background: In this world, superpowers faded from the world about 30 years ago, and are just starting to re-emerge. This means that the characters have had a normal life up to a certain point, at which time their superpowers manifested.

 

If I do this, I will probably use either "Competent Normal" (50/50) or "Standard Heroic" (75/75) for the normal phase of character creation, and then let them buy powers and anything else up to the starting level of the campaign (150/100).

 

Has anyone attempted anything like this before? Is there any advice (for or against) that you can give about this idea?

 

Thanks in advance.

[schir1964]

Re: Split Character Creation

 

Actually... I've done exactly that. (8^D)

 

I created a Creation Setting that helps a GM build a Genesis Scenario (where normal characters gain powers). It gives some structure and some guidelines that you can change to fit your particular campaign.

 

I'm also running such a campaign over at the Herocentral.net site.

 

I can email you the document if you want.

 

- Christopher Mullins (schir1964 @ netzero.com)

[Supreme Serpent]

Re: Split Character Creation

 

I've never personally run it, but our group has done it several times. Works pretty well, and you should have a better handle on the PC than sometimes happens with straight out of the box supers. You do limit some character types though, unless you stretch things a bit (extra-dimensionals, aliens, super-martial artists, etc).

[StGrimblefig]

Re: Split Character Creation

 

schir:

Sure, I'd love to see how you ran it. Send it to jbtetrick (at) excite (dot) com

 

Serpent:

I want to limit the "out there" elements at first, and keep it to normal people who gain super powers. Things like aliens, magic, and the like might make an appearance later, but they will be used as NPCs. It might limit some character concepts, but I think that in the universe I am creating, the superheroes (and villains) would start out smaller, and grow in power over time. When the PCs are powerful (and well-versed in the rules) enough to handle a minor alien invasion, they will appear. That also lets me tailor them to fit the needs of the campaign at the time, rather than being forced to think through every possible extra-dimensional/alien origin that the players could come up with before the campaign starts.

[Blue]

Re: Split Character Creation

 

Made characters for but never actually played in such a game.

 

We were asked: Make a normal and a hero. The normal should likely have NOTHING to do with the hero ID; make them distinct and seperate. But you had to pick one of the following value packages: 25pt Normal/375pt Hero, 50pt Normal/350pt Hero, 75pt Normal/325pt Hero. That way if you wanted a really efficient normal (because there would be plenty of time when you were investigating in normal ID) you would want the 75pter and your hero would not be as efficient. It was interesting and most people opted for weak normal/strong hero. Being a contrarian, I went the opposite way. Besdies, someone was going to need the skills.

 

And then there's a game I proposed but nobody took me up on:

 

You would build a 75pt normal character and a 350pt character. The 75pter is your street gang/hacker type character while the other is your online avatar. You were hackers who split time between running from the law and making moves on the streets AND fighting in online worlds to gain important data from the corporate "man".

[ChuckB]

Re: Split Character Creation

 

Every so often this idea comes up. It's not bad, but it's one of those ideas that GMs love, but players hate.

 

What if somebody wanted to play a robot or alien ?

[StGrimblefig]

Re: Split Character Creation

 

Blue:

That first game sounds like a group of "Shazam"-type full-replacement Hero IDs. Interesting idea. That could be an option, but I would want the player doing that to be a better role-player -- depending on how much information is shared between the two forms, it would be difficult for some players to separate what the Hero ID knows vs. what the normal ID knows. The other one is an interesting take on a Cyber Hero game.

 

ChuckB:

The people who are going to be playing are likely to be new to the Hero System (and it has been ages since I ran a game), so I am trying to keep it simple for all of us, at least to start. I might entertain letting such backgrounds (e.g. robot or alien) in if they gave me a good enough background (i.e. very well written) to justify it, and if the character is "human enough" to pass casual inspection. I am not really wanting the game to start out in full bronze-age-Marvel wackiness at the outset. The players are supposed to be the only heroes in a world that has not known superpowers for a generation. This allows the characters to explore their growing abilities while the players are learning the system. I am considering this character creation scheme not because I am a sadistic GM, but because I think that, given the campaign background, the characters should have a certain level of "normal" skills/talents/perks before they become "super." If I can assume a certain level of "normal" competence, I can expand the focus of the storylines, as well. I'm sorry if I didn't explain all of that very well before.

[Guest bblackmoor]

Re: Split Character Creation

 

What if somebody wanted to play a robot or alien ?

 

Then they were obviously a robot or alien the entire time, and only realized their true origins recently.

 

"Clark, we need to talk..."

 

I have been in a few games which started the PCs are relatively normal folks. Two of my favorites were the "New Mutants" game (which started the PCs as teens, or the friends of teens, who all suddenly manifest superpowers) and the "Mystery Powers" game (which started the PCs as spies, thugs, or adventurers who then manifested strange supernatural abilities).

 

In both cases, the rationalization for why these one-in-a-bazillion individuals already knew (or very quickly met) each other was pretty thin, but there wasn't really much of an alternative.

[philnicau]

Re: Split Character Creation

 

The original Chaosium Games "Superworld" had a similar idea, you basically Rolled-up a normal human then purchased superpowers.

[Dust Raven]

Re: Split Character Creation

 

I love writing up characters like this. I never require it in the games I run, because I generally use unlimited origins. But usually start by asking the player what there character was like before they gained super powers/started to fight crime, and to build that character as a starting point.

 

I've found that this helps players create more detailed characters and useful Skills they'd normally overlook in favor of Powers. I've also found that most concepts you can't do this with, such as robots and aliens, usually end up with a good set of logical skills and an interesting background anyway, just because of concept.