steriaca Posted September 11, 2004 Report Share Posted September 11, 2004 Re: Favorite Published Villains Thunderbird - Eh, he's CU's Punisher. I guess he has his place, but he doesn't really inspire a lot of story ideas for the sorts of campaigns I tend to prefer... and if I want to explore the lethal-vigilante theme, I'm likely to go with someone a lot nuttier than TBird anyhow. To me, TBird seems to function like Marvel's Scourge Of The Underworld. You have a villion you nolonger want to run, but don't just want to drop him off the face of the planet, and haveing him rot in Stronghold is not an option? Have him catch a bullet in the forehead curtisay of Thunderbird. Haveing him yell out "Justice Is Served!!!" is entierly optinal as he is running away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckg Posted September 11, 2004 Report Share Posted September 11, 2004 Re: Favorite Published Villains I know I'm going to regret asking this' date=' but how do you figure he's that bad?[/quote'] * His power level is so obnoxiously high that he has to damn near lobotomize himself with an 8-inch auger in order to give the PCs /any/ chance of survival. 250 point cosmic VPP? If anything I hit isn't dead -- let alone merely CON Stunned -- on the first shot, I'm just not trying! Fug, he can sit on the other side of the multiverse and drop 20d6 0 END Armor Piercing Transdimensional attacks all day, with the Dimensional Sight necessary to make sure they hit every time. This guy can't lose even if he uses the tactics of a *brick*. And yet, somehow, DMs are supposed to make interesting scenarios with him? God. At least the Examiner isn't supposed to /fight/ people, but Arcane's billed as a team slugfest opponent! * His origin story is on the same literary level as 'I tripped over a magic rock and got omnipotence.' I mean, it's the sort of thing that online RPG chat moderators desanc twelve times a day. * His personality can be summed up in three words -- "Ain't Got None." That pretty much is all I need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twilight Posted September 11, 2004 Report Share Posted September 11, 2004 Re: Favorite Published Villains * His power level is so obnoxiously high that he has to damn near lobotomize himself with an 8-inch auger in order to give the PCs /any/ chance of survival. 250 point cosmic VPP? If anything I hit isn't dead -- let alone merely CON Stunned -- on the first shot, I'm just not trying! Fug, he can sit on the other side of the multiverse and drop 20d6 0 END Armor Piercing Transdimensional attacks all day, with the Dimensional Sight necessary to make sure they hit every time. This guy can't lose even if he uses the tactics of a *brick*. And yet, somehow, DMs are supposed to make interesting scenarios with him? God. At least the Examiner isn't supposed to /fight/ people, but Arcane's billed as a team slugfest opponent! * His origin story is on the same literary level as 'I tripped over a magic rock and got omnipotence.' I mean, it's the sort of thing that online RPG chat moderators desanc twelve times a day. * His personality can be summed up in three words -- "Ain't Got None." That pretty much is all I need. Ummm from what I read in Galactic Champions, Arcane is meant to be a behind the scenes villain not a slugfest opponent. At least that's what the campaign uses for that character seemed to suggest to me. Besides, if you can't find another way to use him then just having him blast people maybe you aren't trying, no offence. Anyway, you're entitled to your opinion and thanks for sharing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckg Posted September 11, 2004 Report Share Posted September 11, 2004 Re: Favorite Published Villains > Ummm from what I read in Galactic Champions, Arcane is meant to be a behind > the scenes villain not a slugfest opponent. At least that's what the campaign > uses for that character seemed to suggest to me. He leads his team into battle often, and they *are* slugfest opponents. i.e. -- Arcane will be present on the battlefield. > Besides, if you can't find another way to use him then just having him blast > people maybe you aren't trying, no offence. The problem is, Arcane can't lose with a VPP that huge even when he fights like a pure zap-and-blast moron. May the Good Lord help any players if I actually have Arcane use intelligent tactics. Provided that he's not going up against team of 1400 point space demigods, the only even halfway probable way that Arcane will lose a fight is if he completely fails to take any precuations *and* completely fails to use his powers in an even remotely efficient manner -- -- which is another way of saying "suspension of disbelief just died", because it really takes the fun out of it for the players when the DM is deliberately throwing the game. Nothing, but nothing, destroys that ol' sense of accomplishment faster than wondering if the DM handed you a freebie -- and vs. Overly Powerful Lad here, you ain't getting too many *non* freebie wins. And that's just discussing the power question. On the points of 'lame origin' and 'no personality', I haven't heard a rebuttal yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twilight Posted September 11, 2004 Report Share Posted September 11, 2004 Re: Favorite Published Villains > Ummm from what I read in Galactic Champions, Arcane is meant to be a behind > the scenes villain not a slugfest opponent. At least that's what the campaign > uses for that character seemed to suggest to me. He leads his team into battle often, and they *are* slugfest opponents. i.e. -- Arcane will be present on the battlefield. > Besides, if you can't find another way to use him then just having him blast > people maybe you aren't trying, no offence. The problem is, Arcane can't lose with a VPP that huge even when he fights like a pure zap-and-blast moron. May the Good Lord help any players if I actually have Arcane use intelligent tactics. Provided that he's not going up against team of 1400 point space demigods, the only even halfway probable way that Arcane will lose a fight is if he completely fails to take any precuations *and* completely fails to use his powers in an even remotely efficient manner -- -- which is another way of saying "suspension of disbelief just died", because it really takes the fun out of it for the players when the DM is deliberately throwing the game. Nothing, but nothing, destroys that ol' sense of accomplishment faster than wondering if the DM handed you a freebie -- and vs. Overly Powerful Lad here, you ain't getting too many *non* freebie wins. And that's just discussing the power question. On the points of 'lame origin' and 'no personality', I haven't heard a rebuttal yet. This isn't meant to be a debate, I just don't think he's as bad as you say is all and certainly not as bad as the characters from European Enemies. I'm not saying he's the best character ever or anything just that Arcane in a setting where heroes start on 700 pts doesn't other me as much as, for example, Harbringer of Justice in a setting where characters start on 250 pts or less. I'm just saying I disagree with you is all. Our viewpoints differ in this instance, it's no big thing really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metaphysician Posted September 11, 2004 Report Share Posted September 11, 2004 Re: Favorite Published Villains * His power level is so obnoxiously high that he has to damn near lobotomize himself with an 8-inch auger in order to give the PCs /any/ chance of survival. 250 point cosmic VPP? If anything I hit isn't dead -- let alone merely CON Stunned -- on the first shot, I'm just not trying! Fug, he can sit on the other side of the multiverse and drop 20d6 0 END Armor Piercing Transdimensional attacks all day, with the Dimensional Sight necessary to make sure they hit every time. This guy can't lose even if he uses the tactics of a *brick*. And yet, somehow, DMs are supposed to make interesting scenarios with him? God. At least the Examiner isn't supposed to /fight/ people, but Arcane's billed as a team slugfest opponent! * His origin story is on the same literary level as 'I tripped over a magic rock and got omnipotence.' I mean, it's the sort of thing that online RPG chat moderators desanc twelve times a day. * His personality can be summed up in three words -- "Ain't Got None." That pretty much is all I need. Don't forget: * He is a horrible waste of an opportunity to use the Kolvel Event to create worthy analogues for the Fantastic Four. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chimpira Posted September 12, 2004 Report Share Posted September 12, 2004 Re: Favorite Published Villains Eh, I like Nebula. She has lots of "culture clash" potential, IMHO. Then again, I'm a sucker for grey villains. Along those lines: how can you forget Cateran?? I love grey villians as well but my girlfriends character was an alien wanted for the murder of her father the King of a planet. If that was not a one way ticket to Duress, I do not know what is. As a character that pops up I can see a lot of use for her but as a hunted it was going to cause the group quite a bit of pain. My girlfriend has since decided to quit as she liked online games like Dark Age of Camelot more than tabletop roleplaying games. In truth she just like hitting things without too much guesswork. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metaphysician Posted September 12, 2004 Report Share Posted September 12, 2004 Re: Favorite Published Villains Ouch, yeah, she isn't a really good choice for Hunted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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