Katherine Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 Right now, my collection includes: Hero Fifth Edition Champions Champions Universe What other books would you reccomend for a well rounded Champions/Hero library? Anything that is best avoided? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddHat Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 Re: Reccomended Champions Library I'd rate Conquerer's, Killers and Crooks as the single best resource after FRED. Villains for every occasion, and good examples of how to build most types of character. I tend to page through the Hero System Bestiary quite often, but then I run a magic heavy game and I like mystical beasts. Until Super Powers Database is useful if you're looking for ideas. The rest comes down to what sub-genres you'd like to explore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffreyWKramer Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 Re: Reccomended Champions Library Katherine, do you just play, or do you also run the game? Some of what I consider essential as a GM isn't as essential for players. I can't recommend the UNTIL SUPERPOWERS DATABASE enough, for either heroes or GMs The pre-built power sets are a nice short-cut when you need a character ASAP, or can be used to generate ideas (and sometimes stolen outright) for a huge variety of characters. Beyond that, it is well-supported by supplemental material here at the Hero Games site (the ONLINE UNTIL SUPERPOWERS DATABASE). The book gives lots of interesting ideas for expressing unusual concepts in game terms, usually with many options for scaling the builds up and down in power. I don't have the gadgets book, but I've heard good about it and am planning to pick it up for the same purpose as the USDB, above - great for pre-gen builds that can be modified as needed. Utility belts, ray guns, goblin gliders, wombatarangs... all right there, or so I hear. THE ULTIMATE MARTIAL ARTIST is an exceptionally useful book in just about any campaign, with cogent discussions of real-world martial arts, sections on building your own maneuvers and making up new martial arts styles, martial arts and wuxia powers, etc. If you want more in the way of Wuxia Powers, you might want NINJA HERO, too, but I've skipped that so far due to budget. THE ULTIMATE BRICK was a bit disappointing, but does have some good stuff for those really interested in making efficient and unique brick characters, and for making the kinds of builds and "brick trick" powers that let bricks pull off the sorts of things they do in comics, like slamming people several miles with a punch, throwing things into space, etc. For a GM, you really can't beat the value of CONQUERERS, KILLERS AND CROOKS. Tons of villains, many of them quite interesting. Most are fairly low-power, but then there are some amazing powerhouses, like Dr. Destroyer, Menton, Takofanes and Gravitar. This is also a great source of "how to build it in HERO terms" information. I just plain love MILLENNIUM CITY. I can't praise Darren Watts' writing on this book enough. The setting material is marvelous, with lots of good stuff to steal even if the characters you run/play with never set foot in M. City itself. It also features my absolutely favorite Champions Universe NPC, the cool and charming Dr. Silverback. GALACTIC CHAMPIONS is full of good info for anyone wanting to run or play high-powered Champions games. There are a couple of villains in there powerful enough to challenge anyone or anything. For GMs, I'd strongly recomment VIPER: COILS OF THE SERPENT. This is a masterfully-done organization book that really brings the venerable crime organization into its own. I'd recommend those who are players-only stay away, though, for two reasons. First, you don't want to be spoiled of all the good stuff the GM might throw at you. Second, those who take "Hunted by VIPER" will have bad dreams after seeing the nastiness you've set yourself up for. UNTIL: DEFENDERS OF FREEDOM is another pretty good sourcebook, though a bit bland. I'd recommend it for GMs only, and not real, real highly. It's not a bad book, really, but it didn't really knock my socks off. THE MYSTIC WORLD is a must for anyone playing mystic characters and any GM looking at running mystic-themed or extradimensional adventures. It includes some amazing villains and concepts, and is probably the single best-written book of the Champions line to date. I'm not even done reading it yet, and I could probably pull about 300 good plots out of it, easily. I find myself using the HERO SYSTEM BESTIARY an awful lot. For players, this one is probably useful if you are playing a character who has Summon-based powers or powers sort of like Animal Man; for GMs, it's simply a great resource for all sorts of things. You'd be surprised how often you need stats for a wolf, a rattlesnake or a t-rex. So, in closing, my recommendations: For everyone - UNTIL SUPERPOWERS DATABASE, ULTIMATE MARTIAL ARTIST and probably THE MYSTIC WORLD and THE ULTIMATE BRICK, maybe the gadgets book. For GMs - All the above, plus CONQUERERS, KILLERS AND CROOKS, VIPER, MILLENNIUM CITY and THE HERO SYSTEM BESTIARY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBlue Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 Re: Reccomended Champions Library Right now, my collection includes: Hero Fifth Edition Champions Champions Universe What other books would you reccomend for a well rounded Champions/Hero library? Anything that is best avoided? Hey! You have the same ones I do! lol. If it weren't for the fact I was just laid off (and I'm in college), I'd get Conquerers Killers and Crooks (any idea how hard it is to use the Champions Universe without it?), the USPD, the Gadgets book, and the Hero System Beastiary. Being poor sucks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JmOz Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 Re: Reccomended Champions Library Personaly I would consider the next few one step shy of required: Hero System Ultimate Martial Artist Hero System Beastiary Also I can't say enough about Counquers, Killers, and Crooks for running a Champions game (NPC villains are always a nice thing to have handy) If you like precanned adventures Shade of Black (An E-Book) is the best of the Champions adventure yet published for 5th Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eosin Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 Re: Reccomended Champions Library Until Superpowers Database would be number one on my list and hot on its heels would be Conquers, Killers, & Crooks. After that, I would look at Champions Battlegrounds, Shades of Black, or VIPER: Coils of the Serpent (Can't comment on DEMON or The Mystic World just yet but as a rule I don't like it when people mix magic in with my superheroes but they work great for Heroic level games). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Long Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 Re: Reccomended Champions Library wombatarangs We're especially proud of these -- particularly because no wombats were harmed during the writing of the book! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffreyWKramer Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 Re: Reccomended Champions Library We're especially proud of these -- particularly because no wombats were harmed during the writing of the book! But did anyone get bitten by a radioactive wombat? Wombatman, Wombatman, Does whatever a wombat can. Digs a hole In the ground. Fuzzy and Kinda round. Hey! There goes the Wombatman! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddHat Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 Re: Reccomended Champions Library But did anyone get bitten by a radioactive wombat? Wombatman, Wombatman, Does whatever a wombat can. Digs a hole In the ground. Fuzzy and Kinda round. Hey! There goes the Wombatman! In tightest spandex, or plain street clothes No Evil shall escape my nose Let those who woship Evil's might Beware my power The Wombat's Bite! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chimpira Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 Re: Reccomended Champions Library It is not bad to fall back on some classics, if you can get your hands on them. So, I would recommend Aaron Allston's Strike Force. It is a look into another GM's campaign, I have seen stuff I first read there referenced in many roleplaying books. Champions UK was not my favorite for characters but I liked the information on the location and read through it often. Conquerors, Killers, and Crooks is pretty darn good. UNTIL and Viper are major forces to deal with in The Champions Universe so they are really good to have. The Hero System Bestiary comes in a lot more handy than I had intially thought it would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost who Walks Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 Re: Reccomended Champions Library More old stuff Gems Champions of the North contains a lot oif info on Canada...but also has the largest Hero team to date, divided between different cities. Interesting concept. the Edition Champions Universe does contain a bunch of stuff that isn't in 5th (and vice versa). Combining the two, when searching for ideas to play can't hurt. Zodiac Conspiracy had the best villan team for 4th edition, IMHO To Serve and Protect had another Hero team. It all depends on what you are looking for. I like having a bunch of character writeups, old and new, because they help inspire me when making characters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinanju Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 Re: Reccomended Champions Library But did anyone get bitten by a radioactive wombat? How about a radioactive Kodiak bear? I had a villain in an early Champions game called THE MURDEROUS MAN-BEAR! He was an arrogant and rich guy who was out hunting one day when a radioactive* kodiak bear bit him. He gained KODIAK BEAR POWERS! Which is to say, he was HUGE! And FURRY! And had nasty, sharp pointy claws and teeth. And a high-tech pegleg because, well, a radioactive BEAR bit him. The pegleg had a swivel base so he could do spinning back kicks with his clawed foot, and a jumpjet with limited charges (Superleap) for making getaways. As you may have gathered, it wasn't an entirely serious campaign.... *I'm showing my age here. He was in Canada, where a Soviet satellite had recently (at the time) crashed to earth and scattered radioactive fuel about (for real). The bear was nearby, see.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffreyWKramer Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 Re: Reccomended Champions Library As you may have gathered' date=' it wasn't an entirely serious campaign....[/quote'] The Murderous Man-Bear sounds positively dignified compared to a joke villain I had in one of my old campaigns. Crayfish Man was... wait for it... pinched by a radioactive crayfish. Gained a protective carapace, extra swimming, underwater breathing and.. Mind Control, only vs. crustaceans. And people think Aquaman is useless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddHat Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 Re: Reccomended Champions Library The Murderous Man-Bear sounds positively dignified compared to a joke villain I had in one of my old campaigns. Crayfish Man was... wait for it... pinched by a radioactive crayfish. Gained a protective carapace, extra swimming, underwater breathing and.. Mind Control, only vs. crustaceans. And people think Aquaman is useless. So have you met Hyborg? http://www.herogames.com/forums/showpost.php?p=107533&postcount=350 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackjack Posted September 15, 2004 Report Share Posted September 15, 2004 Re: Reccomended Champions Library Katherine, While all of the HERO system resources that I've seen are excellent, I cannot overstate the value of the Ultimate Martial Artist. The expanded hand-to-hand combat rules, manuevers, and insights are a "must-have" for any player or GM who wants skilled melee fighters in their campaign. It is also useful regardless of what genre you play. I also HIGHLY recommend Sidekick and the Until Superpowers Database, especially for those still new to the HERO system. They're invaluable. Finally, I personally love Conquerors, Killers, and Crooks. Any GM, regardless of experience, will find it a gold mine of useful badness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katherine Posted September 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2004 Re: Reccomended Champions Library Thanks for all the tips. From the reccomendations it sounds like: UNTIL Superpowers Database Conquerers, Killers and Crooks (I've seen it mentioned in a few other threads and villains lists are always useful. Wish they'd done one for Aberrant) Ultimate Martial Artist The Beastiary (for Menagerie, natch) Ultimate Martial Artist Dark Champions (which sounds like my kind of game from whats on the forum about it). That list should take me until around Christmas. re:Being poor Yes. It sucks. Sucks massively. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffreyWKramer Posted September 15, 2004 Report Share Posted September 15, 2004 Re: Reccomended Champions Library So have you met Hyborg? http://www.herogames.com/forums/showpost.php?p=107533&postcount=350 OMG... that is just...something! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBlue Posted September 15, 2004 Report Share Posted September 15, 2004 Re: Reccomended Champions Library Thanks for all the tips. From the reccomendations it sounds like: UNTIL Superpowers Database Conquerers, Killers and Crooks (I've seen it mentioned in a few other threads and villains lists are always useful. Wish they'd done one for Aberrant) Ultimate Martial Artist The Beastiary (for Menagerie, natch) Ultimate Martial Artist Dark Champions (which sounds like my kind of game from whats on the forum about it). That list should take me until around Christmas. re:Being poor Yes. It sucks. Sucks massively. Down-right uberly massive suckage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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