Is a Jedi reasonable in a Marvel Avengers campaign?

[Mark Rand]

I'm working on a Marvel Avengers campaign that went AU just before the timeslide arc. I'm considering using a Jedi NPC either as a member of the team or as someone they may know.

 

Origin one: He was playing with a toy lightsaber when, through some accident, the saber became real and he became a real Jedi. possibly thinking he was one from one of the movies, stories, or comic books. After he became himself again, his powers remained. The saber may or may not still work. He has the memories from the time he was a Jedi, but still has to relearn how to use his powers.

 

Origin two: He's the offspring of one or more human Jedi that either crash-landed on Earth years ago or came to Earth to escape the Empire. He was trained as a Jedi and has a lightsaber. He has access to the ship, which is kept in a remote location, and, if there are such agencies, knows about the ones that keep an eye on aliens on Earth.

 

Is such a character reasonable in the campaign? If so, which origin is better?

[Guest bblackmoor]

Re: Is a Jedi reasonable in a Marvel Avengers campaign?

 

Does it have to be an actual Jedi from the actual Star Wars setting, or can it be an homage? Personally, I find the idea of using a real Jedi from the real Star Wars movies very silly. I feel the same way about using characters from any published setting, actually (X-Men, Buffy, Star Trek, etc.). I dislike all of that.

 

On the other hand, there's nothing wrong with creating a character inspired by such characters. As it happens, one of my favorite PCs is loosely based on a Jedi.

 

Ultimately, do whatever makes you happy.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Is a Jedi reasonable in a Marvel Avengers campaign?

 

Does it have to be an actual Jedi from the actual Star Wars setting' date=' or can it be an [i']homage[/i]? Personally, I find the idea of using a real Jedi from the real Star Wars movies very silly. I feel the same way about using characters from any published setting, actually (X-Men, Buffy, Star Trek, etc.). I dislike all of that.

 

On the other hand, there's nothing wrong with creating a character inspired by such characters. As it happens, one of my favorite PCs is loosely based on a Jedi.

 

Ultimately, do whatever makes you happy.

The guy who becomes a Jedi due to some weird energy could be considered an homage.

[Lethosos]

Re: Is a Jedi reasonable in a Marvel Avengers campaign?

 

Let me put it this way...

 

In the Global Guardians Universe, there was a mentioned event in the timeline about someone who inadvertantly changed into Godzilla and rampaged through Tokyo.

 

Now, this, IMO, was intended as a homage, yes. So you can do a Jedi, you just have to make the background work consitently. I would choose something similar to #1--but no memories of being one. (In fact, his dual powers comes from both psychic tricks and the ability to "manifest" a lightsaber through the proper prop.)

[keithcurtis]

Re: Is a Jedi reasonable in a Marvel Avengers campaign?

 

The first origin is far more preferable, in that we may be reasonably certain that the concept of fictional movie Jedis exist within the Marvel Universe. Actual Jedis would leave a bad taste in my mouth second only to placing an Avenger in a Star Wars campaign.

 

Keith "purist" Curtis

[Guest bblackmoor]

Re: Is a Jedi reasonable in a Marvel Avengers campaign?

 

Really, though, you need to run it past the GM. Our opinions are all well and good (mine in particular are above reproach), but the GM is the final arbiter of what's appropriate. A good GM will find a way to fit your conception into the game, but it may require some flexibility on your part.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Is a Jedi reasonable in a Marvel Avengers campaign?

 

Really' date=' though, you need to run it past the GM. Our opinions are all well and good (mine in particular are above reproach), but the GM is the final arbiter of what's appropriate. A good GM will find a way to fit your conception into the game, but it may require some flexibility on your part.[/quote']

I'm the GM.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Is a Jedi reasonable in a Marvel Avengers campaign?

 

Let me put it this way...

 

In the Global Guardians Universe, there was a mentioned event in the timeline about someone who inadvertantly changed into Godzilla and rampaged through Tokyo.

 

Now, this, IMO, was intended as a homage, yes. So you can do a Jedi, you just have to make the background work consitently. I would choose something similar to #1--but no memories of being one. (In fact, his dual powers comes from both psychic tricks and the ability to "manifest" a lightsaber through the proper prop.)

I get it. The energy wave, or whatever it was, activated his, until then, latent psi abilities. The "lightsaber blade" is actually psi energy focused through the prop. Right?

[TheTemplar]

Re: Is a Jedi reasonable in a Marvel Avengers campaign?

 

Yeah... again, like with the other post about a Forgotten Realms Paladin showing up in a Champions game - characters displaced out of time or space or whatever have POTENTIAL to be entertaining. However, characters displaced out of popular, mainstream fiction tend to leave a bad taste in my mouth.

 

If I were GM'ing this character, the first question I would ask myself is, does a Jedi fit in with my campaign? And by that, I mean, are you running a four-colored costumed supers JLA type game? Are you running a gritty Dark Champions campaign? Or are you running a game for whatever crazy character concepts your players come up with? I've been a part of the latter, and they're not without fun, but it certainly doesn't have a very "supers" feel to it... IF that's what you as the chief storyteller are going for.

 

Personally, I don't really see a Jedi from George Lucas's Star Wars saga being a particularly good mesh with oh, say, The Marvel Avengers. Granted, the Avengers have all SORTS of crazy members from all walks of life.. from Super-Soldiers to Norse Gods to Androids, but if it were me, I think I'd have to pass.

 

Now, the real meat of this idea is, Does your player want to play A Jedi, subject to all the codes, mores, and doctrines thereof, all straight from the SW universe, complete with brown hooded robes and all... OR, do they want to play a Hero with an energy-blade sword, cool Telekenetic and latent mind-control abilities, awesome DEX and Leaping abilities, and off-the-chart Missile Deflecting? The latter could absolutely be made into an Avengers style superhero, without carrying all the "Jedi" baggage along with it. The prior, I think, would require a lot more background and world integration work with your player. (Is Star Wars part of your campaign's continuity? How did a Jedi wind up where/when your campaign is set? What makes your Jedi want to join a superteam or be a superhero instead of being a diplomat for a just country?) etc..

[GestaltBennie]

Re: Is a Jedi reasonable in a Marvel Avengers campaign?

 

There's another way of doing it; a Jedi jumps out of a movie screen during the climactic battle of Attack of the Clones and finds himself in the real world (a la Woody Allen's "Purple Rose of Cairo"). Why? How? Well, every good campaign needs a mystery... :-)

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: Is a Jedi reasonable in a Marvel Avengers campaign?

 

There's another way of doing it; a Jedi jumps out of a movie screen during the climactic battle of Attack of the Clones and finds himself in the real world (a la Woody Allen's "Purple Rose of Cairo"). Why? How? Well' date=' every good campaign needs a mystery... :-)[/quote']

 

In one episode of Justice League, it was basically said that, in the infinite universes, there exist dimensions that mirror 'our' fiction; the creators of that fiction psychically link to that dimension and draw their inspiration from that link.

 

So ... extradimensional transit.

[Lanith]

Re: Is a Jedi reasonable in a Marvel Avengers campaign?

 

I'm not for or against the idea, but as I was reading your original post all I could think was; "OMG! That guy in the video on the web of him trying to look like Darth Maul. That guy with powers would be hilarious as a "wanna-be" superhero, like the Mystery Men were."

[Stone]

Re: Is a Jedi reasonable in a Marvel Avengers campaign?

 

I guess it depends on the Jedi's power level. I mean if he/she is a Yoda level, the Jedi could easily outshine the PC's. The lightsaber alone is a very nasty weapon (major HKA w/AP & pen..prob 2 levels of each) plus missile deflect/reflect. Then add in the "Force". Minor telepathy/empathy plus precog/postcog plus major TK plus a nasty RKA plus whatever ability you have seen from the movies. The Jedi would also most likely have Mentalist level EGO stat and a fairly high DEX/SPEED. Granted the character's defenses would most likely be fairly low, but I think the character's abilities could have the PC's running to him/her on a regular basis.

[assault]

Re: Is a Jedi reasonable in a Marvel Avengers campaign?

 

My instinctive response is: Ewww!!!

 

In other words: don't go there. It's mindnumbingly tacky.

[Guest bblackmoor]

Re: Is a Jedi reasonable in a Marvel Avengers campaign?

 

I'm considering using a Jedi NPC...

 

I'm sorry: I completely missed the word "NPC" the first time I read this. As much as I give other people a hard time for responding to posts without reading them first, I should be more careful.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Is a Jedi reasonable in a Marvel Avengers campaign?

 

I'm sorry: I completely missed the word "NPC" the first time I read this. As much as I give other people a hard time for responding to posts without reading them first' date=' I should be more careful.[/quote']

No problem. In all probability, he's not even an Avenger, he's a member of the team that assists the city's two Slayers.

 

In this universe, there are a number of crossovers. The four major ones are the Buffy/Angel Universe after the last season of Angel, modern-day versions of the Amazons from Xena, an homage to Black Scorpion, and a slightly different version of how Jack Ryan became President. The minor ones are Tremors: the Series, Unicorn Mountain (a novel), Sin City, the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation universe, and Robert Kinsey and the NID from Stargate SG-1. All of the minor ones can be easily dropped from the universe without causing too much trouble for the campaign, which is set in Pittsburgh and has the PCs as the Mid-Atlantic Avengers.

 

(A/N: The Black Scorpion homage will get its own thread on the Dark Champions thread, soon. Here are a few hints. She's Japanese, the Avengers technical manager and a reservist and her Scorpionbobile's a Lamborghini Murcielago.)

[Guest bblackmoor]

Re: Is a Jedi reasonable in a Marvel Avengers campaign?

 

In this universe' date=' there are a number of crossovers...[/quote']

 

That's a busy universe you have there!

 

...her Scorpionbobile's a Lamborghini Murcielago.)

 

Nice choice! http://www.westguard.org/index.php?title=Darknight:Knighthawk

[Kirby]

Re: Is a Jedi reasonable in a Marvel Avengers campaign?

 

For a universe that has multiple cross-overs, a Jedi-type might not be so bad; however, you might run risks of jedi/sith conflicts or players who might want to then be a jedi/sith/wookie, etc.

 

I do like the idea of the jedi coming out of the screen at the movies (there was a cartoon lion that this happened to in Astro City).

 

However, my personal preference would be a modification of #1. His "force" powers can simply be that he's a mentalist and with telekinetic powers. His sword/saber is something he found or picked off some fallen hero/villain. Then he decided to go with the theme.

 

Option 2 is that he's a clone and his first thoughts of "awareness" were when his cylinder fell over. When he looked around, his 'sword/saber' was there.

 

For his sword, it might be interesting to make it a compound power, using a HKA with a RKA (no range), or perhaps range based on STR. Perhaps a MP.

 

Then there's the mystery of who commissioned him and that person's obsession with Star Wars. Maybe a subplot with Lucas.

[TheTemplar]

Re: Is a Jedi reasonable in a Marvel Avengers campaign?

 

I'm sorry: I completely missed the word "NPC" the first time I read this. As much as I give other people a hard time for responding to posts without reading them first' date=' I should be more careful.[/quote']

 

Jeez... I just saw that, too. Disregard my pontificating drabble. Somebody throw a tarp over me or something.

 

Sorry, MR. As you were.

[keithcurtis]

Re: Is a Jedi reasonable in a Marvel Avengers campaign?

 

Yes, with that many crossovers going on, a Jedi doesn't sound nearly so unreasonable. I had assumed from the original post that it wass a fairly pure Avengers/Marvel universe.

 

Keith "Wants to be a Slayer/Jedi/Asgardian" Curtis

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: Is a Jedi reasonable in a Marvel Avengers campaign?

 

Keith "Wants to be a Slayer/Jedi/Asgardian" Curtis

 

"In the name of Yodin The All-Father, I STAKE THEE, varlet!"

[Kirby]

Re: Is a Jedi reasonable in a Marvel Avengers campaign?

 

Keith "Wants to be a Slayer/Jedi/Asgardian" Curtis

Yes, but a pure one.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Is a Jedi reasonable in a Marvel Avengers campaign?

 

The Black Scorpion thread has been started on the Dark Champions forum.

[Ura-Maru]

Re: Is a Jedi reasonable in a Marvel Avengers campaign?

 

There's another way of doing it; a Jedi jumps out of a movie screen during the climactic battle of Attack of the Clones and finds himself in the real world (a la Woody Allen's "Purple Rose of Cairo"). Why? How? Well, every good campaign needs a mystery... :-)

 

“I HATE that cliché!â€

-shoots Gestalt Bennie in the foot-

Saddles>

 

I’d definitely go with the ‘coincidentally jedi-like abilities’ homage-type. The other options all are too goofy.

 

1) Delusional Idiot Who Thinks He’s A Jedi: It doesn’t matter if you CAN kick Dr. D’s butt. You’re still a delusional idiot, who probably shouldn’t be allowed to drive, let alone swing an AP HKA around.

2) Psychic Projection of a Delusional Idiot: See above. Plus, you don’t really exist.

3) Traveler from the Star Wars Dimension: Just @#$ing great. Does this mean there’s a Corvette Summer Dimension as well? Just kill me now and have done.

4) I Came Out Of A TV: No. Unless you’re a Norse goddess, at least. And even then, think twice.

 

 

Homage/rip-off is fine, though. I mean, that’s how comics work, anyway. Spidey never asked Kraven how many times he’d seen ‘The Most Dangerous Game,’ did he?

 

So you want:

Glowing Sword

Sword Skills

Samurai-movie directiorial bits

Minor TK (superleap)

Noncombat Mentalist Suite.

 

So work back from that and find a special effect that works. Mentalist is too obvious, though. How about the unquiet ghost of a late-Tokugawa-era ronin? That will get you all of the above, and maybe Desolidification, too. Possibly possessing a modern teenager, if you want to have feet.

 

---

Apparently, Japanese ghosts not having feet is basically the same as western vampires having fangs and dying when exposed to sunlight. It’s not in the actual myths, but was added by artists later.

 

Plus, my spellchecker has ‘Tokugawa’, but not ‘ronin.’ Freaky.

[GestaltBennie]

Re: Is a Jedi reasonable in a Marvel Avengers campaign?

 

“I HATE that cliché!â€

-shoots Gestalt Bennie in the foot-

Saddles>

 

Gal'darn 'Murkins and their gal'darn guns. :-)