FenrisUlf Posted January 28, 2006 Report Share Posted January 28, 2006 Just wondering here -- what would constitute a 'slightly less powerful' DNPC in Champions? A full-fledged super, good or bad? What about someone with powers who for various reason either won't or can't participate in the Superhuman World, and isn't up to facing down the run of the mill supervillain? Just wondering how most of you handle that level of the disadvantage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Frisbee Posted January 28, 2006 Report Share Posted January 28, 2006 Re: Slightly Less Powerful DNPCs in Champions In my campaigns, 'slightly less powerful' DNPC's usually wind up being heroic level characters (i.e. humans with super powers that are not combat oriented) or competent normals. This is because I don't like having to make other supers all the time which will still have to be overcome by the bad guys as plot devices. Matt "Short-answers-only" Frisbee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trained Chicken Posted January 29, 2006 Report Share Posted January 29, 2006 Re: Slightly Less Powerful DNPCs in Champions Someone with extensive combat skills, such as Alfred Pennyworth, or Jim Rhodes, would apply I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twilight Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Re: Slightly Less Powerful DNPCs in Champions A good example of a slightly less powerful DNPC in my opinion, would be Iolaus from Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. He's no slouch in combat and has in fact handled himself well in fights on his own, however compared to Herc himself he's clearly on a lesser strata, competence wise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Re: Slightly Less Powerful DNPCs in Champions As a GM i'd more consider iolas more of a follower than a DNPC... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twilight Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Re: Slightly Less Powerful DNPCs in Champions As a GM i'd more consider iolas more of a follower than a DNPC... Well I grant you, later in the show he did become Herc's follower but in the early seasons he needed rescuing by Herc more often then not. Perhaps Herc just had some extra XP on hand and paid the points to make it happen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rage Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Re: Slightly Less Powerful DNPCs in Champions the difference between a competent DNPC and a high pointed follower, in my opinion, is that a DNPC will get in far more trouble than a his equivelent. You know, like Lois Lane compared to Oracel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucius Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Re: Slightly Less Powerful DNPCs in Champions Say, did anyone try getting an "official" answer from Steve Long? Lucius Alexander Inquiring palindromedaries want to know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Watcher Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Re: Slightly Less Powerful DNPCs in Champions It's all relative to the whatever the PC level is. I'd say at least one "tier" down on the Power Level Chart. So for Standard Superheroes it would be a Low-Powered Super, for High Powered Superheroes it would be a Standard Super, and so on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FenrisUlf Posted January 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Re: Slightly Less Powerful DNPCs in Champions Thanks for all the responses, you're being really helpful. And I recall one 'slightly less powerful DNPC' who was presented as a full-fledged supervillain (Shadowolf's father, Talon -- I think). That's a bit high-powered by my standards; but then, trying to protect your supervillain relation while they're pounding on your skull should be worth some points. Just so long as they're more trouble than help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cold Steel Posted May 1, 2006 Report Share Posted May 1, 2006 Re: Slightly Less Powerful DNPCs in Champions In the "Mutant Law,Human City" Campaign that ended several months ago, i took as my Slightly Less Powerful DNPC Rahne "Wolfsbane" Sinclair who was built from 345 points.(Thanks Ghost Archer!!!) My own character had 350 pts. Would that be considered rules abuse? I think not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Johnston Posted May 1, 2006 Report Share Posted May 1, 2006 Re: Slightly Less Powerful DNPCs in Champions The differences between DNPC and a Follower are: The Follower will reliably follow your instructions. The DNPC gets you in trouble. You lead your Follower into trouble. Thus, Robin is Batman's Follower, Sailor Moon is Tuxedo Kamen's DNPC, and the Black Cat was just an independant NPC who happened to hang out with Spiderman a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weldun Posted May 1, 2006 Report Share Posted May 1, 2006 Re: Slightly Less Powerful DNPCs in Champions Err. I think Mamoru might have been Usagi's follower, just with a few interesting "genre quirks". Whilst he kept showing up just in time to distract the villain, he certainly wasn't the HERO of the show. Actually, he probably fits more comfortably in a similar role as Black Cat. I certainly wouldn't call Usagi his DNPC, however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Johnston Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 Re: Slightly Less Powerful DNPCs in Champions Err. I think Mamoru might have been Usagi's follower' date=' just with a few interesting "genre quirks". Whilst he kept showing up just in time to distract the villain, he certainly wasn't the HERO of the show. Actually, he probably fits more comfortably in a similar role as Black Cat. I certainly wouldn't call Usagi his DNPC, however.[/quote'] I was, first of all, assuming that both characters in each pairing are NPCs and secondly speaking of the first Sailor Moon animated series. And I don't really think it matters that Tuxboy wasn't the hero of the show. Superman wasn't the hero of the Lois Lane comic book, but that didn't stop Lois from being his DNPC. Tux was still compelled to go and rescue Usagi every time she got in over her head (which was...every...friggin'...episode at least until she got her upgrade) despite the fact that she was the hero of the series and more powerful (in the sense of having a much bigger attack. Her general incompetence would keep her point total down). On his character sheet, she'd be down as his DNPC. She would not have him as a Follower though because he self-evidently doesn't follow her orders. He just saves her hind again and again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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