Trebuchet Posted August 31, 2003 Report Share Posted August 31, 2003 Originally posted by Twilight Anyway, thanks for your help. I'm looking forward to players reactions for when I sic Darth Vader on em. I did something similar in my game about six years ago. A 12 year old Israeli boy, the nephew of one of our PCs, had developed the mutant ability to create "real" images when he was asleep. When he suddenly lapsed into a coma, his powers kicked into high gear. The team knew there was a problem when they had to fight Darth Vader (complete with real working Light Saberâ„¢) and Christopher Reeves as Superman, who were guarding the boy's hospital room. More fun later ensued with giant robots (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers) which rampaged through Jerusalem. ( I still rue that this adventure took place before the Powerpuff Girls came out. Go Buttercup!) The team finally figured out what was going on when they went to visit the PCs sister at home and saw the video tapes of his favorite movies. It turned out the boy had a brain tumor which was affecting his powers. Fortunately one of the other PCs was a brilliant surgeon... I didn't bother to actually build the kid; he was just a plot device. I did have to build the opponents, though. One thing I did to keep the summoned characters from being too powerful was to only allow them to manifest within a short radius from the boy. They were getting their collective butts kicked by Superman until they passed beyond this radius (I think it was 100 hexes) and he dissolved. I'd recommend you only allow characters from movies and TV or your bad guy will be using Star Trek phasers and Colonial Vipers from Battlestar Galactica. As a twist, perhaps he can only use them in their designated role (Superman is good, Darth Vader is evil). As another possible option, perhaps the summoned bad guys have their own agendas... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Neilson Posted August 31, 2003 Report Share Posted August 31, 2003 Originally posted by Trebuchet I'd recommend you only allow characters from movies and TV or your bad guy will be using Star Trek phasers and Colonial Vipers from Battlestar Galactica. As a twist, perhaps he can only use them in their designated role (Superman is good, Darth Vader is evil). As another possible option, perhaps the summoned bad guys have their own agendas... This seems a good reason for Summon which requires EGO control rolls. Once the character wins, or alternatively finishes his "tasks", he lapses into his Movie persona. You could even give the Summoned beings bonuses (or penalties) to the extent the desired tasks contradict (or conform with) their psychological limits. And if one or two work out really well, maybe they just don't discorporate at the end of the adventure... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argus Posted August 31, 2003 Report Share Posted August 31, 2003 Re: Pop Culture Villains Originally posted by CrosshairCollie The subject may be a bit inaccurate, but it's as close as I can come up with. The topic/question: Have any of you ever used any of the variety of real-life pop-culture icons against your PCs? In the old Strike Force (I think), there was a loopy villain called The Producer who created robotic versions of movie characters and sent them out to cause trouble. My own take on this was 'The Cartoonist', who had magic paintbrushes that could create anything he painted, and bring it to life ... thus, he drew cartoon characters and used them to bedevil people. Sometimes classic Looney Tunes, sometimes action cartoons. The crowning achievement for me, though, I think would be the time I had some kids get ahold of a magical tome of summoning. They started messing with it, and summoned Golem spirits; spirits who possessed inanimate objects and brought them to life. The spirits wound up in the kids' Pokemon action figures, which sprang to life at full size. Anybody else done stuff like that? In one game I ran the heroes worked for the UN and were considered the best of the best. The Global Guardians, (this was before the Web site by the same name,) and there was a television superhero duo called Adventure Boy and Danger Girl. On their television show the World Guards, were a recurring helpless superhero team that kept coming to AB and DG for help. The players hated them more then almost any villain they faught. It was fun. A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted September 1, 2003 Report Share Posted September 1, 2003 How bout a five man villain group based on a boy band? The tough one (brick or tough ma) The cute one (Mentalist) The Shy one (skulker/gadegeteer) The (hmmm I don't know what the titles are... I'm pretty happy about that actually) lets call him the Talented one (Martial Artist) The Funny one (Blaster) call them Mayhem Boyz or somthin... I feel unclean now;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zornwil Posted September 1, 2003 Report Share Posted September 1, 2003 Originally posted by Enforcer84 How bout a five man villain group based on a boy band? The tough one (brick or tough ma) The cute one (Mentalist) The Shy one (skulker/gadegeteer) The (hmmm I don't know what the titles are... I'm pretty happy about that actually) lets call him the Talented one (Martial Artist) The Funny one (Blaster) call them Mayhem Boyz or somthin... I feel unclean now;) As well you should, as I now feel sick. And I thought that the Batman and Get Smart TV shows with the go-go dancing were scary! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stray Cat Posted September 1, 2003 Report Share Posted September 1, 2003 Sounds like Roadkill will hafta pay the Mayhem Boyz a visit... Cat Originally posted by Enforcer84 How bout a five man villain group based on a boy band? The tough one (brick or tough ma) The cute one (Mentalist) The Shy one (skulker/gadegeteer) The (hmmm I don't know what the titles are... I'm pretty happy about that actually) lets call him the Talented one (Martial Artist) The Funny one (Blaster) call them Mayhem Boyz or somthin... I feel unclean now;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger3k Posted September 1, 2003 Report Share Posted September 1, 2003 Originally posted by zornwil As well you should, as I now feel sick. And I thought that the Batman and Get Smart TV shows with the go-go dancing were scary! You don't like the Batusi? How about 2 supervillains who looked good who were frontmen for two powerful villains who didn't look good. The good looking ones had no powers themselves... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argus Posted September 1, 2003 Report Share Posted September 1, 2003 I actually have rolling around in the back of my head a group based on Dodge Car Names. Talon Avenger Ram Neon Viper Durango What do think? A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcholmes Posted September 1, 2003 Report Share Posted September 1, 2003 Re: Pop Culture Villains Originally posted by CrosshairCollie The topic/question: Have any of you ever used any of the variety of real-life pop-culture icons against your PCs? I used the Presleybots out of one of the Gold Rush Games modules, once. Gave them to Foxbat (he held a downtown shopping mall hostage and demanded that Graceland be moved to Toronto for its own safety). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kolava Posted September 1, 2003 Report Share Posted September 1, 2003 If someone could build me a 400 point Kool-aid man, I'd be forever in thier debt. "Oh Yeeaahhh":D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted September 2, 2003 Report Share Posted September 2, 2003 Originally posted by Argus I actually have rolling around in the back of my head a group based on Dodge Car Names. Talon Avenger Ram Neon Viper Durango What do think? A. Aside from Durango. I've done it. They were sponsored by General Motors. I had Shadow & Prowler rather than Durango. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GenreFiend Posted September 2, 2003 Report Share Posted September 2, 2003 These are great! The closest I've ever down was a Japanese guy called The Animaster. He could bring anything from animation to life and make it do his bidding. His favorite was Robotech Veritech Fighters. Never bothered with stats for him, as he was just a plot device and the only real threat was his creations. I did give his power the limits that he must be watching something when he brought it to life, and the creations dissapeared after they were defeated. If I was running him right now, I would take the opportunity to sic Stitch on my hapless PCs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superskrull Posted September 2, 2003 Report Share Posted September 2, 2003 Originally posted by Enforcer84 How bout a five man villain group based on a boy band? The tough one (brick or tough ma) The cute one (Mentalist) The Shy one (skulker/gadegeteer) The (hmmm I don't know what the titles are... I'm pretty happy about that actually) lets call him the Talented one (Martial Artist) The Funny one (Blaster) call them Mayhem Boyz or somthin... I feel unclean now;) It terrifies me that this has already been done and in a Stan Lee-associated production. I take it you never heard of the Backstreet Project? It was a mercifully brief one-shot magazine & series of online flash toons. I was working magazines at a bookstore at the time and had the distinct pleasure of returning like 80% of the suckers. On a disturbingly related note, my current campaign features a villain/rampaging monstrosity originally dubbed Bagman and later christened Hideous II. This physical powerhouse now smashes heroes rather than doing the singing and dancing that Justin Timberlake is known for in real life. Be it madness or just a warped sense of humor, I had the idea to have the hapless performer and his then-paramour Britney Spears transformed by the "fatal car wreck" they had allegedly suffered a few years ago with Spears a near-amnesiac and Timberlake now a hideously scarred psycho stalking her across the country. To add to the confusion, there seem to be doubles of Spears and Timberlake still performing as if nothing is wrong. I'd imagine the recent spit-swap between Spears and Madonna should make Hideous II livid with destructive rage. Hmm, and it's my turn to run on Saturday... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Arrow Posted September 2, 2003 Report Share Posted September 2, 2003 Originally posted by Enforcer84 How bout a five man villain group based on a boy band? SNIP lets call him the Talented one (Martial Artist) Some mistake here. I thought you were talking about boy bands. What about... Ugly One No Girl Ever Likes (maybe he's the tough one) Good Dancer (he might be your martial artist) The One on Booze and/or Drugs (? but possibly highly resisitant to pain and/or common sense) The Colossally Arrogant One Who Thinks He's God's Gift (hey guys, form a queue) Bitter, me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Arrow Posted September 2, 2003 Report Share Posted September 2, 2003 Thanks for letting us see those characters, zornwil. Some interesting ideas there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zornwil Posted September 2, 2003 Report Share Posted September 2, 2003 Originally posted by Crimson Arrow Thanks for letting us see those characters, zornwil. Some interesting ideas there. Thanks, sorry it took so long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrosshairCollie Posted September 2, 2003 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2003 Re: These are great! Originally posted by GenreFiend The closest I've ever down was a Japanese guy called The Animaster. He could bring anything from animation to life and make it do his bidding. His favorite was Robotech Veritech Fighters. Never bothered with stats for him, as he was just a plot device and the only real threat was his creations. I did give his power the limits that he must be watching something when he brought it to life, and the creations dissapeared after they were defeated. If I was running him right now, I would take the opportunity to sic Stitch on my hapless PCs. That's pretty much what I was thinking ... and the other suggestion someone had of bringing anything found on video or DVD to life (fear ... VIDEOMAN!). "Well, your opposition now consists of a comic book geek, six Klingons, John Wayne, and Vegeta." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent X Posted September 2, 2003 Report Share Posted September 2, 2003 Originally posted by Superskrull It terrifies me that this has already been done and in a Stan Lee-associated production. I take it you never heard of the Backstreet Project? It was a mercifully brief one-shot magazine & series of online flash toons. I was working magazines at a bookstore at the time and had the distinct pleasure of returning like 80% of the suckers. On a disturbingly related note, my current campaign features a villain/rampaging monstrosity originally dubbed Bagman and later christened Hideous II. This physical powerhouse now smashes heroes rather than doing the singing and dancing that Justin Timberlake is known for in real life. Be it madness or just a warped sense of humor, I had the idea to have the hapless performer and his then-paramour Britney Spears transformed by the "fatal car wreck" they had allegedly suffered a few years ago with Spears a near-amnesiac and Timberlake now a hideously scarred psycho stalking her across the country. To add to the confusion, there seem to be doubles of Spears and Timberlake still performing as if nothing is wrong. I'd imagine the recent spit-swap between Spears and Madonna should make Hideous II livid with destructive rage. Hmm, and it's my turn to run on Saturday... Oooh, you're just evil to us sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argus Posted September 3, 2003 Report Share Posted September 3, 2003 Originally posted by Enforcer84 Aside from Durango. I've done it. They were sponsored by General Motors. I had Shadow & Prowler rather than Durango. You should post them. That way I don't have to build them. A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted September 3, 2003 Report Share Posted September 3, 2003 That is the coolest idea...Ever! Any plans on looking into the mystery of the doubles who are performing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stray Cat Posted September 3, 2003 Report Share Posted September 3, 2003 Actually, yes. Our team, the Regulators, has had a full plate ever since we picked up Britney and Bagman (hehehe I love that name!). Dunno what SS has planned for us this week, but eventually we'll get back to it! Cat Originally posted by Enforcer84 That is the coolest idea...Ever! Any plans on looking into the mystery of the doubles who are performing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superskrull Posted September 4, 2003 Report Share Posted September 4, 2003 Originally posted by Stray Cat Actually, yes. Our team, the Regulators, has had a full plate ever since we picked up Britney and Bagman (hehehe I love that name!). Dunno what SS has planned for us this week, but eventually we'll get back to it! Cat Fortunately, I did get around to telling me what I'm planning, and I was able to work with what I came up with, but I'm a little slow at times in getting back to me and often have to fake stuff for a while til the players get distracted by something shiny. Sentinel is currently tracking illegal security tape vidclips of Hideous II dancing to the latest Timberlake cuts being shared on file swapping servers while Colossus is trying to break into show biz. Meanwhile, Ebon Knight is hunting transdimensional baddies and nobody has yet to get back to researching more on those crack-dealing robots encountered a few months ago. Man, I love having a dozen plot threads running riot and watching the players scratch their heads in confusion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stray Cat Posted September 4, 2003 Report Share Posted September 4, 2003 WHAT!?!?! I don't remember any robots like that? Where the heck was Colossus? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WhammeWhamme Posted September 4, 2003 Report Share Posted September 4, 2003 Re: Re: These are great! Originally posted by CrosshairCollie That's pretty much what I was thinking ... and the other suggestion someone had of bringing anything found on video or DVD to life (fear ... VIDEOMAN!). "Well, your opposition now consists of a comic book geek, six Klingons, John Wayne, and Vegeta." Vegeta? Have you *seen* his write-up? The other 8 wouldn't get noticed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrosshairCollie Posted September 5, 2003 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2003 Yes, I've seen Vegeta's writeup. I've determined that the only way the Heroes would stand a chance would be to either not get noticed, or tick him off enough to go Super Saiyan 2 so his Dexterity starts taking hits. Or, of course, play on his ego and have him get in a royal fracas with the Klingons and the Duke ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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