Kewlest things about Vibora Bay?

[GrooveD70]

My players will be heading to Vibora Bay when we begin playing again. What do yooz guyz think are the coolest aspects of the setting that should be included in the adventure?

[Hermit]

Re: Kewlest things about Vibora Bay?

 

A lot depends on the backgrounds of the character. If any of them are mystics, Vibora Bay will be like Vegas to a gambler.

[pinecone]

Re: Kewlest things about Vibora Bay?

 

I agree, all that tasty mystic goodness.....yum,yum....

[Shaft]

Re: Kewlest things about Vibora Bay?

 

Well, I'm not sure about the coolest thing, but the hottest thing is Black Mask X.

 

The setting, IMHO, lends itself well to a street level supers game with a high element of mysticism- think Angel/Buffy meets the more recent BatMan cartoons. If you have the heroes with the firepower of the Justice League, well you'll have to bring out that guy on p.108. early on, which would suck since he's supposed to be the surprise near the end.

 

In many ways, I think Vibora Bay should be categorized as a Dark Champions, Animated Series setting. It's not as dark as Hudson City, but it's definitely not as shiny as Millenium City. The city should blend the exoticness of New Orleans, the style of Miami, and the shadows of Gotham. There should also be a heavy emphasis on the "haves" and "have-nots".

 

Vibora Bay is also brimming with secrets. I'm reminded of the way everyone in Babylon 5 seemed to know something that the EarthForce people didn't and how it seemed that the hand of fate was omnipresent while remaining subtle. The players should gradually begin to get the impression that they are playing a role and that they Have A Destiny .

 

Caliburn is very cool. If he could be scaled down to 350 pts, he'd make an awesome PC. And as it happens, he Has A Destiny.

[Tom]

Re: Kewlest things about Vibora Bay?

 

Well, I'm not sure about the coolest thing, but the hottest thing is Black Mask X.

 

The setting, IMHO, lends itself well to a street level supers game with a high element of mysticism- think Angel/Buffy meets the more recent BatMan cartoons. If you have the heroes with the firepower of the Justice League, well you'll have to bring out that guy on p.108. early on, which would suck since he's supposed to be the surprise near the end.

 

In many ways, I think Vibora Bay should be categorized as a Dark Champions, Animated Series setting. It's not as dark as Hudson City, but it's definitely not as shiny as Millenium City. The city should blend the exoticness of New Orleans, the style of Miami, and the shadows of Gotham. There should also be a heavy emphasis on the "haves" and "have-nots".

 

Vibora Bay is also brimming with secrets. I'm reminded of the way everyone in Babylon 5 seemed to know something that the EarthForce people didn't and how it seemed that the hand of fate was omnipresent while remaining subtle. The players should gradually begin to get the impression that they are playing a role and that they Have A Destiny .

 

Caliburn is very cool. If he could be scaled down to 350 pts, he'd make an awesome PC. And as it happens, he Has A Destiny.

 

 

I tend to agree on a couple of points -- specifically with the assertion that this would really work as a DC-TAS setting, and the fact VB is brimming with all sorts of potential plot hooks just waiting in the shadows for an unwary team to discover. There isn't a lot that will draw the fellow on pg 108 out early -- so I don't see that as an issue, unless you have one of those few exceptions. I do have one PC/GMPC/NPC char in my game that would probably cause half the major NPCs in VB to have a coronary if he ever came to town -- but for a very specific reason that is not at all common...

 

The coolest thing about Vibora Bay, to my mind and from a GM's perspective, is the supporting cast is designed to be a supporting cast. With MC, you have to either figure out how to shoehorn your PCs in around the Champions, or use them to replace the Champions. With Vibora Bay, the NPC heroes are already set up to be 'go to' people to fill gaps -- not the guys you're competing with to make a name for yourself (unless you've got a competing schtick, and then you can just let that particular NPC fade into the b/g unless you want to have fun with the rivalry)...

 

Assuming the PCs in the group aren't heavy into the mystic side of things -- the 'coolest' potential plot hook (imo) is the swamp. Something my players are going to be discovering in my FtF game...

[Vondy]

Re: Kewlest things about Vibora Bay?

 

Steve's love of orthodox spelling.

[Shaft]

Re: Kewlest things about Vibora Bay?

 

The coolest thing about Vibora Bay, to my mind and from a GM's perspective, is the supporting cast is designed to be a supporting cast.

 

Very, very good point! I never realised exactly what it was that made this supplement stand out so much, and now you have identified it for me.

[gojira]

Re: Kewlest things about Vibora Bay?

 

The setting' date=' IMHO, lends itself well to a street level supers game with a high element of mysticism- think Angel/Buffy meets the more recent BatMan cartoons. If you have the heroes with the firepower of the Justice League, well you'll have to bring out that guy on p.108. early on, which would suck since he's supposed to be the surprise near the end.[/quote']

 

Hmm, or if the heroes are JL level, give them some reason to not be using their powers to the fullest. Put them on an investigation mission, and remind them that the low power threats they face mean they can't cut loose or they'll kill people. Remember, even if not innocent doesn't mean deadly force is justified.

 

Then also give them a problem brawn alone won't solve. They're investigating, remember? Maybe they're supposed to be keeping a low profile too. (Everybody wear trench coats. ) If there's a mentalist on the team, make up a magic spell that provides enough mental defense to block her, and make sure all the important NPCs have it. Low level thugs won't provide much more than clues, no matter what mental powers are used on them (they can't). Make the PCs go through the investigation process to the end before busting out any big baddies.

 

Of course, talk to the players about the general tone of this idea first, make sure it's something they're cool with.

[Steve Long]

Re: Kewlest things about Vibora Bay?

 

Caliburn is very cool. If he could be scaled down to 350 pts, he'd make an awesome PC. And as it happens, he Has A Destiny.

 

LOL, I've actually tried that on a number of occasions. Sometimes it works pretty well, sometimes it doesn't, depending on how comfortable the GM is with the character. He never feels quite "right" to me at lower point levels, though.

[FenrisUlf]

Re: Kewlest things about Vibora Bay?

 

The coolest thing about Vibora Bay' date=' to my mind and from a GM's perspective, is the supporting cast is designed to be a supporting cast. [/quote']

 

This is very true, and I didn't even realize it before now when you said so. Though Redsnake and Doctor Ka are fairly tough heroes. (And ona side note, I was pleased and surprised at just how many if the NPCs came from Pennsylvania -- those two members of the Cirque Sinister from Allentown would have practically been right in my own back yard.) But yes, most of the others are guest star material.

 

And I like the whole mystic swamp thing too, esp. the 'Lost In A World They Never Made ' plot seed for it.

[Tom]

Re: Kewlest things about Vibora Bay?

 

This is very true, and I didn't even realize it before now when you said so. Though Redsnake and Doctor Ka are fairly tough heroes. (And ona side note, I was pleased and surprised at just how many if the NPCs came from Pennsylvania -- those two members of the Cirque Sinister from Allentown would have practically been right in my own back yard.) But yes, most of the others are guest star material.

 

And I like the whole mystic swamp thing too, esp. the 'Lost In A World They Never Made ' plot seed for it.

Dr Ka is tough, but he's no powerhouse though -- he certainly won't dominate the field in a big fight. He's most useful in the setting for his wealth of information and his ability to find stuff out...

 

 

His physical form is most useful for his Flash and Darkness attacks, his only actual damage attack is in the agent range. His astral form is a fairly straight forward mentalist in terms of attack, but his desolid and flight make him as elusive as a ghost...

 

 

Redsnake is probably the toughest fighter among the NPCs, but he won't leave your PCs wondering why they forgot to bring popcorn to the big fight when it happens. His KSs and Contacts, on the other hand, make him worth knowing even if the PCs never see him lift a finger in combat, but he does have the ability to give the players some extra stiffening if the situation calls for it.

 

The 'Lost' seed is one of the major threads in my current attempt to run FtF, so obviously it's one of my favorites too...

[Shaft]

Re: Kewlest things about Vibora Bay?

 

I've actually tried that on a number of occasions... He never feels quite "right" to me at lower point levels' date=' though.[/quote']

 

I took a stab at this, with the intent of trying to preserve the feel of the character. If my goal is 350 pts, then I failed. (Not that I expected to outdo you- that would be inviting hubris ).

 

The best I could do was to whittle him down from 739 pts to the 498-556 pt range with what I think is no major loss of the concept:

• Drop his STR to 13 (saves 1 pt)
  
• Drop his DEX to 17 (saves 2 pts, keep OCV, Dex skills drop, but are made up for w/Overall levels).
  
• Drop his CON to 15 (saves 5 pts, this hurts since he loses some END & REC)
  
• Drop his INT to 18 (saves 2 pts)
  
• Raise his EGO to 18 (costs 6 pts).
  
• Drop his PRE to 20 (saves 5 pts).
  
• REC drops to 6
  
• END drops to 30
  
• Drop his SPD to 4 (saves 10 pts- he can boost it w/ his VPP as needed, but I admit, I don't like this option much).
  
• Add requires a skill roll to his VPP (saves 3 pts)
  
• Merge his enchanted Weapons and Combat Talisman Multi-power w/ with his K-Bar Athame (saves 40 pts).
  
• Drop Martial Arts, replace w/2 lvls w/HtH & 4 levels of HA (saves 26 pts. but again, not wild about this either).
  
• Drop his armor to 7PD resistant/7ED resistant (saves 2 pts).
  
• Drop his sight group per bonus (saves 6 pts, but he can use his overall levels to still make sight rolls on 16-).
  
• Drop Power Defense to 10 pts (saves 2 pts).
  
• Get 1 pt of Mental Defense (5 pts w/EGO)
  
• Drop diminished Eating (saves 1 pt).
  
• Drop his luck to 2d6 (saves 5 pts).
  
• Get well-connected perk, drop 30 pts of contacts to 20 pts (saves 7 pts).
  
• Redefine Nicotine the Dragon as an extremely useful, slavishly loyal contact available on a 14- (saves 41 pts; yes, this reeks of cheese, but it gives the GM more control over the NPC). Alternatively, drop the dragon altogether and save 52 pts).
  
• Lower his reputation to +2d6 (saves 5 pts).
  
• Make his Caliburn Tarot a function of his VPP (saves 10 pts).
  
• Make Simulate death a function of his VPP (saves 3 pts).
  
• Define his Power skill as based on EGO, and drop it to 18- (saves 4 pts).
  
• Upgrade 3 levels w/Combat to 3 Overall (costs 6 pts, but pays off further down).
  
• Drop TF: helicopter (saves 1 pt).
  
• Drop KS: Arcane & Occult Lore to 11- (w/overall levels it can become 14-; saves 2 pts).
  
• Drop KS: Demons to 11- (w/overall levels it can become 14-; saves 1 pt).
  
• Drop KS: Hermetic Theurgy to 11- (w/overall levels it can become 14-; saves 2 pts).
  
• Drop KS: The Mystic World to 11- (w/overall levels it can become 14-; saves 2 pts).
  
• Drop Tracking 8- (saves 1 pt).
  
• Drop CK: Vibora Bay to 11- (w/overall levels it can become 14-; saves 1 pt).

These changes save 178 pts, reducing his value to 561 pts (550 pts if the dragon is dropped).

 

If you rewrite his background so that he hasn't found the Flame Gem yet (which admitedly is a big change to the background) or that he has yet to unlock its secrets, or that it's a function of his VPP, that saves another 47 pts, for a final total of 225 pts saved, and 514 pts spent (236 pts saved/503 pts spent if he has no dragon). Alternately, the Flame Gem could be a 32 pt Independant item (and as an Independant item, it can be taken and used by other NPCs who seek to get their hands on it, giving Caliburn more incentive to guard it. With this write up, he's 546 pts, 535 pts w/no dragon- Should Caliburn ever show up in my game, I'll probably use the 535 pt version of him since he's closer to the power levels that my players are at (~425 pts). The ~100 pts of difference still makes him "one of the boys" while a 300 pt difference puts him in a different league. For all his power, Caliburn still feels like a street supers character.

 

The "Normal Characteristic Maxima" disad and Age (40) would also work for him with my changes, with no major impact (and add 20 or 25 pts of disads since he's only at 105 pts- it's not worth it if his SPD is 5 though). Another psych. limitation which might fit is "the ends justifies the means", (comm. strong) for 15 pts and serves to really put him on the edge between light and darkness. A 5 pt army tattoo that he keeps for sentimental reasons might make for another cool distinctive feature, and bring his disad total to 150.

 

I suspect that the other characters in Vibora Bay could also be "streamlined" to keep their feel, but that's a decision for individual GMs.

[Barton]

Re: Kewlest things about Vibora Bay?

 

I am indirectly using VB in my game. Another thing to use is the corporations in the book. They have many neat plot hooks as my players will soon find out....

[Shaft]

Re: Kewlest things about Vibora Bay?

 

While I'm offering suggestions for trimming down characters from that book, Black Mask X can be streamlined as follows:

• Raise DEX to 23 (costs 6 pts)
  
• Drop INT to 18 (saves 2 pts, keeps INT rolls the same)
  
• Drop PRE to 20 (saves 3 pts)
  
• Drop EGO to 13 (saves 10 pts, EGO rolls stay the same because of Overall levels added)
  
• Drop END to 38 (saves 2 pts)
  
• Raise STUN to 30 (costs 4 pts)
  
• Buy 1/2d6 HA to round off HtH damage to nice round numbers (costs 1 pt)
  
• Change Gas Grenade Pistol MP into Weapons MP. Upograde to 80 active pts; Add all Real weapons (-1/4) limitation to MP and all slots (saves 1 pt)
  
• Remake Taser into an ultra slot in the weapons MP (saves 23 pts)
  
• Add Autofire (3), Indirect (+1/4) & Penetrating advantage to Throwing disks; upgrade damage to 8d6. Turn it into an ultra slot in the weapons MP (saves 9 pts)
  
• Drop TakeDown maneuver (saves 3 pts)
  Drop +1 DC (saves 4 pts)
  
• Change Swingline MP into Utility Belt MP w/20 active pts, and OIF Belt gadgets limitation -1/2 (costs 3 pts)
  
• Keep Swingline slots in Utility Belt MP
  
• Put Air Supply/Rebreather in Utility Belt MP (saves 3 pts)
  
• Put Earpiece Mike (Enhanced Hearing) into Utility Belt MP (saves 3 pts)
  
• Put Earpiece Mike (HRRP) into Utility Belt MP (saves 5 pts)
  
• Put Flashlight into utility belt MP (saves 6 pts)
  
• Put Crime Scene Kit & Lockpick Set into Utility Belt MP (saves 2 pts)
  
• Add well connected perk, drop contacts to 20 pts (saves 7 pts)
  
• Upgrade Combat level to overall level (costs 2 pts)
  
• Drop 1 level w/ Criminology, Forensic Medecine, Paramedics) saves 3 pts
  
• Drop 2 levels w/Concealment, Shadowing, Stealth) saves 6 pts
  
• Drop 1 level w/Tae Kwon Do (saves 3 pts)
  
• Drop Bureaucracy to 13- (saves 4 pts, partially made up for with new overall level)
  
• Drop CK: Chicago to 8- and make it her free Everyman skill (saves 2 pts)
  
• Drop CK: Vibora Bay to 13- (saves 2 pts, made up for w/overall levels)
  
• Add Scholar Perk, keep all KS's at same level (saves 1 pt)
  
• Add 2 pts of Mental Defense (5 pts w/Ego) (costs 2 pts)

Saves 86 pts, and brings her down from 532 pts to 446 pts

 

For Disads, she only has 100 pts in the book, so add Reputation: costumed vigilante on 14- in Vibora Bay area (10 pts), Psych. Limitation: Uphold the Black Mask legacy (common, strong, 15 pts), Rivalry (sexist heroes/cops) 5 pts, Distinctive Features (Attractive, Athletic Blonde; easily concealed) 5 pts, Distinctive Features: Style 10 pts , DNPC: David M. Ward (father and previous Black Mask, normal, useful non-combat skills) on 8- 5 pts. This brings her totals up to 150 pts.

[GrooveD70]

Re: Kewlest things about Vibora Bay?

 

Thanx for all the great responses guys. To give you all a bit more background,

one of the PC's has a Voodoo curse on his family (part of his background) and the team is traveling to VB to find a mystic who can dispell it. I was hoping to design the advanture in a way that they will come in contact with a "who's who" of VB and have a solid idea of what that setting is all about by the time the adventure is done.

 

Its not really a whole campaign, but I'm planning on it taking a decent number of sessions.

 

I'd like to find excuses to involve Caliburn, Redsnake, the swamp etc and give them a decent wiff of whats going on there.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Kewlest things about Vibora Bay?

 

Hmm... well, if the problem involves voodoo, the word on the VB street would probably lead the PCs to Sister Rain for help lifting the curse. She's well known as the most powerful mambo in the city and one of its mystical protectors. Of course once SR is in the picture, it would be easy to involve her partner Brother Thunder.

 

Note that Sister Rain's father is unknown to her. It's possible that the family curse your PC is under might have some connection to her own origins. Moreover, if SR and BT are distracted and weakened by the ills that your out-of-town heroes bring with them, that may prompt an attack against them by their enemy Salt, leader of the most prominent local Demonhame.

[Shaft]

Re: Kewlest things about Vibora Bay?

 

BTW, the reason I'm offering suggestions for scaled down versions of the Vibora Bay cast is because a characters in a Street Level Game might feel overwhelmed by characters with 600 or 700+ points.

 

Dr. Ka scaled down:

Lower STR to 20 (saves 5 pts)

Lower DEX to 17 (save 6 pts)

Lower CON to 18 (save 10 pts)

Lower PD to 8 (save 3 pts)

Lower ED to 8 (save 1 pt)

Lower SPD to 4 (saves 10 pts)

REC drops to 10

END drops to 40

Lower STUN to 35 (costs 4 pts)

Reduce MultiPower to 50 pts (save 6 pts)

Change Multipower slots that have 0 END advantage to only costs END to activate.

Duplicate becomes a 464 pt character Total cost of duplicate is 82 pts (save 212 pts)

***************

-duplicate drops the same 39 pts in charactersitics as main character (duplicate saves 39 pts)

-drop Astral toughness multipower (duplicate saves 67 pts)

-buys up 5PD/5 ED armor (duplicate costs 15 pts)

-changes contacts as per original (duplicate saves 3 pts)

-changes skills as per original below (duplicate saves 12 pts)

***************

Add Well connected perk, drop contacts to 15 pts, plus cost of Bes as a contact drops to 2 pts (saves 3 pts)

Add Reputation perk 3 pts

Change Combat Levels to Overall Levels (costs 4 pts)

Drop AK: Middle East to 11- (can raise it to 13- w/Overall Levels) (saves 1 pt)

Drop KS: Egyptian Magic to 17- (can raise it to 19- w/levels) (saves 1 pt)

Drop all other Ks: to 11- (can raise it to 13- w/Overall Levels) (saves 3 pts)

 

Total: 525 pts; saves 266 pts

 

Add the following disads:

Mystic Aura 5 pts (not concealable, detectable only w/mystic senses)

normal Characterstic Maxima 20 pts

Psychological Limitation: Concerned with the big picutre, less concerned with individual problems (common, moderate) 10 pts

Reputation: Creepy Mystic 8- 5 pts

 

Total disads: 200 base + 150 in disads + 175 Experience

[Watchdog]

Re: Kewlest things about Vibora Bay?

 

Make sure the PCs get a chance to interact with David Wulatin, the NPC boyfriend of Black Mask. I've always felt that this character had a lot of depth and potential for being the focal point of any adventure.

[GrooveD70]

Re: Kewlest things about Vibora Bay?

 

Great responses! thanx!