Starting in a new Champions game

[oberon]

Hi all.

 

I'm starting in a new Champions game (most of the players are unfamiliar with Hero) and I thought I'd pick the brains of Herodom assembled. The game is currentlu only in VERY preliminary form.

 

The GM is going to be doing the bulk of character creation for the other players, so is currently asking for concepts (2 so far)

 

At the moment, it is looking like the group will be a somewhat similar idea to the BPRD (Hellboy), a covert, mystically oriented organisation. The GM is happy to base the game around whatever group idea people come up with.

 

So far, we have a Hellboy ripoff, a demonic visaged brick. Pretty straight forward.

Also, another is tossing up between between MA/blaster. Thinking about either going the vampire route (MA), or maybe an angelic being as a foil to the Hellboy route (Blaster).

 

As the only player with any experience with HERO, I was looking at concepts that might fill any gaps in the party.

 

I wouldn't mind playing a speedster or teleporter, but I'm having a hard time coming up with a mystic twist to keep it in line with the other characters.

 

The other option would be a Mage, which would be good as a utility type character. I'd probably go heavy on the party aid/crowd control powers if I go this route.

 

 

Anybody have any ideas/comments/concepts/etc they might like to share with me after reading the above?

 

Thanks in advance guys,

oberon

[assault]

Re: Starting in a new Champions game

 

Anybody have any ideas/comments/concepts/etc they might like to share with me after reading the above?

 

Rereading...

 

Is this FtF or PBEM?

 

It looks like your team has got the supernatural thing happening. My collection of books is a bit weak on that side of things. Still, if you want to flick through any of them, I'm in town...

 

Mystical Teleporters aren't difficult to rationalise. Just vanish in a puff of smoke, and you're good.

 

Speedsters are a bit trickier. Maybe some kind of elemental? A living lightning bolt? The son of Mercury?

[Spence]

Re: Starting in a new Champions game

 

Maybe a little more info on the game setting. I'm not a big Hellboy fan and I need a little more info on game feel, will it be bronze age super or maybe iron?

[Checkmate]

Re: Starting in a new Champions game

 

Spence -- Think Modern Urban Fantasy. Dresdon Files, etc. Demons and magic users fighting other demons and magic users in Modern Times amoung normals that have no idea what's going on around them.

 

What about a shapeshifter? Succubus (no way I spelled that right). She could be a Mage also (ego'ist would fit well too. Most powers No Range, so she Shapeshifts to get close then POW!), or even a Rakshasha.

 

My all time favorite "mystic" type is a Werewolf. Not much of a support or blaster role, but something to think about.

 

What about a Dragon stuck in human form (heck a Dragon with a human and dragon form), or even a half-dragon?

 

What about some sort of Gnome for a mage (even a rich Irish one ((can't spell leperchan either)) ).

 

How about a Satyr can charm with it's music (or aid his allies).

 

A Centaur with a bow could be a blaster.

 

Heck keep it simple: A human Telekinetic.

[Yansuf]

Re: Starting in a new Champions game

 

What about a shapeshifter? Succubus (no way I spelled that right). She could be a Mage also (ego'ist would fit well too. Most powers No Range, so she Shapeshifts to get close then POW!), or even a Rakshasha.

 

In all mythos I am aware of Succubi and Rakshasta are truely evil.

 

A human mage or egoist would work; either could also be a paranormal investigator. Or a paranormal investigator who is also a martial artist.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Starting in a new Champions game

 

Courtesy of our board colleague Oddhat, here are a fine set of 350-point heroes with a mystic background, based on the classic Champs org "The Circle," but usable without that background info: The New Circle.

 

The webpage has links to both HTML character sheets and Hero Designer files.

[Spence]

Re: Starting in a new Champions game

 

OK, that sounds good.

 

I agree with Yansuf, Succubi and Rakshasa were evil creatures. Since you also like werewolves (also evil) how about something like this.

 

Make her a Shaman who is a “skinwalker”. She can take the shape of animals. How about name her Raven since the Raven was one of the NW American trickster gods. Or maybe “____” Daughter of Raven. In addition to shape changing she could weave wards and rituals of protection from evil and so on.

 

I’d avoid Dragons unless you are going to push the game into the supers range. Only D&D portrays dragons as wimps. In most lore Dragons are always spelled with a capital D and are God level beings.

 

Gnomes, Satyr’s and Centaurs don’t blend with humans and would stand out like sore thumbs in a world that the PC’s want to blend like “normals”.

 

Vampires, besides being a way overdone, don’t tend to be great for good guys. It’s the blood drinking thing.

 

How about this for the PC line-up:

 

A Shaman skinwalker.

A modern Mage (ala Dresden)

A Private Investigator who is a master martial artist.

A Gadgeteer tech/computer genious.

[gojira]

Re: Starting in a new Champions game

 

Hmm, Magik (Illyana Rasputin) was a teleporter, at least in part. Her stepping discs could take her and others to another dimension. So I'm thinking some sort of Wizard-Summoner-Martial Artist-Teleporter.

 

Oh, and I got to agree that Odd Hat's New Circle is excellent. If you can locate the original thread and read all of the descriptions. They're awesome.

 

I like the idea of a Gageteer, or a Psionist like Liz. Very Hellboy. How about a Psionist/Mentalist/Sensitive with a modicum of offensive power? You could even make him or her a ghost. (Hmm, or make the character an Angel, since you mention that.) Desolidified is a great, and cheap, defense. What out for those Affects Desolid though.

[Spence]

Re: Starting in a new Champions game

 

Hmm, Magik (Illyana Rasputin) was a teleporter, at least in part. Her stepping discs could take her and others to another dimension. So I'm thinking some sort of Wizard-Summoner-Martial Artist-Teleporter.

 

 

Illyana! One of my favorite four part mini-series in the 80's was about her.

[Checkmate]

Re: Starting in a new Champions game

 

Just to be clear this isn't my thread, I was just offering suggestions.

 

As far as the whole only "Only Evil" races, Demons are pretty much as evil as you get in pretty much every mythos out there and yet Hellboy, a demon, is one of the leading good guys.

 

As far as not "blending in" in the movie (which is where all my info comes from since I never read the comics) there was Hellboy, and a fish-like man that most assuredly woudln't blend in normal society.

[Spence]

Re: Starting in a new Champions game

 

Just to be clear this isn't my thread' date=' I was just offering suggestions. [/quote']

 

Knew that

 

As far as the whole only "Only Evil" races, Demons are pretty much as evil as you get in pretty much every mythos out there and yet Hellboy, a demon, is one of the leading good guys.

 

As far as not "blending in" in the movie (which is where all my info comes from since I never read the comics) there was Hellboy, and a fish-like man that most assuredly woudln't blend in normal society.

 

OK, but I was mainly responding to the "Demons and magic users fighting other demons and magic users in Modern Times amoung normals that have no idea what's going on around them" part of your post.

[oberon]

Re: Starting in a new Champions game

 

Thank you all so much for the replies, so far guys.

 

The exact style/setup for the game hasn't been finalised, yet. The GM has basically asked everyone to come up with a character/team and game concept they would like to play, and he would go from there. Since the first two players to submit character concepts were from the Hellboy mould, I'm assuming that is the sort of game we'll be playing. Frankly, I'm easy with whatever the GM/other players want.

 

Had a quick skim through The New Circle page. Absolutely fantastic. The speedster/precog got a few wheels churning. On the speedster angle as well, thanks for the ideas, assault. Using an avatar/son of Mercury hadn't occurred to me. Obviously most of the divine level beings from comics lean more towards the brick side of things. Definitely an angle to consider.

 

BTW, I'm not certain how many members of my gaming group will be playing, but would you interested in me asking the GM whether there is another slot? I can't make any promises as to the quality of the game (as I've only played with the guy who's GMing. Never been in a game he has run), and it may only be a short term, but if you're jonesing for a FtF game.

 

 

One of the other concepts I was tossing around was a shapechanger type. I guess, great minds think alike, huh Spence Probably not a werecreature, but something more along the lines of a totem warrior (Or Manimal, if anyone else remembers that show. Ahh 80s TV)

 

Probably won't go the mentalist route. I think I detected a slight twitch when I mentioned the possibility (I think he has had bad past experiences with ego attacks ) yet he seemed to have no problem with letting me loose on a VPP as a mage.

 

I think I need to give him a call tonight, see if I can get him to firm up the background of the game a little more.

 

Great ideas, guys, they are really helping solidify some concepts for me.

 

Thanks

oberon

[Spence]

Re: Starting in a new Champions game

 

Manimal! I remember seeing that on TV! What an old show...

[Checkmate]

Re: Starting in a new Champions game

 

Sure I come up with the Shapeshifter idea Spence slams it and still gets the credit, I see how things work

[Spence]

Re: Starting in a new Champions game

 

Sure I come up with the Shapeshifter idea Spence slams it and still gets the credit' date=' I see how things work [/quote']

 

Slamed it? We just tweeked it a little.

[oberon]

Re: Starting in a new Champions game

 

Sure I come up with the Shapeshifter idea Spence slams it and still gets the credit' date=' I see how things work [/quote']

 

Crud Sorry about that. Was scrolling back up the messages to see who posted shapeshifter. Didn't go back far enough. My immense apologies and huge thanks, Checkmate.

 

oberon

[Checkmate]

Re: Starting in a new Champions game

 

That's all right man, I'm used to it. Everyone's always picking on the fat kid.

[assault]

Re: Starting in a new Champions game

 

BTW' date=' I'm not certain how many members of my gaming group will be playing, but would you interested in me asking the GM whether there is another slot? [/quote']

 

Why not?

[oberon]

Re: Starting in a new Champions game

 

OK. After consultation with the GM, have decided to go the Mystic Shapeshifter route.

 

The main base of operations will be Britain, but there will be the opportunity for easy worldwide travel. Here are some brief ideas I'm tossing around.

 

Character (no name as yet) can trace his family line back to the Viking incursions into Britain (specifically, his ancestors were berserks, who really could change form into wolves/bears).

After surviving an encounter with a lycanthrope, instead of contracting the disease, his latent shapeshifter abilites were activated and fought off the lycanthropy.

Initially, he has very poor control, so becomes something of a scholar of various forms of shamanic and arcane magic in an attempt to learn more about his abilities.

 

 

So, I'm thinking he has Multiform, probably x8 forms, but since they won't be too expensive (various normal animals) that will keep the cost down.

 

A small magic VPP, to represent his eclectic knowledge of various magical traditions.

 

A bunch of KS related to his mystical studies.

 

And probably some abilities to increase his combat effectiveness, regardless of form (since the berserks were said to change in order to battle more effectively). Maybe even an EC for these, as they are linked to his shapeshifter heritage. Lose one, lose the lot.

 

Any other suggestions?

 

Also, anyone know of any good resources related to European shapeshifting mythology? Have been doing some online research, and have found some info, but not as much as I like.

Odin and Loki were both known as shapeshifters, but it doesn't appear to have been as widely accepted a trope amongst the Norse pantheon, as in the Greek pantheon, for instance.

 

Thanks

oberon