The Bat Volvo

[Vestnik]

Hello y'all,

 

I've always been a fan of the whole superheromobile schtick -- the cars, copters etc. I've been trying to come up with a Batman-type character on 350 points, and the only way I can seem to afford anything approaching a cool supercar is to nerf the character himself to the point where an angry sparrow could whup him.

 

Do you guys/gals think the "neat-o supercar" idea is at all workable at 350 points, assuming one wants a viable character outside the vehicle? Or should I just give up and get him a Volvo?

 

Thanks!

[Lunistra]

Re: The Bat Volvo

 

Hello y'all,

 

I've always been a fan of the whole superheromobile schtick -- the cars, copters etc. I've been trying to come up with a Batman-type character on 350 points, and the only way I can seem to afford anything approaching a cool supercar is to nerf the character himself to the point where an angry sparrow could whup him.

 

Do you guys/gals think the "neat-o supercar" idea is at all workable at 350 points, assuming one wants a viable character outside the vehicle? Or should I just give up and get him a Volvo?

 

Thanks!

 

 

How abotu a Bat Smart Car, surely then yo ucould have lots of added extras

[OddHat]

Re: The Bat Volvo

 

Kind of.

 

Build the Batman tribute using the vehicle doubling rules. Each gets 250 points; take 3 total plus a base (GMs option), for a total of 60 points. He won't be much tougher than a good agent, but his motorcycle, car and plane can all have moderately good weapon systems, and the base can have some nice computers and medical equipment. So long as combat takes place outdoors, he'll be fairly useful; indoors, he'll need to hide and snipe.

 

You won't be able to get the Great Martial Artist (by Superhero standards) feeling the comic book Batman has, but a decent list of skills and a martial art built around weapons (with that nice focus discount) should be possible.

[Vestnik]

Re: The Bat Volvo

 

Kind of.

 

Build the Batman tribute using the vehicle doubling rules. Each gets 250 points; take 3 total plus a base (GMs option), for a total of 60 points. He won't be much tougher than a good agent, but his motorcycle, car and plane can all have moderately good weapon systems, and the base can have some nice computers and medical equipment. So long as combat takes place outdoors, he'll be fairly useful; indoors, he'll need to hide and snipe.

 

You won't be able to get the Great Martial Artist (by Superhero standards) feeling the comic book Batman has, but a decent list of skills and a martial art built around weapons (with that nice focus discount) should be possible.

 

I thought the vehicle doubling rules only applied if you bought more of the same kind of vehicle?

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: The Bat Volvo

 

IIRC, the doubling rules do not require the vehicles (or bases - Dr. D uses this, and his bases are very different) be identical in any way.

 

One problem with trying to duplicate Batman on 350 points is that Bats is not a 350 point character. In his original appearances (WAY back in the 1940's, or in Batman Year One type stories), Bats' car was fast, but not armed or really all that unusual. The other vehicles came along later (although, for 10 points of doubling, a Plane, WhirlyBat and Boat shouldn't be that tough to acquire). His Utility Belt, Skills, Contacts, etc. all grew over time (and, in game terms, xp). Many "early in career" stories published in recent years have had Bats muse on how he needs something in his arsenal - something we've seen in stories published earlier, but set later.

[OddHat]

Re: The Bat Volvo

 

I thought the vehicle doubling rules only applied if you bought more of the same kind of vehicle?

 

Nope. Official example vehicles have included air craft carriers with the "doubled" vehicles as planes, etc. Once you build the 200-250 point Tribute Mobile, 10 more points will get you a Tribute Cycle, Tribute Copter, and Secret Tribute Lair.

 

As Hugh pointed out, Bats himself would cost far more than 350 points, but you can do a moderately good tribute for around that level.

[MilkmanDan]

Re: The Bat Volvo

 

The Bat Volvo? I assume Batman is now the dread defender of the suburbs?

[Spence]

Re: The Bat Volvo

 

The Bat Volvo? I assume Batman is now the dread defender of the suburbs?

 

No no no!

 

That would be the BatSUV

 

 

[Killer Shrike]

Re: The Bat Volvo

 

It also helps to remember that Batman didn't start out as "Batgod", and is probably a 750-1000 odd point character if modeled accurately, depending on the campaign averages he would need to measure up against.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: The Bat Volvo

 

Oh yeah, here is a vehicle based "super" I designed as a potential PC. OddHat had some issues with letting me play him at the time, as I recall

 

Anyway, he's 425 points, but could be scaled back a bit w/o completely losing the concept.

 

 

Mr. Goodspeed

[OddHat]

Re: The Bat Volvo

 

Oh yeah, here is a vehicle based "super" I designed as a potential PC. OddHat had some issues with letting me play him at the time, as I recall

 

You wouldn't add the skills I thought he needed, even if I gave you the points for free; the concept was fine. Different styles and all that.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: The Bat Volvo

 

You wouldn't add the skills I thought he needed' date=' even if I gave you the points for free; the concept was fine. Different styles and all that. [/quote']

 

Yeah, I protest the "tech guy skill tax". {shrugs}

[Kirby]

Re: The Bat Volvo

 

Hello y'all,

 

I've always been a fan of the whole superheromobile schtick -- the cars, copters etc. I've been trying to come up with a Batman-type character on 350 points, and the only way I can seem to afford anything approaching a cool supercar is to nerf the character himself to the point where an angry sparrow could whup him.

 

Do you guys/gals think the "neat-o supercar" idea is at all workable at 350 points, assuming one wants a viable character outside the vehicle? Or should I just give up and get him a Volvo?

 

Thanks!

Yes, I believe you can make a Batman-type workable on 350 points; quite less, actually.

 

The first part to understand is that you're not going for the "uber" Batman but need to concentrate on the "Utility Belt" Batman and then skill him up. Batman's "subtitle" is "The World's Greatest Detective" not "The World's Greatest Fighter," which several authors and many fans seem to think.

 

If you by chance have the fourth (?) edition book Justice Not Law, there is a 250 write-up for a DarkAngel, which is the Batman copy. In this she has a 30pt OIF utility belt (20 real points) with 16 1pt "u" slot items. If you merge that with the fourth edition Dark Champions 30 pt OAF utility belt (15 real points) with 21 1pt "u" slot items, you'll have about at 255-270 point charcter to start with, maybe 60 points on vehicles which leaves you from 20-35 points to upgrade/customize your character.

[Nekkidcarpenter]

Re: The Bat Volvo

 

Some of you guys seem to be missing the point.

 

It's the car. Chicks dig the car.

[OddHat]

Re: The Bat Volvo

 

 

It's the car. Chicks dig the car.

 

So, buy the car as the character, then Batman as a follower?

 

[Killer Shrike]

Re: The Bat Volvo

 

So, buy the car as the character, then Batman as a follower?

 

 

I once wrote up KITT / Michael Knight in exactly that fashion.

[OddHat]

Re: The Bat Volvo

 

I once wrote up KITT / Michael Knight in exactly that fashion.

 

See? There's precedent!

[NestorDRod]

Re: The Bat Volvo

 

See? There's precedent!

 

Heh. reminds me of a gun-toting character that was written up as the gun, with the character as a DNPC. Of course, we're talking about the long-ago, lawless days of Champions 2 Ed.

 

When trying to write up iconic characters (such as Bats or Supes), my usual tactic has been to go back to the original appearances of the characters.

 

Back then, the Bat-Mobile was nothing more than a souped-up coupe with fancy body work. That shouldn't be that hard to write-up at a decent price, IMO.

[JmOz]

Re: The Bat Volvo

 

One thing about doubling rule: Yes and no on being the same type. You can use it to double the number of vehicles, but each vehicle may be different, but the base will have to be bought seperate

 

As some have said, bats is not a 350 point character, and much will need to be upgraded with xp

[Mark Rand]

Re: The Bat Volvo

 

The 5E Dark Angel can be found in the Dark Champions Animated book. The utility belt is in the 5E Dark Champions and Gadgets and Gear. All three are great books.

[OddHat]

Re: The Bat Volvo

 

One thing about doubling rule: Yes and no on being the same type. You can use it to double the number of vehicles, but each vehicle may be different, but the base will have to be bought seperate

 

As some have said, bats is not a 350 point character, and much will need to be upgraded with xp

 

I allow the doubling rule to include a base; that's why I listed it as a GMs option above. "One of my vehicles is an aircraft carrier, the other is a plane" is legal; I don't see "One is a car, the other is a garage" as less balanced.

[JmOz]

Re: The Bat Volvo

 

agreed, and copied, but from a "these are the rules" POV...

[OddHat]

Re: The Bat Volvo

 

agreed' date=' and copied, but from a "these are the rules" POV...[/quote']

 

Sure, and understood. Just wanted to point out the reasoning.

[pinecone]

Re: The Bat Volvo

 

I agree its a matter of scale...I was able to make a "decent" car for around 30 pts

 

It no "Gawdmobile" but I have a cool ride ....

 

I've also thought about buying a Base with vehicles, I beleve thats "book legal", just the reverse of Oddhats suggestion....

[Enforcer84]

Re: The Bat Volvo

 

An amusing aside, my brother once turned in a joke character for one of our campaigns. The guy was basically an architect to the Superheroes. He had a genius intelligence, small gadget pool and his own base. Complete with its own Superteam.