Thinking of replacing one of the Friends of Justice

[rjcurrie]

I am currently considering replacing one of the Friends of Justice in my Pulp Hero converntion game. The character I am thinking of replacing is Maxine Sparks, the female reporter. She is meant to be the fast talking girl reporter type seen in many 30s and 40s movies -- basically a Lois Lane type. She also writes pulp adventure novels on the side under the name "Max Stark". While I think she is a decent character, she seems to be the character least likely to be taken if I have less than a full table. So I think it might be a good idea to put a different female character on the team and I'd like to get some ideas for what that character should be.

 

The other seven members of the team are:

• Dr. Abraham Justice aka Doc Justice -- world-renowned surgeon who is also an amateur archaeologist and big game hunter.
  
• Veronica Justice -- Doc's daughter, a culture and languare expert, expert fencer, and most likely to end up tied up in the villain's lair
  
• Sebastian Doyle -- former British secret agent who runs Doc's household, kind of like Alfred from Batman, or Higgins from Magnum, P.I.
  
• Joey Pulzak -- former heavyweight boxer blackballed from the fight game when he refused to throw a fight. Also a mechanic and driver -- learning to be a pilot
  
• Harry Fenwick -- con man now using his skills for good
  
• Duncan MacKillop -- 6'5" 155 lb. red-headed Scottish engineer/physicist/inventor with a sleep ray and a deflecto field (force field)
  
• Betsy Barnes -- cowgirl, stuntwoman, sharpshooter -- raised by her fahter, a silent movie cowboy star on his ranch north of Hollywood

I've had a couple of ideas but I've yet to fall in love with either of them:

• an aviatrx -- no other ideas for a hook and I think I'm better served by continuing with my original plan of eventually making Joey the group's pilot
  
• a carnival fortune teller with some real mystic powers -- possibly with knife throwing skills that she learned from her late husband, the carnival's knife-thrower

Basically, the character should have useful skills in and out of combat and should fit somewhere between the rich socialite (Veronica) and the tomboy (Betsy), personalitywise.

 

Any thoughts?

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Thinking of replacing one of the Friends of Justice

 

I suggest a stage magician, which would justify pick-pocket, escape artist, hypnotist, and various useful props she can keep on hand (lockpicks, smoke bombs, handcuffs etc). If her stage background is broader than just magic she may also be skilled at acting and disguise. Likely to be both sophisticated and flamboyant.

 

Perhaps you could add a pet trained leopard she uses in her act.

 

Or you could go the full psychic route: medium, clairvoyant, mind or aura reader, all unpredictable and/or requiring time and concentration. Possibly limited psychokinetic talents, or a small Summon to call helpful spirits.

[pinecone]

Re: Thinking of replacing one of the Friends of Justice

 

I am currently considering replacing one of the Friends of Justice in my Pulp Hero converntion game. The character I am thinking of replacing is Maxine Sparks, the female reporter. She is meant to be the fast talking girl reporter type seen in many 30s and 40s movies -- basically a Lois Lane type. She also writes pulp adventure novels on the side under the name "Max Stark". While I think she is a decent character, she seems to be the character least likely to be taken if I have less than a full table. So I think it might be a good idea to put a different female character on the team and I'd like to get some ideas for what that character should be.

 

The other seven members of the team are:

• Dr. Abraham Justice aka Doc Justice -- world-renowned surgeon who is also an amateur archaeologist and big game hunter.
  
• Veronica Justice -- Doc's daughter, a culture and languare expert, expert fencer, and most likely to end up tied up in the villain's lair
  
• Sebastian Doyle -- former British secret agent who runs Doc's household, kind of like Alfred from Batman, or Higgins from Magnum, P.I.
  
• Joey Pulzak -- former heavyweight boxer blackballed from the fight game when he refused to throw a fight. Also a mechanic and driver -- learning to be a pilot
  
• Harry Fenwick -- con man now using his skills for good
  
• Duncan MacKillop -- 6'5" 155 lb. red-headed Scottish engineer/physicist/inventor with a sleep ray and a deflecto field (force field)
  
• Betsy Barnes -- cowgirl, stuntwoman, sharpshooter -- raised by her fahter, a silent movie cowboy star on his ranch north of Hollywood

I've had a couple of ideas but I've yet to fall in love with either of them:

• an aviatrx -- no other ideas for a hook and I think I'm better served by continuing with my original plan of eventually making Joey the group's pilot
  
• a carnival fortune teller with some real mystic powers -- possibly with knife throwing skills that she learned from her late husband, the carnival's knife-thrower

Basically, the character should have useful skills in and out of combat and should fit somewhere between the rich socialite (Veronica) and the tomboy (Betsy), personalitywise.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Well you don't have a "Good girl" femme fatale type, so maybe a Socialite seductress?

[rjcurrie]

Re: Thinking of replacing one of the Friends of Justice

 

While not truly a seductress, the socialite part is filled largely by Veronica.

[OddHat]

Re: Thinking of replacing one of the Friends of Justice

 

I noticed that Maxine didn't get picked that often. Shame to lose her, though. Maybe she could be spiced up a bit? Given some key knowledge skills (KS: Mad Scientists, Masked Vigilantes, Conspiracy Theories, etc) that you could inform the group may come into play?

 

As to new characters, how about a Girl Scientist with an unrequited crush on Doc? She may overlap a bit much with Doc and Duncan, but it's a type that turned up now and then.

 

Alternatively, how about a Jungle Queen, with acrobatics, a "Jungle Fighting" martial art, and some survival, tracking and animal handling skills? She's with Doc to save his life, as he saved her people, and may return only when she has succeeded.

 

Or a Chinese Flower, a girl who attached herself to the gang on a trip to Shanghai, with a raft of China / Chinatown related KS and contacts, language skills, deadly hair pins, a derringer, and a surprising knowledge of both poison and Chinese Medicine. She's secretly the third daughter of Doctor Fang, and has joined the FoJ as part of a sinister plot, but finds her heart moved by the simple American idealism of Our Heroes, and is considering mending her ways.

 

Looking forward to whatever you do. It's a great group of characters.